Clive Cussler by The Adventures of Hotsy Totsy

passed Swizzle Swish, whose pilot and copilot stared disbelieving as the old speedboat tore past. Next came Tickled Pink, whose pilot laughed as Hotsy Totsy came alongside. Casey timed it so that as soon as his stern was ten feet ahead of the other boat, he cut across its bow and let his wake drench the other crew.
    "That was awfully close," said Lacey.
    "A taste of their own medicine," answered Casey. "Where are we now?"
    Lacey consulted her charts and compared their course with the landmarks on the shore. "We just passed the prison at San Quentin. The bridge up ahead is the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge. Once we go under, we head into San Pablo Bay."
    A few boats were already dropping out of the race and leaving the course. Smoke was trailing from under the engine cowling on the green-and-red-striped Suzie Wuzie as she limped off the course. They roared past an upside-down Squeaky Klean. The crew were in the water as the rescue boat hurried toward them. They waved their arms and hands to signal that they were all right. Another boat with gold lightning bolts painted across the hull was stopped off to the side of the course with a dead engine.
    "How are we doing?" Casey asked Lacey, unable to take his eyes off the boats ahead and around him.
    Lacey did a rough count of the boats she could see through the clouds of spray. She deducted the ones she saw that had left the race and surveyed those in the front and to their rear.
    "As near as I can make it, we're running in thirty- fourth place."
    "Then we've passed eight boats," Casey said cheerfully. "Hotsy Totsy can do it. I know she can be the first over the finish line."
    "Look!" called out Lacey. "There's an official boat ahead. Someone is waving a flag. I think they're waving at us."
    "What color is it?"
    "Black, it's a black flag."
    "I wonder what it means."
    "I think they want us to drop out of the race," Lacey said angrily.
    "No way," Casey said, steadfast.
    They tore by a white boat marked with a variety of flags. An official standing on the stern violently waved a black flag in their direction. Lacey simply waved back at him, secretly enjoying watching him jump up and down on the deck looking so aroused in a vain attempt to stop the twins from racing.
    Hotsy Totsy gained a rhythm over the wakes of the front-running boats and gained on the leaders with every mile. She and Casey soon learned to run and drive smoothly despite the boats and their pilots blocking their passage and playing collision tactics, only pulling away at the last instant before crashing into Hotsy Totsy and crushing her wooden hull.
    Casey was a fast learner and soon learned to give as good as he received. He refused to back down and dared other boats to force him off the course or drown him in their wakes. Together, he and the boat quickly figured out the race tactics that were thrown at them. They went from amateurs to professionals within twenty miles.
    Hotsy Totsy and the twins were almost across San Pablo Bay when Lacey pointed over the windshield at a red buoy coming up on their port (nautical for "left") side. "There's the buoy marking the turn for the entrance to the Sacramento River," she yelled to Casey.
    Abruptly, a boat in front of them began to slow down. It was a sleek red, white and blue powerboat named Uncle Sam. Its throttle cable had split apart, and the engine slowed as it fell into an idle. Casey made it past Uncle Sam but came so close he drenched the crew with a huge wake from Hotsy Totsy's stern. He lifted both hands in a helpless gesture that meant he was sorry.
    The other crew understood and courteously waved as Casey shot ahead.
    Casey became a little nervous since he was being pushed into a very tight turn around the buoy by three other boats battling to get around first. The orange Rat Tat Tat, white Whizzard and apple green Vroom Vroom along with Hotsy Totsy were four abreast as they entered the turn around the buoy. Casey was tempted to stay alongside the other boats and not