Had John possessed a particle of prudence he would have seen that it was no day to venture out in a sailboat.

But he was not in the habit of curbing his impatience, and he determined that he would not wait till another day.

He declared that it was a mere "capful of wind," and would be all the better for the purpose.
"It's a tip-top wind.

Won't it make my boat scud," he said to himself exultantly, as he took his place, and pushed off from shore.
Henry Morton had been out on a walk, and from the summit of a little hill near the river-bank espied John pushing off in his boat.
"He'll be sure to capsize," thought the young man in alarm.

"Even if he is used to a sailboat he is very imprudent to put out in such a wind; I will hurry down and save him if I can." He hurried to the bank of the river, reaching it out of breath.
John was by this time some distance out.