ily. I had tried several times in the
ponds, and nearly drowned myself."

"Ah, but we have got the salt-water of the Atlantic here, which is far
more buoyant than the fresh water," I observed.

Dick was so delighted that it was with difficulty we could get him to
come on board again and dress for breakfast.

"You'll make a first-rate swimmer in a few days, sir," said Paul Truck,
as he assisted him up the side. "I'll tell you why--you have no more
fear than a Newfoundland dog. The reason people can't swim is that they
fancy that they can't; whereas, the Newfoundland dog knows that he can,
and goes in and does it."

Having dried myself, I ran down and brought up a clean shirt for Dick,
who asked Truck to fasten his up in the rigging.

"Better souse it out with fresh water first, or you wouldn't find it
pleasant to put on again," answered the captain, laughing; "the salt
would tickle your skin, I've a notion."

"Not if it is dry, surely?" asked Dick.

"Yes; you see the salt would remain. Why, you'd have as much salt in
that shirt as would serve you for dinner for a week if I was to, dry it
in the sun without rinsing it out. Haven't you ever seen salt in the
holes of the rocks?"

Dick had not, but I very frequently had.

"How do you think that salt comes there?" asked Truck.

Dick could not tell.

"Why, it's just this: the sun draws up the fresh water, and doesn't draw
up the salt, but leaves that behind. If it wasn't for that, we should
have salt rain; and a pretty go that would be; for all the trees, and
plants, and grass would be killed, and vessels, when away from land and
hard up for water, would not be able to get any."

We had been so busy dressing that we had not had time to admire the
harbour. We now agreed that it looked a very beautiful spot, with
bright green fields and the white houses of the town, with Pendennis
Castle on the western point and Saint Mawes opposite to it. Facing
Falmouth we could see Flushing, and church towers and villas on the
shores of the river Fal away to the northward.

On going on shore, however, the place did not appear quite so
attractive, and the streets and alleys had a Wapping look about them,
and were redolent of the odours of a seaport. But as we got out of the
more commercial part, the town improved greatly. One of the most
interesting buildings we visited was that of the Cornwall Sailors' Home,
though there were many other fine public buildings.

Pend