The "Araminta," which was the name of Captain Perez's power dory--a
name, so the captain invariably explained, "wished onto her" before
he bought her--chugged along steadily if not swiftly. The course
was always in protected water, inside the outer beaches or through
the narrow channels between the sand islands, and so there were no
waves to contend with and no danger. Jed, in the course of his
varied experience afloat and ashore, had picked up a working
knowledge of gasoline engines and, anyhow, as he informed his small
passenger, the "Araminta's" engine didn't need any expert handling.
"She runs just like some folks' tongues; just get her started and
she'll clack along all day," he observed, adding philosophically,
"and that's a good thing--in an engine."
"I know whose tongue you're thinking about, Uncle Jed," declared
Barbara. "It's Mr. Gabe Bearse's."
Jed was much amused; he actually laughed aloud. "Gabe and this
engine are different in one way, though," he said. "It's within
the bounds of human possibility to stop this engine."
They threaded the last winding channel and came out into the bay.
Across, on the opposite shore, the new sheds and lumber piles of
what was to be the aviation camp loomed raw and yellow in the
sunlight. A brisk breeze ruffled the blue water and the pines on
the hilltops shook their heads and shrugged their green shoulders.
The "Araminta" chugged across the bay, rising and falling ever so
little on the miniature rollers.
"What shall we do, Uncle Jed?" asked Barbara. "Shall we go to see
the camp or shall we have our chowder and luncheon first and then
go?"
Jed took out his watch, shook it and held it to his ear--a
precautionary process rendered necessary because of his habit of
forgetting to wind it--then after a look at the dial, announced
that, as it was only half-past ten, perhaps they had better go to
the camp first.
"You see," he observed, "if we eat now we shan't hardly know
whether we're late to breakfast or early to dinner."
Barbara was surprised.
"Why, Uncle Jed!" she exclaimed, "I had breakfast ever so long ago!
Didn't you?"
"I had it about the same time you did, I cal'late. But my
appetite's older than yours and it don't take so much exercise; I
guess that's the difference. We'll eat pretty soon. Let's go and
look the place over first."
They landed in a little cove on the beach adjoining the Government
reservation. Jed declared it a good place to make a fire, as it
was sheltered from the wind. He anchored the boat at the edge of
the channel and then, pulling up the tops of his long-legged rubber
boots, carried his passenger ashore. Another trip or two landed
the kettle, the materials for the chowder and the lunch baskets.
Jed looked at the heap on the beach and then off at the boat.
"Now," he said, slowly, "the question is what have I left aboard
that I ought to have fetched ashore and what have I fetched here
that ought to be left there? . . . Hum. . . . I wonder."
"What makes you think you've done anything like that, Uncle Jed?"
asked Barbara.
"Eh? . . . Oh, I don't think it, I know it. I've boarded with
myself for forty-five year and I know if there's anything I can get
cross-eyed I'll do it. Just as likely as not I've made the bucket
of clams fast to that rope out yonder and hove it overboard, and
pretty soon you'll see me tryin' to make chowder out of the
anchor. . . . Ah hum. . . well. . . .
'As numberless as the sands on the seashore,
As numberless as the sands on the shore,
Oh, what a sight 'twill be, when the ransomed host we see,
As numberless as--'
Well, what do you say? Shall we heave ahead for the place where
Uncle Sam's birds are goin' to nest--his two-legged birds, I mean?"
They walked up the beach a little way, then turned inland, climbed
a dune covered with beachgrass and emerged upon the flat meadows
which would soon be the flying field. They walked about among the
sheds, the frames of the barracks, and inspected the office
building from outside. There were gangs of workmen, carpenters,
plumbers and shovelers, but almost no uniforms. Barbara was
disappointed.
"But there ARE soldiers here," she declared. "Mamma said there
were, officer soldiers, you know."
"I cal'late there ain't very many yet," explained her companion.
"Only the few that's in charge, I guess likely. By and by there'll
be enough, officers and men both, but now there's only carpenters
and such."
"But there are SOME officer ones--" insisted Babbie. "I wonder--
Oh, see, Uncle Jed, through that window--see, aren't those
soldiers? They've got on soldier clothes."
Jed presumed likely that they were. Barbara nodded, sagely. "And
they're officers, too," she said, "I'm sure they are because
they're in the office. Do they call them officers because they
work in offices, Uncle Jed?"
