ard that there are some of those terrible people in this section."

"Nonsense!" exclaimed Cora. "I only mean that his boat is a very
powerful one. He did not 'let her out,' as Jack says, to the limit. He
could easily have beaten us if he had wanted to."

"The idea!" cried Belle. "I don't like that kind of young man."

"Nor I," agreed Cora. "Not because he refused to win when he could,
but because of what may be his object. That he had one I'm certain."

The girls turned to look at the other motor boat. It was rounding the
point to Bayhead now, and seemed to be going at remarkable speed.

"How fast it goes!" exclaimed Lottie.

"Yes, much faster than the _Chelton_," responded Cora. "I told you he
was holding back."

"What could have been his object?" asked Belle.

And that was a question all the girls asked themselves.

"Well, my nerves are better, anyhow," observed Bess, as she threw back
the clustering hair from her face so that the wind might caress her
cheeks, now flushed with excitement.

"That's good," spoke Cora.

"The antidote of the race and the excitement of the mystery, as to why
the nice young man didn't want to win, are guaranteed to cure nerves
or money refunded," said Lottie with a laugh. "Where are you going,
Cora?"

"Back to the bungalow, of course. Mrs. Lewis may be anxious about us.
It is nearly lunch time, anyhow."

"Then it is time for us to be anxious about ourselves," said Bess.
"But I don't believe Mrs. Lewis will worry. You know she went away
right after doing up the breakfast things. She said she was going to
consult some friends, for those she saw last night could not help her,
and she may not be back yet. So there's no need to hurry."

"Then I have an idea!" cried Cora. "We have our tea outfit with us,
and some crackers. Why not go ashore and have a little picnic? It will
complete the nerve treatment, perhaps," and she smiled at Bess.

"Good!" cried that girl. "It will be just the thing. Are you sure you
have enough crackers, Cora? If not we could stop at the store on the
point and get some."

"Oh, there are more than are good for you," was the answer.

Cora changed the course of the boat to send the craft over toward a
pretty little wooded cove where the girls had often gone ashore for
luncheon. They always carried in the boat an alcohol stove, with the
necessary ingredients for tea.

Soon the _Chelton_ was beached at a place where the small waves would
do her no damage,