s chief-
mate of this here barkie is, that we makes her just as snug as we knows
how, for, depend upon it, afore morning we shall have as thorough a
trial of her seagoin' qualities as we're likely to want for many a day
to come."

"My own idea, Bob," replied I; "I have seldom seen a wilder sunset, and
if it does not mean wind, and plenty of it too, all my weather-lore must
go for nothing, and I shall have to turn to and learn everything over
afresh."

"Ay, ay! you may say that," returned he, "and I the same; but we've both
knocked about too many years at sea to make any mistake in our reading
when Natur' opens so plain a page of her book for us as yon; so the
sooner we turns to the better, say I, or we shall have the darkness upon
us afore we're ready for it. Thank God, we've plenty of sea-room; so
let's rouse up that floating-anchor contrivance of yourn, my lad, for,
depend upon it, if ever the _Lily_ is likely to need the consarn, she
will to-night."

This floating-anchor I will describe for the benefit of those who may
not have seen such a thing, for it is a most useful affair, and no small
craft should undertake a long cruise without one. Ours was formed of
two flat bars of iron, each ten feet in length, riveted together in the
centre in such a way that they would either fold flat one upon the other
(for convenience of stowage), or open out at right angles, forming a
cross of four equal arms.

In each end of each bar was a hole capable of taking a good stout rope
swifter, which was set up taut when the bars were opened, so as to keep
them spread at right angles. Four other holes were punched, two in each
bar, about midway between each end and the centre rivet; these were for
the reception of a crowfoot.

As soon as the bars were spread open, and the swifter passed and set up,
a square sheet of the stoutest canvas, painted, was spread over them,
the edges laced to the swifter with a stout lacing, and the crowfoot
toggled through the intermediate holes in the bars and corresponding
holes in the canvas.

A buoy was then attached to the end of one arm to float the anchor, with
a sufficient amount of buoy-rope to allow it to sink to the requisite
depth; the end of the cable was shackled into the thimble of the
crowfoot, the buoy streamed overboard, and the anchor let go.

I may as well state here, that for the economisation of space the buoy
for floating out anchor was an india-rubber ball, made of the same