Two Little Women

  CHAPTER XVIII

  DOLL OVERBOARD!

  The next morning Dotty and Dolly went with the Fayre family to breakfastin the hotel dining-room.

  Very fresh and pretty the girls looked, Dolly in a pale blue linen andDotty in pink linen with a black velvet belt.

  The great dining-room was large and airy, and the sunshine and seabreeze came in at the open windows.

  The Fayres' table was pleasantly placed overlooking the ocean, andDotty's black eyes roved round the room in delighted appreciation of thesurroundings.

  "Oh!" she exclaimed suddenly, "there are the twin Browns! Did you knowthey were here, Dolly?"

  "I thought they would be; they come here 'most every summer." And Dollysmiled across the room at Tod and Tad, who bobbed their heads andgrinned in response.

  "I'm glad they're here," Dolly went on; "it's so nice to have some oneyou know to start you getting acquainted."

  "It won't take you long to get acquainted," said Trudy, smiling, "forall the children of your age who are here are waiting for you. I've toldseveral that you were coming, and I expect the Brown boys have made allsorts of plans for your entertainment. We won't bathe to-day until afterluncheon; you can spend the morning on the beach or go for a motor ridewith me, whichever you like."

  As the girls hesitated over their decision, the Brown twins came over totheir table and greeted them gaily.

  "Thought you girls would never get here," said Tod, though really itmattered little which of them spoke, for they were so precisely alike itwas impossible to tell them apart.

  "Jolly to see you again," said Tad; "do come out on the beach with us assoon as you finish your breakfast, won't you?"

  "Yes," said Dolly; "I guess we won't go with you, Trude, this morning; Iwant Dotty to get acquainted with the ocean."

  And so when the girls left the dining-room, they found not only theBrowns, but several other young people waiting on the veranda to escortthem down to the beach.

  There were general introductions, and as they went down the long flightof the hotel steps, Dolly found herself walking beside a girl namedPauline Clifton.

  Pauline was rather tall and seemed to have an air of authority. Thoughnot exactly pretty, she was striking-looking, with brown eyes and hairand a complexion of rosy tan. She wore a white dress and a red sweaterand white stockings with red shoes, and she put her hand through Dolly'sarm with a decided air of possession.

  "I like you already," she said, "and I'm sure we're going to be chums.Are you rich?"

  The question struck Dolly as funny, and she turned to look intoPauline's face. But the brown eyes were serious, and evidently theClifton girl wished an answer and was prepared to rate her new friendaccordingly.

  "No," said Dolly, returning the frank gaze; "we're not rich. We live ina small town, and we have about everything we want, but I'm sure we'renot what you'd call rich. Are you?"

  It would never have occurred to Dolly to ask this question, but itseemed to follow naturally after the other's.

  "Oh, yes," Pauline said, "we're awfully rich. We live in New York, andmy father has a yacht and lots of motor cars and everything."

  "I should think you'd have your own summer home, then, and not come to ahotel."

  "We have; two of them. One on Long Island and one up in the mountains.But Father takes freaks. I haven't any mother, and he jumps aroundwherever he feels like it. So he picked this place for August and herewe are. There's only me and Carroll, that's my brother. He's that boy onahead, with his cap on the back of his head."

  "Who looks after you; your father?"

  "Yes; but he isn't here much. We have a kind of a nurse-governess; thatis, she used to be our nurse when we were little and she has alwaysstayed with us. She's a funny old thing, Liza her name is, but she canmanage us better than anybody else. Father tried a French governess forme and a German Frauelein, and Carroll has a different tutor about everymonth, but Liza just stays on through it all. I know all about you fromthe Brown boys. Aren't they ducks! They told us about you before youcame, and about Dotty Rose. Isn't she pretty? You're awfully pretty,too, and you two look lovely together."

  Pauline rattled on, scarcely giving Dolly a chance to reply to herobservations. Meantime the group had come to a standstill and wereselecting a nice place on the beach to spend the morning hours.

  Dotty was enchanted with her first real experience of the seashore.