After an hour's walking about they went back to the place where
they had left the boat and Jed set about making the chowder.
Barbara watched him build the fire and open the clams, but then,
growing tired of sitting still, she was seized with an idea.
"Uncle Jed," she asked, "can't you whittle me a shingle boat? You
know you did once at our beach at home. And there's the cunningest
little pond to sail it on. Mamma would let me sail it there, I
know, 'cause it isn't a bit deep. You come and see, Uncle Jed."
The "pond" was a puddle, perhaps twenty feet across, left by the
outgoing tide. Its greatest depth was not more than a foot. Jed
absent-mindedly declared the pond to be safe enough but that he
could not make a shingle boat, not having the necessary shingle.
"Would you if you had one?" persisted the young lady.
"Eh? . . . Oh, yes, sartin, I guess so."
"All right. Here is one. I picked it up on top of that little
hill. I guess it blew there. It's blowing ever so much harder up
there than it is here on the beach."
The shingle boat being hurriedly made, its owner begged for a paper
sail. "The other one you made me had a paper sail, Uncle Jed."
Jed pleaded that he had no paper. "There's some wrapped 'round the
lunch," he said, "but it's all butter and such. 'Twouldn't be any
good for a sail. Er--er--don't you think we'd better put off
makin' the sail till we get home or--or somewheres? This chowder
is sort of on my conscience this minute."
Babbie evidently did not think so. She went away on an exploring
expedition. In a few minutes she returned, a sheet of paper in her
hand.
"It was blowing around just where I found the shingle," she
declared. "It's a real nice place to find things, up on that hill
place, Uncle Jed."
Jed took the paper, looked at it absently--he had taken off his
coat during the fire-building and his glasses were presumably in
the coat pocket--and then hastily doubled it across, thrust the
mast of the "shingle boat" through it at top and bottom, and handed
the craft to his small companion.
"There!" he observed; "there she is, launched, rigged and all but
christened. Call her the--the 'Geranium'--the 'Sunflower'--what's
the name of that doll baby of yours? Oh, yes, the 'Petunia.' Call
her that and set her afloat."
But Barbara shook her head.
"I think," she said, "if you don't mind, Uncle Jed, I shall call
this one 'Ruth,' that's Mamma's name, you know. The other one you
made me was named for Petunia, and we wouldn't want to name 'em ALL
for her. It might make her too--too-- Oh, what ARE those things
you make, Uncle Jed? In the shop, I mean."
"Eh? Windmills?"
"No. The others--those you tell the wind with. I know--vanes. It
might make Petunia too vain. That's what Mamma said I mustn't be
when I had my new coat, the one with the fur, you know."
She trotted off. Jed busied himself with the chowder. A few
minutes later a voice behind him said: "Hi, there!" He turned to
see a broad-shouldered stranger, evidently a carpenter or workman
of some sort, standing at the top of the sand dune and looking down
at him with marked interest.
"Hi, there!" repeated the stranger.
Jed nodded; his attention was centered on the chowder. "How d'ye
do?" he observed, politely. "Nice day, ain't it? . . . Hum. . . .
About five minutes more."
The workman strode down the bank.
"Say," he demanded, "have you seen anything of a plan?"
"Eh? . . . Hum. . . . Two plates and two spoons . . . and two
tumblers. . . ."
"Hey! Wake up! Have you seen anything of a plan, I ask you?"
"Eh? . . . A plan? . . . No, I guess not. . . . No, I ain't. . . .
What is it?"
"What IS it? How do you know you ain't seen it if you don't know
what it is?"
"Eh? . . . I don't, I guess likely."
"Say, you're a queer duck, it strikes me. What are you up to?
What are you doin' here, anyway?"
Jed took the cover from the kettle and stirred the fragrant,
bubbling mass with a long-handled spoon.
"About done," he mused, slowly. "Just . . . about . . . done.
Give her two minutes more for luck and then. . . ."
But his visitor was becoming impatient. "Are you deaf or are you
tryin' to get my goat?" he demanded. "Because if you are you're
pretty close to doin' it, I'll tell you that. You answer when I
speak to you; understand? What are you doin' here?"
His tone was so loud and emphatic that even Mr. Winslow could not
help but hear and understand. He looked up, vaguely troubled.
