A Little Maid of Province Town
Page 5
CHAPTER V
SCARLET STOCKINGS
"Good news from Truro, Captain Enos," said Joseph Starkweather, onemorning in August, as the two neighbors met at the boat landing. "There'llbe good hope for American freedom if all our settlements show as much witand courage."
"And what have Truro men done?" demanded Captain Enos. "They are mostly ofthe same blood as our Province Town folks, and would naturally be of somewit."
Joseph Starkweather's eyes brightened and twinkled at his neighbor'sanswer.
"'twas the sand-hills helped them," he answered. "You know the littlevalleys between the row of sand-hills near the shore? Well, the Britishfleet made anchorage off there some days since, and the Truro men had nomind for them to land and spy out how few there were. So they gathered inone of those little valleys and, carrying smooth poles to look likemuskets, they marched out in regular file like soldiers over thesand-hill; then down they went through the opposite depression and aroundthe hill and back, and then up they came again, constantly marching; andthe British, who could be seen getting boats ready to land, thought betterof it. They believed that an immense force of American soldiers hadassembled, and the ships hoisted sail and made off. 'twas good work."
"Indeed it was," responded Captain Enos. "I could wish that we of thissettlement were not so at the mercy of the British. Our harbor is toogood. It draws them like a magnet. I do think three thousand ships mightfind safe anchorage here," and Captain Enos turned an admiring look outacross the beautiful harbor.
"Have you any news of John Nelson?" questioned Joseph Starkweather.
"How could there be news of a man whose boat sunk under him well off RacePoint in a southerly gale?" responded Captain Stoddard.
Joseph approached a step nearer his companion and said: "He was on one ofthe British ships, Enos; he was seen there, and now news comes by way of aNewburyport fisherman that 'twas no fault of John Nelson's. The Britishersran down his boat and took him on board their ship, and the news goes thatwhen the fleet anchored off here Nelson escaped; swam ashore in the night,the story goes, and made his way to Wellfleet and joined the Americans atDorchester who are ready to resist the British if need be."
Captain Enos's face brightened as he listened. "That is indeed good news!"he said. "I am glad for our little maid's sake that her father is known tobe a loyal man. But 'Tis strange he did not seek to see Anne," hecontinued thoughtfully.
"John Nelson loved the little maid well," declared Joseph Starkweather."He had but poor luck here, but he did his best. The Newburyport man tellsthat the British are in great anger at his escape, and vow that thesettlement here shall pay well for it when they make harbor here again."
"We have no arms to defend the harbor. 'Tis hard work to rest quiet here,"said Captain Enos; "but it is great news to know that our little maid'sfather is a loyal man. We like the child well."
"'twas I sent Anne to your house, Enos," responded Joseph. "My own is sofull that I dared not ask Mistress Starkweather to take the child in; andI knew your wife for a kind-hearted woman."
"It was a good thought, Joseph," responded the captain, "and Anne seemswell content with us. She has her playhouse under the trees, and amusesherself without making trouble. She is a helpful little maid, too, savingMistress Stoddard many a step. I must be going toward home. There was anexcellent chowder planned for my dinner, and Martha will rejoice at thenews from Truro," and the captain hurried toward home.
Half-way up the hill he saw Anne, coming to meet him. "Uncle Enos! UncleEnos!" she called, "Brownie is lost! Indeed she is. All the morning have Igone up and down the pasture, calling her name and looking everywhere forher, and she is not to be found."
"Well, well!" responded Captain Enos; "'Tis sure the Britishers have notstolen her, for there is not one of their craft in sight. The cow isprobably feeding somewhere about; we'll find her safe in some goodpasturage. Is the chowder steaming hot and waiting?"
"Yes, Uncle Enos," replied Anne, slipping her hand into the captain's,"but Aunt Martha is greatly concerned about Brownie. She fears the Indiansmay have driven her off."
"We'll cruise about a little after dinner," answered the captain. "I don'tlike to think that the Indians would show themselves unfriendly just now,"and his pleasant face grew stern and serious.
But his appetite for the chowder was excellent, and when he started out tosearch for Brownie he was sure that he would find her near the marsh orperhaps in the maple grove further on, where the cattle sometimeswandered.
"Now, Anne, I have an errand for you to do," said Mrs. Stoddard, as thecaptain started on his search. "I've just remembered that the Starkweatherchildren had good stockings last year of crimson yarn. Now it may be thatMrs. Starkweather has more on hand, and that I could exchange my gray, asshe has stout boys to wear gray stockings, for her scarlet yarn; and thenwe'll take up some stockings for you."
Anne's face brightened. "I should well like some scarlet stockings," shesaid.
"I mean you to be warmly clad come frost," said Mrs. Stoddard. "Now seethat you do the errand well. Ask Mrs. Starkweather, first of all, if shebe in good health. It is not seemly to be too earnest in asking a favor.Then say that Mistress Stoddard has enough excellent gray yarn for twopair of long stockings, and that she would take it as a kindness ifMistress Starkweather would take it in exchange for scarlet yarn."
"Yes, Aunt Martha, I will surely remember," and Anne started off happily.
As she passed the spring a shrill voice called her name, and she turned tosee Amanda Cary, half hidden behind a small savin.
