n was sailing. Under the
instruction of old Tom, the boys were soon able to handle alone the
little boat that they had bought by clubbing together their resources.

"Don't worry, mother, she's as safe as a scow," Harry would say, as he
saw the expression of anxiety spread over his mother's face when he
announced that they were off for a day's cruising.

On this day they had started early in the morning for a blue-fishing
cruise, and all had gone well until the homeward voyage. The cockpit was
full of big fish and the boys took much pleasure in anticipating their
reception when they made fast to the pier. The little sloop was skimming
along under full sail, when just off Edgartown a stiff puff of wind
struck them.

Harry jammed the helm hard down and the boat responded gamely, coming
quickly up into the wind. It was then that he called sharply to Mason to
let go the jib halliards. The sail was so light and the wind slapped it
from side to side with such angry vehemence that it would not run down
on the stay. Harry dropped the helm, and holding it down with the
pressure of his leg, seized the down haul and brought the jib, flapping
and pounding, down to the bowsprit.

"Get out there and furl that jib, Bert," he shouted. "We'll have to reef
down the mainsail soon."

Bert climbed cautiously out of the cockpit and made his way along the
slippery deck until he reached the bowsprit. Clinging to the mainmast,
he steadied himself while he surveyed the thrashing sail, whose folds of
canvas hung over and trailed in the water until, caught every now and
then by the wind, it bellied out like a balloon. A wave bigger than the
rest completely submerged the bowsprit as the boat plunged into the
trough of the sea.

To furl the jib it was necessary to climb out on the lower stay, which
acted as a foot rope, and it required the agility of a cat to hang on
and drag the water-soaked, wind-thrashed sail onto the bowsprit and make
it fast with canvas stops. For a moment Bert hesitated, but Harry waved
to him eagerly to go on. Bert nodded in assent and began to climb
gingerly out onto the stay. Harry held the boat up into the wind to aid
his companion in getting in the wet and flapping sail.

They plunged into wave after wave, carrying Bert almost completely
under, as a bather goes under a comber in the surf. But he hung onto the
light spar with one hand while he dragged in the sail with the other.
When his task was completed and he cl