The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1899-03-23

TIC m1SAI Us we'll CudSc tue llSn tHluS.
And Man,? When she saw that the
boat was carrying her off alone, she
was for one brief second downright
dismayed. Then her craftsmanship
came to the rescue and she crawled
back, hurrying to reach the helm and
bring the boat up into the wind; but
as she grasped the tiller. she saw that
to turn would be impossible, for she
was in the middle of line of boats,
the farthest not 30 feet away She
must wait for more room; and she
soon got it, for the Nancy was run
ming away from the ruck.
Seeing that her boat was following
close on the Elk and the Phoebe, am
bition sprang to life in Nan. Why not
race? It was true she had never held
the tiller for an hour altogether before
in her life, but she knew the sport
by hundred runs with George. Her
yacht obeyed her Hghtest touch, and
her spunk rose. She would not de-
sert the Nancy. And oh, goodness!
what JOY it would give George if she.
won the race for Minnetonka!
Suddenly, and with some fear, she
perceived the first fir-tree apparently
straight in front and only few rods
away. Then she saw the Phoebe swing
gracefully around it, the Elk following
closely. In another instant Nan, too,
had turned the dreaded mark close
upon the skates of the leaders. All her
fear was gone. Even so she tackled up
to the second tree and swept down the
third leg, while the spectators breath
lessly watched the red fleck of Mans
dress. Sometimes they we're sure she
would run down the Elk, as the great
boat shot nightly over the ice in her
efforts to catch the flying Phoebe
AS Nan approached the goal-post she
had to fight her own thoughts, of drop
ping out of the race. Both arms ached
terribly. one from holding on, the other
from grasping the tiller, and her fingers
were numb. A hoarse shout: 'Stop,"
from Capt. Redfern reached her ears
with the cheers of the crowd as she
swirled by, but she was sure she had
heard George calling: 'Splendid. Nan,
splendid" and this gave her new vigor.
SWELL keep at it, Nancy" she said
aloud to her boat. "We're entered and
we'll stay in and do the best we can
And-why, goodness! I'd forgotten it
we may win!'
For even as she spoke, Georges plan
had flashed upon her memory-to take
two tacks instead of four on the second
leg of the course. So far she had simply
followed the leaders. Now she meant
to strike out for herself. She was the
more fired to this resolution by observ-
ing that she was steadily overtaking
the Elk. She could follow the leaders
tracks no more! The boats came whiz-
ling by the tree; the first two pointed
up on their second tack, but she rushed
straight on.
Poor George, watching in an agony of
sympathy for his sister, now dug the
nails into the palm of his hand. Surely
Nan must have tainted, although he had
never known her to faint; or she was
tired out and had lost her grip. And
she had no idea that the boat was car
rying her headlong on terrible course.
There was a dangerous crack only a
mile beyond her, near Big island.
No, she was turning. He caught his
breath in the revulsion of feeling.
What pride he felt as he realized that
she had caught his idea and was trying
to work it out! ''Hurrah, hurrah, Nan!'
He quite astonished the crowd by his
sudden, solitary cheering.
Meanwhile Nan was fixing her mind
on the all-important calculation of
when to make her next tack. She could
see the other boats, now on their third
short tack, approaching the point where
she wished to turn, but she felt sure
that she should reach it first; besides,
she had the right of way. So, regard
less of a possible collision, she tore on,
not varying a hairs breadth.
It was close shave, for she passed
under the very nose of the Phoebe,
whose captain could hardly believe his
eyes as he saw, the insignificant, I'M
thought-of Nancy cross his bow, and
was it possible with only a girl
aboard! He pinned all his hopes. on
that. = O. s.s..-'- "
Although by some extraordinary
chance she had got the lead, she would
be afraid to make close turn round
that next tree. He would slip inside,
and once ahead. regain his vanishing
honors. OF the Elk he had no further
fears, for still the wind was gradually
falling. +>si i. s..s
But Nan had not sailed many day
for nothing. Her well-trained eyes and
faculties were fully on the alert, and
| the excitement kept her absolutely free
from nerves. She rounded the next
turn without a foot to spare, and the
Nancy sped buoy antly down the home.
stretch, still ahead. Nan was jubilant
But she was jubilant too soon. One
Of the sudden flaws for which Lake
Minnetonka is noted came upon her
It lifted one side-runner Of the under.
weighted boat high, in air. George fair.
II shrieked with fear that the Nancy
would go over, or Nan be forced up into
the wind. 5
/ But Nan had seen flaws before She