Dorothy on a House Boat

“To make a long story short: I propose; ‘everybody willing and nobody saying no,’ as Dolly used to premise in making her plans, to pole back there; to get the engine into first-class order; and then to take a real cruise in this beautiful Water Lily all down this side the Bay and up along the Eastern Sho’. Cousin Betty shall visit her beloved Severn; we’ll see the middies at Annapolis; touch here and there at the historic points; do anything, in fact, that anybody most desires. For, by and by, these idle days must give place to days of discipline, when our small hostess, here, will resume her education in the faraway northland of Canada. What will befall her there? Ah! well. That we must wait to learn from time, and from the forthcoming story of

“Meanwhile, the autumn is at its best. October on the old Chesapeake is just glorious, with occasional storms thrown in to make us grateful for this safe, snug little craft. Mr. Stinson says he wouldn’t be afraid to trust it on the Atlantic, even, but we’ll not do that. We’ll just simply fill these remaining days of Dorothy’s vacation with the – time of our lives! All in favor, say Aye. Contrary – no.”

As he finished the “Learned Blacksmith” drew his beloved ward to his side and looked into her sparkling eyes, asking:

“Well, Dolly Doodles, what say?”

“Aye, aye, aye!”

“Aye, aye, aye!” rose almost deafening from every throat.

“Then, Mrs. Bruce, since all that is settled bid Chloe get to work and give these travelers the very best dinner ever cooked in our little galley;” said Mrs. Calvert, in her gayest manner.

Yet as she spoke, her eyes rested lovingly upon the beautiful Copse and the sadness which any parting brings to the old fell upon her. Till cheerful old Seth, her lifelong friend, sat down beside her, with Dorothy snuggling to him and talked as only he could talk – always of the future, rarely of the past.

“Look ahead – lend a hand.”

They were to do that still. And in this “look ahead” Dorothy was asked:

“What shall you do with the Water Lily, when this year’s cruise is over?”

“Is it really, truly mine, to do with exactly as I want?”

“Surely, child, your Uncle Seth isn’t an ‘Injun giver’!” he answered, smiling.

“Then I want to make it over to somebody, whoever’s best, for the use of poor, or crippled, or unhappy children and folks. Darling Elsa said in the beginning it would be ‘a cruise of loving kindness’ and seems if it had been. I don’t mean me – not anything I’ve had a chance to do – only the way you’ve always showed me about ‘leadings’ and ‘links in the chain of life’ you know. So many such beautiful things have happened beside all the funny ones. The Stillwells finding out about each other, and Mr. Corny ‘turning over a new leaf’ to take better care of his folks; Gerald and Aurora learning to be gentle to everybody; those Manor House people making up; and darling Elsa growing happy, just like other girls. None of these things would have happened if the dear old Water Lily hadn’t brought them all together. I’d like Elsa and her father to be the real heads of it, with that sweet Lucetta and her babies next. They should keep it just for charity, or goodness – to whoever needs that! What do you say? Aunt Betty, Uncle Seth?”

What could they say but most heartily commend this unselfish wish. This approval made Dorothy so glad and gave her so much to think about that she almost forgot to be sorry when she took her last glance at beloved Deer-Copse upon the Ottawotta.

“Look ahead.”

It was all still to come; the fine trip which Mr. Seth had planned and the joyful return home; the bestowal of the house-boat for its winter’s rest; a little time of preparation; and then the new life at Oak Knowe, the great school in the north which was to mark the next change in Dorothy’s happy life.

Swiftly the future becomes the present, then the past; and it seemed to all the voyagers upon the Water Lily that they had hardly sailed away from Halcyon Point, to begin their eventful trip, than they were sailing up to it again, whistle blowing, flags flying, and every soul on board, from Aunt Betty down to little Metty, singing with all fervor:

“Home, sweet, sweet Home!

Be it ever so humble – there’s no place like home.”

THE END