"No, little lad," said the old man.
"She belongs to my daughter. My pet is almost as old as I am. She's a
brave old friend. We have stuck by each other for over fifty years.
We've seen hard times and good times together. And now we are growing
old side by side."
"Will you show her to us, please, Captain John?" said the two little
boys.
"Yes, yes," replied the old man; "come with me." He took his cane and
walking very, very slowly, he took the boys around the cottage to a tiny
garden. There was one spot in the garden that was bright with flowers.
Captain John led them there. "Here she is," he said. "Here's my old
friend, the _Sea Gull_, dressed up in her Sunday clothes."
The boys looked and saw that the _Sea Gull_ was a boat. She was Captain
John's pet--almost as old as he was. She was his brave old friend who
had stuck by him for over fifty years. Now she was too old for the sea
so she had a home in the tiny garden. The flowers that had been planted
in her were her "Sunday clothes."
"She seems alive to me," said Captain John. "I am glad we can grow old
side by side."
I wish you could hear of all the good times Bob and Paul had at
Fairport.
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