The Merry Anne 11

The Merry Anne 11

"Here, Estelle!" called Spencer. "Estelle, Cap'n Smiley'd like another

piece o' pie. Ain't Estelle there, Josie?"

 

Mrs. Spencer appeared in the kitchen doorway. "No, she ain't here."

 

"Why, I just saw her a minute or so ago."

 

"She said it was hot in the kitchen and stepped outside. What is it you

want?"

 

"Cap'n Smiley'd like some more pie."

 

"All right, I 'll get it for him."

 

Dick bolted the second helping in the silence that had enveloped him

since the meal began. Then he got up, said something about the schooner

that nobody quite understood, and left the house.

 

Matters were going slowly at the wharf.

 

There was still a small pile of timber, and another of shingles waiting

to be loaded. So far as Dick could see, Harper seemed to be directing

the work.

 

"What are you doing there, Pink?" he demanded, in a tone that made Pink

look curiously at him before replying.

 

"Loadin' up."

 

"Where's McGlory?"

 

"I don't know."

 

"You _don't know!_ Well, why in------don't you know?"

 

"I 'll tell you, Cap'n."

 

"Oh, you 'll tell me, will you?"

 

"Yes, I will. Mr. McGlory was awful partic'lar about the first load

o' stuff that went aboard, handled most of it hisself, and made us work

slow, an' then he just naturally quit workin' and walked off without

sayin' a word, an' so I an' the boys have been tryin' to hustle it

aboard, like you said, without him."

 

"Quit workin'! What right's he got to quit workin'?"

 

"I don't know, Cap'n."

 

Two of the sailors, standing near by, had been watching their captain

during this talk.

 

Now one of them turned away to hide a grin.

 

"What are you grinning about there?" roared Dick.

 

"I wasn't grinnin', Cap'n."

 

"Oh, you wasn't. Get to work, then, and shut your mouths. You're a lot

o' loafers, that's what you are. Hustle, now!" He lent a strong hand

himself, glad to vent in work the explosives that were working in his

head; and as he worked he muttered, "So we quit workin' when we're

tired, do we?"

 

Meanwhile the mate was strolling in the forest a few hundred yards away

with Estelle. He was looking closely at her, as they walked, from under

heavy eyebrows. She was flushing a very little and studying the sand at

her feet.

 

"Who's been giving you that kind o' talk about me?" he was asking.

 

"Why--I don't know as it was anybody especial."

 

"You didn't believe it, did you?"

 

"N-no--but you see, you told me you were coming right back, and then you

didn't--and I didn't know whether I was ever going to see you again or

not. I thought--"

 

"Well, what was it you thought?"

 

"I thought you probably could have come if you'd wanted to!"

 

"You know better than that, Estelle. The only way I could come was on

the schooner, and Cap'n Henry laid me off before the next trip. The

minute I had a chance to come up here with this man, I grabbed it. What

I'd like to know is, who is there up here that wants to tell lies about

me? What else have you heard?"

 

"You--you won't be mad, Joe, if--if I tell?"

 

"Course not. Here, let's sit down."

 

They found a seat in the hollow of the sand, where the undergrowth

screened them.

 

"You see, Joe, I heard that you--were married."

 

He started up. "That's a lie!"

 

"You said you--wouldn't get mad."

 

He dropped down again, muttering: "I ain't mad at you, Estelle, but

don't you see there's some one that's just setting out to spread these

lies. It's enough to rile a fellow. Who was it told you?"

 

"I don't know--it was quite a while back--maybe it was--Josie."

 

"But she don't know anything about me. Who could 'a' told her?"

 

"I don't know. You won't say anything to her, will you, Joe?"

 

"No, course not. It's funny, that's all. But so long's you don't believe

it, I don't suppose I've got any cause for kicking."

 

"Of course I don't believe it--not now. Before you'd come back, and

after all you'd said about--"

 

"About what, Estelle?"

 

"About coming up here for me--and our going away from here--"

 

"That's it," he broke in eagerly--"that's just it. I couldn't do it then

because I didn't have the ready. But now, you see, I've got a little

put by, and there ain't nothing to hinder our clearing out o' here for

good."

 

"Isn't there, Joe?"

 

"Not a thing."

 

"Oh, I'm so glad. You don't know--you don't know how sick I get of this

place, and these men around. I most die with it sometimes--feel as if

I could go away alone if I knew of any place to go. Once I thought a

little of--of just doing it anyhow, and maybe finding you in Chicago.

You've told me where your place is, you know, up on the north side."

 

"Yes, I know, but we can do it now."

 

"Now, Joe?"

 

"Sure."

 

"To-day?"

 

"Well--you see--I couldn't hardly do it to-day. I've got to finish my

trip."

 

"Oh--"

 

"Now wait, Estelle. If I got impatient, I'd lose the trick, don't you

see. This man, Dick Smiley, is working for the man that's got to help

me. I know a way to make him back me--set me up in my own place in some

new town maybe. I couldn't leave Smiley in the lurch without getting his

boss down on me. I've got a hold on him, but he'd never stand for that.

This Smiley's a no-good lot, but I've got to stick out this trip with

him."

 

"But--then you 'll be back in Chicago."

 

"I know. I'm coming up here by train. Or say I meet you at Saginaw."

 

"You thought you could do that before."

 

"I was broke then. Now I've got the stuff. And I know how I can turn

a trick on this trip back that 'll be worth an easy five hundred to me.

That 'll take us clear down to Niagara Falls, maybe."

 

"Oh, could we go there, Joe?"

 

"Sure, anywhere you say."

 

"But, how 'll I know when to start?"

 

"Well, let's see. I can't be sure of getting back to Chicago, and

cleaning things up, and coming up to Saginaw inside of seven days. Call

it eight; that 'll make it--to-day's Tuesday--next week Wednesday. What

day does Spencer drive down to Ramsey?"

 

"Thursdays."

 

"Then that's our day. You could get him to take you along, couldn't

you?"

 

"Yes."

 

"Then you give him the slip and catch the afternoon train to Saginaw."

 

"But how could I take my things? He'd be sure to see them."

 

"Leave 'em behind. I 'll buy you what you need. Have you got any money?"

 

"Not very much?"

 

He sat up and drew out a handful of bills. "Here--say I give you

twenty-five. That 'll see you through, won't it?"

 

"Oh, yes, Joe."