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Page 23
"I told you there wouldn't be a bridge," whispered Twaddles to
Dot. "Mother, all the way here Dot was arguing we went to the
island on a bridge. We don't, do we?"
"I'm afraid you're so hungry you can't argue very pleasantly,"
returned Mother Blossom. "However, I want you to wait till we get
to the bungalow and I'll have a nice, hot lunch for you, Daddy,
what about leaving the car?"
"There's a garage down the street a piece," volunteered Mr.
Harley. "Guess the car will be all right there; and the motor-
boat's due any minute."
"Told you there wasn't any bridge!" snickered Twaddles in triumph.
"Stop teasing your sister," ordered Father Blossom. "Stay with
Mother, children, till I run the car into the shop. Who runs the
boat, Dick?"
"Man named Jenks," answered Mr. Harley. "It makes two trips a day
during the season; goes to all the islands and carries the mail
and fresh vegetables. Jenks will do errands in town for you, too,
if you want anything. Very obliging. Never gets mad."
Mr. Harley spoke in short, jerky sentences that fascinated the
listening children, Bobby especially.
"How many islands are there?" Meg wanted to know.
"'Bout eleven," said Mr. Harley. "Some little, some big. Apple
Tree Island? Oh, that's medium, I guess."
Father Blossom came back from putting up the car and took charge
of the suitcases. Each of the four little Blossoms carried his own
coat. Presently they heard the chug-chug-chug of a motor-boat.
"All aboard!" called a bluff, hearty voice, and a green and white
boat shot up beside the wharf on which the Blossoms stood.
"These passengers are for Apple Tree Island," said Mr. Harley.
"Know whether their baggage's come yet?"
"Poled three trunks and six small boxes over on the raft yesterday
afternoon," announced the motor-boat captain, who was also the
crew. "Billed for the Winthrop bungalow--that right?"
"Right!" Father Blossom cheerfully assured him. "Now if you have
room for us all, Captain--"
"Jenks, very much at your service," said the captain, with a
flourish. "I suppose you'd like to go right over?"
"We should, if you can take us," said Mother Blossom. "The
children are hungry and it must be after noon."
Captain Jenks assured her that he could take them to Apple Tree
Island without stopping at any other port, and as soon as they
were comfortably on board he started his engine.
"Chug-chug-chug!" coughed the little motorboat.
It wasn't so little, of course, when it could carry seven
passengers. Indeed it had a neat little forward deck and a tiny
cabin upholstered in red leather that would be very cozy in bad
weather. Captain Jenks thought his boat was a beauty. Bobby
thought so, too.
"Like boats?" the captain asked him, finding the little boy at his
elbow.
"I don't know much about them," admitted Bobby. "Shall we have a
boat like this? Daddy left the car in the garage."
"A car's no good on the water," said the captain loftily. "What
you want is a seaworthy, tight little craft. You're going to live
in the Winthrop bungalow, aren't you? Well, then, you'll have two
rowboats."
"Then Dot and I can have one," Twaddles remarked with
satisfaction.
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