d of him and
every one who wished to lead a brave and noble life.

It was not till nearly a fortnight had come and gone--half the time they
were to spend at Kingshaven--that some words of his father's set Harry
thinking of this very subject, and the thing struck him as it had never
done before.

Mr. Leslie had come down at the end of the week, as he always did, to
spend Sunday with his family, and to see how his little sick boy was
getting on. He stood looking at the _Rover_ for a little that Saturday
night, and then said before leaving the room,--

"By-the-by, you've never got your grand ship sailed yet. What will Uncle
Jack say when he hears of it? But let me see. Couldn't Watty there sail
it? It's a sort of pity he shouldn't have some pleasure out of it, isn't
it?"

"O papa!" cried Harry as if in pain.

"Why, what is it?" said his father, alarmed at the crimson colour rising
in his son's face. "Is the knee so painful, my man?"

"No, no, papa," said Harry, rather abashed; "I was thinking of what you
said. You know it is _my_ ship--my very own. How _could_ I let Walter
or any one else sail it, when I can't even look out and see it, you
know?"

Mr. Leslie was greatly surprised by this speech, but he was a
good-natured, easy-going man, as has been said, never liking to cross or
disappoint anybody if he could help it, and the sight of his poor little
Harry lying there perhaps weighed against his own better judgment.

"Ah! I see," he said. "You don't like it to go out of your own hands.
Well, you must just act 'dog in the manger' if you will, my boy. It is
for yourself to judge. I never meddle with other people's affairs,
whether about toys or big things! You shall do exactly as you like with
your boat, my boy; and I daresay it won't be so very long before you and
Walter will be able to go down to the beach together. By-the-by, did I
tell you I met Dr. Grierson, and he was asking most kindly for his little
scholar--quite sorry to hear of your being laid up, Harry? And the young
Melvilles are perhaps coming down to Kingshaven before long. You'll like
to see them again. Jack Lowford had a nasty fall off that bicycle of
his. He was coming down Grove Lane, where it is rather steep, you know,
and the thing went right over. Jack cut his head badly against the big
gray stone at Mr. Sheffard's gate, and had to be taken into the house and
doctored up a bit before he could go home. Very kind people these