The Junior Classics, Volume 6: Old-Fashioned Tales
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 6: Old-Fashioned Tales
Children's literature
"Yes," replied Beechnut, "and as soon as we landed we hid them in the
sand. My father took me to a little cove close by, where there was not
much surf, as the place was protected by a rocky point of land which
bounded it on one side. Behind this point of land the waves rolled up
quietly upon a sandy beach. My father went down upon the slope of this
beach, to a place a little below where the highest waves came, and
began to dig a hole in the sand. He called me to come and help him.
The waves impeded our work a little, but we persevered until we had
dug a hole about a foot deep. We put our clock-weights into this hole
and covered them over. We then ran back up upon the beach. The waves
that came up every moment over the place soon smoothed the surface of
the sand again, and made it look as if nothing had been done there. My
father measured the distance from the place where he had deposited his
treasure up to a certain great white rock upon the shore exactly
opposite to it, so as to be able to find the place again, and then we
went back to our company. They were collected on the rocks in little
groups, wet and tired, and in great confusion, but rejoiced at having
escaped with their lives. Some of the last of the sailors were then
coming over in the sling. The captain himself came last of all.
"There were some huts near the place on the shore, where the men made
good fires, and we warmed and dried ourselves. The storm abated a
great deal in a few hours, and the tide went down, so that we could go
off to the ship before night to get some provisions. The next morning
the men could work at the ship very easily, and they brought, all the
passengers' baggage on shore. My father got his trunk with the clock
in it. A day or two afterward some sloops came to the place, and took
us all away to carry us to Quebec. Just before we embarked on board
the sloops, my father and I, watching a good opportunity, dug up our
weights out of the sand, and put them back safely in their places in
the clock-box."
"Is that the end?" asked Phonny, when Beechnut paused.
"Yes," replied Beechnut, "I believe I had better make that the end."
"I think it is a very interesting and well-told story," said Madeline.
"And do you feel very tired?"
"No," said Beechnut. "On the contrary, I feel all the better for my
ride. I believe I will sit up a little while."
So saying, he raised himself in the waggon and sat up, and began to
look about him.
"What a wonderful voyage you had, Beechnut!" said Phonny. "But I never
knew before that you were shipwrecked."
"Well, in point of fact," replied Beechnut, "I never was shipwrecked."
"Never was!" exclaimed Phonny. "Why, what is all this story that you
have been telling us, then?"
"Embellishment," said Beechnut quietly.
"Embellishment!" repeated Phonny, more and more amazed.
"Yes," said Beechnut.
"Then you were not wrecked at all?" said Phonny.
"No," replied Beechnut.
"And how did you get to the land?" asked Phonny.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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