"I--I hope you'll excuse me, Mister," he stammered. "I'm afraid I
haven't been payin' attention the way I'd ought to. You see, I'm
makin' a chowder here and it's just about got to the place where
you can't--"
"Look here, you," began his questioner, but he was interrupted in
his turn. Over the edge of the bank came a young man in the khaki
uniform of the United States Army. He was an officer, a second
lieutenant, and a very young and very new second lieutenant at
that. His face was white and he seemed much agitated.
"What's the matter here?" he demanded. Then, seeing Jed for the
first time, he asked: "Who is this man and what is he doing here?"
"That's just what I was askin' him, sir," blustered the workman.
"I found him here with this fire goin' and I asked him who he was
and what he was doin'. I asked him first if he'd seen the plan--"
"Had he?" broke in the young officer, eagerly. Then, addressing
Jed, he said: "Have you seen anything of the plan?"
Jed slowly shook his head. "I don't know's I know what you mean by
a plan," he explained. "I ain't been here very long. I just-- My
soul and body!"
He snatched the kettle from the fire, took off the cover, sniffed
anxiously, and then added, with a sigh of relief, "Whew! I declare
I thought I smelt it burnin'. Saved it just in time. Whew!"
The lieutenant looked at Jed and then at the workman. The latter
shook his head.
"Don't ask me, sir," he said. "That's the way he's been actin'
ever since I struck here. Either he's batty or else he's
pretendin' to be, one or the other. Look here, Rube!" he roared at
the top of his lungs, "can the cheap talk and answer the
lieutenant's questions or you'll get into trouble. D'ye hear?"
Jed looked up at him. "I'm pretty nigh sure I should hear if you
whispered a little louder," he said, gently.
The young officer drew himself up. "That's enough of this," he
ordered. "A plan has been lost here on this reservation, a
valuable plan, a drawing of--well, a drawing that has to do with
the laying out of this camp and which might be of value to the
enemy if he could get it. It was on my table in the office less
than an hour ago. Now it is missing. What we are asking you is
whether or not you have seen anything of it. Have you?"
Jed shook his head. "I don't think I have," he replied.
"You don't think? Don't you know? What is the matter with you?
Is it impossible for you to answer yes or no to a question?"
"Um--why, yes, I cal'late 'tis--to some questions."
"Well, by George! You're fresh enough."
"Now--now, if you please, I wasn't intendin' to be fresh. I just--"
"Well, you are. Who is this fellow? How does he happen to be
here? Does any one know?"
Jed's first interrogator, the big workman, being the only one
present beside the speaker and the object of the question, took it
upon himself to answer.
"I don't know who he is," he said. "And he won't tell why he's
here. Looks mighty suspicious to me. Shouldn't wonder if he was a
German spy. They're all around everywheres, so the papers say."
This speech had a curious effect. The stoop in the Winslow
shoulders disappeared. Jed's tall form straightened. When he
spoke it was in a tone even more quiet and deliberate than usual,
but there could be no shadow of a doubt that he meant what he said.
"Excuse me, Mister," he drawled, "but there's one or two names that
just now I can't allow anybody to call me. 'German' is one and
'spy' is another. And you put 'em both together. I guess likely
you was only foolin', wasn't you?"
The workman looked surprised. Then he laughed. "Shall I call a
guard, sir?" he asked, addressing the lieutenant. "Better have him
searched, I should say. Nine chances to one he's got the plan in
his pocket."
The officer--he was very young--hesitated. Jed, who had not taken
his eyes from the face of the man who had called him a German spy,
spoke again.
"You haven't answered me yet," he drawled. "You was only foolin'
when you said that, wasn't you?"
The lieutenant, who may have felt that he had suddenly become a
negligible factor in the situation, essayed to take command of it.
"Shut up," he ordered, addressing Winslow. Then to the other,
"Yes, call a guard. We'll see if we can't get a straight answer
from this fellow. Hurry up."
The workman turned to obey. But, to his surprise, his path was
blocked by Jed, who quietly stepped in front of him.
"I guess likely, if you wasn't foolin', you'd better take back what
you called me," said Jed.
They looked at each other. The workman was tall and strong, but
Jed, now that he was standing erect, was a little taller. His
hands, which hung at his sides, were big and his arms long. And in
his mild blue eye there was a look of unshakable determination.
The workman saw that look and stood still.
"Hurry up!" repeated the lieutenant.
