MELVINA MAKES DISCOVERIES
The sun shone warmly down on the brown ledges, the little waves crept up
the shore with a pleasant murmur, and Melvina, watching Luretta dipping
her white stockings in the pool, began to feel less troubled and
unhappy; and when Anna came running toward her waving the knitting-bag
she even smiled, and was ready to believe that her troubles were nearly
over.
In spite of the sunshine dark clouds were gathering along the western
horizon; but the girls did not notice this. Anna and Luretta had
forgotten all about the sloop _Polly_, and were both now a little
ashamed of their plan to make sport of Melvina.
"Here is your bag all safe, Melly," called Anna, "and while Luretta is
washing 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 to
Melvina, who put it carefully beside her hat and agreed promptly to
Anna's suggestion, stepping carefully along the rough shore to the edge
of the water. The rocks hurt her tender feet, but she said nothing; and
when she was near the water she could not resist dipping first one foot
and then the other in the rippling tide.
"Oh, I have always wanted to wade in the ocean," she exclaimed, "and the
water is not cold."
As Anna listened to Melvina's exclamation a new and wonderful plan came
into her thoughts; something she decided that would make up to Melvina
for her mischievous fun. She resolved quickly that Melvina Lyon should
have the happiest afternoon of her life.
"Melly, come back a little way and slip off your fine skirts. I'll take
off 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 Luretta
nodded.
The stains did not seem to come out of the stockings; they looked gray
and streaked, so Luretta dipped them again, paying little attention to
her companions.
[Illustration: "WE'LL WADE OUT TO FLAT ROCK"]
Melvina followed Anna's suggestion, and her starched skirts and hat were
left well up the beach with Anna's stout shoes and stockings, and the
two 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 pebbly
beach ended in soft mud that would not hurt Melvina's feet, so she led
her boldly out.
"It's fun," declared Melvina, her dark eyes dancing as she smiled at
Anna, 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 leaned
away from her and with her free hand swept the water toward her,
spraying Anna and herself. In a moment both the girls had forgotten all
about their clothes, and were chasing each other along the water's edge
splashing in good earnest, and laughing and calling each other's names
in wild delight. Farther up the shore Luretta, a draggled stocking in
each hand, looked at them a little enviously, and wondered a little at
the sudden change in Melvina's behavior.
"Now show me the clam's nest!" Melvina demanded, as out of breath and
thoroughly drenched the two girls stood laughing at each other.
"All right," Anna responded promptly. "Come on down to the point," and
followed by Melvina, now apparently careless of the rough beach, she ran
along the shore toward a clam bed in the dark mud.
"Look!" she exclaimed, pointing to the black flats-mud. "There is the
clam'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 really
are."
"And those birds are gulls, not partridges," continued Anna, pointing to
the flock of gulls near shore, "and come here and I will show you a real
alder," and the two girls climbed over a ledge to where a little thicket
of alder bushes crept down close to the rocks.
"And those splendid tall trees are pines," went on Anna, pointing to the
group of tall trees on the bluff.
Melvina laughed delightedly. "Why, you know all about everything," she
exclaimed, "even if your hair is short like a boy's."
"I know all the trees in the forest," declared Anna, "and I know where
squirrels hide their nuts for winter, and where beavers make their
houses in the river."
The two girls were now beyond the ledge and out of sight of Luretta, and
Anna was so eager to tell Melvina of the wonderful creatures of the
forest, and Melvina, feeling as if she had discovered a new world,
listened with such pleasure, that for the moment they both forgot all
about Luretta.
At first Luretta had been well pleased to see that Melvina was no longer
vexed and unhappy; but when both her companions disappeared, and she
found herself alone with Melvina's soiled and discarded skirts and the
wet stockings, she began to feel that she was not fairly treated, and
resolved to go home.
"Dan can play with Melvina Lyon if she likes her so much," thought
Luretta resentfully, and started off up the slope. Luretta was nearly as
tidy as when she left home, so she would have no explanations to make on
her return. As she went up the slope she turned now and then and looked
back, but there was no sign of Anna or Melvina. "I don't care," thought
the little girl unhappily. "Perhaps they will think I am drowned when
they come back and don't find me." She had just reached the top of the
slope and turned toward home when she saw London Atus hurrying along the
path that led to the church.
"Perhaps he has been sent after Melvina, and can't find her," thought
Luretta; and she was right; the colored man had been to Captain Horton's
house to walk home with his little mistress, and had been told that
Melvina had not been there that afternoon; and he was now hurrying home
with this alarming news.
Anna and Melvina were now comfortably seated on a grassy knoll near the
alder bushes, Melvina asking questions about woodland birds, and the
wild creatures of the forest, which Anna answered with delight.
"Perhaps you can go with Father and me to the forest to-morrow," said
Anna. "We are going to find a liberty pole, and 'twill be a fine walk."
"I know about liberty poles," declared Melvina eagerly, "and my father
is well pleased that the town is to set one up. But, oh, Anna! surely it
is time that I went on to my visit with Lucia Horton!" and Melvina's
face grew troubled. "Do you think Luretta Foster will have my clothes
in good order?"
