l right," answered the smugglers.

And they disappeared behind a high-wooded promontory of the island.

It was hard work, pulling against a current that ran four miles an
hour, but they were accustomed to it, and the thought of again
beating the coast-guards gave strength to their arms.

In a few moments a sudden filling of the sails announced that they had
caught the breeze. The oars were drawn in, and every sheet hauled
taut, and, when they rounded the head of the island, not one of the
squadron was in sight.

"I expected," said Harry, speaking in a loud voice, so that the others
could hear, "that they would feel the wind long before this."

"Even if they had," answered Frank, "we could have beaten them easily
enough. You see, when they come around the foot of the island, they
will be some distance below the long dock, and the current will carry
them still further down, while we are above it, and can sail right
down to it. Here they come!"

The boys looked down the river, and saw the men-o'-war rapidly
following each other around the foot of the island.

"I guess they have discovered their mistake before this time," said
William. "Now," he continued, as he drew his mainsail down a little
closer "the Champion is going to be the first to sail into the creek."

"That's the game, is it?" said Frank. "Ben, perch yourself up on the
windward side, and we'll see which is the best boat."

Ben did as he was desired, and the little vessels increased their
speed, and bounded over the gentle swells as if some of their crews'
spirit had been infused into them. They had started nearly even--the
Alert and Champion being a little in advance of the Speedwell--and the
boys knew that the race was to be a fair trial of the speed of their
boats. The Alert and Speedwell had never been "matched" before, and
the boys were anxious to learn their comparative speed. The former was
the "champion" boat of the village, and Harry and George were
confident that Frank's "tub," as they jokingly called it, would soon
be distanced. Frank thought so, too; but the reputation of owning the
swiftest boat in the village was well worth trying for, and he
determined to do his best.

Since his race with the Champion, he had made larger sails for his
boat, and added a flying-jib and a gaff-topsail, and he found that her
speed was almost doubled.

The Champion soon fell behind, and the two rival boats were left to
finish the race, which, for a long ti