A CANDY PARTY
The next morning proved warm and pleasant with only a light breeze, but
Captain Enos had his sloop ready at an early hour, and when Anne, with Mr.
Freeman and Rose, came down to the wharf he was anxious to start at once.
Anne still wore the blue cape, which Mrs. Freeman had insisted on giving
her, and the hat was in a round pasteboard box, which Anne carried
carefully, and which was put away in the cabin with Aunt Martha's new
shawl and the cloth for Anne's new dress.
As the sloop sailed away from the wharf Anne waved her hand to Rose
Freeman until she could no longer see her. Captain Enos watched the little
girl anxiously; he was half afraid that Anne might be disappointed because
she could not stay with her father, but her face was bright and smiling.
"Where is the packet your father handed you?" Captain Enos questioned
eagerly, as soon as his sloop was clear of the wharf.
"I have it pinned safe inside my frock," she answered. "Shall I give it to
you now, Uncle Enos?"
"Maybe 'Tis safer with you, Anne," replied the captain. "It may be that
some British boat will overhaul us, and question us. I'm doing an errand,
Anne, for your father. If this boat is taken and I am made a prisoner, you
are to say that you want to go to Newburyport. That and no more. Mayhap
they'll set you ashore there. Then make your way to Squire Coffin's house
as best you may. Give him the packet. Tell him the story, and he'll find a
way to reach your father. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Uncle Enos," said Anne very soberly.
"Repeat what I have told you, that I may be sure," said Captain Enos, and
Anne obeyed.
"But I do not want to be set ashore in a strange place," she said soberly.
"How should I get back to Province Town?"
"You will be taken care of, never fear," responded Captain Enos, "and
you'll be doing a good service to the cause of liberty, Anne, if you carry
the papers safely. Your Aunt Martha will indeed be proud of you. Remember
what I have told you. But I hope to slip in behind Plum Island and make a
landing without being seen. The wind is favoring us. You have had a fine
visit, Anne?"
"Yes, indeed!" agreed the little girl, "and I have a present for Aunt
Martha," she said, as the sloop ran out among the islands. "See, my father
gave me this for her," and she held up a gold coin. "Will she not be
pleased?"
"But she will be better pleased to have you safe home again," said Captain
Enos. "What do you think Amanda Cary will say when she hears of your
voyage to Boston and of all the fine things you have seen there? 'Tis not
many of the children in Province Town have ever taken such a journey."
"She will think it a better voyage than the one we took to House Point
Island," answered Anne. "I have something for Amanda, too. Rose Freeman
gave me a package of barley sugar, and I said to myself I would take it
home to Amanda."
Captain Enos kept a watchful eye for suspicious looking craft. But his
course lay well inshore, and he was apparently not noticed by any of the
vessels. Before noon he was cruising along the Ipswich shore, and made his
landing at Newburyport without having been spoken.
"The worst part of the business is before us," he said to Anne, as he made
the boat fast. "If I leave the boat here, I may come back and find no
trace of her, but leave her I must, or Squire Coffin will wait in vain for
the papers."
"But I can carry them," said Anne. "Tell me where to go, and I'll come
straight back and say no word of my errand."
"'Tis the best possible way. Did I not say that you were a wise child!"
declared Captain Enos, his face beaming with delight. "Put on your pretty
hat and cape, and follow that lane up to the main road. Then ask for
Squire Coffin's house of the first person you meet."
In a few moments Anne was ready to start. As she walked up the lane
Captain Enos's eyes followed her anxiously. "I can see no danger in it for
the child," he said aloud, and then, sailor fashion, set about putting his
boat in order.
"'twill be a cold night, but the cabin will be snug and warm," he thought.
"I'll get out of here before sunset and maybe make Province Town by
daybreak."
Anne walked up the pleasant lane. Her feet sank deep in the leaves from
the overarching trees, and made a cheerful, crackling sound. She could see
the roofs of houses not far away, and as she turned from the lane into a
road she met two girls not much larger than herself. They looked at her
curiously, and when Anne stopped they smiled in a friendly way.
"Would you please to tell me where I can find Squire Coffin?" Anne asked,
feeling very brave and a little important.
"Squire Coffin is my uncle," the larger of the two girls replied. "I'm
going there now."
"I have an errand," Anne explained.
"Oh!" responded both the little girls, but Anne could see that they
wondered who this strange little girl could be, and what her errand was.
