Well, a large and enthusiastic crowd of juveniles gathered round the Shelf Rock that afternoon to watch the good
ship Rover make her first voyage on the deep. And beautifully indeed did she spread her white sails to the breeze, while, guided by a string secured in Walter’s hand, her graceful form cut the waves or danced lightly over them, her bright red pennons floating gracefully from stern and mast. It was quite a long time before the excitement of this first voyage wore away. Each of the children had in turn to get a “hold” of the guiding-string; and great amusement was caused by one of the wooden-doll sailors which Mrs. Leslie had dressed for Harry’s ship tumbling overboard and bobbing about for a long time among the creeks and crannies of Shelf Rock.
At last “Jack-a-tar” was rescued by means of a hand-net which Walter had for his natural history researches; and the little man was found to be not a whit the worse, except for a drenching of his blue
serge suit—for even his well-glued-on hat had survived the fury of the waves.
You can imagine what a grand story all this made to tell poor Harry, lying in his little bed under the skylight, with his back to the sea and all the wonders thereof. And no one was more delighted with the whole affair than Harry himself, feeling quite a weight off his mind, now that he had got quit for ever of that nasty “dog-in-the-manger” sort of feeling. How he laughed about poor Jack-a-tar, and took him into his own hands to be thoroughly restored, while his mother took off the blue suit to dry at the kitchen fire!
Altogether this was one of the happiest days Harry had spent at Kingshaven. Every day now the children took out the Rover, and many happy hours they all spent with it.
Next week a visitor was announced. It
was Uncle Jack himself! And along with him came the biggest, bulkiest parcel you could imagine. When it was opened it proved to be a first-rate sort of invalid carriage, capable of being folded up or out in any and every direction—quite an invention of Uncle Jack’s own brilliant genius. Dr. Bell said it was the very thing for his little patient, who would be able for it in a very few days now. Dr. Hammond also was greatly pleased with this new conveyance when he came down.
Various little trial trips were made in this couch, at first only into the front garden, and then into the long strip of bowling-green at the back. And how the little invalid did enjoy the fresh, sweet summer air, fragrant with honeysuckle and sweet-brier, and all the more delightful to him from the whiff of strong salt and even tar corning up from the shore. Harry felt as
if he should soon be well and strong again if he were only to have such nice rides as this every day.