CONTENTS A LITTLE FLEET THE "MONTE" THE "MOBY DICK" THE "THEODORE" THE "PASEAR" THE "NEW CORINTHIAN" Advertisements ONE OF JACK B. YEATS'S BOOKS FOR CHILDREN. [Illustration] A LITTLE FLEET _PRICE ONE SHILLING NET._ or, Coloured by the Author, with an Original Sketch in Colours, price 5s. net. PUBLISHED BY ELKIN MATHEWS, VIGO STREET, NIGH THE ALBANY, LONDON. A LITTLE FLEET BY JACK B. YEATS PUBLISHED BY ELKIN MATHEWS, VIGO STREET, NIGH THE ALBANY, LONDON. [Illustration] A LITTLE FLEET The following account of the Fleet, and of the various histories of the voyages of the vessels which compose it, has been written out by me at the request of the owners. I have also made for them the drawings and the chart which illustrate the account. The owners of this small merchant fleet had nowhere else handy to float their vessels in than the small and winding Gara river and a very small pond; the vessels when upon the river drove along with the stream, their sails, when they had any, only being of use to get them out of bad places, except occasionally when the current ran slowly; then, with a fair wind, the "Pasear" and the "Monte," at any rate, would walk along at a fine pace. Long, light sticks were carried to steer the ships round dangerous corners, and through narrow and difficult channels like the Two Snags; and when I say she steered this way, or her skipper took such a course, you will understand it is just put that way because it sounds better. The two longest voyages were those of the "Theodore" and the "Pasear," both of which vessels travelled about a mile along the river. The owners think that any other little boys who live near a stream sufficiently deep to float ships drawing so little water might like to follow their example and build a fleet, therefore I am to tell you how each vessel was built, as well as the story of its voyage. The chart shows the winding river down which the clippers voyaged, and on it are marked the various snags, rapids, and other dangers. JACK B. YEATS, _Gara River_. The owners and myself are indebted to the Fleet Poet for the verses through the book. THE FLEET. _The Monte_ Fore and Aft Schooner _The Moby Dick_ Paddle Steamboat _The Theodore_ Fireship _The Pasear_ Top-sail Schooner _The New Corinthian_ Brig [Illustration] THE "MONTE" The "Monte" was the first of our vessels, and was made out of a flat piece of wood about five inches long, shaped at one end for the bow. She had two masts of very thin wood, and was rigged as a fore and aft schooner with paper sails, which had holes in them so as to fasten them to the masts.