"Spinning yarns," explained the Skipper; "each sailor is spinning a yarn--they always do that in their spare time, you know. Here, Bill," he called out to one of the sailors, who answered, "Aye, aye, Sir," and touched his forelock. "Bring some of your yarn here, and show this young lady." The man said, "Aye, aye, Sir," again, and came forward with some coarse brown worsted. "This," said the Skipper, "is the toughest yarn you will find anywhere. We are celebrated for it here." CHAPTER XII. THE ARCHAEOPTERYX. "But we always thought----" began Marjorie-- "That when people spoke of a sailor 'spinning a yarn,' they meant telling a story," finished Dick. "Oh! oh! how _could_ you think such a thing," said the sailors, indignantly. "Sailors always tell the truth; don't they, Skipper?" The Skipper winked at Dick with one eye, and answered, guardedly, "Ahem! I _have_ heard a sailor speak the truth, certainly, but----" "Let's change the subject," said the sailors, getting up from their wheels. "Isn't it nearly time for us to be starting on another voyage?" "When we get some passengers, it will be," responded the Skipper, gruffly. "By-the-bye," he added, turning to the children; "_you_ want to go somewhere or another, don't you?" "Yes, to England," said Dick, eagerly. "Do you go there, please?" "H'm! Never heard of the place as I knows of," said the Skipper, scratching his head. "We might cruise about till we come across it, if you like, though." "Never heard of England!" exclaimed Dick. "No," said the Skipper, unconcernedly. "I never had no time to study goggerfy, I didn't, so there's lots of places I don't know, no more than the Man in the Moon." "But don't you find it very awkward?" cried the children; "however do you know how to go from one place to another?" "We don't know," said the Skipper, laughing; "that's just the fun of the thing. We get into our ship, and just go on and on till we come to somewhere or another, and then we land, you know. It's much the best way, and saves such a lot of bother." "I am afraid we should be a long while reaching England that way," remarked Dick, dubiously. "Oh, I don't know," said the Skipper, "we might drop across it the first time, you know. You see, it's not much use knowing in which direction it lies, because, once you get out to sea, there are no roads and things, so one way is as good as another." "But don't you use a compass?" asked Marjorie. "What's that, Miss?" asked the Skipper. "Why, a little thing that always points to the North," said Marjorie. "Blessed if I know, Miss," said the Skipper, good-naturedly. "Here, Bill," he called to one of the sailors, "do we use a little thing that always points to the North?" "Not as I knows on," answered the man, sulkily. "We ain't got none of them newfangled things, and don't want 'em." "Dear me, what a very odd ship yours must be," said Dick. "Is it a steamer, or a sailing vessel, please?"