The Little School-Mothers
Page 41
a play-fellow and broke over him as though it were laughing at him,and carried him imperceptibly so far from Harriet that she could nolonger reach out her hand to touch him. Oh, still of course he wasquite safe. He was nowhere near the entrance to the cove, and eventhough there was another white wave coming on, he was safe, as safecould be. But why had all the waves in a moment, as it were, got littletiny white crests on them? and why was the sea not quite so blue? andwhy was there a wind which took the heat out of the water? Why had allthese things happened? But of course there was not the slightestdanger? Still, perhaps Harriet might as well keep near to Ralph. Shewanted him to be in a little bit of danger. She wanted him to cry outto her, and then she wanted to catch him and bring him back, and shewanted the people on the shore to say: "Well done, Harriet! Well done,brave, brave girl! You have saved the little chap's life!"
So she delayed, trifling just a minute, and now another play-fellowwave--a bigger and a rougher one than the first two, caught the gallanttiny swimmer, and turned him right over this time and suddenly filledhis lungs with water. Ralph threw up his arms. There was a sharpscream from the girls on the shore. Harriet saw the fisherman flyingdown from the cliffs above, and, turning herself, swam as fast as evershe could in Ralph's direction. But now she was about to test her ownfoolhardiness, for alas! poor little Ralph had got into the current--oneof those terribly dangerous currents which have wrecked not only braveswimmers, but even boats at sea when they got within the neighbourhoodof the treacherous Needles.
The little brown head bobbed one minute on the surface of the waves andthen disappeared. Harriet gave a frantic cry. She swam after the boy,putting out all her strength. Her hand was stretched out, and when hereappeared, she caught him by his little bathing suit.
By this time, one of the fishermen had got into the water, and a minuteor two later, both girl and boy were lying exhausted on the beach.
"You did a mighty silly thing, young folks--daring to go into the wateron a day like this!" said the man. "Why, little master was justdrownding!"
"O Harriet!" said Frederica; "you were brave!" Harriet heard the words,and then sank away into a swoon. Had she earned her reward? These werethe last thoughts she took with her into the world of unconsciousness.
When she came to herself, Mr Durrant was bending over her. Ralph, verypale, but quite well, was seated close to her side and all the othergirls were gazing at her from a respectful distance.
"I don't understand this story at all," said Mr Durrant. "Sit up,Harriet, my dear. You have received a great shock; you must drink someof this." He held a cup of hot coffee to her lips. One of thefishermen had brought it from his own cottage near by.
"Now, that's better," said Mr Durrant, when the girl had sipped alittle and looked round her. "But, my dear Harriet, my lastinstructions were that none of you were to go into the water. Ofcourse, I know what a dangerous coast this is, and after the storm oflast night, you ran the most fearful risk."
"But she was brave! she was noble! She did, she did try to save me!"said Ralph, clasping Harriet's hand and fondling it as his brown eyesfilled with tears.
"Oh yes; that is quite true," said Mr Durrant. He spoke quietly."Still," he said, "I don't understand why my message was disobeyed."
"But we never heard anything about it. We shouldn't have dreamed ofgoing into the water," said Frederica, "if we had known that you did notapprove."
"I told Jane that you were none of you to bathe until I came back.Harriet, there is no telegram from your father: you must consider nonews as good news."
"Oh yes," said Harriet, in a faint voice. She took Ralph's hand andwhispered to him: "Stay close to me. When you are close to me, I won'tbe seeing all the time your little head going under the water."
"We have a great deal to be thankful for," said Mr Durrant.
"But I cannot understand Jane Bush. She seemed in great distress aboutyou, Harriet, and said that you were fretting terribly about yourfather. She wanted herself to go back to try and get news from theyacht, but of course I offered to go. Still, I gave implicit directionsthat you were none of you to bathe. Where is Jane?"
"I think she had a headache," said Harriet. "Anyhow, she said she wouldgo back and stay near the yacht. She thought, perhaps, one of theboatmen would see her and take her on board."
"And she never gave you my message?"
"Certainly not," said Harriet.
"Well, my dear," said Mr Durrant after a pause, "I am exceedingly sorrythat this should have happened; but nevertheless we have much to bethankful for. I have given that poor brave sailor what I hope he willconsider a suitable reward. And now, children, I think we will get backto the yacht: the sooner Harriet lies down the better. I can see, mydear, that your own head is aching badly."
"It is; I feel queer and rather sick," said Harriet.
"I have ordered a waggonette to meet us, and we will drive back toTotland Bay: you are all much too tired to walk," said Mr Durrant; "allexcept you, you plucky little man," he added, looking at his little son."You don't seem a bit the worse."
"I wasn't a bit frighted, father," said Ralph, speaking with greatexcitement, "'cause I _knew_."
"What did you know, my boy?"
"That Harriet would save me, 'cause she,"--the words came out with arush--"did it afore!"
Everyone looked at Harriet, who turned very pale. "Is this the secondtime you have saved Ralph, my dear Harriet?" asked Mr Durrant.
"Ralph?" said Harriet. "You know you ought not to speak--"
"Don't ask her, father," said Ralph.
"I ask her nothing. She has saved your life this time, that I cantestify. You are a brave girl, Harriet; forgive me for having doubtedyou. Bravery like yours must be accompanied by other noble traits ofcharacter. I will say no more for the present except to add that youran a terrible risk, and that whatever your good intentions, you couldnot possibly have saved Ralph but for the aid of that brave sailor whobrought you both back to shore."
The said sailor now appeared on the scene to announce the approach ofthe carriage which was to convey the party to the yacht. They all gotin, and in a short time were back again on board the "Sea-Gull." Thefirst person they saw when they stood on the deck of the pretty littleyacht was Jane, whose white face and anxious eyes would have told toomuch of her story had not Harriet rushed up to her, squeezed her handand managed to whisper:
"It is all right; and you have but to say boldly now that you forgot togive me the message about not bathing."
"Is that you, Jane Bush?" said Mr Durrant at that moment.
"Yes, sir," said Jane, coming forward.
Harriet gave her fingers a squeeze. That squeeze seemed to say:
"Five pounds will be yours--five beautiful, lovely, golden sovereigns!Don't lose your courage now."
"I particularly gave you a message, Jane, when you were so anxious forme to return to the yacht on Harriet's behalf. Did you forget it?"
"What message, sir?" asked Jane.
"I requested the young people--in fact, I did much more than request, Idesired the young people not on any account to go into the water untilmy return."
"O, sir--so you did!" said Jane.
"And you never gave the message?"
"No, sir," said Jane, dropping her head.
"And why not, pray? It was very important."
"I--I had a headache, sir."
"You--in fact--forgot?"
"Yes, Mr Durrant, I--I forgot," said Jane.
"Another time, please remember. You might be an intensely miserablegirl now but for the exceeding bravery of a man who happened to see ourlittle party from one of the cliffs. Two lives were in extreme danger--the life of your own special friend, Harriet Lane, and the life of mylittle son. Harriet was bravest of the brave, and did manage to come tohis rescue and to hold his head above water at the critical moment, butneither of the children could have possibly resisted the current had notthis man swum into the water in his clothes and brought
them back toland. So be more careful in future, Jane, that is all." Mr Durrantturned away.
"You have earned your five pounds, I am sure and certain of that," saidHarriet to her companion on the evening of that same day.
Book 2--CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
ROBINA'S DECISION.
The swimming adventure took place on Friday. Saturday passed withoutanything special occurring. Sunday was a lovely day, when they allsteamed about and enjoyed the fresh breezes, and, as Mr Durrantexpressed it, forgot dull Care. Monday also passed without excitement,and on Tuesday, the little