Maggie coiled the rope and tucked it into the cave. She made her way up the ledge and, halfway up, she looked back. Sirius had emerged from the cave and was watching her, his tail wagging slowly. Then he sprang to the rocks to follow her.
“No!” Maggie repeated. Sirius backed down to the ledge. “Oh, Sirius, how can I make you understand? You’ve got to stay. I don’t want to have to tie you up in this lonely place.”
Once more, Sirius lunged for the cliff.
“No! Bad dog,” she shouted. “Stay, you bad dog.”
Sirius paused and looked hopefully up at Maggie as she scrambled to the top of the quidnunc.
“Stay!” Maggie waited, praying she would not need to tie him up.
Sirius clambered down to the mossy ledge. He watched Maggie with sad eyes, his tail motionless as he obediently stood by the cave.
SIRIUS IS MISSING
MAGGIE WAITED AT THE TOP of the Quidnunc for a short while, unsure if she should leave Sirius untied. Sirius was an obedient and trusting dog, Maggie told herself, but to leave him here alone made her uneasy. And she felt bad about shouting such hard commands. She peeked out over the rocks. Sirius lay at the opening of the cave, his head on his paws.
Sirius had always obeyed in the past—faithfully—even when the choice was difficult for him. Pa had been the one who had taught him obedience. When Sirius was a puppy, Pa once placed a ham shank in front of him and sternly commanded the dog not to touch it. Sirius eagerly jumped for the tempting bone. “No, bad dog,” Pa scolded, swatting him on the rump. Maggie had run to her room and shut the door. “It’s for the best,” Ma had said. “You’ll see. The dog needs to be trained.”
Sirius learned quickly. Even now he would wait for the command to eat before lurching into his food.
And what a hardworking dog he turned out to be. Last winter after a sleet storm, the horses were not surefooted on the slippery ice, so Pa hitched Sirius to a sled and set off across the frozen harbor to get some firewood that he had cut during the previous summer. Sirius had pulled one heavy load of wood across the bay, then slumped in the snow, exhausted.
Maggie objected strongly. “Sirius will break his back with all that wood.”
Pa fashioned a makeshift sail on the sled to lighten the load. On the next trip the sail filled with a steady breeze, and Sirius trotted across the ice ahead of the sled, seeming to enjoy the adventure. Maggie smiled as she remembered her black dog on the white surface of the harbor and the packed sled in full sail. What a good dog Sirius was.
Now Maggie felt sad as she peered down at her dog. But it’s for his own good, she thought. What else could she do? The constable and Howard Rand were probably still at her house with their rifles.
Maggie leaned against a rock and gazed up at the fleecy clouds overhead. “Dear Father in Heaven,” she whispered, “I thank you that Vera is better and that you heard my prayers. Now I’m praying for my dog. I’m sure he was a gift from your loving hands. He’s been unjustly accused, and they’re waiting down there with guns. You know he never hurt Tamar’s sheep. Sirius is a good dog. Please save him from being killed. Perhaps you have some plan—some test for me.” The Bible said God never gives people more than they can bear. “I can’t bear to lose Sirius. Please, spare him, Lord,” she finished.
The sun was almost directly overhead in the china-blue sky, and a jay was chattering in a tree. The scent of balsam and spruce soothed Maggie. If only she could stay right here forever and leave all her troubles down in the village. But it was time to go back.
She peeked down the ledge once more. Sirius was sprawled on his side, sleeping, his tongue hanging out from the side of his mouth.
“Good dog,” Maggie whispered. “I’ll be back later.”
When she reached the bottom of the hill, she turned into the thicket and made her way out onto a rocky path. A half mile farther and she reached the fork where the main roads converged.
She headed up the slope toward her house.
Ma opened the door before Maggie reached the gate. “They were here,” she said. “Howard Rand, Tamar, and Joey Harper, the constable.”
“Did they have guns?”
“Yes, my child, they did. But Pa told them that Sirius was gone and they should leave us alone.”
“Did they ask where he was?”
“Pa said he was gone and that was that. But they warned us that if Sirius should come back to Bonnie Bay, they would have to shoot him.”
