XVIII.

_THE ADVENTURE._

There was a dreadful storm that week, which lasted several days, and

did a great deal of damage along the coast. The sky was black and angry

with dark, heavy clouds. The great waves of the ocean rolled up on the

beach with a loud, deafening roar, the house rocked with the terrible

wind, and the rain poured in such torrents that Maggie asked her mother

if she did not think "the windows of heaven were opened," and there was

to be another flood.

"Maggie," said her mother, "when Noah came out of the ark, what was the

first thing he did?"

Maggie thought a moment, and then said, "Built an altar and made a

sacrifice."

"Yes; and what did the Lord say to him?"

"Well done, good and faithful servant," said Maggie, who, provided she

had an answer, was not always particular it was the right one.

Mrs. Bradford smiled a little.

"We are not told the Lord said that," she answered, "though he was

doubtless pleased that Noah's first act should have been one of praise

and thanksgiving. Indeed, the Bible tells us as much. But what did he

place in the clouds for Noah to see?"

"A rainbow," said Maggie.

"What did he tell Noah it should be?"

"I forgot that," said Maggie; "he said it should be a sign that the

world should never be drowned again."

"Yes; the Lord told Noah he would make a covenant with him 'that the

waters should no more become a flood to destroy the earth;' and he made

the rainbow for a sign that his promise should stand sure."

"I am glad God made the rainbow, 'cause it is so pretty," said Maggie;

"but I think Noah might have believed him without that, when he took

such care of him in the ark."

"Probably he did; we are not told that Noah did not believe, and it was

of his own great goodness and mercy that the Almighty gave to Noah, and

all who should live after him, this beautiful token of his love and

care. But if my little girl could have believed God's promise then, why

can she not do so now? His word holds good as surely in these days as

in those of Noah."

"So I do, mamma," said Maggie; "I forgot about the rainbow and God's

promise. I wont be afraid any more, but I do wish it would not rain so

hard, and that the wind would not blow quite so much."

"We are all in God's hands, Maggie. No harm can come to us unless he

wills it."

"Franky don't like this great wind either, mamma," said Maggie, "and

he said something so funny about it this morning. It was blowing and

blowing, and the windows shook and rattled so, and Franky began to cry

and said, 'I 'fraid.' Then nurse told him not to be afraid, 'cause God

made the wind blow, and he would take care of him. A little while

after, he was standing on the chair by the window, and it galed harder

than ever, and the wind made a terrible noise, and Franky turned round

to nurse and said, 'How God do blow!' and then the poor little fellow

began to cry again."

"Yes, and Maggie was very good to him," said Bessie; "she put her new

doll in the wagon, and let him pull it about the nursery, only we

watched him all the time, 'cause he's such a misfit." (Bessie meant

mischief.) "Mamma, will you yead us about Noah?"

Mrs. Bradford took the Bible and read the chapter in Genesis which

tells about the flood, and the children listened without tiring until

she had finished.

At last the storm was over,--the wind and rain ceased, and the sky

cleared, to the delight of the children, but they still heard a great

deal of the storm and the damage which had been done. Many vessels had

been wrecked, some with men and women on board, who had been drowned

in the sea. Some miles farther up the shore, a large ship had been cast

upon the rocks, where she was driven by the gale. The guns of distress

she had fired had been heard by the people of Quam the night before the

storm ceased. It was an emigrant ship coming from Europe, and there

were hundreds of poor people on board, many of whom were drowned; and

most of the saved lost everything they had in the world, so there was

much suffering among them. Mr. Howard and Mr. Norris drove over to the

place, to see if anything could be done for them, and came back to try

and raise money among their friends and acquaintances to buy food and

clothing.

Maggie and Bessie were down on the beach with their father and Colonel

Rush when Mr. Howard joined them, and told them some of the sad scenes

he had just seen. The little girls were very much interested, and the

gentlemen seemed so too. Mr. Bradford and Mr. Duncan gave them money,

and the colonel, too, pulled out his pocket-book, and taking out a

roll of bills, handed Mr. Howard two or three. Mr. Howard was still

talking, and the colonel, who was listening earnestly, and who was

always careless with his money, did not pay much heed to what he was

doing. He put the roll of bank-notes back in his pocket-book, and, as

he thought, put the book in his pocket; but instead of going in, it

dropped upon the sand behind the rock on which he sat, and no one saw

it fall, but a bad boy standing a little way off.

Now this boy was a thief and a liar. Perhaps no one had ever taught

him better; but however that was, he was quite willing to do anything

wicked for the sake of a little money. He saw the soldier take out the

roll of bank-notes, put them back again, and then drop the pocket-book

on the sand, and he hoped no one would notice it, so that he might pick

it up when they had gone.

[Illustration: Bessie at Sea Side. P. 252.]

By and by the colonel said he was tired, and thought he would go home.

