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| author | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:00:40 -0700 |
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| committer | Roger Frank <rfrank@pglaf.org> | 2025-10-14 20:00:40 -0700 |
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diff --git a/34024-h/34024-h.htm b/34024-h/34024-h.htm new file mode 100644 index 0000000..48129c3 --- /dev/null +++ b/34024-h/34024-h.htm @@ -0,0 +1,7888 @@ +<!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" xml:lang="en" > +<head> + <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1" /> + <meta name="generator" content="eppg.py 0.81 (02-Oct-2010)" /> + <title>Ruth Fielding at Lighthouse Point by Alice B. Emerson</title> + <style type="text/css"> + body {margin-left:10%; margin-right:10%;} + p {margin-top:1ex; margin-bottom:0; text-align:justify;} + .pagenum {display:inline; font-size:x-small; text-align:right; text-indent:0; + 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;} + .pncolor {color:silver;} + h1,h2 {text-align:center; font-weight:normal;} + h1 {text-align:center; font-size:1.4em; margin-bottom:20px;} + h2 {font-size:1.4em; margin-top:4ex; margin-bottom:2ex;} + hr.pb {margin:30px 0; width:100%; border:none; border-top:thin dashed silver; clear:both;} + .sc {font-variant:small-caps;} + hr.cupples {border:none;border-bottom:1px solid black; width:100%;} + img.center {display:block; margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;} + div.figcenter {text-align:center; margin-top:1em; margin-bottom:1em;} + div.figcenter p {text-align:center;} + p.center {text-align:center; text-indent:0em;} + p.caption {font-size:smaller;} + .c {text-align:center;} + .fs24 {font-size:2.4em;} + .mt20 {margin-top:20px;} + .mb10 {margin-bottom:10px;} + .fs14 {font-size:1.4em;} + .mb20 {margin-bottom:20px;} + .fs16 {font-size:1.6em;} + .mb15 {margin-bottom:15px;} + .mb30 {margin-bottom:30px;} + .mt30 {margin-top:30px;} + hr.em5 {border:none; border-bottom:1px solid black; width:5em;} + .mt10 {margin-top:10px;} + .fs08 {font-size:0.8em;} + table.center {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto;} + a {text-decoration:none;} + div.toc {} + div.toc a {text-decoration:underline;} + table {margin-left:auto; margin-right:auto; clear:both;} + td.tcol1 {text-align:right; padding-right:1ex; vertical-align:top;} + td.tcol2 {text-align:left; padding-right:2ex; font-variant:small-caps; vertical-align:top;} + td.tcol3 {text-align:right; vertical-align:bottom;} + td.center {text-align:center;} + td.fs12 {font-size:1.2em;} + td.fs08 {font-size:0.8em;} + td.tar {text-align:right;} + span.h2fs {font-size:smaller;} + div.poetry {text-indent:0em; margin-left:2em; margin-bottom:.7em; margin-top:.7em;} + div.poetry p {margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;} + div.bquote {font-size:1.0em; margin:5px 5%;} + div.bquote p {text-indent:0em; margin-bottom:4px; margin-top:4px;} + p.tar {text-align:right; margin-right:5%;} + .fs12 {font-size:1.2em;} + </style> +</head> +<body> + + +<pre> + +Project Gutenberg's Ruth Fielding at Lighthouse Point, by Alice B. Emerson + +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: Ruth Fielding at Lighthouse Point + Nita, the Girl Castaway + +Author: Alice B. Emerson + +Release Date: October 3, 2010 [EBook #34024] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK RUTH FIELDING AT LIGHTHOUSE POINT *** + + + + +Produced by Roger Frank and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.fadedpage.net + + + + + + +</pre> + + +<div class='figcenter'> +<a id='link_i1'></a><img src='images/illus-fpc.jpg' alt='' /> +<p class='center caption'> +SHE WAS UNCONSCIOUS WHEN THEY LIFTED HER OUT.<br /><i>Ruth Fielding at Lighthouse Point. Page</i> 78 +</p> +</div> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<p class='c fs24 mt20 mb10'>Ruth Fielding<br />at Lighthouse Point</p> +<p class='c mb10'>OR</p> +<p class='c fs14 mb20'>NITA, THE GIRL CASTAWAY</p> +<p class='c'>BY</p> +<p class='c fs16'>ALICE B. EMERSON</p> +<p class='c sc mb15'>Author of Ruth Fielding of The Red Mill,<br />Ruth Fielding at Briarwood Hall etc.</p> +<p class='c mb30'>ILLUSTRATED</p> +<div><img class='center' alt='emblem' src='images/illus-emb.jpg' /></div> +<p class='c mt30'>NEW YORK</p> +<p class='c fs14'>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY</p> +<p class='c mb20'>PUBLISHERS</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='figcenter'><img src='images/illus-bfg.jpg' alt='decorative script' /></div> +<p class='c mb10'>By ALICE B. EMERSON</p> +<hr class='em5' /> +<p class='c mt10'>RUTH FIELDING SERIES</p> +<p class='c fs08 mb20'>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated.</p> + +<table class='center' summary='ruthbooks'> +<tr><td>RUTH FIELDING OF THE RED MILL<br />    Or, Jasper Parloe’s Secret.</td></tr> +<tr><td>RUTH FIELDING AT BRIARWOOD HALL<br />    Or, Solving the Campus Mystery.</td></tr> +<tr><td>RUTH FIELDING AT SNOW CAMP<br />    Or, Lost in the Backwoods.</td></tr> +<tr><td>RUTH FIELDING AT LIGHTHOUSE POINT<br />    Or, Nita, the Girl Castaway.</td></tr> +<tr><td>RUTH FIELDING AT SILVER RANCH<br />    Or, Schoolgirls Among the Cowboys.</td></tr> +</table> + +<p class='c sc '>Cupples & Leon Co., Publishers, New York.</p> +<p class='c sc mt20'>Copyright, 1913, by<br />Cupples & Leon Company</p> +<hr class='em5' /> +<p class='c sc'>Ruth Fielding at Lighthouse Point</p> +<p class='c fs08'>Printed in U.S.A.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<div class='toc'> +<table summary='TOC'> +<tr><td colspan='3' class='center fs12'>CONTENTS</td></tr> +<tr><td colspan='3' class='center fs12'></td></tr> +<tr><td class='fs08'>CHAPTER</td><td colspan='2' class='tar fs08'>PAGE</td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>I</td><td class='tcol2'>An Initiation</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_1'>1</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>II</td><td class='tcol2'>The Fox at Work</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_2'>9</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>III</td><td class='tcol2'>On Lake Osago</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_3'>16</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>IV</td><td class='tcol2'>Trouble at the Red Mill</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_4'>24</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>V</td><td class='tcol2'>The Tintacker Mine</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_5'>32</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>VI</td><td class='tcol2'>Uncle Jabez at His Worst</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_6'>42</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>VII</td><td class='tcol2'>The Signal Gun</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_7'>49</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>VIII</td><td class='tcol2'>The Lifeboat Is Launched</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_8'>57</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>IX</td><td class='tcol2'>The Girl in the Rigging</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_9'>64</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>X</td><td class='tcol2'>The Double Charge</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_10'>72</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XI</td><td class='tcol2'>The Story of the Castaway</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_11'>80</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XII</td><td class='tcol2'>Busy Izzy in a New Aspect</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_12'>90</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XIII</td><td class='tcol2'>Crab Proves to Be of the Hardshell Variety</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_13'>97</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XIV</td><td class='tcol2'>The Tragic Incident in a Fishing Excursion</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_14'>103</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XV</td><td class='tcol2'>Tom Cameron to the Rescue</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_15'>114</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XVI</td><td class='tcol2'>Ruth’s Secret</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_16'>120</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XVII</td><td class='tcol2'>What Was in the Newspaper</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_17'>128</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XVIII</td><td class='tcol2'>Another Night Adventure</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_18'>137</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XIX</td><td class='tcol2'>The Goblins’ Gambol</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_19'>145</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XX</td><td class='tcol2'>"Whar’s My Jane Ann?"</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_20'>153</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XXI</td><td class='tcol2'>Crab Makes His Demand</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_21'>162</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XXII</td><td class='tcol2'>Thimble Island</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_22'>171</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XXIII</td><td class='tcol2'>Marooned</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_23'>179</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XXIV</td><td class='tcol2'>Plucky Mother Purling</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_24'>187</a></td></tr> +<tr><td class='tcol1'>XXV</td><td class='tcol2'>What Jane Ann Wanted</td><td class='tcol3'><a href='#link_25'>196</a></td></tr> +</table> +</div> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<h1>RUTH FIELDING AT LIGHTHOUSE POINT</h1> + +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_1'></a>1</span><a id='link_1'></a>CHAPTER I<br /><span class='h2fs'>AN INITIATION</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>A brown</span> dusk filled the long room, for although +the windows were shrouded thickly and +no lamp burned, some small ray of light percolated +from without and made dimly visible the +outlines of the company there gathered.</p> + +<p>The low, quavering notes of an organ sighed +through the place. There was the rustle and +movement of a crowd. To the neophyte, who +had been brought into the hall with eyes bandaged, +it all seemed very mysterious and awe-inspiring.</p> + +<p>Now she was set in a raised place and felt that +before her was the company of masked and +shrouded figures, in scarlet dominoes like those +worn by the two guards who had brought her +from the anteroom. The bandage was whisked +from her eyes; but she could see nothing of her +surroundings, nor of the company before which +she stood.</p> + +<p>“Candidate!” spoke a hollow, mysterious +voice somewhere in the gloom, yet sounding so +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_2'></a>2</span> +close to her ear that she started. “Candidate! +you stand before the membership body of the +S. B.’s. You are as yet unknown to them and they +unknown to you. If you enter the secret association +of the S. B.’s you must throw off and despise +forever all ties of a like character. Do you +agree?”</p> + +<p>The candidate obeyed, in so far as she prodded +her sharply in the ribs and a shrill voice whispered: +“Say you do–gump!”</p> + +<p>The candidate obeyed, in so far as she proclaimed +that she did, at least.</p> + +<p>“It is an oath,” went on the sepulchral voice. +“Remember!”</p> + +<p>In chorus the assembly immediately repeated, +“Remember!” in solemn tones.</p> + +<p>“Candidate!” repeated the leading voice, +“you have been taught the leading object of our +existence as a society. What is it?”</p> + +<p>Without hesitation now, the candidate replied: +“Helpfulness.”</p> + +<p>“It is right. And now, what do our initials +stand for?”</p> + +<p>“Sweetbriar,” replied the shaking voice of the +candidate.</p> + +<p>“True. That is what our initials stand for to +the world at large–to those who are not initiated +into the mysteries of the S. B.’s. But those letters +may stand for many things and it is my privilege +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_3'></a>3</span> +to explain to you now that they likewise are +to remind us all of two virtues that each Sweetbriar +is expected to practice–to be sincere and to +befriend. Remember! Sincerity–Befriend. Remember!”</p> + +<p>Again the chorus of mysterious voices chanted: +“Remember!”</p> + +<p>“And now let the light shine upon the face of +the candidate, that the Shrouded Sisterhood may +know her where’er they meet her. Once! Twice! +Thrice! Light!”</p> + +<p>At the cry the ray of a spot-light flashed out of +the gloom at the far end of the long room and +played glaringly upon the face and figure of the +candidate. She herself was more blinded by the +glare than she had been by the bandage. There +was a rustle and movement in the room, and the +leading voice went on:</p> + +<p>“Sisters! the novice is now revealed to us all. +She has now entered into the outer circle of the +Sweetbriars. Let her know us, where’er she meets +us, by our rallying cry. Once! Twice! Thrice! +<i>Now!</i>”</p> + +<p>Instantly, and in unison, the members chanted +the following “yell”:</p> + +<div class='poetry'> +<p>“S. B.–Ah-h-h!</p> +<p>S. B.–Ah-h-h!</p> +<p>Sound our battle-cry</p> +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_4'></a>4</span>Near and far!</p> +<p>S. B.–All!</p> +<p>Briarwood Hall!</p> +<p>Sweetbriars, do or die–</p> +<p>This be our battle-cry–</p> +<p>Briarwood Hall!</p> +<p><i>That’s All!</i>”</p> +</div> + +<p>With the final word the spot-light winked out +and the other lights of the hall flashed on. The +assembly of hooded and shrouded figures were revealed. +And Helen Cameron, half smiling and +half crying, found herself standing upon the platform +before her schoolmates who had already +joined the secret fraternity known as “The +Sweetbriars.”</p> + +<p>Beside her, and presiding over the meeting, +she found her oldest and dearest friend at Briarwood +Hall–Ruth Fielding. A small megaphone +stood upon the table at Ruth’s hand, and its use +had precluded Helen’s recognition of her chum’s +voice as the latter led in the ritual of the fraternity. +Like their leader, the other Sweetbriars +had thrown back their scarlet hoods, and Helen +recognized almost all of the particular friends +with whom she had become associated since she +had come–with Ruth Fielding–the autumn before +to Briarwood Hall.</p> + +<p>The turning on of the lights was the signal for +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_5'></a>5</span> +general conversation and great merriment. It +was the evening of the last day but one of the +school year, and discipline at Briarwood Hall was +relaxed to a degree. However, the fraternity of +the Sweetbriars had grown in favor with Mrs. +Grace Tellingham, the preceptress of the school, +and with the teachers, since its inception. Now +the fifty or more girls belonging to the society +(fully a quarter of the school membership) +paired off to march down to the dining hall, where +a special collation was spread.</p> + +<p>Helen Cameron went down arm-in-arm with +the president of the S. B.’s.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Ruthie!” the new member exclaimed, “I +think it’s ever so nice–much better than the initiation +of the old Upedes. I can talk about them +now,” and she laughed, “because they are–as +Tommy says–‘busted all to flinders.’ Haven’t +held a meeting for more than a month, and the +last time–whisper! this is a secret, and I guess +the last remaining secret of the Upedes–there +were only The Fox and I there!”</p> + +<p>“I’m glad you’re one of us at last, Helen,” +said Ruth Fielding, squeezing her chum as they +went down the stairs.</p> + +<p>“And I ought to have been an original member +along with you, Ruth,” said Helen, thoughtfully. +“The Up and Doing Club hadn’t half the +attractiveness that your society has<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_6'></a>6</span>“Don’t call it <i>my</i> society. We don’t want any +one-girl club. That was the trouble with the Up +and Doings–just as ‘too much faculty’ is the objection +to the Forward Club.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I detest the Fussy Curls just as much as +ever,” declared Helen, quickly, “although Madge +Steele <i>is</i> president.”</p> + +<p>“Well, we ‘Infants,’ as they called us last fall +when we entered Briarwood, are in control of the +S. B.’s, and we can help each other,” said Ruth, +with satisfaction.</p> + +<p>“But you talk about the Upedes being a one-girl +club. I know The Fox was all-in-all in that. +But you’re pretty near the whole thing in the +S. B.’s, Ruthie,” and Helen laughed, slily. “Why, +they say you wrote all the ritual and planned +everything.”</p> + +<p>“Never mind,” said Ruth, calmly; “we can’t +have a dictator in the S. B.’s without changing the +constitution. The same girl can’t be president for +more than one year.”</p> + +<p>“But you deserve to boss it all,” said her +chum, warmly. “And I for one wouldn’t mind +if you did.”</p> + +<p>Helen was a very impulsive, enthusiastic girl. +When she and Ruth Fielding had come to Briarwood +Hall she had immediately taken up with a +lively and thoughtless set of girls who had banded +themselves into the Up and Doing Club, and +whose leader was Mary Cox, called “The Fox,” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_7'></a>7</span> +because of her shrewdness. Ruth had not cared +for this particular society and, in time, she and +most of the other new pupils formed the Sweetbriar +Club. Helen Cameron, loyal to her first +friends at the school, had not fallen away from +Mary Cox and joined the Sweetbriars until this +very evening, which was, as we have seen, the +evening before the final day of the school year.</p> + +<p>Ruth Fielding took the head of the table when +the girls sat down to supper and the other officers +of the club sat beside her. Helen was therefore +separated from her, and when the party broke up +late in the evening (the curfew bell at nine o’clock +was abolished for this one night) the chums started +for their room in the West Dormitory at different +times. Ruth went with Mercy Curtis, who +was lame; outside the dining hall Helen chanced +to meet Mary Cox, who had been calling on +some party in the East Dormitory building.</p> + +<p>“Hello, Cameron!” exclaimed The Fox. “So +you’ve finally been roped in by the ‘Soft Babies’ +have you? I thought that chum of yours–Fielding–would +manage to get you hobbled and tied +before vacation.”</p> + +<p>“You can’t say I wasn’t loyal to the Upedes as +long as there was any society to be loyal to,” said +Helen, quickly, and with a flush.</p> + +<p>“Oh, well; you’ll be going down to Heavy’s +seashore cottage with them now, I suppose?” +said The Fox, still watching Helen curiously.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_8'></a>8</span>“Why, of course! I intended to before,” returned +the younger girl. “We all agreed about +that last winter when we were at Snow Camp.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you did, eh?” laughed the other. “Well, +if you hadn’t joined the Soft Babies you wouldn’t +have been ‘axed,’ when it came time to go. This +is going to be an S. B. frolic. Your nice little Ruth +Fielding says she won’t go if Heavy invites any +but her precious Sweetbriars to be of the party.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe it, Mary Cox!” cried Helen. +“I mean, that <i>you</i> must be misinformed. Somebody +has maligned Ruth.”</p> + +<p>“Humph! Maybe, but it doesn’t look like it. +Who is going to Lighthouse Point?” demanded +The Fox, carelessly. “Madge Steele, for although +she is president of the Fussy Curls, she is +likewise honorary member of the S. B.’s.”</p> + +<p>“That is so,” admitted Helen.</p> + +<p>“Heavy, herself,” pursued Mary Cox, “Belle +and Lluella, who have all backslid from the +Upedes, and yourself.”</p> + +<p>“But you’ve been invited,” said Helen, quickly.</p> + +<p>“Not much. I tell you, if you and Belle and +Lluella had not joined her S. B.’s you wouldn’t +have been numbered among Heavy’s house party. +Don’t fool yourself on that score,” and with another +unpleasant laugh, the older girl walked on +and left Helen in a much perturbed state of mind.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_9'></a>9</span><a id='link_2'></a>CHAPTER II<br /><span class='h2fs'>THE FOX AT WORK</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>Ruth Fielding</span>, after the death of her parents, +when she was quite a young girl, had come +from Darrowtown to live with her mother’s uncle +at the Red Mill, on the Lumano River near Cheslow, +as was related in the first volume of this +series, entitled, “Ruth Fielding of the Red Mill; +Or, Jasper Parloe’s Secret.” Ruth had found +Uncle Jabez very hard to get along with at first, +for he was a miser, and his kinder nature seemed +to have been crusted over by years of hoarding +and selfishness.</p> + +<p>But through a happy turn of circumstances +Ruth was enabled to get at the heart of her crotchety +uncle, and when Ruth’s very dear friend, Helen +Cameron, planned to go to boarding school, Uncle +Jabez was won over to sending Ruth with her. +The fun and work of that first half at school are +related in the second volume of the series, entitled +“Ruth Fielding at Briarwood Hall; Or, Solving +the Campus Mystery.”</p> + +<p>In the third volume of the series, “Ruth Fielding +at Snow Camp; Or, Lost in the Backwoods,” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_10'></a>10</span> +Ruth and some of her school friends spend a part +of the mid-winter vacation at Mr. Cameron’s +hunting lodge in the Big Woods, where they enjoy +many winter sports and have adventures galore.</p> + +<p>Ruth and Helen occupied a “duo” room on +the second floor of the West Dormitory; but +when Mercy Curtis, the lame girl, had come to +Briarwood in the middle of the first term, the +chums had taken her in with them, the occupants +of that particular study being known thereafter +among the girls of Briarwood as the Triumvirate.</p> + +<p>Helen, when deserted by The Fox, who, from +that first day at Briarwood Hall, had shown herself +to be jealous of Ruth Fielding, for some reason, +went slowly up to her room and found Ruth +and Mercy there before her. There was likewise +a stout, doll-faced, jolly girl with them, known to +the other girls as “Heavy,” but rightly owning +the name of Jennie Stone.</p> + +<p>“Here she is now!” cried this latter, on +Helen’s appearance. “‘The candidate will now +advance and say her a-b-abs!’ You looked scared +to death when they shot you with the lime-light. +I was chewing a caramel when they initiated me, +and I swallowed it whole, and pretty near choked, +when the spot-light was turned on.”</p> + +<p>Mercy, who was a very sharp girl indeed, was +looking at Helen slily. She saw that something +had occasioned their friend annoyance.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_11'></a>11</span>“What’s happened to you since we came from +the supper, Helen?” she asked.</p> + +<p>“Indigestion!” gasped Heavy. “I’ve some +pepsin tablets in my room. Want one, Nell?”</p> + +<p>“No. I am all right,” declared Helen.</p> + +<p>“Well, we were just waiting for you to come +in,” the stout girl said. “Maybe we’ll all be so +busy to-morrow that we won’t have time to talk +about it. So we must plan for the Lighthouse +Point campaign now.”</p> + +<p>“Oh!” said Helen, slowly. “So you can +make up your party now?”</p> + +<p>“Of course! Why, we really made it up last +winter; didn’t we?” laughed Heavy.</p> + +<p>“But we didn’t know whether we could go or +not then,” Ruth Fielding said.</p> + +<p>“You didn’t know whether <i>I</i> could go, I suppose +you mean?” suggested Helen.</p> + +<p>“Why–not particularly,” responded Ruth, in +some wonder at her chum’s tone. “I supposed +you and Tom would go. Your father so seldom +refuses you anything.”</p> + +<p>“Oh!”</p> + +<p>“I didn’t know how Uncle Jabez would look +at it,” pursued Ruth. “But I wrote him a while +ago and told him you and Mercy were going to +accept Jennie’s invite, and he said I could go to +Lighthouse Point, too.”</p> + +<p>“Oh!” said Helen again. “You didn’t wait +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_12'></a>12</span> +until I joined the S. B.’s, then, to decide whether +you would accept Heavy’s invitation, or not?”</p> + +<p>“Of course not!”</p> + +<p>“How ridiculous!” cried Heavy.</p> + +<p>“Well, it’s to be a Sweetbriar frolic; isn’t it, +Heavy?” asked Helen, calmly.</p> + +<p>“No. Madge and Bob Steele are going. +And your brother Tom,” chuckled the stout girl. +“And perhaps that Isadore Phelps. You +wouldn’t call Busy Izzy a Sweetbriar; would +you?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t mean the boys,” returned Helen, with +some coolness.</p> + +<p>Suddenly Mercy Curtis, her head on one side +and her thin little face twisted into a most knowing +grimace, interrupted. “I know what this +means!” she exclaimed.</p> + +<p>“What do <i>you</i> mean, Goody Two-Sticks?” +demanded Ruth, kindly.</p> + +<p>“Our Helen has a grouch.”</p> + +<p>“Nonsense!” muttered Helen, flushing again.</p> + +<p>“I thought something didn’t fit her when she +came in,” said Heavy, calmly. “But I thought +it was indigestion.”</p> + +<p>“What <i>is</i> the matter, Helen?” asked Ruth +Fielding in wonder.</p> + +<p>“‘Fee, fi, fo fum! I see the negro run!’–into +the woodpile!” ejaculated the lame girl, in +her biting way. “I know what is the matter with +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_13'></a>13</span> +Queen Helen of Troy. She’s been with The +Fox.”</p> + +<p>Ruth and Heavy stared at Mercy in surprise; +but Helen turned her head aside.</p> + +<p>“That’s the answer!” chuckled the shrewd little +creature. “I saw them walk off together +after supper. And The Fox has been trying to +make trouble–same as usual.”</p> + +<p>“Mary Cox! Why, that’s impossible,” said +Heavy, good-naturedly. “She wouldn’t say anything +to make Helen feel bad.”</p> + +<p>Mercy darted an accusing fore-finger at Helen, +and still kept her eyes screwed up. “I dare you +to tell! I dare you to tell!” she cried in a singsong +voice.</p> + +<p>Helen had to laugh at last.</p> + +<p>“Well, Mary Cox said you had decided to have +none but Sweetbriars at the cottage on the beach, +Heavy.”</p> + +<p>“Lot she knows about it,” grunted the stout +girl.</p> + +<p>“Why, Heavy asked her to go; didn’t she?” +cried Ruth.</p> + +<p>“Well, that was last Winter. I didn’t press +her,” admitted the stout girl.</p> + +<p>“But she’s your roommate, like Belle and +Lluella,” said Ruth, in some heat. “Of course +you’ve got to ask her.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you do it. She’s a spoil-sport,” declared +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_14'></a>14</span> +Mercy Curtis, in her sharp way. “The +Fox will keep us all in hot water.”</p> + +<p>“Do be still, Mercy!” cried Ruth. “This is +Heavy’s own affair. And Mary Cox has been +her roommate ever since she’s been at Briarwood.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know that Belle and Lluella can go +with us,” said the stout girl, slowly. “The fright +they got up in the woods last Winter scared their +mothers. I guess they think I’m too reckless. +Sort of wild, you know,” and the stout girl’s smile +broadened.</p> + +<p>“But you intended inviting Mary Cox?” demanded +Ruth, steadily.</p> + +<p>“Yes. I said something about it to her. But +she wouldn’t give me a decided answer then.”</p> + +<p>“Ask her again.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you do it!” exclaimed Mercy, sharply.</p> + +<p>“I mean it, Jennie,” Ruth said.</p> + +<p>“I can’t please both of you,” said the good-natured +stout girl.</p> + +<p>“Please me. Mercy doesn’t mean what she +says. If Mary Cox thinks that I am opposed to +your having her at Lighthouse Point, I shall be +offended if you do not immediately insist upon her +being one of the party.”</p> + +<p>“And that’ll suit The Fox right down to the +ground,” exclaimed Mercy. “That is what she +was fishing for when she got at Helen to-night.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_15'></a>15</span>“Did <i>I</i> say she said anything about Lighthouse +Point?” quickly responded Helen.</p> + +<p>“You didn’t have to,” rejoined Mercy, +sharply. “We knew.”</p> + +<p>“At least,” Ruth said to Heavy, quietly, yet with +decision, “you will ask your old friend to go?”</p> + +<p>“Why–if you don’t mind.”</p> + +<p>“There seems to have been some truth in +Mary’s supposition, then,” Ruth said, sadly. +“She thinks I intended to keep her out of a good +time. I never thought of such a thing. If Mary +Cox does not accept your invitation, Heavy, I +shall be greatly disappointed. Indeed, I shall be +tempted to decline to go to the shore with you. +Now, remember that, Jennie Stone.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, shucks! you’re making too much fuss +about it,” said the stout girl, rising lazily, and +speaking in her usual drawling manner. “Of +course I’ll have her–if she’ll go. Father’s +bungalow is big enough, goodness knows. And +we’ll have lots of fun there.”</p> + +<p>She went her leisurely way to the door. Had +she been brisker of movement, when she turned +the knob she would have found Mary Cox with +her ear at the keyhole, drinking in all that had +been said in the room of the triumvirate. But +The Fox was as swift of foot as she was shrewd +and sly of mind. She was out of sight and hearing +when Jennie Stone came out into the corridor.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_16'></a>16</span><a id='link_3'></a>CHAPTER III<br /><span class='h2fs'>ON LAKE OSAGO</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>The</span> final day of the school year was always a +gala occasion at Briarwood Hall. Although +Ruth Fielding and her chum, Helen Cameron, +had finished only their first year, they both had +important places in the exercises of graduation. +Ruth sang in the special chorus, while Helen +played the violin in the school orchestra. Twenty-four +girls were in the graduating class. Briarwood +Hall prepared for Wellesley, or any of the +other female colleges, and when Mrs. Grace Tellingham, +the preceptress, graduated a girl with +a certificate it meant that the young lady was well +grounded in all the branches that Briarwood +taught.</p> + +<p>The campus was crowded with friends of the +graduating class, and of the Seniors in particular. +It was a very gay scene, for the June day was perfect +and the company were brightly dressed. The +girls, however, including the graduating class, +were dressed in white only. Mrs. Tellingham +had established that custom some years before, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_17'></a>17</span> +and the different classes were distinguished only +by the color of their ribbons.</p> + +<p>Helen Cameron’s twin brother, Tom, and +Madge Steele’s brother, Bob, attended the Seven +Oaks Military Academy, not many miles from +Briarwood. Their graduation exercises and +“Breaking Up,” as the boys called it, were one +day later than the same exercises at Briarwood. +So the girls did not start for home until the morning +of the latter day.</p> + +<p>Old Dolliver, the stage driver, brought his +lumbering stage to the end of the Cedar Walk at +nine o’clock, to which point Tony Foyle, the man-of-all-work, +had wheeled the girls’ baggage. +Ruth, and Helen, and Mercy Curtis had bidden +their room good-bye and then made the round of +the teachers before this hour. They gathered +here to await the stage with Jennie Stone, Madge +and Mary Cox. The latter had agreed to be one +of the party at Lighthouse Point and was going +home with Heavy to remain during the ensuing +week, before the seashore party should be made +up.</p> + +<p>The seven girls comfortably filled the stage, +with their hand luggage, while the trunks and +suitcases in the boot and roped upon the roof +made the Ark seem top-heavy. There was a +crowd of belated pupils, and those who lived in +the neighborhood, to see them off, and the coach +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_18'></a>18</span> +finally rolled away to the famous tune of “Uncle +Noah, He Built an Ark,” wherein Madge Steele +put her head out of the window and “lined out” +a new verse to the assembled “well-wishers”:</p> + +<div class='poetry'> +<p>“And they didn’t know where they were at,</p> +<p> One wide river to cross!</p> +<p>Till the Sweetbriars showed ’em that!</p> +<p> One wide river to cross!</p> +<p> One wide river!</p> +<p> One wide river of Jordan–</p> +<p> One wide river!</p> +<p> One wide river to cross!”</p> +</div> + +<p>For although Madge Steele was now president +of the Forward Club, a much older school fraternity +than the Sweetbriars, she was, like Mrs. +Tellingham, and Miss Picolet, the French teacher, +and others of the faculty, an honorary member of +the society started by Ruth Fielding. The Sweetbriars, +less than one school year old, was fast becoming +the most popular organization at Briarwood +Hall.</p> + +<p>Mary Cox did not join in the singing, nor did +she have a word to say to Ruth during the ride +to the Seven Oaks station. Tom and Bob, with +lively, inquisitive, harum-scarum Isadore Phelps–“Busy Izzy,” +as his mates called him–were +at the station to meet the party from Briarwood +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_19'></a>19</span> +Hall. Tom was a dark-skinned, handsome lad, +while Bob was big, and flaxen-haired, and bashful. +Madge, his sister, called him “Sonny” and +made believe he was at the pinafore stage of +growth instead of being almost six feet tall and +big in proportion.</p> + +<p>“Here’s the dear little fellow!” she cried, +jumping lightly out to be hugged by the big fellow. +“Let Sister see how he’s grown since New +Year’s. Why, we’d hardly have known our +Bobbins; would we, Ruthie? Let me fix your +tie–it’s under your ear, of course. Now, that’s +a neat little boy. You can shake hands with +Ruthie, and Helen, and Mary, and Jennie, and +Mercy Curtis–and help Uncle Noah get off the +trunks.”</p> + +<p>The three boys, being all of the freshman class +at Seven Oaks, had less interest in the final exercises +of the term at the Academy than the girls +had had at Briarwood; therefore the whole party +took a train that brought them to the landing at +Portageton, on Osago Lake, before noon. From +that point the steamer <i>Lanawaxa</i> would transport +them the length of the lake to another railroad +over which the young folks must travel to reach +Cheslow.</p> + +<p>At this time of year the great lake was a beautiful +sight. Several lines of steamers plied upon +it; the summer resorts on the many islands which +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_20'></a>20</span> +dotted it, and upon the shores of the mainland, +were gay with flags and banners; the sail up the +lake promised to be a most delightful one.</p> + +<p>And it would have been so–delightful for the +whole party–had it not been for a single member. +The Fox could not get over her unfriendly +feeling, although Ruth Fielding gave her no cause +at all. Ruth tried to talk to Mary, at first; but +finding the older girl determined to be unpleasant, +she let her alone.</p> + +<p>On the boat the three boys gathered camp-chairs +for the party up forward, and their pocket +money went for candy and other goodies with +which to treat their sisters and the latter’s friends. +There were not many people aboard the <i>Lanawaxa</i> +on this trip and the young folks going home +from school had the forward upper deck to themselves. +There was a stiff breeze blowing that +drove the other passengers into the inclosed +cabins.