MORTON HAS A PICNIC.
The professor was almost fatherly kind to her when she took her place
again at the familiar desk; and, seeing how fragile and weary she
looked, gave her but short, light tasks through those long, hot summer
days.
Nothing was said about renewing the so soon interrupted lessons for
several days, then Sara herself remarked half timidly,--
"I have begun my studies again, sir, it is so lonely, and there is so
little to do at home," her voice faltering.
He gave her a pleased look.
"That is right; the best thing for you! Work, my child, is not a curse,
but a blessing to sorrowful man. Study,--write too. I happen to know
they are ready to accept another article from you in _Science Made
Popular;_ I am acquainted with its editor. Why don't you give him
some more of your rambles?"
Her sad eyes brightened. After all, there was something within her which
no grief, no bereavement, could entirely affect. "I will," she said; "I
will pick myself up and begin over again."
"That's right. And try some walks here, Miss Olmstead; you'll find much
of interest out on the old road leading west, for instance. You need
more fresh air and exercise, I'm thinking."
Sara took his advice, with much benefit to her health, as well as gain
to her information and purse; for she found that "knowledge is wealth"
in more ways than one.
Morton had been such a good, helpful boy ever since their arrival in
Dartmoor, that Sara was almost as glad as he when the professor's
thought about the boat was finally unfolded, and proved to be a
proposition that the lad should accompany him on a geological expedition
down a certain river not far away.
He wanted Morton to help in managing the boat, as well as in foraging
for extra game and provisions along the route, and watching the stores,
while he studied, sought, and speculated over his stony treasures; for
all of which the boy should receive a certain consideration in money,
not to mention the fun.
"Just think, Sara, to be paid, actually _paid_, for having the
biggest kind of a picnic," he cried rapturously. "Now, who cares for the
Mary Jane?"
For the next two days all was hurry and confusion, as he and Molly ran
errands, packed and planned, with Sara to advise and help; and the third
saw the grand start.
As the river was at some distance, the first stage of the journey must
be made by land (a great drawback in Morton's opinion, but still to be
borne with patience because of what was to follow), so the boat was
mounted on a cart, and packed full of the camping apparatus, amid which
the professor and the boy sat in state, while a grinning Hibernian drove
the mild animal in front.
The professor, with his glasses, his white helmet and tennis-shirt, and
a butterfly-net hung over his shoulder, was quite Oriental and
picturesque; while Morton, with a broad straw hat on his cleanly shaven
head, and a blue blouse belted with leather, enjoyed the thought that he
looked like a cowboy, and perhaps he did: I've seen cowboys who did not
look half so well.
At any rate, he felt as free and joyous as one, and rode away with a
ringing cheer, echoed shrilly by Molly, who was wild to go herself, and
could only be appeased by the promise of a real picnic with the
Hoffstotts in the near future.
"Oh, dear!" she said, on the verge of tears, as the long boat-cart swung
out of sight around the corner, and was lost to view, "it's dreadful to
think I've always got to be a girl, and I may have to live a hundred
years."
"Well, my dear, console yourself, then," replied Sara, "for you won't be
a girl even ten years longer."
"I won't?"
"No."
"Now, Sara Olmstead, how do you know that? Oh, yes, you're joking me,
somehow; I can see by your eyes, for of course nobody knows when I'm
going to stop living."
"How old are you, Molly?"
"Why, I'll be thirteen in eleven months."
"That is," with a laugh," you were twelve last month; now in ten years
how old will you be?"
"Let's see," bringing her fingers into play, "aught's an aught, and
two's two," marking that down with her index finger in her left palm,
"then one and one is two, why, that's twenty-two, isn't it?"
"Really, Molly, I'm ashamed of you to be so slow in adding."
"Well, I never did like addition, it's substraction I'm so smart in."
"Yes, it must be _substraction_, I think," sarcastically.
"Yes, that's it," with entire oblivion of her sister's accent; "and now
I begin to see, when I'm twenty-two I won't be a girl?"
