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Fnela’z faɖr pśt on wɖ qc, nrṿs strîdz. Bsd him hr grandmā busld alñ in hr crac̣lñ blac Ulstr; ɖe wnt so fast ɖt ś hd nǎ n agn t gv an undigṇfaid litl scip t cīp p wɖ ɖm. Az wel az hr lugij strapt intu a nīt sosij, Fnela carid claspt t hr hr grandmā’z umbrela, n ɖ handl, ẃć wz a swon’z hed, cept gvñ hr śoldr a śarp litl pec az f it tù wontd hr t huri… Men, ɖer caps pld dǎn, ɖer coḷrz trnd p, swuñ bî; a fy wimin ol mufld scurid alñ; n wn tîni bô, onli hiz litl blac armz n legz śowñ ǎt v a ẃît wŭli śōl, wz jrct alñ angṛli btwn hiz faɖr n muɖr; h lct lîc a bebi flî ɖt hd fōḷn intu ɖ crīm.

Ɖen sudnli, so sudnli ɖt Fnela n hr grandmā bʈ lept, ɖr sǎndd fṛm bhnd ɖ larjist wŭlśed, ɖt hd a trel v smoc haññ ovr it, “MŌŌŌŌŌ!”

“Frst ẃisl,” sd hr faɖr brīfli, n at ɖt momnt ɖe cem in sît v ɖ Pictn bot. Layñ bsd ɖ darc ẃorf, ol struñ, ol bīdd wɖ rǎnd goldn lîts, ɖ Pictn bot lct az f ś wz mor redi t sêl amñ starz ɖn ǎt intu ɖ cold sì. Ppl prest alñ ɖ gañwe. Frst wnt hr grandmā, ɖen hr faɖr, ɖen Fnela. Ɖr wz a hî step dǎn on t ɖ dec, n an old sêlr in a jrzi standñ bî gev hr hiz drî, hard hand. Ɖe wr ɖr; ɖe stept ǎt v ɖ we v ɖ huriyñ ppl, n standñ undr a litl ayn sterwe ɖt léd t ɖ upr dec ɖe bgan t se gdbî.

“Ɖr, muɖr, ɖr’z yr lugij!” sd Fnela’z faɖr, gvñ grandmā anɖr strapt-up sosij.

“Ʈanc y, Franc.”

“N y’v got yr cabinticits sef?”

“Yes, dir.”

“N yr uɖr ticits?”

Grandmā flt fr ɖm insd hr gluv n śoud him ɖ tips.

“Ɖt’s rît.”

H sǎndd strn, bt Fnela, īgrli woćñ him, sw ɖt h lct tîrd n sad. “MŌŌŌŌŌ!” Ɖ secnd ẃisl blerd jst abv ɖer hedz, n a vôs lîc a crî śǎtd, “Eni mor fr ɖ gañwe?”

“Y’l gv mî luv t faɖr,” Fnela sw hr faɖr’z lips se. N hr grandmā, vri ajtetd, ansrd, “V cors I wl, dir. G nǎ. Y’l b left. G nǎ, Franc. G nǎ.”

“It’s ol rît, muɖr. I’v got anɖr ʈri minits.” T hr s’prîz Fnela sw hr faɖr tec of hiz hat. H claspt grandmā in hiz armz n prest hr t him. “God bles y, muɖr!” ś hŕd him se.

N grandmā pt hr hand, wɖ ɖ blac ʈred gluv ɖt wz wòrn ʈru on hr rñfngr, agnst hiz ćīc, n ś sobd, “God bles y, mî ǒn brev sun!”

Ɖs wz so ōfl ɖt Fnela qcli trnd hr bac on ɖm, swoloud wns, twîs, n frǎnd teṛbli at a litl grīn star on a māsthed. Bt ś hd t trn rnd agn; hr faɖr wz gwñ.

“Gdbî, Fnela. B a gd grl.” Hiz cold, wet mstaś bruśt hr ćīc. Bt Fnela còt hold v ɖ l’pélz v hiz cot.

“Hǎ loñ am I gwñ t ste?” ś ẃisprd añśsli. H wd’nt lc at hr. H śc hr of jntli, n jntli sd, “W’l si abt ɖt. Hir! Ẃr’z yr hand?” H prest smʈñ intu hr pām. “Hir’z a śilñ in ces y śd nīd it.”

