Saltus Grammar School - Yearbook (Hamilton, Bermuda)

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28 But as the boat was only a small one, it went backwards under his feet, the result being that poor Arnold fell short of his mark. Luckily, however, it was not deep where he fell, and although he-got soaked up to the waist, he managed to keep his shirt dry. You silly idiot! said Dick, this is the way you spoil all our outings! I ' m sorry, said Arnold, but I did not mean to! I know you didn ' t mean to, but you must be more careful. Now haul down that mainsail, Harry, and drop the anchor. Harry soon did this, and they joined Arnold, who had clambered ashore, and who was shivering and looking very doleful. They then all broke into a run, heading for a little hill where they could command a view of the Island. This they climbed, Dick being the first one on top. I say, he said, panting from his exertions, It ' s getting awfully windy, and I think we ' d better go home soon. Not yet, said Harry. We can have a look round first. So they clambered down again and ran towards the other end of the island. I ' ll be first one there, shouted Dick, who was outstepping the others by a good bit. At that moment, though, there was a grunt and a rush, and a wild boar sprang out at him, its front teeth only just missing Dick ' s legs, and Dick pulling out a large knife, ran behind a tree. The others followed his example, for they all had knives. Look out, Harry! shouted Dick, he ' s coming for you! Harry was only just in time in springing aside, and as the boar passed him, he threw his knife, point first, into its m outh. The boar tossed his head trying to get rid of the knife that way, but the knife stuck firmly in. Finding that it would not come out, it charged away into the bush, squealing all the time, and disappeared. I think I ' ve had enough of it, said Arnold, who was very white, in a quivering voice, Let ' s go home. They were soon in the boat again and after having had some refresh- ments, they started out. The wind was blowing out to sea, which made progress very slow. They went in waters that they had never been in before, having to make wide tacks. Just at the end of one of these taks, Arnold saw a boat in the distance. That ' s Daddy come out to look for us, cried Arnold, I do hope he can see us. Just as he finished the sentence there was a terrific bump and a large hole appeared in the boat ' s bottom. Dick let go of the tiller, jam- ming his coat down the hole. The result of Dick ' s letting go of the tiller was that the boat came about again and hit the very same rock that it hit before. This made another hole appear in the bottom, and the boat began filling quickly. We shall be drowned, cried Arnold. Not today, at any rate, said Dick, who was being as cheerful as he

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27 appointed for the start, a warning gun is fired, so that the boats may be brought as near the line as possible. The actual race is generally two beats to windward and two to the leeward. Another of the principles is to get to the windward of the other dinghies, so as to have a greater advantage over the rest. Rounding the stake boat is a part of the race which needs much practice also. A good sailor will often get the better of the other boats in this posi- tion. If a boat is able to round the stake boat safely in a bunch of dinghies, it has a fair chance. Still one needs to be skillful at keeping the sails in the wind, pointing up as far as possible and balancing the boat. All these things must be borne in mind throughout the race, if not, you will be found straying behind. If a boat is to be kept in racing condition it is necessary that she should be well cared for, bailing her out after each rain, keeping her free from moss, painting her once in four months. The most important thing is to haul her up the day before, or at least six hours prior to the race to dry her out, as boats are likely to become sodden very quickly. This year, 1932, these dinghies are racing every Saturday until the end of July, then twice a week for the summer holidays, for a cup presented by Mr. Briggs Cunningham, an American who sailed in the six metre yacht races this year. Just at present ten dinghies race at 2.30 each Saturday. The boys that sail these dinghies have a great interest in them, and they afford pleasant, heathy exercise. H.M.B. V. AN ADVENTUROUS OUTING Just think of it, said Dick. Makes me jump for joy. Now Daddy has given me a new, big sailing boat, we shall be able to sail out to Barren Islands. I ' m not going to miss the chance, if tomorrow we are all free. Dick, the eldest of three brothers, had just been given by his father a brand new sailing boat. His two brothers were Arnold, the youngest, and Harry, who came between Arnold and Dick. They lived by the sea on one of the ma ny British Islands in the South Pacific Ocean. About three miles out to sea was a small island which was uninhabited; it was about two miles long and a quarter of a mile wide. This was the island that Dick, Arnold and Harry meant to sail to. The next day looked like a good one for sailing, but Jack, who was an old sailor, told them to look out, because he thought that it was going to be very windy. It took less than a quarter of an hour to put the sails on the Fleetwing, and they were soon moving fast through the water towards Barren Island. It took the Fleet-wing about half an hour to reach the island. Arnold, who was in the bow, was eager to be first ashore, and as soon as the boat was about two yards away from the land, he took a big jump; which, if the boat had stayed still, would have taken him safely onto land.

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29 could. You help me to take these bottom board off, they will help to keep us up. Harry, let slack on that mainsail. That ' s right, now we ' re set even if we do sink. But the boat won ' t sink, said Harry, It ' s made of wood. What with the weight of the wet sails, (for they had got wet from the spray) and the centreboard, I ' m afraid it mi ght. At any rate, Daddy will soon be here and he will rescue us. At that moment a wave came over the side, and the boat was already half-full. Be ready! said Dick. Keep a tight hold on this board, if it does sink, Arnold! At that moment they could hear the engines of their father ' s motor boat. Just as they thought the boat was going to sink, the keel touched some- thing hard. Then the Fleet-wing stopped sinking for it was resting on some rocks. About a minute afterwards they were pulled onto their father ' s boat. The Fleetwing was then secured to the back of the motor boat, and when Dick asked if it would sink, his father laughed and said, Of course it won ' t, it ' s made of wood. Told you so, said Harry, who had recovered from his scare. The motor-boat soon reached home, and although Dick was scolded, his father knew that he was not to be blamed, and had the Fleet-wing repaired for him. Beavis, IV. ICARUS AND DAEDALUS I was drawing my plans for King Minos of Crete when I made a mis- take which he did not like. He said that if I did not have it corrected by morning, he would imprison me. I left it behind and forgot to correct it. I came the next morning, and he asked if I had finished it. I told him I had not. He said that I was to go to prison with my son, Icarus. As my son and I sat at the window of our prison, I was wondering how we could escape. I was watching for hours a seagull sailing through the air. He would flap his great wings and range for a while looking for his young ones. After he had fed them, he began to teach them one after the other to fly. They could flap their tiny wings and flutter about, while he would get underneath them and help them to fly. As I watched them, I though of a plan. A week or two after, some feathers floated in at my window. I piled them up, till I thought I had enough to make a pair of wings for myself and a small pair for my son. I found some wax in the holes in the wall. I moulded it out in the shape of a wing and carefully fitted the feathers in it. I learned how to fly and taught my son too. I told him not to fly too high or the sun would melt the wax and the feathers would drop out, or too low for the mist of the earth would make him lose his way and he would fall and be killed. Finally we could fly very well.