Mr. Bradford and the other gentlemen said they would go with him,

Mr. Bradford telling his little girls to come too.

"In a minute, papa," said Bessie; "my dolly's hat has come off, and I

must put it on."

"We'll go on then," said her father; "you can run after us."

The gentlemen walked on, while Bessie began to put on Miss Margaret

Horace Rush Bradford's hat.

"Oh, Maggie!" she said, "there's Lily Norris going out in the boat with

her father, and mamma said we might ask her to tea. I know she'd yather

come with us; you yun ask her, while I put on my dolly's hat, and then

I'll come too."

Maggie ran on, leaving Bessie alone. The boy came a little nearer.

Bessie put on her doll's hat, and was going after her sister, when she

dropped her doll's parasol, and as she stooped to pick it up, she saw

the pocket-book.

"Oh, there's my soldier's porte-monnaie!" she said to herself; "I know

it is; I'll take it to him. My hands are so full, maybe I'll lose it.

I'll put it in my bosom, and then it will be all safe."

She laid doll, parasol, and the little basket she held in her hand upon

the rock, picked up the pocket-book, and pulling down the neck of her

spencer, slipped it inside. Just at this moment the boy came up to her.

"Give me that," he said.

"What?" asked Bessie, drawing back from him.

"Don't you make believe you don't know,--that pocket-book. It's mine."

"It isn't," said Bessie; "it's the colonel's."

"No, 'taint; it's mine. Hand over now, else I'll make you."

"I sha'n't," said Bessie. "I know it's the colonel's. I've seen it a

great many times, and just now he gave Mr. Howard some money out of it

for the poor people who lost all their things."

"Are you going to give it to me?" said the boy, coming nearer to her.

"No," said Bessie, "I am not. I am going to give it to the colonel,

and I shall tell him what a very naughty boy you are. Why, I'm afraid

you're a stealer! Don't you know--"

Bessie was stopped by the boy taking hold of her, and trying to drag

away the spencer, beneath which he had seen her slip the pocket-book.

Just at this moment Maggie turned her head, to see if Bessie were

coming, and saw her struggling in the grasp of the boy. Down went her

new doll, happily in a soft place in the sand, where it came to no

harm, and forgetting all fear, thinking only of her little sister, she

ran back to her help.

"Leave my Bessie be! Leave my Bessie be!" she screamed, flying upon the

boy, and fastening with both her hands upon the arm with which he was

tearing away the spencer and feeling for the pocket-book, while he held

Bessie with the other.

"Let go!" he said, fiercely, between his teeth. But Maggie only held

the tighter, screaming,--

"Leave my Bessie be! Oh! papa, papa, do come!"

Both terrified children were now screaming at the top of their voices,

and they were heard by their father and the other gentlemen, who turned

to see what was the matter. Although they were at a distance, Mr.

Bradford saw his little girls were in great trouble. Back he came, as

fast as he could, Mr. Howard and Uncle John after him, the colonel,

too, as quick as his crutches would carry him.

"Let go!" cried the boy, as he saw Mr. Bradford, letting go his own

hold on Bessie, and giving Maggie a furious blow across the face. But

fearing he would seize Bessie again, brave little Maggie held fast.

"Take that, then!" said the boy, giving her another and a harder blow.

Maggie fell, striking her head against the edge of the rock, and the

boy turned to run before Mr. Bradford reached the spot. But all this

time another pair of eyes had been upon him. Four swift feet were

coming toward him, and ever so many sharp teeth were set for a grip of

him. While the children had been with their father, Toby, Mr. Jones'

great white dog, had been seated on the edge of the bank before the

house, watching the people as he was accustomed to do.

Now between Toby and Joe Sands, the boy who tried to take the

pocket-book, there was great enmity. Joe never saw Toby without trying

to provoke him to a quarrel by making faces at him, and throwing sticks

and stones; but though the dog would growl and show his teeth, he had

never yet tried to bite him.

This afternoon, the moment Joe appeared, Toby seemed to suspect

mischief. He straightened himself up, put his head on one side, cocked

up one ear and drooped the other. Toby was not a handsome dog at the

best of times, and it was not becoming to him to hold his ears in this

fashion. He looked very fierce as he sat thus, but Joe did not see him,

or he might have been afraid to meddle with Bessie.

Toby never told whether he saw the colonel drop the pocket-book, but

from the minute it fell, he looked all ready for a spring, and never

took his eyes from Joe. When the boy spoke to Bessie, he appeared still

more uneasy, rose to his feet, snarled, and gave short, angry barks,

but did not think it was time to interfere till Joe laid his hand upon

the little girl. Then his patience was at an end, and with a furious,

rough bark, he rushed over the bank, down the beach, and just as Joe

turned to run from Mr. Bradford, seized fast hold of his leg. Happily

for Joe, he had on a thick, strong pair of boots; but even through

these Toby's teeth came in a way far from pleasant. Not a step could

he stir, and in an instant Mr. Bradford and the other gentlemen came

up. Mr. Bradford stooped to pick up Maggie, while Mr. Howard collared

Joe. Even then Toby would not let go, but gave Joe a good shake, which

made him cry out with pain. Poor Maggie was quite stunned for a moment

by the blow which Joe had given her, and there was a bad cut on her

head, where it had struck the rock, while one side of her face was much

bruised and scratched. But when, a moment after, she came to herself,

her first thought was still for Bessie, who was crying loudly with

terror and distress for her sister.

