"Sitting here in perfect peace on the shore," she admonished them, "watch thus how one isolated person with no words but oil can make a boat prance on the waves! All aboard!" she called back exultantly to them.
With a chug like a great, pounding heartthrob the wrangle boat sprang for the sea. Just for a moment then at the last signaling point Solvei lifted her hand in unfailing cheeriness to the sick woman and the deaf woman left behind, and turned her own inordinately sharpened young senses toward the mainland.
But when the ructious little wrangle boat drew up a half hour later alongside the dilapidated mainland wharf before an admiring audience of jet black pickaninnies and mangy hounds there was only one passenger waiting impatiently there, and that passenger was Dr. Sam Kendrue.
"How do you do, Dr. Sam Kendrue?" said Solvei.
"How do you do, Miss Solvei Kjelland?" grinned Doctor Kendrue.
With more agility than one might have 153dared to hope for from one who boasted so much winter in his blood, the Young Doctor snatched up his valise, jumped down into the wrangle boat and pushed off.
To avoid running into a sunken rowboat and a floating snag, Solvei was compelled to start her engine, and turn sharply out to sea.
"Where then is your Mrs. Kendrue?" she called a bit breathlessly above the lap of wind and water.
"It is my Mrs. Kendrue that I have come to get!" said the Young Doctor.
With a little oil can poised abruptly in midair, Solvei opened the same old bewildered blue eyes at him.