The Girl Scouts at Sea Crest Part 14

But they had scarcely gone a hundred yards when she stopped very suddenly.

"Oh, mercy!" she screamed. "I stepped on----"

"You bet you did! You stepped on me!"

The answer came from a grotesque figure that had just pulled itself out of the sand, and it was none other than the girl, still known only as "Letty."

"I didn't mean to," apologized Julia, for, as a matter of fact, she had come full weight on the sand hill under which was buried the girl.

"Well, you didn't break any bones," said the girl, with less antagonism than she had formerly displayed. "But I thought the sky fell--guess I was dreaming."

She dragged herself up and shook the sand from her unkempt skirt, although the action seemed unnecessary, then grinned at the girls in the most comic way.

This was a signal for Grace to howl, and howl she did, to be followed by the others, every one seeming glad that Letty had not "thrown her head at them," as was her usual att.i.tude in meeting the scouts.

"And you go swimmin' in there?" she asked, pointing a mocking finger at the ocean.

"Surely, don't you?" asked Louise.

"Me? Well, I guess not. No more ocean for Kitty," and she turned her back to the waves, meanwhile pulling a long, wry face.

"Are you Kitty?" asked Cleo.

"Yep, that's me. They call me Kitty Scuttle, but Scuttle ain't my name.

Boys give me that 'cause I shoo them off the island."

Here was an opening. Louise seized it.

"Sit down and tell us about it, Kitty," she said. "You know we really had no idea of bothering your dove the other day. Did his leg fix up all right?"

"Guess so, but he ain't my bird," and she did actually flop down in the sand, much to their surprise.

"Why don't you like the ocean?" asked Grace.

"The ocean is a coward. It fights women and babies," she said, a queer mocking irony marking her words.

"Yes," agreed Louise, to placate her, "the ocean is treacherous."

"An' cruel," she sort of hissed. "I came from that ocean on a rope once, and I'll never go back on it while I'm alive."

"Oh, you were shipwrecked," ventured Cleo, her mind running to the story of the little girl on the frozen mother's breast, told them by Captain Dave.

"Yes, Mom never spoke to me again, and I hate that ocean ever since."

The girls exchanged glances. Surely she must be the one spoken of by Captain Dave.

"But you like still-water?" suggested Grace, in order to relieve the tension.

"Love the little Round River, Glimmer Lake, and even the bay," replied Kitty, "but not that monster."

It seemed to the scouts she used a queer mixture of phrases. Cleo thought she might be addicted to reading sensational books.

"Do you go to school?" queried Julia.

"Sure, every one has to go to school, and I don't stay on the island in winter." This last was said in a tone implying every one ought to know that.

"You come over here in winter?" It was Louise who dared press that question. They all felt Kitty was due to take another tantrum any minute. She had been almost dangerously good, so far.

"Yep," the finality of this spoke for itself.

"We're just going over to the life saving station to see Captain Dave,"

said Cleo. "Glad we didn't hurt you as we ran."

"Couldn't," said Kitty. "I don't hurt. Nothin' touches me. And say, I wasn't mad when I pegged the box at you the other day. I was just funnin'."

"You didn't hurt me either," returned Louise, quite as good-naturedly.

"A little pasteboard box couldn't hurt a scout."

"Do you belong to the government?" asked Kitty suddenly.

"We're not enlisted, if that's what you mean," answered Cleo, "but we learn to give service if it is needed."

"I'd like a suit like yours. Must be fine for fogs. Sometimes I can't get into my rags they're so soggy over there in the woods."

Every one silently agreed such clothes as she possessed would surely become "soggy" under the trees.

"But only a scout can wear the uniform," said Grace, being careful to use a very kindly tone.

"What do you have to do?" inquired Kitty, evincing interest.

"When we meet you again we'll tell you about it," replied Louise. "But, say Kitty, we want to take a trip over to the island some day. Shall we see you over there?"

"To the island!" she shouted, and all her gentleness was gone instantly.

"Don't you dare; the dogs would eat you up!"

"Oh, no, we don't mind dogs," Cleo hurried to say. "Besides, you must know them and you could keep them in check."

"Oh, no, I couldn't," she was plainly excited now. "Don't you dare come over to Looney Land. The reason I liked you was on account of you fetching Uncle Pete up from the pier. He told me, and I was--thankful."

She hung her head and her cropped hair stood out like a brush around her face. Kitty was a pathetic sight, even when excited.

"Was he your uncle? Is he all right?" asked Louise.

"Nope. He isn't all right. Can't hardly stir ever since. He said he would have died if you girls hadn't helped him, and I want to thank you for that. I'd just die without Uncle Pete."

"Well, good-by," said Julia, as they started off this time positively.

"Tell Uncle Pete we will come over to see him soon."

At this the child ran over to Louise and literally grabbed her, seizing her two hands, and holding them as tightly as her own could grasp them.