Chapter XXI. Pebbly Beach

oad,orgettinguptheirmusclerowingaboutthebaytilltheywerealmostasbrownandnauticalinappearanceandlanguageasthefishermenwholivedinnooksandcornersalongtheshore. JackstruckupagreatfriendshipwiththesturdyBaconandtheagreeableCox:thelatter,beingabouthisownage,washisespecialfavoriteandtheysoonwerecalledBoxandCoxbytheotherfellows,whichdidnotannoythemabit,asbothhadplayedpartsinthatimmortalfarce.Theyhadcapitaltimesfishing,scramblingovertherocks,playingballandtennis,andrainydaystheytookpossessionofthestudioopposite,drewuptheportcullis,andgallantlydefendedthecastle,whichsomeoftheothersbesiegedwitholdumbrellasforshields,batsforbattering-rams,andbunchesofburrsforcannon-balls.Greatlarkswentonoverthere,whilethegirlsapplaudedfromthepiazzaorchamber-windows,andmadeagayflagforthevictorstodisplayfromthetowerwhenthefightwasover. ButJillhadthebesttimeofall,foreachdaybroughtincreasingstrengthandspirits,andsheimprovedsofastitwashardtobelievethatshewasthesamegirlwholaysolongalmosthelplessintheBirdRoomathome.Suchlivelylettersasshesenthermother,allabouthernewfriends,herfinesails,drives,andlittlewalksthegoodtimesshehadintheevening,thelovelythingspeoplegaveher,andshewaslearningtomakewithshellsandsea-weed,andwhatsplendidfunitwastokeephouseinaboat. Thislastamusementsoongrewquiteabsorbing,andher“cubby,”asshecalledit,rapidlybecameaprettygrotto,whereshelivedlikealittlemermaid,dailylovingmoreandmorethebeautyofthewonderfulsea.Findingtheboattoosunnyattimes,theboyscutlongwillowboughsandarchedthemovertheseats,layinghemlockbranchesacrosstillagreenroofmadeitcoolandshadyinside.ThereJillsatorlayamonghercushionsreading,tryingtosketch,sortingshells,dryinggaysea-weeds,orwatchinghercrabs,jelly-fish,andanemonesintheoldboiler,nowburiedinsandandedgedaboutwithmossfromthewoods. Nobodydisturbedhertreasures,butkindlyaddedtothem,andoftenwhenshewenttohernestshefoundfruitorflowers,booksorbon-bons,laidreadyforher.Everyonepitiedandlikedthebrightlittlegirlwhocouldnotrunandfriskwiththerest,whowassopatientandcheerfulafterherlongconfinement,readytohelpothers,andsogratefulforanysmallfavor.Shefoundnowthatthewearymonthshadnotbeenwasted,andwasveryhappytodiscoverinherselfanewsortofstrengthandsweetnessthatwasnotonlyacomforttoher,butmadethoseaboutherloveandtrusther.Thesongsshehadlearnedattractedthebabies,whowouldleavetheirplaytopeepatherandlistenwhenshesungoverherwork.Passers-bypausedtoheartheblithevoiceofthebirdinthegreencage,andotherinvalids,strollingonthebeach,wouldtakeheartwhentheysawthechildsohappyinspiteofhergreattrial. Theboyskeptalltheirmarinecuriositiesforher,andwerealwaysreadytotakeheraroworasail,asthebaywassafeandthatsortoftravellingsuitedherbetterthandriving.Butthegirlshadcapitaltimestogether,anditdidJillgoodtoseeanothersortfromthosesheknewathome.Shehadbeensomuchpettedoflate,thatshewasgettingrathervainofhersmallaccomplishments,andbeingwithstrangersricher,betterbredandeducatedthanherself,madehermorehumbleinsomethings,whileitshowedhertheworthofsuchvirtuesasshecouldhonestlyclaim.MamieCoxtookhertodriveinthefinecarriageofhermamma,andJillwasmuchimpressedbythefactthatMamiewasnotabitproudaboutit,anddidnotputonanyairs,thoughshehadamaidtotakecareofher.Gertyworeprettycostumes,andcamedownwithpinkandblueribbonsinherhairthatJillenviedverymuchyetGertylikedhercurls,andlongedtohavesome,whilehermother,“theladyfromPhiladelphia,”astheycalledher,wassokindandgaythatJillquiteadoredher,andalwaysfeltasifsunshinehadcomeintotheroomwhensheentered.Twolittlesisterswereveryinterestingtoher,andmadeherlongforoneofherownwhenshesawthemgoingabouttogetherandheardthemtalkoftheirpleasanthome,wherethegreatsilkfactorieswere.Buttheyinvitedhertocomeandseethewonderfulcocoons,andtaughthertoknotprettygrayfringeonacushion,whichdelightedher,beingsonewandeasy.Therewereseveralothernicelittlelasses,andtheyallgatheredaboutJillwiththesweetsympathychildrenaresoquicktoshowtowardthoseinpainormisfortune.Shethoughttheywouldnotcareforapoorlittlegirllikeherself,yethereshewasthequeenofthetroupe,andthisdiscoverytouchedandpleasedherverymuch. Inthemorningtheycampedroundtheboatonthestoneswithbooks,gaywork,andmerrychatter,tillbathing-time.Thenthebeachwasfulloflifeandfun,foreveryonelookedsodrollintheflannelsuits,itwashardtobelievethattheneatladiesandrespectablegentlemenwhowentintothelittlehousescouldbethesamepersonsasthequeer,short-skirtedwomenwitholdhatstieddown,andbareheaded,barefootedmeninoldsuits,whocameskippingoverthesandtodisportthemselvesintheseainthemostundignifiedways.Theboysracedabout,lookinglikecircus-tumblers,andthebabieswereregularlittlecupids,runningawayfromthewavesthattriedtokisstheirflyingfeet. Someoftheyoungladiesandgirlswerefamousswimmers,andlookedveryprettyintheirbrightredandbluecostumes,withloosehairandgaystockings,astheydancedintothewaterandfloatedawayasfearlesslyasrealmermaidens.Jillhadherquietdipandgoodrubbingeachfineday,andthenlayuponthewarmsandwatchingthepranksoftheothers,andlongingtorunanddiveandshoutandtumblewiththerest.Nowthatshewasamongthewellandact