CHAPTER X
SAFE AT HOME
It was late in the evening when the three tired, hungry children reached the settlement. Amanda and Amos ran up the path to their door and Anne plodded on toward Mrs. Stoddard’s, nearly a half mile from the Cary house.
There was not a light to be seen in the village, but Anne could see the shining lanterns on the “Somerset” sending narrow rays of light across the water. But she was too tired to think of the British ship, or of anything except how good it would be to sleep in a real bed again.
At Mrs. Stoddard’s door she stood for a moment wondering if she could not creep in and up-stairs without waking Uncle Enos and Aunt Martha; she tried the door softly, but it was bolted, so she rattled the latch and called, “Aunt Martha! Uncle Enos!” a sudden fear filling her heart that they might not hear her and that she might have to sleep on the door-step.
But in an instant she heard steps hurrying across the kitchen floor, the big bolt was pulled back, the door swung open, and Anne was warmly clasped in Aunt Martha’s arms. Uncle Enos hurried close behind her, and Anne was drawn into the kitchen with many exclamations of wonder and joy.
“Light a candle that we may look at her,” said Aunt Martha, “and start up a fire. ’Tis a chilly night, and the child must have some warm porridge.”
It was not long before the fire was burning brightly, a kettle of hot water bubbling cheerfully, that Anne might have a warm bath to rest and soothe her tired limbs, and Anne, sitting on Aunt Martha’s lap, was eating a bowl of hot porridge and telling the story of her adventures.
“House Point Island, eh?” said Uncle Enos; “’Tis lucky there was an island just there, even so low a one as that. In a hundred years or so the tides and waves will sweep it away.”
Anne told of the brush-covered shelter, of Amos making a fire and cooking the fish, and of their journey home, while her kind friends listened eagerly.