thered with sich nonsense now. Where's my
oil-skins, Betsey?" and he turned to his wife. "Better let Rod have
that old suit of mine; he might need it before we git back."

Rod was delighted with the idea of a run on the river on such a night.
He had often imagined what it would be like to be out there in the
_Roaring Bess_ with a strong wind blowing. To him, fear was unknown
when on the water, especially when the captain was along. And so as
the yacht left her mooring, and headed down-stream, he sat in the
cock-pit and peered ahead into the darkness, pleased that he was on
watch to give warning of any approaching vessel.

A strong wind was racing in from the east, giving the captain a busy
time in handling the boat. This was still more difficult when they
reached the channel, and the _Roaring Bess_ drove into the rougher
water which is always found there. The white-caps leaped high, and
drenched both man and boy.

"Lucky we brought our oil-skins," the captain remarked. "We'll have to
beat back, and then there'll be some fun. I wonder if the doctor is a
good sailor. My, that was a whopper!" he exclaimed, as a larger wave
than usual struck the yacht. "Guess it'll be rougher before mornin'."

"This is great!" Rod cried, as another wave leaped upon them.

"Tut, that's nothin'," the captain replied. "If ye'd been with me
aboard the _Flyin' Queen_ when we struck a gale, ye'd know something
about big seas then. Why, this is only a mill-pond."

"I'm going to see a gale some day, captain. I want to go out on the
ocean in a storm."

"Ye do, eh? If ye go, I guess it'll be aboard a liner, where ye'll be
penned up like a rat in a trap. That's the way people travel these
days, 'in luxury,' they call it. But give me my old _Flyin' Queen_, a
strong breeze abeam, and ye kin have all yer iron or steel tubs as fer
as I'm concerned."

The _Roaring Bess_ had made good time down the river, lifting and
swinging forward with long plunging leaps as if glad of the freedom she
was enjoying. Ere long the wharf was reached for which the captain had
been heading, and in a few moments she was lying in smooth water on the
lower side, safe from the wind.

"You stay here, lad," the captain ordered, as he sprang ashore, and
made a line fast to the nearest post. "I'll run up fer the doctor."

It took him but a short time to cross the field to Marshall house.
Here he found Doctor Travis, and briefly stated the object of his vis