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Page 45
The little rowboat was unmoored, and a few quick strokes brought
them alongside the Keewaydin. Hildegarde had never thought it
could be anything but pleasure to her to board this beloved
vessel, but she found herself now wishing that sailing had never
been invented. She glanced timidly at Roger, but there was no
expression in his face as he handed Madge on board, and replied
gravely to her lively questions. Madge was treading on air. They
had told her at Pollock's Cove that she would not be able to get a
word out of the handsome young professor; and here he was at her
side, perhaps--who knew?--soon to be at her feet. A little absent-
minded, to be sure, but they were often that way when a strong
impression had been made. As for poor Hilda, it was really
lamentable to see how utterly she had lost her savoir-faire,
living in the wilderness. Here was this charming man, really with
the bel air, and distinguished in some way or other, and she was
as mute as a fish. Really, it was a charity to come and see her.
"Would you like to take the helm, Miss Hilda?" asked Roger.
Hilda thanked him with a glance, and took her place at the tiller
in silence.
"Oh, Professor Merryweather! are you really going to trust us to
Hilda's steering? I am sure, now, you think girls are too ignorant
to know anything about that sort of thing. I wonder at you! OUR
lives may not be of much consequence, because, of course, we are
only silly little girls, but to risk your own life so, really, I
am surprised."
She paused for the compliment that should follow, but Roger only
said, "Bear away, please!" and loosened the sheet a little.
"Did your ears burn yesterday, Professor Merryweather? I am sure
they must have. Everybody was talking about you at the hotel, and
they said you had done something so remarkable,--something about a
prism, wasn't it? You remember, Hilda, all the prisms on the
chandeliers at Madame Haut Ton's! Do yours go on a chandelier,
Professor Merryweather?"
"Not exactly!" said Roger. "You have a large party at Pollock's, I
believe, Miss Everton? I think I heard the Sinclairs say they were
to be there this month."
"Oh, aren't the Sinclairs enchanting?" cried Madge, with effusion.
"And isn't Jack simply delicious? I danced with him ten times last
night, and each dance was better than the last. Professor
Merryweather, I shall give you no peace till you promise to come
over for the next hop."
"We are not to expect peace in this world, are we?" said Roger,
smiling. "Steady, Miss Grahame! as you are!"
"I think nautical terms are too delicious!" cried Madge. "And that
reminds me, Hilda, Grace Atherleigh has just come back from
Europe. She has been away three years, you know; in Paris most of
the time,--dear Paris! Don't you adore it, Professor Merryweather?
And she has brought back forty-three dresses. Yes, my dear, it is
true, for I had it from her aunt, Mrs. Gusham. Forty-three
dresses, all made this spring. And she had the most horrible time
at the custom-house--"
"Madge," said Hildegarde, as patiently as she could, "will you
please wait for the stories till we get back to the wharf? I must
attend to the steering, and I cannot listen at the same time."
"My dear, I am dumb! I only just want to tell you before I forget
it--you know what a wretched memory I have--what happened--"
"Luff!" said Roger, suddenly. "Luff, child, LUFF!"
Startled and confused, Hildegarde tried to do as she was told,
but, in her distress, did exactly the opposite, and bore away; a
grating sound was heard: the boat slid forward a few feet and
stopped short.
"Oh, what have I done?" cried poor Hilda.
"Nothing of consequence! We have run on a shoal, that is all. Sit
steady, please, ladies!"
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