"So would I," said another.
"You're very kind," Bruce replied, "and you may begin at once, if you like. You would be doing a great thing for me if you would teach me something about sailing."
"Wha—a—a—at?" drawled one, while the other opened his eyes very wide. "Why—you came out in splendid style."
"I'm glad of it, but, really, I couldn't help it; the wind did it all. I never before was out in a boat with a sail on it; I wouldn't have been out this time if the anchor rope hadn't broken while I sat in the boat playing with the jib."
"Whew! And through that accident you've saved our lives!"
"And you've saved mine. Still, won't you please try and teach me something about sailing—right now, while we're at it?"
Two teachers took the boy in hand at once; they made many short tacks, with Bruce at the tiller, to show how to "put about"; they explained how the force of a sudden puff could be lessened by quickly heading a little toward the wind, taught him much more about the management of the jib than he had yet learned for himself, and had him observe the different ways in which the mainsail was treated on differing courses. The lessons continued until they reached the bay, where a new anchor rope was purchased for the rescuing craft, whose owner, also, had to be reasoned with and otherwise pacified.
The next day two of the party returned to the city from which they had come for a day's fishing, but one remained, hired a smaller boat, and spent half a week afloat with Bruce, doing all in his power to make a confident yet cautious sailor of the boy. In the mean time there came out from the city some newspapers, in each of which was a marked article telling how a brave youth named Bruce Marvel had, at great peril to himself, saved three men from death by drowning. There also came to Bruce a little gold watch, suitably inscribed; and when the boy finally returned to his home, the newspapers and the watch made him the most noted person in his county, and his honest admission that he really knew next to nothing about sailing boats when he ran out to sea increased his fame immensely.