d give and take as I tell you. Don't be afraid to
let it slip through your hands fast if there is a heavy squall. I'll
steer. The sea is heavier out in this long reach. Tell me when you'd
like to put back."

"I don't want to go back, uncle," I said; "let's go on."

He nodded, and away we dashed, scudding along and riding over the waves,
while he showed me how he steered, and why he did this and that; how, by
a little pressure on the tiller, he could check our speed, and even turn
the little vessel so that we were facing where the wind blew from, and
now the sail flapped angrily; but we made no progress at all, only were
tossed about on the waves.

I told him that I thought we could only go along with the wind straight
behind us, but he showed me how we could sail with the wind on either
side, and sometimes with it almost facing us, by what he called tacking,
which I found meant that, if the wind came from straight before us, say
at a certain point in front, we could get there at last by zigzagging
through the water, now half a mile to the left, now half a mile to the
right, a common way of progressing which brought us nearer and nearer
every time.

"The sea is rougher than I thought," he said, "for I suppose we may call
it sea out here, Nat, this being the estuary of the Thames, so I think
I'll make that do for to-day."

"Don't go back for me, uncle," I said, as a wave broke over the bow of
the boat, splashing us from top to toe.

"I am going back for both our sakes, Nat, for we shall soon be wet
through. It is a day for india-rubber coats; but this has been a
glorious sail, and a splendid lesson for you, Nat."

"Yes, uncle," I said, "and I feel hardly frightened a bit now."

"No, my boy, it has given you far more confidence than you had before.
It is live and learn, Nat; you believe more in me and I believe more in
you."

He gave me one of his nods as he said this, and then took the rope from
my hand.

"Now, Nat, steer us home, my boy; I'll tell you what to do. By and by
you and I will have a native boat, perhaps, with a matting sail, to
manage, sailing about near the equator."

"But is it rough out there, uncle, amongst the islands?" I said.

"Very, at times, my boy; but with a light, well-built boat like this I
should not be afraid to go anywhere. See how like a duck she is in
shape, and how easily she rides over the waves. I should like to have
one exactly the same build but twice as large, a