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. Every day was packed with fun and both little boys grew taller
and very brown.

At last vacation time was nearly over. Bob left Fairport first. He and
his family went home in his father's automobile. They camped out every
night. The camping tents and the pots and pans were strapped on the back
of the automobile. They rode all day. They went over hills, through
valleys, and into cities.

One day they passed a flower farm. "Oh, Mother," begged Bob, "May I stop
and buy some flowers?" "Why, Bob," said his mother, "What do you want
with flowers? We haven't any room for them in the automobile."

"I don't want them to take home," said Bob, "I want to send them by the
postman to Captain John. They are for the _Sea Gull_."

So the automobile stopped and Bob spent his birthday money at the flower
farm. The next day the parcel post brought Captain John a box of spring