"Why, Papa Breckenridge! There she sits--asleep! _That runaway!_ Dorothy--Dorothy! how came you here? How dared you scare us so?"
She sprang to her feet and looked down, answering with a rapturous cry.
There they were, Molly, Auntie Lu and the Judge! But--and now she rubbed her eyes the better to see if they deceived her--where was Isobel Greatorex.
Alas! That was the question the others were all asking:
"Where is Miss Greatorex? Only two minutes to sailing--but where is Miss Greatorex?"
CHAPTER IV
ON BOARD THE "PRINCE"
There wasn"t an instant to waste in questions. The captain of this steamship prided himself upon his exceeding punctuality, and had often declared that if he delayed for one pa.s.senger one day he would have to do so the next; that somebody was always late; that it might be that delinquent"s misfortune if he were left but was not Captain Murray"s fault.
Knowing this fact Judge Breckenridge handed his sister her ticket and Molly"s, hastily bade her:
"Go aboard, Lucretia, while I claim our luggage. Miss Greatorex may already be there."
"Step lively, please!" requested a sailor in a blue uniform as the lady began to slowly mount the almost upright ladder. Other sailors were speeding up and down it, between the ascending pa.s.sengers and an air of great bustle and haste pervaded the whole scene.
Then the blue-coat gallantly put his hand under Mrs. Hungerford"s arm and fairly shoved her up the plank. Molly sprang lightly after, caught her foot in one of the little cross-pieces nailed across the plank to prevent people slipping and sprawled her length, hindering everybody a deal more than if she had climbed more slowly.
However, they gained the deck and Dorothy"s side in safety, and took their stand against the rail to watch the Judge and many another pa.s.senger hurriedly identifying their baggage ranged under the wharf shed; and, as each piece was claimed, to see it swiftly tossed upon a skid and rolled into the lower part of the ship.
Captain Murray stood at the foot of the ladder, chronometer in hand, a picture of calm decision; while another uniformed official faced him from the other side the plank, to scan the tickets presented. Judge Breckenridge finished his task and also climbed to the deck, while a sigh of relief escaped Aunt Lucretia"s lips.
"That"s all right! I got so worried lest we should miss the steamer and there isn"t another sailing for three days. I"m so glad to get our things! I never do feel comfortable until I see my trunks aboard my train or steamer."
"Yes, indeed! A woman bereft of her "things" is a forlorn creature!"
laughed the Judge, in gentle sarcasm, but his sister disdained reply.
She merely reflected how much greater annoyance her brother would have felt had his sporting outfit been delayed and this was the very first piece of luggage he had identified--her trunk the last. However, there was the utmost good nature in their jesting intercourse, and both now turned their attention to the wharf where the "very last" pa.s.senger was hurrying to the ladder.
After him ascended the two officers, and the boat and dock hands seized the ropes to haul the plank aboard. The whistle was blowing, wheels were turning, pa.s.sengers crowded the rails to wave farewells to friends ash.o.r.e who had come to see them off, and at this very last second a cab came dashing furiously down the street and up to the steamer"s side.
A woman leaped out, and rushed to the spot where the ship had been moored. She was almost past speaking from haste and excitement as she scanned the groups upon the deck, then with a look of satisfaction at sight of the Judge"s party, clasped her hands imploringly toward the captain and the mate.
"Don"t leave her, Captain Murray! I know her--she belongs to us--it isn"t her fault--throw the ladder out again, even if--" shouted the Judge.
There was no withstanding the sight of so many clasped, entreating hands, even by such a rigid disciplinarian as this fine skipper. For not only Miss Greatorex upon the wharf, but the two girls and Mrs.
Hungerford had clasped theirs, also, begging a brief delay.
Then the officer waved his hand, down went the plank again, and a couple of sailors sprang forward to the teacher"s a.s.sistance. They had fairly to drag her up the now slippery incline, and almost to toss her upon the deck, where the Judge"s arm shot out for her support and the captain himself helped her to a chair.
Another instant they had put a stretch of water between them and the land, and a fresh uproar of whistles and bells announced that the steamer "Prince" had sailed.
But those near her had thought now only for Miss Greatorex. Her face was at first intensely red and she leaned back in her chair, with closed eyes and gasping breath. Indeed, so difficult her breathing that it seemed as if after each respiration she would never breathe again. Mrs.
Hungerford made haste to hold a smelling bottle to the sufferer"s nostrils, but it was feebly waved aside as if it hindered rather than helped.
Then the color faded from the crimson face and all that terrible gasping ceased, so that those watching thought for a moment that life itself had ended.
"Fainted!" said the captain, tersely. "Get her to bed. Number Eight, take her ticket to the purser, get her stateroom key, and send the stewardess. Prompt, now."
Fortunately, the room engaged for Miss Greatorex and Dorothy was on that deck and very near; and thither the dignified lady was quickly conveyed, very much as a sack of corn might have been. But as for Dorothy"s thoughts during this brief transit there is nothing comforting to say.
"Oh, I"ve killed her, I"ve killed her! If I hadn"t been so careless and left the purses, and if I hadn"t chased that "shiny man" and made all this trouble, she wouldn"t have--I can"t bear it. What shall I do!" she wailed to Molly, as they followed hand in hand, where Miss Greatorex was carried.
