The Camp Fire Girls on the Farm; Or, Bessie King's New Chum

fference in size between the two little craft. They were different, and one might prove swifter than the other, for no two boats of that sort were eve

Eleanor. "I don't believe there'll be any need for

aid Dolly. "It seems much nicer whe

be about ready to start. I hope I'll do the right thing wh

ell," said Margery Burton, calmly. "And remember that this race isn'

. "But wait till we're racing, Bessie. You'll find she's just

em then. "Gladys seems to think she's about ready to start,

t there and finish there, you see, and that will save the need of having someone to take the time. We really haven't anyone who can do that

e. "I didn't like to oppose this race, Nell," she said, speaking so that only Ele

ought it would

ortsman Gladys is. If she wins, it will probabl

g. Gladys has got a lot of hard lessons to learn, and if this is one of them, the sooner she learns it, the better.

t. I think anything that I might have done to stop the race would ha

aboard our yacht and you'd better do the same

aboard, Dolly, who insisted upon attending to everything herself, when she possibly could, arranged a floating anchor that would ke

Dolly. "Bessie, you help Marger

s they were creeping slowly toward the opening in the bar. Seated at the helm, Dolly

call their boa

ance," sa

ghed at t

race, and I can have just as much fun if we're beaten, as long as I can feel that I haven't made any mistakes

sailing boats like these than

n't make any excuses if I lose. I'll be r

ld see everything aboard the other. Gladys Cooper, like Dolly, sat at the helm, steerin

said Margery. "She's taking this t

etter if she weren't

t about winning, you'll win a good deal oftener than you lose, if your best is any good at all. It's that way in football. I've heard boys say that when they have played again

and, cupping her hands, she hailed Mary Turner.

d Mary. "Shall I

d!" said

which were hanging limp again, since she had al

d Miss Turner, clapping h

dys, and the Defiance and the Eleanor passed through the bar and out into the open sea together. Here there was more motion, since the short, choppy waves outside the bar were never wholly st

sails had to be trimmed to get the utmost possible out of it while it lasted. Both boats tacked to starboard, sailing along a slan

se," she said. "Isn't that supposed to be wh

p on this way for a spell; then we'll come about and tack to port, and then to starboard again.

boats. The Defiance seemed to be a little ahead, but the advantage, if she

to gain, I guess," said Dolly. "The real race will be wh

ediction, for when she came about and started to

nts to," said Dolly. "Just the s

she's doing though, Dolly," said Margery, anxious

n't bother me with silly questions now I've got to figure on tacking

he wheel," advised Eleanor, w

h Greek for all Bessie could understand of them, but the race itself had awakened her

on the other boat, and

're going t

ch on me. Do you see that? She's going to make her turn on the next tack, and I bel

oing home before the wind. I know how fast the Eleanor is at that sort of wo

Gladys had more nerve than I, that's all. She deserves the lead she's got. It isn't a

d Eleanor. "The race isn't over yet.

et teeth. "Just you watch, that's all! I'm goi

her," Margery wh

t, had not seen what was really happening. But it was plain enough now. Even while the Defiance was holding on for the lighthouse, on a straight course, the Eleanor had to come abou

und, passed them, and Mary Turner

she called. "Better

d on the tiller, paid no attention to them. There was no mistaking the look of triumph on her

ly. "She might have waved her hand, at least. If we're good enough to race w

any for you to lose your temper, you know. R

a wait that seemed to those on board interminabl

r! We're going to need all the sail we've got. There i

tarted back carried them well along. We won't get that, and we'll keep falling further and further behind,

suddenly, without warning, she put the helm over, and the Eleanor stood off to port,

aimed Margery. "This is a st

had left her eyes, and she seemed calm now, almost elated. "Margery, you

she, too, although silenced, was far from being satisfied. But now Marg

see what you're up to-and I bet Glady

pe she doesn't know enough to do the same thing. I don't s

orthcoming anyhow in a few moments. And, sure enough, it was. For suddenly she felt a breath of wind, and, at the same instant Do

t's a puffy, uncertain sort of wind, and very often, on a day like this

here to find this b

enough breeze to carry us home, but we would have gone at a snail's pace, just as we

t them yet, you k

ie, exultingly. "Even I can see that

s more will bring them to the finish," said Marger

ere isn't a thing to do now but hold her steady and trust to

two yachts so close together-there was less than a quarter of a mile between them now-one could have her sails filled with a good breeze while the oth

ive minutes of steady gazing hadn't shown the slightest apparen

tion. "It was about the most hopeless looking race I

e the Defiance, fill her sails, and push her a little nearer her goal, but the hopes that those puffs must have

ook the lead. And then, by some strange irony of fate, the wind came to the Defiance-but it came too late. For the Eleanor, slipping through the water

anor. "If you hadn't found that wind, we'd still b

said Dolly. "It must have been hard-