A QUESTION OF RULES
"Quick!" Sally cried, remaining at the tiller of the Cat's Paw. "The life preserver!"
Finding one under the seat, Penny took careful aim and hurled it in a high arc over the span of water. The throw was nearly perfect and the life preserver plopped heavily on the surface not two feet from the struggling girl. But she was too panic-stricken to reach out and grasp it.
The river current carried the preserver downstream. Sally knew then that to save the girl she must turn aside and abandon the race.
"Coming about!" she called sharply to warn Penny of the swinging boom.
Already beyond the girl, whose struggles were becoming weaker, they turned and sailed directly toward her. Penny kicked off her shoes, and before Sally could protest, dived over the gunwale.
A half dozen long strokes carried her directly behind the struggling girl. Hooking a hand beneath her chin, she pulled her into a firm, safe hold, then towed her to the Cat's Paw where Sally helped them both aboard.
Throughout the rescue, the other two children had clung to the overturned canoe. Sally saw that they were in no danger, for a motorboat from shore was plowing swiftly to the rescue. Standing by until the two were taken safely aboard, she then glanced toward the fleet of racing boats.
Nearly all of them had passed the Cat's Paw and were well on their way toward the second marker. The Spindrift led the field.
"We're out of the race," she said dismally.
"No! Don't give up!" Penny pleaded. "You still may have a chance. This girl is all right. I'll look after her while you sail."
Sally remained unconvinced. "We couldn't possibly overtake Jack now."
"But we do have a chance to come in among the five leaders! Then you would be able to race in the finals. You wouldn't lose the lantern trophy."
Sparkle came into Sally's eyes again. Her lips drew into a tight, determined line.
"All right, we'll keep on!" she decided. "But it will be nip and tuck to win even fifth place. See what you can do for our passenger."
The girl who had been hauled aboard was not more than thirteen years old. Although conscious, she had swallowed considerable water and was dazed from the experience. As she began to stir, Penny knelt beside her.
"Lie still," she said soothingly. "We'll have you at the dock soon."
Stripping off her own jacket, Penny tucked it about the shivering child.
"We're balanced badly," Sally commented, her eyes on the line of boats far ahead, "and overloaded too. It's foolish to try--"
"No, it isn't!" Penny said firmly. "We're sailing great guns, Sally! Look at the water boiling behind our rudder."
Almost as if it were driven by a motor, the Cat's Paw plowed through the waves, leaving a trail of foam and bubbles in her wake. Despite the handicap of an extra passenger, the boat was gaining on the contestants ahead.
"If only the course were longer!" Sally murmured, straining against the pull of the main sheet.
They rounded the second marker only a few feet behind a group of bunched boats. One by one they passed them until only seven remained ahead. But with the finish line close by, they could not seem to gain another inch.
"We can't make it," Sally said, turning to gaze at the shore with its crowd of excited spectators. "We're bound to finish seventh or eighth, out of the race."
"We're still footing faster than the other boats," Penny observed. "Don't give up yet."
A moment later, the crack of a revolver sounding over the water, told the girls that the Spindrift had crossed the finish line in first place.
To add to Sally's difficulties, the rescued girl began to stir and rock the boat. Each time she moved, the Cat's Paw lost pace. Though they passed the next two boats, they could not gain to any extent on the one which seemed destined to finish in fifth place.
