nd, when she did this, it was necessary to "touch her up," or let her
eat into the wind, as she would do if left to herself. The skipper was
doing some bold and risky sailing, but he was determined to keep out of
his uncle's hands if it were possible. He watched the starboard boat
with the most intense interest. He had made up his mind that he had
little to fear from her, even if she reached the point where the two
courses of the boats met.

If Mr. Jepson put his boat in the course of the schooner, Dory did not
see how he could help running over her. The collision would smash the
quarter-boat, for it would strike her on the beam; while the schooner
was not likely to be greatly harmed. She would strike with her bow,
where she was least liable to injury.

As Dory continued on his course, he was satisfied that he was greatly
outsailing the boat from which he expected trouble, if he had any. The
water was getting rough, which impeded the speed of the quarter-boat,
while it did not diminish that of the schooner. Five minutes later he
was sure Mr. Jepson's boat would fall astern of him. He was confident of
it, but he did not relax his care. The officer was urging his crew to
increased exertions, but the oarsmen were evidently doing all they
could.

The two craft were rapidly approaching each other. Dory realized that he
should not have more than a boat's length to spare, but that was as good
as a mile. He tried to keep cool, as his father had often told him he
must do when there was any danger in a boat. His heart was in his mouth,
and he tried in vain to swallow it; but it seemed to be too big for his
throat.

"Hold on, Theodore!" shouted Mr. Jepson, when the two boats came within
twenty feet of each other. "Your uncle wants you, and he won't do you
any harm."

Dory kept his eyes on the sails of the Goldwing, and made no reply. He
was not afraid that his uncle would hurt him. If this had been all, he
would not have run away from him,--at least not before the danger
menaced him.

"Hold on, Theodore!" repeated the officer of the starboard boat.

But Dory hauled the tiller up, and kept the sails full, though sundry
buckets of water poured over the wash-board into the standing-room at
this moment. The Goldwing dashed madly on her course, and the skipper
did not even ease her off at this most exciting moment of the chase.

"Hold on! You will surely upset that boat," cried Mr. Jepson, who was no
doubt greatly concerned a