CHAPTER VII
WHEN DREAMS COME TRUE
"Land O' Goshen, you don't tell me you're cruisin' down to the Cape allby yourself! Now, ain't that exciting! And you never been there before,y'say?"
Sidney nodded, sitting very straight on the seat, her hand closedtightly over her purse which contained all that was left of the Eggafter purchasing her tickets. Her face perceptibly brightened. Othershad talked to her during the long journey but they had had a way ofsaying "brave little girl" that had been annoying and that had nothelped the lump that persisted in rising in her throat.
This stranger Sidney felt was himself from the Cape. He was big andbroad and had bushy white whiskers that encircled a very red face. Fromhis booming voice she knew he must have commanded a ship; perhaps heknew Ezekiel Green and the _Betsy King_. She smiled shyly at him as heslid into the seat beside her. They were leaving Plymouth behind.
"Goin' to Provincetown? Well, now, that's about as far as you _can_ go,'lowin' you ain't goin' to Race P'int Light, by chance. You be carefulthat no pirates come 'long and ship and stow you in the fo'castle!There's a-plenty of 'em 'round these waters yet."
"Of course I know there aren't really pirates--but what's a--afo'castle?"
Her new friend roared. "Bless the heart of the little landlubber! Why,the--the fo'castle's the--the fo'castle--for'ard of the fo'mast. Anddon't you be too sure about the pirates--you ask Jed Starrow if thereain't! Only they don't run up their flag no more--I guess the blacksky's _their_ flag."
"Have they any treasure buried on the Cape?" Sidney ventured.
The old seaman started to laugh again, then smothered it by a big handat his whiskers. "Now I won't say they have or they haven't. The Capeought to be full of it. And these here pirates I speak of bury theirtreasures somewheres--jest where's the business of Uncle Sam's men tofind out." He struck his chest proudly and Sidney caught the gleam of abadge pinned to one of the red straps of his suspenders. He saw thatshe had glimpsed it; doubtless he had intended she should.
"Special deputy marshal--I'm Cap'n Phin Davies of Wellfleet, retired,you might say--at Uncle Sam's command."
"Oh, I guessed you'd sailed a ship. Do you--did you know the Greens?"
"Greens? There's Greens all over the Cape. But I reckon I know 'mosteveryone in these parts and if I don't, Elizy does--"
"Ezekiel Green sailed the _Betsy King_--" enlightened Sidney.
"Old Zeke? Why, sure as spatter! Well, well! I might say I was broughtup on stories about Zeke Green. My father overhauled the _Betsy King_for Zeke. Zeke's folks any folks of yours?" turning suddenly to Sidney.
Sidney explained that they were--that she was Sidney Romley ofMiddletown, going now to visit her Cousin Achsa, whom she had neverseen and of whom she knew little.
"You don't say. My, my, comin' all this way. So Achsa's livin', is she?Zeke's boy died, near as I can remember. I rec'lect a benefit they hadfor his widow. She was a Wellfleet girl. Seems to me she died, too.Yes, she did--suddenly, when her baby was born. Can't rec'lect whetherthe baby lived or not. Don't pay much time to those things, don't haveto for Elizy does it well enough for the two of us. Ain't anything onthe Cape Elizy misses. Comes to me though that I heard her saysomething about that kid--sure does. I remember that benefit like itwas last night. I'd just come ashore from a long v'yage and was riggedfrom t'mast to mizzen for a night at Potter's with the boys and Elizyputs me into a b'iled shirt and makes me hitch up the hoss and drive tothat benefit. I guess I ought 'er remember it."
He was too deep in his own reminiscences to observe the effect of hiswords upon Sidney. So Cousin Asabel was dead! And they had had abenefit for his widow. Sidney did not know just what a benefit was butthe sound of the word connected it in her brain with the League and themortgage. She wished Cap'n Phin Davies could remember whether the babyhad lived or not.
"If it had lived--I mean that baby--how old would it be, now?"
"Oh--yes--the baby. Let's see. That benefit must a' been all a' sixteenor seventeen year ago. It was the last trip I made on the _Valiant_.Yep, the last. Elizy'd know for sartin sure, though. Ain't many datesshe can't remember down to the minit. There's somethin' about that kidof Green's I've heard Elizy tell--" He turned suddenly to Sidney:"You're comin' down to this part of the country to visit what's left ofyour folks hereabouts and you don't know nothin' 'bout them? Seems tome some one ought 'a shipped with you. Now I wish 'twas Elizy and meyou was comin' to visit. I sartin' do. Elizy likes little girls--we'veoften wished we had a boat's crew of 'em. What's the use I tell her ofhavin' a house as big as a four-masted schooner and nary a chick or achild in it. I tell you, you ask your auntie or whatever she is to letyou come over and stay a spell with us. Wellfleet ain't so far. I'lltell Elizy. You'll come, now, won't you? Anyone can tell you which isPhin Davies' house--ain't any much finer on the Cape."
