All Aboard: A Story for Girls

by Frank V. Webster

  Produced by Al Haines

  ALL ABOARD

  A STORY FOR GIRLS

  BY FANNIE E. NEWBERRY

  _Author of "The Odd One," "Not for Profit," "Bubbles," "Joyce'sInvestments," "Sara a Princess," etc., etc._

  "Our Faith, a star, shone o'er a rocky height; The billows rose, and she was quenched in night."

  NEW YORK:

  A. L. BURT COMPANY, PUBLISHERS.

  COPYRIGHT, 1898.

  By A. I. BRADLEY & CO

  IN MEMORY

  OF A HAPPY VISIT,

  LET ME DEDICATE TO YOU, MY COUSINS

  H. S. AND W. FASSETT,

  THIS LITTLE BOOK

  WITH MY AFFECTIONATE REGARDS

  CONTENTS.

  CHAP.

  I. Debby has a Caller II. The Leave-taking III. New Surroundings IV. Introductions V. "On the Bay of Biscay, O!" VI. Portuguese Towns and Heroes VII. Kite-flying and Gibraltar VIII. Nightmare and Gossip IX. A Game of Gromets X. Mrs. Windemere's Dinner XI. A Sunday at Sea XII. The Story of a Wreck XIII. Algiers and Andy XIV. Guesswork XV. Tropical Evenings XVI. Danger XVII. Lady Moreham Speaks XVIII. Last Days Together XIX. Old Ties and New XX. In Old Bombay XXI. Friends Ashore XXII. In Elephanta's Caves

  "ALL ABOARD!"

  CHAPTER I.

  DEBBY HAS A CALLER.

  "And they're twins, you say?"

  "Yes'm, two of 'em, and as putty as twin blooms on a stalk, 'm."

  The second speaker was a large, corpulent woman, with a voluminouswhite apron tied about her voluminous waist. She stood deferentiallybefore the prospective roomer who had asked the question, to whom shewas showing the accommodations of her house, with interpolations of aprivate nature, on a subject too near her heart, to-day, to be ignoredeven with strangers. As she stood nodding her head with an emphasisthat threatened to dislodge the smart cap with purple ribbons, whichshe had rather hastily assumed when summoned to the door, the callermentally decided that here was a good soul, indeed, but ratherloquacious to be the sole guardian of two girls "putty as twin blooms."

  She, herself, was tall and slender, and wore her rich street costumewith an easy elegance, as if fine clothing were too much a matter ofcourse to excite her interest. But upon her face were lines whichshowed that, at some time, she had looked long and deeply into thehollow eyes of trouble, possibly despair. Even the smile now curvingher well-turned lips lacked the joyousness of youth, though in yearsshe seemed well on the sunny side of early middle age. She wasevidently in no hurry this morning, and finding her possible landladyso ready to talk, bent an attentive ear that was most flattering to thegood creature.

  "I knew," she said, sinking into a rattan chair tied up with blueribbons, like an over-dressed baby, "that these rooms had an air whichsuggested youth and beauty. I don't wonder your heart is sore to losethem."

  "Ah, it's broke it is, 'm!" the voice breaking in sympathy, "for I'velooked upon 'em as my own, entirely, and it's nigh to eighteen year,now. Their mother, just a slip of a girl herself, 'm, had only timefor a long look at her babbies before she begun to sink, and when shesee, herself, 'twas the end, she whispered, 'Debby'--I was right overher, 'm, leaving the babbies to anybody, for little they were to methen, beside the dear young mistress--so she says, says she, 'Debby!'and I says, very soft-like, 'Yes, Miss Helen,'--'cause, mind you, I'dbeen her maid afore she was merrit at all, and I allays forgot when Iwasn't thinkin', and give her the old name--and I says, 'Yes, MissHelen?' And then she smiles up at me just as bright as on her wellestdays, 'm, and says, 'Call 'em Faith and Hope,' Debby; that's what theywould be to me if--and not rightly onderstandin' of her, I breaks in,'Faith and Hope? Call _what_ faith and hope?' For, thinkses I, 'shemay be luny with the fever.' But no, she says faint-like, but clearand sound as a bell, 'Call my babies so. Let their names be Faith andHope, and when their poor father comes home, say it was my wish, and hemust not grieve too much, for he will have Faith and Hope always withhim.' And then the poor dear sinks off again and never rightly comesto, till she's clean gone."