A śilñ! Ś mst b gwñ awe fr evr! “Faɖr!” craid Fnela. Bt h wz gn. H wz ɖ last of ɖ śip. Ɖ sêlrz pt ɖer śoldrz t ɖ gañwe. A hyj côl v darc rop wnt flayñ ʈru ɖ er n fél “ʈump” on ɖ ẃorf. A bel rañ; a ẃisl śrild. Sîḷntli ɖ darc ẃorf bgan t slip, t slîd, t éj awe fṛm ɖm. Nǎ ɖr wz a ruś v wōtr btwn. Fnela strend t si wɖ ol hr mt. “Wz ɖt faɖr trnñ rnd?”—or wevñ?—or standñ alon?—or wōcñ of bî himslf? Ɖ strip v wōtr grù brōdr, darcr. Nǎ ɖ Pictn bot bgan t swñ rnd stedi, pôntñ ǎt t sì. It wz no gd lcñ eni longr. Ɖr wz nʈñ t b sìn bt a fy lîts, ɖ fes v ɖ tǎncloc haññ in ɖ er, n mor lîts, litl paćz v ɖm, on ɖ darc hilz.

Ɖ freṣ́nñ wind tugd at Fnela’z scrts; ś wnt bac t hr grandmā. T hr rlif grandmā sīmd no longr sad. Ś hd pt ɖ tū soṣjz v lugij wn on top v ɖ uɖr, n ś wz sitñ on ɖm, hr handz foldd, hr hed a litl on wn sîd. Ɖr wz an intnt, brît lc on hr fes. Ɖen Fnela sw ɖt hr lips wr muvñ n gst ɖt ś wz preyñ. Bt ɖ old wmn gev hr a brît nod az f t se ɖ prer wz nirli ovr. Ś unclaspt hr handz, said, claspt ɖm agn, bnt fwd, n at last gev hrslf a soft śec.

“N nǎ, ćîld,” ś sd, fnġrñ ɖ bo v hr bonitstrñz, “I ʈnc w òt t si abt ǎr cabinz. Cīp clos t m, n mînd y d’nt slip.”

“Yes, grandmā!”

“N b cerfl ɖ umbrelaz r’nt còt in ɖ steŗel. I sw a bytifl umbrela brocn in haf lîc ɖt on mî we ovr.”

“Yes, grandmā.”

Darc figrz v men lǎnjd agnst ɖ relz. In ɖ glo v ɖer pîps a nǒz śon ǎt, or ɖ pīc v a cap, or a per v s’prîzd-lcñ îbrǎz. Fnela glanst p. Hî in ɖ er, a litl figr, hiz handz ʈrust in hiz śort jacit pocits, std stẹrñ ǎt t sì. Ɖ śip roct evr so litl, n ś ʈt ɖ starz roct tù. N nǎ a pel stywd in a linn cot, holdñ a tre hî in ɖ pām v hiz hand, stept ǎt v a lîtd dorwe n scimd past ɖm. Ɖe wnt ʈru ɖt dorwe. Cerf̣li ovr ɖ hî bras-bǎnd step on t ɖ rubr mat n ɖen dǎn sć a teṛbli stīp flît v sterz ɖt grandmā hd t pt bʈ fīt on ć step, n Fnela clućt ɖ clami bras rel n fgot ol abt ɖ swon-nect umbrela.

At ɖ botm grandmā stopt; Fnela wz rɖr afreid ś wz gwñ t pre agn. Bt no, it wz onli t gt ǎt ɖ cabinticits. Ɖe wr in ɖ s’lūn. It wz glẹrñ brît n stîf̣lñ; ɖ er smeld v pent n brnt ćopbonz n indiarubber. Fnela wśt hr grandmā wd g on, bt ɖ old wmn wz nt t b hurid. An imns bascit v ham sanẉjz còt hr î. Ś wnt p t ɖm n tućt ɖ top wn delic̣tli wɖ hr fngr.

“Hǎ mć r ɖ sanẉjz?” ś asct.

“Tupns!” bȍld a rūd stywd, slamñ dǎn a nîf n forc.

Grandmā cd hardli b’liv it.

“Tupns ć?” ś asct.

“Ɖt’s rît,” sd ɖ stywd, n h wnct at hiz cmpańn.

