CHAPTER III
MELVINA MAKES DISCOVERIES
The sun shone warmly down on the brown ledges, the little waves crept upthe shore with a pleasant murmur, and Melvina, watching Luretta dippingher white stockings in the pool, began to feel less troubled andunhappy; and when Anna came running toward her waving the knitting-bagshe even smiled, and was ready to believe that her troubles were nearlyover.
In spite of the sunshine dark clouds were gathering along the westernhorizon; but the girls did not notice this. Anna and Luretta hadforgotten all about the sloop _Polly_, and were both now a littleashamed of their plan to make sport of Melvina.
"Here is your bag all safe, Melly," called Anna, "and while Luretta iswashing your stockings I'll rub off those spots on your pretty dress.Can't you step down nearer the water?" she suggested, handing the bag toMelvina, who put it carefully beside her hat and agreed promptly toAnna's suggestion, stepping carefully along the rough shore to the edgeof the water. The rocks hurt her tender feet, but she said nothing; andwhen she was near the water she could not resist dipping first one footand then the other in the rippling tide.
"Oh, I have always wanted to wade in the ocean," she exclaimed, "and thewater is not cold."
As Anna listened to Melvina's exclamation a new and wonderful plan cameinto her thoughts; something she decided that would make up to Melvinafor her mischievous fun. She resolved quickly that Melvina Lyon shouldhave the happiest afternoon of her life.
"Melly, come back a little way and slip off your fine skirts. I'll takeoff my shoes and stockings and we'll wade out to Flat Rock and back.Luretta will fix your clothes, won't you, Lu?" she called, and Lurettanodded.
The stains did not seem to come out of the stockings; they looked grayand streaked, so Luretta dipped them again, paying little attention toher companions.
"WE'LL WADE OUT TO FLAT ROCK"]
Melvina followed Anna's suggestion, and her starched skirts and hat wereleft well up the beach with Anna's stout shoes and stockings, and thetwo girls hurried back hand in hand to the water's edge.
Flat Rock was not far out from the shore, and Anna knew that the pebblybeach ended in soft mud that would not hurt Melvina's feet, so she ledher boldly out.
"It's fun," declared Melvina, her dark eyes dancing as she smiled atAnna, quite forgetting all her fears.
"It would be more fun if we had on real old clothes and could splash,"responded Anna; and almost before she finished speaking Melvina leanedaway from her and with her free hand swept the water toward her,spraying Anna and herself. In a moment both the girls had forgotten allabout their clothes, and were chasing each other along the water's edgesplashing in good earnest, and laughing and calling each other's namesin wild delight. Farther up the shore Luretta, a draggled stocking ineach hand, looked at them a little enviously, and wondered a little atthe sudden change in Melvina's behavior.
"Now show me the clam's nest!" Melvina demanded, as out of breath andthoroughly drenched the two girls stood laughing at each other.
"All right," Anna responded promptly. "Come on down to the point," andfollowed by Melvina, now apparently careless of the rough beach, she ranalong the shore toward a clam bed in the dark mud.
"Look!" she exclaimed, pointing to the black flats-mud. "There is theclam's nest--in that mud. Truly. They are not birds; they are shellfish.I was only fooling."
"I don't care," answered Melvina. "I shall know now what clams reallyare."
"And those birds are gulls, not partridges," continued Anna, pointing tothe flock of gulls near shore, "and come here and I will show you a realalder," and the two girls climbed over a ledge to where a little thicketof alder bushes crept down close to the rocks.
"And those splendid tall trees are pines," went on Anna, pointing to thegroup of tall trees on the bluff.
Melvina laughed delightedly. "Why, you know all about everything," sheexclaimed, "even if your hair is short like a boy's."
"I know all the trees in the forest," declared Anna, "and I know wheresquirrels hide their nuts for winter, and where beavers make theirhouses in the river."
