"I don't know much about sailing a boat, and I think I had better not say anything," answered Paul prudently. "I never got into such a scrape before with the boat," continued the owner. "This boat will be for sale after I get ashore." "She is a very good boat, and works well," said Dory; but, cautious in regard to offending the skipper by any criticisms, he was not willing to have the boat blamed for the fault of the man. "I always thought so myself till to-day; and I have always believed I could handle her better than any other man. It goes a little hard with me to give in to one boy and have another laugh at me," replied the skipper. "I should like to have you tell me just what ails my management of the boat." "I don't volunteer any criticism; but if you will not be offended with a boy for expressing his mind plainly, I will do so," added Dory. "That's what I want you to do, and I shall not get mad, though it hurts for me to give in on handling the Silver Moon. "You are just a little too careful; and that is what has made the mischief every time," Dory began. "If you don't give your boat a good full, she won't go about in stays. That was the trouble when you had the ladies on board." "The man that showed me how to sail a boat said I could not be too careful," protested Bissell, astonished at the remark of the acting skipper. "I don't quite agree with him, though he is right in the main. Most of the accidents happen because the skippers are careless. Your sloop was a little out of trim. When it blows too hard for you to carry the jib, you must put a single reef in the mainsail. With a whole mainsail, the mast ought to be farther forward. Since I shifted the ballast, she carries a stronger weather helm." It was necessary to tack again, and Dory explained more fully what he meant by a "good full," and then put the helm down. The sloop's head flew up into the wind at a lively pace, and the mainsail went over; but the helmsman righted the helm, and met her with it so that she should not fall off too far, thus putting her lee gunwale under. Bissell was deeply interested, and began to learn what he had not before acquired. He took her, and made the next tack, under the direction of the acting skipper, himself. From that time he retained the helm, and Dory continued to instruct him until the Silver Moon got into comparatively still water. Dory and his pupil had made more tacks than were necessary, in order to illustrate the subject. The boats came up with the sloop just as she was going in at the wharf. The ladies and the crews were still singing, and their merry voices attracted quite a collection of people. "When I was over off Button Island I did not expect ever to see Westport again," said Bissell, after he had made the Silver Moon fast at the wharf. "I have only ten dollars in my pocket, now, but I want you to take that and let me owe you another ten." "You must excuse me, Mr. Bissell," protested Dory.