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"Not yet, skipper; but we ought to by night," said Ellinwood as

though he felt he was personally to blame. "But let me tell you

somethin', skipper. It's all right to carry sail, but if you get

your sticks ripped out you won't be able to get anywhere at all."

"If my sticks go, let 'em go, I'll take my medicine; but I'll

tell you this much, Pete, that nobody is going to beat me home

while I've got a stick to carry canvas, unless they have a better

packet than the Charming Lass--which I know well they haven't."

"That's the spirit, skipper!" yelled Ellinwood, secretly pleased.

There is no telling exactly what speed certain fishing schooners

have made on their great drives from the Banks. Some men go so

far as to claim that the old China tea clippers have lost their

laurels both for daily runs and for passages up to four thousand

miles.