As Sylvia left Uncle Peter and walked back to the house she was thinking of her promise to Mrs. Carleton.
"Perhaps she won't ask me. But if I could go and see Captain Carleton, and tell him that she was going to Boston with us, and then bring her back a message, I know she'd be happier," thought the little girl. And she thought, too, of the pleasure it would be to once more sail the Butterfly to Fort Sumter.
She sat down on the porch steps, and a moment later Estralla appeared bringing a plate of freshly baked sugar cookies from Aunt Connie.
"Mammy says she made these 'special for you, Missy," declared Estralla smilingly.
"I'll go and thank her myself," said Sylvia, taking the plate, and offering one of the cookies to Estralla.
"Uncle Pete he say as de soldiers at Fort Sumter mus' be gettin' hungry," said the little colored girl. "I wish you and I could take Captain Carleton some of these cookies," responded Sylvia.
"If you was black like I is we could go a-sailin' right off to de fort in plain daylight," said Estralla.
Sylvia sprang to her feet so quickly that she nearly upset the plate of cookies.
"Could we? Oh, Estralla, could we really?" she exclaimed.
Estralla looked at her little mistress with wondering eyes.