  She sat down in the sand with the rest, but quickly made her way to thefront of the group and as near as possible to the edge of the waves inher effort to get an unobstructed view of the ocean. The surf wasrolling in and the great breakers filled her with awe and delight.

  "Come farther back, Dotty," Tad Brown called out, "or you'll get caughtby some of those swells."

  Dotty drew back just in time to escape a wetting from a big wave whosewhite foam rolled up the sands to her very feet.

  "Isn't it wonderful!" she cried; "I could sit right here all day andnever take my eyes off those waves!"

  But the sight was not so novel to the others, and they talked andlaughed and threw sand at each other and built forts and watched forpassing steamers and made plans for future amusements.

  "That's the worst of the seashore," said Pauline, discontentedly;"there's so little to do. Just walk the boardwalk or sit on the sand orbathe; that's about all."

  "Nonsense, Polly," said her brother Carroll; "there's lots else to do.Going motoring or walking in the woods, and there's a bowling alley atthe hotel and tennis courts--there's millions of things to do, onlyyou're such an old grouch you never see the fun of anything."

  Pauline paid no attention to this brotherly remark, but said to Dotty,"Come on, let's go for a walk; I want to get acquainted with you."

  "Get acquainted here," said Dotty, laughing. "I'm too comfortable tomove."

  The Brown boys had banked up a big hill of sand behind Dotty, and sheleaned back against it, still fascinated by the wonderful blue of thedistant ocean sparkling in the sunlight and the mad onrush of the greatbreakers as they dashed on the shore.

  "Then you come," said Pauline to Dolly; "let's go off by ourselves andwalk along toward the casino and the shops.

  "All right," said Dolly, who was tired of sitting on the sand and quiteready for a walk. Moreover, she was curious to know more of Pauline. Shewasn't sure she should like a girl who asked her point blank if shewere rich, and yet Pauline didn't seem ostentatious or vulgar, but wasquick-witted and full of fun.

  The two walked away, leaving the rest of the crowd, some six or eight ofthem, on the beach.

  As the morning passed, others joined the group and some went away, butDotty remained, still unable to tear herself away from the glorious sea.

  "I say, Dot Rose," Tod Brown exclaimed, "you _are_ stuck on that bigpond, aren't you? But there are other days coming when you can gaze atit. Come on, now, and let's do something. I'll race you to the end ofboardwalk."

  "What's there, when you get to the end?" demanded Dotty.

  "Nothing much, but some fishermen's shacks and nets and things. Come onand see it. The fishermen are a queer-looking bunch and not verygood-natured, but it's fun to tease them. Come on, anyhow."

  Dotty got up, somewhat cramped by long sitting, and was glad after allfor a brisk walk in the sunshine. They didn't race, but swung along at agood pace, Dotty with her eyes still seaward.

  Nearly at the end of the boardwalk, on a bench, was a large and handsomeFrench doll. It was dressed as a baby, with a long white frock, a lacycap and a knitted pink sacque.

  "Oh, look at that!" cried Dotty. "I know whose it is; it belongs to thatlittle golden-haired child at the hotel."

  "That's so," said Tod. "The kiddy must have left it here. I saw herlugging it around this morning, and it was about all she could do tocarry it. Shall we take it back to her?"

  "Yes," said Dotty; "I'd just as lieve carry it."

  "You bet you'll carry it, if either of us does. Do you s'pose I'd goround lugging a wax infant?"

/>   "It isn't wax," said Dotty, picking it up; "it's light as a feather.It's one of those celluloid things, but I never saw such a big onebefore. Yes, I'll take it back to little Yellowtop. If it's left heresomebody will steal it. Shall we turn back now?"

  "No; come on to the end of the walk and let's have a look at thefishermen."

  They went on and soon reached their destination. It was a picturesqueplace, but the cabins were deserted and only a few empty boats were insight. The beach was littered with old fish nets and various sorts ofrubbish, while a few piers ran out into the sea.

  "Everybody's gone fishing," said Tod. "Nothing much to see here; let'sgo back."

  "Let's go out to the end of that pier," said Dotty. "There's no danger,is there?"

  "Danger? No! But nothing to see out there. Come along, though, if youlike."

