Mildred Keith

by Martha Finley

  Chapter Fifth.

  "Hark! to the hurried question of despair: 'Where is my child?' and echo answers 'where?'" --BYRON.

  "HOW did you learn all you've been telling me, Ru.?" asked Mildred asthey stood side by side watching with interest the Queen Charlotte andher consorts slowly clearing the harbor. "Oh, easily enough; young Wellsand I got into talk while you and the others were down in the cabin; Iasked questions and he answered 'em. Ah, here he comes," he addedlooking round, "I'll introduce him for he's a nice fellow, I'm sure, andit's a good thing to have a friend at court; in other words to be infavor with the reigning powers; _i. e._ the captain and his nearest ofkin. My sister, Miss Mildred Keith, Mr. Wells."

  "Happy to make your acquaintance, Miss," said the young sailor,gallantly, lifting his hat and bowing low. "Hope you'll enjoy yourvoyage on the Queen Charlotte. Shall be most happy to do all I can tomake the trip pleasant to you."

  "Thank you kindly."

  He began at once by finding comfortable seats for them where they weresheltered from the sun, and had a good view of the Canada and Michiganshores; and being acquainted with the localities, and their history, andpossessed of a ready command of language, he added much to the interestof the scene by the information he imparted; sometimes unsolicited, atothers in answer to questions.

  When they had passed through Detroit river and so far out into Lake St.Clair that little could be seen but water and sky, he offered to showthem over the vessel.

  They gladly accepted, enjoyed the tour, and when it was over rejoinedthe rest of their party just as the cabin passengers were summoned tothe supper table.

  Mildred was seated between Rupert and Edward Wells; opposite them satMr. and Mrs. Sims, the bullying Englishman and his meek-eyed wife, and abachelor gentleman of pleasing countenance and manners, whom CaptainWells addressed as Mr. Carr. Next them were Captain and Mrs. Jones.There were many more passengers of both sexes, several nationalities,and a variety of ages from infants in arms, up to hoary headedgrandparents, but with most of them our story has little or nothing todo.

  The two captains, the wife of the one and the son of the other, werepolite and genial, the fare was excellent, and every one present seemeddisposed to contentment and good humor except Mr. Sims, who turned uphis nose at the food, snubbed his wife and scowled at his oppositeneighbors; perchance reading too plainly in the frank, youthfulcountenances their disapproval of him.

  Mildred so compassionated the long-suffering wife that, in the course ofthe evening, seeing her sitting by herself and looking sad and lonely,she drew near and opened a conversation.

  Mrs. Sims responded readily.

  "Do sit down, Miss," she said, making room for Mildred by her side, "I'mso glad to 'ave some one to speak to, for I gets hawful 'omesick attimes."

  "Ah, that must be a very trying feeling," Mildred said compassionately."I know nothing of it myself; for I've never been away from home ormother for a week at a time."

  "Well, Miss, you're fortunate."

  "Have you been long in the country?"

  "It's barely six months, Miss, since I left me father's 'ouse in London.We kept an 'otel there; an' that's 'ow I came to know Mr. Sims; hetakin' lodgin' with us while up to London about some business 'e 'adwith the lawyers."

  "And are your own family all still in England?"

  "Yes, Miss; hevery one; I left 'em all--father, mother, brothers andsisters--for 'im," she answered with a tremble in her voice and wipingher eyes furtively.

  "What a shame he should treat you as he does!" was the indignantexclamation that rose to Mildred's lips, but she checked herself intime, and changed it for, "Then I think he ought to be very good toyou."

  "I 'ope we'll be 'appy, Miss, when we're settled down in a 'ome of ourown," remarked the little woman with a half stifled patient sigh. "Andindeed it's not 'alf so bad as I expected; I've been hastonished, atfinding so many white women in America. I thought when I landed in NewYork I'd be the honly white woman there. I s'posed all the rest would beInjuns or niggers."

  "Indeed! how relieved you must have been on discovering your mistake,"remarked Mildred demurely, while her eyes twinkled with suppressed fun.

  "That I was, Miss, as you may well believe; it quite reconciled me tothe country."

  The sun rose brightly the next morning and the young Keiths were earlyon deck, romping and racing about, fall of the vivacity and mirthusually incident to extreme youth and perfect health.

