The Talking Wave

THEY had been there all the afternoon, a dozen of them, gently basking on the edge of the bay, in the warm luxury of a May Saturday in southern Virginia. Now there were only two left, who watched a sail which skirted smoothly round the curve of the island just before them, and then steered straight out into the Chesapeake.

‘W’at yer studyin’ ’bout, Miss No’th?’ questioned the smaller of the two.

His eyes wandered critically, first to the retreating sailboat, and then to the sky above.

‘Look r’al bright ’n’ sunny now,’ he observed,‘but p’r’aps dey’ll git cotch in a sto’m, too.’

The other glanced up briefly at the cloudless sky.

‘I think we won’t begin to worry about that yet,’ she declared reasonably, ‘but I was just wondering how you were going to get home.’

‘I dunno, ’m, Miss No’th; I reckon yer’s gwine ca’y me back in de boat, same way yer brought me. I reckon yer’s gwine ca’y me back, ain’t yer?’

‘But you see we may not get started till after dark. They’ll sail for an hour probably, and then when they do come they ’ll want to stop again, and the sail home will be another hour. I did n’t realize how late it would be. I suppose you ought not to have come at all.’

He glanced up at her with a cloud of disappointment on his face.

‘Oh, you’ve been a great help, Ezekiel, there’s no doubt of that. I don’t believe we could have got on without you. But, you see, I’m afraid you ought not to stay so long. If you could just run back to the road —’

He interrupted her.

‘ ’T won’ do no harm fer me ter stay, Miss No’th,’ he begged eagerly. ‘I ain’ gwine mek yer no trouble, Miss No’th!’

She stepped into an old rowboat which lay anchored on the shore, and drew her fingers lightly through the water.

‘ It is n’t the kind of day for trouble.’

She looked at the sunny, shivering, blue bay, and then she turned her head again.

‘Well, stay a little longer. They’ll probably be back soon. Come here, Ezekiel,’—and he clambered into the bow of the old boat, just opposite her. ‘Look down there. Do you see?’

‘Yas, ’m, dem’s sunfish,’ he answered promptly; ‘dem’s sunfish. Jes’ look at ’em ketch de sun, Miss No’th! Look like de kine Miss Jane an’ de res’ uv ’em’s try in’ ter ketch, time dey mos’ gotten drowndid.’

She peered eagerly down at the darting, flashing creatures just below.

‘Time Miss Jane an’ de res’ uv ’em mos’ gotten drowndid,’ he repeated. ‘Don’t yer know, Miss No’th? ’T wuz a gen’leman she call ’Ratio, an’ a lady she call Kate, an’ dey all start out ter go fishin’ in de mawnin’.'

‘A dream, was this? I am sure Miss Jane never started out to go fishing in her waking moments.’

‘Yas, ’m. Dey all start out ter go fishin’ in de mawnin’.'

‘Because, to begin with, Miss Jane does n’t believe in fishing. She says she considers it a very cruel sport.’

‘ Yas, ’m, dat’s jes’ w’at shetole ’em w’en dey ax ’er will she go. Say, w’y, she s’pose she kin go, but she doan guess she is nurrer, cuz it cert’nly’s a ve’y cruel spote. But dey keep on wo’in’ ’er ’bout it, an’ praesen’ly she say, w’y, she s’pose she kin go, but she ain’ gwine ketch no fish nurrer, cuz it cert’nly’s a ve’y cruel spote.

‘So de sun wuz shinin’, an’ dey all start out ter go fishin’ in de mawnin’, Miss Jane an’ de gen’leman she call ’Ratio an’ de lady she call Kate. An’ dey ain’ went ve’y fur ’fo’ dey come ter de aidge o’ de water, an’ it’s ser clare dey look down an’ seen de fishes a-dancin’ roun’ an’ ketchin’ de sun an’ lookin’ up.

‘ “I ain’ gwine ketch ’em,” Miss Jane say, “cuz dey cyan’t keep on sparklin’ down yonder an’ lookin’ up ef yer pull ’em out,” she say, “an’ tain sense ter do it, anyway,” she say.

“‘Well, yer ain’t ’blige ketch nuthin’,” ’Ratio answer; an’ he shove up de boat an’ tell ’em ter git in.

