rs about
Lawrence; in fact, there was no sloop that could beat her. She was a
clinker-built boat, about seventeen feet long, and her breadth of
beam--that is, the distance across her from one side to the other--was
great compared with her length. She was rigged like Frank's boat,
having one mast and carrying a mainsail and jib; but as her sails were
considerably larger than those of the Speedwell, and as she was a much
lighter boat, the boys all expected that she would reach the island,
which the young skippers always regarded as "home" in their races,
long before the Speedwell. The Champion was sailed by two boys.
William Johnson, her owner, sat in the stern steering, and Ben. Lake,
a quiet, odd sort of a boy, sat on one of the middle thwarts managing
the sails. As soon as she rounded the lock, Harry Butler sprang to his
feet, and, seizing a small coil of rope that lay in the boat, called
out,

"Bill! if you will catch this line, we'll tow you."

"No, I thank you," answered William. "I think we can get along very
well without any of your help."

"Yes," chimed in Ben. Lake, "and we'll catch you before you are
half-way to the island."

"We'll see about that!" shouted George, in reply.

By this time the Speedwell was fairly before the wind, the sails were
hauled taut, the boys seated themselves on the windward gunwale, and
the race began in earnest. But they soon found that it would be much
longer than they had imagined. Instead of the slow, straining motion
which they had expected, the Speedwell flew through the water like a
duck, mounting every little swell in fine style, and rolling the foam
back from her bow in great masses. She was, beyond a doubt, a fast
sailer.

George and Harry shouted and hurrahed until they were hoarse, and
Frank was so overjoyed that he could scarcely speak.

"How she sails!" exclaimed Harry. "If the Champion beats this, she
will have to go faster than she does now."

Their pursuers were evidently much surprised at this sudden exhibition
of the Speedwell's "sailing qualities;" and William hauled more to the
wind and "crowded" his boat until she stood almost on her side, and
the waves frequently washed into her.

"They will overtake us," said Frank, at length; "but I guess we can
keep ahead of them until we cross the river."

And so it proved. The Champion began to gain--it was very slowly, but
still she did gain--and when the Speedwell had accomplished half the
distance across the