CHAPTER XIV TWO MISHAPS
Fortunately the tide was out; so the water was not very deep, and whileDesire stood on the bridge and watched helplessly, and Jack was lookingfor a place where he could go to her assistance, Priscilla managed to getout of the water.
"Don't come down," she called, "you'll fall too. I'll be up soon."
But the mud was very slippery; and again and again she slid back, whileRene shouted with laughter, and clapped his hands. Even Desire had tosmile; for Priscilla did look funny, plastered with red mud, and drippingwith water. Jack again started toward her, but Desire held him back.
"There is no use in two of you getting in that state. She's in no danger,and since she is lighter in weight than you, she stands a much betterchance of climbing up that bank. Prissy," she called, "crawl on yourhands and knees."
The little girl obeyed, and finally reached the top, where Jack stretchedout a strong hand to pull her over the edge.
"What shall I do?" she wailed, holding her sticky arms out straight fromher body, and half blinded by the wet, muddy hair hanging over her face.
"I wish I knew," said Desire. "Can you walk home, do you think?"
"I guess so. I'll try; but--but--I lost all my berries!"
"You look like a big berry yourself, you're so red," gurgled Rene.
At least one of the party was enjoying the incident to the utmost.
It took a long time to scrape and wash the mud off poor Priscilla, andwhen the task was accomplished they were exhausted.
While the others were occupied, Rene had been playing about by himself.Just as Priscilla looked once more like herself, the little boy rantoward the group crying at the top of his voice.
"What's happened?" demanded Jack, advancing to meet the child and pickinghim up.
"Bite!" he wailed, holding out his finger.
"What bit you?"
"Long, wiggly thing," sobbed the little fellow. "Ran away so fast."
"Snake!" said Desire. "Oh, Jack! What shall we do?"
"Don't be frightened," said the boy, calmly sitting down with the littlefellow on his lap, and examining the finger carefully. He found the bite,and putting it to his lips, began to suck the blood from it while Desirehelped hold Rene still.
"Jack, do be careful," she begged anxiously; "be sure not to swallow anyof it," as he paused to dispose of what he had drawn from the wound. "Bequiet, Renny; brother is trying to make you well; so you mustn't mind ifhe hurts you a little."
Priscilla, with terrified eyes, stood looking on helplessly until Desiresent her for a box of emergency supplies which she had prepared beforeleaving Sissiboo.
"I hardly think it was a poisonous snake," said Jack, when he had doneall he could; "but I suppose it is best to be on the safe side. I hadbetter take him in to Kentville to a doctor."
"Oh, yes," breathed Desire, in great relief; "and let him see if you'reall right too."
They hitched up the horses and drove into the town, and while Jack andDesire took Rene to the physician's office, Priscilla took the berriesthey had gathered that day to her first customer, Mrs. Auberge. They hadbecome good friends, and the little girl naturally told her of the recentaccidents.
"There are no dangerous snakes right around here," she said soothingly;"but it does no harm to have a doctor look the boy over. So you're goingon tomorrow? I'll miss you. How would you like to stay with me for therest of the summer and help me with the tourists? I'll pay you."
"I'd have to ask Jack," replied the child slowly, after a minute'sthought. "I'll come back and let you know."
She met the others just coming out of the doctor's house.
"Renny and Jack are both all right," Desire cried joyfully to her littlesister. "Where have you been?"
"I sold the berries to Mrs. Auberge; and--and--Jack--"
"Yes?"
"She wants me to stay here and help her for the rest of the summer, andshe'll pay me."
Desire glanced quickly at Jack, who stood regarding Priscilla verygravely.
"Do you want to stay?" he inquired, finally.
"It would bring in some money--I'd be glad--that is--"
"That isn't what I asked you, Prissy. I said do you _want_ to stay."
"Answer Jack, dear," urged Desire, as the child stood silent, hanging herhead. "Don't be afraid to say just what you feel."
"She isn't afraid," said Jack gently. "Do you want to stay with Mrs.Auberge, dear?"
Priscilla shook her head.
"All right," replied her brother; "that settles it."
"I told her I'd let her know--" began the little girl.
"Very well. Run back and thank her nicely for her offer, but say thatthis summer we are all going to stay together. We'll walk on slowly, andyou can catch up with us."
Before they had gone far, they heard running steps behind them; andPriscilla came abreast, catching Jack by the hand.
"See what she gave me," holding up a box as she spoke; "a game we can allplay; and any time I want to, I can stay and help her."
"That's very nice of her," said Desire. "How wonderful people are to useverywhere."
"It's a good thing," remarked Jack that night, "that tomorrow we shallreturn to our regular occupation and way of living. I feel as if I hadhad enough excitement today to last for the rest of the summer."
