And he shook his fist at the occupants of the Spray.

"You keep your oar out!" cried Dick sternly. "You are entirely
mistaken in your suspicions. We are not spying on you or
anybody, and if you -"

Dick was permitted to go no further. While Bill Goss was
speaking to the Spray had been caught by a sudden puff of wind
and sent over to starboard. Now the Falcon came on swiftly, and
in an instant her sharp bow crashed into the Rover boy's boat.
The shock of the collision caused the Spray to shiver from stem
to stern, and then, with a jagged hole in her side, she began to
slowly sink.





CHAPTER II


THE ENCOUNTER ON THE RIVER


For the instant after the collision occurred none of the Rover
boys uttered a word. Tom and Sam stared in amazement at Mumps,
while Dick gazed helplessly at the damage done.

"Pull her away, quick, Bill!" cried Mumps in a low voice to the
old sailor, who at once sprang forward and shoved the two yachts