are by the efflux of the tide. He wished that the
steamboat would stop, and let him land upon one of them. He also looked
down over the bows, and admired the graceful form and beautiful
smoothness of the ripple, or rather wave, which was formed by the
cutwater of the boat as it urged its way rapidly through the water.
After gazing upon this for some time, Marco turned to go away in pursuit
of Forester, when an occurrence took place, which being somewhat
important in its consequences, the account of it must be deferred to the
next chapter.

CHAPTER II.

THE LOST BUCKET.

As Marco was stepping down from the position which he had taken upon the
anchor, his eye fell upon a small bucket, with a long rope tied to the
handle, which he immediately recognised as one of those buckets which
the sailors fit up in that way, in order to draw up water from alongside
the ship.

"There's a bucket, now," said Marco to himself. "I declare, I believe
I'll draw up some water. Forester said that it was hard, but I think it
will be easy. I'll draw up a bucket full, and carry to him and show
him."

So saying, Marco took up the bucket, lifted it gently over the side, and
let it down slowly by the rope into the water. There was a knot in the
end of the rope; and Marco held the knot firmly in his hand, so as to
draw up the bucket by means of it, as soon as he should get it full. He
found, however, that, although he could let the pail down easily enough,
it was no easy matter to dip up any water into it; for the rope, being
fastened to the bail or handle, kept the handle, and of course the open
part of the pail, upwards, so that the water could not run in. If Marco
let the rope down more, the pail, being light, would not sink, but
skipped along upon the surface of the water, drawn by the motion of the
steamboat.

While Marco was making these fruitless attempts, another boy, dressed in
sailor's clothes, whom Marco had seen several times before about the
boat, came up to him, and asked him what he was doing.

"I'm trying to get some water," said Marco.

"That isn't the way to get it," said the sailor boy. "Let me have the
bucket. I'll show you the way."

"No," said Marco, "I want to get it myself."

"You never can get any that way," said the boy. "You must swing it back
and forth, and when it is swinging well, let it drop suddenly and catch
the water."

So Marco began to swing the bucket back and forth, and after he had got
i