Part 14 (1/2)
”All right!” shrieked Sally, who had received a soaking by having been close to the open tent-flap when the flood came. But she did not mention that just now.
”Here's a place to get under!” cried Bob to Jarvis, and the two managed to work themselves under cover. A convenient table made a nook to receive them, and kept the tent off their heads.
”I've crawled under my cot!” announced Alec, at the top of his lungs.
”So have I!” called Mr. Rudd. He was congratulating himself that he had not slept in the hammock, but he was much worried concerning Jarvis and Bob.
Then Max fired the shot that, sooner or later, he might have been expected to fire. As loudly as he could vociferate against the roar of the storm, he sent a triumphant challenge to the party: ”I hope you're all--_satisfied_--with the beauty of sleeping in the--_open air_!”
CHAPTER VIII
PROBLEMS AND HEARTS
The storm had pa.s.sed almost as abruptly as it had come. The rain ceased as if a trap-door in the heavens had been suddenly closed. The wind had gone when the rain came, so that the moment the downfall was over the whole affair was ended. It had not occupied the s.p.a.ce of more than four minutes, but it had managed to make as complete a wreck of the sleeping arrangements in the pine grove as if it had been of an hour's duration.
”The stars are s.h.i.+ning!” announced Bob, putting his head under the edge of the canvas the moment the rain had stopped. ”The show is over.”
”So is the tent--and sleep,” added Alec. Crawling along under the wreckage, he had encountered Bob's heel. ”This is a nice mess! What on earth are we to do now?”
”Get everybody out under the sky,” commanded Jarvis, working his way out.
He ran round to the back of the tent and found Sally emerging. He gave her a hand.
”Why, you're wet!” he said, as his hand touched the sleeve of the blue kimono she had been wearing when she sat in the open doorway.
She felt of his sleeve in turn. ”I'm not a circ.u.mstance to you,” she answered. ”You must be soaked to the skin, you and Bob.”
”That's no matter, this warm night. Mother, Jo, where are you? Max, lend a hand here, and let's lift this canvas so they can get out.”
”But it's not a warm night now,” declared Mrs. Burnside, when she had reached the open air, and had found out for herself how wet at least three of the party were. ”We must manage to dry you all, somehow.”
”I hope you people are satisfied,” Max reiterated. It was the fourth time he had said it.
”Of course we're satisfied!” cried Sally, with spirit. ”Who wants a camping party without any adventures? We can't have bears here in our pine grove, so we have thunderstorms.”
”Thunderstorms! That was a cyclone, if it was anything!” growled Max.
”If it was, we're safe from ever having another!” cried Bob. ”They never hit the same place twice, I'm told. h.e.l.lo, there comes a lantern through the hedge. Thought Mr. Ferry'd be looking us up.”
”s.h.i.+p ahoy!” called a hailing voice. ”All hands on deck? Shall I man a lifeboat? Well, well,” in astonishment, as he came nearer, ”where are you, anyhow? Where's the tent?”
”Don't look so high up!” Jarvis called back. ”Lower your gla.s.s to the horizon line. We're out in the open sea!”
Ferry surveyed the group by the light of his lantern. ”Anybody get wet?”
he asked. ”Yes, I should say you did. See here, you wet ones, don't delay a minute, for the storm has made the air twenty degrees cooler. Run over to our house. Mother's expecting you all.”
”We can't all get inside your house!” chuckled Bob.
”Let's go into our own,” urged Sally. ”Max has the key, and we can carry in the cots--they're not wet--and have a fire in the big fireplace--”