Page:Cornelia Meigs--The island of Appledore.djvu/71

55 “We’ll take my cat-boat,” he said; “she’s not been sailed for a month of Sundays but  she’s seaworthy all right. The Josephine may have the start of us while we’re getting up  sail, but we’ll catch her in the end.”

It was wonderful what short work the old captain made of seizing upon a dory, rowing  out to the little cat-boat that bobbed in the  tide, boarding her and getting up sail. Billy’s assistance was willing but extremely awkward, so that he hindered far more than he helped. At length, however, they were under weigh, riding gaily the gradually rising waves, and skimming along in the wake of the fleeing  Josephine.

Captain Saulsby’s burst of energy seemed to wear itself out with surprising quickness. Once they were well started he put the tiller into Billy’s hand and went and sat down in  the cockpit.

“I’m an old man,” he said gloomily. “I’m not a sailor any longer, just an old man, and  good for nothing.”

Billy hardly heard him, so intent was he upon the responsibility of steering the boat. She was a clumsy little craft with a rather daring expanse of sail, she cut through the