h the steamer was likely
to come nearest to him.

"There she is!" exclaimed several of the club in the same breath. "She
is striking in ahead of us."

The Missisquoi was less than a quarter of a mile from the Goldwing. It
could plainly be seen that there were two men in her pilot-house; and
Dory was confident that Pearl Hawlinshed was one of them. His intentions
were certainly very serious if he had gone to the expense of hiring a
steamer to chase him. Probably he had found some way to break up the
sale of the Goldwing. But, whatever his mission, the skipper did not
want to see him. He was too closely connected with the secret of the
night before to come any nearer to him. He decided, that, if the son of
his liberal friend succeeded in "interviewing" him, he would have to run
for it.

"I don't understand what that fellow wants of you, Dory," said Corny
Minkfield.

"And I don't understand it any better than you do," replied Dory. "All I
have to say about it is, that I don't like the looks of the fellow, and
I mean to keep out of his way. Pass round the grub, Corny."

Dory thought the food would stop their mouths, and it did. His
fellow-voyagers asked no more questions, for they were too busy with the
provisions to give attention to any thing else.

As the Goldwing went out from the land, she began to feel the force of
the wind, and she darted ahead under the influence of the sharp puffs. A
few minutes later the Goldwing passed the bow of the Missisquoi not more
than forty rods from her.

CHAPTER XI.

THE BEGINNING OF THE CHASE.

"Goldwing, ahoy!" shouted Pearl Hawlinshed from the bow of the
Missisquoi. "I want you, Dory Dornwood!"

The skipper of the Goldwing decided to take no notice of the dangerous
man. The other members of the club were so deeply interested in filling
their empty stomachs that they gave no attention to the call of Pearl.
The provisions had been taken into the cuddy, and Corny was helping his
companions. Those who were not in the cabin were sitting on the floor of
the standing room, and they could not see the Missisquoi.

"Don't you hear me? I say, I want to see you, Dory Dornwood!" shouted
Pearl again with all his might.

Dory could see that those in charge of the Missisquoi were not managing
the chase very well. Instead of steering the steamer to a point ahead
of the Goldwing, Captain Vesey had run her directly for her. If the
schooner had come to when directed to do so, as t