these waters, and I must say that under most circumstances the “Anglo-Franc” behaved herself admirably.  She was a success in every way.  One special feature was, that we built a kind of half-deck forward, which formed a small cuddy or cabin quite large enough for one of us to have “a watch below” in, or for a regular sleep at night, or we could both squeeze inside during a pelting rain.  We spent several single nights at sea in the “Anglo-Franc” during the summer, and by putting a sail-cloth awning from the aft edge of the cuddy deck we lengthened our cabin by four feet, and could thus both obtain a good night’s rest, or cook in any wind or weather.

When we had finished the boat we were rather at a loss to know how to find accommodation for her when we did not actually require to use her.  In fine weather she could lie moored just off the house, and to enable us always to keep her afloat, we rigged up an out-haul, so that standing on the shore we could haul the boat out or in to its moorings whenever we chose.  This was all very well in fine weather, but when a fresh south-west wind was blowing, and a heavy sea on, she would pitch and roll to such an extent that we were afraid she would break loose and drift away.  We had therefore to cast about for some safer place for her, and with this in view inspected the whole island round.  When we came to Lobster Bay, at the north-east corner, we agreed that that was the most sheltered position we could find, and most suitable in every way for a haven.

Quite at the angle of the island a promontory runs straight out to the eastward for a distance of about forty yards, thus forming a shelter from the rush of the rising tide through the Perchee Channel, while the island of Herm kept the wind from the north-east in check.

“Now,” said Alec, “if we could build a little stone breakwater from the end of Cape Homard (Cape Lobster, as Alec called the point, because we kept the lobster and crab pots there), we could make as safe a little harbour as one could wish for.”

This proposition seemed all very well, but the quantity of stone I knew it would take rather staggered me, and I was a long time before I could be brought to give my consent to help in the matter.  But when Alec had laid out his plans to me, I found them so consistent that I readily agreed to help in the work.

Without wearying the reader by describing in too great detail the building of our breakwater, I will just give an outline of how it was built, and another great success achieved, although to ensure that success we had to work like a couple of galley slaves.  Still, with all our hard work, we were as happy as a couple of schoolboys.  We toiled, sang, and ate with such appetites as only those who are used to hard work in the sea air can know.