"Four boats!" exclaimed Peppers.
"No," answered Dory, laughing in spite of his situation. "I didn't say four boats."
"You said one from each quarter; and there are four quarters in any thing, according to my arithmetic," added the officer.
"A vessel has but two quarters, and she has dropped two boats into the water. There are five men in each of them," continued Dory.
"That will do! Dry up, and shut up, all of you!" interposed Pearl. "I am going to fight this thing out to the end, and I don't want any more talk."
The Goldwing was in behind the land, so that she did not feel the full force of the wind. The lake was calm and smooth behind the point, and the boat moved very sluggishly. Pearl began to be very impatient; but a short distance ahead the surface was ruffled, and she would soon have a better breeze.
The starboard quarter-boat pulled towards Simms's Point, and the port boat in the opposite direction. Whichever way the schooner went, she was sure to be intercepted by one or the other of them. The oarsmen of the boats appeared to be all young fellows. They were dressed in a blue uniform; and all of them wore white linen caps, without visors. The officers showed a profusion of brass buttons on their frock-coats, and wore yacht-caps of white linen.
The boats were white, and were very graceful in their build. The four rowers in each boat pulled a man-of-war stroke. The starboard quarter-boat was ahead of the Goldwing; and the officer in charge of her was urging his men to their best exertions, so as to come in ahead of the schooner. Before the Goldwing could reach the point, she was in position to intercept her.
Pearl scowled when he saw the boat directly in his course. He looked back, and saw the other boat beyond the steamer. He could not help realizing that the pleasant game he had been playing had ended in his being beaten.
"Goldwing, ahoy!" shouted the officer in charge of the starboard quarter-boat.