CHAPTER VI

NEARLY WRECKED

The girls did not scream. Perhaps they were too frightened or perhaps
it was just natural pluck.

They did jump to their feet though as if with some wild thought of
leaping overboard. But there they remained, staring with fascinated
eyes at the fate that was bearing down upon them.

As for Betty, after one breath-taking minute when all the blood in her
body seemed to rush to her head, she simply sat there and tried in the
second that was given her to think what to do.

Almost automatically, she wrenched the wheel around, nearly capsizing
the boat with the sudden turn. At almost the same second, as though
the thing had been prearranged, the boys in the racing craft swung
around in the opposite direction.

A slight scraping as the side of the Gem slid along the side of the
nearer of the racing craft, and they were safe, with no harm done with
the exception of a little paint scraped from the side of the boat.

It was a moment before the girls could realize what had happened to
them. Then a voice hailed them from the boat alongside. In a glance
the girls perceived that the voice belonged to no other than Percy
Falconer himself.

"Hello," called Percy, adding boisterously as he recognized the girls: