bout three weeks."

"Is that so?" exclaimed Dan.

"Out here on the ocean?" demanded Sam.

"Not exactly out here, but in some bay along the coast. These races
are a big thing and arouse a lot of interest."

"Whom do you race with?" asked Dan.

"With crews from the other ships. We race for silver cups and the
rivalry is very keen. You have seen our racing gig, have you not,
boys?"

"Oh, yes; that's so. I had forgotten about the gig. It's up on the
upper deck, starboard side, isn't it?" queried Dan.

"Yes; that's the boat. She's one of the slickest boats in the service."

"Pretty heavy for racing, isn't she?" questioned Dan.

"They have to be for sea racing. You see, we frequently run into some
foul weather. No paper shells for that kind of racing. It's a man's
game, every inch of it," announced the boatswain's mate, Joe Harper by
name.

"I should think it must be. What grand sport," breathed Dan. "How
many men do you have in the boat?"

"Twelve, including the coxswain. We have some likely material on board
this season."

"Who has charge of the race? Who is the captain of the crew?"

"I am. That is, I am the coxswain, and have full charge of the boat
and the picking of the crew."

Sam was eyeing the boatswain's mate with new interest now. This time
it was Sam Hickey who was squinting out of the corner of one eye. He
was trying to figure out, in his own mind, what the boatswain's mate
was getting at. As yet he had not been able to decide in his own mind.

"There's a colored gentleman in the woodpile for sure," he muttered.
"He'll show his woolly head in a minute or so, or my name's not Sam
Hickey."

The colored gentleman fulfilled Sam's expectations very soon after that.

"Unfortunately, two of our men have been, taken away from us. I say
unfortunately, though I don't exactly mean it in that way. I'm mighty
glad we are rid of them, only that it makes necessary a change of
plans."

"Who are they, Mr. Harper?"

"Those two islanders, Black and White. They are a fine pair of birds,
but they certainly could pull an oar. Would you boys like to come up
and look over the boat?"

"Indeed we should," answered Dan enthusiastically.

They made their way to the upper deck. Two sailors had stripped the
canvas from the racing gig, and were preparing to go over it with
sandpaper to smooth its sides down.

"Why do you do that; to make it smoother?" asked Dan.

"That is the idea exactly,"