Wakulla | Page 6

that she was a bit of flotsam and
jetsam that belonged to him by right of salvage. His ship had been in a
Southern port when a woman, with this child in her arms, had fallen
from a pier into the river. Springing into the water after them, Captain
May had succeeded in saving the child, but the mother was drowned.
As nothing could be learned of its history, and as nobody claimed it,
Captain May brought the baby home, and she was baptized Edna May.

She was now fourteen years old, and Ruth Elmer's most intimate friend,
and the first picture in the album was a good photograph of herself,
taken in Bangor. The others were only tin-types taken in the
neighboring town of Skowhegan; but Ruth thought them all beautiful.
The next morning was gray and chill, for it was late in November. The
first snow of the season was falling in a hesitating sort of a way, as
though it hardly knew whether to come or not, and it was still quite
dark when Mrs. Wing woke Mark and Ruth, and told them to hurry, for
the stage would be along directly. They were soon dressed and
down-stairs, where they found breakfast smoking on the table. A
moment later they were joined by their parents, neither of whom could
eat, so full were they of the sorrow of departure. The children were also
very quiet, even Mark's high spirits being dampened by thoughts of
leaving old friends, and several tears found their way down Ruth's
cheeks during the meal.
After breakfast they said good-bye to the Wings, and went over to their
own house to pack a few remaining things into hand-bags, and wait for
the Skowhegan stage.
At six o'clock sharp, with a "toot, toot, toot," of the driver's horn, it
rattled up to the gate, followed by a wagon for the baggage. A few
minutes later, with full hearts and tearful eyes, the Elmers had bidden
farewell to the little old house and grand trees they might never see
again, and were on their way down the village street, their long journey
fairly begun.
CHAPTER II.
THE SCHOONER "NANCY BELL."
It lacked a few minutes of nine o'clock when the stage in which the
Elmers had left Norton drew up beside the platform of the railway
station in Skowhegan. There was only time to purchase tickets and
check the baggage, and then Mark and Ruth stepped, for the first time
in their lives, on board a train of cars, and were soon enjoying the novel
sensation of being whirled along at what seemed to them a tremendous

rate of speed. To them the train-boy, who came through the car with
books, papers, apples, and oranges, and wore a cap with a gilt band
around it, seemed so much superior to ordinary boys, that, had they not
been going on such a wonderful journey, they themselves would have
envied him his life of constant travel and excitement.
At Waterville they admired the great mills, which they fancied must be
among the largest in the world; and when, shortly after noon, they
reached Bangor, and saw real ships, looking very like the pictures in
their geographies, only many times more interesting, their cup of
happiness was full.
Mark and Ruth called all the vessels they saw "ships;" but their father,
who had made several sea-voyages as a young man, said that most of
them were schooners, and that he would explain the difference to them
when they got to sea and he had plenty of time.
The children were bewildered by the noise of the railroad station and
the cries of the drivers and hotel runners--all of whom made violent
efforts to attract the attention of the Elmer party. At length they got
themselves and their bags safely into one of the big yellow omnibuses,
and were driven to a hotel, where they had dinner. Mark and Ruth did
not enjoy this dinner much, on account of its many courses and the
constant attentions of the waiters.
It had stopped snowing, and after dinner the party set forth in search of
the Nancy Bell. By making a few inquiries they soon found her, and
were welcomed on board by her young, pleasant- faced captain, whose
name was Eli Drew, but whom all his friends called "Captain Li."
The Nancy Bell was a large three-masted schooner, almost new, and as
she was the first vessel "Captain Li" had ever commanded, he was very
proud of her. He took them at once into his own cabin, which was
roomy and comfortable, and from which opened four state- rooms--two
on each side. Of these the captain and his mate, John Somers, occupied
those on the starboard, or right-hand side, and those on