nt skimming over the surface of the water, then it
passed above the tops of the long grass on the island. This brought
the line on a level with the top-sail. This would not do; for a
pressure up there might capsize the schooner. Both of the workers saw
that they must slacken the line a little to get it into the proper
place. Now was the critical time; if the line was too much slackened
it might slip under the vessel and upset it that way. Gently they
lowered it until it lay against the mainmast below the sail.

"Take care!" screamed Will to Greta.

"Go slow!" screamed Greta to Will.

Gently they pulled against the schooner, and, inch by inch, she
floated off into the open water.

"Hurrah!" shouted Will, as the "America" gave herself a little shake,
and, catching the wind, sailed slowly and somewhat unsteadily for the
home port, which, however, she reached in safety. "Wind up the cord!"
shouted Greta, just in time to prevent Will's throwing it aside. He
wondered what further use she had for the cord. It might go to the
bottom of the pool for aught he cared, now that the ship was safe. But
he wound it up as directed. It would have been quite a grief to the
thrifty little Dutch girl if so much fine cord had been wasted.

Thus ignominiously came in the stately ship "America," which Will had
set afloat with such pride! And it is doubtful whether she would
have come in at all, but for the stanch Dutch canal-boat that he had
regarded with a good deal of disdain.

If Will had been a girl, he would have exhausted the complimentary
adjectives of the Dutch language in praise of his cousin; but being a
boy, he only said, "Thank you, Greta."

The children remained at the pool until called to dinner; and after
that meal, they went back again and stayed until it was time to return
to Zaandam, so fascinated were they with sailing their vessels. These
changed hands so often that it was sometimes difficult to tell who had
charge of any particular boat, and a good deal of confusion was the
result. In justice to the "America," it must be stated that she cut no
more capers, and was the admiration of all.

Will had his faults, and one of these was the very high estimate
he placed on his own opinions. But he was generous-hearted, and he
admitted to himself that Greta had shown more cleverness than he in
the "America" affair. "She was _quicker_, anyway," he thought. "It
is likely that plan would have occurred to me after a time, but s