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Little Florida Lady, A

<h3> CHAPTER VII </h3> <h3> Beth's New Playfellow </h3> Beth could not find Fritz high or low and she was worried about him. She ran out to the barn to ask January if he had seen anything of her pet. She found the former inside the barn leaning up against a partition wall with his eyes shut and his mouth wide open. He was fast asleep and looked very droll. Beth could hardly keep from laughing, but she managed to say sternly: "January, you ought to be working instead of sleeping." He wakened with a start. A look of conscious guilt overspread his face. "My eyes were closed, Missy Beth; dat wuz all. I jes' came in and sot down to comb my hair." Beth shook her finger at him. "You were snoring." "Wuz I? Well, I'm powe'ful warm, Missy Beth. Don't yo' tole on me, an' I'll swah nevah to do so agin." Beth felt it her duty to lecture him a bit. "You ought to tell things when you do wrong. I do. January, have you seen Fritz?" "Not since dis mornin', Missy Beth. He wuz down by the river watchin' a great big 'gator." She looked apprehensive. "January, do 'gators ever eat dogs?" "I've heard tell dey do sometimes." "What would I do if that 'gator has eaten my Fritz!" Whereupon away she ran, as fast as her little legs could carry her, to the river, calling her beloved dog. But no Fritz came bounding at her call. In fact, he did not return even to supper, nor for breakfast the next morning. The conviction grew with Beth that Harvey Baker's 'gator had eaten Fritz. Her resentment rose against the boy and his pet, she even shedding some tears of anger and of grief. Soon after breakfast, a red-eyed little girl started out to give Harvey Baker a piece of her mind. She found him, as usual, on the wharf. He was perfectly unconscious of the storm that was in store for him. In fact, he was in the very act of feeding the 'gator. "Hello, Beth, don't make a noise. I've just whistled for it." Her eyes snapped. "I just guess I'll make all the noise I want to, so there; and I hope I'll scare the horrid old 'gator away," she concluded, bursting into tears. Harvey, in his surprise, dropped the meat which he held, and walked over to comfort her. She, however, turned on him like a veritable little shrew. "Go away, Harvey Baker. I hate both you and your 'gator. That's what makes me cry." He could not fathom her meaning. He thought, perhaps, she was cross because of the affair of yesterday. "Was your mamma very angry? Stop crying and I'll go with you and tell her it's——" "It's not that. Your 'gator——" She could not finish because of sobs. Harvey waited for her tears to subside, but at last grew desperate. "Can't you tell me what's the matter, Beth?" "Your horrid old 'gator—it—has eaten—my Fritz." "I don't believe it." "My dog's gone and——" "I'm very sorry, Beth, that Fritz is gone; but I don't believe the 'gator ate him." "No, you're not sorry. You were just going to feed that horrid beast, and after it had eaten my Fritz, too." "I didn't know about Fritz; but please don't blame me, Beth, even if the 'gator did eat him." He tried to take her hand, but she pulled it away. "I want my dog," she said angrily. "O Beth, only like me again, and I'll promise never to feed the 'gator as long as I live." She was too grieved over the loss of Fritz to accept any such promise. Harvey would have searched with her for Fritz, but she was so hurt that she wished to be alone. In fact, she was very cool towards him for many a day thereafter. A week passed; then two, and nothing was heard of Fritz. The feeling grew with Beth that the 'gator really had made way with her pet. She grieved more and more as time passed and nothing was heard of her dog. At first, she was inclined to be very bitter towards Harvey, but she could not hold a grudge long against any one. Then, as she acknowledged, she was not sure the 'gator had eaten Fritz. One day, about three weeks after the loss of Fritz, Harvey walked into the Davenports' house, leading a handsome, big black dog. The minute that the dog saw Beth, he bounded away from Harvey, and up to her. He licked her hand, and was altogether so affectionate that he won her heart immediately. "Oh, what a beautiful fellow. Where did you get him? Is he yours, Harvey?" The boy's eyes were very bright as he answered: "Well, I guess so. I'll tell you how I happened to get him, and then you can judge for yourself. I was in town day before yesterday, and, while walking along Bay Street, I felt something licking my hand. I looked around, and saw this dog. I had several errands that morning and the dog followed me every place. I simply couldn't get rid of him. Then I made inquiries to find out who owned him. For a long time nobody seemed to know anything about him. Finally I met a man down by the market who said he had seen him come off a