Chapter 9--Phebe's Secret
"Why do you keep smiling to yourself, Phebe?" asked Rose, as they wereworking together one morning, for Dr. Alec considered house-work thebest sort of gymnastics for girls; so Rose took lessons of Phebe insweeping, dusting and bed-making.
"I was thinking about a nice little secret I know, and couldn't helpsmiling."
"Shall I know it, sometime?"
"Guess you will."
"Shall I like it?"
"Oh, won't you, though!"
"Will it happen soon?"
"Sometime this week."
"I know what it is! The boys are going to have fireworks on the fourth,and have got some surprise for me. Haven't they?"
"That's telling."
"Well, I can wait; only tell me one thing is uncle in it?"
"Of course he is; there's never any fun without him."
"Then it's all right, and sure to be nice."
Rose went out on the balcony to shake the rugs, and, having given thema vigorous beating, hung them on the balustrade to air, while she took alook at her plants. Several tall vases and jars stood there, and a monthof June sun and rain had worked wonders with the seeds and slips she hadplanted. Morning-glories and nasturtiums ran all over the bars, makinghaste to bloom. Scarlet beans and honeysuckles were climbing up frombelow to meet their pretty neighbours, and the woodbine was hanging itsgreen festoons wherever it could cling.
The waters of the bay were dancing in the sunshine, a fresh wind stirredthe chestnut-trees with a pleasant sound, and the garden below was fullof roses, butterflies and bees. A great chirping and twittering went onamong the birds, busy with their summer house-keeping, and, far away,the white-winged gulls were dipping and diving in the sea, where ships,like larger birds, went sailing to and fro.
"Oh, Phebe, it's such a lovely day, I do wish your fine secret was goingto happen right away! I feel just like having a good time; don't you?"said Rose, waving her arms as if she was going to fly.
"I often feel that way, but I have to wait for my good times, and don'tstop working to wish for 'em. There, now you can finish as soon as thedust settles; I must go do my stairs," and Phebe trudged away with thebroom, singing as she went.
Rose leaned where she was, and fell to thinking how many good timesshe had had lately, for the gardening had prospered finely, and she waslearning to swim and row, and there were drives and walks, and quiethours of reading and talk with Uncle Alec, and, best of all, the oldpain and ennui seldom troubled her now. She could work and play allday, sleep sweetly all night, and enjoy life with the zest of a healthy,happy child. She was far from being as strong and hearty as Phebe, butshe was getting on; the once pale cheeks had colour in them now, thehands were growing plump and brown, and the belt was not much too loose.No one talked to her about her health, and she forgot that she had "noconstitution." She took no medicine but Dr. Alec's three great remedies,and they seemed to suit her excellently. Aunt Plenty said it was thepills; but, as no second batch had ever followed the first, I think theold lady was mistaken.
Rose looked worthy of her name as she stood smiling to herself overa happier secret than any Phebe had a secret which she did not knowherself till she found out, some years later, the magic of good health.
"'Look only,' said the brownie, 'At the pretty gown of blue, At the kerchief pinned about her head, And at her little shoe,"'
said a voice from below, as a great cabbage-rose came flying against hercheek.
"What is the princess dreaming about up there in her hanging-garden?"added Dr. Alec as she flung back a morning-glory.
"I was wishing I could do something pleasant this fine day; somethingvery new and interesting, for the wind makes me feel frisky and gay."
"Suppose we take a pull over to the Island? I intended to go thisafternoon; but if you feel more like it now, we can be off at once."
"I do! I do! I'll come in fifteen minutes, uncle. I must just scrabblemy room to rights, for Phebe has got a great deal to do."
Rose caught up the rugs and vanished as she spoke, while Dr. Alec wentin, saying to himself, with an indulgent smile,
"It may upset things a trifle, but half a child's pleasure consists inhaving their fun when they want it."
