diff options
| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:29:32 -0700 |
|---|---|---|
| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-15 02:29:32 -0700 |
| commit | 1766434befbd74ed2fc2e13cc5701aa51b4e2423 (patch) | |
| tree | 506af6b789fb09ee7cc5094b1b29c99b2c02daa5 /26538-h | |
Diffstat (limited to '26538-h')
| -rw-r--r-- | 26538-h/26538-h.htm | 7688 | ||||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26538-h/images/mmv-071.jpg | bin | 0 -> 74714 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26538-h/images/mmv-183.jpg | bin | 0 -> 71963 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26538-h/images/mmv-239.jpg | bin | 0 -> 62589 bytes | |||
| -rw-r--r-- | 26538-h/images/mmv-fpc.jpg | bin | 0 -> 82126 bytes |
5 files changed, 7688 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/26538-h/26538-h.htm b/26538-h/26538-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..9e6dfb1 --- /dev/null +++ b/26538-h/26538-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7688 @@ +<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" +"http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd"> +<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"> +<head> +<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> +<title> +The Project Gutenberg eBook of Madge Morton’s Victory, by Amy D. V. Chalmers. +</title> + +<style type="text/css"> +/*<![CDATA[ XML blockout */ +<!-- + p {margin-top: 0.5em; text-align: justify; margin-bottom: 0.5em;} + body {margin-left: 11%; margin-right: 10%;} + a {text-decoration: none;} + h3 {text-align:center; font-weight:normal; font-size: 1.1em;} + .pncolor {color: silver;} + div.ce p {text-align: center; margin: auto 0;} + .figcenter {margin: 2em auto 2em auto; text-align: center;} + .caption {font-size:.8em;} + table {margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; clear: both;} + hr.tb {width: 35%; margin-top: 0.5em; margin-bottom: 0.5em; border:none; border-bottom:1px solid black; clear:both;} + .pagenum {display: inline; font-size: x-small; text-align: right; position: absolute; right: 2%; padding: 1px 3px; font-style: normal; font-variant:normal; font-weight:normal; text-decoration: none; background-color: inherit; border:1px solid #eee;} + hr.major {width: 65%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; border:none; border-bottom:1px solid black; clear:both;} + hr.minor {width: 35%; margin-top: 1em; margin-bottom: 1em; border:none; border-bottom:1px solid black; clear:both;} + hr.silver {width: 100%; margin-top: 2em; margin-bottom: 2em; border:none; border-bottom:1px solid silver;} + h2 {text-align:center; font-weight:normal; font-size: 1.3em;} +// --> +/* XML end ]]>*/ +</style> + +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +The Project Gutenberg EBook of Madge Morton's Victory, by Amy D.V. Chalmers + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: Madge Morton's Victory + +Author: Amy D.V. Chalmers + +Release Date: September 5, 2008 [EBook #26538] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MADGE MORTON'S VICTORY *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<hr class='silver' /> + +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/mmv-fpc.jpg' alt='' title='' style='width: 321px; height: 478px;' /><br /> +<p class='caption' style='margin: 0 auto; text-align:center;width: 321px;'> +Before the Hand Organ Danced a Little Figure.<br /> +Frontispiece.<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<hr class='silver' /> + +<div class='ce'> +<p style=' font-size:2.0em; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:;'>Madge Morton’s</p> +<p style=' font-size:2em; margin-top:; margin-bottom:2em;'>Victory</p> +<div style='margin-top:1em'></div> +<p style=' font-size:; margin-top:; margin-bottom:;'>By</p> +<div style='margin-top:1em'></div> +<p style=' font-size:1.2em; margin-top:; margin-bottom:0.5em;'>AMY D. V. CHALMERS</p> +<div style='margin-top:1em'></div> +<p style=' font-size:0.8em; margin-top:; margin-bottom:;'>Author of Madge Morton, Captain of the Merry Maid; Madge</p> +<p style=' font-size:0.8em; margin-top:; margin-bottom:;'>Morton’s Secret, Madge Morton’s Trust.</p> +<div style='margin-top:1em'></div> +<p style=' font-size:; margin-top:; margin-bottom:;'>THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY</p> +<p style=' font-size:; margin-top:; margin-bottom:;'>Akron, Ohio New York</p> +<p style=' font-size:0.8em; margin-top:; margin-bottom:;'>Made in U. S. A.</p> +</div> + +<hr class='silver' /> + +<div class='ce' style=' font-size:0.8em;'> +<p>Copyright MCMXIV</p> +<p>By THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY</p> +</div> + +<hr class='silver' /> + +<div class='ce'> +<p style=' font-size:1.4em; margin-bottom:1em;'>Contents</p> +</div> + +<table border='0' width='500' cellpadding='2' cellspacing='0' summary='Contents' style='margin:1em auto;'> +<tr> + <td align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'><span style='font-size:small;'>CHAPTER</span></td> + <td></td> + <td align='right'><span style='font-size:small;'>PAGE</span></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>I.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Commencement Day at Miss Tolliver’s</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#I_COMMENCEMENT_DAY_AT_MISS_TOLLIVER_S'>7</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>II.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>How it Was All Arranged</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#II_HOW_IT_WAS_ALL_ARRANGED'>16</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>III.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Tania, a Princess</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#III_TANIA_A_PRINCESS'>24</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>IV.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Uninvited Guest</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#IV_THE_UNINVITED_GUEST'>37</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>V.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Tania, a Problem</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#V_TANIA_A_PROBLEM'>51</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>VI.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Mischievous Mermaid</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#VI_A_MISCHIEVOUS_MERMAID'>58</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>VII.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Captain Jules, Deep Sea Diver</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#VII_CAPTAIN_JULES_DEEP_SEA_DIVER'>65</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>VIII.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Wreck of the “Water Witch”</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#VIII_THE_WRECK_OF_THE__WATER_WITCH'>80</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>IX.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Owner of the Disagreeable Voice</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#IX_THE_OWNER_OF_THE_DISAGREEABLE_VOICE'>90</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>X.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Goody-Goody Young Man</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#X_THE_GOODYGOODY_YOUNG_MAN'>100</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XI.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Beginning of Trouble</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XI_THE_BEGINNING_OF_TROUBLE'>112</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XII.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>“The Anchorage”</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XII__THE_ANCHORAGE'>124</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XIII.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Tania’s Nemesis</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XIII_TANIA_S_NEMESIS'>131</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XIV.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Captain Jules Makes a Promise</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XIV_CAPTAIN_JULES_MAKES_A_PROMISE'>141</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XV.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Great Adventure</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XV_THE_GREAT_ADVENTURE'>150</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XVI.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Strange Pearl</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XVI_A_STRANGE_PEARL'>161</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XVII.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Fairy Godmother’s Wish Comes True</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XVII_THE_FAIRY_GODMOTHER_S_WISH_COMES_TRUE'>172</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XVIII.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Missing, a Fairy Godmother</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XVIII_MISSING_A_FAIRY_GODMOTHER'>180</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XIX.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Wicked Genii</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XIX_THE_WICKED_GENII'>198</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XX.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>A Bow of Scarlet Ribbon</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XX_A_BOW_OF_SCARLET_RIBBON'>206</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XXI.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Race for Life</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XXI_THE_RACE_FOR_LIFE'>215</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XXII.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Captain Jules Listens to a Story</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XXII_CAPTAIN_JULES_LISTENS_TO_A_STORY'>224</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XXIII.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Victory Over Fate</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XXIII_THE_VICTORY_OVER_FATE'>232</a></td> +</tr> +<tr> + <td valign='top' align='right' style='padding-right:1em;'>XXIV.</td> + <td valign='top' align='left'><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The Little Captain Starts on a Journey</span> </td> + <td valign='bottom' align='right'><a href='#XXIV_THE_LITTLE_CAPTAIN_STARTS_ON_A_JOURNEY'>243</a></td> +</tr> +</table> +<hr class='silver' /> + +<div class='ce'> +<p style=' font-size:1.4em;'>Madge Morton’s Victory</p> +</div> + +<hr class='minor' /> + +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 0em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='I_COMMENCEMENT_DAY_AT_MISS_TOLLIVER_S' id='I_COMMENCEMENT_DAY_AT_MISS_TOLLIVER_S'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_7' name='page_7'></a>7</span> +<h2>CHAPTER I</h2> +<h3>COMMENCEMENT DAY AT MISS TOLLIVER’S</h3> +</div> + +<p>“O Phil, dear! It is anything but +fair. If you only knew how I hate to +have to do it!” exclaimed Madge +Morton impulsively, throwing her arms about +her chum’s neck and burying her red-brown +head in the soft, white folds of Phyllis Alden’s +graduation gown. “No one in our class wishes +me to be the valedictorian. You know you are the +most popular girl in our school. Yet here I am +the one chosen to stand up before everyone and +read my stupid essay when your average was +just exactly as high as mine.”</p> +<p>Madge Morton and Phyllis Alden were alone +in their own room at the end of the dormitory +of Miss Matilda Tolliver’s Select School for +Girls, at Harborpoint, one morning late in May. +Through the halls one could hear occasional +bursts of girlish laughter, and the murmur of +voices betokened unusual excitement. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_8' name='page_8'></a>8</span></p> +<p>It was the morning of the annual spring commencement.</p> +<p>Phyllis slowly unclasped Madge’s arms from +about her neck and gazed at her companion +steadfastly, a flush on her usually pale cheeks.</p> +<p>“If you say another word about that old valedictory, +I shall never forgive you!” she declared +vehemently. “You know that Miss Tolliver is +going to announce to the audience that our averages +were the same. You were chosen to deliver +the valedictory because you can make a +speech so much better than I. What is the use +of bringing up this subject now, just a few minutes +before our commencement begins? You +know how often we have talked this over before, +and that I told Miss Matilda that I wished +you to be the valedictorian instead of me, even +before she selected you.”</p> +<p>Phil’s earnest black eyes looked sternly into +Madge’s troubled blue ones. “If you begin +worrying about that now, you won’t be able to +read your essay half as well,” declared Phil impatiently. +“Please sit still for a minute and +wait until Miss Jenny Ann calls us.”</p> +<p>Phil pushed Madge gently toward the big armchair. +Then she walked over to stand by the +window, in order to watch the carriages drive up +to Miss Tolliver’s door and to keep her back +turned directly upon her friend Madge. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_9' name='page_9'></a>9</span></p> +<p>The little captain sat very still for a few minutes. +She had on an exquisite white organdie +gown, a white sash, white slippers and white +silk stockings. In the knot of sunny curled hair +drawn high upon her head she wore a single +white rose. A bunch of roses lay in her lap, +also a manuscript in Madge’s slightly vertical +handwriting, which she fingered restlessly.</p> +<p>The silence grew monotonous to Madge.</p> +<p>“Are you angry with me, Phil?” she asked +forlornly.</p> +<p>Madge and Phyllis Alden had been best +friends for four years, and had never had a real +disagreement until this morning.</p> +<p>Phyllis was too honest to be deceitful. “I am +a little cross,” she admitted without turning +around. “I wish Lillian and Eleanor would +come upstairs to tell us how many people have +arrived for the commencement.”</p> +<p>Madge started across the room toward Phil. +But Phyllis’s back was uncompromising. She +pretended not to hear her friend’s light step. +Suddenly Madge’s expression changed. The +color rose to her face and her eyes flashed.</p> +<p>“I won’t apologize to you, Phil,” she said. +“I had intended to, but I see no reason why I +should not say it is unfair for me to be the valedictorian +when you have the same claim to it +that I have. It is hateful in you not to understand +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_10' name='page_10'></a>10</span> +how I feel about it. I am going to find +Miss Jenny Ann.” Madge’s voice broke.</p> +<p>A knock on the door interrupted the two girls. +Madge opened the door to a boy, who handed her +a small parcel addressed in a curious handwriting +to “Miss Madge Morton.” The letters +were printed, but the writing did not look +like a child’s. It was the fiftieth graduating +gift that she had received. Phil’s number had +already reached the half-hundred mark.</p> +<p>Madge dropped her newest package on the +bed without opening it. She was half-way out +in the hall when Phyllis pulled her back.</p> +<p>“Look me straight in the face,” ordered Phil. +Madge obeyed, the flash in her eyes fading +swiftly. “Now, see here, dear,” argued Phyllis, +“suppose that Miss Matilda had chosen me to +deliver the valedictory instead of you, wouldn’t +you have been glad?”</p> +<p>Madge nodded happily. “I should say I +would,” she murmured fervently.</p> +<p>Phyllis laughed, then leaned over and kissed +her friend triumphantly.</p> +<p>“There, you have said just what I wanted to +make you say,” went on Phil. “You say you +would be glad if Miss Tolliver had chosen me +for the valedictorian instead of you. Why can’t +you let me have the same feeling about you? +Please, please understand, Madge, dear”—the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_11' name='page_11'></a>11</span> +tears started to Phil’s eyes—“that no one has +been unfair to me because you were Miss Matilda’s +choice.”</p> +<p>Madge glanced nervously at the little gold +clock on their mantel shelf. “It is nearly time +for the entertainment to begin, isn’t it?” she inquired. +“I suppose Miss Jenny Ann will call +us in time. What a lot of noise the girls are +making in the hall!”</p> +<p>She idly untied her latest graduating gift. It +was a small box, made after a fashion of long +years ago, and its tops and sides were encrusted +with tiny shells. On one side of the box the +word “Madge” was worked out in tiny shells +as clear and beautiful as jewels. Inside the box, +on a piece of cotton, was a single, wonderful +pearl. It was unset, but the two girls realized +that it was rarely beautiful. There was no name +in the box, no card to show from whom it came.</p> +<p>Madge turned the box upside down and peered +inside of it. “I don’t know who could have +sent this to me,” she declared, in a puzzled fashion. +“Mrs. Curtis is the only rich person I +know in the whole world, and she has already +given us her presents. I must show this to +Uncle and Aunt. I am afraid they won’t wish +me to keep it. But I don’t know how we are +ever going to return it to the giver when he or +she is anonymous.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_12' name='page_12'></a>12</span></p> +<p>“Isn’t that Miss Jenny Ann calling?” Madge +turned pale with the excitement of the coming +hour and thrust the gift under her pillow.</p> +<p>Phyllis picked up a great bunch of red roses. +The eventful moment had arrived. The graduating +exercises at Miss Matilda Tolliver’s were +about to begin!</p> +<p>Neither of the two girls knew how they walked +up on the stage. Before them swam “a sea of +upturned faces.” It was impossible to tell one +person from another. When Madge and Phil +overcame their fright they discovered that they +were among the twelve girl graduates, who +formed a white semi-circle about the stage, and +that Miss Matilda Tolliver was making an address +of welcome to the audience.</p> +<p>Phyllis had no dreaded speech ahead of her. +She looked out over the audience and saw her +father and mother, Dr. and Mrs. Alden; and +Madge’s uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Butler; +but Madge could think of nothing save the terrifying +fact that she must soon deliver her valedictory.</p> +<p>“Madge,” whispered Phil softly, “don’t look +so frightened. You know you have made +speeches before and have acted before people. +I am not a bit afraid you will fail. See if you +can find Mrs. Curtis and Tom. There they are, +smiling at us from behind Eleanor and Lillian.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_13' name='page_13'></a>13</span></p> +<p>Readers of “<span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Madge Morton</span>, <span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Captain of the +‘Merry Maid’</span>,” will remember the delightful +fashion in which Madge Morton, Eleanor Butler, +Lillian Seldon and Phyllis Alden spent a +summer on a houseboat, which they evolved +from an old canal boat and named the “Merry +Maid.”</p> +<p>How they anchored at quiet spots along +Chesapeake Bay, made the acquaintance of Mrs. +Curtis, a wealthy widow, and what came of the +friendship that sprang up between her and +Madge Morton made a story well worth the telling.</p> +<p>In “<span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Madge Morton’s Secret</span>” the scene of +their second houseboat adventure found them +at Old Point Comfort, where, as Mrs. Curtis’s +guests, they partook of the social side of the +Army and Navy life to be found there. The origin +of Captain Madge’s secret, and of how she +kept it in spite of the humiliation and sorrow +it entailed, the mysterious way in which the +“Merry Maid” slipped her cable and drifted +through heavy seas to a deserted island, where +her crew lived the lives of girl Crusoes for many +weeks, form a narrative of lively interest.</p> +<p>In “<span style='font-variant: small-caps'>Madge Morton’s Trust</span>” the further adventures +of the “Merry Maid” were fully related. +For the sake of the trip the happy houseboat +girls saddled themselves with Miss Betsey +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_14' name='page_14'></a>14</span> +Taylor, a crotchety spinster, who was troubled +with nerves, and who offered to pay liberally +for her passage on their cosy “Ship of +Dreams.”</p> +<p>Madge’s faith and unshakable trust in David +Brewster, a poor young man who did the work +on Tom Curtis’s yacht, which made the trip +with the “Merry Maid,” her championing of +David when suspicion pointed darkly toward +him as a thief, and her unswerving loyalty to +the unhappy youth until his innocence was +established, revealed the little captain in the +light of a staunch true comrade and doubly endeared +her to all her companions.</p> +<p>Madge heard Miss Matilda Tolliver announce +that the valedictory would be delivered by Miss +Madge Morton. Phyllis gave her companion a +little nudge, and somehow Madge arrived at the +front of the stage and stood under a huge arch +of flowers. Just above her head swung a great +bell. Everyone was smiling at her. Madge was +seized with a dreadful case of stage fright. Her +tongue felt dry and parched. She tried to +speak, but no sound came forth.</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis’s lovely face, with its crown of +soft, white hair, smiled encouragingly at her. +Tom was crimson with embarrassment. Lillian +and Eleanor held each other’s hands. Would +Madge never begin her valedictory? +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_15' name='page_15'></a>15</span></p> +<p>She tried again. No one heard her except her +friends and teachers on the stage. Her voice +was no louder than a faint whisper.</p> +<p>Miss Tolliver leaned over. “Madge, speak +more distinctly,” she ordered.</p> +<p>Then the little captain realized that the most +humiliating moment of her whole life had arrived. +She had been selected as the valedictorian +of her class, she had been chosen above her +beloved Phil because of her gift as a speaker, +yet she would be obliged to return to her seat +without having delivered a line of her address. +She would be disgraced forever!</p> +<p>Madge’s knees shook. Her lips trembled. +Tears swam mistily in her eyes. She was a +lovely picture despite her fright.</p> +<p>At eighteen she was in the first glory of her +youth, a tall, slender girl, with a curious warmth +and glow of life. Her lips were deeply crimson, +her hair a soft brown, with red and gold lights +in it, and her eyes were full of the eagerness that +foreshadows both happiness and pain.</p> +<p>Phil and Miss Jenny Ann were exchanging +glances of despair—Madge had broken down, +there was no hope for her. Suddenly her +face broke into one of its sunniest smiles. She +lifted her head. Without glancing at the paper +she held in her hand she began her address in a +clear, penetrating voice.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='II_HOW_IT_WAS_ALL_ARRANGED' id='II_HOW_IT_WAS_ALL_ARRANGED'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_16' name='page_16'></a>16</span> +<h2>CHAPTER II</h2> +<h3>HOW IT WAS ALL ARRANGED</h3> +</div> + +<p>Madge’s valedictory address was almost +over. She had spoken of +“Friendship,” what it meant to a +girl at school and what it must mean to a woman +when the larger and more important difficulties +come into her life. “Schoolgirl friendships are +of no small consequence,” declaimed Madge; +“the friendships made in youth are the truest, +after all!”</p> +<p>Phil listened to her chum’s voice, her eyes +misty with tears. Only a half-hour before she +and her beloved Madge had come very near to +having the first real quarrel of their lives. Phil +turned her gaze from Madge to glance idly at +the arch of flowers above her friend’s head. +Phil supposed that she must be dizzy from the +heat of the room, or else that she could not see +distinctly because of her tears; the arch seemed +to be swaying lightly from side to side, as +though it were blown by the wind. Yet the room +was perfectly still. Phil looked again. She +must be wrong. The arch was built of a framework +of wood. It was heavy and she did not believe +it would easily topple down. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_17' name='page_17'></a>17</span></p> +<p>Madge was happily unconscious of the wobbling +arch. A few more lines and her speech +would be ended! There was unbroken silence in +the roomy chapel of the girls’ school, where the +commencement exercises were being held. Suddenly +some one in the back part of the room +jumped to his feet. A hoarse voice shouted, +“Madge!”</p> +<p>Madge started in amazement. Her manuscript +dropped to the ground. Every face but +hers blanched with terror. The swaying arch +was now visible to other people besides Phil. +Tom leaped to his feet, but he was tightly wedged +in between rows of women. Phil Alden made +a forward spring just as the arch tumbled. She +was not in time to save Madge, but some one else +had saved her; for, before Phil could reach the +front of the stage, Madge’s name had been +called again. Although the voice was an unknown +one, Madge instinctively obeyed it. She +made a little movement, leaning out to see who +had summoned her, and the arch crashed down +just at her back.</p> +<p>The quick cry from the audience frightened +Madge, whose face was turned away from the +wreck. She swung around without discovering +her rescuer. Some one had fallen on the stage. +Phyllis Alden had reached her friend’s side, not +in time to save her, but to receive, herself, a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_18' name='page_18'></a>18</span> +heavy blow from the great bell that was suspended +from the arch.</p> +<p>Madge dropped on the stage at Phil’s side, +forgetting her speech and the presence of strangers.</p> +<p>Miss Tolliver and Miss Jenny Ann lifted +Phyllis before Dr. Alden had had time to reach +the stage. There was a dark bruise over Phil’s +forehead. In a moment she opened her eyes and +smiled. “I am not a bit hurt, Miss Matilda; <i>do</i> +let the exercises go on,” she begged faintly. +“Let Madge and me go up to the front of the +stage and bow, Miss Matilda. Then I can show +people that I am all right. We must not spoil +our commencement in this way.”</p> +<p>Miss Matilda agreed to this, and Madge and +Phyllis went forward to the center of the stage. +A storm of applause greeted them. Madge and +Phil were a little overcome at the ovation. +Madge supposed that they were being applauded +because of Phil’s heroism, and Phil presumed +that the demonstration was meant for Madge’s +valedictory, therefore neither girl knew just +what to do.</p> +<p>It was then that Miss Matilda Tolliver came +forward. She was usually a very severe and imposing +looking person. Most of her pupils were +dreadfully afraid of her. But the accident that +had so nearly injured her two favorite graduates +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_19' name='page_19'></a>19</span> +had completely upset her nerves. Instead +of making a formal speech, as she had planned +to do, she stepped between the two girls, +taking a hand of each. “I had meant to introduce +Miss Alden a little later on to our friends +at the commencement exercises,” announced +Miss Tolliver, “but I believe I would rather do +it now. I wish to state that, although Miss Morton +has delivered the valedictory, Miss Phyllis +Alden’s average during the four years she has +spent at my preparatory school has been equally +high. It was her wish that Miss Morton should +be chosen to deliver the valedictory. But Miss +Alden’s friends have another honor which they +wish to bestow upon her. She has been voted, +without her knowledge, the most popular girl in +my school. Her fellow students have asked me +to present her with this pin as a mark of their +affection.”</p> +<p>Miss Matilda leaned over, and before Phil +could grasp what was happening had pinned +in the soft folds of her organdie gown the class +pin, which was usually an enameled shield with +a crown of laurel above it; but the center of +Phil’s shield was formed of small rubies and +the crown of tiny diamonds.</p> +<p>Phyllis turned scarlet with embarrassment, +but Madge’s eyes sparkled with delight. She +was no longer ashamed of having been chosen +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_20' name='page_20'></a>20</span> +as valedictorian. In spite of herself, Phyllis +Alden was the star of their commencement.</p> +<p>It was not until the four girls were seated +with their dear ones about a round luncheon +table in the largest hotel in Harborpoint that +Madge suddenly recalled the stranger whose +warning cry had probably saved her from a serious +hurt.</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis and Tom were entertaining in +honor of Madge and Phyllis. There were no +other guests except the two houseboat girls, +Eleanor and Lillian, Dr. and Mrs. Alden, and +Mr. and Mrs. Butler.</p> +<p>Madge sat next to Tom Curtis, and during the +progress of the luncheon managed to say softly: +“Did you see who it was that called my name +so strangely this morning, Tom? I was so +frightened at having to deliver my valedictory +that when I heard that sudden shout, ‘Madge!’ +I was too much confused to recognize the voice.”</p> +<p>Tom shook his head. “I don’t know who it +was. I heard the voice but couldn’t discover its +owner. It must have been some one at the very +back of the room, for no one in the audience +seems to know who called out to you.”</p> +<p>“I suppose I’ll never know,” sighed Madge. +“It is a real commencement day mystery, isn’t +it?”</p> +<p>Tom nodded smilingly. “By the way, Madge, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_21' name='page_21'></a>21</span> +where are the houseboat girls going to spend +the summer after you come to Madeleine’s wedding?” +he asked. “You must be tired after +your winter’s work.”</p> +<p>Madge shook her head soberly. “We are not +going to be on the houseboat this year,” she +whispered. “Going to New York to be bridesmaids +is about as much as four girls can arrange. +We haven’t even dared to think of the +houseboat.”</p> +<p>“I have,” interposed Phyllis, who had heard +the remark and the reply, “but we don’t wish +our families to know. You see, Madge and I are +hoping and planning to go to college next winter, +so, of course, we can’t afford another summer +holiday,” she ended under her breath.</p> +<p>“What’s that, Phil?” inquired Dr. Alden +from the other end of the table.</p> +<p>Phil blushed. “Nothing important, Father,” +she answered.</p> +<p>“Oh, then I must have been mistaken,” replied +Dr. Alden, “for I thought I caught the +magic word, ‘houseboat.’ No one of you girls +has ever spoken of the ‘Merry Maid’ as unimportant.”</p> +<p>A cloud instantaneously overspread five faces +about the luncheon table. Neither Mrs. Curtis +nor Dr. Alden realized that in mentioning the +houseboat they had forced the houseboat passengers +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_22' name='page_22'></a>22</span> +to break a vow of silence. Only the day +before the five of them had met in Miss Jenny +Ann Jones’s room. There they had solemnly +pledged themselves that, since it was impossible +for them to have this year’s vacation aboard +the “Merry Maid,” they would bear the sorrow +in silence. This time there was no “Miss +Betsey” to pay the expenses of the trip. The +girls and Miss Jenny Ann hadn’t a dollar to +spare. The cost of going to Madeleine Curtis’s +New York wedding was appalling to all of the +girls except Lillian, whose parents were in affluent +circumstances. But, of course, Madeleine +was almost a houseboat girl herself. Readers of +the first houseboat story will recall how Madeleine’s +fiancé, Judge Hilliard, rescued Madge +and Phyllis from a serious situation and saved +Madeleine from a far worse plight than that in +which he found the two girls.</p> +<p>“Mrs. Curtis,” remarked Dr. Alden in the +midst of the mournful silence, “Mr. and Mrs. +Butler, my wife and I have just been talking +things over. We have decided that it would be a +good thing for our girls to spend several weeks +on board their houseboat. But, of course, if +they have decided differently——”</p> +<p>It was a good thing that Mrs. Curtis was not +giving a formal luncheon. A united shriek of +delight suddenly arose from four throats. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_23' name='page_23'></a>23</span> +Madge sprang from the table to hug her uncle, +Eleanor blew kisses to her mother from across +the room, Lillian clapped both hands, and Miss +Jenny Ann smiled rapturously.</p> +<p>Phil’s face was the only serious one. “Are +you sure we can afford it, Father?” she queried.</p> +<p>Dr. Alden nodded convincingly. “For a few +weeks, certainly,” he returned.</p> +<p>“Then we don’t need to worry about afterward,” +rejoined Madge. “And don’t you think, +girls, it will be perfectly great, so long as we +are going to Madeleine’s wedding in New York, +for us to spend this holiday at the seashore?”</p> +<p>“Where, Madge?” asked Lillian.</p> +<p>“I’ll tell you,” answered Mrs. Curtis, “only, +not to-day. It is a secret. Here is our pineapple +lemonade. Let’s hope for the happiest of +holidays for the little captain and her crew +aboard the good ship ‘Merry Maid’.”</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='III_TANIA_A_PRINCESS' id='III_TANIA_A_PRINCESS'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_24' name='page_24'></a>24</span> +<h2>CHAPTER III</h2> +<h3>TANIA, A PRINCESS</h3> +</div> + +<p>“Madge, do you think there is any +chance that Tom won’t meet us?” +inquired Eleanor Butler nervously. +“I do wish we could have come on to New +York with Lillian, Phil, and Miss Jenny Ann instead +of making that visit to Baltimore. It +seems so funny that they have been in New York +two whole days before us. I suppose they have +seen Madeleine’s presents, and our bridesmaids’ +dresses—and everything!”</p> +<p>Eleanor sighed as she leaned back luxuriously +in the chair of the Pullman coach, gazing +down the aisle at her fellow passengers.</p> +<p>Madge was occupied in staring very hard at +her reflection in the small mirror between her +seat and Eleanor’s. She had wrinkled her +small nose and was surreptitiously applying +powder to the tip end of it.</p> +<p>“Of course Tom and the girls will meet us, +Eleanor,” she replied emphatically. “Tom +would expect us to be lost forever if we were to +be turned loose in New York by ourselves. Oh, +dear me, isn’t it too splendid that we are going +to be Madeleine’s bridesmaids? I wonder if +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_25' name='page_25'></a>25</span> +we shall look very ‘country’ before so many society +people?”</p> +<p>“Of course we shall,” returned Eleanor +calmly. “You need not look at yourself again +in that mirror. You are very well satisfied with +yourself, aren’t you?” teased Eleanor.</p> +<p>Madge blushed and laughed. “I <i>do</i> like our +clothes, Nellie,” she admitted candidly. “You +know perfectly well that we have never had +tailored suits before in our lives. You do +look too sweet in that pale gray, like a little +nun. That pink rose in your hat gives just the +touch of color you need. I am sure I don’t see +why you are so sure we shall seem countrified,” +ended Madge. She had liked her reflection in +the glass. She wore a light-weight blue serge +traveling suit without a wrinkle in it, a spotless +white linen waist, and her new hat was particularly +attractive. Her cheeks were becomingly +flushed and her eyes glowed with the excitement +of arriving for the first time in New York City.</p> +<p>“We are almost in Jersey City now, aren’t +we, Madge?” exclaimed Eleanor, making a leap +for her bag, which promptly tumbled out of +the rack above and fell directly on the head of +a young man who was walking down the aisle +of the car.</p> +<p>Madge giggled. Eleanor, however, was crimson +with mortification. The young man did not +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_26' name='page_26'></a>26</span> +appear to be pleased. The girls had a brief +glimpse of him. He had blue eyes and sandy +hair and was exceedingly tall. Eleanor’s bag +had knocked his glasses off and he was obliged +to stoop in search of them in the aisle.</p> +<p>“Oh, I am so sorry,” apologized Eleanor in +her soft, Southern voice, as she picked up the +glasses and restored them to their owner. “I +am glad they were not broken.”</p> +<p>The young man paid not the slightest attention +to her apology.</p> +<p>“Hurry, Nellie,” advised Madge, “it is +nearly time for us to get off the train and your +hat is on crooked. Don’t be such a timid little +goose! You are actually trembling. Of course +Tom or some one will meet us, and if they don’t +I shall not be in the least frightened.” Madge +announced this grandly. “That whistle means +we are entering Jersey City. We will find Tom +waiting for us at the gate.”</p> +<p>Eleanor obediently followed Madge out of +their coach. The little captain seemed older +and more self-confident since she had been +graduated at Miss Tolliver’s, but Nellie hoped +devoutly that her cousin would not become imbued +with the impression that she was really +grown-up. It would spoil their good times.</p> +<p>The two girls had never seen such a headlong +rush of people in their lives. They clung +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_27' name='page_27'></a>27</span> +desperately to their bags when a porter attempted +to carry them. A man bumped violently +against Madge, but he made no effort to apologize +as he rushed on through the crowd.</p> +<p>“I never saw so many people in such a hurry +in my life,” declared Nellie pettishly. “They +behave as though they thought New York City +were on fire and they were all rushing to put +the fire out. I shall be glad when Tom takes +charge of us.”</p> +<p>Once through the great iron gates the girls +looked anxiously about for Tom, but saw no +trace of him.</p> +<p>“I suppose Tom must have missed the +ferry,” declared Madge with pretended cheerfulness. +“We shall have to wait here for only +about ten minutes until the next ferry boat +comes across from New York.”</p> +<p>When fifteen minutes had passed and there +was still no sign of Tom, Madge began to feel +worried.</p> +<p>“Madge, I am sure you have made some kind +of mistake,” argued Eleanor plaintively. “I +know Mrs. Curtis would not fail to have some +one here on time to meet us for anything in the +world. Perhaps Tom wrote for us to come +across the ferry, and that he would meet us on +the New York side. Where is his letter?”</p> +<p>“It is in my trunk, Nellie,” replied Madge +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_28' name='page_28'></a>28</span> +in a crestfallen manner. She was not nearly so +grown-up or so sure of herself as she had been +half an hour before. “I know it was silly in me +not to have brought Tom’s letter with me, but I +was so sure that I knew just what it said. Perhaps +we had better go on over to New York. +Let’s hurry. Perhaps that boat is just about to +start.”</p> +<p>The two young women hurried aboard the +boat, which left the dock a moment later, just +as a tall, fair-haired young man, accompanied +by two girls, hurried upon the scene. The young +man was Tom Curtis and the young women +were Phyllis Alden and Lillian Seldon.</p> +<p>In the meantime Madge and her cousin had +crossed the river and had landed on the New +York side. What was the dreadful roar and +rumble that met their ears? It sounded like an +earthquake, with the noise of frightened people +shrieking above it. After a horrified moment +it dawned on the two little strangers that this +was only the usual roar of New York, which +Tom Curtis had so often described to them.</p> +<p>“There isn’t any use of our staying here +very long, Eleanor,” declared Madge, feeling +a great wave of loneliness and fear sweep over +her. “An accident must have happened to +Tom’s automobile on his way to the train to +meet us. I am afraid we were foolish not to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_29' name='page_29'></a>29</span> +have stayed at the Jersey City station. I am +sure Tom wrote he would meet us there. I +have behaved like a perfect goose. It is because +I boasted so much about not being frightened +and knowing what to do. But I <i>do</i> know +Mrs. Curtis’s address. We can take a cab and +drive up there.”</p> +<p>Eleanor would fall in with Madge’s plans to +a certain point; then she would strike. Now +she positively refused to get into a cab. Her +mother and father and Miss Jenny Ann had +warned her never to trust herself in a cab in a +strange city. New York was too terrifying! +Eleanor would search for Mrs. Curtis’s home +on foot, in a car, or a bus, but in a cab she +would not ride.</p> +<p>Madge was obliged to give in gracefully. A +policeman showed the girls to a Twenty-third +Street car. He explained that when they came +to the Third Avenue L they must get out of the +car and take the elevated train uptown, since +Madge had explained to him that Mrs. Curtis +lived on Seventieth Street between Madison and +Fifth Avenues.</p> +<p>There was only one point that the policeman +failed to make clear to Eleanor and Madge. He +neglected to tell them that elevated trains, as +well as other cars, travel both up and down New +York City, and the way to discover which way +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_30' name='page_30'></a>30</span> +the “L” train is moving is to consult the signs +on the steps that lead up to the elevated road. +The policeman supposed that the two young +women would make this observation for themselves. +Of course, under ordinary circumstances, +Madge and Nellie would have been +more sensible, but they were frightened and +confused at the bare idea of being alone in New +York and consequently lost their heads, and +they dashed up the Third Avenue elevated steps +without looking for signs, settled themselves in +the train and were off, as they supposed, for +Seventieth Street.