"I give you the order to build the yacht," said Mr. Norwood.
"Thank you, sir; but I would rather wait till this race is finished before I take the job. We may be beaten yet—badly beaten, too. There are a dozen things that may use us up. The tide is not up, so that I can't play off the dodge I did in the Sea Foam; and if I could, Bob Montague is up to it."
"There is no need of any dodge of any sort," replied Mr. Norwood. "We are beating the Skylark without manœuvring; and that is the fairest way in the world to do it."
"This is plain sailing, sir; and the Skylark's best point is on the wind. For aught I know, the Maud may do the best with a free wind," said Donald; and he had well nigh shuddered when he thought of the difference in yachts in this respect.
"It may be so; but we are at least two lengths ahead of her now."
"Over three," said Kennedy.
"So much the better," laughed Mr. Norwood. "The more we gain with the wind free, the less we shall have to make on the wind."
"But really, sir, this running down here almost before the wind is nothing," protested Donald, who felt that his passenger was indulging in strong expectations, which might not be realized. "The tug of war will come when we go about. We have to beat almost dead to windward; and it may be the Maud has given us her best point off the wind."
"You don't expect her to fail on the wind—do you, Don John."
"No, sir; I don't expect her to fail, for she did first rate yesterday, when we tried her. She looked the breeze almost square in the face: but I can't tell how she will do in comparison with the Skylark. Of course I don't expect the Maud to be beaten; but I don't want you to get your hopes up so high, that you can't bear a disappointment."