Country life -- Juvenile fiction; Girls -- Juvenile fiction; Grandparents as parents -- Juvenile fiction
"I wish I could go with you," said Launcelot, wistfully, as the two
walked down the road, after having perfected plans for the doctor's
trip. "I am getting awfully tired of this place, doctor. You see my
life abroad was so different, and I feel as if I ought to be doing
something worth while."
"Just now the thing that is worth while is for you to be a good son and
stay here," said Dr. Grennell. "You can be nothing greater than that.
And you are doing it like a hero," and his hand dropped affectionately
on the boy's shoulder.
"Well, it's deadly dull," said the hero resignedly, as he thought of
Anne and Judy speeding away to the coolness of the sea. But presently
he cheered up. "It will be great if it does happen to be Captain
Jameson," he said, "and just think if Judy hadn't run away we wouldn't
have seen her coin, and if I had waited that morning she wouldn't have
run away, and if I hadn't been cross I would have waited--how about
that for a moral, Doctor."
"There is no moral," said the minister, "but all bad tempers don't turn
out so well."
"It sounds like,
"'Fire, fire burn stick,
Stick, stick beat dog,
Dog, dog bite pig--'
doesn't it?" said Launcelot with a laugh, as they parted at the
crossroads.
CHAPTER XVI
THE WIND AND THE WAVES
It was dark and raining when the travellers reached The Breakers, but a
light streamed out from the doorway, and Mrs. Adams, the caretaker, met
them on the step.
"I couldn't get any maids to help me," she explained to the Judge, as
she led the way in, "but my sister is coming over in the morning, and
Jim will build the fires--and I've set out supper in the hall."
"That's all right, Mrs. Adams," said the Judge, heartily, "Perkins will
serve us, and you needn't stay up. I know you are tired after hurrying
to get the house ready for us."
"Being tired ain't nothin' so that things suits," said Mrs. Adams, with
an awed glance at the expert Perkins, who having relieved the Judge of
his hat and raincoat was carrying the bags up-stairs under the guidance
of Mr. Adams.
"Everything is just right, Mrs. Adams," said Judy, with eyes aglow. "I
am so glad you set the supper-table in front of the big fireplace--we
used to sit here so often."
Her voice trembled a little over the "we," for the sight of the little
round table with its shining glass and silver had unnerved her. But
she had made up her mind to be brave, and in a minute she was herself
again, leading the way to her room, which Anne was to share, and doing
the honors of the house generally.
The Breakers was a cottage built half of stone and half of shingles.
It was roomy and comfortable, but not as magnificent as the Judge's
great mansion in Fairfax. To Judy it was home, however, and when she
came down again, she sighed blissfully as she dropped into a chair in
front of the blazing fire.
"Listen, Anne," she said to the little fair-haired girl, "listen--do
you hear them--the wind and the waves?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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