The Life of Robert Louis Stevenson for Boys and Girls

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words that went forth from his sick-room have cheered and encouraged
thousands.

When asked why he wrote so many stories of pirates and adventurers with
few women to soften them he replied: "I suppose it's the contrast; I
have always admired great strength, even in a pirate. Courage has
interested me more than anything else."

He and his stepson had grown to be great chums. At Silverado Lloyd had
been seized with a desire to write stories and had set up a toy
printing-press which turned off several tales. At Davos Platz they both
tried their hand at illustrating these stories with pictures cut on
wood-blocks and gayly colored. Lloyd's room was quite a gallery of these
artistic attempts. But their favorite diversion was to play at a war
game with lead soldiers. In after-years Lloyd wrote his recollections of
the days they spent together enjoying this fun and he says: "The war
game was constantly improved and elaborated, until from a few hours, a