‘But dey ain’ no sooner push off fum de sho’ ’n dey seen it’s two li’l’ boys a-settin’ dere in de bottom o’ de boat.

'“Heyo!” ’Ratio say, “how come we did n’ notice yer befo’?” An’ he row de boat right out in de middle o’ de ocean.

Is yer goin’ wid us or ain’t yer?” ’Ratio say, w’en he gotten ’em out ’bout de middle o’ de ocean. But de li’l’ boys wuz kine o’ wrastlin’ an’ playin’ an’ ain’ pay no ’tention to ’im ’t all.

‘“Hole on now,” ’Ratio say, “yer’ll capsize us! Stop yer playin’!” he say; an’ he ain’ no mo’ ’n spoken de words ’fo’ dey done jes’ zackly w’at he say. Dey capsize de boat an’ tip it over, an’ nex’ thing dey all uv ’em pitch out in de water, de li’l’ boys an’ Miss Jane an’ de gen’leman she call ’Ratio an’ de lady she call Kate.

‘“Well, dat’s a nice way fer you ter do!” ’Ratio say, soon’s he kin r’ally speak an’ look eroun’. “Ain’t yer got de leas’ sense? ” he say; “is yer see w’at yer’s done? Well, yer’s capsize de boat,” he say, “an’ not only dat, but yer’s pitch us all out in de water.”

‘De li’l’ boys wuz jes’ a-lookin’ roun’ a li’l’ fer deyselves by dat time, so co’se dey kin see w’at dey done ’thout anybody tellin’ ’em. But ’Ratio keep on holl’rin’ at ’em jes’ same.

‘“Yer’s pitch us out, an’ not only dat but yer’s putten us in a ve’y mean persition,” he say. “Where’s de res’ o’ de pahty anyhow?” he ax. Cuz w’en he look roun’ he could n’ see no sign o’ Miss Jane ner nobuddy.

‘ “Well, I doan’ know where dey is, but I know ’t ain’ a ve’y nice way ter treat ’em,” he answer.

‘De li’l’ boys ’mence ter look kine o’ shame den, cuz w’en dey stop an’ look roun’ an’ seen way ’t wuz, w’y, co’se dey kin see dey ain’ done right. Dey kin see it fer deyselves. Cuz dey ain’ no sign o’ Miss Jane yit, an’ wuss ’n all dat, dey ain’ no sign o’ de lady she call Kate.

‘“Well, look like dey might speak an’ tell where dey is, anyway,” ’Ratio say; an’ jes’ ez he spoken de words, w’y, Miss Jane she answer ’im, an’ look like ’er voice come fum righ’ down yonder in de water.

‘“I doan’ see no call ter speak,” she say, “but sence yer’s ax,” she say, “ I s’pose I kin tell yer I ’se wedge right in under de boat, an’ not only dat but my ha’r is ketch ter de boat, an not only dat but I wish I ain’ come.”

‘“I wish Iain’ come nurrer,” speak up somebody else, “cuz I’se ketch on a snag, an’ not only dat but I’se los’ my purse, an’ not only dat but a fish is nibblin’ on me.” ’T wuz de lady she call Kate.

‘“We wish we ain’ come nurrer!” ’T wuz bofe de li’l’ boys speakin’ at de same time.

‘“Well, I wish yer ain’t, nary one uv yer!” ’Ratio answer; “I wish I ain’ come myself. But ’t ain’ no time ter was’e talkin’ ’bout it nurrer, so keep up good cou’ge,” he say, “an’ I’ll mek de ’tempt ter save yer, an’ tilt de boat over,” he say.

‘ “ Is yer gwine tilt de boat right side uppermost?” Miss Jane ax ’im.

‘ “ I ’se gwine mek de ’tempt,” ’Ratio answer; an’ he given de boat kine uv a haul an’ a bang, an’ den Miss Jane spoke agin.

‘“Wait a minute,” she say, “I tole yer my ha’r’s ketch, an’ yer’s strainin’ on it. I ain’ no ha’r ter lose,” she say, “an’ yer need n’ be ser rough.”

‘So ’Ratio answer ’er r’al p’lite. “Cyan’t yer unketch yer ha’r?” he ax.

‘ But Miss Jane ain’ seem ter like way he spoke.

