Laud looked at him with an angry expression, and when Nellie turned away from him, he made significant gestures to induce Donald to unsay what he had said, and persuade her to go with him. "I am sure you will be delighted with the sail, Miss Patterdale. You will be perfectly dry where you are sitting; or, if not, I have a rubber coat, which will protect you." "I think I will not go," she replied, so coldly that her tones would have frozen any one but a simpleton like Laud. The passage was of brief duration, and Donald assisted Nellie up the accommodation steps of the Penobscot, stepping forward in season to deprive Laud of this pleasant office. "I am much obliged to you, Mr. Cavendish," said she, walking away from the steps. "That was mean of you, Don John," muttered Laud, as Donald came down the steps to assist in shoving off the Juno. "What was mean?" "Why, to tell Nellie she would not enjoy the sail with me." "She could do as she pleased." "But you told her the Juno was wet," added Laud, angrily. "She is wet when it blows." "No matter if she is. It was mean of you to say anything about it, after all I have done for you." "It wasn't mean to tell the truth, and save her from a ducking, and I don't know what you have done for me." "You don't? Didn't I buy this boat of you, and pay you fifty dollars more than she is worth?" "No, you didn't. But if you are dissatisfied with your bargain, I will take her off your hands." "You! I want the money I paid." "You shall have it. Come to the shop after the race, and you may throw up the trade." "Will Captain Shivernock pay you back the money?" sneered Laud. "I'll take care of that, if you want to give her up," added Donald, warmly. "Never mind that now. Can't you persuade Nellie to sail with me?" continued Laud, more gently. "If you will, I will give you a five-dollar bill." Donald would have given double that sum rather than have had her go with him, and she would have given ten times the amount to avoid doing so. "I can't persuade her, for I don't think it is best for her to go," replied Donald. "No matter what you think. You are a good fellow, Don John: do this for me--won't you? It would be a great favor, and I shall never forget it." "Why do you want her to go with you?" demanded Donald, rather petulantly. "A yacht in a race is no place for ladies. I can find some fellows on board here who will be glad to go with you." "But I want her to go with me. The fact of it is, Don John, I rather like Nellie, and I want to be better acquainted with her." "If you do, you must paddle your own canoe," replied Donald, indignantly, as he ascended the steps, and joined the other two judges on deck. "We are waiting for you, Don John," said Sam Rodman, who was one of them. "It isn't ten yet, and I have the papers all ready. Who is to be time-keeper?" asked the chairman. "I have a watch with a second hand, and I will take that office," said Frank Norwood, who was the third.