CHAPTER XVII
THE STRANGE SCHOONER
On the morning when Mr. and Mrs. Pierce started for home, Rose and Annewent to Mistress Mason's shop on an errand. As they walked along thestreet Rose exclaimed suddenly: "Anne, look! There is one of father'sbest friends!" And Anne looked up to see a gentleman, wearing a cockedhat and red cloak, coming toward them. He was very erect and his wig wastied with a narrow ribbon.
"Good-morning, Mistress Rose," he said, and Anne thought to herself thathis voice was very kind and pleasant.
"Good-morning, Mr. Adams," Rose responded. "This is Anne Nelson fromProvince Town."
The friendly smile now rested on Anne. "Let me see; was there not alittle maid from Province Town who helped the cause of Liberty bycarrying a message to Newburyport?" he asked, clasping her hand.
Anne looked up at him and smiled. "I went with Uncle Enos," sheanswered.
"So you did! And now you are a visitor in Boston, as I am myself, for myfamily are now living in Dedham," he responded pleasantly, and, with afriendly message for Mr. Freeman, he bade the girls good-bye, and walkedon.
"That is Mr. Samuel Adams," explained Rose; "he came from Philadelphiabut a few days ago. He signed the Declaration of Independence, Anne. Andfather says had it not been for Samuel Adams 'twould have been yearsbefore Congress would have come to so great a decision."
"And to think he knew of me!" said Anne.
"He knows of everybody who helped even a little bit toward Americanindependence," said Rose. "Mr. Adams goes back to Philadelphia inSeptember. 'Twill be a fine thing to write in your book, Anne, that youhave spoken to him," said Rose, "and very likely your father will bepleased to have you go and stay with Mrs. Pierce. It's so much nearerBoston than Province Town, and the Pierces have such a pleasant house."
"It's not so pleasant as my Aunt Martha's," declared Anne loyally.
It seemed to Rose that it would be a very fortunate thing for her littlefriend to live with Aunt Anne Rose, and she could not understand Anne'seagerness to return to Province Town.
"May we not walk down to the wharf, Rose?" Anne asked eagerly. "Yourfather may have news of the ship."
But Mr. Freeman only shook his head, a little soberly, Anne thought, andthe day passed without any sight or news of the "Yankee Hero."
Anne was not very happy that day. She wondered what would happen to herfather if the English had captured his ship, and wished with all herheart that she was with Aunt Martha Stoddard. That night she dreamed ofa fairy hid beneath her pillow, and that it whispered to her, "There isyour father! Right beside the bed," and when she awoke the next morningAnne said to herself, "I feel happy, but I don't know why," and thendecided that a good fairy had visited her. But when she wentdown-stairs, there in the front hall stood a dark man smiling as Anneexclaimed, "My father!"
For the "Yankee Hero" had arrived in the early evening of the previousnight, and John Nelson had lost no time in making his way to Mr.Freeman's house, hoping for news of Anne. And he had tiptoed into herroom for a look at his little daughter, just as the fairy whispered.
There was so much for Anne to tell him! John Nelson looked very gravewhen he heard of Anne's running away in the night.
"But Uncle Enos and Aunt Martha know that I believed they no longerwanted me," pleaded Anne. "And, oh, father, Aunt Martha said I was notto go to Brewster and journey to Boston with the Freemans to see you."
Anne had not known that her father could be so stern.
"You might never have been heard from, Anne, starting off like that. Ido not know if Mistress Stoddard will be willing to again take charge ofyou," he said.
But after Rose had told him the story of their journey, of Anne'scourage when they believed themselves prisoners in the house in thewoods, and had said that it was really Amanda Cary's fault more thanAnne's that she had run away, Mr. Nelson was quite ready to forgive her.
"I am glad indeed that my little girl has a good friend in Mrs. Pierce,"said Mr. Nelson, after he had read Aunt Anne Rose's letter, "but Ithink we must go to Province Town at the first opportunity."
Anne now felt that there was nothing to wish for. With her dear fathersafe on shore, and the prospect of soon sailing away to Province Townshe was quite happy.
