At two o'clock the young people met at the float of the Boat Club house
on the river's bank.

On the way across town Dave had been noting the direction and force of
the wind. He didn't altogether like it, but didn't say anything. At the
float he found Tom Foss, Ab Canty, Ella Wright and Susie Danes awaiting
the midshipmen and their fair companions.

"All ready and waiting for you amateur sailors," called Foss laughingly.
"And here's the boat. Say, isn't she really a beauty?"

"Good lines," nodded Dave Darrin. "And she looks speedy. But you've
changed your mind about going out this afternoon, haven't you, Foss?"

"Why?" demanded the young fellow, in very evident astonishment.

"Look at the water," responded Dave, pointing to the white-caps, which
were running rather high for an inland stream.

"Pooh! You're not afraid of a little foam on top of the water, are you?"
demanded Foss.

"The waves are running pretty high for the inches of freeboard that your
boat has," remarked Darrin quietly. "And look at the sky to windward.
There's a bit more blow coming out of those clouds yet."

"Say, what do they teach you at Annapolis?" grinned Foss. "To go sailing
only in calm weather?"