Posted by Robert Hill on September 18, 1998 at 12:32:11:
In Reply to: Re: The Wild Cat's ballast posted by The Ancient Mariner on September 17, 1998 at 22:59:11:
The suggestion of building a replica Wild Cat reminds me of a further
argument (admittedly not very strong by itself) against the idea that
Great Northern is a Peter Duck story.
Peter Duck and Missee Lee are dependent on the idea that Captain Flint
had enough money to buy a schooner. Even though we know that Mixed
Moss was a runaway success (footnote in Swallowdale), and that he
must have had independent means on a reasonable scale even before that,
it seems a bit implausible to me.
But the Sea Bear is explained, not as having been bought to replace the
Wild Cat, but as borrowed from a friend, who is invented for the
purpose (i.e. not mentioned in any other book).