“But what? What can you be?” Anne was really disappointed, and showed it like a spoiled child who isn’t having her own way.
“I’ll be—I’ll be—a mermaid!” said Nelly suddenly. “That’s easy! Nancy said once that I’d make a fine mermaid, with my hair loose, and my green bathing-suit, and some shells.”
“Then I shall be a mermaid, too!” declared Anne. “My bathing suit is red; but we can get kelp and things and drape both. My hair isn’t pretty and long like yours, but I can make some with seaweed. Mermaids can’t dance, but we will swim. Let’s go as mermaids together. Shall we, Nelly?” Aunt Polly looked as pleased as Punch.
“All right, let’s!” Nelly agreed with shy enthusiasm. “That will be fun! But who will wear this lovely dress?” she touched it again with a soft finger.
“Oh, I don’t know—Gilda, perhaps,” said Anne carelessly. She did not know that Gilda was already provided for. “Let’s go down to the beach and get some shells and things now before Dick comes back for me.”
The two girls ran off, chatting and laughing. And Aunt Polly standing in the doorway watched them with kind eyes. In a moment Anne darted back with a question. “Aunt Polly,” she said, “if I come over some morning very soon, will you show me how to make biscuits like those you gave me yesterday? I have got to take my turn at getting supper before long. And I’d like to surprise the Round Robin. They don’t think I can do anything—and I can’t!” she confessed. “But I think I can learn, if Norma and Beverly can.”
“Sure you can!” said Aunt Polly. “An American girl ought to be able to do ’most anything. Come right over Friday morning and I’ll give you a lesson while I’m baking.” Anne thanked her and ran off to join Nelly.
“Who’s that down on the beach with Nelly?” asked Cap’n Sackett coming up to the house from the opposite direction. Aunt Polly told him of Anne’s errand. “Sho!” said the Captain. “She’s got a good heart, that little girl, hasn’t she, Polly? Mermaids is it, they’re going to be? Lemme see; I guess I’ve got some truck they might like.” And after rummaging in the drawers of an old bureau Cap’n Sackett joined the girls on the beach with his arms full of an odd collection.
“Mermaids ahoy!” he shouted. “Here’s some loot for ye. Want some coral beads? I got ’em in the South Sea when I was a lad. And here’s some strings of shells. Kinder pretty, ain’t they? Want these things to dress up with, eh?”
“Oh yes! How pretty they are!”