Spanish vessel that was in port that morning. I asked the man where the vessel was, and he said it had sailed. Then I asked him what I ought to do about the dog, and he replied that he supposed I might as well keep him. After that, I went to father and told him about the dog and asked what I should do. He said he would advertise it, and then if nobody answered, I might do what I liked with him. We have heard nothing so far of an owner, so it begins to look as if the dog was mine." "Why haven't you told me before? You have had it two whole days." "Well, Beth, I didn't want you to know about it until I was sure he was mine. Besides, I'm going to give him away." Beth's eyes opened wide with astonishment. "Going to give this lovely dog away! Don't you like him?" "Yes, but I like the person I'm going to give him to better." "You must be awfully fond of that person, then." Beth was ashamed to think that she was a little jealous and tried not to show it by her manner. "I am. Guess to whom I am going to give him." "I can't." "To the only nice girl I know, and her name is Beth Davenport." "Not me?" Her eyes had grown very big. "Yes, you—really." Beth could not believe it for a while. When she did realize that Harvey was truly in earnest, she gave one long gasp of delight. Then she surprised both herself and Harvey by throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him. Harvey, boylike, was a little embarrassed, but he did not object, however. "Harvey, you're the nicest boy living. I don't know how to thank you." He looked very much pleased. "Do you really like him, Beth?" "Like him!——" She could not think of words strong enough to tell how much she liked him. "Is he as nice as Fritz? Do you forgive me now?" She immediately felt guilty, for it was a fact that she had not been friendly towards Harvey since the disappearance of Fritz. "He's a thousand times nicer, but perhaps you're just giving him to me because you think you ought to. Maybe the 'gator didn't eat Fritz after all." "I'm not giving him to you because of Fritz. You may keep Don even if Fritz comes back." "Is Don his name?" "I call him Don because he came off a Spanish vessel, and he seems to like the name, but you can call him anything you wish." "It's a pretty name, and I shall call him Don. Shan't I, Don?" The dog looked up at her with his intelligent eyes to see what his new mistress wished. She threw her arms about his neck and kissed him. "Don, I love you, I love you. You're my dog now. Harvey has given you to me." Harvey felt a little jealous to see lavished on a dog caresses, such as had been given to him only once. He tried to distract Beth's attention. "Say, Beth, you just ought to see him in the water. He loves the water." "Does he? Let's go down to the river." This was just what Harvey wished, and therefore he readily consented. The two started ahead. Don followed majestically. Mrs. Davenport saw them from the window, and stopped them. "Where are you going, Beth?" "Down to the river with Harvey, mamma. Just see what he gave me." Beth led Don up to the window where her mother was. "Why, you nice dog, you. He is a beauty. Where did you get him, Harvey? He must be a very valuable dog." Thereupon the history of Don's discovery was repeated to Mrs. Davenport. "Harvey ought to keep him himself," she declared. "But I wish Beth to have him, Mrs. Davenport. Father said I might do what I wished with Don, and when I told mother I was going to give him to Beth, she thought it a very nice idea." "You are very generous, Harvey, and both Beth and I appreciate your present. I love dogs almost as much as Beth does, but I don't know how we can repay you." "Mother says that you more than repay me by letting Beth play with me. You know I haven't any sisters." "Well, you and Beth must be careful not to get into mischief. She may play by the water this morning, but I don't care to have her go rowing. The river is too rough to-day." "We won't go rowing, mamma." Thereupon they hurried with Don down to the river. The wind was quite high, which made the water choppy. The waves were white-capped in many places. "Now, Beth, you just watch and see Don perform." Harvey held in his hand a good-sized stick, which he threw as far as possible out into the water. <h3> [Illustration: Harvey. (Illustration missing from book)] </h3> Away bounded Don after it. He easily breasted the waves, and returned in triumph with the stick. He did this time and again, much to Beth's delight. "Say, Beth, let's try him from the end of the wharf. I wonder if he would dare jump in from there." "I don't like to try. He might drown." Harvey laughed the idea to scorn, and took a stick out to the end of the wharf. Beth and Don accompanied him. Don seemed anxious to have the stick thrown, for he watched it with glistening eyes. Harvey threw it. Don immediately jumped