The wind was light, and being northerly helped them well on their way, and
it was only in one or two reaches that the _Para_ was unable to lay her
course. She overtook many craft that had been far ahead of her, and
answered the helm quickly.

"She is both fast and handy, I see," Harry Prendergast, who had been
watching her movements with interest, remarked.

"Yes; there are not many craft out of London can show her their heels when
the wind is free. She does not look quite so well into the wind as I
should wish; still, I think she is as good as most of them."

"I suppose you will get down to Gravesend before the tide turns?"

"Yes, we shall anchor there. The wind is not strong enough for us to stem
the tide, which runs like a sluice there. Once past the Nore one can do
better, but there is no fighting the tide here unless one has a steady
breeze aft. I never feel really comfortable till we are fairly round the
South Foreland; after that it is plain sailing enough. Though there are a
few shoals in the Channel, one can give them a wide berth; fogs are the
things we have to fear there."

"Yes. I have never been down the river, having always joined my ships
either at Portsmouth or Plymouth, so I know very little about it; but I
know from men who have been on board vessels commissioned at Chatham or
Sheerness that they are thankful indeed when they once get round the Good
wins and head west."

"Well, Mr. Prendergast, I am against these new-fangled steamboats--I
suppose every true sailor is; but when the _Marjory_ began to run between