Another squall of rain set in as the final
preparations were made. A code of signals had been arranged between the
three boats, a flag or piece of sailcloth to be used while the light
held and a lantern after darkness. The "prize crew" cheered gaily as
the others pulled away in the _Adventurer's_ dingey and were cheered in
return, and five minutes later the two cables tautened, the water foamed
under the overhangs of the motor-boats and, reluctantly and even
protestingly, the _Catspaw_ obeyed the summons and started slowly to
follow in the wakes of the distant cruisers.
Han and Perry, at the bow, waved caps triumphantly as the blunt nose of
the schooner began to dig into the waves, and Joe, at the wheel, shouted
back. The three-cornered sail was shifted to meet the following breeze
and soon the _Catspaw_ was wallowing along slowly but, as it seemed, in
a determined way at the rate of, perhaps, three miles an hour. Perry,
protected by a slicker, seated himself on the windlass and felt very
important. Now and then someone aboard one of the cruisers waved a hand
and Perry waved superbly back. Those cruisers were a long way off in
case of danger, he reflected once, but he decided not to let his mind
dwell on the fact.
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