CHAPTER XIII.
WHAT LAY UNDER THE WALKING FERN.
For once Gerald was neglected, and for once he was glad of it. Mrs. Stillwell and Jim had both come in, on the afternoon before, in a high state of excitement. They had demanded of him if he had seen Saint Augustine, the mischievous child with the peculiar name. He had retorted, angrily, that of course he had seen nobody, neither child nor grown-up. He might lie there and die for all anybody would bother! He’d get up, he declared he would, dress and go away at once. Never before had he stayed in such a wretched place as this, and yes, he surely would get up and leave. If he could find his own clothes. Did anybody know where his clothes were?
Even in the midst of her terrible anxiety, his faithful nurse and hostess had smiled, encouragingly, saying:
“You couldn’t do better. When a sick person gets to your state of mind and nerves, he’s usually well enough to go out. All you brought with you is in that parcel under the bed. You can leave Corny’s shirt—anywhere.”
She caught her breath with a sob and went swiftly out of the cabin. He heard her calling her children and directing them:
“Wesley and Saint Anne, little brother has run away. He’s done that before, so don’t be frightened. He’s always been found—he will be now. But mamma may not be back by sundown and you, Wesley, must do the milking and lay the fire ready for lighting in the morning. Saint Anne, my precious little care-taker, see well after the others and give the sick boy his supper of cream and oatmeal which was sent. Don’t feel lonely because both papa and mamma are away. The dear God is right here with you, you know, in your little bedroom and close outside the window. No harm can happen where God is, you know, and now good-bye.”
She had kissed them all around and only Saint Anne noticed her lips trembled. Then she had gone swiftly away in one direction which they knew well. It was toward the little whirlpool in the woods, caused by the sudden meeting of two small streams and named Tony’s Eddy, because a man named Tony had been drowned there.
It was a spot all the cabin children, except Saint Augustine, greatly feared. He liked it because “papa does,” and was never happier than when Corny took him on a ramble thither. Lucetta had protested against these visits to the dangerous place, but her fear had been laughed down by her light-hearted husband.