Grandmā md a smōl, astoniśt fes. Ɖen ś ẃisprd primli t Fnela. “Ẃt wicidnis!” N ɖe sêld ǎt at ɖ frɖr dor n alñ a pasij ɖt hd cabinz on îɖr sîd. Sć a vri nîs stywdes cem t mīt ɖm. Ś wz drest ol in blu, n hr colr n cufs wr fasnd wɖ larj bras butnz. Ś sīmd t nǒ grandmā wel.

“Wel, Msz. Cren,” sd ś, unlocñ ɖer wośstand. “W’v got y bac agn. It’s nt ofn y gv yrslf a cabin.”

“No,” sd grandmā. “Bt ɖs tîm mî dir sun’z ʈtflnis—”

“I hop—” bgan ɖ stywdes. Ɖen ś trnd rnd n tc a loñ, mōrnfl lc at grandmā’z blacnis n at Fnela’z blac cot n scrt, blac blǎz, n hat wɖ a crep rôz.

Grandmā nodd. “It wz God’z wil,” sd ś.

Ɖ stywdes śut hr lips n, tecñ a dīp breʈ, ś sīmd t xpand.

“Ẃt I olwz se z,” ś sd, az ɖo it wz hr ǒn dscuṿri, “snr or lêtr ć v s hz t g, n ɖt’s a srtñti.” Ś pōzd. “Nǎ, cn I brñ y enʈñ, Msz Cren? A cup v ti? I nǒ it’s no gd of̣rñ y a litl smʈñ t cīp ɖ cold ǎt.”

Grandmā śc hr hed. “Nʈñ, ʈanc y. W’v got a fy wînbiscits, n Fnela hz a vri nîs bnana.”

“Ɖen I’l gv y a lc lêtr on,” sd ɖ stywdes, n ś wnt ǎt, śutñ ɖ dor.

Ẃt a vri smōl cabin it wz! It wz lîc biyñ śut p in a box wɖ grandmā. Ɖ darc rǎnd î abv ɖ wośstand glīmd at ɖm duļi. Fnela flt śî. Ś std agnst ɖ dor, stl claspñ hr lugij n ɖ umbrela. Wr ɖe gwñ t gt undrest in hir? Olrdi hr grandmā hd tecn of hr bonit, n, rolñ p ɖ strñz, ś fixt ć wɖ a pin t ɖ lînñ bfr ś huñ ɖ bonit p. Hr ẃît her śon lîc silc; ɖ litl bun at ɖ bac wz cuvrd wɖ a blac net. Fnela hardli evr sw hr grandmā wɖ hr hed uncuvrd; ś lct strenj.

“I śl pt on ɖ wŭḷn faṣnetr yr dir muɖr crośeid fr m,” sd grandmā, n, unstrapñ ɖ sosij, ś tc it ǎt n waund it rnd hr hed; ɖ frinj v gre boblz danst at hr îbrǎz az ś smîld tndrli n mōrnf̣li at Fnela. Ɖen ś undid hr bodis, n smʈñ undr ɖt, n smʈñ els undnʈ ɖt. Ɖen ɖr sīmd a śort, śarp tusl, n grandmā fluśt fentli. Snip! Snap! Ś hd undun hr stez. Ś briɖd a sai v rlif, n sitñ on ɖ pluś cǎć, ś slǒli n cerf̣li pld of hr ilastic-sîdd būts n std ɖm sîd bî sîd.

Bî ɖ tîm Fnela hd tecn of hr cot n scrt n pt on hr flanl dresñgǎn grandmā wz qt redi.

“Mst I tec of mî būts, grandmā? Ɖ’r lês.”

Grandmā gev ɖm a momnt’s dīp cnsiḍreśn. “Y’d fīl a gret dīl mor cumftbl f y dd, ćîld,” sd ś. Ś cist Fnela. “D’nt fget t se yr prerz. Ǎr dir Lord z wɖ s ẃn w r at sì īvn mor ɖn ẃn w r on drî land. N bcz I am an xpirịnst travlr,” sd grandmā briscli, “I śl tec ɖ upr bŕʈ.”

“Bt, grandmā, hvr wl y gt p ɖr?”

Ʈri litl spîdrlîc steps wr ol Fnela sw. Ɖ old wmn gev a smōl sîḷnt laf bfr ś mǎntd ɖm nimbli, n ś pīrd ovr ɖ hî bunc at ɖ astoniśt Fnela.

“Y dd’nt ʈnc yr grandmā cd d ɖt, dd y?” sd ś. N az ś sanc bac Fnela hŕd hr lît laf agn.

