pressure of the ice. But there was always a foot or two of water
covering the bottom of the canal, and this afforded a fine skating park
of ample width and unlimited length, while the high canal banks on each
side protected us from the bitter wind that was blowing. Toward noon,
however, the wind shifted and swept at a terrific rate down the narrow
lane between the canal banks. We could scarcely make headway against the
blow. It was too much for Bill, who wasn't as used to skating as we
were. He sat down in a sheltered nook and commenced to think. When Bill
sat down to think it always meant that something was going to happen, as
we soon learned.

"Say, Jim," said he to me, "have you got any canvas up at the house?"

"No," I replied. "What do you want it for?"

"I want to rig up a skate sail. If you have an old sheet, that will do
just as well."

"Well, I guess I can find you an old sheet. Do you think you can make
one?"

"Sure thing," answered Bill, and off we went to the house, where I
received my first lesson on the practical genius of my chum.

"BILL'S" SKATE SAIL.

[Illustration: Fig. 3. Laying Out the Sail.]

[Illustration: Fig. 4. The Tape Tie Strings.]

[Illustration: Fig. 5. "Bill's" Sail Complete.]

The old sheet which Mother furnished us was laid out on the floor and
two corners were folded over to the center, as shown in the drawing,
making a triangle with base 7 feet long and sides each about 4 feet 6
inches long. The surplus end piece was then cut off, and a broad hem
turned and basted all around the edges of the triangle. Bill wanted to
work the sewing machine himself, but Mother was afraid he would break
something, so she sewed down the hem for us. Then, under Bill's
supervision, she re-enforced the corners by sewing on patches of cloth.
Along the diagonal a strip of heavy tape was sewed, leaving loops at
intervals, which afterward were cut and provided means for tying the
sail to the mast. Tie strings of tape were also sewed at the corners, as
shown in the illustration, and then a trip was made to the garden in
search of suitable spars. A smooth bean pole of about the right weight
served for the mast, and another stick with a crotch at one end served
as the boom or cross-spar. The spars were cut to proper length, and the
sail was then tied on, as illustrated, with the crotch of the cross-spar
fitted against and tied to the center of the mast. A light rope, long
enough to provide plenty of