Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-11-18
THE LOST BOAT.
BY JENNIE PERRErT.


"What shall you call it," asked
Harold, as he looked at the boat his
brother Cecil was making.
"It, repeated Cecil, cher you mean,
everybody knows boat is called she"
81 didn't know" said HarolI. land
l think it's rather funny to call q boat
she; what shall you cali her them"
al Invent fiIed upon a name yet"
was the reply; 81 thought of Vic
toria"
Erred Dalton has boat called Vic.
torid," said his sister Amy.
"Ahi yes, so he has, said Cecil, AZ
had forgotten that; I must find another
name, it would be silly to give my boat
the same name as his"
"CalI her Hope" suggested Amy,
''that would do"
so it would" assented Cecil.
So that important matter was settled,
and with the greatest possible interest
Amy and Harold watched the progress
of their brothers work.
One of CeciPs Christmas presents
had been box OF tools, and these he
had learned to use 80 skillfully that as
his mother remarked, "Hope when
finished was quite a credit to her
owner"
One day about month later, Cecil
came home from school in q great e1-
citement.
"A lot of us are going to sail our
boats down at Willow Pond" he sal id;
"Fred Dalton is positive that Victor Ia
can sail across fastsr than Hope ca n,
but know better. Hope takes to the
water like duck, snd-snd she's as
light as feather, she'll win know"
''Of course she will, said loyal Amy,
who was as proud Of her brothers work
as he was himself; "Vfctoria won't
have any chance against Hope, she's
too b avy and clumsy. What do you
say, have 1 seen your boat this week ?
No; why do you ash"
Because ! cant find her." replied
Cecil. who had opened the door OF the
large toy-cupboard in the nursery, and
was looking carefully for his treasure
She was not there, that was evident;
dolls, balls, tops, kites, bricks, and
number of other toys, new and old.
were there, but no pretty, brightly.
painted little boat was to be seen.
''How very strange, said Amy; lyon
always keep her in the cupboard, don't
you? Harold, do you know where Hope
is?"
NO." said Harold quietly, then he
fastened ont of the room, but neither
Cecil or Amy took any notice of his de-
parture, so eager were they to continue
their search for the missing boat.
A vain search as time proved; in
every likely and unlikely hiding place
Hope was searched for. Then troubled
and disappointed, Cecil went away to
DIN his schoolfellows at Willow Pond.
"Lost your boat" exclaimed one OF
the boys when Cecil announced his in
ton of being only a spectator; "what
pity, 1 am sorry"
$50 ain 1, said another boy; then
quite chorus of voices assured Cecil |
OF thtir owners sympathy with him in !
his loss.
On his way home Cecil met Harold.
The child seyes we're filed with tears,
and his face was pale and troubled.
81 came 10 meet you," he said; |
"mother told me to do so, / have been !
telling her something about your
boat"
"About my boat?"
"Yes; you beard me tell Amy / |
didn't know where it was; we'll, that |
was true, only, as mother said after
wards, it wasn't all the truth. L took |
your boat out Of the cupboard two days
ago."
"Without asking or telling me, said
Cecil. "Ohi Harold"
"Yes, l know 1 ought not to have |
done it; wish now had never touched !,
it. 1 took it down to Mlller's stream,
and sailed it there for perhaps an hour. |
Then l put it down on the grass near
one of those big oak trees, and ran
across the field to speak to Amy, for /
heard her calling for me. I didn't tell
her what L bad been dong, and when
she W home ] ran back again to look
for e boat, but it was gone"
"Gonep
Eyes, and 1 looked all round about
for it but couldn't find it. Oh, Cecil!
am so sorry, and-and if you'll only
forgive me, you can have all the money
have saved to buy a new boat, only
only don't suppose you will like any
shop boat as much as you liked little |
Hope; will you forgive me?"
'Of course l WILL" said Cecil, kind
ly; II wish you had asked me to lend I
you my boat; | would have asked Amy ]
to go with you when you sailed her.
Don't cry, Harold; come along and ct
us have good search all round the
place where you left the boat. Now
then, what Is tue mstter9 Look at
Amy running as if the house
were on fire."
"Good news, good news" shouted
Amy, as she ran quickly down the lane.
Good old Rover has found your boat.
1 took him for q run. l wanted some
-nots, so went down to IL
ler's stream While was gathering
some, Rover plunged into the water
and swan across He seemed to lie
hunting about for something among
the rushes on the other side, then back
he came with your boat all safe and
sound"
But how could the boat get there2'
excla med Harold.
perhaps some busy fingers popped
her into the water to see how fast she
could go, and she sailed away out of
their reach; or she may have fallen in
to the water from the bank; anyhow
Hope is found, and ran of to tell
you as soon as l could. Mother knows |
about it, and sic is as pleased as !
we are, and when l said Rover de. |
eerved new collar as reward for |
what he bad done, she said she would |
give US q shilling towards buying one ,