they were turning
the wagon round.

"I should," said Jonas, "if there was not such a threatening of a
storm."

"It does not blow much," said Rollo.

"No," said Jonas, "not much now, but the wind may rise before we get
back. However, we'll go and see if we can get a boat."

After some inquiry, they found a boat, at a little distance out of the
village, in a sort of cove, where there was a fine, sandy beach. The
boat was of very good size, and it had in it two oars and a paddle.
Jonas looked out upon the water, and up to the sky, and he listened to
hear the moaning of the wind upon the tops of the trees. He wanted very
much to persevere in his effort to find the carpenter; but then, on the
other hand, he was not sure that it was quite safe to take Rollo out
upon the water at such a time. He sat upon a log upon the shore a few
minutes, and seemed lost in thought.

[Illustration: "And very soon they were gliding smoothly along out of
the cove."--Page 167.]

At last he said,--

"Well, Rollo, I believe we'll go. The worst that will happen will be,
that you may get frightened a little. We can't get hurt."

"Why can't we get hurt?" said Rollo.

"Why, even if it comes on to blow hard, it will probably be a steady
gale, and I can run before it, if I can't do anything else. And there
can't be much of a sea in this pond."

Rollo did not know what Jonas meant by much of a sea in the pond; but,
as Jonas immediately went to work taking the horse out of the wagon,
Rollo did not ask any questions. The boys unharnessed the horse, for
Jonas said he would stand easier out of harness, and they might be gone
more than an hour. They fastened him then to a tree, and poured the oats
down before him upon the ground. Then Jonas helped Rollo into the boat,
and put in the tin pail containing their luncheon, and also the
umbrella; though he said he did not think it would rain before they got
back. Then he shoved off the boat, and jumped in himself; and very soon
they were gliding smoothly along out of the cove.

Rollo wanted to row; and so Jonas let him take one oar, while he himself
sat in the stern with the paddle. Rollo soon learned the proper motion,
so that his efforts assisted considerably in propelling the boat. They
found, when they were out at a little distance upon the water, that the
wind blew much harder than Rollo had expected.

"Jonas," said he, "the wind blows more here than it did upon the shore."

"No," said Jonas,