Page:Cornelia Meigs--The island of Appledore.djvu/38

22 “The Captain said he was sorry not to send them sooner.”

He could not seem to think of anything else to say, that was of especial importance, so  turned to go.

“Wait,” Sally commanded, in the tone of one who is used to having her orders obeyed. “I must take the berries to my mother and have her empty them out, because Captain  Saulsby will want his boxes back again. And I think,”—here she looked him over solemnly  from head to foot—“I think that you look  thirsty.”

Billy grinned and admitted that there might be some reason for that appearance.

Getting acquainted with Sally was as rapid a process as had been getting acquainted with  Captain Saulsby. The tall glass of cold milk and the plate of fresh gingerbread certainly  put an end to any formalities between them,  and the expedition down to the hen-house to  see the new brood of deliciously round, fat  ducklings carried them far on the road toward  friendship. Billy thought that the ducks looked rather like Sally herself, they were so  small and fat and yellow and so very sure of  themselves, but he did not summon courage