mean any harm. Yes, I made her years ago fer another boy. She's been
lyin' here a long time, and so t'other day I got her down, cleaned her
up, and put on new sails, thinkin' that perhaps ye might like her."

"What! For me?" Rod asked in surprise.

"Sure, if ye'd like to have her."

Would Rod like to have her? His eyes sparkled, and his hands trembled
with excitement as he examined his treasure. What a wonder it was.

"What's her name?" he asked.

"The _Flyin' Queen_, after the schooner I lost."

"Will she sail?"

"Y'bet. Let's launch her."

From the window Mrs. Britt watched the two as they walked down to the
shore. She recalled the day, over twenty years ago, when another
little lad had trotted as eagerly as Rod by the captain's side, and it
was to sail a small boat, too. Her eyes grew misty as her thoughts
went back to that scene. But mingled with this sadness was a feeling
of thankfulness that her husband had taken such a strong liking to Rod.
Not since Jimmy left had he done such a thing, and she was hopeful that
this child would unconsciously change him back to the genial
big-hearted man he was when she married him.

Rod was delighted with the _Flying Queen_, and wading in the water to
his knees, he sailed her along the shore. The captain had a pickerel
net to look after, which kept him busy for some time. But he missed
scarcely anything that Rod was doing, and he was greatly pleased at the
boy's delight.

"Pull her ashore now, lad," he at length ordered, "and let's go fer a
sail."

"What, in the _Roaring Bess_?" Rod eagerly asked, as he glanced toward
the yacht fretting gently at her anchor a short distance away.

"Sure thing. Dinner won't be ready fer an hour, so we'll take a spin
around fer awhile."

Rod could hardly believe his senses. How often he had looked upon the
_Roaring Bess_ from the respectable distance of the main road. To have
a sail in her had been his one great ambition. While lying in bed he
had often imagined himself skimming over the water, with the sail, big
and white, bending above him. Now his dream had really come true, and
here he was at last sitting by Captain Josh's side, watching him as he
headed the boat upstream. A gentle breeze was drifting in from
westward, sufficient to fill the sail and send the _Roaring Bess_
speeding over the water. A deep sigh escaped Rod's lips.

"Hey, what's wrong?" the captain cried. "Gittin' tired, and want to go
home?"