</p> +<p>They were too much interested in gazing into +upstairs windows, where hundreds of people +were at work in tiny, dark rooms, to pay much +attention to the first stops at stations that their +train made. They knew they were still some distance +from Mrs. Curtis’s. Madge was completely +fascinated at the spectacle of a fat, +frowsy woman holding a baby by its skirt on +the sill of a six-story tenement house. Just as +the car went by the baby made a leap toward the +train. Madge smothered her scream as the +woman jerked the child out of danger just in +time. Then it suddenly occurred to her that this +was hardly the kind of neighborhood in which to +find Mrs. Curtis’s house. The sign at the next +stop was a name and not a street number. It +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_31' name='page_31'></a>31</span> +could not be possible that she and Eleanor had +made another mistake!</p> +<p>Madge hurried back to the end of the car to +find the conductor.</p> +<p>“We wish to get out at the nearest station to +Seventieth Street and Lexington Avenue,” she +declared timidly.</p> +<p>The man paid not the slightest attention to +her. Madge repeated her question in a somewhat +bolder tone.</p> +<p>“You ain’t going to get off near Seventieth +Street for some time if you keep a-traveling +away from it,” retorted the conductor crossly. +“You’ve got on a downtown ‘L’ ’stead of an up. +Better change at the next station. You’ll find +an uptown train across the street,” the man +ended more kindly, seeing the look of consternation +on Madge’s white face.</p> +<p>The girls walked sadly down the elevated +steps, dragging their bags, which seemed to +grow heavier with every moment. They +found themselves in one of the downtown foreign +slums of New York City. It was a bright, +early summer afternoon. The streets were +swarming with grown people and children. +Pushcarts lined the sidewalks. On an opposite +corner a hand organ played an Italian song. In +front of it was a small open space, encircled by +a group of idle men and women. Before the organ +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_32' name='page_32'></a>32</span> +danced a little figure that Madge and Eleanor +stopped to watch. They forgot their own +bewilderment in gazing at the strange sight. +The dancer was a little girl about twelve years +old, as thin as a wraith. Her hair was black and +hung in straight, short locks to her shoulders. +Her eyes were so big and burned so brightly +that it was difficult to notice any other feature +of her face. The child looked like a tropical +flower. Her face was white, but her cheeks glowed +with two scarlet patches. She flung her little +arms over her head, pirouetted and stood on her +tip toes. She did not seem to see the curious +crowd about her, but kept her eyes turned toward +the sky. Her dancing was as much a part +of nature as the summer sunshine, and Madge +and Eleanor were bewitched.</p> +<p>A rough woman came out of a nearby doorway. +She stood with her hands on her hips +looking in the direction of the music. “Tania!” +she called angrily. Elbowing her way through +the crowd, she jostled Madge as she passed by +her. “Tania!” she cried again. The men and +women spectators let the woman make her way +through them as though they knew her and were +afraid of her heavy fist. Only the child appeared +to be unconscious of the woman’s approach. +Suddenly a big, red arm was thrust out. It +caught the little girl by the skirt. With the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_33' name='page_33'></a>33</span> +other hand she rained down blows on the child’s +upturned face. One blow followed the other in +swift succession. The little dancer made no +outcry. She simply put one thin arm over her +head for protection.</p> +<p>The music went on gayly. No one of the +watching men and women tried to stop the woman’s +brutality. But Madge was not used to +the indifference of the New York crowd. Like +a flash of lightning she darted away from Eleanor +and rushed over to the woman, who was +dragging the child along and cuffing her at each +step.</p> +<p>“Stop striking that child!” she ordered +sharply. “How can you be so cruel? You are a +wicked, heartless woman!”</p> +<p>The woman paid no attention to Madge. She +did not seem even to have heard her, but lifted +her big, coarse arm for another blow.</p> +<p>Madge’s breath came in swift gasps. “Don’t +strike that child again,” she repeated. “I don’t +know who she is, nor what she has done, but she +is too little for you to beat her like that. I won’t +endure it,” the little captain ended in sudden +passion.</p> +<p>The woman turned her cruel, bloodshot eyes +slowly toward Madge. She was one of the +strongest and most brutal characters in the +slums of New York, and few dared to oppose +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_34' name='page_34'></a>34</span> +her. She was even a terror to the policemen in +the neighborhood.</p> +<p>“Git out!” she said briefly.</p> +<p>Her arm descended. It did not strike the +child. Quick as a flash, Madge Morton had +flung herself between the woman and the child. +For a moment the blow almost stunned the girl. +The East Side crowd closed in on the girl and +the woman. If there was going to be a fight, the +spectators did not intend to miss it. Eleanor +was numb with fear and sympathy. She did +not know whether to be more frightened for +Madge than sorry for the child.</p> +<p>The woman’s face was mottled and crimson +with anger. Madge’s face was very white. She +held her head high and looked her enemy full +in the face.</p> +<p>“Git out of this and stop your interferin’!” +shouted the virago. “This here child belongs +to me and I’ll do what I like with her. If you +are one of them social settlers coming around +into poor people’s places and meddlin’ with +their business, you’d better git back where you +belong or I’ll social-settle you.”</p> +<p>At this moment a thin, hot hand caught hold +of Madge’s and pulled it gently. Madge gazed +down into a little face, whose expression she +never forgot. It was whiter than it had been +before. The scarlet color had gone out of the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_35' name='page_35'></a>35</span> +cheeks and the big, black eyes burned brighter. +But there was not the slightest trace of fear in +the look. Instead, the child’s lips were curved +into an elf-like smile.</p> +<p>“Don’t stay here, lady, please,” she begged. +“The ogress will be horrid to you. She can’t +hurt me. You see, I am an enchanted Princess.”</p> +<p>An instant later the child received a savage +blow from the woman’s hard hand full in the +face without shrinking. It was Madge who +winced. Tears rose to her eyes. She put her +arms about the child and tried to shelter her.</p> +<p>“Don’t be calling me no names, Tania,” the +woman cried, dragging at the child’s thin skirts. +“Jest you come along home with me and you’ll +git what is comin’ to you, you good-for-nothin’ +little imp.”</p> +<p>“Is she your mother?” asked Madge doubtfully, +gazing at the brutal woman and the +strange child.</p> +<p>Tania shook her black head scornfully. “Oh, +dear, no,” she answered. “It is only that I +have to live with her now, while I am under the +enchantment. Some day, when the wicked spell +is broken, I shall go away, perhaps to a wonderful +castle. My name is Titania. I think it +means that I am the Queen of the Fairies.”</p> +<p>The woman laughed brutishly. “Queen of +gutter, you are, Miss Tania. I’ll tan you,” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_36' name='page_36'></a>36</span> +she jeered, as she dragged the little girl from +Madge’s arms.</p> +<p>The little captain looked despairingly about +her. There, a calm witness of the entire scene, +was a big New York policeman. “Officer,” commanded +Madge indignantly, “make that woman +leave that child alone.”</p> +<p>The big policeman looked sheepish. “I can’t +do nothing with Sal,” he protested. “If I make +her stop beating Tania now, she’ll only be +meaner to her when she gets her indoors. Best +leave ’em alone, I think. I have interfered, but +the child says she don’t mind. I don’t think she +does, somehow; she’s such a queer young ’un’.”</p> +<p>Sal was now engaged in shaking Tania as she +pushed her along in front of her. Madge and +Eleanor were in despair.</p> +<p>Suddenly a well-dressed young man appeared +in the crowd. There was something oddly familiar +in his appearance to Eleanor, but she +failed to remember where she had seen him before. +“Sal!” he called out sharply, “leave +Tania alone!”</p> +<p>Instantly the woman obeyed him. She slunk +back into her open doorway. The crowd melted +as though by magic; they also recognized the +young man’s authority. A moment later he +was gone. Madge, Eleanor, and the strange little +girl stood on the street corner almost alone.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='IV_THE_UNINVITED_GUEST' id='IV_THE_UNINVITED_GUEST'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_37' name='page_37'></a>37</span> +<h2>CHAPTER IV</h2> +<h3>THE UNINVITED GUEST</h3> +</div> + +<p>“Are you good fairies who have strayed +away from home?” inquired Tania, +calmly gazing first at Madge and then +at Eleanor. She was perfectly self-possessed +and asked her question as though it were the +most natural one in the world.</p> +<p>The two girls stared hard at the child. Was +her mind affected, or was she playing a game +with them? Tania seemed not in the least disturbed. +“Do go away now,” she urged. “I +am all right, but something may happen to +you.”</p> +<p>“You odd little thing!” laughed Madge. “We +are not fairies. We are girls and we are lost. +We are on our way to visit a friend, Mrs. Curtis, +who lives on Seventieth Street near Fifth +Avenue. She will be dreadfully worried about +us if we don’t hurry on. But what can we do +for you? We can’t take you with us, yet you +must not go back to that wicked woman.”</p> +<p>“Oh, yes, I must,” returned Tania cheerfully. +“I am not afraid of her. When the time +comes I shall go away.”</p> +<p>“But who will take care of you, baby?” asked +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_38' name='page_38'></a>38</span> +Eleanor. “Fairies don’t live in big cities like +New York. They live only in beautiful green +woods and fields.”</p> +<p>The black head nodded wisely. “Good fairies +are everywhere,” she declared. “But I can +make handfuls of pennies when I like,” she continued +boastfully. “Let me show you how you +must go on your way.”</p> +<p>“You can’t possibly know, little girl,” replied +Madge gently. “It is so far from here.”</p> +<p>However, it was Tania who finally saw the +two lost houseboat girls on board the elevated +train that would take them to within a few +blocks of their destination. Tania explained +that she knew almost all of New York, and particularly +she liked to wander up and down Fifth +Avenue to gaze at the beautiful palaces. She +was not young, she was really dreadfully old—almost +thirteen!</p> +<p>The last look Madge and Eleanor had of +Tania the child had apparently forgotten all +about them. She was gazing up in the air, above +all the traffic and roar of New York, with a +happy smile on her elfish face.</p> +<hr class='tb' /> + +<p>“My dear children, I wouldn’t have had it +happen for worlds!” was Mrs. Curtis’s first +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_39' name='page_39'></a>39</span> +greeting as she came out from behind the rose-colored +curtains of her drawing room. “Tom +has been telephoning me frantically for the past +hour. How did he and the girls miss you? You +poor dears, you must be nearly tired to death +after your unpleasant experience.”</p> +<p>While Mrs. Curtis was talking she was leading +her visitors up a beautiful carved oak staircase +to the floor above. Her house was so handsomely +furnished that Madge and Eleanor were +startled at its luxurious appointments.</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis brought her guests into a large +sleeping room which opened into another +bedroom which was for the use of Phil and Lillian.</p> +<p>Madeleine was to be married the next afternoon +at four o ’clock. The girls had not brought +their bridesmaids’ dresses along with them, as +Mrs. Curtis had asked to be allowed to present +them with their gowns.</p> +<p>It was all that Madge could do not to beg Mrs. +Curtis to show them their frocks. She hoped +that their hostess would offer to do so, but during +the rest of the day their time was occupied +in seeing Madeleine, her hundreds of beautiful +wedding gifts, meeting Judge Hilliard all over +again, and being introduced to Mrs. Curtis’s +other guests. The four girls went to bed at +midnight, thinking of their bridesmaids’ gowns, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_40' name='page_40'></a>40</span> +but without having had the chance even to inquire +about them.</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis belonged to the old and infinitely +more aristocratic portion of New York society. +She did not belong to the new smart set, which +numbers nearer four thousand, and does so +much to make society ridiculous. Madeleine +had asked that she might be married very +quietly. She had never become used to the gay +world of fashion after her strange and unhappy +youth. It made the girls and their teacher smile +to see what Mrs. Curtis considered a quiet wedding.</p> +<p>Miss Jenny Ann and her four charges had +their coffee and rolls in Madge’s room the next +morning at about nine o’clock. Madge peeped +out of the doorway, there were so many odd +noises in the hall. The upstairs hall was a mass +of beautiful evergreens. Men were hanging +garlands of smilax on the balusters. The house +was heavy with the scent of American Beauty +roses. But there was no sign of Mrs. Curtis or +of Madeleine or Tom, and still no mention of +the bridesmaids’ costumes for the girls.</p> +<p>Lillian Seldon was looking extremely forlorn. +“Suppose Mrs. Curtis has forgotten our +frocks!” she suggested tragically, as Madge +came back with her report of the house’s decorations. +“She has had such an awful lot to attend +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_41' name='page_41'></a>41</span> +to that she may not have remembered that +she offered to give us our frocks. Won’t it be +dreadful if Madeleine has to be married without +our being bridesmaids after all?”</p> +<p>“O Lillian! what a dreadful idea!” exclaimed +Eleanor.</p> +<p>Even Phyllis looked sober and Miss Jenny +Ann looked exceedingly uncomfortable.</p> +<p>“O, you geese! cheer up!” laughed Madge. +“I know Mrs. Curtis would not disappoint us +for worlds. Why, she has all our measures. She +couldn’t forget. Oh, dear, does my breakfast +gown look all right? There is some one knocking +at our door. It may be that Mrs. Curtis has +sent up our frocks.”</p> +<p>“Then open the door, for goodness’ sake,” +begged Eleanor. “Your breakfast gown is +lovely; only at home we called it a wrapper, +but then you were not visiting on Fifth Avenue.”</p> +<p>Madge made a saucy little face at Eleanor. +Then she saw a group of persons standing just +outside their bedroom door. A man-servant +held four enormous white boxes in his arms; a +maid was almost obscured by four other boxes +equally large. Behind her servants stood Mrs. +Curtis, smiling radiantly, while Tom was peeping +over his mother’s shoulder.</p> +<p>Madge clasped her hands fervently, breathing +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_42' name='page_42'></a>42</span> +a quick sigh of relief. “Our bridesmaids’ +dresses! I’m too delighted for words.”</p> +<p>“Were you thinking about them, dear?” +apologized Mrs. Curtis. “I ought to have sent +the frocks to you sooner, but I wanted to bring +them myself, and this is the first moment I have +had. You’ll let Tom come in to see them, too, +won’t you?”</p> +<p>The man-servant departed, but Mrs. Curtis +kept the maid to help her lift out the gowns from +the billows of white tissue paper that enfolded +them. She lifted out one dress, Miss Jenny Ann +another, and the maid the other two.</p> +<p>The girls were speechless with pleasure.</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis, however, was disappointed. Perhaps +the girls did not like the costumes. She +had used her own taste without consulting them. +Then she glanced at the little group and was reassured +by their radiant faces.</p> +<p>“O you wonderful fairy godmother!” exclaimed +Madge. “Cinderella’s dress at the ball +couldn’t have been half so lovely!”</p> +<p>Madeleine’s wedding was to be in white and +green. The bridesmaids’ frocks were of the +palest green silk, covered with clouds of white +chiffon. About the bottom of the skirts were +bands of pale green satin and the chiffon was +caught here and there with embroidered +wreaths of lilies of the valley. The hats were of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_43' name='page_43'></a>43</span> +white chip, ornamented with white and pale +green plumes.</p> +<p>It was small wonder that four young girls, +three of them poor, should have been awestruck +at the thought of appearing in such +gowns.</p> +<p>“I shall save mine for my own wedding +dress!” exclaimed Eleanor.</p> +<p>“I shall make my début in mine,” insisted +Lillian.</p> +<p>“We can’t thank you enough,” declared +Phyllis, a little overcome by so much grandeur.</p> +<p>Tom was standing in a far corner of the +room.</p> +<p>“I would like to suggest that I be allowed to +come into this,” he demanded firmly.</p> +<p>“You, Tom?” teased Madge. “You’re +merely the audience.”</p> +<p>Tom took four small square boxes out of his +pocket. “Don’t you be too sure, Miss Madge +Morton. My future brother-in-law, Judge Robert +Hilliard, has commissioned me to present +his gifts to his bridesmaids. Madge shall be the +last person to see in these boxes, just for her +unkind treatment of me.”</p> +<p>“All right, Tom,” agreed Madge; “I don’t +think I could stand anything more just at this +instant.”</p> +<p>Nevertheless Madge peeped over Phil’s +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_44' name='page_44'></a>44</span> +shoulder. Judge Hilliard had presented each +one of the houseboat girls with an exquisite little +pin, an enameled model of their houseboat, +done in white and blue, the colors of the “Merry +Maid.”</p> +<hr class='tb' /> + +<p>The wedding was over. There were still a +few guests in the dining room saying good-bye +to Mrs. Curtis and Tom; but Madeleine and +Judge Hilliard had gone. The four girls and +Miss Jenny Ann found a resting place in the +beautiful French music room.</p> +<p>Madeleine’s wedding presents were in the library, +just behind the music room.</p> +<p>“It was simply perfect, wasn’t it, Miss Jenny +Ann?” breathed Lillian, as they drew their +chairs together for a talk.</p> +<p>“Madeleine must be perfectly happy,” sighed +Eleanor sentimentally. “Judge Hilliard is so +good-looking.”</p> +<p>“Oh, dear me!” broke in Madge, coming out +of a brown study. She was sitting in a big +carved French chair. “I don’t see how Madeleine +Curtis could have left her mother and this +beautiful home for any man in the world. I am +sure if I had such an own mother I should never +leave her,” finished the little captain. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_45' name='page_45'></a>45</span></p> +<p>“Until some one came along whom you loved +better,” interposed Miss Jenny Ann.</p> +<p>“That could never be, Miss Jenny Ann,” declared +Madge stoutly, her blue eyes wistful. +“Why, if my father is alive and I find him, I +shall never leave him for anybody else.”</p> +<p>“What’s that noise?” demanded Phyllis +sharply.</p> +<p>It was after six o’clock and the Curtis home +was brilliantly lighted. The window blinds +were all closed. But there was a curious rapping +and scratching at one of the windows that +opened into a small side yard.</p> +<p>“It may be one of the servants,” suggested +Miss Jenny Ann, listening intently.</p> +<p>“It can’t be,” rejoined Madge. “No one of +them would make such a strange noise.”</p> +<p>“I think I had better call Tom,” breathed Eleanor +faintly. “It must be a burglar trying to +steal Madeleine’s wedding gifts.”</p> +<p>Madge shook her head. “Wait, please,” she +whispered. She ran to the window. There was +the faint scratching noise again! Madge lifted +the shade quickly. Perched on the window sill +was the oddest figure that ever stepped out of +the pages of a fairy book. It was impossible to +see just what it was, yet it looked like a little +girl. One hand clung to the window facing, a +small nose pressed against the pane. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_46' name='page_46'></a>46</span></p> +<p>“Why, it’s a child!” exclaimed Miss Jenny +Ann in tones of relief. “Open the window and +let her come in.”</p> +<p>Madge flung open the window. Light as a +thistledown, the unexpected little visitor landed +in the center of the room.</p> +<p>Madge and Eleanor had completely forgotten +the elfin child they had met in the slums of New +York City; but now she appeared among them +just as mysteriously as though she were the +fairy she pretended to be.</p> +<p>She wore a small red coat that was half a dozen +sizes too tiny for her. Her skirt was patched +with odds and ends of bright flowered materials. +On her head perched a cap, a scarlet flower, cut +from an odd scrap of old wall paper. In her +hands Tania clasped a ridiculous bundle, done +up in a dirty handkerchief.</p> +<p>“You strange little witch!” exclaimed +Madge. “However did you find your way here? +Be very still and good until the lovely lady who +owns this house sees you, then I wouldn’t be at +all surprised if she gave you some cake and ice +cream before she sends you away.”</p> +<p>Tania sat down in the corner still as a mouse. +Her thin knees were hunched close together. +She held her poor bundle tightly. Her big black +eyes grew larger and darker with wonder as she +had her first glimpse of a fairyland, outside her +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_47' name='page_47'></a>47</span> +own imagination, in the beautiful room and the +group of lovely girls who occupied it.</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis came in a minute later, followed +by a man who had been one of the guests at the +wedding. Madge, Eleanor, and Tania recognized +him instantly. He was the young man who +had protected Tania from the blows of the brutal +woman the afternoon before, but Tania did +not seem pleased to see him. Her face flushed +hotly, her lips quivered, though she made no +sound.</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis smiled quizzically. Madge could +see that there were tears behind her smiles. +“Who is our latest guest, Madge?” she asked, +gazing kindly at the odd little person.</p> +<p>Tania rose gravely from her place on the +floor. “I am a fairy who has been under the +spell of a wicked witch,” she asserted with solemnity, +“but now the spell is broken and I’ve +run away from her. I shan’t go back ever any +more.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis’s young man guest took the child +firmly by the shoulders.</p> +<p>“What do you mean by coming here to trouble +these young ladies?” he demanded sternly. “I +thought I recognized your friends, Mrs. Curtis. +They saved this child yesterday from a punishment +she probably well deserved. She is one of +the children in our slum neighborhood that we +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_48' name='page_48'></a>48</span> +have not been able to reach. I will take her +back to her home with me at once.”</p> +<p>The child’s head was high in the air. She +caught her breath. Her eyes had a queer, eerie +look in them. “You can’t take me back now,” +she insisted. “The spell is broken. I shall +never see old Sal again.”</p> +<p>Madge put her arm about the small witch girl. +“Let her stay here just to-night, Mrs. Curtis, +please,” begged Madge earnestly. “I wish to +find out something about her. I will look after +her and see that she does not do any harm.”</p> +<p>Quite seriously and gently Tania knelt on one +knee and kissed Mrs. Curtis’s hand. “Let me +stay. I shall be on my way again in the morning,” +she pleaded, “but I am a little afraid of +the night.”</p> +<p>“My dear child,” said Mrs. Curtis, gently +drawing the waif to her side, “you are far too +little to be running away from home. You may +stay here to-night, then to-morrow we will see +what we can do for you. I won’t trouble you +with her to-night, Philip,” she added, turning +to her guest.</p> +<p>“It will be no trouble,” returned Philip Holt +blandly. “She lives less than an hour’s ride +from here. Her foster mother will be greatly +worried at her absence.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis looked hesitatingly at Tania, who +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_49' name='page_49'></a>49</span> +had been listening with alert ears. The child’s +black eyes took on a look of lively terror. +“Please, please let me stay,” she begged, clasping +her thin little hands in anxious appeal.</p> +<p>“Won’t you let Tania stay here to-night, +Mrs. Curtis?” asked Madge for the second +time. “I am sorry to disagree with Mr. Holt, +but I do not believe that poor little Tania is +either lawless or incorrigible. The woman who +claims her is the most cruel, brutal-looking person +I ever saw. I am sure she is not Tania’s +mother. Let me keep her here to-night, and to-morrow +I will inquire into her case.”</p> +<p>“Very well, Madge,” said Mrs. Curtis reluctantly. +She glanced toward Philip Holt. His +eyes, however, were fixed upon Madge with an +expression of disapproval and dislike. For the +first time it occurred to Mrs. Curtis that Philip +Holt might be very disagreeable if thwarted. +She immediately dismissed the thought as unworthy +when the young man said smoothly: “I +shall be only too glad to have Miss Morton investigate +the child’s record. I am sorry that +my word has not been sufficient to convince +her.”</p> +<p>Madge made no reply to this thrust. Then an +awkward silence ensued. Mrs. Curtis looked +annoyed, Tania triumphant, Madge belligerent, +and the other girls sympathetic. Making a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_50' name='page_50'></a>50</span> +strong effort, Philip Holt controlled his anger +and, extending his hand to Mrs. Curtis, said: +“Pray, pardon my interference. I was prompted +to speak merely in your interest. I trust I +shall see you again in the near future. Good +night.” He bowed coldly to the young women +and took his departure.</p> +<p>“What a disagreeable——” Madge stopped +abruptly. Her face flushed. “I beg your pardon, +Mrs. Curtis,” she said contritely. “I +shouldn’t have spoken my mind aloud.”</p> +<p>“I forgive you, my dear,” there was a +slight tone of constraint in Mrs. Curtis’s voice, +“but I am sure if you knew Mr. Holt as I do +you would have an entirely different opinion of +him.”</p> +<p>“Perhaps I should,” returned Madge politely, +but in her heart she knew that she and +Philip Holt were destined not to be friends, but +bitter enemies.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='V_TANIA_A_PROBLEM' id='V_TANIA_A_PROBLEM'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_51' name='page_51'></a>51</span> +<h2>CHAPTER V</h2> +<h3>TANIA, A PROBLEM</h3> +</div> + +<p>“Don’t you think it would be a splendid +plan for Tania?” asked Madge +eagerly. “Miss Jenny Ann and the +girls are willing she should come to us. Tania +is such a fascinating little person, with her +dreams and her pretences, that she is the best +kind of company. Besides, I am awfully sorry +for her.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis and Madge were seated in the latter’s +bedroom indulging in one of their old-time +confidential talks.</p> +<p>“Tania would be a great deal of care for you, +Madge,” argued Mrs. Curtis. “She is worrying +my maids almost distracted with her foolishness. +Last night she wrapped herself in a +sheet and frightened poor Norah almost to death +by dancing in the moonlight. She explained to +Norah that she was pretending that she was a +moonflower swaying in the wind. I wonder +where the child got such odd fancies and bits of +information? She has never seen a moonflower +in her life.” Mrs. Curtis laughed and frowned +at the same time. “Poor little daughter of the +tenements! She is indeed a problem.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_52' name='page_52'></a>52</span></p> +<p>“Shall I tell you all I have been able to find +out about Tania?” asked Madge. “Her history +is quite like a story-book tale. I think her father +and mother were actors, but the father died +when Tania was only a little baby. That is why, +I suppose, they called the child by such an absurd +name as ‘Titania.’ I looked it up and it +comes from Shakespeare’s play of ‘Midsummer +Night’s Dream.’ I think perhaps her mother +was just a dancer, or had only a small part in +the plays in which she appeared, for they never +had any money. Tania has lived in a tenement +always. The mother used to take care of her +baby when she could, and then leave her to the +neighbors. But the mother must have been unusual, +too, for she taught Tania all sorts of +poetry and music when Tania was only a tiny +child. Indeed, Tania knows a great deal more +about literature than I do now,” confessed +Madge honestly. “It isn’t so strange, after all, +that Tania pretends. Why, she and her mother +used to play at pretending together. When they +sat down to their dinner they used to rub their +old lamp and play that it was Aladdin’s wonderful +lamp, and that their poor table was spread +with a wonderful feast, instead of just bread +and cheese. They tried to make light of their +poverty.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis’s eyes were full of tears. She +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_53' name='page_53'></a>53</span> +could understand better than Madge the scene +the young girl pictured.</p> +<p>“Tania was eight years old when her mother +died,” finished Madge pensively. “Since then +poor Tania has had such a dreadful time, living +with that wretched old Sal, who has made a +regular slavey of her, and she just had to +go on with her pretending in order to be able to +bear her life at all.”</p> +<p>Madge and Mrs. Curtis were both silent for a +moment. The bright June sunshine flooded the +room, offering a sharp contrast to Tania’s sad +little story.</p> +<p>“You see why I wish to take her on the houseboat,” +pleaded Madge. “It seems so wonderful +that we are going to Cape May and will be +on the really seashore, near you and Tom, that +each one of us feels the desire to do something +for somebody just to show how happy we are. +Miss Jenny Ann says we may take Tania, if you +think it wouldn’t be unwise.”</p> +<p>“She ought to go to school, Madge,” argued +Mrs. Curtis half-heartedly. “Tania does not +know any of the things she should. Philip Holt, +who does so much good work among the poor in +Tania’s tenement district, says that the child is +most unreliable and does not tell the truth.”</p> +<p>Madge wrinkled her nose with the familiar expression +she wore when annoyed. Her investigations +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_54' name='page_54'></a>54</span> +had proved Philip Holt a liar, but she +refrained from saying so.</p> +<p>“You don’t like Philip, do you?” continued +Mrs. Curtis. “It isn’t fair to have prejudices +without reason. Mr. Holt is a fine young man +and does splendid work among the poor. Madeleine +and I have entrusted him with the most of +the money we have given to charity. I am sorry +that you girls don’t like him, because he is coming +to visit me at Cape May this summer.”</p> +<p>Madge dutifully stifled her vague feeling of +regret. “Of course, we will try to like him, if +he is your friend,” she replied loyally. “It was +only that we thought Mr. Holt had a terribly superior +manner for such a young man, and looked +too ‘goody-goody’! But you have not answered +me yet about Tania. Do let us have +Tania. I’ll teach her lots of things this summer, +and it won’t be so hard for her when she +goes to school in the fall. She is pretty good +with me.”</p> +<p>“Very well,” consented Mrs. Curtis reluctantly, +“for this summer only. The child will +get you into difficulties, but I suppose they +won’t be serious. What is Madge Morton going +to do next fall? Is she going to college with +Phil, or is she coming to be my daughter?”</p> +<p>Madge lowered her red-brown head. “I don’t +know, dear,” she faltered. “You know I have +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_55' name='page_55'></a>55</span> +said all along to Uncle and Aunt that, just as +soon as I was grown up, I was going to start out +to find my father. I shall be nineteen next winter. +It surely is time for me to begin.”</p> +<p>“But, Madge, dear, you can’t find your father +unless you know where to look for him. The +world is a very large place! I am sorry”—Mrs. +Curtis smoothed Madge’s soft hair tenderly—“but +I agree with your uncle and aunt; your +father must be dead. Were he alive he would +surely have tried to find his little daughter long +before this. Your uncle and aunt have never +heard from or of him during all these years.”</p> +<p>“I don’t feel sure that he is dead,” returned +Madge thoughtfully. “You see, my father disappeared +after his court-martial in the Navy. +He never dreamed that some day his superior +officer would confess his own guilt and declare +Father innocent. I can’t, I won’t, believe he is +dead. Somewhere in this world he lives and +some day I shall find him, I am sure of it. Phil, +Lillian and Eleanor have all pledged themselves +to my cause, too,” she added, smiling faintly.</p> +<p>“I’ll do all that I can to help you, Madge. +Just have a good time this summer, and in the +autumn, perhaps, there may be some information +for you to work on. What is that dreadful +noise? I never heard anything like it in my +house before!” exclaimed Mrs. Curtis. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_56' name='page_56'></a>56</span></p> +<p>Madge sprang to her feet. There was the +sound of a heavy fall in the next room, a scream, +then a discreet knock on Madge’s door.</p> +<p>“Come!” commanded Mrs. Curtis.</p> +<p>The door opened and the butler appeared in +the doorway, his solemn, red face redder and +more solemn than usual.</p> +<p>“Please, it’s that child again,” he said. +“While the young ladies was out in the automobile +with Mr. Tom, she went in their room, emptied +out one of their trunks and shut herself inside. +She said she was ‘Hope’ and the trunk +was ‘Pandory’s Box,’ or some such crazy foolishness. +She meant to jump out when the young +ladies came back, but Norah went into the room +with some clean towels, and when the little one +bobs her head out of that box, just like a black +witch, poor Norah is scared out of her wits and +drops on the floor all of a heap. If that child +doesn’t go away from here soon, Ma’am, I don’t +know how we can ever bear it.”</p> +<p>“That will do, Richards,” answered Mrs. +Curtis coldly. But Madge could see that she +was dreadfully vexed at Tania’s latest naughtiness.</p> +<p>The little captain gave Mrs. Curtis a penitent +hug. “It is all my fault, dear. I should never +have brought the little witch here,” she murmured. +“I’ll go and make it all right with Norah +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_57' name='page_57'></a>57</span> +and see that Tania does no more mischief—for +a while, at least.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis looked somewhat mollified, nevertheless, +she was far from pleased, and Madge’s +championship of little Tania was to cause the +little captain more than one unhappy hour.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='VI_A_MISCHIEVOUS_MERMAID' id='VI_A_MISCHIEVOUS_MERMAID'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_58' name='page_58'></a>58</span> +<h2>CHAPTER VI</h2> +<h3>A MISCHIEVOUS MERMAID</h3> +</div> + +<p>There was a splash over the side of a +boat, then another, one more, and a +fourth. The water rippled and broke +away into smooth curves. Down a long streak +of moonlight four dark objects floated above +the surface of the waves. For a few seconds +there was not a sound, not even a shout, to show +that the mermaids were at play.</p> +<p>Two dark heads kept in advance of the others.</p> +<p>“Madge,” warned a voice, “we must not go +too far out. Remember, we promised Jenny +Ann. My, but isn’t this water glorious! I feel +as though I could swim on forever.”</p> +<p>A graceful figure turned over and the moonlight +shone full on a happy face. The two +swimmers moved along more slowly.</p> +<p>“Nellie, Lillian!” Madge called back, “are +you all right? Do you wish to go on farther?”</p> +<p>Phil and Madge floated quietly until their two +friends caught up with them.</p> +<p>“I feel as though I could go on all night at +this rate,” declared Lillian Seldon. Eleanor +put her hand out. “May I float along with you +a little, Madge?” she asked. “I am tired. How +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_59' name='page_59'></a>59</span> +wide and empty the ocean looks to-night! We +must not get out of sight of the lights of the +‘Merry Maid’.”</p> +<p>“There is no danger!” scoffed Madge.</p> +<p>“Look out!” cried Phil Alden sharply. She +was swimming ahead. She saw first the sails of +a small yacht making across the bay with all +speed to the line of the shore that the girls had +just quitted.</p> +<p>“Let’s follow the boat back home,” suggested +Madge. “We can keep far enough away for +them not to see us. It will be rather good fun +if they take us for porpoises or mermaids, or +any other queer sea creature.”</p> +<p>“Don’t run into that Noah’s ark that we saw +anchored in the creek this morning, Roy,” came +a shrill voice from the deck of the yacht. “I +saw half a dozen women going aboard her this +afternoon laden with boxes and trunks—everything +but the parrot and the monkey. It looked +as though they meant to spend the summer +aboard her.”</p> +<p>“Perhaps they do, Mabel,” a man’s voice answered. +“The ‘Noah’s Ark’ is a houseboat. It +looked very tiny for so many people, but I +thought it was rather pretty.”</p> +<p>“Well, we have girls enough at Cape May this +summer—about six to every man,” argued Mabel +crossly. “I vote that we give these new +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_60' name='page_60'></a>60</span> +persons the cold shoulder. Nobody knows who +they are, nor where they come from. It is bad +enough to have to associate with tiresome hotel +visitors, but I shall draw the line at these water-rats, +and I hope you will do the same.”</p> +<p>“She means us,” gasped Eleanor. “What a +perfectly horrid girl!”</p> +<p>The high, sharp voice on the yacht was distinctly +audible over the water. The boat had +slowed down as it drew nearer to the shore.</p> +<p>“Swim along with Phil, Nellie,” proposed +Madge. “I am going to have some fun with +those young persons. I don’t care if I <i>am</i> +nearly grown-up; I am not going to miss a lark +when there’s a chance. I have that rubber ball +that Phil and I brought out to play with in the +water. Watch me throw it on their yacht. +They’ll think it’s a bomb, or a meteor, if I can +throw straight enough. I am going to settle +with them this very minute for the disagreeable +things they just said about us and our pretty +‘Merry Maid.’”</p> +<p>“Don’t do it, Madge!” expostulated Phil; but +she was too late; Madge had dived and was +swimming along almost completely under the +water. She swam in the darkness cast by the +shadow of the boat as it passed within a few +yards of them.</p> +<p>Like a flash she lifted her great rubber ball. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_61' name='page_61'></a>61</span> +She had better luck than she deserved. The +ball came out of nowhere and landed in the center +of the group of three young people on the +yacht. It fell first on the deck, and then bounced +into the lap of the offending Mabel.</p> +<p>It was hard work for the waiting girls not to +laugh aloud as naughty Madge came slowly +back to them.</p> +<p>A wild shriek went up from on board the +yacht. “Oh, dear, what was that?” one girl +asked faintly, when the first cries of alarm had +died away.</p> +<p>“Where is it? What was it?” growled a masculine +voice. “Are you really hurt, Mabel? +You are making so much fuss that I can’t tell.”</p> +<p>Mabel had dropped back in a chair. She was +white with fear and trembling violently.</p> +<p>“It is in my lap,” she moaned. “It may explode +any moment—do take it away!”</p> +<p>The owner of the yacht, Roy Dennis, turned a +small electric flashlight full on his two girl +guests. There, in Mabel’s lap, was surely a +round, globular-shaped object that had either +dropped from the sky or had been thrown at +them by an unknown hand. Roy had really no +desire to pick it up without seeing it more +clearly.</p> +<p>The other girl was less timid. She reached +over and took hold of Madge’s ball. Then she +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_62' name='page_62'></a>62</span> +laughed aloud. Oddly enough, her laugh was +repeated out on the water.