ot, and a
gun from her saluted the victor in the exciting race. About four minutes
later came the Skylark, which had lost half this time in the squall.

CHAPTER X.

THE LAUNCH OF THE MAUD.

The heavy rain had driven nearly all the people on board of the
Penobscot below, but the judges, clothed in rubber coats, kept the deck,
in readiness to take the time of the rival yachts. After the squall, the
weather was so thick that both of them were hidden from view. The craft
not in the race had anchored near the Penobscot, and on board of all the
yachts the interest in the result was most intense.

"I'm afraid it will be no race," said Sam Rodman, who was now the
chairman of the judges.

"The commodore will put the Skylark through, whatever the weather,"
replied Frank Norwood.

"Don John will keep the Sea Foam flying as long as Bob runs the Skylark,
you may depend."

"It was quite a little squall that swept across the bay just now," added
Rodman. "I hope no accident has happened to them."

"I'll risk the accidents. I would give a dollar to know which one was
ahead."

"Not much doubt on that point."

"I think there is. Don John generally knows what he is about. He don't
very often say what he can do, but when he does, he means it."

"The commodore is too much for him."

"Perhaps he is, but I have hopes of the Sea Foam. Don John is building
the Maud for me, and I have some interest in this race. I don't want a
yacht that is to be beaten by everything in the fleet. If the Skylark is
too much for the Sea Foam, the chance of the Maud won't be much better."

The judges discussed the merits of the two yachts for half an hour
longer, and there was as much difference of opinion among them as among
the rest of the spectators of the race.

"There's one of them!" shouted Frank Norwood, as the Sea Foam emerged
from the cloud of mist which accompanied the rain.

"Which is it?" demanded Rodman.

"I can't make her out," replied Norwood, for the yacht was over a mile
distant.

"But where is the other? One of them is getting badly beaten," added
Rodman.

"That must be the Skylark we see."

"I don't believe it is. It is so thick we can't make her out, but her
sails look very white. I think it is the Sea Foam."

"There's the other!" exclaimed Norwood, as the Skylark was dimly
perceived in the distance.

"She is half a mile astern. It is a bad beat for one of them."

"That's so; and if it is the Sea Foam, I sha