d lumber. The town
is located on both sides of Tenean River, the estuary of which forms a
very good harbor, though the place has not yet attained to any
considerable commercial importance.

The shipyard and the wharves were on the north side of the river, which
was known as Mercantile Point. On the south side a peninsula extended
about half a mile out into the sea, at the extremity of which was the
little cottage of Mr. Duncan, the ship carpenter. It was built upon the
high bluff, and below it was the beach, which had been formed by the
continued caving of the earth from the high bank. The cottage was over a
mile from the shipyard, by the road, and not more than half the distance
in a straight line across the water. As an easy and pleasant way to get
to his work, Mr. Duncan had purchased the old boat, in which Paul had
just embarked, for a few dollars, and in good weather generally went
over to the shipyard by water. He was a skilful boatman, and under his
tuition his son had learned all the mysteries of sailing a boat. Like
most boys, he was disposed to be more daring than was necessary, and it
was often that his father and mother found occasion to check him in the
pursuit of bold enterprises. Paul was passionately fond of the water,
and was proud of his nautical skill and knowledge.

Aquatic sports were all the rage at Bayville, and there were very few
gentlemen who had the means that did not own boats of some kind. In the
summer season the harbor always presented a brilliant display of yachts,
sail boats, and wherries. The largest of these was the Flyaway, a
splendid yacht of fifty-two tons, which was jointly owned by Major
Nettle and Captain Littleton. Even the boys of the High School had a
club boat, which in the warm season, not only afforded them fine sport,
but plenty of healthy exercise for the proper development of their
physical organization.

On the first day of May, when our story opens, the scholars of the High
School had a picnic at Tenean Point, and the boat club had gone down to
participate in the festivities of the occasion. Thomas Nettle had been
to the city in the morning, and had not returned in season to go down
with the club, of which he was a member. It was four miles to the Point
by the road, and only half that distance by water, when the wind
permitted the passage in a straight line. He did not like the idea of
walking so far, choosing rather to incur the danger of being drowned by
the upset