Mr. Harley, we"ll tell you here, did find his wife and two sons in Oklahoma, and as they did not want to return to Apple Tree Island where they had been so unhappy, he settled down in Cordova with them and helped the uncle to farm. Uncle Matthew Dexter and Aunt Sue were both growing old and they were very glad to have a younger and stronger man to lend them a hand. As for the two boys and Mrs. Harley, they declared that they never would give them up, so it was fortunate that Mr. Harley liked to farm. d.i.c.k and Herbert grew into fine young lads. So we may leave the Harley family with a comfortable mind.
Fourth of July dawned hot and sunny on Apple Tree Island. Captain Jenks came over in his motor-boat and brought a huge chunk of ice for the freezing of the ice-cream. He had been invited to stay to dinner and to see the fireworks in the evening, and when, after dinner, it grew so hot that Father Blossom declared the sun would certainly set fire to the sparklers without any punk, the jolly captain loaded "all hands" on board The Sarah and took them off for a sail around the island.
There was plenty of breeze then, you may be sure, and the children had great fun lighting their sparklers and hanging them over the rail to burn. They had to keep away from the engine with their "fizzers," as the captain would call them, because he said he wouldn"t trust even guaranteed fireworks to be harmless around a gasoline engine, but they had plenty of excitement without blowing up the good ship Sarah.
"Why, we"re not going home--we"re going to Greenpier!" cried Meg, when they had sailed around the island and were headed for the opposite sh.o.r.e.
Mother and Father Blossom looked very mysterious, but said nothing, and Captain Jenks answered all questions by ordering them not to talk to "the man at the wheel."
When The Sarah b.u.mped into the Greenpier wharf, the four little Blossoms made a simultaneous discovery.
"Jud!" they shrieked in unison. "Jud Apgar! Oh, Juddy!"
It was Jud, Jud grinning happily with a traveling bag in one hand and a box in the other.
"Go easy now," he warned the children as they descended upon him in a body. "Miss Polly sent your mother some fresh eggs--you don"t want to smash "em, do you?"
Mother Blossom rescued the egg box, and the children escorted Jud on deck and introduced him to Captain Jenks.
"Guess you surprised some folks," said the captain, shaking Jud"s hand as though he were very glad to see him. "Some folks couldn"t see why we should come to Greenpier on a Wednesday afternoon and a holiday at that."
Mother and Father Blossom and Aunt Polly had planned the surprise, it seemed. Jud could never leave Brookside Farm for long at one time in the Summer, there was so much work to be done, but Aunt Polly a.s.sured him that he could easily be spared for a few days"
visit to Apple Tree Island. She had planned it with Father and Mother Blossom through letters and they had kept the secret successfully.
If the afternoon was still hot when they reached home, no one knew it. The whole island had to be shown to Jud, and he had to see the Harley shack and hear of the discovery of the silver mugs and the letters. It was supper time before the children realized it and then, in a little while, it was dark.
"Dark enough for fireworks?" said Twaddles for the twentieth time, and he bounced with delight when Father Blossom said:
"Dark enough to begin, I think."
Mother Blossom and the children and Captain Jenks sat on the steps of the bungalow while Father Blossom and Jud set off the fireworks. Each child was allowed to apply the punk to one piece, but they soon found it was better fun to sit quietly and watch.
"There goes a flower-pot!" cried Meg, as a brilliant shower of red and yellow sparks bloomed out against the velvet blackness of the Summer night.
"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven--seven stars," counted Bobby as Jud set off a Roman candle.
"Now a rocket!" said Mother Blossom, and Captain Jenks gave a hurrah as the beautiful shooting star thing hissed and fell far out into Sunset Lake.
Father Blossom and Jud were kept busy setting off the many pieces, for Jud had brought more in his bag, and when they lit the last red light it was discovered that Dot was fast asleep sitting upright against a porch post.
It was a tired and sleepy family that, Jud carrying Dot, marched to bed when the red light had burned itself out. But they were immensely happy. So was Captain Jenks, whistling on his way to his boat--nothing would induce him to stay all night. So was the Harley family far out in Oklahoma. And they were all happy for the same reason.
THE END