I'm used to vessels. I sail the Skylark, which you see there,"
replied Bobtail, pointing to the little yacht.

"That's the boat we were going in," added the other young lady. "Then
you are Captain Bobtail?"

"Folks call me Little Bobtail; but I'm not captain," answered the young
skipper, blushing again.

"Run up the jib!" shouted the sailing-master.

Bobtail sprang to the halyard, ungallantly turning his back to the young
ladies. They looked at the short skirts of his coat, and he heard a
silvery laugh, as he took in the slack of the rope. Miss Montague and
Miss Walker were very much amused when they discovered the origin of his
name.

The wind was fresh; the Penobscot went off like "a thing of life," and
Bobtail enjoyed the sail exceedingly. She ran down as far as Owl's Head,
and then stood over towards the eastern shore of the bay. At one of the
best places she lay to, and the party caught cod and haddock till they
were tired of the sport, and then the yacht anchored under the lee of an
island. The day was fine, and the excursionists desired to visit some of
the islands in the vicinity. Both boats were manned, and went off in
different directions, according to the fancy of those on board of them.
Bobtail was permitted to occupy the fore-sheets of the one which carried
Mrs. Montague and the two young ladies, for somehow he took great
pleasure in looking at the latter, and wished they would be a little
more sociable. This boat went to Blank Island, which has a high bluff
on the east side of it, and all the party landed. The ladies and
gentlemen ascended the steep side of the island, and reached the cliff
which overhangs the sea.

Bobtail followed them at a respectful distance, while the sailors
remained near the boat. From the bluff he looked down into the little
bay, where he had anchored the Skylark the night he picked her up. The
cliff was about thirty feet high, and rose abruptly from the water,
which was very deep at the foot of it, so that a large ship might have
floated alongside the rocks. The party seated themselves near the cliff,
and were observing the rolling sea beneath them, for a south-easterly
wind was driving the huge waves into the little bay. It was a grand
sight, and the two young ladies sat on the very edge of the precipice,
watching the surges which beat and broke against the wall of rocks.

"Don't go too near, Grace," said Mrs. Montague.

"I'm not afraid, mother," replied the young lady.