"Perhaps we'll find
one of these fellows who were trying to blow up the Black Growler
last night." "I'm not saying they were trying to blow her up,"
retorted Sam. "You don't have to blow up a boat to put it out of
commission, do you? Her machinery is so fine that it wouldn't
take very much damage to one part to throw the whole thing out of
gear."
"That's true," said George, "but I don't believe, Sam, that
there's need for our being scared. Probably those two men you saw
last night were just stopping on their way back to the Bay from
some of the islands."
Sam shook his head and although he did not speak, his action
implied that the Go Ahead boys might soon be wiser than they were
at that time.
Nor was his suspicion misplaced. Not many hours had elapsed
before they were almost as strong as Sam in their belief that the
Black Growler was not only an object of dislike, but also that
there was a real peril that she might be so injured that it would
be impossible for her to enter the race.
CHAPTER XXII
A COLLISION
In a brief time the Black Growler was fast to one of the
side-docks and the party prepared to disembark.
"I'm not going to leave that boat without somebody stayin' on
board," asserted Sam positively, when he was aware that the Go
Ahead boys were all planning to accompany him.
"What are you afraid of?" inquired George.
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