Chapter III: Part I

Tom and Alice lived in a beautiful house in the country.

They had a large garden where they played.

A river flowed through one part of the garden.

This was the children’s best-loved play-ground.

In summer they played “Indians” under the trees, or floated their toy-boats on the water.

One morning their grandmother came to visit them.

The children were happy, for they loved their grandmother very much.

She knew how to tell stories--just the kind of stories the children liked best.

She told stories about Indians and fairies and other strange people.

When she came to visit, she always brought a pretty present to each child.

This time, she brought Tom a large toy-sailing ship.

To Alice she brought a beautiful new doll.

These were just what the children had been wishing for.

After they had thanked their grandmother, the children ran down to the river, to try the new boat.

Alice took her new doll with her.

Tom tied a strong cord to the boat so that it could not get away.

It sailed out like a white-winged bird over the water.

Tom ran along the shore holding the cord.

“Look, Alice!” he cried, “see how well she sails.

She is the best boat I ever had.

Let us put your new doll aboard.

We will give her a fine sail.”

“I am afraid she will get drowned, Tom.”

“Oh, no! I will hold the cord; and you see, this boat cannot tip over.”

“But she might get her dress wet.”

“No, for my boat is so big, the water cannot go over it.”

“Well, she may go for a little sail,” said Alice.

Tom pulled the boat to the shore and Alice put her new doll on board.

Now the boat seemed to go faster than before.

“I am sure my doll is having a fine time,” said Alice.

“I wish I were small, too, so that I might go with her.”

The boat sailed out into the middle of the river.

All at once, the cord slipped from Tom’s hand. Away went the boat! Faster and faster down the stream!

“O, my doll! My beautiful doll! She will drown! I know she will!” cried Alice.

“My boat! My new boat! It will float a hundred miles down the river! It will never come back! I have lost my new boat!” cried Tom.

The children ran to the house to tell their grandmother the story of the lost toys.