anship, and
observing the freshening of the wind, and the fact that the craft was
not being worked to windward anywhere near what it would go, slipped
astern beside Mr. Bangs.

"Like to have me tend that sheet for you?" he asked, carelessly.

Mr. Bangs waved him back. "Don't touch that, my lad," he cried. "You
might upset us in a minute. Never let a boy fool with a sheet--hello!"

A sharper and heavier flaw caught the big mainsail with full force; and
then, as Mr. Bangs in his excitement threw the tiller over and headed
the yacht farther off the wind, instead of up into it, the _Flyaway_
heeled dangerously, taking water over the side and causing the pug dog,
which got a drenching, to howl dolorously. Mrs. Bangs gave a slight
scream.

"Oh, it's all right. Don't be alarmed," said Mr. Bangs, assuringly. He
failed to notice that prompt action on the part of Henry Burns, who had
started the sheet at the critical moment, had saved them from a spill;
and seemed to think that somehow he had righted things himself. However,
as he observed that youth calmly trimming the sail again, despite his
admonition to let the sheet alone, he seemed to have undergone a change
of heart.

"That's right," he said, in a tone of not quite so much confidence, "you
just run that thing, while I do the steering."

It began to get rough now, and the _Flyaway_ did not seem to justify
it's owner's praise. It threw the water heavily--partly by reason of its
clumsy build and partly because Mr. Bangs did not meet the waves with
the tiller. One might have observed, moreover, that Mr. Bangs wore an
anxious expression, and his hand shook slightly as he pressed the
tiller.

A moment more, and he seemed almost dazed as the tiller was snatched
from his grasp by Henry Burns, who put the _Flyaway_ hard up into the
wind, just in time to meet a squall that threw the lee rail under again.
The craft stood still, almost, with the sail shivering. Then Henry Burns
eased her off gently, getting her under headway again. Mr. Bangs was
deathly pale. The spray had dashed aboard freely and drenched him.

"We've got to reef, and be quick about it," said Henry Burns, addressing
the shivering skipper. "What do you say? It's your boat."

"What's that--eh, do you think so?" stammered Mr. Bangs. "Reef her? Yes,
that'll stop her tipping, won't it? Oh my! can you do it?"

His knees were wabbling, and he allowed himself to be pushed aside,
sinking down, pale and trembling o