If only they could find some new way to take the initiative, things might work out, Sandy thought. This cat-and-mouse game couldn’t possibly do any good. Besides, even if they could hold out till day-light, there was no guarantee that they would get help from any other boat before Jones could finish the job. After all, lack of light was all that was preventing Jones from firing at them now. When morning came, it would most likely be accompanied by a hail of shots!
The more Sandy thought, the less it seemed that they could find a way out of their desperate straits. Then his gloomy thoughts were interrupted by Jerry.
“Got any more ideas?” he asked. “I know it’s my turn to think up a good one, but I can’t seem to come up with a thing.”
“I don’t know,” Sandy answered. “It seems to me though, that we’re going to have to do something really different now if we’re going to get back to shore in one piece!”
Then he suddenly sat up straighter, pushing back his blond forelock. “Jerry! I think I have an idea!”
“What is it?” Jerry asked eagerly.
“It may sound crazy, but I want to go back on a downwind course again!”
Jerry looked puzzled. “A downwind course? Sandy, we don’t have a chance that way! That’s the way we were sailing when Jones first started after us, and with his spinnaker in place, he’ll have us in no time!”
“I know,” Sandy said, “but I have an idea that might work this time. I want Jones to get close—real close—to try this!”
Jerry shook his head. “It sounds nutty to me,” he said, “but if you think you’ve got something that’ll work, I’m game. Just tell me what....”