"Oh, my Bessie, my Bessie! leave her be!" she said, as she slowly

opened her eyes.

"Bessie is safe, my darling," said her father. "She is not hurt at

all. My poor little Maggie!" and sitting down on the rock, with her on

his knee, he tenderly bound up her head with his handkerchief. By this

time, Colonel Rush and two or three more people had come up, and Uncle

John went on to the house, to tell Mrs. Bradford what had happened, so

that she might not be startled when she saw Maggie.

Mr. Howard kept his hand on Joe's shoulder, but there was not much

need, for Toby still held him fast, and if he made the least move, gave

him a hint to keep still, which Joe thought it best to mind.

Mr. Bradford carried Maggie to the house, and the rest followed; but

it was a long time before any one could make out what had happened.

Bessie was too much frightened to tell, Maggie too sick, and Joe too

sullen. And Maggie did not know about the pocket-book. All she could

tell was, that she had seen Bessie struggling with the boy, and had run

to help her. At last Bessie was quieted, and then told the story in her

straightforward way, putting her hand in her bosom and pulling out the

pocket-book.

"Oh, you villain!" said Mrs. Jones, who was holding the basin while

Mrs. Bradford washed the blood from Maggie's face and head. "Oh, you

villain! Aint it enough to go robbin' orchards and melon patches, and

farmers' wagons market-days, but you must be fighting and knocking

down babies like these to get what's not your own? If you don't see

the inside of the county jail for this, my name's not Susan Jones. And

you'd have been there long ago, only for your poor mother, whose heart

ye're breakin' with your bad ways. That's you, Toby, my boy; you know

when you've a rascal fast; but you may let him go now, for there's your

master, and he will take him in hand."

Mr. Jones was the constable, and Toby knew this quite as well as if he

went on two feet instead of four. When Mr. Jones was sent to arrest any

one, he always took Toby with him, and it was curious to see how the

dog would watch the prisoner, and seem to feel that he had quite as

much share as his master in bringing him to be punished for the wicked

things he had done. As soon as Mr. Jones came in the room, he let go of

Joe, but sat down close to him, ready to take another grip, if he tried

to run away.

"And what's to be done about your poor mother?" said Mr. Jones, when he

had heard the story. "I shall have to have you up for this. It will go

nigh to kill her."

Joe made no answer, only looked more sullen and obstinate than ever.

"Mr. Jones," said Maggie, in a weak little voice, "please take him

away; it frightens me to see him."

"I'm going to take him right off where he wont trouble you for one

while," said Mr. Jones. "But how is it that you are afraid of him just

standing here, and you weren't afraid of him when he was handling you

and Bessie so rough?"

"I didn't think about that," said Maggie, "and if I had, I couldn't let

anybody do anything to my Bessie. I thought he was going to kill her.

Oh, dear! oh, dear!" and Maggie began to cry again; she could not have

told why, except that she could not help it.

"Come along," said Mr. Jones, taking hold of Joe's arm.

"Mr. Jones," said Bessie, "are you going to take him to the jail?"

"I am going to take him to the squire, and I guess he'll give him a few

days of it. Serve him right too."

"But I'm 'fraid it will break his mother's heart," said Bessie; "Mrs.

Jones said it would."

"He's breakin' his mother's heart fast enough, any way," said Mr.

Jones. "Drinkin' and swearin' and stealin' and idlin' round, when he

ought to be a help to her, poor, sick body! It isn't goin' to do him

nor his mother no harm for him to be shut up for a little while where

he can think over his bad ways. He wants bringin' up somewhere, and

Toby knows it too."

Toby growled and wagged his tail, as if to say he agreed with Mr.

Jones. The growl was for Joe, the wag for his master.

"You surely don't think he ought to be let off," said Mrs. Jones, "when

he hurt Maggie that way? Why, she's going to have a black eye, sure as

a gun!"

Joe walked away with Toby at his heels. Maggie's head was bound up, and

her bruises washed with arnica, and both she and Bessie were petted and

comforted.

As for the new doll, which Maggie had thrown down in her haste to run

to her little sister's help, it was picked up by one of the gentlemen,

who brought it safe and unbroken to Maggie. To be sure, Miss Bessie

Margaret Marion's dress was rather soiled by the wet sand on which she

had fallen; but as it was of muslin, it could easily be washed, and

Mrs. Jones soon made it quite clean again.