The at the Seashore Part 8 (1/2)

”Oh, it isn't wasted,” he said, indignantly. ”We're supposed to help our friends--and we're friends, aren't we?”

”Of course we are,” said Eleanor, relenting.

He brightened at once.

”Well,” he said, impulsively, ”you see Charlie says he doesn't want me to let you and those two girls--Bessie and Zara--out of my sight until he comes. Couldn't you all come out for a sail with me in my motor launch? We could have supper on board and it would be lots of fun, I think.”

Eleanor looked doubtful.

”I don't know about leaving the camp,” she said. ”I ought to be here to keep an eye on things.”

”Oh, you can go perfectly well, Miss Eleanor,” said Margery Burton. ”It will do Bessie and Dolly a lot of good if you take them--they've had a pretty exciting day. And we can ask all the Halsted girls over to supper, and Miss Turner will be with them. She can take your place as Guardian for a few hours, can't she?”

”If she will come. Why, yes, that would make it all right,” said Eleanor. Somehow she found that she wasn't half as strong-minded and self-reliant when this very masterful young man was around. ”You might go over and see, Margery, if you will.”

”Splendid!” said Trenwith. ”We'll have a perfectly bully time, I know. You keep at it too hard, Miss Mercer--really you do!”

”We won't go very far, will we?” said Eleanor, yielding to the lure of a sail at sunset.

”Oh, no, just a few miles down the coast. There's a lot of pretty scenery you ought to see--and I've got a man who helps me to run my boat who's a perfect wizard at cooking. We've got a sort of imitation kitchen on board, but he does things in it that would make the chef of a big hotel envious. He's one of the few things I boast about.”

Margery soon returned with word that the Halsted girls would accept the supper invitation, and that Mary Turner would be delighted to come. Margery's eyes were twinkling, and it was plain that Mary Turner had said something else that was not to be repeated.

”All right! That's great!” said Trenwith, happily. ”I'll run back to Green Cove in my car, and come around here again in the launch. It was to follow me there. I'll be back soon.”

Indeed, in half an hour he was back, and Eleanor with Zara, Bessie and Dolly, were taken out to the Columbia in two trips of the little dinghy which served as her tender. The Columbia was a big, roomy, motor launch, without a deck, but containing a little cabin, and a comfortable lounging s.p.a.ce aft, which was covered with an awning.

”What a delightful boat!” said Eleanor, as she settled herself comfortably amid the cus.h.i.+ons Trenwith had provided for her. ”I should think you could have an awfully good time on her.”

”I've used her a lot,” said Trenwith. ”There's room in the cabin for two fellows to sleep, if they don't mind being crowded, and of course in warm weather one can sleep out here. I've used her quite a lot to go duck hunting, and for little cruises when I've been all tired out. Charlie Jamieson has been with me several times.”

”I've heard him talk about the good times he's had on her. It was stupid of me to have forgotten.”

”She's not very fast or very fas.h.i.+onable, but she is good fun. I'd rather have a steady, slow engine that you can depend on than one of those racing motors that's always getting out of order.”

”All ready to start, sir, Mr. Trenwith,” said Bates, his ”crew,” then, and Trenwith took the wheel.

”All right,” he said. ”Let her go, Bates! You can steer from the wheel in the bow after we get started, right down the coast. We'll lie to off Humber Island and eat supper.”

”Right, sir!” said Bates. ”I've got a good supper for to-night, too.”

”Being right out on the water this way makes me hungry,” said Eleanor. ”That's good news, Bates.”

CHAPTER XII.

THE TRAITOR.

The Columbia slowly and steadily made her way down the coast, keeping within a mile or so of the sh.o.r.e. Speed was certainly not her long suit, but she rode the choppy sea more easily than most boats so small would have done, and, since she was not intended for speed, the usual terrific din of the motor was absent. Altogether, she seemed an ideal pleasure boat.

As they went along, Trenwith pointed out the various places of interest along the sh.o.r.e.

”Down this way we get to a part where a lot of rich men have built summer homes,” he said. ”You see there's a good beach, and they can buy enough land to have it to themselves. It's pretty lonely, in a way, because they're a good long way from the railroad, but they don't seem to mind that.”

”I suppose not. They've got money enough to keep all the automobiles and yachts they want, so they wouldn't use the railroad anyhow. I never would if I could get around any other way.”

As they went on, the coast changed considerably from the familiar character it had at Plum Beach. Cliffs took the place of the bluff, and while the beach was still fine and level, there were rocky stretches at more and more frequent intervals.

”What's the nearest town in this direction?” asked Eleanor.

”Rock Haven,” said Trenwith. ”That's more of a place than Bay City, because it's quite a seaport. Up at Bay City, you see, we don't amount to much except in the summer time. But Rock Haven is a big place, and most of the people who live there are there all the year round instead of only for three months or so in the summer. You haven't any idea of what a dull old place Bay City is in winter.”

”If it's so dull, I shouldn't think you'd stay there.”

”Oh, it was a good place for me to get a start, you know. I've been able to get along in politics, and I've done better there than I would have in the city, I suppose. And it's all right for a bachelor, anyhow. He can always get away. If I were married--well, it would be very different then.”

”I should think you'd like it much better in the city, though, even if you are a bachelor. Why don't you come there this winter?”

”Perhaps--I'd like--do you want me to come?”

He leaned forward, as if her answer were the most important thing in the world, and, seeing Dolly's mischievous glance at Bessie, Eleanor blushed slightly.

”I think it would be better for you to be in the city,” she said, with dignity.

”Well, I'll tell you a secret then--I'm really bursting with a whole lot of others that I mustn't tell. Charlie's been at me for months to come and be his partner, and I've promised to think it over.”

”I think that would be splendid.”

”Well, I'm glad to hear you say so, because it really depends on you whether I shall come or not.”

”Hus.h.!.+” she said, blus.h.i.+ng again, and speaking in so low a tone that only he could hear her. ”You mustn't talk like that here--and now. It--it isn't right.”

She looked helplessly at Dolly, and Trenwith, understanding, looked as if she had said something that delighted him. Perhaps she had--perhaps she had even meant to do so.

”I'll attend to getting supper ready now, sir, Mr. Trenwith, if you'll take the wheel,” said Bates, just then.

”All right,” said Trenwith, nodding. ”Now make a good job of it, Bates. I've been praising you up to the skies.”

Bates grinned widely, and disappeared.

No apologies were needed when they came to eat the supper which had been so well heralded. A table was set up in the after part of the boat, and the awning was drawn back so that the stars shone down on them. The Columbia's engine was stopped, and she lay under the lee of Humber Island, a long, wooded islet that sheltered them from the strong breeze, making the sea as smooth as a mill pond. On sh.o.r.e twinkling lights began to appear, and, some distance away, a glare of lights in the sky betrayed the location of Rock Haven.

”Oh, this is lovely!” said Eleanor. ”I'm so glad you brought us here, Mr. Trenwith! But tell me, doesn't anyone live on this island? It's so beautiful that I should think someone would surely have built a summer home there long ago.”

”I believe there are people there,” said Trenwith. ”But they are on the other side.”