</p> +<p>“Why, it’s only a rubber ball!” she asserted. +Ethel Swann, who was one of the old-time cottagers +at Cape May, ran to the side of the boat. +“See!” she exclaimed, “over there are some +boys swimming. I suppose they threw the ball +on board just to frighten us. They certainly +were successful.” She hurled Madge’s ball +back over the water, but Roy Dennis’s small +yacht had gone some distance from the group +of mischievous mermaids and he did not turn +back. “If I find out who did that trick, I surely +will get even with them,” muttered Roy. “I +don’t like to be made a fool of.”</p> +<p>“Don’t tell Jenny Ann, please, girls,” begged +Madge, as the four girls clambered aboard +the “Merry Maid.” “It was a very silly trick +that I played. I should hate to have the cottagers +at the Cape hear of it. I don’t suppose I +shall ever grow up.”</p> +<p>“Girls, whatever made you stay in the water +so long?” demanded Miss Jenny Ann, coming +into the girls’ stateroom with a big pitcher of +hot chocolate and a plate of cakes. “I have been +uneasy about you. You have been in the water +for half an hour. That’s too long for a first +swim. Poor Tania is fast asleep. The child is +utterly worn out with so much excitement. Think +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_63' name='page_63'></a>63</span> +of never having been out of a crowded city in her +life, and then seeing this wonderful Cape May! +Tania wanted to stay up to wish you good night. +I left her staring out of the cabin window at the +stars when I went into our kitchen to make the +chocolate. When I came back she was asleep.”</p> +<p>“Dear Jenny Ann,” said Madge penitently, +pulling their chaperon down on the berth beside +her, while Lillian poured the chocolate, “it was +my fault we were late. The bad things are always +my fault. But we are going to have a perfectly +glorious time this summer, aren’t we? +Just think, next year Phil and I shall be nineteen +and nearly old ladies.”</p> +<p>“I wonder if anything special is going to happen +to us this holiday?” pondered Phil, crunching +away on her third cake.</p> +<p>“Something special always does happen to +us,” declared Lillian. “Let’s go to bed now, +because, if we are going to row up the bay in the +morning to explore the shore, we shall have to +get up early to put the ‘Merry Maid’ in order. +We must be regular old Cape May inhabitants +by the time that Mrs. Curtis and Tom arrive.”</p> +<p>Next morning bad news came to the crew of +the little houseboat. Mrs. Curtis had been called +to Chicago by the illness of her brother, and +Tom had gone with her. They did not know +how soon they would be able to come on to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_64' name='page_64'></a>64</span> +Cape May; but within a very few days Philip +Holt, the goody-goody young man who was one +of Mrs. Curtis’s special favorites, would come +on to Cape May, and Mrs. Curtis hoped that the +girls would see that he had a good time.</p> +<p>Neither Madge, Phil, Lillian nor Eleanor felt +particularly pleased at this information. But +Tania, who was the only one of the party that +knew the young man well, burst unexpectedly +into a flood of tears, the cause of which she obstinately +refused to explain.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='VII_CAPTAIN_JULES_DEEP_SEA_DIVER' id='VII_CAPTAIN_JULES_DEEP_SEA_DIVER'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_65' name='page_65'></a>65</span> +<h2>CHAPTER VII</h2> +<h3>CAPTAIN JULES, DEEP SEA DIVER</h3> +</div> + +<p>The “Water Witch” rocked lazily on the +breast of the waves, awaiting the coming +of the four girls, who had planned to +row up the bay on a voyage of discovery. They +were not much interested in staying about +among the Cape May cottagers, after the conversation +which they had innocently overheard +from the deck of the launch the night before. Of +course, if Mrs. Curtis and Tom had come on to +Cape May at once to occupy their cottage, as +they had expected to do, all would have been +well. The four young women and their chaperon +would have been immediately introduced to +the society of the Cape. However, the girls +were not repining at their lack of society. They +had each other; there was the old town of Cape +May to be explored with the great ocean on one +side and Delaware Bay on the other.</p> +<p>“Do be careful, children,” called Miss Jenny +Ann warningly as the girls arranged themselves +for a row in their skiff. “In all our experience +on the water I never saw so many yachts and +pleasure boats as there are on these waters. If +you don’t keep a sharp lookout one of the larger +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_66' name='page_66'></a>66</span> +boats may run into you. Don’t get into trouble.”</p> +<p>“We are going away from trouble, Miss +Jenny Ann,” protested Phil. “There is a +yacht club on the sound, but we are going to row +up the bay past the shoals and get as far from +civilization as possible.”</p> +<p>Madge stood up in the skiff and waved her +hand to their chaperon. The girls looked like a +small detachment of feminine naval cadets in +their nautical uniforms. Each one of them wore +a dark blue serge skirt of ankle length and a +middy blouse with a blue sailor collar. They +were without hats, as they hoped to get a coating +of seashore tan without wasting any time.</p> +<p>“I shall expect you home by noon,” were +Miss Jenny Ann’s final words as the “Water +Witch” danced away from the houseboat.</p> +<p>“Aye, aye, Skipper!” the girls called back in +chorus. “Shall we bring back lobsters or clams +for luncheon, if we can find them?”</p> +<p>“<i>Clams!</i>” hallooed Miss Jenny Ann through +her hands. “I am dreadfully afraid of live lobsters.” +Then the houseboat chaperon retired to +write a letter to an artist, a Mr. Theodore +Brown, whose acquaintance she had made during +the first of the houseboat holidays. He had +suggested that he would like to come to Cape +May some time later in the summer if any of his +houseboat friends would be pleased to see him, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_67' name='page_67'></a>67</span> +and she was writing to tell him just how greatly +pleased they would be.</p> +<p>The “Merry Maid” had found a quiet anchorage +in one of the smaller inlets of the Delaware +Bay, not far from the town of Cape May. The +larger number of the summer cottages were +farther away on the tiny islands near the sound +and along the ocean front.</p> +<p>The “Water Witch” sped gayly over the blue +waters of the bay in the brilliant late June sunshine. +Madge and Phil, as usual, were at the +oars. Tania crouched quietly at Lillian’s feet +in the stern of the skiff. Eleanor sat in the +prow.</p> +<p>“What do you think of it all, Tania?” Madge +asked the little adopted houseboat daughter. +Tania had been very silent since their arrival at +the seashore. If she were impressed at the wonderful +and beautiful things she had seen since +she left New York City, she had, so far, said +nothing.</p> +<p>Her large black eyes blinked in the dazzling +light. She was looking straight up toward the +sky in a curious, absorbed fashion. “I was trying +to make up my mind, Madge, if this place +was as beautiful as my kingdom in Fairyland,” +answered Tania seriously, “and I believe it is.”</p> +<p>“Have you a kingdom in Fairyland, little +Tania?” inquired Phil gently. She did not understand +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_68' name='page_68'></a>68</span> +the child’s odd fancies, as Madge did.</p> +<p>Tania nodded her head quietly. “Of course +I have,” she returned simply. “Hasn’t every +one a Fairyland, where things are just as they +should be, beautiful and good and kind? I am +the queen of my kingdom.”</p> +<p>Phil looked puzzled, but Madge only laughed. +“Don’t mind Tania, Phil. She is going to be a +very sensible little houseboat girl before our +holiday is over. Besides, I understand her. She +only says some of the things I used to think +when I was a tiny child. But I do wish the people +on the boats would not stare at us so; there +is nothing very wonderful in our appearance.”</p> +<p>The girls were trying to guide their rowboat +among the other larger craft that were afloat on +the bay. They wished to get into the more remote +waters. In the meantime it was embarrassing +to have smartly dressed women and girls +put up their lorgnettes and opera glasses to gaze +at the girls as the latter rowed by.</p> +<p>“Can there be anything the matter with us?” +asked Phil solicitously. “I never saw anything +like this fire of inquisitive stares.”</p> +<p>“Of course not, Phil,” answered Lillian sensibly. +“It is only because we are strangers at +Cape May, and most of the people whom we see +about come here each year. Then we are the +only persons who live in a Noah’s ark, as those +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_69' name='page_69'></a>69</span> +pleasant people on the yacht called our pretty +‘Merry Maid’ last night. Don’t worry. Have +you thought how odd it is that we won’t even +know them if we should be introduced to them +later? We did not see either them or their boat +very plainly last night; we only overheard them +talking.”</p> +<p>“But I’ll know the voice of that woman who +screamed,” replied Madge rather grimly. “I +just dare her to shriek again without my recognizing +her dulcet tones.”</p> +<p>The girls were now drawing away from the +crowded end of the bay. They kept along fairly +close to the shore. There was an occasional +house near the water, but these dwellings were +farther and farther apart. Finally the girls +rowed for half a mile without seeing any residence +save an occasional fisherman’s hut. They +hoped to reach some place where they could +catch at least a glimpse of the wonderful cedar +woods that flourish farther up the coast of the +bay.</p> +<p>Suddenly Lillian sang out: “Look, girls, there +is the dearest little house! It is almost in the +water. It rivals our houseboat, it is so like a +ship. Isn’t it too cunning for anything!”</p> +<p>Madge and Phyllis rested on their oars. The +girls stared curiously.</p> +<p>They saw a house built of shingles that had +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_70' name='page_70'></a>70</span> +turned a soft gray which exactly resembled an +old three-masted schooner. It had a tiny porch +in front, but the first roof ended in a point, the +second rose higher, like a larger sail, and the +third, which must have covered the kitchen, was +about the height of the first.</p> +<p>“See, Tania, I can make the funny house by +putting my fingers together,” laughed Lillian. +“My thumbs are the first roof, my three fingers +the second, and my little fingers the last.”</p> +<p>The girls rowed nearer the odd cottage. The +place was deserted; at least they saw no one +about. Over the front door of the house hung a +trim little sign inscribed, “The Anchorage.”</p> +<p>“Dear me, here is a boathouse, and we’ve a +houseboat!” exclaimed Eleanor. “I wish we +dared go ashore and knock at the door, to ask +some one to show us over it.”</p> +<p>“I don’t think we had better try it, Eleanor,” +remonstrated Phil. “The house probably belongs +to some grouchy old sea captain who has +built it to get away from people.”</p> +<p>At this moment a man at least six feet tall, +wearing old yellow tarpaulins, came around the +side of the house of the three sails with a large +basket on each arm. He sat down on a rock in +front of the house and began lifting mussel and +oyster shells out of one of his baskets. He +would peer at them earnestly before throwing +them over to one side. He was a giant of a man, +past middle age. His face was so weather-beaten +that his skin was like leather. His eyes were +blue as only a sailor’s eyes can be. On one of +the man’s shoulders perched a wizened little +monkey that every now and then tugged at its +master’s grizzled hair or chattered in his ear.</p> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/mmv-071.jpg' alt='' title='' style='width: 315px; height: 480px;' /><br /> +<p class='caption' style='margin: 0 auto; text-align:center;width: 315px;'> +“Good Morning” Shouted Madge.<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_73' name='page_73'></a>73</span></div> +<p>The man did not observe the girls in the rowboat, +although they were only a few yards away.</p> +<p>“Good morning,” sang out Madge cheerfully, +forgetting the vow of silence which the girls +had made that morning against the Cape Mayites. +But then, the girls had never dreamed of +seeing such a fascinating seafaring old mariner. +Their vow had been taken against the society +people.</p> +<p>The sailor, however, did not return Madge’s +friendly salutation; he went on examining his +oyster and mussel shells.</p> +<p>Madge looked crestfallen. The old sailor had +such a splendid, strong face. He did not seem to +be the kind of man who would fail to return a +friendly good morning greeting.</p> +<p>“I don’t think he heard you, Madge. Let’s +all halloo together,” proposed Lillian.</p> +<p>“Good morning!” shouted five young voices +in a mischievous chorus.</p> +<p>The seaman lifted his big head. His smile +came slowly, wrinkling his face into heavy +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_74' name='page_74'></a>74</span> +creases. “Good morning, mates,” he called +heartily. “Coming ashore?”</p> +<p>“Oh, may we?” cried Madge in return. “We +should <i>dearly</i> love to!”</p> +<p>The five girls needed no further invitation. +They piled out of the “Water Witch” before +their host could come near enough to assist +them.</p> +<p>The seaman did not invite them into the +house. The girls took their seats on the big +rock near the water. Madge was farthest away, +but promptly the monkey leaped from its master’s +shoulder and planted itself in Madge’s +hair, pulling the strands violently while he chattered +angrily.</p> +<p>“You horrid little thing!” she cried; “you +hurt. I wonder if you hate red hair. Is that +the reason you are trying to pull mine out? +Please, somebody, take this playful beast +away.”</p> +<p>The old sea captain, as the girls guessed him +to be, promptly came to Madge’s rescue and removed +the angry monkey.</p> +<p>“You must forgive my pet,” he remarked +kindly. “My little Madge is jealous. She +doesn’t like strangers and we don’t often have +young lady visitors.”</p> +<p>“Madge!” exclaimed the little captain, smiling +as she tried to re-arrange her hair. “What +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_75' name='page_75'></a>75</span> +a funny name for a monkey. Why, that is my +name!”</p> +<p>After a few advances the monkey became very +friendly with the other girls, but she would have +nothing to do with Madge. She would fly into a +perfect tempest of rage whenever Madge approached +her or tried to talk to her. The monkey +even deserted her master to perch in Tania’s +arms. The animal put its little, scrawny arms +about the queer child’s neck, and there was almost +the same elfish, wistful look in both pairs +of dark eyes.</p> +<p>“Do you catch many fish in these waters?” +inquired Eleanor, whose housewifely soul was +interested in the big basket of lobsters that she +saw crawling about, writhing and twisting as +though they were in agony.</p> +<p>“Almost every kind that lives in temperate +waters,” answered the sailor, “but there is +nothing like the variety one finds in the tropics.”</p> +<p>“Were you once a sea captain?” asked Lillian +curiously.</p> +<p>The man shook his head. “I’m not a captain +in the United States service,” he returned. “I +am called captain in these parts, ‘Captain +Jules,’ but I have only commanded a freight +schooner.”</p> +<p>“I know I have no right to be so curious,” interposed +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_76' name='page_76'></a>76</span> +Madge, “but I dearly love everything +about the sea. Were you ever a deep sea diver? +Somehow you look like one.”</p> +<p>“I was a pearl-fisher for many years,” the +seaman answered as calmly as though diving for +pearls was one of the most ordinary trades in +the world. But his eyes twinkled as he heard +Madge’s gasp of admiration and caught the expression +on the faces of the other girls.</p> +<p>“You were looking for pearls in those oysters +and mussel shells when our boat came +along, weren’t you?” divined Madge, regarding +him with large eyes.</p> +<p>The man nodded a smiling answer.</p> +<p>“Yes, but I didn’t expect to find any pearls,” +he answered. “It is strange how a man’s old +occupation will cling to him, even after he has +long ago given it up. There are very few pearls +to be found now in the Delaware Bay or the +waters around here.”</p> +<p>Captain Jules was gravely removing lobsters +from his basket for Tania’s entertainment while +he talked to Madge. Tania was watching him, +breathless with admiration and terror. The +captain would take hold of one of the great, +crawling things, rub it softly on its horned head +as one would rub a tabby cat to make it purr. +He would then set the lobster up on its hind +claws and the funny crustacean would fall +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_77' name='page_77'></a>77</span> +quietly asleep, as though it were nodding in a +chair.</p> +<p>“I never saw anything so queer in my life,” +chuckled Phil. “You hypnotize the lobsters, +don’t you?”</p> +<p>Captain Jules shook his shaggy head. He +was proud of the appreciation his accomplishment +had excited. “No; I don’t hypnotize +them,” he explained. “Anybody can make old +Father Lobster fall asleep if he only rubs him +in the right place. You are not going, are you?” +for the girls had risen to depart.</p> +<p>“I am afraid we must,” said Madge; “we +promised to get back to our houseboat by noon. +If you come down to Cape May, won’t you +please come to see us? Our houseboat is a rival +to your boathouse.”</p> +<p>“You are very kind,” answered the old captain, +shaking his head, “but I don’t do much +visiting. I thank you just the same. Let me fix +you up a basket of fish. Afraid of the lobsters, +aren’t you, little girl?” he said, smiling at Tania.</p> +<p>The old sailor followed his visitors to help +them aboard their rowboat. He walked beside +Madge, keeping a careful watch on his monkey, +which still chattered and gesticulated, showing +her hatred of the little captain.</p> +<p>The girls realized that this man had the manners +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_78' name='page_78'></a>78</span> +of a gentleman, although he looked as rough +and uncouth as a common sailor. There was a +kind of nobility about him, as of a man who has +lived and fought with the big things of the +earth.</p> +<p>Madge looked at him beseechingly just before +they arrived at their skiff. Now, when Madge +desired anything very greatly she was hard to +resist. Her blue eyes wore their most bewitching +expression. “Please,” she faltered, “I +want you to do me a favor. I know I have no +right to ask it, but, but——”</p> +<p>“What is it?” inquired Captain Jules, smiling.</p> +<p>“Have you your diving suit?” asked Madge. +“If you have, and you would show it to me some +day, I would be too happy for words.” Madge +blushed at her own temerity.</p> +<p>The captain shook his head. There was little +encouragement in his expression. “Maybe, +some day,” he replied vaguely; “but I have +had the suit put away for some time. Who +knows when I will go down into the sea again? +Be careful in that small skiff,” he warned the +girls. “There are so many launches about on +these waters, run by men and women that don’t +know the very first principles of running a boat, +that a small craft like yours may easily drift +into danger. You must look lively.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_79' name='page_79'></a>79</span></p> +<p>The girls waved their good-byes as Madge +and Phil pulled away. Madge noticed that the +old sailor stared curiously at her, and every +now and then he shook his head and frowned. +Madge supposed it was because she had been so +bold as to ask a favor of a perfect stranger. +Yet, if she could only see Captain Jules again +and he might be persuaded to show her his diving +suit and to tell her something of the strange +business of pearl-fishing, she couldn’t be really +sorry for her impudence. This accidental meeting +with an old sailor inspired Madge afresh +with her love of the sea and the mystery of it. +She could not get the man out of her mind, nor +her own desire to see him soon again and to ask +him more questions.</p> +<p>As for Captain Jules, when the girls had +fairly gone he lighted his pipe and strode along +the line of the shore. “It’s a funny thing, +Madge,” he said, addressing the monkey, “but +when a man gets an idea in his head, everything +and everybody he sees seems to start the same +old idea a-going. I wish I had asked her to tell +me her surname. I wonder if she is the real +Madge?”</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='VIII_THE_WRECK_OF_THE__WATER_WITCH' id='VIII_THE_WRECK_OF_THE__WATER_WITCH'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_80' name='page_80'></a>80</span> +<h2>CHAPTER VIII</h2> +<h3>THE WRECK OF THE “WATER WITCH”</h3> +</div> + +<p>The girls began their row to the “Merry +Maid” with all speed. They had had +such an interesting morning that they +did not realize how the time had flown. They +did not know the exact hour now, but they feared +it would be after twelve before they could rejoin +Miss Jenny Ann. The sun was so nearly +overhead and shining so brilliantly that the effect +was almost dazzling. Madge and Phil did +not try to see any distance ahead in their +course. Lillian, however, was on the lookout. +There were several inlets opening into the +larger water-way down which the girls were +rowing. Boats were likely to come unexpectedly +out of these inlets, and the girls should have +been far more watchful than they were.</p> +<p>“It’s too bad about Mrs. Curtis and Tom not +coming on to Cape May as soon as we expected +them, isn’t it?” remarked Phil, resting for half +a moment from the strain of the steady pulling +at her oars. “I hope they will arrive soon, before +we have the responsibility of entertaining +Mrs. Curtis’s friend, Philip Holt. It won’t be +much fun to have a strange man following us +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_81' name='page_81'></a>81</span> +about everywhere, even if he should turn out +to be nicer than we think he is.” Phil was the +stroke oar. She was talking over her shoulder +to Madge, who was paying more attention to her +friend’s conversation than to her rowing.</p> +<p>“Oh, I think Mrs. Curtis and Tom will be +along soon,” she rejoined. “I felt dreadfully +when we received the telegram this morning. +But now I hope Mrs. Curtis’s brother will get +well in a hurry. Perhaps they will be here almost +as soon as this Philip. I’ll wager you a +pound of chocolates, Phil, that this goody-goody +young man can’t swim or row, or do anything +like an ordinary person. He will just think +every single thing we do is perfectly dreadful, +and will frighten Tania to death with his preaching. +I know he thinks her fairy stories are lies. +He told Mrs. Curtis that Tania never spoke the +truth.” Madge lowered her voice. “I am sure +we have never caught her in a lie. I suppose this +Philip will think my exaggerations are as bad +as Tania’s fairy stories. I hate too literal people.”</p> +<p>“Dear me, whom are you and Phil discussing, +Madge?” inquired Lillian, leaning over from +her seat in the stern with Tania, to try to catch +her friends’ low-voiced conversation. “If it is +that Philip Holt, you need not think that he will +trouble us very much when he comes to Cape +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_82' name='page_82'></a>82</span> +May. He is just the kind of person who will +trot after all the rich people he meets, and waste +very little energy on those who have neither +money nor social position.”</p> +<p>Lillian was looking at Madge and Phil as she +talked. For the moment she forgot to keep a +sharp watch about on the water. But a moment +since there had been no other boats in sight near +them. Eleanor was resting in the prow with +her eyes closed. The sun blazed hotly in her +face, she could only see a bright light dancing +before her eyes.</p> +<p>As Lillian leaned back in her seat in the stern +her face took on an expression of sudden alarm. +At the same moment the four girls heard the +distinct chug of a motor engine. Cutting down +upon them was a pleasure yacht run by a gasoline +motor. The prow of the yacht was head-on +with the “Water Witch” and running at full +speed. The boat had blown no whistle, so the +girls had not seen its approach.</p> +<p>“Look ahead!” shouted Lillian.</p> +<p>The young man who was steering the yacht +paid no heed to her warning. He kept straight +ahead, although he distinctly saw the rowboat +and its passengers.</p> +<p>Madge and Phyllis had no time to call out or +to protest. They realized, almost instantly, that +the motor launch meant to make no effort to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_83' name='page_83'></a>83</span> +slow down but to put the full responsibility of +getting out of danger on the rowers.</p> +<p>The girls had no particular desire to be +thrown into the water, nor to have their boat +cut in two, so they pulled for dear life, with +white faces and straining throats and arms.</p> +<p>They just missed making their escape by a +hair’s breadth. The young man running the +yacht must have believed that the skiff would get +safely by or else when he found out his mistake +it was too late for him to slow down. The prow +of his yacht ran with full force into the frail side +of the “Water Witch” near her stern.</p> +<p>The little skiff whirled in the water almost in +a semi-circle. By a miracle it escaped being +completely run down by the launch. Yet a second +later, before any one of the girls could stir, +the water rushed into the hole in its side and it +sank. Madge and Phyllis had had their oars +wrenched from their hands. Then they found +themselves struggling in the water.</p> +<p>A cry rose from the launch as the “Water +Witch” and her passengers disappeared. But +there was no sound from the little rowboat, save +the gurgle of the water and a shrill scream +from Tania as the waves closed over her head.</p> +<p>The yacht swept on past, borne perhaps by +her own headway.</p> +<p>As Madge went down under the water two +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_84' name='page_84'></a>84</span> +thoughts seemed to come to her mind in the +same second: she must look after Eleanor and +Tania. Her cousin, Nellie, was not able to swim +as well as the other girls. She had always been +more nervous and timid in the water and was +liable to sudden cramp. Madge knew that being +hurled from a boat in such sudden fashion with +her clothes on instead of a bathing suit would +completely terrify Eleanor. She might lose her +presence of mind completely and fail to strike +out when she rose to the surface of the water. +As for Tania, Madge was aware that she, of +course, could not swim a stroke. The little one +had never been in deep water before in her life.</p> +<p>Madge struggled for breath for a second as +she came to the surface of the bay again. She +had swallowed some salt water as she went +down. In the next desperate instant she counted +three heads above the waves besides her own. +Phyllis was swimming quietly toward Eleanor. +Evidently she had entertained Madge’s fear. +“Make for the ‘Water Witch,’ Nellie,” Madge +heard Phil say in her calm, cool-headed fashion. +“It has overturned and come up again and we +can hang on to that. Don’t be frightened. I am +coming after you. Try to float if your clothes +are too heavy to swim. I’ll pull you to the +boat.”</p> +<p>Lillian’s golden head reflected the light +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_85' name='page_85'></a>85</span> +from the sun’s rays as she swam along after +Phil. But nowhere could Madge see a sign of a +little, wild, black head with its straight, short +locks and frightened black eyes.</p> +<p>She waited for another breathless moment. +Why did Tania not rise to the surface like the +rest of them? Madge was trying to tread water +and to keep a sharp lookout about her, but her +clothes were heavy and kept pulling her down; +swimming in heavy shoes is an extremely difficult +business, even for an experienced swimmer. +All of a sudden it occurred to Madge that Tania +might have risen under the overturned rowboat. +Then her head would have struck against its +bottom and she would have gone down again +without ever having been seen.</p> +<p>There was nothing else to be done. Madge +must dive down to see what had become of her +little friend, yet diving was difficult when she +had no place from which to dive. Madge knew +she must get all the way down to the very bottom +of the bay to see if by any chance Tania’s +body could have been entangled among the sea +weed, or her clothes caught on a rock or snag.</p> +<p>Once down, she looked in vain for the little +body along the sandy bottom of the bay. She +espied some rocks covered with shimmering +shells and sea ferns, but there was no trace of +Tania. For the second time she rose to the surface +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_86' name='page_86'></a>86</span> +of the water. She hoped to see Tania’s +black head glistening among those of her older +friends clustered about the overturned boat. +She had grown very tired and was obliged to +shake the water out of her eyes before she dared +trust herself to look.</p> +<p>Then she saw that Phil had hold of one of +Eleanor’s hands and with the other was clinging +to the slippery side of their overturned +boat. Eleanor was numb with cold and shock. +Although her free hand rested on the boat, Phil +dared not let go of her for fear she would sink.</p> +<p>Phyllis was beginning to feel uneasy about +Madge. She had given no thought to her during +the early part of the accident, she knew +Madge to be a water witch herself, but when the +little captain did not come to the skiff with the +rest of them Phil’s heart grew heavy. What +could she do? Dare she let go her hold on +Eleanor? Strangely enough, in their peril, +Phyllis had given no thought to the little stranger, +Tania.</p> +<p>Phyllis Alden breathed a happy sigh of relief +when she saw Madge’s curly, red-brown head +moving along toward them.</p> +<p>“Have you seen Tania?” she called faintly, +trying to reserve both her breath and her +strength.</p> +<p>Then Phil remembered Tania with a rush of +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_87' name='page_87'></a>87</span> +remorse and terror. “No, I haven’t, Madge. +What could have become of the child?” she faltered.</p> +<p>Lillian looked out over the water. Surely the +launch that had wrecked them would have been +able by this time to come back to their assistance. +The boat had stopped, but it had not +moved near to them. So far, its crew showed +no sign of giving them any aid. Lillian could +not believe her eyes.</p> +<p>“I’d better dive for Tania again,” said +Madge quietly, without intimating to her chums +that she was feeling a little tired and less sure +of herself in the water than usual. She knew +they would not allow her to dive.</p> +<p>When she went down for Tania the second +time she chose a different place to make her descent. +She must find the little girl at once.</p> +<p>She was swimming along, not many inches +from the bottom of the bay, when she caught +sight of what seemed to her a large fish floating +near some rocks. Madge swam toward it slowly. +It was Tania’s foot, swaying with the motion +of the water. Caught on a spar, which +might have once been part of a mast of an old +ship, was Tania’s dress. On the other side of +her was a rock, and her body had become wedged +between the two objects. It was a beautiful +place and might have been a cave for a mermaid, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_88' name='page_88'></a>88</span> +but it held the little earth-princess in a +death-like grasp.</p> +<p>It is possible to be sick with fear and yet +to be brave. Madge knew her danger. She +saw that Tania’s dress was caught fast. She +would have to tug at it valiantly to get it away. +First, she pulled desperately at Tania’s shoe, +hoping she could free her body. A suffocating +weight had begun to press down on her chest. +She could hear a roaring and buzzing in her +ears. She knew enough of the water to realize +that she had been too long underneath; she +should rise to the surface again to get her +breath. But she dared not wait so long to release +Tania. Nor did she know that she could +find the child again when she returned. She +must do her work now.</p> +<p>So Madge pulled more slowly and carefully +at Tania’s frock, unwinding it from the spar +that held it. With a few gentle tugs she released +it and Tania’s slender body rose slowly. The +child’s eyes were closed, her face was as still +and white as though she were dead. Madge was +glad of Tania’s unconsciousness. She knew that +in this lay the one chance of safety for herself +and the child. If Tania came to consciousness +and began to struggle the little captain knew +that her strength was too far gone for her to +save either the child or herself. She would not +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_89' name='page_89'></a>89</span> +leave her. She would have to drown with her.</p> +<p>She caught the little girl by her black hair, and +swam out feebly with her one free arm. At this +moment Tania’s black eyes opened wide. She +realized their awful peril. She was only a child, +and the fear of the drowning swept over her. +She gave a despairing clutch upward, threw +both her thin arms about Madge’s neck and held +her in a grasp of steel. For a second Madge +tried to fight Tania’s hands away. Then her +strength gave out utterly. She realized that the +end had come for them both.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='IX_THE_OWNER_OF_THE_DISAGREEABLE_VOICE' id='IX_THE_OWNER_OF_THE_DISAGREEABLE_VOICE'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_90' name='page_90'></a>90</span> +<h2>CHAPTER IX</h2> +<h3>THE OWNER OF THE DISAGREEABLE VOICE</h3> +</div> + +<p>It may be that Madge had another second of +consciousness. Afterward she thought she +could recall being caught up by a giant, +who unloosed Tania’s hands from about her +throat. Quietly the three of them began to float +upward with such steadiness, such quietness, +that she had that blessed sense of security and +release from responsibility that a child must +feel who has fallen asleep in its father’s arms.</p> +<p>The first thing that she actually knew was, +when she opened her eyes, to look into a pair of +deep blue, kindly ones that were smiling bravely +and encouragingly into hers. Near her were her +three friends, looking very wet and miserable, +and one little, dark-eyed elf who was sobbing +bitterly. Farther away were two strange girls +and one red-faced young man. Then Madge understood +that she had been brought aboard the +yacht that had run down their rowboat.</p> +<p>The little captain sat up indignantly. “I am +quite all right,” she said haughtily, looking with +an unfriendly countenance at their wreckers. +Then, feeling strangely dizzy, she sank back and +with a little sigh closed her eyes. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_91' name='page_91'></a>91</span></p> +<p>“Don’t do that,” protested Eleanor tragically. +“You must not faint. Captain Jules, +please don’t let her.”</p> +<p>The old captain’s strong hands took hold of +Madge’s cold ones. “Pull yourself together, my +hearty,” he whispered. “A girl who can dive +down into the bottom of the bay as you can +shows she has good sea-blood in her. She can +see the old captain’s diving suit any day she +likes—own it if she has a mind to. Fishing for +pearls isn’t half so good a trade as fishing for a +human life. You’ll be yourself in a minute. +Lucky I happened to walk down the beach in the +same direction your boat went.”</p> +<p>One of the two strange girls came to Madge’s +side at this moment with a cup of strong tea. +“<i>Do</i> drink this,” she pleaded. “It has taken +some time to make the water boil. I wish to give +some to the other girls, too. I am so sorry that +we ran into you. You must know that it was +an accident.”</p> +<p>Madge drank the tea obediently, gazing a little +less scornfully at the girl who was serving her, +her face pale with fright and sympathy. The +other girl stood apart at a little distance with a +young man. They were both staring at the wet +and shivering girls with poorly concealed +amusement.</p> +<p>“We are awfully sorry to give you so much +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_92' name='page_92'></a>92</span> +trouble,” said Madge to the girl with the tea. +She was trying to control her feelings when she +caught sight of the owner of the small yacht and +his friend and her temper got the better of her.</p> +<p>“I am sorry,” she repeated, “that we are giving +<i>you</i> trouble. But, really, your motor launch +had no right to bear down on our boat without +blowing its whistle or giving the faintest sign of +its approach. It put the whole responsibility of +getting out of the way on us.”</p> +<p>Madge was sitting beside the old captain. Her +direct mode of attack showed that she was feeling +more like herself.</p> +<p>“What the young lady says is true,” declared +Captain Jules with emphasis. “I doubt if you +have the faintest legal right to navigate a boat +in these waters. If I hadn’t happened to walk +along down the shore of the bay after these +young ladies left me two of them would have +been drowned. I’ll have to see to it that you +keep off this bay if you do any more such mischief +as you did this morning.”</p> +<p>The young man in a handsome yachting suit +worthy of an admiral in the United States Navy +frowned angrily at Madge and her champion.</p> +<p>“I say it wasn’t my fault that I ran into your +little paper boat,” he protested angrily. “I gave +you plenty of time to get out of my way, but you +girls pulled so slowly that we did slide into you. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_93' name='page_93'></a>93</span> +Still, if you will admit that it was your fault and +not mine, I will have your old skiff mended, if +she isn’t too much used up and you can get +somebody to tow her back to land for you. I +can’t; I have enough to carry as it is.”</p> +<p>The girl standing beside the young man giggled +hysterically. Madge decided that she had +heard her high, shrill notes before. Phyllis, Lillian +and Eleanor were furiously angry at the +young man’s retort to Madge and Captain +Jules, but they bit their lips and said nothing. +They were on his yacht, although they were enforced +passengers; it was better not to express +their feelings.</p> +<p>But Madge was in a white heat of passion +over the young man’s boorish retort.</p> +<p>“It was not our fault in the least that we were +run down,” she said in a low, evenly pitched +voice. “We are not willing to take the least +bit of the blame. You not only ran into our little +boat and sunk her, but you did not take the +least trouble to come to our aid when you had +not the faintest knowledge whether any one of +us could swim. <i>Men</i> in the part of the world +where I come from don’t do things of that kind. +Put your boat back and tow our rowboat to +land,” ordered Madge imperiously. “We certainly +will not allow you to have it mended. +Neither my friends nor I wish to accept any +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_94' name='page_94'></a>94</span> +kind of recompense from a man who is a <i>coward</i>!”</p> +<p>The word was out. Madge had not meant to +use it, but somehow it slipped off her tongue.</p> +<p>“Steady,” she heard the old sailor whisper in +her ear. He was gazing at her intently, and +something in his face calmed the hot tide of her +anger. “I am sorry I said you were a coward,” +she added, with one of her quick repentances. +“I don’t think you were very brave, but perhaps +something may have happened that prevented +your coming to our aid.”</p> +<p>“Mr. Dennis does not swim very well,” the +nicer of the two girls explained, sitting down +beside Madge. She was blushing and biting her +lips. “Mr. Dennis meant to put back as soon +as he could. I am Ethel Swann. I received a +letter from Mrs. Curtis this morning, who is one +of my mother’s old friends. She wrote that she +and her son would be down a little later to open +their cottage, but she hoped that we would meet +you girls before she came. I am so sorry that +we have met first in such an unfortunate fashion.”</p> +<p>“Oh, never mind,” interrupted Madge impatiently. +“If you are Ethel Swann, Mrs. Curtis +has talked to us about you. We are very glad to +know you, I am sure.”</p> +<p>“These are my friends, Roy Dennis and Mabel +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_95' name='page_95'></a>95</span> +Farrar,” Ethel went on, her face flushing. +The four girls bowed coldly. Mabel Farrar +acknowledged the introduction by a stiff nod. +The young man took off his cap for the first +time when Madge introduced Captain Jules.</p> +<p>“Run your boat along the side of the overturned +skiff and I’ll tie her on for you,” ordered +Captain Jules quietly. “I think I had better +go along back to land with you.”</p> +<p>Roy Dennis, who was a little more frightened +at his deed than he cared to own, was glad to +obey the captain’s order.</p> +<p>Just as the girls were landing from the launch +Mabel Farrar’s foot slipped and she gave a +shrill scream. Instantly the girls recognized the +voice which they had heard the night before condemning +them to social oblivion.</p> +<p>Although Captain Jules had only a short time +before positively refused the invitation of the +girls to come aboard the “Merry Maid” to pay +them a visit, it was he who handed each girl from +the deck of Roy Dennis’s boat into the arms of +their frightened chaperon. Finally he crossed +over to the deck of the houseboat himself, bearing +little Tania in his arms and looking in his +wet tarpaulins like old King Neptune rising +from the brine.