“I do believe the race is a personal feud between you two! Why does it mean so much to defeat him?”
Sally stepped nimbly aboard the scrubbed deck, stowing away the sponge under one of the seats. “Jack and I always have been rivals,” she admitted. “We went to grade school together. He used to make fun of me because I lived on a ferryboat.”
“Jack was only a kid then.”
“I know. But we always were in each other’s hair. We competed in everything—debates, literary competitions, sports. Jack usually defeated me too. In sailing, due to Pop’s coaching, I may have a slight edge over him.”
“Do you really dislike Jack?”
“Why, no.” Sally’s tone indicated she never had given the matter previous thought. “If he weren’t around to fight with, I suppose I’d miss him terribly.”
Penny sat down on the dock to lace up a pair of soft-soled tennis shoes. By the time she had them on, Sally was ready to shove off for the trial run.
“Suppose we take about an hour’s work-out, and then rest until time for the race,” she suggested. “You’ll quickly learn the tricks of this little boat. She’s a sweet sailer.”
The Cat’s Paw had been tied to the dock with a stiff wind blowing across it, and larger boats were berthed on either side. To get away smoothly without endangering the other craft would be no easy task. As the girls ran up the mainsail, a few loiterers gathered to watch the departure.
“All set, mate?” grinned Sally. “Let’s go.”