Slowly but surely, too, the Sally was creeping up close astern of the Surprise, to the wild delight of Willie Grimes and his comrades.
“If I can only beat Jack Harvey,” he kept saying, “I don’t care about the other yacht’s beating us.”
“If Willie Grimes beats us, I’ll run him down and sink him some day,” muttered Harvey, grinding his teeth.
It was still a close race between these two as the finish-line was neared. The Sally had crept up until she was almost abeam of the Surprise, and was gaining, ever so slowly, but surely. Harvey, dogged to the last, waited until the Sally was nearly abreast of him, and then, as a last resort, tried once more to bully the race from his less experienced rival.
Throwing his wheel over slightly, he tried the tactic of crowding the other off the course.
But Willie Grimes was bound to win or sink this time. He kept his own boat off just enough to avoid the possibility of Harvey’s fouling him, maintaining the same relative distance between them, and all the while drawing ahead.
The judges, watching the close finish through their glasses, perceived this trick of Harvey’s, and were ready to disqualify him in case of any accident. But their determination was unnecessary. Less than a dozen rods from the finish-line the Sally had sailed clear of the Surprise, and now cut in on to the course, leaving Harvey astern, and crossed the line a rod to the good.
Then, as a storm of cheers rang out from the assembled boats, as a fluttering of handkerchiefs and waving of parasols, a tossing of hats and shrieking of whistles, saluted the victory of Willie Grimes over him, Harvey did not deign to cross the line. Angrily he swung out of the course, and stood over, without a word, for the town of Bellport.
“Takes his licking hard, doesn’t he, Willie?” called out a voice, and a chorus of laughter mocked at Harvey’s wrath as he sailed away.
The Anna Maud had won the race, but the honours were as much for the Sally as for the winner. They took substantial form, moreover, for, one of the committee, vowing the Sally should have a second prize, if he had to buy one himself, as there had not been any offered, the suggestion met with a ready response; and the owner and crew of the Sally rejoiced that night in the unexpected award of a handsome compass for their cabin.