"When she catches us, you tell me of it: will you, Corny?" added Dory. "I think you will know it as well as I do, Dory. What's the use of keeping this thing up? Let us hold on, and see what the fellow wants of you," replied Corny. "We will have the fun of the race if we don't have any thing more," said Dory. "This is smooth sailing just here, but we shall have it rough enough in about two minutes more. If any of you fellows don't want to go back to Burlington, I will put you on shore at Garden Island." "We might have to stay there a week," suggested Corny. "I couldn't help that," answered Dory. "I told you not to come with me if you were afraid of the boat." "She is as safe for us as she is for Dory," added Dick Short. "We shall get under the lee of Providence Island in about twenty minutes. If you can stand it for that time, you will be all right," continued the skipper, who did not wish to waste his time, and lose the race, by putting any of his crew on shore. "I don't want to go ashore," said Nat Long. "I can stand it as long as Dory can, and I shall not back out." This exhibition of pluck had its effect on the others, and no one was willing to admit that he wished to go ashore. But the appearance of the lake ahead was appalling to most of them, though they had crossed it that day in the little steamer. The bad reputation of the Goldwing was what made it look so dubious. Dory had been as doubtful about crossing as any of them; but he had tested the boat under her present sail, and all his doubts had been removed. For a boy of his age he had had a great deal of experience in sailing a boat; and he knew by the feeling, rather than by any thing he could see, that the schooner was working well. He believed that she was entirely safe. He had ascertained the draught of the Goldwing at the wharf, and he was perfectly familiar with every part of the lake. When the boat came up with the island, he ran within a few rods of it. He looked astern at the Missisquoi as he came into the still water under the lee of the island. She had been gaining rapidly upon him; and, if his strategy failed, Pearl Hawlinshed would soon be alongside of the Goldwing. But he could hardly conceive of such a thing as its failing. He watched the steamer with the most intense interest as he increased his distance from the island. The schooner passed out into the open lake. The gusts of wind increased in fury, and even the reefed mainsail seemed to be more sail than she could carry. More than once, under the pressure of the savage gusts, the boat heeled down till the water rolled in over the lee gunwale. The heavy waves broke continually over the other side; and, before the Goldwing was half way across the open part of the lake, the water rose above her bottom boards. "This is awful, Dory," said Thad. "I don't believe we shall ever get to the other side of the lake. If I had thought it was half as bad as this, I wouldn't have come."