The two girls were now beyond the ledge and out of sight of Luretta, andAnna was so eager to tell Melvina of the wonderful creatures of theforest, and Melvina, feeling as if she had discovered a new world,listened with such pleasure, that for the moment they both forgot allabout Luretta.
At first Luretta had been well pleased to see that Melvina was no longervexed and unhappy; but when both her companions disappeared, and shefound herself alone with Melvina's soiled and discarded skirts and thewet stockings, she began to feel that she was not fairly treated, andresolved to go home.
"Dan can play with Melvina Lyon if she likes her so much," thoughtLuretta resentfully, and started off up the slope. Luretta was nearly astidy as when she left home, so she would have no explanations to make onher return. As she went up the slope she turned now and then and lookedback, but there was no sign of Anna or Melvina. "I don't care," thoughtthe little girl unhappily. "Perhaps they will think I am drowned whenthey come back and don't find me." She had just reached the top of theslope and turned toward home when she saw London Atus hurrying along thepath that led to the church.
"Perhaps he has been sent after Melvina, and can't find her," thoughtLuretta; and she was right; the colored man had been to Captain Horton'shouse to walk home with his little mistress, and had been told thatMelvina had not been there that afternoon; and he was now hurrying homewith this alarming news.
Anna and Melvina were now comfortably seated on a grassy knoll near thealder bushes, Melvina asking questions about woodland birds, and thewild creatures of the forest, which Anna answered with delight.
"Perhaps you can go with Father and me to the forest to-morrow," saidAnna. "We are going to find a liberty pole, and 'twill be a fine walk."
"I know about liberty poles," declared Melvina eagerly, "and my fatheris well pleased that the town is to set one up. But, oh, Anna! surely itis time that I went on to my visit with Lucia Horton!" and Melvina'sface grew troubled. "Do you think Luretta Foster will have my clothesin good order?"
At Melvina's words Anna sprang to her feet. "I think she will do herbest, and 'tis well for us to hurry," she responded; "but you have had agood time, have you not, Melvina?"
"Oh, yes! I would like well to play about on the shore often; but I fearI may never again," said Melvina; her smile had vanished, and she lookedtired and anxious.
"Let us hasten; the tide is coming in now, and Luretta will have takenour things up from the beach," said Anna, taking Melvina's hand andhurrying her along over the ledges. "I am glad indeed, Melvina, that weare better acquainted, and we will often wade together."
But Melvina shook her head dolefully. "My mother does not like me toplay out-of-doors," she said. "Do you think, Anna, that Luretta is quitesure to have my things clean and nice?"
The two little girls had now come in sight of the place where they hadleft Luretta. They both stopped and looked at each other in dismay, forthe tide had swept up the beach covering the pool where Luretta hadendeavored to wash the stockings, and the rocks where Anna and Melvinahad left their things, and there was no trace either of Luretta or oftheir belongings.
"Luretta has taken our things up the slope," declared Anna. "She saw thetide would sweep them away, so she did not wait for us."
"But how can we find her?" wailed Melvina. "I cannot go up the slopebarefooted and in my petticoat. What would my father say if he met me insuch a plight? He tells me often to remember to set a good example toother children. And I would be ashamed indeed to be seen like this."
"You do look funny," Anna acknowledged soberly. Her own flannel dresshad dried, and, except for her bare feet, she looked about as usual; butMelvina's white petticoat was still wet and draggled, her hair untidy,and it was doubtful if her own father would have recognized her at thefirst glance.
"I will go and get your things," said Anna. "Come up the sl
ope a littleway, and sit down behind those juniper bushes until I come back. Lurettamust be near the pine trees. I'll hurry right back, and you can dress ina minute."
Melvina agreed to this plan, and followed Anna slowly up to the juniperbushes, and crouched down well under their branches so that she wascompletely hidden from view; while Anna scrambled hurriedly up the slopeand looked anxiously about for some sign of Luretta and the missinggarments. But there was no sign of either; so she ran along the bluff towhere the pines offered shelter, thinking Luretta must surely be there.
