Page:Cornelia Meigs--The island of Appledore.djvu/127

Rh found that the Shutes were away maybe he ought to have gone off at once by the road to  get help. But no, that would have left Sally there alone for too long; it would not have  been safe, especially with that possibility of something or somebody upstairs. Why, oh, why, had he slept through the ebb tide? That was what had caused all the trouble. His mind drifted further, to his mother and father  in South America, and how much he would  have to tell them when they got home. It would be more interesting to relate his tale to  them than to Aunt Mattie, although she was  proving to be rather a good sort, too. He liked Aunt Mattie; he would not have called  her “an old-maid aunt” again for anything. How lucky it was she had gone to Boston and was not aware of any of his adventures. He watched the faint moonlight move across the  floor, disappear and come into view again; he  thought of Johann Happs and his broken  clock, and wondered again about the man who  had frightened him so. Dear, dear, but this was a long night; would it ever end? He rose at last, walked stiffly over to mend the  dying fire and then, going to the door, stood  for a little peering out.