talking with Captain Chinks," said Bobtail. "When
any one claims the boat, I am willing to talk with him, but I can't say
a word before that time;" and the young skipper abruptly left the house,
and went on board of the yacht.

He had scarcely seated himself in the standing-room before a gentleman
from the hotel came alongside in a boat, and wanted to engage the yacht
for the next day.

"To-morrow will be Sunday," replied the skipper.

"I know it; but I must leave on Monday," said the applicant.

"I don't engage her for Sundays, sir."

"It is the only time we have."

"I can't help it, sir."

"But we want to go down to Rockland to church."

"I can't let her go out on Sunday. I want to go to meeting myself, and
to Sunday school."

The gentleman begged hard, but Bobtail was as resolute as the case
required; he would as soon have thought of setting the Bay View House on
fire, or robbing the bank, as of going out in a boat for pleasure on
Sunday. The applicant offered him ten dollars, then twelve, and at last
fifteen, if he would take the party out; but he refused to go for any
sum that could be named, and the gentleman departed, with some hard
words about fanatics, and declared that he would not hire the boat on a
week day if he could not have her on Sunday.

At an early hour Bobtail turned in, with the feeling that he had done
his duty, though fifteen dollars was a large sum to sacrifice. He might
lose some of his engagements on other days by his observance of the
Sabbath, but he would as soon have thought of robbing the bank, or
setting the Bay View House on fire, for fifteen dollars, as of running
the Skylark on Sunday for that sum. He was satisfied with himself, after
he had faithfully considered the subject, and confident that there were
good people enough to make the yacht pay without wounding his own
conscience.

He went to church and to Sunday school the next day; and the services
never seemed to do him so much good as after the sacrifice he had made.

A party was ready for him on Monday, and though the weather was rainy
and foggy,--as it sometimes is at Camden,--he made his eight dollars,
and his passengers were entirely satisfied. A party wanted the boat on
Tuesday; but of course he could not go out until after the examination.
At nine o'clock in the morning the Penobscot dropped her anchor in
Camden harbor, and Colonel Montague immediately went on shore in the
barge. An hour later the defendants a