ot feel the full
force of the wind. The lake was calm and smooth behind the point, and
the boat moved very sluggishly. Pearl began to be very impatient; but a
short distance ahead the surface was ruffled, and she would soon have a
better breeze.

The starboard quarter-boat pulled towards Simms's Point, and the port
boat in the opposite direction. Whichever way the schooner went, she was
sure to be intercepted by one or the other of them. The oarsmen of the
boats appeared to be all young fellows. They were dressed in a blue
uniform; and all of them wore white linen caps, without visors. The
officers showed a profusion of brass buttons on their frock-coats, and
wore yacht-caps of white linen.

The boats were white, and were very graceful in their build. The four
rowers in each boat pulled a man-of-war stroke. The starboard
quarter-boat was ahead of the Goldwing; and the officer in charge of her
was urging his men to their best exertions, so as to come in ahead of
the schooner. Before the Goldwing could reach the point, she was in
position to intercept her.

Pearl scowled when he saw the boat directly in his course. He looked
back, and saw the other boat beyond the steamer. He could not help
realizing that the pleasant game he had been playing had ended in his
being beaten.

"Goldwing, ahoy!" shouted the officer in charge of the starboard
quarter-boat.

"In the boat!" replied Pearl in a surly tone: "what do you want?"

"Is Theodore Dornwood on board of your boat?" asked the officer.

"Yes, he is," answered Pearl. "If you want him, you can have him."

At this moment the skipper threw the Goldwing up into the wind, and
sprang forward to the place where Dory was seated. Without saying a
word, he dragged him off the seat, and proceeded to remove the cord that
bound his hands behind him. The prisoner's wrists were numb from the
pressure of the line, and he stood up to rub a little life into them.
Pearl put the boat about, and headed her for the shore.

CHAPTER XXIII.

HEADED OFF ON BOTH SIDES.

"Hold on there! What are you about?" shouted the officer, as the
Goldwing filled away on the starboard tack. "We want to see Theodore
Dornwood."

"I can't sail dead to windward," replied Pearl.

"You needn't sail at all," replied the officer. "Captain Gildrock wished
to see Dornwood on a matter of the utmost importance: it is a case of
life and death."

Dory was startled by these words. What could his uncle wan