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The last recorded frame on each microfiche shall contain the symbol —►(meaning "CON- TINUED"), or the symbol V (meaning "END"), whichever applies. Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduction ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les images suivantes ont 6t6 reproduites avec le plus grand soin. compte tenu de la condition et de la nettet^ de l'exemplaire filmd. et en conformity avec les conditions du contrat de filmage. / THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS. - BY - (■ . ^,: *m. T.' GSORGINA SEYMOUR WAITT. ILLUSTRATED BV C. ALLAN. VICTORIA, BC- IN BLACK AND WHITE," Publishirs. PBEFACE. I stand before yon-« taU stripling of a youth, my feet just on the threshold of a worid aU new to 1- and crave your indulgence. trelhr '"*"''r."' " '■■""' ' """"^ ^«^ ^-^ -J 17 t , ^^ ^^ ' '"^^ "" '^''» *« •i-e; -nd obng back, .y introduction has not been as full of flattenng comments as is usually accorded to the newly born. I well remember the first peep I got of this cold harsh world. She to whom I owe existence broultt -e forth with such a happy li«,e feeling, as fa great favor conferred- anrl laTr,\ she explained to ^J^^rZn Z-^^^Z be witty and funny. Then carefully unwrapping me she proceeded to read. Looking up presently, as no audible comments were forthcoming, my Parent was struck by the ut- terly hopeless attitude of her Guest. "With hands meekly folded she sat, gazing intently, utter dejection written upon her features. " What is the matter? You are not well?" my dear Parent inquired. " Oh yes, I am; but — but why do you waste your time upon such rubbish?" To this day I have not been again exposed to her sacrilegious gaze. I^ow, with this brief apology I come, not as a liter- ary production, not as a book that will make you wiser, but only as a sketch, full of fun. To make hearts merrier, to call forth hearty laughs, is my sole mission, and if I fulfil my purpose, judge me not harshly — I am very young. ■ rapping tnments the ut- L hands ejection ly dear THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS. ;e your to her a liter- e you make y sole le not CHAPTEK I. We were sittir^- in Eileen's room discussing where we should go for our six weeks' outing. There were three of ua-Amy, in the arm-chair; Eileen on the hearthrug; and I. sitting bolt upright, knitting. The clock had just struck three. '' Girls," 1 broke in, " I'm positive the canoe trip around the Island will be the best after all Ther, are so many difficulties in the way of the other amuse meiLts-chaperones,, propriety, etc., t])ot T, for one siiall vote for the sea voyage." ' "Of course, if we we'nt to Seattle, or Tacoma, w. would stand a better chance of~of meeting .vif. agi-eeable people," sairl Eileen. Yes, I knew what that meant-conque.t. for Ei 12 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANYAS leen. Eileen was one of those lovely ethereal beings with great dark eyes and coal black hair. Her pre- vailing characteristic was extreme lassitude, when there was anything to do, and she had a haunting dread of being confronted with work. Amy was non- descript. She never got very angry, never made bad friends, never " enthused " very high, nor felt very naughty. I was practical and common-place. If it had not been for me, we should never have started on that voyage. Mine was the head that had con- ceived the idea of three lone women starting froni Victoria, B.C., in a canoe, and skirting Vancouver Island. We were to put into quiet bays and pitch our tent for the night, buy extra provisions at settle- ments along the coast, and practically " rough it." Wednesday mornino-, brii>]i1 and earlv, had been arranged as the time for starting', but it ^vas well on towards noon before we reached the boat-liouse. Sam Jones, big gerual fellow, was on the landing, " Oh, Mr. Jones, we sent down our tilings for a sea trip; have they arrived yet?" we all said together. " Yes, Misfc, they have been arriving all the morning. There they are, all piled in that corner. There were only three express loads of them," he added sarcastically. '' We are going on a cruise part way up the Coast, I beings ler pre- , when auntine: '^as non- ide bad It verj If it rted on d con- ? from couver pitch settle- it." been ell on Sara " Oh, trip; 1 the •rner. " he 'oast, THREE GIKLS UNDER CANVAS 13 and want to hire a canoe of you, that wiU hold three comfortably." •'*Acanoe? And all that truck in a canoe. Fm thinking nothing but a whale boat will be big enough." " Now, Mr. Jones, don't be mean. We must have everything that is there with us; there is no super- fluous luggage. Give us a Ught boat, if the canoe mil not hold us." Finally, by repacking several times, we managed to stow away all we had, but it was so late by this time, that w e resolved not to start until the next day. So we tramped up town again in our outing costumes —shirt waists, short skirts with bloomers under- neath, and peaked caps. Eileen had a camera, Amy field-glasses, and I a gun, slung over our respective shoulders. VTe had, of course, told our most inti- niate friends all about the ti-ip wo were going to tako and, of coMvso each of thos*> friends had to bo per- ambulatiii • the streets as wo went home. " Oh, not gone yet; I thought it was your in- tention to start to-day, etc. ?" Dash what our intentions were, wo had a right to do as we liked. Eileen said it reminded her of a story she once heard her mother tell. Her father was ^ont in the; 14 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS coiintrv, and had intendod coTning baak by a •'I OPT^nin day, on which, of course, his wife was natur- ally expecting him. At twelve that day a mutual friend drove up and said that Mr. B. had decided to stay over for another day — if Mrs. B. had no ob- jection. Mr. B. was naturally a very absent-minded man. There was an excursion that afternoon to the spot where he was staying, and every one he met he asked them, if they were passing his house on their way home, would they mind calling and telling his wife he would not be home until to-morrow. That niglit after Mrs. B. and the maid had gone to tlieir respective beds, a man (seemingly very much the worse for liquor) stumb-led against the gate, fum- bled T\dth tlip ca+'^b. hit the post with a hea"S"y cane and walked very luv.-t r-b'lv up the steps. Mrs. B., -wlio '-.I" not yet asleep, crouched low, and thanked kind Pro.idenee that the door Vv'as well latched. It was pro! ably mroo drunkard who had ndstaken the house. IMioiv was an appallina' silenoe for the space of two minutes. Again he moved; the handle of the door was tried. Finally ho found the bell and rang it, and then pounded on the door ■\\dth his cane. Mrs. B.'s nerves were strung to their fullest tensioTi. She -k by a vas natur- a mutual eeided to d no ob- led man. the spot he asked leir way his wife id gone V much e, fnra- T cane d low, as well 10 had ice of 3f the I rang . Mrs. She 1 ■ THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 16 could have screamed only she was afraid of waking the baby. The maid crept up the hall and said : " Meeses B.," in a stage whisper. "Hush! Don't move; it's a drunken man/* Mrs. B. answered, clutching the maid by the arm. They sat and shivered while the cold perspiration poured down their backs. The baby coughed and was nearly strangled in their efforts to Iceep him quiet. Finally the maid suggested that Mrs. B. should sav : " Who's there?" in a bold bad way, and tell him to be gone. "Who's there?" " Oh, it's only Mr. Candle, and I have got a letter for you from Mr. B. saying that he vnV not be iiome until ]\londav morninir," Mrs. B. had just settled down to sleep again, w^hen mysterioii^. voices broke the stillness. The gate shut quietly and muffled footsteps stole along the walks. Flower thieves flashed across her brain, and jumping from her bed she determined to stop them in their dcpredatioiif.. She had readied the front door when a still weak voice whose owner cauglit sight of her through the sidelights, said: " Oh, Mrs. B., Mr. B. wanted me to tell you that he would not be home until Mon " I I -I 16 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS ** Yon just go home and go to bed and atop dia- torbing peaoefnl citizens in the middle of the night.'' Then ahe tnmed' on the light and resolTed to spend the rest of the night waiting for a fourth con- tingent of excursionists to tell her that Mr. B. would not be home until — Monday. ^ ' ' ■ ; ''^' ttop dis- IBDlght." Bolyed to Qith con- B. would CHAPTER n. " WeU girls what time shall we start to-morrow?" Eileen said she could not be ready before two o'clock; she must take a bath if she was to be gone three weeks, salt water did not agree with her; and when she took a bath her hair always came out of curl, and then it would be near lunch time, and she did not propose starting on an empty stomach, es- pecially as she was in doubt as to the kind of food she would have to put up with for some time and '' Oh, that's enough, that's enough," we both ex- claimed, raising our hands in protestation. Amy suggested that she take the rest of the week to get ready in, and perhaps she would be duly washed and !!'l 18 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 'clock when we again stood on the labelled by Sunday. It was three o'ch landing, holding our skirts about us ready to step into the boat. '• Wiii yo'i want a sail, .Miss?" Yes; we thought we should, after a great deal of discussion. " And double sculls, ma'am?" We looked at each other. We were not sure whom he was addressing. I nodded affirmatively.' '■ Ngv>-, Aiiij, ywu sil hoiL in the stern and steer, ana I'll pull stroke, but when I got set- tled in the boat Amy was pulling with me, while graceful Eileen held the lines in one hand and a parasol in the other. However, I thought, I'll be even with you yet my lady, the water will be rough- er outside the harbor and it vdW be heavier pulling then. '' Eileen, I thought when we made out our list of necessaries, parasols were excluded. We said the sun was good for one't? skin, and " '' Oh, yes, I know you did, but I thought you and Amy would r«*lly enjoy an umbrella if the sun got awfully strong, so I brought it. That re- minds me of a story I once heard of a Mr. Sampson. ]\Ir. Sampson was a very big, strong fel- low, and one day he espied what he supposed were Hii ^/,^/■,Vi^^ ^•' >od on the ly to step e thought 3d at each ddressing. tern aiid got set- tle, while id and a t, I'll be 30 rough- r pulling ir list of said the you and sui hat sun got re- ■ a Mr. ong fel- sd were THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 19 his two young sons, Harry and James, walking along in the pourin>; rain-storm in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. They were back to him, and wind and rain were driving in a steady sheet against their um- breUa, but they did not appear to be hurrying as fast as the occasion seemed to warrant. I'll play a joke on them, thought Mr. Sampson, and dropping his own umbrella he rushed between them, grabbed their legs and seated them on his shoulders. Then he dis covered instead of James he had a San Francisco bloomer maiden percned aoove him. " Oh! girls, I say, look how the boat is rocldng- I begin to feel awfully funny." 'M^VIl, no wonder, Eileen," I ejaculated, "you are steering into the trough of the seas. Here change places xnth me and T will get her head on to the waves. Don't stop rowing. Amy." In fear and trembling we crawled past eaeli other We were off Clover Point now. The wind was blowmg straiglit in our faces and seemed to be in- creasing. I knew I was steering properlv, but some- how the nose of that boat would just catch the waves the wong way, and the seas would break over her hitting Amy and Eileen squai-elv in the bn^k Thev got terribly cross about it and began pullino'all opt of stroke. ° Ill U\ 1 20 THREE GlliLS UNDER CANVAS " Girls, do be careful, you'll upset us. If she gets back into the trough we shall be swamped," I yelled at them. "I don't believe you know a thing about steering, Sadie Hunt; we are heading straight out to sea," cried Amy, tugging valiantly at the oars. Just then Eileen's head went over the side. *"' Oh ! oh ! oh ! I know we shall be drowned, and the water is so icy cold. If it hadn't been for you, Sadie Hunt, we'd never have been out here on this toni-fool trip," and sinking into the bottom of the boat, Eileen dismally rocked herself to and fro. Poor Amy still tugged at the oars, in the teeth of the wind, drenched to the skin. It was verv hard work, for just as she imagined she saw a dark heav- ing mass of oily water to the right of her to dip into, and would strike for it with all her force, that oar would catcli empty nothingness, while the left blade was buried to the handle. With almost superhuman energy, slie clung to it, but no sooner had she extri- cated the oar on the left, than the other would catcli in the crest of an incoming wave and a fearful sort of sizzing and gurgling would enwrap it, sending a shudder creeping down our backs, as the thought ran throucli us both. " How horrid the first mouthful will be." V VAS If she gets I," I jelled it steering, it to sea,** Just then ^^ed, and ^ for you, re on this »m of the fro. 3 teeth of ^erv hard ark heav- dip into, that oar eft blade erhiunan he extri- ild catch I'fid sort snding a ight ran THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 21 " Pull on vour left, Amy; pull on your left; there is a giant wave coming," I ejaculated. My hat had gone, my hair had loosened and stringy bits were blowing about my face, mingling with the tears and brine. We were all thoroughly frightened. " Kla-liow-ya," sounded at our side. Eileen screamed and fainted; Amy jumped and stopped row- ing, and the boat swung around with its stem to the gale and lay calmly to. We hadn't noticed it, but there— oh, joyful sight— was a big Indian canoe, mth a native paddler in it. " Bargain with him to take us up past Trail Island and on to Oak Bay," suggested Amy. So I began. "Ic-ta mi-ka per-sitcum dollar-er-er — Oak Bav boat?" . "^ '' Ila-lo-c'Min-tux'" (do mn imdc^rstand), ho answer- ed. ''Ic-ta mi-ka er-er — tillicum-mox quarter four " holding up four fingers, " Oak Bay?" " Oh, you mean you will give me four bits if I take you to Oak Bay?" came the question in plain En- glish. Eileen recovered from her faint. As that was exactly what we did mean, we put h ' 22 THREE GIRLS UNDER (CANVAS ashore and changed into the canoe, our Indian brave wukin^ii, lip another tillicuui (friend;, who was cahn- ly sleeping in the bottom of his craft, and putting him in charge of our boat. Then running out a dirty little rag for a sail, the fragile looking craft breasted and r(jde those towering, combing waves; but we were quite fearless now, for no one ever knew a canoe to upset when propelled by a native paddler. On, on we flew; past the " City of the Silent," nestled in its quiet bay, the sun, reflecting a thousand shafts of light from polished marble and granite; around the noble crest of rocks, whose sharp outlines hold a proHle of England's " Grand Old Man." Cut- tiii^' the skv with clear, liiiii decision, with uothiiii» to BoftcH the j)ictiire, but t!ii' ilriu outline of rock, a wind-blown pine, and a back-giound of blue ether; but what decision of purpose, what gran- firmness, and how like to him who has gone; alv/avs of one mind, always steadfast, always a towering rock of strength to his dear Queen. My eyes lowered themselves to our dusky com- panion in the stern. His strong, woll-knit fi;.