after it, and succeeded in swimming to shore with it. By this time, he was probably tired, for he did not return to the children, but lay down on the bank for a rest. The boat had been left outside the boat house, tied to a stake of the wharf. Harvey eyed it longingly. "I wish we could go rowing, Beth." "So do I, but mamma said I couldn't. You wouldn't have me disobey her, would you?" "Nobody has asked you to, has there? Say, Beth, she never said for you not to sit in the boat, did she?" "No, but——" "She said you couldn't row. Now, sitting in a boat that's tied isn't rowing, is it?" "No, but——" "Oh, come on, Beth. It's perfectly safe when it's tied." She hesitated. Harvey was too much of a diplomat not to press his advantage. "Now, Beth, I think you might. I wouldn't ask you to do anything your mamma didn't like. She won't mind, I know." Still Beth was undecided. "And, Beth, you ought to want to please me after I gave you Don." This argument appealed to her. She wished to show her appreciation. "All right, if you really think mamma wouldn't mind." Harvey did not answer. He jumped down into the boat, and then helped Beth. "Say, Beth, we'll play we're pirates. We're out in a storm, but we are pursuing that boat there." "What boat?" "Why, that one there. Don't you see that stick of wood? It carries chests of gold which we are after. Now sit down and we'll start the chase." The younger pirate thereupon seated herself in the stern of the craft while its gallant commander took charge on the middle deck. He swayed from side to side. The boat rocked in a perilous manner. Sometimes the water even dashed over the pirates. "Isn't it kind of dangerous, Harvey?" suggested the younger pirate. "My name isn't Harvey. I'm Captain Kidd, and you must never speak to me without saluting,—so." His self-importance caused him to move around more lively than ever, while the boat shipped water afresh. "But isn't it dangerous, Har—, Captain Kidd?" The captain again looked very self-important. "Pirates never think of danger. See how near we are to the English brig. Ha, ha, mate, the gold is ours. Steady now, mate, she's coming your way. When we are once alongside of her, you make a dive for her, and pinion her until I can rush to your assistance. Steady now." Nearer and nearer floated the English boat, unconscious of danger. Perhaps the nature of the pirate craft was unsuspected. It floated no black flag. The younger pirate grew excited over the nearness of the prize. She arose to her feet. Surely, it was within grasp now. Just as she was about to reach out for it, however, a wave took the English boat and started to carry it out of reach. This made the younger pirate desperate. She leaned far out over the water. Suddenly, the commander cried out in fear: "Beth, don't try. It's too far away." His warning came too late. The younger pirate had already reached out for the English boat. A wave at that moment struck the pirate craft, and swayed it to one side. Over went the younger pirate into the water. Fortunately, Beth got only a wetting. Before she was really in the water, Harvey had her by the dress. For a second or two, it seemed as if the boat would upset. But presently a wet, unhappy little girl stood shivering beside Harvey. Her teeth chattered from fright more than from cold. "What'll mamma say?" "I'll tell her it was all my fault." "How good you are," and Beth edged up nearer to him. "Stop dripping water all over me and come on." They hurried towards the house, and circled around to the back entrance to escape Beth's mother. The washerwoman, at the tubs on the kitchen porch, and Maggie were the only ones to see poor Beth. Maggie raised her arms skyward. "Laws a massa"—then she broke into hearty laughter. "I 'lows, Penny,"—the name of the washerwoman,—"hyere's moh washin' fur yo'. How yo' 'specs it'd be if we'd jes' run chile an' all frugh de wringer?" Beth was too humiliated to say a word, and rushed up-stairs the back way. When the affair was reported to Mrs. Davenport, she considered the situation well before seeing her little daughter. Beth was getting to be a terrible tomboy, she thought, but she was growing strong physically with the outdoor life. And even while she did sometimes fall into danger, the same thing often occurred when mothers watched a child's every breath. Mrs. Davenport decided that the wiser way was to educate a child to be self-reliant and fearless, trusting to God's guardianship and protection. She knew that in the years to come, Beth would learn the gentler graces, for she had a kindly heart; so, instead of punishing Beth, Mrs. Davenport had a long talk with her that did Beth a world of good. In fact, her mother's gentleness was an inspiration to right living all through her life. <div style="break-after:column;"></div>

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