</p> + +<p>But the girls and their escorts were in high +spirits. As Madge Steele declared, “they had +slipped the scholastic collar for ten long weeks.”</p> + +<p>“And if we can’t find a plenty of fun in that +time it’s our own fault,” observed Heavy–having +some trouble with her articulation because of the +candy in her mouth. “Thanks be to goodness! +no rising bell–no curfew–no getting anywhere +at any particular time. Oh, I’m just going to lie +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_21'></a>21</span> +in the sand all day, when we get to the Point<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“And have your meals brought to you, +Heavy?” queried Ruth, slily.</p> + +<p>“Never you mind about the meals, Miss. +Mammy Laura’s going down with us to cook, +and if there’s one thing Mammy Laura loves to +do, it’s to cook messes for me–and bring them to +me. She’s always been afraid that my health was +delicate and that I needed more nourishing food +than the rest of the family. Such custards! +Um! um!”</p> + +<p>“Do go down and see if there is anything left +on the lunch counter, boys,” begged Helen, +anxiously. “Otherwise we won’t get Heavy +home alive.”</p> + +<p>“I <i>am</i> a little bit hungry, having had no dinner,” +admitted the stout girl, reflectively.</p> + +<p>The boys went off, laughing. “She’s so +feeble!” cried Mary Cox, pinching the stout girl. +“We never should travel with her alone. There +ought to be a trained nurse and a physician along. +I’m worried to death about her<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Ouch! stop your pinching!” commanded +Jennie, and rose up rather suddenly, for her, to +give chase to her tormentor.</p> + +<p>The Fox was as quick as a cat, and Heavy was +lubberly in her movements. The lighter girl, +laughing shrilly, ran forward and vaulted over +the low rail that separated the awning-covered +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_22'></a>22</span> +upper deck from the unrailed roof of the lower +deck forward.</p> + +<p>“You’d better come back from there!” Ruth +cried, instantly. “It’s wet and slippery.”</p> + +<p>The Fox turned on her instantly, her face +flushed and her eyes snapping.</p> + +<p>“Mind your business, Miss!” she cried, stamping +her foot. “I can look out<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>Her foot slipped. Heavy thoughtlessly +laughed. None of them really thought of danger +save Ruth. But Mary Cox lost her foothold, +slid toward the edge of the sloping deck, and the +next instant, as the <i>Lanawaxa</i> plunged a little +sideways (for the sharp breeze had raised quite +a little sea) The Fox shot over the brink of the +deck and, with a scream, disappeared feet-first +into the lake.</p> + +<p>It all happened so quickly that nobody but the +group of girls on the forward deck had seen the +accident. And Madge, Heavy and Helen were +all helpless–so frightened that they could only +cry out.</p> + +<p>“She can’t swim!” gasped Helen. “She’ll be +drowned.”</p> + +<p>“The paddle-wheel will hit her!” added +Madge.</p> + +<p>“Oh! where are those useless boys?” demanded +the stout girl. “They’re never around +when they could be of use.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_23'></a>23</span>But Ruth said never a word. The emergency +appealed to her quite as seriously as it +did to her friends. But she knew that if Mary +Cox was to be saved they must act at once.</p> + +<p>She flung off her cap and light outside coat. +She wore only canvas shoes, and easily kicked +them off and ran, in her stocking-feet, toward the +paddle-box. Onto this she climbed by the short +ladder and sprang out upon its top just as The +Fox came up after her plunge.</p> + +<p>By great good fortune the imperiled girl had +been carried beyond the paddles. But the <i>Lanawaxa</i> +was steaming swiftly past the girl in the +water. Ruth knew very well that Mary Cox +could not swim. She was one of the few girls at +Briarwood who had been unable to learn that accomplishment, +under the school instructor, in the +gymnasium pool. Whereas Ruth herself had +taken to the art “like a duck to water.”</p> + +<p>Mary’s face appeared but for a moment above +the surface. Ruth saw it, pale and despairing; +then a wave washed over it and the girl disappeared +for a second time.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_24'></a>24</span><a id='link_4'></a>CHAPTER IV<br /><span class='h2fs'>TROUBLE AT THE RED MILL</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>The</span> screams of the other girls had brought +several of the male passengers as well as some of +the boat’s crew to the forward deck. Mercy Curtis, +who had lain down in a stateroom to rest, +drew back the blind and saw Ruth poised on the +wheel-box.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you do that, Ruth Fielding!” cried the +lame girl, who knew instinctively what her friend’s +intention was.</p> + +<p>But Ruth paid no more attention to her than +she had to the other girls. She was wearing a +heavy serge skirt, and she knew it would hamper +her in the water. With nimble fingers she unfastened +this and dropped it upon the deck. +Then, without an instant’s hesitation, she sprang +far out from the steamer, her body shooting +straight down, feet-first, to the water.</p> + +<p>Ruth was aware as she shot downward that +Tom Cameron was at the rail over her head. +The <i>Lanawaxa</i> swept by and he, having run +astern, leaned over and shouted to her. She had +a glimpse of something swinging out from the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_25'></a>25</span> +rail, too, and dropping after her into the lake, +and as the water closed over her head she realized +that he had thrown one of the lifebuoys.</p> + +<p>But deep as the water was, Ruth had no fear +for herself. She loved to swim and the instructor +at Briarwood had praised her skill. The only +anxiety she had as she sank beneath the surface +was for Mary Cox, who had already gone down +twice.</p> + +<p>She had leaped into the lake near where The +Fox had disappeared. Once beneath the surface, +Ruth opened her eyes and saw the shadow +of somebody in the water ahead. Three strokes +brought her within reach of it. She seized Mary +Cox by the hair, and although her school fellow +was still sinking, Ruth, with sturdy strokes, drew +her up to the surface.</p> + +<p>What a blessing it was to obtain a draught of +pure air! But The Fox was unconscious, and +Ruth had to bear her weight up, while treading +water, until she could dash the drops from her +eyes. There was the lifebuoy not ten yards away. +She struck out for it with one hand, while towing +Mary with the other. Long before the steamer +had been stopped and a boat lowered and manned, +Ruth and her burden reached the great ring, and +the girls were comparatively safe.</p> + +<p>Tom Cameron came in the boat, having forced +himself in with the crew, and it was he who +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_26'></a>26</span> +hauled Mary Cox over the gunwale, and then +aided Ruth into the boat.</p> + +<p>“That’s the second time you’ve saved that girl +from drowning, Ruth,” he gasped. “The first +time was last Fall when you and I hauled her out +of the hole in the ice on Triton Lake. And now +she would have gone down and stayed down if +you hadn’t dived for her. Now! don’t you ever +do it again!” concluded the excited lad.</p> + +<p>Had Ruth not been so breathless she must have +laughed at him; but there really was a serious +side to the adventure. Mary Cox did not recover +her senses until after they were aboard the +steamer. Ruth was taken in hand by a stewardess, +undressed and put between blankets, and her +clothing dried and made presentable before the +steamer docked at the head of the lake.</p> + +<p>As Tom Cameron had said, Mary Cox had +fallen through the ice early in the previous Winter, +and Ruth had aided in rescuing her; The Fox +had never even thanked the girl from the Red +Mill for such aid. And now Ruth shrank from +meeting her and being thanked on this occasion. +Ruth had to admit to herself that she looked forward +with less pleasure to the visit to the seashore +with Heavy because Mary Cox was to be of the +party. She could not like The Fox, and she +really had ample reason.</p> + +<p>The other girls ran into the room where Ruth +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_27'></a>27</span> +was and reported when Mary became conscious, +and how the doctor said that she would never +have come up to the surface again, she had taken +so much water into her lungs, had not Ruth +grasped her. They had some difficulty in bringing +The Fox to her senses.</p> + +<p>“And aren’t you the brave one, Ruthie Fielding!” +cried Heavy. “Why, Mary Cox owes her +life to you–she actually does <i>this</i> time. Before, +when you and Tom Cameron helped her +out of the water, she acted nasty about it<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Hush, Jennie!” commanded Ruth. “Don’t +say another word about it. If I had not jumped +into the lake after Mary, somebody else would.”</p> + +<p>“Pshaw!” cried Heavy, “you can’t get out +of it that way. And I’m glad it happened. Now +we <i>shall</i> have a nice time at Lighthouse Point, +for Mary can’t be anything but fond of you, +child!”</p> + +<p>Ruth, however, had her doubts. She remained +in the stateroom as long as she could after the +<i>Lanawaxa</i> docked. When she was dressed and +came out on the deck the train that took Heavy +and The Fox and the Steeles and Busy Izzy home, +had gone. The train to Cheslow started a few +minutes later.</p> + +<p>“Come on, Miss Heroine!” said Tom, grinning +at her as she came out on the deck. “You +needn’t be afraid now. Nobody will thank you. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_28'></a>28</span> +I didn’t hear her say a grateful word myself–and +I bet <i>you</i> won’t, either!”</p> + +<p>Helen said nothing at all about The Fox; but +she looked grave. The former president of the +Upedes had influenced Helen a great deal during +this first year at boarding school. Had Ruth +Fielding been a less patient and less faithful +chum, Helen and she would have drifted apart. +And perhaps an occasional sharp speech from +Mercy was what had served more particularly to +show Helen how she was drifting. Now the +lame girl observed:</p> + +<p>“The next time you see Mary Cox fall overboard, +Ruth, I hope you’ll let her swallow the +whole pond, and walk ashore without your help.”</p> + +<p>“If your name <i>is</i> ‘Mercy’ you show none to +either your friends or enemies; do you?” returned +Ruth, smiling.</p> + +<p>The girl from the Red Mill refused to discuss +the matter further, and soon had them all talking +upon a pleasanter theme. It was evening when +they reached Cheslow and Mercy’s father, of +course, who was the station agent, and Mr. Cameron, +were waiting for them.</p> + +<p>The big touring car belonging to the dry-goods +merchant was waiting for the young folk, and +after they had dropped Mercy Curtis at the little +cottage on the by-street, the machine traveled +swiftly across the railroad and out into the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_29'></a>29</span> +suburbs of the town. The Red Mill was five +miles from the railroad station, while the Camerons’ +fine home, “Outlook,” stood some distance +beyond.</p> + +<p>Before they had gotten out of town, however, +the car was held up in front of a big house set +some distance back from the road, and before +which, on either side of the arched gateway, was +a green lamp. The lamps were already lighted +and as the Cameron car came purring along the +street, with Helen herself under the steering +wheel (for she had begged the privilege of running +it home) a tall figure came hurrying out of +the gateway, signaling them to stop.</p> + +<p>“It’s Doctor Davison himself!” cried Ruth, +in some excitement.</p> + +<p>“And how are all the Sweetbriars?” demanded +the good old physician, their staunch friend and +confidant. “Ah, Tom, my fine fellow! have they +drilled that stoop out of your shoulders?”</p> + +<p>“We’re all right, Dr. Davison–and awfully +glad to see you,” cried Ruth, leaning out of the +tonneau to shake hands with him.</p> + +<p>“Ah! here’s the sunshine of the Red Mill–and +they’re needing sunshine there, just now, I +believe,” said the doctor. “Did you bring my +Goody Two-Sticks home all right?”</p> + +<p>“She’s all right, Doctor,” Helen assured him. +“And so are we–only Ruth’s been in the lake.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_30'></a>30</span>“In Lake Osago?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, sir–and it was wet,” Tom told him, +grinning.</p> + +<p>“I suppose she was trying to find that out,” returned +Dr. Davison. “Did you get anything +else out of it, Ruthie Fielding?”</p> + +<p>“A girl,” replied Ruth, rather tartly.</p> + +<p>“Oh-ho! Well, <i>that</i> was something,” began +the doctor, when Ruth stopped him with an abrupt +question:</p> + +<p>“Why do you say that they need me at home, +sir?”</p> + +<p>“Why–honey–they’re always glad to have +you there, I reckon,” said the doctor, slowly. +“Uncle Jabez and Aunt Alviry will both be glad +to see you<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“There’s trouble, sir; what is it?” asked Ruth, +gravely, leaning out of the car so as to speak into +his ear. “There <i>is</i> trouble; isn’t there? What +is it?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know that I can exactly tell you, +Ruthie,” he replied, with gravity. “But it’s +there. You’ll see it.”</p> + +<p>“Aunt Alviry<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Is all right.”</p> + +<p>“Then it’s Uncle Jabez?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, my child. It is Uncle Jabez. What it +is you will have to find out, I am afraid, for <i>I</i> +have not been able to,” said the doctor, in a whisper. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_31'></a>31</span> +“Maybe it is given to you, my dear, to +straighten out the tangles at the Red Mill.”</p> + +<p>He invited them all down to sample Old +Mammy’s cakes and lemonade the first pleasant +afternoon, and then the car sped on. But Ruth +was silent. What she might find at the Red +Mill troubled her.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_32'></a>32</span><a id='link_5'></a>CHAPTER V<br /><span class='h2fs'>THE TINTACKER MINE</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>It</span> was too late to more than see the outlines +of the mill and connecting buildings as the car +rushed down the hill toward the river road, between +which and the river itself, and standing on +a knoll, the Red Mill was. Ruth could imagine +just how it looked–all in dull red paint and clean +white trimmings. Miserly as Jabez Potter was +about many things, he always kept his property +in excellent shape, and the mill and farmhouse, +with the adjoining outbuildings, were painted +every Spring.</p> + +<p>A lamp burned in the kitchen; but all else was +dark about the place.</p> + +<p>“Don’t look very lively, Ruth,” said Tom. “I +don’t believe they expect you.”</p> + +<p>But even as he spoke the door opened, and a +broad beam of yellow lamplight shot out across +the porch and down the path. A little, bent figure +was silhouetted in the glow.</p> + +<p>“There’s Aunt Alviry!” cried Ruth, in delight. +“I know <i>she’s</i> all right.”</p> + +<p>“All excepting her back and her bones,” whispered +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_33'></a>33</span> +Helen. “Now, Ruthie! don’t you let anything +happen to veto our trip to Heavy’s seaside +cottage.”</p> + +<p>“Oh! don’t suggest such a thing!” cried her +brother.</p> + +<p>But Ruth ran up the path after bidding them +good-night, with her heart fast beating. Dr. +Davison’s warning had prepared her for almost +any untoward happening.</p> + +<p>But Aunt Alvirah only looked delighted to see +the girl as Ruth ran into her arms. Aunt Alvirah +was a friendless old woman whose latter +years would have been spent at the Cheslow Almshouse +had not Jabez Potter taken her to keep +house for him more than ten years before. Ill-natured +people said that the miller had done this +to save paying a housekeeper; but in Aunt Alvirah’s +opinion it was an instance of Mr. Potter’s +kindness of heart.</p> + +<p>“You pretty creetur!” cried Aunt Alvirah, +hugging Ruth close to her. “And how you’ve +growed! What a smart girl you are getting to +be! Deary, deary me! how I have longed for +you to git back, Ruthie. Come in! Come in! +Oh, my back and oh, my bones!” she complained, +under her breath, as she hobbled into the house.</p> + +<p>“How’s the rheumatics, Aunty?” asked Ruth.</p> + +<p>“Just the same, deary. Up one day, and down +the next. Allus will be so, I reckon. I’d be too +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_34'></a>34</span> +proud to live if I didn’t have my aches +and pains–Oh, my back and oh, my bones!” as she lowered +herself into her rocker.</p> + +<p>“Where’s Uncle Jabez?” cried Ruth.</p> + +<p>“Sh!” admonished Aunt Alvirah. “Don’t +holler, child. You’ll disturb him.”</p> + +<p>“Not <i>sick?</i>” whispered Ruth, in amazement.</p> + +<p>“No–o. Not sick o’ body, I reckon, child,” +returned Aunt Alvirah.</p> + +<p>“What <i>is</i> it, Aunt Alviry? What’s the matter +with him?” pursued the girl, anxiously.</p> + +<p>“He’s sick o’ soul, I reckon,” whispered the +old woman. “Sumpin’s gone wrong with him. +You know how Jabez is. It’s money matters.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, has he been robbed again?” cried Ruth.</p> + +<p>“Sh! not jest like that. Not like what Jasper +Parloe did to him. But it’s jest as bad for Jabez, +I reckon. Anyway, he takes it jest as hard as he +did when his cash-box was lost that time. But +you know how close-mouthed he is, Ruthie. He +won’t talk about it.”</p> + +<p>“About <i>what?</i>” demanded Ruth, earnestly.</p> + +<p>Aunt Alvirah rose with difficulty from her chair +and, with her usual murmured complaint of “Oh, +my back and oh, my bones!” went to the door +which led to the passage. Off this passage Uncle +Jabez’s room opened. She closed the door and +hobbled back to her chair, but halted before sitting +down.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_35'></a>35</span>“I never thought to ask ye, deary,” she said. +“Ye must be very hungry. Ye ain’t had no +supper.”</p> + +<p>“You sit right down there and keep still,” said +Ruth, smiling as she removed her coat. “I guess +I can find something to eat.”</p> + +<p>“Well, there’s cocoa. You make you a warm +drink. There’s plenty of pie and cake–and +there’s eggs and ham if you want them.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you fret about me,” repeated Ruth.</p> + +<p>“What makes you so mussed up?” demanded +Aunt Alvirah, the next moment. “Why, Ruth +Fielding! have you been in the water?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, ma’am. But you know water doesn’t +hurt me.”</p> + +<p>“Dear child! how reckless you are! Did you +fall in the lake?”</p> + +<p>“No, Aunty. I jumped in,” returned the girl, +and then told her briefly about her adventure on +the <i>Lanawaxa</i>.</p> + +<p>“Goodness me! Goodness me!” exclaimed +Aunt Alvirah. “Whatever would your uncle say +if he knew about it?”</p> + +<p>“And what is the matter with Uncle Jabez?” +demanded Ruth, sitting down at the end of the +table to eat her “bite.” “You haven’t told me +that.”</p> + +<p>“I ’lowed to do so,” sighed the old woman. +“But I don’t want him to hear us a-gossipin’ +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_36'></a>36</span> +about it. You know how Jabez is. I dunno as +he knows <i>I</i> know what I know<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“That sounds just like a riddle, Aunt Alvirah!” +laughed Ruth.</p> + +<p>“And I reckon it <i>is</i> a riddle,” she said. “I +only know from piecin’ this, that, and t’other together; +but I reckon I fin’ly got it pretty straight +about the Tintacker Mine–and your uncle’s lost +a power o’ money by it, Ruthie.”</p> + +<p>“What’s the Tintacker Mine?” demanded +Ruth, in wonder.</p> + +<p>“It’s a silver mine. I dunno where it is, ’ceptin’ +it’s fur out West and that your uncle put a lot of +money into it and he can’t git it out.”</p> + +<p>“Why not?”</p> + +<p>“’Cause it’s busted, I reckon.”</p> + +<p>“The mine’s ‘busted’” repeated the puzzled +Ruth.</p> + +<p>“Yes. Or so I s’pect. I’ll tell ye how it come +about. The feller come along here not long +after you went to school last Fall, Ruthie.”</p> + +<p>“What fellow?” asked Ruth, trying to get at +the meat in the nut, for Aunt Alvirah was very +discursive.</p> + +<p>“Now, you lemme tell it my own way, +Ruthie,” admonished the old woman. “You +would better,” and the girl laughed, and nodded. +“It was one day when I was sweepin’ the sittin’ +room–ye know, what Mercy Curtis had for her +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_37'></a>37</span> +bedroom while she was out here last Summer.”</p> + +<p>Ruth nodded again encouragingly, and the little +old woman went on in her usual rambling +way:</p> + +<p>“I was a-sweepin’, as I say, and Jabez come +by and put his head in at the winder. ‘That’s +too hard for ye, Alviry,’ says he. ‘Let the dust +be–it ain’t eatin’ nothin’.’ Jest like a man, ye +know!</p> + +<p>“‘Well,’ says I, ‘if I didn’t sweep onc’t in a +while, Jabez, we’d be wadin’ to our boot-tops in +dirt.’ Like that, ye know, Ruthie. And he says, +‘They hev things nowadays for suckin’ up the +dirt, instead of kickin’ it up that-a-way,’ and +with that a voice says right in the yard, ‘You’re +right there, Mister. An’ I got one of ’em here +to sell ye.’</p> + +<p>“There was a young feller in the yard with a +funny lookin’ rig-a-ma-jig in his hand, and his +hat on the back of his head, and lookin’ jest as +busy as a toad that’s swallered a hornet. My! +you wouldn’t think that feller had a minnit ter +stay, the way he acted. Scurcely had time to sell +Jabez one of them ‘Vac-o-jacs,’ as he called ’em.”</p> + +<p>“A vacuum cleaner!” exclaimed Ruth.</p> + +<p>“That’s something like it. Only it was like a +carpet-sweeper, too. I seen pitchers of ’em in the +back of a magazine onc’t. I never b’lieved they +was for more’n ornament; but that spry young +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_38'></a>38</span> +feller come in and worked it for me, and he sucked +up the dust out o’ that ingrain carpet till ye +couldn’t beat a particle out o’ it with an ox-goad!</p> + +<p>“But I didn’t seem ter favor that Vac-o-jac +none,” continued Aunt Alvirah. “Ye know how +close-grained yer Uncle is. I don’t expect him +ter buy no fancy fixin’s for an ol’ creetur like me. +But at noon time he come in and set one o’ the +machines in the corner.”</p> + +<p>“He bought it!” cried Ruth.</p> + +<p>“That’s what he done. He says, ‘Alviry, ef +it’s any good to ye, there it is! I calkerlate that’s +a smart young man. He got five dollars out o’ +me easier than <i>I</i> ever got five dollars out of a +man in all my days.’</p> + +<p>“I tell ye truthful, Ruthie! I can’t use it by +myself. It works too hard for anybody that’s +got my back and bones. But Ben, he comes in +once in a while and works it for me. I reckon +your uncle sends him.”</p> + +<p>“But, Aunt Alviry!” cried Ruth. “What +about the Tintacker Mine? You haven’t told me +a thing about <i>that</i>.”</p> + +<p>“But I’m a-comin’ to it,” declared the old +woman. “It’s all of a piece–that and the Vac-o-jac. +I seen the same young feller that sold +Jabez the sweeper hangin’ about the mill a good +bit. And nights Jabez figgered up his accounts +and counted his money till ’way long past midnight +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_39'></a>39</span> +sometimes. Bimeby he says to me, one +day:</p> + +<p>“‘Alviry, that Vac-o-jac works all right; +don’t it?’</p> + +<p>“I didn’t want to tell him it was hard to work, +and it does take up the dirt, so I says ‘Yes.’</p> + +<p>“‘Then I reckon I’ll give the boy the benefit +of the doubt, and say he’s honest,’ says Jabez.</p> + +<p>“I didn’t know what he meant, and I didn’t +ask. ’Twouldn’t be <i>my</i> place ter ask Jabez Potter +his business–you know that, Ruthie. So I +jest watched and in a day or two back come the +young sweeper feller again, and we had him to +dinner. This was long before Thanksgivin’. +They sat at the table after dinner and I heard +’em talking about the mine.”</p> + +<p>“Ah-ha!” exclaimed Ruth, with a smile. +“Now we come to the mine, do we?”</p> + +<p>“I told you it was all of a piece,” said Aunt +Alvirah, complacently. “Well, it seemed that +the boy’s father–this agent warn’t more than a +boy, but maybe he was a sharper, jest the same–the +boy’s father and another man found the mine. +Prospected for it, did they say?”</p> + +<p>“That is probably the word,” agreed Ruth, +much interested.</p> + +<p>“Well, anyhow, they found it and got out +some silver. Then the boy’s father bought out +the other man. Then he stopped finding silver in +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_40'></a>40</span> +it. And then he died, and left the mine to his +folks. But the boy went out there and rummaged +around the mine and found that there was still +plenty of silver, only it had to be treated–or put +through something–a pro–a prospect<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Process?” suggested Ruth.</p> + +<p>“That’s it, deary. Some process to refine the +silver, or git it out of the ore, or something. It +was all about chemicals and machinery, and all +that. Your Uncle Jabez seemed to understand +it, but it was all Dutch to me,” declared Aunt Alvirah.</p> + +<p>“Well, what happened?”</p> + +<p>“Why,” continued the old woman, “the Tintacker +Mine, as the feller called it, couldn’t be +made to pay without machinery being bought, and +all that. He had to take in a partner, he said. +And I jedge your Uncle Jabez bought into the +mine. Now, for all I kin hear, there ain’t no +mine, or no silver, or no nothin’. Leastwise, the +young feller can’t be heard from, and Jabez has +lost his money–and a big sum it is, Ruthie. It’s +hurt him so that he’s got smaller and smaller than +ever. Begrudges the very vittles we have on the +table, I believe. I’m afraid, deary, that unless +there’s a change he won’t want you to keep on at +that school you’re going to, it’s so expensive,” and +Aunt Alvirah gathered the startled girl into her +arms and rocked her to and fro on her bosom.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_41'></a>41</span>“That’s what I was comin’ to, deary,” she +sobbed. “I had ter tell ye; he told me I must. +Ye can’t go back to Briarwood, Ruthie, when it +comes Fall.”</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_42'></a>42</span><a id='link_6'></a>CHAPTER VI<br /><span class='h2fs'>UNCLE JABEZ AT HIS WORST</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>It</span> was true that Mr. Potter had promised Ruth +only one year at school. The miller considered +he owed his grand-niece something for finding and +restoring to him his cash-box which he had lost, +and which contained considerable money and the +stocks and bonds in which he had invested. Jabez +Potter prided himself on being strictly honest. +He was just according to his own notion. He +owed Ruth something for what she had done–something +more than her “board and keep”–and +he had paid the debt. Or, so he considered.</p> + +<p>There had been a time when Uncle Jabez +seemed to be less miserly. His hard old heart +had warmed toward his niece–or, so Ruth believed. +And he had taken a deep interest–for +him–in Mercy Curtis, the lame girl. Ruth +knew that Uncle Jabez and Dr. Davison together +had made it possible for Mercy to attend Briarwood +Hall. Of course, Uncle Jabez would cut +off that charity as well, and the few tears Ruth +cried that night after she went to bed were as +much for Mercy’s disappointment as for her +own.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_43'></a>43</span>“But maybe Dr. Davison will assume the entire +cost of keeping Mercy at school,” thought the +girl of the Red Mill. “Or, perhaps, Mr. Curtis +may have paid the debts he contracted while +Mercy was so ill, and will be able to help pay her +expenses at Briarwood.”</p> + +<p>But about herself she could have no such hope. +She knew that the cost of her schooling had been +considerable. Nor had Uncle Jabez, been niggardly +with her about expenditures. He had given +her a ten-dollar bill for spending money at the beginning +of each half; and twice during the school +year had sent her an extra five-dollar bill. Her +board and tuition for the year had cost over three +hundred dollars; it would cost more the coming +year. If Uncle Jabez had actually lost money in +this Tintacker Mine Ruth could be sure that he +meant what he had left to Aunt Alvirah to tell +her. He would not pay for another school year.</p> + +<p>But Ruth was a persevering little body and she +came of determined folk. She had continued at +the district school when the circumstances were +much against her. Now, having had a taste of +Briarwood for one year, she was the more anxious +to keep on for three years more. Besides, there +was the vision of college beyond! She knew that +if she remained at home, all she could look forward +to was to take Aunt Alvirah’s place as her +uncle’s housekeeper. She would have no chance +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_44'></a>44</span> +to get ahead in life. Life at the Red Mill seemed +a very narrow outlook indeed.</p> + +<p>Ruth meant to get an education. Somehow +(there were ten long weeks of Summer vacation +before her) she must think up a scheme for earning +the money necessary to pay for her second +year’s tuition. Three hundred and fifty dollars! +that was a great, great sum for a girl of Ruth +Fielding’s years to attempt to earn. How should +she “begin to go about it”? It looked an impossible +task.</p> + +<p>But Ruth possessed a fund of good sense. She +was practical, if imaginative, and she was just +sanguine enough to keep her temper sweet. +Lying awake and worrying over it wasn’t going +to do her a bit of good; she knew that. Therefore +she did not indulge herself long, but wiped +away her tears, snuggled down into the pillow, +and dropped asleep.</p> + +<p>In the morning she saw Uncle Jabez when she +came down stairs. The stove smoked and he +was growling about it.</p> + +<p>“Good morning, Uncle!” she cried and ran to +him and threw her arms around his neck and +kissed him–whether he would be kissed, or not!</p> + +<p>“There! there! so you’re home; are you?” he +growled.</p> + +<p>Ruth was glad to notice that he called it her +<i>home</i>. She knew that he did not want a word to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_45'></a>45</span> +be said about what Aunt Alvirah had told her +over night, and she set about smoothing matters +over in her usual way.</p> + +<p>“You go on and ’tend to your outside chores, +Uncle,” she commanded. “I’ll build this fire in +a jiffy.”</p> + +<p>“Huh! I reckon you’ve forgotten how to build +a kitchen fire–livin’ so long in a steam-heated +room,” he grunted.</p> + +<p>“Now, don’t you believe that!” she assured +him, and running out to the shed for a handful of +fat-pine, or “lightwood,” soon had the stove +roaring comfortably.</p> + +<p>“What a comfort you be, my pretty creetur,” +sighed Aunt Alvirah, as she hobbled down stairs. +“Oh, my back and oh, my bones! This is going +to be a <i>creaky day</i>. I feel the dampness.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you believe it, Aunty!” cried the girl. +“The sun’s going to come out and drive away +every atom of this mist. Cheer up!”</p> + +<p>And she was that way all day; but deep down +in her heart there was a very tender spot indeed, +and in her mind the thought of giving up Briarwood +rankled like a barbed arrow. She would +<i>not</i> give it up if she could help. But how ever +could she earn three hundred and fifty dollars? +The idea seemed preposterous.</p> + +<p>Aside from being with Aunt Alvirah, and helping +her, Ruth’s homecoming was not at all as she +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_46'></a>46</span> +had hoped it would be. Uncle Jabez was more +taciturn than ever, it seemed to the girl. She +could not break through the crust of his manner. +If she followed him to the mill, he was too busy +to talk, or the grinding-stones made so much noise +that talking was impossible. At night he did not +even remain in the kitchen to count up the day’s +gains and to study his accounts. Instead, he retired +with the cash-box and ledger to his own +room.</p> + +<p>She found no opportunity of opening any discussion +about Briarwood, or about the mysterious +Tintacker Mine, upon which subject Aunt Alvirah +had been so voluble. If the old man had +lost money in the scheme, he was determined to +give her no information at first hand about it.</p> + +<p>At first she was doubtful whether she should +go to Lighthouse Point. Indeed, she was not +sure that she <i>could</i> go. She had no money. But +before the week was out at dinner one day Uncle +Jabez pushed a twenty-dollar bill across the table +to her, and said:</p> + +<p>“I said ye should go down there to the seaside +for a spell, Ruth. Make that money do ye,” +and before she could either thank him or refuse +the money, Uncle Jabez stumped out of the house.</p> + +<p>In the afternoon Helen drove over in the pony +carriage to take Ruth to town, so the latter could +assure her chum that she would go to Lighthouse +Point and be one of Jennie Stone’s bungalow +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_47'></a>47</span> +party. They called on Dr. Davison and the girl +from the Red Mill managed to get a word in private +with the first friend she had made on her arrival +at Cheslow (barring Tom Cameron’s +mastiff, Reno) and told him of conditions as she +had found them at home.</p> + +<p>“So, it looks as though I had got to make my +own way through school, Doctor, and it troubles +me a whole lot,” Ruth said to the grave physician. +“But what bothers me, too, is Mercy<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Don’t worry about Goody Two-Sticks,” returned +the doctor, quickly. “Your uncle served +notice on me a week before you came home that +he could not help to put her through Briarwood +beyond this term that is closed. I told him he +needn’t bother. Sam Curtis is in better shape +than he was, and we’ll manage to find the money +to put that sharp little girl of his where she can +get all the education she can possibly soak in. +But you, Ruth<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“I’m going to find a way, too,” declared Ruth, +independently, yet secretly feeling much less confidence +than she appeared to have.</p> + +<p>Mercy was all ready for the seaside party +when the girls called at the Curtis cottage. The +lame girl was in her summer house, sewing and +singing softly to herself. She no longer glared +at the children as they ran by, or shook her fist +at them as she used to, because they could dance +and she could not.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_48'></a>48</span>On Monday they would start for the shore, +meeting Heavy and the others on the train, and +spending a good part of the day riding to Lighthouse +Point. Mr. Cameron had exercised his influence +with certain railroad officials and obtained +a private car for the young folk. The Cameron +twins and Ruth and Mercy would get aboard the +car at Cheslow, and Jennie Stone and her other +guests would join them at Jennie’s home town.</p> + +<p>Between that day and the time of her departure +Ruth tried to get closer to Uncle Jabez; but the +miller went about with lowering brow and scarcely +spoke to either Ruth or Aunt Alvirah.