Just how the situation might have ended is uncertain. How it did
end was in an unexpected manner. From the rear of the trio, from
the top of the sandy ridge separating the beach from the meadow, a
new voice made itself heard.
"Well, Rayburn, what's the trouble?" it asked.
The lieutenant turned briskly, so, too, did Mr. Winslow and his
vis-a-vis. Standing at the top of the ridge was another officer.
He was standing there looking down upon them and, although he was
not smiling, Jed somehow conceived the idea that he was much amused
about something. Now he descended the ridge and walked toward the
group by the fire.
"Well, Rayburn, what is it?" he asked again.
The lieutenant saluted.
"Why--why, Major Grover," he stammered, "we--that is I found this
man here on the Government property and--and he won't explain what
he's doing here. I--I asked him if he had seen anything of the
plan and he won't answer. I was just going to put him under arrest
as--as a suspicious person when you came."
Major Grover turned and inspected Jed, and Jed, for his part,
inspected the major. He saw a well set-up man of perhaps thirty-
five, dark-haired, brown-eyed and with a closely clipped mustache
above a pleasant mouth and a firm chin. The inspection lasted a
minute or more. Then the major said:
"So you're a suspicious character, are you?"
Jed's hand moved across his chin in the gesture habitual with him.
"I never knew it afore," he drawled. "A suspicious character is an
important one, ain't it? I--er--I'm flattered."
"Humph! Well, you realize it now, I suppose?"
"Cal'late I'll have to, long's your--er--chummie there says it's
so."
The expression of horror upon Lieutenant Rayburn's face at hearing
himself referred to as "chummie" to his superior officer was worth
seeing.
"Oh, I say, sir!" he explained. The major paid no attention.
"What were you and this man," indicating the big carpenter,
"bristling up to each other for?" he inquired.
"Well, this guy he--" began the workman. Major Grover motioned him
to be quiet.
"I asked the other fellow," he said. Jed rubbed his chin once
more.
"He said I was a German spy," he replied.
"Are you?"
"No." The answer was prompt enough and emphatic enough. Major
Grover tugged at the corner of his mustache.
"Well, I--I admit you don't look it," he observed, dryly. "What's
your name and who are you?"
Jed told his name, his place of residence and his business.
"Is there any one about here who knows you, who could prove you
were who you say you are?"
Mr. Winslow considered. "Ye-es," he drawled. "Ye-es, I guess so.
'Thoph Mullett and 'Bial Hardy and Georgie T. Nickerson and
Squealer Wixon, they're all carpenterin' over here and they're from
Orham and know me. Then there's Bluey Batcheldor and Emulous Baker
and 'Gawpy'--I mean Freddie G.--and--"
"There, there! That's quite sufficient, thank you. Do you know
any of those men?" he asked, turning to the workman.
"Yes, sir, I guess I do."
"Very well. Go up and bring two of them here; not more than two,
understand."
Jed's accuser departed. Major Grover resumed his catechizing.
"What were you doing here?" he asked.
"Eh? Me? Oh, I was just picnicin', as you might say, along with a
little girl, daughter of a neighbor of mine. She wanted to see
where the soldiers was goin' to fly, so I borrowed Perez Ryder's
power dory and we came over. 'Twas gettin' along dinner time and I
built a fire so as to cook. . . . My soul!" with a gasp of
consternation, "I forgot all about that chowder. And now it's got
stone cold. Yes, sir!" dropping on his knees and removing the
cover of the kettle, "stone cold or next door to it. Ain't that a
shame!"
Lieutenant Rayburn snorted in disgust. His superior officer,
however, merely smiled.
"Never mind the chowder just now," he said. "So you came over here
for a picnic, did you? Little late for picnics, isnt it?"
"Yes--ye-es," drawled Jed, "'tis kind of late, but 'twas a nice,
moderate day and Babbie she wanted to come, so--"
"Babbie? That's the little girl? . . . Oh," with a nod, "I
remember now. I saw a man with a little girl wandering about among
the buildings a little while ago. Was that you?"
"Ye-es, yes, that was me. . . . Tut, tut, tut! I'll have to warm
this chowder all up again now. That's too bad!"
Voices from behind the ridge announced the coming of the carpenter
and the two "identifiers." The latter, Mr. Emulous Baker and Mr.
"Squealer" Wixon, were on the broad grin.
