a happy day"oh dear! only a week more, and then we must go back. don't youhate the thoughts of it?" said jack, as he was giving jill her earlywalk on the beach one august morning.
"yes, it will be dreadful to leave gerty and mamie and all the nicepeople. but i'm so much better i won't have to be shut up again,even if i don't go to school. how i long to see merry and molly.
dear things, if it wasn't for them i should hate going home morethan you do," answered jill, stepping along quite briskly, andfinding it very hard to resist breaking into a skip or a run, she feltso well and gay.
"wish they could be here to-day to see the fun," said jack, for itwas the anniversary of the founding of the place, and the peoplecelebrated it by all sorts of festivity.
"i'd id want to ask molly, but your mother is so good to me icouldn't find courage to do it. mammy told me not to ask for athing, and i'm sure i don't get a chance. i feel just as if i was yourtruly born sister, jack.""that's all right, i'm glad you do," answered jack, comfortably,though his mind seemed a little absent and his eyes twinkled whenshe spoke of molly. "now, you sit in the cubby-house, and keepquiet till the boat comes in. then the fun will begin, and you mustbe fresh and ready to enjoy it. don't run off, now, i shall want toknow where to find you by and by.""no more running off, thank you. i'll stay here till you come, andfinish this box for molly; she has a birthday this week, and i'vewritten to ask what day, so i can send it right up and surprise her.
jack's eyes twinkled more than ever as he helped jill settle herselfin the boat, and then with a whoop he tore over the beach, as ifpractising for the race which was to come off in the afternoon.
jill was so busy with her work that time went quickly, and th~early boat came in just as the last pink shell was stuck in its place.
putting the box in the sun to dry, she leaned out of her nook towatch the gay parties land, and go streaming up the pier along theroad that went behind the bank that sheltered her. flocks ofchildren were running about on the sand, and presently strangersappeared, eager to see and enjoy all the delights of this gala-day.
"there's a fat little boy who looks ever so much like boo," said jillto herself, watching the people and hoping they would not comeand find her, since she had promised to stay till jack returned.
the fat little boy was staring about him in a blissful sort of maze,holding a wooden shovel in one hand and the skirts of a young girlwith the other. her back was turned to jill, but something in thelong brown braid with a fly-away blue bow hanging down her backlooked very familiar to jill. so did the gray suit and the japaneseumbrella; but the hat was strange, and while she was thinking hownatural the boots looked, the girl turned round.
"why, how much she looks like molly! it can't be--yes, it might, ido believe it is!" cried jill, starting up and hardly daring to trusther own eyes.
as she came out of her nest and showed herself, there could be nodoubt about the other girl, for she gave one shout and came racingover the beach with both arms out, while her hat blew offunheeded, and the gay umbrella flew away, to the great delight ofall the little people except boo, who was upset by his sister'simpetuous rush, and lay upon his back howling. molly did not doall the running, though, and jill got her wish, for, never stopping tothink of herself, she was off at once, and met her friend half-waywith an answering cry. jr was a pretty sight to see them run intoone another's arms and hug and kiss and talk and skip in such astate of girlish joy they never cared who saw or laughed at theirinnocent raptures.
"you darling dear! where did you come from?" cried jill, holdingmolly by both shoulders, and shaking her a little to be sure she wasreal.
"mrs. minot sent for us to spend a week. you look so well, i can'tbelieve my eyes!" answered molly, patting jill's cheeks and kissingthem over and over, as if to make sure the bright color would notcome off.
"a week? how splendid! oh, i've such heaps to tell and show you;come right over to my cubby and see how lovely it is," said jill,forgetting everybody else in her delight at getting molly.
"i must get poor boo, and my hat and umbrella, i left them allbehind me when i saw you," laughed molly, looking back.
but mrs. minot and jack had consoled boo and collected thescattered property, so the girls went on arm in arm, and had a finetime before anyone had the heart to disturb them. molly wascharmed with the boat, and jill very glad the box was done inseason. both had so much to tell and hear and plan, that theywould have sat there for ever if bathing-time had not come, andthe beach suddenly looked like a bed of red and yellow tulips, foreveryone took a dip, and the strangers added much to the fun.
molly could swim like a duck, and quite covered herself with gloryby diving off the pier. jack undertook to teach boo, who was apromising pupil, being so plump that he could not sink if he tried.
jill was soon through, and lay on the sand enjoying the antics ofthe bathers till she was so faint with laughter she was glad to hearthe dinner-horn and do the honors of the willows to molly, whoseroom was next hers.