"You can stop saying "if" and worrying so. You didn"t do anything on purpose and she"s to blame herself. If she hadn"t gone off mad from the hotel and left Auntie and me, maybe she wouldn"t have run too hard and hurt herself. If--if--if! It isn"t a very happy beginning of a vacation is it? Even though we have got Papa and Auntie Lu and everything. And I don"t know yet what you did after you ran away from the boat. We can"t do a thing here to help. Let"s go to Papa, there and you tell us the whole story. He took a lot of trouble to find you and paid a lot of money to men to seek you, and he looks awful tired and--and disgusted. I guess he wishes he"d just brought Auntie and me and not bothered himself with you and Miss Greatorex. And that"s my fault, too. If I hadn"t asked him to do it he would never have thought of it. Seems if things never do go just as you plan them, do they?"
Under other circ.u.mstances Dorothy might have replied to her friend"s unflattering frankness by some reproaches of her own, but not now. She realized the truth but was too humble to resent it. So she merely glanced once more through the door of the little stateroom at Miss Greatorex stretched upon the bed and Mrs. Hungerford with the stewardess attending her, and followed Molly.
The Judge met them with an encouraging smile and the command:
"Shorten up your countenances, little maids! This is a holiday, did you know? Folks don"t go holiday-ing with faces as long as your arm. Here, cuddle down beside me and watch the sights. Tell me too, Miss Dorothy, all that befell you after you disappeared. I"m as curious as Molly is, and she"s "just suffering" to know. Don"t worry about Miss Greatorex, either. She"s simply over-exerted herself and allowed herself to get too anxious about this one small girl. The idea! What"s one small girl more or less, when the world"s chock full of them?"
But the affectionate squeeze he gave to the "girl"s" shoulders as she sat down beside him, while Molly sat herself upon his knee, told her that he had already forgiven any annoyance she had caused him. He was too warm hearted to hold a grudge against anybody; least of all against as penitent a child as Dorothy.
She related her adventures and the Judge laughed heartily over her mimicry of Larry McCarthy, the "new policeman." Nor did he make any criticisms when the story was ended. She had been sufficiently punished, he considered, for any lapses from prudence and the lessons her experience had taught would be far more valuable than any word of his.
So he merely called their attention to the scenery before them.
"This beautiful, green spot that we are pa.s.sing is Blackwell"s Island, where the city"s criminals and other unfortunates are sent. Doesn"t seem as if wicked people could be hidden behind those walls, does it? Well keep out of mischief and don"t go there!
"Soon we"ll be going up Long Island Sound, and you"ll get a glimpse of some handsome homes. h.e.l.lo! What"s this? My little bugler, as I live!
Good day to you, Melvin; and what is this present "toot" for, if you please?"
A fair-faced boy came rather shyly forward and accepted the hearty hand grasp which the Judge extended, but he seemed to shrink from the keen observation of the two girls; though a flush of pleasure dyed his smooth cheeks, which were as pink-and-white as blond Molly"s own.
"My respects, Judge Breckenridge, and glad to see you aboard again, sir.
To get your table seats, sir, if you"ll remember."
"Thank you, lad, and good enough! Come on, la.s.sies, let"s go down and scramble for best places and first table, when eating time comes."
All over the deck people were beginning to rise and make their way toward a further door, from which a flight of stairs descended to the dining-room, and these three followed the crowd. The very mention of "eating" had brought back to Dorothy a sensation of terrible hunger. She had eaten nothing since her breakfast at the Academy, and her sail had sharpened her appet.i.te beyond ordinary. During her late experiences in the city and her terror concerning Miss Greatorex she had forgotten this matter, but now it came back with a positive pang. Suddenly Molly, too, remembered the fact and exclaimed:
"Why, you poor girlie! Talk about eating--you can"t have had a bit of dinner! Papa, Dorothy hasn"t had her dinner this livelong day!"
Her tone was so tragic that people behind her smiled, as her abrupt pause upon the stairs arrested their own progress, and she was promptly urged forward again by her father"s hand.
"Heigho! That"s a calamity--nothing less! But one that can be conquered, let us hope. Now, fall into line close behind me and watch this interesting proceeding."
From the earnestness depicted upon the countenances of the pa.s.sengers, this securing of good seats at the first table, in a room which would not allow the serving of all at one time, was a vital matter. The purser stood at the entrance of the saloon and a.s.signed a seat to each person upon the examination of a ticket presented. His office was not a pleasant one. There were the usual grumblers and malcontents, but he preserved his good nature amid all the fault-finding and selfishness; and the Judge had the good fortune to secure five places at the Captain"s table, which was significant of "first call to meals."
This accomplished he led his charges out of line, carefully deposited his "meal tickets" in an innermost pocket, and crossed an ante-room to where there were plates of ship"s biscuits and slices of cheese.
"Take all you want, all you can eat, both of you youngsters. Sorry to say no regular meal will be served, not even for Dorothy"s benefit, till the six o"clock dinner. Unless she choses to get seasick; when she would have tea and toast sent to her and wouldn"t be able to touch it! Enough?