‘“Well, I’se gwine unketch it,” she say, “ef yer’ll stop holl’rin’ at me an’ lemme putten my mine on it.”

‘So Miss Jane putten ’er mine on it an’ unketch ’er ha’r, an’ nex’ yer know she come up an’ look eroun’ ’er.

‘“Well, I’se los’ a po’tion o’ my ha’r, an’ not only dat, but I’se misplace my hat,” she say, an’ she look at ’Ratio r’al mad.

“‘Pshaw, dat’s too bad,” he answer, “but keep up good cou’ge, I’se gwine tilt de boat over now’.”

‘But same time he spoke, de two li’l’ boys got ter wrastlin’ ’gin.

‘“Hole on! Hole on! Stop yer playin’!” ’Ratio holler, “’t ain’ no ’casion fer it! Yer’ll sink de boat nex’ yer know! ”

‘An’ de strange part wuz, ’Ratio ain’ no mo’ ’n spoke like dat, ’fo’ it’s jes’ zackly w’at de li’l’ boys done. Dey sink de boat.

‘Well, look like ’Ratio’s mos’ too mad ter speak to ’em den, an’ Miss Jane look ’bout de same.

“‘I would n’ s’pose yer’d ack ser mean,” she say.

‘“Is yer wanter git drowndid?” ’Ratio holler, “well, look ter me like yer’s gwine git drowndid now anyhow’ !” he holler.

‘W’en he say dat, co’se dey look roun’ an’ seen ’ow’t wuz, cuz de waves wuz rollin’ an’ splashin’ all roun’ ’em, an’ den dey knowed ’Ratio’s right ’bout it. Dey knowed dey’s gwine git drowndid. An’ de li’l’ boys ’mence ter cry.

‘“’S too late ter begin cryin’,” ’Ratio say, “yer’s gwine git drowndid, an’ I doan’ see no way ter change it.”

‘Miss Jane look up ez ef she feel kine o’ skyeered den too. An’ do waves bunt up ’ginst ’em all, an’ den roll off agin todes de lan’.

‘ “ I cyan’ see de leas’ way ter change it,” ’Ratio ’splain, “so de nex’ question is, is yer all raidy ter git drowndid?”

‘Well, dey tole ’im dey did n’ reckon dey wuz quite raidy, but de waves rare an’ splash on ’em, an’ de win’ holler an’ blow on ’em — an’ dey come a voice.

‘“Turn yer haids an’ look behine yer!” de voice seem ter say. “Turn yer haids an’ look behine yer!”

‘An’ dey know de voice. ’T wuz de lady dey call Kate. An’ she’s a-risin’ right up outen de water ez she speak.

‘ “Turn yer haids! ” she say. “ Doan’t yer see de wave?” she say. “Doan’t yer hyeah de wave?” she say.

‘ An’ dey all turn dey haids an’ know w’at she mean. Cuz do wave wuz cornin’ right ’long todes ’em, a-comin’ ’long fas’er an’ fas’er, only look like ’t wuz talkin’ ez it come.

“‘Keep up yer cou’ge!” it call. “ I ’sea-rollin’ ferdesho’!” it call. “I’se a-rollin’ fer de sho’!” it sing out. “I’se a-comin’ fer ter ca’y yer home!”

‘ Dey did n’ nobuddy speak. Dey jes’ wait dere a-lookin’ kine o’ skyeered like at de wave.

‘“I’se hyeah !” it holler, an’ “I’se hyeah!” it sing; “I’se cornin’ fer ter ca’y yer home! ”

‘An’ w’at yer s’pose? It jes’ tukken ’em right up an’ ca’ied ’em erlong, a-holl’rin’ an’ a-singin’ ez it went.

‘An’ dey ain’ spoke yit, but dey kin see it’s true, dey kin see it fer deyselves. Dey’s a-gwine back home on de wave. Dey’s a-rollin’ fer de lan’. An’ ez it ca’ied ’em ’long n’arer ’n’ n’arer, an’ finely drap ’em on de sho’, de lady dey call Kate she spoke once mo’.

‘ “Ain’t I toleyerso?” shesay. “Now turn yer haids an’ look behine yer!” she say. “De wave’s a-gwine! Jes’ turn yer haids agin an’ look behine yer! ”

‘So dey all turn dey haids tergerrer, an’ sho’ ’nough, de wave wuz turnin’ roun’ ter say good-bye.

