CHAPTER X.
A GREAT SECRET.
There was no person in the whole village kinder, or more considerate to those in trouble, than Capt. Clark. He owned several large ships and part of the mill where Mose worked. He was formerly a sea-captain, but now he lived at home with his aged mother, for he had no family of his own. When he heard how much trouble Hesper had with her two brothers, he offered to employ them on his farm during the harvest.
One Saturday night, just as the full moon was rising above the hills, Fred and Charlie finished their day’s work, and were about to return home. Capt. Clark called the boys into the great store room, and told them to fill their handkerchiefs with apples and corn.
“Now boys,” said he, “you have worked well, and I am very much pleased. Here is a new silver dollar for each of you, and when you go home, tell Hesper that I say you have behaved like men.” It seemed to the boys as though they could feel themselves grow taller that very minute. Their hearts really did expand, as they thought that they had been doing something useful, for which they were justly praised and rewarded. “I never felt so happy in all my life,” said Fred, as they trudged along towards home, with their stout oaken sticks over their shoulders, to which they had attached their bundles.
“Nor I, either,” replied Charlie. “Only think, Fred? Two great silver dollars! What shall we do with them? We can buy a whole lot of ducks, and have a pond of our own.”
“Yes,” said Fred, “and some more rabbits.”
“No!” exclaimed both boys at once, “Hesper’s frock! O, now we can do it!”
“I don’t know how we shall manage about buying it though,” said Fred, “for I am sure I don’t know how, and if we tell Hesper, she won’t let us do anything about it.”
“Can’t we ask aunt Nyna?” suggested Charlie.
“Just the very one!” replied Fred, “and here we are, close by. Let’s go in now”—and both boys started upon a run, up the lane that led to the cottage.
The good lady was very much surprised as she sat at her tea table, to see these two little fellows come marching in with their sticks and bundles.
“Whither now, my young travellers?” she said. “Have ye come to bid me good bye?”
“No,” replied Fred, “we’ve come on business.”
“On business!” she repeated, with a comical look—“well what is it?” Fred laid the silver dollars on the table.
“There,” said he, “Capt. Clark paid us those for our work. Now we want you to take them and buy Hesper a new dress—a real good one, and have it made in the very prettiest way.”
“Heaven bless ye, darlings!” exclaimed the old lady. “How delighted Hesper will be! Yea, I will go down to the village as soon as possible, to purchase it, and if one of you will manage to bring me her old frock to-night, I will have the dress all finished on Monday.”
“Well,” said Fred, “we will run home directly, and as soon as we get a good chance, one of us will bring you the frock. Good night”—and away they started. When they came in sight of home, they observed George Grimsby standing at the front door, crying and making a great noise. As soon as Fred saw him he thought of the rabbit, and made up his mind to call him a thief. But he remembered what Hesper had said, and changed his purpose; besides, just then he felt too good natured.
“What’s the matter, George?” he said, very kindly.
“None o’yer business!” returned George. “I’ve a right ter cry when I’m a mind ter, without everybody’s askin’ me what’s ther matter.”
“So you have,” said Fred, and he was just about giving him a poke with his stick, when he changed his mind again, and instead of doing so, drew two large apples from his bundle, and held them towards him. George stopped crying and stared at him with open mouth and eyes.
“Don’t you want them?” asked Fred. He put out his hand slowly, still looking Fred in the face. Then he snatched the apples, and turning about, ran through the entry without speaking a word.
“There!” exclaimed Fred, indignantly, “did you ever see such actions! Now I am sorry I gave them to him. I mean to tell Hesper of that.” Mose and Hesper both laughed well when Fred made his complaint.
“I can tell you what made him act so,” said Hesper. “It was because he was ashamed of having answered you thus, and if I am not much mistaken, he will speak very pleasantly the next time he sees you.” While they were talking the matter over, the door was opened a little way, and the lost rabbit hopped into the room. Then the door was quickly closed again.
“There!” said Hesper, “see what your apples have brought you already. How much better that was, than calling him a thief!”
After tea, when there was a good opportunity, Charlie stole up into Hesper’s chamber, and threw her old frock out of the window. As had been previously agreed upon, Fred was below to receive it. Away he went with it to aunt Nyna’s, and was back again before Hesper missed him. It was almost impossible, however, for the boys to keep from letting out the secret. They were constantly whispering together—sly hints were dropped, and finally they were obliged to tell their mother, lest it should prove too much for them. When Hesper missed her old frock and searched the whole house for it, Fred and Charlie had to run out into the yard to keep themselves quiet. Their mother told Hesper not to worry about it, for she had no doubt the frock would come back again. The poor girl couldn’t think what it all meant. Monday morning, the boys stepped into aunt Nyna’s to see how she got along, and they went in again at night, to tell her they had gone home, and now she could come.
“Why don’t you eat your supper?” said Hesper, as they sat whispering over their bread and milk.
“O, we are only talking over a little business,” replied Fred.
Their father was not yet able to work in the mill, but he had been engaged by Capt. Clark to keep his accounts. Now he sat by the fire writing, looking very pale and sober. Mose was there too, studying over his old geography, and their mother, who could sit up a little now and then, occupied the great rocking-chair in the corner. She well understood the feelings of the boys, and smiled often as they gave her expressive glances.
At last the door opened—both boys sprang to their feet—aunt Nyna made her appearance and unrolled the frock.
“Here, Hesper,” said she, “is a nice, warm dress, which two good people sent you. I can’t tell their names, but I hope you will find them out.”
Hesper seemed very much surprised, and the boys dropped under the table. Their father looked up from his writing, and Mose laid down his book.
“There,” he exclaimed, “didn’t you say, Hesper, that when the moon fulled again, the fairies would send you a dress?”
“But, who are the fairies?” said Hesper.
Aunt Nyna pointed under the table. The boys could restrain themselves no longer. They rolled on the floor and laughed till they were tired. When they became quiet, in some measure, aunt Nyna told the whole story, though they kept crying out all the time for her to stop. Hesper’s heart was too full to speak. She slipped away to her chamber, and when she had put on the dress, she went down again. It fitted so nicely and looked so pretty, they could scarce praise it enough. Fred and Charlie were perfectly satisfied with the way they had spent their money.
“Come here, my boys,” said their father, “I want to say to you plainly, that I am proud of you, and whatever befalls me in life, I will always thank God that he has given me such good children.”