CHAPTER I. ENTERTAINING AUNT FLORENCE
Billy was cross. The twins from Grand Rapids who were living in thegreen cottage wanted him to play Indians on the beach. The boy fromDetroit, whose mother didn't know where he was half the time, had beenteasing him to go swimming. 'Phonse LeBrinn, child of Mackinaw, wasthrowing stones at the boat-house, a signal Billy well understood.When 'Phonse had a plan that promised more fun than usual, he alwaysthrew stones at the boat-house. Other boys came to the door and rangthe bell or knocked when they wanted Billy. 'Phonse knew better. Billylonged to find out what was on his mind, but it wouldn't do to let anyone know that the ragged little playmate had a particular reason forthrowing stones.
Suddenly a light dawned on Billy's face. "Mamma," said he, "let me godown on the beach and tell Frenchy he must quit that, he'll spoil thepaint. I won't be gone but a minute."
"Now, see here," remonstrated Billy's mother, "never mind what 'Phonseis doing, and keep away from the window, Billy, so he won't see you.Come, child, Aunt Florence will soon be ready."
"Oh, shoot the luck! I don't want to go with Aunt Florence. I want toplay with the boys. What made Betty go and tell her all about old fortrelics, I'd like to know."
"Hush, hush, Billy! Aunt Florence may hear you."
"Well, but, mamma, I don't want to go to the old fort and dig beads allthe afternoon. It's too warm. I'm roasting."
Billy's mother laughed. One look at the child's face was enough to makeanybody laugh. He was so cross. "Maybe auntie won't care to stay long,Billy. Strangers who are not accustomed to our woods often feel prettylonesome at the old fort."
"She'll stay, mamma; I know all about bead-diggers; they stay and stay.Besides that, she won't be afraid, because there are about a millionthousand resorter folks up there every day digging relics. I wish thatBetty had kept something to herself. She just reads that old Pontiac'shistory all the time, and then tells all she knows to anybody thatwants to find out. She makes me tired. I don't like to go to the oldfort, anyway."
"Why not, Billy?"
"'Cause everybody up there that don't know you asks questions. Theysay, 'There's a little boy, ask him;' then 'cause you don't want totalk, they say, 'Lost your tongue,' and silly things like that. AuntFlorence is a question asker, too, mamma. Oh, shoot the luck!"
"I'll tell you a good plan, Billy dear," suggested his mother. "Youhelp Aunt Florence dig beads, like a good boy, and very likely she'llbe willing to come home sooner. Then you can play with the boys therest of the afternoon."
"May I play with Frenchy?"
"Ye-es, yes, you may this time."
Billy's face brightened suddenly. "Oh, goody, goody, there comesBetty," he cried. "Now I won't have to go. Where's my hat? Oh, Bet, youcame just in time," continued the boy. "Aunt Florence wants you to goto the old fort with her to dig beads, because the missionary meeting'sgoing to be here, and mamma says to entertain Aunt Florence. You've gotto go, that's all."
"Of course she must go," echoed Aunt Florence, who came down-stairs intime to hear Billy's last words. "Didn't you find your little girl athome, Betty?"
"No, auntie, she had gone to the island, but I only came home for aminute to ask--"
"Well," interrupted Aunt Florence, "then of course you can go withBilly and me to the old fort."
"Guess--guess I won't go, Aunt Florence; there's a boy down there wantsme," and Billy waved his hand to 'Phonse.
"Yes, Billy'll go with you," Betty hastened to say, "because--because,Aunt Florence, I can't. I'd love to, but I must go to see anothergirl. I'd love to walk up there with you, but--but I--"
"You needn't go if you don't want to, children," Aunt Florence lookedthe least bit grieved.
"Certainly they want to go," declared Billy's mother, in a tone thatBetty and Billy understood. "Go find your little shovels, children, andbring Aunt Florence the fire shovel from the wood-shed."
Billy was about to venture a protest, but, catching a look from Bettythat meant a great deal to him, he followed her out of the room.
"What is it, Bet?" he whispered.
"Well, Billy, don't you see it won't do a bit of good to make a fuss.We'll have to go to the old fort; mamma'll make us. But I know oneway to fix it so we won't have to stay long. The Robinsons are makingpineapple sherbet, and they've invited me to it, so I can't wastetime up to the old fort this afternoon. I told Lucille I'd come rightstraight back soon's I asked mamma."
"And I want to play with Frenchy," put in the little brother.
"But don't you see, Billy, we've got to be decent to company first, sowe'll take her to the old fort all right enough, but we'll scare herto death when we get her there, so she'll want to come right straighthome. Don't you see? I'll tell her true wild Indian stories, and shewon't want to stay."
"And I know another thing we can do," agreed Billy.
"What is it?"
"We'll take your old fort beads and then, Betty, we'll break the stringand scatter the beads in the dirt, and then we'll call her to come andfind them. She'll be satisfied to come home after that."
"Why, of course, Billy, and your plan is so much better than mine,we'll try it first. We won't scare her unless we have to, though a goodscare never hurts anybody. You get the beads while I get the shovels.Hurry now, we'll have some fun."
Mrs. Grannis was much relieved when the children returned with pleasantfaces. Aunt Florence, too, was pleased.
"I truly wouldn't want you to go a step unless you were perfectlywilling," she said, as they were leaving the house.
"Well, auntie, we're always willing to go anywhere, Billy and I, if wethink we can have some fun, and we're going to have a jolly time thisafternoon, aren't we, Billy?"
The little brother's round face beamed as he felt of the beads in histrousers' pocket.