E-text prepared by Lionel Sear
PAUL THE COURAGEOUS.
By
MABEL QUILLER-COUCH.
1901
This e-text was prepared from a reprint of a version published in 1901.
| Chapter | |
| I. | A DISAPPOINTMENT. |
| II. | HOW PAUL BORE IT. |
| III. | PAUL'S HOPES RISE. |
| IV. | THE REWARD OF OVER-CONFIDENCE. |
| V. | THE RESCUE. |
| VI. | A SLOW LEARNER. |
| VII. | A TROUBLESOME PAIR OF BOOTS. |
| VIII. | A MIDNIGHT SEARCH. |
| IX. | THE OPEN WINDOW. |
| X. | RUMOUR AND APPREHENSION. |
| XI. | A TEST OF BRAVERY. |
| XII. | STELLA'S ADVENTURE. |
| XIII. | PAUL CONFESSES. |
CHAPTER I.
A DISAPPOINTMENT.
Slewbury was a very fine town in its way; a little quiet and sleepyperhaps, as country towns often are, but it was large and handsome, andbeautifully situated on the side of a steep hill. It had a grandmarket-place, a large town-hall where concerts were often given, and somewell-kept public gardens, of all of which the Slewbury people were veryproud, and justly so.
But then, as Paul Anketell and his friends often remarked, "What was therefor boys?" There was absolutely nothing. No river, no sea, no mountains,or anything. All there was for them in the way of amusement was to go forwalks and pick flowers, and wander about a field or two. Certainly onecould climb a tree, and whittle sticks or make whistles, but one could notbe doing that all the time. No, Paul had long since come to theconclusion that Slewbury was a miserable place in which to live; he hatedit; and he could not understand why his father had ever settled there.
When he was a man, he declared over and over again to Stella and Michael,he would have a house close to a river, a mountain, and the sea, then hewould have boats and rods, and a sailing boat, so that he would never behard up for something to do. To a great extent Paul was right; Slewburywas a dull, sleepy and prim old town, but boys ought to be ab