been sacrificed in her construction to
the one prime necessity for reeling off the miles. Nick was quivering
all over with anxiety. He might have backed out only that he chanced
to have a stubborn streak in his make-up, and his word had been given.
But he certainly looked far from happy as he faced the gloomy prospect
of days and days cooped up in that cranky craft, where the least
movement abroad [Transcriber's note: aboard?] set up a dizzy wabbling.

"Got your hair parted exactly in the middle, Buster?" shouted a comrade
from the crowd, noting how the fat boy gripped the sides of the boat
every time the pilot made a sudden little movement that caused the
touchy _Wireless_ to bob or roll.

"Better take a teenty more breath in that right lung, Hippo!" called
another, with cruel intent; but Nick only grinned, and waved his hand,
as though utterly indifferent to their jibes.

Jack looked at his little dollar nickel watch for the last time.

"Five minutes more only, fellows!" he announced. "Get aboard, all!"

Presently they were settled in their places, and the engines had been
started to make sure everything was right for the word "go!"

Then the plain sound of the clock in the town hall came to their ears,
as it started to strike the hour.

"Let loose!" called Jack; and immediately gave several sharp toots on
his shell signal horn.

A storm of wild cheers broke out when the trio of handsome boats shot
off as soon as those on the dock had eased the detaining cables.

"Look at the _Wireless_, will you? Talk about your speed, ain't she
got it to burn, though?" shouted one enthusiast, as the long,
cigar-shaped boat shot ahead, and rapidly opened a gap between herself
and the other contestants.

And minutes before the _Tramp_ and the _Comfort_, she passed out of
sight around the bend in the river, a mile below the town.

As long as the pilots of the other two craft could see the faintest
sign of the home town they were leaving on this long and doubtless
perilous voyage over unknown waters, they could hear the whoops of the
excited people, as they waved the adventurous cruisers and racers an
adieu, with good wishes for a safe journey.

CHAPTER III.

A HANDICAP AT THE FIRST STATION.

"We've got to pull up here, Jimmie!"

"Sure; and what time have ye, Jack?"

"Just eleven. We've been booming along for three hours today, besides
the whole eight yesterday, and without a single breakdown, too," and
J