The broker bent his brows upon her.
"Jewel, are you strictly honorable?" he asked.
"I don"t know," returned the little girl.
"You said a few minutes ago that it was a playfellow for your mother that you wanted. Your enthusiasm is unseemly."
"Oh, father"s just splendid," said Jewel.
After breakfast the three repaired to a certain covered piazza where they always read the lesson for the day; then Mr. Evringham suggested that they go promptly to the beach to see the splendid show before the rollers regained their usual monotonous dignity.
"Jewel and I thought we would go over in the boat instead of through the fields, but that old tub is rather uninviting for a lady"s clothes."
"I think I will take the solitary saunter in preference," returned Mrs.
Evringham. "You and Jewel row over if you like."
"No, we"d rather walk with you," said the child heroically.
Julia smiled. "I don"t want you. There are birds and flowers."
"Well, come down and see us off, anyway," said Mr. Evringham; so the three moved over the gra.s.s toward the pond; two walking sedately and one skipping from sheer high spirits.
As they drew near the little wharf the child"s quick eyes perceived that there were two boats floating there, one each side of it.
"See that, grandpa! There"s some visitor around here," she said, running ahead of the others. A light, graceful boat rose and fell on the waves. It was golden brown within and without, and highly varnished. Its four seats were furnished with wine-colored cushions. Four slim oars lay along its bottom, and its rowlocks gleamed. Best of all, a slender mast with snowy sail furled about it lay along the edge.
"Grandpa, p-_lease_ ask somebody whose it is and if we could get in just a minute!" begged Jewel, in hushed excitement.
"Oh, they"re all good neighbors about here. They won"t mind, whoever it is," returned Mr. Evringham carelessly, and to the child"s wonder and doubt he jumped aboard.
"Pretty neat outfit, isn"t it?" he continued, as he stood a moment looking over the lines of the craft, and then lifted the mast.
"Oh, it"ll sail, too, it"ll sail, too!" cried Jewel, hopping up and down.
"Oh, mother, did you ever _hear_ of such a pretty boat?"
"Never," replied Mrs. Evringham. "It must be that some one has come over from one of those fine homes across the pond."
Privately, she was a little surprised by the manner in which Mr. Evringham was making himself at home. He set the mast in its place and then, his arms akimbo, stood regarding Jewel"s tense, sun-browned countenance and sparkling eyes.
"How would it be for me to go up to the house and see if we could get permission to take a little sail?" he asked.
"Oh, it would be splendid, grandpa," responded Jewel, "but--but he might say no, and _could_ I get in just a minute first?"
"Yes, come on." The child waited for no second invitation, but sprang into the boat and examined its dry, shining floor and felt its b.u.t.toned cushions with admiring awe.
"h.e.l.lo, see here," said Mr. Evringham, bending over the further side.
"Easy, now," for Jewel had scrambled to see. He trimmed the boat while her flaxen head leaned eagerly over.
Beautifully painted in shining black letters she read the name JEWEL.
The child lifted her head quickly and gazed at him, "Grandpa, that almost couldn"t--_happen_" she said, in amazement, catching her breath.
He nodded. "There"s one thing pretty certain, Nature won"t draw off the pond now that this has come to you."
"Me, _me_!" cried the child. Her lips trembled and she turned a little pale under the tan as she remembered how the pony came. Then her eyes, dark with excitement, suffused, and recklessly she flung herself upon the broker"s neck while the boat rocked wildly.
Mr. Evringham waved one hand toward his daughter while he seized the mast.
"Tell Harry we left our love," he cried.
"Dear me, Jewel, what are you _doing_!" called Mrs. Evringham.
"It"s mine, mother, it"s mine," cried the child, lifting her head to shout it, and then ducking back into the broker"s silk shirt front.
"What do you mean?" asked Mrs. Evringham, coming gingerly out upon the wharf, which was such an unsteady old affair that she had remained on terra firma.
"Why, you see," responded Mr. Evringham, "the farmhouse boat wasn"t so impossible for two old sea-dogs like Jewel and me, but when it came to inviting her lady mother to go out with us, I saw that we must have something else. Well, it seems as if Jewel approved of this."
He winked at his daughter over the flaxen head on his breast.
"What a fortunate, fortunate girl!" exclaimed Julia. "I can hardly wait to sit on one of those beautiful red cushions."
"Jewel will invite you pretty soon, I think," said Mr. Evringham. "I hope so, for one of my feet is turned in and she is standing on it, but I wouldn"t have her get off until she is entirely ready."
He could feel the child swallowing hard, and though she moved her little feet, she could not lift her face.
"Grandpa," she began, in an unsteady, m.u.f.fled tone, "I didn"t tease you too much about the old boat, did I?"
"No,--no, child!"
"Shall you--shall you like this one, too?"
"Well, I should rather think so. I have to give all my shoes to the poor as it is. I"ve nothing left fit to put on but my riding-boots. How shall we go over to the beach this time, Jewel, row or sail? Your mother is waiting for you to ask her to get in."
Slowly the big bows behind the child"s ears came down into their normal position. She kissed her grandfather fervently and then turned her flushed face and eyes toward her mother.
"Come in, so you can see the boat"s name," she said, and her smile shone out like sunshine from an April sky.
"Give me your hand, then, dearie. You know I"m a poor city girl and haven"t a very good balance."
The name was duly examined, and Mrs. Evringham"s "oh"s" of wonder and admiration were long-drawn.
"See the darling cushions, mother. You can wear your best clothes here.
It"s just like a parlor!"
"A very narrow parlor, Jewel. Move carefully." Mrs. Evringham had seated herself in the stern. "Perhaps I can help with the rudder," she added, taking hold of the lines.
"Just as the admiral says," returned the broker.