er."

"Surely she can never gain that distance upon us!" exclaimed Mr.
Norwood.

"It is quite possible, sir. I have known a boat to get a full mile ahead
of another before the wind, and then be beaten by losing it all, and
more too, going to windward. I expect better things than that of the
Maud; but she may disappoint me. She is only making her reputation now."

Donald watched his "sight" ahead all the time, and had not seen the
Skylark for half an hour. The party was silent again for a while, but
the Maud dashed furiously on her course, now and then burying her rail,
while the water shot up through the lee scupper-holes into the
standing-room. But Dick Adams, who was a natural mechanic, was making a
pair of plugs to abate this nuisance.

"Turtle Head!" exclaimed Rodman, who, though he had said but little,
watched the movements of the yacht with the most intense delight and
excitement.

"We are a square quarter of a mile ahead of the Skylark," said Kennedy.
"Business will be good with us, Don John, after this."

"Give her a little more main-sheet, Kennedy," was the skipper's reply,
as the yacht passed the Head, and he kept her away a little.

"Eleven thirty," mused Mr. Norwood, who had taken out his gold watch,
and noted the moment when the Maud passed the headland.

"Now, mind your eye, all hands!" shouted Donald, as the Maud approached
the north-east point of Long Island, where he had to change her course
from south-east to south, which involved the necessity, with the wind
north-west, of gybing, or coming about head to the wind.

It would take a small fraction of a minute to execute the latter
manoeuvre; and as the sails were now partially sheltered under the lee
of the land, the bold skipper determined to gybe. Kennedy had early
notice of his intention, and had laid the spare sheet where it would not
foul anybody's legs. He hauled in all he could with the help of the mate
and others.

"Now, over with it," said Donald, as he put the helm down.

The huge mainsail fluttered and thrashed for an instant, and then flew
over. Kennedy, who had been careful to catch a turn in the rope, held
fast when the sail "fetched up" on the other tack, and then the yacht
rolled her rail under on the port side.

"Let off the sheet, lively!" cried Donald.

"That's what I'm doing," replied the stout ship carpenter, paying off
the sheet very rapidly, so as to break the shock.

"Steady! belay! Now draw jib there."

As Dic