صفحة 252 من 416

At first Code merely ascribed these recorded sayings of Nat Burns

to youthful disappointment and a sportsmanlike determination to

do better next time. But not for long. He remembered as though it

had been yesterday the look with which Nat had favored him when

he finally came ashore beaten, and the sullen resentment with

which he greeted any remarks concerning the race.

There was no sportsmanlike determination about him! Code quickly

changed his point of view. How could Nat be so sure he was going

to win?

The thing was ridiculous on the face of it. The fifty-year-old

May had limped in half an hour ahead of the thirty-year-old M. C.

Burns after a race of fifteen miles. How, then, could Nat swear

with any degree of certainty that he would win the second time.

It was well known that the M. C. Burns was especially good in

heavy weather, but how could Nat ordain that there would be just

the wind and sea he wanted?