>iir(' was bending under the weight of the paddle. The tide was carr\4ng us along, but it took all ids strength to steer. I glanced at Eileen. Her dainty nose was I ill! ndiau brave was cfiliii- ind putting iiing out a oking craft iiig waves; ever knew ve paddler. le Silent," a thousand d granite J I'p outlines au." Cut- ii nothiuu i of rock, of blue icit grau- e; ahva;v8 toworiiiar ^ky eom- ^ fi;.',iire le. The all his lose was THREE GIKLS UNUER CANVAS 23 cocked in the air. She was lialf reclining upon a bit of dried fish sticking out of some matting; and as it is next to suicidal to move In a canoe her pre- dicament was decidedly unpleasant. I hurst out laughing and that concentrated all minds upon me. I wonder why it is all Indians consider it the cor- rect thing to smell so strongly of fish oil. Every- tliing they touch has the same disgusting odor. I bclu'sr tilt'' tiii.:]v t'iM y coi.ir, n(;; ;.v' Ih'iil'.Ly un'e .s saturated with it, and I am sure even germs would never taekl" an Indian if they could help it. I said something to this effect to Eileen, and she said that reminded her of a friend of liers who g^ve a boll once. It was just after slie returned from Alaska, and she had picked up a good many Indian curios. After the guests had all arrived a most peculiar smell was noticed, first by two friend.^, who, after looking hard at one another strolled away. The next couple wdio occupied the sofa, had just got to the eoTifi.'lcntial part of their conversation, when the fact stru "k tliom th'it sometliing vns wrong. AVeird, uncanny tfdns of dead boc'ies i\v\.r4 behind bookshelves floated through tlieir brains. What on earth could it be? The stench now" became general. It permeated the room and T I ! 24 THKEE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS floated out into the halls. People held their breaths and mumbled of cupboard secrets. A lo- quacious gentleman mentioned to his friend that he had had the same thing happen once when he lived in New York, "it" had died in the walls^ and when his rather nervous companions grasped his arm and asked, convulsively: "What had died?" He answered, " Rats ! " Finally the hostess and her young son entered the room. " Oh, mother, hark to the smell," he said. " Hm-m-m! Yes," and retreating to the halls she called her footman and had him remove an In- dian woven hat from the wall. " Have it sent to Oak Bay to-night and thrown into the sea," she ordered. The next mornine there were six letters in the Colonist, complaining about the bad state of the drains on Oak Bay Avenue, and it was further reported that there must have been a subaqueous earthquake during the night, as a great number of dead fish had been thrown up by the sea. I wonder why it is people have such an exhalted idea of the Indians of the Coast, and sketch them in the English papers as tall, beautifully developed srvAs held their rets. A lo- friend that 36 when he the walls, 03 grasped )n entered laid. the halls »ve an In- d thrown morning iplaining )ak Bay tt there ' during lad been exhalted 'h them veloped THKEE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 25 and always wearing fringed moccasins, and a won- derful head-piece of feathers. While, in reality, they are rather under the medium height, dressed in any old clothes they can buy, borrow or steal. They are generally dirty, unkempt, bescarred creatures, with small bleary eyes, and matted, filthj hair. Of course, as they have been exposed to the temptations of civilization that may account for their dilapidated conditiom At one time their women were all "Mary's," and the men "Jim's or Tom's." An Indian once brought some fruit to the house to sell— wild blackberries, and upon my wanting a larger box than the one he held in his hand, he said, "All right, you come to the beach." The tide was out and his canoe lay at some dis- tance across the wet shining sand. Little rocks peep out — mussel-covered and slimy — and ob- truding bits of broken clam shells made walking barefooted no mean pastime. He hailed his klootch- mau, and she waded out, dragging the canoe high and dry and came across the sand with the fruit. As it, was quite a walk for her, I began asking him ques- tions. " What's your klootchman's naiiie — ' Alarv'?" " Hm ?" he asked. •M'.fi fill'! m' V :i ;:g II. II THEEE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS "What you call your klootch — ^Mary or Jennie or- >> " Oh, no; nl-ka name Evangeline." I nearly fainted. "We had now entered the tide-rips between Trial Tsljind r.nd the shore. ITcre the sea is perfectly re- lentless — Tiothi'.i .:• can get throuj^'h unless going with the current. It!s will is supreme. On, on it ^oes, diaggin:_ oi\ its bosom the streaming hair of the an- chored kelp — " forever — never, never — forever." There lay the dark fathomless, seething mass of water, boiling, 1 oiling: only that thin papery canoe between us and certain death. The tension on our nerves was awfr.l. There, on those rocks, a steamer v\'as wreckr-d as she battled for life against wind and tide, for when the two combine to destrov there is no ho])e: and in the bow a mnn wrs caught and died from the fearful expos i 'o icy blast and freezinc; spray. Our eyes raised '.'vuselves to the spot, and then wo lookr^d at each otl'er. Tho'e was a sob in Eileen's throat, and Amy's features looked pale and strained. Ugh! how that kelp reminds me of lost souls. They float on and on in the maelstrom of vice, forever on the move, yet never stirring from the spot where they are anchored. Chained about with hell's corruptness, 1 I VAS or Jennie THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 27 sveen Trial jrfectly re- going with Dn it feoes, of the an- rever." g mass of pery canoe ion on ouv a steamer wind and tv there is t and died (i freezinc; spot, and a sob in pale and )nls. Thov orever on here they 'ruptness, held in vice by drink's strong grasp, every effort to rise is checked by the tide of those about them; on, on, bnt never moving, just the length of their (Axn height; victims ever to the evil of men's depraving avarice. How I pity you, my sisters. How I long for the day when women shall stand together and turn the tide they now let flow on into their homes and lives; the strong lustful tide of bad men carry- ing all before them to satiate their greed; the lesser tide, in shore, of young men yielding to teinptatlcns held before too willing eyes. When, oh, when, \vill woiiieii make it an impossibility for man to so degrade himself, that the brute beassts are his suneriors? My thoughts were cut short by a scream. That hateful Indian, perfecth' obli^.-ioup of our terror, lind, in changing his course careened the canoe over until the water was coming in over the side. Eileen put out her hand, intending to grasp the edge to balanre herself, but I shouted at her: " Don't touch it." And there we sat most woefully out of plumb, ,vith our hands nervously locked together. . But the danger was soon passed. In a few minutes we had skirted the mass of straight, unpromising looking rocks, and were gazing at green fields, bestarred with golden yellow dande- ili:!lii ,1 ] ! ;i 28 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS lions and pale white marguerites. Sharply outlined against the sky, were figures of men and women, with golfing irons in their hands; homely cows grazed in the foreground, and sea-gulls circled and screamed and alighted on conveniently floating logs. '• " ' n Mi ill : 5I7 outlined i'omen, with ''s grazed in d screamed i. CHAPTER III. It was twilight now; we had gone on beyond the Oak Bay Hotel, and had fixed upon a spot to camp for the night. We were all as cross as we could be. In the first place, it was late before the Indian in charge of our boat came up, and we were getting into thftt state of utter collapse a woman f eelfl when in wint of a cup of tea. And when we began to unload— well, I just gave those girls a piece of my mind. I never saw such a badly packed boat in my life. The bed- ding and wraps and impediment of all sorts were piled on top of the provisions, and we actually had to move everything in that boat before we could get at the edil?li3g. I 80 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS III': We had arranged to take alternate days at the cooking, 80 we drew straws to see wliose turn it was to get tea. "We broke them off, one long one and two short. Eileen had the long one. Amy I were quite delighted, and sat down to wait for our supper. But when three-quarters of an hour had gone by, and Ei- leen was still aimlessly wandering up and dowTi the beach picking up a chip here and {here, we began to think v.e had better turn to and help her, or we should never see that coveted cup of tea. "VVe started to rnmmage. Great heavy boxes of canned corn, canned peas, tinned salmon, rolls of blankets, sides of bacon, evervthir»sr in fact in that peskv old boat that we positively could not use, stood in our way. T\"e called for Eileen to help us lift them out. She v/ap. wandering off in the direction of a cot- tage with a little tin billy on her arm. Poor Amy and I spent the next three-quarters of an hour unpacking that un\\4eldy old tub. We would start to lift out a box and just get a nice comfortable grip on it, when the boat wonld he^riv. ror-king from the swell of the sea. Down would come that hateful thing, hitting one or the other of us fairly with its keen sharp edge. Then just as I stepped out backwards, a higher wave than usual would break under the boat and " seep " up over my shoes. Finally, after barking our 7A8 THREE GIKLS UNDER CANVAS 31 tys at the irn it was e and two vere quite per. But 7, and Ei- dowTi the began to r, or we boxes of , rolls of t in that ise, stood lift them of a cot- arters of Te would ifortable njT from hateful with its higher oat and ang our I ghins, wetting our feet, and tatooing ourselves in the ribs we managed to unearth a tin of marmalade and the bread. Hunt high and low we could not find the butter. Eileen came sauntering back just as we got everything out and the fire made. She was actually singing. " I say, girls, I struck it rich up there. The old woman was making tea, and — " " You brouL'ht us some?" ^ ■ " Xo, she gave me a cup." '' Oh, you wretch ! " Finally our tea was made. It was weak and sinoky, but we declared it delicious. Eileen had even found the butter packed in a square box. Fancy butter in a square box! But all our united efforts could not open it. Eileen said her brothers always spoko about " obtaining a leverage," but how to accomplish that we did not know. However, we all said butter spoiled the flavor of marmalade, so we ate our supper with- out it. We felt now wp were equnl to anv exertion. Eileen str.rted up the bark ^vith the axe in her hand. She said she was going to chop down a young pine and get a good tent-pole. Amy and I stayed about, washed up the dishes, sorted out the blankets, found the bag of oatmeal for porridge in the morning, made up a big camp fire, and then began wondering im^ !,( "I'lli^.l li ill;': 82 THREE GIKLS UNDER CANVAS where on earth Eileen could have gone. "We started off in the direction in which she had disappeared, coo- ey-ing and halloo-ing as we went. We found her. She was seated beneath a diminutive pine whose sides showed signs of having been hit once with an axe, nursing a chopped finger. " Girls, I've nearly bled to death. I had just be- gun chopping when " " How on earth did you hit your finger if you were aiming at the tree?" I enquired. " Why, of course, I took hold of it to steady it and " Amy and I laughed. This made Eileen awfully angry. " You don't hold a tree to chop it, duffer. Here, give me the axe." I was bound to hare that tree down, and made a swinging blow for it. The axe just grazed my foot, so I said: " Never mind; there is no time now before dark to cut down trees. Let us hunt for something that will do instead." So we wandered about until we found three poles of unequal length that we thought might do. We took the longest and leaned it on the bank, then we strung the tent on it, and propped it up with the other two. It was a sorry sight when up. The bank f I THREE GIKLS UXDER CANVAS 33 was ever so much higher than the props, and the tent looked for all the world like a drunken man trying to stand straight, or a lop-earred poodle. By the time we had finished it, it was quite dark, so we crawled in under our shelter, spread the blankets out anyway, huddling close together, and tried to go to sleep. But T was restless and nervous and began trying to decide what noise that was. Finally 1 located it. It was the sickly flop of the sides of the canvas as the wind caught them. Then I began to wonder which way the wind was blowing, and if the camp-fire was far enough off not to ignite our tent. As I lay there worrying, the wind caught the tent and took it up over our heads. We scrambled out and fixed it down with big stones, and were just settling off again, when a cow came along and began cropping the grass close to the edge of the bank, and this sent a little hail of loose stones and earth pattering down on us. Finally, the thing, after a great deal of grunting and laborious breathing, lay down, and we had the added accom- paniment of crunch, crunch, crunch, as it chewed its cud, for a lullaby. It was to this music that at last we sank to sleep. I shall never know at what hour it took place, but a benighted and well-freighted pedestrian came alpngt^ie bank sometim^B between, midnight and dawn 34 THREE GIRLS UNDER (^\NVAS III I'' FiTTiiTif;- n^ tlif top of h's voice. He just noticed ^ho cow in time to av< id lier, but mi-sol his fof;tin'ji:, kickr^l our tent-polo cloav of the hvnk, pnd -anio down with it on top of us. Wlien lie regai^ied hi;'^ feet, he set off across the shingle at a run. We ■'''elled and yollod. Tt was no use: h( would iu»1 come back. I verilv believe he thouijht wc were part of a bad dream. T never knew a tent had so much cloth in it. We tried our level best to get out, we started time and again from the centre, and each took different direc- tions, and on our knees made bee-lines for the edge of that tent, but no opening could we find. Again and a^ain we made the attempt, but always wound up by coming back to the same spot. We got hot and cross — it made no impression upon that hideous en- veloping mass of canvas. It would, in spite of us, dabble its cold old folds over our noses, hit us an un- promising thump on the side of the head; or wreath itself around our legs until we wondered whether we had two apiece, or had they turned to mermaid's tails. Then we held a consultation. Should we go on like this until morning or — no; we thought the beat thing to do was to lie down close together and wait for daylight. Oh, dear, never want to spend such another night. THIJEK GIRLS UNDER (^ANVAS 35 Tireo^'n you brute," in a horrid twangy voice, imitnting n bic coavso ma">!, an-! then he backed off a short distance and barked and barked and barked. We yelled at him, and flopped the tent at him, and tried everything v-c could think of to stop him. It was of no use. Then we decided to lie perfectly quiet until he got tired out. Minute after minute slipped by; we thought surely every bark wouM be his last. Our brains began to measure out the sounds, and we caught ourselves waiting for each succeeding intona- tion. Eileen grew hysterical and began quietly chuckling in rhyme to the yaps. The suspense from one wave of sound to the other, became unbearable. Finally Amy, whose eye had alighted on a streak of daylight, threw back the tent Baying: " Sadie Hunt, I hope the next time a dog chooses 36 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS you for a resting place, you'll have the sense to lie still and not disturb everybody else by making such a fuss." This was the last straw, we all crawled miserably out, and wandered aimlessly up and down a wet slimy beach, in the cold raw morning air, a damp, de- pressed, yawning and dishevelled lot of women. ense to lie iking such miserably wet slimj damp, de- nen. CHAP'rEIl IV.. The next few days were delioions. We had camped in a secluded little bay, and as we were not going to move on for a day or two, we had unloaded the boat. We had fixed our tents so cosily; we had improvised an awning for the lunch apot, out of a stretch of can- vas we carried to cover the boat with in case of rain; we had cut pine boughs, and laid them in the crooks between the maples to form cosy seats; we had