"Hardly."
"Yes; but I'll be a woman, and that's worse, isn't it? Oh! there's
Kathie, and she's got some cookies that are too dry to sell; I'm going
to help her eat them," with which laudable purpose away she ran, to
forget the limitations of her sex in an operation dear to both.
About a week later came this letter from Morton.
DEAR SARA AND MOLLY,--As I'm all alone, with nothing to do, and the
gnats won't let me sleep, and I've got more than we need to eat, so it's
no good to hunt or fish, I thought I'd start a letter, and when I get to
a post-office again I'll mail it. To begin at the beginning, we launched
the Bonny Doon about two o'clock, and at once set sail for the south (we
really poled the boat along, for there wasn't a breath of wind, and it
was hardly deep enough to keep her afloat; but it sounds better to say
"set sail," you know), and were making about four knots an hour, when I
saw the professor open a long wooden box I had noticed among the outfit,
and take out a gun, all in sections, and begin to put it together. That
made me feel better, for I was really afraid he had forgotten how useful
a gun is out camping; and I was so taken up watching him fit it together
that I almost forgot my poling, till he suddenly sung out, for all the
world like a regular sailor, "Hard a-port, lad! Mind your course there,
or we'll be swamped," and, sure enough, I had to swing her out into the
stream, or we'd have run aground.
But that was the end of the marshes, and then we did rig up our sail,
and 'twas a fine old fly, I tell you. My, how I enjoyed it! The breeze
had come up a little, and sent us cutting through the water as slick as
your big knife cuts through a loaf of bread. We didn't stop at all, till
it was time to make camp, and then we had a real good time, for the
professor is just like a boy here.
He cut saplings for tent-poles, and showed me how to make the pins, and
fasten down the canvas, then we built a nice little fire, and put our
camp-stove over it. It is nothing but a big piece of stove-pipe, I
should think, with a griddle on top, but works first-rate; and then we
got supper together. You ought to see his camp-chest, Sara! It isn't
much bigger than that old desk Miss Prue gave you, but it has everything
in it, I should think; and there isn't an inch of waste room. I found
everything I needed to set the table with, and we had canned things, and
biscuit and cheese and coffee, and lots of nice things to eat. Then I
washed the dishes (I'm real glad now, that I learned at home, for the
professor said I did it as neatly as a girl), and then he went off,
poking around with his hammer, and I fished. You don't know much about
fishing with a jack-light, do you? It's good fun. I caught enough for
breakfast, nice little perch they were, and then we lay down on our
blankets, stretched over pine-boughs in the tent, with mosquito-netting
over all the openings, and slept like two tops.
Yesterday we had lots of adventures. First thing, I woke up just in time
to save our provisions from some hogs which had smelled us out, and came
down on us in a regular drove; and they got us so wide awake we
concluded to stay up, though it wasn't really morning yet. But you don't
know how good our fried fish did taste! I ate till I was ashamed, and
then finished the bits in the spider; and I could have eaten as many
more, I guess. Then I cleared everything up ready to break camp, while
the professor went off again, and then he came back, and we embarked.
This was about six bells, I think. We hadn't gone more than two knots
when the boat began to slip along so easy and fast I couldn't understand
it, till the professor sung out,--
"We're coming to a dam! Put her about, quick!"
Then he grabbed the oars and rowed with all his might for shore. It
seemed at first as if we would be swept along in spite of ourselves; but
he's got more strength in his arms than I'd thought for, and then,
luckily, a great tree had fallen clear out into the stream, which I
reached for. I threw myself almost out of the boat, just holding by the
toes, and caught hold of a little twig, then a stronger one, and pulled
the boat an inch at a time till we were safe alongside in a perfect
little haven. Then the professor dropped the oars, took off his helmet,
and wiped his face, for he was dreadfully warm; but he only said,--
"That was a little close, Morton; now we'll have to make a portage."
