CHAPTER XI
A THRILLING EXPERIENCE
After that the days just fairly flew. Dolly changed her mind completelyand concluded that camp life was one of the jolliest things in theworld.
Talking things over with Dotty, she explained her lonesomeness andhomesickness that first night.
"Yes, I understand," and Dotty wagged her head sagaciously. "Mosteverybody doesn't like camp at first and we didn't have any fun thatfirst night, but, you see, we all knew the fun was coming next days andyou didn't."
"It was partly that," said Dolly, honestly, "and partly 'cause I feltthat I _must_ see Mother. You see, I've never been away from her allnight before, and it was so queer sleeping outdoors, and I was sort ofcold, and--"
"I know! You were hungry! There's nothing makes anybody as homesick asbeing hungry. Supper was skinny that night, I remember, and I was hungrytoo, only I went to sleep and forgot all about it. Come on, Doll, let'sgo over to the Norrises."
"All right," and having informed Mrs. Rose of their intention the twogirls set off for the Norris camp, which was but a short distance away.
To their disappointment, when they reached there, they learned that Mrs.Norris had taken both Maisie and Jack to town with her to do someshopping, and they would not be back before six o'clock.
It was Sarah, the nurse girl, who told them this, as she sat on theverandah taking care of Gladys, the two-year-old Norris baby.
"Let's stay a few minutes and play with the kiddy," said Dolly, pattingthe little fat hand of the smiling child.
"All right," agreed Dotty; "let's take her in the swing."
The two girls with Gladys between them sat in the wide porch swing andSarah said diffidently, "Would you two young ladies mind keeping thebaby for half an hour, while I run down the road a piece to see mysister? She's awful sick."
"Go ahead, Sarah," said Dolly, good-naturedly. "We'll take care ofGladys. She won't cry, will she?"
"That she won't. She's the best baby in the world. There's a couple ofcrackers you can give her if she's hungry, or the cook will give you acup of milk for her. I won't be gone long."
"Don't stay more than half an hour, Sarah," said Dotty; "I'd just aslieve keep the baby but I don't know as Mrs. Norris would like it tohave you go away from the child."
"Oh, pshaw!" said Dolly; "the baby is all right with us. Stay as long asyou want to, Sarah; I just love to take care of babies."
So Sarah went away and the two girls proceeded to give Gladys the timeof her life. They soon tired of the swing and took the baby out into thewoods, where they crowned her with leaves and called her Queen of theMay.
The child laughed and crowed, and as her language was limited she calledboth the girls Doddy, and beamed on them both impartially. Herself shecalled Daddy, being unable to achieve her own name.
"Two Doddies take Daddy saily-bye!" she cried, waving her fat handstoward the lake.
"Oh, no," said Dolly; "Daddy go saily-bye when Jack comes home."
"No! no wait for Dak! Daddy 'ant to go saily _now_! Daddy go in boat!Two Doddy go in boat and sail Daddy far, far away!" The two little armswaved as if indicating a journey round the world, and the baby facebeamed so coaxingly that Dolly couldn't resist it.
"We'll go down to the shore," she said, "and Gladys can paddle her handsin the water; that will be nice."
"Ess!" and the baby danced with glee as the three went down to the lake.
There was a short bit of fairly good beach at the Norrises' place, andhere the children sat down to play. A sail boat, a row boat and a canoewere tied there and soon Gladys renewed her plea to go sailing.
The girls tried to divert her mind, for they were not willing to takethe responsibility of taking the little girl out on the water.
"Maybe we might take her out in the row boat," suggested Dotty, butDolly said, "No, I'd rather not. I can row well enough, but you can't domuch with your weak arm and suppose anything should happen to thisblessed child! No, siree, Dot; I'm not going to take any such risk."
"I think you're silly. We could row around near shore and it wouldplease the baby a heap. She's going to cry if you don't."
Dotty's prediction seemed in imminent danger of being fulfilled, butDolly sprang up and began a frolicking song and dance intended to divertthe baby's attention.
But for a few moments only Gladys was pleased with this entertainment.With the persistency of her kind, she returned again and again to thesubject of her greatly desired water trip.
Still being denied, she set up a first class crying act. It scarcelyseemed possible that so many tears could come from those two blue eyes!She didn't scream or howl, but she cried desperately, continuously, andwith heartbroken sobs until the two caretakers were filled withconsternation.
