CHAPTER XVI.
THE BOAT-RIDE.
A few evenings after the meeting at Gretta's, Uncle Fred came in, and,pulling Winnie's ears according to his custom, said:
"I think it's my turn to treat, Winnifred; at least Kitty says it is.She and I were out boating yesterday, and she suggests that I take youand the other Joans for a row Friday evening."
"Oh, Uncle Fred," cried Winnie, "that will be grand! I'll tell the girlsabout it to-morrow. Who all are to be invited?"
"'You-all,' as our Southern friends say, and your Aunt Kitty; us seven,and no more, as the poet expresses it."
The girls accepted with eagerness. But on Thursday Ernestine did notcome to school. Winnie went around Friday noon to learn the reason ofsuch an unusual occurrence, and found that Mrs. Alroy was sick in bed,and although she had protested against her daughter's staying at home,Ernestine could not be prevailed upon to leave her.
The other girls were, of course, very sorry not to have her go, butsoon forgot their disappointment in the excitement of anticipation. At aquarter past six, the hour agreed upon, Fannie was ringing Mrs. Burton'sdoor bell, while Gretta and Miriam were just entering the gate. Winnieand her uncle and aunt were quite ready, so they all started out. Aftera short ride in the "Green Line," they were transferred to the Covingtonand Newport cars on their way to the river. None of the girls had beenin that neighborhood often enough to be familiar with it, and everythingthey saw had the interest of novelty for them. When they reached thebridge, Mr. Fred helped them out of the car and they went on down thebank of the river. They stood there for awhile watching the many boats,large and small, the people going and coming, none of whom seemed to bein the same hurry as those farther up in the city, and most of whom weremen sauntering leisurely along with their hands in their pockets.
Mr. Fred, who had left the girls for a few minutes, now came back, and,on his giving the command, they followed him to a pretty little dockwhere there were several row-boats. In one of these the five girls weresoon seated, Winnie in the bow, Gretta and Fannie in the stern, whileMiriam and Miss Kitty--who could both row--sat together where each couldhandle an oar, declaring that they meant to help provide some of thepower. Uncle Fred took his place in the seat of "the crack oarsman," ashe said, the smiling boatman on the wharf pushed them off, and soonthey found themselves afloat. Fannie held the rudder and handled itvery skillfully, although Mr. Fred kept a sharp lookout himself, forthe river at this point was full of craft of all descriptions, from thelarge steamboats whose journey continues through the beautiful Ohio downthrough "The Father of Waters;" the ferry boats crossing between Ohioand Kentucky; little steam launches and row-boats, just starting out forpleasure; and fishing-boats returning laden from the day's work.
At first Miss Kitty and Miriam splashed about a little, but soon theybecame accustomed to each other and pulled such a steady, evenstroke that Mr. Fred was obliged to stop laughing at them, and evenacknowledged that they were helping to make the boat go.
All along the shores of the river were numbers of shanty boats, and asthey approached the mouth of the Licking they saw more of these. Winnie,especially, was much interested in them, and enjoyed her seat in thebow as giving a good opportunity to catch a glimpse of some of theirinmates--little boys with bare feet, girls with bright-colored dresses,many barking dogs, and an occasional cat, all of whom, in her eyes, wereinvested with a peculiar fascination.
But soon they entered the mouth of the Licking, and, gradually leavingall these sights and sounds behind them, passed into an enchantedcountry, the domain of Nature herself. Miss Kitty started up softly,"My country, 'tis of thee," and the girls joined in, Miriam's contraltoadding richness to the voices as they rose and fell on the still air.Miss Kitty and Miriam had already drawn their oars up into the boat, andMr. Fred let his trail idly in the water as he listened.
When they had finished the last stanza, Winnie said, "Aunt Kitty, won'tyou and Uncle Fred sing 'Juanita' for us? The moon is just rising behindthose trees, and this is the very time for that duet."