  "And their father was on a voyage, then?"

  "Yes 'm, second mate of the 'International.' He's cap'n now, 'm, withan interest in the steamship, and they do say they ain't many that's sodreadfully much finer in the big P. & O. lines--leastwise so I've heerdtell, 'm, and I guess they ain't no mistake about it, nuther."

  "And you have mothered his babies all these years?"

  "I have, 'm, yes. In course when it come time for their schoolin' Ihad to let 'em go. 'Twas then Cap'n Hosmer was going to give up thishouse, 'cause 'twa'n't no use a-keepin' it while they was off, but thetmade me put my wits to work, and I planned a plan as I ain't seen fitto find no fault with to this day. I ups and merries John Gunter,what's been a-hangin' around a year or more, and I says, 'We'll takethe house off your hands, Cap'n. I've made up a notion to keeplodgers, and then that'll give my girls a place to come to, and git fedup, a holidays--don't you see, sir? And at that he laughs and says,says he--for he's a man what's sound and sweet clear through, like ahard cabbage, 'm, no rotten nowhere--and he says: 'A good plan, Debby,and I'll rent your two best rooms for my daughters now, and pay a yearin advance,' and so 'twas done, 'm. And so's went the last five year,them a-coming and going, jest like the sunshine in Aprile, but now--"

  Again the always husky voice broke, and the white apron was turned intoa handkerchief for the nonce.

  "Now you are going to lose them, you say?"

  "Yes'm. They're to ship with their father for the long cruise--thatis, I s'pose I oughter say they're a-goin with him on the long v'yageto Ingy."

  "I presume he gets lonely for them too, poor man!"

  "In course he do, 'm--I sees thet plain--and I can't really say a word,only--hist! I believes it's 'em, now. If that ain't my Miss Hope'srush through the hall then I'll--"

  An unmistakable breeze and clatter, in which fresh young voices couldbe plainly heard, sounded without, and, as both women faced the door,it was flung somewhat violently open, and a young creature appeared inits frame who seemed the incarnation of joy and brightness.Involuntarily the lady murmured "Hope!" for the young girl's greatbrown eyes were alight with fun, and her red-brown hair seemed to laughsympathetically in every curly lock and tangle, while her parted lipsshowed teeth like bits of alabaster polished to splendor.

  She had scarcely entered when there seemed to be two of her, for hersister, close behind, was so perfect a counterpart that no one, unlessa keen observer, could detect a difference. The stranger was a keenobserver and noticed that, while eyes, teeth, hair, and rich complexionwere identical, also the height and build, the expression was quitedifferent. Where the first-comer was alert, bird-like, and possiblyinclining to sharpness, the second was more dreamy, peaceful, and slow.She had called the one "Hope," and saw, with quick pleasure, that shewas right, for as the girl stopped suddenly, abashed at finding astranger in the room, Mrs. Gunter said apologetically--

  "I was jest takin' this lady through, Miss Hope. She thowt as shemight be a-wantin' of these after you an' Miss Faith was a-gone, maybe.Mrs. Rollston it is."

  Each young girl acknowledged the introduction with a pleasant littlenod, and a murmured, "Happy to meet you, Mrs. Rollston," so preciselysimilar in voice and manner that she could not help an amused smile;yet, even here she could detect that same subtle difference in theexpression. Hope's nod was accompanied by a blithe glance, keen, yetinviting, Faith's with a softly-inquiring, yet half-indifferent look,as if some undercurrent of thought were still unstirred. She felt thatHope appropriated her friendliness as a matter of course, while Faith,though not repelling it, maintained a fine reserve which migh
t, ormight not, vanish like hoar-frost in the first sun-ray of affection.She said gently, "Your kind Mrs. Gunter has been telling me somethingof your plans. It takes a great deal out of a house when young peopleleave it."

