Rilla of the Lighthouse

top to peer into the bit of broken mirror which Mrs. Sol Dexter had given her, hoping that with it would go the prover

ped one cranberry too many, out came that cranberry! She had never before been known to giv

, that one, when for the first ti

had given her a whole quarter to spend just as she wished and she had asked Mrs. Sol Dexter for two hair ribbons, one to

d to her husband, Cap'n Sol, the next tim

ons from her pa's side. I recollec

year over thar on Windy Island. Jest because her ma ran off 'n' married up wi' that city feller, ol' Ezry Bassett is tarnal sartin the same thing'll ha

r and she had tied on both of the new hair ribbons, one red and one green. They weren't the shades that she had really wanted, but they were the prettiest that Mrs. Sol Dexter had in stock

ookin' in the mirror an' pretendin' it's a picture of my mother, only she'd be lots

expression in the hazel eyes of the

to bring bad luck-and that is probably why it had not done so; for we get, in this world, what we expect very often, and this little

ar the moment his little mistress had stepped out of bed a

d's put the light out an' he's gone back to his bunk for 'nother forty

t he must be very quiet. If Muriel tiptoed as she went down the curving flight of steps to the kitchen,

the sunrise, and so, even if her grandfather had awakened, he would have thought

the dog were as sure-footed as mountain goats, and they were soon standing on the out

at once, but paused, turning toward the sea. The waves, lifting snowy crests, caug

ected in her radiant upturned face. Only for a brief while did the pageantry last, and the world-Rilla's world, all that

and Shags followed her. The cave within was larger than one might suppose, and was lighted by wide crevices here and there in its wa

rward with a li

be." She clapped her hands, for there were moments when Rilla was a very little girl at heart, much younger than her years, and y

ent, which he did, capering in puppy fashio

ve to smash it. Here yo', Shags, what's that tag-end yer tuggin' on? Yo-o! It's the answer to the riddle, like's not! That strap's got a buckle on it, an' it's mate

d, unconsciously using both of her gran

ing from the box. Rilla leaped forward to rescue whatever it might be. "Lie down, sir, and mind orders," she commanded. "I'm skipper o' this craft." After rescuing the mysterious something which the dog had evidently considered his rightful share of the booty, the girl knelt and examined the contents of the box. She then turned gl

erful garment from the trunk-it was silk-and green, sea-green like t

with silvery,

les." Then the girl's excited, merry laughter rang out as she drew forth another treasure. "Don' tell me yo' don' know what this here is, Shagsie," she chuckled. "Maybe yo' think it's a green spider-web, but 'tisn't; no, sir

to be around mess time lately. The kettle's singin'

with infinite care, she knelt and smoothed the silken folds of the shimmering green gown, replaced the mirror-lined top, st

and did not notice the flushed cheeks and eager, glowing eyes of his "fust mate." Silently he ate his quarter of apple pie, g

apse before she revisited the cave, when her grand-d

Oil and supplies are gettin' tarnicky low, 'pears like. Equinoxial storms are due in port mos' any

r shaggy brows turned toward the girl questioningly. Had he heard aright? Could it b

at cave o' her'n." Aloud he said heartily. "All right, fust mate, stay anchored if ye want to. I'm thinkin' thar's nothin' on Wi

nt down the steep, wet stairs that led to

hed the scudding sailboat until, as was his custom, her gr

ble in locating his own particular mooring place. On a moonlighted night, when the sailing boats were all in, it was indeed

nearly a mile long, and protected one of the snuggest

ward the outer edge of the cliff, calling "Yo-o, come

day, for in another moment, and quite unexpectedly,