it was quite a different looking country from that they had left which dorothy and edna now drove through. instead of rolling meadows, hills and dales, were long stretches of salt marsh, sand dunes and beyond all the great expanse of ocean. an avenue of trees led up to the ramsey's home, and there was a broad lawn in front, but on the east side was a pretty beach, a view of the harbor and the sparkling water. "isn't it beautiful?" whispered edna to dorothy as the two followed jennie up the steps to where mrs. ramsey stood on the porch to meet them.
"fine," returned jennie.
she had time to say no more than this, for here was mrs. ramsey asking how they had stood the journey, and how they had left all at home, so their attention must be given to answering questions and not to discussing what they saw around them.
mr. ramsey had already arrived, the motor-car having far outdone the little pony, and he was now talking to two ladies who sat at the further end of the porch. they were hidden by his figure so the little newly-arrived guests did not recognize them then.
"take the little girls up to their room, jennie," directed mrs. ramsey. "you will all have time for a nice dip in the sea before lunch time."
this was a very exciting prospect, for neither of the two had ever gone through the experience of sea-bathing.
"we have new bathing-suits," they told jennie with pride.
"but they are in our trunks," suddenly exclaimed dorothy, "and those haven't come yet."
"never mind," replied jennie, "i have two or three, so we need not wait."
however, the trunks did arrive before they had need to borrow, and the bathing-suits were easily found and hastily put on amidst much giggling and many exclamations, for it was such a new excitement it was impossible to do anything soberly. then jennie led the way down the back stairs and over a path at the rear of the house to the little stretch of beach. with many little squeals of apprehension, the two who lacked experience, ventured to the edge of the water, but jennie dashed in, letting the waves completely cover her, and with such an example the other two soon became braver and began to enjoy themselves hugely. indeed they were fain to remain longer than they should, but at last a maid came to say they must not stay in a moment longer as it was nearing time for lunch.
"i think it is perfectly lovely," said edna as, with the water dripping down her bare legs, she entered 41the little bath house where they exchanged their wet suits for dry clothing which the maid had brought down. "do you go in every day, jennie?"
"just about," she replied.
"even when it rains?"
"oh, no, not then, unless it is a very gentle rain and it is not too cold."
edna gave a sigh of satisfaction. "and what do you do in the afternoons?"
"oh, anything i please. sometimes i take the pony and drive up to the rocks, and sometimes i just stay around the house or the grounds. what should you like to do? would you like to go to the village?"
"why, i don't know." edna looked at dorothy. "i'd like to do whatever you two would like."
"that's just like you," said jennie. "you always want to have other people have a good time whether you do or not. we don't forget about clara adams, do we, dorothy?"
"oh, that wasn't anything," returned edna. "besides, i had the very finest sort of a time."
"well, we can decide after lunch what we would like to do," jennie went on, "but now i daresay you are as hungry as hunters; i know i am."
"who were the two ladies sitting on the porch?" asked dorothy.
"oh, didn't you know?" said jennie in a tone of surprise. "then i won't tell, and you can find out when we go in. i know you will be awfully pleased."
the mystery of this made the other two hurry with their dressing, but they were none too early as they found when they reached the house, for the rest were already seated at table. to the surprise of both the visitors the two ladies were well known to them for one was their teacher, miss newman, and the other was her invalid sister, miss eloise.
"oh, isn't this lovely?" cried the latter. "we knew you were coming, but you didn't know we were here, did you?"
"indeed we did not," replied edna. "how did you get here, miss eloise?"
"we came all the way by boat, and i did enjoy it so much. i'll tell you all about it after lunch."
"and if you are as hungry as i am," said mr. ramsey, "you will be glad to give your undivided attention to this clam-chowder first thing. we all know how entertaining miss eloise's tales can be, so you'd better save them for dessert."
the luncheon was so good that the children did not need a second bidding, and were surprised to find how hungry they were till they remembered that they had not eaten anything since their none too hearty breakfast. it was certainly delightful to be there in the cool spacious house with the noise of the sea ever in their ears and the cool breeze 43coming in the windows, and the newcomers felt that all this accounted for the better color in miss eloise's cheeks and for the brighter look in her eyes.
they all gathered around her on the porch after lunch and she told them about her coming.
"you see it was this way," she began. "it was so stifling in the city that i was perfectly exhausted by the heat and the doctor told my sister i must get away if possible, but neither of us could see where or how, and poor sister was so worried she didn't know what to do. then all of a sudden, just as if she knew all about our difficulties, came a letter from mrs. ramsey asking us to come up here, and arranging it all so nicely that there seemed no reason in the world why i could not make the journey comfortably. so we decided that we would try it. mr. ramsey sent the automobile that took us to the wharf and we came all the way by boat to boston where mrs. ramsey met us, and from there we took another boat which brought us to the wharf here. sister was so afraid i would be seasick, but i was not, in fact it was the most glorious trip i ever had, and we can go back the same way. it is all so wonderful that i haven't recovered from the wonder of it yet. i am so much stronger that i can walk about a very little, and don't have to sit in a rolling chair all day."
all this did seem very wonderful to the little girls who had been accustomed to seeing miss eloise 44always in an invalid's chair wheeled from room to room. "do you think you will be able to walk more and more?" asked edna interestedly.
