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Title: All Aboard; or, Life on the Lake
A Sequel to "The Boat Club"

Author: Oliver Optic

Release Date: February 9, 2005 [EBook #15002]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

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All Aboard
or
Life on the Lake

A Sequel to "The Boat Club"

By
Oliver Optic

CHICAGO:
M.A. DONOHUE & CO.

PREFACE.

"ALL ABOARD" was written to gratify the reasonable curiosity of the
readers of "THE BOAT CLUB" to know what occurred at Wood Lake during the
second season; and, though it is a sequel, it has no direct connection
with its predecessor. The Introduction, in the first chapter, contains a
brief synopsis of the principal events of the first season; so that
those who have not read "The Boat Club," will labor under no
disadvantage on that account.

The _story_ of each book is entirely distinct from that of the other. As
the interest of the first centers in Tony Weston, so that of the second
does in Charles Hardy. I have tried to make the boys believe that the
path of truth and rectitude is not only the safest, but the pleasantest
path; and the experience of Charles with the "Rovers" illustrates and
supports the position.

Perhaps some of the older readers of these books will think that, in
providing the boys at Wood Lake with a whole fleet of boats, with bands
of music, with club rooms, libraries, and apparatus, I have furnished
them with very magnificent recreations; and that I might as well have
told a "fairy tale" while I was about it. The only excuse I can offer
for this extravagance is, that it would have been a pity to spoil a
splendid ideal, when it could be actualized by a single stroke of the
pen; besides, I believe that nothing is too good for good boys,
especially when it is paid for out of the pocket of a _millionaire_.

The author, grateful to his young friends for the kind reception given
to "The Boat Club," hopes that "All Aboard" will not only please them,
but make them wis