Dorothy on a House Boat Part 10

"Most house-boats get along without one," explained the engineer.

"What about a horse, or a mule? I've seen such a thing somewhere, on some of our little trips with Mr. Bruce," suggested the widow, then touched by her own reference to the dead relapsed into silence.

"Many of the little rivers of the Western Sh.o.r.e have banks as level as those of a ca.n.a.l," said Mrs. Calvert. The idea had approved itself to her. "I'm afraid you lads would get very tired of the poling, even if the water was shallow enough. Without wind, sails wouldn't help us; so Mrs. Bruce's notion is the best one yet."

"A mule would be nice and safe!" commented Mabel.

"First catch your mule," cried Gerald.

"And who'd ride it?" asked Jim.

"You would," promptly answered Melvin, laughing.

"Not all the time, sir!" retorted Jim, yet with an expression which showed he was really considering the subject. "Turn and turn about's fair play."

"All right. I'll stand my turn and call it my 'watch.' I could fancy I was still on shipboard, don't you know?"

"I'd do my third--if we didn't keep it up all the time. A fellow wants a little chance to fish and have some fun," added Gerald. Now that they had all been in danger together he was acting like the really fine lad he was and had dropped the silly affectations of his first manner.

Aurora, too, seemed more sensible, and, breakfast over, had shut herself in her tiny stateroom to put on the plainest frock she had. An approving smile from Mrs. Calvert greeted her reappearance and the girl began to think it wasn't so bad after all have an old lady aboard.

"Really, Mabel, there doesn't seem anything old about her except a few of her looks. I mean her white hair and some wrinkles. I guess it was all right she came, anyway."

"It surely was all right. Why, what would any of us have done if she hadn't been here? Mamma was scared worse than I was, even. You know she saw a person killed by lightning once and has never got over it.

You'll find, if you watch out, that Mrs. Calvert will help us have a good time, rather than spoil it; if--if--we don't go back. I guess Mamma wishes we'd have to do that."

Aurora did not answer, for just then the others were eagerly discussing the situation. They were to "up anchor," run up the sails to catch the stiff breeze that was rising with the sun, and proceed down the coast as far as they could while the engineer remained, as he had agreed to do for a few hours longer, because of Mrs. Calvert's earnest request.

"Get us safe into some snug harbor, please Mr. Stinson, and I will see that you lose nothing by the delay."

"That is all right, Madam. I only wish I could join your cruise for all its length. I'm sure you're bound to have a grand trip, despite the bad beginning--which should bring the proverbial good ending."

"I wish you could. Oh! I do wish you could," said Aunt Betty. She was somewhat surprised to find the engineer a man of culture, but was delighted by the fact. She felt that the presence of such a man would keep her three boys straight, for she was a little afraid of "pranks"

should they indulge in any.

She had hoped, too, to make the most of their trip up and down the Severn, with which lovely river her earliest memories lingered.

However, they were not to reach it yet. The friendly wind forsook them and both Cap'n Jack and Mr. Stinson felt that it would be wise to enter a little bay further north; and making their slow way between some islands come to anchor on the sh.o.r.es of the Magothy.

"The Maggotty! That's where the best cantaloupes come from!" cried Mabel. "Who'll buy my fine wattymillyouns, growed on de Maggotty, down in An'erunnel! Wattymillyouns! Cant-e-lopes! Oh! I want one this minute!"

"What a dreadful name for a river! Who'd eat melons full of maggots!"

demanded Aurora, with a little shiver. Evidently, though she must often have heard them, she had paid scant attention to the cries of the negro hucksters through her own city's streets.

"It isn't 'Maggotty' but 'Magothy'," explained Dorothy. "I used to think just as you do until I learned better. I'm bad as Mabel. I just can't wait. I must have a 'cantaloupe' for supper, I must! Scooped out and filled with ice--sweet and juicy----"

"Hold on! Hold on! Wait till I fetch it!" returned Gerald, with a smack of his own lips. Then leaving the others to follow as they chose he ran to the stern of the tender which the men had brought close to a gra.s.sy bank, and leaped ash.o.r.e.

"Wheah's he gwine at?" demanded Ephraim, who had been in the way and unceremoniously pushed aside.

"Wattymillyouns!" yelled Jim, following the other boy's lead.

"Wattymillyouns? Wat-ty-mill-youns? My hea't o' grace! I'se done gwine get some fo' my Miss Betty!"

"For yo'se'f you-all means, yo' po' triflin' ornery ole n.i.g.g.ah! Ain't it de trufe?" laughed Chloe, coming to the old man's side, and laying a restraining hand upon his shoulder, while all her white teeth showed in a wide grin.

Safely anch.o.r.ed, the engineer gone, the old Captain bustling about on the roof of the boat, making all snug and shipshape for the coming night, every heart was light. None more so than those of the colored folks, always in the habit of leaving care to "their white" friends and like children in their readiness to forget the past.

Ephraim didn't leap the plank, his "roomaticals" prevented; but he displayed a marvelous agility in getting ash.o.r.e and speed in following the vanishing lads.

"What's up?" demanded Melvin, running to where Chloe stood, holding her sides and shaking with laughter, "where have they gone?"

"Maggotty millyouns! Spyed a millyoun patch ovah yondah an'--Lan' ob Goshen! If he ain' done gwine, too! Well, my sake! Mebbe Chloe doan'

lub millyouns same's anuddah, mebbe!"

As Melvin disappeared over the side, his own mouth watering for the southern delicacies so rare to his own northern home, mistress Chloe gathered up her petticoats and sprang ash.o.r.e.

Little Methuselah called after her but she did not pause. She meant to get her own share from that distant melon-patch, and her maternal ears were deaf to his outcries.

Sharing the common feeling of repose and safety which had fallen upon all the company when the Water Lily had been tied up for the night, Metty had felt it a fine time to don his livery and show off his finery before the white folks. Clad in its loose misfit, but proud as ever, he clung to the stern-rail of the Pad and gazed after his departing parent.

What had happened? Why were all those people running away so fast? Was another frightful tempest coming?

"Mammy! Mam-my! Lemme! Lemme come! Mammy, Mammy, wait--I'se com----"

A point on the water side of the Pad commanded a better view of the fleeing figures, climbing the gentle rise of ground beyond. Thither the little fellow rushed; gave one glance downward into the water and another upon his gorgeous attire; then upward and onward where a fold of scarlet calico fluttered like a signal; shut his great eyes, and leaped.

Alas! The fat little legs couldn't compa.s.s that s.p.a.ce! and Methuselah Bonaparte Washington Brown sank beneath the waves his own impact had created.

CHAPTER VI.

A MULE AND MELON TRANSACTION.

The five melon-hungry deserters from the Water Lily came breathlessly to the "snake" rail-fence which bordered the "patch" and paused with what Gerald called "neatness and dispatch."

Suddenly there rose from behind the fence a curious figure to confront them. Two figures, in fact, a man's and a mule's. Both were of a dusty brown color, both were solemn in expression, and so like one another in length of countenance that Melvin giggled and nudged Jim, declaring under his breath:

"Look like brothers, don't you know?"

Ephraim was the first to recover composure as, removing his hat, he explained:

"We-all's trabellers an' jes' natchally stopped to enquiah has yo'

wattymillyouns fo' sale."

Chloe sn.i.g.g.e.red at the old man's deft turn of the matter, for she knew perfectly well that the idea of buying the melons hadn't entered his mind until that moment. He was an honest creature in general, but no southern negro considers it a crime to steal a water-melon--until he is caught at it!