The first thing a boy learns when he goes to sea is to make braid, or, in sailors’ talk, “sennit,” and I think land boys will find it very convenient to know a few of the different kinds in use. All boys wish to make whip-lashes or to swing hammocks; and for those of you who own sail-boats, or even row-boats, there are endless uses for these braids. Fenders to protect the sides of boats from injury are best made from a short, thick piece of sennit; and many boats have a guard, made of about seven large strands, like Fig. 5, running all around just under the gunwale. [Illustration: FIG 5.—THE SIMPLEST KIND OF SENNIT.] On a ship these braids are used to wrap around parts of the rigging, to keep them from chafing, so they are called “chafing-gear.” And the sailors make it by the barrelful, so that it will be on hand when needed. In beginning a braid, tie a string around one end of the strands and fasten it to any convenient object, such as a hook in the wall or a door-knob, in order to keep the braid taut, as it is very important to draw the strands up snug and even every time. The simplest kind of sennit may be made of any uneven number of strands. It is shown in Fig. 5. To begin, take five strands and separate them, holding three in the right hand and two in the left. First take the outside strand of the three in the right hand, pass it over the two next it, and lay it inside the two in the left hand. Now you have three in the left hand. Then take the outside strand of the three in the left hand, pass it over the two next it, and lay it inside of the two in the right hand. So you go on, always taking the outside strand from the side which has three together, passing it over its two neighbors, and laying it inside the two in the other hand. It is very easy, you see, and you will soon have a piece like that in the figure, in which the outside strand from the left side has just been laid over inside of the right. You can make this kind of braid of any uneven number of strands, and the only rule is always to bring the one from the outside of the greater number over all its neighbors to the inside of the smaller number. [Illustration: FIG. 6.—A ROUND SENNIT.] To make a whip-lash, you should try a braid like that shown in Fig. 6, which is a round sennit. The one in the drawing is made of large round strands to show the braid better; but for a lash you should take flat strips of leather, and taper them to make your lash the proper shape.