"Is it square--and white--and on an eminence?"
"Eh? If it's a hill you mean, you're right. I told Elizy after I'd mademy last v'yage she could build anything she had her heart set on butit'd got to be where I could smell the harbor. Got a lookout atop whereyou can see the boats when they sail round the Point." A faintlywistful note shaded the rugged voice. "You tell folks in Provincetownthat you're a friend of Cap'n Phin Davies and I guess you can justabout have anything you want in the town. There's a few of us oldfellows left!"
As the train carried them further upon the Cape a boyish excitementseized the old man. He declared that, though he'd only been in Bostonthree or four days, it was as good as "moorin' from a long v'yage." Hepointed out to Sidney the places and things of interest they werepassing. Through his eyes Sidney saw the beauty of the old, elm-shapedvillages, the rich meadow lands, the low-lying salt marshes, thesand-bars gleaming against stretches of blue water. Cap'n Phin Daviesseemed to know something, and it was nearly always funny, about everyone who lived in the quaint houses set here and there under century oldtrees. Wellfleet came all too soon.
"Now don't forget, Missy, you're coming to visit old Phin Davies. I'lltell Elizy. And keep an eye to wind'ard for those pirates!"
"Gosh all fish hooks," he exclaimed to his Elizy a half hour later, ashe divested himself of his Sunday coat and vest and sprawled his greathulk in his own easy chair, "don't know as I've ever seen a cuterlittle girl--and comin' all this way by herself to visit what's left ofZeke Green's folks."
In her way Elizy Davies registered sincere horror. "You don't say! Why,all there _is_ is old Achsa and that poor Lavender! Now, you don't say!The little thing--"
With Cap'n Phin's going Sidney was engulfed in a terrifying loneliness.The lump swelled in her throat again. She tried desperately to rallysomething of that splendid excitement with which she had started on herjourney, to thrill again over the assembled belongings in the oldsatchel, some things Isolde's and some Trude's and some even Vick's.The girls had been very kind and generous with her. But in spite of hervaliant efforts her spirits sank lower and lower. She had come so far,she had sat through so many lonely hours that all that had happenedback at Middletown seemed now to belong to someone else--some otherSidney Romley. Strong within her mounted an apprehension at whatawaited her at her journey's end.
But there was a chance the "baby" _had_ lived; Cap'n Davies had saidit'd be about sixteen. Sidney hoped it was a boy--a boy cousin would besuch fun. And he'd be more likely to have a boat. In order to keep fromthinking that the low dunes of sand and marsh, shrouded in twilighthaze, through which they now were passing were very dreary she heldstubbornly to her speculations concerning the "baby." She was tired andhungry. The lump was growing very big and hurt. When, as she finallyfollowed her fellow passengers off the train and along a bustlingplatform she heard a pleasant voice ask: "Is this Sidney Romley?" shegave an involuntary little gasp of relief.
"Oh, are you my cousin?"
Dugald Allan took her bag. "Well, yes, if both of us belonging to AuntAchsa can make us cousins. Are you tired? It's an endless jou
rney--youthink you are never going to get here, don't you? Did you have anyfears that you'd just ride off into the ocean? You had a coolish day."As he talked he piloted her through the crowd, a crowd that startledSidney after those miles of twilight loneliness. "It's always like thistoward the week-end," he apologized. "But Sunset Lane is quiet enough.I've old Dobbin here and the one-hoss shay. Hoist this up, will you,Toby?" he addressed a lanky barefooted boy who slouched upon thedriver's high seat.
As they creaked and swayed down the sandy road Sidney turned searchingeyes again upon her companion.
"I mean--are you the baby that was born? You see, Captain Phin Daviestold me--"
"Oh, you mean Lavender. No--I am not Lavender. I just live with AuntAchsa summers; wouldn't that make me a--sort of half-nephew?"
"But there _is_ a cousin?" Sidney drew a quick breath. "You seeeverything's so strange to me that I have to put it all together, likea picture puzzle. And it will be _nice_ having someone young in thepicture. Then you're--you're--a sort of boarder?" Her voice rose,hesitatingly.