No effort to divert her was successful. In no game or play would sheshow any interest, and as the little face grew red from the continuedsobbing, Dotty exclaimed, "That child will have a fit, if she doesn'tget what she wants! Now look here, Doll; we won't go in a boat, butlet's put the baby in the canoe and just pull her back and forth gentlyby the rope. It's tied fast to the post."
Dolly looked doubtful, but as the baby sensed Dotty's words a heavenlysmile broke over her face and she exclaimed, "Ess, ess! Daddy gosaily-bye all aloney!"
Dolly still hesitated, but Dotty picked up the eager child and plumpedher down in the middle of the canoe, which was partly drawn up on theshelving beach. A little push set it afloat and grasping the ropefirmly, Dotty gently pushed and pulled the canoe back and forth, whilethe baby squealed with delight.
"That can't do any harm," said Dotty, pleased with the success of herscheme, and Dolly agreed that Gladys was safe enough as long as she satstill.
"Even if she should spill out, she'd only get wet," said Dotty; "thewater isn't six inches deep where she is. And you _will_ sit still,won't you, baby?"
"Ess, Daddy sit still," and the baby folded her hands and sat motionlessin the canoe, only swaying slightly with the motion as Dotty slowlypulled her in shore and then let her drift back again.
"It's like a new-fashioned cradle," said Dolly; "I'll hold the rope forawhile, Dot."
"All right, take it; it hurts your hand a little after awhile."
So Dolly pulled the rope and the two girls sitting on the beach chattedaway while the baby floated back and forth.
"Let me take it now," said Dotty after a time; "you must be tired."
"No, I'm not a bit tired, and I can use two hands while you can use onlyone. You oughtn't to use that left flapper of yours much while it'sweak, Dot."
"Pooh, it isn't weak! It's as strong as anything. Give me that rope!"
"No, sir, I won't do it," and there was a good-natured scuffle for thepossession of the rope as the four hands grabbed at it and each pairtried to get the other pair off.
"Let go, you!" cried Dotty, pulling at Dolly's hands.
"Let go yourself!" Dolly replied, laughingly, and then,--they never knewquite how it happened, but somehow their scramble had pulled the ropeloose from the post, and as they twisted each other's hands, the ropeslipped away from them and slid away under the water.
The lake was full of cross currents and even before they realised whathad happened the canoe was several feet from shore. To Gladys it seemedlike some new game and she clapped her hands and shouted in glee, "Daddysaily all aloney,--far, far away!" She waved her baby arms and rockedback and forth in joy.
Dotty and Dolly were for a moment paralysed with fright. Then Dotty,grabbing Dolly's arm, said, "_Don't_ stand there like that! We must _do_something! That baby will drown! Let's holler for help."
Dotty tried to scream, but her heart was beating so wildly and hernerves pulsing so rapidly she could make scarcely any sound, and herwail of agony died away in a whisper.
"I can't yell, either," said Dolly, hoarsely, as she trembled like aleaf. "But we must _do_ something! _Don't_ go to pieces, Dotty--"
"Go to pieces nothing! You're going to faint yourself. Now stop it,Dollyri
nda," and Dotty gave her a shake. "We've got to save that child,no matter how we do it!-- Sit still, baby, won't you?" she called toGladys.
But the child bounced about in her new-found freedom and grasping eachside of the canoe with her little hands began to rock it as hard as herbaby strength would allow.
"Oh!" breathed Dolly, who was watching with staring eyes; "sit still,little Gladys; don't rock the boat, dearie."
"Ess; rock-a-by-baby, in a saily boat!" and again Gladys swayed thelittle craft from side to side.
"We must make her stop that first of all," and Dotty wrung her hands asshe stepped down to the water's edge and even into the water as shecalled to the baby. "Gladys, sit very still, and Doddy come out there inanother boat. Sit _very_ still."
Gladys did sit still, and the canoe floated steadily on the smooth lake.But it drifted farther and farther from land and now about twenty feetof water separated the baby from the shore.
"We've got to get in the row boat and go out there," said Dotty, who wasalready untying the rope.
