it, anyhow, so I didn't mean to have you worry about it. I
think anything that I might have done to stop the race would have done
more harm than the race itself can possibly do, in any case."

"I'm quite sure of that, Mary. Well, we'll get aboard our yacht and
you'd better do the same. They're probably waiting impatiently for you."

The flat-bottomed skiff that Bessie had despised proved handy for
carrying the _Eleanor's_ crew out to her. While the others climbed
aboard, Dolly, who insisted upon attending to everything herself when
she possibly could, arranged a floating anchor that would keep the boat
in place against their return, and a few moments later the
_Eleanor's_ snowy sails rose, flapping idly in the faint breeze.

"Get up that anchor!" directed Dolly. "Bessie, you help Margery. She'll
show you what to do."

Then a shiver shook the little craft, the wind filled the sails, and in
a few moments they were creeping slowly toward the opening in the bar.
Seated at the helm, Dolly looked over toward the other camp and saw that
the other yacht was also under way.

"What do they call their boat?" she asked.

"The _Defiance_," said Eleanor.

Dolly laughed at the answer.

"I bet I know who named her!" she said, merrily. "If that isn't just
like Gladys Cooper! Well, I want a good race, and I can have just as
much fun if we're beaten, as long as I can feel that I haven't made any
mistakes in sailing the _Eleanor_. But--well, I guess I would like
to beat Gladys. I bet she's awfully sure of winning!"

"She's had more experience in sailing boats like these than you have,
Dolly," said Eleanor.

"She's welcome to it," said Dolly. "I shan't make any excuses if I lose.
I'll be ready to admit that she's better than I am."

The two boats converged together upon the opening in the bar, and soon
those on one could see everything aboard the other. Gladys Cooper, like
Dolly, sat at the helm, steering her boat, and a look of grim
determination was in her eyes and on her unsmiling face.

"She certainly does want to win," said Margery. "She's taking this too
seriously--score one for Dolly."

"You think she'd do better if she weren't so worked up, Margery?"

"Of course she would! There are just two ways to take a race or a
sporting contest of any sort--as a game or as a bit of serious work. If
you do the very best you can and forget about winning, you'll win a good
deal oftener than you lose, if your best is any good at all