regular
sou'easter."

"What are you afraid of, Paul?"

"I'm not afraid; but there's no use of risking your life for a quarter."

"I'll give you a half, then."

Paul Duncan hesitated. Half a dollar was a great deal of money to him,
and more than often found its way into his exchequer. He glanced at the
white-capped waves in the bay, and then at Thomas.

"There's no ballast in her," said he.

"Put some rocks in, then."

"I think it's rather dangerous, and I don't believe your mother would
agree to have you go out in a boat in such a blow as this."

"My mother! Humph! Let me tell you I'm not tied to my mother's apron
string. I think I'm old enough to have a will of my own. Don't talk to
me about my mother," replied Thomas contemptuously. "I'm not a baby."

"Just as you please; but I think it blows too hard to go out."

"Let me have your boat, and I'll go alone then, if you are afraid to
go."

"I'm not afraid," answered Paul, stung by these repeated implications
upon his courage. "Jump in, and I'll give you enough of it before you
get half way to the Point."

Thomas got into the boat, which was anything but a beauty in her shape
and appointments. Paul pushed her off the beach upon which she had
grounded, and as she receded from the shore, leaped on board of her.
Placing an oar at the stern, he sculled her out a short distance from
the land, and then shook out the sail. The first flaw of wind that
struck it heeled the boat over so far that Thomas leaped with desperate
haste up to the windward side.

"Don't be afraid, Tom," said Paul, with a smile. "She has got the wind
now."

"Who's afraid?" demanded Thomas.

"I thought you were by the way you jumped."

"Well, the gunnel of your old craft went under."

"Not quite."

"I say it did; and you don't suppose I was going to sit there and be
spilled into the drink--do you?" continued Thomas, sharply.

"I won't dispute with you; she heeled over, as a boat always will when
she first gets the wind."

"You think you are an old salt, Paul, but you don't know enough to
navigate a herring pond."

"Just as you like," replied Paul, whose good nature was proof against
the assaults of his companion. "I don't pretend to know much; but I
think I understand this old boat pretty well."

"Paul! Paul!" cried a voice from the shore.

"That's my mother," said the young boatman, as he discovered a woman on
the beach. "What do you want, mother?"

"Come ashore," replied