boat-races came first in the afternoon, and the girls watched them,sitting luxuriously in the nest, with the ladies and children closeby. the sailing-matches were very pretty to see; but molly and jillwere more interested in the rowing, for frank and the bicycle boypulled one boat, and the friends felt that this one must win. it did,though the race was not very exciting nor the prize of great worth;but the boys and girls were satisfied, and jack was much exalted,for he always told frank he could do great things if he would onlydrop books and "go in on his muscle."foot-races followed, and, burning to distinguish himself also, jackinsisted on trying, though his mother warned him that the weak legmight be harmed, and he had his own doubts about it, as he was allout of practice. however, he took his place with a handkerchieftied round his head, red shirt and stockings, and his sleeves rolledup as if he meant business. jill and molly could not sit still duringthis race, and stood on the bank quite trembling with excitement asthe half-dozen runners stood in a line at the starting-post waitingfor the word "go!"off they went at last over the smooth beach to the pole with theflag at the further end, and cveryone watched them with mingledinterest and merriment, for they were a droll set, and the runningnot at all scientific with most of them. one young fisherman withbig boots over his trousers started off at a great pace, poundingalong in the most dogged way, while a little chap in a tightbathing-suit with very thin legs skimmed by him, looking so like asand-piper it was impossible to help laughing at both. jack'sformer training stood him in good stead now; for he went to workin professional style, and kept a steady trot till the flagpole hadbeen passed, then he put on his speed and shot ahead of all therest, several of whom broke down and gave up. but cox andbacon held on gallantly; and soon it was evident that the sturdylegs in the knickerbockers were gaining fast, for jack gave hisankle an ugly wrench on a round pebble, and the weak knee beganto fail. he did his best, however, and quite a breeze of enthusiasmstirred the spectators as the three boys came down the course likemettlesome horses, panting, pale, or purple, but each bound to winat any cost.
now, bacon! "go it, minot! hit him up, cox! jack's ahead!" "no,he isn't!" "here they come!" "bacon's done it!" shouted the otherboys, and they were right; bacon had won, for the gray legs camein just half a yard ahead of the red ones, and minot tumbled intohis brother's arms with hardly breath enough left to gasp out,good-humoredly, "all right, i'm glad he beat!"then the victor was congratulated and borne off by his friends torefresh himself, while the lookers-on scattered to see a game oftennis and the shooting of the archery club up at the hotel. jackwas soon rested, and, making light of his defeat, insisted on takingthe girls to see the fun. so they'd rove up in the old omnibus, andenjoyed the pretty sight very much; for the young ladies were inuniform, and the broad green ribbons over the white dresses, thegay quivers, long bows, and big targets, made a lively scene. theshooting was good; a handsome damsel got the prize of a dozenarrows, and everyone clapped in the most enthusiastic manner.
molly and jill did not care about tennis, so they went home to restand dress for the evening, because to their minds the dancing, theillumination, and the fireworks were the best fun of all. jill's whitebunting with cherry ribbons was very becoming, and the lively feetin the new slippers patted the floor impatiently as the sound ofdance music came down to the willows after tea, and the othergirls waltzed on the wide piazza because they could not keep still.
"no dancing for me, but molly must have a good time. you'll seethat she does, won't you, boys?" said jill, who knew that her shareof the fun would be lying on a settee and watching the rest enjoyher favorite pastime.
frank and jack promised, and kc~t their word handsomely; forthere was plenty of room in the great dancing-hall at the hotel, andthe band in the pavilion played such inspiring music that, as thebicycle boy said, "everyone who had a leg couldn't help shakingit." molly was twirled about to her heart's content, and flew hitherand thither like a blue butterfly; for all the lads liked her, and shekept running up to tell jill the funny things they said and did.
as night darkened from all the houses in the valley, on the cliffsand along the shore lights shone and sparkled; for everyonedecorated with gay lanterns, and several yachts in the bay strungcolored lamps about the little vessels, making a pretty picture onthe quiet sea. jill thought she had never seen anything so likefairy-land, and felt very like one in a dream as she drove slowly upand down with mamie, gerty, molly, and mrs. cox in the carriage,so that she might see it all without too much fatigue. it was verylovely; and when rockets began to whizz, filling the air withgolden rain, a shower of colored stars, fiery dragons, or glitteringwheels, the girls could only shriek with delight, and beg to stay alittle longer each time the prudent lady proposed going home.
it had to be at last; but molly and jill comforted themselves by along talk in bed, for it was impossible to sleep with glares of lightcoming every few minutes, flocks of people talking and trampingby in the road, and bursts of music floating down to them ~s thcoldcr but not wiser revellers kept up the merriment till a late hour.
