"Well, Amos Cary, I won't tell Mrs. Stoddard; so now!" declared Amanda
angrily. "Anne is all right, and going to Boston in a chaise. You ought
to be satisfied. Let them think what they want to, I don't care. And
you've got to go to sea. Father's told Captain Nash that he can have
you, and the 'Sea Gull' sails next week."

"Truly, Amanda! Say, that's great news. I do believe I'm the luckiest
boy on the Cape. Are you sure, Amanda?" Amos's eyes were shining, his
shoulders had straightened themselves, and, for the moment, he quite
forgot everything except the wonderful news.

"Do you want to go?" and Amanda's voice was full of disappointment.

"Want to! Why, the 'Sea Gull' is bound for the West Indies her next
voyage, and maybe the English will try and catch us," and Amos's voice
expressed his delight. "Are you sure, Amanda?" he questioned eagerly,
and turned toward his sister in surprise, for Amanda was crying. It
seemed to the unhappy child that everything was going wrong. She did not
want Amos to go away, and she had hoped that he would persuade his
father to let him remain at home, and here he was rejoicing and
triumphant. She was in great fear that Anne would tell the Stoddards
the truth, and then Amanda hardly knew what might befall her. She wished
that she was a boy and could go with Amos in the "Sea Gull."

"It is indeed good news to know that our little girl is safe in
Brewster," said Mrs. Stoddard, as she read Mr. Freeman's letter, "but
what shall we do, Enos, about bringing her home? Mr. Freeman truly says
that, while Rose is eager to take Anne to Boston, we may feel that it
would not be right for her to go. It is indeed a puzzle, is it not?
Whatever possessed Anne to turn upon Amanda in such fashion, and then to
run off?" and the good woman shook her head dolefully.

"I'll have to sail to Brewster and fetch her home," responded the
captain, but his face was very sober. He would have been glad if the
Freemans had written that they would take Anne to Boston, for he did not
want the child disappointed.

"Well, well, we'll let her see how glad we are to have her safe home,
shall we not, Enos? I'll say no more to her about her naughtiness, and I
am sure Mrs. Cary will tell Amanda to forgive Anne and be friends again,
and all will go on pleasantly," but they both felt sorry that it seemed
best for the little girl whom they so dearly loved to have to give up
the wonderful journey up the Cape to Boston in the Fre