CHAPTER XVII
VISITORS
Bessie Lavine had written home, as she said she would, regarding heradventure with Wyn when they were overturned by the squall, and allabout Polly Jarley. But the result of this letter--and the others thatwent along to Denton with it--was not just what the girls had expected.
Although Mrs. Havel, in charge of the Go-Aheads, reported regularly toher brother-in-law, Percy's father, the story of the overturn made agreat stir among the mothers especially, whose consent to the six girlsliving under canvas for the summer had been gained with such difficulty.
"What do you know about this, girls?" cried Frank, on next mail day. "Mymother and father are coming out here. They can stay but one night; butthey say they must see with their own eyes just how we are living here."
"And my Uncle Will is coming," announced Grace. "What do you know about_that_? Mother has made him promise to come and see if I am allright."
"_My_ mother says," quoth Mina, slowly, "that she doesn't doubtMrs. Havel does the very best she can by us; but she and papa are comingup here with Mr. and Mrs. Cameron."
Bessie began to laugh, too. "Pa's coming," she said. "It's a plot, Ibelieve. He says he has hired the _Sissy Radcliffe_, and all of ourparents can come if they like. The boat's big enough. He will bringanother sleeping tent and those who wish can sleep under canvas whilethey remain. The boat has lots of berths in it. Say! maybe we'll have agreat time."
"I expect," said Mrs. Havel, looking up and smiling, from her ownletter, "that your mothers, girls, will not really be content until theysee for themselves how you are getting along. So we may as well makeready for visitors. They will arrive on Saturday. Some will remain onlyover Sunday and return by train from the Forge. But Mr. Lavine, Ibelieve, and some of the gentlemen, will be here on the lake for a week,or more."
"No more oversets, now, girls," said Frankie. "That's what is bringingthe mothers up here."
"_My_ father is coming to see if he cannot do something for PollyJarley," declared Bessie, with emphasis.
But Wynifred Mallory was quite sure that the Lavines--no matter how goodtheir intentions now were toward the boatman's daughter--would findPolly rather difficult. Wyn had been down to the boatkeeper's houseseveral times alone to see Polly; but the backwoods girl would not beshaken from her attitude. She would not come to Green Knoll Camp anymore, nor would she send any word to Bess Lavine.
Bess really was sorry for what she had said and the way she had treatedPolly. But the latter was obdurate.
"I don't want anything from those Lavines," she replied to Wyn's urging."Only that Mr. Lavine should treat my father kindly. I'd pull the girlout of the lake again--sure! But I don't want her for a friend, and Idon't want to be paid for doing my duty. _You_ don't offer to payme, Wynnie."
"No, dear. I couldn't pay you for saving my life," Wynifred admitted.
"Neither can they!" retorted Polly, heatedly. "They think they're somuch above us, because they have money and we have none. They are likethose millionaires at the other end of the lake--Dr. Shelton and theothers. I don't want their money!"
But Polly's obstinacy was cutting the boatman's daughter out of a lot offun. This fact became more pronounced, too, when the visitors fromDenton, in the _Sissy Radcliffe_, came to Green Knoll Camp.
The _Sissy_ was a big motor launch, and there was a good-sizedparty aboard. When the ladies had once seen how the girls and Mrs. Havellived, they were glad to take advantage of the tent Mr. Lavine brought.The gentlemen slept aboard the launch, which was anchored at night offGreen Knoll Camp.
There were indeed gay times, for instead of acting as "wet-blankets" tothe young folks' fun, the visitors entered into the spirit of the outingand, with the Busters and Professor Skillings from Gannet Island, made aholiday of the occasion.
Both the girls and boys "showed off" in their canoes in the shallowwater under the bank, and in their bathing suits. They showed the moreor less anxious parents just how skillful they were in the management ofthe tricky craft.
When the canoes were overturned, the girls and boys were able to rightthem, bail them out, and scramble aboard again. They could all swim anddive like ducks--save Bessie and Tubby. But Bessie was improving everyday, and Tubby never _could_ really sink, they all declared, unlesshe swallowed so much of the lake for ballast that he would be able towade ashore from the middle.
It was now the height of the camping season and the Busters andGo-Aheads, with their friends, were not the only parties along theshores of Lake Honotonka. The Jarleys were doing a good business, almostall their craft being in use most of the time. A battalion of Boy Scoutswent into camp about ten miles to the west of Gannet Island and Dave andhis mates had some friends among them.
Several small steamboats plied the waters of the lake with excursionparties. The people at Braisely Park often came down to Gannet Islandand the neighborhood of Green Knoll in their boats. Altogether there wasconsiderable intimacy among the campers and between them and theresidents of Braisely Park.
This pleasant condition of affairs brought about the idea of theregatta, or boating sports. Some of the wealthy men at the west end ofthe lake arranged the events, put up the prizes for certain classes ofboat trials and other aquatic sports, had the necessary printing andadvertising done, and
HONOTONKA REGATTA DAY
became emblazoned on the billboards along the neighboring highways andrailroad lines.
The events were entirely amateur and were confined to those actuallycamping on, or living on, the shores of the lake. Arrangements wentahead with a rush, the date being set so close that most of the parentsand friends who had come up with Mr. Lavine from Denton were encouragedto stay over.
