Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/120

106 “Don’t be a goose, Julia; nothing ever does happen,” said Brenda, a little sharply, as she took Philip’s proffered  hand, and took her place in the boat beside her mother. Julia was the last to step into the launch, and she stepped very gingerly, much to Philip’s amusement, as she prepared to take her place.

“No, it won’t explode, and it can’t tip over,” he explained, as she asked a question or two. “Just trust your skipper, and you ’ll enjoy your voyage much better.”

“We are n’t going very fast,” said Brenda, after they had been out a few minutes. “I ’ve been noticing that we don’t get much nearer to that boat at anchor.”

“I hope there isn’t anything wrong,” added Mrs. Barlow, a little nervously. “Does your engine usually make as much noise?”

“Oh, yes,” said Philip; “it is n’t a quiet machine. But now it does n’t seem exactly right. It’s been a little cranky lately; but I thought that it had got through misbehaving. Dear me!” and there was just a little anxiety in his voice. “I wonder what that was?” For the boat, instead of going straight ahead, whirled about in a half  circle.

In spite of their slow progress, they had reached a point well out in the harbor, and there were no other boats near  them. Mr. Elston’s yacht was under sail, going out of the harbor toward the point with the lighthouse. The yachts that were not in the race, large or small, were outside, watching for the return of the racers.

“We ’re certainly not progressing,” said Philip. “I