t, then," said Frank, as he pushed the boat from the wharf.
"Go ahead. We shall be obliged to tack a good many times, going down
but we can sail back like a book, and--"

"Oh, you teach your grandmother, will you?" interrupted James. "I've
sailed more boats than you ever saw."

Frank, at first, did not doubt the truth of this assertion, for James
lived in a seaport town, and had had ample opportunity to learn how to
manage a yacht; but they had not made twenty feet from the wharf, when
he made up his mind that his cousin had never before attempted to act
as skipper.

Instead of keeping as close as possible to the wind, as he should have
done, he turned the boat's head first one way and then another, and,
of course, made no headway at all.

"I never saw such a tub as this," said James, at length; "I can't make
her mind her helm."

Just at this moment a strong gust of wind filled the sails, and, as
James was not seaman enough to "luff" or "let go the sheet," the
Speedwell same very near capsizing. As she righted, the wind again
filled the sails, and the boat was driven with great speed toward the
shore. Frank had barely time to pull up the center-board before her
bows ran high upon the bank, and the sheet was roughly jerked from
James's hand, and flapped loudly against the mast.

"There," said Frank, turning to his cousin, who sat, pale with terror,
"I guess it's a long time since you attempted to sail a boat; you seem
to have forgotten how, I tell you," he continued as he noticed
James's trepidation, "if I hadn't pulled up that center-board just as
I did, we should have been obliged to swim for it."

"I can't swim," said James, in a weak voice.

"Then you would have been in a fix," said Frank. "Now, let me see if I
can have any better luck."

James very willingly seated himself on one of the middle thwarts, and
Frank pushed the boat from the shore, and took hold of the tiller,
and, under his skillful management, the Speedwell flew through the
water like a duck.

James soon got over his fright, and his uneasy nature would not allow
him to remain long inactive, and, as he could find nothing else to do,
he commenced to rock the boat from one side to the other, and, as she
was "heeling" considerably, under the weight of her heavy canvas, the
water began to pour in over her side. Although the speed of the boat
was greatly diminished, Frank, for some time, made no complaint,
hoping that his cousin would soon grow