af- tached a little larder to the trunk of a tree, to stoi'e our perishable edibles in, and in the semi-circle We called home, for the present, no prettier spot could have been found. All around us lay the most gof- geoiw little scraps of landscape. Nature here seemed ^ 88 THREE GIRLS U^'DER CANVAS running rampant, la^ash in her Spring display, as she lingered in the warm winds, dreaming of the scene she 'd lay. Then with her arms filled high with color, she touches with her breath the earth, and pale green carpets blossom over, covering all the naked spots. Now with needle pricked with color, she etches out the buttercups; lifting each frail face, beseeching, with their mild timidity. Next she spreads whole fields with lilies, perky-eyed and sweetly-scented, lending by their addeS^ whiteness purity to color deep. There bevond them stuck at intervals, on their slender upright stems, stand tlie peacocks, quite im- portant of the sentinels they seem. Black tips reversed and yellow-eyed, they try to play at soldiering, and have just obeyed the order '* arms reversed " the baa lambs gave. Now at the back of her green patches, Nature sets the Douglas pine, tall and straight and majestic. With needle points bent rigid, upright, these stand swaying to and fro, playing on the harp of Mother Earth. They whisper of the deeper passions, as they strike their brittle strings and murmur of con- tinual sadness. Then thinking that her picture still, is slightly on the side of green, she opens up the womb of Earth and raises slaty piles of rocks. These she paints in a f: ■: \ splay, as she Df the scene ti with color, 1 pale green laked spots. i etches out beseechinp^, eads whole itly-scented, color deep. s, on their I, quite im- ps reversed iering, and 1 " the baa Mature sets jestic. hese stand of Mother issions, as IT of con- iightly on of Earth paints in THREE GIRLS UXDER TAXVAS 39 dull grey colors, mantling them with lichen spots, and from their torn and jago-ed side, she rears a tough young heart of oak. T-stead of fightin." with the waves; instead of blood-stained battle decks, she tells him It is his only duty to cast liis shadow o'er her fields. And there he stands with sunlic^ht dancing through his polished leaN-es of green, v:ln]e .ntliin his older brandies sways the '^ old man's " hoarv beard. With countings pictures suph as these, does Na- ture touch her Island home; and round it sets her snow-capped hills, and over all, an azure sky. The sun had cast its westering shaft and over all a crimson glow spread slowly; touched the hills and trees and turned the sky to molten gold. Then little stra3ang fleecy clouds, put on the scarlet-coat- ed hue, till all the earth was stained with it, and all the sky was gorgeous. And gradually I watched it die—die out, that crimson benediction; fade gently off to golden glows, and slowly pass from gold to grey Till only in the West held crimson, as if ^to show me what I'd lost; while long straight fingers beckoned upwards, and upon the listening senses came the sound of tinkling music. I think it was only a sheep bell, but pictures such as these always move 40 TIIllEE GUILS UNDEIi CANVAS me. I turned and took up the milk billy and start- ed off across the fields. I was still meditatively enjoy- in^' the pale, pearly ]ij>;hts, when lookin. >, I saw a cow just ahead. She was gazi) straight at me. Truly she did not look very fierce, but my steps involuntarily went back towards some wild rose bu-hos I hid just left. Then the thought of the "chaffing" I was sure to g.^t from the other girls came to me, and I boldly took three steps for- ward. The cow was not directly in front of me, but I had to pass close to her. There was a path across the field, but on either side the land had been ploughed, and left rough and unharrowed. It was perfectly impossible to walk over the ridgv^s, besides if the cow rushed at me, I never could have made headway over such uneven ground. As I said, I boldly took three steps forward, when the cow raised her head and coughed; I nearly tum- bled over myself in my haste to roach those rose trees. Then I made another attempt and it was perfectly pathetic the way my hand went out to care:s the thorns on those bushes at my back. I felt sorry for myself. {That brute never budged, even when I tried by flopping my skirt at her and saying, '^shoo mooley, and start- elj enjoy- ', I saw straight i, but my >me wild lought of the other steps for- t of me, IS a path had been It ^va8 i, besides ve made •d, when rly tum- lose rose terfectly re :s the ried by mooley, TIIKEE GIRLS UXDER CANVAS 41 mooley," but gazed straight ahead. I gave her time to wander off, but she did not seem to have any in- clination that way. Then when I had almost given up hope, she turned slowly around and began graz- ing. Xow I thought I am all right, and bracing myself I began to walk quickly past her. I had got to within a foot of her tail, when the horrid thing choked again. I screamed and fled, certain that I was being pursued. I rushed into camp, and told the girls that a cow had nearly chased me. They rose simultaneously, and gathering their skirts about them, said: "Where? When?" I pointed to her and said: " There." They looked at each other and laughed. ''Why, Sadie Hunt," said Amy, ''I've been by that cow fifteen times this week. Chased you! Why the poor brute has a lame leg and can hardly walk." ''Siidie, that old antiquated thing couldn't be per- suaded to ri:n if her life dei ended upon it. Here, give mo ihe tin," sarcastically added Eileen, and grabbing it from me she started off. It was her turn to get tea so I had to do it. Amy was unmerciful. She kept up a running fire of sarcasm all the time I was getting the fire laid 42 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS and tlie tilings out. "Do you kuow I believe you would be afraid of a two day old calf. You make a fearful fu8s over little thiiig.-!. Yon remind me awfully of a man named Sinitli — Tom Smith, wlio used to live at Saauicli. He stood six feet two in his stockings, and wa> broad in proportion. He always rode a big deep- chested black horse, which had a habit of throwing his feet out in a most awe-inspiring manner. Every- body got out of the way when Smith v/as coming; he never sto])ped for anything, took gates and fences and fallen trees without ever drawing rein. I was visiting in tlie country one summer, and one day I was sitting at the window sewii)<2' when Smith came tenri.ig alo:!.'; like a madman. Pie cleared tiio gate at a bound wiiuoiit evev waiting to open it. I w;;s >ur.' soiiic p.wfu^ calami y had occurred. Wiid thoughts rf the city bei::g burned to the ground with fearful loss of life flashed tlirough my brain, j)i d rushing breathlessly down th;^ stairs, T reaidied tl'-e doir just as Lis horse planted his two front feet inside the kitchen stoop. "AVhar is it?'' I gasped, my eyes starting from their socket-, ami my ha id-^ clenched to sttady me for son^.e fearful news. " Please, Miss, will'ee lend me two eggs, the wife M'a^it'-' to make a nudding," replied Smith. *v VAS afraid of a fuss over of a man live at kings, and big deep- throwing '. Every- 3 coming; nd fences 1- I was >ne day I litli came tile ^ate occurred. d to tiie Dugh my stairs, T his two !ig from ■ady mo ;he wife OHAPTER V. After luncheon we decided that as the day wHt. so beautifully warm, we would wade. Eileen was the first to reach tlie water, and an ear-piercing sliriek made me think a devil fish had caught her big toe. " Oh! girls! Oh!" she wailed, "the water is like con- centrated ice. Oh ! I shall never get over the chill of it. It feels as if an electric shock has run riglit up ray leg and along my spine to the base of my brain." Amy had by this time deposited her shoes ard stockings, and with the delightful assurance, thai if von ran quickly into the water, you did not feel the chill of it so mu',-h, she suited the action to the words and went in just over her ankles. •ir 44 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS "Ah-ung! Ah-ung!" we heard her exckim. Her mouth was wide open, her forehead wrinkled, her eyes blinking. When she regained her breath, she said: "Oh, ^iAa, ^„ is like a thousand hornets stinging you. Oh, I don't believe I can stav in a second longer." "Stick to it. Amy, I am coming in a minute,'' I assured her. It was cold, irt u. thing to make so much fuss about. Eileen would Kn -venture iu again; she sat on the sand Wuh bt^" knf i-.^wn up to her chin, slutting little pebbled at o-if i , and making unen- viable remarks. First she declared that 1 hadn't enough fat on my legs to freeze, and that ham bones never felt chilled even when in cold storage. Then she screamed and told Amy she distinctly saw a long dark, thin object reaching out for her. Amy ran to the beach, but I waded boldly out, to the spot wnore she had been. Then Eileen remarked that probably even ham bones would be a luxury to a devil f'sh. However, I got the best of her wheo I waded ashore dragging a long, sinuous piece of sea- weed behind me. But what did trouble me was my abominable skirts. We were still too near civilization to abandon them. VAS laim. Her inkled, her breathy she 3ts stinging in a second minute/' I muck fuss im; she sat o her chin, iking nnen- it 1 hadn't ham bones 3. Then saw a long imy ran to spot wnere .t probably devil f'sh, ded ashore cd behind able skirts. don them, THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 45 and it was perfectly impossible to keep them Atj. Have you ever noticed a woman in wading] She starts off with a little toss of her head, as much as to say, "I can be as independent as any man." She holds her skirtB up with her left hand, and puddles with a stick with the right. So long as she is in water not more than ankle deep, she is t^afe enough, but let her try to get out, even to the deptli of her calves, and she soon becomes miserable. To do this she must clutch both sides of her skirts. She is just enjoying it when a bit escapes, the left side of her petticoat is dangling in the water. She grabs it ap, and the wet, floppy thing dabs its clammy folds against her legs. Then a dear friend whispers to her that she has her clothes too high. In her haste to lower them, they all fall down and go spreading about her in a beautiful fan-like device. Oh, for the.jsase that a man enjoys. How he dis- counts us in a case like this, or on a windv dav. I can see nothing wrong in a woman wanting the same freedom, it is only a matter of skirts to the knees and bloomers. And it is coming, girls, it is coming. You dress your daughters in bloomers in the college gymnas- ium, and their common sense will do the rest. I waded nsliore and began discu-^sing the siiljeft ill il 11^ III I iM 46 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS with Amy and Eileen. Eileen was quite disgusted. She said, "Women would lose all their attractiveness for men if thev adopted any other style of clothing than that they now wore. It was her very secludedness that caused her to be sought after. Once let her adopt man's attire, and her attractiveness would be gone, why — " "Then I don't want to be attractive," I broke in, "if it dcpcntis upon drabby skirts, and a caged-in mode of living. Thoy distinctly belonged to the last generation; and although men wooed women longer, and fought liarder for favors, still the majority of those women did not retain their husbands' affec- tions. It was only the extreme delicateness of the woman that appealed to him, the dainty, languid ways, the shell-like complexion, the tapered fingers, and scented locks. Now when men condescend to marry, or women consent to trust their future to a h.ere m?ile man, they do so for a decided liking they eael' have for the other, and if slie proves capable of dis'.usoing matters with him, practical and with sen- sible views of her own, she retains his affections, and it grows, and ripen?, and expands, until tlieir souls cling to each other, not for the mere scent of her hair, or the sensual love of her lips, but for the light tlia"^ slr"ne;= o:it of ho:' eyes, and the developed being 4 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 47 he knows lies within their depths. Ho would not drcaKi of wronging her, 1 ecause he could not wroTig himself, and she is part of his inc-ividuality; he can- not tire of her bceanse of her ' infinite ^-ariety' ; she is Ills othf]' self, and a trae companion fo" lii'.\ She can understand and appreciate all he explains to her, and i'^ not merely his toy or spoiled darling. There was so little difference betveen a man's wife and his mistress, in the old days, that more oftrn than not lie chose the Litter, because he could leave her when she worried him. They both had empty, hollow, shallow natures; they both wept, and smiled, and pouted; their brains could hold nothing above [netty dresses and baubles. But the advanced woman's hurrbaiid will need no other companionship than that of his own wife, because — ." I glanced at my companions. They were both asleep. Thus we kill by ennui all the noble aspirations of great souls. It is on account of our inertness that the world is still the same old troublesome place to live in, as it was in ages past. I lay back and let the sun caress and soothe me, and little ripples of -^-ind lift my hair from off my forehead, until I too dozed. ili CHAPTER VI. We were loathe to leave our campin;^' spot, it waa 80 leautiful. Acrcss to our riglit v.as the giant Olympic Range, so still, and white, and marvellously beautiful. Here we could lay in our hammoc^ks, and have a most gorgeous ])ariOrama spread out before \is. To our left tlio snow-clad Mount Bakor glojimed and glistened, cooling our heated pulses, by the very chasvitv of its icy mantle. Fairy i-lands filkd the foreground, variable and verdure covered, while the tide-rips roared and echoed, as they passed the anchor- ed buoy. We spent most of the day-time in drift- in:?: aboi:t with tlic tide* reading alou'l when the mood took us, or quietly reclining upon cushions and studying the sea, the sky, or the lichened rocks; but THREE GIULS UNDEU CANVAS 49 more often than not just "thinking great thoughts." It is Nature's way to open her heart to those living close on her bosom, and tempt them with sweet pic- tures and quaint contrasts. Here, within a sloping corner, set on a carpet of emerald green, a flock of sheep are grazing. A snow-white ewe lifts up her head, and with a mother's instinct, bleats for her young wandering lamb. With heels in air and side-long movement, he comes ambling o'er the green, and we look at each other and laugh, it is all so simple and homely. Little wild ducks skim the water, diving with such hasty energy, as if their tiny lives depended on the quickness of their work. A solitary i^ad-eyed seagull lightens on yon floating log, gravely swaying up and down, as the ground swell rocks his perch. Now our boat has drifted in-sliore, and our gaze can reach the bottom, where r.mong the slimy peb- bles, little fish dart to and fro. There lies sprawling, right bei;eath us, on the hard uneven surface, a giant star-fish, from wliose sides the slanting sunbeams gravely dance. Nearer, nearer, now we're drifting, till there comes that soothing sound, of the lapping of the water^■, as thej" roll the pebbles over, and tinkle backwards to the sea. There we swav and laze and idle, dreaming all our time away, scarcely touching ''i' ll u , I I • ;l||lill 50 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS vca li:!g ma^'e/, Xalr/.o fills our ^e^ses so. That evening Amy Cdoked a most elaborate dinner whi' li Eileen and I lu artily enj( yed, but \vhi?h nia.k' ii;^ qr.i^" jealous ^v^' her -^uli; a:-y art. AV'^ srid wi" must try to outstrip her. A ft'.T'.va; d'^ W" liglicd :i nin^^f gjuriou- camp fire, and sat on a log ton sting ourselves, for the nights are always cool even in July and August. This w&s the (-■':/ ti- o.' !' V wli I- t A'c:; y-:'our Iiou.'s ilia!" I really v.