</p> + +<p>“It’s jest as well ye air goin’ away again so +quick, my pretty,” said the old woman, sadly. +“When Jabez gits one o’ these moods on him +there ain’t nobody understands him so well as me. +I don’t mind if he don’t speak. I talk right out +loud what I have to say an’ he can hear an’ reply, +or hear an’ keep dumb, jest whichever he +likes. They say ‘hard words don’t break no +bones’ an’ sure enough bein’ as dumb as an oyster +ain’t hurtin’ none, either. You go ’long an’ +have your fun with your mates, Ruthie. Mebbe +Jabez will be over his grouch when you come +back.”</p> + +<p>But Ruth was afraid that the miller would +change but little unless there was first an emphatic +betterment in the affairs of the Tintacker Mine.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_49'></a>49</span><a id='link_7'></a>CHAPTER VII<br /><span class='h2fs'>THE SIGNAL GUN</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>The</span> train did not slow down for Sandtown until +after mid-afternoon, and when the party of +young folk alighted from the private car there +were still five miles of heavy roads between them +and Lighthouse Point. It had been pleasant +enough when Ruth Fielding and her companions +left Cheslow, far up in New York State; but now +to the south and east the heavens were masked by +heavy, lead-colored clouds, and the wind came +from the sea in wild, rain-burdened gusts.</p> + +<p>“My! how sharp it is!” cried Ruth. “And +it’s salt!”</p> + +<p>“The salt’s in the air–especially when there +is a storm at sea,” explained Heavy. “And I +guess we’ve landed just in time to see a gale. I +hope it won’t last long and spoil our good time.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, but to see the ocean in a storm–that +will be great!” cried Madge Steele.</p> + +<p>The Stones’ house had been open for some +days and there were two wagons in readiness for +the party. The three boys and the baggage went +in one, while the five girls crowded into the other +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_50'></a>50</span> +and both wagons were driven promptly toward +the shore.</p> + +<p>The girls were just as eager as they could be, +and chattered like magpies. All but Mary Cox. +She had been much unlike her usual self all day. +When she had joined the party in the private car +that morning, Ruth noticed that The Fox looked +unhappy. Her eyes were swollen as though she +had been weeping and she had very little to say.</p> + +<p>For one thing Ruth was really thankful. The +Fox said nothing to her about the accident on the +<i>Lanawaxa</i>. She may have been grateful for +Ruth’s timely assistance when she fell into Lake +Osago; but she succeeded in effectually hiding her +gratitude.</p> + +<p>Heavy, however, confided to Ruth that Mary +had found sore trouble at home when she returned +from Briarwood. Her father had died the year +before and left his business affairs in a tangle. +Mary’s older brother, John, had left college and +set about straightening out matters. And now +something serious had happened to John. He +had gone away on business and for weeks his +mother had heard nothing from him.</p> + +<p>“I didn’t know but Mary would give up coming +with us–just as Lluella and Belle did,” said +the stout girl. “But there is nothing she can do at +home, and I urged her to come. We must all +try to make it particularly pleasant for her.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_51'></a>51</span>Ruth was perfectly willing to do her share; but +one can scarcely make it pleasant for a person +who refuses to speak to one. And the girl from +the Red Mill could not help feeling that The Fox +had done her best to make <i>her</i> withdraw from +Jennie Stone’s party.</p> + +<p>The sea was not in sight until the wagons had +been driven more than half the distance to the +Stone bungalow. Then, suddenly rounding a +sandy hill, they saw the wide sweep of the ocean +in the distance, and the small and quieter harbor +on the inviting shore of which the bungalow was +built.</p> + +<p>Out upon the far point of this nearer sandy +ridge was built the white shaft of the Sokennet +Light. Sokennet village lay upon the other side +of the harbor. On this side a few summer homes +had been erected, and beyond the lighthouse was +a low, wind-swept building which Heavy told the +girls was the life saving station.</p> + +<p>“We’ll have lots of fun down there. Cap’n +Abinadab Cope is just the nicest old man you +ever saw!” declared Heavy. “And he can tell +the most thrilling stories of wrecks along the +coast. And there’s the station ‘day book’ that +records everything they do, from the number of +pounds of coal and gallons of kerosene used each +day, to how they save whole shiploads of people<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_52'></a>52</span>“Let’s ask him to save a shipload for our +especial benefit,” laughed Madge. “I suppose +there’s only one wreck in fifteen or twenty years, +hereabout.”</p> + +<p>“Nothing of the kind! Sometimes there are a +dozen in one winter. And lots of times the surfmen +go off in a boat and save ships from being +wrecked. In a fog, you know. Ships get lost in +a fog sometimes, just as folks get lost in a forest<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Or in a blizzard,” cried Helen, with a lively +remembrance of their last winter’s experience at +Snow Camp.</p> + +<p>“Nothing like that will happen here, you +know,” said Ruth, laughing. “Heavy promised +that we shouldn’t be lost in a snowstorm at Lighthouse +Point.”</p> + +<p>“But hear the sea roar!” murmured Mary +Cox. “Oh! look at the waves!”</p> + +<p>They had now come to where they could see +the surf breaking over a ledge, or reef, off the +shore some half-mile. The breakers piled up as +high–seemingly–as a tall house; and when they +burst upon the rock they completely hid it for the +time.</p> + +<p>“Did you ever see such a sight!” cried Madge. +“‘The sea in its might’!”</p> + +<p>The gusts of rain came more plentifully as they +rode on, and so rough did the wind become, the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_53'></a>53</span> +girls were rather glad when the wagons drove in +at the gateway of the Stone place.</p> + +<p>Immediately around the house the owner had +coaxed some grass to grow–at an expense, so +Jennie said, of about “a dollar a blade.” But +everywhere else was the sand–cream-colored, +yellow, gray and drab, or slate where the water +washed over it and left it glistening.</p> + +<p>The entrance was at the rear; the bungalow +faced the cove, standing on a ridge which–as has +been before said–continued far out to the lighthouse.</p> + +<p>“And a woman keeps the light. Her husband +kept it for many, many years; but he died a year +ago and the government has continued her as +keeper. She’s a nice old lady, is Mother Purling, +and she can tell stories, too, that will make your +hair curl!”</p> + +<p>“I’m going over there right away,” declared +Mary, who had begun to be her old self again. +“Mine is as straight as an Indian’s.”</p> + +<p>“A woman alone in a lighthouse! isn’t that +great?” cried Helen.</p> + +<p>“She is alone sometimes; but there is an assistant +keeper. His name is Crab–and that’s what +he is!” declared Heavy.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I can see right now that we’re going to +have great fun here,” observed Madge.</p> + +<p>This final conversation was carried on after +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_54'></a>54</span> +the girls had run into the house for shelter from +a sharp gust of rain, and had been taken upstairs +by their hostess to the two big rooms in the front +of the bungalow which they were to sleep in. +From the windows they could see across the cove +to the village and note all the fishing and pleasure +boats bobbing at their moorings.</p> + +<p>Right below them was a long dock built out +from Mr. Stone’s property, and behind it was +moored a motor-launch, a catboat, and two rowboats–quite +a little fleet.</p> + +<p>“You see, there isn’t a sail in the harbor–nor +outside. That shows that the storm now blowing +up is bound to be a stiff one,” explained Heavy. +“For the fishermen of Sokennet are as daring as +any on the coast, and I have often seen them run +out to the banks into what looked to be the very +teeth of a gale!”</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, the boys had been shown to a good-sized +room at the back of the house, and they were +already down again and outside, breasting the intermittent +squalls from the sea. They had no +curls and furbelows to arrange, and ran all about +the place before dinner time.</p> + +<p>But ere that time arrived the night had shut +down. The storm clouds hung low and threatened +a heavy rainfall at any moment. Off on the +horizon was a livid streak which seemed to divide +the heavy ocean from the wind-thrashed clouds.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_55'></a>55</span>The company that gathered about the dinner +table was a lively one, even if the wind did shriek +outside and the thunder of the surf kept up a continual +accompaniment to their conversation–like +the deeper notes of a mighty organ. Mr. Stone, +himself, was not present; but one of Heavy’s +young aunts had come down to oversee the party, +and she was no wet blanket upon the fun.</p> + +<p>Of course, the “goodies” on the table were +many. Trust Heavy for that. The old black +cook, who had been in the Stone family for a generation, +doted on the stout girl and would cook +all day to please her young mistress.</p> + +<p>They had come to the dessert course when +suddenly Tom Cameron half started from his +chair and held up a hand for silence.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter, Tommy?” demanded +Busy Izzy, inquisitively. “What do you hear?”</p> + +<p>“Listen!” commanded Tom.</p> + +<p>The hilarity ceased suddenly, and all those at +the table listened intently. The sudden hush +made the noise of the elements seem greater.</p> + +<p>“What did you hear?” finally asked his sister.</p> + +<p>“A gun–there!”</p> + +<p>A distant, reverberating sound was repeated. +They all heard it. Heavy and her aunt, Miss +Kate, glanced at each other with sudden comprehension.</p> + +<p>“What is it?” Ruth cried.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_56'></a>56</span>“It’s a signal gun,” Heavy said, rather weakly.</p> + +<p>“A ship in distress,” explained Miss Kate, and +her tone hushed their clamor.</p> + +<p>A third time the report sounded. The dining +room door opened and the butler entered.</p> + +<p>“What is it, Maxwell?” asked Miss Kate.</p> + +<p>“A ship on the Second Reef, Miss,” he said +hurriedly. “She was sighted just before dark, +driving in. But it was plain that she was helpless, +and had gone broadside on to the rock. +She’ll break up before morning, the fishermen +say. It will be an awful wreck, ma’am, for there +is no chance of the sea going down.”</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_57'></a>57</span><a id='link_8'></a>CHAPTER VIII<br /><span class='h2fs'>THE LIFEBOAT IS LAUNCHED</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>The</span> announcement quelled all the jollity of the +party on the instant. Heavy even lost interest in +the sweetmeats before her.</p> + +<p>“Goodness me! what a terrible thing,” cried +Helen Cameron. “A ship on the rocks!”</p> + +<p>“Let’s go see it!” Busy Izzy cried.</p> + +<p>“If we can,” said Tom. “Is it possible, Miss +Kate?”</p> + +<p>Heavy’s aunt looked at the butler for information. +He was one of those well-trained servants +who make it their business to know everything.</p> + +<p>“I can have the ponies put into the long buckboard. +The young ladies can drive to the station; +the young gentlemen can walk. It is not +raining very hard at present.”</p> + +<p>Mercy elected to remain in the house with Miss +Kate. The other girls were just as anxious to +go to the beach as the boys. There were no +timid ones in the party.</p> + +<p>But when they came down, dressed in rainy-weather +garments, and saw the man standing at +the ponies’ heads, glistening in wet rubber, if one +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_58'></a>58</span> +had withdrawn probably all would have given up +the venture. The boys had already gone on +ahead, and the ship’s gun sounded mournfully +through the wild night, at short intervals.</p> + +<p>They piled into the three seats of the buckboard, +Ruth sitting beside the driver. The ponies +dashed away along the sandy road. It was two +miles to the life saving station. They passed the +three boys when they were only half way to their +destination.</p> + +<p>“Tell ’em not to save all the people from the +wreck till we get there!” shouted Tom Cameron.</p> + +<p>None of the visitors to Lighthouse Point realized +the seriousness of the happening as yet. +They were yet to see for the first time a good +ship battering her life out against the cruel rocks.</p> + +<p>Nor did the girls see the wreck at first, for a +pall of darkness lay upon the sea. There were +lights in the station and a huge fire of driftwood +burned on the beach. Around this they saw figures +moving, and Heavy said, as she alighted:</p> + +<p>“We’ll go right down there. There are some +women and children already–see? Sam will put +the horses under the shed here.”</p> + +<p>The five girls locked arms and ran around the +station. When they came to the front of the +building, a great door was wheeled back at one +side and men in oilskins were seen moving about +a boat in the shed. The lifeboat was on a truck +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_59'></a>59</span> +and they were just getting ready to haul her down +to the beach.</p> + +<p>“And the wreck must have struck nearly an +hour ago!” cried Madge. “How slow they +are.”</p> + +<p>“No,” said Heavy thoughtfully. “It is July +now, and Uncle Sam doesn’t believe there will be +any wrecks along this coast until September. In +the summer Cap’n Abinadab keeps the station +alone. It took some time to-night to find a crew–and possibly +some of these men are volunteers.”</p> + +<p>But now that the life-savers had got on the +ground, they went to work with a briskness and +skill that impressed the onlookers. They tailed +onto the drag rope and hauled the long, glistening +white boat down to the very edge of the sea. The +wind was directly onshore, and it was a fight to +stand against it, let alone to haul such a heavy +truck through the wet sand.</p> + +<p>Suddenly there was a glow at sea and the gun +boomed out again. Then a pale signal light +burned on the deck of the foundered vessel. As +the light grew those ashore could see her lower +rigging and the broken masts and spars. She lay +over toward the shore and her deck seemed a snarl +of lumber. Between the reef and the beach, too, +the water was a-foul with wreckage and planks +of all sizes.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_60'></a>60</span>“Lumber-laden, boys–and her deck load’s +broke loose!” shouted one man.</p> + +<p>The surf roared in upon the sands, and then +sucked out again with a whine which made Ruth +shudder. The sea seemed like some huge, ravening +beast eager for its prey.</p> + +<p>“How can they ever launch the boat into those +waves?” Ruth asked of Heavy.</p> + +<p>“Oh, they know how,” returned the stout girl.</p> + +<p>But the life-savers were in conference about +their captain. He was a short, sturdy old man +with a squarely trimmed “paint-brush” beard. +The girls drew nearer to the group and heard one +of the surfmen say:</p> + +<p>“We’ll smash her, Cap, sure as you’re born! +Those planks are charging in like battering-rams.”</p> + +<p>“We’ll try it, Mason,” returned Cap’n Abinadab. +“I don’t believe we can shoot a line to her +against this gale. Ready!”</p> + +<p>The captain got in at the stern and the others +took their places in the boat. Each man had a +cork belt strapped around his body under his arms. +There were a dozen other men to launch the lifeboat +into the surf when the captain gave the +word.</p> + +<p>He stood up and watched the breakers rolling +in. As a huge one curved over and broke in a +smother of foam and spray he shouted some command +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_61'></a>61</span> +which the helpers understood. The boat +started, truck and all, and immediately the men +launching her were waist deep in the surging, hissing +sea.</p> + +<p>The returning billow carried the boat off the +truck, and the lifeboatmen plunged in their oars +and pulled. Their short sharp strokes were in +such unison that the men seemed moved by the +same mind. The long boat shot away from the +beach and mounted the incoming wave like a +cork.</p> + +<p>The men ashore drew back the boat-truck out +of the way. The lifeboat seemed to hang on +that wave as though hesitating to take the plunge. +Ruth thought that it would be cast back–a wreck +itself–upon the beach.</p> + +<p>But suddenly it again sprang forward, and the +curling surf hid boat and men for a full minute +from the gaze of those on shore. The girls clung +together and gazed eagerly out into the shifting +shadows that overspread the riotous sea.</p> + +<p>“They’ve sunk!” gasped Helen.</p> + +<p>“No, no!” cried Heavy. “There! see +them?”</p> + +<p>The boat’s bow rose to meet the next wave. +They saw the men pulling as steadily as though +the sea were smooth. Old Cap’n Abinadab still +stood upright in the stern, grasping the heavy +steering oar.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_62'></a>62</span>“I’ve read,” said Ruth, more quietly, “that +these lifeboats are unsinkable–unless they are +completely wrecked. Water-tight compartments, +you know.”</p> + +<p>“That’s right, Miss,” said one of the men +nearby. “She can’t sink. But she can be +smashed–Ah!”</p> + +<p>A shout came back to them from the sea. The +wind whipped the cry past them in a most eerie +fashion.</p> + +<p>“Cap’n Abinadab shouting to the men,” explained +Heavy, breathlessly.</p> + +<p>Suddenly another signal light was touched off +upon the wreck. The growing light flickered over +the entire expanse of lumber-littered sea between +the reef and the beach. They could see the lifeboat +more clearly.</p> + +<p>She rose and sank, rose and sank, upon wave +after wave, all the time fighting her way out from +the shore. Again and again they heard the awesome +cry. The captain was warning his men how +to pull to escape the charging timbers.</p> + +<p>The next breaker that rolled in brought with +it several great planks that were dashed upon the +beach with fearful force. The splinters flew into +the air, the wind whipping them across the sands. +The anxious spectators had to dodge.</p> + +<p>The timbers ground together as the sea sucked +them back. Again and again they were rolled +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_63'></a>63</span> +in the surf, splintering against each other savagely.</p> + +<p>“One of those would go through that boat +like she was made of paper!” bawled one of +the fishermen.</p> + +<p>At that moment they saw the lifeboat lifted +upon another huge wave. She was a full cable’s +length from the shore, advancing very slowly. +In the glare of the Coston light the anxious spectators +saw her swerve to port to escape a huge +timber which charged upon her.</p> + +<p>The girls screamed. The great stick struck +the lifeboat a glancing blow. In an instant she +swung broadside to the waves, and then rolled +over and over in the trough of the sea.</p> + +<p>A chorus of shouts and groans went up from +the crowd on shore. The lifeboat and her courageous +crew had disappeared.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_64'></a>64</span><a id='link_9'></a>CHAPTER IX<br /><span class='h2fs'>THE GIRL IN THE RIGGING</span></h2> + +<p>“<span class='sc'>Oh</span>! isn’t it awful!” cried Helen, clinging +to Ruth Fielding. “I wish I hadn’t come.”</p> + +<p>“They’re lost!” quavered Mary Cox. +“They’re drowned!”</p> + +<p>But Heavy was more practical. “They can’t +drown so easily–with those cork-vests on ’em. +There! the boat’s righted.”</p> + +<p>It was a fact. Much nearer the shore, it was +true, but the lifeboat was again right side up. +They saw the men creep in over her sides and +seize the oars which had been made fast to her +so that they could not be lost.</p> + +<p>But the lifeboat was not so buoyant, and it was +plain that she had been seriously injured. Cap’n +Abinadab dared not go on to the wreck.</p> + +<p>“That timber mashed her in for’ard,” declared +a fisherman standing near the girls. +“They’ve got to give it up this time.”</p> + +<p>“Can’t steer in such a clutter of wreckage,” +declared another. “Not with an oared boat. +She ought to be a motor. Every other station +on this coast, from Macklin to Cape Brender, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_65'></a>65</span> +has a lifeboat driven by a motor. Sokennet allus +has to take other folks’ leavin’s.”</p> + +<p>Helplessly the lifeboat drifted shoreward. +The girls watched her, almost holding their +breath with excitement. The three boys raced +down to the beach now and joined them.</p> + +<p>“Crickey!” yelped little Isadore Phelps. +“We’re almost too late to see the fun!”</p> + +<p>“Hush!” commanded Ruth, sharply.</p> + +<p>“Your idea of fun, young man, is very much +warped,” Madge Steele added.</p> + +<p>“Haven’t they got the wrecked people off?” +demanded Tom, in wonder.</p> + +<p>At the moment an added Coston burned up +on the wreck. Its uncertain glare revealed the +shrouds and torn lower rigging. They saw several +figures–outlined in the glaring light–lashed +to the stays and broken spars. The craft was +a schooner, lumber-laden, and the sea had now +cast her so far over on her beam-ends that her +deck was like a wall confronting the shore. +Against this background the crew were visible, +clinging desperately to hand-holds, or lashed to +the rigging.</p> + +<p>And a great cry went suddenly up from the +crowd ashore. “There’s women aboard her–poor +lost souls!” quavered one old dame who +had seen many a terrifying wreck along the +coast.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_66'></a>66</span>Ruth Fielding’s sharper eyes had discovered +that one of the figures clinging to the wreck was +too small for a grown person.</p> + +<p>“It’s a child!” she murmured. “It’s a girl. +Oh, Helen! there’s a girl–no older than we–on +that wreck!”</p> + +<p>The words of the men standing about them +proved Ruth’s statement to be true. Others had +descried the girl’s figure in that perilous situation. +There was a woman, too, and seven men. Seven +men were ample to man a schooner of her size, +and probably the other two were the captain’s +wife and daughter.</p> + +<p>But if escape to the shore depended upon the +work of the lifeboat and her crew, the castaways +were in peril indeed, for the boat was coming +shoreward now with a rush. With her came the +tossing, charging timbers washed from the deck +load. The sea between the reef and the beach +was now a seething mass of broken and splintering +planks and beams. No craft could live in such +a seaway.</p> + +<p>But Ruth and her friends were suddenly conscious +of a peril nearer at hand. The broken +lifeboat with its crew was being swept shoreward +upon a great wave, and with the speed of an +express train. The great, curling, foam-streaked +breaker seemed to hurl the heavy boat through +the air.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_67'></a>67</span>“They’ll be killed! Oh, they will!” shrieked +Mary Cox.</p> + +<p>The long craft, half-smothered in foam, and +accompanied by the plunging timbers from the +wreck, darted shoreward with increasing velocity. +One moment it was high above their heads, +with the curling wave ready to break, and the +sea sucking away beneath its keel–bared for +half its length.</p> + +<p>Crash! Down the boat was dashed, with a +blow that (so it seemed to the unaccustomed spectators) +must tear it asunder.</p> + +<p>The crew were dashed from their places by +the shock. The waiting longshoremen ran to +seize the broken boat and drag it above high-water +mark. One of the crew was sucked back +with the undertow and disappeared for a full +minute. But he came in, high on the next wave, +and they caught and saved him.</p> + +<p>To the amazement of Ruth Fielding and her +young companions, none of the seven men who +had manned the boat seemed much the worse for +their experience. They breathed heavily and +their faces were grim. She could almost have +sworn that the youngest of the crew–he had +the figure “6” worked on the sleeve of his coat–had +tears of disappointment in his eyes.</p> + +<p>“It’s a desperate shame, lads!” croaked old +Cap’n Abinadab. “We’re bested. And the old +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_68'></a>68</span> +boat’s badly smashed. But there’s one thing +sure–no other boat, nor no other crew, couldn’t +do what we started to do. Ain’t no kick comin’ +on that score.”</p> + +<p>“And can’t the poor creatures out there be +helped? Must they drown?” whispered Helen +in Ruth’s ear.</p> + +<p>Ruth did not believe that these men would give +up so easily. They were rough seamen; but the +helplessness of the castaways appealed to +them.</p> + +<p>“Come on, boys!” commanded the captain of +the life saving crew. “Let’s git out the wagon. +I don’t suppose there’s any use, unless there comes +a lull in this etarnal gale. But we’ll try what +gunpowder will do.”</p> + +<p>“What are they going to attempt now?” +Madge Steele asked.</p> + +<p>“The beach wagon,” said somebody. +“They’ve gone for the gear.”</p> + +<p>This was no explanation to the girls until Tom +Cameron came running back from the house and +announced that the crew were going to try to +reach the schooner with a line.</p> + +<p>“They’ll try to save them with the breeches +buoy,” he said. “They’ve got a life-car here; +but they never use that thing nowadays if they +can help. Too many castaways have been near +smothered in it, they say. If they can get a line +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_69'></a>69</span> +over the wreck they’ll haul the crew in, one at +a time.”</p> + +<p>“And that girl!” cried Ruth. “I hope they +will send her ashore first. How frightened she +must be.”</p> + +<p>There was no more rain falling now, although +the spray whipped from the crests of the waves +was flung across the beach and wet the sightseers. +But with the lightening of the clouds a pale +glow seemed to spread itself upon the tumultuous +sea.</p> + +<p>The wreck could be seen almost as vividly as +when the signal lights were burned. The torn +clouds were driven across the heavens as rapidly +as the huge waves raced shoreward. And +behind both cloud and wave was the seething +gale. There seemed no prospect of the wind’s +falling.</p> + +<p>Ruth turned to see the crew which had failed +to get the lifeboat to the wreck, trundling a +heavy, odd-looking, two-wheeled wagon down +upon the beach. They worked as though their +fight with the sea had been but the first round of +the battle. Their calmness and skillful handling +of the breeches buoy gear inspired the onlookers +with renewed hope.</p> + +<p>“Oh, Cap’n Abinadab and the boys will get +’em this time,” declared Heavy. “You just +watch.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_70'></a>70</span>And Ruth Fielding and the others were not +likely to miss any motion of the crew of the life +saving station. The latter laid out the gear with +quick, sure action. The cannon was placed in +position and loaded. The iron bar to which the +line was attached was slipped into the muzzle +of the gun. The men stood back and the captain +pulled the lanyard.</p> + +<p>Bang!</p> + +<p>The sharp bark of the line-gun echoed distressingly +in their ears. It jumped back a pace, +for the captain had charged it to the full limit +allowed by the regulations. A heavier charge +might burst the gun.</p> + +<p>The line-iron hurtled out over the sea in a +long, graceful curve, the line whizzing after it. +The line unwound so rapidly from the frame on +which it was coiled that Ruth’s gaze could not +follow it.</p> + +<p>The sea was light enough for them to follow +the course of the iron, however, and a groan +broke from the lips of the onlookers when they +saw that the missile fell far short of the wreck. +To shoot the line into the very teeth of this gale, +as Cap’n Abinadab had said, was futile. Yet +he would not give up the attempt. This was +the only way that was now left for them to aid +the unfortunate crew of the lumber schooner. +If they could not get the breeches buoy to her +the sea would be the grave of the castaways.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_71'></a>71</span>For already the waves, smashing down upon +the grounded wreck, were tearing it apart. She +would soon break in two, and then the remaining +rigging and spars would go by the board and +with them the crew and passengers.</p> + +<p>Yet Captain Abinadab Cope refused to give +over his attempts to reach the wreck.</p> + +<p>“Haul in!” he commanded gruffly, when the +line fell short. Ruth marveled at the skill of +the man who rewound the wet line on the pegs +of the frame that held it. In less than five minutes +the life-savers were ready for another shot.</p> + +<p>“You take it when the regular crew are at +practice, sometimes,” whispered Heavy, to Ruth, +“and they work like lightning. They’ll shoot +the line and get a man ashore in the breeches +buoy in less than two minutes. But this is hard +work for these volunteers–and it means so +much!”</p> + +<p>Ruth felt as though a hand clutched at her +heart. The unshed tears stung her eyes. If +they should fail–if all this effort should go for +naught! Suppose that unknown girl out there +on the wreck should be washed ashore in the +morning, pallid and dead.</p> + +<p>The thought almost overwhelmed the girl +from the Red Mill. As the gun barked a second +time and the shot and line hurtled seaward, Ruth +Fielding’s pale lips uttered a whispered prayer.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_72'></a>72</span><a id='link_10'></a>CHAPTER X<br /><span class='h2fs'>THE DOUBLE CHARGE</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>But</span> again the line fell short.</p> + +<p>“They’ll never be able to make it,” Tom Cameron +said to the shivering girls.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I really wish we hadn’t come down +here,” murmured his sister.</p> + +<p>“Oh, pshaw, Nell! don’t be a baby,” he +growled.</p> + +<p>But he was either winking back the tears himself, +or the salt spray had gotten into his eyes. +How could anybody stand there on the beach and +feel unmoved when nine human beings, in view +now and then when the billows fell, were within +an ace of awful death?</p> + +<p>Again and again the gun was shotted and the +captain pulled the lanyard. He tried to catch +the moment when there was a lull in the gale; +but each time the shot fell short. It seemed +to be merely a waste of human effort and gunpowder.</p> + +<p>“I’ve ’phoned to the Minot Cove station,” the +captain said, during one of the intervals while +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_73'></a>73</span> +they were hauling in the line. “They’ve got a +power boat there, and if they can put to sea +with her they might get around to the other side +of the reef and take ’em off.”</p> + +<p>“She’ll go to pieces before a boat can come +from Minot Cove,” declared one grizzled fisherman.</p> + +<p>“I fear so, Henry,” replied the captain. +“But we got to do what we can. They ain’t +give me no leeway with this gun. Orders is +never to give her a bigger charge than what she’s +gettin’ now. But, I swan<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>He did not finish his sentence, but gravely +measured out the next charge of powder. When +he had loaded the gun he waved everybody back.</p> + +<p>“Git clean away, you lads. All of ye, now! +She’ll probably blow up, but there ain’t no use +in more’n one of us blowin’ up with her.”</p> + +<p>“What you done, Cap’n?” demanded one of +his crew.</p> + +<p>“Never you mind, lad. Step back, I tell ye. +She’s slewed right now, I reckon.”</p> + +<p>“What have you got in her?” demanded the +man again.</p> + +<p>“I’m goin’ to reach them folk if I can,” returned +Cap’n Abinadab. “I’ve double charged +her. If she don’t carry the line this time, she +never will. And she may carry it over the wreck, +even if she blows up. Look out!”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_74'></a>74</span>“Don’t ye do it!” cried the man, Mason, +starting forward. “If you pull that lanyard +ye’ll be blowed sky-high.”</p> + +<p>“Well, who should pull it if I don’t?” demanded +the old captain of the station, grimly. +“Guess old ’Binadab Cope ain’t goin’ to step +back for you young fellers yet a while. Come! +git, I tell ye! Far back–afar back.”</p> + +<p>“Oh! he’ll be killed!” murmured Ruth.</p> + +<p>“You come back here, Ruth Fielding!” commanded +Tom, clutching her arm. “If that gun +blows up we want to be a good bit away.”</p> + +<p>The whole party ran back. They saw the +last of the crew leave the old captain. He stood +firmly, at one side of the gun, his legs placed +wide apart; they saw him pull the lanyard. Fire +spat from the muzzle of the gun and with a +shriek the shot-line was carried seaward, toward +the wreck.</p> + +<p>The old gun, double charged, turned a somersault +and buried its muzzle in the sand. The +captain dodged, and went down–perhaps +thrown by the force of the explosion. But the +gun did not burst.</p> + +<p>However, he was upon his feet again in a +moment, and all the crowd were shouting their +congratulations. The flying line had carried +squarely over the middle of the wreck.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_75'></a>75</span>“Now, will they know what to do with it?” +gasped Ruth.</p> + +<p>“Wait! see that man–that man in the middle? +The line passed over his shoulder!” cried Heavy. +“See! he’s got it.”</p> + +<p>“And he’s hauling on it,” cried Tom.</p> + +<p>“There goes the line with the board attached,” +said Madge Steele, exultantly. The girls had already +examined this painted board. On it were +plain, though brief, instructions in English, +French, and Italian, to the wrecked crew as to +what they should do to aid in their own rescue. +But this schooner was probably from up Maine +way, or the “blue-nose country” of Nova Scotia, +and her crew would be familiar with the rigging +of the breeches buoy.</p> + +<p>They saw, as another light was burned on the +wreck, the man who had seized the line creep +along to the single mast then standing. It was +broken short off fifteen feet above the deck. He +hauled out the shot-line, and then a mate came to +his assistance and they rigged the larger line that +followed and attached the block to the stump of +the mast.</p> + +<p>Then on shore the crew of the life saving station +and the fishermen–even the boys from the +bungalow–hauled on the cable, and soon sent the +gear across the tossing waves. They had erected +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_76'></a>76</span> +a stout pair of wooden “shears” in the sand and +over this the breeches buoy gear ran.</p> + +<p>It went out empty, but the moment it reached +the staggering wreck the men there popped the +woman into the sack and those ashore hauled in. +Over and through the waves she came, and when +they caught her at the edge of the surf and +dragged the heavy buoy on to the dry land, she +was all but breathless, and was crying.</p> + +<p>“Don’t ye fear, Missus,” said one rough but +kindly boatman. “We’ll have yer little gal ashore +in a jiffy.”