ast. The topmast
extended above the upper spar a short distance, and to this we fastened
the flag which our society had adopted. A couple of strong cords were
secured to the center spar to provide for fastening the sail onto the
skater. Tied to the lower corners of the mainsail were two sticks which
were used for guiding the sail when in flight.

[Illustration: Fig. 17. Before the Wind. Fig. 18. Topsail Lowered. Fig.
19. Skating against the Wind. Fig. 20. On the Port Tack.]

The different methods of sailing with this rig are shown in Figs. 17-20.
When sailing with the wind the skater would stand very erect, bending
backward in proportion as the wind blew fresher. By inclining the sail
in one direction or the other, the skater could tack to port or
starboard. When moving against the wind by skating in the usual way, the
body was bent forward in such manner that the sail lay horizontal, so
that it would not offer a purchase for the wind.

BAT'S WINGS.

[Illustration: Fig. 21.]

One more sail deserves mention. It was Bill's idea, and it came near to
ending his career the first day he tried it. It had no spars at all, but
was merely a strip of cloth of somewhat triangular shape. The upper side
was tied to the head, and the two corners to the wrists, while the lower
portion was tied to the ankles. This converted him into a huge
white-winged bat. Bill had to try it at once, even though the rest of
the sails were not finished, and a very comical spectacle he made as he
flapped his wings in his endeavors to tack. When the wind was too strong
for him he had merely to drop his arms and thus lower sail. At length he
became tired of holding his arms out at full length, and I got him a
stick to put over his shoulders and rest his arms on. But that stick was
Bill's undoing, for coming around a sudden bend in the canal he caught
the full force of the wind, which knocked him flat on his back before he
could disentangle himself from the stick and lower sail. It took us some
time to bring him back to consciousness, and a very scared lot of boys
we were for a while. However, the lesson was a good one, for after that
we were very cautious in experimenting with sails that had to be tied
on, such as the Danish rig and the lanteen rig, before Reddy invented
the mast step.

It was not until the day after Christmas that the sails were all
completed, but then there was scarcely any wind blowing and we could not
attempt the expedition