During the last few minutes Eben Moddridge had been strangely silent, for him. Even now, as he stepped up beside the wheel, he was far less nervous than might have been expected.
“Can you overtake that other boat?” he inquired.
“I’ve got to,” came Captain Tom’s dogged reply, as he kept his gaze sharply ahead.
“She seems like a very fast craft.”
“She’s faster than this boat,” replied Halstead, briefly.
“Good heavens! Then she will show us a clean pair of heels,” quivered Mr. Moddridge.
“That’s not so certain, sir.”
Tom was so sparing of his words, at this crisis in the sea race, that Mr. Delavan’s friend felt himself entitled to further explanation.
“You say she’s faster, but intimate we may catch her,” muttered Mr. Moddridge. “How can that be?”