"the doctor—mrs. ramsey's doctor—thinks i may be able to as i get stronger. he has encouraged me so much that i begin to think anything possible."
all this was very pleasant news, but here miss newman interfered by saying, "ellie, darling, you know you must not overtax your strength and now you must be taking a rest. the salt baths are doing her a world of good," she turned to the children to say, "but we must not go beyond her strength." so she bore off miss eloise and the little girls were left to themselves.
there were so many pleasures in sight that they found it hard to choose, but finally it was decided among them that each should take her turn in making plans for the afternoons, and that they would draw lots for first choice. this they did with three slips of paper. dorothy drew the longest, therefore to her fell the choice for that day. jennie drew the second longest and she was to take the next day. as edna's was the shortest she came last and after that it was easy enough, for they were to keep it up in this order.
after much discussion, dorothy decided that the very nicest and most unusual thing to do would be to go out in a boat for a row.
45"i think that will be perfectly lovely," declared edna, who had been wavering in her own mind between a preference for the water and a drive behind the little pony.
"i'm sure i shall like it," jennie said, "and we shall have a good time, i know. mother always lets me go when we can get old cap'n si to take us, for he is perfectly safe and is such a funny old fellow.
"who is he?" asked the others.
"he is an old fisherman who used to have a fishing vessel of his own, but now he is too old to go to the banks, so he just fishes around a little, and takes people out rowing or sailing when they don't want to go too far. he lives in that little old house over on that point."
dorothy and edna looked to where she indicated and saw a little low brown house very near the water. they could distinguish someone sitting in the doorway.
"what is he doing?" asked dorothy.
"he is mending his nets."
"how will he know we want him? do we have to go over and tell him?"
"no, i will tell you how we manage. come with me."
the two followed her to the bath-house, one side of which was used as a boat-house. from a nail inside the door jennie took down a tin horn, which she blew lustily, then looked intently in the direction 46of cap'n si's house. "he hasn't heard," she said presently, and blew another blast. at this cap'n si shaded his eyes, and then waved his hand.
"he hears," said jennie. "now i must let him know the time." she went to where a flag-pole displayed a blue and white pennant. this she raised and lowered three times. "now he will know that he is to come at three o'clock," she told the others.
cap'n si evidently understood, for he waved his hand three times.
"i think that is a fine way to let him know," said edna. "how did you ever think of it?"
"oh, i didn't think of it, cap'n si did. he always sits out there on that bench pleasant afternoons, and he told me just how i could let him know when i wanted him. i think i will get him to take us to shelly beach; it is such a nice place."
"are there really shells there?"
"oh, yes, ever so many, and some of them are so pretty, tiny little pinky ones."
this sounded so fascinating that edna declared that if it had been her afternoon to choose she could have selected nothing more to her mind than this expedition.
"we must go tell mother where we are going," said jennie, "so she won't be anxious."
mrs. ramsey was in the library at a desk writing letters. she looked up as the children came in. "i am just sending a line to your mothers, dearies," she said to edna and dorothy. "i thought they would be anxious to know of your safe arrival. what is on hand for this afternoon?"
"we are going to get cap'n si to take us to shelly beach," jennie told her.
"then be sure to take some warm wraps and be back before six."
"oh, you know cap'n si never keeps us out late."
"no, i realize that he can be relied upon. i think that will be a very nice expedition for you. would you like to take along some biscuits or something? you can ask emma to give you something of that kind if you like."
"could we have some hard-boiled eggs, too?"
"if there is time to boil them. let me see. oh, yes, it is only half past two. well, run along and make your preparations. have a good time."
"isn't she dear?" said dorothy, when they were out of the room. "does she always let you have anything you want, like that?"
"oh, yes, generally. if she doesn't it is because there is some good reason why i shouldn't. i will take some extra salt and maybe cap'n si will get some fish and cook them for us on hot stones. he does that sometimes, and they do taste so good. i'll get emma to pack everything in a little basket."
"where do we go to get in the boat?" asked edna. "do we have to go to the steamboat wharf?"
"no, indeed, he will come right to our little landing there beyond the boat-house."
this all seemed most convenient, and what with watching emma pack the basket and with hunting up wraps the time went very rapidly and they were surprised to hear mrs. ramsey call to them, "come along, children. here comes cap'n si."
although the sun was hot it did not seem so intolerable as it did at home, for here was the cool sea-breeze always blowing, and even the way to the beach did not seem an uncomfortable walk. cap'n si, a grizzly, toothless old man with a pleasant smile and twinkling blue eyes had already drawn his boat up on the sands when they reached him. he gave a quick nod of greeting as the three came up.