</p> +<p>Captain Jules was made to stay to luncheon +on board the houseboat. There was no getting +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_96' name='page_96'></a>96</span> +away from the determined young women. In his +heart of hearts the old sailor had no desire to +go. Something inspired him with the desire to +know more of these charming girls.</p> +<p>When the girls had put on dry clothing they +led Captain Jules all over the houseboat, showing +him each detail of it. He insisted that the +“Merry Maid” was as trim a little craft as he +had ever seen afloat.</p> +<p>After luncheon, at which the captain devoured +six of Miss Jenny Ann’s best cornbread +gems, he sat down in a chair on the houseboat +deck, holding Tania in his arms. He talked most +to Phyllis, but he seldom took his eyes off +Madge’s face. Sometimes he frowned at her; +now and then he smiled. Once or twice Madge +found herself blushing and wondering why her +rescuer looked at her so hard, but she was too +interested to care very much.</p> +<p>She sat down in her favorite position on a +pile of cushions on the deck, with her head resting +against Miss Jenny Ann’s knee and her eyes +on the water. “Do tell us, Captain Jules,” she +pleaded, “something about your life as a pearl-fisher. +You must have had wonderful experiences. +We would dearly love to hear about +them, wouldn’t we, girls?”</p> +<p>The girls chorused an enthusiastic “Yes,” +which included Miss Jenny Ann. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_97' name='page_97'></a>97</span></p> +<p>Captain Jules laughed. “Haven’t you ever +heard that it is dangerous to get an old sea dog +started on his adventures? You never can tell +when he will leave off,” he teased, stroking +Tania’s black hair. “But I wouldn’t be surprised +if Tania would like to hear how once I +was nearly swallowed whole, diving suit and all, +by a giant shark. I was hunting for pearls in +those days off the Philippine Islands. I had +been tearing some shells from the side of a great +rock when, of a sudden, I felt a strange presence +before I saw anything. I might have known it +was time to expect trouble, because the little fish +that are usually floating about in the water had +all disappeared. A creepy feeling came over +me. I was cold as ice inside my diving suit. +Then I turned and looked up. Just a few feet +in front of me was a giant shark that seemed +about twenty-five feet long. He was an evil +monster. The upper part of his body was a +dirty, dark green and his fins were black. You +never saw a diving suit, did you? So you don’t +know that all the body is covered up but the +hands. I tucked my hands under my breastplate +in a hurry. It didn’t seem to me that a pearl +diver would be much good without any hands. +Well, the great fish made a sweep with its tail, +and in a jiffy he and I were face to face. I stood +still for about a second. I held my breath, my +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_98' name='page_98'></a>98</span> +heart pounding like a hammer. Nearer and +nearer the monster came swimming toward me, +with its shovel nose pointing directly at the +glass that covered my face. I couldn’t stand it. +I threw up my hands. I yelled way down at the +bottom of the sea with no one to hear me. There +was a swirl of water, a cloud of mud, and my +enemy vanished. He didn’t like the noise any +better than I liked him.”</p> +<p>The girls breathed sighs of relief. The captain +chuckled. “Oh, a diver is not in real danger +from a shark,” he went on, “his suit protects +him. But there are plenty of other dangers. +Maybe I’ll tell you some of them at another +time. Why, I declare, it is nearly sunset. +You don’t know it, children, but the bottom of +the tropic sea has colors in it as beautiful as the +lights in that sky. The sea-bottom, where the +diver is apt to find pearl shells, is covered with +all sorts of sea growths—sponges twelve feet +high, coral cups like inverted mushrooms, sea-fans +twenty feet broad.”</p> +<p>As the old diver talked, the girls could see the +magic coral wreaths, glowing rose color and +crimson, the tall ferns and sea flowers that waved +with the movement of the water as the earth +flowers move to the stirring of the wind. And +there in the land of the mermaids, hidden between +wonderful shells of mother-of-pearl, lie +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_99' name='page_99'></a>99</span> +the jewels that are the purest and most beautiful +in the world.</p> +<p>Madge’s chin was in her hands. She did not +hear the old captain get up and say good-bye. +She was wishing, with all her heart, that she, +too, might go down to the bottom of the sea to +view its treasures.</p> +<p>“Madge,” Phil interrupted her reverie, +“Captain Jules is going.”</p> +<p>Madge put her soft, warm hands into the big +man’s hard, powerful ones. “Good-bye,” she +said gratefully. “There is something I wish to +tell you, but I won’t until another time.”</p> +<p>Miss Jenny Ann stared thoughtfully after the +giant figure as Captain Jules left the houseboat +and strode up the shore in search of a small +skiff to take him home.</p> +<p>“You girls have made an unusual friend,” +she said slowly to Madge. “In many ways Captain +Jules is rough. He may be uneducated in +the wisdom of schools and books, but he is a +great man with a great heart.”</p> +<p>Before Madge went to bed that night she +wrote Tom Curtis. She told him how sorry they +all were that he could not come at once to Cape +May. She also described the day’s adventures. +She made as light of their accident as possible, +but she ended her letter by asking Tom if he +would not send her a book about pearl fishing.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='X_THE_GOODYGOODY_YOUNG_MAN' id='X_THE_GOODYGOODY_YOUNG_MAN'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_100' name='page_100'></a>100</span> +<h2>CHAPTER X</h2> +<h3>THE GOODY-GOODY YOUNG MAN</h3> +</div> + +<p>“Philip Holt has come, Madge,” +announced Phyllis Alden a few days +later. “He is staying at one of the +hotels until Mrs. Curtis and Tom arrive to open +their cottage. He has already been calling on a +number of Mrs. Curtis’s friends here. Now he +has condescended to come to see us. Miss Jenny +Ann says we must invite him to luncheon; so +close that book, if you please, and come help us +to entertain him. I am sure you will be <i>so</i> pleased +to see him.”</p> +<p>Madge frowned, but closed her book obediently. +“What a bore, Phil! I was just reading +this fascinating book on pearl-fishing. A few +valuable pearls have been found in these waters. +There was one which was sold to a princess for +twenty-five hundred dollars. Who knows but +the ‘Merry Maid’ may even now be reposing +on a bank of pearls! Dear me, here is that tiresome +Mr. Holt! Of course, we must be nice with +him on Mrs. Curtis’s account. I hope she and +Tom will soon come along. Let us take Mr. Holt +with us to the golf club this afternoon. We +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_101' name='page_101'></a>101</span> +promised Ethel Swann to come and she won’t +mind our bringing him.”</p> +<p>The girls were not altogether surprised that +the young people whom they had lately met at +Cape May were divided into two sets. The one +had taken the girls under their protection and +seemed to like them immensely. The other, +headed by Mabel Farrar and Roy Dennis, treated +them with cool contempt. But the girls felt +able to take care of themselves. Not one of them +even inquired what story Mr. Dennis and Miss +Farrar had told about their memorable meeting +on the water.</p> +<p>The Cape May golf course stretches over +miles of beautiful downs and the clubhouse is +the gathering place for society at this summer +resort.</p> +<p>Ethel Swann bore off Lillian and Eleanor to +introduce them to some of her friends, and the +three girls followed the course of two of the +players over the links.</p> +<p>Philip Holt was plainly impressed by the +smartly-dressed women and girls whom he saw +about him. He was a tall, thin young man with +sandy hair and he wore spectacles. He insisted +that Madge and Phyllis should not forget to introduce +him as the friend of Mrs. Curtis, who +expected him to be her guest later on. Indeed, +Philip Holt talked so constantly and so intimately +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_102' name='page_102'></a>102</span> +of Mrs. Curtis that Madge had to stifle +a little pang of jealousy. She had supposed, +when she was in New York City, that Mrs. Curtis, +who was very generous, only took a friendly +interest in Philip Holt and his work among the +New York poor, but to-day Philip Holt gave +her to understand that Mrs. Curtis was as kind +to him as though he were a member of her family. +And Madge wondered wickedly to herself +whether Tom Curtis would be pleased to have +him for a brother. She determined to interview +Tom on the subject as soon as he should return +from Chicago.</p> +<p>Later in the afternoon Madge and Phyllis +were surprised to see Roy Dennis and Mabel +Farrar come down the golf clubhouse steps and +walk across the lawn toward them, smiling with +apparent friendliness. Madge’s resentful expression +softened. She did not bear malice, and +she felt that she had said more to Roy Dennis +about his treatment of them than she should +have done. She, therefore, bowed pleasantly. +Phil followed suit. To their amazement they +were greeted with a frozen stare by the newcomers, +who walked to where the two girls were +standing without paying the least attention to +the latter. Madge’s color rose to the very roots +of her hair. Phil’s black eyes flashed, but she +kept them steadily fixed on the girl and man. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_103' name='page_103'></a>103</span></p> +<p>“How do you do, Mr. Holt?” asked Mabel in +bland tones, addressing the girls’ companion. +“I believe I am right in calling you Mr. Holt. I +have heard that you were a friend of Mrs. Curtis +and her son. This is my friend, Roy Dennis. +We are so pleased to meet any of dear Mrs. +Curtis’s <i>real</i> friends. We should like to have +you take tea with us.”</p> +<p>Philip Holt looked perplexed. He opened his +mouth to introduce Madge and Phyllis to Miss +Farrar, but the girls’ expressions told the story.</p> +<p>Miss Farrar and Mr. Dennis had purposely +excluded the two girls from the conversation.</p> +<p>For the fraction of a second Philip Holt wavered. +Mabel Farrar was smartly dressed. Roy +Dennis looked the rich, idle society man that he +was. Moneyed friends were always the most +useful in Mr. Holt’s opinion, he therefore turned +to Miss Farrar with, “I shall be only too pleased +to accompany you.”</p> +<p>“You’ll excuse me,” he turned condescendingly +to Madge and Phil, “but Mrs. Curtis’s +friends wish me to have tea with them.”</p> +<p>Madge smiled at the young man with such +frank amusement that he was embarrassed. +“Oh, yes, we will excuse you,” she said lightly. +“Please don’t give another thought to us. Miss +Alden and I wish you to consult your own pleasure. +I am sure that you will find it in drinking +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_104' name='page_104'></a>104</span> +tea!” She turned away, the picture of calm indifference, +although she had a wicked twinkle +in her eye.</p> +<p>“Well, if that wasn’t the rudest behavior all +around that I ever saw in my life!” burst out +Phil indignantly after the disagreeable trio had +departed. “Mrs. Curtis or no Mrs. Curtis, I +don’t think we should be expected to speak to +that ill-bred Mr. Holt again. The idea of his +marching off with that girl and man after the +way they treated us! I shall tell Mrs. Curtis +just how he behaved as soon as I see her, then +she won’t think him so delightful.”</p> +<p>Madge put her arm inside Phil’s. “You had +better not mention it to Mrs. Curtis, Phil. Mrs. +Curtis is the dearest person in the world, but she +is so lovely and so rich that she is used always to +having her own way. She thinks that we girls +are prejudiced against this Mr. Holt because he +said the things he did about Tania. By the way, +I wonder what the little witch has against him? +I mean to ask her some day. But let’s not +trouble about Philip Holt any more. He is just +a toady. I don’t care what he says or does. We +have done our duty by him for this afternoon at +least. He won’t join us again. Let’s go over to +that lovely hill and have a good, old-fashioned +talk.”</p> +<p>Phil’s face cleared. After all, she and Madge +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_105' name='page_105'></a>105</span> +could get along much, better without troublesome +outsiders.</p> +<p>“Isn’t it a wonderful afternoon, Phil?” asked +the little captain after they had climbed the little +hill and were seated on a grassy knoll. “We +can see the ocean over there! Wouldn’t you like +to be swimming down there under the water, +where it is so cool and lovely and there would +be nothing to trouble one?”</p> +<p>“What a water-baby you are,” smiled Phil, +giving her chum’s arm a soft pressure. “I +sometimes think that you must have come out +of a sea-shell. I suppose you are thinking of the +old pearl diver again.”</p> +<p>“Phil,” demanded Madge abruptly, “have +you ever thought of what profession you would +have liked to follow if you had been born a boy +instead of a girl?”</p> +<p>“I do not have to think to answer that,” replied +Phyllis, “I know. If I were a boy, I should +study to become a physician, like my father; +but even though I am a girl, I am going to study +medicine just the same. As soon as we get +through college I shall begin my course.”</p> +<p>“Phil,” Madge’s voice sounded unusually serious, +“don’t set your heart too much, dear, on +my going to college with you in the fall. I don’t +know it positively, but I think that Uncle is having +some business trouble. He and Aunt have +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_106' name='page_106'></a>106</span> +been worried for the past year about some stocks +they own. I shan’t feel that I have any right to +let them send me to college unless I can make +up my mind that I shall be willing to teach to +earn my living afterward. And I can’t teach, +Phil, dear. I should never make a successful +teacher,” ended Madge with a sigh.</p> +<p>“I can’t imagine you as a teacher,” smiled +Phil, “but I am sure that you will marry before +you are many years older.”</p> +<p>“Marry!” protested Madge indignantly. +“Why do you think I shall marry? Why, I was +wishing this very minute that I were a man so +that I could set out on a voyage of discovery and +sail around the world in a little ship of my own. +Or, think, one might be a pearl-diver, or lead +some exciting life like that. Now, Phil Alden, +don’t you go and arrange for me just to marry +and keep house and never have a bit of fun or +any excitement in my whole life!”</p> +<p>Phyllis laughed teasingly. “Oh, you will +have plenty of excitement, Madge dear, wherever +you are or whatever you do. Don’t you remember +how Miss Betsey used to say that she +knew something was going to happen whenever +you were about? I suppose you would like to be +a captain in the Navy like your father, so that +you could spend all your time on the sea.”</p> +<p>“No,” returned Madge, “I should want a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_107' name='page_107'></a>107</span> +ship of my own. I wouldn’t like to be a captain +in the Navy. There, you always have to do just +what you are told to do, and you know, Phil, that +obedience is not my strong point.” The little +captain laughed and shook her russet head. +“You see, Phil, I think that if I could go around +the world, perhaps in some far-away land I +would find my father waiting for me.”</p> +<p>For several minutes the two chums were silent. +At last Phil leaned forward and gave +Madge’s arm a gentle pinch. “Wake up, dear,” +she laughed, “perhaps some day you will own +that little ship and go around the world in it. +Just now, however, we had better go on to the +houseboat. I believe Nellie and Lillian are going +to wait at the golf club until the last mail +comes in, so they can bring our letters along +home with them. We must say good-bye to that +nice Ethel Swann. She is a dear, in spite of her +ill-bred friends.”</p> +<p>Phyllis and Madge found Miss Jenny Ann sitting +in a steamer chair on the houseboat deck +exchanging fairy stories with Tania. The little +girl knew almost as many as did her chaperon, +but Tania’s stories were so full of her own odd +fancies that it was hard to tell from what source +they had come.</p> +<p>“Do you know the story of ‘The Little Tin +Soldier,’ Tania?” Miss Jenny Ann had just +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_108' name='page_108'></a>108</span> +asked. “He was the bravest little soldier in the +world, because he bore all kinds of misfortunes +and never complained.”</p> +<p>With a whirl Tania was out of Miss Jenny +Ann’s lap and into Madge’s arms. The child +was devoted to each member of the houseboat +party, but she was Madge’s ardent adorer. She +liked to play that she was the little captain’s +Fairy Godmother, and that she could grant any +wish that Madge might make.</p> +<p>Phil, Madge and Tania sat down at Miss Jenny +Ann’s feet to hear more about “The Brave +Little Tin Soldier.” Tania huddled close to +Madge, her black head resting against the older +girl’s curls, as she listened to the harrowing adventures +that befell the Tin Soldier.</p> +<p>The sun was sinking. Away over the water +the world seemed rose colored, but the shadows +were deepening on the land. Phil espied Lillian +and Eleanor coming toward the houseboat. Lillian +waved a handful of white envelopes, but +Eleanor walked more slowly and did not glance +up toward her friends.</p> +<p>Miss Jenny Ann rose hurriedly. “I must go +in to see to our dinner,” she announced. “Phil, +after you have spoken to the girls, will you come +in to help me? Madge may stay to look after +Tania.”</p> +<p>The little captain was absorbed in a quiet twilight +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_109' name='page_109'></a>109</span> +dream, and as Tania was in her lap she +did not get up when Phil went forward to meet +Lillian and Eleanor.</p> +<p>Instantly Phil realized that something was the +matter with Nellie. Eleanor’s face was white +and drawn and there were tears in her gentle, +brown eyes. Lillian also looked worried and +sympathetic, but was evidently trying to appear +cheerful.</p> +<p>“What is the matter, Eleanor? Has any one +hurt your feelings?” asked Phil immediately. +Eleanor was the youngest of the girls and always +the one to be protected. Phyllis guessed +that perhaps some one of the unpleasant acquaintances +of Roy Dennis and Mabel Farrar +might have been unkind to her.</p> +<p>But Eleanor shook her head dumbly.</p> +<p>“Nellie has had some bad news from home,” +answered Lillian, tenderly putting her arm +about Eleanor. “Perhaps it isn’t so bad as she +thinks.”</p> +<p>Madge overheard Lillian’s speech and, lifting +Tania from her lap, sprang to her feet.</p> +<p>“Nellie, darling, what is it? Tell me at +once!” she demanded. “If Uncle and Aunt are +ill, we must go to them at once.”</p> +<p>“It isn’t so bad as that, Madge,” answered +Eleanor, finding her voice; “only Mother has +written to tell us that Father has lost a great +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_110' name='page_110'></a>110</span> +deal of money. He has had to mortgage dear +old ‘Forest House,’ and if he doesn’t get a lot +more money by fall, ‘Forest House’ will have to +be sold.”</p> +<p>Nellie broke down. The thought of having to +give up her dear old Virginia home, that had +been in their family for five generations, was +more than she could bear.</p> +<p>Madge kissed Eleanor gently. In the face of +great difficulties Madge was not the harum-scarum +person she seemed. “Don’t worry too +much, Nellie,” she urged. “If Uncle and Aunt +are well, then the loss of the money isn’t so +dreadful. Somehow, I don’t believe we shall +have to give up ‘Forest House.’ It would be too +frightful! Perhaps Uncle will find the money in +time to save it, or we shall get it in some way. +I am nearly grown now. I ought to be able to +help. Anyhow, I don’t mean to be an expense +to Uncle and Aunt any more after this summer.” +Madge’s face clouded, although she tried +to conceal her dismay. “Do Uncle and Aunt +want us to leave the houseboat and come home +at once?”</p> +<p>Phil’s and Lillian’s faces were as long and as +gloomy as their other chums’ at this suggestion.</p> +<p>But Eleanor shook her head firmly. “No; +Father says positively that he does not wish us +to leave the houseboat until our holiday is over. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_111' name='page_111'></a>111</span> +It is not costing us very much and he wishes us +to have a good time this summer, so that we can +bear whatever happens next winter.”</p> +<p>No one had noticed little Tania while the +houseboat girls were talking. Her eyes were +bigger and blacker than ever, and as Madge +turned to go into the cabin she saw that there +were tears in them.</p> +<p>“What is it, Tania?” putting her arms about +the quaint child.</p> +<p>“Did you say that you didn’t have all the +money you wanted?” inquired Tania anxiously. +“I didn’t know that people like you ever needed +money. I thought that all poor people lived in +slums and took in washing like old Sal.”</p> +<p>Madge laughed. “I don’t suppose the people +in the tenements are as poor as we are sometimes, +Tania, because they don’t need so many +things. But don’t worry your head about me, +little Fairy Godmother. I am sure that you +will bring me good luck.”</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XI_THE_BEGINNING_OF_TROUBLE' id='XI_THE_BEGINNING_OF_TROUBLE'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_112' name='page_112'></a>112</span> +<h2>CHAPTER XI</h2> +<h3>THE BEGINNING OF TROUBLE</h3> +</div> + +<p>“Madge, I am afraid that you and the +girls are not having as good +a time at Cape May as I had hoped +you would have,” remarked Mrs. Curtis to the +little captain about a week later as they strolled +along the beautiful ocean boulevard that overlooked +the sea. Only the day before Mrs. Curtis +and Tom had returned from Chicago. Just +behind them, Lillian, Miss Jenny Ann, Phyllis, +Tom Curtis and Mrs. Curtis’s protégé, Philip +Holt, loitered along the beach. They were too +far away to overhear the conversation of the +two women.</p> +<p>“On the contrary, we are having a perfectly +beautiful time,” answered Madge, her face radiant +with the pleasure of her surroundings. “I +think Cape May is one of the loveliest places in +the whole world! And we girls have met the +most splendid old sea captain. He has the dearest, +snuggest little house up the bay! He was +once a deep-sea diver and knows the most fascinating +stories about the treasures of the sea.” +Madge ceased speaking. She could tell from +her friend’s slightly bored expression that Mrs. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_113' name='page_113'></a>113</span> +Curtis was not interested in the story of a common +sailor.</p> +<p>“Yes, Madge, I know about all that,” Mrs. +Curtis returned a little coldly. “What I meant +is that I fear you girls are not enjoying the social +life of Cape May, which is what I looked +forward to for you. I do wish, dear, that you +cared more for society and less for such people +as this old sailor and a tenement child like +Tania. I doubt if this man is a fit associate for +you.”</p> +<p>Madge’s blue eyes darkened. She thought of +the splendid old sailor, with his great strength +and gentle manners, his knowledge of the world +and his fine simplicity, and of queer, loving little +Tania, but she wisely held her peace. “I am +sorry, too, that I don’t like society more if you +wish it,” she replied sweetly. “I do like the +society of clever, agreeable people, but not—I +like Ethel Swann and her friends immensely,” +she ended. “And, please, don’t say anything +against my old pearl diver, Mrs. Curtis, until +you see him. I am sure that you and Tom will +think that he is splendid.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis looked searchingly at Madge, and +Madge returned her gaze without lowering her +eyes. Mrs. Curtis’s face softened. She found +it hard to scold her favorite, but she had been +very much vexed at the story that Philip Holt +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_114' name='page_114'></a>114</span> +had repeated to her of Madge’s escapades at +Cape May, and how she accused Roy Dennis of +cowardice when he had taken her and her +friends on his boat after Madge’s and Phil’s +own heedlessness had caused their skiff to be +overturned. Somehow, the tale of the throwing +of the ball on board Roy Dennis’s yacht and of +frightening Mabel Farrar had also gone abroad +in Cape May. Lillian had confided the anecdote +to Ethel Swann under promise of the greatest +secrecy. The story had seemed to Ethel too ridiculous +to keep to herself, so she had repeated +it to another friend, after demanding the same +promise that Lillian had exacted from her. And +so the story had traveled and grown until it was +a very mischievous tale that Philip Holt had recounted +to Mrs. Curtis, taking care that Tom +Curtis was not about when he told it.</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis thought Madge too old for such +practical jokes. She also believed that Madge +should have more dignity and self-control. She +loved her very dearly, and she wished her to +come to live with her as her daughter after her +own, daughter, Madeleine, had married, but +Mrs. Curtis was determined that the little captain +should learn to be less impetuous and more +conventional.</p> +<p>“Philip Holt has told you something about +me, hasn’t he, Mrs. Curtis?” asked Madge +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_115' name='page_115'></a>115</span> +meekly, hiding the flash in her eyes by lowering +her lids.</p> +<p>“Philip told me very little. He is the soul of +honor,” answered Mrs. Curtis quickly. “You +are absurdly prejudiced against him. But with +the little that he told me and what I have gathered +from other sources, I feel that you have +been most indiscreet. I can’t help thinking that +the various things that have happened may be +laid at your door, and that the other girls have +just stood by you, as they always do.”</p> +<p>Madge bit her lips. “Whatever has occurred +that you don’t like is my fault, Mrs. Curtis,” she +confessed, “and Phil, Lillian and Nellie <i>have</i> +stood by me. I am sorry that you are angry.”</p> +<p>The other young people were coming closer. +Not for worlds would Madge have had them +overhear her conversation with Mrs. Curtis. +She was too proud and too hurt to ask Mrs. Curtis +just what Philip Holt had said against her. +Neither would she retaliate against him by telling +her friend of his rudeness.</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis put one arm about Madge. “It is +all right, my dear,” she said, softening a little, +“but you must promise me that you will not do +such harum-scarum things again, and that you +will try to keep your temper.” Mrs. Curtis was +on the point of asking Madge to give up her acquaintance +with the sailor and not to see the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_116' name='page_116'></a>116</span> +man again, but she knew that her young friend +was feeling a little hurt and no doubt resentful +toward her, so she put off making her request +until a later time.</p> +<p>“Tania has behaved very well, so far, hasn’t +she, Madge?” Mrs. Curtis tactfully changed +the subject. “I confess I am surprised. Philip +Holt assured me that the child was continually +in mischief in the tenement neighborhood where +she lives. When he took her into the neighborhood +house to try to help her she positively stole +something. I am afraid Tania’s mother was not +the woman you think she was; she was only a +cheap little actress, a dancer.” Mrs. Curtis +glanced at her companion. Madge was eyeing +her seriously.</p> +<p>“It isn’t like you, Mrs. Curtis, dear, to +say things against people. Philip Holt must +have——” Madge stopped abruptly. At the +same time Tom Curtis came up from behind to +join his mother and the girl.</p> +<p>“Come on, Madge, and have a race with me +across the sands,” he urged. “Mother will be +trying to make you so grown-up that we can’t +have any sport at all. Besides, you are looking +pale. I am sure you need exercise. There is a +crowd over there in front of the music pavilion. +I will wager a five-pound box of candy that I +can beat you to it. Philip Holt will entertain +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_117' name='page_117'></a>117</span> +Mother. She likes him better than she does the +rest of us, anyhow, because he devotes his time +to good works and to working good people,” +added Tom teasingly, under his breath.</p> +<p>While Tom was talking Madge darted off +across the sands. She never would get over her +love of running, she felt sure, until she was old +and rheumatic. The color came back to her +cheeks and the laughter to her eyes.</p> +<p>Tom was close behind her. “Madge Morton, +you didn’t give me a fair start,” he protested, +“you rushed away before I was ready. I +thought you always played fair?”</p> +<p>Madge dropped into a walk. “I do try to, +Tom,” she answered more earnestly than Tom +had expected. His remark had been made only +in fun. “You believe in me, don’t you, Tom?” +she added pleadingly.</p> +<p>“Now and forever, Madge, through thick and +thin,” answered Tom steadily.</p> +<p>They had now come up nearer the crowd of +people on the beach. Up on a grand stand a +band was playing an Italian waltz, and an eager +crowd had gathered, apparently to listen to the +music.</p> +<p>But the two young people soon saw that on +the hard sand a child was dancing. Tom stopped +outside the circle of watchers, but Madge +went forward into it. She had at once recognized +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_118' name='page_118'></a>118</span> +little Tania! Eleanor had been left on the +houseboat to take care of the child, but Eleanor +was now nowhere to be seen, and her charge had +wandered into mischief.</p> +<p>Tania was dancing in her most bewitching +and wonderful fashion. Madge could not help +feeling a little embarrassed pride in her. The +child was moving like a flower swayed by the +wind. She poised first on one foot, then on the +other, then flitted forward on both pointed toes, +her thin, eager arms outstretched, curving and +bending with the rhythm of the music. She +wore her best white dress, the pride of her life, +which Eleanor had lately made for her. On her +head she had placed a wreath of wild flowers, +which she must have woven for herself. They +were like a fairy crown on her dark head. With +the love of bright colors, which she must have +inherited from some Italian ancestor, she had +twisted a bright scarlet sash about her waist.</p> +<p>Again Madge saw that Tania was utterly unconscious +of the audience about her. She looked +neither to the right nor to the left, but straight +upward to the turquoise-blue sky.</p> +<p>How different Tania’s audience to-day from +the crowd of people that had watched her on the +street corner when Eleanor and Madge had first +seen her! Yet these gay society folk were even +more fascinated by the child’s wonderful art. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_119' name='page_119'></a>119</span> +They could better appreciate her remarkable +dancing.</p> +<p>Tania did not even see her beloved Madge, +who was silently watching her. Tania’s usually +pale cheeks glowed as scarlet as her sash. Unconsciously +the little girl’s movements were like +those of a butterfly, a-flutter with the joy of the +sunshine and new life.</p> +<p>The music stopped suddenly and with it Tania’s +dance ceased as abruptly. She stood poised +for a single instant on one dainty foot, with +her graceful arms still swaying above her flower-crowned +head. Her audience watched her +breathlessly, for the effect of the child’s grace +had been almost magical.</p> +<p>“Wasn’t that a wonderful performance?” +whispered Tom in Madge’s ear. “The child is +an artist! Where do you suppose she learned to +dance like that?”</p> +<p>But Tania had come back to earth in a brief +second. To Madge’s mystification, Tania started +about among the people who had been watching +her performance with her small hands +clasped together like a cup.</p> +<p>The child courtesied shyly to a fat old lady. +Her gesture was unmistakable. The woman +rummaged in her chain pocket-book and dropped +a silver quarter into Tania’s outstretched hands. +The next onlooker was more generous. Tania’s +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_120' name='page_120'></a>120</span> +eyes shone as she felt the size and weight of a +big silver dollar.</p> +<p>Few people in the Cape May crowd knew who +Tania was, or whence she had come. They probably +thought that the object of the dance had +been to earn money.</p> +<p>For a few moments Madge had been paralyzed +by Tania’s peculiar actions. She did not realize +what they meant. In this lapse of time the +rest of their party joined them.</p> +<p>It was the expression on Mrs. Curtis’s face +that made Madge appreciate what Tania was +doing.</p> +<p>“What on earth is Tania about?” exclaimed +Lillian in puzzled tones. She saw the child +standing before a young man who was evidently +teasing her and refusing her request for money.</p> +<p>“She has been dancing like a monkey with a +hand organ,” answered Philip Holt scornfully. +“I am afraid Cape May people will hardly understand +it. It looks as though the young women +on the ‘Merry Maid’ were in need of +money.” The young man laughed as though +his last remark had been intended for a joke.</p> +<p>“None of that talk, Holt.” Madge caught +Tom’s angry tone as she hurried forward to +Tania. The little captain could have cried with +mortification and embarrassment. In the crowd +of curious onlookers she caught sight of Mabel +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_121' name='page_121'></a>121</span> +Farrar’s and Roy Dennis’s sneering faces.</p> +<p>“Tania!” she cried sharply. “What in the +world are you doing? Stop taking that money +at once!”</p> +<p>Tania glanced around and discovered Madge. +Instead of looking ashamed of herself, the +child’s face grew radiant. “Madge,” she cried, +in a high voice that could be heard all about +them, “it is all for you!”</p> +<p>Tania rushed forward with her outstretched +hands overflowing with silver.</p> +<p>Madge could have sunk through the sands for +shame. Mrs. Curtis’s face flamed with anger +and chagrin. She might have been able to explain +to her friends that Tania was only a street +child and knew no better than to dance for +money; but how could she ever explain the remark +to Madge? It looked as though Madge +had been a party to Tania’s dancing and begging.</p> +<p>Madge was overcome with embarrassment and +humiliation. She knew that she must, for the +minute, appear like a beggar to the crowd of +Cape May people. For just that instant she +would have liked to repulse Tania, to have +thrust the child and her money away from her +before every one. But a glance at Tania’s +eager, happy face restrained her. She put her +arm protectingly about the little girl, hiding her +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_122' name='page_122'></a>122</span> +in the shelter of her body. “I don’t want the +money, Tania,” she whispered. “It wasn’t +right for you to have taken it from these people.”</p> +<p>“Don’t you want it?” faltered Tania. “I +thought you said last night that you and +Eleanor were very poor, and that you needed +some money very much. All the time I was in +bed last night I thought of what your Fairy +Godmother could do to help you. I know how to +do but one thing—to dance as my mother taught +me. How can it be wrong to take the money +from people? I have often done it in New York. +They only gave it to me because they liked my +dancing.” Madge could feel Tania’s hot tears +on her hands.</p> +<p>She clasped Tania closer. “It isn’t exactly +wrong, Tania; I was mistaken. It was just different. +I will have to explain it to you afterward. +Now we must give the money back to the +people again.”</p> +<p>Holding tight to Tania’s hand, Madge walked +among the group of strangers, explaining Tania’s +actions as best she could without hurting +the little girl’s feelings. It was one of the hardest +things that the proud little captain had ever +been called upon to do. But a part of the crowd +had scattered. It was not possible to find them +all and return their silver. Tania was too puzzled +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_123' name='page_123'></a>123</span> +and heart-broken to continue her errand +long. She did not understand why Madge had +refused to take her gift, which she thought she +had fairly earned. Finally she could hold back +her sobs no longer. Dropping her few remaining +nickels and dimes on the sand she broke +away from Madge’s clasp and ran like a little +wild creature away from everyone.</p> +<p>Madge stopped for just a second among her +friends before following Tania.</p> +<p>“You see, Madge,” remarked Mrs. Curtis +coldly, “Tania is quite impossible. I knew the +child would get you into difficulties, and it is just +as I feared. She must be sent away at once.”</p> +<p>But Madge shook her head with a decision +that was unmistakable.</p> +<p>“No,” she answered quietly, “Tania shall +not be sent away. None of you understand, and +I can’t explain it to you now, but Tania thought +she was doing something for Nellie and me. She +was foolish, of course, and I will see that she +never does it again.”</p> +<p>With her head held high, Madge hurried away +in pursuit of her Fairy Godmother.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XII__THE_ANCHORAGE' id='XII__THE_ANCHORAGE'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_124' name='page_124'></a>124</span> +<h2>CHAPTER XII</h2> +<h3>“THE ANCHORAGE”</h3> +</div> + +<p>Madge was alone in the “Water Witch,” +which had been mended and was as +good as new. She had just come from +an interview with Mrs. Curtis, in which she had +tried to make her friend understand the reason +for Tania’s behavior of the day before. Mrs. +Curtis, however, would not take the little captain’s +view of the matter. She dwelt on the fact +that Tania had slipped away from the houseboat +without letting Eleanor know of it, and +that she was a naughty and disobedient child.</p> +<p>Madge also believed that Mrs. Curtis no +longer loved her so dearly as in the early days +of their acquaintance. The young girl was sure +that some influence was being brought to bear to +prejudice her friend against her. But what +could she do? Philip Holt was trying to destroy +the affection Mrs. Curtis felt for Madge +in order to ingratiate himself. It looked as +though he were going to succeed. Madge was +too proud to ask questions or to accuse Philip +Holt with deliberately trying to influence her +friend against her. Although she was only a +young girl, she realized that love does not +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_125' name='page_125'></a>125</span> +amount to very much in this world unless it has +faith and sympathy behind it. So long as she +had done nothing she knew to be wrong, and for +which she should make an apology, she could +only wait to see if Mrs. Curtis’s affection would +be restored to her or cease altogether.</p> +<p>As usual, when she was troubled, the impulse +came to her to be alone on the water. She had +explained to Miss Jenny Ann that she might be +gone for several hours, so there was no immediate +reason why she should return to the houseboat. +The other girls were yachting with some +Cape May friends.</p> +<p>Madge rowed her boat up the bay toward the +home of the old sailor. She was not far from +the very place where Captain Jules had rescued +Tania and her a short while before. She thought +of the strange-looking beam sticking up out of +the sandy bottom of the bay on which Tania’s +dress had caught. It had certainly looked like +the broken mast of an old ship. She determined +to ask Captain Jules if any wrecks had recently +occurred near that part of the bay, and concluded +that she would row up to the sailor’s +house for the express purpose of asking him +this question. Of course, this was only an excuse. +She was deeply anxious to call on the old +sailor again and, if possible, persuade him to +keep his promise to her to show her his diving +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_126' name='page_126'></a>126</span> +suit, and to tell her more of his strange experiences +at the bottom of the sea.</p> +<p>Captain Jules was sitting in his favorite place +on the big rock just by the water in front of his +house. He was mending the sail of his fishing +boat.</p> +<p>Madge’s boat came round a slight curve in the +bay, dancing toward him. This time Captain +Jules spied his guest and saluted her as he would +have greeted a superior officer.</p> +<p>The little captain blushed prettily as she returned +his salute in her best naval fashion.</p> +<p>The old captain looked hurriedly toward his +small house. There was no sight or sound of +any one about. He seemed uncomfortable for a +moment, then his face cleared. His deep blue +eyes gleamed and his mouth set squarely. “Coming +ashore to make me a call, Miss Madge?” he +asked invitingly.