  "Dear old Deb! She doesn't realize what a lot of care it will take offher shoulders, though," cried Hope, quickly. "It will give her hoursand hours for Gyp and the lodgers. You see,"--laughing and dimplingtill Mrs. Rollston longed to kiss her,--"I put the dog first."

  "Which does not hurt my feelings yet, whatever it may do later,"returned that lady in kind. "And when do you sail, may I ask?"

  "To-morrow morning. I'm so glad we're to start by daylight. We'regoing to take Debby out, and send her back in the pilot boat, aren'twe, Faith?"

  "You nearly promised, you know, Debby," put in the one addressed,seeing dissent in her eye.

  "But not quite, honey. I allays feels it's a temptin' of Proverdancefor such a shaped woman as I be to set foot on things what goesa-rockin' around on the water. I like to feel good solid earth underthem feet!" and she peered quizzically over her round person at herhuge carpet slippers, and shook her head with a chuckle of amusement."I've watched them frisky little steam critters 'fore now, and they'remost dujeous like to a babby jest a-larnin' to walk, or a tipsy mana-tryin' to steer straight when he sees double. No, thankee kindly,but I guess I'll say good-by ashore, where I can cry it out comfortableafter you're gone."

  "Foolish old Debby!" laughed Hope, while Faith looked with a sweetregret at her dear old nurse, but did not speak.

  "Do you know," said the stranger, who was about leaving, her businesshaving been long finished, "I am wondering how it happened that thesenames were bestowed just as they are. Can you tell me, Mrs. Gunter?It would seem as if the babies must have shown their dispositions whenvery young--or was it a happy chance?"

  Deborah laughed with unction. It was a story she was fond of telling.They had just descended the stairs and she opened a door into asnug-looking sitting-room off the hall as she said--

  "Well, jest set you down again for a minute, 'm, if you please, andI'll tell you. I ain't good for much at standin' long--too many poundsto hold up. Here, 'm, this is the best chair--now I'll tell ye. Factis, I was in a real pupplex over them names for a time. First, I wasa-goin' to wait till their fayther got home, but they kept a-growin' sofast thet it didn't seem right not to have 'em named. I was realworrited for a spell till, all at once, I found out that they wasnamed--yes, and I'd done it myself! 'Twas like this: When they'd beginto be a stir in the crib, and I was right busy, I'd say to my shadder,'I hope it isn't this one, 'cause she wouldn't keep still a blessedminute'; or I'd say, 'I've faith to b'lieve it's that one, for she'llcoo and play with her toes till I gets ready.' 'Twas allays jestso--'I hope,' or 'I've faith,' every time. And soon as it come to me,why, I jest named the obstreperous one Hope and the quiet oneFaith--don't you see?"

  "I do. It was bright of you, too. It really means that the names cameby nature, so fit like a glove, of course. But I must be off at once.Thank you for a pleasant morning, Mrs. Gunter! I will bring my husbandaround to-morrow for his approval, if he can spare the time. At anyrate, I think I am not too hasty in saying we will take the rooms. Wewill, if you please, pay by the week in advance, as he is only here onbusiness, and our departure may, necessarily, be sudden. Good-morning."

  She departed, followed by the smiles and curtesies of Mrs. Gunter, butnot till the latter had found time to whisper huskily, "Aren't theysweet girls, 'm, and do you wonder it breaks me in pieces to lose 'm?"to which she responded heartily,

  "Indeed, I can fully understand your grief. They are delightful, andsingularly alike. If I were to describe each in a word, I should sayHope is radiant, Faith lovely, and both are charming!"