"You good-for-nothing boys! You are always bursting out upon me in someridiculous way, and I always get taken in because I'm not used to suchpranks. Uncle is as bad as the rest, and it's great fun," she said,as the lads came round her, half scolding, half welcoming, and whollyenjoying the double surprise.
"You were not to come till afternoon, and mamma was to be here toreceive you. Everything is in a mess now, except your tent; we got thatin order the first thing, and you can sit there and see us work," saidArchie, doing the honours as usual.
"Rose felt it in her bones, as Dolly says, that something was in thewind, and wanted to be off at once. So I let her come, and shouldhave kept her away an hour longer if your fish had not betrayed you,"explained Uncle Alec, subsiding from a ferocious Crusoe into hisgood-natured self again.
"As this seat is rather damp, I think I'll rise," said Rose, as theexcitement lessened a little.
Several fishy hands helped her up, and Charlie said, as he scattered thescarlet garments over the grass with an oar,
"We had a jolly good swim before dinner, and I told the Brats to spreadthese to dry. Hope you brought your things, Rose, for you belong to theLobsters, you know, and we can have no end of fun teaching you to diveand float and tread water."
"I didn't bring anything--" began Rose, but was interrupted by the Brats(otherwise Will and Geordie), who appeared bearing the big bundle, somuch demoralised by its fall that a red flannel tunic trailed out at oneend and a little blue dressing-gown at the other, while the knobs provedto be a toilet-case, rubbers, and a silver mug.
"Oh, that sly Phebe! This was the secret, and she bundled up thosethings after I went down to the boat," cried Rose, with sparkling eyes.
"Guess something is smashed inside, for a bit of glass fell out,"observed Will, as they deposited the bundle at her feet.
"Catch a girl going anywhere without a looking-glass. We haven't got oneamong the whole lot of us," added Mac, with masculine scorn.
"Dandy has; I caught him touching up his wig behind the trees after ourswim," cut in Geordie, wagging a derisive finger at Steve, who promptlysilenced him by a smart rap on the head with the drum-stick he had justpolished off.
"Come, come, you lazy lubbers, fall to work, or we shall not be readyfor mamma. Take Rose's things to her tent, and tell her all about it,Prince. Mac and Steve, you cut away and bring up the rest of the straw;and you small chaps, clear off the table, if you have stuffed all youcan. Please, uncle, I'd like your advice about the boundary lines andthe best place for the kitchen."
Everyone obeyed the chief, and Rose was escorted to her tent by Charlie,who devoted himself to her service. She was charmed with her quarters,and still more so with the programme which he unfolded before her asthey worked.
"We always camp out somewhere in vacation, and this year we thought we'dtry the Island. It is handy, and our fireworks will show off well fromhere."
"Shall we stay over the Fourth? Three whole days! Oh, me! what a frolicit will be!"
"Bless your heart, we often camp for a week, we big fellows; but thisyear the small chaps wanted to come, so we let them. We have greatlarks, as you'll see; for we have a cave and play Captain Kidd, and haveshipwrecks, and races, and all sorts of games. Arch and I are ratherpast that kind of thing now, but we do it to please the children," addedCharlie, with a sudden recollection of his sixteen years.
"I had no idea boys had such good times. Their plays never seemed a bitinteresting before. But I suppose that was because I never knew any boysvery well, or perhaps you are unusually nice ones," observed Rose, withan artless air of appreciation that was very flattering.
"We are a pretty clever set, I fancy; but we have a good manyadvantages, you see. There are a tribe of us, to begin with; then ourfamily has been here for ages, and we have plenty of 'spondulics,' sowe can rather lord it over the other fellows, and do as we like. There,ma'am, you can hang your smashed glass on that nail and do up your backhair as fine as you please. You can have a blue blanket or a red one,and a straw pillow or an air cushion for your head, whichever you like.You can trim up to any extent, and be as free and easy as squaws in awigwam, for this corner is set apart for you ladies and we never crossthe line uncle is drawing until we ask leave. Anything more I can do foryou, cousin?"
"No, thank you. I think I'll leave the rest till auntie comes, and goand help you somewhere else, if I may."
"Yes, indeed, come on and see to the kitchen. Can you cook?" askedCharlie, as he led the way to the rocky nook where Archie was putting upa sail-cloth awning.
"I can make tea and toast bread."
"Well, we'll shew you how to fry fish, and make chowder. Now you justset these pots and pans round tastefully, and sort of tidy up a bit,for Aunt Jessie insists on doing some of the work, and I want it to bedecent here."
By four o'clock the camp was in order, and the weary workers settleddown on Lookout Rock to watch for Mrs. Jessie and Jamie, who was neverfar from mamma's apron string. They looked like a flock of blue-birds,all being in sailor rig, with blue ribbon enough flying from the sevenhats to have set up a milliner. Very tuneful blue-birds they were, too,for all the lads sang, and the echo of their happy voices reached Mrs.Jessie long before she saw them.