</p> +<p>Madge nodded. “If I shan’t be in your way. +You must let me just sit there on the rock by +you. I have been reading a perfectly thrilling +book about pearl-divers,” she announced as +soon as she was comfortably settled, “but none +of the stories were as thrilling as the ones you +told us. The book said that pearls had been +found in New Jersey. I wonder if you have +ever thought of diving down to the bottom of +this bay to see if it holds any treasures?” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_127' name='page_127'></a>127</span></p> +<p>The sailor was studying the girl’s face so earnestly +that he forgot to answer her.</p> +<p>“Oh, yes, I have thought of it,” he replied a +little later, smiling at his guest. “A man never +wholly forgets his trade. But what a taste you +have for sea yarns, little lady! I half-way +think, now, that if you had not been born a girl +you might have followed the sea for your calling.”</p> +<p>“I should have loved it best of anything in the +world,” answered Madge fervently, gazing at +the beautiful expanse of sunny, blue water. “I +never feel as much at home anywhere as I do on +the sea. You see,” she continued confidingly, +“I have a reason for loving the water. My +father was a sailor. He was a captain in the +United States Navy once.”</p> +<p>“‘A captain in the United States Navy,’” +Captain Jules repeated huskily. “I thought so. +I thought so.”</p> +<p>“Why?” asked Madge wonderingly.</p> +<p>Captain Jules pulled his needle slowly +through a heavy piece of sail cloth. It must have +stuck, he was so long about it, and his big hands +fumbled it so clumsily.</p> +<p>“Oh, because of your liking for the water, +Miss Madge,” he returned quietly. “You see, +there are two great loves born in the hearts of +men and women that you never can get away +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_128' name='page_128'></a>128</span> +from. The one is the love of the soil and the +other is the love of the sea. No matter what +your life is, if you have those two passions in +you, you’ve got to get back to the country or to +the water when your chance comes. But why +do you say that your father was once a captain +in the United States Navy? Is he dead?”</p> +<p>“I am afraid so,” replied Madge faintly. Of +late she was beginning to believe that her uncle +and aunt, Mrs. Curtis and all her older friends +were right. If her father were not dead in all +these long years, surely he would have tried to +find her. He would have sought to discover +some news of the daughter whom he had left +when she was only a baby.</p> +<p>Captain Jules seemed about to say something, +then, changed his mind. He shook his great, +shaggy, gray head and looked at Madge tenderly. +“Is your mother living?” he inquired.</p> +<p>“No, she died soon after my father went +away to join his ship on his last voyage,” Madge +went on sadly, her eyes filling with tears. She +was half tempted to tell the old sailor her father’s +story, then decided to reserve it until some +future day when she felt that she knew him better. +In spite of her liking for the old sea captain, +she realized that she had hardly known +him long enough to make him her confidant.</p> +<p>Captain Jules continued to sew. He opened +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_129' name='page_129'></a>129</span> +his mouth, to speak once or twice and then closed +it again. Finally he asked Madge huskily, +“What was your father’s name, child?”</p> +<p>“Captain Robert Morton,” replied Madge +slowly. “He was from Virginia. If I knew him +to be alive, I’d be the happiest girl in the +world.”</p> +<p>Captain Jules cast a peculiar glance in her direction +which Madge did not see.</p> +<p>“My dear little mate,” he said slowly, “some +day a young man will come along who will be far +more to you than any old father could have +been. But what made your father go away? If +he was a captain in the Navy, what made him resign +his command?”</p> +<p>“I can’t tell you that to-day, Captain Jules. +Perhaps I’ll tell you some day when I know you +better; in fact, I am sure I shall tell you. Perhaps +when I do tell you I shall ask you to do me +a great favor. Perhaps I shall ask you to help +me hunt for him. I’ll tell you a secret. Uncle +and Aunt have been good to me and I love them +dearly, but I want my own father, and I can’t, I +won’t, believe he is dead. That is, not until I +have absolute proof.”</p> +<p>“Little girl!” exclaimed Captain Jules in +such a strange voice that Madge was startled, +“I promise you that I’ll help you find him.” +Then in a calmer tone of voice he said: “I told +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_130' name='page_130'></a>130</span> +you that I would show you my diver’s suit. If +you will wait on my porch I will go around inside +the house to see if I can find it.”</p> +<p>He rose hastily and disappeared into the +house, leaving Madge to wonder why the few +words she had spoken concerning her father had +affected the old sea captain so strangely.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XIII_TANIA_S_NEMESIS' id='XIII_TANIA_S_NEMESIS'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_131' name='page_131'></a>131</span> +<h2>Chapter XIII</h2> +<h3>TANIA’S NEMESIS</h3> +</div> + +<p>Captain Jules was gone a long time, +but Madge did not mind waiting for +him. She loved the odd house with its +roof shaped like three sails and its restful name, +“The Anchorage.”</p> +<p>When Captain Jules came back with the great +suit his face was pale, almost haggard, but he +was smiling good-humoredly. “Come, stand +over here by this window while I show you my +old togs. I haven’t looked at this diving suit +myself for several years.”</p> +<p>Madge was too much interested in the diving +dress to glance in at the captain’s window to see +if she could catch a glimpse of the inside of the +snug little house that she had not yet been invited +to enter.</p> +<p>The diving suit was much lighter than she had +expected to find it. It weighed only about +twenty pounds. It was made of water-proof +material and had a large helmet of copper with +great circular glasses in front that looked like +goggle eyes.</p> +<p>Captain Jules explained that there were two +lines with which the diver communicated with +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_132' name='page_132'></a>132</span> +the outside world. The one was the air line, and +it was used to pump air down to the man below +in the water. The life line was usually hitched +around the diver’s waist. This line was let out +to any depth the diver required, and by pulling +on it the diver could signal to the men who followed +his course: one jerk, pull up; two, more +air; three, lower the bag. Madge was utterly +fascinated with the netted bag, made of rope, +that Captain Jules showed her. He told her that +the pearl-diver always carried a bag to hold the +treasures that he finds at the bottom of the sea. +To her vivid imagination, the empty bag was +even now filled with shining pearls, the rarest +treasures of the sea.</p> +<p>The young girl persuaded Captain Jules to let +her dress up in his diver’s suit, when she stumbled +about the veranda in it, her gay laughter +mingling with the captain’s deep chuckles of +delight.</p> +<p>“O Captain Jules!” she pleaded, “do take +me down to the bottom of the sea with you. I +have always wanted to be a mermaid, and this +may be the only chance I shall ever have. ‘Only +divers know of things below, of water’s green +and fishes’ sheen,’” she chanted gayly.</p> +<p>The old sea captain gazed at Madge, breathing +a deep sigh of satisfaction. “I believe you have +the courage to do it if I were to let you try,” he +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_133' name='page_133'></a>133</span> +murmured. “It comes nearer to convincing me +than anything else.”</p> +<p>“Captain Jules,” continued the girl earnestly, +“please, please let’s go down to the bottom +of this bay. You could take me with you and +then there wouldn’t be any danger. We have +been down together without diving suits and +here we are safe and sound on land again! You +said you thought there might be pearls in the +oyster beds of this bay. We could look, at any +rate. I saw the most wonderful things when I +was searching for Tania. It seemed as though +her dress was caught on the broken spar of an +old ship, though, of course, I couldn’t be sure. +Have there been many wrecks in this bay? Do +you suppose it was a ship’s spar?”</p> +<p>“There are always wrecks on the water, child. +And you mustn’t be talking nonsense about diving +down in this bay along with me,” answered +Captain Jules severely. He kept his eyes fastened +on his diving suit with an affectionate +gleam in them. “Maybe, though, I will make a +diving party of one and go down in the bay +alone. I’d give you the pearls I found down +there.”</p> +<p>Madge shook her head. “That wouldn’t be +fair,” she said, setting her red lips together obstinately. +Captain Jules, she felt sure, would +be easy to manage. If he did any diving in the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_134' name='page_134'></a>134</span> +Delaware Bay within the next few weeks, he +must take her with him.</p> +<p>She wrote secretly to New York City to ask +what a diver’s suit would cost. She was discouraged +by the answer, but she did not give up +hope. She was also very careful not to let Miss +Jenny Ann or Mrs. Curtis know anything of +the wild scheme that was evolving in her head.</p> +<p>Almost every day the girls saw Captain Jules. +Either they went up the bay to call on him, or he +made a visit to the houseboat.</p> +<p>The old captain never invited the girls inside +his house, but they had great frolics in his tidy +yard. The captain explained that his house was +not neat enough to be seen by young ladies, as it +had only a man housekeeper.</p> +<p>Even Mrs. Curtis became a little less prejudiced +against Captain Jules. She could not but +confess that he was a fine old man, though she +still did not see why Madge was so much attracted +by him. But the girl bided her time. +The four girls and their friends went off on long +fishing trips with Captain Jules. Sometimes +Mrs. Curtis, Tom, and their guest, Philip Holt, +went with them. The enmity between Madge +and Philip increased every day, nor did Madge +any longer make much effort to conceal her dislike +for him.</p> +<p>Philip Holt had a special reason for his dislike +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_135' name='page_135'></a>135</span> +for Madge Morton. He had come to Cape +May with the idea of making Mrs. Curtis do an +important favor for him upon which his whole +future depended. He feared that Madge, who +looked upon him as a hypocrite, would find out +his true character, tell her friend, and thus ruin +his prospects.</p> +<p>A singular misfortune had befallen him. Who +could have guessed that one of the few people +who knew his real history, Tania, the little street +child, would be picked up by the houseboat girls +and brought to Cape May for the summer? Tania +must not be allowed to betray him. If she +did, Mrs. Curtis must not believe either Madge +or Tania. The young man had to lay his plans +carefully, but he was a born hypocrite and he +meant to accomplish his end.</p> +<p>His first opportunity to further his cause +came one morning when he and Mrs. Curtis +were sitting on the veranda of her summer cottage. +Tom had gone out sailing and was not expected +back for several hours, so that Philip believed +that the coast was clear. He began by +telling Mrs. Curtis something of the charity +work that he had recently done in New York +City and so brought the subject about to Tania.</p> +<p>“Dear Mrs. Curtis, you are so generous,” the +young man said admiringly. “I have just learned +that after the summer holiday is over you +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_136' name='page_136'></a>136</span> +intend to send Miss Morton’s protégé, Tania, +to a boarding school. It is so kind in you.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis shook her head. “Oh, no,” she +answered, “it is very little to do. Really, I +don’t see what else could be done with the child. +She is very queer and not attractive to me, but +Madge is fond of her and, as I am very fond of +Madge, I shall do what is best for the little girl.”</p> +<p>“Ah,” murmured Philip Holt vaguely, “but +do you feel sure that a boarding school is the +best place for the girl? She is so unruly, so untruthful! +I fear that she would give you a great +deal of trouble and responsibility unless she +were placed under greater restraint. I have +wondered for some time what should be done +for the child. She has caused a lot of mischief +among the children on the street in her tenement +section. It seems to me that she ought to +be sent to some kind of an institution where she +would be more closely watched—an asylum or +home for incorrigible children.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis looked worried and bit her lips. +“That is rather hard on the child, isn’t it? Still, +I could not undertake to be responsible for Tania’s +good behavior at school. She seems very +hard to control. I will watch her more closely, +and, if she shows more signs of untruthfulness, +I shall have to consider your suggestion. +However, I will talk the matter over with +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_137' name='page_137'></a>137</span> +Madge. I wish you would walk down to the +houseboat for me and invite the girls to come up +to the hotel for luncheon. I hope they are not +off somewhere with Captain Jules. He seems to +claim the greater share of their attention +lately.”</p> +<p>Philip Holt walked off, very well pleased with +his interview. He had conveyed to Mrs. Curtis +precisely the impression he had intended to convey.</p> +<p>Ever since his arrival at Cape May Philip +Holt had wished to see little Tania alone. He +had warned the child that she was not to behave +as though she had ever seen him before, yet he +was still afraid that she might make a confidante +of Madge. He needed to make his threat +to her more terrifying. He decided to find her +and intimidate her so thoroughly that she would +not dare betray her previous acquaintance with +him.</p> +<p>There was but one person in the world of +whom the queer, elf-like Tania was afraid. That +person was Philip Holt! She had feared him +since the day of her own mother’s death, and +the very thought of him was enough to fill her +childish soul with terror.</p> +<p>Tania was playing alone on the sands near that +houseboat at the time Mrs. Curtis and Philip +Holt were discussing her future. Madge and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_138' name='page_138'></a>138</span> +Miss Jenny Ann were inside the houseboat, +within calling distance of Tania, but not where +they could see her. The little girl had just built +a house of shining pebbles and was gazing at it +with a pleased smile when she heard a step near +her on the sand. Tania stared up at Philip’s +thin, blonde face in terror-stricken silence.</p> +<p>“Tania,” the young man asked harshly, +“have you told any one down here that you +have ever seen or known me before?”</p> +<p>Tania shook her head mutely.</p> +<p>“Remember, if you do, I am going to have +you shut up in a big house with iron bars at the +windows where you can never go out or see your +friends any more,” Philip Holt went on, keeping +his voice lowered to a whisper.</p> +<p>Slowly Tania’s black eyes dropped. She tried +to be brave and to pretend that she did not care, +but the loss of her freedom was the one thing +that Tania feared with all her soul. If she were +shut up somewhere, how could she ever talk to +her fairies, or see the blue sky that she so loved? +And now, to be parted from the girls forever +was too dreadful! Indeed, she would not dare +to tell what she knew. Philip Holt was sure +of it.</p> +<p>It was at that moment that Madge slipped out +on the houseboat deck to see if Tania were all +right. To her surprise she saw that Philip Holt +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_139' name='page_139'></a>139</span> +was talking to the little girl. She had not +thought that Philip Holt cared enough for children +to waste a minute’s time with them. She +therefore wondered at his sudden interest in +Tania. Madge walked quietly off the houseboat. +She was wearing tennis shoes and her softly-shod +feet made no sound. She caught one +glimpse of Tania’s mute, white face and stopped +short in time to hear Philip say:</p> +<p>“Even if you do tell that old Sal is my mother, +Tania, no one will believe you. She herself +will deny it and help me to have you shut up,” +declared Philip Holt menacingly.</p> +<p>Madge caught each word as though it had been +addressed to her. For Tania’s sake, and because +she knew that for many reasons it was +wiser, she held her peace for the time being.</p> +<p>“How do you do, Mr. Holt?” she asked innocently. +“I just saw you from the deck of the +houseboat.”</p> +<p>Philip Holt leaped to his feet. But Madge’s +eyes were so clear and serene, her face so calm, +that it was utterly impossible she could have +overheard him.</p> +<p>Philip delivered Mrs. Curtis’s message and +then left the two girls together. Madge dropped +down on the sands by Tania and put her arm +about her. “You need never tell me who Mr. +Holt is, nor why you are afraid of him, Tania,” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_140' name='page_140'></a>140</span> +she whispered; “I overheard what he said, and +you need not be afraid. I will take care of +you!”</p> +<p>“He is the Wicked Genii,” faltered Tania, +“who hated the Princess and wanted to drive +her away from her kingdom in Fairyland.”</p> +<p>“But he can’t harm you, Tania, dear,” comforted +Madge. “He dare not try to take you +away from us. I am going to tell Mrs. Curtis +all about this Wicked Genii and if I’m not mistaken +it will be he, not you who is sent away.”</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XIV_CAPTAIN_JULES_MAKES_A_PROMISE' id='XIV_CAPTAIN_JULES_MAKES_A_PROMISE'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_141' name='page_141'></a>141</span> +<h2>CHAPTER XIV</h2> +<h3>CAPTAIN JULES MAKES A PROMISE</h3> +</div> + +<p>Little by little Madge was able to put together +the whole story of Philip Holt’s +life. He was old Sal’s son, and “Holt” +was not his own name, but he rarely came near +his mother, never gave her any help, and denied +his relationship with her whenever it was necessary. +When Philip Murphy was a small boy, +he had been taken into the home of a wealthy +family named Holt, but he had never been legally +adopted as their child. He was raised in +luxury and had made a great many wealthy +friends, and he had learned to love money more +than anything else in the world. But his rich patrons +would not allow him entirely to desert his +own mother. Twice every month he was made to +go to see old Sal Murphy in her tenement home +on the East Side. Philip Holt, who now went by +the name of his foster parents, fairly loathed +these visits. It was because of his hatred of +them that he began to take his spite out on Tania +when he was a lad of about fifteen, and poor Tania +a baby of only six years old.</p> +<p>Tania’s mother had died in the same tenement +where old Sal lived. There had been no +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_142' name='page_142'></a>142</span> +one who wanted the little girl, so old Sal had +taken her, beaten and starved her, and made her +useful in any way that she could.</p> +<p>When Philip Holt had grown to manhood his +foster parents lost most of their money. A little +later they died, leaving their foster son nothing. +The young man had been used to luxury +and rich friends, and he could not give them up, +therefore he told his wealthy friends that because +he had once been a poor boy he meant to +devote his life to charity. He proposed to work +among the New York poor and asked their cooperation. +Large sums of money were given +him to be used for charity, but Philip Holt believed +too strongly in the theory that charity begins +at home. Whenever it was possible he used +a part of this money for himself. To make +more, he began speculating in Wall Street. He +lost two thousand, then five thousand dollars of +the money that had been entrusted to him. For +almost a year he had been the treasurer of a +New York charitable organization, and the time +was near at hand when he must give a report of +the money that he had misused. He knew that +disgrace, imprisonment, stared him in the face +unless he could persuade Mrs. Curtis to advance +him five thousand dollars for some charitable +purpose, or give it to him for himself. He, therefore, +did not intend to be balked in his plan by +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_143' name='page_143'></a>143</span> +either Madge or Tania, no matter what desperate +measures he had to employ.</p> +<p>So there were two persons at Cape May who +came to believe that they stood in dire need of +money. Yet they wished it for very different +reasons: Philip Holt wanted money to save +himself from disgrace; Madge desired it to help +her uncle and aunt save their old home, “Forest +House,” to send Eleanor back to graduate at +Miss Tolliver’s in the fall, to start on her search +for her father, and, last of all, to take care of +Tania.</p> +<p>For Madge had managed the little waif’s affairs +most undiplomatically. When she discovered +the threat that Philip held over Tania if +she told his secret, the little captain went to +Mrs. Curtis with the story. She did not wish +her friend to be deceived by the young man, so +she confided to Mrs. Curtis that Philip Holt, +who was supposedly the son of some old friends, +was really the child of old Sal of the tenements. +Mrs. Curtis thought that Madge must +be mistaken. She wrote to old Sal to ask her +if it were true. The Irish woman was devoted +to her son. She would have done anything in +the world not to disgrace him. She answered +Mrs. Curtis’s letter by declaring that Philip +Holt was no relative of hers, but a young man +whom she knew because of his kindness to the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_144' name='page_144'></a>144</span> +poor. Mrs. Curtis was indignant. She insisted +that Tania had told Madge a falsehood, and that +Philip Holt was right in his opinion of Tania. +It would not be well to send the child to a school; +she should be put in some kind of an institution. +This, however, Madge was determined should +never happen. She had no money of her own, +nor did she know where she was to obtain the +means, but she made up her mind to find some +way to provide for her quaint little Fairy Godmother.</p> +<p>The morning after Madge’s disquieting talk +with Mrs. Curtis the four girls and Tania wandered +up the bay to spend the morning in the +woods near the water. Phyllis carried a book +that she meant to read aloud, Madge a box of +luncheon, and Eleanor and Lillian their sewing. +Tania skipped along with her hand in Madge’s. +John had promised to join them later in the day +if he returned in time from his trip on the +water.</p> +<p>The girls settled themselves under some trees +whence they could command a view of the land +and the bay. Madge lay down in the soft grass +and rested her head in her hands. She meant +to listen to Phil’s reading, not to puzzle over her +own worries. Phil’s book gave a thrilling account +of the early days in the Delaware Bay, +when it was the favorite cruising place for pirates. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_145' name='page_145'></a>145</span> +It was rather hard to believe, when the +girls gazed out on the smooth, blue water, that +it had once been the scene of so many fierce adventures +with pirates. Once a crew of seventy +men, belonging to the famous Captain Kidd, had +actually sailed up the Delaware Bay and frightened +the people of Philadelphia.</p> +<p>Madge had forgotten to listen. She could +hear Phil’s voice, but not her words. The history +of piracy, of course, was very thrilling, but +Madge did not see how any long-ago dead and +buried pirates or their hidden treasures could +help her out of her present difficulties. She stood +in need of real riches.</p> +<p>A sailboat dipped across the horizon and +headed for the landing not far from where the +girls were sitting, but no one of them noticed it.</p> +<p>“Look ahoy! look ahoy!” a friendly voice +cried out from across the water.</p> +<p>Phyllis closed her book with a snap, Lillian +and Eleanor dropped their sewing, Tania ran +to the water’s edge, and Madge sat up.</p> +<p>It was Captain Jules who had hailed them.</p> +<p>“Well, my hearties, is this a summer camp?” +demanded the old sailor as his boat came near +the land. “I have been all the way to the houseboat +to find you. I have something to show +you.” Captain Jules’s broad face shone with +good humor. He was clad in his weather-beaten +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_146' name='page_146'></a>146</span> +tarpaulins, and on his shoulder perched the +monkey.</p> +<p>Madge covered the sides of her curly head +with her hands. “Please don’t let the monkey +pull my hair this morning,” she pleaded as the +captain came up.</p> +<p>He tossed the monkey over to Tania, who cuddled +it affectionately in her arms, and began +talking softly to it.</p> +<p>Then Captain Jules seated himself on the +grass and the houseboat girls gathered about +him in a circle. He put one great hand in his +pocket. “I’ve some presents for you,” he announced, +trying to look very serious, but smiling +in spite of himself.</p> +<p>“What are they?” asked Lillian eagerly.</p> +<p>“That’s telling,” returned the captain. “You +must guess.”</p> +<p>“Shells,” said Tania quickly.</p> +<p>Captain Jules shook his head. “You’re +warm, little girl,” he replied, “but you haven’t +guessed right yet.”</p> +<p>Lillian sighed. “I never could guess anything,” +she remarked sadly. “Please do tell us +what it is.”</p> +<p>The captain relented and drew out of his +pocket a handful of what seemed to be either +oyster or mussel shells.</p> +<p>“You’ve brought some oysters for our luncheon, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_147' name='page_147'></a>147</span> +haven’t you?” guessed Eleanor. “You +must stay and eat them with us.”</p> +<p>Captain Jules chuckled. “Oysters are out of +season, child, and these are never good to eat.”</p> +<p>But Madge had clapped her hands together +suddenly, her eyes shining. “You have been +down to the bottom of the bay, haven’t you, +Captain Jules? And you’ve found some +pearls!”</p> +<p>Captain Jules shook his head. “I wouldn’t +call them pearls, exactly. They’re too little and +too poor. But come, now; maybe they are seed +pearls. I went down under the water with the +men who were looking over the oyster beds yesterday. +Pearl oysters are not found in beds, +like the edible oysters, so I wandered around on +the bottom of the bay a bit and picked up these.” +The captain extended his great hand. Five +pairs of eager eyes peered into it. There lay +four nearly round, thick shells, horny and rough +with tiny little pearls embedded in them.</p> +<p>“‘Pearls are angel’s tears’,” quoted Phil +softly.</p> +<p>Captain Jules seemed worried. “I searched +about everywhere in the bay, but I could only +find these four tiny pearls, and pretty lucky I +was to find them!” the sailor continued. “They +aren’t of much value, but I wanted to give them +to five girls, and that’s just the difficulty.” The +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_148' name='page_148'></a>148</span> +captain looked at the houseboat party, which +now included Tania, as though he did not know +just what he should make up his mind to do.</p> +<p>“Let’s draw straws for them,” suggested +Eleanor sensibly.</p> +<p>Madge shook her head. “No; Captain Jules +is to give them to you and to leave me out. Remember, +some stranger gave me a handsome +pearl when I graduated. I have never had it +mounted.” Madge slipped her arm confidingly +through the old sea captain’s and gazed into his +face with her most earnest expression. “Captain +Jules is going to do something else for me; +he is going down to the bottom of the bay again +in his diving suit, and he is going to take me +with him.”</p> +<p>“What a ridiculous idea!” protested Eleanor. +“Just as though Captain Jules would +think of doing any such thing.”</p> +<p>Lillian laughed unbelievingly, but Phil’s face +was serious. “It would be awfully jolly, +wouldn’t it? There wouldn’t be any danger if +Captain Jules should take you. Do please take +Madge down with you, and then take me,” she +insisted coaxingly.</p> +<p>Captain Jules shook his head, but the little +captain observed that he did not look half so +shocked at the idea as he had the first time she +proposed it. This was encouraging. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_149' name='page_149'></a>149</span></p> +<p>Phil took hold of one of the captain’s hands, +and Madge the other.</p> +<p>“Please, please, <i>please</i>!” they pleaded in +chorus.</p> +<p>“Miss Jenny Ann wouldn’t let you,” objected +Captain Jules faintly.</p> +<p>“But if we were to get her permission,” argued +Madge triumphantly, “then you would +take us down to the bottom of the bay. I just +knew you would, you are so splendid! I shall +send to New York to see if we can rent a diving +suit.”</p> +<p>“Never mind about that, I’ll see about the +suit,” promised Captain Jules. “But it’s all +nonsense, and I have never said that I would +take you. I wish I weren’t a sailor. There is +an old saying that a sailor can never refuse anything +to a woman.”</p> +<p>“Here comes Tom,” announced Lillian hurriedly.</p> +<p>“Then don’t say anything to him about the +diving,” warned Madge. “He will think it is +perfectly dreadful for girls to attempt it.”</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XV_THE_GREAT_ADVENTURE' id='XV_THE_GREAT_ADVENTURE'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_150' name='page_150'></a>150</span> +<h2>CHAPTER XV</h2> +<h3>THE GREAT ADVENTURE</h3> +</div> + +<p>The news that old Captain Jules Fontaine, +the retired pearl diver, whose history +was a mystery to most of the inhabitants +at Cape May, was to take Madge Morton down +to the bottom of Delaware Bay with him spread +through the town and seaside resort like wildfire. +It was in vain that the houseboat party +and Captain Jules tried to keep the affair a secret. +There were necessary arrangements to be +made, men to be engaged to assist in the diving +operations; it was impossible to deny everything.</p> +<p>At first the plan seemed to outsiders like mere +midsummer madness. Then the story began to +grow. Cape May residents learned that Captain +Jules had found pearls in the bottom of the bay. +No one would believe the captain’s statement +that the pearls were of little value; gossip +made the tiny pearls grow larger and larger, +until they were fit for an empress.</p> +<p>Captain Jules was besieged at his little house +up the bay, although, as usual, he kept the door +fastened against intruders. Half the fishermen +and oystermen in the vicinity begged to be permitted +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_151' name='page_151'></a>151</span> +to accompany the old sea diver in his +descent into the water. Captain Jules politely +explained that he needed no companions; he +was merely going on a diving expedition to +amuse two of his friends, Phyllis Alden and +Madge Morton, who had a taste for watery adventure. +He did not expect to find anything of +value in the bottom of the bay. They were going +down merely for sport.</p> +<p>There was one person at Cape May who listened +eagerly to any tale of the fabulous riches +that the old pearl diver was evidently expecting +to unearth. He was Philip Holt. The time of +his visit at Cape May was rapidly passing. Mrs. +Curtis was exceedingly kind and interested in +her guest, but Philip did not feel that he dared +approach her too abruptly with the request for +so large a sum of money as five thousand dollars. +Besides, Philip Holt knew that Tom Curtis +disliked him heartily. Tom was not likely +to approve a man whom Madge mistrusted; nor +would Mrs. Curtis give away or lend five thousand +dollars without first consulting her son. +So the marvelous tale of the pearls to be found +in the Delaware Bay rooted itself in Philip +Holt’s imagination. Here was another way to +get out of his scrape. He was not fond of adventure, +but he would do anything in the world +for money. Perhaps he could find pearls enough +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_152' name='page_152'></a>152</span> +not only to pay his debt, but to make him rich +forever afterward.</p> +<p>Quietly, and without a word to any one, Philip +Holt made a secret visit to the house of the three +sails. He implored Captain Jules to make him +his diving companion. He attempted to bribe +him with sums of money that he did not possess. +He even threatened the old sailor that he would +make investigations about his life and expose +any secrets that the captain might wish to keep. +Captain Jules only laughed at these threats. +He was not going down in the bay for treasures, +he declared. He expected to find absolutely +nothing of any value. Positively he would not +allow any one to accompany him but the two +girls.</p> +<p>Madge and Phyllis had a hard fight to persuade +Miss Jenny Ann to give her consent to +their plan for playing mermaid. But she was +getting so accustomed to the exciting adventures +of her girls that, when Captain Jules assured +her there was really no special danger, so long +as he kept a close watch on the diver with him, +she finally agreed to the scheme. Captain Jules +gave the two girls every kind of instruction in +the art of diving that he thought necessary, and +the day of the great watery adventure was set +for the week ahead.</p> +<p>On the morning of Tuesday, July 12th, Madge +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_153' name='page_153'></a>153</span> +awoke at daybreak. She felt a delicious, shivery +thrill pass over her that was one part fear +and the other part rapture.</p> +<p>“Phil,” she whispered a few seconds later, +when she heard her chum stirring in the berth +above her, “can you feel fins growing where +your feet are? Your flop in the bed sounded +as though you were a real mermaid! Just think, +at ten o’clock sharp we are going down to explore +a new world! I wonder if there were +ever any girl divers before? You are awfully +good to let me go down first.”</p> +<p>“No, I am not,” answered Phil soberly. “If +there is any danger, I am letting you go down +to it first. But I shall watch above the water, +with all my eyes, to see that everything goes +right. The captain has explained the whole +business of diving to us so thoroughly that I believe +I can tell if anything is wrong with you below +the surface. You’ll be careful, won’t you, +Madge? You know you are usually rather reckless. +Don’t stay down too long.”</p> +<p>“Oh, Captain Jules won’t let me be reckless +this time. We are not going down into very +deep water, anyway, and a professional diver +can stay under several hours when the water +is only about five fathoms deep.”</p> +<p>Madge and Phyllis ate a very light breakfast. +Captain Jules had told them that a diver must +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_154' name='page_154'></a>154</span> +never go down into the water on a full stomach, +as it would make him too short-winded. While +the two prospective divers were eating poor +Miss Jenny Ann was wondering what had ever +induced her to give her consent to so mad an +enterprise as this diving.</p> +<p>Every effort had been made to keep a crowd +away from the pier from which Captain Jules +meant to send out the boats with the tenders, +who were the men to look after the safety of +Madge and himself.</p> +<p>As the girls came up, with Miss Jenny Ann, to +join Captain Jules they saw twenty or thirty +people about. Mrs. Curtis and Tom, accompanied +by Philip Holt, had come down to the +pier. Mrs. Curtis would hardly speak to Madge, +she was so angry at the risk she believed the little +captain was running. She and Madge had +not been very friendly since they had disagreed +so utterly in Madge’s report of the real character +and name of Philip Holt.</p> +<p>Madge and Phyllis each wore a close fitting, +warm woolen dress. Madge had tucked up her +red-brown curls into a tight knot. Her eyes +were glowing, but her face was white and her +lips a little less red when Captain Jules came +forward to fasten her into her diving suit.</p> +<p>“Don’t attempt it, Madge, if you are frightened,” +urged Miss Jenny Ann, who was feeling +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_155' name='page_155'></a>155</span> +dreadfully frightened herself. “I am sure +Captain Jules will forgive you if you back out.”</p> +<p>Captain Jules looked at Madge searchingly. +Her eyes smiled bravely into his, although her +heart was going pit-a-pat.</p> +<p>“Miss Madge is not afraid,” answered Captain +Jules curtly. “Robert Morton’s daughter +has no right to know fear.”</p> +<p>Madge first slipped her feet into a pair of +heavy leather boots. She gave a gay laugh as +she slipped into her rubber cloth suit, which was +made in one piece. “I feel just like a walrus,” +she confided to Tom Curtis, who was watching +her with set lips.</p> +<p>Then Madge and Captain Jules, who was in +exactly the same costume, got into their boats +and moved out a little distance from the shore.</p> +<p>Tom Curtis had asked Captain Jules’s consent +to sit in one of the boats with Phil. At the +last moment Philip Holt stepped calmly into the +other. No one stopped to argue with him, or to +thrust him out; the whole party was too much +excited.</p> +<p>Not for all the pearls in all the seas would +Captain Jules Fontaine have allowed one hair +of Madge’s head to be injured. But he really +did not believe that she would be in any danger +under the water with him. He had arranged +every detail of the diving perfectly. He would +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_156' name='page_156'></a>156</span> +watch her every movement at the bottom of the +bay. To tell the truth, Captain Jules was immensely +proud of Madge’s and Phil’s bravery +in desiring to accompany him.</p> +<p>The final moment for the dive arrived. Madge +waved her hand to the crowd of her friends lining +the shore. She flung back her head and +looked gayly, triumphantly, up at the blue sky +above her, with its sweep of white, sailing +clouds. Below her the water looked even more +deeply blue.</p> +<p>“Remember, Madge,” whispered Captain +Jules calmly, “the one quality a diver needs +more than anything else is presence of mind. +Keep a clear head under the water and nothing +shall harm you, I swear. But above all, don’t +forget your signals.”</p> +<p>With his own hands Captain Jules fastened +the brass corselet about Madge’s slender neck +and set a big copper helmet which he screwed +over her head to her corselet. Madge then surveyed +the world only through the glass windows +at each side of her head and in front. +Her air-tube entered her helmet at the back. +Two men in one of the boats were to keep the +young girl diver supplied with oxygen by pumping +fresh air down through this tube.</p> +<p>A moment later Captain Jules stood rigged +in the same costume as Madge. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_157' name='page_157'></a>157</span></p> +<p>“Steady, my girl,” Captain Jules warned +her.</p> +<p>“Aye, aye, Captain,” returned Madge quietly, +“I’m ready. Let us go down together to the +bottom of the bay.”</p> +<p>“Pump away,” ordered the captain.</p> +<p>There was a splash on the surface of the clear +water, a long-drawn gasp from Madge’s +friends; then a few bubbles rose. Rapidly, skillfully, +Madge’s tenders played out her life and +pipe lines, and Madge Morton disappeared from +the world of men. Captain Jules made his +plunge a few seconds in advance of his companion.</p> +<p>In the boat where Tom Curtis and Phyllis Alden +sat there was a breathless, intense silence. +The boy and girl happened to be in the boat with +the men who were looking out for the welfare +of Captain Jules. Philip Holt was with Madge’s +tenders.</p> +<p>Phyllis knew that there was but one way in +which she could follow her chum’s course below +the surface of the water. She could watch her +life and air lines. Captain Jules had made it +plain to Phyllis that all the time the diver is under +water small ripples will appear near his air +line. These bubbles are caused by the air that +the diver breathes out from the valve in the side +of his diving helmet. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_158' name='page_158'></a>158</span></p> +<p>Phyllis watched the lines doggedly. Captain +Jules was to keep Madge under water only about +fifteen or twenty minutes, but at that a minute +may appear longer than an hour.</p> +<p>Suddenly Phyllis Alden discovered that the +man who was tending Madge’s air pump seemed +to be working less vigorously. He pumped unevenly. +Once he swayed, as though he were +about to fall over in his seat.</p> +<p>In a second it flashed over Phyllis that the +man was ill. He was a strong, red-faced individual, +but his face turned to a kind of ghastly +pallor. It was all so quick that Phil had no time +to speak from her boat. Philip Holt, who was +in the same boat with the man, grasped the situation +as quickly as Phyllis did. With a single +motion he took the tender’s place at the air-pump. +Phil saw that he was pumping away +with vigor.</p> +<p>At this moment Phil turned to speak to Tom +Curtis. “Tom, how long have they been under +the water?” she whispered.