-islun! a mau had leer, about. TlieiT- was such an awful ioncsomcr.oss in th(> dead !)lnckness that lay all around. It seemed so dense and utterly impene- trable. Of coiirse I would not have acknowledged to the girls the eerie creei)y feeling that took posses- sion 01 nie, but the impossibility of seeing or hearing anything outride of our ring of fire, made me always feel nervous. I would not have gone a foot along those tands after the fire was lighted, for a thousand pounds. Frequently people hailed us from the water as they passed, but we could not get a glimpse of them, although we were plainly visible. Eileen ah\'ays made it worse by relating all the weird, horrible things she could think of as soon as darkness co^■ered us. She was awfully fond of Poe's "Black Cat'' and similar horrors. Amy and I tried our best to stop her, but it was of no use, she took THKEE GUU.S UNDKR CANVAS 61 added delight in tormenting us. Finally, Amy and I resolv ' ' 1 thoroughly frighten livv. One evening we go. ..er o[»p<)site to ns, witli her back to t\\o long, uneven stretch of sand, and began. We knew Eileen hated Chinamen, and was always distrustful of them, 80 we took them as the base of our story. "I read nn awful thing in the San Francis^'O Ex- aminer," I began. •'Yes," inquired Amy, "What was it?" "It seems that a few miles outside of San Fran- cisco there are large vegetable gardens owned ahiiost entirely by Chinamen. They lay side by side, and stretcl^ )r miles." "A tlcman, a tourist, was wandering about in that direction one day, and leaving the main road, h^^ stnrted to cdi^s the fields. On, on, he went, over turnip fields, through rows of onions, acr< ss hillocks of potatoes, until he thought he would never reach anywhere. Suddenly a peculiarly nauseating smell permeated the air, and filled his olfactory organs. Ment, meat, he was certain it was meat, but what a hateful added flavor. Then he perceived ^trdight before him a pot boiling and bubbling, nid it was the awful sickening scent of the steam thr.t he was compelled to breathe. He staited to run, run, run, to try and escape it; on, on, still OA-er (lie e-anic un- w d I 52 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS ,even ground,, going over fences and through gaps in the hedges, but still pursued by the striell of the boiling kettle. !N"ow he noticed that at slated inter- vals these pots stood brewing in the hedges over livre coals. It was impossible for him to avoid them, he must get back to the high road. Then he noticed a heathen hoeing and resolved to question him. "What you boil-ee — what you cook-ee in that pot. You show me way go home. Sab-ee. ' "Me heap sabee. You no go home. Molican man bones cook in pot. Bime-by you go pot to. Heap good soup-ee." Horror-stricken he turned and lifted the top of a pot. Sure enough it was human bones and humun meat rotting, that had turned him 60 deathly sick. He seemed frozen to stone, he thought two horrible gabbering Chinamen seized him; and one with a cime- tar sliced his head oif over a pot, but it would roll back to its natural position and unite again with his neck, and he had to go through the paiii of it over and over again. Oh, Eileen, what is that elo?e be- hind you?" Eileen ^''•earned and fled to the tents, and ^\e were not troubled with any more weird tales. The night was so mild that we thought it would be nicer to lie with the flaps of the tent caught back, THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 53 and our cots pulled to the opening. We had got comfortably settled and were on the eve of dozing, when Eileen said, *'I remember; once when I was in Southern Cali- fornia. I was visiting Miss Cassy Lake and her mother. She was a very rich old lady, and so eccen- tric. The heat that summer was intense. All day long we sat and fanned ourselves, and drank iced drinks in a vain attempt to keep cool. After sundown it became slightly more bearable, and the evening proved to be the best part of the day; but when we retired for the night it was awful. "VSTe would strip to naught but our nightgowns; we would throw up the windows their full length; nothing seemed to make any difference. There we lay, and tossed and tossed, while the perspiration stood out on us in great beads. I stood it for about three nights, then I told Cassy it was no use, I should po^iti\'ely melt to a grease spot unless something was speedily done to put me out of my misery. She said she was p.ot used to killing even chickens, but she would do her best if I insisted. It was the only way she knew, of really getting a^' ay from the heat, but then if all the stories one heard were true, even that might not be efficacious. However, she knew that outside of my body, I was but very imper- o early. l>nt we persevered bravely, and after Imntirg f . r thiee-qu:ir!ei8 of an hour, managed to dig out the rowlocks from about a ton of sand. I never ki ew <.f an.thini quite !=o tanializ:ng as rowlofk- ti) ta!ibl(" p oj)le I el;)'ng yoi. Until -ud- dcnly Amy thought of putting a rolling log under the stern, and letting her come down on that. Thou we licamed upon cacli other agiin: and walked off arm in arm to find the log, and brought it carefully, and gently, and considerately across the sands, and laid it bv the hi 'at. We told Ei'cen to roll it unltT v.hi'e we "l''ted. But contact witli that boat pr.t \ 8 fearfully out of temper again. It seemed that seconds slipped into minutes, aid minutes into hours, :md still we were holding that boat. "For go 'dnc£8 ?a':e tcW it unc'er s me t'm- to- day," we called to hor. " Do you think we want to hold tlie bally old tliii)g n fortnigl t i" Then she did it s- suduenly sh;^ sjueeze] her fingers and said : " Oh, hang it !'' But in pushing under the log we had imbedded the Vow more firmly than ever. Then we lookei.l appcal- ingly around the landscape, to see if we could possibly see a mere male man. T believe Eileen really thought one was g ing to drop from the sk"ei. She was ai-tir.f. on t' e wet I'l* 04 TIIKKE GIRLS I^XDKl: (WXVAS beMcli, lifi- anus ahoiu h r kneos. iiazin;: away Into space with a happy content. d smile on her f i.-c. '' Kilccn, wliiit Do you s '(^" w q.eii 'McJ. " I was thinkinii"," slic drawled in n !i,ir,'jravatingly lazy voice, ''of a dear little boa' 1 saw jus a 'oiind that point yesterday. It's ab mt hidf llie siz;- <4 t\\U one and belongs to ■ " •' W(dl, we'll go and get it. 1 don't propo^f to miss my morning's pleasure because I cann(H launoli that old tub,'' 1 said. " I'll ju4 give Mr. Jones a piece of my mind when wv get liome. The id(»a of sending us out in such a henvy oL! thing." So oft we set across the sands, carryinu' our rowlocks and oars and tackle. As we approached that other boat, we saw a tiny tent hiistiiy put u]) in a niche between two boulders, so we crept up on tip-toe, grasped the oars and row- locks, which were lying just outside^ in a careless non- chalant inaiinor on the sands, and — dro]>ped them suddenly. Our hair froze to our heads: our eves stuck out of their sockets. What was that awful noise we heard, like the muttered growlings and snarlings of some fearful beast oi prey, proceeding from the tent. Yes, there it was again. Could some wild animal havo stplen in, in the ijight, and was even now feeding on and row- fei4<^; \V- ••.•.; • ...■=v..f ■■•^^v>fci•v: J AND THEN, OH JO' >L SIQHT! I SAW A MAN. 11 j:\ue '■> (\\S\ ho the viiah of the unhappy mortal who Tear cUf ! to my oje , ad -treanie.l ,I.>m',, ^v 'o-a^ ■. ;wfn- piot. o \ hd onjmed up of the VI ;i:;; within. 'i'iie-: FAU'vn gay, n qnier chucldc and sairl: " It's 'uW th<. beast siiorin-. Jack aounds like that sonK.hn.s:on'ythN fUov h. le^Ml. drop in th. nnrket sound out." Tlici. Aiuv and I r .issnred liftP-j tl„. i,„,,- ij^^o th- varor, ■ ,.1 Kil,.,.- stopp,.,] in an-, m,, h,., pi,,.,. ;,, tho I'M. M at la t u- w(r<. veaily otl" i looked al niy wat.l, r v.- ix i; ;ea.;ty n •. 'I'l,,. sin a got- t-a, w n rrfcdin.. r: ^i- rils oHi^hf; there w..s a trosh-e. an. hu.yn. .y ^. the an- M.veH.n..wn ! r- li'gni^vot'e. ;.::i.r ar- day, , n 1 w. I;ooa , „> en joy "^^^f'- P^',\ main strength, he pulled that thing up hign iBOUgll tu reucii tlie hook, and when be cut it out, he roiled U|> lUe tackle, aaa started fur the shore. Then he uutieeu hiS companion haa fainted. aNo.>, he wai mijre usea to fishing tackle than Woineii, uiiicu waa nut saying much; and the only .^.....u^, i L ^uuid reniemuer, was water, so ho hUed Jr.- 1.... aiiu emptied it over her. When she reached -liuu, she was wet, depressed, cold, and hungry. They had been out an hour and a half. The dinner was stone cold, aitd ihe rest of the crowd never stopped teasing them. She had to spend the evening dressed iu his old sweater and coat and they both smelt of smoke. This was having him at too close quarters. There was too much of him in those clothes. She never turned her head, but the scent of " him '* waa wafted to her; she never raised her arm, but what his I i ill' 08 TUUEE GIRLS UNDKR (CANVAS coat slec^ve bruahed her face; if slie put hiT hand in hia pocket, she struck cigarette papers and tobacco and dirty pipes. She had rather liked him before this; but she began to hate him now. There was altogether too much of him about. Ainv sjiid she had never been out fishiui; since. Now Amy and Eiken were no fislierwomen. I mean, tliey were n(« W(»meii-fi?-h( in. I nie;in they did not enjoy thiowinu n hook an•> sak; , -'on ' row! Xow lie hn tiir ed a an. He's comini'. Ah — ther; 1.; ernes — the e he ome. My, isn'i he a beauty. Oh if 1 can only 'and h hi." Hanil over hand I pul'ed hii, n. It got s > e":cit ;t9 i 'I*' THREE UIKLS UNDER CANVAS 69 ing as he came iiearor. First lie would shoot off in one direction; thon turn and fly off in another. In my excitomdil 1 ^ot on my knees in the bottom «>f the boat. Finally he jumped out of the WMter, and will', i mighty flop, F la'-dod him. Now get' ing a salmon into ;i boat i quite ii" cay thin^, cnmpar d to keeping bini there afterwaids. He b; gnn to flip and flop, and jump, and ziggle (a word of my own). " Hit him, Amy' Oh hit him! He'll be o'vi in a minute,*' 1 cried impl»rin<''\v. Meanwhile I tried to gr;)'> and hold him for her; I was Itn) ex(*ilei(\ss to try and move under so mueh avoirdupois, ho lay still, only flipp.tig his tail a tiwy weeny bit; oo grabbing the stick, I Id; h.n lU the nose, and he was mine — mv ve/y o 'i. Force is often a very good thing if ])r()perly used — froi.i a little ftircc applied to -i child. !> f rci u~ed t • make one's bes*^ you'-.u' man toe the mark. T remember once a remarknblc in''iden1 of the ef- ■ 1 ( 11. m^i 70 THREE GIRLS UKDEU CANVAS feet of force. Our three-hiindred-pound washer- woTuan liEi'J threateiied to " sit '' on her daughler-iii- law unless she turned to, and tidied up her houfe. We begged her not to. We pointed out how frail and tliin the p. or little woman was; and th(> seriona (•onsequenees of her young children being left mother- less. We C()ax(>d her wilii tears in our eyes not to be so inexorable ; tliat suffocation bv such a process would be terribly painful; but no, she had made up her mind the wonum wanted a good lesson, and she should have it. Then we rushed off post haste, and told the woman of hei' mother-in law's dreadful threat to "sit" on her; and the tlioughts of that .ngonizina- misemldc death, and the three hundred pounds, seemed to put new life into her. She buckled to, and scrubbed and cleanrci ?o a.-siduou.sly that when her mother-in-law drove out, she hunted for four hours before she could find the house; and when she did, there were just two planks and th^' bed loft — the rest had been scrubbed away! , , But to return to that fish and th' horrib'e itate I was in. I was fish right up to my eyes; my jacket, my skirt, and my boots reeked with oozy slimy fish scales. " Row me ashore I Oh, row me ashore I" I pleaded THREE GIKLS UNDER CANVAS 71 while T sat there, and the film on my hands hardened, .' n«l the stro'il's on my face grew ri -\ 'ii.» h'B f II 'v 72 TlIJtKl-: GIIiLS UNDKR CANVAS I could see liihi plainly as 1 drev. nearer. He was wtrkiug over his liro with ono knoo on tli ■ i-and then he cro88ed to his tent and returncti witli a black pot. *' I'm just in time for breakfast," I grimly thought, for [ rather expected an embarrassing me. ting. He never took the slightest notice of me. Now, if he had only come down to the edge of the water, and toi'n his hair, and si^am; ed ni) an! rother- i la ays d cs, it would have been so eai: ; but t total 'gnore rae — • oh, it waa hard. I pul'ed th' boMl in rtiul tli :; i g tended to try, aii'.' you will pxciiso oiu- takin: it thi, -uorn- ;ng, bur wv tii.d 10 launch .mr own an 1 .vi.,n.„n f„rt. nl>l(> tlMK of It. _ '^Will yoM.;<.i,. „, at Mv.kfn.tr s'^j.l n,i. ^-wcl- in^iV iiifc vo iig num. "Oh., . i l^nn!:-;'Iha.!lK.i,u:,whonlfho.W„ wL^t.sphr.ii.i joh i, ,.,;,]. .,,„, ,,_j,, ;; , l^'l^l'Tl -Well. I h,li.v, T will, r.n ...Ih-'v.,^ Ami rlH.„ 1 showed hi.n niv 'ov-.]v .alnion, n„d h. '''7' ""■'•^-^"'^"^ "•^■^^^^ Ir-H ^' -fen- ;, real: f.sl ..ul I said 1 Would. IT 74 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS Well, when those girls saw me sit down and begin my breakfast with that nice young man for a com- panion, they sneaked off along the bank, and never looked back, and had such a mean, woe-begone look, that 1 began to laugh. Then 1 had a lovely time. I told my gentleman acquaintance all about our funny time trying to launch our boat, and he kept getting on his knees in front of me as he helped me to different tilings, and then he would suddenly look up, and we would gaze at each other, and study each other's face; and then a happy contented smile would edge the corners of his mouth, and we would go consciously on with our breakfast. And all the time the salty-tempered air would blow around us, and the sunlight danced upon the shining pebbles, and struck his bare head, and lighted up his eyes, and he showed me how to clean a saucepan wdth s&nd, and it was lovely. And thin he took out his gun and explained it to me, and smiled when I seemed afraid of it, and got behind him; and then he primed it, and told me to aim at some })lovers, and when I shiinkinaly told him I was afraid of a gun, he said: '* Why, I thought I saw one among your belong- ing as I came across the beach." *' Oil, yes, so yon did," I snid with a saucy little .1 ;l THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 75 jerk of my head," but it is n..t to ilioot game with. We took it just to frighten anybody with, if they ut. }} then he threw back his head and laughed bothert And then boisterously, and I saw the flash of his perfect, even teeth. T!;; u \v '.Lo{ int.' tlio boat, and I insisted on pull- ing, and as wo shot out, 1 caught sight of our own fire, and one of the girls shaded her eyes and pointed towards us. And then the other looked, and then '^hey both turned their backs and started to work as aid as they could — and I was perfectly happy. And we two in the boat talked and talked. What about? Oh, nothing' in particular. Jle said ho had never caught a salmon in his life, and I said: '' You nevor will if you don't keep that lino mov- iniz:/' aiitl thou he want' d lo know wliore I had learned >o much about fishiuii^'; ahd hi-, eyt a .