ls, and placed the rudder in the
proper position, the model vessel went as steadily as if the ship had
had a crew on board. When she had finished her voyage across the
lagoon, the old sailor, taking her out, showed me how to trim the sails.
I then, carrying her back to the place whence she started, set her off
myself. I had fancied that I could make her sail directly before the
wind; but he explained the impossibility of doing this without a person
on board to steer, as she would have a tendency to luff up to the wind.
He evidently took a pleasure in teaching me, and I didn't grow weary of
learning, so that at the end of the first day I fancied I could manage
my little craft to perfection. I called her "The Hope." He promised to
have the name painted on her stern by the next day I came. I went
almost day after day for a week or more. At last old Roger declared I
could sail "The Hope" as well as he could. Sometimes Mark came with me,
but he didn't take as much interest in the amusement as I did, he being
more accustomed to practical sailing; besides which he had other
employments into which he didn't think fit to initiate me. As I before
said, he frequently went fishing on the Squire's ponds, and from a light
fowling-piece which I saw in his room, together with several nets and
other contrivances for catching game, I suspected that he also spent
some of his time in the Squire's preserves. I didn't like to hint to
him that I had any suspicion on the subject. When he saw my eyes
directed towards a gun, he observed--

"I sometimes go out wild-duck shooting in the winter. My gun is not
large enough for the purpose, so when I can contrive to get up close
enough I now and then kill a bird or two."

"I should think your gun was more suitable for killing partridges or
hares or pheasants," I remarked.

"Ah, yes, so it may be; but then pheasants and partridges and hares are
game, and I should run the risk of being hauled up before the Squire if
I were to bag any."

He laughed in a peculiar way as he spoke. I tried to get information
from him about the smugglers; but if he knew anything he held his
tongue, evidently considering it wiser not to trust me. At last, as I
wanted to show my cutter to Ned, my sister, and the rest, I told old
Roger that I should like to carry it home. To this he raised no
objection.

"You'll find her rather a heavy load, Master Dick," he said. "However,
you can rest on your way. I adv