</p> +<p>“Ten minutes,” returned Tom, glancing hastily +at his watch.</p> +<p>“It seems ten hours,” murmured Phil, as +though she dared not speak aloud.</p> +<p>Tug, tug! Phil thought she saw Madge’s air +line give two desperate jerks. Two pulls at the +line was the diver’s signal for more air. Phil +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_159' name='page_159'></a>159</span> +knew that without a doubt. Yet Philip Holt +seemed to be pumping vigorously. At least, he +had been only the second before when Phil last +looked at him.</p> +<p>Again Phil saw Madge’s air line jerk twice.</p> +<p>Tom Curtis and the two men in Captain +Jules’s boat were vainly trying to interpret +some signals that Captain Jules was making to +them. The two boats were at no great distance +apart.</p> +<p>“I am afraid something is the matter below, +Phil,” Tom Curtis turned to mutter hoarsely. +But Phyllis Alden, who had been sitting near +him a moment before, was no longer there.</p> +<p>Phyllis believed she saw that Philip Holt was +only pretending to pump sufficient air down to +Madge. She may have been wrong. Who could +ever tell? But Phil knew there was no time to +discuss the matter. One minute, two minutes, +five or ten—Phil did not know how long a diver +at the bottom of the water can be shut off from +his supply of fresh air and live. She did not +mean to wait, to ask questions, or to lose time. +Phil made a flying leap from the skiff that held +her to the one in which Philip Holt sat by the +air-pump. She landed in the water, just alongside +the boat. Quietly, though more quickly +than she had ever moved before in her life, Phil +climbed into the boat and thrust Philip Holt +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_160' name='page_160'></a>160</span> +away from the air pump. In the minute it had +taken her to make her plunge she had seen +Madge’s signal again, but this time the line +jerked more feebly than it had before.</p> +<p>Phil set the pump to working again; the signal +answered from below, “All is well!”</p> +<p>The tender had recovered from his attack of +faintness and resumed his work at Madge’s +airline.</p> +<p>But Philip Holt sat crouched in the bottom of +the boat, his face white with anger. What would +Phyllis Alden’s action suggest but that he was +trying to suffocate Madge in the water below?</p> +<p>Whether or not Philip Holt meant to stifle +Madge Morton he himself never really knew. +The impulse came to him as he placed his hands +on her air-pump. It flashed across his mind that +it was Madge who had tried to injure his prospects +with Mrs. Curtis, and who had kept him +from going down with Captain Jules to search +for the pearls that he firmly believed would +be found at the bottom of the bay. It was while +these thoughts passed through Philip Holt’s +mind his pressure on Madge’s air-pump had +wavered. But Phyllis Alden had discovered it. +She gave him no opportunity either for action +or regret.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XVI_A_STRANGE_PEARL' id='XVI_A_STRANGE_PEARL'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_161' name='page_161'></a>161</span> +<h2>CHAPTER XVI</h2> +<h3>A STRANGE PEARL</h3> +</div> + +<p>Madge felt herself in a great fairy world +peopled with giants. Every thing below +the water is magnified a thousandfold. +Slowly she went down and down! The +fishes splashed and tumbled about her, hurrying +to get away from this strange, new sea-monster +that had come into their midst.</p> +<p>The little captain felt no mental sensation except +one of wonder and of awe; no physical impression +save a pressure as of a great weight on +her head and a roaring of mighty waters in her +ears. She no longer had any idea of being +afraid.</p> +<p>At the first plunge into the water she had shut +her eyes, but now, as she approached the bottom +of the bay, she kept them wide open.</p> +<p>The water was clear as crystal, like the reflection +in a mammoth mirror. She could see +nearly fifty feet ahead of her. Captain Jules +walked just in front of her, swinging his great +body from side to side, peering down into the +sandy bottom of the bay. Madge discovered +that the only way in which she could get a view, +except the one directly in front of her, was by +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_162' name='page_162'></a>162</span> +turning her head inside her helmet, to look +through her side window glasses. The goggles +over her eyes gave her just the view that a +horse has with blinkers.</p> +<p>There were hundreds of things that Madge +would have liked to confide to Captain Jules. +However, for once in her life, she was compelled +to hold her tongue. Her eyes, her hands, and +her feet she could keep busy. Now and then she +gave a little ejaculation of wonder inside her +copper helmet at the marvels she saw. No one +heard her cry out. Captain Jules wasted no +time. He was exceedingly business-like. He +motioned to Madge just where she should go +and what she should do, and she obediently followed.</p> +<p>There were long, level flats of sand in the bottom +of Delaware Bay, like small prairies. Then +there were exquisite oases of waving green seaweed, +gardens of sea flowers and ferns, and hillocks +of rocks, with all sorts of queer sea animals, +crabs, jelly-fish, and devil-fish, scurrying +about them.</p> +<p>Caught in the moss, encrusted on the rocks, +sunken in the yellow sands, were opalescent, +shining shells and pebbles, each one more beautiful +than the last. Madge did not realize that +if she carried these shells and pebbles above the +water they would look like ordinary stones. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_163' name='page_163'></a>163</span> +Every now and then the young diver would +stoop and drop one of them in her netted bag +with a thrill of excitement.</p> +<p>Again and again Captain Jules had assured +Madge that she must not expect to find any +pearls of much value in Delaware Bay. There +were few pearls in edible oysters. The beds +about Cape May were meant to supply the family +table, not the family jewels. Of course, it +was true, the Captain admitted, that a pearl did +appear now and then in an ordinary oyster. +Yet this was an accident and most unlikely to +occur.</p> +<p>Madge had really tried not to believe that she +was going to find any kind of prize in the new +world under the water. In spite of all her efforts +she had been thinking and planning and +hoping. Perhaps—perhaps she would find a +pearl of great price. Then her troubles would +be at an end.</p> +<p>All this time Madge had been breathing naturally +and comfortably inside her helmet as she +traveled along the bed of the bay. She was so +unconscious of any difficulty that she was beginning +to believe that she was, in truth, a mermaid, +and that water, and not air, was her natural +element. Suddenly she felt a little uneasy, +as though the windows of her room had been +closed for too long a time. It was nothing, she +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_164' name='page_164'></a>164</span> +was sure. The stifling sensation would pass in +another second.</p> +<p>At this moment Captain Jules gazed hard at +Madge. He had never forgotten his charge for +a moment. But all seemed well with her, and +the captain thought he saw ahead of him something +that was well worth investigating. He +dropped on his knees in the soft mud. With +him he had a small hammer and a fork, not unlike +a gardener’s. Shining through some green +sea moss so soft and fine that it might have been +the hair of a water-baby, Captain Jules had espied +some glittering shells. To his experienced +eye the glow was that of mother-of-pearl. It is +the mother-of-pearl shell that usually covers the +precious pearl. The old sailor set to work. +Madge was eagerly watching him, when once +again the faint stifling sensation swept over her. +Surely it was not possible to faint in a diving +suit. Besides, Madge’s heart was beating so furiously +with excitement that it was small wonder +she could not get her breath. She believed +that Captain Jules was about to discover a wonderful +pearl. He had wrenched the shells free +and was trying to open them. Madge stood +some feet away from him, quivering with excitement.</p> +<p>“‘And the sea shall give up its treasures’,” +she quoted softly to herself as she watched. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_165' name='page_165'></a>165</span></p> +<p>The next moment her hands made an involuntary +movement in the water. Had she been on +land her gesture would have meant that she +was fighting for breath. To her horror she realized +that she was slowly suffocating. Something +must have happened to her air-pump +above the water. She was not faint from any +other cause, but was getting an insufficient supply +of fresh air.</p> +<p>At this moment Madge proved her mettle. +She remembered Captain Jules’s injunction, +“Keep a clear head under the water and there +is nothing to fear.” She knew the signal for +more fresh air, and gave two hard, quick pulls +on her life line. Then she waited. Relief would +surely come in a moment.</p> +<p>For the first and only time since their descent +to the bottom of the bay Captain Jules had temporarily +neglected Madge. He certainly had +not expected to find any pearls in so unlikely a +place as Delaware Bay; yet the shells he held +in his hand were most unusual. The thrill of his +old occupation seized hold of the pearl fisher. +His big hands fairly trembled with emotion. He +felt, rather than saw, Madge jerk her life line +twice, but it never dawned on him that her signal +for more air might fail to be answered.</p> +<p>Madge signaled again. A loud buzzing +seemed to sound in her ears. Her tongue felt +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_166' name='page_166'></a>166</span> +thick and swollen. She could not see a foot +ahead of her. All the dazzling, shimmering +beauty of the world under the water had passed +into blackness. The little captain’s eyes were +glazing behind the glass windows of her helmet. +She felt that she must be dying. But she had +strength to give one more signal. Air! air! +How could she ever have believed that there +was anything in the world so precious as fresh +air? Madge had a vision of a field of new-mown +hay in her old home at “Forest House.” +The wind was blowing through it with a delicious +fragrance. Had she the strength to pull her +life line once again? The water that she loved +so dearly was to claim her at last. She made a +motion to go toward Captain Jules, but she had +no control of her limbs.</p> +<p>Then Captain Jules became aroused to action. +He realized that Madge had signaled for air, not +once, but several times. This meant that her +signal had not been answered. The captain had +been for too many years a deep-sea diver not to +guess instantly the girl’s condition. The groan +inside his helmet came from the bottom of his +heart. Captain Jules’s hands shook. He dropped +the shells that he believed might contain +priceless pearls down into the soft sand in the +bed of the bay.</p> +<p>It was at this moment that Tom Curtis and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_167' name='page_167'></a>167</span> +Phyllis Alden, as well as the captain’s boat tenders, +caught his confusing signals from below. +More fresh air was pumped down the tube to +Captain Jules, but not to Madge.</p> +<p>Phil’s leap and quick work at Madge’s air-pump +must have taken place not more than +three minutes afterward, but they were horrible, +agonizing moments. Madge hardly knew how +they passed. Captain Jules suffered the regret +of a lifetime. How could he have been so unwise +as to entrust the safety of this girl, whose +life was so dear to him, to the perils of a diver’s +experiences? In the few weeks of their acquaintance +Madge Morton had become all in all +to Captain Jules Fontaine.</p> +<p>There was but one thing for Captain Jules to +do for his companion. He must signal to have +her drawn up to the surface of the water again, +trusting that she would not suffocate for lack of +air in her ascent.</p> +<p>Madge was near enough to lay her hand on +Captain Jules’s arm. Phil’s relief had come +just in time. The life-giving fresh air from the +world above pressed into her copper helmet. It +filled her nose and mouth, it poured into her +aching lungs. She received new life, new energy. +Now she was no longer afraid. She +did not wish to go above the surface of the +water. Surely all above was now well. She +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_168' name='page_168'></a>168</span> +yearned to continue her adventures on the under +side of the world.</p> +<p>She it was, not Captain Jules, who dropped +down on her hands and knees to grope for the +captain’s lost pearl shells.</p> +<p>But the sand had covered them up forever, or +else the water had carried them away!</p> +<p>Captain Jules wished to take Madge out of +the water immediately, yet he yielded for a minute +to her disappointment. What treasures had +they lost when he threw the mother-of-pearl +shells away? Neither of them would ever know. +The old diver looked about in the soft mud, while +Madge raked furiously near the spot where she +thought the sailor had dropped the shells. Captain +Jules walked on for a little distance. He +had seen beyond them a tangled mass of other +shells and seaweed and it occurred to him that +the water might have carried his shells into +some hidden crevice nearby.</p> +<p>But Madge never left her chosen spot. Deeper +and deeper she dug. What a swirl of mud arose +and eddied about her, darkening the clear water +in which she stood! The little captain’s hammer +struck against something hard. Was it a +rock embedded in the sand? Yet a distinct +sound rang out, as of one metal striking against +another!</p> +<p>Madge did not know how she summoned Captain +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_169' name='page_169'></a>169</span> +Jules back to her side. She was wild with +curiosity and excitement. Captain Jules was +smiling behind his copper mask. The young girl +diver had probably found a piece of old iron +cast off from some ship. Still, she should unearth +whatever she had discovered so near the +dark kingdom of Pluto.</p> +<p>The captain worked with her. Whatever her +find might be, it was larger and heavier than +Captain Jules had expected. They could afford +to spend no more time with it. It was time for +Madge to leave the water.</p> +<p>It is difficult to make an imploring gesture in +a diver’s suit. Yet, somehow, Madge must have +managed to do so. For one moment longer the +old pearl diver relented. The hole that they +were digging in the bottom of the bay was widening +before them. A chunk of what looked like +solid iron was visible. Then a triangular end +came into view. It was rusted until it shone like +beautiful green enamel. The top was absolutely +flat and of some depth, as it was so hard to excavate.</p> +<p>The time was growing short. Madge had been +under the water as long as was safe for any +amateur diver. The captain was a man to be +obeyed, as she knew instinctively. She gave one +more dig into the mud about her iron treasure. +It now became plain, both to her and to Captain +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_170' name='page_170'></a>170</span> +Jules, that she had found an old iron chest. The +captain tugged at it with both his great, strong +hands. It was strangely heavy. But he managed +to lift it in his arms.</p> +<p>Straightway he gave the signal to ascend; +three sharp tugs at his life line. Madge followed +suit. But she cast one long backward glance at +the watery world into which she might never +again descend, as slowly, steadily, the boat tenders +pulled up her long life line. Her feet dangled +above the sandy bottom of the bay. Now +she could see even farther off. About forty feet +from the rapidly filling hole from which she and +the captain had extracted the iron chest was a +spar of a ship jutting above the sand. The little +captain may have been wrong, but it looked +like the very spar on which Tania’s dress had +caught the day she was so nearly drowned. +Madge could not tell how far she and Captain +Jules had traveled on the bottom of the bay, but +she knew they had made their descent at a place +no very great distance from the spot where Roy +Dennis’s yacht had run down their skiff, and +Captain Jules had rescued Tania and herself.</p> +<p>Thought travels swifter than anything else in +the created world. So Madge’s thoughts had +reached the upper world before she followed +them. She wondered if the girls would be very +sadly disappointed when she returned bearing, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_171' name='page_171'></a>171</span> +instead of a costly pearl, nothing but a rusted +iron box!</p> +<p>Would Phil have better luck when she descended +to the depths of the bay? What had +happened in the outside world since she had disappeared +from it a long, long time ago?</p> +<p>A flare of blinding sunlight smote across the +glass goggles in Madge’s copper helmet. She +felt herself picked up and lifted bodily into a +boat. Her helmet and corselet were unscrewed. +She lay still, smiling faintly as the boat made +for her friends who crowded, watching, on the +pier. Captain Jules, bearing the small iron +chest, landed a moment later. The little captain +had been in a new world, into which few men +and rarely any women have ever entered. She +had been out of her human element, a creature +of the water, not of the air, and it seemed to her +that she must have lived a whole new lifetime +as a deep-sea diver.</p> +<p>Tom Curtis stared anxiously at his watch +and smiled into her white face. He breathed a +sigh of relief and of wonder. Captain Jules +Fontaine and Madge Morton had been down at +the bottom of Delaware Bay exactly thirty minutes!</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XVII_THE_FAIRY_GODMOTHER_S_WISH_COMES_TRUE' id='XVII_THE_FAIRY_GODMOTHER_S_WISH_COMES_TRUE'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_172' name='page_172'></a>172</span> +<h2>CHAPTER XVII</h2> +<h3>THE FAIRY GODMOTHER’S WISH COMES TRUE</h3> +</div> + +<p>Captain Jules decided to wait until +another day before taking Phyllis Alden +on the journey from which he and +Madge had just returned. The old sailor was +too deeply thankful to see his first charge safe +on land. Poor Miss Jenny Ann could do nothing +but lean over Madge and cry; the nervous +strain of waiting while the girl was under the +water had been too great. Indeed, even the people +who, Madge knew, were not in the least interested +in her, appeared dreadfully upset. +Philip Holt’s face was very pale and his eyes +shifted uneasily from Phyllis’s to Madge’s +face.</p> +<p>Phyllis was the most self-possessed of the four +girls. She was greatly disappointed at the captain’s +determination to put off the time for her +diving expedition until a later date. But Phyllis +was always unselfish. She realized that her +chaperon and her friends had had about as +much anxiety as they could endure in one day. +Madge had been under the water, and she could +not dream of what the others had suffered +above, while awaiting her return. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_173' name='page_173'></a>173</span></p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis put her arms about the little captain +and embraced her with an affection she +had not shown her during the summer.</p> +<p>“My dear,” she murmured, “will you ever +stop being the most reckless girl in the world? +What possible good could that wretched diving +feat of yours do anybody on earth? If my hair +weren’t already white I am sure it would have +turned so in the last half-hour. Look at poor +Philip Holt. He seems as nervous as though +you were his own sister.”</p> +<p>Madge and Captain Jules had both taken off +their heavy diving suits and were soon shaking +hands with every one on the pier. Even Roy +Dennis and Mabel Farrar, much as they disliked +Madge, could not conceal the fact that they +thought her extremely plucky.</p> +<p>Captain Jules had laid the iron chest on the +ground and for the moment they had forgotten +it.</p> +<p>It was little Tania who danced up to it and +tried to lift it.</p> +<p>“Show us the pearls you found, Madge,” +Eleanor begged her cousin at this instant, her +brown eyes twinkling.</p> +<p>The little captain looked crestfallen. “I am +afraid we didn’t find anything of value,” she +said, trying to pretend that she was not disappointed. +“I have only some pretty shells and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_174' name='page_174'></a>174</span> +stones that I gathered on the bottom of the bay +for Tania.”</p> +<p>She pulled her sea treasures out of her netted +diving bag. Sure enough, the water had +dried on them and the shells and stones appeared +quite dull and ugly. There were almost as +pretty shells and pebbles to be picked up at any +place along the Cape May beach.</p> +<p>“Why, Madge!” exclaimed Lillian, before she +realized what she was saying, “surely, you +didn’t waste your time in bringing up such silly +trifles as these?”</p> +<p>Madge shook her head humbly. “We didn’t +find anything else but this old iron chest. Captain +Jules, may I take it back to the houseboat +with me as a souvenir, or do you wish it? Tania, +child, you can’t lift it, it is too heavy.”</p> +<p>Tom Curtis brought the chest to Captain +Jules. Some of the crowd had moved away, +now that the diving was over. But a dozen or +more strangers pressed about the girls and their +friends.</p> +<p>“There is something in this little chest, Captain,” +declared Tom Curtis quietly, as he set it +down before the captain and Madge. “I could +feel something roll around in the box as I lifted +it.”</p> +<p>Captain Jules shook the heavy safe. Something certainly +rattled on the inside. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_175' name='page_175'></a>175</span></p> +<p>There were bits of moss and tiny shells and +stones encrusted on the upper lid of the box. +Deliberately Captain Jules scraped them off +with a stick. The houseboat party and Tom +were beginning to grow impatient. What made +Captain Jules so slow? Philip Holt, who was +standing by Mrs. Curtis’s side, gazed sneeringly +at the operations. He was glad, indeed, that he +had not risked his life in descending to the bottom +of the bay in search for pearls, only to bring +up a rusty chest.</p> +<p>“The box is fastened tightly; it will have to +be broken open,” remarked Madge indifferently. +She was feeling tired, now that the excitement +of her diving trip was over. She wished +to go home to the houseboat. She did not wish +Captain Jules to guess for an instant how disappointed +she was that they had found nothing +of value on their diving adventure. If only the +captain had not dropped the shells in which +there might have been a chance of finding +pearls!</p> +<p>Captain Jules had hold of the iron hammer +that he used when diving. Click! click! click! +he struck three times on the lock of the iron +safe. Like the magic tinder-box, the lid flew +open. Tania’s long-drawn childish, “Oh!” was +the only sound that broke the tense and breathless +stillness that pervaded the group. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_176' name='page_176'></a>176</span></p> +<p>A single pearl! The scorned iron chest +almost full of shining coins and precious stones! +There were coins of gold and silver—strange +coins that no one in the watching crowd had +ever seen before. Some of them bore dates and +inscriptions of English mintings of the early +part of the eighteenth century.</p> +<p>Of course, it was incredible! No one believed +his eyes. A treasure-chest unearthed after more +than two hundred years? It was impossible!</p> +<p>Yet instantly each one of the girls remembered +that the pirates had sunk many vessels in +Delaware Bay in the latter part of the seventeenth +and the beginning of the eighteenth +century. In those days many wealthy English +families came over with their servants +and their treasure to settle in the new country +of America.</p> +<p>Phil’s book on the history of piracy had recalled +this information to the girls only ten days +before. It was then, when Madge lay with her +head resting in her hands, looking dreamily out +over the waters, that she had wondered how +anything so remote from her as the story of the +early American battles with pirate ships could +help her to solve her present troubles? Yet +here, like a miracle before her eyes, lay the answer!</p> +<p>The little captain was the last of the onlookers +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_177' name='page_177'></a>177</span> +to know what had happened. She was too dazed, +perhaps, from her stay under the water.</p> +<p>It was only when Tania flung her eager, thin +arms about her beloved Fairy Godmother’s neck +that Madge actually woke up.</p> +<p>“The fairies who live under the water have +given you these wonderful things,” whispered +Tania. “I prayed that they would come to see +you, bringing you all the good gifts that they +had.”</p> +<p>Captain Jules reached over and set the priceless +box before Madge. She was encircled by +Miss Jenny Ann and her beloved houseboat +chums.</p> +<p>“It is all yours, Madge,” asserted Captain +Jules solemnly. “You found it, child. I should +never have discovered it but for you.”</p> +<p>Madge shook her red-brown head. “Captain +Jules, that chest is far more yours than it is +mine. I should never have gone down under the +water but for you. If Phil had only dived first, +instead of me, she would have found it, I won’t +have any of the money or the jewelry unless I +can share it with the rest of you.”</p> +<p>Then, to Madge’s own surprise, she began to +cry.</p> +<p>“There, there, little mate, it will be all right,” +Captain Jules assured her quietly. “You’ve +had a bit too much for one day. We don’t know +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_178' name='page_178'></a>178</span> +the value of what we have found just yet, but +the old jewelry will make pretty trinkets for you +girls. We’ll see about the rest later on.”</p> +<p>Miss Jenny Ann put her arm about Madge +on one side. Phil was on the other side of her +chum.</p> +<p>“We will go home now, dear,” said Miss +Jenny Ann to Madge. “You are worn out from +all this excitement.”</p> +<p>“I’ll look after the girls, Captain,” promised +Tom Curtis quietly, “then I will come back to +you.” A flash of understanding passed between +Captain Jules and Tom Curtis. They had both +guessed that Madge’s iron box of old jewelry +and coins represented more money than the +girls could comprehend, and that it was better +for the news of the discovery to be kept as quiet +as possible for the time being.</p> +<p>“You will walk home with me, won’t you, +Philip?” Mrs. Curtis asked her guest. “I am +rather tired from the excitement of this most +unusual morning.”</p> +<p>But Philip Holt had forgotten that he wished +to keep on the good side of his wealthy hostess. +His eyes were staring eagerly and greedily at +the closed iron box which old Captain Jules was +guarding. He took a step forward, stopped and +looked at the little crowd standing near.</p> +<p>“No; I can’t go back with you now, Mrs. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_179' name='page_179'></a>179</span> +Curtis,” he answered abruptly, “I have some +important business to transact.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis walked away deeply offended. +Philip Holt, however, was too fully occupied +with his own disappointment to note this. A +sudden daring idea had taken possession of him. +Perhaps Madge Morton was not so lucky after +all. Finding a treasure did not necessarily mean +keeping it.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XVIII_MISSING_A_FAIRY_GODMOTHER' id='XVIII_MISSING_A_FAIRY_GODMOTHER'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_180' name='page_180'></a>180</span> +<h2>CHAPTER XVIII</h2> +<h3>MISSING, A FAIRY GODMOTHER</h3> +</div> + +<p>Several days after the finding of the +treasure-chest experts came down from +Philadelphia to appraise its value. It +was not easy to decide, immediately, what market +price the old jewels, set in quaintly chased +gold, would bring. But the least that the coins +and stones would be worth was ten thousand +dollars! It might be more. An extra thousand +dollars or so was hardly worth considering, +when ten thousand would make things turn out +so beautifully even.</p> +<p>Madge and Captain Jules, Miss Jenny Ann +and the other houseboat girls had many discussions +about Madge’s discovery of the iron safe.</p> +<p>The little captain was entirely alone on one +side of the argument. The others were all +against her. Yet she won her point. She continued +to insist that her wonderful find was +purely an accident. How could she ever have +unearthed a box, lost from a sunken ship, that +had probably been buried for centuries, if Captain +Jules Fontaine had not listened to her +pleadings and taken her on the wonderful diving +trip with him? Though she had actually +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_181' name='page_181'></a>181</span> +struck the first blow on the piece of iron embedded +in the bay, she could never have dragged the +safe out of the mud, or been able to carry it up +to the surface, without Captain Jules’s assistance.</p> +<p>Madge and the old sailor started their discussion +alone. The captain had come over to the +houseboat, bringing the iron safe with him so +that the girls might have a better view of its +wonders. He had firmly made up his mind that +Madge must be made to understand that the +money the treasure would bring was to be all +hers. He would not accept one cent of it. Fate +had been kinder to him than he had hoped in +allowing him to guide Madge to the discovery of +her fortune.</p> +<p>“Ten thousand dollars!” exclaimed Madge +ecstatically, when the old sailor reported the +news to her. “It’s the most wonderful thing I +ever heard of in my life. I didn’t dream it was +worth so much money. Will you please lend me +a piece of paper and a pencil, Captain Jules. I +never have been clever at arithmetic.” Madge +knitted her brows thoughtfully. “Ten thousand +dollars divided by two means five thousand dollars +for you and the same sum for us.”</p> +<p>The captain cleared his throat. “What’s the +rest of the arithmetic?” he demanded gruffly. +“I don’t think much of that first division.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_182' name='page_182'></a>182</span></p> +<p>But Madge was hardly listening. She was +biting the end of her pencil. “Six doesn’t go +into five thousand just evenly,” she replied +thoughtfully, “but with fractions I suppose we +can manage. You see that will be eight hundred +and thirty-three dollars and something over for +Miss Jenny Ann to put in bank to take care of +her if she ever gets sick, or has to stop teaching; +and the same sum will pay for Phil’s first year +at college and for Eleanor’s graduating at Miss +Tolliver’s, so uncle won’t have to worry over +that any more. Then my little Fairy Godmother +can go to some beautiful school in the country, +and not be shut up in a horrid home with a capital +‘H,’ which is what Philip Holt has persuaded +Mrs. Curtis ought to be done with her. And Lillian +can save her money to buy pretty clothes, +because she is not as poor as the rest of us and +dearly loves nice things, and——” Madge’s +speech ended from lack of breath.</p> +<p>The captain rubbed his rough chin reflectively. +“Oh! I see,” he nodded, “I am to get half of the +money and you are to get a sixth of a half. Is +that it?”</p> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/mmv-183.jpg' alt='' title='' style='width: 314px; height: 480px;' /><br /> +<p class='caption' style='margin: 0 auto; text-align:center;width: 314px;'> +Madge and Captain Jules Started Their Discussion Alone.<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_185' name='page_185'></a>185</span></div> +<p>Madge lowered her voice to a whisper. “Dear +Captain Jules,” she said in a wheedling tone, +“you’ll help me, won’t you? The girls and Miss +Jenny Ann declare positively that they won’t accept +a single dollar of the money. I shall be the +most miserable girl in the world if they don’t. +Why, we four girls and Miss Jenny Ann have +shared everything in common, our misfortunes +and our good fortunes, since we started out together. +If any one of the other girls had happened +to discover the treasure instead of me, she +would certainly have divided it with the others. +Phil, Lillian, Eleanor and Miss Jenny Ann don’t +even dare to deny it. So they simply must give +in to me about it.”</p> +<p>“Well,” continued the captain, “I am yet to +be told what Madge Morton means to do with the +one-sixth of one-half of her wealth when it +finally gets round to her.”</p> +<p>The little captain’s eyes shone, though her +face sobered. “I am not going to college with +Phil, though I hate to be parted from her,” she +replied. “Somehow, I think I am not exactly +meant for a college girl. I believe I will just advertise +in all the papers in the world for my +father. Then, if he is alive, I shall surely find +him. With whatever money is left I shall go to +him. If he is poor, I will manage to take care of +him in some way,” ended Madge confidently.</p> +<p>“You will, eh?” returned Captain Jules +gruffly. “It seems to me, my girl, that this is a +pretty position you have mapped out for me. I +am to take half of our find—nice, selfish old +codger that I am—while you divide yours with +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_186' name='page_186'></a>186</span> +your friends. I am not going to take a cent of +that money, so you can just do your sums over +again.”</p> +<p>It was at this point that Madge called Miss +Jenny Ann and the other houseboat girls into +the discussion. It ended with the captain’s +agreeing to take one-seventh of the money, if all +the others would follow suit.</p> +<p>“Because, if you don’t,” declared Madge in +her usual impetuous fashion, “I shall just throw +this chest of money and jewelry right overboard +and it can go down to the bottom of the bay and +stay there, for all I care.”</p> +<p>Captain Jules remained to dinner on the +houseboat that evening. After dinner the girls +proceeded to adorn themselves with the old sets +of jewelry found in the safe. Madge wore the +pearls because, she insisted, they were her +special jewels, and she had gone down to the +bottom of the bay to find them. Phil was more +fascinated with some old-fashioned garnets, Lillian +with a big, golden topaz pin, and Eleanor +with some turquoises that had turned a curious +greenish color from old age.</p> +<p>It was well after ten o’clock when the captain +announced that he must set out for home. Tom +Curtis had been spending the evening on the +houseboat with the girls, but he had gone home +an hour before to join his mother and her guest, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_187' name='page_187'></a>187</span> +Philip Holt. Before going away the captain +concluded that it would be best for him to leave +the iron safe of coins and precious stones on the +houseboat for the night. It was too late for +him to carry it back to “The Anchorage” alone. +As no one but Tom knew of its being on the +houseboat, the valuables could be in no possible +danger. The captain would call some time within +the next day or so to take the iron box to a +safety deposit vault in the town of Cape May.</p> +<p>Together Miss Jenny Ann and the captain hid +the precious chest in a small drawer in the sideboard +built into the wall of the little dining room +cabin of the houseboat. They locked this drawer +carefully and Miss Jenny Ann hid the key under +her pillow without speaking of it to any one.</p> +<p>In spite of these precautions no one on the +houseboat dreamed of any possible danger to +the safety of their newly-found prize. Remember, +no one knew of its being on the houseboat +save Tom Curtis and Captain Jules. Up to to-night +Captain Jules had been guarding the +treasure at his house up the bay. No one had +been allowed to see it since the famous day of +its discovery, except the experts who had come +down from Philadelphia to give some idea of the +value of Madge’s remarkable find.</p> +<p>Little Tania was in the habit of sleeping in +the dining room of the houseboat on a cot which +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_188' name='page_188'></a>188</span> +Miss Jenny Ann prepared for her each night. +She went to bed earlier than the other girls, so +in order not to disturb her, she was stowed away +in there instead of occupying one of the berths +in the two staterooms. Soon after the captain’s +departure Miss Jenny Ann tucked Tania safely +in bed. She closed the door of the dining room +that led out on the cabin deck and also the door +that connected with the stateroom occupied by +Madge and Phil. The cabin of the “Merry +Maid” was a square divided into four rooms, +and Miss Jenny Ann’s bedroom did not open +directly into the dining room.</p> +<p>It was a dark night and a strangely still one. +The weather was unusually warm and close for +Cape May. Over the flat marshes and islands +the heat was oppressive. The residents of the +summer cottages left their doors and windows +open, hoping that a stray breeze might spring +up during the night to refresh them. No one +seemed to have any fear of burglars.</p> +<p>On the “Merry Maid” the night was so still +and cloudy that the girls sat up for an hour +after Captain Jules left them, talking over their +wonderful good fortune. They were almost +asleep before they tumbled into their berths. +Once there, they slept soundly all night long. +Nothing apparently happened to disturb them, +but Madge, who was the lightest sleeper in the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_189' name='page_189'></a>189</span> +party, did half-waken at one time during the +night. She thought she heard Tania cry out. +It was a peculiar cry and was not repeated. She +knew that Tania was given to dreaming. Almost +every night the child made some kind of +sound in her sleep. Madge sat up in bed and +listened, but hearing no further sound, she went +fast asleep again without a thought of anxiety.</p> +<p>Miss Jenny Ann was the first to open her +eyes the next morning. It must have been as +late as seven o’clock, for the sun was shining +brilliantly. She slipped on her wrapper and +went into the kitchen to start the fire. A few +moments later she went into the dining room to +call Tania and to help the child to dress. But +the dining room door on to the cabin deck was +open. Tania’s bedclothes were in a heap on the +floor. The child had disappeared.</p> +<p>Miss Jenny Ann was not in the least uneasy +or annoyed. She knew that Tania had a way of +creeping in Madge’s bed in the early mornings +and of snuggling close to her. Miss Jenny +Ann tip-toed softly into Madge’s and Phil’s +stateroom. There was no dark head with its +straight, short black hair and quaint, elfish face +pressed close against Madge’s lovely auburn +one. Madge was slumbering peacefully. Miss +Jenny Ann peered into the upper berth. Phil +was alone and had not stirred. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_190' name='page_190'></a>190</span></p> +<p>Tania was such a queer, wild little thing! Miss +Jenny Ann felt annoyed. Perhaps Tania had +awakened and slipped off the boat without telling +any of them. She had solemnly promised +never to run away again, but she might have +broken her word. Miss Jenny Ann explored the +houseboat decks. She called the child’s name +softly once or twice so as not to disturb the other +girls. There was no answer. She went back +into the cabin dining room. Neatly folded on the +chair, where Miss Jenny Ann herself had placed +them the night before, were Tania’s clothes. The +child could hardly have run away in her little +white nightgown.</p> +<p>When the girls finally wakened Madge was the +only one of them who was alarmed at first. She +recalled Tania’s strange cry in the night. She +wondered if it could have been possible that she +had heard a sound before the little girl cried +out. But she could not decide. She would not +believe, however, that Tania had forgotten her +promise and gone away again without permission.</p> +<p>As soon as Eleanor and Lillian were dressed +they went ashore and walked up and down near +the houseboat, calling aloud for Tania. Phyllis +was the most composed of the party. She had +two small twin sisters of her own and knew that +children were in the habit of creating just such +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_191' name='page_191'></a>191</span> +unnecessary excitements. Still, it was better to +look for a lost child before she had had time to +wander too far away.</p> +<p>“Madge,” suggested Phil quietly, “don’t be +so frightened about Tania. I have an idea the +child has walked off the houseboat in her sleep. +She must have done so, for the dining room door +is unlocked from the inside. Our door on to the +deck was not locked, but Tania’s was, because +Miss Jenny Ann recalls having locked it herself. +She came through our room when she joined us +outdoors after putting Tania to bed. You and +I had better go up at once to find Tom Curtis. +Dear old Tom is such a comfort! He will help +us search for Tania. Then, if it is necessary, he +will ask the Cape May authorities to have the police +on the lookout for her. If Tania has wandered +off in her sleep, the poor little thing will be +terrified when she wakes up and finds herself in +a strange place. Surely, some one will take her +in and care for her until we find her.”