  Good-naturedly, Tod went with Dotty along the old pier. Reaching thevery end, they sat down for a few moments, their feet hanging over theedge while they clung to the uprights.

  "Oh, isn't it grand!" cried Dotty, looking down into the blue water asit rippled against the piles at some distance below.

  "Don't fall in," warned Tod.

  "Never fear, I'm not that kind of a goose! I love it, but I'm scared todeath all the time, and I keep a good grip on this rope."

  "That's right. Oh, here comes a fishing-boat; see, 'way out there in thedistance. We'll wait for that to get in, and then we'll go."

  The two stood up, and hanging onto the ropes, leaned far over to see theboat as it came in.

  A sudden breeze made Dotty cling closer to the upright she was leaningagainst, and as Tod put out his hand to steady her, somehow or other thebig doll dropped into the water.

  "Oh, my goodness!" exclaimed Dotty in dismay, "there goes the baby'sdoll! What a pity. Can we get it, Tod?"

  "I don't know. If it doesn't drift the wrong way, maybe the fishermenwill pick it up as they come in. If I had a hook and line I could hookit up."

  "Don't lean over so far, Tod; you'll fall in," and Dotty tried to holdback the boy as he leaned over the edge of the pier. "Oh, see, there's afisherman or somebody, coming out of that cabin. Maybe he'll bring apole or something and help us get the doll. Ask him to."

  Tod shouted at the man, who had just appeared in the cabin door. It wassome distance and the boy's voice did not carry well over the breakersbetween them, but finally Tod succeeded in attracting the man'sattention.

  "Bring a pole!" Tod shouted, "or fish line. Help us!"

  "Hey?" shouted the man, his hand to his ear. "What's the matter?"

  "Doll overboard!" Tod yelled back, but the breeze was off shore and theman could not get the words. But he saw the two children as they pointedout on the water, and then, as he saw the big doll, he very naturallythought it was a live baby and immediately he became excited. He ranback into the cabin and returned with a boat-hook. He jumped into a boatand endeavoured to put out to sea through the breakers. But at everyattempt, the waves dashed him back on the shore. Determinedly, he triedagain and again, and finally succeeded in getting beyond the surf,though he was now at some distance from the pier. He began to rowdesperately, but made little headway toward the floating doll.

  "He thinks it's a live baby!" cried Tod, roaring with laughter. "Oh,Dotty, what a joke! Keep it up! Pretend it is."

  Willingly enough, Dotty caught at the idea and began wringing her handsand screaming frantically.

  "Oh, save her, save her!" she yelled, tearing around the pier like a madperson, while Tod, hanging on to a post, leaned far over the water andwaved his hand frantically to the boatman.

  The fisherman redoubled his efforts and slowly drew nearer the floatingdoll, whose long white dress was whirled and tossed about in the eddy.

  The boatload of fishermen which they had seen in the distance drewnearer, and the man in the row-boat communicated to them by shouts andsigns and made them aware of the catastrophe.

  The incoming fishermen saw the baby in the water, and saw the twochildren screaming and wailing on the pier, and they put forward withall speed to make a rescue.

  Tod and Dotty were really doubled up with laughter, but pretended theywere in agonies of grief as the two boats made desperate attempts toreach the drowning child.

  "The old idiots!" exclaimed Tod; "they might know that a live babywouldn't float around like that. It would have sunk long ago."

  "Of course it would," agreed Dotty. "Won't they be mad when they getit!"

  The fishermen, having had little experience with French dolls the sizeof live babies, assumed, of course, that it was a real child in thewater, and they wasted no time in marvelling as to why it shouldcontinue to ride blithely on top of the waves. They simply put forthevery effort to reach the white object, whatever it might be, but theperversity of wind and wave continued to thwart them.

  At last, however, very near shore, the fishermen drew near enough tograb the doll and draw it into their boat, just as they rowed in on topof a huge breaker and beached near the pier.

  Tod and Dotty ran swiftly to them, eager to see their chagrin anddismay at having rescued the doll.

  The men were all out on the beach and they showed a belligerentdemeanour as the children appeared.

