hey went below.

The bright little saloon was decorated with flowers; the colored glass
on the table looked pretty enough; here was a pleasant break in the
monotony of the day. It was an occasion, too, for assiduous helpfulness,
and gentle inquiries, and patient attention. They forgot about the
various chances of the yachts. They could not at once have remembered
the name of the favorite. And there was a good deal of laughter and
pleasant chatting, while the band overhead--heard through the open
skylight--still played,

"O this is no my ain lassie,
Kind though the lassie be."

And behold! when they went up on deck again they had got ahead of all
the yachts, and were past the forts at the mouth of the Medway, and were
out on an open space of yellowish-green water that showed where the tide
of the sea met the current of the river. And away down there in the
south, a long spur of land ran out at the horizon, and the sea
immediately under was still and glassy, so that the neck of land seemed
projected into the sky--a sort of gigantic razor-fish suspended in the
silvery clouds. Then, to give the yachts time to overtake them, they
steamed over to a mighty ironclad that lay at anchor there; and as they
came near her vast black bulk they lowered their flag, and the band
played "Rule, Britannia." The salute was returned; the officer on the
high quarterdeck raised his cap; they steamed on.

In due course of time they reached the Nore lightship, and there they
lay and drifted about until the yachts should come up. Long distances
now separated that summer fleet; but as they came along, lying well over
before the brisk breeze, it was obvious that the spaces of time between
the combatants Would not be great. And is not this Miss White's vessel,
the favorite in the betting, that comes sheering through the water, with
white foam at her bows? Surely she is more than her time allowance
ahead? And on this tack will she get clear round the ruddy little
lightship, or is there not a danger of her carrying off a bowsprit? With
what an ease and majesty she comes along, scarcely dipping to the slight
summer waves, while they on board notice that she has put out her long
spinnaker boom, ready to hoist a great ballooner as soon as she is round
the lightship and running home before the wind. The speed at which she
cuts the water is now visible enough as she obscures for a second or so
the hull of the lightship. In another second she h