</p> +<p>Madge and Phil were wonderfully glad to find +Tom Curtis up and alone on his front veranda. +He had just come in from a swim. He seemed +so strong, clean, and fine after his morning’s +dip in the ocean that his two girl friends were +immediately reassured. Tom would tell them +just what had better be done to find Tania.</p> +<p>“Mrs. Curtis’s and Philip Holt’s window +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_192' name='page_192'></a>192</span> +blinds are still down, thank goodness!” whispered +Madge to Phil, “so I suppose they are +both asleep. Let us not tell them anything +about Tania’s disappearance. They would just +put it down to naughtiness in her, and that +would make me awfully cross.”</p> +<p>Tom Curtis felt perfectly sure that he would +soon run across the lost Tania. So he left word +for his mother that he had gone to the houseboat +and that she was not to expect him until +she saw him again.</p> +<p>For two hours Tom and the houseboat party +continued the hunt for the lost child without +calling in assistance. Then Madge and Tom +went to the town authorities of Cape May. The +police investigated the city and the houses in the +nearby seaside resort without finding the least +clue to Tania. Toward the close of the long day +Tom Curtis began to fear that Tania had fallen +into the water. Cape May is only a strip of +land between the great ocean and the bay, and +the land is broken into many small islands nearly +surrounded by salt water and marshes.</p> +<p>Tom managed to get the girls safely out of +the way; then, with Miss Jenny Ann’s permission, +he had the water near the houseboat thoroughly +dredged. But Tania’s little body was +not found for the second time down in the bottom +of the bay. It was not possible to have all +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_193' name='page_193'></a>193</span> +the water in the neighborhood dragged in a +single day, so Tom said nothing of his fears to +his anxious friends.</p> +<p>It was late in the evening. Miss Jenny Ann +had prepared dinner for the weary and disheartened +girls. She had snowy biscuit, broiled ham, +roasted potatoes, milk, and honey, the very +things her charges usually loved. Tom Curtis +felt impelled to go back home. All that day he +had seen nothing of his mother or of their visitor, +Philip Holt, and Tom was afraid they would +begin to wonder what had become of him.</p> +<p>Madge caught Tom by the sleeve and looked +at him with beseeching eyes. “Please don’t go, +Tom,” she begged, with a catch in her voice, +“I am sure your mother won’t mind. She has +Mr. Holt with her, and I can’t bear to see you +go.”</p> +<p>Tom and Madge were near the gangplank of +the houseboat and Tom was trying to make up +his mind what he should do, when he and Madge +caught sight of a gray-clad figure walking toward +them through the twilight mists.</p> +<p>“It’s Mother,” explained Tom in a relieved +tone. “Now I can make it all right with her.”</p> +<p>“And that horrid Philip Holt isn’t along,” +declared Madge delightedly, “so I can tell her +about poor little Tania.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis caught Madge, who had run out +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_194' name='page_194'></a>194</span> +to meet her, by the hand. “My dear child, what +is the matter with you?” the older woman asked +immediately. “Even in this half-light I can see +that your face is pale as death and you look utterly +worn out. If one of you is ill, why have +you not sent for me?”</p> +<p>When Madge faltered out her story of the lost +Tania Mrs. Curtis hugged her to her in the old +sympathetic way that the little captain knew and +loved.</p> +<p>“I am so sorry, dear,” soothed Mrs. Curtis, +“but I am sure than Tom and Philip Holt will +find her. I suppose that is why they have both +been away all day.”</p> +<p>“Philip Holt!” exclaimed Tom in surprise. +“He hasn’t been with us. I thought he was at +home with you.”</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis shook her head indifferently. +“No; he hasn’t been at the cottage all day. +Have any of you thought to send word to Captain +Jules to ask him about Tania? It may be +that the child is with him. In any event, I know +Captain Jules would give us good advice.”</p> +<p>“Bully for you, Mother!” cried Tom, glad to +catch a straw as he saw the shadow on Madge’s +face lighten. “As soon as I have had a bite of +supper with the girls I’ll get hold of a boat and +go after the captain.”</p> +<p>Tom did not have to make his journey up the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_195' name='page_195'></a>195</span> +bay to “The Anchorage” that night. While he +and his mother were at supper with the girls +they heard the sound of Captain Jules’s voice +calling to them over the water. He had to come +ashore lower down the bay, where the water was +deeper than it was near the houseboat, but he +always hallooed as he approached.</p> +<p>“O Jenny Ann!” faltered Madge, trembling +like a leaf, “it is our captain. Perhaps he has +brought Tania back with him. I—I—hope nothing +dreadful has happened to her.”</p> +<p>Without a word Tom fled off the houseboat. +A moment later he espied Captain Jules coming +toward him, alone!</p> +<p>“Halloo, son!” called out Captain Jules +cheerfully. “Glad to know that you are down +here with the girls. Funny thing, but I’ve had +these girls on my mind all day. It seemed to +me that they needed me, and I couldn’t go to +bed without finding out that everything was +well with them. What’s wrong?” Captain +Jules had caught a fleeting glimpse of Tom’s +harassed face. “Is it—is it Madge?” he asked +anxiously. “Is anything the matter with my +girl?”</p> +<p>Tom shook his head reassuringly. It took +very few words to make the captain understand +that the trouble was over Tania and not Madge.</p> +<p>When, a moment later, the captain went +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_196' name='page_196'></a>196</span> +aboard the “Merry Maid” he was able to smile +bravely at the discouraged women.</p> +<p>“Here, here!” he cried gruffly, while Madge +clung to one of his horny hands for support and +Eleanor to the other, “what is all this nonsense +I hear? Tania is not really lost, of course. +I’ll bet you we find the little witch in no time. +She has just gone off somewhere in these New +Jersey woods to join the fairies she talks so +much about. They are sure to take good care +of her. We can’t do much more looking for her +to-night, but I’ll find her first thing in the morning.”</p> +<p>Both Captain Jules and Mrs. Curtis insisted +that the girls and Miss Jenny Ann go early to +bed. Just as Captain Jules was saying good +night it occurred to Miss Jenny Ann that she +would rather turn over to the old sailor the box +of coins and jewelry. While Tania was lost +there would be so many persons in and out of +the houseboat that Miss Jenny Ann feared +something might happen to the valuables.</p> +<p>She went to the drawer in the sideboard in the +saloon cabin without thinking of the key under +her pillow, and took hold of the knob. To her +surprise the drawer opened readily. There was +no iron safe inside it. Miss Jenny Ann ran to +her bed and felt under her pillow. The key was +still there as though it had never been disturbed. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_197' name='page_197'></a>197</span></p> +<p>Captain Jules and Tom decided that the simple +lock to the houseboat sideboard had been +easily broken open. When, or how, or by whom, +nobody knew, but it was certain that the jewels +and money were gone. Fortune, the fickle jade, +who had brought the houseboat girls such good +luck only a short time before, had now cruelly +stolen it away from them.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XIX_THE_WICKED_GENII' id='XIX_THE_WICKED_GENII'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_198' name='page_198'></a>198</span> +<h2>CHAPTER XIX</h2> +<h3>THE WICKED GENII</h3> +</div> + +<p>Tania had been aroused in the night by +seeing a dark figure standing with his +back to her only a few feet from her bed. +Involuntarily the child stirred. In that instant +a black-masked face turned toward her and +Tania gave the single, terrified scream that +Madge had heard. Before Tania could call out +again, a handkerchief was tied so closely around +her mouth that she could make no further sound.</p> +<p>A moment later the mysterious, sinister visitor +picked the child up in his arms and bore her +swiftly and quietly away from the shelter of the +houseboat and her beloved friends. The little +girl was very slender, yet her abductor staggered +as he walked. He had something besides +Tania that he was carrying.</p> +<p>About a quarter of a mile from the houseboat +Tania was dumped into the rear end of an +automobile and covered with a heavy steamer +blanket. Then the automobile started off +through the night, going faster and faster, it +seemed to her, with each hour of darkness that +remained.</p> +<p>At times the little prisoner slept. When she +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_199' name='page_199'></a>199</span> +awakened she cried softly to herself, wondering +who had stolen away with her and what was now +to become of her. But Tania was only a child of +the streets and she had been reared in a harder +school than other happier children, so she made +no effort to cry out or escape. She knew there +was no one near to hear her, and the motor car +was moving so swiftly that she could not possibly +escape from it.</p> +<p>Tania and her unknown companion must have +ridden all night. Evidently the driver of the +car had not cared about the roads. He had +pushed through heavy sand and ploughed over +deep holes regardless of his machine. Speed +was the only thing he thought of.</p> +<p>By and by the automobile stopped, after a +particularly bad piece of traveling. The driver +got down, lifted Tania, still wrapped in her +blanket, in his arms and carried her inside a +house. The child first saw the light in an old +room, up several flights of steps, which was +drearier and more miserable than anything she +had ever beheld in her life in the tenements. It +was big and mouldy, and dark with cobwebs +swinging like dusty curtains over the windows +that had not been washed for years. The windows +looked out over a swamp that was thick +with old trees.</p> +<p>But Tania saw none of these things when the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_200' name='page_200'></a>200</span> +blanket was first lifted from her head. She +gave a gasp of fright and horror. For the first +time she now realized that her captor was her +childhood’s enemy and evil genius, Philip Holt.</p> +<p>“Oh!” she exclaimed, with a long-drawn sigh +that was almost a sob, “it is <i>you</i>! Why have +you brought me here? What have I done?” +Then a look of unearthly wisdom came into Tania’s +solemn, black eyes. She continued to +stare at the young man so silently and gravely +that Philip Holt’s blonde face twitched with +nervousness.</p> +<p>“Didn’t you recognize me before?” he asked +fiercely. “You were quite likely to shriek out in +the night and spoil everything, so I had to carry +you off with me, little nuisance that you are! +You can just make up your mind, young woman, +that you will stay right here in this room until +I can take you to that nice institution for bad +children that I have been telling you about for +such a long time. You’ll never see your houseboat +friends again.”</p> +<p>Tania made no answer, and Philip Holt left +her sitting on the floor of the gloomy room wide-eyed +and silent.</p> +<p>For three days Tania stayed alone in that +cheerless room. She saw no one but an old, half-foolish +man who came to her three times a +day to bring her food. He gave Tania a few +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_201' name='page_201'></a>201</span> +rough garments to dress herself in and treated +the little prisoner kindly, but Tania found it +was quite useless to ask the old man questions. +She was a wise, silent child, with considerable +knowledge of life, and she understood +that there was nothing to be gained by talking +to her jailer, who would now and then grin foolishly +and tell her that she was to be good and +everything would soon be all right. Her nice, +kind brother was going to take her away to +school as soon as he could. The wicked people +who had been trying to steal her away from her +own brother should never find her if her brother +could help it.</p> +<p>So the long nights passed and the longer days, +and little Tania would have been very miserable +indeed except for her fairies and her dreams. +It is never possible to be unhappy all the time, if +you own a dream world of your own. Still, Tania +found it much harder to pretend things, now +that she had tasted real happiness with her +houseboat girls, than she had when she lived +with old Sal. It wasn’t much fun to play at being +an enchanted princess when you knew what +it was to feel like a really happy little girl. And +no one would care to be taken away to the most +wonderful castle in fairyland if she had to leave +the darling houseboat and Madge and Miss +Jenny Ann and the other girls behind. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_202' name='page_202'></a>202</span></p> +<p>So all through the daylight Tania sat with her +small, pale face pressed against the dirty window +pane, waiting for Madge to come and find +her. She even hoped that a stranger might walk +along close enough to the house for her to call +for aid. But a dreary rain set in and all the +countryside near Tania’s prison house looked +desolate. More than anything Tania feared the +return of Philip Holt. Once he got hold of her +again, she knew he would fulfill his threats.</p> +<p>During this dreadful time Tania had no human +companion, but she was not like other children. +She was part little girl and the rest of +her an elf or a fay. The trees, the birds, and +flowers were almost as real to her as human beings. +For, until Madge and Eleanor had found +her dancing on the New York City street corner, +she had never had anybody to be kind to her, or +whom she could love.</p> +<p>Just outside Tania’s window there was a tall +old cedar tree. Its long arms reached quite up +to her window sill, and when the wind blew it +used to wave her its greetings. Inside the comfortable +branches of the tree there was a regular +apartment house of birds, the nests rising one +above the other to the topmost limbs.</p> +<p>Tania held long conversations with these birds +in the mornings and in the late afternoons. She +told them all her troubles, and how very much +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_203' name='page_203'></a>203</span> +she would like to get away from the place where +she was now staying. However, the birds were +great gad-abouts during the day, and Tania +could hardly blame them.</p> +<p>There was one fat, fatherly robin that became +Tania’s particular friend. He used to hop +about near her window and nod and chirp to her +as though to reassure her. “Your friends will +come for you to-day, I am quite sure of it,” he +used to say, until one day Tania really spoke +aloud to him and was startled at the sound of +her own voice.</p> +<p>“I don’t believe you are a robin at all,” she +announced. “I just believe you are a nice, fat +father of a whole lot of funny little boys and +girls. I believe you are enchanted, like me. Oh, +dear! I was just beginning to believe that I +wasn’t a fairy after all but a real little girl with +pretty clothes and friends to kiss me good +night.” Tania sighed. “I suppose I must be +a fairy princess after all, for if I was a real +little girl no one would have cast another wicked +spell over me and shut me up in this dungeon in +the woods, which is a whole lot worse than living +with old Sal.”</p> +<p>Yet playing and pretending, and, worse than +anything, waiting, grew very tiresome to Tania. +On the morning of the fourth day of her imprisonment +Tania awoke with a start. Something +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_204' name='page_204'></a>204</span> +had knocked on her window pane. It was +only the old cedar tree, and Tania turned over +in bed with a sob. But the tapping went on. +She got up and went to her window. Quick as a +flash Tania made up her mind to run away. Why +had she never thought of it before? It was true, +her bedroom door was always locked, but here +were the branches of the cedar tree reaching +close up to her window. Really, this morning +they seemed to speak quite distinctly to Tania:</p> +<p>“Why in the world don’t you come to me? I +shall hold you quite safe! You can climb down +through all my arms to the warm earth and then +run away to your friends.”</p> +<p>It was just after dawn. The pink sky was +showing against the earlier grayness when Tania +slipped into her coarse clothes and, like a +small elf, crept out of her window into the +friendly branches of the old tree. She was silent +and swift as a squirrel as she clambered +down. But she need not have feared. No one in +the lonely country place was awake but the +child.</p> +<p>Once on the ground, Tania ran on and on, +without thinking where she was going. She only +wished to get far away from the dreary house +where Philip Holt had hidden her. There was a +thick woods about a mile or so from Tania’s +starting place. No one would find her there. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_205' name='page_205'></a>205</span> +Once she was through it Tania hoped to find +a town, or at least a farm, where she could ask +for help. In spite of her queer, unchildlike ways, +Tania knew enough to understand that if she +could only find some one to telegraph to her +friends they would soon come to her.</p> +<p>But the forest through which Tania hoped to +pass was a dreadful cedar swamp, and in trying +to cross it Tania wandered far into it and found +herself hopelessly lost.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XX_A_BOW_OF_SCARLET_RIBBON' id='XX_A_BOW_OF_SCARLET_RIBBON'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_206' name='page_206'></a>206</span> +<h2>CHAPTER XX</h2> +<h3>A BOW OF SCARLET RIBBON</h3> +</div> + +<p>In the three days that had passed since the +disappearance of Tania from the houseboat +everything that was possible had been +done to discover her whereabouts.</p> +<p>It never occurred to Tom or to Mrs. Curtis +to connect Philip Holt’s odd behavior with the +lost Tania or the vanished treasure box. True, +he had not been seen for the past three days, but +Mrs. Curtis had received a note from him the +day after his disappearance from her house, +saying that he had been unexpectedly called +away on very important business so early in +the morning that he had not wished to awaken +her, but he had left word with the servants and +he hoped that they had explained matters to her.</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis’s maids and butler insisted that +Mr. Holt had given them no message. They had +not seen or heard him go. So, as Mrs. Curtis +did not regard Philip Holt’s withdrawal as of +any importance, she gave very little thought to +it.</p> +<p>Madge Morton, however, had a different idea. +She laid Tania’s disappearance at Philip Holt’s +door. She, therefore, determined to take Tom +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_207' name='page_207'></a>207</span> +Curtis into her confidence, but to ask him not to +betray their suspicions of Philip Holt to Mrs. +Curtis until they had better proof of the young +man’s guilt. Madge had never told even Tom +that she had once overheard Philip Holt reveal +his real identity, nor how much she had guessed +of the young man’s true character from Tania’s +unconscious and frightened reports of him.</p> +<p>Tom at first was indignant with Madge, not +because she and the other girls believed that +Philip Holt had stolen both their little friend +and their new-found wealth, but because she had +not sooner shared her suspicion of his mother’s +guest with him. Tom had never liked Philip, so +it was easy for him to think the worst of the +goody-goody young man.</p> +<p>Without a word to Mrs. Curtis, Tom and the +houseboat girls set to work to trace Philip Holt, +believing that once he was overtaken Tania and +the stolen treasure would be accounted for.</p> +<p>It was not easy work. Philip Holt had not +been a hypocrite all his life without knowing +how to play the game of deception. A detective +sent to New York City to talk to old Sal had +nothing worth while to report. The woman declared +positively that Philip was no connection +of hers; that she had neither seen nor heard of +the young man lately. As for Tania, Sal had +truly not set eyes on her from the day that +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_208' name='page_208'></a>208</span> +Madge had taken the little one under her protection.</p> +<p>Philip Holt knew well enough that his mother +would be questioned about his disappearance. +He believed that Tania had told Madge his true +history. So old Sal was prepared with her +story when the detective interviewed her. Yet +it was curious that the Cape May police were +unable to find out in what manner the young man +had left the town. Inquiries at the railroad stations, +livery stables, and garages gave no clue +to him.</p> +<p>The houseboat girls were in despair. Madge +neither ate nor slept. She felt particularly responsible +for Tania, as the child had been her +special charge and protégé. Madge had been +deeply grieved when her friend, David Brewster, +had been falsely accused of a crime in their +previous houseboat holiday, when they had +spent a part of their time with Mr. and Mrs. +Preston in Virginia; but that sorrow was as +nothing to this, for David was almost a grown +boy and able to look after himself, while Tania +was little more than a baby. When no news +came of either Philip Holt or Tania, Madge began +to believe that Philip Holt had accomplished +his design. He had managed to shut Tania up +in some kind of dreadful institution. The little +captain did not believe that they would ever find +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_209' name='page_209'></a>209</span> +the child, and was so unhappy over the loss of +her Fairy Godmother that she lost her usual +power to act.</p> +<p>Phyllis Alden, however, was wide awake and +on the alert. She knew that it was not possible +for Philip Holt to leave Cape May without some +one’s assistance. Some one must know how and +when he had disappeared. The whole point was +to find that person.</p> +<p>Phil thought over the matter for some time. +Then she quietly telephoned to Ethel Swann +and asked her to arrange something for her. +She made an appointment to call on Ethel the +same afternoon, and she and Lillian walked over +to the Swann cottage together. It seemed +strange to Madge that her two friends could +have the heart for making calls, but, as there was +absolutely nothing for them to do save to wait +for news of Tania that did not come, she said +nothing save that she did not feel well enough +to accompany them.</p> +<p>As Lillian and Phyllis Alden approached the +Swann summer cottage they saw that Ethel had +with her on the veranda the two young people +who had been most unfriendly to them during +their stay at Cape May, Roy Dennis and Mabel +Farrar.</p> +<p>Roy Dennis got up hurriedly. His face flushed +a dull red, and he began backing down the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_210' name='page_210'></a>210</span> +veranda steps, explaining to Ethel that he must +be off at once.</p> +<p>Phyllis Alden was always direct. Before Roy +Dennis could get away from her she walked directly +up to him, and looking him squarely in +the eyes said quietly: “Mr. Dennis, please don’t +go away before I have a chance to speak to you. +It seems absurd to me for us to be such enemies, +simply because something happened between +us in the beginning of the summer that +wasn’t very agreeable. I wished to ask you a +question, so I asked Ethel to arrange this meeting +between us this afternoon.”</p> +<p>“What do you wish to ask me?” he returned +awkwardly.</p> +<p>Phil plunged directly into her subject. +“Weren’t you and Philip Holt great friends +while he was Mrs. Curtis’s guest?” she asked.</p> +<p>Roy Dennis looked uncomfortable. “We were +fairly good friends, but not pals,” he assured +Phil.</p> +<p>“But you, perhaps, know him well enough to +have him tell you where he was going when he +left Mrs. Curtis’s,” continued Phil in a calmly +assured tone. “Mrs. Curtis has not received a +letter from him since he left here, so she does +not know just where he is. We girls on the +houseboat would also like very much to know +what has become of Mr. Holt.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_211' name='page_211'></a>211</span></p> +<p>“Why?” demanded Roy Dennis sharply.</p> +<p>Phyllis determined to be perfectly frank. “I +will tell you my reason for asking you that +question,” she began. “You may not know it, +but our little friend, Tania, disappeared from +Cape May the very same day that Philip Holt +left the Cape. We all knew that Mr. Holt had +known Tania for a number of years before we +met her. He thought that the child ought to be +shut up in some kind of an institution, but Miss +Morton wished to put the little girl in a school. +So it may just be barely possible that Mr. Holt +took Tania away without asking leave of any +one.” Phil made absolutely no reference to the +stolen money and jewels in her talk with Roy +Dennis. If they could run down Philip Holt +and Tania the treasure-box would be disclosed +as a matter of course.</p> +<p>Roy Dennis hesitated for barely a second. +Then he remarked to Phil, half-admiringly: +“You have been frank with me, Miss Alden, and, +to tell you the truth, I think it is about time that +I be equally frank with you. I have no idea +where Philip Holt now is, but I do know something +about how he got away from Cape May, +and I am beginning to have my suspicions that +there might have been something ‘shady’ in his +behavior that I did not think of at the time. +Three nights ago, it must have been about +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_212' name='page_212'></a>212</span> +eleven o’clock, I was just about ready for bed +when Mr. Holt rang me up and asked to speak +to me alone. He said that he had just had bad +news and wished to get out of Cape May as +soon as possible. He asked me if I would lend +him my car so that he could drive to a nearby +railroad station where he could get a train that +would take him sooner to the place he wished +to go. I thought it was rather a strange request +and asked him why he didn’t borrow Tom +Curtis’s car? He said that Mrs. Curtis had +gone to bed and that he did not like to disturb +her. He and Tom had never been friendly, so +he did not wish to ask him a favor. Well, I +can’t say I felt very cheerful at letting Philip +Holt have the use of my car, but he said that he +would send it back in a few hours and it would +be all right. I got it out for him myself and he +drove away in it. It didn’t come back until this +morning, and you never saw such a sight in your +life, covered with mud and the tires almost used +up.”</p> +<p>Phil nodded sympathetically. “Who brought +the car back to you?” she asked. “Was it Mr. +Holt?”</p> +<p>Roy Dennis shrugged his heavy shoulders. +“No, indeed! He sent it back by a chap who +wouldn’t say a word about himself, Holt, or +from which direction he had come.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_213' name='page_213'></a>213</span></p> +<p>“Is the man still in town?” asked Phil, her +voice trembling, “and would you mind Tom +Curtis’s asking him some questions? We are +so awfully anxious.”</p> +<p>Roy Dennis rose quickly. “I believe the fellow +is around yet, and I’ll get hold of him and +take him to Tom at once. I don’t think that +Philip Holt has had anything to do with the kidnapping +of the little girl, but his whole behavior +looks pretty funny. We will make the chauffeur +chap tell us where Philip Holt was when he +turned over my car to him.” Roy was off like a +flash.</p> +<p>Phyllis and Lillian were making their apologies +to Ethel for being obliged to hurry off at +once to the houseboat when Mabel Farrar took +hold of Phil’s hand. Her usually haughty expression +had changed to one of the deepest interest. +“I am <i>so</i> sorry about the little lost girl,” +she said. “I hope you will soon find her. She +is a queer, fascinating little thing. I have +watched her all summer, and she certainly can +dance. I can’t believe that Philip Holt has actually +stolen her, yet I don’t know. Roy Dennis +just told Ethel Swann and me something awfully +queer. He says he found a bright scarlet +ribbon, like a bow that a child would wear in her +hair, in the bottom of his motor car when the +chauffeur brought it back to him to-day.” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_214' name='page_214'></a>214</span></p> +<p>Phil’s black eyes flashed. “If I ever needed +anything to convince me that Philip Holt stole +Tania away from us that would do it,” she returned +indignantly. “Little Tania slept every +night with her hair tied up with a scarlet ribbon +so as to keep it out of her eyes. When we +find where Philip Holt is we shall find Tania, +and if I have any say in the matter he shall answer +to the law for what he has done.”</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XXI_THE_RACE_FOR_LIFE' id='XXI_THE_RACE_FOR_LIFE'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_215' name='page_215'></a>215</span> +<h2>CHAPTER XXI</h2> +<h3>THE RACE FOR LIFE</h3> +</div> + +<p>It took the united efforts of the Cape May +police, Tom Curtis, and Roy Dennis to +make the chauffeur who had come back +with Roy’s car say where he had met Philip +Holt, and when Philip had turned over the automobile +to him to be brought back to Roy.</p> +<p>The chauffeur was frightened; he finally +broke down and told the whole story. Philip +Holt had driven from the farmhouse where he +left Tania to the nearest village. There he had +hired the chauffeur and the man had taken +Philip within a few miles of New York. In +the course of the ride, Philip had told the automobile +driver the same story about Tania that +he had told the old man in the tumbled-down +farmhouse:</p> +<p>Tania was Philip’s sister. He was hiding her +from enemies, who wished to steal the child +away from him. If anybody inquired about the +child or about him the chauffeur was to say +nothing. Philip would pay him handsomely for +bringing the car back to Cape May.</p> +<p>The reason that Philip Holt had sent back +Roy Dennis’s automobile was because he knew +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_216' name='page_216'></a>216</span> +that Roy would put detectives on his track if +he failed to return it. Besides, it would be far +easier for Philip Holt to get away with his precious +iron safe if he were free of all other entanglements.</p> +<p>It was nearly midnight before the story that +the chauffeur told was clear to Tom Curtis. The +man believed that he knew the very house in +which Tania was probably concealed. There +was no other place like it near the town where +the chauffeur lived.</p> +<p>Tom got out his own automobile. The chauffeur +would ride with him. They would go directly +to the old farmhouse. Tania would be +there and all would soon be well.</p> +<p>It was about nine o’clock the next morning +when Tom’s thundering knock at the rickety +farmhouse door brought the foolish old man +to open it. As soon as Tom mentioned Tania, +the old fellow was alarmed. He was stupid and +poor, but Philip Holt’s behavior had begun to +look strange even to him.</p> +<p>The old farmer was glad to tell Tom Curtis +everything he knew. It was all right. Tania +was safe upstairs. He would take Tom up at +once to see her. He was just on his way up to +take Tania her breakfast. Indeed, the old man +explained with tears in his eyes, he had not +meant to assist in the kidnapping of a child. He +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_217' name='page_217'></a>217</span> +was only a poor, lonely old fellow and he hadn’t +meant any harm. He had never seen Philip +until the moment that the young man appeared +at his door in his automobile and asked him to +look after his sister for a few days.</p> +<p>The farmer’s story was true. Philip Holt +had no idea how he could safely dispose of +Tania. Quite by accident, as he hurried through +the country, he had espied the old house. If +Tania could be kept hidden there for a few days +he would then be able to decide what he could do +with her.</p> +<p>Tom would have liked to bound up the old +stairs three steps at a time to Tania’s bedroom +door. Poor little girl, what she must have suffered +in the last three days! But Tom’s thought +was always for Madge. Before he followed the +farmer to Tania’s chamber he wrote a telegram +which he made the chauffeur take over to the +village to send immediately. It read: “All is +well with Tania. Come at once.” And it was +addressed to Madge Morton.</p> +<p>Tom was trembling like a girl with sympathy +and compassion when he finally reached little +Tania’s bedroom door. He wished Madge or +his mother were with him. How could he comfort +poor Tania for all she had suffered?</p> +<p>Tania’s jailer unlocked the door and knocked +at it softly. The child did not answer. He +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_218' name='page_218'></a>218</span> +knocked at it again and tried to make his voice +friendly. “Come to the door, little one,” he entreated. +“I know you will be glad to see who it +is that has come to take you back to your home.”</p> +<p>Still no answer. Tom could endure the waiting +no longer, but flung the door wide open. No +Tania was to be seen. There was no place to +look for her in the empty room, which held only +a bed and a single chair. But a window was +open and the arm of the old cedar tree still +pressed close against the sill. Tom could see +that small twigs had been broken off of some of +the branches. He guessed at once what had +happened. Tania had climbed down this tree +and run away. But Tom felt perfectly sure that +he would be able to find her before the houseboat +party and his mother could arrive.</p> +<p>The houseboat girls and Miss Jenny Ann +were overjoyed at Tom’s telegram. Mrs. Curtis +was with them when the message came. She +was perhaps the happiest of them all, although +she had never been an especial friend of little +Tania’s. In the last few days her conscience +had pricked her a little and her warm heart had +sorrowed over the missing child.</p> +<p>Yet, up to this very moment, Mrs. Curtis did +not know the truth about Philip Holt. Just before +they started for the train that was to bear +them to Tom and Tania Madge told Mrs. Curtis +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_219' name='page_219'></a>219</span> +that Philip had stolen the child from them and +that they also believed he had run off with their +treasure-chest.</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis listened very quietly to Madge’s +story. When the little captain had finished +she asked humbly, “Can you ever forgive me, +dear? I am an obstinate and spoiled woman. +If only I had listened to what you told me about +Philip this sorrow would never have come to +you. Tom also warned me that I was being deceived +in Philip Holt. But I believed you were +both prejudiced against him. When we recover +Tania I shall try to make up to her the wrong I +have done her, if it is ever possible.”</p> +<p>During the journey Madge and Mrs. Curtis +sat hand in hand. Captain Jules looked after +Miss Jenny Ann, Lillian, Phil and Eleanor, although +he was almost as excited by Tom’s news +as they were.</p> +<p>At the country station the chauffeur was waiting +to drive Tania’s friends to the lonely old +farmhouse that the child had thought a dungeon.</p> +<p>Tom and Tania would probably be standing in +the front yard when the automobile arrived. +They were not there. The old farmer explained +that Tom and Tania had gone out together. They +would be back in a few minutes. To tell the +truth, the man did expect them to appear at any +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_220' name='page_220'></a>220</span> +time. He could not believe that Tania was really +lost, although Tom had been searching for +her since early morning and it was now about +four o’clock in the afternoon.</p> +<p>For two hours the houseboat party waited. +The girls walked up and down the rickety farmhouse +porch, clinging to Captain Jules. Mrs. +Curtis and Miss Jenny Ann remained indoors. +At dusk Tom returned. He was alone and +could hardly drag one foot after the other, he +was so weary and heartsick. To think that after +wiring her he had found Tania he must face +Madge with the dreadful news that the child +was lost again!</p> +<p>Two long, weary days passed without news of +the lost Tania. The houseboat party made the +old farmhouse their headquarters while conducting +the search. At first no one thought to +penetrate the cedar swamp where Tania had +hidden herself, but the idea finally occurred to +Tom Curtis, and on the third morning he and +Captain Jules started out.</p> +<p>All that third anxious day the girls searched +the immediate neighborhood for Tania. When +evening came they gathered sadly in the wretched +farmhouse, to await the return of Tom Curtis +and the old sea captain.</p> +<p>Madge was lying on a rickety lounge, with her +face buried in her hands. Phyllis was sitting +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_221' name='page_221'></a>221</span> +near the door. Mrs. Curtis stood at the window, +watching for the return of her son. In a +further corner of the room, Miss Jenny Ann, +Lillian and Eleanor were talking softly together.</p> +<p>Suddenly each one of the sad women became +aware of the captain’s presence as his big form +darkened the doorway. A ray of light from +their single oil lamp shone across his weather-beaten +face. Phil saw him most distinctly and +read disaster in his glance. With the unselfish +thought of others that invariably marks a great +nature, she went swiftly across the room and +dropped on her knees beside Madge.</p> +<p>Madge sprang from her lounge and stumbled +across the room toward the old sailor. Phil kept +close beside her.</p> +<p>“Tania!” whispered Madge faintly, for she +too had seen the captain’s face. “Where is my +little Fairy Godmother?”</p> +<p>“We have found Tania, Madge,” said Captain +Jules gently, “but she is very ill. We +found her lying under a tree in the swamp, delirious +with fever. She is almost starved, and +she is so frail—that——” The old man’s voice +broke.</p> +<p>“Don’t say she is going to die, Captain +Jules,” implored Mrs. Curtis. “If she does, I +shall feel that I am responsible. Surely, something +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_222' name='page_222'></a>222</span> +can be done for her.” The proud woman +buried her face in her hands.</p> +<p>At that moment Tom entered, bearing in his +arms a frail little figure, whose thin hands +moved incessantly and whose black eyes were +bright with fever.</p> +<p>With a cry of “Tania, dear little Fairy Godmother, +you mustn’t, you shan’t die!” Madge +sprang to Tom’s side and caught the little, restless +hands in hers.</p> +<p>For an instant the black eyes looked recognition. +“Madge,” Tania said clearly, “he took +me away—the Wicked Genii.” Her voice trailed +off into indistinct muttering.</p> +<p>“She must be rushed to a hospital at once.” +Captain Jules’s calm voice roused the sorrowing +friends of little Tania to action.</p> +<p>“I’ll have my car at the door in ten minutes,” +declared Tom huskily. “Make her as comfortable +as you can for the journey.”</p> +<p>It was in Captain Jules’s strong arms that +little Tania made the journey to a private sanatorium +at Cape May. Madge sat beside the +captain, her eyes fixed upon the little, dark head +that lay against the captain’s broad shoulder. +The strong, magnetic touch of the old sailor +seemed to quiet the fever-stricken child, and, for +the first time since they had found her, Tania +lay absolutely still in his arms. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_223' name='page_223'></a>223</span></p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis occupied the front seat with her +son, who drove his car at a rate of speed that +would have caused a traffic officer to hold up his +hands in horror. It had been arranged that +Tom should return to the farmhouse as soon as +possible for the rest of the party.</p> +<p>No one of the occupants of the car ever forgot +that ride. Once at the hospital, no time was lost +in caring for Tania. The physician in attendance, +however, would give them no satisfaction +as to Tania’s condition beyond the admission +that it was very serious. Mrs. Curtis engaged +the most expensive room in the hospital for the +child, as well as a day and night nurse, and, surrounded +by every comfort and the prayers of +anxious and loving friends, Tania began her +fight for life.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XXII_CAPTAIN_JULES_LISTENS_TO_A_STORY' id='XXII_CAPTAIN_JULES_LISTENS_TO_A_STORY'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_224' name='page_224'></a>224</span> +<h2>CHAPTER XXII</h2> +<h3>CAPTAIN JULES LISTENS TO A STORY</h3> +</div> + +<p>Tania did not die. After a few days the +fever left her, but she was so weak and +frail that the physician in charge of her +case advised Mrs. Curtis to allow her to remain +in the sanatorium for at least a month. When +she should have sufficiently recovered Mrs. Curtis +had decided to take upon herself the responsibility +of the child’s future. She had been a +constant visitor in the sickroom and during the +long hours she had spent with the imaginative +little one had grown to love her, while Tania in +turn adored the stately, white-haired woman and +clung to her even as she did to Madge, a fact +which pleased Mrs. Curtis more than she would +admit.