Ɖ hard sqer v brǎn sóp wd nt laɖr, n ɖ wōtr in ɖ botl wz lîc a cnd v blu jeli. Hǎ hard it wz, tù, t trn dǎn ɖoz stif śīts; y simpli hd t ter yr we in. F evrʈñ hd bn difṛnt, Fnela mt hv got ɖ giglz… At last ś wz insd, n ẃl ś le ɖr pantñ, ɖr sǎndd fṛm abv a loñ, soft ẃisṗrñ, az ɖo smwn wz jntli, jntli ruṣlñ amñ tiśupepr t fînd smʈñ. It wz grandmā seyñ hr prerz…

A loñ tîm pást. Ɖen ɖ stywdes cem in; ś trod softli n līnd hr hand on grandmā’z bunc.

“W’r jst enṭrñ ɖ Streits,” ś sd.

“Ǒ!”

“It’s a fîn nît, bt w’r rɖr emti. W me pić a litl.”

N indd at ɖt momnt ɖ Pictn Bot rouz n rouz n huñ in ɖ er jst loñ inuf t gv a śivr bfr ś swuñ dǎn agn, n ɖr wz ɖ sǎnd v hevi wōtr slapñ agnst hr sîdz. Fnela rmembrd ś hd left ɖ swon-nect umbrela standñ p on ɖ litl cǎć. F it fél ovr, wd it brec? Bt grandmā rmembrd tù, at ɖ sem tîm.

“I wundr f y’d mînd, stywdes, leyñ dǎn mî umbrela,” ś ẃisprd.

“Nt at ol, Msz. Cren.” N ɖ stywdes, cmñ bac t grandmā, briɖd, “Yr litl granḑōtr’z in sć a bytifl slīp.”

“God b prezd fr ɖt!” sd grandmā.

“Pur litl muɖrlis mait!” sd ɖ stywdes. N grandmā wz stl telñ ɖ stywdes ol abt ẃt hapnd ẃn Fnela fél aslip.

Bt ś hd’nt bn aslip loñ inuf t drīm bfr ś wouc p agn t si smʈñ wevñ in ɖ er abv hr hed. Ẃt wz it? Ẃt cd it b? It wz a smōl gre ft. Nǎ anɖr jônd it. Ɖe sīmd t b fīlñ abt fr smʈñ; ɖr cem a sai.

“I’m awec, grandmā,” sd Fnela.

“Ǒ, dir, am I nir ɖ ladr?” asct grandmā. “I ʈt it wz ɖs end.”

“No, grandmā, it’s ɖ uɖr. I’l pt yr ft on it. R w ɖr?” asct Fnela.

“In ɖ harbr,” sd grandmā. “W mst gt p, ćîld. Y’d betr hv a biscit t stedi yrslf bfr y muv.”

Bt Fnela hd hópt ǎt v hr bunc. Ɖ lamp wz stl brnñ, bt nît wz ovr, n it wz cold. Pirñ ʈru ɖt rǎnd î ś cd si far of sm rocs. Nǎ ɖe wr scatrd ovr wɖ fom; nǎ a gul flipt bî; n nǎ ɖr cem a loñ pìs v riyl land.

“It’s land, grandmā,” sd Fnela, wundrñli, az ɖo ɖe hd bn at sì fr wīcs tgɖr. Ś hugd hrslf; ś std on wn leg n rubd it wɖ ɖ toz v ɖ uɖr ft; ś wz tremḅlñ. Ǒ, it hd ol bn so sad lêtli. Wz it gwñ t ćenj? Bt ol hr grandmā sd wz, “Mc hest, ćîld. I śd līv yr nîs bnana fr ɖ stywdes az y hv’nt ītn it.” N Fnela pt on hr blac cloɖz agn n a butn sprañ of wn v hr gluvz n rold t ẃr ś cd’nt rīć it. Ɖe wnt p on dec.

Bt f it hd bn cold in ɖ cabin, on dec it wz lîc îs. Ɖ sún wz nt p yt, bt ɖ starz wr dim, n ɖ cold pel scî wz ɖ sem culr az ɖ cold pel sì. On ɖ land a ẃît mist rouz n fél. Nǎ ɖe cd si qt plenli darc bś. Īvn ɖ śeps v ɖ umbreḷfrnz śoud, n ɖoz strenj silṿri wiɖrd triz ɖt r lîc scelitnz… Nǎ ɖe cd si ɖ landñstej n sm litl hǎzz, pel tù, clustrd tgɖr, lîc ślz on ɖ lid v a box. Ɖ uɖr pasinjrz tramt p n dǎn, bt mor slǒli ɖn ɖe hd ɖ nît bfr, n ɖe lct glūmi.

