Part 15 (1/2)

The four little Blossoms, though bursting with curiosity, had remained politely on deck. Now at Captain Jenk's invitation, they joined hands and jumped, landing like four plump little ducks.

”Letty,” declared the captain gravely, ”here are four mighty good friends of mine, Meg and Bobby and Dot and Twaddles Blossom. They don't use any other names in the summer time.”

The four little Blossoms giggled at this and Letty Blake smiled a little. She was a pretty girl, apparently about twelve years old, with dark blue eyes and a tanned skin that showed she was used to outdoor living.

”These are my cousins, Nelson and Albert Bennett,” she said, pulling the two boys forward.

”h.e.l.lo!” beamed Twaddles, who seldom suffered from shyness. ”We came to rescue you.”

”Don't want to be rescued,” said Nelson suddenly. ”Do we, Letty?”

”Of course we do,” retorted his cousin. ”How do you expect to get any lunch if we have to stay on this island? And where would you sleep? We're going on board The Sarah this minute and Captain Jenks will take us home.”

Letty had stopped crying, and now she shouldered the oar, ready to carry it to The Sarah.

”How's it come you have one oar?” asked Captain Jenks, plainly puzzled. ”Where's the other?”

”In the boat,” said Letty. ”We brought this ash.o.r.e because the boys wanted to play jungle travelers and carry things slung on a pole over their shoulders. But the oar was too heavy for them to lift.”

Captain Jenks laughed as he marshaled the children on the boat.

”I suppose Uncle Silas will be put out over the boat being lost,”

said Letty thoughtfully, pulling Nelson and Albert out of the captain's way as he started the engine. ”He had just painted it and the oarlocks were new this year. I wish I had made sure that knot was tied.”

”No use grieving over what's done and past,” said Captain Jenks wisely. ”Meg, we're going to lose Dot overboard again, if she isn't removed from that railing.”

Sure enough, there was Dot half way over the railing, her small sandals hooked around a cleat in an endeavor to keep her balance.

Just as Meg opened her mouth to call her, she turned.

”s.h.i.+p ahoy!” she cried, trying to imitate Captain Jenk's most nautical term.

”Starboard or port?” asked the captain gravely, though his eyes twinkled.

The four little Blossoms had picked up several odds and ends of navigation in the few weeks they had known the captain, but Dot was too excited to remember what she had learned.

”It's right HERE” she shouted. ”Oh, you'll run into it!”

”The rowboat! The rowboat!” cried Letty, dancing up and down. ”Oh, Captain Jenks, what do you think of that? It's Uncle Silas's boat and the oar is in it, and our sweaters and everything!”

”Fine! But don't lose your heads,” said Captain Jenks placidly. No one had ever seen him agitated. ”Bobby, you take the wheel and hold it steady.”

Bobby proudly took the wheel, and Captain Jenks, while the others watched breathlessly, brought the rowboat alongside with a long iron hook and with another drew up the long rope that was tied to an iron ring in the prow.

Then the rowboat was fastened to the stern of The Sarah, and, as Captain Jenks remarked, the rescue was complete.

Soon they reached the wharf on Apple Tree Island, and the four little Blossoms were put ash.o.r.e, after saying good-by to Letty Blake and her cousins. She lived in Greenpier, and Captain Jenks had known her since she was Dot's age.

”Let's have lunch ready by the time Daddy and Mother come back,”

suggested Meg. ”We can do it every bit ourselves.”

Working like four beavers, they soon had lunch--and a good lunch, too--set out on the table. They had promised never to light the oil stove, so they could not make tea, but Mother Blossom could do that in a very few minutes when she came.