Little By Little | Page 4

I will take the other.
Come, bear a hand, or I shall not get to the picnic till the fun is all
over."
The two large stones were placed in the boat, and still Paul was
undecided. He had not the courage to face the ridicule of his
independent friend, nor the heart to disobey the mother whom he loved
and respected.
"I guess I won't go, Tom," said he, as a momentary resolution
supported the better impulse of his nature.
"Chicken-hearted! Are you afraid of your mother or of the wind and
waves?" sneered Thomas, and his features curled up into an expression
of contempt which moved the hesitating boy quite as much as his
words.
"Of neither. If you think I'm afraid to go any where that you dare go,
you are very much mistaken. It's a very easy thing for you to stand
there and talk, but when the boat takes in a pint of water over the side,
you jump as though an earthquake had taken you all aback," said Paul,
smartly.
"Humph. Get into the boat, and we'll soon see who's afraid; though
perhaps you had better go and get your mother to go with you."
"I have proved you to be a coward, and I don't think there is any use of

going now. I don't like to be in a boat with a fellow who is skittish
when the wind blows," continued Paul, who was determined to make
the most of their previous experience. "It isn't safe to have a fellow
jumping about in the boat when there's a heavy sea on. You might upset
her, cantering about over the thwarts like a frightened colt."
"You are smart, Paul; but your big talk sounds silly while I stand here
and stump you to carry me down to the Point. You are afraid of the sea,
and afraid of your mother. You dare not go!"
"Jump in!" cried Paul, desperately, as his failing resolution fled before
these taunts. "Jump in, Tom."
"Now don't back out if you happen to see one of your mother's aprons
on the clothes-line."
"Never fear me; and if you don't wish yourself ashore before you get
half way to Tenean Point, I lose my guess; that's all," answered Paul, as
he pushed the boat off into deep water. "The wind is dead ahead, and
we must beat all the way down."
"Put her through, Paul."
"Ay, ay, my hearty, I'll put her through, and you too," replied the young
boatman as he shook out the sail, and hauled the sheet home.
As she felt the strong blast, the old boat lay down before it, and a large
wave broke over her gunnel; but Paul luffed her up, so that she did not
fill. Whatever Thomas thought of this stirring experience, he kept his
seat upon the weather side, and appeared to be perfectly unconcerned.
As they came out from under the bluff, where the windows of the house
above commanded a view of their position, they were discovered by
Mrs. Duncan, who again hastened to the beach to repeat her command
more imperatively than before. Paul had steeled his heart to do wrong
in this instance, and he pretended not to see or hear her; and the boat
dashed on her course.
CHAPTER II.

PAUL IS COOL AND SELF-POSSESSED.
Bayville is situated about seven or eight miles from Boston, on the line
of one of the principal railroads. A large portion of the inhabitants,
even at the time of which I write, were gentlemen doing business in the
city, though the place had a shipyard and several wharves from which
the surrounding country was supplied with wood, coal, and lumber.
The town is located on both sides of Tenean River, the estuary of which
forms a very good harbor, though the place has not yet attained to any
considerable commercial importance.
The shipyard and the wharves were on the north side of the river, which
was known as Mercantile Point. On the south side a peninsula extended
about half a mile out into the sea, at the extremity of which was the
little cottage of Mr. Duncan, the ship carpenter. It was built upon the
high bluff, and below it was the beach, which had been formed by the
continued caving of the earth from the high bank. The cottage was over
a mile from the shipyard, by the road, and not more than half the
distance in a straight line across the water. As an easy and pleasant way
to get to his work, Mr. Duncan had purchased the old boat, in which
Paul had just embarked, for a few dollars, and in good weather
generally went over to the shipyard by water. He was a skilful boatman,
and under