Rilla of the Lighthouse

d a familiar voice in the lower hall. Hurrying down the wide stairwa

d eagerly, when greetings had been exchanged and the

may sleep for a long time, but when he has recovered enough to sit up, I'll send over to the island for you, Rilla, if your g

hyly, and yet eagerly. Then her hazel eyes

a second, then he said: "Lem, I sort o' feel as all this has been my fault and if yo' think the boy'll get

take the place to Muriel of the older brother that every girl in this world ought to have, some one near her own age to fight her battles, to protect her when the need arises. That's the sor

road, the girl said, "Grand-dad, bein' as we're in

ey heard her prattling "Uncle Lem" he declared that he wasn't going to be left out of the family circle as far as she was concerned, and

out a mast for a toy schooner that he was making for Zoeth Wixon, a little crippled

rly beamed when he saw who his visitors were. Rising, he limped indoors and broug

ristmas before and had purchased the gift for the old bachelor, w

an' he's allays whittlin' suthin' to help pass the time away for my little Zo, or tellin' him yarns as gives him suth

las' winter, like's not we would have starved if it hadn't been for the fine cod that Cap'n Bar

's to tell about, and when the donated nickles and dimes and even quarters were counted, the total sum was sufficient to purchase a rocker in Mis'

xter did an almost unprecedented thing. She told how, the year before, her store would have burned up had it not been that "Cap'n Barney," being there at the time, had leaped right in and had thrown his slicker over the blaze that had started near where the gasoline was k

he never sat on it himself, he never ceased admiring the chair and

d, "Rilly gal, why don't yo' cruise around a spell? Yo'd sort o' lik

n as she was out of hearing, Captain Barney looked up from his whittling. "W

moments before he answered his friend's question. Then, looking up to be sur

all I know about Rilly's father, but I don' want her to have it till arter yo've buried me out at sea. I cal'late that'll be time en

tarnal whoop for her. He hasn't been cruisin' 'round these waters huntin' her up, has he? Never's been known to navigate this way, sence-sence-" He paused. Something in the face of his friend caused him to leave h

fact was, he never did know it." Then he hurried on to explain. "He'd gone West on business that couldn't wait, 'pears like, an' my gal reckoned as how that would be a mighty good time to come to Windy Island and get me to forgive her and him. They was livin' in New York, but she didn't get farther'n Boston when the little one came. I got a message to go to her at

st a quick glance at his listener, and then, as quickly looked away and out to sea. For the first time in th

" Captain Barney inquired. "Wa'n't

e steal my gal fust, if it comes to th

id slowly. "I reckon a person's a heap happier doin' the ri

me of Rilly if I should get a sudden call across the bar, as the meeting-house hymn puts it, without havin' left any word, or made any provisions; so I recko

well, for he had often helped clean the b

a's dad?" he asked after they had

o find out, if need be, an' I've put the address in the letter." Then the old man rose, looking the picture of rugged health. "Not that I'm expectin'

the notes of a girlish song. Both men turned to see a picture which rejoiced their hearts. Rilla, swinging her Sunday best hat by its ribb

ne polishin' today. I reckon the storms'll come most any time now and the light needs to be its brightest then." Turning

sat long in front of his shack. He wondered what was to