CHAPTER V
AT BREWSTER
"Look, look, Aunt Hetty. Here are some Indians coming up the path, and Ido believe that they have a little white boy and girl with them," andRose Freeman drew her aunt to the open window that looked down over asmooth green lawn to an elm-shaded village street.
Aunt Hetty's well-starched dress rustled pleasantly as she hurried tojoin Rose.
"It's old Nakanit and her daughter," she said. "My mother taught her agood deal, and she often comes to see me. Those are surely whitechildren. I wonder what the trouble is. Old Nakanit knows that theSabbath is not a day for idle visits, and indeed, Rose, it does notbecome us to be stretching our heads out of the window. There, they areon the porch now. Why, Rose!" For with a quick exclamation the girl hadrun from the room and when Mrs. Freeman followed she found her with anarm about a little moccasined dark-eyed girl, saying: "Why, it is Anne;it is dear little Anne Nelson."
"I declare!" exclaimed Mrs. Freeman. "And did you fetch the child,Nakanit? Sit down and I will have Hepsibah bring you some cool milk andcake."
Nakanit grunted appreciatively, and while the Indians were eating Annetold Rose all the story of her journey.
"I do not know why Aunt Martha shut me up and said that I could notvisit you, Rose," said Anne; "if I had been disobedient or careless I donot know it."
Amos listened, looking very flushed and unhappy, for he knew that it wasAmanda's story that had caused Anne's punishment and made her a runaway.But he had promised his sister that he would not betray her, and nowthat Anne had reached Brewster in safety he resolved to keep silent."But Amanda shall tell Mrs. Stoddard; indeed she shall," the boy said tohimself.
The Indians soon rose from the porch steps to depart, and as Anne saidgood-bye to them she felt that she was parting from friends, and triedto tell them so.
"And you are going home to Province Town, and will tell Aunt Martha thatI am safe," she said to Amos. "You were real good to come after me,Amos, and you tell Amanda not to be sorry she slapped me; that it's allright."
Amos wriggled about uneasily at Anne's message. He was almost resolvednot to go home at all.
"I reckon I'll stay with the Mashpees a while," he answered. "There's anIndian boy who talks English and he's told me lots of things: how to settraps for foxes and woodchucks, and how to make fish-spears, and he canstay under water longer than I can. He's fine. You ought to hear himtell stories. Last night he told me of a tribe of Indians who sent sixof their bravest warriors out to sea in a canoe, without food orpaddles, so as to prove to other tribes that their braves could not beharmed anywhere. And they were carried by the winds and waves to awonderful island where there were friendly Indians; and they hunted wilddeer, and made bows and arrows, and paddles, and caught wild birds, andwhen another summer came back they came to Cape Cod with many canoes,and skins, and much deer-meat, so that their tribe made them all greatchiefs. And this boy who told me is one of the descendants of the verybravest chief, and he wants me to stay and be his brother," and Amoslooked as if he would like nothing better than to be adopted into theMashpee tribe.
"What's the Indian boy's name?" questioned Anne.
"I don't think much of his name," said Amos, a little regretfully; "it's'Shining Fish.'"
"But you won't stay with the Indians, Amos, will you?" pleaded Anne.
"I s'pose I'll have to go home," agreed Amos. "I wonder what JimmieStarkweather will say when I tell him about living with Indians," andAmos looked more cheerful at the thought of Jimmie's surprise and envywhen he should describe his adventures. "Nothing ever happens toJimmie," he added, in a satisfied tone.
After Amos and the Indians had started on their way back to the Indianvillage Rose and Anne followed Mrs. Freeman into the square comfortablehouse. Mrs. Freeman had heard all about Anne, and now, as she noticedthe torn and soiled dress, the untidy hair and moccasin-covered feet,she whispered to Rose: "Take the child right up-stairs. I don't wantyour uncle to see her looking so like a wild child of the woods."
Rose nodded laughingly. Aunt Hetty Freeman was known as one of the besthousekeepers in Brewster, and no one had ever seen her looking otherthan "spick and span," as her husband often admiringly declared. Rosealways said that she could tell just what part of the big house AuntHetty was in because she could hear her starched skirts rattle; and sherealized that Anne's untidy appearance was a real trouble to herkind-hearted aunt.
