A Little Maid of Old Maine | Page 7

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. In a moment both the girls had forgotten all about their clothes, and were chasing each other along the water's edge splashing in good earnest, and laughing and calling each other's names in wild delight. Farther up the shore Luretta, a draggled stocking in each hand, looked at them a little enviously, and wondered a little at the sudden change in Melvina's behavior.
"Now show me the clam's nest!" Melvina demanded, as out of breath and thoroughly drenched the two girls stood laughing at each other.
"All right," Anna responded promptly. "Come on down to the point," and followed by Melvina, now apparently careless of the rough beach, she ran along the shore toward a clam bed in the dark mud.
"Look!" she exclaimed, pointing to the black flats-mud. "There