</p> + +<p>“She–she isn’t my child, poor thing,” panted +the woman. “I’m Captain Kirby’s wife. Poor +Jim! he won’t leave till the last one<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Of course he won’t, ma’am–and you wouldn’t +want him to,” broke in Cap’n Cope. “A skipper’s +got to stand by his ship till his crew an’ +passengers are safe. Now, you go right up to +the station<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, no!” she cried. “I must see them +all safe ashore.”</p> + +<p>The huge buoy was already being hauled back +to the wreck. There was no time to be lost, for +the waves had torn away the after-deck and it +was feared the forward deck and the mast would +soon go.</p> + +<p>Ruth went to the woman and spoke to her +softly.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_77'></a>77</span>“Who is the little girl, please?” she asked.</p> + +<p>“She ain’t little, Miss–no littler than you,” +returned Mrs. Kirby. “Her name is Nita.”</p> + +<p>“Nita?”</p> + +<p>“That’s what she calls herself.”</p> + +<p>“Nita what?” asked Ruth.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know, I’m sure. I believe she’s run +away from her folks. She won’t tell much about +herself. She only came aboard at Portland. In +fact, I found her there on the dock, and she +seemed hungry and neglected, and she told us first +that she wanted to go to her folks in New York–and that’s where +the <i>Whipstitch</i> was bound.”</p> + +<p>“The <i>Whipstitch</i> is the name of the schooner?”</p> + +<p>“Yes, Miss. And now Jim’s lost her. But–thanks +be!–she was insured,” said the captain’s +wife.</p> + +<p>At that moment another hearty shout went up +from the crowd on shore. The breeches buoy was +at the wreck again. They saw the men there lift +the girl into the buoy, which was rigged like a +great pair of overalls. The passenger sat in this +sack, with her legs thrust through the apertures +below, and clung to the ring of the buoy, which +was level with her shoulders.</p> + +<p>She started from the ship in this rude conveyance, +and the girls gathered eagerly to greet her +when she landed. But several waves washed completely +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_78'></a>78</span> +over the breeches buoy and the girl was +each time buried from sight. She was unconscious +when they lifted her out.</p> + +<p>She was a black-haired girl of fourteen or thereabout, +well built and strong. The captain’s wife +was too anxious about the crew to pay much attention +to the waif, and Ruth and her friends bore +Nita, the castaway, off to the station, where it was +warm.</p> + +<p>The boys remained to see the last of the crew–Captain +Kirby himself–brought ashore. And +none too soon was this accomplished, for within +the half hour the schooner had broken in two. +Its wreckage and the lumber with which it had +been loaded so covered the sea between the reef +and the shore that the waves were beaten down, +and had it been completely calm an active man +could have traveled dry-shod over the flotsam to +the reef.</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Nita had been brought to her +senses. But there was nothing at the station for +the girl from the wreck to put on while her own +clothing was dried, and it was Heavy who came +forward with a very sensible suggestion.</p> + +<p>“Let’s take her home with us. Plenty of things +there. Wrap her up good and warm and we’ll +take her on the buckboard. We can all crowd +on–all but the boys.”</p> + +<p>The boys had not seen enough yet, anyway, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_79'></a>79</span> +and were not ready to go; but the girls were eager +to return to the bungalow–especially when they +could take the castaway with them.</p> + +<p>“And there we’ll get her to tell us all about +it,” whispered Helen to Ruth. “My! she must +have an interesting story to tell.”</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_80'></a>80</span><a id='link_11'></a>CHAPTER XI<br /><span class='h2fs'>THE STORY OF THE CASTAWAY</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>There</span> was only the cook in the station and +nobody to stop the girls from taking Nita away. +She had recovered her senses, but scarcely appreciated +as yet where she was; nor did she seem to +care what became of her.</p> + +<p>Heavy called the man who had driven them +over, and in ten minutes after she was ashore the +castaway was on the buckboard with her new +friends and the ponies were bearing them all at a +spanking pace toward the Stone bungalow on +Lighthouse Point.</p> + +<p>The fact that this strange girl had been no relation +of the wife of the schooner’s captain, and that +Mrs. Kirby seemed, indeed, to know very little +about her, mystified the stout girl and her friends +exceedingly. They whispered a good deal among +themselves about the castaway; but she sat between +Ruth and Helen and they said little to her +during the ride.</p> + +<p>She had been wrapped in a thick blanket at the +station and was not likely to take cold; but Miss +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_81'></a>81</span> +Kate and old Mammy Laura bustled about a good +deal when Nita was brought into the bungalow; +and very shortly she was tucked into one of the +beds on the second floor–in the very room in +which Ruth and Helen and Mercy were to sleep–and +Miss Kate had insisted upon her swallowing +a bowl of hot tea.</p> + +<p>Nita seemed to be a very self-controlled girl. +She didn’t weep, now that the excitement was +past, as most girls would have done. But at +first she was very silent, and watched her entertainers +with snapping black eyes and–Ruth +thought–in rather a sly, sharp way. She seemed +to be studying each and every one of the girls–and +Miss Kate and Mammy Laura as well.</p> + +<p>The boys came home after a time and announced +that every soul aboard the <i>Whipstitch</i> +was safe and sound in the life saving station. +And the captain’s wife had sent over word that +she and her husband would go back to Portland +the next afternoon. If the girl they had picked +up there on the dock wished to return, she must +be ready to go with them.</p> + +<p>“What, go back to that town?” cried the castaway +when Ruth told her this, sitting right up +in bed. “Why, that’s the <i>last</i> place!”</p> + +<p>“Then you don’t belong in Portland?” asked +Ruth.</p> + +<p>“I should hope not!”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_82'></a>82</span>“Nor in Maine?” asked Madge, for the other +girls were grouped about the room. They were +all anxious to hear the castaway’s story.</p> + +<p>The girl was silent for a moment, her lips very +tightly pressed together. Finally she said, with +her sly look:</p> + +<p>“I guess I ain’t obliged to tell you that; am I?”</p> + +<p>“Witness does not wish to incriminate herself,” +snapped Mercy, her eyes dancing.</p> + +<p>“Well, I don’t know that I’m bound to tell you +girls everything I know,” said the strange girl, +coolly.</p> + +<p>“Right-oh!” cried Heavy, cordially. “You’re +visiting me. I don’t know as it is anybody’s business +how you came to go aboard the <i>Whipstitch</i><span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t mind telling you that,” said the +girl, eagerly. “I was hungry.”</p> + +<p>“Hungry!” chorused her listeners, and Heavy +said: “Fancy being hungry, and having to go +aboard a ship to get a meal!”</p> + +<p>“That was it exactly,” said Nita, bluntly. +“But Mrs. Kirby was real good to me. And the +schooner was going to New York and that’s +where I wanted to go.”</p> + +<p>“Because your folks live there?” shot in The +Fox.</p> + +<p>“No, they don’t, Miss Smartie!” snapped +back the castaway. “You don’t catch me so easy. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_83'></a>83</span> +I wasn’t born yesterday, Miss! My folks don’t +live in New York. Maybe I haven’t any folks. +I came from clear way out West, anyway–so +now! I thought ’way down East must be the +finest place in the world. But it isn’t.”</p> + +<p>“Did you run away to come East?” asked +Ruth, quietly.</p> + +<p>“Well–I came here, anyway. And I don’t +much like it, I can tell you.”</p> + +<p>“Ah-ha!” cried Mercy Curtis, chuckling to +herself. “I know. She thought Yankee Land +was just flowing in milk and honey. Listen! +here’s what she said to herself before she ran +away from home:</p> + +<div class='poetry'> +<p>“I wish I’d lived away Down East,</p> +<p> Where codfish salt the sea,</p> +<p>And where the folks have apple sass</p> +<p> And punkin pie fer tea!”</p> +</div> + +<p>“That’s the ‘Western Girl's Lament,’” pursued +Mercy. “So you found ’way down East nothing +like what you thought it was?”</p> + +<p>The castaway scowled at the sharp-tongued +lame girl for a moment. Then she nodded. +“It’s the folks,” she said. “You’re all so afraid +of a stranger. Do I look like I’d <i>bite</i>?”</p> + +<p>“Maybe not ordinarily,” said Helen, laughing +softly. “But you do not look very pleasant just +now.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_84'></a>84</span>“Well, people haven’t been nice to me,” grumbled +the Western girl. “I thought there were +lots of rich men in the East, and that a girl could +make friends ’most anywhere, and get into nice +families<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“To <i>work?</i>” asked Ruth, curiously.</p> + +<p>“No, no! You know, you read a lot about +rich folks taking up girls and doing everything +for them–dressing them fine, and sending them +to fancy schools, and all that.”</p> + +<p>“I never read of any such thing in my life!” +declared Mary Cox. “I guess you’ve been reading +funny books.”</p> + +<p>“Huh!” sniffed the castaway, who was evidently +a runaway and was not made sorry for her +escapade even by being wrecked at sea. “Huh! +I like a story with some life in it, I do! Jib +Pottoway had some dandy paper-covered novels +in his locker and he let me read ’em<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Who under the sun is Jib Pottoway?” gasped +Helen. “That isn’t a real name; is it?”</p> + +<p>“It’s ugly enough to be real; isn’t it?” retorted +the strange girl, chuckling. “Yep. That’s +Jib’s real name. ‘Jibbeway Pottoway’–that’s +the whole of it.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, oh!” cried Heavy, with her hand to her +face. “It makes my jaw ache to even try to +say it.”</p> + +<p>“What is he?” asked Madge, curiously.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_85'></a>85</span>“Injun,” returned the Western girl, laconically. +“Or, part Injun. He comes from ’way up +Canada way. His folks had Jibbeway blood.”</p> + +<p>“But <i>who</i> is he?” queried Ruth, curiously.</p> + +<p>“Why, he’s a puncher that works for<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>Well, +he’s a cow puncher. That’s ’nuff. It don’t +matter where he works,” added the girl, gruffly.</p> + +<p>“That might give away where you come from, +eh?” put in Mercy.</p> + +<p>“It might,” and Nita laughed.</p> + +<p>“But what is your name?” asked Ruth.</p> + +<p>“Nita, I tell you.”</p> + +<p>“Nita what?”</p> + +<p>“Never mind. Just Nita. Mebbe I never had +another name. Isn’t one name at a time sufficient, +Miss?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe that is your really-truly +name,” said Ruth, gravely.</p> + +<p>“I bet you’re right, Ruth Fielding!” cried +Heavy, chuckling. “‘Nita’ and ‘Jib Pottoway’ +don’t seem to go together. ‘Nita’ is altogether +too fancy.”</p> + +<p>“It’s a nice name!” exclaimed the strange girl, +in some anger. “It was the name of the girl in +the paper-covered novel–and it’s good enough +for me.”</p> + +<p>“But what’s your real name?” urged Ruth.</p> + +<p>“I’m not telling you that,” replied the runaway, +shortly.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_86'></a>86</span>“Then you prefer to go under a false name–even +among your friends?” asked the girl from +the Red Mill.</p> + +<p>“How do I know you’re my friends?” demanded +Nita, promptly.</p> + +<p>“We can’t very well be your enemies,” said +Helen, in some disgust.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know. Anybody’s my enemy who +wants to send me back–well, anyone who wants +to return me to the place I came from.”</p> + +<p>“Was it an institution?” asked Mary Cox +quickly.</p> + +<p>“What’s that?” demanded Nita, puzzled. +“What do you mean by an ‘institution’?”</p> + +<p>“She means a sort of school,” explained +Ruth.</p> + +<p>“Yes!” exclaimed The Fox, sharply. “A reform +school, or something of the kind. Maybe +an almshouse.”</p> + +<p>“Never heard of ’em,” returned Nita, unruffled +by the insinuation. “Guess they don’t have +’em where I come from. Did <i>you</i> go to one, +Miss?”</p> + +<p>Heavy giggled, and Madge Steele rapped The +Fox smartly on the shoulder. “There!” said +the senior. “It serves you right, Mary Cox. +You’re answered.”</p> + +<p>“Now, I tell you what it is!” cried the strange +girl, sitting up in bed again and looking rather +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_87'></a>87</span> +flushed, “if you girls are going to nag me, and +bother me about who I am, and where I come +from, and what my name is–though Nita’s a +good enough name for anybody<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Anybody but Jib Pottoway,” chuckled Heavy.</p> + +<p>“Well! and <i>he</i> warn’t so bad, if he <i>was</i> half +Injun,” snapped the runaway. “Well, anyway, +if you don’t leave me alone I’ll get out of bed +right now and walk out of here. I guess you +haven’t any hold on me.”</p> + +<p>“Better wait till your clothes are dry,” suggested +Madge.</p> + +<p>“Aunt Kate would never let you go,” said +Heavy.</p> + +<p>“I’ll go to-morrow morning, then!” cried the +runaway.</p> + +<p>“Why, we don’t mean to nag you,” interposed +Ruth, soothingly. “But of course we’re curious–and interested.”</p> + +<p>“You’re like all the other Eastern folk I’ve +met,” declared Nita. “And I don’t like you +much. I thought <i>you</i> were different.”</p> + +<p>“You’ve been expecting some rich man to +adopt you, and dress you in lovely clothes, and +all that, eh?” said Mercy Curtis.</p> + +<p>“Well! I guess there are not so many millionaires +in the East as they said there was,” grumbled +Nita.</p> + +<p>“Or else they’ve already got girls of their own +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_88'></a>88</span> +to look after,” laughed Ruth. “Why, Helen +here, has a father who is very rich. But you +couldn’t expect him to give up Helen and Tom +and take you into his home instead, could you?”</p> + +<p>Nita glanced at the dry-goods merchant’s +daughter with more interest for a moment.</p> + +<p>“And Heavy’s father is awfully rich, too,” +said Ruth. “But he’s got Heavy to support<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“And that’s some job,” broke in Madge, +laughing. “Two such daughters as Heavy would +make poor dear Papa Stone a pauper!”</p> + +<p>“Well,” said Nita, again, “I’ve talked enough. +I won’t tell you where I come from. And Nita <i>is</i> +my name–now!”</p> + +<p>“It is getting late,” said Ruth, mildly. “Don’t +you all think it would be a good plan to go to bed? +The wind’s gone down some. I guess we can +sleep.”</p> + +<p>“Good advice,” agreed Madge Steele. “The +boys have been abed some time. To-morrow is +another day.”</p> + +<p>Heavy and she and Mary went off to their +room. The others made ready for bed, and the +runaway did not say another word to them, but +turned her face to the wall and appeared, at least, +to be soon asleep.</p> + +<p>Ruth crept in beside her so as not to disturb +their strange guest. She was a new type of girl +to Ruth–and to the others. Her independence +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_89'></a>89</span> +of speech, her rough and ready ways, and her +evident lack of the influence of companionship +with refined girls were marked in this Nita’s character.</p> + +<p>Ruth wondered much what manner of home +she could have come from, why she had run away +from it, and what Nita really proposed doing so +far from home and friends. These queries kept +the girl from the Red Mill awake for a long +time–added to which was the excitement of the +evening, which was not calculated to induce sleep.</p> + +<p>She would have dropped off some time after the +other girls, however, had she not suddenly heard +a door latch somewhere on this upper floor, and +then the creep, creep, creeping of a rustling step +in the hall. It continued so long that Ruth wondered +if one of the girls in the other room was +ill, and she softly arose and went to the door, +which was ajar. And what she saw there in the +hall startled her.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_90'></a>90</span><a id='link_12'></a>CHAPTER XII<br /><span class='h2fs'>BUSY IZZY IN A NEW ASPECT</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>The</span> stair-well was a wide and long opening +and around it ran a broad balustrade. There +was no stairway to the third floor of this big +bungalow, only the servants’ staircase in the rear +reaching those rooms directly under the roof. So +the hall on this second floor, out of which the +family bedrooms opened, was an L-shaped room, +with the balustrade on one hand.</p> + +<p>And upon that balustrade Ruth Fielding beheld +a tottering figure in white, plainly visible in the +soft glow of the single light burning below, yet +rather ghostly after all.</p> + +<p>She might have been startled in good earnest +had she not first of all recognized Isadore Phelps’ +face. He was balancing himself upon the balustrade +and, as she came to the door, he walked +gingerly along the narrow strip of moulding toward +Ruth.</p> + +<p>“Izzy! whatever are you doing?” she hissed.</p> + +<p>The boy never said a word to her, but kept +right on, balancing himself with difficulty. He +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_91'></a>91</span> +was in his pajamas, his feet bare, and–she saw +it at last–his eyes tight shut.</p> + +<p>“Oh! he’s asleep,” murmured Ruth.</p> + +<p>And that surely was Busy Izzy’s state at that +moment. Sound asleep and “tight-rope walking” +on the balustrade.</p> + +<p>Ruth knew that it would be dangerous to +awaken him suddenly–especially as it might +cause him to fall down the stair-well. She crept +back into her room and called Helen. The two +girls in their wrappers and slippers went into the +hall again. There was Busy Izzy tottering along +in the other direction, having turned at the wall. +Once they thought he would plunge down the +stairway, and Helen grabbed at Ruth with a +squeal of terror.</p> + +<p>“Sh!” whispered her chum. “Go tell Tom. +Wake him up. The boys ought to tie Izzy in +bed if he is in the habit of doing this.”</p> + +<p>“My! isn’t he a sight!” giggled Helen, as she +ran past the gyrating youngster, who had again +turned for a third perambulation of the railing.</p> + +<p>She whispered Tom’s name at his open door +and in a minute the girls heard him bound out of +bed. He was with them–sleepy-eyed and hastily +wrapping his robe about him–in a moment.</p> + +<p>“For the land’s sake!” he gasped, when he +saw his friend on the balustrade. “What are +you<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_92'></a>92</span>“Sh!” commanded Ruth. “He’s asleep.”</p> + +<p>Tom took in the situation at a glance. Madge +Steele peered out of her door at that moment. +“Who is it–Bobbins?” she asked.</p> + +<p>“No. It’s Izzy. He’s walking in his sleep,” +said Ruth.</p> + +<p>“He’s a regular somnambulist,” exclaimed +Helen.</p> + +<p>“Never mind. Don’t call him names. He +can’t help it,” said Madge.</p> + +<p>Helen giggled again. Tom had darted back +to rouse his chum. Bob Steele appeared, more +tousled and more sleepy-looking than Tom.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter with that fellow now?” +he grumbled. “He’s like a flea–you never +know where he’s going to be next! Ha! he’ll +fall off that and break his silly neck.”</p> + +<p>And as Busy Izzy was just then nearest his end +of the hall in his strange gyrations, Bob Steele +stepped forward and grabbed him, lifting him +bodily off the balustrade. Busy Izzy screeched, +but Tom clapped a hand over his mouth.</p> + +<p>“Shut up! want to raise the whole neighborhood?” +grunted Bobbins, dragging the lightly attired, +struggling boy back into their room. “Ha! +I’ll fix you after this. I’ll lash you to the bedpost +every night we’re here–now mark that, +young man!”</p> + +<p>It seemed that the youngster often walked in +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_93'></a>93</span> +his sleep, but the girls had not known it. Usually, +at school, his roommates kept the dormitory door +locked and the key hidden, so that he couldn’t get +out to do himself any damage running around +with his eyes shut.</p> + +<p>The party all got to sleep again after that and +there was no further disturbance before morning. +They made a good deal of fun of Isadore +at the breakfast table, but he took the joking +philosophically. He was always playing pranks +himself; but he had learned to take a joke, too.</p> + +<p>He declared that all he dreamed during the +night was that he was wrecked in an iceboat on +Second Reef and that the only way for him to +get ashore was to walk on a cable stretched from +the wreck to the beach. He had probably been +walking that cable–in his mind–when Ruth had +caught him balancing on the balustrade.</p> + +<p>The strange girl who persisted in calling herself +“Nita” came down to the table in some of +Heavy’s garments, which were a world too large +for her. Her own had been so shrunk and stained +by the sea-water that they would never be fit to +put on again. Aunt Kate was very kind to her, +but she looked at the runaway oddly, too. Nita +had been just as uncommunicative to her as she +had been to the girls in the bedroom the night +before.</p> + +<p>“If you don’t like me, or don’t like my name, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_94'></a>94</span> +I can go away,” she declared to Miss Kate, coolly. +“I haven’t got to stay here, you know.”</p> + +<p>“But where will you go? what will you do?” +demanded that young lady, severely. “You say +the captain of the schooner and his wife are nothing +to you?”</p> + +<p>“I should say not!” exclaimed Nita. “They +were nice and kind to me, though.”</p> + +<p>“And you can’t go away until you have something +decent to wear,” added Heavy’s aunt. +“That’s the first thing to ’tend to.”</p> + +<p>And although it was a bright and beautiful +morning after the gale, and there were a dozen +things the girls were all eager to see, they spent +the forenoon in trying to make up an outfit for +Nita so that she would be presentable. The boys +went off with Mr. Stone’s boatkeeper in the motor +launch and Mary Cox was quite cross because the +other girls would not leave Miss Kate to fix up +Nita the best she could, so that they could all +accompany the boys. But in the afternoon the +buckboard was brought around and they drove to +the lighthouse.</p> + +<p>Nita, even in her nondescript garments, was +really a pretty girl. No awkwardness of apparel +could hide the fact that she had nice features and +that her body was strong and lithe. She moved +about with a freedom that the other girls did not +possess. Even Ruth was not so athletic as the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_95'></a>95</span> +strange girl. And yet she seemed to know nothing +at all about the games and the exercises which +were commonplace to the girls from Briarwood +Hall.</p> + +<p>There was a patch of wind-blown, stunted trees +and bushes covering several acres of the narrowing +point, before the driving road along the ridge +brought the visitors to Sokennet Light. While +they were driving through this a man suddenly +bobbed up beside the way and the driver hailed +him.</p> + +<p>“Hullo, you Crab!” he said. “Found anything +’long shore from that wreck?”</p> + +<p>The man stood up straight and the girls +thought him a very horrid-looking object. He +had a great beard and his hair was dark and +long.</p> + +<p>“He’s a bad one for looks; ain’t he, Miss?” +asked the driver of Ruth, who sat beside him.</p> + +<p>“He isn’t very attractive,” she returned.</p> + +<p>“Ha! I guess not. And Crab’s as bad as he +looks, which is saying a good deal. He comes of +the ‘wreckers.’ Before there was a light here, +or life saving stations along this coast, there was +folks lived along here that made their livin’ out +of poor sailors wrecked out there on the reefs. +Some said they used to toll vessels onto the rocks +with false lights. Anyhow, Crab’s father, and his +gran’ther, was wreckers. He’s assistant lightkeeper; +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_96'></a>96</span> +but he oughtn’t to be. I don’t see how +Mother Purling can get along with him.”</p> + +<p>“She isn’t afraid of him; is she?” queried +Ruth.</p> + +<p>“She isn’t afraid of anything,” said Heavy, +quickly, from the rear seat. “You wait till you +see her.”</p> + +<p>The buckboard went heavily on toward the +lighthouse; but the girls saw that the man stood +for a long time–as long as they were in sight, +at least–staring after them.</p> + +<p>“What do you suppose he looked at Nita so +hard for?” whispered Helen in Ruth’s ear. “I +thought he was going to speak to her.”</p> + +<p>But Ruth had not noticed this, nor did the runaway +girl seem to have given the man any particular +attention.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_97'></a>97</span><a id='link_13'></a>CHAPTER XIII<br /><span class='h2fs'>CRAB PROVES TO BE OF THE HARDSHELL VARIETY</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>They</span> came to the lighthouse. There was only +a tiny, whitewashed cottage at the foot of the tall +shaft. It seemed a long way to the brass-trimmed +and glistening lantern at the top. Ruth wondered +how the gaunt old woman who came to the door +to welcome them could ever climb those many, +many stairs to the narrow gallery at the top of +the shaft. She certainly could not suffer as Aunt +Alvirah did with <i>her</i> back and bones.</p> + +<p>Sokennet Light was just a steady, bright light, +sending its gleam far seaward. There was no +mechanism for turning, such as marks the revolving +lights in so many lighthouses. The simplicity +of everything about Sokennet Light was what +probably led the department officials to allow +Mother Purling to remain after her husband +died in harness.</p> + +<p>“Jack Crab has done his cleaning and gone +about his business,” said Mother Purling, to the +girls. “Ye may all climb up to the lantern if ye +wish; but touch nothing.”</p> + +<p>Beside the shaft of the light was a huge fog +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_98'></a>98</span> +bell. That was rung by clockwork. Mother +Purling showed Ruth and her companions how it +worked before the girls started up the stairs. +Mercy remained in the little house with the good +old woman, for she never could have hobbled up +those spiral stairs.</p> + +<p>“It’s too bad about that girl,” said Nita, +brusquely, to Ruth. “Has she always been +lame?”</p> + +<p>Ruth warmed toward the runaway immediately +when she found that Nita was touched by Mercy +Curtis’ affliction. She told Nita how the lame +girl had once been much worse off than she was +now, and all about her being operated on by the +great physician.</p> + +<p>“She’s so much better off now than she was!” +cried Ruth. “And so much happier!”</p> + +<p>“But she’s a great nuisance to have along,” +snapped Mary Cox, immediately behind them. +“She had better stayed at home, I should +think.”</p> + +<p>Ruth flushed angrily, but before she could +speak, Nita said, looking coolly at The Fox:</p> + +<p>“You’re a might snappy, snarly sort of a girl; +ain’t you? And you think you are dreadfully +smart. But somebody told you that. It ain’t so. +I’ve seen a whole lot smarter than you. You +wouldn’t last long among the boys where <i>I</i> come +from.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_99'></a>99</span>“Thank you!” replied Mary, her head in the +air. “I wouldn’t care to be liked by the boys. +It isn’t ladylike to think of the boys all the +time<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“These are grown men, I mean,” said Nita, +coolly. “The punchers that work for–well, just +cow punchers. You call them cowboys. They +know what’s good and fine, jest as well as Eastern +folks. And a girl that talks like you do about a +cripple wouldn’t go far with them.”</p> + +<p>“I suppose your friend, the half-Indian, is a +critic of deportment,” said The Fox, with a laugh.</p> + +<p>“Well, Jib wouldn’t say anything mean about +a cripple,” said Nita, in her slow way, and The +Fox seemed to have no reply.</p> + +<p>But this little by-play drew Ruth Fielding closer +to the queer girl who had selected her “hifaluting” +name because it was the name of a girl in +a paper-covered novel.</p> + +<p>Nita had lived out of doors, that was plain. +Ruth believed, from what the runaway had said, +that she came from the plains of the great West. +She had lived on a ranch. Perhaps her folks +owned a ranch, and they might even now be +searching the land over for their daughter. The +thought made the girl from the Red Mill very +serious, and she determined to try and gain Nita’s +confidence and influence her, if she could, to tell +the truth about herself and to go back to her +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_100'></a>100</span> +home. She knew that she could get Mr. Cameron +to advance Nita’s fare to the West, if the girl +would return.</p> + +<p>But up on the gallery in front of the shining +lantern of the lighthouse there was no chance to +talk seriously to the runaway. Heavy had to sit +down when she reached this place, and she declared +that she puffed like a steam engine. Then, +when she had recovered her breath, she pointed +out the places of interest to be seen from the +tower–the smoke of Westhampton to the north; +Fuller’s Island, with its white sands and gleaming +green lawns and clumps of wind-blown trees; the +long strip of winding coast southward, like a ribbon +laid down for the sea to wash, and far, far +to the east, over the tumbling waves, still boisterous +with the swell of last night’s storm, the +white riding sail of the lightship on No Man’s +Shoal.</p> + +<p>They came down after an hour, wind-blown, +the taste of salt on their lips, and delighted with +the view. They found the ugly, hairy man sitting +on the doorstep, listening with a scowl and a grin +to Mercy’s sharp speeches.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know what brought you back here to +the light, Jack Crab, at this time of day,” said +Mother Purling. “You ain’t wanted.”</p> + +<p>“I likes to see comp’ny, too, <i>I</i> do,” growled +the man.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_101'></a>101</span>“Well, these girls ain’t your company,” returned +the old woman. “Now! get up and be +off. Get out of the way.”</p> + +<p>Crab rose, surlily enough, but his sharp eyes +sought Nita. He looked her all over, as though +she were some strange object that he had never +seen before.</p> + +<p>“So you air the gal they brought ashore off +the lumber schooner last night?” he asked +her.</p> + +<p>“Yes, I am,” she returned, flatly.</p> + +<p>“You ain’t got no folks around here; hev ye?” +he continued.</p> + +<p>“No, I haven’t.”</p> + +<p>“What’s your name?”</p> + +<p>“Puddin’ Tame!” retorted Mercy, breaking +in, in her shrill way. “And she lives in the lane, +and her number’s cucumber! There now! do +you know all you want to know, Hardshell?”</p> + +<p>Crab growled something under his breath and +went off in a hangdog way.</p> + +<p>“That’s a bad man,” said Mercy, with confidence. +“And he’s much interested in you, Miss +Nita Anonymous. Do you know why?”</p> + +<p>“I’m sure I don’t,” replied Nita, laughing quite +as sharply as before, but helping the lame girl to +the buckboard with kindliness.</p> + +<p>“You look out for him, then,” said Mercy, +warningly. “He’s a hardshell crab, all right. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_102'></a>102</span> +And either he thinks he knows you, or he’s got +something in his mind that don’t mean good to +you.”</p> + +<p>But only Ruth heard this. The others were +bidding Mother Purling good-bye.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_103'></a>103</span><a id='link_14'></a>CHAPTER XIV<br /><span class='h2fs'>THE TRAGIC INCIDENT IN A FISHING EXCURSION</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>The</span> boys had returned when the party drove +back to the bungalow from the lighthouse. A +lighthouse might be interesting, and it was fine +to see twenty-odd miles to the No Man’s Shoal, +and Mother Purling might be a <i>dear</i>–but the +girls hadn’t done anything, and the boys had. +They had fished for halibut and had caught a +sixty-five-pound one. Bobbins had got it on his +hook; but it took all three of them, with the boatkeeper’s +advice, to get the big, flapping fish over +the side.</p> + +<p>They had part of that fish for supper. Heavy +was enraptured, and the other girls had a saltwater +appetite that made them enjoy the fish, too. +It was decided to try for blackfish off the rocks +beyond Sokennet the next morning.</p> + +<p>“We’ll go over in the <i>Miraflame</i>”–(that was +the name of the motor boat)–“and we’ll take +somebody with us to help Phineas,” Heavy declared. +Phineas was the boatman who had +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_104'></a>104</span> +charge of Mr. Stone’s little fleet. “Phin is a +great cook and he’ll get us up a regular fish +dinner<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Oh, dear, Jennie Stone! how <i>can</i> you?” +broke in Helen, with her hands clasped.</p> + +<p>“How can I <i>what</i>, Miss?” demanded the stout +girl, scenting trouble.</p> + +<p>“How can you, when we are eating such a perfect +dinner as this, be contemplating any other +future occasion when we possibly shall be hungry?”</p> + +<p>The others laughed, but Heavy looked at her +school friends with growing contempt. “You +talk–you talk,” she stammered, “well! you don’t +talk English–that I’m sure of! And you needn’t +put it all on me. You all eat with good appetites. +And you’d better thank me, not quarrel with me. +If I didn’t think of getting nice things to eat, +you’d miss a lot, now I tell you. You don’t know +how I went out in Mammy Laura’s kitchen this +very morning, before most of you had your hair +out of curl-papers, and just <i>slaved</i> to plan the +meals for to-day.”</p> + +<p>“Hear! hear!” chorused the boys, drumming +with their knife handles on the table. “We’re +for Jennie! She’s all right.”</p> + +<p>“See!” flashed in Mercy, with a gesture. +“Miss Stone has won the masculine portion of +the community by the only unerring way–the only +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_105'></a>105</span> +straight path to the heart of a boy is through his +stomach.”</p> + +<p>“I guess we can all thank Jennie,” said Ruth, +laughing quietly, “for her attention to our appetites. +But I fear if she had expected to fast herself +to-day she’d still be abed!”</p> + +<p>They were all lively at dinner, and they spent +a lively evening, towards the end of which Bob +Steele gravely went out of doors and brought in +an old boat anchor, or kedge, weighing so many +pounds that even he could scarcely carry it upstairs +to the bed chamber which he shared with +Tom and Isadore.</p> + +<p>“What are you going to do with that thing, +Bobby Steele?” demanded his sister.</p> + +<p>“Going to anchor Busy Izzy to it with a rope. +I bet he won’t walk far in his sleep to-night,” +declared Bobbins.</p> + +<p>With the fishing trip in their minds, all were +astir early the next morning. Miss Kate had +agreed to go with them, for Mercy believed that +she could stand the trip, as the sea was again calm. +She could remain in the cabin of the motor boat +while the others were fishing off the rocks for +tautog and rock-bass. The boys all had poles; but +the girls said they would be content to cast their +lines from the rock and hope for nibbles from the +elusive blackfish.