Sally nodded gloomily. Shading her eyes against the glare of the sun, she gazed across the river, studying the triangular course. Far off-shore, well beyond the line the Spindrift and their own boat was taking, the surface of the water appeared rippled. Ahead of them there was only a smooth surface.
“Penny,” she said quietly. “I believe there’s more breeze out there.”
Penny nodded and headed the Cat’s Paw on the longer course out into the river. To many spectators ashore it appeared that the girls deliberately had abandoned the race, but aboard the River Queen, Captain Barker grinned proudly at his guests, Mr. Parker, and Mr. and Mrs. Gandiss.
“Those gals are using their heads!” he praised. “Well, Mr. Gandiss, it looks as if the Barkers will keep the trophy another year!”
“The race isn’t over yet,” Mr. Gandiss rumbled goodnaturedly.
Aboard the Cat’s Paw, Penny and Sally were none too jubilant. Although sails curved with wind and they were footing much faster than the other boats, the course they had chosen would force them to sail a much longer distance. Could they cross the finish line ahead of the Spindrift?
“Shouldn’t we turn now?” Penny asked impatiently. “Jack’s so much closer than we.”
“Not yet,” Sally said calmly. “We must make it in one long tack. He will be forced to make several. That’s our only chance. If we misjudge the distance, we’re sunk.”
Tensely, they watched the moving line of boats close along shore. The Spindrift seemed almost at the finish line, though her sails barely were drawing and she moved through the water at a snail’s pace.
Again Penny glanced anxiously at her companion.