The Boys Who Followed Ballantyne

R.M.Ballantyne was loved by the boys of his time. After the publication of his book The Coral Islands, he had the experience (which at the time he thought was strange) of being followed around by young school boys who wanted his autograph. This soon became a regular part of his life, which was great because Ballantyne loved children, especially his own. The evidence indicates that his own children may have played a significant role inspiring many of Ballantyne's story lines. The same was true of G.A.Henty, who is said to have come up with his stories around the dinner table talking to his children.