ver. It had steps
and ropes from its sides, and was intended as the first object to reach
and rest on when we had learned to swim a dozen or more strokes.
Farther on, halfway the length of Bath Bay, was a large flat rock, which
stood at high-tide two feet above water. Its sides were almost
perpendicular, and were made accessible in the same way as "Youngster's
Wharf." By that name those who could already swim called our staging
near the beach. Leander's Rock, for we had a name for everything, had a
depth of nearly thirty feet, and a finer place for diving cannot be
imagined. Bath Bay was shut in by its wall-like sides and a bluff
behind the sand-beach from all the severe winds, but after a storm out
at sea we would get an even swell that was very pleasant to float on.

Our time for bathing was between the close of school at half-after one
and our dinner-hour, three. All through the season, until early in
October, we never lost a bath unless rain was falling heavily, so
greatly did we enjoy it under the Captain's care. He would not have
bathing-houses for us, as he said that the sun-bath after a swim was
almost as good as the salt water itself. The Captain was always near
the swimmers, in his punt, that in case of accident his assistance might
be immediate.

Boys, if you have ever read Benjamin Franklin's directions to those
learning to swim, you will understand the methods our Captain pursued to
teach us. In his boat he was always dressed in bathing-clothes, and
would often jump out to show us by example how to swim under water, how
to float, how to dive, etcetera. I can assure you we enjoyed that sport
as much as any we had, and before many weeks had passed we could all
swim a few strokes. By the close of the season, I, the youngest pupil,
could swim out to Leander's Rock, dive from it twenty feet deep, and
swim ashore again easily. But more about Bath Bay, and our adventures
there, hereafter.

After our baths and Juno's nice dinners we usually went to sail, and in
a few weeks the Captain let some of us take the helm, he sitting by to
instruct us, and to remedy, if need be, any mistake of the young sailor
who happened to be our skipper at the time. Sometimes, instead of
sailing, we would row in an excellent boat which we had for that
purpose, and, four of us being at the oars, try how quick time we could
make from point to point of the shore. With such practice, we made
rapid improvements and by the mi