t bowsprit was added to
her rig, and his mother made him a jib, which he cut out himself. Thus
refitted, the old boat, though her main defects could not be remedied,
was much improved, and worked better than before. She was far from
coming up to the young fisherman's ideal of a trim craft, and he
cherished a strong hope that before many years had passed away, he
should have the satisfaction of sailing such a boat as his fancy had
already clearly defined. The time was closer at hand than he suspected.

One day, early in the month of July, Paul was making his way home from
the rock in a smart blow. While he was fishing, the wind had hauled
round to the northeast, and continued to freshen till it became a
reefing breeze. He had got but a small fare of fish, for the heavy sea
had interfered with his operations. He disliked to leave the fishing
ground, but it was sufficiently evident to him that a storm was
approaching. He had often promised his mother that he would be very
careful, and the present seemed a proper time to exercise that caution.
John was with him, and in spite of this bold youth's most earnest
protest, he got up the anchor and made sail for home.

"What are you afraid of, Paul?" demanded John, with evident disgust.

"You are a pretty sailor! Don't you see it is going to blow a young
hurricane?"

"What if it does? I should like to be out in a blow once. I want to know
what it's like," replied the reckless boy.

"You may know now, before you get home. Don't you see the white caps on
the waves off to windward?"

"I like the looks of them, and it's fun to skip over them."

"I don't want to worry mother. She's at the window by this time, looking
out for the boat. Do you think there is any fun in making her uneasy?
Besides, I don't think it is safe to stay here any longer. There comes
the Flyaway under jib and mainsail."

"What of it?"

"She went down to be gone all day. What do you suppose she's coming back
for at this early hour?"

"I suppose Captain Littleton didn't want to make the women seasick,"
promptly replied John.

"Would the foresail make them sick? She has taken the bonnet off her jib
too. Captain Littleton knows when to expect a gale, and we shall have
it soon."

So it seemed by the working of the little boat, for she tossed up and
down on the waves like a feather, and thrust her bows under so far, that
John had to waste some of his enthusiasm upon the baling kettle. Paul
had not hoiste