"I suppose so. Though Aunt Achsa holds me as one of the family and Ihope you will, too, when you get that picture put together. What do youthink of our Cape?"
"Oh, it's wonderful! Only--" Sidney had to be honest. "I didn't like itso well until Captain Phin Davies made me see what was so nice aboutit. You see I expected to see a stern and rock-bound coast."
At this Allan laughed. "We'll have to find one for you, won't we? Well,wait until you see the back shore. Toby's taking a short-cut home. Iexpect he knows Aunt Achsa has the finest dinner you ever tastedwaiting for us--we'll be there in two seconds now."
Two seconds--and her journey would be over, her adventure begun. Againthat apprehension mounted sweeping before it even her hope of the bighouse on an eminence. She was scarcely conscious of anything they werepassing. The dusk had deepened, enveloping them like a heavy veil. Sheheard her companion say: "This is Sunset Lane." Then, with a greatjolt, the ancient equipage stopped. "Here we are--and there's AuntAchsa watching for us!"
They were so close to the house that Sidney almost could have jumpedfrom the step of the carriage to the threshold. All about her she feltrather than saw crowding flowers. And in the open door silhouettedagainst a glow of lamplight waited a very small, brown old lady.
Ascha Green fluttered out to meet Sidney and touched the girl with shyhands.
"Well, well, you're here. Don't seem true. Let old Achsa look at you,child. Annie's girl. Come in. Come right in. I expect you're tuckeredout and hungry, too. Lavender, come and meet your new cousin."
Sidney's glance shot across the room to the boy who huddled back of thestove, regarding her with shy dark eyes. And as quickly it droppedbefore what she saw. Ascha Green, watching, sensed her involuntaryshudder.
"He's strange," Aunt Achsa hurried to explain, a tremble in her voice,"but he'll make friends fast 'nough. Goodness knows he ain't talked ofmuch else than a new cousin's comin' sence we got your letter. This isyour room, Sidney, right here handy and mebbe you'll like to wash upwhile I put supper on the table. Here, take this candle; it's darkenedup fast."
The "boarder" had already carried Sidney's bag into the little roomthat opened directly out of the parlor. Aunt Achsa, after bustling herin, closed the door quickly between them.
It was the smallest room Sidney had ever seen. Why, she could reach outfrom just where she was standing and touch the ceiling or anyone of thewalls. And it was the neatest. The small panes of the window twinkledat her between starched muslin curtains, coarse but immaculate towelscovered the washstand and the highboy that stood at each side of thewindow. Another white towel Achsa had tacked on the wall behind thewashbowl and under the oval mirror. A cushion, much faded from manywashings, she had tied to the back of the straight rush-bottomed chairat the foot of the bed. A smell of strong soap hung in the air.
Sidney could not know that the highboy was priceless, that the two bluevases which Achsa had risked leaving on top of it had come from aSpanish port a century before, that the woven cover on the bed had thedate of its making in one corner, that the hooked rug on the floorcould have brought Achsa a hundred dollars any time she wanted to sellit; her eyes were too brimming with tears to notice the flowers thatgrew to her window-sill and peeped over it at her their bright headsnodding to the candle gleam. The lump that had been growing and growingmastered her. She drew a long-quivering breath. She had come all theway from home for _this_. _This_ was her great adventure!
Oh, it was too humiliating, too cruel! That dreadful old woman--ifshe'd only had a broom she would have looked just like a witch. And ina few minutes she'd open the door and make her go out into the kitchenand eat supper with them. They were going to eat in the kitchen. Shehad seen the table. And the boarder--nice people in Middletown did notkeep boarders. And, oh, that dreadful Lavender and his big eyes,staring at her--that was the cousin! And she could not telegraph Trudeuntil tomorrow at the earliest--
She could not cry. She must not. If she began she'd never stop. Sheknew now that the tears had been starting deep down within her milesback on her long journey. Her teeth bit into her quivering lip. Shewent to the little window and leaned her face against its frame. Thefragrant salt-laden air caressed her hot face and soothed her.
"Shame on you, Sidney Romley," she finally muttered. "Remember you'refifteen. And you _wanted_ to come--no one made you! Anyway--" Sheaddressed a rose that was wagging its pink head at her in anunderstanding way and that certainly had not been there a momentbefore! "Anyway, I'll bet it won't be a _bit_ worse than traveling withfat, cross old Godmother Jocelyn!"