“There, she’s about, by jingo!”
“The Perseverance couldn’t beat that, Hen, and she carries sail well, too; but then he’s got a good deal of ballast in her, by the looks.”
“She is so crooked, and there is so much of her out of water, that he can carry sail hard on her. Sam, I’ll have that boat, if it costs all I’ve earned this summer to buy her.”
“There goes up his mainsail and jib! He has let us see what she will do.”
“Yes, he knows very well that Captain Rhines, and we, and Uncle Isaac are watching him.”
“The captain will buy that boat, Hen. She’ll just take his fancy. What a nice thing she would be for him when he wants to run over to see Ben!”
“No, he won’t, Sam; for we will follow Charlie home, and if money will buy her, I’ll have her.”
“I don’t believe he’ll sell her, at any rate till he has shown her round a little. I’m sure I wouldn’t if I had a boat like that. I guess you and Captain Rhines will both have to wait till she’s an old story. He’ll want John and Fred to have a sail in her before he sells her.”
Charlie soon beat up alongside Captain Rhines, then came alongside Henry. When he was within a few yards, he hauled aft his main-sheet, flowed his fore-sheet, hauled his jib to windward, put his tiller hard down in the notch-board, and she lay to, just like a vessel, while he leaned over the gunwale, and talked with Henry and Sam. When he had shown them how she would lie to, Henry flung him a rope, and the boat being made fast to the canoe, they had an opportunity to inspect her.
“Charlie, will you sell this boat?” asked Henry.