new point of view, and agreed that from no side
does a grand coast look so grand as from the sea.

Our boat scudded along merrily, Hall keeping her a steady course, well
up to the wind. After a few lessons we got to know our respective
duties (so we thought) with all the regularity of a trained ship's crew.
With the wind as it was, right across our course, we had not much need
to tack; but when the order to "stand by" did arrive, we prided
ourselves that we knew how to act.

Hall let go the sheet, and Hutton lowered the sail, Charlie put round
the helm, and I in the bows was ready to aid the others in shifting the
canvas to the other side of the mast and hauling up the sail again.
Then Hall resumed charge of the helm and drew in the sheet, Charlie and
Hutton "trimmed" over to the other side of the boat, and once again our
little craft darted forward.

We were all in exuberant spirits that lovely summer morning; even
Charlie seemed to have forgotten his uneasiness at first starting, for
he was now the life and soul of our party.

He told us wonderful stories about this very bay, gathered from some of
his favourite histories. How, after the defeat of the Spanish Armada,
when the proud vessels of Spain were driven partly by tempest, partly by
the pursuit of our admiral, headlong along: this very coast, one of them
had got into Colveston Bay, and there been driven ashore at the base of
Raven Cliff, not one man of all her crew surviving that awful wreck.
And he repeated one after another the legends connected with Druce
Castle, whose ruined turrets we could discern away behind us, and of all
the coves and crags and caves as we passed them, till, in our
imagination, the bay became alive once more with ships and battle, and
we seemed to watch the gleam of armour on the castle walls, and the
glare of beacons on the headlands, and to hear the thunder of cannon
from the beach; when presently Hall's cheery call to "stand by" wakened
us into a sudden recollection of our present circumstances. And then
what songs we sang! what famous sea stories Hall told us! how Hutton
made us roar with his recitations! how the time seemed to fly, and the
boat too, and we in it, until at last we found the Great Shargle
towering over our heads, and knew we had all but reached our
destination.

Hall looked at his watch.

"That was a good run, boys," said he; "not quite two hours--an
uncommonly good run for an old tub like this. Now where