Hills of the Shatemuc Part 23

"I can't go without books," said Elizabeth.

"You'll have 'em in the mornin'," suggested the miller.

"O leave it, Lizzie, and come along!" said her companion. "See how late it's getting."

"I can't go without some books," said Elizabeth; "I shouldn't know what to do with myself. You are sure you can't take the box?"

"Certainly," said Winthrop smiling. "She would draw too much water, with this tide."

"Yes, you'd be on the bottom and no mistake, when you got in the bay," said Mr. Cowslip.

Elizabeth looked from one to the other.

"Then just get something and open the box if you please," she said, indicating her command to Winthrop; "and I will take out a few, till I get the rest."

"O Lizzie!" urged her companion, -- "let the books wait!"

But she and her expostulation got no sort of attention. Miss Lizzie walked up the hill again to await the unpacking of the box. Miss Cadwallader straightened herself against a post, while Mr. Cowslip and Winthrop went to the store for a hammer.

"She's got s.p.u.n.k in her, ha'n't she, that little one?" said the miller. "She's a likely lookin' little gal, too. But I never seen any one so fierce arter books, yet."

Tools were soon found, in Mr. Cowslip's store, but the box was strongly put together and the opening of it was not a very speedy business. The little proprietor looked on patiently.

When it was open, Miss Lizzie was not very easy to suit. With great coolness she stood and piled up book after book on the uncovered portion of the box, till she had got at those she wanted. She pleased herself with two or three, and then the others were carefully put back again; and she stood to watch the fastening up of the box as it was before.

"It will be safe here?" she said to the miller.

"Safe enough!" he answered. "There's n.o.body here 'll want to pry open these here books, agin this night."

"And will the other things be safe?" said Miss Cadwallader, who had come up the hill again in despair. The miller glanced at her.

"Safe as your hair in curl-papers. You can be comfortable. Now then --"

The sun was not far from the mountain tops, when at last Miss Lizzie stood again at the water's edge with her volumes. Miss Cadwallader grumbled a little, but it met the utmost carelessness. The tide was very low; but by the help of Winthrop in the boat and Mr. Cowslip on the muddy steps, the young ladies were safely pa.s.sed down and seated in the stern- sheets, not without two or three little screams on the part of Miss Cadwallader. The other, quite silent, looked a little strangely at the water coming within three or four inches of her dress, an expression of grave timidity becoming her dark eye much better than the look it had worn a few minutes before. As the boat lurched a little on pushing off, the colour started to her cheeks, and she asked "if there was any danger?"

"Not the least," Winthrop said.

Elizabeth gave another look at the very self-possessed calm face of her boatman, and then settled herself in her place with the unmistakable air of a mind at ease.

The boat had rounded the corner of the wharf and fell into its upward track, owing all its speed now to the rower's good arm; for a very strong down tide was running against them. They crept up, close under the sh.o.r.e, the oars almost touching the rocks; but always, as if a spirit of divination were in her, the little boat turned its head from the threatened danger, edged in and out of the mimic bays and hollows in the sh.o.r.es, and kept its steady onward way. The scene was a fairy-land scene now. Earth, water, and air, were sparkling with freshness and light. The sunlight lay joyously in the nest of the southern mountains, and looked over the East, and smiled on the heads of the hills in the north; while cool shadows began to walk along the western sh.o.r.e. Far up, a broad shoulder of the mountain stood out in bright relief under the sun's pencil; then lower down, the same pencil put a glory round the heads of the valley cedars; the valley was in shadow. Sharp and clear shewed sun-touched points of rock on the east sh.o.r.e, in glowing colours; and on the west the hills raised huge shadowy sides towards the sun, whom they threatened they would hide from his pensioners. And the sun stood on the mountain's brow and blinked at the world, and then dropped down; and the West had it! Not yet, but soon.

The two girls were not unmindful of all the brightness about them, for their eyes made themselves very busy with it, and little low-toned talks were held which now and then let a word escape, of "pretty!" -- and "lovely!" -- and "wouldn't it be lovely to have a little boat here? -- I'll ask papa!" --

"Is it hard to row?" asked the last speaker suddenly of Winthrop.

"No," he said, "not at all, wind and water quiet."

"Aren't they quiet to-night?"

"The tide is running down very strong. Asahel, trim the boat."

"How on earth can such a child do anything to the boat?" said Miss Cadwallader. "What do you want done, sir?"

"Nothing," he said. "It is done."

"_What_ is done?" said the young lady, with a wondering face to her companion. "Oh aren't you hungry?" she added with a yawn.

"I am, dreadfully. I hope we shall get a good supper."

"Whereabouts is Mr. Landholm's house?" said Elizabeth presently. Winthrop lay on his oars to point it out to her.

"_That?_" she said, somewhat expressively.

"Then why don't you go straight there?" inquired her companion. "You are going directly the other way."

A slight fiction; but the boat had turned into the bay, and was following the curve of its sh.o.r.es, which certainly led down deep into the land from the farmhouse point.

"I go here for the eddy."

"He is going right," said Asahel, who was sitting on the thwart next to the ladies.

"Eddy?" said Miss Cadwallader, with a blank look at her cousin.

"What is an eddy?" said Elizabeth.

"The return water from a point the tide strikes against."

Elizabeth eyed the water, the channel, and the _points_, and was evidently studying the matter out.

"What a lovely place!" she said.

"I wonder if the strawberries are ripe," said Miss Cadwallader. "Little boy, are there any strawberries in your woods?"

"My name is Asahel," said the 'little boy' gravely.

"Is it? I am very glad indeed to know it. Are there any strawberries in the woods here?"

"Lots of 'em," said Asahel.

"Are they ripe yet?"

"I haven't seen more than half a dozen," said Asahel.

"They are just beginning in the sunny spots," said his brother smiling.

"And do you have anything else here besides strawberries?"

The question was put to Asahel. He looked a little blank. It was a broad one.

"Any other fruit," said Elizabeth.