-aid as phiinly as possihlc: " llow j"l!y you aro." And tlicn he s^aid excitodlv: L '' Do you know 1 foil the lino kick," and 1 crawled ovor hy liiiii, and took hold of it and said: ■■ Yes, tlierr is a fish on ii. I know Uy the i witch- ing," and we both smiled into each other's ficc. I told him to hriiig him in quickly, hut evenly, and not to give him too much play. I m I 76 THIiEE (URLS UNDER C'A.WAS He Iniided him all right and did not seem to mind whethor hv ever hit him over the nose or not. Then almost immediately we caught another, and then we fished for a long, long time but got no more bites. So he suggested that we puU in the line &ud ho would row, and 1 agreeing, we made the change. Then we talked about everything under the siin. He asked me if I I elicved that '' what is, is good," and we dis- cussed the subject a long, long time, and finally got on to theosophy, which is always a safe topic if you know nothing about it. And I said : '* Faiu'y worshipping a bit of yi'ur own self and the highest aim lioing eternal sUop,' and he said: " If I come back, I'd want to be a cow. It leads such a peaceful, easy-going life." And r yard liis iMOUth was not larger eii- ugii for a cow's, 'ind lie lo k. d C')n8ci()us • nd i* s oiled the argumenf, if there was any. Oil, we had a lovely time. And then he took me home, and I had to take his liand to get properly out of tlie boat, .and it sent :> thrill away up my arm. The girls M'ere not in sight, and T asked liim to stny to lunch, but he -aid he had proinifed to lunch with some friends who were campin;;- at Cadboro Bay. He looked quite sori*y. TPiriEE GIRLS ('NI)ER CANVAS 77 And fhtm li(. rais,.,! his lu,t pr.a wan gone I sat there and dreamed Hnd forgot to get the lunch ready, and when the girln . ame back, they were hor- nbly croM and naatj. * I i» CHAPTER VIII. Amy askod nic i+' I wouhl go for ji walk with licr acT(»s8 the fields, and 1 said of course I would. She said .she had to change her waist, but woidd not ho a minute. Well, I waited about for some time and then started doing odil chores. I went and fille-1 the waiei- bucket, gathered chips for the eveninu' uk al, ii!!il then I g"t tire\' a pic-e o'" ril)bon. In an evil hour I popped into a friend'^ house and did her hair three times. She said it was an imusual thing, but she supjjosed the talking bothered her. I sug- gested that I wait for her in another room, but she would n(>t hear of it. She said her hair niiiiht Jis well get used to being done in public, and as she said it, she had such a knowing self-conscious smile on her face. After the third attempt it was done (so slu^ said), but it seemed so loose and untidy I was sure it was not Si-eurc Then she wasted five minutes wan- der! i.i; wbal dies-; she had better wear. She stood before lu'r wardrobe with her finucr on hei- lip a- she Mimle thf choice. 1 snuuest ' her d;ii'k -^avv bine, as I haii n"'i'\\ ill !• underskirt, and slic said siir would not dan' tij g(> bontiiii: at nii>;ht without that, she would bo sure to calch her dcalli of cold. She had la('0 for her; but this unfor- tunatolv h 1 tlu whoh' of her hair down. Iler drcsa was so ti^ht, siic oould not possibly raise her arms in it, s(. o' ■• had t. ,,i!ic and th" u'ldorneath bodice aft(i' ii. > bill sii' \isvi] ii(",' iia i'. i'licu ^^lio opciiid her npjH'i' biii' ai. drawer, and aft r to-sini>- ov< r all the neek ribb(.us in siulr s'l declci'd. tha; -."Wr of them suji- d. ihc waist she ii'id on. -:,, .{f ■■]]■ bu'nv eter and borro,; a gTccii piece that she had takci' a faur\ to wear ti n' ni^ht. It was 'oo lale to u(, to Town now. 'iue <'ion(i would ))<• t;athcrit,,u at lie house jw a few lu'uute."* to Stan froii. there to the landin^j Siic p Ii,'!- \i;> pinred on. :if)d o^ic lylo'r >v,>l] on her hand, and wnt oui to the froi.i dooi. llcf ))• a I'illiKH (TiliJ.tS UNDEK C^ANVAS SI young man liad arrived, and for a few minates .-he stood talking to him. Tlien (Mhcr groups strolled up. Tlioy wore nil there uow l»nt tlir* e, when «h(' hap- pen ed to look at the skv Oh," she exclaimed, " 1 believe it i S t cliange niv dress. 1 won't be a minute, Fred. Don't you others wait," iind she l)olted Inu-k into tlic house. A\'e strolled ill gi'ou'w to the bojit-honse and hiit.g around there for an hour, at the enayiii<2: *' Tlvre, 1 told yon I wonldiTl Ix! five minutes. ( lot hi e very bod V.'' Ani^- WIS ']nire eros>^ with nit when I wont i)aek. She s.nid I ha' spoilt the whole aftirnoon fop hoi. Slie liad been huntina' for me everywhere. Eileen spareii mi- i replv by suddenly saying : " Sadie, do you mind how [ e<.,,lv that salmon." " Why no. i'i eour-ie not," I answered, ''as l^iig as it IS good. S.; -;h ve*i) 'd ii the tent and unearthed ;i great biji book. Tili^ sIh- ;«pr<'n I ni'on hi'.' k'M.(>.^ tind for a \vhiti' she k( I't weifiiii.'- ln-r ti'iger.- and ivrniMa" it jMekwav'!- imo forward.- in ,i \aii; atteiopr to liii 1 the light p.Uu'i-. .Suddenly she stin-'l, t!ic -«p(.t slu' wan'-'d and t..<'r<' siic sat lost in contdiiplnti. n. Tb"'. with lior linger on th( pla-- an! her head in tl" 'lir s1ii liegni' to rreit( to herself li'.;(> a child at lii'v leaaon-. Finalb- she elo.'^ed the iiook and -itaried for the saimon. '"^'X 82 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS She got out all the knives and pots ami plates fhe could put her hands upon and chipped and frawed and got her lingers all mixed up in the fish's gills, but by dint of liard work and perseverance sho linally un- earthed its interior. Eileen is an awfully untidy cook. She got every one of those dishes in a feirful state. \Vc asked her what she was doing. Tlure was a har- rowing smell of burnt onions and potatoes every i»nce in a while, but we hoped fc tlic bo.sf. Slie said she was going t<» stulV it. F>' .y she puUcd (jiir Movf^ to pieces and tied a sort of tripod across tho tii-e, and hanging the salmon through ils gills began to roast it. She threw potatoes in the aslirs t'» bakt, and we both congratulated her and said how vtlever -.he was, and how fiimiy, neither. Amy nor 1 had thought of dointi: fish that ;vav before. We all sat around with our clliow- nil oiii* knees and wild how lovely and gypsilieil it all whs, mid how mneii better thing? t}iste(l w hen cooked i!i the ojien air. Eileen slowly |<(ked the fish iironnl every once in a while with n long stick, and we smacked onr lips ani got up a splendid appetite, dr.'.'iniii.'; of the lovely flavor it would hnw. The ^ides li'r. dined «'(!' them. CHAPTER IX. " Why, Eileen, what in the world are you crying forf ' 1 said. 1 had just come across the poor girl sit- ing boiiind a lo<;' and weeping copiously. She lookid H) dejected, but quite pretty. The tears, welling np i 1 her dark eyes, were caught for a moment in Uie long curlcil lashes, before they fell in crystal drops oil to her clasj'cd hands. Now, ., iicii 1 .-iv 1 ii( vcr look nice or palhetic. I iiii. not vorx g(»o(l looking ar any tiiiic, but if I do in- duce ill teniN it tnkcs nic m aood twenty-four hours !<• act o\Ti- it. Porliiij's it i- li(';'jiii'>i' ( ticvci' cry i.c- cause I am sad; for I am always angry wlu^n I give way to tears. Then they coino dowi in grent bucket- f'lis, !Mv] I -!on<5" aP 'I'c lia'idk('V(di!ofs 1 can lay my i):nid$ on. find when T havt^ used them all up, and have i k Ml' m 1. 1 84 THREE OIKLS IINDEU CANVAS wrung eacli of them two or three times, I begin on the sheets. My nose gota horribly swelled and han a huge bulbous look about it, and my eyes shrink to narrow little slits, and patches of red decorate my face. And still it pours. And bncauso nobody ever has any sympathy witli me, I oegin t< feel awfully sorry for myself. And by the time I have cv'wA all my anger away, I begin weej)in,u' nsrain for llie huge l<o going to the theatre, and had already congregated in the hall when the telephone would ring. They had lt\vo teleplmne? in the house, one on each 9 de <>f ^hv ]' < 80 THRKK GIRLS UNDER CANVAS front door connected to different circuits. " Hello," wc would call through it. " Is Buggley-Thompson at home? " would comfl the question. Wc would call him and he would jufl get to talking when the other 'phone would rin^ ancl Mrs. Buggley-Thompson would answer it. Then tliiij is the style of conversation wc would h(!ar: " Oh, yes, I think it's quite important — XoL a hi* of use — should say it would require about twenty I yards of red flannel — and pork and heans and Imcon — WluTc docs tlic first train start from — Right in the mi perfectly imp'^siblc for tlicui to ;^ri on' that c\cninu': niid wc fcclin<;' inwardly .m-oss, won!' outwar>]ly smile inanely at cneli olhoi and mnrinur." " For the good of tlie cause," and v:ouid loil u]*- ^tiiii"'^. ':<• t,' bed ami I'cad llie evening' away. Aft' boes lliii' l;i.«'('' !' l!.' '•. .!•!; ;r'(l :' s "H ;'S n<\r w \: o\-cr. iV; other benan. We made niahtshirts jind under.' 'st-;, nnd bandau'cs hy the boll. The house w.i< turnc oi' their l.ani|H'rg and tucked iheui into the bundh's of b.-UidagciS. We said, ' Why, the poor wounded fdlowa von't ftop to read mottoes oi- goody-goody poetry, such as 'Reuiem- ber ili\ iiioiiu'i' for wln-n tlio:i wci-'t voiiu"'.' " '\i'"!L ill' dictMi-. (•;) n. tiiev ii-surcd u.« MUm tliouiiiii wIkiI child's play this war scein'* to some peoj )le, but I am afraid it will be .1 lerri!)!" vealitv t others. One day Mrs. Bugf^lcy-Tliomp.-iMi i-Ad sIk was goiiii; to takf n.'n to the Pi'e;-i(li» to see (cnie of tile troups eml)ark. She lojci u?, we \v«'iv' all to dress as K d ( "ross iii>pii:ii uii>'S( s, uiit ni' ;U'fei'en'-e to li <■•■, as leader of the order. 8lic furnislied our cos'^AUnet, an d tl ley ju'o\( II most becoming "There wen al)0ut thirty of u- in th.- party, and we created quite a stir in the cars. P(' di-ar Id gent euiau cjnne over to nie ir saiti u ^lay the Lord go with yon, ;iiid l^ d !".'!' •OU Mil k With evci'v soldTi' wliosc wounds vo : nii:-o, ano mii' wh 1 oie ( ■arl o,Mi s;U(l A men, atm wi- to. mu(di <'i a iyj)!t.'!'itc to (lisalutM' their muKi th( « As we got out of the car at the Pi-e.-^idio, \\ vs. I ai ■sit Tmn:K (;nn,s rxiM-i^ ^anv-ns HI) Bii^v.rlfy-'! !i •• -o'' s^^'A • " '\n\v, I wiiiit vc;; L*"!'"!- t'l «!rp;u';!t(', ;i!(l _i.t lot lis hios". ji)m1 wc wore not I'^ng in followinv out instructions. " r fj-ot t' f-!''kiiiii' to an 'nvfiilly nice looking vonng fellow, and — and I stii■!!, and--aiK; sho\dd(r hi- gun: and ! gave hini my pie- tnrc ill ;' hidlct proof fv.'inie. lie said it was the tliifd lie had li'ui th::t day. and lie t} Amy, who had been sauntering about by herself, now came down over the bank, and thre^v herself upon the sand. " Do you know there is a Chinese vegetable gard- en just over here," she said. I saw poor Eileen bhud- der. " And I came across a Chinaman singing, and what do you thiiik he was humming — I'm wash-ee, I'm wash-ee, I'm wash-ee in the blood of '; but he did not look as if he had seen water for years. He said he was "good Clistian now,' and I said to him, ' What you believe in, John!' THREE GIULS UNDER CANVAS ■sill- ,•'■ I; 5' ll i " ' Um — ah, — Um — ali!' he hesitated, ' my name not John; my name — ah Samson now; just likee ti- ee fightee man in Good Book. Me don't know velly mnchee whatee I b'lieve since me been Clistian. Me chang-ee my head plenty times, so me think-ee hi-yu many things.' 'You likee saw wood, Samson?' I asked. ' No, no, me heap likee sell wliiskey Indians, mak-ee plenty money; no good saw wood!' " *No, Samson, no,' I said, * that's no good. One man get fined $203.00 cause he sell whiskey Indians.' '' 'No, no, me tavvy! 'Sposc ho lik-ee he go sit- ee down in jail three months. Heap good. I lik-ee go sit-ee down in jail thrlee months. No pay money!' " m my name t likee ti- now velly tian. Me t-ee hi-ju imson?' I "■ Indians, od. One Indians.' le go sit- I likee Qoney!' " CHAPTER X. Onr camp was all topsy-tiirTy. We were on the move again. We had decidod to go around Ten-Mile Point and up as far as Sydney at any rate. It was afternoon befcr" us had ali our parnphernalia stowed away. Eileen said: ''Lof lis nm oii^ tlic sail. Wo havn't used it nl all yet, and it is such a nnisauce in the boat." But Amy interposed. " You had better be careful, Eileen. I don't think \vc. know onoiigl) about saiJinr, iu as stron- a breeze as this. We migjit get upset." " :N"onseiJ8e," I exclaimed, "it's only when you turn around that sailing is dangerous, and we won't have to turn." So ^ve tried to ''step" it. We had to move quite a ])it of the luggage first, and this we :i .'.il -'III '*•; i iv'li 94 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANYAS piled in the bow. The boat was rocking very freely from tlie swell of the inconiing waves, so we pushed her off shore a little and anchored her. Then we fmmd that the bow was ever so much lower than the stern, and we tugged and hauled to get her evenly laden. Amy and Eileen were carrying a big square box between them (that boat seemed to be full of square boxes), when Eileen, who was going back- wards, caught her foot in something, and came down " ker — plunk '" on the edge of the boat and bounced off into the water. Fortunately it was only to her arm-pits, and avc soon hauled hor in, and tlien — we wished we hadn't. She Avas so nasty and wet. She dripped all over the bedding, she soused the oatmeal, and edibles, and everything tasted of salt water for a week after wards. We rowed ashore and made up a roari'^g fire and managed to fish out some dry clothes for her. It was well on to five now, and we did not dare attempt the trip around Ten-Mile Point at that late hour, as it was a long pull, so we resolved to spend the night where we were. We got out the things for tea, but we were not hf^py. The taste of Eileen permeated everything. There was a distracting flavor of her flodden woollen dress about the bread, we had the rel- m THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 95 reely ished ri we a the 7en\y juare lU of back- down meed ) her — wo over , and after and was the as it light but >ated her ) rel- ish of white straw hat in the butter; she had managed to soak through the tea-chest and our supply for the rest of the voyage had a decidedly brackish accom- paniment. We told her had we known she aspired to be the salt of the whole universe, we would have left the other bags home, and this somehow seemod to offend her. At least, I noticed she did not help re- place the things m the boat. We had decided it would be foolish to unpack the tent again, and said in a jovial way to each otlicr that we were quite willing to spend one night aboard the boat even if we were not quite so comf or liable. Amy looked at her watch and remarked that, as it was nearly half-past eiisrht, perhaps we had better anchor the boat out, before it got too dark to aee pos- sible rock;-; that might strand us, so we got in and gingerly poled ourselves away from the shore. The sea slept. Calm as that last majestic slumber that wraps the mortal frame in death. With all its troubles surfaced over, it lay, like some cold marble thing, lifeless, pulseless, pale, transparent, dead for want of stir within. There, centred in a spot of light, our little boat a-dreaming lay; a shining thread the anchor held, and firmly chained us to the sea. V: 1 Ui: 90 TIIT^EE GIRLS UNDER ()A:;VAS I siip]ioso It was because it was so early, but we coil (\ not get to sleep. Wo had improvised beds; Amy's v;as in tli'.' how, and Eileen's and mine in the •steiM!, I'j'!c(") 'v ;;'Mi! talkii!;.'' al)(>'^'" nil sorts of horrid things. " Siip])Osing n smuggler was to anehor just off here to-!iight. mid th(^ men were to S]n' our boat, lying as it wo'iM between them and tlie -^hore, and supposing jiist ns we got to sleep, we wer(:; awakened by a man's hreall!. heavy with tlu; smell of whiskey, and a voice at orr ear wnild snv: "• I've got the young 'un, Jim. You knife that big on.' thcHT, and I'll attend to these two. TTgh " " Eileen, do he quiet, Ynivrc too intensely realis- '• This uncoinfortnble bed reminds me an'fullv of a v,'c rk I spent with my sister once," she went on, " her husband had to be away and she was nervous if left alone in the house, So she asked me to stay with her. she said how nice it would be : so much like the times M-e used to enjoy ms girls togt ther, and how fimny it Avoiild seem to slee]") togc thei' again; etc. T was quite looking forward to it. " ^'ou kvow, sbe has three children, and I never kn^v: there could be so much of three children in my life before. The baby quite outdid the other two in THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 97 ?ali3- I never in my |\vo in spreading himself. My sister asked me about half- past eight if I was ready for bed. She said she had got in the habit of going to bed early, and rather liked it. I never go to bed before eleven at home, but I did not like to object, so I said I was agreeable. '* Now, when I am at home I always turn on the light and brush my hair