Dorothy on a House Boat Part 8

In her heart, Aurora wished to do so. But hoping to impress her new acquaintance by her magnificence, she had put on a fanciful white silk frock, wholly unfitted for her present trip and, indeed, slyly packed in her trunk without her mother's knowledge. The deck of the Pad wasn't as spotless as this of the Lily. Even at that moment small Methuselah was swashing it with a great mop, which dripped more water than it wiped up. His big eyes were fairly bulging from his round black face and, having drawn as near the story-teller as he could, he mopped one spot until Dolly called out:

"That'll do, Metty, boy! Tackle another board. Mustn't wear out the deck with your neatness!"

Whereupon old Captain Hurry swung his crutch around and caught the youngster with such suddenness that he pitched head-first into his own big bucket. Freeing himself with a howl, he raised his mop as high as his strength would allow and brought it down upon the captain's glittering cap.

It was the seaman's turn to howl and an ill-matched fight would have followed if Jim hadn't caught the pickaninny away and Dorothy seized the cripple's headgear before it suffered any great harm. Gently brushing it with her handkerchief she restored it to its owner's head, with the remark:

"Don't mind Metty, Cap'n Jack. He means well, every time, only he has a little too hasty a temper. He never heard such wonderful stories before--nor I, either, for that matter. Did you, boys?"

She had believed them wholly, but Jim had begun to doubt; and Melvin was bold enough to say:

"I've sailed a good many times between New York and Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, but I never saw--I mean, I haven't happened, don't you know? I wouldn't fancy being out alone in a cat-boat and having a devil-fish rise up alongside that way. I----"

"Young man, do you doubt my word, sir?" demanded the Captain, rising with all the dignity his lameness and the dropping of his crutch would allow.

"Oh! no, sir. I doubt nothing--nothing, sir. The Judge says the world is full of marvels and I fancy, your encounter with that giant squid is one of them. You should have that story published, Captain. You should, don't you know?"

Melvin's blue eyes twinkled but the otherwise gravity of his face harmlessly deceived the old seaman and brought back his good temper.

"Reckon I'll go aloft and make out my log," he remarked, with an air of importance, and stumped forward to his "bridge" above stairs. These he ascended, as before, by a hand-over-hand climb of the bal.u.s.ter, his crutches dragging behind; and it was this nimbleness of arm which convinced the watchers, far more than his impossible yarns had done, that he had indeed once been a sailor and could ascend the rigging of a ship.

Then soon came supper and again such hearty appet.i.tes were brought to it that Mrs. Bruce wondered how so much good food could disappear at one meal. Also, she remembered that the sum of three hundred dollars had a limit, large as it seemed; and while she sat silent in her place she was inwardly computing whether it would possibly furnish board for all these people for six long weeks.

Then she proceeded to "count noses," and suddenly perceived that after Mr. Stinson's departure there would be left the "unlucky number" of thirteen souls aboard the Water Lily.

This time the engineer was at table and Jim had taken his place on the tender; but after this, he had a.s.sured everybody that the engine did not need such constant attention and could be left to itself during meal-time at least.

However, n.o.body tarried long at table that night. There was to follow the first arrangement of the "staterooms," as the canvas-part.i.tioned s.p.a.ces for each one of the party were called.

"Cute little cubby-holes," Mabel named them, and promptly selected her own between her mother's and Aurora's. Dorothy was next to Aurora and Elsa between her and Mrs. Calvert's bigger room.

Politely giving Elsa her choice, Dorothy couldn't help a keen disappointment that it separated herself from Aunt Betty. Then she reflected that she had offered this choice as far back as on the day of their first meeting; and that she would herself serve as shield between Aurora's haughtiness and Elsa's timidity.

Those two guests didn't hit it off at all well. Elsa shivered and shrank before Aurora's boisterous high spirits and the look of contempt the elder girl bestowed upon her plain attire.

Poor little Elsa had done her best to honor the occasion. She had forced herself to go with her loving father to a department store and had suffered real distress in being fitted at the hands of a kindly, but too outspoken, saleswoman.

The suit selected had been of an ugly blue which brought out all the sallowness of the poor child's complexion. It had been padded on one shoulder, "'cause she's crooked in them shoulders," and had been shortened on one side, "to suit the way she limps." A hat of the same vicious blue had been purchased, and this trimmed with red roses, "to sort of set her up like."

