OVERTURNED
When Penny reached the dock next morning she found that Sally had preceded her by many hours. The varnished wood of the Cat's Paw shone in the sunlight. Below the waterline, the boat was as smooth and slippery as glass.
"Isn't she beautiful?" Sally asked proudly, squeezing water from a sponge she had been using. "The rigging has been overhauled, and Pop came through at the last minute with a new jib sail. Every rope has been changed too."
"It looks grand," Penny praised. "You must have worked like a galley slave getting everything ready for the race."
"I have, but I want to win. This race means everything to me."
"Are you sure you want me to sail with you?" Penny asked dubiously. "After all, I am not an expert. I might handicap you."
"Nonsense! There's no one I would rather have--that is, if you still want to do it. Was Jack angry when you told him?"
Penny confessed that she had not spoken to any of the Gandiss family of her intention to take part in the race. "But it will be all right," she added. "Jack really isn't such a bad sport when you get to know him. I only hope we win!"
"Oh, we'll come in among the leading five--that's certain," Sally said carelessly. "This is only a preliminary race today. The five winning boats will compete next week in the finals."
"If you lose today must you give up the trophy?"
"Not until after the final race." Sally laughed goodnaturedly. "But don't put such ideas in my head. We can't lose! I'm grimly determined that Jack mustn't beat me!"
"I do believe the race is a personal feud between you two! Why does it mean so much to defeat him?"
Sally stepped nimbly aboard the scrubbed deck, stowing away the sponge under one of the seats. "Jack and I always have been rivals," she admitted. "We went to grade school together. He used to make fun of me because I lived on a ferryboat."
"Jack was only a kid then."
"I know. But we always were in each other's hair. We competed in everything--debates, literary competitions, sports. Jack usually defeated me too. In sailing, due to Pop's coaching, I may have a slight edge over him."
"Do you really dislike Jack?"
"Why, no." Sally's tone indicated she never had given the matter previous thought. "If he weren't around to fight with, I suppose I'd miss him terribly."
Penny sat down on the dock to lace up a pair of soft-soled tennis shoes. By the time she had them on, Sally was ready to shove off for the trial run.
"Suppose we take about an hour's work-out, and then rest until time for the race," she suggested. "You'll quickly learn the tricks of this little boat. She's a sweet sailer."
The Cat's Paw had been tied to the dock with a stiff wind blowing across it, and larger boats were berthed on either side. To get away smoothly without endangering the other craft would be no easy task. As the girls ran up the mainsail, a few loiterers gathered to watch the departure.
"All set, mate?" grinned Sally. "Let's go."
With a speed that amazed Penny, she trimmed the main and jib sheets flat amidships, placing the tiller a little to starboard.
"Haul up the centerboard!" she instructed.
Penny pulled up the board, feeling a trifle awkward and inadept.
Sally leaped out onto the dock, and casting off, held the boat's head steady into the eye of the wind. With a tremendous shove which delighted the spectators, she sent the Cat's Paw straight aft, and made a flying leap aboard.
With sails flat amidships, the boat shot straight backwards. As they started to clear the stern of the boat that was to starboard, Sally let the tiller move over to that side. The bow of the Cat's Paw began to swing to starboard.
Not until then, did Penny observe that the Spindrift was tied up only a few boat-lengths away. Jack, armed with several bottles of pop, came hurriedly from the clubhouse. Noting Sally's spectacular departure, he joined the throng at the railing.
