Wreaths of Friendship — T.S. Arthur / Timothy Shay Arthur

Four children were playing on the sea-shore. They had gathered bright pebbles and beautiful shells, and written their names in the pure, white sand; but at last, tired of their sport, they were about going home, when one of them, as they came to a pile of stones, cried out: "Oh! let us build a fort; and we will call that ship away out there, an enemy's vessel, and make believe we are firing great cannon balls into her!" "Yes, yes! let us build a fort," responded Edward, the other lad. And the two boys -- for two were boys and two girls -- ran off to the pile of stones, and began removing them to a place near the water. "Come, Anna and Jane," said they, "come and help us." "Oh, no. Don't let us build a fort," said Jane.