Maggie started. Maybe she should have tied Sirius up after all. What if he came home? What if someone found him?
“Don’t worry right now,” Ma said. “We’ll find a way. Joey Harper didn’t sound happy about all this, and he was trying to make some sort of peace here. He knows Sirius. He knows how good he is and how he helps us. And he knows that dog would never harm a sheep. Pa may go talk to Joey with Uncle Norman and Aunt Selina. They’ve promised to stand up for Sirius. So have Uncle Jabe and Aunt Gertrude. Maybe the constable will listen if the Rands aren’t there.”
“Tamar will be watching to see where I go—where I’ve hidden Sirius.”
“Well, you just keep on the watch for her,” warned Ma.
It would be hard to keep this secret. Maggie was sure of that.
* * *
For the next couple of days Maggie kept on the lookout for the Rands. Tamar, who usually stayed on her side of the village, was now playing every day with Annie Kelly. The Kellys lived only two houses away from Maggie—and closer to the hidden path to the quidnunc. Annie had always been Maggie’s friend and classmate, but now Annie and Tamar had become “thick as thieves,” as Ma had put it. Being a friend of the rich Rands was something to be desired, especially by Annie, who admired Tamar Rand’s clothes and large, modern home. “Some friend she turned out to be,” Maggie sputtered to her mother.
Unlike most of the trim houses and neat gardens in Bonnie Bay, the Kellys’ place was always “in a clobber”—shabby and untidy. The walks around the small green house were overgrown with grass and weeds.
Maggie would have to be cautious about passing the Kellys’ on her trips to feed Sirius, especially now that Tamar was spending so much time there. The back way to the quidnunc was rocky and tight with overgrown spruce and bushes, and carrying heavy parcels of food up there was difficult. Sirius had faithfully stayed at the cave and wasn’t straying from where she had left him. Maggie tried to see her dog early every morning, then again later in the day. Each time Maggie arrived at the top of the quidnunc and looked down, she could see him waiting, his eyes glued to the spot where he knew she would appear. Then Sirius wiggled in excitement, his tail wagging madly, like a sail in a gale. When Maggie finally descended to the ledge with her parcel of food, the dog greeted her with sloppy kisses, soft barks, and whines.
* * *
One morning, less than a week after she had hidden Sirius, Maggie concealed a satchel of food and a leather flask of water in a large carpetbag. She headed up the road and was passing the Kellys’ house, when she heard a familiar voice.
“Where are you going?” It was Tamar. She must have spent the night with Annie.
“For a walk,” Maggie answered.
“With that big bag?” Tamar said. “Isn’t that too heavy to take on a walk?”
Maggie flicked her head toward the Kellys’ ramshackle house. “Do you live here now?”
“No,” Tamar answered icily. “Annie and I are planning a party.” Annie appeared on the porch and sauntered to Tamar’s side.
“Why are you having a party?” Maggie was unable to control her curiosity.
“My sister, Marie, is coming home in two weeks with her baby,” Tamar bragged.
“His name is Benjamin, and that makes Tamar an aunt,” Annie piped up.
“We’re having the christening party at the church.” Tamar smiled. “But you and your family are not invited.”
“I wouldn’t go if I were,” Maggie shot back. Hoisting the carpetbag over her shoulder, she continued on her wa
y. This time she walked farther along the narrow, winding path to Beachy Cove. Were the girls whispering about her, or was that the southerly wind rustling through the needles of the spruce trees? No doubt they were spying to see if she was going to Sirius.
Maggie lunged into the tuckamore, a low clump of trees. Then she crept through the bushes toward the old trail up to the quidnunc, dragging the carpetbag behind her. Halfway there, she peeked over the cliff and could see Tamar and Annie sitting on the porch steps.
Humph! she thought. Tamar wouldn’t have a thing to do with Annie Kelly until Sirius disappeared. She wants to be close to my house so she can watch me—and taunt me. Well, I couldn’t care less about her and her silly old party.
At the top of the cliff she started her slide down the smooth, rounded boulders to the cave.
The ledge where Sirius usually waited was empty. “Sirius,” she called as she slid herself down to the outcropping. “Sirius!”
There was no welcoming bark. Only silence.
