Elsie on the Hudson Part 23

They closed their day as usual, with a service of prayer and praise and the reading of the Scriptures, then all except the captain retired to their staterooms.

But it was not long before Lucilla, as usual, stole back to the deck for a good-night bit of chat with her father. She found him walking the deck and gazing earnestly at the sky.

"Is there a storm coming, father?" she asked.

"I think there is," he answered, "and probably a heavy one. I think it should make a change in our plans, for it may last several days. In that case we will be safer over there in Put-in Bay, lying at anchor, than we would be out in the lake."

"Then you will go over there, won't you, father?" she asked.

"I think I shall," he said. "It really matters but little whether we get home as speedily as the voyage can be made, or not until a week or two later."

"I am glad of that," she returned; "and as we have an abundance of books and games,--plenty of everything to make the time pa.s.s quickly and pleasantly,--I think we need not mind the detention."

"I agree with you in that," he said, "and I am very glad that our dear absentees got here safely before the coming of the storm."

"Then you don't apprehend any danger?" she said inquiringly.

"No; not if we are at anchor in the bay yonder. Well, you came to say good-night to your father in the usual way, I suppose?"

"Yes, sir; but mayn't I stay with you for a little while? I am not at all sleepy, and should enjoy pacing back and forth here with you a few times."

"Very well, daughter," he returned, taking her hand and drawing it within his arm.

They walked to and fro for a time in silence. It was broken at length by Lucilla. "To-morrow is Friday, but you don't think it would be unlucky to start on a journey for that reason, father?"

"No, child; it is the coming storm, and not the day of the week, that seemed portentous to me. I have sailed more than once on Friday, and had quite as prosperous a voyage as when I had started on any other day of the week."

"It seems to me absurd and superst.i.tious," she said, "and I know Grandma Elsie considers it so. Papa, isn't that cloud spreading and growing darker?"

"Yes; and I think I must give orders at once to get up steam, lift the anchor, and move out into the bay. Say good-night, now, and go to your berth."

Violet, arrayed in a pretty dressing gown, stepped out of her stateroom door into the saloon as Lucilla entered it. "Are we about starting, Lu?" she asked. "I thought I heard your father giving an order as if preparations for that were going on." Lucilla replied with an account of what she had seen and heard while on deck. "But don't be alarmed, Mamma Vi," she concluded; "father thinks there will be no danger to us lying at anchor in Put-in Bay, and I think we will be able to pa.s.s the time right pleasantly."

"So do I," said Violet; "but it will be sad if he has to expose himself to the storm. However, I suppose that will hardly be necessary if we are lying at anchor. Yes, I think we are a large enough and congenial enough company to be able to pa.s.s a few days very pleasantly together, even though deprived of all communication with the outside world."

"So we won't fret, but be glad and thankful that we can get into a harbor before the storm is upon us, and that we have so competent a captain to attend to all that is needed for our safety and comfort,"

returned Lucilla. "But I must say good-night now, for papa's order to me was to go to my berth."

The _Dolphin_ was soon in motion, and within an hour lying safely at anchor in Put-in Bay. When her pa.s.sengers awoke in the morning, quite a severe storm was raging, and they were well pleased that it had not caught them upon the open lake; and though Grandma Elsie had grown anxious to get home for her father's sake, she did not fret or worry over a providential hindrance, but was bright and cheerful, and ever ready to take her part in entertaining the little company.

For three days the ladies and children scarcely ventured upon deck; but, with books and work and games, time pa.s.sed swiftly, never hanging heavy on their hands. Mr. Lilburn, too, caused some amus.e.m.e.nt by the exercise of his ventriloquial powers.

It was the second day of the storm, early in the afternoon, and all were gathered in the saloon, the ladies busy with their needlework, the gentlemen reading, Elsie and Ned playing a quiet game. Walter had a daily paper in his hand, but presently threw it down and sat with his elbow on the table, his head on his hand, apparently in deep thought. He sighed wearily, and then words seemed to come from his lips.

"Dear me, but I am tired of this dull place!--nothing to see, nothing to hear, but the raging of the storm!"

"Why, Walter!" exclaimed his mother, looking at him in astonishment; but even as she spoke she saw that he was as much astonished as herself.

"I didn't make that remark, mother," he laughed. "I am thankful to be here, and enjoying myself right well. Ah, Cousin Ronald, I think you know who made that ill-sounding speech."

"Ah," said the old gentleman with a sad shake of the head, "there seems to be never a rude or disagreeable speech that is not laid to my account."

Then a voice seemed to come from a distant corner: "Can't you let that poor old man alone? It was I that said the words you accuse him of uttering."

"Ah," said Walter; "then show yourself, and let us see what you are like."

"I am not hiding, and don't object to being looked at, though I am not half so well worth looking at as some of the other people in this room."

"Well, that acknowledgment shows that you are not vain and conceited,"

said Walter.

"Who would dare call me that?" asked the voice in angry, indignant tones.

The words were quickly followed by a sharp bark, and then the angry spitting of a cat, both seeming to come from under the table.

Little Elsie, who was sitting close beside it, sprang up with a startled cry of "Oh, whose dog and cat are they?"

"Cousin Ronald's," laughed Ned, peeping under the table and seeing nothing there.

At that instant a bee seemed to fly close to the little boy's ear, then circle round his head, and he involuntarily dodged and put up his hand to drive it away. Then he laughed, saying in mirthful tones, "Oh, that was just Cousin Ronald, I know!"

The older people were looking on and laughing, but Lucilla started and sprang to her feet with an exclamation of affright as the loud, fierce bark of a seemingly ferocious big dog sounded close to her ear.

Everybody laughed, she among the rest, but she said pleadingly: "Oh, don't do that again, Cousin Ronald! I didn't know I had any nerves, but I believe I have."

"Well, daughter, don't encourage them," her father said in kind and tender tones, taking her hand in his as he spoke, for she was close at his side, as she was pretty sure to be whenever she could manage it.

"I am truly sorry if I hurt those nerves, Lu," said the old gentleman kindly. "I meant but to afford amus.e.m.e.nt, and shall be more careful in the future."

"Do some more, Cousin Ronald; oh, please do some more, without scaring Lu or anybody," pleaded Ned.

"Ned, Ned, it's time to go to bed," said a voice seeming to come from the door of the stateroom where the little boy usually pa.s.sed the night.

"No, sir, you're mistaken," he answered; "it won't be that for two or three hours yet."

"Captain," called a voice that seemed to come from overhead, "please come up here, sir, and see if all is going well with the vessel."

Captain Raymond looked up. "I think I can trust matters to you for the present, my men," he said. "We are in a safe harbor and have little or nothing to fear."

"Papa, did somebody call you?" asked Ned.

"I rather think Cousin Ronald did," answered the captain; "but I don't intend to go to the deck to find him, or answer his call to it, while he sits here."

"No; what business has he to treat you so?" said a voice that sounded like a woman's. "He ought to be glad to see you sit down and take a rest occasionally."

"So he is," said Cousin Ronald, speaking in his natural tone and manner. "He is always glad to have such busy folks take a bit o'

rest."

"But please don't you take a rest yet, Cousin Ronald; we want you to make some more fun for us first--if you're not too tired," said Ned, in coaxing tones.