il made no reply, but filled away again, and in a few minutes was
at the wharf. Mr. Hines and Mr. Brooks leaped on board.

"After him, Bobtail," cried the detective, earnestly, as he shoved off
the bow of the boat.

"He has heard all about it from Ben, and is going to run away. Hurry
up."

The Skylark was clear of the wharf, and coming about, was headed towards
the Eagle.

"Is Captain Chinks's boat fast?" asked Mr. Hines.

"Yes, sir; but it blows too hard for her to-day. She don't carry sail
worth a cent," replied Bobtail.

"How is it with the Skylark?"

"She is the ablest boat I know."

"Good! Then we have the advantage."

"Hoist the jib, Monkey," shouted the skipper.

"Are you sure she will carry it? It blows heavy outside, and the wind
comes in flaws," added Mr. Hines.

"I know her like a book. She will carry her jib and mainsail to-day, but
we have one reef in. The Eagle has two miles or more the start of us;
but we will give her a sweat," said Bobtail.

"She is hoisting her foresail now."

"She will have to take it in again when she gets clear of the land."

[Illustration]

With her jib set, the Skylark occasionally put her scuppers under, but
she was as stiff as Mount Desert itself, and only heeled over just so
far, under any flaw that came.

"I didn't think the captain would run for it so soon," said Mr. Hines.
"He didn't even go to the hotel, where a letter is waiting for him. It
has the St. John postmark upon it, and I know what that means without
opening it."

"He tried to run me down," added Bobtail.

"I saw him do it. His game is nearly up. I intended to arrest him when
he came down from the hotel, but he took the alarm from what Ben told
him."

As the Eagle ran out from the land, it was evident that she could not
long carry her foresail. It was taken in very soon, but she sailed
faster without it than with it. The Skylark gained rapidly upon her. The
water--Frenchman's Bay--was studded with islands, but Mr. Hines, who had
taken the helm, was perfectly familiar with the navigation. As the race
began to be a desperate one for Captain Chinks, he dodged in among the
islands, tempting his pursuer to make short cuts over sunken ledges; but
in all these expedients he failed. The Eagle was a keel boat, and drew
more water than the Skylark, so that wherever the former went the
latter need not fear to follow. At last Captain Chinks appeared to have
given up the race, and Mr. Hines surmised t