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The Outdoor Girls on Pine Island, a novel by Laura Lee Hope |
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Chapter 25. Glorious News |
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_ CHAPTER XXV. GLORIOUS NEWS "I guess they will never come," said Mollie, gazing despairingly out over the water. "They must have been gone at least an hour." "Goodness, Mollie!--an hour," echoed Betty, in imitation of Mollie's tragic tones. "Don't you know that it would take at least three hours for the boys to go over, find out what Mr. Mendall has to say to them and get back here? Remember they have to wait for the ferry," she added significantly. "Well, I know, but if it is going to take that long, we won't get home to-day," Mollie grumbled. "Besides, I've _got_ to hear the news." It was early in the morning of the day on which the Outdoor Girls and the boys had decided to start for home. For days they had expected word from Mr. Mendall. The boys had haunted the town hoping to hear from him--but no word had come. Then suddenly Will had burst in upon the others with the great news that he had almost run into Mr. Mendall turning a corner, and that genial man had expressed great pleasure at sight of him. "Why, he said----" Will had reported excitedly, "he said that if he hadn't met me, he fully intended coming over to camp--that he had something to tell me that might be of great interest. And he wants us fellows to come over first thing in the morning," he had finished exultantly. So it was that the girls were waiting impatiently for confirmation of their hopes. "We don't really have to go home to-day," Amy was saying doubtfully. "I don't see why we couldn't have waited until to-morrow." "It does seem a shame to leave this wonderful place," sighed Grace looking about her. "It seems to me it is more beautiful now than it ever was. September is the best time in the year, anyway." "Why can't we stay over anyway--to-morrow is Saturday. I think we might as well finish out the week," cried Grace, seized with a bright idea. "Maybe Mrs. Irving will consent, since it is bound to be late when we do get home." She popped a chocolate in her mouth as she finished. Betty regarded her chum pityingly. "That _is_ clever," she said. "Especially since the boys have taken down their tents, and we have everything packed up." Grace looked rather crestfallen. "Well, I suppose we couldn't," she admitted. "Just the same I would be glad of any excuse that would keep us on the island a few days longer. Oh, dear----" and she gazed about her longingly. "Haven't we had a good time?" asked Betty, as she settled herself on the steps. "This last week has been great, too--even though we were so anxious to hear about Mollie's silver." "Oh, and do you know what Anita said the other day?" Amy broke in suddenly. "She said she had some distant relatives in Deepdale, and that if she could fish around and get an invitation, she might see us there." "Oh, wouldn't that be great!" said Mollie, with genuine enthusiasm. "Yes, she's a fine girl," Betty echoed. "I only wish she lived in Deepdale, so we might invite her to join our happy little party." "Yes, and the boys like her brother, too," said Grace. "Will says he is a fine fellow; and Will never says a thing like that unless he means it." "Do my eyes deceive me?" cried Betty, springing up and pointing toward the mainland, "or is that the good old Pine Island dreadnaught steaming majestically from the harbor? Tell me some one--am I right?" "You are!" cried Grace, dramatically. "That noble ship could be no other." "Oh, do stop your nonsense," cried Mollie impatiently. "Are you sure that's the ferry?" "Since it is the only apology for a boat that ever comes this way," Grace remarked lazily, "I guess it must be." "Oh, Grace, don't tease," warned the Little Captain, in an aside. "Can't you see how worked up Mollie is? No wonder she is excited--the news may mean a lot to her." Grace glanced at her chum and saw that Betty had spoken the truth. Mollie's hands were clenched tight to her side, crimson flamed in her face, and her foot tapped nervously on the ground. "Oh, they'll never get here," she was saying over and over again. "Can't the old ferryboat get up any steam at all?" "Perhaps we might help tow it in?" Betty suggested, striving to break the tension. "I think we could paddle lots faster in the canoes." "Goodness, I would almost like to try it!" Mollie exclaimed. "I think they might get something modern on the lake--something real modern--around the eighteenth century." "Oh, isn't she sarcastic," said Amy, putting an arm about her friend and patting her hand gently. "Never mind, Mollie, all things come in time." Of course she was right, even Mollie had to admit it. At the end of one of the longest half hours the girls had ever spent, the rickety little ferryboat scraped against the dock, and they ran down to meet the boys. The latter almost fell out of the boat, careless of what any one might think. At the first sight of them the girls were convinced their news was of the best. "Oh, oh, hurry!" cried Mollie. "I thought you would never get here. Oh, you have something wonderful to tell us--I know it!" "You bet we have!" cried Allen. "We have the very finest news you ever heard." "Oh, what is it?" the girls cried in unison, and Mollie added pleadingly: "Don't keep us waiting any longer, boys, please." "All right," Will agreed; for he was as anxious to tell as the girls were to hear. "Come to the house and we will tell you the whole story." "But did you get them?" Mollie demanded. "I don't see why you have to wait till you get to the house to tell me that." "You can see by their faces they have, Mollie," Betty assured her. "You had better not interfere--they will tell the story their own way, whatever you say." By this time they had reached the house and called