Part 14 (1/2)

She's a perfect beauty.”

”We will go over and see her by and by,” said Paul, for a new boat was an object of interest to him, and he always improved the opportunity to inspect any strange craft that visited the bay. ”But, John, we must be off early on Monday morning, and the jib of the Blowout, as you call her, wants mending. We will go down and sew it up.”

The brothers repaired to the beach, where the old boat was now high and dry upon the sand and taking a little box containing the thread, needles, and wax for mending the sail, they commenced their labors.

Their busy hands soon completed the task, and the Blowout was otherwise prepared for duty on Monday, for Paul never went near the boat on Sunday. They were now ready to visit the new craft; but when they had pushed their boat down into the water, Paul saw a gentleman enter the cottage of his mother.

It was Captain Littleton; and Paul delayed their departure, thinking that he might want to see him. Presently his friend appeared on the bluff.

”Are you busy, Paul?” he shouted.

”No, sir; I will be with you in a moment.”

”Stay where you are;” and Captain Littleton descended the steep path which led to the beach. ”You were going out--were you?”

”We were, sir; but it is of no consequence,” replied Paul. ”John says there is a new boat over by the Point, and we were about going to see her.”

”Very well, I will go with you;” and Captain Littleton stepped into the boat.

”Our boat is not a very nice one for you to sail in,” apologized Paul.

”I have been in worse ones than this, Paul; and I have seen the time when I would have given all I had in the world for even so dingy a boat as this.”

”When was that, sir?” asked John, very promptly; for he stood his ground, unawed by the dignity of the richest man in Bayville.

”Get your boat under way, and I will tell you about it,” replied Captain Littleton.

Paul shook out the mainsail, and then pushed off the boat, while John hoisted the jib. The former then took his place at the helm, and the latter seated himself amids.h.i.+ps, both eager to hear the story of the captain. It was fortunate for them that the old Blowout was a very heavy sailer; otherwise they could not have obtained the whole of the story, which was long and very interesting and exciting. We have not s.p.a.ce to repeat the story, but it was all about a s.h.i.+pwreck, and clinging to a broken spar for forty-eight hours, without food or water, and being rescued when life was nearly gone.

”So you see, Paul, I should have been very comfortable even in a worse boat than yours,” added the story-teller, as he completed his narrative.

”I should like to be s.h.i.+pwrecked once,” said John, musing.

”Should you, my fine fellow?” exclaimed the captain.

”I should, sir, just to see how it would seem.”

”It would seem very uncomfortable, my boy; and I recommend you never to express such a wish again. Many sh.o.r.e people think there is something very fine and romantic about the sea, or even about a wreck; but half a day's experience would teach them better. For my part, I was very glad when I escaped the necessity of going to sea, even as master of a vessel.”

”There is the new boat,” interrupted Paul, as the Blowout rounded Dog Island, which had before concealed the new craft from their sight.

”Isn't she a _ripper_!” exclaimed John.

”Don't use such words, John,” added Paul, in a low tone.

”She's a very fine boat,” said John.

”She has a broad beam, but she looks as though she would sail well;”