Page:Silver Shoal Light.djvu/100

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82
SILVER SHOAL LIGHT

on her, and begin to think about tacking pretty soon. Do you think you can?"

"I'm going to try," said Garth.

"All right; now for it! Ready about! Hard over, man, hard a-lee! Look out for the boom for'ard there!"

Garth eased the tiller down and slid after it, as the boat shot up into the wind. Joan ducked as the boom came over, and the Ailouros filled away on the new tack without losing headway.

"Not so bad, old fellow," said Jim.

Garth was breathing rather hard, and his cheeks glowed under their tan. He pushed the hair back from his forehead and fixed his eyes again on the head of the sail.

As they neared Hy Brasail, Jim took the tiller from him, brought the Ailouros to the wind, and let go the anchor. When he had stowed the sail and made all shipshape, he got the Cymba alongside and set his crew ashore upon the little beach.

Garth was everywhere at once, trying to help his mother to collect the picnic baskets and his father to make the skiff fast. He ended by tangling himself in the Cymba's painter and falling flat. Jim snatched him up by the back of his jumper, just as a wave slid up the beach.