"Oh, I hope not," exclaimed Belle. "I should be so disappointed."
"And it would be impolite of them," added the innocent Bess, whereat every one laughed.
The boys had been saving their strength. Now they paddled off and their craft, one of brown and one green, seemed equal to any of the others.
"Hello there!" called Jack. "Did you notice?"
"What?" asked Cora.
"The canoe—the Gerkin?"
"He means it has lines like the lost boat," said Cora. "I have not seen it enough to know," she finished, but at the same time she took the glasses to look at the new rival of the wild girl.
"Yes it has, I remember," said Bess. "I had a good look at it the afternoon that they lost it. I was waiting for you to fix up your boat Cora, and I saw the boys' canoe."
"Well, I suppose they could never be certain, as there must be more than one boat built even on those lines," said Cora. "My! See how close they are—the girl and the boys!"
"She's ahead!" exclaimed Belle, clapping her hands. "How I hope she wins!"