bout the fate of the boy who was doing this
reckless sailing.

The moment of doubt on the part of the skipper had passed. The stern of
the schooner was abreast of the bow of the quarter-boat, and her mission
was a failure. Dory had cleared both of the boats; and now he had to
contend with the steamer, if with any thing. She could follow him in
perfect safety wherever he went. He could not outsail her; and, if he
accomplished any thing more, he must get out of her way before she could
pick up her boats, and get under way again.

The Sylph could not run into the shoal water where the boats were; and
the crews would have to pull back to her against the strong wind, which
amounted to half a gale. It was not more than half as bad as it was the
day he crossed the lake with a reefed mainsail, and the bonnet off the
jib; but then he was not on the open lake, where he could get the full
benefit of all that was blowing.

Dory did not wait to see how long it would take for the steam-yacht to
pick up her boats, or to see what she was going to do next. He held on
his course to the north-east; and ten minutes more, at his present rate
of speed, would take him through Eastern Cut into the eastern arm of the
lake. He went to the southward and eastward of the red buoy. After he
had passed it, he stole a glance at the Sylph. Her boats were close
aboard of her, but she had not yet hoisted them up to the davits. When
he had made his next mile, and the Goldwing was off Ladd's Point, he
could not see her. He was confident that he was two miles ahead of her.

The schooner was under the lee of the Point; and Dory decided that he
must, at all hazards, trim the boat, and get out the long tiller. The
fifty-sixes which had been moved had not been put under the floor, and
he got them ready for a hasty change of position. At a favorable moment
he dropped the tiller into the comb well up, and rushed forward with one
of the weights. He put it in its proper place, and then attended to the
helm until the boat was again in condition to take care of herself for a
moment.

By watching his opportunities, he conveyed the rest of the surplus
ballast forward; and the schooner was again in good trim. With no little
difficulty he removed the short tiller, and inserted the long one in its
place in the rudder-head. Though he still used the tiller-rope he had
brought into service, it was comparatively easy to steer the boat. He
could now work her quicker than