132 TRAVEL, ADVENTURE, AND SPORT. 



strangeness that generally terrifies. As I had sold 

 my yacht and bargained for her price, I felt that ] 

 ought to be particularly careful of what had become 

 another man's property. I was unwilling to run the 

 risk of injuring even her paint-work, which I sup- 

 posed to be about the extent of damage threatened 

 by a collision. So I held on till the whole set of 

 them were started, and then got under way, keep- 

 ing in their wake. There was no great distance 

 between us, only just sufficient to keep us well clear 



of them. 



Merry sounds of song and talk resounded from the 

 tiny specks that floated on ocean. Good-humoured 

 hails were sent back to me, and many an offer made 

 of a tow-rope to help me to my station. Some of 

 them had musical instruments with them, and gave 

 the harmony of voice and string to be blended with 

 the evening air. A happier or securer party never 

 enjoyed themselves, nor any, I should say, that 

 fancied for themselves a more perfect exemption 

 from the possibility of danger. 



Things went thus for about an hour and a half, 

 the gradual change of evening into night being 

 scarcely perceptible in the lengthened twilight. The 

 wind, which had been gradually falling, seemed then 

 fairly to expire. Nothing more was to be done by 

 sailing, and the boats remained bobbing up and down 

 in the slight swell, without the least homeward 

 motion. It was plainly a case of " out oars." Sadly 