‘“Good-bye!” dey call; an’ de wave look back an’ answer, an’ den turn agin an’ ain’ look no mo’, but jes’ went rollin’ erlong back where it come fum, out yonder in de middle o’ de ocean.

‘So dey ain’ drowndid, cuz de wave is save ’em, an’ dey look roun’ on de sho’ — an’ off todes home, an’ den dey all go trabblin’ back tergerrer, Miss Jane an’ de two li’l’ boys an’ de gen’leman she call ’Ratio an’ de lady she call Kate.’

Ezekiel had paused, and his companion was looking at him with curious intentness.

‘That’s a pretty good story,’ she observed mildly, ‘though it doesn’t sound just like a true one.’

‘W’at yer s’pose yer’d do ef yer’s tip over in a boat, Miss No’th.''' questioned Ezekiel with equal placidity.

‘I’m sure I don’t know. Perhaps I’d drown.’

‘I reckon I’d drown, too,’ agreed

Ezekiel. ‘ I reckon I’d be too skyeered ter swim, anyhow,’ he added.

‘Well, it would be a time when it would hardly do to lose your head. You ’d surely drown if you did that.’

‘Yas, ’m,’ returned Ezekiel meekly; ‘would you swim asho’ ef yer’s gittin’ drowndid, Miss No’th?’

‘I hope I should try it, at least. I can’t say I should swim very far, but whatever you do in any emergency, Ezekiel, don’t lose your head.’

‘No, ’m, I ain’ gwine lose my haid,’ returned Ezekiel, with an uneasy presentiment of threatening decapitation.

‘That’s a very important thing to learn, you know, when to keep your head’

‘ Yas, ’m.’

Ezekiel involuntarily placed his hand over his small cap, and Miss North suddenly stood up in the old rowboat which had lain anchored on the shore. She was looking with a fixed, bewildered stare at a slowly widening stretch of water behind her, at a line of earth behind the stretch of water.

‘Look!’ she broke out in a voice suddenly sharp and confused, ‘ Ezekiel! Look, look! Don’t you see! The boat! Look! ’

Ezekiel turned in his seat and looked with slow, dawning comprehension at the steadily receding line of earth beyond, at the steadily deepening gulf of water below.

‘ We’s adrif’, Miss No’th! ’ he shouted, jumping up and instinctively reaching out for her as she stood at the other end of the boat, ‘ we’s adrif ’! De boat’s cut loose, Miss No’th!’

With the same bewildered stare, her eyes swept the tossing, shivering bay before them and then turned out to the rolling sea beyond.

‘Can you swim?’ she whispered hoarsely, with a faint motion toward the receding line of earth, — ‘as far — as that?’

‘No, ’m, I cyan’t swim’s fur’s dat,’ muttered Ezekiel thickly.

With a quick, desperate movement, she stepped forward in the boat and took him almost fiercely by the shoulder.

’It’s the only — thing! Don’t you see, don’t you see!’ And again her white face turned swiftly to the lonely sea where the waves were already floundering in restless prophecy of wild disaster. ‘Jump! ’ she whispered. ‘Quick! It’s the only — thing!’

Ezekiel wheeled with a sudden weird light flashing in his eyes.

‘Ya’as, jump!’ he cried, ‘’t ain’ ve’y fur ter — swim it! Look! De waves is comin’, Miss No’th! Look — look — looker Big Wave comin’ yonder, Miss No’th! Jes’ same’s de one I tole yer’ bout! De Wave’s a-comin’ ter help us! De Wave’s a-comin’ ter ca’y us home! Come on, Miss No’th! Jump! ’

He had sprung up on his seat in a strange, quivering ecstasy, and he stood there poised over the tumbling water.

’It’s gwine ca’y us back ter sho’!’ he cried. ‘ Doan’t yer see! ’ he shouted, ‘yer’s ’blige ter jump, Miss No’th! Miss No’th! We’s driffin’ erway! We ’s driftin’ off! Yer’s ’blige ter jump!’

Her expressionless face stared back at him, till her eyes crept in slow terror down to the water slapping noisily against the boat.

‘I can’t—’ she whispered faintly. ‘You — you — first.’

