Next day Nigel made no objections to being guided to the most picturesque spots among the coral isles by the interesting orphan girl. If she had been older he might even have fallen in love with her, an event which would have necessitated an awkward modification of the ground-work of our tale. As it was, he pitied the poor child sincerely, and not onlyrecognising her geniusasked her advice a good deal on the subject of art, butrecognising also her extreme youth and ignorancevolunteered a good deal of advice in exchange, quite in a paternal way!
Chapter Four
Nigel Undergoes some quite New and Interesting Experiences
The arrangements made on the following day turned out to be quite in accordance with the wishes and tastes of the various parties concerned.
The ships carpenter having been duly set to work on the repairs, and being inspected in that serious piece of prosaic business by the second mate, our captain was set free to charm the very souls of the juveniles by wandering for miles along the coral strand inventing, narrating, exaggerating to his hearts content. Pausing now and then to ask questions irrelevant to the story in hand, like a wily actor, for the purpose of intensifying the desire for more, he would mount a block of coral, and thence, sometimes as from a throne, or platform, or pulpit, impress some profound piece of wisdom, or some thrilling point, or some exceedingly obvious moral on his followers open-mouthed and open-eyed.
These were by no means idlers, steeped in the too common business of having nothing to do. No, they had regularly sought and obtained a holiday from work or school; for all the activities of social and civilised life were going on full swingfuller, indeed, than the average swingin that remote, scarcely known, and beautiful little gem of the Indian Ocean.
Meanwhile Nigel and Kathy, with sketch-books under their arms, went down to where the clear waters of the lagoon rippled on the white sand, and, launching a cockleshell of a boat, rowed out toward the islets.
Now, Kathy, you must let me pull, said Nigel, pushing out the sculls, for although the captain tells me you are very good at rowing, it would never do for a man, you know, to sit lazily down and let himself be rowed by a girl.
Very well, said Kathy, with a quiet and most contented smile, for she had not yet reached the self-conscious ageat least, as ages go in the Cocos-Keeling Islands! Besides, Kathy was gifted with that charming disposition which never objects to anythinganything, of course, that does not involve principle!
But it was soon found that, as the cockleshell had no rudder, and the intricacies they had to wind among were numerous, frequent directions and corrections were called for from the girl.
Dyou know, said Nigel at last, as I dont know where you want me to go to, it may be as well, after all, that you should row!
Very well, said Kathy, with another of her innocent smiles. I thinked it will be better so at first.
Nigel could not help laughing at the way she said this as he handed her the sculls.
She soon proved herself to be a splendid boat-woman, and although her delicate and shapely arms were as mere pipe-stems to the great brawny limbs of her companion, yet she had a deft, mysterious way of handling the sculls that sent the cockleshell faster over the lagoon than before.
Now, we go ashore here, said Kathy, turning the boat,with a prompt backwater of the left scull, and a vigorous pull of the right one,into a little cove just big enough to hold it.
The keel went with such a plump on the sand, that Nigel, who sat on a forward thwart with his back landward, reversed the natural order of things by putting his back on the bottom of the boat and his heels in the air.
To this day it is an unsettled question whether this was done on purpose by Kathy. Certain it is that she did not tumble, but burst into a hearty fit of laughter, while her large lustrous eyes half shut themselves up and twinkled.
Why, you dont even apologise, you dreadful creature! exclaimed Nigel, joining in the laugh, as he picked himself up.
Why should I pologise? asked the girl, in the somewhat broken English acquired from her adopted family. Why you not look out?
Right, Kathy, right; Ill keep a sharp lookout next time. Meanwhile I will return good for evil by offering my hand to help you ahallo!
While he spoke the girl had sprung past him like a grasshopper, and alighted on the sand like a butterfly.
A few minutes later and this little jesting fit had vanished, and they were both engaged with pencil and book, eagerlyfor both were enthusiasticsketching one of the most enchanting scenes that can well be imagined. We will not attempt the impossible. Description could not convey it. We can only refer the readers imagination to the one old, hackneyed but expressive, wordfairyland!
One peculiarly interesting point in the scene was, that on the opposite side of the lagoon the captain could be seen holding forth to his juvenile audience.
When a pretty long time had elapsed in absolute silence, each sketcher being totally oblivious of the other, Nigel looked up with a long sigh, and said:
Well, you have chosen a most exquisite scene for me. The more I work at it, the more I find to admire. May I look now at what you have done?
Oh yes, but I have done not much. I am slow, said the girl, as Nigel rose and looked over her shoulder.
Why!whathow beautiful!butbutwhat do you mean? exclaimed the youth.
I dont understand you, said the girl, looking up in surprise.
Why, Kathy, I had supposed you were drawing that magnificent landscape all this time, andand youve only been drawing a group of shells. Splendidly done, I admit, but why
He stopped at that moment, for her eyes suddenly filled with tears.
Forgive me, dear child, said Nigel, hurriedly I did not intend to hurt your feelings. I was only surprised at your preference.
You have not hurt me, returned Kathy in a low voice, as she resumed her work, but what you say calls back to memy father was very fond of shells.
She stopped, and Nigel, blaming himself for having inadvertently touched some tender chord, hastened, somewhat clumsily, to change the subject.
You draw landscape also, I doubt not?
Oh yesplenty. If you come home to me to-night, I will show you some.
I shall be only too happy, returned the youth, sitting down again to his sketch, and perhaps I may be able to give you a hint or twoespecially in reference to perspectivefor Ive had regular training, you know, Kathy, and I dare say you have not had that here.
Not what you will think much, perhaps, yet I have study a little in school, and very much from Nature.
Well, you have been under the best of masters, returned Nigel, if you have studied much from Nature. And who has been your other teacher?
A brother of Mr Ross. I think he must understand very much. He was an engineer, and has explained to me the rules of perspective, and many other things which were at first very hard to understand. But I do see them now.
Perhaps then, Kathleen, said Nigel, in that drawling, absent tone in which artists are apt to indulge when busy at workperhaps you may be already too far advanced to require instruction from me.
Perhapsbut I think no, for you seems to understand a great deal. But why you call me Kathleen just now?