Marjorie at Seacote. Wells Carolyn
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thought for a moment, then he said:
"Seems 's if she ought to put this palace back in order, just as it was when she found it,—but that's too hard work for a girl."
"I'll help her," said Harry, earnestly. "I'm sorry for her."
"Sorry for her!" cried Tom, with blazing eyes. "Sorry for the girl that spoiled our palace!"
"Well, you see," went on Harry, "she's sorry herself now."
CHAPTER IV
SAND COURT
With one accord, they all looked at Hester. Sure enough, it was easily to be seen that she was sorry. All her anger and rage had vanished, and she stood digging one toe into the sand, and twisting from side to side, with her eyes cast down, and two big tears rolling slowly down her cheeks.
Marjorie sprang up from her wabbly throne, and running to Hester, threw her arms around her.
"Don't cry, Hester," she said. "We'll all forgive you. I think you lost your temper and I think you're sorry now, aren't you?"
"Oh, yes, yes, I am!" sobbed Hester. "But I envied the good times you had, and when Tom wouldn't let me into your club, I got so mad I didn't know what to do."
"There, there, don't cry any more," and Midget smoothed the tangled red mop, and tried to comfort the bad little Hester.
Tom looked rather disappointed.
"I say," he began, "she did an awful mean thing, and she ought to be–"
"Hold on a minute, Tom," said Marjorie. "I'm Queen of this club, and what I say goes! Is that right, my courtiers?"
She looked round at the boys, smiling in a wheedlesome way, and King said, "Right, O Queen Sandy! Right always and ever, in the hearts of your gentlemen-in-waiting."
"You bet you are!" cried Tom, quick to follow King's lead. "Our noble Queen has but to say the word, and it is our law. Therefore, O Queen, we beg thee to mete out a just punishment to this prisoner within our gates."
"Hear ye! Hear ye!" said Midget, with great dramatic fervor. "I hereby forgive this prisoner of ours, because she's truly sorry she acted like the dickens. And as a punishment, I condemn her to rebuild this royal palace, but, following Harry's example, we will all help her with the work."
Then King burst forth into song:
"Hooray, Hooray, for our noble Queen,
The very best monarch that ever was seen.
There's nobody quite so perfectly dandy,
As our most gracious, most noble Queen Sandy!"
They all repeated this chorus, and the Queen bowed and smiled at her devoted court.
"And also," her Royal Highness went on, "we hereby take into our club Miss Hester Corey as a new member. I'm glad to have another girl in it,—and what I say goes!"
This time Tom made up the song:
"What she says, goes!
She's sweet as a rose,
From head to toes,
So what she says, goes!"
"Miss Hester Corey is now a member," said Midget, "and her name is,—is–"
"Sand Witch," suggested Tom.
"Yes," said King; "you expect witches to cut up tricks."
"All right," said Hester. "Call me Sand Witch, and you'll see there are good witches as well as bad."
"Come on, then," said Marjorie, "and show us how you can work. Let's put this palace back into shape again as quick as scat!"
They all fell to work, and it didn't take so very long after all. Hester was conquered by the power of Marjorie's kindness, and she was meek as a lamb. She did whatever she was told, and was a quick and willing worker.
"Now," said Midget, after it was all in order once more, "now we'll have our celebration. You see, we have six in our court now, instead of five, and I think it's nicer. I'll give the Sand Witch my sash to wear, and she can be my first lady-in-waiting."
This position greatly pleased Hester, and she took her place at the side of the enthroned Queen, while Tom stood at her other side. King played a grand tune, and they all sang.
The song was in honor of the flag-raising, and was hastily composed by Marjorie for the occasion:
"Our Flag, our Flag, our Sand Club Flag!
Long may she wave, long may she wag!
And may our Sand Club ever stand
A glory to our Native Land."
Tom persisted in singing "a glory to our native sand," and King said strand, but after all, it didn't matter.
Then Sandow, bearing the flag, stepped gravely forward, and the boys all helped to plant it firmly in the middle of Sand Court, while the Queen and her lady-in-waiting nodded approval.
"Ha, Courtiers! I prithee sit!" the Queen commanded, when the flag was gaily waving in the breeze.
Her four courtiers promptly sat on the ground at her feet, and the Queen addressed them thus:
"Gentlemen-in-waiting of Sandringham Palace, there are much affairs of state now before us. First must we form our club, our Sand Club."
"Most noble Queen," and Tom rose to his feet, "have I your permission to speak?"
"Speak!" said the Queen, graciously, waving her sceptre at him.
"Then I rise to inquire if this is a secret organization."
"You bet it is!" cried King, jumping up. "The very secretest ever! If any one lets out the secrets of these secret meetings, he shall be excommunicated in both feet!"
"A just penalty!" said Tom, gravely.
"Is all well, O fair Queen? Do you agree?"
"Yes, I agree," said the Queen, smiling. "But I want to know what these secrets are to be about."
"That's future business," declared King. "Just now we have to elect officers, and all that."
"All right," said Marjorie, "but you must be more courtly about it. Say it more,—you know how I mean."
"As thus," spoke up the lady-in-waiting, dropping on one knee before the Queen.
"What is the gracious will of your Royal Highness in the matter of secretary and treasurer, O Queen!"
"Yes, that's better. Well, my court, to tell you the truth, I don't think that we need a secretary and such things, because it isn't a regular club. Let us content ourselves with our present noble offices. Grand Sandjandrum, what are the duties of thy high office?"
"No duties, but all pleasures, when serving thee, O noble and gracious Queen!"
"That's fine," said Midget, clapping her hands. "Hither, Sir Sand Piper! What are thy duties at, court?"
"Your Majesty," said King, bowing low, "it is my humble part to play the pipes, or to lay the pipes, as the case may be. I do not smoke pipes, but, if it be thy gracious wish, I can blow fair soap bubbles from them."
"Sand Piper, I see you know your business," said the Queen. "Ha! Sand Crab, what dost thou do each day?"
"Just scramble around in the sand," replied Harry, and suiting the action to the word, he gave such a funny scrambling performance that they all applauded.
"Right well done, noble Sand Crab," commented the smiling Queen. "And thou, O Sandow?"
"I do all the strong-arm work required in the palace," said Dick, doubling up his little fist, and trying to make it look large and powerful.
"Now, thee, my fair lady-in-waiting, what dost thou do in this, my court?"
Hester shook back her mop of red curls, and her eyes danced as she answered, gaily:
"I am the Court Sand Witch! I cut up tricks of all sorts, as doth become a witch.