The moment the boat hove in sight up went the Island flag, and theblue-jackets cheered lustily, as they did on every possible occasion,like true young Americans. This welcome was answered by the flapping ofa handkerchief and the shrill "Rah! Rah! Rah!" of the one small tarwho stood in the stern waving his hat manfully, while a maternal handclutched him firmly in the rear.
Cleopatra landing from her golden galley never received a heartiergreeting than "Little Mum" as she was borne to her tent by the youngfolk, for love of whom she smilingly resigned herself to three days ofdiscomfort; while Jamie immediately attached himself to Rose, assuringher of his protection from the manifold perils which might assail them.
Taught by long experience that boys are always hungry, Aunt Jessie soonproposed supper, and proceeded to get it, enveloped in an immense apron,with an old hat of Archie's stuck atop of her cap. Rose helped, andtried to be as handy as Phebe, though the peculiar style of table shehad to set made it no easy task. It was accomplished at last, and avery happy party lay about under the trees, eating and drinking out ofanyone's plate and cup, and quite untroubled by the frequent appearanceof ants and spiders in places which these interesting insects are notexpected to adorn.
"I never thought I should like to wash dishes, but I do," said Rose,as she sat in a boat after supper lazily rinsing plates in the sea, androcking luxuriously as she wiped them.
"Mum is mighty particular; we just give 'em a scrub with sand, and dust'em off with a bit of paper. It's much the best way, I think," repliedGeordie, who reposed in another boat alongside.
"How Phebe would like this! I wonder uncle did not have her come."
"I believe he tried to, but Dolly was as cross as two sticks, and saidshe couldn't spare her. I'm sorry, for we all like the Phebe bird, andshe'd chirp like a good one out here, wouldn't she?"
"She ought to have a holiday like the rest of us. It's too bad to leaveher out."
This thou
ght came back to Rose several times that evening, for Phebewould have added much to the little concert they had in the moonlight,would have enjoyed the stories told, been quick at guessing theconundrums, and laughed with all her heart at the fun. The merry goingto bed would have been the best of all, for Rose wanted someone tocuddle under the blue blanket with her, there to whisper and giggle andtell secrets, as girls delight to do.
Long after the rest were asleep, Rose lay wide awake, excited by thenovelty of all about her, and a thought that had come into her mind. Faraway she heard a city clock strike twelve; a large star like a mild eyepeeped in at the opening of the tent, and the soft plash of the wavesseemed calling her to come out. Aunt Jessie lay fast asleep, with Jamierolled up like a kitten at her feet, and neither stirred as Rose in herwrapper crept out to see how the world looked at midnight.
She found it very lovely, and sat down on a cracker keg to enjoy it witha heart full of the innocent sentiment of her years. Fortunately, Dr.Alec saw her before she had time to catch cold, for coming out to tieback the door-flap of his tent for more air, he beheld the smallfigure perched in the moonlight. Having no fear of ghosts, he quietlyapproached, and, seeing that she was wide awake, said, with a hand onher shining hair,
"What is my girl doing here?"
"Having a good time," answered Rose, not at all startled.
"I wonder what she was thinking about with such a sober look."
"The story you told of the brave sailor who gave up his place on theraft to the woman, and the last drop of water to the poor baby. Peoplewho make sacrifices are very much loved and admired, aren't they?" sheasked, earnestly.
"If the sacrifice is a true one. But many of the bravest never areknown, and get no praise. That does not lessen their beauty, thoughperhaps it makes them harder, for we all like sympathy," and Dr. Alecsighed a patient sort of sigh.
"I suppose you have made a great many? Would you mind telling me one ofthem?" asked Rose, arrested by the sigh.
"My last was to give up smoking," was the very unromantic answer to herpensive question.
"Why did you?"
"Bad example for the boys."
"That was very good of you, uncle! Was it hard?"
"I'm ashamed to say it was. But as a wise old fellow once said, 'It isnecessary to do right; it is not necessary to be happy.'"
Rose pondered over the saying as if it pleased her, and then said, witha clear, bright look,
"A real sacrifice is giving up something you want or enjoy very much,isn't it?"
"Yes."
"Doing it one's own self because one loves another person very much andwants her to be happy?"
"Yes."
"And doing it pleasantly, and being glad about it, and not minding thepraise if it doesn't come?"
"Yes, dear, that is the true spirit of self-sacrifice; you seem tounderstand it, and I dare say you will have many chances in your life totry the real thing. I hope they won't be very hard ones."
"I think they will," began Rose, and there stopped short.
"Well, make one now, and go to sleep, or my girl will be ill to-morrow,and then the aunts will say camping out was bad for her."
"I'll go good night!" and throwing him a kiss, the little ghostvanished, leaving Uncle Alec to pace the shore and think about some ofthe unsuspected sacrifices that had made him what he was.