"Yup, that's him," announced Mr. Wixon. "Hello, Shavin's! Got you
took up for a German spy, have they? That's a good one! haw, haw!"
"Do you know him?" asked the major.
"Know him?" Mr. Wixon guffawed again. "Known him all my life. He
lives over to Orham. Makes windmills and whirlagigs and such for
young-ones to play with. HE ain't any spy. His name's Jed
Winslow, but we always call him 'Shavin's,' 'count of his whittlin'
up so much good wood, you understand. Ain't that so, Shavin's?
Haw, haw!"
Jed regarded Mr. Wixon mournfully.
"Um-hm," he admitted. "I guess likely you're right, Squealer."
"I bet you! There's only one Shavin's in Orham."
Jed sighed. "There's consider'ble many squealers," he drawled;
"some in sties and some runnin' loose."
Major Grover, who had appeared to enjoy this dialogue, interrupted
it now.
"That would seem to settle the spy question," he said. "You may
go, all three of you," he added, turning to the carpenters. They
departed, Jed's particular enemy muttering to himself and Mr. Wixon
laughing uproariously. The major once more addressed Jed.
"Where is the little girl you were with?" he asked.
"Eh? Oh, she's over yonder just 'round the p'int, sailin' a
shingle boat I made her. Shall I call her?"
"No, it isn't necessary. Mr. Winslow, I'm sorry to have put you to
all this trouble and to have cooled your--er--chowder. There is no
regulation against visitors to our reservation here just now,
although there will be, of course, later on. There is a rule
against building fires on the beach, but you broke that in
ignorance, I'm sure. The reason why you have been cross-questioned
to-day is a special one. A construction plan has been lost, as
Lieutenant Rayburn here informed you. It was on his desk in the
office and it has disappeared. It may have been stolen, of course,
or, as both windows were open, it may have blown away. You are
sure you haven't seen anything of it? Haven't seen any papers
blowing about?"
"I'm sure it didn't blow away, sir," put in the lieutenant. "I'm
positive it was stolen. You see--"
He did not finish his sentence. The expression upon Jed's face
caused him to pause. Mr. Winslow's mouth and eyes were opening
wider and wider.
"Sho!" muttered Jed. "Sho, now! . . . 'Tain't possible that . . .
I snum if . . . Sho!"
"Well, what is it?" demanded both officers, practically in concert.
Jed did not reply. Instead he turned his head, put both hands to
his mouth and shouted "Babbie!" through them at the top of his
lungs. The third shout brought a faint, "Yes, Uncle Jed, I'm
coming."
"What are you calling her for?" asked Lieutenant Rayburn,
forgetting the presence of his superior officer in his anxious
impatience. Jed did not answer. He was kneeling beside his
jacket, which he had thrown upon the sand when he landed, and was
fumbling in the pockets. "Dear me! dear me!" he was muttering.
"I'm sartin they must be here. I KNOW I put 'em here because . . .
OW!"
He was kneeling and holding the coat with one hand while he fumbled
in the pockets with the other. Unconsciously he had leaned
backward until he sat upon his heels. Now, with an odd expression
of mingled pain and relief, he reached into the hip pocket of his
trousers and produced a pair of spectacles. He smiled his slow,
fleeting smile.
"There!" he observed, "I found 'em my way--backwards. Anybody else
would have found 'em by looking for 'em; I lost 'em lookin' for 'em
and found 'em by sittin' on 'em. . . . Oh, here you are, Babbie!
Sakes alive, you're sort of dampish."
She was all of that. She had come running in answer to his call
and had the shingle boat hugged close to her. The water from it
had trickled down the front of her dress. Her shoes and stockings
were splashed with wet sand.
"Is dinner ready, Uncle Jed?" she asked, eagerly. Then becoming
aware that the two strange gentlemen standing by the fire were
really and truly "officer ones," she looked wide-eyed up at them
and uttered an involuntary "Oh!"
"Babbie," said Jed, "let me see that boat of yours a minute, will
you?"
Babbie obediently handed it over. Jed inspected it through his
spectacles. Then he pulled the paper sail from the sharpened
stick--the mast--unfolded it, looked at it, and then extended it at
arm's length toward Major Grover.
"That's your plan thing, ain't it?" he asked, calmly.
