Acadians -- History -- Juvenile fiction; Nova Scotia -- Description and travel -- Juvenile fiction; Vacations -- Juvenile fiction
"Yes," added Martine; "I might as well wish that some of my French
ancestors had been among the exiled Acadians, so that I could take a
deeper interest in Clare. Not that I need a deeper interest--but that
reminds me," and she turned to her brother. "It's strange, Lucian, that
I hadn't thought to tell you before, but I believe I've found some new
relations in Nova Scotia; at least, I hope so. Do you know whether we
had any Tories in our family?"
"Tories! I should hope not," and Lucian's voice rang with patriotism.
"Oh, they are all dead now, so don't excite yourself. But two things
equal to the same thing are sometimes equal to each other. We are
certainly cousins of Mrs. Blair's. You'll admit that?"
"Yes, worse luck to it," grumbled Lucian. "She is such a--such a--"
"You mean so conventional," interposed Martine, sedately; "but that's
very proper for a Bostonian. Well, Mrs. Blair's name is Audrey Balfour
Blair."
"Why not?" asked Lucian.
"Well, we met a girl this summer whose grandmother's name was Audrey
Balfour, and what I want to know is--are we related to her?"
"To the grandmother?" exclaimed Lucian. "How in the world should I know?
and if we are, what's the difference? Probably the old lady's dead by
this time. Most grandmothers are."
"Oh, Lucian, do be serious."
"You'd better be serious yourself--say, look out for the boom, or you'll
lose your head as well as your temper."
"I haven't lost my temper. There, I'm glad we're putting in for shore
now, if Lucian is going to be so disagreeable."
Thus the conversation drifted from Audrey Balfour, and for the present
Martine's question was unanswered.
This afternoon was only one of several that they spent on the water, and
when the conditions were favorable, sometimes Amy, sometimes Martine,
had a chance to show her skill as skipper, while the boys approved or
made suggestions, and Mrs. Redmond and Priscilla sat back, trying not to
show the timidity that they felt.
On shore as well as at sea they found much to occupy them, and as
conditions for picture-taking happened for the time to be particularly
favorable, each one added largely to her own collection of photographs.
Each of the girls had a camera with her; but at first Priscilla had been
the only one really zealous for photography.
When they visited the Citadel Lucian and Fritz had managed to intimidate
them by telling them of the fearful fate that might be theirs should
their cameras be seen in its neighborhood; so the cameras were hidden
until the girls were far from what Martine called "the sacred
precincts," until, indeed, the sight of a redcoat on Barrington Street,
standing where the sun illuminated his whole figure, caused her to shout
in delight:
"There, my camera, quick, Lucian. Here's my chance to catch one of those
crazy little caps. How do they manage to make them stay on one ear?
Quick, before he moves, or sees us," and then the click of a spring
showed that she had accomplished her aim.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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