Just then he was grabbed by rough but friendly hands, his head propped above water and his body propelled speedily to sh.o.r.e. It had been a very few seconds from the time Perk had seen him go under and had swum out and seized him by the hair. So short had the time been, indeed, that Billy Carpenter did not know that anything had gone amiss until he reached the goal of the race and turned to jeer his victory. Then he saw Perk wading swiftly through the shallow water, half carrying, half pushing Christopher before him. The boy was almost unconscious when they got him to sh.o.r.e, and he lay in a heap on the pine-needles, his cramped arm bent pitifully beneath his body. Perk threw a coat about him and went to work in a businesslike, capable way to revive the boy.

"He's swallowed an awful lot of water, and it has made him sick," Perk explained to Billy. "It's that right arm that's cramped. Haul it out straight, Bill, and pound it. Never mind if he hollers; it'll help bring him to. Keep poundin' and don't let him double it up again. We've got to get the muscles limbered up."

It took half an hour's hard work to restore Christopher to anything like his usual cheerful self. Then they all realized with a pang how late it was. The sun was so near setting that it had already darkened the woods.

In a panic of alarm the boys harnessed the horse and drove as rapidly as they dared in the growing dusk, down the winding wood road.

"There is no use in going into the town," said Jo Perkins as they emerged from the gloom of the trees into the lighter twilight of the open road. "Jane will have got home somehow before this. Letty's taken her home, most likely. I shouldn't be surprised if they had searching parties out for us," he added, eyeing the reddening western sky.

"Oh, shucks," boasted Christopher, "I guess they know we can take care of ourselves." But his voice had not quite so confident a ring as usual.

"Besides, Perk, there's no other way to get home except by going through town."

"We can go along Birch Lane to the crossroads. It is only half as far that way."

Both boys whistled under their breath. Birch Lane was a lonely road by night!

"But how about me?" asked Billy. "I guess I've got to get home."

"Yes," chimed in Christopher, "it wouldn't be polite not to take Bill home. He's our company."

"Besides, Perk, there's your bicycle that you left at our house."

"We can drop Bill at the turn. It's only two miles from there home, and I guess that's nothing of a walk for you, is it, Bill? I'll come in after the bicycle in the morning."

"I don't think it's treating Bill right, to dump him like that," argued Christopher. If he did not relish the drive along Birch Lane in Perk's companionship, Birch Lane with its ghostly, whispering white sentinels, the silver birch trees, how much less must Bill look forward to walking by himself along the deserted wood road? Christopher was sincerely sympathetic. "Besides," he added, "I feel pretty sure that Jane will be waiting for us, Perk. I told her I'd come for her, and she knows that I always keep my word."

"Oh, pshaw! She knew long before this that you weren't coming for her, leastways, not at the time you said. And I guess your grandma's pretty nigh crazy by this time. No, we've got to get home as soon as ever we can and take our thrashings. Bill ain't afraid to walk, and here's the turn. Hop out, Bill."

"Who's afraid?" demanded Billy, in a boastful voice, jumping out over the wheel with affected alacrity. "And it's only girl-boys that get thrashed for staying out late. I've been out lots later than this. My, Jo Perkins, if I was as old as you I guess I wouldn't let anybody thrash me! Not much. Not for anything like that!"

With which parting taunt, Billy trotted off, whistling to keep up his spirits.

Christopher sat rather close to Jo Perkins and stared stolidly ahead. As each birch tree came in sight he eyed it roundly, even watching it over his shoulder in pa.s.sing, as if to stare it out of countenance. Then he took to counting them off as they went by; it helped to keep his thoughts from the present homecoming and grandmother's face. It was growing darker and darker.

"I hope she won't cry," he said suddenly. "Women are such babies. I'd rather she'd thrash me than cry."

"I guess you won't get the thrashing until your grandpa gets home," Perk answered grimly. "But I tell you, Kit, this is a pretty bad sc.r.a.pe for me. I was put in charge of you two young ones, and I didn't do right to keep you out so late. I ought to have watched the time a bit closer. And I almost let you drown, too," he added soberly. "Gee whizz, I guess mebbe it'll cost me my place! I'm powerful sorry about it all."

"Oh, Perk, did I really nearly drown?" asked Christopher in awe.

He shuddered as the recollection of his recent experience came over him.