"You must make Rose a fine present, Anne," he said one day as they camedown King Street.
"I heard her say once that she hoped some day to have a gold ring,"replied Anne.
"You shall give her one," said Mr. Nelson.
"I'll give it to her when I say good-bye," said Anne as they walkedtoward home.
"That may be to-morrow," responded Mr. Nelson, "for Mr. Freeman saysthat not a boat from Truro, Wellfleet or Province Town has come in toBoston for a week, so if the wind favors, 'tis like to-morrow will giveus a chance for a passage."
Rose was on the porch, and as she watched Anne come up the path thoughtto herself that she would be very lonely without the little maid fromProvince Town.
"Captain Starkweather from Province Town is at father's wharf," shesaid, "and I had half a mind to tell him not to take any passengersback to Province Town, for father says he will start back when the tideserves very early to-morrow morning."
Mr. Nelson hurried away to the wharves, and Anne and Rose went up to theattic for Anne's book. "For I suppose we must pack up your thingsto-night," Rose said. "Your father has bought you a fine portmanteau.It's in your room now."
Anne picked up the book, and was eager to hurry to her room to see thenew bag, but Rose detained her a moment.
"Why, Anne," she exclaimed, "you have left out the most importantthing."
"What did I leave out?" questioned Anne.
"Why, about Amanda!" replied Rose. "You started this on purpose forMistress Stoddard, so that she could know all about your running away."
"Oh," said Anne, in a tone of relief, "then I haven't forgottenanything. You see, Rose, Amanda told Aunt Martha all about it, so it'sall right."
Rose looked at her little friend for a moment as if she were going toscold her, then she began to smile, and leaning down kissed the littlegirl's cheek.
"You know how to be a friend, Anne," she said, "and I'm sure Amanda willnever do another hateful thing to you."
"Captain Starkweather says he'll take me to Province Town to see hisboys some time," Frederick announced as the family gathered at thesupper table, "and Anne's father tells me that if I go to Salemto-morrow I'll see ships that go to all parts of the world."
"That is true, my son," replied his father. "There's a ship now in Salemjust arrived from Cadiz with a load of salt, and another with tea andsilks from China. 'Twas great good fortune that they reached harborsafely. They would have been a fine prize for some British ship."
The Freemans all went down to the wharf with Anne the next morning. Thefine portmanteau, filled with Anne's new clothing and with her gifts forthe Province Town friends, was placed carefully in the little cabin.Captain Starkweather had already hoisted the sloop's mainsail, and gaveAnne a warm welcome as her father helped her on board.
"Good-bye, good-bye, dear Rose," Anne called back.
As the sloop swung off from the wharf and the little girl looked backtoward the friends who had been so kind to her there was a little mistin her eyes.
"It's good luck indeed to have this favoring wind," said CaptainStarkweather, as the boat moved swiftly down the harbor. "I doubt notAmanda Cary is on the beach already hoping we may have sailed atmidnight," and the Captain nodded smilingly toward Anne. "What are youwatching so sharply, John?" he asked, for Mr. Nelson, shading his eyeswith one hand, was watching a small schooner.
"Why, I'm wondering a bit about that schooner," he replied. "Her sailswere hoisted and her anchor up when we left the wharf, and she's keptthe same course. She couldn't be after us right in Boston harbor, but Idon't like her keeping so close."
"'Tis hard work to know friends from foes on land or sea these days,"said Captain Starkweather a little anxiously. For several fishermen hadrecently been capture
d by English vessels, the men taken to England,and their boats kept by the captors.
"Hoist the jib, John," directed the captain. "We'll sail away from thatcraft; I don't like her company."
Up went the jib, but the sloop did not increase the distance from theschooner. Both boats had now left Boston harbor well behind them. Thesloop could not hope for any help now if the schooner really meant tocapture it.
"There are guns on that schooner," exclaimed John Nelson. "Go into thecabin, Anne, and don't come out until I tell you to. Remember, stay inthe cabin," and almost before she realized what had happened Anne foundherself in the sloop's cabin, and the little door shut. A moment latershe heard the bang! bang! of a gun, and felt the boat swing heavily toone side.