it up here in the forest where the sun will be very hot, and
where there'll be no end of great shady trees hanging over the river
side and seeming to ask folks to jump in and have a nice cooling swim."

"I say, captain!"

"Oh, I'm not laughing at you, my lads," said the skipper sharply. "When
we are lying moored or at anchor up here it's just the sort of thing
that you might make up your minds to do without saying a word to
anybody. I know I should have done so when I was your age. But I just
say to you now solemn like--don't you do it. For if there's anything
one of these great reptiles likes it's a nice clean French or English
boy."

"Oh, come now," cried Rodd merrily, "you don't call that talking solemn
like, captain?"

A grim smile dawned upon the old sailor's countenance.

"Well, no," he said; "but I mean it solemn like. I don't suppose one of
they crocs would study about what colour it was, but they go for
anything that's alive and moving, hold on with those great teeth of
theirs, and whatever it is they catch, it's soon drowned when it's
pulled below, and never heard of again.--Starboard, my lads!
Starboard!" he shouted, with both hands to his mouth, and the schooner
curved round and went off on another tack in obedience to the
helm.--"It's rather an awkward job, my lads," continued the skipper.
"You see, we have to sail to all points of the compass, and one minute
you have got the wind blowing gently fair and free from right ahead or
dead astarn, and the next you are going into shelter and got no wind at
all."

"But we keep on going steadily up the river, captain," said Rodd.

"Yes, my lad; we have got this strong tide in our favour. I am
reckoning that if we drop anchor soon we shall be able to get as far as
we want next tide."

"But how far do you mean to go?" asked Morny anxiously.

"Oh, a good way up yet," replied the skipper.

"But why not keep on now?" asked Rodd.

"Because I want to pick a good berth before the dark comes down and
catches and leaves us nohow. Got any more questions to ask?"

"Hundreds," cried Rodd merrily.

"Humph! Then I think I ought to have my pay raised. I joined the _Maid
of Salcombe_ to sail her, not to give you lessons in jography,
etymology, syntax, and prosody, as it used to say in my lesson book when
I was a little 'un."

"Ah, well, I won't bother you any more to-day, captain," said Rodd;
"only one always wants to know what things are when they are qui