be when we're going back, with
what wind there is behind us."

But soon it seemed that Dolly had made a rash prediction, for when she
came about and started to beat up to port, the _Defiance_ held to
her course.

"Well, she can do that if she wants to," said Dolly. "Just the same, I
think she's going too far."

"It looks to me as if she were pretty sure of what she's doing, though,
Dolly," said Margery, anxiously. "Don't you think you tacked a little
too soon?"

"If I thought that I wouldn't have done it, Margery," said Dolly. "Don't
bother me with silly questions now; I've got to figure on tacking again
so as to make that turn with the least possible waste of time."

"Don't talk to the 'man' at the wheel," advised Eleanor, with a laugh.
"She's irritable."

A good many of the nautical terms used so freely by the others might
have been so much Greek for all Bessie could understand of them, but the
race itself had awakened her interest and now held it as scarcely
anything she had ever done had been able to do.

She kept her eyes fixed on the other boat, and at last she gave a cry.

"Look! They're going to turn now."

"Score one for Gladys, Margery," said Dolly, quietly. "She's certainly
stolen a march on me. Do you see that? She's going to make her turn on
the next tack, and I believe she'll gain nearly five minutes on us. That
was clever, and it was good work."

"Never mind, Dolly," said Margery. "You've still got a chance to catch
her going home before the wind. I know how fast the _Eleanor_ is at
that sort of work. If the _Defiance_ is any better, she ought to be
racing for some real cups."

"Oh, don't try to cheer me up! I made an awful mess of that, Margery,
and I know it. Gladys had more nerve than I, that's all. She deserves
the lead she's got. It isn't a question of the boats, at all. The
_Defiance_ is being sailed better than the _Eleanor_."

"Margery's right, though, Dolly," said Eleanor. "The race isn't over
yet. You haven't given up hope, have you?"

"Given up?" cried Dolly, scornfully, through set teeth. "Just you watch,
that's all! I'm going to get home ahead if I have to swamp us all."

"That's more like her," Margery whispered to Bessie.

And now even Bessie could see that the _Defiance_ had gained a big
advantage. Before her eyes, not so well trained as those of the others
to weigh every consideration in such a contest, had not seen what was
really happening. But it was plain enough now