“Yes?” Jack said, feeling that he was expected to make some sort of remark.
“They told me all about it, fellers,” spoke up Josh; “and after you hear, I guess you’ll understand just why they’ve been playing the hold-off game they did. It’s all as square as you’d want it, take my affidavy on it.”
“Good for you, Josh,” laughed Bliss, good-naturedly, as he glanced quickly toward his companion; and Jack plainly saw him wink his eye suggestively. “After what we did for you, it’s evident that you have perfect faith in our record. But, as I was saying, Jack, at the club one evening, we got to disputing, and Lenox, who pretends to be something of a dashing small boat sailor, dared Bryce and myself to enter into a competition with himself and some of his friends. That’s what took us down here right now, you see.”
“What sort of competition, sir?” asked George, quickly.
“To prove which party might turn out to be the better sailors, we agreed to make the complete circuit of the coast of Florida in boats no longer than twenty-three feet; and the ones who reached Pensacola first were to be declared winners. Neither of us were to accept the least outside aid, on penalty of being declared losers.”
It sounded very nice, and yet Jack could not forget that suggestive look which had passed between the men. And he wondered if there might not be something back of the story Bliss was telling, something perhaps much nearer the truth.
“Oh!” he remarked, “I see now what you mean. You kept watching us, then, because you suspected we might be your rivals in the race?”
“That’s it, Jack,” the man immediately burst out with, seemingly pleased; “you see, my boy, our friend Lenox is known to be rather a tricky chap. Carpenter and myself came to the conclusion that he might resort to some scheme to hold us back, and somehow we got to look at your three boats with suspicion. Of course it was all a silly mistake, as we know now. But we’re glad to have been of some assistance to your mate, Josh, knowing full well that you’d have done as well by us if the occasion offered. And, by Jove! you boys beat us all hollow, when it comes to bold cruising; for Josh has been telling us something of what you’ve done. I take off my cap to you, Jack Stormways, as a Corinthian sailor!”