nos's face was very sober, but he did not say any harsh word.

"What did you hide in the sloop for, child?" he asked.

"To go to Boston with you, Uncle Enos, and find my father," said Anne.

Then the captain's face grew even more sober.

"Then you do not like living with us?" he said; "but I thought you seemed
happy, Anne. Your Aunt Martha will miss you, child. But if your heart is
so set on being with your father I must do my best to find him for you.
How a soldier can manage to care for a small girl like you is more than I
can tell," and the captain sighed.

"I brought my scarlet stockings and new shoes to show him," said Anne.

Captain Enos nodded.

"And I can tell him about my kitten and the coral beads, and about going
to school."

"Did you not bring the coral beads?" asked the captain.

Anne shook her head.

"Oh, no," she answered. "I heard you tell Aunt Martha that you would be
away but a day or two, and I thought I could tell my father about the
beads."

"Then you mean to go home with me?" asked the captain, a little smile
creeping about his mouth.

"Why, yes," said Anne. "I do but want to see my father and tell him all
the pleasant things that have befallen me."

"Well, well," said Captain Enos, "now I must scold you, Anne. Your Aunt
Martha will not be pleased at this."

"But you are not angry?" asked Anne. "I do see little wrinkles about your
eyes that mean you will soon smile. And it is long since I have seen my
father."

"We must make the best of it now," said the captain, "but I do blame the
Starkweather boy for setting you out to the sloop. He should have sent you
straight home, and let me know of your plan."

Anne looked at Captain Enos in surprise.

"Jimmie could not help my coming," she said. "I should have found some way
to get to the sloop. And he would not tell a secret."

"So you did not mean to run away from us?" said Captain Enos. "I am glad
of that, but how I will manage with you in Boston I know not, nor if I can
find your father."

Captain Enos's sloop ran safely in among the islands, sailed across Boston
Harbor without being noticed, and made fast at a wharf well known to
Captain Enos, and where he was welcomed by an old acquaintance. Before
dusk he had sold his cargo of fish at a good price, and Anne, wearing her
scarlet stockings and new shoes, and holding fast to the captain's hand,
walked with him up the street to the house of the man who had been at the
wharf when