</p> + +<p>The <i>Miraflame</i> was a roomy craft and well +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_106'></a>106</span> +furnished. When they started at nine o’clock the +party numbered eleven, besides the boatman and +his assistant. To the surprise of Ruth–and it +was remarked in whispers by the other girls, too–Phineas, the +boatkeeper, had chosen Jack Crab +to assist him in the management of the motor +boat.</p> + +<p>“Jack doesn’t have to be at the light till dark. +The old lady gets along all right alone,” explained +Phineas. “And it ain’t many of these longshoremen +who know how to handle a motor. Jack’s +used to machinery.”</p> + +<p>He seemed to feel that it was necessary to +excuse himself for hiring the hairy man. But +Heavy only said:</p> + +<p>“Well, as long as he behaves himself I don’t +care. But I didn’t suppose you liked the fellow, +Phin.”</p> + +<p>“I don’t. It was Hobson’s choice, Miss,” returned +the sailor.</p> + +<p>Phineas, the girls found, was a very pleasant +and entertaining man. And he knew all about +fishing. He had supplied the bait for tautog, and +the girls and boys of the party, all having lived +inland, learned many things that they hadn’t +known before.</p> + +<p>“Look at this!” cried Madge Steele, the first +to discover a miracle. “He says this bait for +tautog is scallops! Now, that quivering, jelly-like +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_107'></a>107</span> +body is never a scallop. Why, a scallop is a firm, +white lump<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“It’s a mussel,” said Heavy, laughing.</p> + +<p>“It’s only the ‘eye’ of the scallop you eat, +Miss,” explained Phineas.</p> + +<p>“Now I know just as much as I did before,” +declared Madge. “So I eat a scallop’s <i>eye</i>, do +I? We had them for breakfast this very morning–with +bacon.”</p> + +<p>“So you did, Miss. I raked ’em up myself yesterday +afternoon,” explained Phineas. “You eat +the ‘eye,’ but these are the bodies, and they are +the reg’lar natural food of the tautog, or blackfish.”</p> + +<p>“The edible part of the scallop is that muscle +which adheres to the shell–just like the muscle +that holds the clam to its shell,” said Heavy, who, +having spent several summers at the shore, was +better informed than her friends.</p> + +<p>Phineas showed the girls how to bait their +hooks with the soft bodies of the scallop, warning +them to cover the point of the hooks well, and to +pull quickly if they felt the least nibble.</p> + +<p>“The tautog is a small-mouthed fish–smaller, +even, than the bass the boys are going to cast for. +So, when he touches the hook at all, you want to +grab him.”</p> + +<p>“Does it <i>hurt</i> the fish to be caught?” asked +Helen, curiously.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_108'></a>108</span>Phineas grinned. “I never axed ’em, ma’am,” +he said.</p> + +<p>The <i>Miraflame</i> carried them swiftly down the +cove, or harbor, of Sokennet and out past the +light. The sea was comparatively calm, but the +surf roared against the rocks which hedged in the +sand dunes north of the harbor’s mouth. It was +in this direction that Phineas steered the launch, +and for ten miles the craft spun along at a pace +that delighted the whole party.</p> + +<p>“We’re just skimming the water!” cried Tom +Cameron. “Oh, Nell! I’m going to coax father +till he buys one for us to use on the Lumano.”</p> + +<p>“I’ll help tease,” agreed his twin, her eyes +sparkling.</p> + +<p>Nita, the runaway, looked from brother to sister +with sudden interest. “Does your father give +you everything you ask him for?” she demanded.</p> + +<p>“Not much!” cried Tom. “But dear old dad +is pretty easy with us and–Mrs. Murchiston says–gives in to +us too much.”</p> + +<p>“But, does he buy you such things as boats–right +out–for you just to play with?”</p> + +<p>“Why, of course!” cried Tom.</p> + +<p>“And I couldn’t even have a piano,” muttered +Nita, turning away with a shrug. “I told him he +was a mean old hunks!”</p> + +<p>“Whom did you say that to?” asked Ruth, +quietly.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_109'></a>109</span>“Never you mind!” returned Nita, angrily. +“But that’s what he is.”</p> + +<p>Ruth treasured these observations of the runaway. +She was piecing them together, and although +as yet it was a very patched bit of work, +she was slowly getting a better idea of who Nita +was and her home surroundings.</p> + +<p>Finally the <i>Miraflame</i> ran in between a sheltering +arm of rock and the mainland. The sea was +very still in here, the heave and surge of the water +only murmuring among the rocks. There was an +old fishing dock at which the motor boat was +moored. Then everybody went ashore and Phineas +and Jack Crab pointed out the best fishing +places along the rocks.</p> + +<p>These were very rugged ledges, and the water +sucked in among them, and hissed, and chuckled, +and made all sorts of gurgling sounds while the +tide rose. There were small caves and little +coves and all manner of odd hiding places in the +rocks.</p> + +<p>But the girls and boys were too much interested +in the proposed fishing to bother about anything +else just then. Phineas placed Ruth on the side +of a round-topped boulder, where she stood on +a very narrow ledge, with a deep green pool at +her feet. She was hidden from the other fishers–even +from the boys, who clambered around to the +tiny cape that sheltered the basin into which the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_110'></a>110</span> +motor boat had been run, and from the point of +which they expected to cast for bass.</p> + +<p>“Now, Miss,” said the boatkeeper, “down at +the bottom of this still pool Mr. Tautog is feeding +on the rocks. Drop your baited hook down +gently to him. And if he nibbles, pull sharply at +first, and then, with a stead, hand-over-hand motion, +draw him in.”</p> + +<p>Ruth was quite excited; but once she saw Nita +and the man, Crab, walking farther along the +rocks, and Ruth wondered that the fellow was so +attentive to the runaway. But this was merely a +passing thought. Her mind returned to the line +she watched.</p> + +<p>She pulled it up after a long while; the hook +was bare. Either Mr. Tautog had been very, +very careful when he nibbled the bait, or the said +bait had slipped off. It was not easy to make the +jelly-like body of the scallop remain on the hook. +But Ruth was as anxious to catch a fish as the +other girls, and she had watched Phineas with +sharp and eager eyes when he baited the +hook.</p> + +<p>Ruth dropped it over the edge of the rock again +after a minute. It sank down, down, down<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>Was +that a nibble? She felt the faintest sort of +a jerk on the line. Surely something was at the +bait!</p> + +<p>Again the jerk. Ruth returned the compliment +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_111'></a>111</span> +by giving the line a prompt tug. Instantly she +knew that she had hooked him!</p> + +<p>“Oh! <i>oh!</i> <span class='sc'>oh</span>!” she gasped, in a rising scale +of delight and excitement.</p> + +<p>She pulled in on the line. The fish was heavy, +and he tried to pull his way, too. The blackfish +is not much of a fighter, but he can sag back and +do his obstinate best to remain in the water when +the fisher is determined to get him out.</p> + +<p>This fellow weighed two pounds and a half +and was well hooked. Ruth, her cheeks glowing, +her eyes dancing, hauled in, and in, and in<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>There +he came out of the water, a plump, glistening +body, that flapped and floundered in the air, +and on the ledge at her feet. She desired mightily +to cry out; but Phineas had warned them all to +be still while they fished. Their voices might +scare all the fish away.</p> + +<p>She unhooked it beautifully, seizing it firmly +in the gills. Phineas had shown her where to lay +any she might catch in a little cradle in the rock +behind her. It was a damp little hollow, and +Mr. Tautog could not flop out into the sea again.</p> + +<p>Oh! it was fun to bait the hook once more with +trembling fingers, and heave the weighted line +over the edge of the narrow ledge on which she +stood. There might be another–perhaps even +a bigger one–waiting down there to seize upon +the bait.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_112'></a>112</span>And just then Mary Cox, her hair tousled and +a distressfully discontented expression on her face, +came around the corner of the big boulder.</p> + +<p>“Oh! Hullo!” she said, discourteously. +“You here?”</p> + +<p>“Sh!” whispered Ruth, intent on the line and +the pool of green water.</p> + +<p>“What’s the matter with you?” snapped The +Fox. “Don’t say you’ve got a bite! I’m sick of +hearing them say it over there<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“I’ve caught one,” said Ruth, with pride, pointing +to the glistening tautog lying on the rock.</p> + +<p>“Oh! Of course, ’twould be you who got it,” +snarled Mary. “I bet he gave you the best +place.”</p> + +<p>“<i>Please</i> keep still!” begged Ruth. “I believe +I’ve got another bite.”</p> + +<p>“Have a dozen for all I care,” returned Mary. +“I want to get past you.”</p> + +<p>“Wait! I feel a nibble<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>But Mary pushed rudely by. She took the inside +of the path, of course. The ledge was very +narrow, and Ruth was stooping over the deep +pool, breathlessly watching the line.</p> + +<p>With a half-stifled scream Ruth fell forward, +flinging out both hands. Mary clutched at her–she +<i>did</i> try to save her. But she was not quick +enough. Ruth dropped like a plummet and the +green water closed over her with scarcely a splash.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_113'></a>113</span>Mary did not cry out. She was speechless with +fear, and stood with clasped hands, motionless, +upon the path.</p> + +<p>“She can swim! she can swim!” was the +thought that shuttled back and forth in The Fox’s +brain.</p> + +<p>But moment after moment passed and Ruth did +not come to the surface. The pool was as calm +as before, save for the vanishing rings that broke +against the surrounding rocks. Mary held her +breath. She began to feel as though it were a +dream, and that her school companion had not +really fallen into the pool. It must be an hallucination, +for Ruth did not come to the surface +again!</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_114'></a>114</span><a id='link_15'></a>CHAPTER XV<br /><span class='h2fs'>TOM CAMERON TO THE RESCUE</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>The</span> three boys were on the other side of the +narrow inlet where the <i>Miraflame</i> lay. Phineas +had told them that bass were more likely to be +found upon the ocean side; therefore they were +completely out of sight.</p> + +<p>The last Tom, Bob and Isadora saw of the +girls, the fishermen were placing them along the +rocky path, and Mercy was lying in a deck chair +on the deck of the launch, fluttering a handkerchief +at them as they went around the end of the +reef.</p> + +<p>“I bet they don’t get a fish,” giggled Isadore. +“And even Miss Kate’s got a line! What do +girls know about fishing?”</p> + +<p>“If there’s any tautog over there, I bet Helen +and Ruth get ’em. They’re all right in any game,” +declared the loyal Tom.</p> + +<p>“Madge will squeal and want somebody to +take the fish off her hook, if she does catch one,” +grinned Bob. “She puts on lots of airs because +she’s the oldest; but she’s a regular ‘scare-cat,’ +after all.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_115'></a>115</span>“Helen and Ruth are good fellows,” returned +Tom, with emphasis. “They’re quite as good fun +as the ordinary boy–of course, not you, Bobbins, +or Busy Izzy here; but they are all right.”</p> + +<p>“What do you think of that Nita girl?” asked +Busy Izzy, suddenly.</p> + +<p>“I believe there’s something to her,” declared +Bob, with conviction. “She ain’t afraid of a living +thing, I bet!”</p> + +<p>“There is something queer about her,” Tom +added, thoughtfully. “Have you noticed how +that Crab fellow looks at her?”</p> + +<p>“I see he hangs about her a good bit,” said +Isadore, quickly. “Why, do you suppose?”</p> + +<p>“That’s what I’d like to know,” returned Tom +Cameron.</p> + +<p>They were now where Phineas had told them +bass might be caught, and gave their attention to +their tackle. All three boys had fished for perch, +pike, and other gamey fresh-water fish; but this +was their first casting with a rod into salt water.</p> + +<p>“A true disciple of Izaak Walton should be +dumb,” declared Tom, warningly eyeing Isadore.</p> + +<p>“Isn’t he allowed any leeway at all–not even +when he lands a fish?” demanded the irrepressible.</p> + +<p>“Not above a whisper,” grunted Bob Steele, +trying to bait his hook with his thumb instead of +the bait provided by Phineas. “Jingo!”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_116'></a>116</span>“Old Bobbins has got the first bite,” chuckled +Tom, under his breath, as he made his cast.</p> + +<p>The reel whirred and the hook fell with a light +splash into a little eddy where the water seemed +to swirl about a sunken rock.</p> + +<p>“You won’t catch anything there,” said Isadore.</p> + +<p>“I’ll gag you if you don’t shut up,” promised +Tom.</p> + +<p>Suddenly his line straightened out. The hook +seemed to be sucked right down into a hole between +the rocks, and the reel began to whir. It +stopped and Tom tried it.</p> + +<p>“Pshaw! that ain’t a bite,” whispered Isadore.</p> + +<p>At Tom’s first attempt to reel in, the fish that +had seized his hook started–for Spain! At least, +it shot seaward, and the boy knew that Spain was +about the nearest dry land if the fish kept on in +that direction.</p> + +<p>“A strike!” Tom gasped and let his reel sing +for a moment or two. Then, when the drag of +the line began to tell on the bass, he carefully +wound in some of it. The fish turned and finally +ran toward the rocks once more. Then Tom +wound up as fast as he could, trying to keep the +line taut.</p> + +<p>“He’ll tangle you all up, Tommy,” declared +Bob, unable, like Isadore, to keep entirely still.</p> + +<p>Tom was flushed and excited, but said never a +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_117'></a>117</span> +word. He played the big bass with coolness after +all, and finally tired it out, keeping it clear of the +tangles of weed down under the rock, and drew +it forth–a plump, flopping, gasping victim.</p> + +<p>Bob and Isadore were then eager to do as well +and began whipping the water about the rocks +with more energy than skill. Tom, delighted with +his first kill, ran over the rocks with the fish to +show it to the girls. As he surmounted the ridge +of the rocky cape he suddenly saw Nita, the runaway, +and Jack Crab, in a little cove right below +him. The girl and the fisherman had come around +to this side of the inlet, away from Phineas and +the other girls.</p> + +<p>They did not see Tom behind and above them. +Nita was not fishing, and Crab had unfolded a +paper and was showing it to her. At this distance +the paper seemed like a page torn from some +newspaper, and there were illustrations as well as +reading text upon the sheet which Crab held before +the strange girl’s eyes.</p> + +<p>“There it is!” Tom heard the lighthouse +keeper’s assistant say, in an exultant tone. “You +know what I could get if I wanted to show this to +the right parties. <i>Now</i>, what d’ye think of it, +Sissy?”</p> + +<p>What Nita thought, or what she said, Tom did +not hear. Indeed, scarcely had the two come into +his line of vision, and he heard these words, when +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_118'></a>118</span> +something much farther away–across the inlet, +in fact–caught the boy’s attention.</p> + +<p>He could see his sister and some of the other +girls fishing from the rocky path; but directly opposite +where he stood was Ruth. He saw Mary +Cox meet and speak with her, the slight struggle +of the two girls for position on the narrow ledge, +and Ruth’s plunge into the water.</p> + +<p>“Oh, by George!” shouted Tom, as Ruth went +under, and he dropped the flopping bass and went +down the rocks at a pace which endangered both +life and limb. His shout startled Nita and Jack +Crab. But they had not seen Ruth fall, nor did +they understand Tom’s great excitement.</p> + +<p>The inlet was scarcely more than a hundred +yards across; but it was a long way around to +the spot where Ruth had fallen, or been pushed, +from the rock. Tom never thought of going the +long way to the place. He tore off his coat, kicked +off his canvas shoes, and, reaching the edge of the +water, dived in head first without a word of explanation +to the man and girl beside him.</p> + +<p>He dived slantingly, and swam under water +for a long way. When he came up he was a +quarter of the distance across the inlet. He shook +the water from his eyes, threw himself breast high +out of the sea, and shouted:</p> + +<p>“Has she come up? I don’t see her!”</p> + +<p>Nobody but Mary Cox knew what he meant. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_119'></a>119</span> +Helen and the other girls were screaming because +they had seen Tom fling himself into the sea but +they had not seen Ruth fall in.</p> + +<p>Nor did Mary Cox find voice enough to tell +them when they ran along the ledge to try and +see what Tom was swimming for. The Fox +stood with glaring eyes, trying to see into the deep +pool. But the pool remain unruffled and Ruth +did not rise to the surface.</p> + +<p>“Has she come up?” again shouted Tom, rising +as high as he could in the water, and swimming +with an overhand stroke.</p> + +<p>There seemed nobody to answer him; they did +not know what he meant. The boy shot through +the water like a fish. Coming near the rock, he +rose up with a sudden muscular effort, then dived +deep. The green water closed over him and, +when Helen and the others reached the spot +where Mary Cox stood, wringing her hands and +moaning, Tom had disappeared as utterly as +Ruth herself.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_120'></a>120</span><a id='link_16'></a>CHAPTER XVI<br /><span class='h2fs'>RUTH’S SECRET</span></h2> + +<p>“<span class='sc'>What</span> has happened?”</p> + +<p>“Where’s Ruth?”</p> + +<p>“Mary Cox! why don’t you answer?”</p> + +<p>The Fox for once in her career was stunned. +She could only shake her head and wring her +hands. Helen was the first of the other girls +to suspect the trouble, and she cried:</p> + +<p>“Ruth’s overboard! That’s the reason Tom +has gone in. Oh, oh! why don’t they come up +again?”</p> + +<p>And almost immediately all the others saw the +importance of that question. Ruth Fielding had +been down fully a minute and a half now, and +Tom had not come up once for air.</p> + +<p>Nita had set off running around the head of the +inlet, and Crab shuffled along in her wake. The +strange girl ran like a goat over the rocks.</p> + +<p>Phineas, who had been aboard the motor boat +and busy with his famous culinary operations, now +came lumbering up to the spot. He listened to a +chorused explanation of the situation–tragic indeed +in its appearance. Phineas looked up and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_121'></a>121</span> +down the rocky path, and across the inlet, and +seemed to swiftly take a marine “observation.” +Then he snorted.</p> + +<p>“They’re all right!” he exclaimed.</p> + +<p>“<i>What?</i>” shrieked Helen.</p> + +<p>“All right?” repeated Heavy. “Why, Phineas<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>She broke off with a startled gurgle. Phineas +turned quickly, too, and looked over the high +boulder. There appeared the head of Ruth +Fielding and, in a moment, the head of Tom +Cameron beside it.</p> + +<p>“You both was swept through the tunnel into +the pool behind, sir,” said Phineas, wagging his +head.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I was never so scared in my life,” murmured +Ruth, clambering down to the path, the +water running from her clothing in little streams.</p> + +<p>“Me, too!” grunted Tom, panting. “The +tide sets in through that hole awfully strong.”</p> + +<p>“I might have told you about it,” grunted +Phineas; “but I didn’t suppose airy one of ye was +going for to jump into the sea right here.”</p> + +<p>“We didn’t–intentionally,” declared Ruth.</p> + +<p>“How ever did it happen, Ruthie?” demanded +Heavy.</p> + +<p>There was a moment’s silence. Tom grew red +in the face, but he kept his gaze turned from +Mary Cox. Ruth answered calmly enough:</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_122'></a>122</span>“It was my own fault. Mary was just coming +along to pass me. I had a bite. Between trying +to let her by and ‘tending my fish,’ I fell in–and +now I have lost fish, line, and all.”</p> + +<p>“Be thankful you did not lose your life, Miss +Fielding,” said Aunt Kate. “Come right down +to the boat and get those wet things off. You, +too, Tom.”</p> + +<p>At that moment Nita came to the spot. “Is +she safe? Is she safe?” she cried.</p> + +<p>“Don’t I look so?” returned Ruth, laughing +gaily. “And here’s the fish I <i>did</i> catch. I mustn’t +lose him.”</p> + +<p>Nita stepped close to the girl from the Red +Mill and tugged at her wet sleeve.</p> + +<p>“What are you going to do to her?” she whispered.</p> + +<p>“Do to who?”</p> + +<p>“That girl.”</p> + +<p>“What are you talking about?” demanded +Ruth.</p> + +<p>“I saw her,” said Nita. “I saw her push +you. She ought to be thrown into the water +herself.”</p> + +<p>“Hush!” commanded Ruth. “You’re mistaken. +You didn’t see straight, my dear.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, I did,” declared the Western girl, firmly. +“She’s been mean to you, right along. I’ve noticed +it. She threw you in.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_123'></a>123</span>“Don’t say such a thing again!” commanded +Ruth, warmly. “You have no right.”</p> + +<p>“Huh!” said Nita, eyeing her strangely. “It’s +your own business, I suppose. But I am not +blind.”</p> + +<p>“I hope not,” sad Ruth, calmly. “But I hope, +too, you will not repeat what you just said–to +anyone.”</p> + +<p>“Why–if you really don’t want me to,” said +Nita, slowly.</p> + +<p>“Truly, I don’t wish you to,” said Ruth, earnestly. +“I don’t even admit that you are right, +mind<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Oh, it’s your secret,” said Nita, shortly, and +turned away.</p> + +<p>And Ruth had a word to say to Tom, too, as +they hurried side by side to the boat, he carrying +the fish. “Now, Tommy–remember!” she said.</p> + +<p>“I won’t be easy in my mind, just the same, +while that girl is here,” growled Master Tom.</p> + +<p>“That’s foolish. She never meant to do it.”</p> + +<p>“Huh! She was scared, of course. But she’s +mean enough<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Stop! somebody will hear you. And, anyway,” +Ruth added, remembering what Nita had +said, “it’s <i>my</i> secret.”</p> + +<p>“True enough; it is.”</p> + +<p>“Then don’t tell it, Tommy,” she added, with +a laugh.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_124'></a>124</span>But it was hard to meet the sharp eye of Mercy +Curtis and keep the secret. “And pray, Miss, +why did you have to go into the water after the +fish?” Mercy demanded.</p> + +<p>“I was afraid he would get away,” laughed +Ruth.</p> + +<p>“And who helped you do it?” snapped the +lame girl.</p> + +<p>“Helped me do what?”</p> + +<p>“Helped you tumble in.”</p> + +<p>“Now, do you suppose I needed help to do so +silly a thing as that?” cried Ruth.</p> + +<p>“You needed help to do it the other day on +the steamboat,” returned Mercy, slily. “And I +saw The Fox following you around that way.”</p> + +<p>“Why, what nonsense you talk, Mercy Curtis!”</p> + +<p>But Ruth wondered if Mercy was to be so +easily put off. The lame girl was so very sharp.</p> + +<p>However, Ruth was determined to keep her +secret. Not a word had she said to Mary Cox. +Indeed, she had not looked at her since she +climbed out of the open pool behind the boulder +and, well-nigh breathless, reached the rock after +that perilous plunge. Tom she had sworn to silence, +Nita she had warned to be still, and now +Mercy’s suspicions were to be routed.</p> + +<p>“Poor, poor girl!” muttered Ruth, with more +sorrow than anger. “If she is not sorry and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_125'></a>125</span> +afraid yet, how will she feel when she awakes in +the night and remembers what might have been?”</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, the girl from the Red Mill did +not allow her secret to disturb her cheerfulness. +She hid any feeling she might have had against +The Fox. When they all met at dinner on the +<i>Miraflame</i>, she merely laughed and joked about +her accident, and passed around dainty bits of +the baked tautog that Phineas had prepared especially +for her.</p> + +<p>That fisherman’s chowder was a marvel, and +altogether he proved to be as good a cook as +Heavy had declared. The boys had caught several +bass, and they caught more after dinner. +But those were saved to take home. The girls, +however, had had enough fishing. Ruth’s experience +frightened them away from the slippery +rocks.</p> + +<p>Mary Cox was certainly a very strange sort of +a girl; but her present attitude did not surprise +Ruth. Mary had, soon after Ruth entered Briarwood +Hall, taken a dislike to the younger girl. +Ruth’s new club–the Sweetbriars–had drawn almost +all the new girls in the school, as well as +many of Mary’s particular friends; while the Up +and Doing Club, of which Mary was the leading +spirit, was not alone frowned upon by Mrs. Tellingham +and her assistants, but lost members until–as Helen Cameron +had said–the last meeting +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_126'></a>126</span> +of the Upedes consisted of The Fox and Helen +herself.</p> + +<p>The former laid all this at Ruth Fielding’s +door. She saw Ruth’s influence and her club increase, +while her own friends fell away from her. +Twice Ruth had helped to save Mary from +drowning, and on neither occasion did the older +girl seem in the least grateful. Now Ruth was +saving her from the scorn of the other girls and–perhaps–a +request from Heavy’s Aunt Kate +that Mary pack her bag and return home.</p> + +<p>Ruth hoped that Mary would find some opportunity +of speaking to her alone before the day +was over. But, even when the boys returned from +the outer rocks with a splendid string of bass, and +the bow of the <i>Miraflame</i> was turned homeward, +The Fox said never a word to her. Ruth crept +away into the bows by herself, her mind much +troubled. She feared that the fortnight at Lighthouse +Point might become very unpleasant, if +Mary continued to be so very disagreeable.</p> + +<p>Suddenly somebody tapped her on the arm. +The motor boat was pushing toward the mouth of +Sokennet Harbor and the sun was well down toward +the horizon. The girls were in the cabin, +singing, and Madge was trying to make her +brother sing, too; but Bob’s voice was changing +and what he did to the notes of the familiar tunes +was a caution.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_127'></a>127</span>But it was Tom Cameron who had come to +Ruth. “See here,” said the boy, eagerly. “See +what I picked up on the rocks over there.”</p> + +<p>“Over where?” asked Ruth, looking curiously +at the folded paper in Tom’s hand.</p> + +<p>“Across from where you fell in, Ruth. Nita +and that Crab fellow were standing there when I +went down the rocks and dived in for you. And +I saw them looking at this sheet of newspaper,” +and Tom began to slowly unfold it as he spoke.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_128'></a>128</span><a id='link_17'></a>CHAPTER XVII<br /><span class='h2fs'>WHAT WAS IN THE NEWSPAPER</span></h2> + +<p>“<span class='sc'>Whatever</span> have you got there, Tom?” +asked Ruth, curiously.</p> + +<p>“Hush! I reckon Crab lost it when you fell +in the water and stirred us all up so,” returned +the boy, with a grin.</p> + +<p>“Lost that paper?”</p> + +<p>“Yes. You see, it’s a page torn from the Sunday +edition of a New York daily. On this side +is a story of some professor’s discoveries in ancient +Babylon.”</p> + +<p>“Couldn’t have interested Jack Crab much,” +remarked Ruth, smiling.</p> + +<p>“That’s what I said myself,” declared Tom, +hastily. “Therefore, I turned it over. And <i>this</i> +is what Crab was showing that Nita girl, I am +sure.”</p> + +<p>Ruth looked at the illustrated sheet that Tom +spread before her. There was a girl on a very +spirited cow pony, swinging a lariat, the loop of +which was about to settle over the broadly +spreading horns of a Texas steer. The girl was +dressed in a very fancy “cow-girl” costume, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_129'></a>129</span> +the picture was most spirited indeed. In one corner, +too, was a reproduction of a photograph of +the girl described in the newspaper article.</p> + +<p>“Why! it doesn’t look anything like Nita,” +gasped Ruth, understanding immediately why +Tom had brought the paper to her.</p> + +<p>“Nope. You needn’t expect it to. Those papers +use any old photograph to make illustrations +from. But read the story.”</p> + +<p>It was all about the niece of a very rich cattle +man in Montana who had run away from the +ranch on which she had lived all her life. It was +called Silver Ranch, and was a very noted cattle +range in that part of the West. The girl’s uncle +raised both horses and cattle, was very wealthy, +had given her what attention a single man could +in such a situation, and was now having a countrywide +search made for the runaway.</p> + +<p>“Jane Ann Hicks Has Run Away From a Fortune” +was the way the paper put it in a big +“scare head” across the top of the page; and +the text went on to tell of rough Bill Hicks, of +Bullhide, and how he had begun in the early cattle +days as a puncher himself and had now risen to +the sole proprietorship of Silver Ranch.</p> + +<p>“Bill’s one possession besides his cattle and +horses that he took any joy in was his younger +brother’s daughter, Jane Ann. She is an orphan +and came to Bill and he has taken sole care of her +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_130'></a>130</span> +(for a woman has never been at Silver Ranch, +save Indian squaws and a Mexican cook woman) +since she could creep. Jane Ann is certainly the +apple of Old Bill’s eye.</p> + +<p>“But, as Old Bill has told the Bullhide chief +of police, who is sending the pictures and description +of the lost girl all over the country, ‘Jane +Ann got some powerful hifalutin’ notions.’ She +is now a well-grown girl, smart as a whip, pretty, +afraid of nothing on four legs, and just as ignorant +as a girl brought up in such an environment +would be. Jane Ann has been reading novels, +perhaps. As the Eastern youth used to fill up on +cheap stories of the Far West, and start for that +wild and woolly section with the intention of wiping +from the face of Nature the last remnant of +the Red Tribes, so it may be that Jane Ann Hicks +has read of the Eastern millionaire and has +started for the Atlantic seaboard for the purpose +of lassoing one–or more–of those elusive creatures.</p> + +<p>“However, Old Bill wants Jane Ann to come +home. Silver Ranch will be hers some day, when +Old Bill passes over the Great Divide, and he believes +that if she is to be Montana’s coming Cattle +Queen his niece would better not know too +much about the effete East.”</p> + +<p>And in this style the newspaper writer had +spread before his readers a semi-humorous account +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_131'></a>131</span> +(perhaps fictitious) of the daily life of the +missing heiress of Silver Ranch, her rides over +the prairies and hills on half-wild ponies, the +round-ups, calf-brandings, horse-breakings, and +all other activities supposed to be part and parcel +of ranch life.</p> + +<p>“My goodness me!” gasped Ruth, when she +had hastily scanned all this, “do you suppose that +any sane girl would have run away from all that +for just a foolish whim?”</p> + +<p>“Just what I say,” returned Tom. “Cracky! +wouldn’t it be great to ride over that range, and +help herd the cattle, and trail wild horses, and–and<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Well, that’s just what one girl got sick of, it +seems,” finished Ruth, her eyes dancing. “Now! +whether this same girl is the one we know<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“I bet she is,” declared Tom.</p> + +<p>“Betting isn’t proof, you know,” returned +Ruth, demurely.</p> + +<p>“No. But Jane Ann Hicks is this young lady +who wants to be called ‘Nita’–Oh, glory! what +a name!”</p> + +<p>“If it is so,” Ruth rejoined, slowly, “I don’t +so much wonder that she wanted a fancy name. +‘Jane Ann Hicks’! It sounds ugly; but an ugly +name can stand for a truly beautiful character.”</p> + +<p>“That fact doesn’t appeal to this runaway girl, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_132'></a>132</span> +I guess,” said Tom. “But the question is: What +shall we do about it?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t know as we can do anything about it,” +Ruth said, slowly. “Of course we don’t know +that this Hicks girl and Nita are the same.”</p> + +<p>“What was Crab showing her the paper for?”</p> + +<p>“What can Crab have to do with it, anyway?” +returned Ruth, although she had not forgotten +the interest the assistant lighthouse keeper had +shown in Nita from the first.</p> + +<p>“Don’t know. But if he recognized her<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“From the picture?” asked Ruth.</p> + +<p>“Well! you look at it. That drawing of the +girl on horseback looks more like her than the +photographic half-tone,” said Tom. “She looks +just that wild and harum-scarum!”</p> + +<p>Ruth laughed. “There <i>is</i> a resemblance,” she +admitted. “But I don’t understand why Crab +should have any interest in the girl, anyway.”</p> + +<p>“Neither do I. Let’s keep still about it. Of +course, we’ll tell Nell,” said Tom. “But nobody +else. If that old ranchman is her uncle he +ought to be told where she is.”</p> + +<p>“Maybe she was not happy with him, after all,” +said Ruth, thoughtfully.</p> + +<p>“My goodness!” Tom cried, preparing to go +back to the other boys who were calling him. “I +don’t see how anybody could be unhappy under +such conditions.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_133'></a>133</span>“That’s all very well for a boy,” returned the +girl, with a superior air. “But think! she had +no girls to associate with, and the only women +were squaws and a Mexican cook!”</p> + +<p>Ruth watched Nita, but did not see the assistant +lighthouse keeper speak to the runaway during +the passage home, and from the dock to the +bungalow Ruth walked by Nita’s side. She was +tempted to show the page of the newspaper to +the other girl, but hesitated. What if Nita +really <i>was</i> Jane Hicks? Ruth asked herself how +<i>she</i> would feel if she were burdened with that +practical but unromantic name, and had to live +on a lonely cattle ranch without a girl to speak +to.</p> + +<p>“Maybe I’d run away myself,” thought Ruth. +“I was almost tempted to run away from Uncle +Jabez when I first went to live at the Red Mill.”</p> + +<p>She had come to pity the strange girl since +reading about the one who had run away from +Silver Ranch. Whether Nita had any connection +with the newspaper article or not, Ruth had +begun to see that there might be situations which +a girl couldn’t stand another hour, and from which +she was fairly forced to flee.