well, and take my tinie about getting undressed. We had no sooner struck the bediooui than ray sister said, ' Hush,' and commenced to talk in whispers. The hall light was burning, and I saw we were expected to undress by that. When a knot became unmanageable, she would wander out there and untie it, and then come back again into the bedroom. We disrobed in a sneaking shame-faced way like a pair of thieves and crawled into bed. It was melancholy and tragic, especially tragic when I let one of my boots fall, and saw her scowl. I could not get to sleep for some time, so I lay there conjur- ing up pleasant stories and I heard the town clock strike ten. Then I rolled over and forced myself into dreamland. " I had just got comfortably off when the baby woke up and commenced to cry. I say, commenced, for I do not believe he stopped for more than fifteen minutes until morninp. I kept expecting him to let up and go to sleep, but when nearly an hour had gone 98 THREE GIRLS UNDEU CANVAS ' ' i! by, and he was still fussing and whining, I said: " ' What's the matter with him?' a i Oh pshaw! What made you speak,' said mv sister, ' he was just going off so nicely!' '* Well she patted and pounded him, and sung o him and jigided the cradle, but it didn't seem to help him any, atu'i finally she lifted l.'im into bed with us. Then he completely covered the bed. I tried by lying right on the extreme edge and stiffening myself uji- til I felt like a ramrod, to get that much bed for my- self. I feit I was really entithd to it and quite in- tended disputing it with him. Just as I thought he had sunk off to sleep he would wheel around and come down flop on my chest. I did not dare move for fear of waking' him, and his hair was sticking in my mouth and tickling my nostrils. When I was just on the verge of suffocation, he would veer off and plunge into liis mother. Then his feet would come from sonjewherc (aoodness knows whero his head v. as now) and keep up a tattoo on my legs. I v.'ould try stealth- ily to push them over, and then he would commence to cry again, and gradually sink off into a half -sobbing moan, av.d I would feel sorry for the little fellow, and think wln^ fi mean despicable nuntie I was not to lot him tvAU)o mc black and blue if he wanted to. Then for fiftcer miTnit>?cr he slept, and just as I really THREK GIRLS UNDER CANVAS V9 thought he had gone off at last, I would feel his little face nosing me all over, and before I could push him away, he had a piece of my cheek in his mouth, and when his mother woke up and found me remonstrat- ini;- with him, she said drowsily, 'John, I think you might let him alone when he does go to sleep,* and she •vr uld roll over and sink oS again and leave me to nurse him. " Tlien I would sit up in bed and take him in my arms and rock him up and down, and as long as I held him be actually snored, but the minute I laid him (ioM'u he howled. I don't see how he managed to wake u}' so thoroughly in such a short time. "When morninc; came and the other children \vex*c clamorintr to be dressed, and we had to get up, ihat I aby rolled over and never stirred again until close on to noon. '"At the breakfast table I questioned her: " 'What was the matter with baby last night? He didn't seem well?' " 'Well?' echoed my sister, " why, he's perfectly well.' " * But he was so restless. He didn't seem able to sleep.' " * "VVTiy, I thought he was wonderfully good," she answered. 100 THRKE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS .1 ■ ' " ' Does he act like that every night'?* I inquired. " But 1 don't think she heard me. She had gone ont to spank one of the children for sitting on liie other one. " This was a sample of the whole week through. We would get them all dressed and ready to go out, and find that Tommy had upset the water jug on Madge's dress and soaked her to the skin. Then we would send him upstairs for a punishment and resolve to stay at home ourselves and before long v o would hear one of them screaming dreadfully. AVe "vould rush up to see what was the matter, and find Madgii holding Tommy out of the window by his legs, and saviiiii hi the most unconcerned manner: " ' Ain't that fine, Tommy! Ain't that fine!' " Or we would get Tommy and Madge dressed j nd put them out in the garden, and tell them to be i-eal good children, and keep clean while we got our hats on and the baby-carriage out, and when we went to look for them, we would find them round by the water tap splashed with mud from head to foot. If Tommy ever got in the back-yard for tv;o minaces there were two or three dead chickies lying around, and he would look up and say sweetly: " ' Think that's enough, Auntie? Think that's enough?' \ Jilf; If. 'Ill TIIUEE GlIiLS TNDEIi (\VNVAS 101 red. gone 1 ihe Diigh. ) out, 4- on 311 we Baolve would •vould =3, and e!' (d J nd \e veal hats 31lt to the It. If Lnii:es [ound, that's '• The baby was no better. If you counted on his Bitting still and phiyiiig with some bran new toy, you got sadly left. That was tlie very minute he wanted to be u}) in your lap slobbering all over your face. It just came to me then what a difference there was in my sister. From a bright, carefully dressed girl she hail grown into a slovenlv-dressed, worried wom.in. *'And vet thev were; sweet enouii'h children in their way. Nothing could be prettier than the baby with his great dark eyes and fair curly hair ; nor could anything be ' cuter ' than the answers little Tonuny ga-v'e at times. " I told my sister I thought they were badly handled. I said you ought not to lose your temper with them; you ought to enquire more iuto their mis- deeds and punish them systematically for theia. '' She glow^ered at me terribly and said impresh sively: " FJleen, there are only one kind of children that ever behave themselves properly, and they are an old maid's children. As it is perfectly impossible for me to ha^'e that kind, I must put up with those the Lord has sent me.' " ' Well, I'd look out the Lord didn't send me any more ';f the same kind if I vveve you,' 1 said unkindly. " One dav she asked me if T would mind being left w' » 102 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 111 with them for a few hours. She had some particular shopping she wanted to do and " Well, in an evil hour T was weak enough to con- Bent. " Poor thing I thought a few hours of peace would be really enjoyable to her. " How she did worry about leaving them. She gave me about fifty instructions, and turned back twice before she really got started. " She said: " ' Now, you will be sure and give baby his food at four o'clock:. Taste it first and get it just luke warm.' Then she rushed off, and got dressed and came back and said: " ' If Tommy or Madge should happen to swallow poison while I am away, remember to mix starch — common washing starch — Jane will show you where it is, and make them drink it until they throw up. Give it to them rather thin.' ''Then &lie tied on her hat and veil and said: " * You \v\\\ find the Friar's Balsam in the front left hand comer of the medicine chest. It is the very best thing in case of cuts to stop bleeding, or to put on jammed fingers of any kind.' " Then after puttin|^ on her gloves: THKEE GlfiiLS UNDER CANVAS 103 " ' If Tommy or Madge should get into the water while I am away, you run right over for ]iirs. Smith, just next door, you know; she knows all about how to restore people, and- <«■ if^. 'Ooodness gracious sakes alive, Nellie, I'm not going to run a hospital while you are away/ I blus- tered. " 'Oh, dear! I don't really believe I ought to go. Well, I think I am quite competent to take rare of three children for a few hours. Now you just go on, and make your miserable life hapi)y for a little while, and if they are all dead when you get back- why so much the better for you, you will be able to sleep nights." " Then I kissed her and ])ushed her out of the door. " I don't believe she had <;ot to the corner when I saw Tommy and J.Iadge get up from their toys, where they had been sitting quietly (for a wonder), and sneak off outside. I knew they were going to concoct some mischief, so putting on the baby's bon- net, I followed them. " Sure; enough they were planning trouble. Now, Tommy, you just let me jam your finger in that gate and when Auntie comes, you will see how \m t. 1 :?» tj... ,.,u 104 THREE , ) i .S i;:vDEK CANVAS sorry slie will be for you,' Miss Madge was saying. " ' But it'll hurt, Mad-se.' " 'Oil, but a little hurt don't matter. Auntie mil tie it all up so nice and perhaps. Tommy, — perhaps, she will send us up to buy some candies. Just think how nice that will be. Come on, now like a good boy, and you shall have the biggest piece of candy' She was actually leading him up to the gate, rather unwillingly on his part, I must admit, but surely nevertheless, when I stepped in sight. Madge's fa«e fell; she was awfully disappointed. Then I gave them a lecture firmly but meaningly. " ' Madge, if you get Tommy into any mischief to- day, 1 am going to whip you soundly, and lock you up so you had better take warning. "Will you lock Tommy up, too?' she questioned. Ko, Tommy will stay with me.' For a whole hour they played beautifully with each other. Then something vexed Madge and she grabbed Tommy, and bit him, and scratched him, and pulled his hair, and plumped herself down upon him. Now) if I had children of my own they should never contract those kinds of habits. " I gave the baby to the maid, and I took that cliild and gave her a jolly good spanking and put her in the bath-room. I told her she could cry as long as a}ie <{ ( t< t n V M •I ;«', Ji m iS lying. itie wdll perhaps, st think a good andy-' 3, rather ; surely >iiited. aningly. chief to- fi you up istioued. lly with and she im, and on him. d never [at cliild tT in ihe aci s}ie THKEK (jrlKLS UisDKi: CANTAS 105 wanted to, but if she screamed she would get it again. She lay and screamed, and kicked and — she got it again. Then she tried to torment me by turning on the water-taps. " I iixed her by tying her hands behind her, and I did it all quite calmly. She saw she was not tor- menting me, so she was good after that. " When I got back into the garden. Tommy was feeding the peas the maid had just shelled, to the chickens, and he seemed quite astonished when I rold him he was a naughty bad boy. Hs did not under- stand. He had been led to believe such things were expected of him, that it was his mission in life to be a nuisance. He did not like it a bit when I set him to picking up every pea still in sight, and I staid by to see that he obeyed me. " ' Tommy,' I called to him presently,' * I told you not to sit down on the wet ground.' " ' I'm not,' he answered. ' I'm sitting myself ,m a piece of board.' " ' Oh, all right, dear! Do yoii feel nice and warm?' " ' No, I likes myself cold.' " The cherub, who could be angry with him long. Then I went in and let Madge out, and she was as good and quiet as a little lamb. " ' Madge,' I said firmly, * if ever I catch you bit- m lOG THREE GliiLS UNDER CANVAS ting or scratching Tommy again I am going to wash out your mouth with soap and — " But, Auntie, soap has such a horwid flavor?' I know it has, but little girls who do horrid naughty things must get horrid punishments.' " 'It was not twenty minutes before she got Tommy behind a corner and was begging him to bite her hard and scratch her. " 'Play, you are a nasty bad tiger-cat,' she sug- gested. " I am afraid that child is bad all through. When she saw she could not get her way with Tommy she would not play with him any more. She *ook her doll, and every time he came around one side of her, she turned her back and would not even let him look at her. " Then Tommy got tired, and turned his attention to me, and conunenced asking me all sorts of ques- tions. " ' Auntie, what makes the sun round V " ' T don't know, dear; because it is," 1 answered sleepily. " ' 'But what makes it that way?' *' Well, I guesff it's because it was born that ;.'ay, Tommy.' " But who homed it> Auntief i o wash rV horrid ronimy er hard tie sug- When my she ■»ok her of her, im look tention f ques- awersd It vay, TJIKKK GIKLS UNDER CANVAS 107 " * Goodness knows, I didn't,' I answered pettishly. " * But, Auntie ' (( (( I ' My dear child, do let a person rest for a minute.' But you're not a person; you're only my Aun- tie,' he said, with astonished round eyes. Then he settled down and played with his blocks, and before long I heard him murmur. " ' Now all those man's are too tired,' and his little chubby cheek was laid on his arm, and he slept.'' * -jf ■jt * * "And I think it is abou* time we slept too, Eileen," I yawningly suggested. At last slumber claimed us for her own. I was dreaming that some awful cruel waigkt ,w«s huLsm^ driven into my chest and pressed on to my temples, anif] that the pain was eo freat I eonld not even scream. But I could feel the scalding tears run down my face, and they were making furroughs, they were so cutting, and my leg was cramped from being tied in a horri'! straighc position. Then across mv waking senses, came the echo of a voice; far away t'was callirg me, but still it spoke of help at hantl. Now I was fully awakened ,and bat- tlino^ with the great heavy load on my chest, and when T had rid mvself of it. I sat up and looked out. Thru I bv.rst out lauft'hinc, for there on the sand v; ill II I '■'] V I 108 THREE G1KL8 I'NUER CANVAS was poor Eileen struggling to get out of her bed- clothes. She had been the heavy leaden weight I was struggling under, and I will tell you how it had hap- pened. The tide had gone out. And the boat had naturally ffraduallv rested on the sand, and keeled over on its side. We had slept so soundly, that Eileen had rolled on to me, without either of ua waking up. But how to get me out of the boat was the next diiiiculty. I seemed to have grown to it in the nighl. Thev tried to lift me, and I wouldn't lift. They moved some of the things and still I was wedged there tight. They worked away with the heavy boxes that seemed to still be there in spite of them. They hauled off all the bed-clothes and began digging undern» " Oh, no: certainlv not." he answered. "Whv, vou are one of the young ladies who so unc'jrenioniousTy cribbed my boat the other morning. Where is youi THREE GIRLS UNDEK CANVAS HI friend?" ^' Oh, she's '' began Eileen, when he broke in: '' By George, was she the elegant female we saw cutting a 'pas seul' on the sand as we came up?" and he simply roared. " Dear me, no," replied Eileen, with dignity, ''that old thing was a half-breed who fancies herself the Princess of Wales, and always goes about in bloom- ers." You darling, I thought. Then they got up and sauntered away, and Amy came along with the third cliaj) in tow. " I say," he ejaculated, just as he got within hear- ing distance— they were laying the cloth— "which one of you was it enjoying a bloomer dance as we came up?" " Sir! " said Amy, facing him, and something 'n her eyes made him change his tune considerably. " Who was it on the beach in bloomers as wc came up dancing for your benefit?" he said, correct- ing hintself. "That," said Amy, "oh, that is a herd boy. His name if Smith. Tie often wears those baggy knicker- bockers." Then the first chappy came back. He waa a little, weak, thin fellow, and had a perky look Uke an m I 112 THREE GIRLS UNDER CAMVAS undersized chicken. We called him Bantam. " 1 siij,li, don't clu'i" know, let's all have hvveakfast together. It'd l)e so deuced jolly, and all that sort of thir.g, don't cher know." AVe often i2:et speciiiiens liko this out here. They say there is not room enonft'h for them in Enp:land; but they never want for room hero; they oaii always have the whole of outdoors, and lots of fresh air. Not that they want to be any fresher. They are often too fresh as it is; but they are no trouble ^(^ the regular inhabitants. There is plenty of elbow room aronnd here. Aiuy's youn;.' man looked to lu-r for an invitation; Eileer/a yonn c man looked at her; then Amy said: "Will you: we should enjoy it so much." And that fixed me up in the tree. Wheri Bantam got to his ham and eggs, he sud- denly risked: " I siiih (he meant sav\ who was the dawncing girl as v.o hove in sioht, don't cher know?" Amy's young man said: "Oh, that was a herd boy " ; Eileen's young man looked hard at some- thing awav past her. Bantam went on: " A herd boy? Yah don't say so. H — m! a herd boy; and he Avears a shirt, waist with a pleat doww TilliEE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 113 tlie front, don't cher know!" ■■ A es, lie does," firudy said Amy's young man. I saw iie intended to defend her. " A herd boy," Bantam kept on, "and long hair and a sailor hat. Deuced queer kind of herd boys out he-ar, don't cher know!" '' Sidley, shut up, and eat your breakfast," said Amy's young man. But some way the incident seemed to have cast a gloom over them, for nobody talked after that. l'^^^ '('I !