"If you don't want to go, Cyd, you needn't. I will put you on shore, and go without you." "Gossifus! Dis chile like to know what you gwine to do widout Cyd." "I shall do very well without him. Shall I put you on shore, or not?" "Possifus! No, Dandy; I'se gwine wid you, any how." "Then you must mind me!" added the skipper, earnestly. "I done do dat." "Haul the Edith alongside, then." "Sartin, Dandy. I'se gwine to haul de Edif alongside, but dis chile like to know what for?" "Mind me, or I'll put you on shore!" cried Dandy, angrily. "Mossifus! I'se gwine, Dandy," said Cyd as he stepped into the tender, and paddled off to the Edith, which was moored a short distance above. Presently he returned, and the painter of the race boat was made fast to a cleat on the quarter of the Isabel. Cyd was much mystified by the operation, for he could not see why they should take the Edith with them. He was very anxious to argue the point with Dandy, who, it seemed to him, had never before in his life been so sharp and ill-natured. But the skipper was too much excited by the tremendous issues of the hour to be in a mood for argument. By this time Dandy had cast loose the sails, and together they manned the halyards, and hoisted the mainsail. It was large, and the fresh breeze caused it to flap and beat with a fearful noise, which added not a little to the excitement of the skipper. "Stand by the moorings, Cyd, and have your jib halyards ready!" said Dandy, as he took his place at the tiller. "Hossifus! I'm dar, Massa Dandy." "You needn't 'massa' me, Cyd. Stop!" "Which'll I do, Massa Dandy, stand by de moorings, or stop?" demanded Cyd, whose ivories were now distinctly visible in the gloom of the night. "Neither; jump into the bateau, and bring the wherry alongside," replied Dandy. "Gossifus! What you gwine to do wid de wherry?" "Mind me, or go on shore!" said the skipper, sternly. "I'se gwine. Golly! dat makes two boats apiece all round, for sartin." "Go, quick!" "I'se gone; 'pears like I'se only swapped off Massa Archy for Massa Dandy." But Cyd obeyed the order, and brought the wherry to the side of the Isabel, to which she was secured, like the other boats. The bewildered boy was not in the habit of doing his own thinking, and his faculties were not, therefore, very fully developed, and an explanation would have relieved him of a world of doubts and conjectures. "Now, have your jib halyards ready, and stand by the moorings," said Dandy. "Yes, sar!" replied Cyd, putting a wicked emphasis on the complimentary part of the answer. "Let go the moorings!" shouted Dandy, as he hauled in the main sheet. "All gone, Massa Dandy," replied Cyd, as the heavy rope by which the boat was secured splashed into the water. "Hoist the jib!" added the skipper, in the same loud tones, that he might be heard above the noise of the flapping sail. "Up she goes," responded Cyd, joyously.