  They were well watched over by their father, Mildred and Rupert, orthere is no knowing what wild and dangerous pranks might have beenindulged in by Cyril and Don.

  The former actually proposed a flying leap from the deck of the QueenCharlotte to that of the steamer and was not at all pleased by thedecided veto put upon it by his father.

  "I think you might let a fellow try, papa," he grumbled, "it would besuch fun and I know I could do it."

  "No, you couldna," said Don, peeping over the ship's side, "it's a big,big place."

  "Come over to the other side of the deck, and stay there," said Mr.Keith, leading them away.

  Rupert followed holding Fan by the hand. "What was that? what were theythrowing in?" he asked, stopping suddenly at a sound as of a heavy bodyplunging into the water, while at the same instant a startled cry camefrom the deck of the Milwaukee.

  "A man overboard!"

  "A man overboard!" the fearful cry was taken up and repeated on allsides amid the rush of many feet and the quick, sharp imperative wordsof command.

  Almost instantly a boat was lowered and strong arms were pulling withswift, vigorous strokes for the spot, already left far behind, where thesplash of the falling body had been heard, and keen eyes were eagerlysearching the waste of waters; the crews and passengers of the threevessels crowding the decks and following their movements in breathlessanxiety and suspense.

  They pulled backward and forward, calling out to the drowning one thathelp was near.

  "Ah, yonder he is at last!" cries a woman's voice in exultant tones;"there he is with his head above water, for I see his hat."

  "And they see him too, and are pulling toward him with all their might!"

  "Ah, they're up with him! they have him now! hurrah!" and a wild cheerrose from hundreds of throats.

  But it died away in a groan.

  "It was his hat--only his hat, poor fellow. And they've given it up andare coming back without him!" sighs the woman who had been the first toraise the alarm.

  Every face wears a look of sadness for the few moments of silent waitingas the rowers slowly return.

  They gain the deck of the Milwaukee; one of them--a lad of nineteen ortwenty, a rough, hardy sailor--comes forward with a subdued manner--instrange contrast to his accustomed rude hilarity--lips white andquivering, tears in his manly eyes.

  "Mother, mother," he says, low and huskily, drawing near this woman withtottering steps, "don't--don't take it too hard. I--I couldn't bear tosee you. I did my best; we all did; but we couldn't find him; and here'shis hat. It--it was little Billy."

  "My boy! mine! my little one!" she shrieked, and fell fainting into thearms of her elder son.

  There was not a dry eye among the spectators, and as the sad storyspread to the other vessels many a tremulous tone and falling tearattested the pity and sympathy of those who told the tale and those wholistened to it.

  "But how did it happen?" queried one and another; and the answer was,"He was jumping back and forth from one vessel to another, and fell inbetween the Milwaukee and the steamer; and it is conjectured that hemust have been struck by the wheel, as he did not come up again."

  "And it might have been one of ours," sobbed Mrs. Keith, clasping herbabe to her breast, while her eye glanced from one to another of herdarlings. "Ah, how frightened I was when I heard the cry. I don't knowhow I got up the cabin steps! for I thought it was perhaps--"

  Tears choked her utterance; tears of mingled gratitude for herself andsorrow for the bereaved mother
.

  "Yes, it might have been you, Cyril or Don; and think how poor mother'sheart would have been broken, and mine too," Mr. Keith added, sittingdown and taking one on each knee. "Now do you want to try jumping acrosslike that boy did?"

  They shook their heads, gazing up into his face with awe-struckcountenances.

  The sad event of the morning seemed to have exerted a subduing influenceupon all the passengers; it was a very quiet day on board.

  The calm continued throughout the day but a breeze sprang up in thenight and the vessels parted company.

  By daylight the breeze had stiffened into a wind that made the lake veryrough; the ship tossed about on the waves with a motion by no meansagreeable to the land lubbers in her cabin and steerage; everything notmade fast to floor or walls went dashing and rolling from side to sideof stateroom or saloon; few of the passengers cared to breakfast, andthose who made the attempt had to do so under serious difficulties--tableand floor being both inclined planes, sloping now in one direction nowin another.

