L Frank Baum

The Sea Fairies L Frank Baum

The next morning, as soon as Trot had helped wipe the breakfast dishes and put them away inthe cupboard, the little girl and Cap'n Bill started out toward the bluff. The air was soft and warmand the sun turned the edges of the waves into sparkling diamonds. Across the bay the last of thefisherboats was speeding away out to sea, for well the fishermen knew this was an ideal day to catchrockbass, barracuda and yellowtail. The old man and the young girl stood on the bluff and watched all this with interest. Here wastheir world. "It isn't a bit rough this morning. Let's have a boat ride, Cap'n Bill," said the child."Suits me to a T," declared the sailor. So they found the winding path that led down the face ofthe cliff to the narrow beach below and cautiously began the descent. Trot never minded the steeppath or the loose rocks at all, but Cap'n Bill's wooden leg was not so useful on a downgrade as on alevel, and he had to be careful not to slip and take a tumble. But by and by they reached the sands and walked to a spot just beneath the big acacia tree thatgrew on the bluff. Halfway to the top of the cliff hung suspended a little shed-like structure thatsheltered Trot's rowboat, for it was necessary to pull the boat out of reach of the waves which beatin fury against the rocks at high tide. About as high up as Cap'n Bill could reach was an iron ringsecurely fastened to the cliff, and to this ring was tied a rope. The old sailor unfastened the knot andbegan paying out the rope, and the rowboat came out of its shed and glided slowly downward to thebeach. It hung on a pair of davits and was lowered just as a boat is lowered from a ship's side. Whenit reached the sands, the sailor unhooked the ropes and pushed the boat to the water's edge. It was apretty little craft, light and strong, and Cap'n Bill knew how to sail it or row it, as Trot might desire. Today they decided to row, so the girl climbed into the bow and her companion stuck hiswooden leg into the water's edge "so he wouldn't get his foot wet" and pushed off the little boat ashe climbed aboard. Then he seized the oars and began gently paddling.