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“What is it, Captain,–a steamer?” asked Mr. Fred, as he came by the cottage one August afternoon, with his usual escort of girls, all talking at once about some very interesting affair.

“Only a sail-boat; no steamers to-day,” answered Captain John, dropping the glass from his eye with a start.

“Can you see people on the Island with that thing? We want to know if Ruth is at home, because if she isn’t we can’t waste time going over,” said Miss Ellery, with her sweetest smile.

“I think not. That boat is Sammy’s, and as there is a speck of red aboard, I fancy Miss Ruth is with him. They are coming this way, so you can hail them if you like,” answered the sailor, with “a speck of red” on his own sunburnt cheek if any one had cared to look.

“Then we’ll wait here if we may. We ordered her to bring us a quantity of bulrushes and flowers for our tableaux to-night, and we want her to be Rebecca at the well. She is so dark, and with her hair down, and gold bangles and scarlet shawls, I think she would do nicely. It takes so long to arrange the ‘Lily Maid of Astolat’ we MUST have an easy one to come just before that, and the boys are wild to make a camel of themselves, so we planned this. Won’t you be Jacob or Abraham or whoever the man with the bracelets was?” asked Miss Ellery, as they all settled on the steps in the free-and-easy way which prevailed at the Point.

“No, thank you, I don’t act. Used to dance hornpipes in my young days, but gave up that sort of thing some time ago.”

“How unfortunate! Every one acts; it’s all the fashion,” began Miss Ellery, rolling up her blue eyes imploringly.

“So I see; but I never cared much for theatricals, I like natural things better.”

“How unkind you are! I quite depended on you for that, since you wouldn’t be a corsair.”

“Fred’s the man for such fun. He’s going to startle the crowd with a regular Captain Kidd rig, pistols and cutlasses enough for a whole crew, and a terrific beard.”

“I know Ruth won’t do it, Floss, for she looked amazed when I showed her my Undine costume, and told her what I wanted the sea-weed for. ‘Why, you won’t stand before all those folks dressed that way, will you?’ she said, “as much scandalized as if she’d never seen a low-necked dress and silk stockings before;” and Miss Perry tossed her head with an air of pity for a girl who could be surprised at the display of a pretty neck and arms and ankles.

“We’ll HIRE her, then; she’s a mercenary wretch and will do anything for money. I won’t be scrambled into my boat in a hurry, and we MUST have Rebecca because I’ve borrowed a fine pitcher and promised the boys their camel,” said Miss Ellery, who considered herself the queen of the place and ruled like one, in virtue of being the prettiest girl there and the richest.

“She has landed, I think, for the boat is off again to the wharf. Better run down and help her with the bulrushes, Fred, and the rest of the stuff you ordered,” suggested Captain John, longing to go himself but kept by his duty as host, Aunt Mary being asleep upstairs.

“Too tired. Won’t hurt her; she’s used to work, and we mustn’t pamper her up, as old ladies say,” answered Mr. Fred, enjoying his favorite lounge on the grass.

“I wouldn’t ask her to act, if you’ll allow me to say so,” said Captain John, in his quiet way. “That sort of thing might unsettle her and make her discontented. She steers that little craft over there and is happy now; let her shape her own course, and remember it isn’t well to talk to the man at the wheel.”