  They passed a miserable day, confined to the cabin, for the rain wasfalling heavily and the great waves would now and then sweep across thedeck.

  Still the captain assured them the storm was not a bad one and they werein no danger.

  By the next day it had abated so that they could seek the outer air,going about without experiencing much difficulty in preserving thecentre of gravity; and nearly every one had so far recovered from thedeathly sea-sickness as to be able to appear at meals.

  Life on shipboard which had seemed quite dreadful during the long hoursof the storm, became very tolerable again.

  The older people promenaded the deck or sat there with book or work, ormerely chatting and looking out upon the restless waters, while thechildren amused themselves with their plays or in running aboutexploring every nook and cranny and making acquaintance with the sailorswho seemed to enjoy their innocent prattle and merry ways.

  All the Keiths had suffered from sea-sickness and Mildred was among thelast to recover; it was not until towards sunset of the second day thatshe could be induced to leave her berth and allow her father to assisther up the cabin stairs to the deck.

  Here a couch had been prepared for her and the loving hands of motherand aunt busied themselves in making her comfortable. Brothers andsisters gathered rejoicingly around. Mrs. Jones brought a glass oflemonade, Mrs. Sims offered smelling salts, some one else a fan, andpresently the two captains and young Wells came up to offer theircongratulations on her recovery.

  Then Cyril and Don led up and introduced Mr. Carr, the bachelorgentleman with whom they had already formed a firm friendship.

  "He's a real nice man, Milly," said Cyril; "knows lots of stories andgames and things, and--"

  "An' p'ays wis boys," put in Don, "and tan do every fing."

  "Yes, he's weal dood," chimed in Fan, "and I likes him."

  "Thank you, my little maid," said the gentleman, laughing and strokingher curls. "Now if you could only get your sister to look at me throughyour spectacles."

  "Why, I hasn't dot any 'pectacles!" exclaimed the child, opening hereyes very wide. "Maybe papa buy me some when I dets an old lady. Den Ilets Milly 'ook froo."

  "That's my good, generous little sister," Mildred said, laughing, "andif I'm so fortunate as to get glasses first, you shall borrow themwhenever you wish."

  "Now go to your plays, dears, and let sister rest till she feelsbetter," said their mother.

  "Please tum wis us, Mr. Tarr," said Don, tugging at that gentleman'scoat.

  "Don, Don, you must not--"

  "Ah, don't reprove him," interposed the gentleman, lifting the child tohis shoulder and prancing away with him, while the little fellow shoutedwith laughter and delight.

  "Isn't he a nice man?" cried Zillah and Ada, looking after him, "we alllike him ever so much."

  "Yes," assented the mother, "but I am very much afraid my childrenimpose upon his good nature."

  "Don't let that trouble you, Mrs. Keith; he is surely able to take careof himself. Besides it's quite evident that he enjoys their society asmuch as they do his," said Edward Wells, taking a seat near Mildred'scouch, where he remained chatting in a lively strain with her and theother ladies until it was time for them to retire to the cabin.

  Fair weather and favorable winds made the remaining days of the voyage apleasure till one bright June morning they entered the Straits ofMackinaw and reaching the island of the same name, anchored in front ofits fort.

  The captain, informing his passengers that the ship would lie there fora day or two, good-naturedly offered to take ashore any or all who wouldlike to go.

  Nearly everybody eagerly accepted. The boats put off from the ship, eachwith a full complement of passengers, whom they landed just under thewhite walls of the fortress, situate on a bluff one hundred and fiftyfeet high.

  Passing up a flight of stone steps they entered the parade ground. Itwas smooth, hard and clean as a well swept floor. They walked across andabout it, viewing the officers' quarters (on the outside) and thebarracks of the men, walked along by the wall, noting how it commandedthe harbor and the village of Mackinaw, with its great guns, beside eachof which lay a pile of black balls heaped up in pyramidal form.

  Then they visited the town, saw some Indians and bought curious littlebark baskets ornamented with porcupine quills, blue, red and white, andfilled with maple sugar; moccasins, too, made of soft skins and heavilytrimmed with bead work, all manufactured by the Indians.