‘Yas’m!’ he shouted ecstatically. ‘I ain’t ’fraid! De Wave’s a-comin’! Come on, Miss No’th! It’ll ca’y us back! De Wave’s gwine ca’y us back! I ain’t ’fraid! Come on, Miss No’th! Yer ’s ’blige ter! ’

With a sickening sensation of increasing horror, she watched him hover, poised for a moment longer over the slapping gulf of water — until he stretched out his small arms above his head—and for a moment she closed her eyes.

When she opened them again she was alone in the boat. A little, black, struggling figure in the water bobbed dully, dizzily somewhere before her. She could n’t. have told whether it was near — close there beside her, or far away. She only knew that it was there, struggling, striking out, bobbing with the bobbing waves, sinking, rising again, and then striking out anew. She followed it with narrowed, hypnotized eyes until it slowly lost all meaning for her, and then she crouched low in her boat, and drifted out to sea.

She never was able to rid herself of the impression — afterwards — that she reeled for hours in her little boat on a terrifying waste of endless water. She thought it was from sheer exhaustion of time that her mind seemed finally to flicker and then go out altogether.

When the light came again, and she looked up, there were faces around her and a sail flapped just above her head.

‘You’re all right,’ she heard some one whisper — ‘but it’s been a bad half-hour for you!’

‘Where’s Ezekiel?’ she asked faintly.

But only the sail above her head seemed to flap back an answer, while the boat turned with the wind and moved slowly towards the shore.

’Where’s Ezekiel?’ she repeated.

‘Ezekiel?’ It sounded like a half-fearful echo to her — and the boat moved on.

But there was that line of earth again — off there in the distance. Her eyes were fixed on it, like two little quivering, frightened points of light.

‘Where ’s Ezekiel?’

The boat was pushing on and on — nearer and nearer to the line of earth — and then finally they were helping her out and she was stumbling eagerly along the sand, still pursued by the helping hands.

‘Wait!’ she was whispering, as she went hurrying on unsteadily, ‘Ezekiel

— Ezekiel — ’ She looked back at them. ‘Look!’ she pleaded.

He sat there limply, a wet, cheerless little heap on the sand, unmindful of their approach, gazing steadily out to sea.

She moved forward again — and then she reached down and just touched him. He turned his head and looked up at her.

‘Oh, I’se been a-waitin’ — fer you — long time, Miss No’th,’ he assured her with wavering, slow pauses, ‘I’se been a-waitin’ — long time.’

Without any other movement, his head turned again, while again his eyes gazed steadily out to sea.

‘I’se been a-waitin’ —’ he repeated, with the wavering, slow pauses, ‘ fer de Wave — ter bring yer back. Did it bring yer back — Miss No’th? I’se been a-waitin’ ser long, — fer de Wave ter bring yer — back.’

She t ouched his wet coat with a wandering hand.

‘Seem like — I been waitin’ long time — but I knowed de Wave’s gwine bring yer back—too — so I’se jes’ been a-waitin’ — fer you.’

‘Yes, I know!’ she broke in, ‘ I know! But I — you see, oh, Ezekiel — I was n’t brave like you! I could n’t even try to jump — to swim ashore! You see — I seemed to — to lose my head — you see — I — was n’t brave at all!’

He looked at her seriously.

‘Did yer lose yer haid, Miss No’th? Did n’ de Wave bring yer back, Miss No’th? Did n’ de wave —’

‘No, no, the boat brought me back — the sailboat! It’s going to take us both home now! How long have you been waiting here like this? How long have you been waiting here? A week? I don’t know!’ She laughed weakly.

‘I dunno, ’m,’ echoed Ezekiel cheerfully, ‘yas, ’m, ’bout a week I reckon — anyway I knows I been a-waitin’ an’ a-waitin’ — ’

He pulled himself slowly to his feet, and as they went back across the sand again, the small, monotonous voice still went on with undisturbed persistence.

‘Mek me think o’ de story — I tole yer. De story ’bout Miss Jane an’ de res’ uv ’em. Cuz we been mos’ drowndid — an’ yit we ain’t. Doan’t yer know, Miss No’th, it mek me think — o’ de story I tole yer ’bout Miss Jane — an’ de two li’l’ boys — an’ de gen’leman she call ’Ratio — an’ de lady she call Kate.’