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Page 25
She had found an apron in her bag and was busy scrambling eggs
when she said that. Meg was setting the table in the kitchen, for
one half of the room was designed to be used as the dining-room,
and Dot and Twaddles were filling the salt cellars amiably. Father
Blossom had lighted the oil stove, and Bobby was unpacking the
plates. They had found all the things shipped from the Oak Hill
home neatly stacked in the hall, ready to be opened.
"But you are going out of the house," said Father Blossom
decidedly. "This isn't going to be the kind of vacation where
every one has a good time except Mother. With five pairs of hands
to help you, don't you think you can manage to go with us on
tramps and picnics? And you used to like to row."
"I do yet," replied Mother Blossom. "Of course, if you all help
me, I'll play when you play. But lunch is ready, children. Dot,
what have you done to the front of that frock?"
"I shut it in the bathroom door," explained Dot. "It's only ripped
a little."
She had torn it clear of the yoke so that it hung below her
petticoat bodice, but every one was too excited and hungry to pay
much attention to a torn frock.
After lunch, first washing the dishes, the Blossoms decided to try
to walk around the island. Unpacking, said Mother Blossom, could
be done as well in the morning.
It was a clear, cool day; indeed, the Blossoms soon found that it
was rare when a breeze did not sweep steadily over Apple Tree
Island. And, as Twaddles wrote to Norah, they "used blankets every
night."
The Blossoms discovered that Apple Tree Island gained its name
from the fact that at each of its four points grew a sturdy,
flourishing apple tree. These were the only apple trees on the
island, though there were a number of other kinds, the majority of
them curiously shaped and stunted. There were rocks on one side of
the island, but on the other the shore sloped down to the lake
gradually and was covered with grass almost to the water's edge.
There was a gravelly beach tucked away between two points, and
Bobby immediately wished for his bathing suit. But he agreed to
wait till morning for his first swim.
"Look at that funny heap of stones ahead," said Meg, as they
rounded the point of the island farthest from the bungalow. "Look,
you can see where the chimney was!"
"And there's a broken express wagon," added Dot. "Do you suppose a
little boy used to live there?"
Father Blossom gave a low whistle of surprise.
"Children," he announced gravely, "that is where the Harleys used
to live." Then to Mother Blossom: "It has fallen to pieces since I
was up here last Summer. I think part of it was struck by
lightning."
CHAPTER XI
A DAMP ADVENTURE
The Harley shack had never been a very fine building, but it had
once been a home and, though the four little Blossoms were too
small to realize it, it was the sight of the forlorn chimney and
fireplace, the broken express wagon and the broken bits of
furniture that made them feel sad.
"Why do I want to cry, Mother?" Meg kept asking. "What makes me
sorry?"
"'Cause we don't know where Mrs. Harley went," asserted Twaddles
wisely.
"That's it, darling," said Mother Blossom tenderly.
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