“I could wear my scarlet stockings and new shoes for my father to see,” she thought, “and I would be no trouble to Uncle Enos. There are two bunks in the sloop’s cabin, and I would be company for him.”
The more Anne thought about this cruise to Boston the more she longed to go. Captain Enos was late to his supper that night.
“I have a fine cargo of fish,” he said, “and I shall go out on the morning tide, before you are awake, little maid,” with a nod to Anne. “Next spring you and Aunt Martha shall go with me and see the fine town of Boston, with its shops and great houses. The British soldiers will be gone by that time, and it may be we will have our own government. There will be good days for us all then.”
“I want to go now,” said Anne, and Captain Enos laughed and shook his head.
“Run away to bed now, child,” said Aunt Martha, as soon as the supper dishes were washed, “and take these stockings up-stairs with you. I toed off the last one while you were at Amanda Cary’s.”
So Anne said good-night, and Captain Enos gave her a good-bye kiss, telling her to take good care of her Aunt Martha while he was away, and went slowly up-stairs. But she did not undress and go to bed. She sat down on the little wooden stool, her mind full of a great resolve. She sat there quietly until she heard Captain Enos and Mrs. Stoddard go to bed. Then she moved softly to the little table under which stood her new shoes. Taking these and her scarlet stockings, she crept softly down the stairs. Crossing the kitchen gently, she slid back the bolt, and let herself out into the night.
There was a fresh wind from the southwest, and the little girl shivered a little as she ran toward the shore. The sloop was anchored some little distance from shore; Captain Enos would row out in his dory to her. As Anne reached the shore and looked out at the sloop she almost lost courage.
“I don’t see how I can ever get out there without a boat,” she exclaimed aloud.
“Out there?” the voice sounded close at her elbow, and Anne gave a jump and looked around.
“What do you want to get out to Captain Enos’s boat for?” asked Jimmie Starkweather.