THE HIDDEN SPRING
MAGGIE DROPPED THE BAG OF food on the ground and frantically searched the cave and the surrounding scrubby trees. There was no sign of Sirius.
His food bowl was empty. His water bowl was tipped over. How long had he been without water? That was it. The poor dog was thirsty and had gone looking for water.
Maggie searched for tracks or signs that Sirius might be close by. Had he gone home? Most likely he would have taken the trail she had used to bring him up, and yet there were no clues to where he might have gone.
“Sirius!” she called—then louder, “SIRIUS!”
A faint rustle in the distant bushes caught Maggie’s attention. Running toward the sound, she could make out a black form through the trees. It was Sirius. He barked when he saw her and whacked the bushes with his tail. Then he bounded out of the brush and trotted toward Maggie’s outstretched arms.
“Where have you been, you silly boy? You’re all wet,” Maggie exclaimed, feeling the fur on the dog’s neck and chest.
Sirius pawed her leg and then headed into the brush again, turning back to see if she would follow.
Maggie trailed Sirius through the undergrowth to the base of another hill that stretched up on the north side of the quidnunc. “Where are you taking me?” she asked.
The dog sprang ahead of her, stopping momentarily to give her time to catch up, then climbed up more rocks, through some woods where Maggie had never been before. In places, the thicket was so dense, she could hardly make her way through, but suddenly they came to a small clearing, and Maggie stopped. What was that sound?
Maggie followed Sirius behind several boulders, and the noise got louder—a gurgling, gushing sound. There, through a gap in the mountain rocks, a sparkling brook bubbled its way over the stones and tumbled in little waterfalls to a cave farther down the hill, where it vanished from sight.
“Water!” Maggie cried. “You’ve found water! The brook must come from a spring way up on the mountain.” Maggie did a little jig. “Wait until Pa hears about this. He can come up here and pipe this water down to our houses.” She could hardly wait to tell her folks. She crouched by a prancing Sirius. “I know you were thirsty, poor thing,” she murmured as she snuggled her face in the damp star on his chest. “You knew you mustn’t come home, so you went looking for yourself. And see what you found. You’re my good dog,” said Maggie, hugging him again. “My clever star dog.”
Maggie led Sirius back to his hiding place and filled his bowls with food and fresh water. Eager to get home, she grabbed the empty carpetbag and climbed to the top of the quidnunc. Marcus Kelly, Annie’s father, was standing on top of the cliff.
Maggie gasped.
“So here’s where your dog is hidden,” Marcus said. “Thought no one would find him, eh?” He reached down to help Maggie up the rocks, but she didn’t take his hand.
“He’s not bothering anyone,” she muttered, brushing herself off.
Marcus spit on the ground. “Sirius is not bothering me, but I’m sure Howard Rand will be bothered when he knows that dog is still around.” Marcus smiled his toothless grin.
Maggie tried to stay calm. Now that Marcus knew where Sirius was, he might blabber it to everyone—especially if he had drunk a little too much. Even worse, he’d probably try to win over Howard Rand by telling him where she had hidden her dog.
She decided to keep Marcus on her side. “Rand won’t be bothered if you don’t tell him,” Maggie said sweetly. “And you wouldn’t do that, would you?”
“No, maid, I wouldn’t tell that binicky old fool,” he said. He reached out and patted Maggie’s shoulder. “Don’t fear, child. I can keep a secret, you know.”
Maggie smiled and said, “Thanks, Marcus. My pa will be owing you for that.” Perhaps if Marcus thinks he’ll get something for his silence, he might keep his mouth shut. And maybe Pa could make a deal with him, she thought. “I’m going down to tell him right now how helpful you’ve been.”
“Ah, good, Maggie. And ask him to mix up some calabogus. I’ll be over later.” Marcus sat down against a tree.
“I’ll be sure to tell him. Good-bye, Marcus.” Maggie waved.
Maggie pushed through the tight saplings. Pa will find a way to keep Marcus quiet, she thought. If Marcus says one word about Sirius to Annie, she’s certain to tell Tamar.
She stepped out into the road and walked casually past the Kellys’ house.
She entered her kitchen, slamming the door behind her. Ma and Pa looked up from the kitchen table in alarm.
