THE VOYAGE OF THE BLUEBELL.
One rainy day papa made two ships for his little girls. They were about a foot long. They had little white sails, and tiny flags floating from the tops of the masts. They were gayly painted.
Sixon put his nose into the paint pail, so he was painted too. But it soon wore off.
Mabel's ship was decorated with blue, so she called it "The Bluebell."
Nelly's was bright with scarlet trimmings. A fine sounding name would be best she thought She named hers "The Pride of the Seas."
When the pleasant weather came again, they had fine times sailing them. As they were always careful they were allowed to go down to the lake. There was a little cove, with a bright sandy beach where they played. They sent the ships across this cove from one side to the other. Back and forth they went, in safety, for a while.
There is sometimes danger for ships, however. This the children soon realized. One day a stray breeze caught the little "Bluebell."
She did not sail across to the other side as she had done before, but out by the point, and away into the great, wide lake.
The wind was strong; the blue streamers fluttered bravely in the sunshine. She sailed far away, and at last was quite out of sight.
"Let's play she has gone to California," said Kelly, as they stood watching her.
"She will come back some time with a load of gold," added Mabel.
"The Pride of the Seas" stuck fast on a mud bank. John, the hired man, rescued her.