CHAPTER XV

LETTY'S FUTURE

When Letty and Jane reached Sunnycrest they found grandmother climbing into the carriage to drive to Hammersmith, fully convinced that the worst had happened. Gathering Jane, silent and frightened, into her arms, grandmother felt half comforted. But a cold dread still clutched at her heart. Where was Christopher?

"Oh, why did we let him go off like that!" she cried. "And your grandfather away. I did think Jo Perkins was to be trusted. What can have happened? Joshua, you must go in search of them. Oh, Janey, Janey, if only your grandfather were here!" and she burst into tears.

Jane's heart grew big and tight with all kinds of alarms. It was so very unusual for grandmother to be upset. She was generally calm in the face of any calamity, however great. Why, even that time when the whole kettleful of raspberry jam fell off the kitchen range and splashed on the cat, grandmother had only said:-"Mercy me, it's lucky the kittens weren't there, too."

"Oh, Mrs. Baker," exclaimed Letty in distress, "I don't believe anything serious has happened. Mrs. Carpenter said she thought that they had just forgotten about the time; she said boys never could keep track of the time when they were off on a picnic; and she did not seem at all worried about Billy."

"She was just cross," added Jane. "She said she was going to spank him when he did get home. Shall you spank Kit, grandmother?"

"Bless the boy, he will have to be punished some way," replied Mrs.

Baker, drying her tears. "If only he comes home safe and sound," she added mournfully, watching the carriage disappear down the road into the dusk. "Letty dear, don't you think you would better start back home?

There is enough worry on hand without giving Mrs. Hartwell-Jones a fright about you."

"I don't believe she will worry, Mrs. Baker. She said I might stay as long as I could be of any use here and I should like to wait until Kit gets back," answered Letty earnestly. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Just talk a bit, you and Jane," said grandmother, "if you think it all right to remain. It will keep my mind off imagining all sorts of horrors about that blessed boy. How did the party go off, Janey, dear? I haven't asked a single word about it."

Jane was in the middle of an elaborate account of the party when they were interrupted by the sound of wheels. Grandmother had been sitting on the veranda steps with Jane in her lap and Letty on another step close beside them.

"Can Joshua be coming back for something?" exclaimed grandmother, rising.

Jane had already climbed out of her lap and was running down the drive.

"It's Kit, it's Kit!" she cried joyfully.

Grandmother kissed Christopher first, and cried over him. Then she took him aside and gave him a long, serious lecture. Christopher knew that he had been disobedient, but he did not realize that he had also been selfish until grandmother pointed out to him how much upset every one had been by his long absence.

"We did not mean any harm, grandmother," he said. "We only wanted to have a good time. Is it always wrong to have a good time?"

"Why no, dear, of course not. It is right to enjoy oneself and be happy, if one can do so without causing pain or discomfort to others. But it is wrong to do things that are sure to distress or worry other people."

"Bill Carpenter did not seem to think it was wrong. He said he had often been out later than this. I don't believe his folks will even scold him."

Grandmother repressed a smile as she remembered what Billy Carpenter's mother had said was in store for that boastful young gentleman.

"Billy Carpenter has been brought up differently, Kit--" she began.

"Yes, without being tied to a girl's ap.r.o.n-strings," broke in Christopher bitterly.

He did not mean to be rude to his grandmother, but he was tired, hungry and a bit conscience-stricken; all of which are apt to make any one feel a little out of temper.

Grandmother did not reprove him. A new and not very pleasant idea had been suggested by Christopher's words. Had they made too much of a girl-boy of him? Pampered him and watched him too closely? she asked herself.

She sent Christopher up-stairs to tidy himself while she saw Letty off for home and sent Jo Perkins on horseback to find Joshua and bring him back from his fruitless search. Joshua had taken the main road and so missed the truants on the short cut through Birch Lane.

Jane did not know how to treat her brother. She was so glad to have him safe at home that she longed to hug and kiss him and cling to him. But he had been naughty and she supposed she must not speak to him. She eyed him askance and when he was not looking, felt of his arms and legs gently, to a.s.sure herself that he was whole. Her brother rubbed the places she touched and said:-"Shucks!" without turning around.

Christopher himself was surprised at being allowed to come to the supper table. He had fully expected to be sent to bed without any supper at all, but grandmother did not think it healthful to send growing children to bed without anything to eat. She allowed Christopher to have all the bread and b.u.t.ter and minced chicken that he wanted. It was only the sweets of which he was deprived.