A gallant ship, some three feet in length, with full equipment of white sails and sturdy masts, rigging, pennon, and figurehead; but it had never seen the sea—never! It had “cast anchor” nearly a year before my story begins in the Leslies’ nursery—a very pleasant, airy room, with nice pictures on the wall and a good many toys scattered about, but certainly not the very least resembling the sea. In fact, I don’t think Mrs. Leslie would have liked if it had resembled it; for she was very much afraid of the children being near a lake or a pond Walter Hammond, unlike his friend, was a strong, bright, merry little fellow, never a day in the house or away from school; but he was very fond of Harry all the same. Walter had only two sisters and then a baby-brother, all of whom were rather young for him to play with, so he spent a great deal of his leisure time in the Leslies’ nursery. What scores of times had Harry Harry and Walter were in the same class at Dr. Grierson’s Academy in Rosehampton, and very good scholars both were. One or other was pretty sure to be at the top most days, and if Walter was first, Harry would be not far off, and vice versÂ. One day, however, the rest of the boys were very much amused at some strange mistakes made by these duxes. Harry having been told to mention some chief towns in Asia Minor, rashly began with “Kingshaven,” and then corrected himself, blushing Then Walter, who had been called upon to stand up and give some account of the appearance and structure of a steam-engine, astonished everybody by saying it had “two masts!” That day the inseparable friends were very much lower down in the class than they were accustomed to be, and it required no little effort on their part during the succeeding days to prevent their thoughts from wandering, and to keep them fixed on the more dry and uninteresting subjects of their lesson. The younger Leslies were also much excited about going to the sea-side; but visions of shell-gathering, digging in the sands, and such mild pursuits, were quite Walter had been at Margate once with his father, and could describe the sea to Harry in very lively terms. The sands, the bathing-coaches, the rocks, the billows—nothing was forgotten in Walter’s narratives. But, alas! the little town of Rosehampton, where they lived, was very far away from any part of this enchanting ocean, and for long there seemed no chance whatever of Mrs. Leslie consenting to let her children brave the perils of a month’s residence near the sea. “I like them to go to the country,” she “Pooh, pooh, my dear!” her husband would say, “you are far too much afraid of these children getting into danger. It makes them little molly-coddles, indeed it does.” But he was an easy-going man, who let his wife do pretty much as she liked, and did not interfere with her management of house or children. “Mamma,” said Harry one day, “how is “Hush, Harry; don’t talk so rashly. You don’t know what may happen to your uncle yet. And I do wish he wouldn’t tell you all those long stories about the sea when he comes; they make me quite miserable.” “I like them awfully, mamma,” cried Harry, “and so does Walter. And do you know, mamma, Walter and I are both going to be sailors when we grow big. Only I do wish we might sail the Rover first in real sea-water; it would look so splendid!” “Well, Harry, be a good boy,” said his mother, who did not like to disappoint her boy more than was for his good, “and don’t go on talking about being a sailor, for that you shall never be. Your papa and I will never hear of it. As to Walter, his father may do what he pleases; but you are going to help your father in the Harry listened in silent amazement to these words. The utter crushing of his hopes as to sailor-life was for the moment completely forgotten in the near and enchanting prospect held out to him in its place. But he was a kind-hearted, affectionate boy, and even in this hour of excitement he did not forget his friend. “But Walter, mamma?” he cried, as his mother was leaving the room,—“how can I sail it without Walter?” “Well, you can ask Walter to come with Harry clapped his hands, and ran to tell Walter, who was equally overjoyed at the idea of going to Kingshaven with Harry. So they set to work and counted the weeks and days that must elapse until the holidays came round, and then they once more thoroughly overhauled the “good ship Rover” to see if it was water-tight and ready for its first voyage. It would be literally its first voyage. Harry and Walter had tried the green tub that belonged to the nursery, but in vain. It was not nearly long enough. Cook would not let them try the fixed tubs in the laundry, and it was very doubtful if even they would have held the Rover. The bath would have done so easily, and |