"Oh, of that kind, perhaps," agreed Desire; "but there are other kinds;and those I hope we'll meet. Did the doctor charge much?"
"About half what we made on the berries," smiled Jack.
"But we're still a little better off than when we came."
"Yes, some; but not much."
"Well, never mind; huckleberries are coming, and we'll make it up onthem," decided Desire hopefully. "Wasn't it dear of Prissy to be willingto go to work?"
"Yes, she spoke of it again when I bade her goodnight; but I said wecould support her until she is older. While it can be managed otherwise,I hate to have her cooped up in a strange house doing all kinds of oddjobs."
"We haven't done so badly thus far, have we?"
"No; but we haven't made anywhere near enough to settle down somewhereand go to school."
"But the summer isn't over yet; and who knows what will happen beforewinter comes?"
"You're a hopeful little pal, Dissy," he said, kissing her fondly.
"Now we must begin to look for the Godet house," said Desire, pulling outher little blue history the next morning, when they were on the way toWolfville.
"I was sorry we could get no information, when we passed through Wilmot,about the first Wistmore house in this country," said Jack.
"They lived on a sheep farm when they came here from the States, andprobably the place looks like all others of its kind," replied Desire,poring over the book.
"I think the Godet house must be the other side of Grand Pre," observedJack, looking over her shoulder. "We'll go there first."
So they turned off the main road and drove down the hill, through thestraggling village, its long street bordered by spreading trees andscattered white houses far back from the road. The great marsh meadow,which was the Grand Pre of Longfellow's poem _Evangeline_, has been setapart as a park, and is surrounded by a fence. By going through agate-house, one enters the enclosure known as Acadian National Park.
As the Wistmores descended the low broad step on the park side of thegate-house, Rene, his eyes on the distant well of which he had heard hissisters talking, put one foot right into a very small flower-borderedpool at the left of the step. Everyone turned at the sound of the splash.
"Renny!" exclaimed Priscilla severely, "I never saw such a child forwater."
"You rolled right into the river," retorted the little boy, "and got allred mud too!"
Jack and Desire exchanged smiles.
For an hour the children wandered over the interesting and beautifulmeadowland, dotted with large beds of gorgeous flowers.
"What a sense of spaciousness, and of peace, the pl
ace gives one,"observed Desire, as they stood before the little chapel, gazing aboutthem. "Look, Rene, at the swallows' nests."
On the walls, close to the buttress which supports the sharply slantingroof, several nests were plastered.
"And is this the very same church mentioned in _Evangeline_?" inquiredPriscilla, nearly breaking her neck to look up at the belfry, surmountedby a tall four-sided spire.
"No; but it is built on the site of that one, and the row of willows yousee down there to the right grew on the main street of Grand Pre. Thefirst settlers brought the shoots from Normandy. The well we passed onour way up is the same one from which the inhabitants of the oldenvillage obtained their water supply. Just north of here is the Basin ofMinas, where the people embarked on the ship which carried them away atthe time of the Expulsion. This meadowland all around us was protectedfrom the high tides by dykes like you saw a few weeks ago in Bear River.At one side of the Basin lies Cape Blomidon, where the amethysts arefound; and--"
"Where Glooscap lived," interrupted Rene, always glad to contribute tothe narratives.
"Yes," assented Jack, "where Glooscap lived. After the hay was cut fromthe meadows," he continued, "cattle were turned in to graze until wintercame."
"How queer it makes one feel to be here," observed Desire dreamily.
They missed Priscilla at that moment, and looking around, saw herstanding in front of the large bronze statue of Evangeline, which is inthe centre of the park.
"She doesn't look at all like I thought she would," commented the littlegirl in disappointed tones, as the others joined her. They all gazed insilence for a moment at the sorrowful figure, looking backward at theland she was so reluctant to leave.
"You probably like to think of her, as I do, in a happier mood," saidDesire; "but she must have been pretty sad when she went away."
"We had better go on now," decided Jack. So they followed the littlestream which twists its way across the meadow; a mere thread in someplaces, in others wide enough to be bridged with single planks. Once itspread out into a fair-sized pond, covered with water lilies and guardedby a family of ducks who regarded the visitors scornfully.
"Now for _our_ house," cried Desire as they drove onto the main roadagain. "Please go very slowly, Jack, so that we won't miss it."
They all peered eagerly out of the wagon; and when they saw, up a littlelane, a dilapidated-looking building, they all exclaimedtogether--"_That_ must be it!"
Jack drove as close as the underbrush would allow, and they proceeded onfoot until they were standing before a small log cabin, windowless,doorless, a huge flat stone for a doorstep, and a chimney built ofirregular stones.