</p> + +<p>The fishing party arrived home in a very gay +mood, despite the incident of Ruth’s involuntary +bath. Mary Cox kept away from the victim of +the accident and when the others chaffed Ruth, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_134'></a>134</span> +and asked her how she came to topple over the +rock, The Fox did not even change color.</p> + +<p>Tom scolded in secret to Ruth about Mary. +“She ought to be sent home. I’ll not feel that +you’re safe any time she is in your company. I’ve +a mind to tell Miss Kate Stone,” he said.</p> + +<p>“I’ll be dreadfully angry if you do such a thing, +Tom,” Ruth assured him, and that promise was +sufficient to keep the boy quiet.</p> + +<p>They were all tired and not even Helen objected +when bed was proposed that night. In +fact, Heavy went to sleep in her chair, and they +had a dreadful time waking her up and keeping +her awake long enough for her to undress, say her +prayers, and get into bed.</p> + +<p>In the other girls’ room Ruth and her companions +spent little time in talking or frolicking. +Nita had begged to sleep with Mercy, with whom +she had spent considerable time that day and +evening; and the lame girl and the runaway were +apparently both asleep before Ruth and Helen +got settled for the night.</p> + +<p>Then Helen dropped asleep between yawns +and Ruth found herself lying wide-awake, staring +at the faintly illuminated ceiling. Of a sudden, +sleep had fled from her eyelids. The happenings +of the day, the mystery of Nita, the +meanness of Mary Cox, her own trouble at the +mill, the impossibility of her going to Briarwood +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_135'></a>135</span> +next term unless she found some way of raising +money for her tuition and board, and many, many +other thoughts, trooped through Ruth Fielding’s +mind for more than an hour.</p> + +<p>Mostly the troublesome thoughts were of her +poverty and the seeming impossibility of her ever +discovering any way to earn such a quantity of +money as three hundred and fifty dollars. Her +chum, lying asleep beside her, did not dream of +this problem that continually troubled Ruth’s +mind.</p> + +<p>The clock down stairs tolled eleven solemn +strokes. Ruth did not move. She might have +been sound asleep, save for her open eyes, their +gaze fixed upon the ceiling. Suddenly a beam of +light flashed in at one window, swinging from +right to left, like the blade of a phantom scythe, +and back again.</p> + +<p>Ruth did not move, but the beam of light took +her attention immediately from her former +thoughts. Again and once again the flash of +light was repeated. Then she suddenly realized +what it was. Somebody was walking down the +path toward the private dock, swinging a lantern.</p> + +<p>She would have given it no further thought had +not a door latch clicked. Whether it was the +latch of her room, or another of the bedrooms on +this floor of the bungalow, Ruth could not tell. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_136'></a>136</span> +But in a moment she heard the balustrade of the +stair creak.</p> + +<p>“It’s Izzy again!” thought Ruth, sitting up in +bed. “He’s walking in his sleep. The boys did +not tie him.”</p> + +<p>She crept out of bed softly so as not to awaken +Helen or the other girls and went to the door. +When she opened it and peered out, there was no +ghostly figure “tight-roping it” on the balustrade. +But she heard a sound below–in the lower hall. +Somebody was fumbling with the chain of the +front door.</p> + +<p>“He’s going out! I declare, he’s going out!” +thought Ruth and sped to the window.</p> + +<p>She heard the jar of the big front door as it +was opened, and then pulled shut again. She +heard no step on the porch, but a figure soon fluttered +down the steps. It was not Isadore Phelps, +however. Ruth knew that at first glance. Indeed, +it was not a boy who started away from the +house, running on the grass beside the graveled +walk.</p> + +<p>Ruth turned back hastily and looked at the +other bed–at Mercy’s bed. The place beside the +lame girl was empty. Nita had disappeared!</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_137'></a>137</span><a id='link_18'></a>CHAPTER XVIII<br /><span class='h2fs'>ANOTHER NIGHT ADVENTURE</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>Ruth</span> was startled, to say the least, by the discovery +that Nita was absent. And how softly +the runaway girl must have crept out of bed and +out of the room for Ruth–who had been awake–not to hear her!</p> + +<p>“She certainly is a sly little thing!” gasped +Ruth.</p> + +<p>But as she turned back to see what had become +of the figure running beside the path, the lantern +light was flashed into her eyes. Again the beam +was shot through the window and danced for a +moment on the wall and ceiling.</p> + +<p>“It is a signal!” thought Ruth. “There’s +somebody outside besides Nita–somebody who +wishes to communicate with her.”</p> + +<p>Even as she realized this she saw the lantern +flash from the dock. That was where it had been +all the time. It was a dark-lantern, and its ray +had been intentionally shot into the window of +their room.</p> + +<p>The figure she had seen steal away from the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_138'></a>138</span> +bungalow had now disappeared. If it was Nita–as +Ruth believed–the strange girl might be +hiding in the shadow of the boathouse.</p> + +<p>However, the girl from the Red Mill did not +stand idly at the window for long. It came to her +that somebody ought to know what was going on. +Her first thought was that Nita was bent on running +away from her new friends–although, as +as far as any restraint was put upon her, she might +have walked away at any time.</p> + +<p>“But she ought not to go off like this,” thought +Ruth, hurrying into her own garments. By the +faint light that came from outside she could see +to dress; and she saw, too, that Nita’s clothing +had disappeared.</p> + +<p>“Why, the girl must have dressed,” thought +Ruth, in wonder. “How could she have done it +with me lying here awake?”</p> + +<p>Meanwhile, her own fingers were busy and in +two minutes from the time she had turned from +the window, she opened the hall door again and +tiptoed out.</p> + +<p>The house was perfectly still, save for the ticking +of the big clock. She sped down the stairway, +and as she passed the glimmering face of the +time-keeper she glanced at it and saw that the +minute hand was just eight minutes past the hour.</p> + +<p>In a closet under the stairs were the girls’ outside +garments, and hats. She found somebody’s +tam-o’-shanter and her own sweater-coat, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_139'></a>139</span> +slipped both on in a hurry. When she opened +the door the chill, salt air, with not a little fog in +it, breathed into the close hall.</p> + +<p>She stepped out, pulled the door to and latched +it, and crossed the porch. The harbor seemed +deserted. Two or three night lights sparkled +over on the village side. What vessels rode at +anchor showed no lights at their moorings. But +the great, steady, yellow light of the beacon on +the point shone steadily–a wonderfully comforting +sight, Ruth thought, at this hour of the night.</p> + +<p>There were no more flashes of lantern light +from the dock. Nor did she hear a sound from +that direction as she passed out through the trimly +cut privet hedge and took the shell walk to the +boathouse. She was in canvas shoes and her +step made no sound. In a moment or two she +was in the shadow again.</p> + +<p>Then she heard voices–soft, but earnest tones–and knew that +two people were talking out there +toward the end of the dock. One was a deep +voice; the other might be Nita’s–at least, it was +a feminine voice.</p> + +<p>“Who under the sun can she have come here +to meet?” wondered Ruth, anxiously. “Not one +of the boys. This can’t be merely a lark of some +kind<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>Something scraped and squeaked–a sound that +shattered the silence of the late evening completely. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_140'></a>140</span> +A dog instantly barked back of the +the bungalow, in the kennels. Other dogs on the +far shore of the cove replied. A sleep-walking +rooster began to crow clamorously, believing that +it was already growing day.</p> + +<p>The creaking stopped in a minute, and Ruth +heard a faint splash. The voices had ceased.</p> + +<p>“What can it mean?” thought the anxious girl. +She could remain idle there behind the boathouse +no longer. She crept forth upon the dock to +reconnoiter. There seemed to be nobody there.</p> + +<p>And then, suddenly, she saw that the catboat +belonging to Mr. Stone’s little fleet–the “<i>Jennie S.</i>” +it was called, named for Heavy herself–was +some distance from her moorings.</p> + +<p>The breeze was very light; but the sail was +raised and had filled, and the catboat was drifting +quite rapidly out beyond the end of the dock. +It was so dark in the cockpit that Ruth could not +distinguish whether there were one or two figures +aboard, or who they were; but she realized that +somebody was off on a midnight cruise.</p> + +<p>“And without saying a word about it!” gasped +Ruth. “Could it be, after all, one of the boys +and Nita? Are they doing this just for the fun +of it?”</p> + +<p>Yet the heavy voice she had heard did not +sound like that of either of the three boys at the +bungalow. Not even Bob Steele, when his unfortunate +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_141'></a>141</span> +voice was pitched in its very lowest key, +could rumble like this voice.</p> + +<p>The girl of the Red Mill was both troubled and +frightened. Suppose Nita and her companion +should be wrecked in the catboat? She did not +believe that the runaway girl knew anything about +working a sailboat. And who was her companion +on this midnight escapade? Was he one of the +longshoremen?</p> + +<p>Suddenly she thought of Jack Crab. But +Crab was supposed to be at the lighthouse at this +hour; wasn’t he? She could not remember what +she had heard about the lighthouse keeper’s assistant.</p> + +<p>Nor could Ruth decide at once whether to go +back to the house and give the alarm, or not. +Had she known where Phineas, the boatkeeper, +lodged, she would certainly have tried to awaken +him. He ought to be told that one of the boats +was being used–and, of course, without permission.</p> + +<p>The sail of the catboat drifted out of sight +while she stood there undecided. She could not +pursue the <i>Jennie S.</i> Had she known where +Phineas was, they might have gone after the catboat +in the <i>Miraflame;</i> but otherwise Ruth saw +no possibility of tracking the two people who had +borrowed the <i>Jennie S.</i></p> + +<p>Nor was she sure that it was desirable to go in, +awaken the household, and report the disappearance +of Nita. The cruise by night might be a +very innocent affair.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_142'></a>142</span>“And then again,” murmured Ruth, “there +may be something in it deeper than I can see. +We do not really know who this Nita is. That +piece in the paper may not refer to her at all. +Suppose, instead of having run away from a rich +uncle and a big cattle ranch, Nita comes from bad +people? Mrs. Kirby and the captain knew nothing +about her. It may be that some of Nita’s bad +friends have followed her here, and they may +mean to rob the Stones!</p> + +<p>“Goodness! that’s a very bad thought,” muttered +Ruth, shaking her head. “I ought not to +suspect the girl of anything like that. Although +she is so secret, and so rough of speech, she +doesn’t seem to be a girl who has lived with really +bad people.”</p> + +<p>Ruth could not satisfy herself that it would be +either right or wise to go in and awaken Miss +Kate, or even the butler. But she could not bring +herself to the point of going to bed, either, while +Nita was out on the water.</p> + +<p>She couldn’t think of sleep, anyway. Not until +the catboat came back to the dock did she move +out of the shadow of the boathouse. And it was +long past one o’clock when this occurred. The +breeze had freshened, and the <i>Jennie S.</i> had to +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_143'></a>143</span> +tack several times before the boatman made the +moorings.</p> + +<p>The starlight gave such slight illumination that +Ruth could not see who was in the boat. The +sail was dropped, the boat moored, and then, +after a bit, she heard a heavy step upon the dock. +Only one person came toward her.</p> + +<p>Ruth peered anxiously out of the shadow. A +man slouched along the dock and reached the shell +road. He turned east, moving away toward the +lighthouse. It was Jack Crab.</p> + +<p>“And Nita is not with him!” gasped Ruth. +“What has he done with her? Where has he +taken her in the boat? What does it mean?”</p> + +<p>She dared not run after Crab and ask him. +She was really afraid of the man. His secret +communication with Nita was no matter to be +blurted out to everybody, she was sure. Nita +had gone to meet him of her own free will. She +was not obliged to sail away with Crab in the +catboat. Naturally, the supposition was that she +had decided to remain away from the bungalow +of her own intention, too.</p> + +<p>“It is not my secret,” thought Ruth. “She +was merely a visitor here. Miss Kate, even, had +no command over her actions. She is not responsible +for Nita–none of us is responsible.</p> + +<p>“I only hope she won’t get into any trouble +through that horrid Jack Crab. And it seems so +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_144'></a>144</span> +ungrateful for Nita to walk out of the house without +saying a word to Heavy and Miss Kate.</p> + +<p>“I’d best keep my own mouth shut, however, +and let things take their course. Nita wanted to +go away, or she would not have done so. She +seemed to have no fear of Jack Crab; otherwise +she would not have met him at night and gone +away with him.</p> + +<p>“Ruth Fielding! you mind your own business,” +argued the girl of the Red Mill, finally going back +toward the silent house. “At least, wait until +we see what comes of this before you tell everything +you know.”</p> + +<p>And so deciding, she crept into the house, locked +the door again, got into her room without disturbing +any of the other girls, and so to bed and +finally to sleep, being little the wiser for her midnight +escapade.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_145'></a>145</span><a id='link_19'></a>CHAPTER XIX<br /><span class='h2fs'>THE GOBLINS’ GAMBOL</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>Helen</span> awoke Ruth in the morning with the +question that was bound to echo and re-echo +through the bungalow for that, and subsequent +days:</p> + +<p>“Where is Nita?”</p> + +<p>Ruth could truthfully answer: “I do not +know.”</p> + +<p>Nor did anybody else know, or suspect, or +imagine. What had happened in the night was +known only to Ruth and she had determined not +to say a word concerning it unless she should be +pointedly examined by Miss Kate, or somebody +else in authority.</p> + +<p>Nobody else had heard or seen Nita leave +the bungalow. Indeed, nobody had heard Ruth +get up and go out, either. The catboat rocked at +its moorings, and there was no trace of how Nita +had departed.</p> + +<p>As to <i>why</i> she had gone so secretly–well, that +was another matter. They were all of the opinion +that the runaway was a very strange girl. +She had gone without thanking Miss Kate or +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_146'></a>146</span> +Heavy for their entertainment. She was evidently +an ungrateful girl.</p> + +<p>These opinions were expressed by the bulk of +the party at the bungalow. But Ruth and Helen +and the latter’s brother had their own secret about +the runaway. Helen had been shown the paper +Tom had found. She and Tom were convinced +that Nita was really Jane Ann Hicks and that she +had been frightened away by Jack Crab. Crab +maybe had threatened her.</p> + +<p>On this point Ruth could not agree. But she +could not explain her reason for doubting it without +telling more than she wished to tell; therefore +she did not insist upon her own opinion.</p> + +<p>In secret she read over again the article in the +newspaper about the lost Jane Ann Hicks. Something +she had not noticed before now came under +her eye. It was at the end of the article–at +the bottom of the last column on the page:</p> + +<p>“Old Bill certainly means to find Jane Ann if +he can. He has told Chief Penhampton, of Bullhide, +to spare no expense. The old man says +he’ll give ten good steers–or five hundred dollars +in hard money–for information leading to the apprehension +and return of Jane Ann. And he +thinks some of starting for the East himself to +hunt her up if he doesn’t hear soon.”</p> + +<p>“That poor old man,” thought Ruth, “really +loves his niece. If I was sure Nita was the girl +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_147'></a>147</span> +told of here, I’d be tempted to write to Mr. Hicks +myself.”</p> + +<p>But there was altogether too much to do at +Lighthouse Point for the young folks to spend +much time worrying about Nita. Phineas said +that soft-shell crabs were to be found in abundance +at the mouth of the creek at the head of the cove, +and that morning the boys made nets for all hands–at least, +they found the poles and fastened the +hoops to them, while the girls made the bags of +strong netting–and after dinner the whole party +trooped away (Mercy excepted) to heckle the +crabs under the stones and snags where Phineas +declared they would be plentiful.</p> + +<p>The girls were a bit afraid of the creatures at +first, when they were shaken out of the scoops; +but they soon found that the poor things couldn’t +bite until the new shells hardened. The boys +took off their shoes and stockings and waded in, +whereupon Bob suddenly began to dance and bawl +and splash the water all over himself and his companions.</p> + +<p>“What under the sun’s the matter with you, +Bobbins?” roared Tom, backing away from his +friend to escape a shower-bath.</p> + +<p>“Oh! he’s got a fit!” squealed Isadore.</p> + +<p>“It’s cramps!” declared Heavy, from the +shore, and in great commiseration.</p> + +<p>“For pity’s sake, little boy!” cried Bob’s sister, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_148'></a>148</span> +“what is the matter with you now? He’s +the greatest child! always getting into some +mess.”</p> + +<p>Bob continued to dance; but he got into shoal +water after a bit and there it was seen that he was +doing a sort of Highland fling on one foot. The +other had attached to it a big hardshell crab; and +no mortgage was ever clamped upon a poor man’s +farm any tighter than Mr. Crab was fastened +upon Bob’s great toe.</p> + +<p>“Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!” repeated the big fellow, +whacking away at the crab with the handle of +his net.</p> + +<p>Isadore tried to aid him, and instead of hitting +the crab with <i>his</i> stick, barked Bob’s ankle bone +nicely.</p> + +<p>“Ow! Ow! Ow!” yelled the youth in an entirely +different key.</p> + +<p>The girls were convulsed with laughter; but +Tom got the big crab and the big boy apart. Bob +wasn’t satisfied until he had placed the hardshell +between two stones and wrecked it–smashed it +flat as a pancake.</p> + +<p>“There! I know that fellow will never nip +another inoffensive citizen,” groaned Bob, and he +sat on a stone and nursed his big toe and his +bruised ankle until the others were ready to go +home.</p> + +<p>They got a nice mess of crabs; but Bob refused +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_149'></a>149</span> +to eat any. “Never want to see even crabs <i>a la</i> +Newburgh again,” he grunted. “And I don’t believe +that even a fried soft-shell crab is dead +enough so that it can’t bite a fellow!”</p> + +<p>There was a splendid smooth bit of beach beyond +the dock where they bathed, and even +Mercy had taken a dip that morning; but when +the girls went to their bedrooms at night each +girl found pinned to her nightdress a slip of paper–evidently +a carbon copy of a typewritten +message. It read:</p> + +<div class='bquote'> +<p>“THE GOBLINS’ GAMBOL–You are instructed +to put on your bathing suit, take a wrap, +and meet for a Goblins’ Gambol on the beach at +ten sharp. The tide will be just right, and there +is a small moon. Do not fail.”</p> +</div> <!-- block quote --> + +<p>The girls giggled a good deal over this. They +all declared they had not written the message, or +caused it to be written. There was a typewriter +downstairs, Heavy admitted; but she had never +used it. Anyhow, the suggestion was too tempting +to refuse.</p> + +<p>At ten the girls, shrouded in their cloaks and +water proofs, crept down stairs and out of the +house. The door was locked, and they could not +imagine who had originated this lark. The boys +did not seem to be astir at all.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_150'></a>150</span>“If Aunt Kate hears of this I expect she’ll say +something,” chuckled Heavy. “But we’ve been +pretty good so far. Oh, it is just warm and nice. +I bet the water will be fine.”</p> + +<p>They trooped down to the beach, Mercy limping +along with the rest. Ruth and Helen gave +her aid when she reached the sand, for her +crutches hampered her there.</p> + +<p>“Come on! the water’s fine!” cried Madge, +running straight into the smooth sea.</p> + +<p>They were soon sporting in it, and having a +great time, but keeping near the shore because +the boys were not there, when suddenly Helen +began to squeal–and then Madge. Those two +likewise instantly disappeared beneath the water, +their cries ending in articulate gurgles.</p> + +<p>“Oh! Oh!” cried Heavy. “There’s somebody +here! Something’s got me!”</p> + +<p>She was in shallow water, and she promptly sat +down. Whatever had grabbed her vented a +mighty grunt, for she pinioned it for half a minute +under her weight. When she could scramble +up she had to rescue what she had fallen on, and +it proved to be Isadore–very limp and “done up.”</p> + +<p>“It’s the boys,” squealed Helen, coming to the +surface. “Tom swam under water and caught +me.”</p> + +<p>“And this is that horrid Bob!” cried Madge. +“What have you got there, Heavy?”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_151'></a>151</span>“I really don’t know,” giggled the stout girl. +“What do you think it looks like?”</p> + +<p>“My–goodness–me!” panted Busy Izzy. +“I thought–it–it was Ruth! Why–why don’t +you look where you’re sitting, Jennie Stone?”</p> + +<p>But the laugh was on Isadore and he could not +turn the tables. The boys had been out to the +diving float watching the girls come in. And in +a minute or two Miss Kate joined them, too. It +was she who had planned the moonlight dip and +for half an hour they ran races on the sand, and +swam, and danced, and had all sorts of queer +larks.</p> + +<p>Miss Kate was about to call them out and +“shoo” the whole brood into the house again +when they heard a horse, driven at high speed, +coming over the creek bridge.</p> + +<p>“Hullo! here comes somebody in a hurry,” +said Tom.</p> + +<p>“That’s right. He’s driving this way, not toward +the railroad station,” rejoined Heavy. +“It’s somebody from Sokennet.”</p> + +<p>“Who can it be this time of night?” was her +aunt’s question as they waited before the gateway +as the carriage wheeled closer.</p> + +<p>“There’s a telegraph office, you know, at Sokennet,” +said Heavy, thoughtfully. “And–yes!–that’s Brickman’s old +horse. Hullo!”</p> + +<p>“Whoa! Hullo, Miss!” exclaimed a hoarse +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_152'></a>152</span> +voice. “Glad I found you up. Here’s a message +for you.”</p> + +<p>“For me?” cried Heavy, and dripping as she +was, ran out to the carriage.</p> + +<p>“Sign on this place, Miss. Here’s a pencil. +Thank you, Miss; it’s paid for. That’s the +message,” and he put a telegraph envelope into +her hand.</p> + +<p>On the outside of the envelope was written, +“Stone, Lighthouse Point.” Under the lamp on +the porch Heavy broke the seal and drew out the +message, while the whole party stood waiting. +She read it once to herself, and was evidently immensely +surprised. Then she read it out loud, +and her friends were just as surprised as she was:</p> + +<div class='bquote'> +<p>“Stone, Lighthouse Point, Sokennet.–Hold +onto her. I am coming right down. +“<span class='sc'>W. Hicks.</span>”</p> +</div> <!-- block quote --> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_153'></a>153</span><a id='link_20'></a>CHAPTER XX<br /><span class='h2fs'>“WHAR’S MY JANE ANN?”</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>Three</span> of Heavy’s listeners knew in an instant +what the telegram meant–who it was from, and +who was mentioned in it–Ruth, Helen and Tom. +But how, or why the telegram had been sent was +as great a mystery to them as to the others; +therefore their surprise was quite as unfeigned as +that of the remaining girls and boys.</p> + +<p>“Why, somebody’s made a mistake,” said +Heavy. “Such a telegram couldn’t be meant for +me.”</p> + +<p>“And addressed only to ‘Stone,’” said her aunt. +“It is, of course, a mistake.”</p> + +<p>“And who are we to hold on to?” laughed +Mary Cox, prepared to run into the house again.</p> + +<p>“Wait!” cried Mercy, who had come leaning +upon Madge’s arm from the shore. “Don’t you +see who that message refers to?”</p> + +<p>“No!” they chorused.</p> + +<p>“To that runaway girl, of course,” said the +cripple. “That’s plain enough, I hope.”</p> + +<p>“To Nita!” gasped Heavy.</p> + +<p>“But who is it that’s coming here for her? +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_154'></a>154</span> +And how did ‘W. Hicks’ know she was here?” +demanded Ruth.</p> + +<p>“Maybe Captain and Mrs. Kirby told all about +her when they got to Boston. News of her, and +where she was staying, got to her friends,” said +Mercy Curtis. “That’s the ‘why and wherefore’ +of it–believe me!”</p> + +<p>“That sounds very reasonable,” admitted +Aunt Kate. “The Kirbys would only know our +last name and would not know how to properly +address either Jennie or me. Come, now! get in +on the rubber mats in your rooms and rub down +well. The suits will be collected and rinsed out +and hung to dry before Mammy Laura goes to +bed. If any of you feel the least chill, let me +know.”</p> + +<p>But it was so warm and delightful a night that +there was no danger of colds. The girls were so +excited by the telegram and had so much to say +about the mystery of Nita, the castaway, that it +was midnight before any of them were asleep.</p> + +<p>However, they had figured out that the writer +of the telegram, leaving New York, from which +it was sent at half after eight, would be able to +take a train that would bring him to Sandtown +very early in the morning; and so the excited +young folks were all awake by five o’clock.</p> + +<p>It was a hazy morning, but there was a good +breeze from the land. Tom declared he heard +the train whistle for the Sandtown station, and +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_155'></a>155</span> +everybody dressed in a hurry, believing that “W. Hicks” would soon be +at the bungalow.</p> + +<p>There were no public carriages at the station +to meet that early train, and Miss Kate had +doubted about sending anybody to meet the person +who had telegraphed. In something like an +hour, however, they saw a tall man, all in black, +striding along the sandy road toward the house.</p> + +<p>As he came nearer he was seen to be a big-boned +man, with broad shoulders, long arms, and +a huge reddish mustache, the ends of which +drooped almost to his collar. Such a mustache +none of them had ever seen before. His black +clothes would have fitted a man who weighed a +good fifty pounds more than he did, and so the +garments hung baggily upon him. He wore a +huge, black slouched hat, with immensely broad +brim.</p> + +<p>He strode immediately to the back door–that +being the nearest to the road by which he came–and +the boys and girls in the breakfast room +crowded to the windows to see him. He looked +neither to right nor left, however, but walked +right into the kitchen, where they at once heard +a thunderous voice demand:</p> + +<p>“Whar’s my Jane Ann? Whar’s my Jane +Ann, I say?”</p> + +<p>Mammy Laura evidently took his appearance +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_156'></a>156</span> +and demand in no good part. She began to +sputter, but his heavy voice rode over hers and +quenched it:</p> + +<p>“Keep still, ol’ woman! I want to see your +betters. Whar’s my Jane Ann?”</p> + +<p>“Lawsy massy! what kine ob a man is yo’?” +squealed the fat old colored woman. “T’ come +combustucatin’ inter a pusson’s kitchen in disher +way<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Be still, ol’ woman!” roared the visitor again. +“Whar’s my Jane Ann?”</p> + +<p>The butler appeared then and took the strange +visitor in hand.</p> + +<p>“Come this way, sir. Miss Kate will see you,” +he said, and led the big man into the front of the +house.</p> + +<p>“I don’t want none o’ your ‘Miss Kates,’” +growled the stranger. “I want my Jane Ann.”</p> + +<p>Heavy’s little Aunt looked very dainty indeed +when she appeared before this gigantic Westerner. +The moment he saw her, off came his big +hat, displaying a red, freckled face, and a head +as bald as an egg. He was a very ugly man, saving +when he smiled; then innumerable humorous +wrinkles appeared about his eyes and the pale +blue eyes themselves twinkled confidingly.</p> + +<p>“Your sarvent, ma’am,” he said. “Your +name Stone?”</p> + +<p>“It is, sir. I presume you are ‘W. Hicks’?” +she said.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_157'></a>157</span>“That’s me–Bill Hicks. Bill Hicks, of Bullhide, +Montanny.”</p> + +<p>“I hope you have not come here, Mr. Hicks, +to be disappointed. But I must tell you at the +start,” said Miss Kate, “that I never heard of +you before <i>I</i> received your very remarkable telegram.”</p> + +<p>“Huh! that can well be, ma’am–that can well +be. But they got your letter at the ranch, and +Jib, he took it into Colonel Penhampton, and the +Colonel telegraphed me to New York, where I’d +come a-hunting her<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Wait, wait, wait!” cried Miss Kate, eagerly. +“I don’t understand at all what you are talking +about.”</p> + +<p>“Why–why, I’m aimin’ to talk about my Jane +Ann,” exclaimed the cattle man.</p> + +<p>“Jane Ann who?” she gasped.</p> + +<p>“Jane Ann Hicks. My little gal what you’ve +got her and what you wrote about<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“You are misinformed, sir,” declared Miss +Kate. “I have never written to you–or to anybody +else–about any person named Jane Ann +Hicks.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, mebbe you don’t know her by that name. +She had some hifalutin’ idee before she vamoosed +about not likin’ her name–an’ I give her that +thar name myself!” added Bill Hicks, in an +aggrieved tone.</p> + +<p>“Nor have I written about any other little girl, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_158'></a>158</span> +or by any other name,” rejoined Miss Kate. “I +have written no letter at all.”</p> + +<p>“You didn’t write to Silver Ranch to tell us +that my little Jane Ann was found?” gasped the +man.</p> + +<p>“No, sir.”</p> + +<p>“Somebody else wrote, then?”</p> + +<p>“I do not know it, if they did,” Miss Kate declared.</p> + +<p>“Then somebody’s been a-stringin’ of me?” +he roared, punching his big hat with a clenched, +freckled fist in a way that made Miss Kate jump.</p> + +<p>“Oh!” she cried.</p> + +<p>“Don’t you be afeared, ma’am,” said the big +man, more gently. “But I’m mighty cast down–I sure am! Some +miser’ble coyote has fooled +me. That letter said as how my little niece was +wrecked on a boat here and that a party named +Stone had taken her into their house at Lighthouse +Point<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“It’s Nita!” cried Miss Kate.</p> + +<p>“What’s that?” he demanded.</p> + +<p>“You’re speaking of Nita, the castaway!”</p> + +<p>“I’m talkin’ of my niece, Jane Ann Hicks,” declared +the rancher. “That’s who I’m talking of.”</p> + +<p>“But she called herself Nita, and would not tell +us anything about herself.”</p> + +<p>“It might be, ma’am. The little skeezicks!” +chuckled the Westerner, his eyes twinkling suddenly. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_159'></a>159</span> +“That’s a mighty fancy name–‘Nita.’ +And so she <i>is</i> here with you, after all?”</p> + +<p>“No.”</p> + +<p>“Not here?” he exclaimed, his big, bony face +reddening again.</p> + +<p>“No, sir. I believe she has been here–your +niece.”</p> + +<p>“And where’d she go? What you done +with her?” he demanded, his overhanging reddish +eyebrows coming together in a threatening +scowl.</p> + +<p>“Hadn’t you better sit down, Mr. Hicks, and +let me tell you all about it?” suggested Miss +Kate.</p> + +<p>“Say, Miss!” he ejaculated. “I’m anxious, I +be. When Jane Ann first run away from Silver +Ranch, I thought she was just a-playin’ off some +of her tricks on me. I never supposed she was +in earnest ’bout it–no, ma’am!</p> + +<p>“I rid into Bullhide arter two days. And instead +of findin’ her knockin’ around there, I finds +her pony at the greaser’s corral, and learns that +she’s took the train East. That did beat me. I +didn’t know she had any money, but she’d bought +a ticket to Denver, and it took a right smart of +money to do it.</p> + +<p>“I went to Colonel Penhampton, I did,” went +on Hicks, “and told him about it. He heated up +the wires some ’twixt Bullhide and Denver; but +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_160'></a>160</span> +she’d fell out o’ sight there the minute she’d +landed. Denver’s some city, ma’am. I finds +that out when I lit out arter Jane Ann and struck +that place myself.</p> + +<p>“Wal! ’twould be teejious to you, ma’am, if I +told whar I have chased arter that gal these endurin’ +two months. Had to let the ranch an’ +ev’rythin’ else go to loose ends while I follered +news of her all over. My gosh, ma’am! how +many gals there is runs away from their homes! +Ye wouldn’t believe the number ’nless ye was +huntin’ for a pertic’lar one an’ got yer rope on +so many that warn’t her!”</p> + +<p>“You have had many disappointments, sir?” +said Miss Kate, beginning to feel a great sympathy +for this uncouth man.</p> + +<p>He nodded his great, bald, shining head. “I +hope you ain’t going to tell me thar’s another in +store for me right yere,” he said, in a much +milder voice.</p> + +<p>“I cannot tell you where Nita–if she is your +niece–is now,” said Miss Kate, firmly.</p> + +<p>“She’s left you?”</p> + +<p>“She went away some time during the night–night +before last.”</p> + +<p>“What for?” he asked, suspiciously.</p> + +<p>“I don’t know. We none of us knew. We +made her welcome and said nothing about sending +her away, or looking for her friends. I did +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_161'></a>161</span> +not wish to frighten her away, for she is a +strangely independent girl<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“You bet she is!” declared Mr. Hicks, emphatically.</p> + +<p>“I hoped she would gradually become confiding, +and then we could really do something for +her. But when we got up yesterday morning she +had stolen out of the house in the night and was +gone.”</p> + +<p>“And ye don’t know whar Jane Ann went?” +he said, with a sort of groan.</p> + +<p>Miss Kate shook her head; but suddenly a +voice interrupted them. Ruth Fielding parted +the curtains and came into the room.</p> + +<p>“I hope you will pardon me, Miss Kate,” she +said softly. “And this gentleman, too. I believe +I can tell him how Nita went away–and perhaps +through what I know he may be able to find +her again.”