"Come and play," called Amanda. "I am not angry if you did chase me. Mymother says you knew no better!"
Anne listened in amazement. Knew no better! Had not Captain Enos approvedof her defense of herself, and were not the Cary children the first tobegin trouble with her! So Anne shook her head and walked sedately on.
"Come and play," repeated the shrill voice. "My brother and JimmieStarkweather are gone looking for our cow, and I have no one to playwith."
"Is your cow lost, too?" exclaimed Anne, quite forgetting Amanda'sunkindness in this common ill-fortune.
Amanda now came out from behind the savin tree; a small, thin-faced child,with light eyes, sandy hair and freckles.
"Yes, and we think the Indians have driven them off. For theStarkweathers' cow is not to be found. 'twill be a sad loss, my mothersays; for it will leave but three cows in the town."
"But they may be found," insisted Anne. "My Uncle Enos has gone now tolook for Brownie."
"'Uncle Enos'!" repeated Amanda scornfully. "He's not your uncle. You area waif. My mother said so, and waifs do not have uncles or fathers oranybody."
"I am no waif, for I have a father, and my Uncle Enos will tell yourmother not to say such words of me!" declared Anne boldly, but she felt alump in her throat and wished very much that she had not stopped to talkwith Amanda.
"I don't see why you get angry so quick," said Amanda. "You get angry ateverything. I'd just as soon play with you, if you are a waif."
"I wouldn't play with you anyway," said Anne; "I have an errand to do, andif I had not I would rather never play than play with such a hateful,ill-speaking child as you are," and Anne hurried on her way toward theStarkweathers' low-built, weather-beaten house near the shore.
"I shall be glad indeed to get rid of some of my scarlet yarn," declaredMrs. Starkweather, "and you can take home a skein or two of it and tellMistress Stoddard that her little girl does an errand very prettily. Icould wish my boys were as well-mannered."
Anne smiled, well pleased at the pleasant words.
"Uncle Enos says there is no better boy than Jimmie," she responded. "Hesays he is a smart and honest lad,--a 'real Starkweather,' he calls him,"she responded.
"Does he so?" and the woman's thin face flushed with pleasure at thispraise of her eldest son. "Well, we do prize Jimmie, and 'Tis good news toknow him well thought of, and you are a kindly little maid to speak suchpleasant words. Mistress Stoddard is l
ucky indeed to have you."
"I call her Aunt Martha now," said Anne, feeling that Mrs. Starkweatherwas nearly as kind as Mrs. Stoddard, and quite forgetting the trouble ofBrownie's loss or of Amanda's teasing in the good woman's pleasantness.
"That is well," replied Mrs. Starkweather. "You will bring her muchhappiness, I can well see. I could wish you had come to me, child, whenyour father went; but the Stoddards can do better for you."
"Should I have called you 'Aunt'?" Anne asked a little wistfully.
"Indeed you should, and you may now if Mistress Stoddard be willing. Sayto her that I'd like well to be Aunt Starkweather to her little maid."
So Anne, with her bundle of scarlet yarn, started toward home, muchhappier than when she had rapped at Mrs. Starkweather's door.
Amanda was still sitting at the spring. "Anne," she called shrilly, "may Igo up to your house and play with you?"
Anne shook her head, and without a backward look at the child by thespring kept on her way toward home. She had much to tell her Aunt Martha,who listened, well pleased at her neighbor's kind words.
"And Amanda Cary said that their cow was lost, and the Starkweathers' cow,too. Amos Cary and Jimmie are off searching for them now, and do fear theIndians have driven them off," said Anne.
"'twill be bad fortune indeed if that be true," replied Mrs. Stoddard,"for we are not as well provisioned for the winter as usual, and it wouldbe a worrisome thing to have the Indians bothering us on shore and theBritish to fear at sea. But I'll take up your stockings to-day, Anne. Theyarn is a handsome color, and well spun."
"I think I will not leave Martha at the playhouse after this," said Annethoughtfully; "something might happen to her."
Mrs. Stoddard nodded approvingly, and Anne brought the wooden doll in.
"Like as not your Uncle Enos will make you a wooden chair for the dollwhen the evenings get longer," said Mrs. Stoddard. "He's clever with hisknife, and 'twill give him something to busy his hands with. I'll call hisattention to the doll."
"My!" exclaimed Anne, "I do think an aunt and uncle are nice to have. Anda father is too," she added quickly, for she could not bear that any oneshould think that she had forgotten her own father.
"Yes, indeed, child; and there's good news of your own father. He was onthe British ship and escaped and made his way to Wellfleet to join theAmerican soldiers."
"Oh, Aunt Martha!" and the little girl sprang up from her little stool andgrasped her good friend's gown with eager hands, and then told her thestory of her father's visit. "But I could not tell it before," she said.
"Indeed you are a loyal little maid," replied Mrs. Stoddard approvingly,"and you must always keep a promise, but see to it that you promisenothing quickly. I think the better of John Nelson that he took great riskto make sure his little daughter was safe and well cared for. The captainwill think it good news, too."
"My father will come back some day," declared Anne, and Mrs. Stoddardagreed cheerfully.
"To be sure he will," she said, "but do not think of that too much, dearchild. See, I have the stitches all cast on, and your scarlet stockingsare really begun."