ght, which he had carefully prepared for the
guidance of the sailmaker, in making the _Water Lily's_ sails.

"You have never told me, gentlemen," said he, "_why_ you are having this
little craft built; but the great pains which you have taken in the
preparation of her design, and the whole tenour of your remarks when
giving us the order to build her, impressed me at the time with a
conviction that her destiny is to be something beyond that of most
vessels of her size. As we proceeded with our work, I could not fail to
be struck (as you will perhaps remember I was at my first glance at your
drawing) with the fact, that whilst she is eminently calculated to prove
a wonderfully fine little sea-boat, she is equally certain to develop
most extraordinary sailing powers; and so great is the interest I take
in her, that I could not be satisfied with intrusting the preparation of
her sail draught to any other than myself; for I foresee that she will,
in all probability, become a `public character,' so to speak, and in
that capacity she will undoubtedly reflect great credit on her builders.
I have therefore calculated, with the utmost nicety, the proportion of
her various sails, so that they may take effect to the greatest
advantage; and this is the result of my labours," producing at the same
time the drawing to which I have referred.

I must confess that, for my own part, I was staggered at the enormous
spread of canvas Mr Wood proposed to pile upon our little boat; but he
declared that she would carry it with the greatest ease. "In fact,"
said he, "I have kept rather _within_ the limit of her powers, bearing
in mind a remark you made to the effect that she would have to keep to
sea _in all weathers_; and so confident am I that she is not over-
sailed, that if you find I am wrong, I undertake to bear all the expense
of a new outfit of sails, and the necessary reduction of spars. With
regard to your `boat' (though to my mind she looks much more like an
ingeniously designed _raft_), the idea is so new that I cannot take it
upon myself to utter an opinion about her, though I can see no reason
why she should not be as fast as she undoubtedly is safe."

We sent off the sail-drawing to Lapthorn of Gosport (determined to have
the best made suit of sails it was possible to procure), with
instructions to prepare them without delay, and then started off, by the
first train, to Weymouth.

I found my dear sister safe and well, and mo