Anne looked at the broad stairway admiringly, and exclaimed at the sightof a tall clock on the landing. "It's better than Boston, isn't it,Rose?" she said, as Rose took her into the big comfortable room, withits high, curtained bed and chintz curtained windows.
"It's a dear house," answered the older girl, who was too loyal to herhome to think any other place quite as good. "You are the bravest childI ever heard of," Rose continued admiringly, drawing Anne down besideher on the broad cushioned window-seat; "to think of your starting outto come all the way alone to Brewster through the wilderness!"
"I guess I should have been lost but for the Indians," replied Anne;"but when Aunt Martha said I could not come, that she did not want tohear more of any visit to Brewster or Boston, I had to run away. But nowI'm sorry," and Anne began to cry bitterly. Rose, too, looked veryunhappy, for she realized that Captain and Mrs. Stoddard would begreatly troubled until they knew of the little girl's safety. And,besides that, she was sure that her father would not be willing to takea runaway child to Boston. But Rose resolved not to worry about it, andnot to tell Anne that she feared that she would be sent home to her AuntMartha, instead of taking the wonderful journey to Boston.
So she comforted her little guest, and told her not to feel bad--thatAunt Martha and Uncle Enos would be only too happy to know that she wassafe.
"And see, Anne, what my good mother sent you," and Rose opened a smallhair-covered trunk that stood near the tall chest of drawers, and tookout a pretty dress of spotted percale, and some white stockings. Thenthere was a dainty white petticoat, and a set of underwear, all trimmedwith a pretty crocheted edge.
"And you can wear your moccasins these hot days," continued Rose, "andyou will look very nice indeed."
Anne was soon dressed in the neat clothing, and, with her hair brushedand smoothly braided, she looked like quite a different child from thelittle girl who had journeyed with Nakanit.
"I am glad to look nice to go to Boston," Anne said soberly, as theywent down the stairs.
"Oh, dear!" thought the older girl; "how can I tell the poor child thatI am almost sure that father will find a way to send her safely back toProvince Town?"
Rose's father and uncle spoke kindly to Anne as she came into thesitting-room, and Aunt Hetty's skirts rustled briskly as she moved aboutthe room, and then she went out in the shed and came back with a round,low basket in which lay two black kittens, which she placed in Anne'slap saying: "There, little girls and little kittens always like eachother; so you can have Pert and Prim for your own while you stay withus."
"Oh, thank you," said Anne delightedly, for the two little kittens beganto purr happily as she smoothed their soft fur.
Rose found an opportunity to tell her father all about Anne's reason forrunning away.
"She did not know why her Aunt Martha shut her up," pleaded Rose.
But Mr. Freeman shook his head soberly. "We'll have to send her home bythe first chance to Province Town," he answered, and Rose went back toher little friend feeling that all her pleasant plans for Anne's visitmust come to an end.
"But she shall have a good time here in Brewster," resolved the girl.
"Shall we start for Boston on Tuesday or Thursday?" Anne asked the nextmorning, as she helped Rose put their pleasant chamber in order.
"Father has not decided," replied Rose, feeling rather cowardly that shedid not tell Anne the truth.
"It will be fine to ride in a chaise," went on Anne happily, "and tostop in taverns, and see towns along the way. Your father is indeedgood, Rose, to take me."
"We must do up
the dishes for Aunt Hetty," said Rose briskly, "and thenwe can walk down the street, and maybe father will drive us about thetown."
While the girls were busy helping Aunt Hetty, Rose's father was on hisway to the Mashpee village to see Amos Cary and to give him a letter totake to Captain Stoddard. He found the boy just ready to start. ShiningFish had launched his canoe and was to go part of the way with his newfriend, greatly to Amos's delight.
"Anne wasn't to blame." Amos repeated this a number of times soearnestly that Mr. Freeman began to realize that the boy knew more thanhe was willing to tell, and to blame Amos.
"That Amanda," Amos whispered to himself, as he blushed and stammeredand evaded Mr. Freeman's questions.
"I suppose I can trust you with this letter to Captain Stoddard?" saidMr. Freeman.
Amos lifted his head, and his blue eyes did not falter in meeting thestern look of the man.
