s are incarcerated and
strictly kept from communicating with their friends, and where foolish
youths play the part of the monks of the dark ages. I am not afraid of
your turning Romanists, my boys, but it is important to be guarded on
all points. Just bring the monastic system to the test of Scripture,
and then you will see how utterly at variance it is from the lessons we
learn therein."

We felt very nervous going down the river, for fear we should stick on
the mud, as the tide had already begun to ebb, and we might have been
left high and dry in a few minutes; but, through Paul's pilotage and
papa's seamanship, we managed to avoid so disagreeable an occurrence,
and once more passing the beacon at the mouth of the river, we steered
for Cowes Roads, where we brought-up at dark. Next morning we saw the
Dolphin anchored not far from us. To save sending on board, we got out
our signals, and the instruction book which enables us to make use of
them.

We first hoisted flags to show the number of the yacht in the club, and
waited until it was answered from the Dolphin. We next hoisted four
numbers without any distinguishing flag, which showed the part of the
book to which we referred, and meant, "Are you ready to sail?" This was
answered by a signal flag which meant "Yes;" whereupon we ran up four
other numbers signifying, "We will sail immediately."

As the Dolphin, which was to the east of us, began to get under weigh,
we did so likewise; and she soon came close enough to enable us to carry
on a conversation as we stood together to the westward.

The shores both of the mainland and of the Isle of Wight are covered
thickly with woods, the former being portions of the New Forest, which
at one time extended over the whole of this part of Hampshire, from
Southampton Water to the borders of Dorsetshire. On our left side we
could see high downs rising in the distance, the southern side of which
we had seen when going round the back of the island.

In a short time we came off Newton River, now almost filled up with mud.
Some way up it is a village, which, once upon a time, was a town and
returned a member to parliament. The hull of a small man-of-war is
anchored, or rather beached, on the mud near the mouth of the river, and
serves as a coastguard station.

The wind shifting, we had to make a tack towards the mouth of Lymington
Creek, which runs down between mud-banks from the town of Lymington,
which is situated o