they'd ropped off at last; but jill had the nightmare, and mollywas waked up by a violent jerking of her braid as jill tried to towher along, dreaming she was a boat.
they were too sleepy to laugh much then, but next morning theymade merry over it, and went to breakfast with such happy facesthat all the young folks pronounced jill's friend a most delightfulgirl. what a good time molly did have that week! other peoplewere going to leave also, and therefore much picnicking, boating,and driving was crowded into the last days. clambakes on theshore, charades in the studio, sewing-parties at the boat, eveningfrolics in the big dining-room, farewell calls, gifts, and invitations,all sorts of plans for next summer, and vows of eternal friendshipexchanged between people who would soon forget each other. itwas very pleasant, till poor boo innocently added to theexcitement by poisoning a few of his neighbors with a bad lobster.
the ambitious little soul pined to catch one of these mysteriousbut lovely red creatures, and spent days fishing on the beach,investigating holes and corners, and tagging after the old man whosupplied the house. one day after a high wind he found several"lobs" washed up on the beach, and, though disappointed at theircolor, he picked out a big one, and set off to show his prize tomolly. half-way home he met the old man on his way with abasket of fish, and being tired of lugging his contribution laid itwith the others, meaning to explain later. no one saw him do it, asthe old man was busy with his pipe; and boo ran back to get moredear lobs, leaving his treasure to go into the kettle and appear atsupper, by which time he had forgotten all about it.
fortunately none of the children ate any, but several older peoplewere made ill, and quite a panic prevailed that night as one afterthe other called up the doctor, who was boarding close by; andgood mrs. grey, the hostess, ran about with hot flannels, bottles ofmedicine, and distracted messages from room to room. all werecomfortable by morning, but the friends of the sufferers lay in waitfor the old fisherman, and gave him a good scolding for hiscarelessness. the poor man was protesting his innocence whenboo, who was passing by, looked into the basket, and asked whathad become of his lob. a few questions brought the truth to light,and a general laugh put everyone in good humor, when poor boomildly said, by way of explanation,"i fought i was helpin' mrs. dray, and i'd id want to see the dreenlob come out all red when she boiled him. but i fordot, and i don'tfink i'll ever find such a nice big one any more.""for our sakes, i hope you won't, my dear," said mrs. hammond,who had been nursing one of the sufferers.
"it's lucky we are going home to-morrow, or that child would bethe death of himself and everybody else. he is perfectly crazyabout fish, and i've pulled him out of that old lobster-pot on thebeach a dozen times," groaned molly, much afflicted by themishaps of her young charge.
there was a great breaking up next day, and the old omnibus wentoff to the station with bacon hanging on behind, the bicycle boyand his iron whirligig atop, and heads popping out of all thewindows for last good-byes. our party and the hammonds weregoing by boat, and were all ready to start for the pier when booand little harry were missing. molly, the maid, and both boys randifferent ways to find them; and all sorts of dreadful suggestionswere being made when shouts of laughter were heard from thebeach, and the truants appeared, proudly dragging in harry's littlewagon a dead devil-fish, as the natives call that ugly thing whichlooks like a magnified tadpole--all head and no body.
"we've dot him!" called the innocents, tugging up their prize withsuch solemn satisfaction it was impossible to help laughing.
"i always wanted to tatch a whale, and this is a baby one, i fink. aboy said, when they wanted to die they corned on the sand and didit, and we saw this one go dead just now. ain't lie pretty?" askedboo, displaying the immense mouth with fond pride, while hisfriend flapped the tail.
"what are you going to do with him?" said mrs. hammond,regarding her infant as if she often asked herself the same questionabout her boy.
"wap him up in a paper and tate him home to pay wid," answeredharry, with such confidence in his big blue eyes that it was veryhard to disappoint his hopes and tell him the treasure must be leftbehind.
wails of despair burst from both children as the hard-hearted boystipped out the little whale, and hustled the indignant fishermen onboard the boat, which had been whistling for them impatiently.
boo recovered his spirits first, and gulping down a sob that nearlyshook his hat off, consoled his companion in affliction andconvulsed his friends by taking from his pocket several little crabs,the remains of a jelly-fish, and such a collection of pebbles thatfrank understood why he found the fat boy such a burden when heshouldered him, kicking and howling, in the late run to the boat.
these delicate toys healed the wounds of boo and harry, and theywere soon happily walking the little "trabs" about inside a stonewall of their own building, while the others rested after theirexertions, and laid plans for coming to the willows another year,as people usually did who had once tasted the wholesome delightsand cordial hospitality of this charming place.