Well, that wasn't so much fun. I hadn't thought, before, we had one
thing more than we needed, but now it seemed as if we had a thousand.
Sara, it took us four hours to make that portage, and my back hasn't got
over aching yet!
We managed to get two men to help us with the boat, but that was only a
small lift, it seemed to me; and I was glad enough when the professor
said we'd take a rest before we went on. But the dinner braced us up a
good deal; one thing we had was some roasted green corn one of the men
told us to pick in his field, and it was awfully good, but not up to the
fish. Then I stayed to watch camp while the professor went hunting for
more stones and things, and then I had the biggest adventure of all. But
I'll have to tell you about that in my next letter, if I come across any
paper, for this is all I've got.
Yours truly,
Morton. It came in due time, fortunately for Molly's welfare and Sara's
comfort, as the child was so consumed with curiosity over the adventure
that she gave her no rest from questions and conjectures. Here it is:--
DEAR SARA AND MOLLY,--I think I stopped because I was out of paper, and
so didn't tell you about the tramps. There were three of them, and I
never saw worse looking men.
I was sitting reading one of the books we brought, when I thought I
heard something, and looked around just in time to see them come towards
me out of the woods. I felt my heart leap right up, for I was all alone,
and they did look wicked. The foremost man had a big stick for a cane,
and both the others carried long switches they must have cut in the
woods. As I jumped to my feet the first fellow said to sit still, sonny,
he wasn't going to disturb anybody, and wanted to know where my pard
was.
I said, as careless as I could, that he was just down below, hoping
they'd think I meant down on the shore; but they didn't, for another
spoke up and said he was far enough away, "and don't stop to palaver, I
want some grub!" I'd kept backing towards the tent all the time we were
talking; and when he said that, I was right in the opening, and one look
inside showed me the gun almost where I could reach it, and I knew it
was loaded!
I felt a good deal bolder then, so I told them,--
"You'll have to wait till the professor comes back; these are his
things;" but the men only laughed in an awful fierce kind of way, and
said they "guessed they didn't care about waiting, sonny, they wasn't
making formal calls, and they hadn't brought their cards, but they'd
leave suthin' to remember 'em by just the same!"
The way they talked fairly froze me up, though 'twas a real hot day. So
I ducked inside and grabbed the gun, but they thought I was so scared I
was trying to hide; so they went around kicking things over a good deal,
and swearing like everything, but I didn't care, for there wasn't much
outside the tent anyhow, except the cooking things and some mouldy bread
that they were welcome to if they wanted it. When they saw how it was,
one of them came up towards me, and called to the rest to come on,
they'd have to explore the tent to find what they wanted.
I let him come to about two feet of the opening, then I stuck my gun in
his face real quick, and yelled "Halt!" as loud as I could, and he
halted.
I told him then he'd better get back, for this might go off, and he
ripped out a big swear word, and told me to stop fooling with that gun
or somebody'd get shot; and I said I was afraid they would! He kept
backing all the time, and saying, "Oh, put it down, put it down, sonny!"
but I kinder thought I wouldn't. Then they all stood off, and threw
stones at me, and said they'd set fire to the tent, and for me to come
out like a man, and they wouldn't hurt me; but I thought as I was just a
boy I'd stay where I was. But I told 'em I'd shoot the first man that
came near the tent, and their stones didn't amount to much anyhow, for
they didn't reach me. But I really did not feel quite so saucy as I
talked, for if they hadn't been regular cowards they could have made me
lots of trouble, I guess; and when I saw the professor's big white
helmet coming through the trees, I tell you I was glad! I called out,
"Don't mind the men, sir, I've got 'em covered with the gun!" and at
that they gave one look at him, and ran for the woods. He stood still
and looked after them as surprised as anything; but when I told him all
about it, he laughed and laughed in that still, funny way he has, and
said he guessed he didn't make any mistake when he chose his companion;
and I thought perhaps he meant to praise me, but I'm not sure. This is
all about the tramps.
