ON SEA AND SHORE 79 



out to sea. The storm came up suddenly and the 

 wind blew directly off shore. The captain was 

 fishing just off the Muskeget shoals and tried hard 

 to beat in, but in vain. When the gale had blown 

 itself out, wrecks were strewn all along the coast, 

 and the Edgartown people had given up the captain 

 for lost; but on the fourth day he came sailing into 

 harbour. Single-handed and alone he had fought 

 the storm and had won the fight. 



Isn't this a great day? and isn't this the ideal 

 way of getting over the water? Better let the 

 captain take the tiller, for we're coming to the bar 

 and the channel is crooked. Now we're over and 

 you can see Nantucket off there to the south. 

 Where you see the rough water is Muskeget shoals, 

 and the captain says that at certain tides the 

 strongest vessel would be wrenched to pieces by 

 the fierce currents and counter-currents. Did you 

 ever see sky more blue or feel air more full of 

 tonic? Don't worry! We shall curtsy a little, 

 but the water is not rough enough to make trouble 

 for the most sensitive landsman. Going around 

 Chappaquiddick, Captain? Good! That is just 

 about a twenty-mile sail. 



Have I ever been out here when it was rough? 

 Haven't I told you about the trip after mackerel 

 when we had on board a load of theology? No? 

 Well, we shall have plenty of time for the story 

 before we sight the light-house. 



It was a nasty sort of a morning, but as friends 



