Chapter XXI. Pebbly Beach

eback!There'snothingtoholdonto!Youdidn'tfastenme,andnowIdon'tknowwhereI'mgoing!”criedJill,lookingfromtheshoretothetreacherousseathatwasgentlycarryingheraway. “Keepcool!We'llgetaboatandcomeafteryou,”roaredFrank,beforehefollowedJack,whohadcollectedhiswitsandwastearinguptherockslikeachamoishunter. Thebicycleboycalmlysatdowntokeephiseyeontherunaway,callingoutfromtimetotimesuchcheeringremarksas“AllaboardforLiverpool!GivemylovetoVictoria!LuffandbearawaywhenyoucometoHalifax!Ifyouarehardupforprovisions,you'llfindanappleandsomebaitinmycoat-pocket,”andotherdirectionsforacomfortablevoyage,tillhisvoicewaslostinthedistanceasastrongercurrentboreherswiftlyawayandthebigwavesbegantotumbleandsplash. AtfirstJillhadlaughedathiseffortstokeepupherspirits,butwhentheboatfloatedroundapointofrockthatshutinthecove,shefeltallalone,andsatquitestill,wonderingwhatwouldbecomeofher.Sheturnedherbacktotheseaandlookedatthedear,safeland,whichneverhadseemedsogreenandbeautifulbefore.UponthehillrustledthewoodthroughwhichthehappypartywerewanderingtotheChasm.Ontherocksshestillsawthecrowdallbusywiththeirownaffairs,unconsciousofherdanger.Hereandthereartistsweresketchinginpicturesquespots,andinoneplaceanoldgentlemansatfishingpeacefully.Jillcalledandwavedherhandkerchief,butheneverlookedup,andanuglylittledogbarkedatherinwhatseemedtoheramostcruelway. “Nobodyseesorhearsorcares,andthosehorridboyswillnevercatchup!”shecriedindespair,astheboatbegantorockmoreandmore,andtheloudswashofwaterdashinginandoutoftheChasmdrewnearerandnearer.Holdingonnowwithbothhandssheturnedandlookedstraightbeforeher,paleandshivering,whilehereyestriedtoseesomesignofhopeamongthesteepcliffsthatroseupontheleft.Noonewasthere,thoughusuallyatthishourtheywerefullofvisitors,anditwastimeforthewalkerstohavearrived. “IwonderifGertyandMamiewillbesorryifI'mdrowned,”thoughtJill,rememberingthepoorgirlwhohadbeenlostintheChasmnotlongago.Herlivelyfancypicturedthegriefofherfriendsatherlossbutthatdidnothelporcomforthernow,andasheranxiousgazewanderedalongtheshore,shesaidaloud,inapensivetone,— “PerhapsIshallbewreckedonNorman'sWoe,andsomebodywillmakepoetryaboutme.Itwouldbeprettytoread,butIdon'twanttodiethatway.Oh,whydidIcome!Whydidn'tIstaysafeandcomfortableinmyownboat?” Atthethoughtasobrose,andpoorJilllaidherheaddownonherlaptocrywithallherheart,feelingveryhelpless,small,andforsakenalonethereonthegreatsea.Inthemidstofhertearscamethethought,“Whenpeopleareindanger,theyaskGodtosavethem”and,slippingdownuponherknees,shesaidherprayerasshehadneversaiditbefore,forwhenhumanhelpseemsgoneweturntoHimasnaturallyaslostchildrencrytotheirfather,andfeelsurethathewillhearandanswerthem. Afterthatshefeltbetter,andwipedawaythedropsthatblindedher,tolookoutagainlikeashipwreckedmarinerwatchingforasail.Andthereitwas!Closeby,comingswiftlyonwithamanbehindit,asturdybrownfisher,busywithhislobster-pots,andquiteunconscioushowlikeanangelhelookedtothehelplesslittlegirlintherudderlessboat. “Hi!hi!Oh,pleasedostopandgetme!I'mlost,nooars,nobodytofixthesail!Oh,oh!pleasecome!”screamedJill,wavingherhatfranticallyastheotherboatskimmedbyandthemanstaredatherasifshereallywasamermaidwithafishytail. “Keepstill!I'llcomeaboutandfetchyou!”hecalledoutandJillobeyed,sittinglikealittleimageoffaith,tillwithagooddealofshiftingandflappingofthesail,theotherboatcamealongsideandtookherintow. Afewwordstoldthestory,andinfiveminutesshewassittingsnuglytuckedupwatchinganunpleasantmassoflobstersflapaboutdangerouslynearhertoes,whiletheboatboundedoverthewaveswithadelightfulmotion,andeveryinstantbroughthernearerhome.Shedidnotsaymuch,butfeltagooddealandwhentheymettwoboatscomingtomeether,mannedbyveryanxiouscrewsofmenandboys,shewassopaleandquietthatJackwasquiteboweddownwithremorse,andFranknearlypitchedthebicycleboyoverboardbecausehegaylyaskedJillhowsheleftherfriendsinEngland.Therewasgreatrejoicingoverher,forthepeopleontherockshadheardofherloss,andranaboutlikeantswhentheirhillisdisturbed.OfcoursehalfadozenamiablesoulspostedofftotheWillowstotellthefamilythatthelittlegirlwasdrowned,sothatwhentherescuersappearedquiteacrowdwasassembledonthebeachtowelcomeher.ButJillfeltsousedupwithherownshareoftheexcitementthatshewasgladtobecarriedtothehousebyFrankandJack,andlaiduponherbed,whereMrs.Hammondsoonrestoredherwithsugar-coatedpills,andwordsevensweeterandmoresoothing. Otherpeople,busiedwiththeirownpleasures,forgotallaboutitbythenextdaybutJillrememberedthathourlongafterward,bothawakeandasleep,forherdreamsweretroubled,andsheoftenstartedupimploringsomeonetosaveher.Thenshewouldrecallthemomentwhen,feelingmosthelpless,shehadaskedforhelp,andithadcomeasquicklyasifthattearfullittlecryhadbeenheardandanswered,thoughhervoicehadbeendrownedbythedashofthewavesthatseemedreadytodevourher.Thismadeadeepimpressiononher,andasenseofchildlikefaithintheFatherofallbegantogrowupwithinherforinthatlonelyvoyage,shortasitwas,shehadfoundaveryprecioustreasuretokeepforever,toleanon,andtoloveduringthelongervoyagewhichallmusttakebeforewereachourhome.