"What a romantic little thing it is!" said Fred, teasingly; but hejoined his sister in the pretty duet, which has been sung on the waterso many times as almost to be considered a boating song. After this theytook to their oars again, and, pulling hard against the stream, advancedsilently but rapidly.
Presently Mr. Fred, with a strong pull on his left oar, turned the boat,in spite of Fannie's hold on the rudder, and it shot suddenly in towardthe right bank, where was a little beach in a sheltered cove under animmense willow tree. Here Mr. Fred jumped out, and, after making theboat fast to the tree, assisted the other members of the party todisembark.
"Follow me!" he commanded, starting up the bank, which here slopedgradually to the water's edge.
The little company soon reached the top of the bank. The moon, nearlyfull, had just risen, and by its light, struggling with that of thedying day, they saw a little path leading up the green hillside. Alongthis they went, single file, wondering where Mr. Fred and Miss Kittywere taking them, when suddenly they were startled by the bark of adog, and in a second a great mastiff jumped up almost to Mr. Fred'sshoulders, and nearly knocked him down by the force of the spring.
Winnie was struck dumb with fear, and the other girls screamed, but Mr.Fred said, in a tone which quite reassured them:
"Down, down, Jasper! Don't let your joy make you forget your manners."
Jasper wagged his tail as if to say, "All right, sir," and trotted alongthe path, with Mr. Fred's hand on his head.
The path wound about through the trees, and when they reached the topof the hill they saw a large white house, and coming towards them a tallyoung man, who called out cheerily:
"We've been looking for you for the last half hour. Come right along.Nellie and Rob can hardly contain themselves, they have been so afraidyou wouldn't come."
He led the way around the house, and soon had ushered the new-comersinto a large, square parlor with long windows opening on a broadveranda.
"Nellie, Rob," he said, "here are the 'Warrior Maidens,' of whom youhave heard so much."
The two children, Nellie about fourteen, and Rob a few years younger,bowed bashfully, and then looked appealingly at their elder brother, asthey sat down on the two chairs farthest removed from those occupied bytheir guests. The moon was now above the tree tops, and shone into theroom brightly through the long windows.
They passed unto an enchanted country.--See page 75.]
"A glorious night for a game of hide-and-seek," said the older brothersuggestively, in answer to an unspoken appeal of the younger ones.
"And this would be a grand place for it," said Miss Kitty. "I usedto think a game of I-spy on a moonlight night the finest thing in theworld. Suppose we try it now?"
"Yes! yes!" they all exclaimed; and, headed by their young hosts, rushedout of doors, and for half an hour made the hills echo with their shoutsof merriment.
Such places as there were in which to hide!--a dark corner in thegrape arbor, a nook in the vine-covered summer-house, a deep-shadowedprojection from the stable or house or veranda: such chances to "makehome" around the house, which stood in the center of the yard! MissKitty generally came in first, but once, after long searching, shewas found in the hollow of a tree into which she had crawled, and fromwhich, being caught in her own trap, she had to be pulled out by theunited efforts of her brother and niece.
Then Miss Kitty declared that it was high time they should start forhome. But when they went into the house to get their wraps, they foundthe smiling mother of their hosts waiting for them with a great bowl ofstrawberries, picked, she said, just before the sun went down, and whichthey must really try. It was not a difficult task to persuade the gueststo do this, and after they had all done full justice to the berries andthe accompanying cake and rich, sweet milk, they set forth to embark forhome, escorted to the river by the entire family of their new friends.
The row home was enjoyed even more, if that were possible, than
the onethither. The moon was now high in the sky, and hill and tree and rockand dimpling wave were beautified by its enchanting glamour.
They all felt either too tired, or too happy, or both perhaps, to talk,and the trip was made almost in silence, although Miss Kitty stoppedrowing once, and quoted softly:
"And the cares that infest the day, Shall fold their tents like the Arab, And as silently steal away."
The Girl Warriors: A Book for Girls Page 16