"You may come with us if you want to," Squire Coffin's niece said, and
Anne was very glad to walk with these silent little girls, for neither of
them spoke again until they stopped in front of a tall, square white house
very near the street. As Anne looked up at it she thought that she had
never seen so many windows before in one house. "That's Uncle Coffin on
the porch," explained his niece.
"Thank you," said Anne, and as the two little girls politely curtseyed she
endeavored to imitate them, and with apparent success. Then she went up
the stone steps toward the dignified looking gentleman who stood in the
doorway.
She held the packet under her cape, and as she came near him she
whispered, as Captain Enos had told her to do, "This is from Boston."
"Great George!" he exclaimed grabbing the package, in what seemed a very
rude manner to Anne, and putting it quickly in his pocket, "and how came
you by it?"
But Anne remembered her promise to keep quiet, and she also remembered
that the squire's niece had made the queer little curtsey on saying
good-bye. So Anne bobbed very prettily to the squire, and said "good-bye,"
and ran down the steps, leaving the squire standing amazed. It was many
weeks before he learned the name of the little maid, and that her home was
in Province Town.
[Illustration: "THIS IS FROM BOSTON"]
It was an easy matter to find her way back to the lane. There was an
orchard just at the corner of the road, and a man was gathering apples.
"Want an apple?" he called.
"Yes, sir," answered Anne, and now, being rather proud of her new
accomplishment, she curtseyed very politely.
"Well, well, you are a young lady, miss. Come up to the fence and I'll
hand you the apples." Anne obeyed, and the good-natured man gave her two
big red-cheeked apples. They seemed very wonderful to the little girl from
the sandy shore village, where apples were not often to be seen, and she
thanked him delightedly.
Captain Enos was watching for her, and as soon as she was on board he
swung the sloop clear of the wharf, ran up his mainsail and headed toward
the outer channel. As they looked back at the little wharf they saw a tall
man come running down the lane.
"I reckon that's the squire," chuckled Captain Enos.
"Yes, it is," said Anne.
"Well, now for Province Town. I guess we've helped a little bit, Anne. At
least you have."
Anne was eating one of the big red apples, and thinking about Squire
Coffin's big house and small niece.
"We'll tell Aunt Martha all that's happened," went on Captain Enos, "but
do not speak to any one else of it, Anne. 'Twould make trouble for your
father and for me if our trip to Newburyport was known."
"I'll not speak of it," Anne promised.
"It has been a good trip," said Captain Enos. "Mr. Freeman paid me well
for the fish. I have a keg of molasses in the cabin, which will be welcome
news for Martha."
As they came into harbor at sunrise next morning and Captain Enos dropped
anchor and lowered the big mainsail, Anne looked eagerly toward the shore.
She could see Jimmie Starkweather and his father watching them. After
Captain Enos had lowered the keg of molasses into the dory, and put in the
box that held Anne's hat, and the other packages, he helped Anne over the
side of the sloop to a seat in the bow of the dory.
As soon as the boat touched the shore Jimmie and his father ran down to
help draw it up on the beach. Jimmie looked at Captain Enos as if he half
expected a scolding, but as soon as Captain Enos landed he patted the
boy's shoulder kindly, and said:
"The little maid has told me all about it. You were not greatly to blame,
Jimmie. And the trip turned out all right."
"I saw my father," said Anne, and then ran away toward home, leaving
Captain Enos to tell of the visit to Boston.
Aunt Martha had seen the sloop come to anchor, and was waiting at the door
to welcome Anne.
"Uncle Enos and I have a secret with my father," Anne whispered to Mrs.
Stoddard, "and we have been to Newburyport." And then the story of the
wonderful trip was told, and Anne showed Mrs. Stoddard how she had
curtseyed to the squire.
"Well! Well!" exclaimed the good woman in amazement. "It does seem as if
you had all sorts of adventures, Anne. To think of Enos undertaking such a
thing. I'm proud of you both. 'twill be a fine story to tell your
grandchildren, Anne. How you carried news from Boston patriots to
Newburyport. But do not speak of it till we are through with all these
troublous days." And again Anne promised to keep silent.
"To think you should run off like that, child," continued Aunt Martha.
"When Jimmie Starkweather came up and told me you were gone I could scarce
believe him till I had climbed the stairs to the loft and found no trace
of you. But I am right glad you wore your shoes and stockings. Where did
the blue cape come from?"
By this time they were in the kitchen, and Anne had put down the box that
held her hat.