"Yes, it's the only thing to do," agreed Dolly; "but you can't row, Dot,and I can. So I'll take the boat, and you run for help. I don't knowwhether you'd better go to the Norrises; I don't think there's anybodythere but the cook, or whether you'd better make straight for home andget your father to come."
"I'll do both! I can run, if I can't row!" and Dotty flew off like adeer up the hill toward the Norris camp.
Dolly stepped into the boat and shipped the oars. It was a largeflat-bottomed boat and the oars were heavy. Dolly knew how to row butshe was not expert at it, and, too, she dreaded to turn around with herback to the baby. "Though," she thought to herself, in an agony ofconflicting ideas, "I've got to row out there, and I can't do it andkeep watch of Gladys both."
She pulled a few strokes, twisting her head between each to get aglimpse of the baby who was now sitting quietly in the canoe, driftingout toward the middle of the lake.
Not a motor boat or craft of any kind that might lend assistance was insight. They were at the extreme upper end of the lake and most of thecamps were farther down. Vainly Dolly scanned the water for a boat ofany kind, but saw none. Bravely she pulled at the big oars, but she wasnot an athletic girl, and having been laid up so long with a broken legher muscles were weak.
She pulled as hard as she could, in a straight line toward the canoe,but though she succeeded in lessening the distance between them shecould not get very near the baby, for the canoe drifted steadily away.
At last, by almost superhuman efforts, she came within a few feet of thechild, and then fearing to bump into the canoe and upset it, she turnedaround and tried to back water gently. But the big oars were ungainlyand the task was not easy.
Moreover, Gladys was overjoyed at seeing Dolly in the other boat and sheexpressed her joy by leaning over the side of the canoe.
Dolly's heart seemed to stop beating as she saw the wobbly little boatcareen with the laughing baby leaning far over the edge. She knew shemust not alarm the child and so in a desperate endeavour to speaknaturally, she called out, "Sit up straight, baby; see how straight youcan sit!"
"So straight!" and Gladys emphasised her straightness by putting botharms up in the air.
"Yes, dear. Now fold your arms and sit straight."
Gladys obeyed and folded her chubby arms and sat motionless right in themiddle of the canoe.
Dolly's heart bounded with thankfulness as with aching arms she pushedher way nearer the drifting canoe. She was moving stern first and triedto manoeuvre to try to come up sideways against the canoe. Then if shecould lift the baby safely into her own flat-bottomed boat she would becontent to drift about until help came.
How many times she tried! But just as her boat would near the other, achance current or a puff of wind would take the canoe just out of herreach. Paddling now with one oar she came very near the unsteady littlecraft, so near that Gladys suddenly decided to jump into Dolly's boat.
The child scrambled to her knees and leaned over the side of the canoetill she was almost in the water.
"Sit down!" screamed Dolly frantically, forgetting the danger ofsuddenness.
Gladys was startled and instead of sitting down leaned farther over theedge, and the canoe capsized!
Dolly's face blanched, her oars dropped from her hands and every musclein her body went limp. Then the impulse came to jump in the water afterthe child. Seizing the row-lock, she was about to plunge, blindly,heedlessly, but obeying the irresistible impulse, when something whiteappeared on the water, right at her very side. It was Gladys's whitedress, and Dolly made a grab for it just as it was again about to sinkfrom sight.
She held on firmly, though it seemed as if her strength was ebbingrapidly away.
She strove with all her might to pull the baby into her own boat, butshe could not lift the heavy child over the edge. How glad she was nowthat she was in the big flat-bottomed boat, which was in little if anydanger of upsetting.
Not knowing whether the baby was dead or alive, she hung on to theprecious burden, still trying to lift her over the edge, but unable todo so. It was all she could do to keep her grasp on the wet clothing andkeep the child's head above water as the eddies tossed her boat aroundon the rough surface of the lake. The waves were choppy and every timeshe would nearly succeed in lifting the baby in, a sudden lurch wouldalmost make her lose her grip.
It was when at last she almost felt the little form slipping from hergrasp that she heard the chug-chug of a motor boat and a cheery, loudvoice sang out, "Hang on, Dolly; hang on! All right, we're coming!"
Dolly didn't dare look up, but with her last ounce of strength she hungon to the baby's white dress, which she had already torn to ribbons inher clutches. She heard the swift oncoming of the motor boat and fearedlest its waves might even yet wash the little form away that she held soinsecurely. She refused to lift her eyes as the sound of the engine grewlouder and she felt a sickening fear of the first waves that might reachher from the motor boat.
