The Merryweathers

Willy Mer

ther, without looking

er his shoulder. "Mammy, I wi

certainly. How

uncomfortable

and now she wants it. She alwa

I haven't been in it for two day

her sentence; she looked up, and surveyed

, abruptly. "I thought K

of her apron, and Willy fel

ther in a tone of wonder. "You should

" murmured the children, the red b

Kitty and Willy perfectly well; they are brother and sister, two cheerful, affectionate childr

after them: "If you should see Kitty and Wil

looked so abstractedly over their glasses, Willy rubbed his shoulders un

hat way!" said Willy, half to himself, but with a side g

"She always says there is no need of quarrelling, and she d

aid Willy. "I don't see w

e's the use? Never mind about the Rangeley;

said Willy. "Y

may

his shoulders, Kitty ki

her curls back. "I've got over mine, Willy!"

illy, slowly. "

" asked Kitty. "Then we ca

ening at once. "Where shall we

the milk! That

ht, come

but,

el

and tell M

before their mother, who was still writing bus

ondering where you were. What are

have the Rangeley together,

for the milk!

have the boat if you wanted it. That will be very nice, only b

" said the P

ir!" repli

his eyes. His belt contained a perfect armory of weapons; item, a pistol that had lost its barrel; item, three wooden daggers, assorted sizes; item, one tomahawk, home-made. The mate was scarcely less terrifying, for though a blue petticoat showed beneath his oilskin jacket

vast there! dost s

see a craft on

Bill; not jib boom! You

OT A PLA

how, I see a craft, your Honor. I think she is a plat

strument, which the ignorant might have mistaken for a battered tin ho

er from Samarcand, laden with raisins and fig-paste and lichi nuts and cream dates. I shouldn't wonder if she had nar

sir! st

thing you can think of. Ha! we are off! Row hard now, Bill! The lubbers

ay,

d to your oars, my hearties! grappling-c

and in counting the number of separate aches she felt after her first lesson in rowing. Moreover, the bloody pirates had conducted their co

he cried. "What is

t terror. "Mercy! mercy!" he cried; cowering down in his seat. ("It's th

Peggy, following suit, and clas

d aboard the ill-fated merchantman. The Pirate Captain, standi

ship i

in Zebedee Moses of Squedunk,

ou have a cargo of raisins and fig-paste and cream dates, hand

ve no fig-paste, but wouldn't fresh doughnuts do as well, O

riefly. "This once I spare ye, but cross not my path again! I jolly well forgot about tea," he added,

it jolly well was!" he replied. "You'd better

-cans were waiting, but Kitty and Willy were both go

ngland, who had not had his fill of glory. "The cans mig

e to hear us be si

ilk-can,-a tall "separator" which held the whole provision for the family supper and breakfast,-and bore it in triumph to the boat. But, alas! for the gallant pirates! In getting aboard, on

en be?" asked Mrs. Merryw

h were fried, the campers were hungry

hey be?" sai

the lake. "They are out there!" he said. "I see them, but they don't

ut across the lake

eard in reply. "Do

still calm, but pe

ll, and the boat crept over the water. Wh

llant England!" said Phil. "When it

her. "Broken an oar, probably, or lost a rowlock.

e wharf, but a piteous wail aro

dy come down! we want

nd both parents hurried down to the wharf, toward which two

ll?" said Mr. Merrywea

said Willy, in a ca

ll of it?" inqui

!" said Wil

"The old can-just-upset! and we are so we

; never mind about the mil

ily. "My poor chicks, where have you been all

en rowing around for ever and ever so long,

as she was, into her mother's arms. On her mother's shoulder she sobbed out the rest of the pitiful little story. Kitty was twelve, a

crying into the spilt milk, too, and making the boat all the wetter! Hush! hush! Run along, Papa and Willy-dear li