N nǎ ɖ landñstej cem ǎt t mīt ɖm. Slǒli it swam twdz ɖ Pictn bot, n a man holdñ a côl v rop, n a cart wɖ a smōl drūpñ hors n anɖr man sitñ on ɖ step, cem tù.

“It’s Mr. Pénredi, Fnela, cm fr s,” sd grandmā. Ś sǎndd plizd. Hr ẃît waxn ćīcs wr blu wɖ cold, hr ćin trembld, n ś hd t cīp wîpñ hr îz n hr litl pnc nǒz.

“Y’v got mî—”

“Yes, grandmā.” Fnela śoud it t hr.

Ɖ rop cem flayñ ʈru ɖ er, n “smac” it fél on t ɖ dec. Ɖ gañwe wz lowrd. Agn Fnela foloud hr grandmā on t ɖ ẃorf ovr t ɖ litl cart, n a momnt lêtr ɖe wr bolñ awe. Ɖ hūvz v ɖ litl hors drumd ovr ɖ wŭdn pîlz, ɖen sanc softli intu ɖ sandi rod. Nt a soul wz t b sìn; ɖr wz nt īvn a feɖr v smoc. Ɖ mist rouz n fél n ɖ sì stl sǎndd aslip az slǒli it trnd on ɖ bīć.

“I sìn Mr. Cren yesṭdi,” sd Mr. Pénredi. “H lct himslf ɖen. Mis noct him p a bać v sconz last wīc.”

N nǎ ɖ litl hors pld p bfr wn v ɖ śeļîc hǎzz. Ɖe got dǎn. Fnela pt hr hand on ɖ get, n ɖ big, tremḅlñ dȳdrops sǒct ʈru hr gluvtips. P a litl paʈ v rǎnd ẃît peblz ɖe wnt, wɖ drenćt slīpñ flǎrz on îɖr sîd. Grandmā’z delic̣t ẃît pic̣tīz wr so hevi wɖ dȳ ɖt ɖe wr fōḷn, bt ɖer swīt smel wz part v ɖ cold mornñ. Ɖ blîndz wr dǎn in ɖ litl hǎs; ɖe mǎntd ɖ steps on t ɖ vranda. A per v old blūcrz wz on wn sîd v ɖ dor, n a larj red wōṭrñcan on ɖ uɖr.

“Tut! tut! Yr granpā,” sd grandmā. Ś trnd ɖ handl. Nt a sǎnd. Ś cōld, “Wōltr!” N imīɉtli a dīp vôs ɖt sǎndd haf stîfld cōld bac, “Z ɖt y, Mẹri?”

“Wêt, dir,” sd grandmā. “G in ɖr.” Ś pśt Fnela jntli intu a smōl dusci sitñrūm.

On ɖ tebl a ẃît cat, ɖt hd bn foldd p lîc a caml, rouz, strećt itslf, yōnd, n ɖen sprañ on t ɖ tips v its toz. Fnela berid wn cold litl hand in ɖ ẃît, worm fŕ, n smîld timidli ẃl ś stroct n lisnd t grandmā’z jntl vôs n ɖ rolñ tonz v granpā.

A dor crīct. “Cm in, dir.” Ɖ old wmn becnd, Fnela foloud. Ɖr, layñ t wn sîd on an imns bed, le granpā. Jst hiz hed wɖ a ẃît tuft n hiz rozi fes n loñ silvr bird śoud ovr ɖ qilt. H wz lîc a vri old wîd-awec brd.

“Wel, mî grl!” sd granpā. “Gv s a cis!” Fnela cist him. “Ug!” sd granpā. “Hr litl nǒz z az cold az a butn. Ẃt’s ɖt ś’z holdñ? Hr grandmā’z umbrela?”

Fnela smîld agn, n crŭct ɖ swoņec ovr ɖ bedrel. Abv ɖ bed ɖr wz a big txt in a dīp blac frem:—

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“Y’ grandmā pentd ɖt,” sd granpā. N h rufld hiz ẃît tuft n lct at Fnela so meṛli ś olmst ʈt h wnct at hr.