so did Frank Lee. No one is
allowed to remain idle on a racing yacht. The least one can do is to rush
to this side or that and thus make "ballast."

"All ready!" came the word, and the signal was given to start, and the
Defender and the Spray were off.

Presently Jerry came over to the captain, who was at the wheel.

"Can we pass the Spray?" he asked, anxiously.

"We can try, Upton," was the reply. "Can you take the wheel for a minute.
I must have a drink of water."

"Aye, aye, sir," said Jerry.

How proudly he took hold of the wheel! He was for the time being in
absolute command of the Defender.

An extra breeze sprang up. They were sailing almost side by side with the
Spray. Suddenly the Defender shot ahead. Our hero stuck to the wheel,
while Harry and Frank Lee did their full share of work with the rest of
the crew.

The Defender was ahead, but the race was not yet over.

CHAPTER XX.

THE MISHAP TO THE YACHT.

The young oarsman was not allowed to remain at the wheel long. Soon the
captain of the Defender came up again and took charge.

"I see we have passed the Spray," he said. "That's a good one for you,
Upton. Now we must keep ahead."

After turning the wheel over to the captain, Jerry moved forward to where
Harry and Frank Lee were standing.

In the meanwhile the gallant yacht was cutting the water like a razor. The
breeze was stiff, and they were running free before it. Soon the Spray was
almost out of sight behind them.

"This Defender is a great boat," said Harry.

With the wind on the starboard quarter the Defender and the Spray reached
along for over a mile at a six knots an hour gait.

Then the wind fell off to almost a calm.

"This is no good," observed Jerry.

"Fortunes of racing," laughed Harry.

"I would like to see another stiff breeze."

"We may catch more than enough before we have finished," put in Frank
Lee.

The further on the two yachts went the lighter became the wind, and each
in turn ran into "soft" spots, when balloon top-sails hung up and down
idly.

But no matter how the wind came the Defender got along, leaving the Spray
steadily behind.

It was a triangular course, of three miles to each side, and soon the
first side was sailed.

The yachts wore around the first mark flat, leaving it on the port hand.

Baby jib top-sails had been sent down before the rounding, and spinnaker
poles were now ready for the balloon sail.

With booms well off to port