</p> +<p>Philip Holt was discovered hiding in New +York City. The treasure-box was in the keeping +of old Sal, for Philip had not dared to dispose +of the coins or the jewelry while the detectives +were on the lookout for him. Tom Curtis +saw that the case against Philip Holt was +conducted very quietly. The houseboat girls +had had enough trouble and excitement. Their +treasure was restored to them and they had no +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_225' name='page_225'></a>225</span> +desire ever to hear Philip Holt’s name mentioned +again.</p> +<p>Tom Curtis was more curious. In questioning +Philip, Tom learned that he himself was innocently +to blame for Philip’s crime. Holt recalled +to Tom the fact that, on returning from +the houseboat after spending the evening with +Captain Jules and his friends, Tom had mentioned +to his mother that the precious iron safe +was on the houseboat, and that if she cared to +look at the old jewelry again Miss Jenny Ann +would unlock the sideboard drawer and show it +to her the next day. In that moment Philip Holt +decided on his theft, but he did not expect Tania +to thwart him. He had slipped through one of +the open staterooms into the dining room of the +houseboat, broken the lock of the sideboard and +opened the dining room door from the inside to +make his escape. Philip Holt believed that in +taking Tania with him he had accomplished his +own downfall.</p> +<p>If he had not stopped to leave the child at the +deserted farmhouse, his movements would never +have been traced.</p> +<p>Madge Morton was a good deal changed by +the events of the last few weeks. She was so unlike +her usual happy, light-hearted and impetuous +self that Miss Jenny Ann and the houseboat +girls were worried about her. They ardently +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_226' name='page_226'></a>226</span> +wished that Madge would fly into a temper +again just to show she possessed her old spirit. +But she was very gentle and quiet and liked to +spend a good deal of the time alone.</p> +<p>Miss Jenny Ann consulted with Lillian, Phil +and Eleanor. They decided to write to David +Brewster to ask him to come to spend a few +days with them on the houseboat. Madge was +fond of David and the young man had done such +fine things for himself in the past year that her +friends hoped a sight of him would stir her out +of her depression.</p> +<p>David was visiting Mrs. Randolph—“Miss +Betsey”—in Hartford. He replied that he +would try to come to Cape May in another week +or ten days, but please not to mention the fact to +Madge until he was more sure of coming.</p> +<p>One bright summer afternoon Madge returned +alone from a long motor ride with Mrs. Curtis +and Tom. She found the houseboat entirely +deserted and remembered that the girls and +Miss Jenny Ann had had an engagement to go +sailing. She curled up on the big steamer chair +and gave herself over to dreams.</p> +<p>A small boat, pulled by a pair of strong arms, +came along close to the deck of the “Merry +Maid.” Madge looked up to see Captain Jules’s +faithful face beaming at her.</p> +<p>“All alone?” he called out cheerfully. “Come +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_227' name='page_227'></a>227</span> +for a row with me. I’ll get you back before +tea.”</p> +<p>Madge wanted to refuse, but she hardly +knew how, so she slipped into the prow of the +skiff and sat there idly facing him.</p> +<p>Captain Jules frowned at the girl’s pale face, +which looked even paler under the loose twists +of her soft auburn hair. Madge looked older +and more womanly than she had the day the +captain first saw her. There was a deeper +meaning to the upper curves of her full, red lips +and a gentler sweep to the downward droop of +her heavy, black lashes. She was fulfilling the +promise of the great beauty that was to be hers. +It was easy to see that she had the charm that +would make her life full of interest.</p> +<p>Still Captain Jules frowned as though the picture +of Madge and her future did not please him.</p> +<p>“How much longer are you going to stay at +Cape May, Miss Morton?” he inquired.</p> +<p>Madge smiled at him. “I don’t know anything +about ‘Miss Morton’s’ plans, but Madge +expects to be here for about two weeks more.”</p> +<p>Recently the captain had been calling the +houseboat girls by their first names, as he was +with them so constantly in their trouble. But +he had now decided that he must return to the +formality of the beginning of their acquaintance. +It was best to do so. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_228' name='page_228'></a>228</span></p> +<p>“And afterward?” the old sailor questioned, +pretending that he was really not greatly interested +in Madge’s reply.</p> +<p>The girl’s expression changed. “I don’t +know,” she returned. “Of course, Eleanor and +I will go back to ‘Forest House’ for a while. +Aren’t you glad that Uncle has been able to pay +off the mortgage? When Nellie and Lillian go +to Miss Tolliver’s and Phil to college I don’t +know exactly what I shall do. Mrs. Curtis and +Tom have asked me to make them a visit in New +York next winter.”</p> +<p>The captain frowned again. It was well that +Madge was looking over the water and not at +him, for she never could have told why he +looked so displeased.</p> +<p>“You and Tom Curtis are very good friends, +aren’t you, Madge?” said Captain Jules abruptly.</p> +<p>Madge smiled to herself. She felt as though +she were in the witness box. Was her dear old +captain trying to cross-examine her?</p> +<p>“Of course, I like Tom better than almost any +one else. He is awfully good to me. You know +you like Tom yourself, so why shouldn’t I?” she +ended wickedly.</p> +<p>“I like him. Certainly I do. He is a fine, upright +fellow and his money hasn’t hurt him a +mite, which you can’t say of the most of us. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_229' name='page_229'></a>229</span> +But it’s a different matter with you, young lady, +and I want you to go slowly.”</p> +<p>“But I am not going at all, Captain,” laughed +Madge. “It seems to me that I want only one +thing in the world, and that’s to find my father. +Sometimes I am afraid that perhaps I shall +never find my father after all!”</p> +<p>Captain Jules coughed and his voice sounded +rather husky. It had a different note in it +from any that Madge had ever heard him use +to her.</p> +<p>“Don’t play the coward, child,” he said sternly; +“just because you have had one defeat don’t +go about the world saying you must give up. It +may be that your father did that once and is +sorry for it now. Keep up the fight. No matter +how many times we may be knocked down in this +world, if we have the right sort of courage we’ll +always get up again.”</p> +<p>Madge sat up very straight. Her blue eyes +flashed back at Captain Jules with an expression +that he liked to see. “I am not going to +give up my search,” she answered defiantly. +“One hears that it is Fate which separates two +persons. If I find Father, I shall feel that I +have won a victory over Fate. But I can’t help +longing to tell my father that I know that he is +innocent of the fault for which he was disgraced +and dismissed from the Navy, and that I have +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_230' name='page_230'></a>230</span> +the proof in my possession that would make it +clear to all the world as well as to me.”</p> +<p>The old captain gave vent to a sudden exclamation +that sounded like a groan. His face +looked strangely drawn under his coat of tan.</p> +<p>“Are you sick, Captain Jules?” asked Madge +hastily. “Do take my place and let me have the +oars. I am sure I can row you.”</p> +<p>Captain Jules smiled back at her. “What +made you think I was sick?” he asked. “What +was that you were telling me? How do you +know that your father was guiltless of his fault? +Why, Captain Robert Morton was one of the +kindest men that ever trod a deck, and yet he +was convicted of cruelty to one of his own sailors.”</p> +<p>“Captain Jules,” continued Madge earnestly, +“I would like to tell you the whole story if you +have time to listen to it. You know I promised +long ago to tell you. Two years ago, when we +were on the second of our houseboat excursions, +we spent part of our holiday near Old Point +Comfort. There I met the man who had been +my father’s superior officer. Some unpleasant +things happened between his granddaughter and +me, and she told my father’s story at a dinner +in order to humiliate me. Long afterward her +grandfather heard of what his granddaughter +had done and he made a statement before my +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_231' name='page_231'></a>231</span> +friends which cleared my father’s name. He +confessed to having allowed my father to suffer +for something he had commanded him to do. +My father was too great a man to clear himself +at the expense of his superior officer, so he left +the Navy in disgrace and has never been heard +of since that dreadful time.</p> +<p>“There isn’t much more to tell. Only the old +admiral has died since I met him. However, he +left a paper that was sent to me, in which he acquits +my father of all blame and takes the whole +responsibility for my father’s act on himself. +Must we go back home, Captain Jules?” for, +at the end of her speech, Madge observed that +the captain had turned his skiff and was rowing +directly toward the houseboat. He handed +Madge aboard a few moments later with the air +of one whose mind is elsewhere.</p> +<p>It was impossible for Miss Jenny Ann to persuade +the old pearl diver to remain to supper. +With very few words to any of the party he +turned Madge over to her friends and rowed +hurriedly away toward his home.</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XXIII_THE_VICTORY_OVER_FATE' id='XXIII_THE_VICTORY_OVER_FATE'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_232' name='page_232'></a>232</span> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIII</h2> +<h3>THE VICTORY OVER FATE</h3> +</div> + +<p>Early the next morning word was brought +by a small boy that Captain Jules Fontaine +wished Miss Madge Morton to +come out to “The Anchorage” alone, as he had +some important business that he wished to talk +over with her.</p> +<p>It was a wonderful morning, all fresh sea +breezes and sparkling sunshine. Madge had not +felt so gay in a long time as when the other +houseboat girls fell to guessing as to why Captain +Jules desired her presence at his house.</p> +<p>“He intends to make you his heiress, +Madge,” insisted Lillian. “Then, when you +are an old lady, you can come down here to live +in the house with the roof like three sails, and +ride around in the captain’s rowboat and sailboat +and be as happy as a clam.”</p> +<p>Madge shook her head. “No such thing, Lillian. +I don’t believe the captain wants me for +anything important. He may be going to lecture +me, as he did yesterday afternoon. At any +rate, I’ll be back before long. Please save some +luncheon for me.”</p> +<p>Madge was surprised when her boat landed +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_233' name='page_233'></a>233</span> +near “The Anchorage” not to see Captain Jules +in his front yard, with his funny pet monkey on +his shoulder, waiting to receive her. She began +to feel afraid that the captain was ill. She had +never been inside his house in all their acquaintance. +But Captain Jules had sent for her, so +there was nothing for her to do but to march up +boldly to his front door and knock.</p> +<p>She lifted the heavy brass knocker, which +looked like the head of a dolphin, and gave three +brisk blows on the closed door.</p> +<p>At first no one answered. The little captain +was beginning to think that the boy who came +to her had made some mistake in his message +and that Captain Jules had gone out in his fishing +boat for the day, when she heard some one +coming down the passage to open the door for +her.</p> +<p>She gave a little start of surprise. A tall, +middle-aged man, with a single streak of white +hair through the brown, was gazing at her curiously.</p> +<p>“I would like to see Captain Jules,” murmured +Madge stupidly, unable to at once recover +from the surprise of finding that Captain Jules +did not live alone.</p> +<p>The strange man invited Madge into a tiny +parlor which rather surprised her. The room +was filled with bookshelves, reaching almost up +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_234' name='page_234'></a>234</span> +to the top of the wall. The young girl had never +dreamed that her captain was much of a student. +The only things that reminded her of +Captain Jules were the fishnets that were hung +at the windows for curtains and the great sprays +of coral and sponge which decorated the mantelpiece.</p> +<p>The man sat down with his back to the light, +so that he could look straight into Madge’s face.</p> +<p>“Captain Jules will be here after a little, Miss +Morton,” he said gravely, “but he wished me +to have a talk with you first.”</p> +<p>Madge looked curiously at the unknown man. +She could not obtain a very distinct view of his +face, but she saw that he was very distinguished +looking, that his eyes seemed quite dark, and +that he wore a pointed beard. He did not look +like an American. At least, there was something +in his appearance that Madge did not +quite understand. It struck her that perhaps +the man was a lawyer. It could not be that Lillian +was right in her guess. The treasure in the +iron safe had not yet been sold, so it might be +that this man wished to make some offer for it. +Whoever he might be the silence was becoming +uncomfortable. The little captain decided to +break it.</p> +<p>“I wonder if you wish to talk to me about the +treasure that we found?” she inquired, smiling. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_235' name='page_235'></a>235</span> +“I would rather that Captain Jules should be in +here when we speak of that.”</p> +<p>The stranger shook his head. He had a very +beautiful voice that in some way fascinated the +girl.</p> +<p>“No, I don’t wish to talk about your treasure, +but I do wish to speak of something else that +was lost and is found again. I don’t know that +you will value it, child, or that it is worth having, +but Captain Jules thinks you might.”</p> +<p>Madge’s heart began to beat faster. This +strange man had something of great importance +to tell her. She wondered if she had ever seen +him anywhere before. There was something in +his look that was oddly familiar. But why did +he look at her so strangely and why did not her +old friend come to her to end this foolish suspense?</p> +<p>“I have been down here on a visit to Captain +Jules a number of times this summer and he has +always talked of you,” went on the fascinating +voice. “I have longed to see you, but——Miss +Morton, Captain Jules Fontaine and I knew +your father once, long years ago. The news that +you had proof of his innocence made us very +happy last night.”</p> +<p>Madge would have liked to bounce up and +down in her chair, like an impatient child. Only +her age restrained her. Why didn’t this man +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_236' name='page_236'></a>236</span> +tell her the thing he was trying to say? What +made him hesitate so long?</p> +<p>“Yes, yes,” she returned impatiently, “but +do you know whether my father is alive now? +That is the only thing I care about.”</p> +<p>Madge gripped both arms of her chair to control +herself. She was trembling so that she felt +that she must be having a chill, though it was a +warm summer day, for the stranger had risen +and was coming toward her, his face white and +haggard. Then, as he advanced into the brighter +light of the room, Madge saw that his eyes +were very blue.</p> +<p>“Your father isn’t dead,” the man replied +quietly. “He is here in this very house, and he +cares for you more than all the world in spite of +his long silence!”</p> +<p>The little captain sprang to her feet, her face +flaming. “Captain Jules! <i>He</i> is my father? +He seemed so old that I didn’t realize it. Yet +he has said so many things to me that might +have made me guess he knew everything in the +world about me. Oh, where is he? My own, +own Captain Jules?”</p> +<p>The stranger, whose arms had been outstretched +toward Madge, let them fall at his +sides, but Madge had no eyes for him. Captain +Jules had entered the room and she had flung +herself straight into his kindly arms. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_237' name='page_237'></a>237</span></p> +<p>So, after all, it was Captain Jules Fontaine +who had to make it clear to Madge that he was +not her father, but her father’s lifelong and devoted +friend. The captain told Madge the story +while he held both her cold hands in his big, +rough ones, and the man who was her own +father sat watching and waiting for her verdict.</p> +<p>Jules Fontaine had never been captain of +anything but a sailing schooner, but he had been +a gunner’s mate on Captain Robert Morton’s +ship. He alone knew that Captain Morton had +been forced into the fault that he had committed +by order of his admiral. When Captain +Morton was dismissed from the United States +Naval Service Jules Fontaine, gunner’s mate, +had procured his discharge and followed the fortunes +of his captain. The two men drifted south +to the tropics. Every American vessel is equipped +with a diving outfit, and some of the men +are taught to go down under the water to examine +the bottoms of the boats. Jules Fontaine +liked the business of diving. When the two men +found themselves in a strange land, without any +occupations, Captain Jules joined his fortunes +with the pearl divers and for many years followed +their perilous trade.</p> +<p>Captain Morton had a harder time to get +along, but after a while he studied foreign languages +and began to translate books. Five +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_238' name='page_238'></a>238</span> +years before the two men had come back to the +United States. Since that time Captain Morton +had tried to follow every movement of his +daughter. Captain Jules wanted his friend to +make himself known to his own people, but Robert +Morton feared that they would never forgive +his long silence or his early disgrace. He believed +that Madge would be happier without +knowledge of him. It was her own longing for +her father, reported by Captain Jules, that had +impelled Robert Morton at last to reveal himself +to her.</p> +<p>Madge could not comprehend all of this at +once. She did not even try to do so. She realized +only that, after being without any parents, +she had suddenly come into two fathers at the +same time, her own father and Captain Jules, +who was her more than foster father.</p> +<p>With a low, glad cry she went swiftly across +the room. She did not try to think or to ask +questions at that moment about the past, she +only flung her young arms about her father’s +neck in a long embrace, feeling that at last she +had some one in the world who was her very +own.</p> +<p>While Madge, her father, and Captain Jules +were trying to see how they could bear the miracle +and shock of their great happiness, a +small, dark object darted into the room and +planted its claws in Madge’s hair. It pulled +and chattered with all its might.</p> +<div class='figcenter'> +<img src='images/mmv-239.jpg' alt='' title='' style='width: 316px; height: 477px;' /><br /> +<p class='caption' style='margin: 0 auto; text-align:center;width: 316px;'> +“I am Going to Keep House for You at ‘The Anchorage.’”<br /> +</p> +</div> + +<div><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_241' name='page_241'></a>241</span></div> +<p>The little captain laughed with the tears in +her eyes. “It’s that good-for-nothing monkey!” +she exclaimed as she disentangled the +creature’s tiny hands. Then she kissed her +father and afterwards Captain Jules. “Now I +know why this monkey is called Madge, and I +am sorry to have such a jealous, bad-tempered +namesake.”</p> +<p>The captain scolded the monkey gently. +“Don’t you fret about this particular namesake. +If you only knew all the others you have +had! Every single pet that two lonely old men +could get to stay around the house with them we +have named for you.”</p> +<p>Captain Morton did not go back to the houseboat +with his daughter. Madge thought she +would rather tell her friends of her great happiness +alone. She wouldn’t even let Captain +Jules escort her. “You’ll both have plenty of +my society after a while,” she argued, “for I +am going to come to keep house for you at ‘The +Anchorage’ some day.”</p> +<p>Madge rowed slowly back to the “Merry +Maid.” She was thinking over what she would +say to Miss Jennie Ann and the girls. How +should she announce to them that her quest was +ended, her victory over Fate won? +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_242' name='page_242'></a>242</span></p> +<p>As she neared the houseboat she saw that her +companions were gathered on deck, evidently +watching for her. Madge rested on her oars +and waved one hand to them. Four hands waved +promptly back to her. A moment more and +she had come alongside the “Merry Maid.” As +she clambered on deck she cast a swift upward +glance at her friends, who, with one accord, were +looking down on her, their faces full of loving +concern.</p> +<p>With a little cry of rapture Madge threw herself +into Miss Jenny Ann’s arms. “O, my +dear!” she cried, “I’ve found him! I’ve found +my father!”</p> +<p>And it was with her faithful mates’ arms +around her that Madge told the strange story +of how her quest had ended in the little sitting +room of “The Anchorage.”</p> +<hr class='major' /> +<div style='margin: auto; text-align: center; padding-top: 2em; padding-bottom: 1em'> +<a name='XXIV_THE_LITTLE_CAPTAIN_STARTS_ON_A_JOURNEY' id='XXIV_THE_LITTLE_CAPTAIN_STARTS_ON_A_JOURNEY'></a> +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_243' name='page_243'></a>243</span> +<h2>CHAPTER XXIV</h2> +<h3>THE LITTLE CAPTAIN STARTS ON A JOURNEY</h3> +</div> + +<p>Six weeks had passed since Madge Morton’s +discovery of her father, and many things +had happened since then. It was now toward +the latter part of September, and on a +beautiful fall morning one of the busy steamship +docks in the lower end of New York City +was crowded with a gay company of people. +There were four young girls and three young +men, a beautiful older woman, with soft, white +hair and a look of wonderful distinction; a woman +of about twenty-six or seven, with a man +by her side, who in some way suggested the calling +of the artist; a white-haired old man and an +elderly lady, who, in spite of the fact that she +answered to the name of Mrs. John Randolph, +would have been mistaken anywhere for a New +England spinster. Two men were the only other +important members of the group. One of them +was a distinguished-looking man of about fifty-three +with a rather sad expression, and the last +a bluff old sea captain, whose laugh rang out +clear and hearty above the sound of the many +voices.</p> +<p>In front of the wharf lay a beautiful steam +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_244' name='page_244'></a>244</span> +yacht, painted pure white and flying a United +States flag. The boat was of good size and capable +of making many knots an hour, but she +looked like a little toy ship alongside the immense +ocean-going steamers that were entering +and leaving the New York harbor, or waiting +their sailing day at their docks.</p> +<p>One of the girls, dressed in a white serge frock +and wearing a white felt hat, was walking up +and down at the back of the crowd, talking to a +young man.</p> +<p>“David, more than almost anything, I believe +I appreciate your coming to New York to see me +off. It would have been dreadful to go away for +a whole year, or maybe longer, without having +had a glimpse of you. Who knows what may +happen before I am back again?” The girl’s +eyes looked wistfully about among her friends, +although her lips smiled happily.</p> +<p>For a few seconds the young man made no +answer. He had never been able to talk very +readily, now he seemed to wish to think before +he spoke.</p> +<p>“I shall be a man, Madge, before you are back +again,” he replied slowly. “I am twenty now, +so I shall be ready to vote. But, best of all, I +shall be through college and ready to go to +work.” The young man threw back his square +shoulders. His black eyes looked serious and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_245' name='page_245'></a>245</span> +steadfast. “I am going to make you proud of +me, Madge. You remember I told you so, that +day in the Virginia field, when you helped me out +of a scrape and started me on the right road.”</p> +<p>The little captain nodded emphatically. “I +am proud of you already, David,” she declared +warmly. “I think it is perfectly wonderful that +you have been able to take two years’ work in +college instead of one, beside helping Mr. Preston +on the farm. You are going to make me +dreadfully ashamed when I come back, by knowing +so much more than I. Phil enters Vassar +this fall and Tom will graduate at Columbia in +another year. I am going to try to study on the +yacht, but I shall be so busy seeing things that I +know I won’t accomplish very much. Just think, +David, I am going around the world in our own +boat with my father and Captain Jules! Isn’t +it wonderful how one’s dreams come true and +things turn out even better than you expect them +to? I believe, if it weren’t for leaving my beloved +houseboat chums and Mrs. Curtis and +Tom, and Miss Jenny Ann and you, I should be +the happiest girl in the world.”</p> +<p>“I don’t suppose I count for much, Madge,” +answered David honestly, “but I am more +grateful to you than you can know for putting +me on that list. Some day——” The young man +hesitated, then his sober face relaxed and a brilliant +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_246' name='page_246'></a>246</span> +smile lighted it. “It’s pretty early for a +fellow like me to be talking about some day, isn’t +it, Madge?”</p> +<p>Madge laughed, though she blushed a little +and answered nothing.</p> +<p>Just then Phyllis Alden and a young man in +a lieutenant’s uniform joined Madge and David +Brewster.</p> +<p>“Lieutenant Jimmy is saying dreadful +things, Madge,” announced Phil mournfully. +“He says he is sure you won’t come back home +in a year. You’ll stay over in Europe until you +are grown up or married, or something else, and +you’ll never be a houseboat girl again!” Phil’s +voice broke.</p> +<p>Lieutenant Jimmy looked uncomfortable. +“See here, Miss Alden,” he protested, “I +never said anything as bad as all that. I only +said that perhaps Captain Morton and Captain +Jules would stay longer than a year. Almost +any one would, if they owned that jolly little +yacht.”</p> +<p>“I’ll wager you, Lieutenant Jimmy, a torpedo +boat full of the same kind of candy that you sent +us at the end of our second houseboat holiday, +that if you come down to this dock one year +from to-day you will see our yacht, which Captain +Jules has named ‘The Little Captain,’ +paying her respects to the Statue of Liberty. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_247' name='page_247'></a>247</span> +Come, let’s go and make Father and Captain +Jules convince him, Phil,” proposed Madge, +hugging Phyllis close to her, as if the thought +of being parted from her for so long as one +year was not to be borne.</p> +<p>“I’ll take that wager, Miss Morton,” replied +Lieutenant Jimmy jokingly, “because I would +be so awfully glad to have to pay it.”</p> +<p>“Madge simply must come back on time, Lieutenant +Jimmy,” whispered Phil, nodding her +head mysteriously toward a young woman and +a man. “It’s a state secret, and I ought not to +tell you, but Miss Jenny Ann and Mr. Theodore +Brown, the artist, are to be married a year from +this fall. We must all be at the wedding. Miss +Jenny Ann couldn’t possibly be married unless +every one of the ‘Mates of the Merry Maid’ +were there. If we can arrange it, Miss Jenny +Ann is going to be married on the houseboat. +Won’t it be the greatest fun?”</p> +<p>For the moment Phil was so cheered at the +thought of another houseboat reunion, though +a whole twelve months off, that she forgot that +her best beloved Madge was to leave in another +half-hour for her trip around the world.</p> +<p>Phyllis and Lieutenant Jimmy were standing +a little behind Madge. David Brewster stopped +to talk to Mrs. Curtis and Tom.</p> +<p>At the far end of the dock Captain Jules Fontaine +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_248' name='page_248'></a>248</span> +was giving some orders to four sailors who +formed the entire crew of his new yacht, for +the old pearl diver was to pilot his own boat, +which was to sail under Captain Morton’s orders. +The beautiful little yacht was Captain +Jules’s own property. The old man had made +a comfortable fortune in his life in the tropics, +but he had little use for it, and no desire, except +to make Madge and her father happy. The little +captain’s love for the water was what endeared +her most to the old sailor. He could not +be happy away from the sea and he couldn’t be +happy away from Madge and Captain Morton. +The fortunate girl’s two fathers had discussed +very seriously Madge’s own proposal to come +to keep house for them at “The Anchorage.” +Both men knew that she could not settle down at +their lonely little house far up the bay and several +miles from the nearest town, which was +Cape May. Wonderful as the fathers thought +Madge, they realized that she was very young +and must go on with her education. They could +not bear to send her away to college after all the +long years of separation. Captain Jules conceived +the brilliant idea of educating her by +taking her on a trip around the world. The old +sailor couldn’t have borne being cooped up in +liners and on trains with other people to run +them. So Madge’s dream of a ship all her own, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_249' name='page_249'></a>249</span> +which was to sail “strange countries for to +see,” had come true with her other good fortune.</p> +<p>Leaving her friends for a moment, Madge +made her way toward the end of the dock to beg +Captain Jules to reassure her friends of their +return at the end of a year. The captain did +not notice her approach. Apparently no one +was looking at her.</p> +<p>On the end of the wharf were gathered three +or four small street arabs. They had no business +on the wharf, which was precisely their reason +for being there. They were playing behind +a number of large boxes and some other luggage, +and, until Madge approached, no one had +observed them. They were having a tug-of-war +and it was hardly a fair battle. Two good-sized +urchins were pulling against one other strong +fellow and another small boy, so thin and pale, +with such dark hair and big, black eyes that, for +the moment, he made Madge think of Tania, who +was almost well enough to leave the sanatorium +and had sent her Fairy Godmother many loving +messages by Mrs. Curtis. Madge stopped for +half a minute to watch the boys. In her stateroom +were so many boxes of candy she would +never be able to eat it all in her trip around the +world. If she only had some of them to give +this lively little group of youngsters! +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_250' name='page_250'></a>250</span></p> +<p>Captain Jules was at one side of the wide +wharf with his back toward her and the group +of boys. His yacht was occupying his entire attention. +The street urchins did not realize how +near they were to the edge of the dock because +of the pile of luggage that surrounded them.</p> +<p>The tug-of-war grew exciting. Madge clapped +her hands softly. She had not believed the +smallest rascal had so much strength. Suddenly +the older lad’s grip broke. The boys fell back +against a pile of trunks that were set uneasily +one above the other. One of the trunks slid into +the water and the smallest lad slipped backward +after it with an almost noiseless splash. +His boy companions stared helplessly after him, +too frightened to make a sound.</p> +<p>Of course, Madge might soon have summoned +help. She did think of it for a brief instant, +for she realized perfectly that her white +serge suit would look anything but smart if she +plunged into the river in it. Then, too, her +friends, Captain Jules, and her father might be +displeased with her. But the little lad had given +her such an agonized, helpless look of appeal as +he struck the water! And his eyes were so like +Tania’s!</p> +<p>Captain Jules turned around at the sound of +feet running down the dock. David Brewster +and Tom Curtis were side by side. But they +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_251' name='page_251'></a>251</span> +both looked more surprised than frightened. In +the water, a few feet from the dock, Captain +Jules espied Madge Morton, her white hat floating +off the back of her head, her face and hair +dripping with water. She was smiling in a half-apologetic +and half-nervous way. In one hand +she held a small boy firmly by the collar. “Fish +us out, somebody?” she begged. “I am dreadfully +sorry to spoil my clothes, but this little +wretch would go and fall into the water at the +very last moment.”</p> +<p>Captain Jules and one of his sailors pulled +Madge and the small boy safely onto the wharf +again. The captain frowned at her solemnly, +while David and Tom laughed.</p> +<p>“How am I ever going to keep her out of the +bottom of the sea?” the captain inquired sternly. +“I don’t know that I care for the rôle of +playing guardian to a mermaid.”</p> +<p>Madge could see Mrs. Curtis, Miss Jenny +Ann, her chums and her father, as well as their +other friends, hurrying down toward the end of +the dock. She gave one swift glance at them, +then she looked ruefully at her own dripping +garments. Tom and David long remembered +her as they saw her at that moment. Her white +dress clung to her slender form; the water was +dripping from her clothing, her cheeks were a +brilliant crimson from embarrassment at her +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_252' name='page_252'></a>252</span> +plight; her red-brown hair glinted in the bright +sunlight, and her blue eyes sparkled with mischief +and dismay. Before any one had a chance +to scold or to reproach her, she had dashed +across the wharf, run aboard the yacht and had +shut herself up in her stateroom.</p> +<p>A few minutes later, dressed in a fresh white +serge frock, she emerged to say good-bye. The +houseboat girls had made up their minds that +not one tear would any one of them shed when +the moment of parting came. Lillian and Phil +stood on either side of Eleanor, for neither of +them had much faith that Nellie could keep her +word when it came to the test.</p> +<p>Madge went first to Mr. and Mrs. John Randolph. +“Miss Betsey” took both her hands and +held them gravely. “Madge, dear, remember I +have always told you that wherever you were +exciting things were sure to happen. You have +convinced me of it again to-day. Now, you are +going around the world and I hope you will see +and know only the best there is in it. Good-bye.” +Miss Betsey leaned on her distinguished +old husband’s arm for support and surreptitiously +wiped her eyes.</p> +<p>“Jenny Ann Jones, you promised I wouldn’t +have to say good-bye to you,” protested Madge +chokingly. Miss Jenny Ann nodded, while Mr. +Theodore Brown gazed at her comfortingly. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_253' name='page_253'></a>253</span> +Madge rallied her courage and smiled at both +of them. “Do you remember, Jenny Ann,” she +questioned, “how on the very first of our houseboat +trips you said that you would marry some +day, just to be able to get rid of the name of +‘Jones’? I am sure you will like ‘Brown’ a +whole lot better.” Madge turned saucily away +to hide the trembling of her lips.</p> +<p>Mrs. Curtis said nothing. She just kissed +Madge’s forehead, both rosy cheeks and once +on her red lips. But when the little captain +left her, and Mrs. Curtis turned to find her son +standing near her, his face white and his lips +set, his mother faltered brokenly: “I am trying +hard not to be selfish, Tom, and I am glad, with +all my heart, that Madge found her father, but +no one will ever know how sorry I am not to +have her for my daughter.”</p> +<p>“Maybe you will some day, after all, Mother,” +returned Tom steadily. “We are young, I +know, and neither of us has seen much of the +world. Still, I am fairly sure I know my own +mind. Perhaps Madge will care as much as I +do now when the right time comes.”</p> +<p>At the last, Madge could not say farewell to +her three chums. Her eyes were so full of tears +that Captain Jules had to lead her aboard the +yacht. She stood on the deck, kissing both +hands to them as long as she could see them, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_254' name='page_254'></a>254</span> +until their little boat had been towed far out into +the great New York harbor.</p> +<p>Madge’s father stood by her, watching the +sunlight dance upon the water.</p> +<p>“My little girl,” Captain Morton began, with +a view of distracting her attention from the sorrow +of parting, “I have always forgotten to tell +you that I saw you graduate at Miss Tolliver’s. +Jules was not with me that day. He knew of +you but never saw you until you went to Cape +May. I wonder I didn’t betray myself to you +then, dear. It was I who first called out to you +when I saw that arch tottering over your head.”</p> +<p>Madge nodded. “I know it now,” she replied. +“I must have caught a brief glimpse of +your face. You and Captain Jules sent me the +wonderful pearl. We never could guess from +whom it had come.”</p> +<p>“Yes,” answered Captain Morton, “Jules and +I had kept it for you for many years. We determined +that sooner or later you should have +it. I shall never forget the day when Jules came +hurrying into ‘The Anchorage’ with the news +that he had seen you and talked with you about +me. He was sure that you were our Madge even +before he knew your name to be Morton. It +was wonderful to hear that your dearest wish +was to find me.”</p> +<p>Madge slipped her arm into that of her father +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_255' name='page_255'></a>255</span> +and laid her curly head against his shoulder. +“If it was Fate that separated us, then I shall +never be dismayed by it again, for love and determination +are far greater and through them +I found you,” she declared softly.</p> +<p>“I am afraid I am very selfish to take you +away for a whole year from Mrs. Curtis and +Tom and the houseboat girls,” said her father, +almost wistfully. “You are not sorry you are +going to spend the next few months with no one +but two old men for company?”</p> +<p>“But I spent eighteen years without you,” +reminded Madge. “Don’t you believe I ought +to begin to make up for lost time? Just think,”—her +eyes grew tender with the pride of possession—“I +have what I’ve longed for more +than anything else in the world, my father’s +love. Perhaps when we come back next year +we can anchor the ‘Little Captain’ in Pleasure +Bay and invite the ‘Merry Maid’ and her crew +to visit us. Then Miss Jenny Ann could be married +on the houseboat. We must be very sure +to come home on time if we carry out that plan.”</p> +<p>“Aye, aye, Captain Madge,” smiled her father, +“unless our good ship fails us we’ll anchor +next September in Pleasure Bay and send a +special invitation to the crew of the ‘Merry +Maid’ to meet us there.”</p> +<div class='ce'> +<p><span style='font-variant: small-caps'>The End</span></p> +</div> + +<!-- generated by ppgen.rb version: 2.25 --> +<!-- timestamp: Thu Sep 04 09:37:35 -0400 2008 --> + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Madge Morton's Victory, by Amy D.V. Chalmers + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK MADGE MORTON'S VICTORY *** + +***** This file should be named 26538-h.htm or 26538-h.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/6/5/3/26538/ + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +http://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at http://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +http://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at http://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit http://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. +To donate, please visit: http://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart is the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + http://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. + + +</pre> + +</body> +</html> diff --git a/26538-h/images/mmv-071.jpg b/26538-h/images/mmv-071.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..62f729a --- /dev/null +++ b/26538-h/images/mmv-071.jpg diff --git a/26538-h/images/mmv-183.jpg b/26538-h/images/mmv-183.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..c60b886 --- /dev/null +++ b/26538-h/images/mmv-183.jpg diff --git a/26538-h/images/mmv-239.jpg b/26538-h/images/mmv-239.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..5c571df --- /dev/null +++ b/26538-h/images/mmv-239.jpg diff --git a/26538-h/images/mmv-fpc.jpg b/26538-h/images/mmv-fpc.jpg Binary files differnew file mode 100644 index 0000000..d1e94ab --- /dev/null +++ b/26538-h/images/mmv-fpc.jpg |