To her dismay she felt her hold loosening. Her muscles were powerlesslonger to stand the strain of the baby's weight. She heard the motor andshe felt, or imagined she did, the first of the rhythmic waves thatwould, she felt certain, as they grew stronger, tear the child from hergrasp. In desperation she bunched up a portion of the little white dressand leaning her head down clinched it firmly in her teeth.
But even as she did so, she knew she could not hold it there. The wetcloth choked her, and the water dashed in her face and blinded her. Asickening conviction came to her that it was all over and in anotherinstant little Gladys would fall away from her helpless hands, anddrown.
But to her ears there came a sound of a human voice. Not a shout, noteven a loud call, but a calm, pleasant voice close to her, that said:"All right Dolly! Let go. You have saved Gladys!"
Mechanically obeying, though scarcely knowing what she did, Dolly openedher teeth and as the baby slid from her numbed fingers the child wasgrasped by strong arms, and Mr. Rose's face appeared to Dolly's view. Hehad swum from the motor boat, and now holding Gladys in one arm he hungon to the row boat with the other.
"Take her in," he said, as he lifted the child over the edge into theboat.
The reaction brought back Dolly's lost nerve. Gladly she received thelittle form in her arms and in another moment Mr. Rose had himselfscrambled, big and dripping, into the boat also.
"You little trump!" he exclaimed; "you brick! you heroine! Let me takethe baby. Why, she's all right!"
Gladys, though she had been partly unconscious, while in the water, wasreally unharmed and as Mr. Rose held her to him she opened her eyes andsmiled.
Swiftly the motor boat came and took the three on board, and draggingthe row boat behind them, they made quickly for the shore.
"Well, I swan!" exclaimed Long Sam, who was at the wheel, "if you Dollyain't the rippenest little mortal! However you managed to keep a grip onthat there kid is more'n I can tell!"
"I'm sure I can't tell you," a
nd Dolly smiled, out of sheer happiness atGladys' safety.
They reached the shore in a few moments and Mrs. Rose was there with abig blanket in which to wrap the baby while they carried her up to thehouse. Sarah the nurse was there, and soon Gladys, warmed and fed andarrayed in dry clothes, was pronounced by all to be none the worse forher thrilling experience.
Dolly, however, was exhausted. Mrs. Rose, after leaving the baby to thenurse, hurried Dolly home and put her to bed.
"Yes, my dear," she said as Dolly objected; "you have an ordeal to gothrough with as heroine of this occasion. When Mrs. Norris comes home,she will come over here to give you a medal for bravery and heroism andgeneral life-saving attributes. So you must go to bed now and get restedup to receive her thanks. You're going to have a cup of hot broth and agood rest and perhaps a nap, and you'll wake up just as bright and happyas ever."
And Mrs. Rose's treatment was just what Dolly needed. She slept an houror more and then awoke to find Dotty's black eyes gazing into her own.
"You beautiful, splendid Dollyrinda!" she exclaimed. "You're a Red Crossheroine and a Legion of Honour Girl and I don't know what all!"
"Nonsense, Dot; I didn't do any more than you did. If you hadn't had thegumption to run and get your father, Gladys would--well,--things wouldhave been different."
"It was all my fault, though," and the tears came into Dotty's eyes. "Idid the wrong in putting the baby in the canoe in the first place."
"I did that just as much as you did. We both did wrong there, I expect.And we both did wrong in scrabbling over the rope. Oh, we did wrong allright, but neither of us was worse than the other. What will Mrs. Norrissay to us?"
"She's here now," said Dotty, "waiting for you to come down. She doesn'tblame us, she blames Sarah for going away and leaving the baby."
"That isn't fair!" and Dolly sprang out of bed; "we told Sarah she couldgo. Tie up my hair, please, Dotty, I want to go down and tell Mrs.Norris all about it."
But as it turned out, Mrs. Norris was so glad and happy that littleGladys was safe, that she wouldn't allow the two D's to be blamed atall. And as the girls besought her not to blame the nurse, for what hadreally been their doing, they all agreed to ignore the question of blameand dwell only on their gladness and happiness at the safety ofeverybody concerned.