Never did duster flap more briskly than the one Rose used that day, andnever was a room "scrabbled" to rights in such haste as hers. Tables andchairs flew into their places as if alive; curtains shook as if a galewas blowing; china rattled and small articles tumbled about as if ayoung earthquake was playing with them. The boating suit went on in atwinkling, and Rose was off with a hop and a skip, little dreaming howmany hours it would be before she saw her pretty room again.
Uncle Alec was putting a large basket into the boat when she arrived,and before they were off Phebe came running down with a queer, knobbybundle done up in a water-proof.
"We can't eat half that luncheon, and I know we shall not need so manywraps. I wouldn't lumber the boat up so," said Rose, who still hadsecret scares when on the water.
"Couldn't you make a smaller parcel, Phebe?" asked Dr. Alec, eyeing thebundle suspiciously.
"No, sir, not in such a hurry," and Phebe laughed as she gave aparticularly large knob a good poke.
"Well, it will do for ballast. Don't forget the note to Mrs. Jessie, Ibeg of you."
"No, sir. I'll send it right off," and Phebe ran up the bank as if shehad wings to her feet.
"We'll take a look at the lighthouse first, for you have not been thereyet, and it is worth seeing. By the time we have done that it will bepretty warm, and we will have lunch under the trees on the Island."
Rose was ready for anything, and enjoyed her visit to the lighthouse onthe Point very much, especially climbing up the narrow stairs and goinginside the great lantern. They made a long stay, for Dr. Alec seemed inno hurry to go, and kept looking through his spy-glass as if he expectedto discover something remarkable on sea or land. It was past twelvebefore they reached the Island, and Rose was ready for her lunch longbefore she got it.
"Now this is lovely! I do wish the boys were here. Won't it be nice tohave them with us all their vacation? Why, it begins to-day, doesn't it?Oh, I wish I'd remembered it sooner, and perhaps they would have comewith us," she said, as they lay luxuriously eating sandwiches under theold apple-tree.
"So we might. Next time we won't be in such a hurry. I expect the ladswill take our heads off when they find us out," answered Dr. Alec,placidly drinking cold tea.
"Uncle, I smell a frying sort of a smell," Rose said, pausing suddenlyas she was putting away the remains of the lunch half an hour later.
"So do I; it is fish, I think."
For a moment they both sat with their noses in the air, sniffing likehounds; then Dr. Alec sprang up, saying with great decision,
"Now, this won't do! No one is permitted on this island without askingleave. I must see who dares to fry fish on my private property."
Taking the basket on one arm and the bundle on the other, he strode awaytowards the traitorous smell, looking as fierce as a lion, while Rosemarched behind under her umbrella.
"We are Robinson Crusoe and his man Friday going to see if the savageshave come," she said presently, for her fancy was full of the dear oldstories that all children love so well.
"And there they are! Two tents and two boats, as I live! These rascalsmean to enjoy themselves, that's evident."
"There ought to be more boats and no tents. I wonder where the prisonersare?"
"There are traces of them," and Dr. Alec pointed to the heads and tailsof fishes strewn on the grass.
"And there are more," said Rose, laughing, as she pointed to a scarletheap of what looked like lobsters.
"The savages are probably eating their victims now; don't you hear theknives rattle in that tent?"
"We ought to creep up and peep; Crusoe was cautious, you know, andFriday scared out of his wits," added Rose, still keeping up the joke.
"But this Crusoe is going to pounce upon the
m, regardless ofconsequences. If I am killed and eaten, you seize the basket and run forthe boat; there are provisions enough for your voyage home."
With that Uncle Alec slipped round to the front of the tent and, castingin the big bundle like a bomb-shell, roared out, in a voice of thunder,
"Pirates, surrender!"
A crash, a shout, a laugh, and out came the savages, brandishing knivesand forks, chicken bones, and tin mugs, and all fell upon the intruder,pommelling him unmercifully as they cried,
"You came too soon! We are not half ready! You've spoilt it all! Whereis Rose?"
"Here I am," answered a half-stifled voice, and Rose was discoveredsitting on the pile of red flannel bathing clothes, which she hadmistaken for lobsters, and where she had fallen in a fit of merrimentwhen she discovered that the cannibals were her merry cousins.