Chapter 9—Phebe's Secret

houghtwe'dtrytheIsland.Itishandy,andourfireworkswillshowoffwellfromhere.” “ShallwestayovertheFourth?Threewholedays!Oh,me!whatafrolicitwillbe!” “Blessyourheart,weoftencampforaweek,webigfellowsbutthisyearthesmallchapswantedtocome,soweletthem.Wehavegreatlarks,asyou'llseeforwehaveacaveandplayCaptainKidd,andhaveshipwrecks,andraces,andallsortsofgames.ArchandIareratherpastthatkindofthingnow,butwedoittopleasethechildren,”addedCharlie,withasuddenrecollectionofhissixteenyears. “Ihadnoideaboyshadsuchgoodtimes.Theirplaysneverseemedabitinterestingbefore.ButIsupposethatwasbecauseIneverknewanyboysverywell,orperhapsyouareunusuallyniceones,”observedRose,withanartlessairofappreciationthatwasveryflattering. “Weareaprettycleverset,Ifancybutwehaveagoodmanyadvantages,yousee.Thereareatribeofus,tobeginwiththenourfamilyhasbeenhereforages,andwehaveplentyof'spondulics,'sowecanratherlorditovertheotherfellows,anddoaswelike.There,ma'am,youcanhangyoursmashedglassonthatnailanddoupyourbackhairasfineasyouplease.Youcanhaveablueblanketoraredone,andastrawpilloworanaircushionforyourhead,whicheveryoulike.Youcantrimuptoanyextent,andbeasfreeandeasyassquawsinawigwam,forthiscornerissetapartforyouladiesandwenevercrossthelineuncleisdrawinguntilweaskleave.AnythingmoreIcandoforyou,cousin?” “No,thankyou.IthinkI'llleavetheresttillauntiecomes,andgoandhelpyousomewhereelse,ifImay.” “Yes,indeed,comeonandseetothekitchen.Canyoucook?”askedCharlie,asheledthewaytotherockynookwhereArchiewasputtingupasail-clothawning. “Icanmaketeaandtoastbread.” “Well,we'llshewyouhowtofryfish,andmakechowder.Nowyoujustsetthesepotsandpansroundtastefully,andsortoftidyupabit,forAuntJessieinsistsondoingsomeofthework,andIwantittobedecenthere.” Byfouro'clockthecampwasinorder,andthewearyworkerssettleddownonLookoutRocktowatchforMrs.JessieandJamie,whowasneverfarfrommamma'sapronstring.Theylookedlikeaflockofblue-birds,allbeinginsailorrig,withblueribbonenoughflyingfromthesevenhatstohavesetupamilliner.Verytunefulblue-birdstheywere,too,foralltheladssang,andtheechooftheirhappyvoicesreachedMrs.Jessielongbeforeshesawthem. ThemomenttheboathoveinsightupwenttheIslandflag,andtheblue-jacketscheeredlustily,astheydidoneverypossibleoccasion,liketrueyoungAmericans.Thiswelcomewasansweredbytheflappingofahandkerchiefandtheshrill“Rah!Rah!Rah!”oftheonesmalltarwhostoodinthesternwavinghishatmanfully,whileamaternalhandclutchedhimfirmlyintherear. Cleopatralandingfromhergoldengalleyneverreceivedaheartiergreetingthan“LittleMum”asshewasbornetohertentbytheyoungfolk,forloveofwhomshesmilinglyresignedherselftothreedaysofdiscomfortwhileJamieimmediatelyattachedhimselftoRose,assuringherofhisprotectionfromthemanifoldperilswhichmightassailthem. Taughtbylongexperiencethatboysarealwayshungry,AuntJessiesoonproposedsupper,andproceededtogetit,envelopedinanimmenseapron,withanoldhatofArchie'sstuckatopofhercap.Rosehelped,andtriedtobeashandyasPhebe,thoughthepeculiarstyleoftableshehadtosetmadeitnoeasytask.Itwasaccomplishedatlast,andaveryhappypartylayaboutunderthetrees,eatinganddrinkingoutofanyone'splateandcup,andquiteuntroubledbythefrequentappearanceofantsandspidersinplaceswhichtheseinterestinginsectsarenotexpectedtoadorn. “IneverthoughtIshouldliketowashdishes,butIdo,”saidRose,asshesatinaboataftersupperlazilyrinsingplatesinthesea,androck