Samuel Merwin - The Merry Anne

Still no word.

“Won’t you just nod, then?”

She hesitated a moment longer, then gave one uncertain little nod. He released her hand, held the sheet between his knees, drew the package from his pocket, and displayed the corals. She was trying bravely not to look around, but her glance wavered, and finally she turned and looked at it with eager eyes. “Oh, Dick, did you bring that for me?”

“I surely did.” He held it up, and when she bent her head forward, he slipped it over and around her neck. Her eyes shone as she ran the red beads through her fingers and looked at the carved pendant. Dick leaned back and watched her contentedly. Finally she let her eyes steal upward and meet his, with a smile that was half roguish. “I never really laughed at you, did I, Dick?”

He moved forward with sudden eagerness. “Don’t you think now is a good time to say yes, Annie, – now, on your birthday? I own a quarter of the schooner now, you know; and I’m ready to make another payment to-morrow. And don’t you see, when we’re married you can help me to save, and before we know it we can have a home and a business of our own.” She was bending over the corals. “You didn’t really think you could save more with – with me, than you could alone, did you, Dick?”

“Yes, I’m sure of it. It will give me something to work for, don’t you see?”

“But – but – ” very shyly, this – “Haven’t you anything to work for now?”

“Oh, Annie, do you mean that – are you telling me you ‘ll give me the right to work for you? That’s all I want to know.”

“Now, Dick – please let go my hand – you promised, you know – ”

“What is a promise now! If you knew how you torture me when you lead me on till I’m half wild and then change around till I don’t know what I’ve said or what you’ve said or hardly who I am – ”

“No, Dick, you mustn’t – I mean it. We must go in. See, there’s father on the beach. It must be supper-time.”

“Wait a minute – I haven’t half told you – ”

But she was merciless. The Captain came about and headed shoreward.

“Did you meet the revenue cutter anywhere up the Lake – the Foote? She was here yesterday.”

“There you are again, all changed around! What do I care about the Foote – when I’m just waiting to hear you say the only word that can make my life worth living. Now, Annie – ”

“You mustn’t, Dick. I’ve let you say too much now. If you go on, you ‘ll make me feel that I can’t even thank you for your present.”

“Was that all? Were you only thanking me?”

She nodded, and Dick’s face fell into gloom. But when the Captain was beached, and Annie had leaped lightly over the rail, she turned and gave him one merry blushing look that completely reversed the effect of her reproof. And as she hurried up to the house, he could only gaze after her helplessly.

IN the morning the William Schmidt , Henry Smiley, Master, came in from Chicago and tied up across the pier from the Merry Anne .

Henry, Dick’s cousin, was a short, stocky, man, said to be somewhat of a driver with his sailors. He seldom had much to say, never drank, was shrewd at a bargain, and was supposed to have a considerable sum stowed away in the local savings bank. Though he was wanting in the qualities that made his younger cousin popular, he was daring enough in his quiet way, and he had been known, when he thought the occasion justified it, to run long chances with his snub-nosed schooner.

After breakfast Dick walked across the broad pier between the piles of lumber, and found Henry in his cabin. They greeted each other cordially.

“Sit down,” said Henry. “Did you come down through that nor’wester?”

Dick nodded.

“Have any trouble?”

“Oh, no. Lost some sleep – that’s all. You aren’t going down to the yards to-day, are you?”

“Yes – I think likely. Why?”

“I ‘ll go along with you. I’m ready to make another payment on the schooner. I’ve been thinking it over, and it strikes me I’m paying about three times what she’s worth. What do you think? Would it do any harm to have a little talk about it with the Cap’n? You know him better than I do.”

Henry shook his head. “I wouldn’t. He is too smart for you. He will beat you any way you try it, and have you thanking him before he is through with you. I have gone all over this ground before, you know. Of course he is an old rascal – but I don’t know of any other way you could even get an interest in a schooner. You see, you haven’t any capital. He will give you all the time you want, and I don’t know but what he’s entitled to a little extra, everything considered. But don’t say anything, whatever you do. You’ve got too good a thing here.”

“You think I ought to just shut up and let him bleed me?”

“He isn’t bleeding you. Just think it over, Dick. You are making a living, and you already have a quarter interest in your schooner. You couldn’t ask much more at your age. Have you heard from him yet, by the way?”

“No.”

“He spoke to me the other day about wanting to see you when you came in. There’s another order to come down from Spencer.”

“Where’s that?”

“Up in the Alpena country.”

“Lake Huron, eh? Oh – isn’t that where you went in the spring?”

“Yes, I’ve been there. An old fellow named Spencer runs a little one-horse mill, and he’s selling timber and shingles. And from what the Cap’n said, I don’t think he’d care if you brought along a little venture of your own. That’s the way I used to do, when I was paying for the Schmidt .”

“How could I do that?”

“Spencer will give you a little credit. You can stow away a few thousand feet, and clear twenty or thirty dollars. It helps along.”

“All right, I ‘ll try it. Are you sure the old man won’t care?”

“Oh, yes. He’s willing enough to do the square thing, so long as it keeps us feeling good and doesn’t lose him anything.”

“Say – there’s another thing, Henry. I fired Roche, up at Manistee.”

“Fired him?” Henry’s brows came together.

“Yes, I had to. I had stood him as long as I could.”

“I don’t know what the Cap’n will say about that.”

“I’d like to know what he can say. I was in command.”

“Yes, I know – of course you had a right to; but the thing is to keep on his good side. Suppose we go right down to the yards, and see if you can get your story in before Roche’s.”

“What does the Cap’n care about my men, I’d like to know!”

“Now, keep cool, Dick. Roche, you see, used to work for him, – I don’t know but what they’re related, – and it was because the Cap’n spoke to me about him that I recommended him to you when I did. And look here, Dick,” – Henry smiled as he laid a hand on his cousin’s shoulder, – “I’m a good deal older than you are, and you can take my word for it. Don’t get sour on things. Of course people will do you if they can; but it’s human nature, and you can’t change it by growling about it. You are doing well, and what you need now is to keep your eyes open and your mouth shut. Why should you want to hurry things along?”

A flush came over Dick’s face. “There’s a reason all right enough. You see, Henry, there’s a little girl not so very many miles from here – ”

“Oho!” thought Henry, “a little girl!” But his face was immobile, excepting a momentary curious expression that passed over it.

“Now don’t get to thinking it’s all fixed up, because it isn’t – not yet. But you see, I’ve been thinking that when I’ve got a little something to offer – ”