Both officers reached for the paper, but the younger, remembering
in time, drew back. The other took it, gave it a quick glance, and
then turned again to Mr. Winslow.
"Where did you get this?" he asked, crisply.
Jed shook his head.
"She gave it to me, this little girl here," he explained. She
wanted a sail for that shingle craft I whittled out for her.
Course if I'd had on my specs I presume likely I'd have noticed
that 'twas an out of the common sort of paper, but--I was wearin'
'em in my pants pocket just then."
"Where did you get it?" demanded Rayburn, addressing Barbara. The
child looked frightened. Major Grover smiled reassuringly at her
and she stammered a rather faint reply.
"I found it blowing around up on the little hill there," she said,
pointing. "It was blowing real hard and I had to run to catch it
before it got to the edge of the water. I'm--I--I'm sorry I gave
it to Uncle Jed for a sail. I didn't know--and--and he didn't
either," she added, loyally.
"That's all right, my dear. Of course you didn't know. Well,
Rayburn," turning to the lieutenant, "there's your plan. You see
it did blow away, after all. I think you owe this young lady
thanks that it is not out in mid-channel by this time. Take it
back to the office and see if the holes in it have spoiled its
usefulness to any extent."
The lieutenant, very red in the face, departed, bearing his
precious plan. Jed heaved a sigh of relief.
"There!" he exclaimed, "now I presume likely I can attend to my
chowder."
"The important things of life, eh?" queried Major Grover.
"Um-hm. I don't know's there's anything much more important than
eatin'. It's a kind of expensive habit, but an awful hard one to
swear off of. . . . Hum. . . . Speakin' of important things, was
that plan of yours very important, Mr.--I mean Major?"
"Rather--yes."
"Sho! . . . And I stuck it on a stick and set it afloat on a
shingle. I cal'late if Sam Hunniwell knew of that he'd say 'twas
characteristic. . . . Hum. . . . Sho! . . . I read once about a
feller that found where the great seal of England was hid and he
used it to crack nuts with. I guess likely that feller must have
been my great, great, great granddad."
Major Grover looked surprised.
"I've read that story," he said, "but I can't remember where."
Jed was stirring his chowder. "Eh?" he said, absently. "Where?
Oh, 'twas in--the--er--'Prince and the Pauper,' you know. Mark
Twain wrote it."
"That's so; I remember now. So you've read 'The Prince and the
Pauper'?"
"Um-hm. Read about everything Mark Twain ever wrote, I shouldn't
wonder."
"Do you read a good deal?"
"Some. . . . There! Now we'll call that chowder done for the
second time, I guess. Set down and pass your plate, Babbie.
You'll set down and have a bite with us, won't you, Mr.--Major--I
snum I've forgot your name. You mustn't mind; I forget my own
sometimes."
"Grover. I am a major in the Engineers, stationed here for the
present to look after this construction work. No, thank you, I
should like to stay, but I must go back to my office."
"Dear, dear! That's too bad. Babbie and I would like first-rate
to have you stay. Wouldn't we, Babbie?"
Barbara nodded.
"Yes, sir," she said. "And the chowder will be awf'ly good. Uncle
Jed's chowders always are."
"I'm sure of it." Major Grover's look of surprise was more evident
than ever as he gazed first at Barbara and then at Mr. Winslow.
His next question was addressed to the latter.
"So you are this young lady's uncle?" he inquired. It was Barbara
who answered.
"Not my really uncle," she announced. "He's just my make-believe
uncle. He says he's my step-uncle 'cause he comes to our back
steps so much. But he's almost better than a real uncle," she
declared, emphatically.
The major laughed heartily and said he was sure of it. He seemed
to find the pair hugely entertaining.
"Well, good-by," he said. "I hope you and your uncle will visit us
again soon. And I hope next time no one will take him for a spy."
Jed looked mournfully at the fire. "I've been took for a fool
often enough," he observed, "but a spy is a consider'ble worse
guess."
Grover looked at him. "I'm not so sure," he said. "I imagine both
guesses would be equally bad. Well, good-by. Don't forget to come
again."
"Thank you, thank you. And when you're over to Orham drop in some
day and see Babbie and me. Anybody--the constable or anybody--will
tell you where I live."
Their visitor laughed, thanked him, and hurried away. Said Barbara
between spoonfuls:
"He's a real nice officer one, isn't he, Uncle Jed? Petunia and I
like him."