</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_162'></a>162</span><a id='link_21'></a>CHAPTER XXI<br /><span class='h2fs'>CRAB MAKES HIS DEMAND</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>Bill Hicks</span> beckoned the girl from the Red +Mill forward. “You come right here, Miss,” he +said, “and let’s hear all about it. I’m a-honin’ +for my Jane Ann somethin’ awful–ye don’t know +what a loss she is to me. And Silver Ranch don’t +seem the same no more since she went away.”</p> + +<p>“Tell me,” said Ruth, curiously, as she came +forward, “was what the paper said about it all +true?”</p> + +<p>“Why, Ruth, what paper is this? What do +you know about this matter that I don’t know?” +cried Miss Kate.</p> + +<p>“I’m sorry, Miss Kate,” said the girl; “but +it wasn’t my secret and I didn’t feel I could tell +you<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“I know what you mean, little Miss,” Hicks interrupted. +“That New York newspaper–with +the picter of Jane Ann on a pony what looked like +one o’ these horsecar horses? Most ev’rythin’ +they said in that paper was true about her–and +the ranch.”</p> + +<p>“And she has had to live out there without any +decent woman, and no girls to play with, and all +that?”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_163'></a>163</span>“Wal!” exclaimed Mr. Hicks. “That ain’t +sech a great crime; is it?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t wonder so much she ran away,” Ruth +said, softly. “But I am sorry she did not stay +here until you came, sir.”</p> + +<p>“But where is she?” chorused both the ranchman +and Miss Kate, and the latter added: “Tell +what you know about her departure, Ruth.”</p> + +<p>So Ruth repeated all that she had heard and +seen on the night Nita disappeared from the +Stone bungalow.</p> + +<p>“And this man, Crab, can be found down yonder +at the lighthouse?” demanded the ranchman, +rising at the end of Ruth’s story.</p> + +<p>“He is there part of the time, sir,” Miss Kate +said. “He is a rather notorious character around +here–a man of bad temper, I believe. Perhaps +you had better go to the authorities first<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“What authorities?” demanded the Westerner +in surprise.</p> + +<p>“The Sokennet police.”</p> + +<p>Bill Hicks snorted. “I don’t need police in +this case, ma’am,” he said. “I know what to do +with this here Crab when I find him. And if +harm’s come to my Jane Ann, so much the worse +for him.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I hope you will be patient, sir,” said Miss +Kate.</p> + +<p>“Nita was not a bit afraid of him, I am +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_164'></a>164</span> +sure,” Ruth hastened to add. “He would not +hurt her.”</p> + +<p>“No. I reckon he wants to make money out +of me,” grunted Bill Hicks, who did not lack +shrewdness. “He sent the letter that told me +she was here, and then he decoyed her away somewhere +so’s to hold her till I came and paid him +the reward. Wal! let me git my Jane Ann back, +safe and sound, and he’s welcome to the five hundred +dollars I offered for news of her.”</p> + +<p>“But first, Mr. Hicks,” said Miss Kate, rising +briskly, “you’ll come to breakfast. You have +been traveling all night<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“That’s right, ma’am. No chance for more +than a peck at a railroad sandwich–tough critters, +them!”</p> + +<p>“Ah! here is Tom Cameron,” she said, having +parted the portières and found Tom just passing +through the hall. “Mr. Hicks, Tom. Nita’s +uncle.”</p> + +<p>“Er–Mr. Bill Hicks, of the Silver Ranch!” +ejaculated Tom.</p> + +<p>“So you’ve hearn tell of me, too, have you, +younker?” quoth the ranchman, good-naturedly. +“Well, my fame’s spreadin’.”</p> + +<p>“And it seems that <i>I</i> am the only person here +who did not know all about your niece,” said Miss +Kate Stone, drily.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no, ma’am!” cried Tom. “It was only +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_165'></a>165</span> +Ruth and Helen and I who knew anything about +it. And we only suspected. You see, we found +the newspaper article which told about that bully +ranch, and the fun that girl had<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Jane Ann didn’t think ’twas nice enough for +her,” grunted the ranchman. “She wanted high-heeled +slippers–and shift–shift-on hats–and a +pianner! Common things warn’t good enough +for Jane Ann.”</p> + +<p>Ruth laughed, for she wasn’t at all afraid of the +big Westerner. “If chiffon hats and French +heeled slippers would have kept Nita–I mean, +Jane Ann–at home, wouldn’t it have been cheaper +for you to have bought ’em?” she asked.</p> + +<p>“It shore would!” declared the cattleman, emphatically. +“But when the little girl threatened +to run away I didn’t think she meant it.”</p> + +<p>Meanwhile Miss Kate had asked Tom to take +the big man up stairs where he could remove the +marks of travel. In half an hour he was at the +table putting away a breakfast that made even +Mammy Laura open her eyes in wonder.</p> + +<p>“I’m a heavy feeder, Miss,” he said apologetically, +to Ruth. “Since I been East I often have +taken my breakfast in two restaurants, them air +waiters stare so. I git it in relays, as ye might +say. Them restaurant people ain’t used to seeing +a <i>man</i> eat. And great cats! how they do +charge for vittles!”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_166'></a>166</span>But ugly as he was, and big and rude as he was, +there was a simplicity and open-heartedness about +Mr. Hicks that attracted more than Ruth Fielding. +The boys, because Tom was enthusiastic +about the old fellow, came in first. But the girls +were not far behind, and by the time Mr. Hicks +had finished breakfast the whole party was in the +room, listening to his talk of his lost niece, and +stories of Silver Ranch and the growing and +wonderful West.</p> + +<p>Mercy Curtis, who had a sharp tongue and a +sharper insight into character, knew just how to +draw Bill Hicks out. And the ranchman, as soon +as he understood that Mercy was a cripple, paid +her the most gallant attentions. And he took the +lame girl’s sharp criticisms in good part, too.</p> + +<p>“So you thought you could bring up a girl +baby from the time she could crawl till she was +old enough to get married–eh?” demanded +Mercy, in her whimsical way. “What a smart +man you are, Mr. Bill Hicks!”</p> + +<p>“Ya-as–ain’t I?” he groaned. “I see now +I didn’t know nothin’.”</p> + +<p>“Not a living thing!” agreed Mercy. “Bringing +up a girl among a lot of cow–cow–what do +you call ’em?”</p> + +<p>“Punchers,” he finished, wagging his head.</p> + +<p>“That’s it. Nice society for a girl. Likely to +make her ladylike and real happy, too.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_167'></a>167</span>“Great cats!” ejaculated the ranchman, “I +thought I was doin’ the square thing by Jane +Ann<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“And giving her a name like that, too!” broke +in Mercy. “How dared you?”</p> + +<p>“Why–why<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>” stammered Mr. Hicks. +“It was my grandmother’s name–and she was as +spry a woman as ever I see.”</p> + +<p>“Your grandmother’s name!” gasped Mercy. +“Then, what right had you to give it to your +niece? And when she way a helpless baby, too! +Wasn’t she good enough to have a name of her +own–and one a little more modern?”</p> + +<p>“Miss, you stump me–you sure do!” declared +Mr. Hicks, with a sigh. “I never thought +a gal cared so much for them sort o’ things. +They’re surprisin’ different from boys; ain’t +they?”</p> + +<p>“Hope you haven’t found it out too late, +Mister Wild and Woolly,” said Mercy, biting her +speech off in her sharp way. “You had better +take a fashion magazine and buy Nita–or whatever +she wants to call herself–clothes and hats +like other girls wear. Maybe you’ll be able to +keep her on a ranch, then.”</p> + +<p>“Wal, Miss! I’m bound to believe you’ve got +the rights of it. I ain’t never had much knowledge +of women-folks, and that’s a fact<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>He was interrupted by the maid coming to the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_168'></a>168</span> +door. “There’s a boy here, Miss Kate,” she +said, “who is asking for the gentleman.”</p> + +<p>“Asking for the gentleman?” repeated Miss +Kate.</p> + +<p>“Yes, ma’am. The gentleman who has just +came. The gentleman from the West.”</p> + +<p>“Axing for <i>me?</i>” cried the ranchman, getting +up quickly.</p> + +<p>“It must be for you, sir,” said Aunt Kate. +“Let the boy come in, Sally.”</p> + +<p>In a minute a shuffling, tow-headed, bare-footed +lad of ten years or so entered bashfully. He +was a son of one of the fishermen living along +the Sokennet shore.</p> + +<p>“You wanter see me, son?” demanded the +Westerner. “Bill Hicks, of Bullhide?”</p> + +<p>“Dunno wot yer name is, Mister,” said the +boy. “But air you lookin’ for a gal that was +brought ashore from the wreck of that lumber +schooner?”</p> + +<p>“That’s me!” cried Mr. Hicks.</p> + +<p>“Then I got suthin’ for ye,” said the boy, and +thrust a soiled envelope toward him. “Jack +Crab give it to me last night. He said I was to +come over this morning an’ wait for you to come. +Phin says you had come, w’en I got here. That’s +all.”</p> + +<p>“Hold on!” cried Tom Cameron, as the boy +started to go out, and Mr. Hicks ripped open +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_169'></a>169</span> +the envelope. “Say, where is this Crab man?”</p> + +<p>“Dunno.”</p> + +<p>“Where did he go after giving you the note?”</p> + +<p>“Dunno.”</p> + +<p>Just then Mr. Hicks uttered an exclamation +that drew all attention to him and the fisherman’s +boy slipped out.</p> + +<p>“Great cats!” roared Bill Hicks. “Listen to +this, folks! What d’ye make of it?</p> + +<div class='bquote'> +<p>“‘Now I got you right. Whoever you be, +you are wanting to get hold of the girl. I +know where she is. You won’t never know unless +I get that five hundred dols. The paper talked +about. You leave it at the lighthouse. Mis +Purling will take care of it and I reckon on getting +it from her when I want it. When she has +got the five hundred dols. I will let you know +how to find the girl. So, no more at present, +from</p> +</div> <!-- block quote --> +<p class='tar sc'>“‘J. Crab.’</p> + +<p>“Listen here to it, will ye? Why, if once I +get my paws on this here Crab<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“You want to get the girl most; don’t you?” +interrupted Mercy, sharply.</p> + +<p>“Of course!”</p> + +<p>“Then you’d better see if paying the money to +him–just as he says–won’t bring her to you. +You offered the reward, you know.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_170'></a>170</span>“But maybe he doesn’t really know anything +about Nita!” cried Heavy.</p> + +<p>“And maybe he knows just where she is,” said +Ruth.</p> + +<p>“Wal! he seems like a mighty sharp feller,” +admitted the cattleman, seriously. “I want my +Jane Ann back. I don’t begredge no five hundred +dollars. I’m a-goin’ over to that lighthouse and +see what this Missus Purling–you say she’s the +keeper?–knows about it. That’s what I’m going +to do!” finished Hicks with emphasis.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_171'></a>171</span><a id='link_22'></a>CHAPTER XXII<br /><span class='h2fs'>THIMBLE ISLAND</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>Miss Kate</span> said of course he could use the +buckboard and ponies, and it was the ranchman’s +own choice that the young folks went, too. There +was another wagon, and they could all crowd +aboard one or the other vehicle–even Mercy Curtis +went.</p> + +<p>“I don’t believe that Crab man will show up +at the light,” Ruth said to Tom and Helen. +“He’s plainly made up his mind that he won’t +meet Nita’s friends personally. And to think of +his getting five hundred dollars so easy!” and she +sighed.</p> + +<p>For the reward Mr. Hicks had offered for news +of his niece, which would lead to her apprehension +and return to his guardianship, would have entirely +removed from Ruth Fielding’s mind her +anxiety about Briarwood. Let the Tintacker +Mine, in which Uncle Jabez had invested, remain +a deep and abiding mystery, if Ruth could earn +that five hundred dollars.</p> + +<p>But if Jack Crab had placed Nita in good hands +and was merely awaiting an opportunity to exchange +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_172'></a>172</span> +her for the reward which the runaway’s +uncle had offered, then Ruth need not hope for +any portion of the money. And certainly, Crab +would make nothing by hiding the girl away and +refusing to give her up to Mr. Hicks.</p> + +<p>“And if I took money for telling Mr. Hicks +where Nita was, why–why it would be almost +like taking blood money! Nita liked me, I believe; +I think she ought to be with her uncle, and +I am sure he is a nice man. But it would be playing +the traitor to report her to Mr. Hicks–and +that’s a fact!” concluded Ruth, taking herself to +task. “I could not think of earning money in +such a contemptible way.”</p> + +<p>Whether her conclusion was right, or not, it +seemed right to Ruth, and she put the thought of +the reward out of her mind from that instant. +The ranchman had taken a liking to Ruth and +when he climbed into the buckboard he beckoned +the girl from the Red Mill to a seat beside him. +He drove the ponies, but seemed to give those +spirited little animals very little attention. Ruth +knew that he must be used to handling horses beside +which the ponies seemed like tame rabbits.</p> + +<p>“Now what do you think of my Jane Ann?” +was the cattleman’s question. “Ain’t she pretty +cute?”</p> + +<p>“I am not quite sure that I know what you +mean by that, Mr. Hicks,” Ruth answered, demurely. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_173'></a>173</span> +“But she isn’t as smart as she ought to +be, or she wouldn’t have gone off with Jack +Crab.”</p> + +<p>“Huh!” grunted the other. “Mebbe you’re +right on that p’int. He didn’t have no drop on +her–that’s so! But ye can’t tell what sort of a +yarn he give her.”</p> + +<p>“She would better have had nothing to say to +him,” said Ruth, emphatically. “She should +have confided in Miss Kate. Miss Kate and Jennie +were treating her just as nicely as though she +were an invited guest. Nita–or Jane, as you call +her–may be smart, but she isn’t grateful in the +least.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, come now, Miss<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“No. She isn’t grateful,” repeated Ruth. +“She never even suggested going over to the life +saving station and thanking Cap’n Abinadab and +his men for bringing her ashore from the wreck +of the <i>Whipstitch.</i>”</p> + +<p>“Great cats! I been thinkin’ of that,” sighed +the Westerner. “I want to see them and tell ’em +what I think of ’em. I ’spect Jane Ann never +thought of such a thing.”</p> + +<p>“But I liked her, just the same,” Ruth went +on, slowly. “She was bold, and brave, and I +guess she wouldn’t ever do a really mean thing.”</p> + +<p>“I reckon not, Miss!” agreed Mr. Hicks. +“My Jane Ann is plumb square, she is. I can +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_174'></a>174</span> +forgive her for running away from us. Mebbe +thar was reason for her gittin’ sick of Silver +Ranch. I–I stand ready to give her ’bout +ev’rything she wants–in reason–when I git her +back thar.”</p> + +<p>“Including a piano?” asked Ruth, curiously.</p> + +<p>“Great cats! that’s what we had our last spat +about,” groaned Bill Hicks. “Jib, he’s had advantages, +he has. Went to this here Carlisle +Injun school ye hear so much talk about. It +purty nigh ruined him, but he <i>can</i> break hosses. +And thar he l’arned to play one o’ them pianners. +We was all in to Bullhide one time–we’d been +shipping steers–and we piled into the Songbird +Dancehall–had the place all to ourselves, for it +was daytime–and Jib sot down and fingered them +keys somethin’ scand’lous. Bashful Ike–he’s my +foreman–says he never believed before that a +sure ’nough man like Jibbeway Pottoway could +ever be so ladylike!</p> + +<p>“Wal! My Jane Ann was jest enchanted by +that thar pianner–yes, Miss! She was jest enchanted. +And she didn’t give me no peace from +then on. Said she wanted one o’ the critters at +the ranch so Jib could give her lessons. And I +jest thought it was foolishness–and it cost money–oh, well! +I see now I was a pretty mean old +hunks<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“That’s what I heard her call you once,” +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_175'></a>175</span> +chuckled Ruth. “At least, I know now that she +was speaking of you, sir.”</p> + +<p>“She hit me off right,” sighed Mr. Hicks. “I +hadn’t never been used to spending money. But, +laws, child! I got enough. I been some waked +up since I come East. Folks spend money here, +that’s a fact.”</p> + +<p>They found Mother Purling’s door opened at +the foot of the lighthouse shaft, and the flutter of +an apron on the balcony told them that the old +lady had climbed to the lantern.</p> + +<p>“She doesn’t often do that,” said Heavy. +“Crab does all the cleaning and polishing up +there.”</p> + +<p>“He’s left her without any help, then,” Ruth +suggested. “That’s what it means.”</p> + +<p>And truly, that is what it did mean, as they +found out when Ruth, the Cameron twins, and +the Westerner climbed the spiral staircase to the +gallery outside the lantern.</p> + +<p>“Yes; that Crab ain’t been here this morning,” +Mother Purling admitted when Ruth explained +that there was reason for Mr. Hicks wishing to +see him. “He told me he was mebbe going off for +a few days. ‘Then you send me a substitute, Jack +Crab,’ I told him; but he only laughed and said +he wasn’t going to send a feller here to work into +his job. He <i>is</i> handy, I allow. But I’m too old +to be left all stark alone at this light. I’m going +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_176'></a>176</span> +to have another man when Jack’s month is out, +just as sure as eggs is eggs!”</p> + +<p>Mr. Hicks was just as polite to the old lady as +he had been to Miss Kate; and he quickly explained +his visit to the lighthouse, and showed +her the two letters that Crab had written.</p> + +<p>“Well, ain’t that the beatenest?” she cried. +“Jack Crab is just as mean as they make ’em, I +always did allow. But this is the capsheaf of all +his didoes. And you say he run off with the little +girl the other night in Mr. Stone’s catboat? I +dunno where he could have taken her. And that +day he’d been traipsing off fishing with you folks +on the motor launch; hadn’t he? He’s been +leavin’ me to do his work too much. This settles +it. Me and Jack Crab parts company at the +end of this month!”</p> + +<p>“But what is Mr. Hicks to do about his niece, +Mother Purling?” cried Ruth. “Will he pay +the five hundred dollars to you<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>?”</p> + +<p>“I just guess he won’t!” cried the old lady, +vigorously. “I ain’t goin’ to be collector for +Crab in none of his risky dealin’s–no, ma’am!”</p> + +<p>“Then he says he won’t give Nita up,” exclaimed +Tom.</p> + +<p>“Can’t help it. I’m a government employe. +I can’t afford to be mixed up in no such didoes.”</p> + +<p>“Now, I say, Missus!” exclaimed the cattleman, +“this is shore too bad! Ye might know +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_177'></a>177</span> +somethin’ about whar I kin find this yere reptile +by the name of Crab–though I reckon a crab is +a inseck, not a reptile,” and the ranchman grinned +ruefully.</p> + +<p>The young folks could scarcely control their +laughter at this, and the idea that a crustacean +might be an insect was never forgotten by the +Cameron twins and Ruth Fielding.</p> + +<p>“I dunno where he is,” said Mother Purling, +shortly. “I can’t keep track of the shiftless critter. +Ha’f the time when he oughter be here he’s +out fishing in the dory, yonder–or over to Thimble +Island.”</p> + +<p>“Which is Thimble Island?” asked Tom, +quickly.</p> + +<p>“Just yon,” said the lighthouse keeper, pointing +to a cone-shaped rock–perhaps an imaginative +person would call it thimble-shaped–lying +not far off shore. The lumber schooner had gone +on the reef not far from it.</p> + +<p>“Ain’t no likelihood of his being over thar +now, Missus?” asked Mr. Hicks, quickly.</p> + +<p>“An’ ye could purty nigh throw a stone to it!” +scoffed the old woman. “Not likely. B’sides, I +dunno as there’s a landin’ on the island ’ceptin’ at +low tide. I reckon if he’s hidin’, Jack Crab is +farther away than the Thimble. But I don’t +know nothin’ about him. And I can’t accept no +money for him–that’s all there is to that.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_178'></a>178</span>And really, that did seem to be all there was to +it. Even such a go-ahead sort of a person as Mr. +Hicks seemed balked by the lighthouse keeper’s +attitude. There seemed nothing further to do +here.</p> + +<p>Ruth was rather interested in what Mother +Purling had said about Thimble Island, and she +lingered to look at the conical rock, with the sea +foaming about it, when the others started down +the stairway. Tom came back for her.</p> + +<p>“What are you dreaming about, Ruthie?” he +demanded, nudging her.</p> + +<p>“I was wondering, Tommy,” she said, “just +why Jack Crab went so often to the Thimble, as +she says he does. I’d like to see that island +nearer to; wouldn’t you?”</p> + +<p>“We’ll borrow the catboat and sail out to it. +I can handle the <i>Jennie S.</i> I bet Helen would like +to go,” said Tom, at once.</p> + +<p>“Oh, I don’t suppose that Crab man is there. +It’s just a barren rock,” said Ruth. “But I +<i>would</i> like to see the Thimble.”</p> + +<p>“And you shall,” promised Tom.</p> + +<p>But neither of them suspected to what strange +result that promise tended.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_179'></a>179</span><a id='link_23'></a>CHAPTER XXIII<br /><span class='h2fs'>MAROONED</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>It</span> was after luncheon before the three friends +got away from the Stone bungalow in the catboat. +Tom owned a catrigged boat himself on the Lumano +river, and Helen and Ruth, of course, were +not afraid to trust themselves to his management +of the <i>Jennie S.</i></p> + +<p>The party was pretty well broken up that day, +anyway. Mercy and Miss Kate remained at +home and the others found amusement in different +directions. Nobody asked to go in the <i>Jennie S.</i>, +for which Ruth was rather glad.</p> + +<p>Mr. Hicks had gone over to Sokennet with the +avowed intention of interviewing every soul in +the town for news of Jack Crab. Somebody, +surely, must know where the assistant lighthouse +keeper was, and the Westerner was not a man to +be put off by any ordinary evasion.</p> + +<p>“My Jane Ann may be hiding over thar +amongst them fishermen,” he declared to Ruth before +he went away. “He couldn’t have sailed +far with her that night, if he was back in ’twixt +two and three hours. No, sir-ree!”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_180'></a>180</span>And that was the thought in Ruth’s mind. Unless +Crab had sailed out and put Nita aboard a +New York, or Boston, bound steamer, it seemed +impossible that the girl could have gotten very +far from Lighthouse Point.</p> + +<p>“Shall we take one of the rowboats in tow, +Ruth?” queried Tom, before they left the Stone +dock.</p> + +<p>“No, no!” returned the girl of the Red Mill, +hastily. “We couldn’t land on that island, anyway.”</p> + +<p>“Only at low tide,” rejoined Tom. “But it +will be about low when we get outside the point.”</p> + +<p>“You don’t really suspect that Crab and Nita +are out there, Ruth?” whispered Helen, in her +chum’s ear.</p> + +<p>“It’s a crazy idea; isn’t it?” laughed Ruth. +Yet she was serious again in a moment. “I +thought, when Mother Purling spoke of his going +there so much, that maybe he had a reason–a +particular reason.”</p> + +<p>“Phineas told me that Jack Crab was the best +pilot on this coast,” remarked Tom. “He knows +every channel, and shoal, and reef from Westhampton +to Cape o’ Winds. If there was a landing +at Thimble Island, and any secret place upon +it, Jack Crab would be likely to know of it.”</p> + +<p>“Can you sail us around the Thimble?” asked +Ruth. “That’s all we want.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_181'></a>181</span>“I asked Phin before we started. The sea is +clear for half a mile and more all around the +Thimble. We can circle it, all right, if the wind +holds this way.”</p> + +<p>“That’s all I expect you to do, Tommy,” responded +Ruth, quickly.</p> + +<p>But they all three eyed the conical-shaped rock +very sharply as the <i>Jennie S.</i> drew nearer. They +ran between the lighthouse and the Thimble. The +tide, in falling, left the green and slime-covered +ledges bare.</p> + +<p>“A boat could get into bad quarters there, and +easily enough,” said Tom, as they ran past.</p> + +<p>But when he tacked and the catboat swung her +head seaward, they began to observe the far side +of the Thimble. It was almost circular, and +probably all of a thousand yards in circumference. +The waves now ran up the exposed ledges, hissing +and gurgling among the cavities, and sometimes +throwing up spume-like geysers between the +boulders.</p> + +<p>“A bad rock for any vessel to stub her toe +against trying to make Sokennet Harbor,” quoth +Tom Cameron. “They say that the wreckers +used to have a false beacon here in the old times. +They used to bring a sheep out here and tie a +lantern to its neck. Then, at low tide, they’d +drive the poor sheep over the rocks and the +bobbing up and down of the lantern would look +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_182'></a>182</span> +like a riding light on some boat at anchor. Then +the lost vessel would dare run in for an anchorage, +too, and she’d be wrecked. Jack Crab’s +grandfather was hanged for it. So Phineas told +me.”</p> + +<p>“How awful!” gasped Helen.</p> + +<p>But Ruth suddenly seized her hand, exclaiming: +“See there! what is it fluttering on the rock? +Look, Tom!”</p> + +<p>At the moment the boy could not do so, as +he had his hands full with the tiller and sheet, +and his eyes were engaged as well. When he +turned to look again at the Thimble, what had +startled Ruth had disappeared.</p> + +<p>“There was something white fluttering against +the rock. It was down there, either below high-water +mark, or just above. I can’t imagine what +it was.”</p> + +<p>“A seabird, perhaps,” suggested Helen.</p> + +<p>“Then where did it go to so suddenly? I +did not see it fly away,” Ruth returned.</p> + +<p>The catboat sailed slowly past the seaward +side of the Thimble. There were fifty places in +which a person might hide upon the rock–plenty +of broken boulders and cracks in the base of +the conical eminence that formed the peculiarly +shaped island.</p> + +<p>The three watched the rugged shore very +sharply as the catboat beat up the wind–the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_183'></a>183</span> +girls especially giving the Thimble their attention. +A hundred pair of eyes might have watched them +from the island, as far as they knew. But certainly +neither Ruth nor Helen saw anything to +feed their suspicion.</p> + +<p>“What shall we do now?” demanded Tom. +“Where do you girls want to go?”</p> + +<p>“I don’t care,” Helen said.</p> + +<p>“Seen all you want to of that deserted island, +Ruthie?”</p> + +<p>“Do you mind running back again, Tom?” +Ruth asked. “I haven’t any reason for asking +it–no good reason, I mean.”</p> + +<p>“Pshaw! if we waited for a reason for everything +we did, some things would never be done,” +returned Tom, philosophically.</p> + +<p>“There isn’t a thing there,” declared Helen. +“But I don’t care in the least where you sail us, +Tom.”</p> + +<p>“Only not to Davy Jones’ Locker, Tommy,” +laughed Ruth.</p> + +<p>“I’ll run out a way, and then come back with +the wind and cross in front of the island again,” +said Tom, and he performed this feat in a very +seamanlike manner.</p> + +<p>“I declare! there’s a landing we didn’t see +sailing from the other direction,” cried Helen. +“See it–between those two ledges?”</p> + +<p>“A regular dock; but you couldn’t land there +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_184'></a>184</span> +at high tide, or when there was any sea on,” +returned her brother.</p> + +<p>“That’s the place!” exclaimed Ruth. “See +that white thing fluttering again? That’s no seagull.”</p> + +<p>“Ruth is right,” gasped Helen. “Oh, Tom! +There’s something fluttering there–a handkerchief, +is it?”</p> + +<p>“Sing out! as loud as ever you can!” commanded +the boy, eagerly. “Hail the rock.”</p> + +<p>They all three raised their voices. There was +no answer. But Tom was pointing the boat’s +nose directly for the opening between the sharp +ledges.</p> + +<p>“If there is nobody on the Thimble now, there +<i>has</i> been somebody there recently,” he declared. +“I’m going to drop the sail and run in there. +Stand by with the oars to fend off, girls. We +don’t want to scratch the catboat more than we +can help.”</p> + +<p>His sister and Ruth sprang to obey him. Each +with an oar stood at either rail and the big +sail came down on the run. But the <i>Jennie S.</i> +had headway sufficient to bring her straight into +the opening between the ledges.</p> + +<p>Tom ran forward, seized the rope in the bow, +and leaped ashore, carrying the coil of the painter +with him. Helen and Ruth succeeded in stopping +the boat’s headway with the oars, and the craft +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_185'></a>185</span> +lay gently rocking in the natural dock, without +having scraped her paint an atom.</p> + +<p>“A fine landing!” exclaimed Tom, taking a +turn or two with the rope about a knob of rock.</p> + +<p>“Yes, indeed,” returned Ruth. She gave a +look around. “My, what a lonely spot!”</p> + +<p>“It is lonely,” the youth answered. “Kind of +a Robinson Crusoe place,” and he gave a short +laugh.</p> + +<p>“Listen!” cried Ruth, and held up her hand +as a warning.</p> + +<p>“What did you hear, Ruth?”</p> + +<p>“I thought I heard somebody talking, or calling.”</p> + +<p>“You did?” Tom listened intently. “I don’t +hear anything.” He listened again. “Yes, I +do! Where did it come from?”</p> + +<p>“I think it came from yonder,” and the girl +from the Red Mill pointed to a big, round rock +ahead of them.</p> + +<p>“Maybe it did, Ruth. We’ll–yes, you are +right!” exclaimed the boy.</p> + +<p>As he spoke there was a scraping sound ahead +of them and suddenly a tousled black head popped, +up over the top of the boulder from which fluttered +the bit of white linen that had first attracted +Ruth’s attention.</p> + +<p>“Gracious goodness!” gasped Helen.</p> + +<p>“It’s Nita!” cried Ruth.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_186'></a>186</span>“Oh, oh!” shrilled the lost girl, flying out of +concealment and meeting Ruth as she leaped +ashore. “Is it really you? Have you come for +me? I–I thought I’d have to stay here alone +forever. I’d given up all hope of any boat seeing +me, or my signal. I–I’m ’most dead of fear, +Ruth Fielding! Do, do take me back to land +with you.”</p> + +<p>The Western girl was clearly panic-stricken. +The boldness and independence she had formerly +exhibited were entirely gone. Being marooned +on this barren islet had pretty well sapped the +courage of Miss Jane Ann Hicks.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_187'></a>187</span><a id='link_24'></a>CHAPTER XXIV<br /><span class='h2fs'>PLUCKY MOTHER PURLING</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>Tom Cameron</span> audibly chuckled; but he made +believe to be busy with the painter of the catboat +and so did not look at the Western girl. The +harum-scarum, independent, “rough and ready” +runaway was actually on the verge of tears. But–really–it was +not surprising.</p> + +<p>“How long have you been out here on this +rock?” demanded Helen, in horror.</p> + +<p>“Ever since I left the bungalow.”</p> + +<p>“Why didn’t you wave your signal from the +top of the rock, so that it could be seen on the +point?” asked Ruth, wonderingly.</p> + +<p>“There’s no way to get to the top of the +rock–or around to the other side of it, either,” +declared the runaway. “Look at these clothes! +They are nearly torn off. And see my hands!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, you poor, poor thing!” exclaimed Helen, +seeing how the castaway’s hands were torn.</p> + +<p>“I tried it. I’ve shouted myself hoarse. No +boat paid any attention to me. They were all +too far away, I suppose.”</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_188'></a>188</span>“And did that awful man, Crab, bring you +here?” cried Ruth.</p> + +<p>“Yes. It was dark when he landed and +showed me this cave in the rock. There was +food and water. Why, I’ve got plenty to eat +and drink even now. But nobody has been +here<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Didn’t he come back?” queried Tom, at last +taking part in the conversation.</p> + +<p>“He rowed out here once. I told him I’d +sink his boat with a rock if he tried to land. I +was afraid of him,” declared the girl.</p> + +<p>“But why did you come here with him that +night?” demanded Ruth.</p> + +<p>“’Cause I was foolish. I didn’t know he was +so bad then. I thought he’d really help me. +He told me Jennie’s aunt had written to my uncle<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“Old Bill Hicks,” remarked Tom, chuckling.</p> + +<p>“Yes. I’m Jane Hicks. I’m not Nita,” said +the girl, gulping down something like a sob.</p> + +<p>“We read all about you in the paper,” said +Helen, soothingly. “Don’t you mind.”</p> + +<p>“And your uncle’s come, and he’s just as anxious +to see you as he can be,” declared Ruth.</p> + +<p>“So they <i>did</i> send for him?” cried Jane Ann.</p> + +<p>“No. Crab wrote a letter to Silver Ranch +himself. He got you out here so as to be sure +to collect five hundred dollars from your uncle +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_189'></a>189</span> +before he gave you up,” grunted Tom. “Nice +mess of things you made by running off from us.”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I’ll go back with Uncle Bill–I will, indeed,” +said the girl. “I’ve been so lonely and +scared out here. Seems to me every time the tide +rose, I’d be drowned in that cave. The sea’s +horrid, I think! I never want to see it again.”</p> + +<p>“Well,” Tom observed, “I guess you won’t +have to worry about Crab any more. Get +aboard the catboat. We’ll slip ashore mighty +easy now, and let him whistle for you–or the +money. Mr. Hicks won’t have to pay for getting +you back.”</p> + +<p>“I expect he’s awful mad at me,” sighed Jane +Ann, <i>alias</i> Nita.</p> + +<p>“I know that he is awfully anxious to get you +back again, my dear,” said Ruth. “He is altogether +too good a man for you to run away +from.”</p> + +<p>“Don’t you suppose I know that, Miss?” +snapped the girl from the ranch.</p> + +<p>They embarked in the catboat and Tom showed +his seamanship to good advantage when he got +the <i>Jennie S.</i> out of that dock without rubbing +her paint. But the wind was very light and they +had to run down with it past the island and then +beat up between the Thimble and the lighthouse, +toward the entrance to Sokennet Harbor.</p> + +<p>Indeed, the breeze fell so at times that the +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_190'></a>190</span> +catboat made no headway. In one of these calms +Helen sighted a rowboat some distance away, +but pulling toward them from among the little +chain of islands beyond the reef on which the +lumber schooner had been wrecked.