I don't think any of them will beat us in smartness." As the time approached for the start, the racers began to gather in the neighbourhood of the starting line; and as the five-minutes gun fired, the topsail went up, and they began to sail backwards and forwards near it.
As the Phantom crossed under the lee of the Osprey, the three ladies waved their handkerchiefs to Frank, who took off his cap.
"May the best yacht win," Bertha called out, as the vessels flew quickly apart.
"We could not want a better day, George," Frank said.

"We can carry everything comfortably, and there is not enough wind to kick up much of a sea.

As far as we are concerned, I would rather that the wind had been either north or south, so that we could have laid our course all round; as it is, we shall have the wind almost dead aft till we are round the Nab, then we shall be close-hauled, with perhaps an occasional tack along the back of the island, then free again back.

There is no doubt that the cutters have a pull close-hauled.

I fancy with this wind the schooners will be out of it; though if it had been a reach the whole way, they would have had a good chance.
"Four minutes are gone." He was holding his watch in his hand, and after a short pause called out, "Five seconds gone." The Osprey had a good position at present; though, with the wind aft, this was of comparatively little consequence.