The Dawn Seal

For Pat

HW

For Mum and Dad

DD

Contents

Title Page

Dedication

Chapter One

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

About the Author

Copyright

Oh, Dad! It’s beautiful! Lissa stood on the riverbank, looking at the line of boats and the sun glittering on the water.

Dad grinned at her. Good, isn’t it? Even if it is a pain having to carry everything along the path. He hefted Lissa’s huge backpack further up on to his shoulder. How much stuff did you bring, Liss…

I’m here the whole summer! Lissa pointed out. I need clothes. And Mum said she wasn’t sure how easy it is to do washing on a boat.

I do have a washing machine, Dad said. Everything you’d find in a normal house, actually. Just smaller. But there’s not much space inside for hanging anything out to dry.

Which boat is yours? Lissa asked eagerly. Dad had sent her photos of his new home, but she was finding it hard to work out which one it was. There were so many boats moored along the riverbank, of all shapes and sizes. One of them looked like a battleship, only smaller. And there was even one with a tall mast and furled sails. Lissa had never thought she’d see huge sailing ships on the river.

It seemed so strange that her dad was actually living here now. The river was about as different from Lissa’s street back home as she could imagine.

At first, she’d thought it was going to be weird spending her summer holidays with Dad on a barge, but now she was realizing just how exciting it could be. Still … she wished Mum was here to see the beautiful boats too. And Zoe. Zoe would love them – except she’d be bouncing around all over the place and Mum and her partner Mickey would be panicking about her falling in the river. It probably wouldn’t be a good idea to have a two-year-old on a boat, Lissa thought.

Dad smiled. "Over there. She’s called Rose Dawn, can you see her? The name’s painted on the front."

She? Lissa frowned.

All boats are called she, Dad explained. "It’s traditional, I think. Even if they’re called something like, I don’t know, Trevor. Still a she."

That’s weird… Oh yes! I can see her. The blue one? Dad, she’s huge!

What, did you think you were going to spend the summer living on a tiny rowing boat? Dad was laughing but he sounded proud.

He loves the boat already, Lissa thought, and something tugged inside her. Rose Dawn was Dad’s home – but perhaps that meant Lissa could belong here on the river too?

Lissa’s parents had split up a few years before, but Dad had always been close by and Lissa had been able to see him almost every day, even though she was living with her mum. Now Dad had moved to this houseboat on the river, an hour’s drive away. He’d explained it was something he’d wanted to do for a long time – and it would be good for him to be closer to London for work. He’d promised that they’d still see each other as much as before – more even, because Lissa would come and stay and it would be special.

But Lissa wasn’t convinced, even though Dad kept saying how exciting it would be to stay with him on a boat. How could she spend as much time with her dad when she couldn’t just run round the corner and knock on the door of his flat? Already she hadn’t seen him for over a month, while he’d been moving in and sorting out everything on the boat… When he’d arrived to pick her up, he’d looked almost strange. It was just for a moment, while Lissa got used to his hair being longer, but it had been a bit of a shock.

Still. They were going to make up for lost time now.

"Rose Dawn’s a Dutch barge. Dad interrupted Lissa’s thoughts, still sounding so pleased and proud. A long time ago they were built of wood, and they were sailing boats that carried cargo around the canals in Holland. But most of the newer ones like Rose Dawn are metal, and they have engines instead of sails. Although she’s nearly a hundred years old, so not that new!"

Dad set off down the path along the side of the river and Lissa hurried after him. A couple of the boats they passed had people sitting out on the little decks at each end, and one man was sunbathing in a chair on the path – they all waved at her and Dad, and Lissa smiled shyly back.

Are they your neighbours? she whispered to Dad. Does everyone stay here all the time, or do the boats move?

A bit of both, Dad explained. "Rose Dawn has an engine, so I can move her, but I’ve paid for the spot where she’s moored. It’s a bit like renting a house, I suppose. But I could take my own house on holiday with me! I’d just set off up the river without having to do any packing. Isn’t that brilliant?"

I suppose… Lissa agreed a bit doubtfully. She couldn’t quite imagine it. Her house belonged in her street – with her friend Grace next door but one, and school just round the corner, and all the dogs and cats she liked to wave to in their different windows. It wasn’t just the house that was home, it was the place too.

Dad juggled the bags about a bit so he could put his arm round Lissa’s shoulders. Everything’s going to be OK, don’t worry.

"I’m not worried really…"

It must feel strange though, the thought of being away from your mum the whole summer. But we’ll have fun, I promise.

Lissa nodded. She loved spending time with Dad, that wasn’t the problem. But he was right, six weeks away from home was a big change.

Here you go. Dad lifted Lissa’s backpack over the side of the boat and then held out a hand to help her climb on board. Lissa stood under a sort of canopy roof and felt the boat shift beneath her feet slightly. There was water underneath her, which made her tummy feel a little odd – but Lissa didn’t mind it.

This bit’s called the wheelhouse, Dad said,