</p> + +<p>“Here’s a fisherman coming,” she said. “Do +you suppose he’d take us ashore in his boat, Tom? +We could walk home from the light. It’s growing +late and Miss Kate will be worried.”</p> + +<p>“Why, Sis, I can scull this old tub to the landing +below the lighthouse yonder. We don’t need +to borrow a boat. Then Phineas can come +around in the <i>Miraflame</i> to-morrow morning and +tow the catboat home.”</p> + +<p>But Jane Ann had leaped up at once to eye +the coming rowboat–and not with favor.</p> + +<p>“That looks like the boat that Crab came +out to the Thimble in,” she exclaimed. “Why! +it <i>is</i> him.”</p> + +<p>“Jack Crab!” exclaimed Helen, in terror. +“He’s after you, then.”</p> + +<p>“Well he won’t get her,” declared Tom, +boldly.</p> + +<p>“What can we do against that man?” demanded +Ruth, anxiously. “I’m afraid of him +myself. Let’s try to get ashore.”</p> + +<p>“Yes, before he catches us,” begged Helen. +“Do, Tom!”</p> + +<p>There was no hope of the wind helping them, +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_191'></a>191</span> +and the man in the rowboat was pulling strongly +for the becalmed <i>Jennie S.</i> Tom instantly +dropped her sail and seized one of the oars. He +could scull pretty well, and he forced the heavy +boat through the quiet sea directly for the lighthouse +landing.</p> + +<p>The three girls were really much disturbed; +Crab pulled his lighter boat much faster than +Tom could drive the <i>Jennie S.</i> and it was a question +if he would not overtake her before she +reached the landing.</p> + +<p>“He sees me,” said Jane Hicks, excitedly. +“He’ll get hold of me if he can. And maybe +he’ll hurt you folks.”</p> + +<p>“He’s got to catch us first,” grunted Tom, +straining at the oar.</p> + +<p>“We’re going to beat him, Tommy!” cried +Helen, encouragingly. “Don’t give up!”</p> + +<p>Once Crab looked around and bawled some +threat to them over his shoulder. But they did +not reply. His voice inspired Tom with renewed +strength–or seemed to. The boy strained at +his single oar, and the <i>Jennie S.</i> moved landward +at a good, stiff pace.</p> + +<p>“Stand ready with the painter, Ruth!” called +Tom, at last. “We must fasten the boat before +we run.”</p> + +<p>“And where will we run to?” demanded +Helen.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_192'></a>192</span>“To the light, of course,” returned her chum.</p> + +<p>“Give <i>me</i> the hitch-rein!” cried Jane Ann +Hicks, snatching the coil of line from Ruth’s +hand, and the next moment she leaped from the +deck of the catboat to the wharf.</p> + +<p>The distance was seven or eight feet, but she +cleared it and landed on the stringpiece. She +threw the line around one of the piles and made +a knot with a dexterity that would have surprised +her companions at another time.</p> + +<p>But there was no opportunity then for Tom, +Helen and Ruth to stop to notice it. All three +got ashore the moment the catboat bumped, and +they left her where she was and followed the +flying Western girl up the wharf and over the +stretches of sand towards the lightkeeper’s cottage.</p> + +<p>Before their feet were off the planks of the +wharf Jack Crab’s boat collided with the <i>Jennie +S.</i> and the man scrambled upon her deck, and +across it to the wharf. He left his own dory to +go ashore if it would, and set out to catch the +girl who–he considered–was worth five hundred +dollars to him.</p> + +<p>But Jane Ann and her friends whisked into +the little white house at the foot of the light +shaft, and slammed the door before Crab reached +it.</p> + +<p>“For the Land of Goshen!” cried the old +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_193'></a>193</span> +lady, who was sitting knitting in her tiny sitting-room. +“What’s the meaning of this?”</p> + +<p>“It’s Crab! It’s Jack Crab!” cried Helen, +almost in hysterics. “He’s after us!”</p> + +<p>Tom had bolted the door. Now Crab thundered +upon it, with both feet and fists.</p> + +<p>“Let me in!” he roared from outside. +“Mother Purling! you let me git that gal!”</p> + +<p>“What does this mean?” repeated the lighthouse +keeper, sternly. “Ain’t this the gal that +big man was after this morning?” she demanded, +pointing at Jane Ann.</p> + +<p>“Yes, Mrs. Purling–it is Jane Hicks. And +this dreadful Crab man has kept her out on the +Thimble all this time–alone!” cried Ruth. +“Think of it! Now he has chased us in +here<span style='white-space: nowrap'>––</span>”</p> + +<p>“I’ll fix that Jack Crab,” declared the plucky +old woman, advancing toward the door. “Hi, +you, Jack! go away from there.”</p> + +<p>“You open this door, Mother Purling, if you +knows what’s best for you,” commanded the +sailor.</p> + +<p>“You better git away from that door, if you +knows what’s best for <i>you</i>, Jack Crab!” retorted +the old woman. “I don’t fear ye.”</p> + +<p>“I see that man here this morning. Did he +leave aught for me?” cried Crab, after a moment. +“If he left the five hundred dollars he +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_194'></a>194</span> +promised to give for the gal, he can have her. +Give me the money, and I’ll go my ways.”</p> + +<p>“I ain’t no go-between for a scoundrel such +as you, Jack Crab,” declared the lighthouse keeper. +“There’s no money here for ye.”</p> + +<p>“Then I’ll have the gal if I tear the lighthouse +down for it–stone by stone!” roared the fellow.</p> + +<p>“And it’s your kind that always blows before +they breeches,” declared Mother Purling, referring +to the habit of the whale, which spouts +before it upends and dives out of sight. “Go +away!”</p> + +<p>“I won’t go away!”</p> + +<p>“Yes, ye will, an’ quick, too!”</p> + +<p>“Old woman, ye don’t know me!” stormed +the unreasonable man. “I want that money, an’ +I’m bound to have it–one way or th’ other!”</p> + +<p>“You’ll get nuthin’, Jack Crab, but a broken +head if ye keep on in this fashion,” returned the +woman of the lighthouse, her honest wrath growing +greater every moment.</p> + +<p>“We’ll see about that!” howled the man. +“Are ye goin’ to let me in or not?”</p> + +<p>“No, I tell ye! Go away!”</p> + +<p>“Then I’ll bust my way in, see ef I don’t!”</p> + +<p>At that the fellow threw himself against the +door, and the screws of one hinge began to tear +out of the woodwork. Mother Purling saw it, +and motioned the frightened girls and Tom toward +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_195'></a>195</span> +the stairway which led to the gallery around +the lantern.</p> + +<p>“Go up yon!” she commanded. “Shut and +lock that door on ye. He’ll not durst set foot on +government property, and that’s what the light is. +Go up.”</p> + +<p>She shooed them all into the stairway and +slammed the door. There she stood with her +back against it, while, at the next blow, Jack +Crab forced the outer door of her cottage inward +and fell sprawling across its wreck into the room.</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> +<h2><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_196'></a>196</span><a id='link_25'></a>CHAPTER XXV<br /><span class='h2fs'>WHAT JANE ANN WANTED</span></h2> + +<p><span class='sc'>Ruth</span> and her companions could not see what +went on in the cottage; but they did not mount the +stairs. They could not leave the old woman–plucky +as she was–to fight Jack Crab alone.</p> + +<p>But they need not have been so fearful for +Mother Purling’s safety. The instant the man +fell into the main room of the cottage, Mother +Purling darted to the stove, seized the heavy +poker which lay upon the hearth, and sprang for +the rascal.</p> + +<p>Jack Crab had got upon his knees, threatening +her with dire vengeance. The old lighthouse +keeper never said a word in reply, but brought +the heavy poker down upon his head and shoulders +with right good will, and Jack Crab’s tune +changed on the instant.</p> + +<p>Again and again Mother Purling struck him. +He rolled upon the floor, trying to extricate himself +from the wreck of her door, and so escape.</p> + +<p>But before he could do this, and before the +old woman had ceased her attack, there was a +shout outside, a horse was brought to an abrupt +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_197'></a>197</span> +halt at the gate, and a huge figure in black flung +itself from the saddle, and came running through +the gate and up to the cottage.</p> + +<p>“What you got there, Missus?” roared the +deep voice of Bill Hicks, of Bullhide, and at the +sound of his voice Jane Ann burst open the door +at the foot of the stairs and ran out to meet +him.</p> + +<p>“This here’s the man you want to meet, I +guess,” panted the old woman, desisting at length +in her use of the poker. “Do ye want him now, +Mister?”</p> + +<p>“Uncle Bill!” shrieked Jane Ann.</p> + +<p>“Great cats!” cried the cattleman. “Is it +Jane Ann herself? Is she alive?”</p> + +<p>The girl flung herself into the big man’s arms. +“I’m all right, Uncle!” she cried, laughing and +crying together. “And that man yonder didn’t +hurt me–only kep’ me on a desert island till +Ruth and Tom and Helen found me.”</p> + +<p>“Then he kin go!” declared Bill Hicks, turning +suddenly as Crab started through the door. +“And here’s what will help him!”</p> + +<p>The Westerner swung his heavy boot with the +best intention in the world and caught Jack Crab +just as he was going down the step. With a yell +of pain the fellow sailed through the air, landing +at least ten feet from the doorway. But he +was up from his hands and knees and running +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_198'></a>198</span> +hard in an instant, and he ran so hard, and to +such good purpose, that he ran right out of this +story then and there. Ruth Fielding and her +friends never saw the treacherous fellow again.</p> + +<p>“But if he’d acted like he oughter,” said Mr. +Hicks, “and hadn’t put my Jane Ann out on that +thar lonesome rock, and treated her the way he +done, I should have considered myself in his debt. +I’d have paid him the five hundred dollars, sure +enough. I’d have paid it over willingly if he’d +left my gal with these nice people and only told +me whar she was. But I wouldn’t give him a cent +now–not even if he was starvin’. For if I found +him in that condition I’d see he got food and not +money,” and the big man chuckled.</p> + +<p>“So you haven’t got to pay five hundred dollars +for me, then, Uncle Bill?” said his niece, as +they sat on the porch of the Stones’ bungalow, +talking things over.</p> + +<p>“No, I haven’t. No fault of yours, though, +you little rascal. I dunno but I ought to divide +it ’twixt them three friends of yourn that found +ye.”</p> + +<p>“Not for us!” cried Tom and Helen.</p> + +<p>“Nor for me,” said Ruth, earnestly. “It +would not be right. I never should respect myself +again if I thought I had tried to find Nita +for money.”</p> + +<p>“But if it hadn’t been for Ruth we’d never +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_199'></a>199</span> +have sailed over there to the Thimble,” declared +Tom.</p> + +<p>The Western girl had been thinking seriously; +now she seized her uncle by the arm. “I tell +you what I want, Uncle Bill!” she cried.</p> + +<p>“Something beside the pianner and the shift-on +hat?” he grumbled, but his blue eyes twinkled.</p> + +<p>“Those things don’t count,” she declared +earnestly. “But this five hundred dollars, Uncle +Bill, you haven’t got to pay that Crab man. So +you just spend it by taking all these girls and boys +that have been so nice to me out to Silver Ranch. +They think it must be the finest place that ever +happened–and I don’t know but ’tis, Uncle, if +you don’t have too much of it,” she added.</p> + +<p>“Great cats! that would shore be some doin’s; +wouldn’t it?” exclaimed the cattleman, grinning +broadly.</p> + +<p>“You bet it would! We’ll take Ruth and +Helen and Tom and Heavy an–why, every +last one of ’em that’ll go. We’ll show ’em a right +good time; is it a go, Uncle Bill?”</p> + +<p>And it certainly was “a go,” for we shall meet +Ruth and her friends next in a volume entitled, +“Ruth Fielding at Silver Ranch; Or, Schoolgirls +Among the Cowboys.”</p> + +<p>Old Bill Hicks’ hearty invitation could not be +accepted, however, until the various young folks +had written home to their parents and guardians +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_200'></a>200</span> +about it. And the expectation of what fun they +could have on Silver Ranch did not spoil the +fun to be found closer at hand, at Lighthouse +Point.</p> + +<p>The remainder of that fortnight at the bungalow +would long be remembered by Ruth and her +girl friends, especially. Mr. Hicks got board at +Sokennet; but Jane Ann (although they all called +her “Nita” save The Fox, who took some delight +in teasing her about her ugly name) remained +at the bungalow. The cattleman could +not do too much for anybody who had been kind +to his niece, and had the life saving men not refused +absolutely to accept anything from him, +he would have made them all a present because +they had rescued Jane Ann from the wreck of the +<i>Whipstitch</i>.</p> + +<p>Nevertheless, Mr. Hicks found out something +that he <i>could</i> do for the life-savers, and he presented +the station with a fine library–something +which all the surfmen, and Cap’n Abinadab as well, +could enjoy during the long winter days and evenings. +Nor did the ranchman forget Mother Purling +at the lighthouse. Up from New York came +the finest black silk dress and bonnet that the +big man could buy for money in any shop, and no +present could have so delighted the plucky old +lighthouse keeper. She had longed, she said, for +a black silk dress all her life.</p> + +<p><span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_201'></a>201</span>Before the young folks departed from Lighthouse +Point, too, Miss Kate invited the life-savers, +and Mother Purling, and Phineas and +some of the other longshoremen and their wives +to a “party” at the bungalow. And there were +good things to eat (Heavy saw to <i>that</i>, of course) +and a moving-picture entertainment brought down +from the city for that evening, and a big display +of fireworks afterward on the shore.</p> + +<p>This wound up Ruth Fielding’s visit to Lighthouse +Point. The fortnight of fun was ended +all too soon. She and Helen and Tom, and the +rest of the visitors, started for home, all promising, +if their parents and guardians agreed, to +meet Jane Ann Hicks and her uncle a week later, +in Syracuse, ready for the long and delightful +journey across the continent to Bullhide, Montana.</p> + +<p>“Well, we certainly did have some great +times,” was Tom’s comment, after the last goodbyes +had been spoken and the young folks were +homeward bound.</p> + +<p>“Oh, it was lovely,” answered his twin sister. +“And think of how we helped Nita–I mean +Jane Ann.”</p> + +<p>“Most of the credit for that goes to Ruth,” +said Tom.</p> + +<p>“Oh, no!” cried the girl from the Red Mill. +“Yes, we certainly had a grand time,” she added. +<span class='pagenum pncolor'><a id='page_202'></a>202</span> +“I love the bounding sea, and the shifting sands, +and the lighthouse, and all!”</p> + +<p>“Oh, I do hope we can go out to that ranch!” +sighed Helen. “I have always wanted to visit +such a place, to see the cattle and the cowboys, +and the boundless prairies.”</p> + +<p>“And I want to ride a broncho,” put in her +brother. “They say some of ’em can go like +the wind. Ruth, you’ll have to ride, too.”</p> + +<p>“Take your last look at the sea!” came from +Heavy. “Maybe we won’t get another look at +it for a long time.”</p> + +<p>All turned to look at the rolling waves, glistening +brightly in the Summer sun.</p> + +<p>“Isn’t it lovely!”</p> + +<p>“Good-bye, Old Ocean, good-bye!” sang out +Helen.</p> + +<p>Ruth threw a kiss to the waves.</p> + +<p>Then the ocean faded from their sight. And +here we will leave Ruth Fielding and say good-bye.</p> + +<p class='c'>THE END</p> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<p class='c'> +<span class='fs14'>THE RUTH FIELDING SERIES</span><br /> +<span class='fs12'>By ALICE B. EMERSON</span><br /> +<i>12mo. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors</i><br /> +<i>Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid</i> +</p> + +<p>Ruth Fielding was an orphan and came to live with her miserly uncle. +Her adventures and travels make stories that will hold the interest of +every reader.</p> + +<p>Ruth Fielding is a character that will live in juvenile fiction.</p> + +<div class='poetry'> +<p>1. RUTH FIELDING OF THE RED MILL</p> +<p>2. RUTH FIELDING AT BRIARWOOD HALL</p> +<p>3. RUTH FIELDING AT SNOW CAMP</p> +<p>4. RUTH FIELDING AT LIGHTHOUSE POINT</p> +<p>5. RUTH FIELDING AT SILVER RANCH</p> +<p>6. RUTH FIELDING ON CLIFF ISLAND</p> +<p>7. RUTH FIELDING AT SUNRISE FARM</p> +<p>8. RUTH FIELDING AND THE GYPSIES</p> +<p>9. RUTH FIELDING IN MOVING PICTURES</p> +<p>10. RUTH FIELDING DOWN IN DIXIE</p> +<p>11. RUTH FIELDING AT COLLEGE</p> +<p>12. RUTH FIELDING IN THE SADDLE</p> +<p>13. RUTH FIELDING IN THE RED CROSS</p> +<p>14. RUTH FIELDING AT THE WAR FRONT</p> +<p>15. RUTH FIELDING HOMEWARD BOUND</p> +<p>16. RUTH FIELDING DOWN EAST</p> +<p>17. RUTH FIELDING IN THE GREAT NORTHWEST</p> +<p>18. RUTH FIELDING ON THE ST. LAWRENCE</p> +<p>19. RUTH FIELDING TREASURE HUNTING</p> +<p>20. RUTH FIELDING IN THE FAR NORTH</p> +<p>21. RUTH FIELDING AT GOLDEN PASS</p> +<p>22. RUTH FIELDING IN ALASKA</p> +<p>23. RUTH FIELDING AND HER GREAT SCENARIO</p> +</div> + +<hr class='cupples' /> +<table summary='publisher' style='width:100%; margin:0 auto;'> +<tr><td align='left'>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers</td> +<td align='right'>New York</td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<p class='c'> +<span class='fs14'>THE BETTY GORDON SERIES</span><br /> +<span class='fs12'>By ALICE B. EMERSON</span><br /> +<i>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors</i><br /> +<i>Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid</i> +</p> + +<p>1. BETTY GORDON AT BRAMBLE FARM<br />    or The Mystery of a Nobody</p> + +<p>At twelve Betty is left an orphan.</p> + +<p>2. BETTY GORDON IN WASHINGTON<br />    or Strange Adventures in a Great City</p> + +<p>Betty goes to the National Capitol to find +her uncle and has several unusual adventures.</p> + +<p>3. BETTY GORDON IN THE LAND OF OIL<br />    or The Farm That Was Worth a Fortune</p> + +<p>From Washington the scene is shifted to the great oil fields of +our country. A splendid picture of the oil field operations of to-day.</p> + +<p>4. BETTY GORDON AT BOARDING SCHOOL<br />    or The Treasure of Indian Chasm</p> + +<p>Seeking treasures of Indian Chasm makes interesting reading.</p> + +<p>5. BETTY GORDON AT MOUNTAIN CAMP<br />    or The Mystery of Ida Bellethorne</p> + +<p>At Mountain Camp Betty found herself in the midst of a mystery +involving a girl whom she had previously met in Washington.</p> + +<p>6. BETTY GORDON AT OCEAN PARK<br />    or School Chums on the Boardwalk</p> + +<p>A glorious outing that Betty and her chums never forgot.</p> + +<p>7. BETTY GORDON AND HER SCHOOL CHUMS<br />    or Bringing the Rebels to Terms</p> + +<p>Rebellious students, disliked teachers and mysterious robberies +make a fascinating story.</p> + +<p>8. BETTY GORDON AT RAINBOW RANCH<br />    or Cowboy Joe’s Secret</p> + +<p>Betty and her chums have a grand time in the saddle.</p> + +<p>9. BETTY GORDON IN MEXICAN WILDS<br />    or The Secret of the Mountains</p> + +<p>Betty receives a fake telegram and finds both Bob and herself held +for ransom in a mountain cave.</p> + +<p>10. BETTY GORDON AND THE LOST PEARL<br />    or A Mystery of the Seaside</p> + +<p>Betty and her chums go to the ocean shore for a vacation and +there Betty becomes involved in the disappearance of a string of +pearls worth a fortune.</p> + +<p class='c mt10'><i>Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue</i></p> +<hr class='cupples' /> +<table summary='publisher' style='width:100%; margin:0 auto;'> +<tr><td align='left'>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers</td> +<td align='right'>New York</td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<p class='c'> +<span class='14'>THE BARTON BOOKS FOR GIRLS</span><br /> +<span class='12'>By MAY HOLLIS BARTON</span><br /> +<i>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. With colored jacket</i><br /> +<i>Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid</i><br /> +</p> + +<p>May Hollis Barton is a new writer for girls who is bound to win instant +popularity. Her style is somewhat of a mixture of that of Louisa M. +Alcott and Mrs. L. T. Meade, but thoroughly up-to-date in plot and +action. Clean tales that all girls will enjoy reading.</p> + +<p>1. THE GIRL FROM THE COUNTRY<br />    or Laura Mayford’s City Experiences</p> + +<p>Laura was the oldest of five children and when daddy got sick she +felt she must do something. She had a chance to try her luck in New +York, and there the country girl fell in with many unusual experiences.</p> + +<p>2. THREE GIRL CHUMS AT LAUREL HALL<br />    or The Mystery of the School by the Lake</p> + +<p>When the three chums arrived at the boarding school they found +the other students in the grip of a most perplexing mystery. How +this mystery was solved, and what good times the girls had, both in +school and on the lake, go to make a story no girl would care to miss.</p> + +<p>3. NELL GRAYSON’S RANCHING DAYS<br />    or A City Girl in the Great West</p> + +<p>Showing how Nell, when she had a ranch girl visit her in Boston, +thought her chum very green, but when Nell visited the ranch in the +great West she found herself confronting many conditions of which +she was totally ignorant. A stirring outdoor story.</p> + +<p>4. FOUR LITTLE WOMEN OF ROXBY<br />    or The Queer Old Lady Who Lost Her Way</p> + +<p>Four sisters are keeping house and having trouble to make both +ends meet. One day there wanders in from a stalled express train an +old lady who cannot remember her identity. The girls take the old +lady in, and, later, are much astonished to learn who she really is.</p> + +<p>5. PLAIN JANE AND PRETTY BETTY<br />    or The Girl Who Won Out</p> + +<p>The tale of two girls, one plain but sensible, the other pretty but +vain. Unexpectedly both find they have to make their way in the +world. Both have many trials and tribulations. A story of a country +town and then a city.</p> + +<p class='c mt10'><i>Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue</i></p> +<hr class='cupples' /> +<table summary='publisher' style='width:100%; margin:0 auto;'> +<tr><td align='left'>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers</td> +<td align='right'>New York</td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<p class='c'> +<span class='fs14'>THE LINGER-NOT SERIES</span><br /> +<span class='fs12'>By AGNES MILLER</span><br /> +<i>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors</i><br /> +<i>Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid</i> +</p> + +<p>This new series of girls’ books is in a new +style of story writing. The interest is in knowing +the girls and seeing them solve the problems +that develop their character. Incidentally, a +great deal of historical information is imparted.</p> + +<p>1. THE LINGER-NOTS AND THE MYSTERY HOUSE<br />    or The Story of Nine Adventurous Girls</p> + +<p>How the Linger-Not girls met and formed their club seems commonplace, +but this writer makes it fascinating, and how they made their club +serve a great purpose continues the interest to the end, and introduces +a new type of girlhood.</p> + +<p>2. THE LINGER-NOTS AND THE VALLEY FEUD<br />    or The Great West Point Chain</p> + +<p>The Linger-Not girls had no thought of becoming mixed up with +feuds or mysteries, but their habit of being useful soon entangled +them in some surprising adventures that turned out happily for all, +and made the valley better because of their visit.</p> + +<p>3. THE LINGER-NOTS AND THEIR GOLDEN QUEST<br />    or The Log of the Ocean Monarch</p> + +<p>For a club of girls to become involved in a mystery leading back +into the times of the California gold-rush, seems unnatural until the +reader sees how it happened, and how the girls helped one of their +friends to come into her rightful name and inheritance, forms a fine +story.</p> + +<p>4. THE LINGER-NOTS AND THE WHISPERING CHARMS<br />    or The Secret from Old Alaska</p> + +<p>Whether engrossed in thrilling adventures in the Far North or +occupied with quiet home duties, the Linger-Not girls could work +unitedly to solve a colorful mystery in a way that interpreted +American freedom to a sad young stranger, and brought happiness +to her and to themselves.</p> + +<p class='c mt10'><i>Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue</i></p> +<hr class='cupples' /> +<table summary='publisher' style='width:100%; margin:0 auto;'> +<tr><td align='left'>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers</td> +<td align='right'>New York</td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<p class='c'> +<span class='fs14'>THE GIRL SCOUT SERIES</span><br /> +<span class='fs12'>By LILIAN GARIS</span><br /> +<i>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors</i><br /> +<i>Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid</i> +</p> + +<p>The highest ideals of girlhood as advocated +by the foremost organizations of America +form the background for these stories and while +unobtrusive there is a message in every volume.</p> + +<p>1. THE GIRL SCOUT PIONEERS<br />    or Winning the First B. C.</p> + +<p>A story of the True Tred Troop in a Pennsylvania town. Two runaway girls, who +want to see the city, are reclaimed through +troop influence. The story is correct in scout +detail.</p> + +<p>2. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT BELLAIRE<br />    or Maid Mary’s Awakening</p> + +<p>The story of a timid little maid who is afraid to take part in +other girls’ activities, while working nobly alone for high ideals. +How she was discovered by the Bellaire Troop and came into her +own as “Maid Mary” makes a fascinating story.</p> + +<p>3. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT SEA CREST<br />    or The Wig Wag Rescue</p> + +<p>Luna Land, a little island by the sea, is wrapt in a mysterious +seclusion, and Kitty Scuttle, a grotesque figure, succeeds in keeping +all others at bay until the Girl Scouts come.</p> + +<p>4. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT CAMP COMALONG<br />    or Peg of Tamarack Hills</p> + +<p>The girls of Bobolink Troop spend their summer on the shores of +Lake Hocomo. Their discovery of Peg, the mysterious rider, and +the clearing up of her remarkable adventures afford a vigorous plot.</p> + +<p>5. THE GIRL SCOUTS AT ROCKY LEDGE<br />    or Nora’s Real Vacation</p> + +<p>Nora Blair is the pampered daughter of a frivolous mother. Her +dislike for the rugged life of Girl Scouts is eventually changed to +appreciation, when the rescue of little Lucia, a woodland waif, +becomes a problem for the girls to solve.</p> + +<p class='c mt10'><i>Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue</i></p> +<hr class='cupples' /> +<table summary='publisher' style='width:100%; margin:0 auto;'> +<tr><td align='left'>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers</td> +<td align='right'>New York</td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<p class='c'> +<span class='fs14'>BILLIE BRADLEY SERIES</span><br /> +<span class='fs12'>By JANET D. WHEELER</span><br /> +<i>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors</i><br /> +<i>Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid</i> +</p> + +<p>1. BILLIE BRADLEY AND HER INHERITANCE<br />    or The Queer Homestead at Cherry Corners</p> + +<p>Billie Bradley fell heir to an old homestead +that was unoccupied and located far away in +a lonely section of the country. How Billie +went there, accompanied by some of her +chums, and what queer things happened, go +to make up a story no girl will want to miss.</p> + +<p>2. BILLIE BRADLEY AT THREE-TOWERS HALL<br />    or Leading a Needed Rebellion</p> + +<p>Three-Towers Hall was a boarding school for girls. For a short +time after Billie arrived there all went well. But then the head of +the school had to go on a long journey and she left the girls in charge +of two teachers, sisters, who believed in severe discipline and in very, +very plain food and little of it–and then there was a row! The girls +wired for the head to come back–and all ended happily.</p> + +<p>3. BILLIE BRADLEY ON LIGHTHOUSE ISLAND<br />    or The Mystery of the Wreck</p> + +<p>One of Billie’s friends owned a summer bungalow on Lighthouse +Island, near the coast. The school girls made up a party and visited +the Island. There was a storm and a wreck, and three little children +were washed ashore. They could tell nothing of themselves, and +Billie and her chums set to work to solve the mystery of their +identity.</p> + +<p>4. BILLIE BRADLEY AND HER CLASSMATES<br />    or The Secret of the Locked Tower</p> + +<p>Billie and her chums come to the rescue of several little children +who have broken through the ice. There is the mystery of a lost +invention, and also the dreaded mystery of the locked school tower.</p> + +<p>5. BILLIE BRADLEY AT TWIN LAKES<br />    or Jolly Schoolgirls Afloat and Ashore</p> + +<p>A tale of outdoor adventure in which Billie and her chums have a +great variety of adventures. They visit an artists’ colony and there +fall in with a strange girl living with an old boatman who abuses her +constantly. Billie befriended Hulda and the mystery surrounding +the girl was finally cleared up.</p> + +<p class='c mt10'><i>Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue</i></p> +<hr class='cupples' /> +<table summary='publisher' style='width:100%; margin:0 auto;'> +<tr><td align='left'>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers</td> +<td align='right'>New York</td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<p class='c'> +<span class='fs14'>THE CURLYTOPS SERIES</span><br /> +<span class='fs12'>By HOWARD R. GARIS</span><br /> +<i>Author of the famous Bedtime Animal Stories</i><br /> +<i>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors</i><br /> +<i>Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid</i> +</p> + +<p>1. THE CURLYTOPS AT CHERRY FARM<br />    or Vacation Days in the Country</p> + +<p>A tale of happy vacation days on a farm.</p> + +<p>2. THE CURLYTOPS ON STAR ISLAND<br />    or Camping out with Grandpa</p> + +<p>The Curlytops camp on Star Island.</p> + +<p>3. THE CURLYTOPS SNOWED IN<br />    or Grand Fun with Skates and Sleds</p> + +<p>The Curlytops on lakes and hills.</p> + +<p>4. THE CURLYTOPS AT UNCLE FRANK’S RANCH<br />    or Little Folks on Ponyback</p> + +<p>Out West on their uncle’s ranch they have a wonderful time.</p> + +<p>5. THE CURLYTOPS AT SILVER LAKE<br />    or On the Water with Uncle Ben</p> + +<p>The Curlytops camp out on the shores of a beautiful lake.</p> + +<p>6. THE CURLYTOPS AND THEIR PETS<br />    or Uncle Toby’s Strange Collection</p> + +<p>An old uncle leaves them to care for his collection of pets.</p> + +<p>7. THE CURLYTOPS AND THEIR PLAYMATES<br />    or Jolly Times Through the Holidays</p> + +<p>They have great times with their uncle’s collection of animals.</p> + +<p>8. THE CURLYTOPS IN THE WOODS<br />    or Fun at the Lumber Camp</p> + +<p>Exciting times in the forest for Curlytops.</p> + +<p>9. THE CURLYTOPS AT SUNSET BEACH<br />    or What Was Found in the Sand</p> + +<p>The Curlytops have a fine time at the seashore.</p> + +<p>10. THE CURLYTOPS TOURING AROUND<br />    or The Missing Photograph Albums</p> + +<p>The Curlytops get in some moving pictures.</p> + +<p>11. THE CURLYTOPS IN A SUMMER CAMP<br />    or Animal Joe’s Menagerie</p> + +<p>There is great excitement as some mischievous monkeys break +out of Animal Joe’s Menagerie.</p> + +<p class='c mt10'><i>Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue</i></p> +<hr class='cupples' /> +<table summary='publisher' style='width:100%; margin:0 auto;'> +<tr><td align='left'>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers</td> +<td align='right'>New York</td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<p class='c'> +<span class='fs14'>FOUR LITTLE BLOSSOM SERIES</span><br /> +<span class='fs12'>By MABEL C. HAWLEY</span><br /> +<i>12mo. Cloth. Illustrated. Jacket in full colors</i><br /> +<i>Price per volume, 65 cents, postpaid</i> +</p> + +<p>1. FOUR LITTLE BLOSSOMS AT BROOKSIDE FARM</p> + +<p>Mother called them her Four Little Blossoms, but Daddy Blossom called +them Bobby, Meg, and the twins. The twins, Twaddles and Dot, were a +comical pair and always getting into mischief. The children had heaps +of fun around the big farm.</p> + +<p>2. FOUR LITTLE BLOSSOMS AT OAK HILL SCHOOL</p> + +<p>In the Fall, Bobby and Meg had to go to school. It was good fun, +for Miss Mason was a kind teacher. Then the twins insisted on +going to school, too, and their appearance quite upset the class. +In school something very odd happened.</p> + +<p>3. FOUR LITTLE BLOSSOMS AND THEIR WINTER FUN</p> + +<p>Winter came and with it lots of ice and snow, and oh! what fun +the Blossoms had skating and sledding. And once Bobby and Meg +went on an errand and got lost in a sudden snowstorm.</p> + +<p>4. FOUR LITTLE BLOSSOMS ON APPLE TREE ISLAND</p> + +<p>The Four Little Blossoms went to a beautiful island in the middle +of a big lake and there had a grand time on the water and in the +woods. And in a deserted cabin they found some letters which helped +an old man to find his missing wife.</p> + +<p>5. FOUR LITTLE BLOSSOMS THROUGH THE HOLIDAYS</p> + +<p>The story starts at Thanksgiving. They went skating and coasting, +and they built a wonderful snowman, and one day Bobby and +his chums visited a carpenter shop on the sly, and that night the shop +burnt down, and there was trouble for the boys.</p> + +<p class='c mt10'><i>Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue</i></p> +<hr class='cupples' /> +<table summary='publisher' style='width:100%; margin:0 auto;'> +<tr><td align='left'>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers</td> +<td align='right'>New York</td></tr> +</table> + +<hr class='pb' /> + +<p class='c'> +<span class='fs14'>THE DOROTHY DALE SERIES</span><br /> +<span class='fs12'>By MARGARET PENROSE</span><br /> +<i>Author of The Motor Girls Series, Radio Girls Series, & c.</i><br /> +<i>12mo. Illustrated</i><br /> +<i>Price per volume, $1.00, postpaid</i> +</p> + +<p>Dorothy Dale is the daughter of an old Civil War veteran who is running +a weekly newspaper in a small Eastern town. Her sunny disposition, her +fun-loving ways and her trials and triumphs make clean, interesting and +fascinating reading. The Dorothy Dale Series is one of the most popular +series of books for girls ever published.</p> + +<div class='poetry'> +<p>DOROTHY DALE: A GIRL OF TO-DAY</p> +<p>DOROTHY DALE AT GLEN WOOD SCHOOL</p> +<p>DOROTHY DALE’S GREAT SECRET</p> +<p>DOROTHY DALE AND HER CHUMS</p> +<p>DOROTHY DALE’S QUEER HOLIDAYS</p> +<p>DOROTHY DALE’S CAMPING DAYS</p> +<p>DOROTHY DALE’S SCHOOL RIVALS</p> +<p>DOROTHY DALE IN THE CITY</p> +<p>DOROTHY DALE’S PROMISE</p> +<p>DOROTHY DALE IN THE WEST</p> +<p>DOROTHY DALE’S STRANGE DISCOVERY</p> +<p>DOROTHY DALE’S ENGAGEMENT</p> +<p>DOROTHY DALE TO THE RESCUE</p> +</div> + +<p class='c mt10'><i>Send For Our Free Illustrated Catalogue</i></p> +<hr class='cupples' /> +<table summary='publisher' style='width:100%; margin:0 auto;'> +<tr><td align='left'>CUPPLES & LEON COMPANY, Publishers</td> +<td align='right'>New York</td></tr> +</table> + + + + + + + + +<pre> + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Ruth Fielding at Lighthouse Point, by +Alice B. 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