"I'll give it to him," he replied, and Mr. Freeman felt quite sure thatthe letter would reach its destination.
When Amos's boat drew near the landing at Province Town, he saw that hisfather, Amanda, and the Stoddards were all waiting for him. He felthimself to be almost like the chiefs of whom Shining Fish had told him,and quite expected to be praised and made much of; but as he sprangashore he felt his father's hand on his shoulder.
"March yourself straight to the house, young man. I'll see that you payfor this fool's errand," said Mr. Cary.
Amos wriggled away from his father's grasp. "I've got a letter forCaptain Enos. Anne's in Brewster," he announced.
"Thank heaven!" exclaimed Mrs. Stoddard. "And did you find her, Amos?You are a brave boy! Why, Mr. Cary, there's not another boy in thevillage who thought of Anne's going to Brewster, or man either for thatmatter," and Mrs. Stoddard patted the boy's shoulder affectionately,while Mr. Cary regarded Amos with puzzled eyes, hardly knowing whetherto blame or praise him.
While Captain Enos read the letter Amos briefly told the story of hisadventures to the little group, saving all that Shining Fish had toldhim to relate to Jimmy Starkweather as soon as opportunity should occur.
"Well, go home to your mother," said Mr. Cary in a more gentle voice,and Amanda kept close beside her brother as they turned toward home.
"You've got to tell Mrs. Stoddard," said Amos. "Yes, you have," he wenton, almost fiercely, as Amanda began to whimper. "Everybody's blamingAnne, and it's not fair; you've got to tell."
Amanda stopped short and looked at her brother accusingly. "You promisednot to tell," she said.
"Well, I haven't," answered the boy, "and I won't. I'm ashamed to,beside the promise. Anne said, when I told her that you said you weresorry, that I was to tell you 'twas all right. She seemed to feel badbecause you were sorry."
"Well, Amos Cary, I won't tell Mrs. Stoddard; so now!" declared Amandaangrily. "Anne is all right, and going to Boston in a chaise. You oughtto be satisfied. Let them think what they want to, I don't care. Andyou've got to go to sea. Father's told Captain Nash that he can haveyou, and the 'Sea Gull' sails next week."
"Truly, Amanda! Say, that's great news. I do believe I'm the luckiestboy on the Cape. Are you sure, Amanda?" Amos's eyes were shining, hisshoulders had straightened themselves, and, for the moment, he quiteforgot everything except the wonderful news.
"Do you want to go?" and Amanda's voice was full of disappointment.
"Want to! Why, the 'Sea Gull' is bound for the West Indies her nextvoyage, and maybe the English will try and catch us," and Amos's voiceexpressed his delight. "Are you sure, Amanda?" he questioned eagerly,and turned toward his sister in surprise, for Amanda was crying. Itseemed to the unhappy child that everything was going wrong. She did notwant Amos to go away, and she had hoped that he would persuade hisfather to let him remain at home, and here he was rejoicing andtriumphant. She was in great fear that Anne would tell the Stoddardsthe truth, and then Amanda hardly knew what might befall her. She wishedthat she was a boy and could go with Amos in the "Sea Gull."
"It is indeed good news to know that our little girl is safe inBrewster," said Mrs. Stoddard, as she read Mr. Freeman's letter, "butwhat shall we do, Enos, about bringing her home? Mr. Freeman truly saysthat, while Rose is eager to take Anne to Boston, we may feel that itwould not be right for her to go. It is indeed a puzzle, is it not?Whatever possessed Anne to turn upon Amanda in such fashion, and then torun off?" and the good woman shook her head dolefully.
"I'll have to sail to Brewster and fetch her home," responded thecaptain, but his face was very sober. He would have been glad if theFreemans had written that they would take Anne to Boston, for he did notwant the child disappointed.
"Well, well, we'll let her see how glad we are to have her safe home,shall we not, Enos? I'll say no more to her about her naughtiness, and Iam sure Mrs. Cary will tell Amanda to forgive Anne and be friends again,and all will go on pleasantly," but they both felt sorry that it seemedbest for the little girl whom they so dearly loved to have to give upthe wonderful journey up the Cape to Boston in the Freemans' finechaise.
A Little Maid of Massachusetts Colony Page 5
