n the seat.

"Here, you take her, Jack," said Henry Burns. "Tim and I'll reef her. We
can do it quick."

He relinquished the tiller to Harvey, who threw the boat up into the
wind, while Henry Burns and Tim seized the halyards and lowered the sail
sufficiently to take in a double reef. Henry Burns had the tack tied
down in a jiffy; whereupon Harvey drew the sail aft, hauled out on the
pendant and passed a lashing. Henry Burns and Little Tim had the reef
points tied in no time. Before Mr. Bangs's wondering eyes the sail was
hoisted, the topping lift set up, and the boat got under way again
before he had had hardly time to think what had happened.

It was surprising to see how easily the craft went along under competent
management. The spray flew some and the water came aboard, wetting the
party to the skin and causing alarm; but there was little danger. The
_Flyaway_ no longer took the brunt of the waves, but headed into them a
little, keeping good headway on. What was better, she was making time,
going to windward and approaching the landing.

Mr. Bangs gradually regained his colour, and took courage.

"Guess you've sailed some before," he said, with a sickly smile. "You go
at it like old hands."

"We've got a boat of our own," replied Harvey. "She's down in Samoset
bay. We got a big price for her for the summer, so we let her."

Mr. Bangs looked a bit sheepish.

"I'm glad you came along," he said; and added with a glance at Mrs.
Bangs, and in a lower tone, "I haven't sailed very much, to tell the
truth. We do--er--mostly rowing in the Green Pond Fishing Club."

They came up to the landing in sailor fashion, and the party stepped
out.

"Glad to see yer back," remarked Coombs. "Got just a bit worried about
you. You came in nicely, though."

Mr. Bangs smiled good-naturedly.

"Well," he said, "the fact is, I've got a crew. They are old sailors.
You ought to have seen them reef her quicker'n scat. They're going
along with me after this, for the rest of their stay--and their friends,
too. My wife says she's got enough sailing."

"I should say I had," said Mrs. Bangs.

CHAPTER XIV

THE FORTUNE-TELLER

Mr. Bangs proved to be a genial companion in the days that followed.
Nothing suited him better than to fill up the _Flyaway_ with the crew of
campers and go sailing on the pond. No longer seeking to support a
fallen dignity as skipper, he was pleased to receive instruction from
Henry Burns and Harvey,