Good-by, Morton.
P.S.--I've torn my pants; but the professor says, "Never mind, there's
more where they came from," and he looked at me kinder winkey when he
said it, for you know they were made out of his old ones. This time it
is really
Good-by, Morton.
Sara was so proud of these letters that she could not resist showing
them to Madame Grandet and Mrs. Macon, both of whom were greatly amused.
"He has evidently gotten into Henry's good graces, as well as his old
clothes!" laughed the latter. "The boy is like you, Sara, he doesn't
know how brave he is."
Sara looked up quickly.
"Brave, I brave?" she asked in surprise. "I never did a really brave
thing in my life!"
"Didn't you?" smiling, with a meaning look. "I thought you had done a
good many."
But she made no explanation of her words, and Sara was too modest to ask
what they meant.
Morton came home so brisk and rosy it was good to see him, and regaled
Molly for days with the accounts of his wonderful adventures. He seemed
to have quite recovered from his longings for a sea-life, and was almost
as much interested in certain scientific studies as Sara herself. In
fact, their autumn rambles together were pleasures whose memory lingered
with both for many a year.
One morning in November, Sara saw, among the letters on the desk, a
creamy square with her own name upon it, and nearly had her breath taken
away upon opening it, to find it was an invitation to a dinner given by
one of the faculty in honor of a distinguished scientist from abroad,
who was to deliver a lecture before the students the coming week.
She glanced from it to Professor Macon, who was busy writing, but,
seeing no solution of the matter in his face, resolved to consult his
wife about it, and stopped in on her way home that noon for the purpose.
"Oh, you are invited, then!" cried Mrs. Macon with satisfaction, as Sara
explained her errand. "I was sure you would be."
"But how could you think so? I, a fisherman's daughter."
"You, Sara Olmstead, the writer who is already being noticed in the
literary world! Why shouldn't you be asked, I'd like to know?"
"But, dear Mrs. Macon, what shall I wear? how shall I act?"
"Ah! now you are talking sense. 'What shall you wear?' Sara, you must
have a white dress; something with long, soft folds, and--yes--and
trimmed with swan's-down. That will be so becoming."
"Yes, and cost a small fortune!"
"No, not as much as you think. A cashmere will do, and that reminds me,
I'm to have a dressmaker here the first of the week; she shall give me
an extra day or two, and make your dress, then I can be sure it is all
right. And never mind about the swan's-down; for I have some on a dress,
I think almost enough, that I have only worn once. She shall rip it off
for you to wear on this great occasion."
"O Mrs. Macon, how good you are!"
"Good? Why, this is fun for me. You must go with us, of course. Yes, and
we'll ask the Grandets to go in our carriage too; 'twill make five, but
no matter; you're little, and can squeeze in between the two gentlemen
for that short distance: and, fortunately, cashmere doesn't show mussing
badly."
"But, Mrs. Macon, I'm afraid"--
She stopped, coloring daintily.
"Well, of what?"
"Won't you be--ashamed of me? I never went to a dinner-party in my life.
There are a great many forks and spoons to manage, aren't there?"
"Simplest thing in the world, that, my dear; begin with whatever is next
your plate. If you think you are wrong at any time, dally a little, and
watch your hostess. By the way, this invitation is for two weeks ahead,
and Thanksgiving is next week, Thursday; you shall practise here! I was
going to see you soon, to invite all three of you to dine with us that
day; will you come? We shall ask the Grandets also, but no one else."
"You are exceedingly kind, Mrs. Macon; we will be more than happy to
come. I had dreaded the day," softly.
"Yes, my dear, anniversaries are sad things; but we will try and enjoy
this one. And don't hesitate to ask about anything that puzzles you at
our table. These little fads of etiquette are easily learned, after one
has acquired that real politeness which must become a part of the
character; and that you have, Sara."
"Thank you for your encouragement, dear Mrs. Macon; I shall try not to
put you to the blush."