"these are my friends dorothy evans and edna conway," said jennie.
cap'n si jerked his head to each one. "glad to see ye," he said. "where be ye going, jinny?"
"we thought we would like to go to shelly beach. it isn't too far, is it?"
"no, 'm, 'tain't. good weather, too. hot down your way?" he turned to edna to ask.
"it has been scorching hot," she told him, "but it wasn't quite so dreadful when we came away."
"ever been to these parts before?"
"no, and we never saw the ocean, not the real ocean till now."
cap'n si looked at her as if she were a strange species of animal. "wal, i swan," he ejaculated. "ain't it queer how folks kin live 'slong as that and not see the ocean," he said, turning to jennie.
"i guess i'd die ef you was to take me out of sight and sound of the water. lived right here all my life." he turned to edna again. "born in that there little house, and ain't never lived nowhere else, less you call it living on board a fishing vessel. i've seen a good bit of towns and been to considerable many ports, but i ain't seen nawthin' i'd swop this place fur." he took the basket and stowed it safely away, gave directions about their getting in the boat, shoved it off and came aboard himself without seeming to mind the fact that he had walked through two feet of water.
edna and dorothy thought him a most interesting person with his red face, his white tuft of beard under his chin and his great knotty hands. he had a fund of stories to tell them about the sea and the creatures that lived in it, and he used so many queer expressions that they thought him very amusing and determined to remember all his funny sayings that they might tell the boys when they returned home.
they reached shelly beach in about half an hour, and found it a very surprising place, for here were not only shells but seaweeds and pretty pebbles. just beyond the beach was a small grove where they decided they would have their little picnic after they had satisfied their desire for shells and pebbles. in the meantime cap'n si went off promising to return in a little while.
"i say we gather some of these seaweeds for miss eloise," said edna.
"i am going to take some home to agnes," declared dorothy.
"then i'll take some to celia, but there is plenty for everyone, so we needn't be afraid that anyone will have to be left out. i think i shall gather some shells for uncle justus." this from edna.
"why, edna, do you think he will care for them?"
"of course he will. he likes those captain doane has very much. i haven't found any of the tiny pink ones yet, have you, jennie?"
"not yet, but i think we shall find some further along."
"then let's go further along."
this they did and to their delight found some of the delicate little shells they were so anxious for. they were still absorbed in their search for these when cap'n si returned.
"oh, see what he has," cried jennie.
"what," asked edna, turning her head to look.
"a string of fish. i wonder if he got them for us and if he is going to cook them."
they soon found that this was what cap'n si intended to do, for he began to gather driftwood for 51a fire, and while the stones were heating he cleaned the fish, which he finally set to cook on the heated stones.
"after all, i think we'd better have our picnic on the beach," said jennie, "for we won't want to carry fish so far. i'll go get the basket and we can spread it out, the picnic, i mean, on that big flat rock."
"i think that will be nicer than the woods," declared dorothy, "for we have had picnics in woods often, but we never had one on a beach before."
jennie proceeded to open the basketful of supplies and the other bustled about getting all things properly placed. they wondered how they would be served with fish as there were no plates, but cap'n si soon solved this difficulty by handing it around on clean pieces of driftwood.
"how good it does taste," said dorothy. "i never did taste such good fish. i think this is the finest kind of picnic. don't you wish our mothers could see us, edna?"
"i don't see how i am able to eat so much?" remarked edna. "i thought i was as hungry as i could be at lunch time and when it was over i didn't feel as if i ever wanted anything to eat again, but now i am just as hungry as if there had never been any lunch."
cap'n si laughed at this. "that's what the sea air does for folks," he said. "i guess you'll take a 52pound or two more home with you than you come with."
edna looked down at her chubby little self and came to the conclusion that she would not care to take back too many more pounds, for she didn't like her brothers to call her butterball, as they were in the habit of doing when they wanted to tease her. however, this did not prevent her from doing full justice to the biscuits and butter, the little cakes and the sweet chocolate with which they ended their meal.
then cap'n si said it was about time they were starting back, so they did not have time to explore the grove and had not gathered half the seaweeds they had intended to, though they were not so much disturbed at this lack because jennie said, "oh, well, don't bother, we can come here any time, and there will be just as many things as there are now."
edna turned this over in her mind for some time. it seemed a strange fact that in spite of the tide's forever washing away shells and weeds and pebbles, it forever washed in more to take the place of what had been given again to the sea.
she smiled up into cap'n si's face as she clasped his horny hand when they were about to land. "i think it is all so beautiful," she said, "and i don't wonder you like it so much. thank you for telling us about all those things. i hope you'll take us out again."
cap'n si gave an answering smile. "any time you want to go, just h'ist the flag," he said. then he rowed off in his boat across the shining waters.
"oh, dear," said edna with a sigh. "i am having such a lovely time i hate the day to be over."
"but there's to-morrow," replied jennie cheerfully.
