OW, boys," said Uncle Martin, "if you were at sea in a vessel like this, what should you do when you saw a squall coming up?"
"I should take in all sail, and scud under bare poles," said Arthur.
"But what if you did not want to be blown ashore?"
"Then I should leave out the first reef, so as to catch as much wind as I could risk, and steer for the sea, the sea, the open sea."
"Well, that's pretty well said, though not just as a sailor would say it. Look here, Henry, where is the stern?"
"You have your left hand on it, sir."
"That's true. And where's the rudder?"
"Your little finger is resting on it."
"What sort of a craft do you call this?"