}.! I 1.1 h CHAPTER XI. It was nearing three o'clock now, and those men had not gone yet. I was nearly starved, and so cramped and cold. I believe those girls had forgot- ten I was in existence; but I found out afterwards they thought I had taken refuge with the woman who supplied us with milk, and never for a moment dreamed I was up a tree. "Watching them to be got so monotonous, although the little Bantam was very amusing. He seemed to think both couples needed him, and first he would worry one and then the other. Amy would be soulfully tellincr her youTip; mwn about the trying time she had had learning to ride the bicycle. She said she had insisted upon learning in lon^ THUEE GIRLS HNDER CANVAS 115 d so rg')t- 'ards man nent. >ugh d to ould ride skirts, niiicli to the chagrin of the great l)ig fair feiJo'.v who was to be her teaclier. It was while she was in JSan i'ranciseo; and the way she divided her attentions between grabbing and tussling, first with the wheel, then with that man, was unique. Her foot would bounce into space and he would shout: " No, no. Not up there, Miss. There's no pedal on the ceihng; the pedal's down here near the floor." She said he had got the handle-bars set like a racer's, and her head was down, and she felt for all the world like the piece of iron that connects two engine wheels. She would pedal, and try, and perspire, and he would shout directions and make her nervous; and then she would let go the handle-bars, and grab him round the neck, and he and she and the wheel would be all tangled up. The next time she mounted, her skirt would get caught, and she would feel herself gradually being wound up, and would wonder what the end of it all would be. Here the Bantam would stroll up and say: ''Bicycle — aw, weally, do you wide " and then he would listen for an instant and say: "But, don't clier know, how could your feet weach the ceiling-; you're not very tall, don't clier know?" ii 116 THiiEE GIRLS UNDEiv CANVAS Amy would look at him, as much as to say, you inane little jackass, go home and let your mother feed you with a spoon, and she would stop talking and scowl at him; but, bless your heart, he never noticed he was annoying anybody. And Eileen would be explaining to her young man, in a sentimental lovely style, that she believed souls were made for each other; tbtt love was not just a passing fancy in this life, but that it had been begua in ages past, and it only came suddenly to your knowl- edge in the present, but won id go on throughout all eternity; that love given and returned in this world, struggling on as it often does in adverse cir- cumstances, w411 be love perfected in the great here- after, Eileen always looks lovely when she is talking like this. Her great dark eyes dilate and deepen with the emotion of her thoughts; her features have a lofty look, and her long, graceful hands are ner- vously fingering a flower, or a leaf, or a fern. It was terribly hard lines for me to sit up there in that trc( and hear her talk to my best young m;ti) about souls and love. But the Bantam was approach- ing. Oh, joy! "But, Miss Eileen,'' broke in my young man, or her younc; man — T really don't know who owned mopt 'AS say, yo-i mother talking e never Qg man, 3(i souls t just a I begun knowl- ughout in this rse cir- it here- talking deepen S9 have pe ner- lere in g miw Toach- an, or 1 ma«^t TIIUEE GIKLS UNDER CAJ^fYAS 117 of him-Svhat about we poor mortals who hkve never met our ideals here? Are we to go unloved through all eternity?" '•You wi-etcli! and you saw me day before yester- day/' I thought to myself, and in my excitement I snapped a branch. ''Oil, no," answered Eileen; ^"you have missed each other, you " "He, he," snickered the Bantam; "wonder who's chasing around trying to find me, don't cher know? Good joke— must advertise it in the paper. Other half of Mr. Sidley Saddletraps, please apply." Just then Eileen looked up and caught sight of my face throu-h the leaves, and she began to laugh mo^;t immoderately, and held her sides and crammed her handkerchief down her throat, and Amy and her youno man heard her, and thinking it was a case of hysterics, ran over to see what was the matter, and the Bantam spluttered: "Xo, no, pon honor, weally never meant to be so funn-^!" Finally Eileen shouted: ^ "Look, look, it's just going over the brow of the hill. Run, run; oh, do be quick, or you'll lose siffht of it." ^ The three men tore off at break-neck speed. Eileen I ' 118 THREE GIKLS UNDER CAWAS i ^ A i t i ini It Ml,; !■ 1. kept up the laugh until the Bantam's coat-tails were lost to view, then she said breathlessly:, ^'C^uick, get Sadie's shoes and stockings!'' "Where is she?" questioned Amy. "Never mind — ^get 'em," she yelled back as she ran down the beach, grabbed my skirt and flew to the foot of the tree. When those men came back, after their chase, they found a third young lady, whom one of them at least wa^ acqainted with, and they were quite dumb on che 3uV»ject of the hunt. They helped us to get all our luggage into the boat, and they fixed our sail for us, and put the right ropes into our hands, and the three stood on the beach, bareheaded, as we started for Ten-Mile Point. .'I AS lils were : as she flew to se, they at leant > on che ito the 16 right on the jn-Mile CHAPTER XII. It was a lovelj' afternoon. Tlicrc -.vas Just van.! enough to fill the sail and carry us along comfortably. I sat there, my hand upon the tiller, drinking in the beauty of the surroundings. The whole scene was buoyant with life, joyful life, expectant lifo, life running on and anticipating itself. The swiftly hurrying tide, the Avbite, fleecy, scudding clouds floating into different shapes — now a long-rohed angel, nov>- a bird with spreading wingg, nov,- a cloudy, fleecv vei' — ^ee-ipl to hold a purpose. E- en the circling, screaming gulls had something more than their natural yitnlitv about them. mt\[ I' 4 U\ 1 " J 4 Iij* W 120 THREE GIRLS UxNDEK CANVAS Have you ever noticed sucli days as these, when, if you take a walk, you can ahnost see things grow; when each blade of grass seems to have a personality, and the wee ground birds seem to feel it and pee-wit their nffrigliti'd littl'^ vi^os; v/hen m everything lends itself to the pleasure your feel, not because something out of the ordinary has happened, I'Ut because to-day you have entered into living. This is the way I felt, and then a great yearning to write something about sailing in a good breeze that nobody else had thought of, that would be above and beyond all other inane lines, took possession of me. Here it is immortalized: Lead up, glide on, thou eenflelew boat Thou hast no life — T"i8 only in the bellied sail Thy progress lies; Acd yet ae my email weakly hand The guide ropes hold. Thou frettest like some wounded bird Longing to flee. Thp wind blows free across they beam Bidding thee live. It whispers of a purpose in Its soft caresK. It woee the fields until ita breath Scent-laden is, And whittles o'er the ocean's breast A tuneful chime, And when the dark winged God of Storm His pinions lower With mercilops screech it rushes through Rigging and spar All Rtill is held in check, restrained, Subservient to The Great Commander whom the winds And sea obey. THREE GIRLlS TODER (;ANVA8 12l I recited this to Eileen and Amy and asked iheni liow they liked it. "Well, what is it supposed to be?'' asked Eileen "Why, poetry," I said. "Poetry^ Why, there is not a single rhyme in tlia whole thing." "Oh, I scorn rhyming," I answered. "Poetry, to me, should be above such things. It should be the natural outlet of great minds; the avenue by which they may impart their thoughts to less^ gifted mortals." "I can't see a word of sense it any of it," said Amy d<):tiiediy. Alas, poor human nature. If we could only inspire the hard, uncompromising clay about us; if w© could only make them see through our eyes, and feel what we feel; if we could only live with whcUy congoniil ;'e(iple who would understand us, how ethereal life would be; how we could soar on and never bo farrcd by the awful density of our more material relatives; how they could share with us our nohlo aspirations and grand thoughts and I told my thoughts to the girls, and Amy said: "H'm— yes— Bohemians! Fve noticed they «re / people who never have anything to give away them- selves, but are perfectly wilUng to share what yon 1 I 'i I: '^•:.r': 122 thi;ke girls under canvas have." ''But, Sadie, I don't believe you would get ovfn Bohemians to share much of that poetiy with you,' said Eileen; 'they might for a little while, but Oh, I say, but it's getting rough. Don't hold her up so close te> the wind." ''Well, I presume you want to ajo aruund "J'en- Mile Point, vion't you^ We're not supposed *o b«' heading for S cattle or Race Rocks, nre we?" And 1 puilud the rope in closer, but the l)0}it keeled over so, shipj.ing quite a bucketful of water, that 1 had to ease her oif some. You see, we liad struck the tide, and it was dead agaia.st us, but wo trusted to the wind t.) carry us around the Point. We wor- ried her up as far as she would go, tlien held her there for a minute or two, but gradually she '>von;>i lose ground, and inch by inch slip backwards, "iho water was swiL-liiig and eddying ahout us. Ii did need courage to head her into that boiling mass, but I was bent on getting through if po3sii.l3. Three tmus I tried it. Those girls acted awfully. They buried their heads every time we came to 5» tide-rip, and refused to help me. "Oh, Sadie, do let's go back. Pm 8o afraid." "You had better come and help mc put her through," I yelled. "If we go to turn her now, she THREE GliiLS USDEK CAX^ YAS 1J>8 IB sure to capsize. Besides, we ahall never have it nner than this, and if you intend to l'o around Ten- JVlile Point " "I really think I ought to go home," wailed Eileen; "my mother will be so anxious about me. Hhe wid she did not think we would be gone more than a week." "Oh, that's nonsense, Eileen," I broke in, 'I'm going to try it once again at any rate." We had drifted away back by this time. "Sadie," asked Amy, "would you mind landing jne just over there. I'm getting fearfully seasick and " \ "1^0, I'm not going to land anybody," I .aid bluntly. Then they sat up anudships and sulked. i got lier head up in the wind and made for the Point again. On, on, she went— up, up! Now we'll go by Not a bit of it. We just stuck at the saraii point '<\nd lost ground. I was terribly cross with those two; there; was n.. need for them to be such geese. If they had onlv iielped me a little I am sure we could have managed. They I began to speculate. I'll run her out across the tide, then back and beat up. I was just brimful ':: mi II J- I: ,.: it'\ i i24 THllEE GillLS HINDER CANVAS of all these nautical terms, and I thought what a lucky thing it would be for some seafaring man if he should get me for a wife. Swish — over came the sail, and Amy, just bobbing up at the miiute, caught it on the back of the hend. Then I keeled the boat over far enough to make it very uncomfortable for Eileen, who was on that side; and then I tliought I had done my duty. She urn out beautifully (I mean the boat, not Eileen), and I tlioront'iily enjoyed it. Truly, she seemed to be run- ning down rather far, but I was sure that in at least two "tacks" she could be got around the Point. Eileen had crawled over by Amy, and there they sat, holding tach othei**8 hands with such a resigned and martyrll(d (please get this word copyrighted ior !.u) look about them. Then I shoved the rudder over and tipped them up the other way, and for about tlirec minute^ she held to her course; and then slid liacicwards at about double the rate she had been pro- gressing J'd'v .r.rdf'. We lir.(' .<;'0t right into the tide-rip now, and the wind was dying away. We were drift- ing rapidly to leeward. "Sadie! Sadie! Look behind youl There*s a hor- rid bed of kelp and we're in a line with it," said Amy. I distinctly felt my heart turn over, and go thump TilRKE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 125 II 1 i i away down out of place. I turned to look, and the rope tlifi; held the bail slipped through my fingers and hway it went. Then the boat turned right around, and dipi)ing r.nd dancing went racing along with the tide. Oiii faces now expressed frozen horror. Did you ever see it — frozei horror. Your hair seems piiUt (I up straight by the roots, your eyes bulge 3ut, thc^ lir.es of your visage are all drawn downwards, and your leelh and jaw seem set like a vise. You feel as if you had been kept in a plaster of paris cast for months, and nothing- would ever undo you again. We iaielt, expecting each moment to be our last. 'J' lien w(^ struck the bed of kelp and swung around, .1.:;! s'arteu driftiiif>: through it backwards. The sail opas^ed over us, and I had an idea of grabbing it. Ther; it suddenly struck me that we were in the hands of Provideiioe, and I let it go. It is funny how (.110 always likes t-:» cast the blame of any accident ! 11 rrovidence. They never think of it when they are safe and sound on shore; but as soon as they have p;ot themselves into such a mess and tangle that there is only one chance in a thousand that they 0,1 n come out alive, they straightway throw them- polves upon Providence, and expect deliverance. C\of\ willed it so, is a frequent expression of pro- fessing Christianity, when half the time they make ilii:.. 