"You forget, ma'am, the little rivulet we passed on our way. Dick," he
added, "run and fetch some for us, like a good lad."
Nell had brought with her from home a little tin bucket, which she
usually took down to the shore for collecting sea-anemones and other
specimens for her aquarium; so, catching hold of this, Dick started off
in the direction of the tiny brook they had crossed some little time
before, returning anon with the bucket brimming full.
Miss Nell and Bob thereupon set to work in high glee at their extempore
ablutions; and, when they had subsequently dried their faces in their
pocket-handkerchiefs, both presented a much improved appearance.
With the exception of a few scratches, they bore little traces of the
fray, the blood-stains, which looked at first sight so very dreadful,
having vanished on the application of the cold water, as the Captain had
prophesied.
"There, ma'am," cried he now exultingly; pointing this out to Mrs
Gilmour, "I told you so, didn't I? `all cry and little wool,' eh, ho,
ho, ho!"
"That may be," retorted she; "but, water won't mend Nellie's dress."
"Well then, ma'am, I will," replied the Captain. "You'll always find a
sailor something of a tailor, if he's worth his salt!"
He laughed when he said this, and his imperturbable good-humour banished
the last vestige of Mrs Gilmour's vexation at the children's plight.
"Sure, and you shan't do anything of the sort," she said smiling. "I'll
run up Nell's tatters meesilf!" As she spoke she produced from her
pocket--a handy little "housewife," containing needles and thread, as
well as a thimble, which useful articles the good lady seldom stirred
out without; and, sitting down on a shawl which the Captain spread over
a bit of turf that he assured her was free from nettles, and ten yards
at least from the nearest rabbit-burrow, she proceeded to sew away at a
brisk rate on the torn frock of Miss Nellie, who sat herself demurely
beside her aunt.
"Will you be long?" inquired the old sailor, after watching her busy
fingers some little time, getting slightly fidgety. "Eh, ma'am?"
"I should think it will be quite an hour before I shall be able to make
the child decent," she replied. "Why do you ask?"
"Humph!" ejaculated the Captain, as he always did when cogitating some
knotty point, "I'll tell you, ma'am. If it's agreeable to you, ma'am,
the boys and I might go on to Brading and see the remains of that Roman
villa I was talking about yesterday. That is, unless you would like us
to wait till you've done your patchwork there, and all of us go
together, eh?"
"No, I wouldn't hear of such a thing," answered Mrs Gilmour, looking up
but not pausing for an instant in her task. "I wouldn't walk a mile to
see Julius Caesar himself, instead of his old villa, or whatever you
call it."
The Captain appeared greatly amused at this.
"I'm not certain that the place ever belonged to that distinguished
gentleman," he said. "It is supposed, I believe, to have been the
residence of a certain Vespasian, who was governor of the Isle of Wight
some period after its conquest by the Romans; but how far this is true,
ma'am, I can't vouch for personally, never having as yet, indeed, seen
the spot."
"But, I assure you, I've no curiosity to go. I feel much too tired, and
would rather sit comfortably here. Would you like, Nell, to go with the
Captain and Bob?"
"No, auntie, I'd prefer stopping with you. I want to get some ferns and
lots of things after you've mended my dress for me," replied Alice. "I
like flowers better than old ruins."
She said this quite cheerfully, as if she didn't mind a bit not going
with the boys.
This surprised the Captain somewhat, for he thought she would not like
being left behind, and would have looked at all events a trifle cross.
But, seeing how she took the matter, the old sailor's mind was immensely
relieved.
"Well then," he cried smiling, with his eyes blinking and winking away,
"the sooner we're off, why the sooner we'll be back. Hullo, though,
I've forgotten the hamper! Run up, Dick, and fetch it down here."
Off scampered the lad, coming back quickly with the hamper, which he
placed carefully by Mrs Gilmour's side.
"There ma'am," said Captain Dresser, "you can look after the luncheon
while we're away. Come along, boys--hi, Rover!"
"Oh, please leave him behind," implored Nellie. "We want him."
"What, who?" asked the Captain. "Dick or the dog?"
"Rover," replied Nellie promptly. "He'll protect us in your absence in
case anything happens."
"What's that, eh!" quizzed the old sailor. "I suppose you're thinking
again of those ferocious wild animals you encountered awhile ago, eh,
missy?"
"It's a shame, auntie, for the Captain to tease me so!" exclaimed
Nellie, as the chaffy old gentleman went off chuckling, followed by
Master Bob and Dick, the three soon disappearing amidst the greenery.
"Never mind, though, I have got you, my good doggie; and I shan't forget
how you came to my help, nor how glad I was to catch hold of your poor
tail, you dear Rover, when you dragged me out of that horrid hole!"
"Be aisy, me dearie," remonstrated Mrs Gilmour, as Nell reached over to
hug Rover in a sudden caress of affection, and caused by the sudden
movement a breakage of the thread, thus interrupting her aunt's
handiwork. "Sure, if you go wriggling about like an eel with that dog,
I shall never get your frock mended!"
"All right, auntie, I beg your pardon. I'll be very good now, and
promise not to move again till you tell me to."
So saying, Miss Nell resumed her former position, and, making Rover lie
down at her feet, remained "as quiet as a mouse," as her aunt
acknowledged, until the latter had completed her task of gathering up
the rents in the damaged garment that the envious blackberry-thorns had
made.