eered. "Keep it just as it is, until I tell you to move
it."

"I don't know how to move it."

"When I say right, move it this way;" and Fanny pointed to the
starboard side. "When I say left, move it the other way."

Fanny watched her a moment to see that her instructions were obeyed.

"We don't want this any longer," said she, unfastening the painter of
the skiff and throwing it into the water, thus permitting the boat to
go adrift.

"What did you do that for?" demanded Kate, as the Greyhound dashed on,
leaving the skiff behind to be borne down the river by the tide.

"We don't want the skiff, and dragging it behind keeps us back some."

"What did you bring it for, then?"

"To keep Mr. Long from chasing us in it. All the rest of the boats are
hauled up, and he will have to find one before he can come after us."

Fanny went forward, and having fearlessly removed the stops from the
jib, which required her to crawl out a little way on the bowsprit, she
hoisted the sail, and carried the sheet aft to the standing-room, as
she had often seen the boatmen do. The effect of this additional canvas
was immediately seen, for the Greyhound had now reached the middle of
the river, where she felt the full force of the wind, which was fresh
from the north-west, and came in puffs and flaws.

When the Greyhound went out from the shore, her sails were over on the
right hand side; that is, she took the wind abaft the port beam. The
boat was now careened over nearly to her rail, and was darting through
the water like a rocket. Kate trembled, but Fanny was delighted.

"Now we will go down the river," said Fanny, as she took the tiller.

Suiting the action to the word, she put the helm up just as a flaw of
wind came sweeping over the waves. The boat came round; the three
sails, caught by the flaw, suddenly flew over, filled on the other
side, and the Greyhound careened till she was half full of water.

CHAPTER V.

DOWN THE RIVER.

Putting a boat about, as Fanny had turned the Greyhound, is nautically
termed _gybing_ her. It is a dangerous manoeuvre when the wind is
fresh, and should never be attempted by young or inexperienced boatmen.
By putting the boat about in the opposite direction, hauling in the
sheet as the sail flutters, the danger may be wholly avoided. The
boat's head should always be turned in the direction from which the
wind comes. But a person who does not understand the management of a
boat should no