“Pa!” she shrieked. “Marcus Kelly saw Sirius up on the quidnunc.”
“So that’s where you’ve been keeping Sirius,” said Ma.
“He’ll tell Rand, I know he will,” Maggie raced on.
“Calm down, Maggie,” Pa said calmly. “Tell us what happened.”
Maggie related her encounter with Marcus. “I think he might have been drinking.”
Ma shook her head. “Poor Lucy.”
“If he tells Annie, she’ll tell Tamar and—”
Pa interrupted. “Maybe we should move Sirius out to Beachy Cove after all.”
Maggie nodded. “I’ll do it early tomorrow. Before the sun is up.”
Ma got up from the table. “Don’t worry, Maggie. Things will work out.” She poured water from the kettle into a teapot. “Oh, we’re out of water again. All I seem to be doing these days is carrying water up from town, or boiling it.” She sighed. “Can you get some water for me, Maggie?”
“Water!” Maggie cried. “I was so busy worrying about Marcus, I forgot to tell you that I found water way up on the quidnunc.”
“You what?” her mother and father exclaimed together.
“Well, Sirius really found it. His water was gone, and he went into the woods. He showed me the way. It’s beautiful water, bubbling and gurgling through the rocks. And there’s lots of it!”
“Maggie, that’s wonderful news,” said Pa, jumping up. “We can get Norm and the others up there and pipe that water right down the hill behind our house. There might be enough pressure to pipe it straight into the house.” He pulled on his boots. “Let’s go up now and you can show me.”
“But, Pa, what about Marcus?”
Her father frowned. “Hmm, well, I have an idea that might work. Marcus isn’t a bad person except when he drinks too much. There may be a way we can get him on our side—a way to keep him sober and give him something to look forward to at the same time.”
“Oh, balderdash,” Ma groaned. “Reuben, you know you can’t tell what’s going on in the mind of a squid. And Marcus is a squid. You never know if he’s moving backward or forward.”
“Now don’t you get into a hobble, too,” Pa replied. “I’ll take care of Marcus.”
“When I left him on the quidnunc, I told him he could come over here for some calabogus later,” Maggie said hopefully.
Pa burst out laughing. “You know the way to that man’s heart,” he said. “For now, Grace, you get bus
y making some calabogus—that’s the one sure way to lure him here.” He laughed all the way out the door. “We’re having Marcus Kelly for tea,” he called.
Ma chuckled and shook her head. “Marcus for tea—that is a laugh.” She opened the kitchen dresser. “There’s rum and molasses here. I’ll borrow some spruce beer from Aunt Gertrude. The calabogus will be ready when you come down.” She waved to Maggie and Pa. “This should be some tea party!”
“Come on, Maggie,” said her father. “Take me up to that wonderful spring. Then I’ll have a long talk with Marcus Kelly.”
SIX RAVENS
MARCUS WAS STILL ASLEEP UNDER the tree where Maggie had left him.
Maggie pointed down to Sirius sleeping by his water bowl.
“Shh,” Pa said, “we don’t want to wake either of them. First, show me the spring.”
Maggie led the way through the tight wall of spruce limbs, up the back cliff of the mountain.
“Oh, Maggie. You’re takin’ me as far as ever a puffin flew,” Pa said, pushing his way through the mass of trees. “How did you find your way up here? No wonder the spring has never been discovered.” After climbing around several boulders, Pa stood by the gurgling brook. It seemed even more brim-full and sparkling now as it wound noisily through the rocks.
“Beautiful,” Pa murmured. He bent down and scooped up the cold water in his cupped hand. He sampled the water and smacked his lips for any doubtful taste. His face broke into a radiant smile. “Perfect water, Maggie. It’s running so fast through these rocks, I’m sure it’s as pure as the driven snow. There’s nothing around here to contaminate this supply.” He hugged his daughter. “To find this hidden place and this spring—you’ve done well, Maggie.”
“Sirius found the water,” Maggie reminded him.
Her father nodded. “We’ll start piping this down to our houses right away. There’s enough pure water here for all of us.”
Maggie and her father headed back to the quidnunc.
Star in the Storm Page 5