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The Floating Press - Harry Castlemon

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111 pages

English

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The juvenile action-adventure novels by Harry Castlemon (pen name of Charles Austin Fosdick) skyrocketed to remarkable levels of popularity in the late nineteenth century in the U.S. Frank, the Young Naturalist, one of the first books in the series, introduces the likable protagonist, Frank Nelson, as he embarks on an adventure in the great outdoors.

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Children's

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Publié par	The Floating Press
Date de parution	01 octobre 2015
Nombre de lectures	0
EAN13	9781776591190
Langue	English

Informations légales : prix de location à la page 0,0134€. Cette information est donnée uniquement à titre indicatif conformément à la législation en vigueur.

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FRANK, THE YOUNG NATURALIST
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HARRY CASTLEMON

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Frank, the Young Naturalist First published in 1892 Epub ISBN 978-1-77659-119-0 Also available: PDF ISBN 978-1-77659-120-6 © 2014 The Floating Press and its licensors. All rights reserved. While every effort has been used to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the information contained in The Floating Press edition of this book, The Floating Press does not assume liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in this book. The Floating Press does not accept responsibility for loss suffered as a result of reliance upon the accuracy or currency of information contained in this book. Do not use while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment. Many suitcases look alike. Visit www.thefloatingpress.com
Contents
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Chapter I - The Home of the Young Naturalist Chapter II - An Ugly Customer Chapter III - The Museum Chapter IV - A Race on the Water Chapter V - A Fishing Excursion Chapter VI - The Regulators Chapter VII - The Revenge Chapter VIII - How to Spend the "Fourth" Chapter IX - The Coast-Guards Outwitted Chapter X - A Queer Cousin Chapter XI - Trout-Fishing Chapter XII - A Deer-Hunt on the Water Chapter XIII - A 'Coon-Hunt Chapter XIV - Bill Lawson's Revenge Chapter XV - Wild Geese Chapter XVI - Chapter of Incidents Chapter XVII - The Grayhound Outgeneraled Endnotes
Chapter I - The Home of the Young Naturalist
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About one hundred miles north of Augusta, the Capital of Maine, thelittle village of Lawrence is situated. A range of high hills skirtsits western side, and stretches away to the north as far as the eyecan reach; while before the village, toward the east, flows theKennebec River.
Near the base of the hills a beautiful stream, known as Glen's Creek,has its source; and, after winding through the adjacent meadows, andreaching almost around the village, finally empties into the Kennebec.Its waters are deep and clear, and flow over a rough, gravelly bed,and under high banks, and through many a little nook where the perchand sunfish love to hide. This creek, about half a mile from itsmouth, branches off, forming two streams, the smaller of which flowssouth, parallel with the river for a short distance, and finallyempties into it. This stream is known as Ducks' Creek, and it is veryappropriately named; for, although it is but a short distance from thevillage, every autumn, and until late in the spring, its waters arefairly alive with wild ducks, which find secure retreats among thehigh bushes and reeds which line its banks. The island formed by thesetwo creeks is called Reynard's Island, from the fact that for severalyears a sly old fox had held possession of it in spite of the effortsof the village boys to capture him. The island contains, perhaps,twenty-five acres, and is thickly covered with hickory-trees; andthere is an annual strife between the village boys and the squirrels,to see which can gather the greater quantity of nuts.
Directly opposite the village, near the middle of the river, isanother island, called Strawberry Island, from the great quantity ofthat fruit which it produces.
The fishing-grounds about the village are excellent. The river affordsgreat numbers of perch, black bass, pike, and muscalonge; and thenumberless little streams that intersect the country fairly swarm withtrout, and the woods abound in game. This attracts sportsmen fromother places; and the Julia Burton , the little steamer that plies upand down the river, frequently brings large parties of amateurhunters and fishermen, who sometimes spend months enjoying the raresport.
It was on the banks of Glen's Creek, about half a mile from thevillage, in a neat little cottage that stood back from the road, andwhich was almost concealed by the thick shrubbery and trees thatsurrounded it, that FRANK NELSON, the young naturalist, lived. Hisfather had been a wealthy merchant in the city of Boston; and, afterhis death, Mrs. Nelson had removed into the country with her children,and bought the place of which we are speaking. Frank was a handsome,high-spirited boy, about sixteen years of age. He was kind,open-hearted, and generous; and no one in the village had more friendsthan he. But his most prominent characteristic was perseverance. Hewas a slow thinker, and some, perhaps, at first sight, would havepronounced him "dull;" but the unyielding application with which hedevoted himself to his studies, or to any thing else he undertook,overcame all obstacles; and he was further advanced, and his knowledgewas more thorough than that of any other boy of the same age in thevillage. He never gave up any thing he undertook because he found itmore difficult than he had expected, or hurried over it in a"slipshod" manner, for his motto was, "Whatever is worth doing at all,is worth doing well."
