Part 32 (1/2)
There were two men in the dory, both hatless and in their s.h.i.+rt-sleeves.
In an instant both girls were on their feet, waving their handkerchiefs.
In the same instant the men in the boat caught sight of them, and one of them lifted his oar and flourished it two or three times in the air.
”How will they get here?” asked Martine.
”Oh, probably the water isn't very deep; they can push up part way, and then wade.”
”If they can wade, we might have ventured.”
”It would not have been safe for us. See, they are pus.h.i.+ng the boat up all the way.”
The water, indeed, was deep enough to let the boat come up into the hollow--now filled with water--between the two arms of rock, whereby the two girls had climbed to their present position. While the boat was still some distance away Priscilla and Martine had recognized the immaculate Mr. Knight as the man who was steering. Mr. Knight, however, was immaculate no longer; he was hatless and coatless, his hair somewhat tumbled, and his face very red from the unwonted exertion.
From the moment of recognizing him until the moment when the side of the boat grazed the ledge was a very short time indeed.
”We thought we'd find you somewhere near here; at least, we hoped so,”
said Mr. Knight, looking from one girl to the other as if to decide which was the real culprit. ”But how in the world did you get here?”
”Walked,” replied Martine, laconically; ”hadn't time to swim.”
”But if you walked why didn't I see you when I looked an hour or two ago? I remember standing above this particular place and calling.
Perhaps you weren't here then.”
Martine said nothing. If it should be necessary to confess she could attend to this later. At present she had enough to think about.
”Is Mrs. Redmond worried?” asked Priscilla, anxiously.
”Yes and no,” replied Mr. Knight, ”though she'll be glad enough to see you.”
”Must we go in the boat?” Priscilla spoke as if she dreaded the experiment, and she added, ”It looks so very wobbly.”
”Oh, that boat, she's as steady as a setting hen,” exclaimed Mr.
Knight's companion. ”Just you look out, though, and don't wet your feet.”
”I'll go first, Priscilla, and if I survive, why, then you can follow.”
But before Martine had attempted to take her place Mr. Knight turned to Priscilla, ”Of course, if you would rather not go in the dory we could wait here until the tide ebbs. I could stay with you while Mr. Sands rows back to report to Mrs. Redmond. But the boat is perfectly safe, I can a.s.sure you.”
”Of course it is perfectly safe,” exclaimed Martine, angrily; ”I never heard such a silly idea.” But whether she meant to apply ”silly” to Priscilla's timidity or to Mr. Knight's suggestion she did not deign to explain, and the young man, after one curious glance in her direction, did not address her again.
It was but the work of a minute or two to get the girls aboard the dory, and soon they were at a landing-place from which they could reach Mrs.
Redmond and Amy.
”You ain't the first people that's got caught in that way on the rocks,”
said Mr. Sands as they rowed along, ”only generally it's some romantic couple that rather likes to stay there till the tide goes out. But your ma was afraid that if you was there you might try to wade, and so catch your death of cold, and besides, she wasn't sure you were anywhere, as long as Mr. Knight couldn't find you; so when they all seemed so concerned the only thing was to haul out the dory, though it wouldn't have hurt you a mite if you'd had to stay.”
”I would as soon have stayed,” said Martine, coldly; ”it was a good view, and I rather enjoyed sitting there in that little grotto.”
”Grotto,” Mr. Sands laughed loudly, and Martine fancied that a smile flickered at the corners of Mr. Knight's lips. ”Grotto,” repeated Mr.