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Page 28
He could not reprove the mischief-makers, for they had done
nothing really wrong, but he looked at them grimly as he rowed out
into the stream.
"Oh," exclaimed Marjorie, "isn't this just too lovely for
anything! Please, Carter, mayn't we just put our hands in the
water if we keep our feet in the boat?"
"No," growled Carter; "you'll be wantin' to put your heads in
next. Now do set still, like the nice young lady behind me."
Anxious to be good, Marjorie gave a little sigh and folded her
hands in her lap, while Molly did likewise.
Carter's eyes twinkled as he looked at the two little martyrs, and
his heart relented.
"Ye may just dangle your fingers in the water, if ye want to," he
said, "but ye must be careful not to wobble the boat."
The children promised, and then gave themselves up to the delight
of holding their hands in the water and feeling the soft ripples
run through their fingers.
The row down the river was perfect. The balmy June day, with its
clear air and blue sky, the swift, steady motion of the boat
impelled by Carter's long, strong strokes, and the soothing
sensation of the rushing water subdued even the high spirits of
Midge and Molly into a sort of gentle, tranquil happiness.
CHAPTER VIII
A MEMORY BOOK
With a few deft strokes Carter brought the boat to land on a long,
smooth, shelving beach. A crunch of the keel on the pebbles, and
then the boat was half its length on shore. Stella, in the bow,
grasped the sides of the boat tightly with both hands, as if the
shore were more dangerous than the water. Carter stepped out, and
drew the boat well up on land, and assisted the girls out.
Stella stepped out gingerly, as if afraid of soiling her dainty
boots; but Midge and Molly, with a hop, skip, and jump, bounded
out on the beach and danced round in glee.
"I do believe," cried Marjorie, "that this is Blossom Banks! For
there are three banks, one after another, just covered with wild
flowers. And as true as I live there's a scarlet tanager on that
bush! Don't startle him, Stella."
Molly laughed at the idea of Stella startling anything, and softly
the girls crept nearer to the beautiful red bird, but in a moment
he spread his black-tipped wings and flew away.
"It is Blossom Banks, Miss Midge," said Carter, who now came up to
the girls, and who was carrying a mysterious-looking basket. He
had secured the boat, and seemed about to climb the banks.
"What's in the basket, Carter?" cried Midge. "Is it a picnic? Is
it a truly picnic?"
"Well, just a wee bit of a picnic, Miss Midget. Your Grandma said
that maybe some cookies and apples wouldn't go begging among yees.
But ye must climb the banks first, so up ye go!"
Gayly the girls scrambled up the bank, and though Stella was not
as impetuous as the others, she was not far behind. At every step
new beauties dawned, and Marjorie, who was a nature-lover, drew a
long breath of delight as she reached the top of the Blossom
Banks.
They trotted on, sometimes following Carter's long strides and
sometimes dancing ahead; now falling back to chatter with Stella
and now racing each other to the next hillock.
At last they reached the dearest little picnic place, with soft
green grass for a carpet, and gnarled roots of great trees for
rustic seats.
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