The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Good Ship Rover, by Robina F. Hardy

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Title: The Good Ship Rover

Author: Robina F. Hardy

Release Date: December 10, 2007 [eBook #23811]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII)

***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE GOOD SHIP ROVER***

Transcribed from the [1888] T. Nelson and Sons, Home Sunshine Series, by
David Price, ccx074@pglaf.org

{Cover: cover.jpg}

THE
GOOD SHIP "ROVER."

T. NELSON AND SONS.
London, Edinburgh, and New York.

I. HIGH AND DRY.

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 even, on account of
the dangers of damp feet and catching cold--two evils which always
haunted her mind more or less. She was rather a delicate creature, often
ailing,--which, perhaps, was the reason of these nervous fancies; and
most of the children resembled their mother in this, that there was sure
to be something the matter with one or other of them most days of the
week. The doctor was seldom long out of the house. Fortunately, Dr.
Hammond lived just next door, so he was easily sent for; and Walter
Hammond, the doctor's eldest boy, was Harry Leslie's dearest and most
intimate friend. The two boys were about eight years old, went to the
same school, spent most of their play-hours together, and intended both
to go to the sea together when they were old enough. For Harry Leslie,
though he had never once seen the sea any more than his ship had done,
had heard and read a great deal about sailor life and adventures, and had
inspired Walter with the same admiration for these as he himself felt.
Besides, his uncle Jack, Mr. Leslie's brother, who had made the ship fo