The crew of the “Mary Frazier” had been _bragging_ and _boasting_, since we had been in port, that they had better boats, and could pull faster than either of the other ships’ boats. Knowing what braggadocios they were, our men took no notice of them, nor did the crew of the English bark for some time, until finally they challenged the Englishmen to a race, and the challenge was accepted. The flag-boats were stationed one mile apart, and the boat that pulled around these stationary ones three times and came out ahead was to win the race, making a pull of six miles. The crew of the “M. F.’s” boat were down quite early in the morning on the day of the race, six large brawny fellows, stripped to the skin, and “eager for the fray.” About 9 A.M. the Englishmen lowered their boat, the same number of men composing her crew, but with a far different appearance, being perfectly cool, and making no boasting display. Our boys, thinking they might as well be “counted in,” though not thinking of winning, five of them, with the second mate, jumped into the waist-boat, and “struck out” for the starting-place. The boats were now ranged alongside, the signal was given, and away they flew like arrows from the bow. The “Mary’s” boat soon left the others behind, our “plug” being distanced by both. Each crew bent their backs to it, sending the boats through the silvery sheet with great speed. The Englishmen’s boat seemed to skim over the surface of the water with the ease and grace of the swan, the crew taking it perfectly easy. The first flag-boat was rounded, and the “Mary’s” boat was some distance ahead. But now was “the tug of war.” The good-natured Johnny Bulls awoke from their lethargy, and the cry rang out, “Pull, my hearties, pull!” and every stroke lessened the distance between the two boats, our own boat gaining on the “head boat” about as fast as did the Englishmen. But all was excitement; the men in each host were straining every nerve, and, at the end of the third mile, the Englishmen passed the other boat, and, before the fourth was reached, ours passed it also. But still on they pulled, determined not to give up, yet dropping farther and farther astern, until, at the end of the sixth mile, the English boat was a mile ahead of the “Mary Frazier’s,” and our own about half a mile ahead. The Johnny Bulls now gave three cheers for their own boat, and “three times three” for ours, not so much for the victory as that the boasters had been so badly beaten. Our boys were not interested in the race at all, only pulling for the “fun of the thing,” and they were more surprised than any one else to find that they could beat the “crack boat” of the “M. F.;” and her crew were so mortified that they said no more about “fast boats.” Thus were the boasters beaten.