High Tide at Noon by Elisabeth Ogilvie Read Free Book Online Page B

slapped at the sides of the boat, and the great, barren rocks of the lonely west side towered high above them.
    Life was good, Joanna thought. It was even better when Nils let her row for a while. The whole blue expanse between the Island and the sun-bright ledge of the Rock was dotted with boats. She could pick out her uncle, and Philip; there was Nils’ father, Karl, out by Shag Island, where the grotesque black birds sat on their rocks looking down at him. That cloud of gulls far to the east’ard marked the homeward progress of Jake Trudeau, shaking out the old bait bags as the Cecile chugged steadily along.
    â€œLook there!” Nils said suddenly, and she saw Charles’ boat come around Sou-West Point toward them, the water flashing back from the bow. The rocks threw back the beating echo, and gulls on the half-submerged Bull Cove Reef took off in a fluttering cloud of white wings. The two in the peapod watched, Joanna with a lifting thrill in her heart, Nils with pure delight caught unconsciously on his face.
    â€œShe’s an able handsome lady, see her go!” Joanna chanted from the old song. The engine slowed to a muted pulse as the Sea-Gypsy slipped toward them across the water. Nils rowed to meet her.
    Charles looked at them merrily. “What kind of a haul did you get, you Svenska?”
    â€œGood,” said Nils. “How’d you do?”
    â€œThey’ve been hauling hell out of me,” said Charles, looking extraordinarily cheerful about it. “Well, I want my sister.”
    â€œWhat for?” said Joanna.
    â€œOrders. My orders. And don’t ask the skipper questions or you’ll be sorry. Come aboard before I haul you over with a gaff.”
    â€œBut why? ’ Joanna didn’t move, and Charles laughed at her.
    â€œListen, lady, don’t you like surprises? After I came ’round here on purpose to pick you up because I thought you’d kind of hanker to come with me. Just about through for the day, Nils?”
    â€œJust about. You better go with him, Jo. Can’t tell what he’s up to.”
    It was true, Charles was up to something. She knew that. Ever since she could remember, Charles was the lordly one, the biggest brother of all, who hardly ever noticed her; but there had always been the amazing instants when he chose her, and no other, to go with him. One thing, you can keep your mouth shut , he’d told her.
    She watched him now as he lounged on the washboard, old yachting cap on the back of his head, his white shirt dazzling in the sunshine as he smoked and swapped shop talk with Nils. She weighed the respective advantages of going with him, or staying with Nils, who would let her row the peapod. Curiosity won out, and she climbed over into the Sea-Gypsy’s big cockpit. Charles grinned at her.
    â€œCouldn’t risk missing something, could you, darlin’ mine?”
    She threw a full bait bag at him, but he dodged, laughing, and it went overboard. “That’ll cost you a nickel, sweetheart!”
    â€œWild woman,” Nils drawled.
    â€œSome man’ll tame that fire out of her some day.” Charles unfolded his long legs, then hesitated as Nils took up his oars. “By the way, Nils, maybe I ought to tell you something, if you’re on your way home. So you’ll know what the hell you’ve run afoul of, if anybody starts riding you down on the beach. Your grandfather’s been talking to my old man.”
    Nils’ eyes narrowed. “What’s he been saying?”
    Charles sniffed and wagged his head, and suddenly Gunnar was before them. “Your girl—she bad for the boy, she keep him from his vork. Ya, he vass good boy, he vork all vinter till dat Yo come home from school!” Charles smiled at the slow flush in the younger boy’s face. “Oh, we know he’s a crazy old bastard. But he likes to do his chewing in the face and eyes of the whole Island. The beach