And now Anna began to be seriously alarmed. Perhaps Luretta had beenswept out by the tide before she could save herself. And at this thoughtAnna forgot all about shoes and stockings, all Melvina's fine garments,and even Melvina herself, and ran as fast as her feet could carry hertoward Luretta's home. At the blacksmith shop she stopped to takebreath, and to see if Luretta might not, by some happy chance, be there;but the shop was silent. Mr. Foster had gone home to his supper; butAnna did not realize that the hour was so late, and ran swiftly on.
As she neared the house she stopped suddenly, for Luretta was standingin the doorway, and Rebecca was beside her, and they were both lookingat Anna. There was no time to turn and run back.
"Why, Dan! Where are your shoes and stockings?" said Rebecca, comingdown the path to meet her sister. "You were so late in coming home thatMother sent me to meet you."
"What did Luretta say?" gasped Anna, thinking to herself that if Lurettahad told of Melvina, and their making sport of her, that there wastrouble in store for them all.
"Luretta hadn't time to say anything," responded Rebecca, "for I hadjust reached the door when we saw you coming. Now we'll get your shoesand stockings and start home, for Mother is waiting supper for us."
"Luretta has my shoes," said Anna, and ran on to the door, where Lurettawas still waiting.
"Give me my shoes and stockings; quick, Lu! And then take all Melvina'sthings and run, as fast as you can, to the----"
"Luretta! Luretta!" called Mrs. Foster; and Luretta with a hurriedwhisper: "Oh, Anna! I haven't her things. Don't say a word aboutMelvina," vanished into the house.
"Come, Anna," called Rebecca reprovingly. "Father will come to look forus if you do not hasten. Why did not Luretta give you back your shoesand stockings?" she asked as Anna came slowly down the path. "It's astupid game for her to keep them, I will say;" and she put a protectingarm across her sister's shoulder. "But do not feel bad, Dan, dear; shewill bring them over before bedtime, if the storm holds off; and Motherhas made a fine molasses cake for supper." But Anna made no response.
"Oh! Here comes the minister. Keep a little behind me, Dan, and he maynot notice your bare feet," exclaimed Rebecca.
Usually the Reverend Mr. Lyon was very ceremonious in his greeting tothe children of the parish; but to-night he wasted no time insalutations.
"Have you seen Melvina?" he asked anxiously. "She left home early thisafternoon to visit at Captain Horton's and did not appear there at all;nor can we find trace of her."
"No, sir," responded Rebecca. "I have but come to fetch my sister homefrom Mr. Foster's, and have seen naught of Melvina."
Mr. Lyon turned and hurried back toward the main path, where London Atuswas inquiring at every house if anyone had seen his little mistress; butno one had news of her.
"What can have befallen Melvina Lyon? And there's a storm coming up. Ido hope no harm has come to her," said Rebecca, as she hurried Annaalong the path.
"Oh, Rebby! It mustn't storm!" exclaimed Anna.
"'Twill only postpone Father's trip to the forest, Dan," said Rebby;"but look at those black clouds. 'Twill surely be a tempest. I hopewe'll reach home before it breaks," and she started to run, pulling Annaalong with her.
"Oh, Rebby, let me go! I can't go home! I can't!" exclaimed Anna,breaking away from her sister's clasping hand and darting ahead.
Rebecca had not heard Anna's last words, and thought her sister wishedonly to outrun her in the race home. So she ran quickly after her, andwhen at the turn by the blacksmith shop she lost sight of Anna she onlythought that the younger girl was hidden by the turn of the path, andnot until she pushed open the kitchen door did Rebecca realize that Annahad run away from her, that she had not meant to come home.
"Just in time," said Mr. Weston, drawing Rebecca in and closing the dooragainst a gust of wind and rain. "But why did you not bring Danna home?It has set in for a heavy storm, and she will now have to stay the nightat Mr. Foster's."