"Mrs. Freeman gave it to me," she replied, "and see! I have a new hat!"
and she opened the box and took out the pretty hat.
"I thought thy uncle would take thee straight to Mistress Freeman," said
Mrs. Stoddard.
"And we found my father," went on Anne happily, "and he sent thee this,"
and she drew the gold piece from her pocket and gave it to Mrs. Stoddard.
"Well, well," said Aunt Martha, "'Tis a fine piece of money, and your
father is kind to send it. I will use it well."
"And Uncle Enos has fetched you a fine shawl and a keg of molasses," said
Anne. "You do not think there was great harm in my hiding in the sloop,
Aunt Martha?" The little girl's face was so troubled that Aunt Martha gave
her another kiss, and said:
"It has turned out well, but thee must never do so again. Suppose a great
storm had come up and swept the sloop from her moorings that night?"
"Rose Freeman looks just like a rose," said Anne, feeling quite sure that
Aunt Martha was not displeased; "and she walks so softly that you can
hardly hear her, and she speaks softly, too. I am going to walk and speak
just as she does."
"That is right," agreed Mrs. Stoddard. "I am sure that she is a
well-spoken girl."
When Captain Enos came up the hill toward home Anne had already put her
blue cape and hat carefully away, and was sitting near the fire with the
white kitten curled up in her lap.
"The Freemans do not eat in their kitchen," said Anne, as they sat down to
supper; "they eat in a square room with a shining floor, and where there
is a high mantel-shelf with china images."
"'Tis a fine house," agreed Captain Enos, "well built of brick. 'twas a
great thing for Anne to see it."
"'Tis not so pleasant a house as this," said Anne. "I could not see the
harbor from any window, and the shore is not smooth and sandy like the
shores of our harbor."
Captain Enos smiled and nodded.
"That's right, Anne," he said; "Boston houses may do for town people, but
we sailor-folk like our own best."
"Yes, indeed!" replied Anne, "and I do not believe a beach-plum grows on
their shore. And nothing I tasted there was so good as Aunt Martha's meal
bread."
The next morning Anne started for school, wearing the new shoes and
scarlet stockings and the little plaid shawl. The children were all
anxious to hear about what she saw in Boston, and she told them of the
soldiers on the Common, and of the shops, and of the houses made of brick
and stone, and she showed Amanda how to make the wonderful curtsey. But
Elder Haven soon called them to take their seats, and it was not until the
noon recess that she found a chance to speak alone with Amanda.
The two little girls sat down on the front door-step of Elder Haven's
house, and Anne told of the wonderful sail to Boston, and had just begun
to describe Rose Freeman when the teacher's voice was heard calling them
in.
As soon as school closed for the day, Amanda said that she could walk home
with Anne and see the new cape and hat, and hear more about Rose Freeman.
"Would you like better to live in Boston than here?" asked Amanda, as they
walked along.
Anne looked at her in surprise.
"Why, Amanda!" she said; "of course I wouldn't. It is not seemly there to
go out-of-doors without a hat; and Rose Freeman said that she had never
been barefooted in her life. She has fine white stockings knit of cotton
yarn for summer, and low shiny shoes that she called 'slippers.'"
"'Twould be hard to wear shoes all the year," agreed Amanda, looking down
at her own stout leather shoes, "but I like them well now."
"I brought you a present from Boston," said Anne just as they reached the
Stoddards' door. "Rose Freeman gave it to me, and I saved it for you."
"Well, Amanda," said Mrs. Stoddard, as the two girls came into the
kitchen, "are you not glad to have Anne safe home again? 'twas quite a
journey to take."
"She likes Province Town better than Boston," answered Amanda smilingly.
"To be sure she does, and why not?" replied Mrs. Stoddard. "There are few
places where there is so much salt water to be seen as here, and no better
place for fishing. Now, Anne, I have a little surprise for you. I have
asked Mr. and Mrs. Starkweather and their six boys to come up this
evening, and your father and mother, Amanda, and you and Amos. The
evenings are getting fine and long now and we must begin to be
neighborly."
"Then I mustn't stay long now," said Amanda; "it will be pleasant to come
up here again in the evening."
Amanda tried on Anne's blue cape and hat, looked admiringly at Mrs.
Stoddard's shining gold piece and brown shawl, and then Anne handed her
the package of barley sugar.
"I will keep it," said Amanda, gratefully; "'twould seem ungrateful to eat
a present."
