“I don’t know for sure, but seems to me I read something in the paper about a race for cruising launches from Marblehead to New York.” “College Point, he said,” observed Tom. “That’s near New York, on the Sound,” said Dan. “Let’s go into it!” “We couldn’t now,” said Nelson. “It’s probably too late. Besides, it wouldn’t do for us to try it; it would be pretty risky.” “I don’t see why,” spoke up Tom eagerly. “That boat isn’t any bigger than the _Vagabond_; at least, not much!” “Hello!” said Bob. “Tommy must have got over his nervousness!” “I tell you what we might do,” said Nelson. “We might go over and see the start. That would be fun, wouldn’t it?” “Let’s do it!” cried Dan. “Then we can decide meanwhile where we’re going.” The idea suited all hands, and it was agreed that they should spend the forenoon in cleaning up and run over to the scene of the race after luncheon. “And,” said Dan, “let’s find out about the race. It ought to be in the morning paper. If one of you fellows will put me ashore, I’ll go and buy one.” So Bob rowed him to the landing, and when he returned the three got out the mops and metal polish and rags and set to work cleaning up the woodwork and polishing the brass. They hadn’t nearly finished by the time Dan hailed from the landing. Tom brought him aboard. He had found a paper and was full of the race. All hands stopped work while he read the account of it. The race was a handicap affair for cruising launches, and there were twelve entries. The start was to be made the next afternoon, at six o’clock, from Marblehead, and the boats were to race to College Point, N.Y., a distance of about three hundred miles. “But if it isn’t until to-morrow at six,” asked Tom, “what’s the use of going over there this afternoon?” “That’s so,” said Bob. “We might as well wait until to-morrow morning.” “But what shall we do this afternoon? Run up to Portland and back?” asked Nelson laughingly. “Let’s cruise around here,” said Bob. “And you can show me how to run the engine. Some one ought to know, Nel, in case anything happened to you.” “All right. We’ll finish cleaning up, and then take a run around the harbor if there’s time before lunch. If there isn’t, we’ll go afterwards. How’s that?” All were agreeable and the work went on again. Nelson got into the tender and, armed with a hand mop and a canvas bucket of fresh water, cleaned the white paint-work of the hull. Tom scrubbed the deck, cockpit floor, and cabin roof, Dan cleaned up below, and Bob shined the bright-work. But, try as they might, there was no such thing as finishing before noon. And so they had an early lunch, and very hungry for it they were, too, and then weighed anchor and headed for the inner harbor on a sight-seeing cruise. They _chugged_ in and out of the shipping, read the names on the dozens of fishing schooners which lined the wharves, and finally raced a tugboat out to the breakwater, winning easily.