During the rest of the afternoon they walked along the beach,
picked up shells, inspected "horse-foot" crabs, jelly fish and
"sand collars," and enjoyed themselves so thoroughly that it was
after four when they started for home. The early October dusk
settled down as they entered the winding channel between the sand
islands and the stretches of beaches. Barbara, wrapped in an old
coat of Captain Perez's, which, smelling strongly of fish, had been
found in a locker, seemed to be thinking very hard and, for a
wonder, saying little. At last she broke the silence.
"That Mr. Major officer man was 'stonished when I called you 'Uncle
Jed,'" she observed. "Why, do you s'pose?"
Jed whistled a few bars and peered over the side at the seaweed
marking the border of the narrow, shallow channel.
"I cal'late," he drawled, after a moment, "that he hadn't noticed
how much we look alike."
It was Barbara's turn to be astonished.
"But we DON'T look alike, Uncle Jed," she declared. "Not a single
bit."
Jed nodded. "No-o," he admitted. "I presume that's why he didn't
notice it."
This explanation, which other people might have found somewhat
unsatisfactory, appeared to satisfy Miss Armstrong; at any rate she
accepted it without comment. There was another pause in the
conversation. Then she said:
"I don't know, after all, as I ought to call you 'Uncle Jed,' Uncle
Jed."
"Eh? Why not, for the land sakes?"
"'Cause uncles make people cry in our family. I heard Mamma crying
last night, after she thought I was asleep. And I know she was
crying about Uncle Charlie. She cried when they took him away, you
know, and now she cries when he's coming home again. She cried
awf'ly when they took him away."
"Oh, she did, eh?"
"Yes. He used to live with Mamma and me at our house in
Middleford. He's awful nice, Uncle Charlie is, and Petunia and I
were very fond of him. And then they took him away and we haven't
seen him since."
"He's been sick, maybe."
"Perhaps so. But he must be well again now cause he's coming home;
Mamma said so."
"Um-hm. Well, I guess that was it. Probably he had to go to the--
the hospital or somewhere and your ma has been worried about him.
He's had an operation maybe. Lots of folks have operations
nowadays; it's got to be the fashion, seems so."
The child reflected.
"Do they have to have policemen come to take you to the hospital?"
she asked.
"Eh? . . . Policemen?"
"Yes. 'Twas two big policemen took Uncle Charlie away the first
time. We were having supper, Mamma and he and I, and Nora went to
the door when the bell rang and the big policemen came and Uncle
Charlie went away with them. And Mamma cried so. And she wouldn't
tell me a bit about. . . . Oh! OH! I've told about the policemen!
Mamma said I mustn't ever, EVER tell anybody that. And--and I did!
I DID!"
Aghast at her own depravity, she began to sob. Jed tried to
comfort her and succeeded, after a fashion, at least she stopped
crying, although she was silent most of the way home. And Jed
himself was silent also. He shared her feeling of guilt. He felt
that he had been told something which neither he nor any outsider
should have heard, and his sensitive spirit found little
consolation in the fact that the hearing of it had come through no
fault of his. Besides, he was not so sure that he had been
faultless. He had permitted the child's disclosures to go on when,
perhaps, he should have stopped them. By the time the "Araminta's"
nose slid up on the sloping beach at the foot of the bluff before
the Winslow place she held two conscience-stricken culprits instead
of one.
And if Ruth Armstrong slept but little that night, as her daughter
said had been the case the night before, she was not the only
wakeful person in that part of Orham. She would have been
surprised if she had known that her eccentric neighbor and landlord
was also lying awake and that his thoughts were of her and her
trouble. For Jed, although he had heard but the barest fragment of
the story of "Uncle Charlie," a mere hint dropped from the lips of
a child who did not understand the meaning of what she said, had
heard enough to make plain to him that the secret which the young
widow was hiding from the world was a secret involving sorrow and
heartbreak for herself and shame and disgrace for others. The
details he did not know, nor did he wish to know them; he was
entirely devoid of that sort of curiosity. Possession of the
little knowledge which had been given him, or, rather, had been
thrust upon him, and which Gabe Bearse would have considered a
gossip treasure trove, a promise of greater treasures to be
diligently mined, to Jed was a miserable, culpable thing, like the
custody of stolen property. He felt wicked and mean, as if he had
been caught peeping under a window shade.