  The young Keiths were made happy with a pair of moccasins apiece fromtheir father, bark baskets from their mother and aunt, and unlimitedmaple sugar from their friend Mr. Carr.

  They returned to the ship tired but full of content.

  They were as usual early on deck the next morning, a little before therising of the sun, for they "liked to see him come up out of thewater."

  "How very still it is! hardly a breath of air stirring," Mildred wassaying to her father as Edward Wells drew near the little group, allstanding together looking eagerly for the first glimpse of the sun'sbright face.

  "Yes, we are becalmed," said Mr. Keith.

  "And very possibly may be detained here for several days inconsequence," added Edward, greeting them with a cheerful good-morning."In that case we will have an opportunity to explore the island. May Ihave the pleasure of being your guide in so doing?"

  "Do you mean all of us?" queried Cyril.

  "Yes, my man; if you will all go?" answered the sailor lad; but theglance of his eye seemed to extend the invitation to Mildred inparticular.

  "O father, can we? can we?" chorused the children.

  "We will see;" he said. "Now watch or you'll miss the sight we left ourbeds so early for."

  The matter was under discussion at the breakfast table and afterward,and it was decided that all might go ashore, but that the walk undercontemplation was too long for the little ones.

  Ada Keith was the youngest of that family who was permitted to go; butothers joined them and Edward found himself at the head of quite a partyof explorers.

  Ada came back looking heated, weary and troubled. "O mother," she cried,with tears in her eyes, "we saw a cave where some Frenchmen were hidingfrom the Indians and got smoked to death; the Indians did it by buildinga fire at the cave's mouth, because they couldn't get at them to killthem some other way. Oh, I'm so afraid of the savages; do persuadefather to take us all back to Ohio again!"

  The mother soothed and comforted the frightened child with caresses andassurances of the present peaceable disposition of the Indians, and atlength succeeded in so far banishing her fears that she was willing toproceed upon her journey.

  However, the calm continuing, nearly a week passed and many excursionshad been made to the island before they could quit its harbor.

  At length one day directly after dinner, a favorable wind having sprungup, the good ship weighed anchor and pursuing her westward course passedout of the straits into Lake Michigan.

  All night s
he flew before the wind and when our friends awoke thefollowing morning she rode safely at anchor in the harbor of Chicago.

  Though a large city now, it was then a town of less than five thousandinhabitants.

  This was the port of the Queen Charlotte and her passengers must belanded, her cargo discharged.

  It was with feelings of regret on both sides that her officers and theKeiths parted; Edward Wells taking an opportunity to say in an undertoneto Mildred that he hoped they would sometime meet again.

  St. Joseph, on the opposite side of the lake, was the next port whitherthe Keiths were bound. A much smaller vessel carried them across.

  They had a rough passage, wind and rain compelling them to keep closelyhoused in a little confined cabin, and were glad to reach the town ofSt. Joseph; though they found it but a dreary spot, no grass, no trees,the hotel a large, barn-like, two story building, with the hot summersun streaming in through its windows without hindrance from curtain orblind; for the rain ceased about the time of their arrival and the sunshone out with fervid heat during the two or three days that they weredetained there, resting the Sabbath day and awaiting the arrival oftheir household goods before ascending the St. Joseph river, on whichPleasant Plains, their final destination, was situated.

  There were no railroads in that part of the country then, nor for manyyears after; I think there was no stage route between the two places;there were no steamers on the river; the best they could do was to takea keel-boat.

  The rain had ceased and the sun shone brightly on the rippling, dancingwaters of the lake and river, on the little town and the green fieldsand forests of the adjacent country, as they went on board the keel-boatMary Ann, and set out upon this the last stage of their long journey.

  The boatmen toiled at their oars and the Mary Ann moved slowly onagainst the current, slowly enough to give our travelers abundance oftime to take in the beauties of the scenery; which they, the older onesat least, did not fail to do.

  Much of it was unbroken forest, but they passed sometimes a solitaryclearing with its lonely log cabin, sometimes a little village. Theriver flowed swiftly along, clear and sparkling, between banks now low,now high, green to the water's edge.

  The sun was nearing the western horizon as, at last, the boat was run inclose to shore and made fast, with the announcement, "Here we are,strangers; this here's the town of Pleasant Plains."