The Bellefontaine Republican. [volume] (Bellefontaine, Logan County, Ohio) 1855-1905, 1899-03-03

J THE SLOOP CUP. !
8 By BALDWIN SEARS.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

1T WAS only two days before the
Bayhead regatta, and up to three
o'clock, Thursday afternoon, the one
rival to Dave Garrison's "Fleetwing,"
that everyone wanted to see, had not
yet registered at the yacht club.
Naturally the bunch of fellows loung-
ing on the pier head Friday morning
and lazily criticising the regatta fleet
as it swung at anchor; burst into in
terested comment as long slim boat
slid past them down the harbor and
stood out before the heavy wind under
full canvas.
Hello! that's Thorne's boat now,
isn't ?" exclaimed Joe Scott, drop
ping from his seat on the rail and hur-
rying over to the other side of the pier,
| with the boys at his heels. "Yes, there's
her name, 'Conqueror.'' She must have
| come in last night. 1 didn't know her
at first; look at the big topsail he's got
on her"
"She's been made over for this race.
tell you, it'll take hot work for even
the 'Fleetwing' to beat her now"
81 wonder what Dnve'll say when he
hears that his beloved rival is here?"
Here comes Dave now"
"Whoop! Hello! Heard the news?"
| roared the half dozen voices that had
| been disputing as white hat came
slowly down the wharf.
| whats the row." asked the new
conner. calmly taking seat on the rail
beside Joe. Anything fatal happened
in the last ten minutes?"
| "Thorne's here with new set Of sails
on the 'Conqueror,' blurted out Joe,
who never could keep anything long.
"Thorne!" interrupted Dave, black
look on his good-natured face. $50 he's
come, after ALL
Hasn't he, though; it will take your
prettiest sailing to show him your
stern"
eff 1 decide to race him." answered
Dave, slowly, watching the boat as II
dwindled oceanward.
Nonsense, Davie!" "The idea, OLD
fellow" Goodness sake, man, yor
wouldn't drop out for that" argued
everyone at once, while Joe, who was
Dawes particular chum, and dared any.
thing, added: "Then you'll let Thorne
take the cup? Your two are the fast
est boats in the class"
Ever since the two had been ole
enough to have boats, there had beer
a rivalry growing up between them
slowly changing their friendship t.
enmity, and ending the year before IL
accusation and open distrust.
"I'd rather have him take the cuI
than think wanted it bad enough tc
race him for it," said Dave, shortly.
"Oh, fudge, then he'll think you're
afraid of him." laughed Joe, throwing
his arm over Dawes shoulder. "Wha'
you want to do is to go in and bea'
him clean out of his boots; take 6
little more ballast If it's too windy
and show him the way home"
Maybe" answered the other, far
away look in his quiet blue eyes. g.
suppose it is the only fair thing to do,
he said to himself as he walked home
"Better race and have 1t over. I only
hope this wind will shift before to-mor
row." And he glanced toward th'
northwest, whence a merry gale pipet
along.
For with all her virtues the Fleet
wing" could not make time in sti1
breeze. She could beat anything in
light Southwestern with Dave at tn
helm, for no man could sail boat a
craftily as he.
Sidney Thorne knew Dawes skill an
the "Fleetwing's" powers, too. and h
hoped as earnestly for "reefing gale
as Dave prayed for a catspaw breeze
with better luck, unhappily for Dave.
I'm afraid we're going to get NOR
of this" said Joe Scott, anxiously, a
he stood on the "Fleetwing's" dec
Saturday morning and felt the puff
north wind that rolled the little sloo
heavily in the trough of the waves.
"It will be dirty work getting roun
the pudding stone reef in this chopp
sea-"
"If we can make the first leg on thi
breeze, I'll have the wind behind me o
, the next, and it's only short bee
, home from the second buoy" answere
!, Dave, with sort Of nervous quietnes
!, Hurry up there, Joe, never saw yo
, take so long"
Dave was in fighting mood. II
, felt his boat tugging to get away, an
he saw the Conqueror wiggling alon
, behind him asGThorne tried to get
q windward at the starting. "Joe," h
ordered quickly, "I'm going to gyf
! up on the windward of Thorne; h
i. ready with the sheet. You fellows ba
last her now. All ready. It's going
q be close sailing all the way" he sal
to himself, as one after another tt
r boats slid over the line, Conqueror an
. Fleetwing side by side.
= Closer sailing than he thought evel
= In spite of the Fleetwing's promisin
start and the master hand on he
n wheel, the lee rail sank under watt
f" and the white sails, swelling like
swans breast, strained in vain to kee
ahead of the black-hulled boat thu
il. was using all the wind it's sails cou
find.
a. They were all silent as the biggt
r. boat tore along before them, the Sc
d snoring heavily under her prov lii
70 the deep laugh Of sea creature.
a would mean so much to win that rae
Is Both boys felt that more depended c
# 1t than they had thought-whoev'
Is won the cup won something else wit
ia it. And somehow Dave couldn't he
,r feeling that Thorne would do anythir
rather than be defeated. "Just see
he doesn't do something queer befo
this is over" he thought, as he swel
re on over the rolling, windy sea. "Jn
7? wait, though, until get around tn