At the time of which we write Frank was just entering upon what hecalled a "long vacation." He had attended the high-school of which thevillage boasted for nearly eight years, with no intermission but thevacations, and during this time he had devoted himself with untiringenergy to his studies. He loved his books, and they were his constantcompanions. By intense application he succeeded in working his wayinto the highest class in school, which was composed of young men mucholder than himself, and who looked upon him, not as a fellow-student,but as a rival, and used every exertion to prevent him from keepingpace with them. But Frank held his own in spite of their efforts, andnot unfrequently paid them back in their own coin by committing hislessons more thoroughly than they.
Things went on so for a considerable time. Frank, whose highestambition was to be called the best scholar in his class, kept steadilygaining ground, and one by one the rival students were overtaken anddistanced. But Frank had some smart scholars matched against him, andhe knew that the desired reputation was not to be obtained without afierce struggle; and every moment, both in and out of school, wasdevoted to study.
He had formerly been passionately fond of rural sports, hunting andfishing, but now his fine double-barrel gun, which he had always takenespecial care to keep in the best possible "shooting order," hung inits accustomed place, all covered with dust. His fishing-rod andbasket were in the same condition; and Bravo, his fine hunting-dog,which was very much averse to a life of inactivity, made use of hismost eloquent whines in vain.
At last Frank's health began to fail rapidly. His mother was the firstto notice it, and at the suggestion of her brother, who lived inPortland, she decided to take Frank out of school for at least oneyear, and allow him but two hours each day for study. Perhaps some ofour young readers would have been very much pleased at the thought ofso long a respite from the tiresome duties of school; but it was asevere blow to Frank. A few more months, he was confident, would havecarried him ahead of all competitors. But he always submitted to hismother's requirements, no matter how much at variance with his ownwishes, without murmuring; and when the spring term was ended he tookhis books under his arm, and bade a sorrowful farewell to hismuch-loved school-room.
It is June, and as Frank has been out of school almost two months,things begin to wear their old, accustomed look again. The youngnaturalist's home, as his schoolmates were accustomed to say, is a"regular curiosity shop." Perhaps, reader, if we take a stroll aboutthe premises, we can find something to interest us.
Frank's room, which he called his "study," is in the south wing of thecottage. It has two windows, one looking out toward the road, and theother covered with a thick blind of climbing roses, which almost shutout the light. A bookcase stands beside one of the windows, and if youwere to judge from the books it contained, you would pronounce Frankquite a literary character. The two upper shelves are occupied bymiscellaneous books, such as Cooper's novels, Shakspeare's works, andthe like. On the next two shelves stand Frank's choicestbooks—natural histories; there are sixteen large volumes, and heknows them almost by heart. The drawers in the lower part of the caseare filled on one side with writing materials, and on the other withold compositions, essays, and orations, some of which exhibit a powerof imagination and a knowledge of language hardly to be expected in aboy of Frank's age. On the top of the case, at either end, stand thebusts of Clay and Webster, and between them are two relics ofRevolutionary times, a sword and musket crossed, with the words"Bunker Hill" printed on a slip of paper fastened to them. On theopposite side of the room stands a bureau, the drawers of which arefilled with clothing, and on the top are placed two beautifulspecimens of Frank's handiwork. One is a model of a "fore-and-aft"schooner, with whose rigging or hull the most particular tar could notfind fault. The other represents a "scene at sea." It is inclosed in abox about two feet long and a foot and a half in hight. One side ofthe box is glass, and through it can be seen two miniature vessels.The craft in the foreground would be known among sailors as a "Jack."She is neither a brig nor a bark, but rather a combination of both.She is armed, and the cannon can be seen protruding from herport-holes. Every sail is set, and she seems to be making greatexertion to escape from the other vessel, which is following close inher wake. The flag which floats at her peak, bearing the sign of the"skull and cross-bones," explains it all: the "Jack" is a pirate; andyou could easily tell by the long, low, black hull, and tall, rakingmasts that her pursuer is a revenue cutter. The bottom of the box, towhich the little vessels are fastened in such a manner that theyappear to "heel" under the pressure of their canvas, is cut out inlittle hollows, and painted blue, with white caps, to resemble thewaves of the ocean; while a thick, black thunder-cloud, which