Part 1 (2/2)
”I'm not afraid,” answered Paul, stung by these repeated implications upon his courage. ”Jump in, and I'll give you enough of it before you get half way to the Point.”
Thomas got into the boat, which was anything but a beauty in her shape and appointments. Paul pushed her off the beach upon which she had grounded, and as she receded from the sh.o.r.e, leaped on board of her.
Placing an oar at the stern, he sculled her out a short distance from the land, and then shook out the sail. The first flaw of wind that struck it heeled the boat over so far that Thomas leaped with desperate haste up to the windward side.
”Don't be afraid, Tom,” said Paul, with a smile. ”She has got the wind now.”
”Who's afraid?” demanded Thomas.
”I thought you were by the way you jumped.”
”Well, the gunnel of your old craft went under.”
”Not quite.”
”I say it did; and you don't suppose I was going to sit there and be spilled into the drink--do you?” continued Thomas, sharply.
”I won't dispute with you; she heeled over, as a boat always will when she first gets the wind.”
”You think you are an old salt, Paul, but you don't know enough to navigate a herring pond.”
”Just as you like,” replied Paul, whose good nature was proof against the a.s.saults of his companion. ”I don't pretend to know much; but I think I understand this old boat pretty well.”
”Paul! Paul!” cried a voice from the sh.o.r.e.
”That's my mother,” said the young boatman, as he discovered a woman on the beach. ”What do you want, mother?”
”Come ash.o.r.e,” replied Mrs. Duncan, whose voice was almost drowned by the noise of the waves as they beat against the boat.
Paul's mother seemed to think she had said enough, for her son was generally a very obedient boy, and she turned to walk up the bluff towards the house. But she knew enough about the management of a boat to perceive that, in this instance, her order was not obeyed.
”Come ash.o.r.e right off, Paul,” she repeated with an emphasis that was calculated to make an impression upon the rebellious party.
”Do you want me, mother?” asked Paul, as he put the boat about, and brought her upon the home tack.
”No, I don't want you; but it blows too hard for you to be out there.
You'll capsize, as true as you're alive,” replied Mrs. Duncan; and seeing the boat headed towards the sh.o.r.e, she hastened home.
”Are you going to back out, Paul?” demanded Thomas, as the boat came about.
”My mother won't let me go,” replied Paul, rather sheepishly, for he was not proof against the derision of his companion.
”Won't let you go!” sneered Thomas.
”You heard what she said.”
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