"O, dear," said Dotty, reeling about from side to side, "the boat"s dizzy! My head"s goin" to tip into the water. But don"t you cry, Susy; you catch hold of me, and I shan"t go!"
Susy was suddenly seized with mortal terror.
"Dotty Parlin, I"ll never take you anywhere again, as long as I live!
You sit as still as ever you can, and fold your hands; fold them both!"
Dotty obeyed at once, and sat up quite straight, looking very sweet, and at the same time slightly acid, like a stick of lemon-candy. The Water Kelpie, now that Dotty was quiet, floated on, safely and surely, towards the opposite sh.o.r.e.
It was a pretty picture--the white boat, the graceful children, and the still, blue water. Susy"s fair arms were bared to the elbows, and her face was deeply flushed. Dotty"s beautiful eyes danced, but she herself was motionless and demure.
When they landed, Susy called aloud for her aunt Martha to come and secure the boat. Her voice echoed from afar, waking "the sleep of the hills," but no aunt Martha appeared. The children clambered out at last, and Susy chained the boat to a stick, which she drove into the sand. But the sand was light, and the boat was heavy, and the current strong; so before the children had walked a dozen rods, the Water-Kelpie was floating down stream of its own free will.
Thus it happened that although aunt Martha was certainly surprised, she did not seem very much pleased. She did not say, "Bravo! my two nieces are smart children, to be rowing all alone by themselves." Nothing of the sort. She reproved Susy for her rash conduct, and sent her and Lonnie around two miles, by the bridge, to ask Abner to come for them with the canoe.
Lonnie was very much comforted when he saw that Susy received no praise.
"I can row her myself," said he; "but I wouldn"t put Dotty in, and most drown her, and dab along with that shingle."
The runaway Water-Kelpie was caught a little way below the bridge, and Abner slyly laid by the dripping shingle, and afterwards showed it to everybody, as a proof that "our Sue was an amazin" smart little water man."
This famous boat-ride only had the effect to make Dotty Dimple more fearless than ever; but her next adventure on the water proved somewhat serious.
CHAPTER IX.
BROTHER ZIP.
There was to be a remarkable supper at grandma Parlin"s, in honor of Colonel Augustus Allen, who was expected in the cars. There had been a grand excursion to welcome the soldiers, and the stage would probably be very late. Susy and Prudy had the promise of sitting up till it got in, if Dotty Dimple was only willing. But Dotty said,--
"O, no; you better go to bed when I go, Prudy, or you"ll hear somebody scream."
"Let"s see," said Prudy. "I"ve thought of something nice. Wouldn"t you like to go to aunt Martha"s, and stay all the afternoon and all night?"
Dotty gave a little purr, like a happy kitten.
"O, yes, if they"ll let me drink choclid out o" that silver mug."
"But who"ll go with you?" said Prudy. "There, I know--Abby Grant! I"ll go ask mother."
Prudy thought that she herself could not possibly be spared just now to walk as far as aunt Martha"s.
Abby Grant, who was supposed to be a good child, was very glad to take charge of Dotty, and called for her at two o"clock.
Aunt Louise was in the kitchen, whipping cream. "O, my suz," said Dotty, with shining eyes; "mayn"t I taste o" those bubbles "fore I go?"
Aunt Louise poured the foaming cream over some jellies, which stood in gla.s.ses.
"You shall have some to-morrow," said she, pausing to kiss Dotty, her favorite niece. Then she led the two little girls into the dining-room, where the long table was already spread for Company. Dotty could hardly keep her hands off the nice things.
"There," said aunt Louise, giving each of the children an orange, "now you may go. Abby, be sure to take good care of Dotty. Don"t trust her out of your sight one minute.--Hark! there"s the door-bell. You may go out of the house by the back-door."
Then Miss Louise hastened from the dining-room, without looking back to see whether the children obeyed her or not. Dotty was, in general, prompt to do as she was bidden by older people; but just now both the children found it hard to leave that tempting table. They dared not taste the dainties, but Abby thought it could surely do no harm just to touch them. But when they had gone as far as that, Abby, who was a sly, half-taught child, grew bolder, and a sudden impulse seized her to pocket a few sweetmeats, if she could only do so without being seen by Dotty"s keen eyes.
"Come, Dotty Parling," said she, "you just go ask somebody to brush your hair; it"s all over your head."
Dotty sighed as she cast a last glance at the table, and then, without a word, went up stairs, unwilling to be seen by aunt Martha with her "hair all over her head."
Then Abby"s heart beat fast. She heard voices in the parlor, and knew that at any moment some one might enter the dining-room, and discover her. So making a hasty choice of two large pieces of jelly-cake, and half a dozen tarts, she swept out of the room just in time to escape meeting grandma Parlin.
Her pocket was stuffed quite full, and one end of a slice of cake peeped out, though she tried her best to press it down. But Abby had a hope that no one would notice it through her white ap.r.o.n.
As Dotty"s hair was now in fine order, the two children set out on their walk. They had gone but a few steps when Zip came trotting along, with all speed, looking up in their faces as if to say, "What have I done, that I can"t go too?"
"Queer what made _him_ want to come," said Abby, tartly.
"He loves his little sister," said Dotty, stroking his nose. "He shall go, he shall; he"s a darling."
The dog kept beside the children, and every now and then Abby secretly punched him with a stick, while Dotty was patting his head, and chatting with him.
It was a long way to aunt Martha"s, and Abby, besides feeling guilty, and ashamed of herself, was also very anxious to eat the goodies which made such a bunch in her pocket. Zip seemed to know there was cake somewhere, and sniffed about in a way which made her rather nervous.
"Here, let"s creep under this fence," said she; "what"s the use to go "round by the road? It"s a great deal nearer to your aunt"s house through the field."
"There, child," cried she, when they were on the other side of the fence, "now I want to go behind this clump of trees, to--to find a book I left here yesterday: but you mustn"t come, Dotty."
"What for can"t I? Yes, I shall, Abby Grant; you shame yourself! I"m goin" every single where you go; so, now, you"ll have to give up!"
"Dot Parling, you go right along with your doggie! I"ll come in a minute."
Dotty thought a girl of Abby"s age had no right to command her. She stamped her little foot, but it made no sound in the soft gra.s.s.
"I isn"t a-goin" to go long with my doggie, Abby Grant; "cause--so there!"
"But you must. You know, Dot Parling," said Abby, more gently, "your grandma expects you to do just what I tell you. I"m afraid, dear, you won"t get any of that bubbled cream if you don"t mind, nor any tarts."
The child queen began to think it was wisest to obey; but she did so with a very ill grace.
"Well, Abby Grant, I will go long with my doggie; but it"s cause I"m tired, and don"t want to help you find your old book--so, there!"
"That"s right. Dotty. Start quick--can"t you?"
Dotty took "high ground" at once. She looked Abby full in the face.
"Do you like _yourself_, Abby Grant?"