126 THREE GIRLS IINDEU C;A^VAS L 1 ' ( ; -II it totally impossible for God to will it anything else. Now, while I was rounding that Point, I never thought of God in the matter at all; but as soon as the boat got beyond my control, I expected Illm ti) pay special attention to my needs. Of course, I did not think these thoughts while we were being tossed about. It was afterwards, when I WHS in the cool and calm of my own room, that tlu.' thing struck me so forcibly. And now we waited and prayed; and tlie hugj ugly heads of the kelp bobbed up at us, like sinuous snakes, and seemed to mock us as if thoy know they had only to bide their time, and then they could en- chain us; and great dark floating obje(;:;8 rushed by lis hurry 111^' ly, liopelessly, shrinkingly; and we cow- vw.d und knew not when the blow would fall. And then we drifted beyond the kelp, and we looked down, and oh, the water was so deep and full of hateful shadows and horrible bubbles and round gurgly holes that seemed to bore thenitJelves to the bottom. Eileen began to cry and moan and ring her handt-, Mnd Amy and I sympathized with her, and they cluvg to each other; and I pulled out a rope and threw it to til em, and said: "Hirls, ti — ti — tie — yourselves — together — so that THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 127 n in death— And Eileen screamed, and flung herself back and sobbed: '*0h, I cannot do it — I cannot do it." But Amy firmly passed the rope around Eileen and herself, and secured it to the boat. "But you, Sadie?" Amy sobbed. "I will die alone," I said, and I felt a beautiful look of martyrdom overspread my face. "We shall be carried out to sea," sobbed Amy. **0h, Sadie, if you hadn't persisted." "Girls, it is not my fault," I said, as I licked the tears off that came pouring down my face. Tliis was the apeciai spot where I was sorry for myself, for I was not only suffering, but misunderstood. "Had you helped me, this accident would not hav<' lia|j- pened. But I forgive you all freely as I — ough !'' The boat had bumped heavily against someibing, the sail swung over, and then, oh, joyful sight! I saw a man! He was standing on the bank — a long, lean, lanky man, leaning on a hoe; but I was thankful he was a man. We were sadly in need of one. He stood there, chewing a straw, and looking at U3. Ris hat was tipped down over his eye, and he had his ,-leeves rolled back, but I would not have gone past ]iim — 128 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS no, not for worlds. At that moment he was the one man for mo. "Hi there! Hi! Come and catch us quick!" I shouted to him. He slowly sauntered down the hill, put. out his hoe, and caught us just as we were drifting c-ff again. "Dew tell, wall, neow. Til be jiggered! What made yew stay out thar so long?" he questioned. "Stay out there," I retorted. "We've been nearly drowned." "Driowned! Come neow. Yew've been nearly draowned," ho mumbled; "why, yew air ez dry ez smoked herrings. Why didn't you come ashore sooner V "We lost control of the boat, and we were expect- ing to be swept out to sea." "Do yew want to go a-out to sea?" he questionetl. "No, stupid, of course wo don't," I answered. "You'll be asking us if we would lika to be drowntd next." "Willi, why didn't yew come ashoro bofo-ar?" ho still persisted. "Goodness gracious sakes alive, what are you?" I yelled; "can't yon understand. Our sail blow away/' He deliberately stared at it. Poor fellow. I burst out laughing. He could not imagine how it hud i:- >ur8t had / DANCED ALL THE FANCY STEPS I COULD THINK OF, I ! M ■ 111 t n \^ h h h is g« m wi w] ta] I th!.:ke aiHLH under (^^NVAS 129 blown away and was stiU there. It was no use trTing to explain, so T changed the subject. I saw we liad drifted over to Discovery Island. "i''oes anyone Ir.'o en this island?" "Wall, ye-as, I dew," he answered. I looked at him then for the first time. He had the fnnnif'st faeo I over snw on a man. His mouth was drawn to a pucker, as if he intended whistlino; every minute, but he never accomplisned his object; and little lines verged out from ir, and seemed caught up to the corners of his eyes. When he was not talking, the pucker was still working. But he hnd iho kindliest of smiles. "But I mean are there any women folks on the island?" "Oh, ye-as," he answered; "the old woman and the gal are up at the heouse." "Is it along this path?" we inquired. "Wall, there hain't no other," he said, and com- menced hoeing again, after fastening our boat for us. He didn't seem to think it was necessaiy to go with us. We went up the path single file, rather wondering what kind of a reception we should get from the "old woman." Of course, I had to lead the procession and take the initiative. I wanted Amy or Eileen to go tlilili^ J!' 130 THREE GIKLS UNDER CANVAS •U J' ahead, but they said: "Oh, no, Sadie; you know you can do it so much better than we can." We heard a great big dog ba^ j as we got neui'or, and my usual courage forsook me, but the girls said: "Keep right on, keep right on, and don't appear to notice him. If we run now he is sure to catch up with us." And they pushed mc along- in front of ihem. He did not seem in any hurry to come up to us, and I am sure I was not in any hurry to go to him, but finally we turned a corner and — found him chained. A short, fat motherly woman came waddling down the stepd and across the yard to us. Her hands were covered with flour. A great big smile wreathed her face, and took the corners of her mouth more than half way around to her ears; and she gave a happy little gurgle of a laugh between every word. She welcomed us as if she had been expecting us for months. "Do-o coom in and ro-^ a bit," she said; "sit-ee down, there's nought to 'nrt thee," and she dusted off a chair, which was already spotless, with her apron. "How-ty coom so far?" she questioned. "We told her in glowing terms of our terrible experi- ence, and she only bobbed her head and smiled, as THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS 131 if it was the most natural thine; in the world for people to come to her door like that. The daughter came in now, with three pats of creamy butter on a plate. She was a thick, heavy-set girl, awfully wide across tLi.' hips, an.! with short, heavy le^s. She took not the slightest notice of us; we might have heen pieces of furniture stuck against the wall as far as slie was concerned. Her eves never even "sized us up." The old lady held a little corner of her aprun between her fingers, and gurgled and chuckled, until the daughter had loft tlie rooiri; ihen she said, in a fond maternal way: "She be main proud, she be," and jerked her head towards the opening where the 'lauat had happened to her, and the old dame took a corner of her handkerchief and wiped Eh"',""M "'r' ''T', '"" ''*' "^--^ ™ ■"« ^" y"^""- Wi .K„ . l.„ed „e. hkc my „„■„ darter, a„d I „s<,d t taU. to her all the tin.e. li.a there be-ant much hand to talk to. Tottie were the most con.fort to my s.Hl the poor dame, a„.l she sat on the hed and the tears dripped off her nose, and she sniffed and wiped them away. ^ "Yew two man sleep here," she said, "and the to- ther " wrth a jerk of her thumb over her shonldo t wards Eileen, "can have Aaron's bed." At first we wonld not hear of it. We told her we could pnt ,,p our tent under the apple trees; but she seemed so hurt that we could not refuse, a'nd mad night. Then she went out to see to the dJaner Amy and I looked at each other, a-.d Amy mur- mured: ./ > "She died of cancer, and that's her bed '" We shuddered. To get rid of the impres^on we wa,:,<.,.ed .nt., t!,- parlor, and Eiicn bepa,, „Iav- '2 \ """' """■^' ■^•"^- '""' T took up an album. A long stringy piece of hair lay between MMI 134 THKKE GIKLS UNDER CANVAS ■ ! - the leaves — the dead girl again. We turned from eacb ot^ >^r in disgust. i started looking around the room, and the first thing I came acrosd was a photograph surrounded by wreaths and crosses. Ohj hov: I v'ished they had buried her. She seemed to be }tii c^er iho place. Her finger-marks were on the bedroim uOtr; her work lay in the top drawer; tho placr fai-rly ibJ .^. with her. Go where ;• it ^/i> ], it was nothing but Tottie. Tottie was worked ii. huir work, and hung up on the wall; the name Tottie stared at us from out a magenta i tackgroimd done in wool work in a footstool. We seemed to be walking in a crypt dedicated to the memory of Tottie. I looked to gee if her inscription was set in the front door. The old woman toddled back, and said to Eileen: "Eh, hnt thoo does play beautiful! I'm sure yew mun be a comfort to me — now I'ottie beant here." Great Caesar! It suddenly dawned upon us that probably we were in a house for incural)Je3. We were to be kept there for years, and the old biddy was our nurse. She lived but to bury her patients. No wonder she had welcomed us so naturally. She thought that now Tottie was dead, we were the next installment to die of some dread disease on her hands. THREE GIRLS U:.\DEU CA.NYAS 153 Eileen rushed outside, and Aiuj and I sat down resignedly upon the edge of the bed and held each other's hands. I stroked Amy's hand and tried to comfort her. I sr.id I would plan some way of escape the next morning, and she must not worry; we must sleep where we were for the one night. "But, Sadie, if we do, we shall die of cancer," Amy sobhed. "The place is fairly saturat,ed with it now. Tliis room has a horrid smell about it." "Courage, child, courage," I said practicsally; "the food is awfully good." Eileen came in now, and said she had been all through the Gtables with the old man; and she fur- ther informed us that she did not think he was any fool. He had l fine large lot of cows and horses, and the barns were immense. Amy suggested that we should go out and view them for ourselves, and try and take a little comfort while life lasted. And we followed Eileen out the back way. We had to unseat a few hens from the steps, and climb over a couple of pigs that were snouting around the barn-yard' floor before we reached our »1es:in:ition; but what is that in a lifetime when vou are bent on trying to glean enjoyment. The ramble outside put us in better spirits. The situation of Mr. Tuckle's farm was simply idyllic. " ! i! ;|hi: 136 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS Lying as it did on a slope, the whole place stretched before yon, blocked off into different greens. TIere the tint of the barley, there the sere green of ♦he already r(a])e(l tiniotiiy. beyond the fairy waving heads of oats; while nearer to you the greens were intermixed in kaleidoscopic splendor—the Hat blade- like shoots of a younger generation of oats, the feath ery heads of waving carrots, the blood-tinged tops < f beats, tlic stately rows of cnbitaues, the spirai-bke sage- colored onions. And they were all blocked off in such regular military-like squares and oblong pateh 3fl, and there was such a precision about their regularity that they caught the eye and held it. The blue and Avhite streaked water circled all, and tiny islands formed gi-een dotted mounds beyond, and the clear health-laden air, pure and rich with life-giving prop- erties, restored us to our usual excellent spirits. We wandered into the barns, and the clover-like scent of the hay, and the warm, mellow odor of the milking kine assailed our nostrils and was like sweat incense to us. ]Mr. Tuckle asked us if we would like to milk, at which the farm-hand (who had a tooth out in front) turned round and grinned broadly. Amy said she would like to try. She pushed the stool about two feet awav from the cow, and took bold of the teat in Il 11, TIIKEE GIKLS UNDER CANVAS 137 at t) le TO in a gingerly shame-faced way, and squeezed it close, and never a drop of milk came. Amy seemed in- clined to blame it on the cow, and had a determined, square-shouldered look about her that gave one the impression that she knew that the cow had gone dry on purpose. Then I tried. I sat right down close to the animal, and began pulling at her up and down, and was getting a few drops out, when the brute switched her tail and stung me in the eye. This made my aim erratic, and the next flow of milk sprinku • my dress, and the one after that hit me in the other eye and decorated my hair. Then I gave it up. Of course, Eileen would not come within ten feet of a cow; but I am always brave when the brute is securely anchored by the head. Some funny things happened while we were at dinner that evening. The old man sat down with us. lie still had his shirt sleeves shooved up, and he leaned his right elbow on the table, and slapped about ^^ith his fork into first one dish and then an- other, until he had liooked what he wanted. Then witli liis knife in his left hand he sawed off big hunks and fairly threw^ them down his throat. He put tomato ketchup on his plate, then soused a lot of green pickles on the top of it. I passed him the sweet 138 THREE GIRLS UNDER CANYAS V pickles, and he actually took some of them too. Mrs. Truckle ambled around to my side, and aaid: "These be gooseberry pickles. Wilt ta have some?*' 1 already had some sweet ])ickles, hut 1 took a couple to please her, and then began wondering if she had any good strong brandy in "the house, and how long it would take to get a doctor. I waa not used to treating my interior to such doses. Presently the old man asked us if we knew Brown — George Brown — the butcher. He'd been in Victoria twenty years, and always drove for Smith & Sons. We told him we were sorrv, but we did not. He said: ''I reckoned as ha-ow you migli<^ nkuowe put an anecdote into his eye and take soniethiiik a-(»'it tln^t's been a-botherina' him," We assured him we were very, very sorr|^ for George Brown, and should make his acquaintance at the first opportunity. Then the two of them, Biddy (as we had nick- named her) and her spouse, got into an altercation about what day in the week it was. He declared it was Wednesday, and she was equally sure it was Tuesday. They appealed to us, but we could not say positively; we thought, however, it was Wednesday. THKEE GIULS UNDEli CANVAS 139 )r It Finally she vanished out of the door, and preflr ently returned, and laid a side of mutton on the table. "Hey, Silas, what did 1 telt thee just noe^ There be only six chops ta-en from it! It be Tuesday sure!" Dear old dame, she was in the habit of telling the day of the week according to the number of chops that had disappeared from the hind quarter of meat. I saw bv the old man's face he knew her method never failed. He sat very straight, but after that he did not take his eyes off his plate. The daughter we never saw anything of. She stay- ed in the kitchen to get things ready for her mother. She did not seem to resent our presence, but she simply refused to have anything to do with us per- sonally. We spent quite a pleasant evening playing and singing. The two old people seemed to thoroughly enjoy the music. The old man sat back in an easy chair, and his mouth would perceptibly draw up more and more and pucker and pucker and work around until we were suro he was going to break out into a whistle, when it would as gradually subside. The old woman seldom got further than the door, where she stood holding on to the corner of her apron. When we did press her to come in, she sat uncomfort- ably on the edge of the sofa, still chuckling softly. Poor old dame. She was not usrd to sitting down. Presently the farm hand came in and pat behind the door, and a neighbor from across the way wander- ed in from kitchen ward >5. He was "all taken aback" when he saw the "company," and set first ono eye on 140 TllUEE GIRLS UNDER CANVAS Amy and then tbu other on Eileen, until lie made them nervous, wondering whether he had an affliction or whether it was fright. His eyes had the same effect a monocle has to a man's appearance. "Say, jest play that there Yellow Coon again," said Mr. Truckle. ''Humph, thet's a corker, thet it." And I complied. 1 got quite a musical reputation on the island. When 1 came to the ludicrous part, the hired man snorted and chuckled, and poking his head out from behind the door convulsed the girls with the oddity of the absent tooth. The old man's pucker worked faster than ever, and Amy said the neighbor's eyes tried to dance a jig. At nine o'clock the old man got up and said good- night, and dragged his slippered feet off to bed. He said a fellow had to "up and dust" pretty early when there was so much to do. "Guess yew feel a bit streaked after yew're time in the water," he said as he got to the door, and a naughty, rougish twinkle overspread his face. We knew he was laughing at us. The old lady fussed about and then said: "Wilt ta cooni and I'll show thee Aaron's room. He can sleep wi his feyther." "But where will vom sleep then, ^frs. Truckle?" "Oh, we and Liza can sleep the 'gether," she said. "We've oft done it." "But Mr. Truckle won't like that. He won't like your being turned out of your own bed," we argued. "Eh — bless thee," she said, "he never knows who's abed ^^^' him." M CHAPTER Xm. We sat on the edge of the bed afte th old woman had left us, discussing our day's adventure. All was sUent about the house now. Kileen came up the hall, and told us that there was no l.,ck on her door, and wondered what she had better o ,. She was afrdd if Aaron did not come home pretty soon his mother m.gh forget to warn him that his room was occupied, and It would be awful if he wandered in there. Wo reassured her, and said probably he would not eon.e Ml„t°7rr'"*' """^ ""' *"^ ™"-^'- So she resolved to make the best of it. Somewhere in the middle of the night we suddenlv burst mto consciousness through a most unearthly no,se. We sat up and listened. Sure enough there ■t was again It seemed to come tearing down tho wind hke a hopeless, helpless wail, until it was lost in 142 THREE GIKLS U^DER CAWYAS tii^l; B|