A Little Maid of Old Maine | Page 7

was
lost.
As the little girls gathered themselves up Melvina began to cry. Her
delicate hands were scratched, and never before in her short life had she
been so frightened and surprised.
She pulled herself away from Anna's effort to straighten her hat. "You
are a rough child," she sobbed, "and I wish I had not stopped to speak
with you. And my knitting-bag with my half-finished stocking is lost!"
At the sight of Melvina's tears both Anna and Luretta forgot all about
showing her a "clam's nest," and became seriously frightened. After all,
Melly was the minister's daughter, and the Reverend Mr. Lyon was a
person of importance; why, he even had a colored body-servant,
London Atus by name, who usually walked behind the clergyman
carrying his cloak and Bible, and who opened the door for visitors.
Often Melvina was attended in her walks by London, who thought his
little mistress far superior to the other children.
"Don't cry, Melvina," pleaded Luretta. "We will find your bag, and we
will wash the stains from your stockings and dress, and help you back
up the slope. Don't cry," and Luretta put a protecting arm about the
frightened Melvina. "Your hat has only slipped from your head; it is
not hurt at all," she added consolingly.
Melvina was finally comforted, and Anna climbed up the slope to
search for the missing bag, while Luretta persuaded Melvina to take off
her stockings in order that they might be washed.
"They'll dry in no time," Luretta assured her. "I can wash them out right

here in this clean puddle, and put them on the warm rocks to dry." So
Melvina reluctantly took off her slippers, and the pretty open-work
stockings, and curling her feet under her, sat down on a big rock to
watch Luretta dip the stockings in the little pool of sea water near by,
and to send anxious glances toward the sandy bluff where Anna was
searching for the missing bag.
CHAPTER III
MELVINA MAKES DISCOVERIES
The sun shone warmly down on the brown ledges, the little waves crept
up the shore with a pleasant murmur, and Melvina, watching Luretta
dipping her white stockings in the pool, began to feel less troubled and
unhappy; and when Anna came running toward her waving the
knitting-bag she even smiled, and was ready to believe that her troubles
were nearly over.
In spite of the sunshine dark clouds were gathering along the western
horizon; but the girls did not notice this. Anna and Luretta had
forgotten all about the sloop Polly, and were both now a little ashamed
of their plan to make sport of Melvina.
"Here is your bag all safe, Melly," called Anna, "and while Luretta is
washing your stockings I'll rub off those spots on your pretty dress.
Can't you step down nearer the water?" she suggested, handing the bag
to Melvina, who put it carefully beside her hat and agreed promptly to
Anna's suggestion, stepping carefully along the rough shore to the edge
of the water. The rocks hurt her tender feet, but she said nothing; and
when she was near the water she could not resist dipping first one foot
and then the other in the rippling tide.
"Oh, I have always wanted to wade in the ocean," she exclaimed, "and
the water is not cold."
As Anna listened to Melvina's exclamation a new and wonderful plan
came into her thoughts; something she decided that would make up to
Melvina for her mischievous fun. She resolved quickly that Melvina

Lyon should have the happiest afternoon of her life.
"Melly, come back a little way and slip off your fine skirts. I'll take off
my shoes and stockings and we'll wade out to Flat Rock and back.
Luretta will fix your clothes, won't you, Lu?" she called, and Luretta
nodded.
The stains did not seem to come out of the stockings; they looked gray
and streaked, so Luretta dipped them again, paying little attention to
her companions.
[Illustration: "WE'LL WADE OUT TO FLAT ROCK"]
Melvina followed Anna's suggestion, and her starched skirts and hat
were left well up the beach with Anna's stout shoes and stockings, and
the two girls hurried back hand in hand to the water's edge.
Flat Rock was not far out from the shore, and Anna knew that the
pebbly beach ended in soft mud that would not hurt Melvina's feet, so
she led her boldly out.
"It's fun," declared Melvina, her dark eyes dancing as she smiled at
Anna, quite forgetting all her fears.
"It would be more fun if we had on real old clothes and could splash,"
responded Anna; and almost before she finished speaking Melvina
leaned away from her and with her free hand swept the water toward
her, spraying Anna and herself.