THE "WATERLOO'S" VICTORY. 263 



Merivale he cried out, " Well done, boys ! you'll get a good 

 place." 



Next they passed a small boat," in which they saw Bell, who 

 shouted, " Haul in your sheets a bit more, your top-sails 

 will hold more wind." 



Frank saw the wisdom of this advice, and as he followed it, 

 the "Waterlog" shot forward and gained a little upon the 

 bchooner. 



" If the wind were to freshen a little we should come in 

 second," said Frank. 



But as they commenced the third round the wind dropped 

 most unexpectedly. The schooner in front rose nearer the 

 perpendicular and her speed increased; the "Waterlog" fell 

 back, and a large lateener behind fast overhauled her. 



" How dreadfully annoying," said Frank ; and he hated that 

 lateener with a very vigorous hate. They passed Bell's boat 

 again, and the old man shouted 



" Look out, Master Frank, a squall will be on you in a 

 minute." 



The sudden lull was but the precursor of a tremendously 

 violent gust. As the yachts were beating up to round the last 

 mark-boat before getting a straight run in to the goal, the boys 

 saw the trees on the land bow their heads with a sudden jerk, 

 and then the squall was upon them. It did not affect them so 

 much when they were close hauled, but as the leading schooner 

 rounded the boat and presented her broadside to the wind 

 there was a great crash, and her cloud of white canvas 

 descended upon the water. Her foremast had broken close by 

 the deck, and in falling had snapped the remaining mast half 

 way up, and she lay like a log on the water. The lateener, 

 close upon her heels, heeled over so much, that she began 

 to fill through the hatchway, and to save her from an upset 

 her sheets were let go, and with her sails wildly fluttering 

 she drifted on to the disabled wreck. All this was the work of 

 a few seconds, but there was time for Frank to unloose the 

 halyards of the top-sails, which were purposely made fast just in 

 front of him, and to give a warning shout of "heads ! " and then, 

 to the great alarm of the girls, the sails came clattering down 

 to leeward, and they rounded the boat in safety, though 

 cannoning violently against the wreck as they did so. And now 

 they were first! The cutter next behind them, in shooting up 



