"That's the name of this year isn't it, papa?"
"Yes; that review took place last April; and after it they sailed for the St. Lawrence River, came round the lakes as we did, and here into this harbor."
"How many are there, papa?"
"Three: the Santa Maria—in which Columbus himself sailed—the Nina, and the Pinta. There they are, daughter," as at that moment they came in sight of the three small vessels.
"Why, how little they are!" she exclaimed; "not nearly so big as the Illinois that we see all the time from our deck."
"You are quite right about that," her father said, with a smile.
"But what does anybody want with such little bits of ships?" she asked.
"Only to show people with what little vessels Columbus accomplished his great work of discovering America."
"I'm glad he discovered it," Elsie said, with satisfaction; "because, if he hadn't, we couldn't have been here living in it."
"Unless somebody else had discovered it between that time and this, Elsie," laughed her uncle Walter, overhearing her last remark.