to Mrs. Irving to come and hear the news. She joined them in a moment, and Will began. "Well, you see," he said, "in the first place, Mr. Mendall didn't want to raise our hopes until he found out definitely whether anything there belonged to us." "Yes," broke in Mollie quickly. "Don't interrupt," Will warned her. "You might sidetrack me or something." "Oh, Will, don't be a goose!" cried his sister. "Go on." "I'm not a goose," he declared with dignity, "and I expect to go on if I am given half a chance." He paused for a reply, but as none was forthcoming and as only threatening looks met him on every side, he continued hurriedly. "Well, as I was saying," he went on, "Mr. Mendall did finally succeed in getting the information he wanted. Then yesterday afternoon I happened to meet him----" "Yes, we know all about that," said Betty, dancing with mingled excitement and exasperation. "Please get to the point." "Since you insist," Will answered gravely. "The fact is, Mollie, that all your mother's silver is there--even down to the little sugar bowl." "Oh!" gasped Mollie, and for a moment she could say no more. Then the flood gates of speech opened, and her questions poured forth. "Oh, Will! isn't that wonderful?" she cried. "I didn't dare really to believe till this very moment. Are you sure everything is there--not a thing missing? The creamer and teapot? And oh, Will!" she grasped his arm beseechingly, "did you find the necklace?" Will looked evasive. "Why, you see----" he was beginning, when Frank interrupted him. "The necklace is probably gracing the swarthy neck of some fair gypsy damsel," remarked the latter, rather flippantly. "Here we offer you a whole silver service, and you're not satisfied." Mollie looked from one to the other of her two tormentors in pathetic bewilderment. "Please, _please_!" she begged. "Mother'll be wild when she hears about the silver. But oh, I do want that jet necklace almost more than anything in the world! Don't tease me any more, please." At this appeal, Will's heart softened, and, with a quick movement, he drew his hand from behind him, disclosing to four pairs of incredulous eyes the precious jet necklace. "Here it is," he announced triumphantly. Mollie grasped the heirloom with a little cry of joy. Then she threw her arms about Betty's neck, and began to laugh hysterically. "Don't mind me," she gasped, as the boys looked on mystified. "I--I can't help it! I'm just so--so happy!" Betty patted her chum's shoulder, soothingly. "Now, see what you've gone and done," she accused poor Will. "I--I didn't know----" he was beginning, but he seemed destined not to finish his sentences that day. Mollie, a creature of moods, withdrew herself from Betty's arms and favored the promising young detective with an ecstatic little hug that amazed and delighted that young gentleman immensely. "I say, Mollie, do it again," he pleaded, while the other three boys hastened to demand their share of the reward. But Mollie had caught Grace about the waist and they were engaged in what might be called a cross between a Virginia reel and an Indian war dance. When they were forced to stop from sheer lack of breath, the volcanic Mollie flung herself upon the steps, and beamed upon them. "And that's not all," Will said, and glanced instinctively toward his sister. Grace started, and leaned forward beseechingly. "Will?" she breathed. "Yes," he continued, answering her unspoken question, "we found Beauty." The girl's eyes opened wide at this new disclosure, and Grace grasped her brother's arm imploringly. "Oh, Will, where?" "He was found by one of the farmers near the town. Looked as though he'd broken away from whoever'd had him. The farmer saw he was a thoroughbred, and guessed at once that he had been stolen. Luckily for us he was an honest man." "Darling old Beauty," murmured Grace, tearfully. "Oh, wait till dad hears!" "I guess he'll get a welcome, all right," Will agreed gleefully. "Poor old Beauty! I saw him myself this morning." "Mr. Mendall says," Allen volunteered, "there are traces of a good many other things from Deepdale. We'll probably have a triumphant home coming. And they have captured the gypsies and put them in jail." "Oh, oh, and to think we did it!" sighed Amy, contentedly. So joyful were they at the outcome of their detective work, that the long journey to Deepdale was almost forgotten. It was Mrs. Irving who brought them to their senses. "I'm afraid," she said, "that if we don't start pretty soon, Deepdale won't see us until to-morrow morning, and that will never do. Come, girls, get ready." "Oh, I don't want to go home," wailed Amy, as they rose to follow instructions. "But just think what we will have to tell them when we get there!" said Betty, and the thought lent wings to their feet. Once more the Outdoor Girls and their comrades assembled on the wharf, waiting for the ridiculous little ferryboat that had been the butt of their jokes during the summer. Now that they were going away, however, the sound of the shrill little whistle, as it panted up to them, seemed somehow strangely typical of their life on the island, and they felt an unexpected throb of home-sickness. "We'll have to come back to it some time," Betty said. "I love the place." "I wonder if there are any more mysteries floating around loose," said Roy, pausing for one last backward glance over his shoulder. "If there are, I'm going back." But Allen seized him and drew him aboard. "Come on," he cried, "we're off!" The four girls linked arms, as they gazed back at the familiar bungalow. Suddenly Mollie chuckled irrepressibly. "Oh, girls," she murmured softly, "I must be on the spot when Aunt Elvira hears the news." The little ferryboat steamed away from the dock, carrying with it our happy Outdoor Girls, to whom we must once more wave a reluctant farewell. [THE END] _ |
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