“You’d better turn for home now, Dolly,” she said. “Suppose I give Gladys a hail and suggest a race to the bar?”
“All right,” agreed Dolly.
“Gladys!” Eleanor sent her clear voice across the water, and Gladys answered with a wave of her hands. She seemed in better humor than she had been the day before.
“We’re going in now. Want to race to the bar?”
“All right!” called Gladys, in answer and came about smartly. She had been quick, but Dolly was just as quick, and they were on the most even terms imaginable as the race began.
But Dolly and the Eleanor had one advantage that Gladys was not slow to recognize. The Eleanor had the inside course. In a close finish that would be very likely to spell the difference between victory and defeat, since, to reach the opening, Gladys would either have to get far enough ahead to cross the Eleanor’s bows or else to cross behind her, which would entail so much loss of time that Dolly would be certain to bring her craft home a winner. But since the previous racing had shown the Defiance to be just a trifle swifter before the wind, that advantage seemed to be one that Gladys could easily overcome.
Now that she was racing, however, Dolly changed her tactics. Fresh as the wind was, she shook out a reef in her mainsail, and as they neared the bar the Eleanor actually carried more canvas than Gladys dared to keep on the Defiance, Being less used to heavy going than Dolly, she was not so sure of the strength of her sticks, and reckless though she was, she was too wise to be willing to take a chance of being dismasted.
And so the advantage that Gladys had to gain to be able to cross the Eleanor’s bows seemed to be impossible for her to attain. The Eleanor did not go ahead, but she held her own, and she had the right of way.
“You’re going to beat her again, and fair and square this time,” said Eleanor, excitedly. “She won’t be able to say a word to this!”
“Look!” said Dolly, suddenly. “She’s going to cross me–and she’s got no right to do it!” She shouted loudly. “Gladys! Gladys! I’ll run you down! Don’t do that! I’ve got the right of way!”