And that very evening Sally and five of her mates
paddled her past the Quay on a trial spin, under the eyes of the
whole town.
There was a deal of laughing up at the "Fish and Anchor" that night,
the most of the customers still treating the affair as a joke.
But Landlord Oke took a more serious view.
"'Tis all very well for you fellows to grin," says he, "but I've been
trying to make up in my mind the crew that's going to beat these
females, and, by George! I don't find it so easy. There's the boat,
too."
"French-built, and leaks like a five-barred gate," said somebody.
"The Admiralty condemned her five year' ago."
"A leak can be patched, and the Admiralty's condemning goes for
nothing in a case like this. I tell you that boat has handsome
lines--handsome as you'd wish to see. You may lay to it that what
Sal Hancock doesn't know about a boat isn't worth knowing."
"All the same, I'll warrant she never means to row a race in that
condemned old tub. She've dragged it out just for practice, and
painted it up to make a show. When the time comes--if ever it do--
she'll fit and borrow a new boat off one of the war-ships.
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