"While we shall be obliged to confine our practice in sailing to small craft, I shall give you some idea of the management of larger craft. In one of the palaces in St. Petersburg, there is a mast set up, and fully sparred and rigged, for the instruction of the young Grand Dukes in seamanship. From this model they learn all the details of the spars, rigging, and sails; and having learned it on one mast, they apply it to any other. "I have already given this information so far as it could be done in a lecture illustrated with drawings. You have studied these drawings, and you ought to know the names and uses of the principal pieces of rigging. I gave you the system by which the names are applied; and at the time of it, you seemed to have mastered the subject, though you have doubtless forgotten some of the details. "But this is not a study-hour, and perhaps it would be better for me to answer questions, of which you seem to have a full supply on hand at all times. At any rate, I shall ascertain what you wish to know on this subject." Lon Dorset raised his hand, and the principal indicated by a nod that he might proceed. All eyes were directed towards him. "I wish to know if there is ever a square-sail rigged with a gaff on the mizzen-mast of a brig, above the spanker,--a sail set like the mainsail of a schooner?" asked the inquirer. "On which mast?" asked the principal; and there was something like a suppressed laugh among the old sailors of the school. "The mizzen-mast, sir," replied Lon confidently. The old sailors laughed out loud, for it was rather a pleasure to trip up any one in a nautical blunder. "There is no such mast in a brig," added Captain Gildrock. "I beg your pardon, sir; but you told us, in the lecture you gave us on the different rigs of vessels, that a brig had two masts,--the main and the mizzen," continued Lon, picking up his note-book, and hastily turning the leaves. "I think not, Dorset," said the principal with a smile. "I know better than that, and I should not be likely to say such a thing." "Here it is, just as I wrote it down at the time of it," persisted Lon. "I didn't know any thing at all about such vessels, and I should not have been likely to put down what you didn't say. 'In a vessel with two masts, the terms are main and mizzen.'" About a dozen others began to turn the leaves of their note-books, and then Dolly Woodford raised his hand. The principal nodded to him. "I have it down in the same way," said Dolly. "So have I," added Sam Spottwood. "Main and mizzen," followed Chick Penny, reading from his book. Half a dozen of the students said the same thing, after consulting their notes taken on the spot. "I have it so, sir; and I thought it was a mistake. I was going to ask you about it, but I did not get a chance to do so," said Dick Short.