Some of the Busters were going to enter for the canoeing events, andthere was a girls' contest, too, that interested our friends. BessieLavine could paddle a canoe as well as anybody, and she was eager totake part in one or two of the races. So she got out early one morning,with Wyn and Grace, and Mr. Lavine for referee, and they did some goodwork.
They chanced to get well over toward the Jarley boat landing andsuddenly Wyn set up a shout:
"Polly! Polly Jolly! I never knew you had a canoe. Come on over here!"
She had caught sight of the boatman's daughter paddling near the shorein an Indian canoe. It was of birchbark and Polly shot it along underthe stroke of her paddle as though it had the weight of a feather. And,indeed, it was not so heavy by a good deal as the cedar boats of theGo-Ahead girls.
Polly waved her hand and turned the canoe's prow toward Wyn. Not untilshe was right among the other canoes did she realize that in one of themsat Bessie Lavine.
"We are very glad to see you, Polly," declared Wyn. "Are you going toenter for the girls' races?"
"Good-morning, Polly," cried Grace, equally cordial. "What a pretty boatyou have!"
Polly stammered some words of welcome and then looked from Bessie to Mr.Lavine. Evidently the boatman's daughter suspected who the gentlemanwas.
Mr. Lavine was a pleasant enough man to meet socially. It is true thatboth he and his daughter were impulsive and perhaps prided themselves onbeing "good haters." This does not mean that they were haters of thatwhich was good; but that if they considered anybody their enemy theenmity was not allowed to die out.
"I am glad to see you again, Polly," Bess said, driving her canoe closeto that of the boatman's daughter. "Won't you speak to me at all?"
"Oh, Miss Lavine! I would not be so rude as to refuse to speak to you,"Polly replied. "But--but it doesn't do any good----"
"Yes, it does, Polly," Bess said, quickly. "This is my father and hewants to thank you for saving my life."
"Indeed I do!" exclaimed Mr. Lavine, heartily. "I can't tell you howmuch I appreciate what you did----"
"Oh, yes, sir," said Polly, hurriedly. "I know all about that. You toldme how you felt in your letter. And I'm sure I am obliged to you----"
"For what?" demanded the gentleman, smiling. "I have d
one nothing butacknowledge in empty phrases your bravery and good sense. I think a dealof my Bessie, and I must show you in some more substantial way how muchI appreciate what you did for her."
"No, sir; you cannot do that," declared Polly, very much flushed, butwith firmness, too.
"Oh, come, now I My dear girl! Don't be so offish----"
"You have thanked me sufficiently, sir," declared Polly. "If I did notknow better than to accept anything more substantial myself, my fatherwould not allow it."
"Oh, come now! Your father----"
"My father, sir, is John Jarley. He used to be your friend and partnerin business. You have seen fit to spread abroad tales about him that hedenies--that are untrue, sir," pursued Polly, her anger making her voicetremble.
"From you, Mr. Lavine, we could accept nothing--no charity. If we arepoor, and if I have no advantages--such advantages as your daughter has,for instance--_you_ are as much to blame for it as anybody."
"Oh! come now!"
"It is true. Your libelling of my father ruined his reputation inDenton. He could get no business there. And it worried my mother almostto death. So he had to come away up here into the woods."
"I really was not to blame for that, Polly," said Mr. Lavine.
"You were! Whether you realize it yourself, or not, you are the cause ofall our troubles, for they began with your being angry with father overthe Steel Rivet Corporation deal. I know. He's told me about ithimself."
Mr. Lavine was putting a strong brake upon his temper. He was deeplygrateful to Polly; but he was a proud man, too.
"Let us put aside the difference of opinion between John Jarley andmyself, my dear girl," he said, quietly. "Perhaps he and I had betterdiscuss that; not _you_ and I. Bessie, I know, wishes to be yourfriend, and so do I. Had you not rescued her from the lake as you did,Polly, I should be mourning her death. It is a terrible thing to thinkof!"
Polly was silenced by this. But if she did not look actually sullen, shecertainly gave no sign of giving way.
"So, my dear, you must see how strongly we both feel. You would be doinga kind action, Polly, if you allowed Bessie to be your friend."
"That is true, Polly," cried Bessie, putting out her hand again. "Do,_do_ shake hands with me. Why! I owe you my life!"
"Don't talk that way!" returned the boatman's daughter. But she gaveBess her hand. "You make too much of what I did. And I don't want toseem mean--and ungrateful.
"But, truly, you can do nothing for me. No, Mr. Lavine; there is nothingI could accept. You have wronged my father----"
He put up his hand in denial, but she went on to say:
"At least, _I_ believe so. You can do nothing for me. I would beglad if you would right the wrong you did him so long ago; but I do notwant you to do _that_ in payment for anything I may have done forMiss Bessie.
"No, sir. Right my father's wrong because it _is_ a wrong andbecause you realize it to be such--that you were mistaken----"
"I do not see that," Mr. Lavine returned, stiffly.
"Then there is nothing more to be said," declared Polly, and with aquick flirt of her paddle, she drove her birchbark out of the huddle ofother canoes and, in half a minute, was out of earshot.