"Let fall," said Frank.
The boys began to pull again, and the coxswain steered so as to bring the Zephyr in a circle round the Sylph.
"Now we will keep alongside, but at a safe distance," said he, as he laid her course parallel with that of his companion.
The band was preparing to play the tune which Frank had requested. The Sylph was making very good progress through the water, and the rowers kept pulling with a very slow stroke.
"You were careless, Frank," said Uncle Ben, when the band stopped playing.
"Do you think so, Uncle Ben?"
"Very careless; in the navy they would have put you in irons for it. There arn't no need of risking the lives of your crew in that way. If it had been to save the life of a feller-creter, or anything of that sort, there would have been some sense in it."
"I didn't think there was any danger," returned Frank, not a little troubled by the veteran's censure.
"I'm sailin' right afore the wind, you see, and the boat swings fore and aft, like a French dancing-master. If she had a swayed only a leetle grain, we might all have gone to the bottom."
"I never will be so careless again."