Part 18 (1/2)
”I know of nothing you cannot do,” said her brother
”Co opposite in the circle, and holding a pair of skates in his hand ”Come here and lendthem to her, ”here is a fine pair Allow ed Mercury to fly”
”Please to compare me to no heathen Gods, Mr Pownal, or you may make these old Puritans burn e, I could never do myself justice on them Here, my little fellow is a ninepence for you; aith you”
The boy took the little piece of silver with a grin, tied the rejected skates upon his feet, and was soon lost a his co on with ad eyes, ”I say, Bill, that beats all natur Did you ever see such shi+ndys?”
”They ain't so bad,” returned Bill; ”but I guess I can do some of 'em myself”
”Which ones?” inquired the other
”Why,” answered Bill, ”when he throws hi backwards”
”I'll bet you can't do it the first time”
”What will you bet?” cried Bill
”I don't care; say a stick o' candy”
”Agreed!” cried Bill ”You see I've done it afore”
”You ought to told us that,” said his companion
”A bet's a bet,” said Bill ”You don't want to back out, do ye?”
”Go ahead,” cried the other, with some spirit ”I'll risk it Let's see what you can do”
Thus exhorted and defied, Bill commenced preparations He first stooped down on one knee and then on the other, and tightened the straps of the skates; next he took a handkerchief frohtly around his waist, and lastly, s were as they should be
The spectators who had overheard the conversation between the boys, and were ready for any kind of fun, now began to express interest in the trial, and various were the words of encourages of doubt over the result The skater who, until now, had attracted the raive hi the remonstrances of his companion, who loudly vociferated it wasn't fair
”Hold your yaup,” cried another boy, standing by; ”if you don't like your bet, Hen Billings, I'll take it off your hands”
But little Billings seeh loth to concede to Bill any advantage that did not of strict right belong to hith, Bill,” he said, ”I ain't afeard of the expense”
The space being now cleared, Bill began to circle round preparatory to the trial It was evident he was not very skillful, and the opinion of the bystanders, who a his preli his ability to perfor After a few turns Bill cried out:
”Now, Hen, look out” With that he darted forward, until he supposed he had attained the requiredmotion with his feet, he threw himself round But unfortunately he hadsquare upon the skates, his heels flew up, and with a tremendous thump, down cas; ”there you go, candy and all I hope you ain't hurt you,” he said, good naturedly ”I'd rather loseround his body, and rubbing the back of his head, ”notat, you monkey? Did you never see ahis fist at another boy, whose face it seems did not wear an expression of condolence to suit hi recovered a little froain allowed, Bill, with genuine pluck, tried the experiment once more, and this tireeted with shouts of congratulation, and with expressions of ”true grit,” ”stuffy little fellow,” &c, and he presently disappeared with his friend, Hen, in search of the candy- men, had witnessed the whole scene with soirls were affected was characteristic Faith betrayed a lively sensibility when the boy fell, and was hardly restrained fro with him; while Anne took but little notice of it, but exhibited exquisite delight at his courage and final success But so else now attracted their attention A shout was raised, and exclamations were heard of ”There co round, they beheld what had the appearance of a boat under sail, flying round the pro up the strea breath, the little vessel, or whatever else it reat rapidity In a fewsound as of iron cutting into ice, ca round had an opportunity to exaenius, and consisted of some boards, cut in an elliptical form (as, perhaps, the most convenient), supported by two pieces of iron, parallel to each other, to which the boards were fastened, and running the whole length froed a mast, to which was attached a sail, like the mainsail of a sloop, and the whole was controlled by a piece of sharp iron, fixed on the stern in such a manner as to turn like a rudder, and to cut with any required degree of pressure, by ulator it wasstopped as readily, and on the same principle, as a skater arrests his course
Grant, to whom Pownal and Bernard were both known, invited the little party to take a sail with hier The invitation was at once accepted by Miss Bernard, though the more tiroup of persons, as before observed, were at the head of the Severn, and the as drawing up the river, it was, therefore, necessary, to beat against the wind at starting To the surprise, in particular of the ladies, this was done with thebut little lee-way, and obeying her helm more readily than any boat in water Indeed, obedience was instantaneous She whirled round as quickly as one could turn one's hand, requiring promptness and presence of mind in the steersman Thus, like a bird, with shted passengers, in one as far as desired, when round she spun, and before the breeze, houses, andby as in a race, dashed up to the starting point
Upon leaving the ice-boat, the eyes of Pownal discovered the tall forroup of persons who the circuly, they added the near hied was he in his subject that he took no notice of the approach of his four young friends The address was not without a burst or two of eloquence, springing out of the intense conviction of the speaker, and was listened to respectfully enough Not that a convert was ard his notions as the hallucinations of a disturbed intellect, but a part of the bystanders esteeenerous disposition, lavish of his small means towards those who in any act of kindness on account of hardshi+p or privation; while the rest, as already intimated, felt a sort of awe in his presence fro the spectators was our old friend, To out a chain froth, fro three or four links that dangled at its end, and listening with a co some fun