CHAPTER XX

THE CAPTAIN FINDS HIS OWN

Chicken Little climbed the hill of sleep painfully that night, and slept late the following morning in consequence. While she was eating breakfast, Frank came in with two tear-stained, dusty letters, which he had found in the bottom of the buggy.

"Is this the way you treat your correspondence, Sis?"

"The idea--it's Ernest's and Katy's letters and I never read them.

Sherm's trouble drove them clear out of my mind."

"Evidently, one is torn part way open, and the other hasn't been touched."

"Hurry up and tell us what Ernest has to say. I was wondering why he hadn't written." Mrs. Morton paused expectantly.

"He says a lot of things," replied Jane, skimming rapidly through the letter. "He says they are going to start on their summer cruise next week and the boys are tickled to death to go, though they're probably just going to cruise around to Navy yards and see dry docks and improving things. He says that it's rumored that Superintendent Balch is going away and Old Rodgers is coming back as superintendent. And this year's cla.s.s graduated three j.a.ps--the j.a.panese government sent them over. He gives the names, but I can't p.r.o.nounce them. One is I-n-o-u-y-e."

"Skip the j.a.ps and give us the rest." Frank was waiting to hear the news.

"That's about all that would interest you."

"My dear, anything concerning Ernest interests me," protested her mother.

"But it isn't about Ernest; it's about Carol Brown."

"Well, what is it?"

"Oh, nothing much--he just took a fancy to my picture and asked Ernest a lot of questions." Chicken Little folded the letter and hastily slipped it back into the envelope, devoutly hoping her mother wouldn't demand to see it. She tore open Katy's. Before she had read two lines she gave a little cry of delight.

"Oh, Mother, do you think I could? Oh, wouldn't it be just too wonderful? Oh Mother, you must say Yes!"

"Jane, what are you talking about? Calm yourself and tell me." Mrs.

Morton looked up over her spectacles severely.

"Why, she says her mother wants me to come and live with them next year and go to the High School and that Alice and d.i.c.k want me to come there.

And, perhaps, I could stay part of the time at one house and part at the other, and for me to tell you and let you be thinking about it, and Alice and Mrs. Halford are both going to write you all about it, and--oh, Mother, wouldn't it be too wonderful?"

Mrs. Morton looked both surprised and worried. "It is certainly most kind of them all, but I shall have to think the matter over."

"Well," said Frank, "that doesn't have to be settled to-day. Jane, Marian wishes to know if you want to go over to the Captain's with her to see Sherm. She is going to start in a few minutes."

Chicken Little jumped to her feet. "I'll be ready in a jiffy!"

Sherm had still not wakened when they arrived. He had roused once toward morning; Captain Clarke had spoken to him, telling him where he was, then he had dropped quietly off to sleep again.

Captain Clarke asked Chicken Little a good many questions.

"I should like to see that letter," he said.

"It's in his coat pocket. I tucked it in--I was afraid he'd lose it."

Dr. Morton, who was still there, sat for several minutes in a brown study.

"I think," he said presently, "that under the circ.u.mstances we should be justified in reading it without waiting for Sherm's permission." He looked at Captain Clarke.

The latter nodded a.s.sent.

Both read it and discussed it briefly. Still Sherm did not waken.

"I believe I'll drive over to Jake Schmidt's while I am waiting--I have an errand with him. Marian, don't you want to ride over with me?"

"Captain Clarke," said Jane rather timidly after they had gone, "would you mind showing me that picture of your baby again?"

Captain Clarke rose and brought the photograph. Chicken Little studied it carefully, then glanced up at the Captain. Sherm certainly was like the picture--as much like it as a boy who was almost a man grown could be. Should she dare to ask him? Chicken Little felt herself growing hot and cold by turns. Her heart was beating so she thought the Captain must surely hear it. One minute she was sure she didn't dare, the next, she remembered Sherm's broken-hearted words about not belonging to anybody, and she was sure she could screw her courage up--in just a minute.

Captain Clarke helped her out. He had been observing her restless movements for several minutes and was wondering if she could possibly have guessed what was in his own mind.

"Out with it, little woman, what's troubling you?"

Chicken Little got up from her seat and went and stood close beside him.

"I want to say something to you awfully, only I am afraid you--won't like it," she said earnestly.

"My dear child, don't be afraid of me."

Chicken Little summoned up her resolution.

"I wanted to ask--to ask you, if you wouldn't adopt Sherm. You see he looks like your little boy would have looked, and he hasn't got anybody or any name, and he isn't going to want to live hardly, I am afraid. And I thought.... You don't know how fine Sherm is. He's so honorable and kind--so--so you can trust him. I just know you'd be proud of him after a while."

Chicken Little was pleading with eyes and voice and trembling hands. The Captain gazed at her a moment in astonishment, then he tenderly drew her toward him.

"Chicken Little, I doubt if Sherm would agree to that. But if he is willing, I should be proud and happy to call him my son. But don't get your hopes up--I fear Sherm is too proud to let us find any such easy solution of his troubles. But we'll find a way to put him on his feet, you and I--we'll find a way, if it takes every cent I have!

"I think perhaps the first thing to do, Chicken Little," he continued after some pondering, "is to try to find out something about Sherman's real parentage. It hardly seems possible that a comfortably dressed woman could have disappeared with her child without making some stir. I am in hopes, by getting somebody to search through the files of two or three of the leading New York newspapers immediately following the day of the accident, we might secure a clue. I shall write to Mrs. Dart at once for particulars, and then send to a man I know and pay him to make a thorough investigation."

They were so interested discussing what could be done, that Sherm entered the room before they knew he was awake. The boy was calm, but looked years older, and very white and worn. Captain Clarke greeted him cheerfully.

"I hope you rested. Jane tells me you had a staggering day yesterday.

Chicken Little, would you mind telling Wing to serve Sherm's breakfast?"

As soon as she disappeared, he gripped the boy's hand, saying confidently, "I don't wish to talk about your trouble just now and I have no words to comfort you for your loss, lad, but I want to tell you not to begin to worry yet about your ident.i.ty. I believe we shall find a way to get track of your people and that you will find you have an honorable name, and, possibly, a living father to make up a little for the kind foster-father you have lost."

"I don't see how we could--after all these years."

"Will you leave the matter to me for a few days? And Sherm, make an effort to eat something for Chicken Little's sake--she is worrying her heart out over your trouble. You have some good friends right here--don't forget that. Dr. Morton watched by you all night. Brace up and be a man. I know you have it in you, Sherm."

Letters came to Sherm in a short time from Sue Dart, from d.i.c.k and Alice Harding, and from Mrs. Halford, who painstakingly wrote him all the details of his supposed father's last days. She evidently knew nothing of his not being the Dart's own son. Sue's letter seemed to comfort him a little. He did not show it to anyone, even to Chicken Little. He confided to her, however, that the folks were sending his things to him the next day. They had already broken up the home and were going back to Chicago with Sue the following week.