  "Ye little wretches," cried one big rawboned man, "what d'ye mean byfoolin' us like that?"

  His manner even more than his words were distinctly threatening, andDotty was scared, but Tod answered him directly.

  "We didn't fool you! We dropped the doll in the water by accident, andwe sung out there was a doll overboard and we asked a man on shore tohelp us get it. If you people thought it was a live baby, that isn't ourfault!"

  "That don't go down!" and another man stepped forward and shook his fistat the children. "Ye know right well ye fooled us a-purpose."

  "We did not!" and Dotty, her temper now aroused, stamped her foot athim. "We told the man it was a doll, but if he couldn't hear us, wecouldn't help that."

  "Now, now, little lady, ye know better." The big brawny fisherman camenearer to Dotty and scowled at her. "I seen you jumping around there andplay-actin' like you was wild with grief! Don't deny it, now! Ye knowwell enough I say true!"

  He glowered at Dotty, and as he came nearer to her his big fierce eyesfrightened her and she quickly stepped behind Tod.

  "Don't you speak to the lady like that!" the boy cried. "If you'veanything to say, say it to me. I called to the man for help to get thatdoll out of the water. It belongs to a little friend of ours and we wantto take it to her."

  "Well, ye'll never take it!" and the fierce-eyed man picked up the wetand dripping doll, and with a mighty sweep of his long arm, he flung itfar out to sea. The deed was merely an impulse of his angry wrath athaving been fooled by the children, and he faced them with a defiantair.

  "You had no right to do that!" cried Tod; "go right out in your boat andget it."

  "Ha! ha!" laughed the man with a loud, boisterous chuckle. "Go out andget it, is it? Not much I'll not go out and get it! And, what's more,I'll report you two to the life-saving station people, and I'll have youarrested for false pretences."

  Tod was pretty sure that this was all a bluff, but the other mengathered about and promised the same thing. So threatening were they,that Dotty was thoroughly scared, and Tod, though not really afraid ofarrest, began to think that these men could make things very unpleasantfor them. He knew by hearsay of the rough manners and ugly tempers ofthis particular lot of fishermen. He had heard stories of their dislikefor the summer guests, who sometimes visited them out of curiosity andlooked upon them patronisingly.

  Tod realised that nothing incensed their rough natures like being madethe subject of a practical joke and this, though unpremeditatedly, heand Dotty had done. He thought best to drop his indignant air and try topropitiate them.

  "Oh, come now," he said; "honest Injun, as man to man, I didn't mean tofool you. We dropped the doll in the water and I yelled for help. Now,I'll own up that when you fellows seemed to think it was a live baby, wed
id kind of help along a little but we didn't mean any harm. S'pose Igive you a dollar to forget it."

  Tod spoke in a frank and manly way, and his good-natured face ought tohave evoked a pleasant response. And it did from most of the men, butthe fierce black-eyed one, who seemed to be the leader, was possessed ofa sense of greed, and his one idea regarding the "stuck-up summerpeople" was to extract money from them whenever possible.

  "A dollar," he said, with an unpleasant sneer; "not enough, young sir!Show us ten dollars, and we'll try to forget the insult you offered us."

  "I didn't offer you an insult, and I haven't ten dollars with me, and Iwouldn't pay it to you if I had!"

  Tod was angry now, and his eyes blazed at the rude injustice of thedemand.

  But the fierce-browed man was not abashed. "You gimme ten dollars orI'll make trouble for you! If you haven't got it, you can get it. Gimmeyour word of honour--you look like a gentleman--to bring me that ten,and I'll promise to make no trouble."

  Tod hesitated. Had he been alone, he would have refused them at once,but he felt that he had the responsibility of Dotty's welfare, and hepaused to reflect. The men were very rude and uncontrolled, and Toddidn't know what further menace they might offer.

  As he hesitated, the big man spoke more threateningly. "Be quick, youngman; give us your word, or we'll put you under lock and key for awhileto think it over."

  This speech was accompanied by growls of assent from other members ofthe group, and one or two stepped forward as if to carry out thesuggestion.