Thus attired, Mr. Carruthers had looked with pride upon his motherless darling, and felt himself amply justified in the expense he had incurred. The girl's own better taste had rebelled and she would rather have worn the old gray frock that was at least modest and un.o.btrusive; but she saw the pride and tenderness in her father's eyes and said nothing save fervent thanks.

However, all the varied emotions of the travellers were soon forgotten in the healthy slumber which came to them. The Water Lily glided quietly along, forced onward by the tender where the trio of lads sat long, exchanging experiences and, under cover of the friendly darkness, growing natural and familiar.

But after a time even they grew drowsy and "turned in," finding their new "bunks" as snug as comfortable. The chug-chug of the small engine chimed in with the snores of the colored folks, in their own quarters beyond the galley and formed a soothing lullaby.

So deeply they slept that none knew how a storm was gathering thick and fast, except the alert engineer, who made all speed possible to reach the shelter of the little cove and wharf where he hoped to tie up; and from whence he could cross the swampy fields to the station and the midnight train for home.

It proved a race of steam and storm, with the latter victor; for at almost boat's length from the pier there came a blinding flash of lightning and a peal of thunder most terrific. At the same moment a whirlwind shook the Water Lily like a feather, it seemed, and the shrieks of the awaking negroes startled every soul awake.

"'Tis de yend o' de worl'! 'Tis de Jedgmen' Day! Rise up, sinnahs, rise to yo' jedgmen'!"

CHAPTER V

THE STORM AND WHAT FOLLOWED

In an instant a crowd of terrified people had gathered in the cabin, clasping one another's hands, sobbing and shivering as gust after gust shook the Water Lily so that it seemed its timbers must part.

"We mought ha' knowed! Thirteen po' creatures shet up in dis yeah boat! Oh! My----"

The greatest outcry was from poor Chloe, now kneeling, or crouching, at the feet of her Miss Betty, and clutching the lady's gown so that she could not move. But if her feet were hindered her tongue was not.

In her most peremptory manner she bade:

"Chloe, get up and be still! This is no time for nonsense. Close those windows. Stop the rain pouring in. Call back your common sense.

Do----"

"O, Ole Miss! I'se done dyin'! I'se gwine----"

"No, you're not. You couldn't screech like that if you were anywhere's near death. Shut--those--windows--or--let--me!"

Habit was stronger than fear. The idea of her mistress doing Chloe's own task roused the frightened creature to obey, scarce knowing that she did so. Seeing her at work restored the calmness of the others, in a measure, and Dorothy and Mabel rushed each to the sliding panels of gla.s.s, which had been left open for the night and pushed them into place.

This lessened the roar of the tempest and courage returned as they found themselves still unhurt, though the constant flashes of light revealed a group of very white faces, and bodies still shaking with terror of nature's rage. Mrs. Bruce had always been a coward during thunderstorms, but even she rallied enough to run for a wrap and fold it about Mrs. Calvert, who was also shaking; but from cold rather than fear.

Then between claps, they could hear the scurrying of feet on the roof overhead, the stumping of Captain Jack's crutches, and the issuing of sharp orders in tones that were positively cheerful!

"Hark! What are they doing? Can anybody see the tender?" asked Dorothy, excitedly.

Strangely enough, it was frail, timid Elsa who answered:

"I've been listening. They're taking off the canvas. The boys are up there. The other boat is away out--yonder. See? Oh! it's grand! grand!

Doesn't it make us all seem puny! If it would only last till everyone was humble and--adoring!"

Even while she answered, the slender girl turned again to the window and gazed through it as if she could not have enough of the scene so frightful to her mates. These watched her, astonished, yet certainly calmed by her own fearless behavior; so that, presently, all were hastily dressing.

Mabel had set the example in this, saying quaintly:

"If I've got to be drowned I might as well look decent when I'm picked up."

"Mabel and her clothes! The 'ruling pa.s.sion strong in death'!" cried Dorothy, in a tone meant to be natural but was still rather shaky.

Somebody laughed and that lessened the excitement, so that even Chloe remembered she had appeared without her white turban and hastily put her hands smoothing her wool, as if afraid now only of her mistress's reprimand.

But that lady had joined Elsa at the gla.s.s; and standing with her arm about the girl, drew the slight figure within the folds of her own roomy wrapper, with a comforting warmth and pressure. For it had turned icy cold and the unusual heat of the evening before seemed like a dream.

"Dear little girl, I am glad you came. Brave soul and frail body, you're stronger than even my healthy Dorothy. And it is magnificent--magnificent. Only, I dread what the morning will reveal.

If we are damaged much it will mean the end of our trip--at its very beginning."