Mrs. Stoddard nodded. "Keep it until Sunday, Amanda," she said, "but then
it will be well to eat a part of it."
"But can she not taste it now?" asked Anne. "I am sure it is good. It came
out of a big glass jar in a shop."
"I see I must tell you two little girls a secret," said Mrs. Stoddard,
"but Amanda must not tell Amos."
"No, indeed," said Amanda quickly.
"It is about this evening," said Mrs. Stoddard; "I am going to make a fine
dish of molasses candy!"
"Oh, Aunt Martha!" "Oh, Mistress Stoddard!" exclaimed the little girls
together.
"It has been years since I tasted any myself," went on Mrs. Stoddard, "but
I remember well how it is made; and I do not believe one of you children
has ever tasted it."
"My mother has told us about it," said Amanda, "and said that when times
were better she would make us some."
"We all need cheering up," said Mrs. Stoddard, "and I am glad I can give
you children a treat to remember. Now, Amanda, you see why it will be best
not to eat your barley sugar until Sunday."
"I have good times every day since I gave you the white kitten," said
Amanda, as she bade Anne good-bye, and started for home.
"We must bring all our chairs into the kitchen to-night, Anne," said Aunt
Martha, as soon as supper was finished, "for even then I doubt if there be
seats enough for our company."
"I had best bring in my long bench from the shed," said Captain Enos;
"'twill be just the thing to put a row of Starkweather boys on."
"The youngest is but two years old," said Mrs. Stoddard; "'Tis like he
will find our bed a good resting place."
Mr. and Mrs. Cary with Amos and Amanda were the first to arrive, and as
they came in Captain Enos put two big pieces of pitch pine on the fire. In
a moment it blazed up making the kitchen as light as day.
The Starkweathers, climbing up the sandy hill, saw the bright light
shining through the windows of the little house, and Mrs. Starkweather
exclaimed:
"Does it not look cheerful? To think of us all coming to a merrymaking! It
was surely a kind thought of Mistress Stoddard's."
"Shall we play games?" asked Daniel, the boy next younger than Jimmie.
"It may be," answered his mother, "and you boys must be quiet and not
rough in your play. Remember there is a little girl in the house."
The youngest Starkweather boy, carried carefully by his father, was sound
asleep when they reached the Stoddards', and was put comfortably down on
Mrs. Stoddard's big bed, while the others gathered around the fire.
"Sit you here, boys," directed Captain Enos, pointing to the long bench,
"and you girls can bring your stools beside me. I have a fine game for you
to play. Do you see this shining brass button? 'twas given me in Boston,
and came from the coat of a British soldier. Now we will play 'Button'
with it," and the captain, with a few whispered words to Jimmie
Starkweather, slid the shining button into his hand, and "Button, button!
who's got the button?" was soon being laughingly asked from one to another
as the brass button went from Jimmie to Amos, passed into Anne's hand and
swiftly on to Amanda, and back to Jimmie before Captain Enos could locate
it.
"Look!" exclaimed one of the younger Starkweather boys. "Mistress Stoddard
is pouring syrup into a kettle!"
"Yes, my boy," said Captain Enos laughingly, "and now you will all be glad
that I had a good trip to Boston, for I brought home a keg of fine
molasses, and now you will have some first-class candy!"
There were many exclamations of surprise and pleasure, even the older
members of the party declaring that it would indeed be a fine treat; and
Mrs. Starkweather said that it reminded her of the times when she was a
little girl like Anne, and her mother made candy for her.
The molasses boiled and bubbled in the big kettle hung over the fire, and
Mrs. Stoddard and Mrs. Cary took turns in stirring it. The children
brought dippers of cold water for spoonfuls of the hot molasses to be
dropped in to see if it had begun to candy; and when Amanda lifted a
stringy bit from her tin cup and held it up for Mrs. Stoddard to see, it
was decided that it was cooked enough, and the kettle was lifted from the
fire and the steaming, fragrant mass turned into carefully buttered pans.
"We must set these out-of-doors to cool," said Mrs. Stoddard; so Jimmie,
Amos and Daniel were each entrusted with a pan to carry out on the broad
step.
"When it is cool we will all work it," said Mrs. Stoddard; "that means
pull and twist it into sticks."
It did not take long for the candy to cool, and then under Mrs. Stoddard's
directions each child was given a piece to work into shape. But the candy
proved too tempting to work over, and in a few minutes the long bench was
filled with a row of boys, each one happily chewing away upon a clumsy
piece of molasses candy.