At Melvina's words Anna sprang to her feet. "I think she will do her
best, and 'tis well for us to hurry," she responded; "but you have had a
good time, have you not, Melvina?"
"Oh, yes! I would like well to play about on the shore often; but I fear
I may never again," said Melvina; her smile had vanished, and she looked
tired and anxious.
"Let us hasten; the tide is coming in now, and Luretta will have taken
our things up from the beach," said Anna, taking Melvina's hand and
hurrying her along over the ledges. "I am glad indeed, Melvina, that we
are better acquainted, and we will often wade together."
But Melvina shook her head dolefully. "My mother does not like me to
play out-of-doors," she said. "Do you think, Anna, that Luretta is quite
sure to have my things clean and nice?"
The two little girls had now come in sight of the place where they had
left Luretta. They both stopped and looked at each other in dismay, for
the tide had swept up the beach covering the pool where Luretta had
endeavored to wash the stockings, and the rocks where Anna and Melvina
had left their things, and there was no trace either of Luretta or of
their belongings.
"Luretta has taken our things up the slope," declared Anna. "She saw the
tide would sweep them away, so she did not wait for us."
"But how can we find her?" wailed Melvina. "I cannot go up the slope
barefooted and in my petticoat. What would my father say if he met me in
such a plight? He tells me often to remember to set a good example to
other children. And I would be ashamed indeed to be seen like this."
"You do look funny," Anna acknowledged soberly. Her own flannel dress
had dried, and, except for her bare feet, she looked about as usual; but
Melvina's white petticoat was still wet and draggled, her hair untidy,
and it was doubtful if her own father would have recognized her at the
first glance.
"I will go and get your things," said Anna. "Come up the slope a little
way, and sit down behind those juniper bushes until I come back. Luretta
must be near the pine trees. I'll hurry right back, and you can dress in
a minute."
Melvina agreed to this plan, and followed Anna slowly up to the juniper
bushes, and crouched down well under their branches so that she was
completely hidden from view; while Anna scrambled hurriedly up the slope
and looked anxiously about for some sign of Luretta and the missing
garments. But there was no sign of either; so she ran along the bluff to
where the pines offered shelter, thinking Luretta must surely be there.
And now Anna began to be seriously alarmed. Perhaps Luretta had been
swept out by the tide before she could save herself. And at this thought
Anna forgot all about shoes and stockings, all Melvina's fine garments,
and even Melvina herself, and ran as fast as her feet could carry her
toward Luretta's home. At the blacksmith shop she stopped to take
breath, 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; but
Anna did not realize that the hour was so late, and ran swiftly on.
As she neared the house she stopped suddenly, for Luretta was standing
in the doorway, and Rebecca was beside her, and they were both looking
at Anna. There was no time to turn and run back.
"Why, Dan! Where are your shoes and stockings?" said Rebecca, coming
down the path to meet her sister. "You were so late in coming home that
Mother sent me to meet you."
"What did Luretta say?" gasped Anna, thinking to herself that if Luretta
had told of Melvina, and their making sport of her, that there was
trouble in store for them all.
"Luretta hadn't time to say anything," responded Rebecca, "for I had
just reached the door when we saw you coming. Now we'll get your shoes
and stockings and start home, for Mother is waiting supper for us."
"Luretta has my shoes," said Anna, and ran on to the door, where Luretta
was still waiting.
"Give me my shoes and stockings; quick, Lu! And then take all Melvina's
things and run, as fast as you can, to the----"
"Luretta! Luretta!" called Mrs. Foster; and Luretta with a hurried
whisper: "Oh, Anna! I haven't her things. Don't say a word about
Melvina," vanished into the house.
"Come, Anna," called Rebecca reprovingly. "Father will come to look for
us if you do not hasten. Why did not Luretta give you back your shoes
and stockings?" she asked as Anna came slowly down the path. "It's a
stupid game for her to keep them, I will say;" and she put a protecting
arm across her sister's shoulder. "But do not feel bad, Dan, dear; she
will bring them over before bedtime, if the storm holds off; and Mother
has 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 may
not notice your bare feet," exclaimed Rebecca.
Usually the Reverend Mr. Lyon was very ceremonious in his greeting to
the children of the parish; but to-night he wasted no time in
salutations.
"Have you seen Melvina?" he asked anxiously. "She left home early this
afternoon 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 home
from Mr. Foster's, and have seen naught of Melvina."
Mr. Lyon turned and hurried back toward the main path, where London Atus
was inquiring at every house if anyone had seen his little mistress; but
no one had news of her.
"What can have befallen Melvina Lyon? And there's a storm coming up. I
do hope no harm has come to her," said Rebecca, as she hurried Anna
along 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 hope
we'll reach home before it breaks," and she started to run, pulling Anna
along 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 wished
only to outrun her in the race home. So she ran quickly after her, and
when at the turn by the blacksmith shop she lost sight of Anna she only
thought that the younger girl was hidden by the turn of the path, and
not until she pushed open the kitchen door did Rebecca realize that Anna
had run away from her, that she had not meant to come home.
"Just in time," said Mr. Weston, drawing Rebecca in and closing the door
against 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 night
at Mr. Foster's."