Seite 385 von 416

Involuntarily they all leaned forward, all except Durkee, who

went over and stood beside Nat. The latter gave no sign except a

dry rattling sound in his throat as he swallowed involuntarily.

"I've got him, Caroline--I've got him!" she read. "He'll beat me

again, will he? Well, not if I know it! Everybody in the Head

seems tickled to death that he won, but you know how little that

means to me. It is simply another reason why I should beat him

the next time.

"Dearest little girl, it's the easiest thing in the world. I've

just come back from going over the May (it's midnight), and the

thing looks good. You know Schofield is a great hand to carry

sail. Well, when you hear about the race, maybe you'll hear that

his foretopmast came down in a squall. If you don't, I'll be much

surprised, for I've attended to it myself, and I don't think it

will take much of a squall.