The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1897-07-23

old compass that had belonged to his
father. He did not need it long, how
ever, for soon the sun rose, the gray
mists broke away, and day shone bright
over the dancing waves.
With his lines trailing free in the wake
of the boat, life seemed joyous to Bob.
He was the first on the grounds and had
good luck. Five times his delighted ear
caught the high-keyed swir-r-r of the
lines as they swiftly slipped through the
cleft sticks that just held them taut
against the pull of the water. Each
time by hard pulling hand over hand he
landed good-sized fish despite it's
desperate efforts to get off the hook by
turning round and round in the water.
About two o'clock in the afternoon
Bob noticed that, altho the wind was
blowing scarcely more than before, the
waves were rolling higher. Far down
ON the southern horizon he could see the
long, low, white line of rapidly ap-
preaching squall. Bob lost no time.
He quickly pulled in his lines, put the
head of the boat to the wind, Delayed
the mainsheet chock aft, fastened the
| filler hard.a-lee, as sailors say, and soon
had his sail reefed in, not too close, but
coming gquall.
The boat swished merrily through the
water. Bob whistled unconcernedly as
he checked her tendency to yaw from
side to side. Indeed, he had little cause
for worry; he had stout heart, firm
hand, and everything on board in ship
shape. He chuckled as just ahead he
saw Mr. Browns twenty-rater making
but trifle better time and yawing even
more violently.
SCOT her centerboard down, mos like
ly." he thought, and chuckled again.
The waves rose rapidly. AS the boats
approached the point of Mashnee Island.
it became evident that they would have
to jibe in order to enter the harbor; for
the sea was running too heavily to
permit lacking. Bob took out rope,
fastened it to cleat on the starboard
side of the stern and to the iron ring
which held the main-sheet; this would
prevent it from going over so violently
little to windward, and by sheer force of
muscle pulled in the sail somewhat.
After making the rope fast, he dashed
the Giller quickly and, springing forward,
let go the peak halyard so as to drop the
peak of the gatf and thus reduce the
effective sail area. Then he slowly put
the the tiller to starboard, and haul
ing In the main-sheet, rapidly took a
good turn with it round cleat. The
wind caught the sail but, thanks to Bob's
precautions, it neither had so much cam
vas to act on nor struck the sail so fully
square. AS the boat keeled over Bob
payed out the rope until once more he
was swiftly scudding before the wind.
Bob had scarcely gone through these
maneuvers, and hoisted up the peak
again, when wild, piercing shrek rose
high above the noise of wind and waves.
Looking ahead he could see black OBJ
ject swimming through the water, and
girl, uttering shrek on shrek, all alone |
on board the aPetrel,' but still clinging
desperately to the tiller. Bob took in |
the situation. The boom had suddenly |
jibed and knocked the man overheard. |
He, however was good swimmer and
would probably make the black tub buoy
for which he was evidently aiming; but |
the boat with an Inexperienced girl at |
the helm was sure TO 60 on the rocks off
Tobey's Island. No time could be lost.
Holding the tiller against his knee,
Bob put both bis hands round his mouth
like the funnel Of trumpet and shouted,
'sPetrel ahoy!''
The girl looked back.
ssMind mel''
4 ssY-e-s,'' came the answer, family
trebled, over the water.
s'Put- tiller right side and pull