our and her adventures."

We took leave of him with a hearty shake of the hand, and a faithful
promise that we would do so (a promise which I intend to fulfil by
sending him a handsomely-bound copy of this "log" as soon as printed);
let draw the fore-sheet, and resumed our course down the river.

We met with no adventure worthy of record on our passage down, unless I
except the amusement we derived from the chagrin of the crew of a French
steamer bound to Havre, who, to their amazement, found that the little
English yacht, by cutting off corners, skimming across shoals, and
similar manoeuvres, was slowly drawing ahead of them; and though, after
passing Sheerness, she gradually crept ahead of us at first, yet as the
wind freshened, and we continued to "carry on" until the water was over
our deck on the lee-side half-way up to the companion, we actually
overtook and passed her, until, to escape an ignominious defeat, she set
her own sails and so drew away from us.

By eight o'clock that night we were off the North Foreland, bowling
along at a slashing pace, with our mainsail boomed out to starboard, and
our spinnaker set on the port side, jib and foresail stowed.

It was a glorious summer evening, and there was every prospect of its
being a fine night; the aneroid evinced, if anything, a tendency to
rise, and there was a good slice of the moon left, though she would be
rather late in rising, so we determined to keep going all night.

By ten o'clock we were flying through the Downs; and very ticklish work
it was to thread in and out between the ships at anchor there and those
beating up, without experiencing a jibe, but by dint of a sharp look-out
we did it. By midnight we were off Dover, and here we took in the
spinnaker, jibbed the boom over to port, and set our jib and foresail.
Bob wanted the spinnaker set again on the starboard side; but I would
not agree to this, as, though we had both been on deck hitherto, he
insisted on taking the middle watch alone, while I went below for a four
hours' sleep, and I did not think it prudent to leave him alone with so
large and unmanageable a sail.

I wanted to take in the gaff-topsail also, but Bob would not hear of
such a thing. He insisted that she was under easy and manageable
canvas, and that there was nothing like making a passage while we had
the opportunity. In this sentiment I fully agreed with him; but still I
thought it better to err on the safe side, at least fo