Chapter XXI. Pebbly Beach

ive,itseemedhardertobepatientthanwhenshutupandunabletostir.Shefeltsomuchbetter,andhadsolittlepaintoremindherofpasttroubles,itwasalmostimpossibletohelpforgettingthepoorbackandlettingherrecoveredspiritsrunawaywithher.IfMrs.Minothadnotkeptgoodwatch,shewouldhavebeenoffmorethanonce,soeagerwasshetobe“likeothergirls”again,sodifficultwasittokeeptherestlessfeetquietlyfoldedamongtheredcushions. Onedayshedidyieldtotemptation,andtookalittlevoyagewhichmighthavebeenherlast,owingtothecarelessnessofthosewhomshetrusted.Itwasagoodlesson,andmadeherasmeekasalambduringtherestofherstay.Mrs.MinotdrovetoGloucesteroneafternoon,leavingJillsafelyestablishedafterhernapintheboat,withGertyandMamiemakinglacebesideher. “Don'ttrytowalkorrunabout,mydear.Sitonthepiazzaifyougettiredofthis,andamuseyourselfquietlytillIcomeback.I'llnotforgettheworstedandthecanvas,”saidMamma,peepingoverthebankforalastwordasshewaitedfortheomnibustocomealong. “Oh,don'tforgettheGibraltars!”criedJill,poppingherheadoutofthegreenroof. “Northebananas,please!”addedGerty,lookingroundoneend. “Northepinkandblueribbontotieourshell-baskets,”calledMamie,nearlytumblingintotheaquariumattheotherend. Mrs.Minotlaughed,andpromised,andrumbledaway,leavingJilltoanexperiencewhichsheneverforgot. Forhalfanhourthelittlegirlsworkedbusily,thentheboyscameforGertyandMamietogototheChasmwithapartyoffriendswhoweretoleavenextday.Offtheywent,andJillfeltverylonelyasthegayvoicesdiedaway.Everyonehadgonesomewhere,andonlylittleHarryHammondandhismaidwereonthebeach.Twoorthreesand-pipersranaboutamongthepebbles,andJillenviedthemtheirnimblelegssomuch,thatshecouldnotresistgettinguptotakeafewsteps.Shelongedtorunstraightawayoverthefirm,smoothsand,andfeelagainthedelightofswiftmotionbutshedarednottryit,andstoodleaningonhertallparasolwithherbookinherhand,whenFrank,Jack,andthebicycleboycamerowinglazilyalongandhailedher. “Comeforasail,Jill?Takeyouanywhereyoulike,”calledJack,touchedbythelonelyfigureonthebeach. “I'dlovetogo,ifyouwillrow.Mammamademepromisenottogosailingwithoutamantotakecareofme.Woulditspoilyourfuntohaveme?”answeredJill,eagerly. “Notabitcomeoutonthebigstonesandwe'lltakeyouaboard,”saidFrank,astheysteeredtotheplacewhereshecouldembarktheeasiest. “AlltherestaregonetotheChasm.Iwantedtogo,becauseI'veneverseenitbut,ofcourse,Ihadtogiveitup,asIdomostofthefun”andJillsatdownwithanimpatientsigh. “We'llrowyouroundthere.Can'tland,butyoucanseetheplaceandshouttotheothers,ifthatwillbeanycomforttoyou,”proposedFrank,astheypulledawayroundthepier. “Oh,yes,thatwouldbelovely!”andJillsmiledatJack,whowassteering,forshefounditimpossibletobedismalnowwiththefreshwindblowinginherface,thebluewavesslappingagainsttheboat,andthreegood-naturedladsreadytogratifyherwishes. Awaytheywent,laughingandtalkinggaylytilltheycametoGoodwin'sRocks,whereanunusualnumberofpeopleweretobeseenthoughthetidewasgoingout,andnowhitespraywasdashinghighintotheairtomakeasightworthseeing. “Whatdoyousupposetheyareabout?Neversawsuchalotoffolksatthistime.Shouldn'twonderifsomethinghadhappened.Isay,putmeashore,andI'llcutupandsee,”saidthebicycleboy,whowasofaninquiringturn. “I'llgowithyou,”saidFrank“itwon'ttakebutaminute,andI'dliketodiscoverwhatitis.Maybesomethingweoughttoknowabout.” Sotheboyspulledroundintoaquietnook,andthetwoelderonesscrambleduptherocks,todisappearinthecrowd.Five,ten,fifteenminutespassed,andtheydidnotreturn.Jackgrewimpatient,sodidJill,andbadehimrunupandbringthemback.Gladtoknowwhatkeptthem,Jackdeparted,tobeswallowedupinhisturn,fornotasignofaboydidsheseeafterthatand,havingvainlystrainedhereyestodiscovertheattractionwhichheldthem,shegaveitup,laydownontheirjackets,andbegantoread. Thenthetreacheroustide,asitebbedlowerandlowerdownthebeach,begantoluretheboatawayforitwasnotfastened,andwhenlightenedofitsloadwasaneasyprizetothehungrysea,alwaysreadytostealallitcan.Jillknewnothingofthis,forherstorywasdull,thegentlemotionprovedsoothing,andbeforesheknewitshewasasleep.Littlebylittletherunawayboatslidfartherfromtheshore,andpresentlywasfloatingouttoseawithitsdrowsyfreight,whilethecarelessboys,unconsciousofthetimetheywerewasting,lingeredtoseegroupaftergroupphotographedbytheenterprisingmanwhohadtrundledhiscameratotherocks. Inthemidstofadreamabouthome,Jillwasrousedbyaloudshout,and,startingupsosuddenlythatthesun-umbrellawentoverboard,shefoundherselfsailingoffalone,whilethedistractedladsroaredandbeckonedvainlyfromthecove.Theoarslayattheirfeet,wheretheyleftthemandthepoorchildwasquitehelpless,forshecouldnotmanagethesail,andeventheparasol,withwhichshemighthavepaddledalittle,hadgonedownwithallsailset.Foraminute,Jillwassofrightenedthatshecouldonlylookaboutherwithascaredface,andwonderifdrowningwasaverydisagreeablething.ThenthesightofthebicycleboystrugglingwithJack,whoseemedinclinedtoswimafterher,andFrankshoutingwildly,“Holdon!Comeback!”madeherlaughinspiteofherfear,itwassocomical,andtheirdistresssomuchgreaterthanhers,sinceitwastheirowncarelessnesswhichcausedthetrouble. “Ican'tcom