Frank and Andy Afloat | Page 6

at last, as he swung the boat up
alongside the landing stage which rose and fell with the tide.
"And it's a good wind coming up," observed Andy. "We can make good
time out in the Gull."
"Maybe we'd better beach your boat before we go out, and pull it above
high-water mark," suggested Frank. "Some of the seams may have been
opened, as well as this hole being in her, and she might sink."
"Good idea. We'll do it."
As the brothers were ascending the gangway from the float to the pier,
preparatory to going out in their sailing craft, they were hailed by an
elderly man, whose grizzled, tanned face gave evidence of many days
spent on the water under a hot sun.
"Where you boys bound fer now?" the sailor demanded.
"Oh, we're just going out for a little sail, Captain Trent," replied Andy.
"Better not," was the quick advice.
"Why?" Frank wanted to know.
"It's coming on to blow, and it's going to blow hard. Hear that wind?"
and the captain, whose son Bob was quite a chum of the Racer boys,
inclined his grizzled head toward the quarter whence the breeze came.
"Oh, that's only a cat's paw," declared Andy.
"You'll find it'll turn out to be a reg'lar tomcat 'fore you're through with
it," predicted the old salt. "But what happened to your boat, Andy? I
see you've got a hole stove in her. Did you run on the rocks?"

"No, something ran into us," replied Frank quickly. "Don't say anything
to him about the whale," he remarked to his brother in a low voice.
"What's that about a sail?" demanded the captain, catching some of
Frank's words.
"We're going for a sail," spoke Andy quickly. "Come on, Frank."
"Better not!" again cautioned Captain Trent. But our heroes were no
different from other boys, and did not heed the warning. Had they done
so perhaps this story would not have been written, for the events
following their sail that day were unusual, and had a far-reaching
effect.
"Come on!" called Andy sharply to his brother, as he saw the captain
making ready to start a discussion about the weather. Mr. Trent might
also ask more questions about the damaged boat, and neither Andy nor
his brother wanted to answer--just yet.
Five minutes later saw the two brothers sailing away from the pier. The
breeze was getting stronger every moment, until the rail of their trim
boat was under water part of the time.
"Say, it is blowing!" declared Frank.
"Oh, what of it? The Gull can stand more than this. Besides we're safe
in the harbor, and we may soon sight the whale. Keep a good lookout!"
For some time they sailed on, each one scanning the expanse of the bay,
which was now dotted here and there with whitecaps. The boat was
heeling over almost too much for comfort.
"Hadn't we better turn back?" asked Frank, after a period of silence,
broken only by the swish of the water.
"Of course not," declared the more daring Andy. "It was about here that
my boat was stove in. The whale may be around these diggings looking
for us."

"Likely--not!" exclaimed Frank decidedly.
There came a fiercer gust of wind, and it fairly howled through the
rigging. The waters whitened with spray and foam.
"It's a squall!" yelled Frank. "Better turn back."
"We can't now," shouted Andy at the top of his voice, to make himself
heard above the howling of the wind. "We'd better keep on to Seabright.
We can lay over there until this blows by. See anything of the whale?"
"No. It's useless to look for him. I'm going to take a reef in the sail."
"That's right. I guess you'd better shorten some of our canvas. I'll hold
her as steady as I can while you're doing it. Or shall I lash the helm and
help you?"
"No, you stay there. I can manage it."
The storm increased in sudden fury, and it was no easy task to shorten
sail with the pressure of the wind on it. But Frank Racer had
considerable skill in handling boats, and with his brother at the helm, to
ease off when he gave the word, he managed to cast off the throat and
peak lines, lower the gaff and sail, and then take a double reef in the
canvas.
Even under the smaller spread the Gull shot along over the
foam-crested waves like some speeding motor boat. Andy was so taken
up with watching his brother, and in aiding him as much as he could by
shifting the helm as was needful, that he did not look ahead for several
minutes. He was recalled to this necessary duty by a sudden, frightened
cry from Frank.
"The