Two Little Women Part 20

Mr. Rose's face was so smiling and his manner so pleasant, that Dolly jumped up from her chair and ran to his side. He put his arm round her and kissed her cheek and then with brisk good-byes and thanks to the hospitable Briggs, he whisked Dolly away.

"Skip it!" he said, and taking her hand they skipped across the road and down the long length of the pier. There was Mr. Rose's motor-boat waiting, with Long Sam at the wheel.

"Mornin' folkses," he said, unfolding his ungainly length as he rose to help them in. Long Sam, it was generally agreed, had the longest length for the narrowest width of any man in the county. He grinned at Dolly and taking her hands helped her into the boat, while Mr. Rose followed.

In a moment they were off, and the little boat scooted up the lake in a hurry. The sun was well up now and it was a warm day, so the lake breeze was most refreshing and the swift motion very exhilarating. Mr. Rose said no word whatever concerning Dolly's informal departure from his camp, but he was so gay and entertaining that Dolly herself forgot it.

He pointed out various houses and camps along the sh.o.r.e, often telling funny stories of the people who lived there. He showed her the club house and the casino and the picnic grounds and lots of interesting places, which had pa.s.sed unnoticed on their trip up the lake the night before. Sometimes Long Sam put in a few words in his dry, comical way, and Dolly found herself enjoying the morning lake ride immensely.

Mr. Rose was in the midst of a funny story at which Dolly was shaking with laughter as they reached the pier which belonged to Crosstrees camp.

"Out you hop!" exclaimed Mr. Rose, jumping out himself and in a moment Dolly was beside him on the pier. Mrs. Rose and the two girls stood there smiling, their arms full of bathing suits.

"Hurry up, Doll," cried Dotty, grabbing her arm. "This is your bathhouse right next to mine and here's your suit. Scrabble into it, quick's you can."

And so almost before she knew it, Dolly was shut in to her little bath house and was hastily changing from her street suit to her bathing-dress.

Just as she finished arraying herself, Dotty was pounding on the door and she immediately opened it. Mrs. Rose put a bathing cap on Dolly's head and tied a gay kerchief over that. The rest were all in bathing suits and with gay laughter they all joined hands and ran down the sloping sh.o.r.e and into the lake.

Dolly loved bathing and she pranced round with the rest, enjoying the delightful feel of the cool ripples of the lake as they dashed against her.

The young people were not allowed to go out very far alone, but Mr. Rose would swim out with them, one at a time, for a short distance and return them safely to shallower water.

"Do teach me to swim," pleaded Dolly, who took to water like a duck. So Mr. Rose gave her her first lesson and she was so promising a pupil that he declared she would soon learn to become expert.

The bath over, they returned to the bath houses to dress and Dolly found in hers, instead of her travelling suit, a serge skirt and middy blouse.

She put these on, and when she went out she found Dotty similarly arrayed. Mrs. Rose braided the two girls' hair in long pig-tails and tied their ribbons for them.

"Now for a camp breakfast!" exclaimed Mr. Rose, as the group reunited.

"I've had my breakfast," began Dolly, but Mr. Rose interrupted her, saying, "indeed you haven't! Just wait till you see."

In a little clearing not far from the bungalow, Dolly saw a table of boards with seats each side and here the family gathered.

Such a breakfast as it was! Maria's flap-jacks had materialised and of all light, puffy, golden delicacies they were the best. Then there was brook trout, fresh and delicious; a tempting omelet; and as a great treat the girls were each allowed a cup of coffee.

The trip up the lake and the invigorating bath had given Dolly a ravenous appet.i.te and never had food tasted so good. She didn't quite understand why nothing was said about her running away in the night, but it was a great relief that the subject was not touched upon, and in the gay laughter and chatter of the Rose family, she finally forgot all about it.

"Now, who's for a tramp in the woods?" and Mr. Rose lighted a cigar as he left the table.

"Me!" cried Dolly, dancing up to her host; "when can we start?"

"Right away quick," and Mr. Rose smiled down at her; "have you good stout shoes?"

"Yes, indeed," and Dolly showed her little tan boots.

The whole family started off, each with a stout stick to help their steps in climbing, and each with a little basket, because, as Mr. Rose said, "you never can tell what you'll find to bring home."

They started off briskly, Dolly and Dotty on either side of Mr. Rose and Genie and her mother following close behind.

"Guess we'll try the Rocky Chasm path this morning," said Mr. Rose, who acted as guide.

Away they went, walking briskly, but not too rapidly. Though it was a warm day the path through the woods was cool and pleasant and occasionally they paused to rest for a time. Presently the climbing began and this they took by easy stages, so that when at last they reached their goal, Dolly was not at all tired.

"What a beautiful place!" she cried, as they found themselves on top of a high hill looking down into a rocky chasm.

"Don't go too near the edge," warned Mrs. Rose as her husband and the two girls went to peer over the edge of the precipice.

"No, indeed!" he returned, "but Dolly must see down in the chasm. Here, Dot, you show her how."

So Dotty lay down flat on the rocks and wriggled along until she could see over the very edge while her father held tightly to her feet.

"It's wonderful!" she exclaimed; "now you try it, Dolly."

Somewhat timidly, but with full faith in Mr. Rose, Dolly lay down p.r.o.ne, and cautiously edged along till she could see over the shelving rock.

She felt Mr. Rose's firm grip on her ankles, and she looked down with wonder at the sheer straight descent of rock and down at the very bottom of the chasm she saw a tiny brook tossing and foaming along.

"Not yet!" she called as Mr. Rose advised her to come back. "Let me see it a moment longer!"

"Don't get dizzy!" called out Mrs. Rose.

"No, indeed!" said Dolly, as at last Mr. Rose pulled her in; "I wasn't dizzy a bit! I never saw anything so wonderful. That beautiful little brook way down there a thousand miles below!"

"Oh, not quite so far as that," said Mr. Rose, laughing. "Come on; let's go down and see it from below."

They picked up their baskets and following Mr. Rose's direction they climbed down a rocky ravine and, sure enough, found themselves right beside the little tumbling brook. Dolly sat on a rock and gazed upward at the precipice, looking at the very spot where she had poked her head over.

"Were we really up there looking down?" she exclaimed. "I can hardly believe it. Oh, what a lovely place this is!"

"Yes, isn't it!" cried Dotty; "let's dig something, Daddy."

"What can we find?" And Mr. Rose looked around. "Why, my goodness, my basket is full already!"

"What's in it?" cried Genie, scampering around to see. "Oh, goody!

cookies and lemonade!"

Though Dolly had really had two breakfasts, the mountain climb had made her ready to welcome a little light refreshment and the bottles of lemonade and the box of cookies were rapidly disposed of by the party.

"I see Indian Pipes," remarked Mr. Rose, and Dotty cried, "Where?

Where?"

"Those who seek will find," said Mr. Rose, smiling, and the girls set to work hunting.

Dotty was the first to spy some of the graceful white blossoms under some concealing green leaves, but a moment later Dolly found some too.

With their trowels they carefully dug up the plants and put them in their baskets to take home.

Genie collected some odd stones, and Mrs. Rose found a particular bit of Eglantine that she wanted and soon the baskets were filled and the party took up their homeward way.

Mostly of a down-hill trend, the way home was easy, and as the baskets were not heavy the girls danced gaily along singing songs as they went.