56 THE SWAN AND HER CREW. 



them as they passed. While they were sailing steadily along 

 with a breeze on their starboard beam, the flag became fouled 

 jn the block through which the halyard of the mainmast was 

 rove, and Jimmy was sent up to put matters right. He 

 clambered up the mast as nimbly as a monkey, and shook 

 loose the flag from its ignominious position. When he had 

 finished this he looked about him, and from his greater height he 

 could see much further than his companions, whose view was 

 limited by the tall reeds which shut in almost every portion of 

 the rivers and broads. The boys did not know that they were 

 near any of the latter, but Jimmy saw on their left hand a 

 sheet of water sparkling in the sun and studded with many 

 reedy islands. He cried out, 



11 There is such a jolly broad to leeward ! It looks so 

 quiet and still, and there are no end of water-fowl swimming 

 about in it. A little further on I can see a channel leading 

 to it just wide enough for our yacht. What do you say to 

 paying it a visit ? " 



His friends had not the least objection. Its being unknown 

 to them was an additional reason for their including it in their 

 voyage of discovery. Jimmy said he should stay on his lofty 

 perch for a time and take the bearings of the country, but as 

 they neared the entrance to the broad and turned off before 

 going down the narrow channel, the boom swung further out, 

 and the jerk dislodged Jimmy, who was only saved from falling 

 by clutching at the shrouds, down which he came with a run. 

 They surged along through the dyke with the reeds brushing 

 their bulwarks, and tossing and swaying in the eddies which 

 followed their wake, and after several twistings and windings 

 they emerged upon the broad. 



At the entrance to it was a pole with a notice-board upon it, 



which stated that the broad belonged to Mr. , and that 



any persons found trespassing upon it would be prosecuted. 



" Hallo ! do you see that ? " said Dick. 



" Yes, I see it," replied Frank, " but we could not turn back 

 in that narrow channel, and now that we are on the broad we 

 may as well sail about a bit. What a number of water-fowl 

 there are ! " 



" I know Mr. by sight," said Jimmy. " He has a big 



blue yacht." 



The little lake was so picturesque with its islands and " ronds " 



