e were often not high enough to
allow the yawl to pass under, except in the centre, or within a few feet
on one side or other of the keystone, and as the wind is deflected by the
bridge, just at the critical moment when you reach such places, and the
current of water below rushes about in eddies from the piers, there is
quite enough of excitement to keep a captain pretty well awake in beating
to windward through these bridges; for the wind _must_ be dead ahead a
great part of the time, because the river bends about and about with more
and sharper turns than almost any other of the kind.

Though sun and wind had varnished my face to the proper regulation hue,
in perfect keeping with a mahogany boat, yet the fortnight of fresh water
had softened that hardiness of system acquired in real sea. My hands had
gradually discarded, one after another, the islands of sticking-plaister,
and a whole geography of bumps and bruises, which once had looked as if
no gloves ever could get on again--or rather as if the hands must always
be encased in gloves to be anywhere admissible in a white-skinned
country.

But now once again outward bound, though still so many miles from the
iodine scent of the open sea, and the gracious odour of real ship's tar,
one's nerves are strung tight in a moment. The change was hailed with
joy, though sudden enough, from the glassy pond-like water at St. Cloud,
lulled only by gentle catspaws, half asleep and dreaming, to the rattling
of spars and blocks, and hissing of the water, in the merry whistling
gale by which we now were rapt away.

At Argenteuil there are numerous French pleasure-boats, and the Rob Roy
ran into a good berth. Next day there was a downright gale, so I
actually had to reef before starting, because in a narrow river the work
of beating against the wind is very severe on legs and arms, and
especially on one's hands, unless they are hardened, and kept hard, too,
by constant handling of the strong ropes.

At length we put into a quiet bay, where the river Oise joined the Seine,
and we moored snugly under the lee of a green meadow, while trees were
above waving and rustling in the breeze. It was far from houses, for I
wished to have a good rest, as the tossing of the former night had almost
banished sleep.

But soon the inquisitive natives found the yawl in her hiding-place, and
they sat on the grass gazing by the hour. The surroundings were so much
like a canoe voyage, that I felt