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One morning in Maine, Sal woke up. She
peeked over the top of the covers. The bright sunlight made her blink, so she
pulled the covers up and was just about to go back to sleep when she remembered
“today is the day I am going to Buck’s Harbor with my father!”
Sal push back the covers, hopped out of
bed, put on her robe and slippers, and hurried out into the hall.
There was little Jane, just coming out of
her room. Sister Jane had wiggled out of her nightie, so Sal helped her put on
her robe and slippers. “You don’t want to catch cold and have to stay in bed,
Jane, because this morning we are going to Buck’s Harbor,” Sal reminded her
sister.
Together they went into the bathroom to get
ready for breakfast. Sal squeezed out toothpaste on sister Jane’s brush and
said, “Be careful, Jane, and don’t get it in your hair.”
Then she squeezed some toothpaste on her
own brush and when she started to brush her teeth something felt very strange!
One of her teeth felt loose! She wiggled it with her tongue, then she wiggled
it with her finger.
peeked over the top of the covers. The bright sunlight made her blink, so she
pulled the covers up and was just about to go back to sleep when she remembered
“today is the day I am going to Buck’s Harbor with my father!”
Sal push back the covers, hopped out of
bed, put on her robe and slippers, and hurried out into the hall.
There was little Jane, just coming out of
her room. Sister Jane had wiggled out of her nightie, so Sal helped her put on
her robe and slippers. “You don’t want to catch cold and have to stay in bed,
Jane, because this morning we are going to Buck’s Harbor,” Sal reminded her
sister.
Together they went into the bathroom to get
ready for breakfast. Sal squeezed out toothpaste on sister Jane’s brush and
said, “Be careful, Jane, and don’t get it in your hair.”
Then she squeezed some toothpaste on her
own brush and when she started to brush her teeth something felt very strange!
One of her teeth felt loose! She wiggled it with her tongue, then she wiggled
it with her finger.
“Oh, dear!” thought Sal. “This cannot be
true!” Standing on the stool, she looked in the mirror and wiggled her tooth
again. Sure enough, it was loose! You could even see it wiggle.
“Ma-a-a-ma!” she cried. “One of my teeth is
loose! It will hurt and I’ll have to stay in bed! I won’ be able to eat my
breakfast and go with Daddy to Buck’s Harbor!” She came running down the stairs
and into the kitchen.
“Why, Sal,” said her mother, “that’s
nothing to worry about. That means that today you’ve become a big girl.
Everybody’s baby teeth get loose and come
out when they grow up. A nice new bigger and better tooth will grow in when
this one comes out.”
“Did your baby teeth get loose and come out
when you grew to be a big girl?” Sal asked her mother. “Yes,” she answered. And
the these nice large ones grew in. When Penny grew to be a big dog, his puppy
teeth dropped out too.” “And will Jane’s get loose too?”asked Sal.
true!” Standing on the stool, she looked in the mirror and wiggled her tooth
again. Sure enough, it was loose! You could even see it wiggle.
“Ma-a-a-ma!” she cried. “One of my teeth is
loose! It will hurt and I’ll have to stay in bed! I won’ be able to eat my
breakfast and go with Daddy to Buck’s Harbor!” She came running down the stairs
and into the kitchen.
“Why, Sal,” said her mother, “that’s
nothing to worry about. That means that today you’ve become a big girl.
Everybody’s baby teeth get loose and come
out when they grow up. A nice new bigger and better tooth will grow in when
this one comes out.”
“Did your baby teeth get loose and come out
when you grew to be a big girl?” Sal asked her mother. “Yes,” she answered. And
the these nice large ones grew in. When Penny grew to be a big dog, his puppy
teeth dropped out too.” “And will Jane’s get loose too?”asked Sal.
“Yes,” said her mother. “But not for a long
time, not until she stops being a baby and grows up to be a big girl like you.
Jane is so young that she hasn’t even grown all her baby teeth yet. Now let’s
all go upstairs and brush our hair and get dressed for breakfast.”
“It feels so different to be a big girl and
have a loose tooth,” sail Sal, “especially when you are chewing. When is it
going to come out?”
“I know what I’m going to wish for!” said
Sal. “A nice cold choco-“
“But you mustn’t tell anybody your wish, or
it won’t come true,” cautioned her mother. “It’s supposed to be a secret
wish.
Now finish you milk, Sal; then you can go out on the beach and help you father
dig clams for lunch.”
“I’m a big girl, and I can help him dig a
lot of clams, fast,” said Sal, “so we can hurry up and go to Buck’s Harbor.”
After breakfast, when Sal went out to help
her father, she saw a fish hawk flying overhead, carrying a fish.
time, not until she stops being a baby and grows up to be a big girl like you.
Jane is so young that she hasn’t even grown all her baby teeth yet. Now let’s
all go upstairs and brush our hair and get dressed for breakfast.”
“It feels so different to be a big girl and
have a loose tooth,” sail Sal, “especially when you are chewing. When is it
going to come out?”
“I know what I’m going to wish for!” said
Sal. “A nice cold choco-“
“But you mustn’t tell anybody your wish, or
it won’t come true,” cautioned her mother. “It’s supposed to be a secret
wish.
Now finish you milk, Sal; then you can go out on the beach and help you father
dig clams for lunch.”
“I’m a big girl, and I can help him dig a
lot of clams, fast,” said Sal, “so we can hurry up and go to Buck’s Harbor.”
After breakfast, when Sal went out to help
her father, she saw a fish hawk flying overhead, carrying a fish.
The seal disappeared beneath the water and
the loon laughed, “Luh-hoo-hoo-hoo-hooh!”
Sal wasn’t hurt a bit, so she laughed too,
then she got up carefully and started on down the shore to help her father dig
clams.
She paused to watch some sea gulls having
breakfast. They were dropping mussels down on a rock to crack the mussel
shells, just like nuts. Then they flew down to eat the insides.
“Do sea gulls have teeth?” wondered Sal as
she wiggled her own loose one with her tongue. She thought of her secret wish and smiled, then hurried down the beach
to where she could see her father.
“Daddy! I have a loose tooth!” she shouted.
“And when it drops out I’m going to put it under my pillow and wish a wish. You
can even see it wiggle!”
Her father stopped digging clams to watch
while Sal wiggled her tooth for him. “You’re growing into a big girl when you
get a loose tooth!”he saild.” What are you going to whish fro when it drops
out?”
the loon laughed, “Luh-hoo-hoo-hoo-hooh!”
Sal wasn’t hurt a bit, so she laughed too,
then she got up carefully and started on down the shore to help her father dig
clams.
She paused to watch some sea gulls having
breakfast. They were dropping mussels down on a rock to crack the mussel
shells, just like nuts. Then they flew down to eat the insides.
“Do sea gulls have teeth?” wondered Sal as
she wiggled her own loose one with her tongue. She thought of her secret wish and smiled, then hurried down the beach
to where she could see her father.
“Daddy! I have a loose tooth!” she shouted.
“And when it drops out I’m going to put it under my pillow and wish a wish. You
can even see it wiggle!”
Her father stopped digging clams to watch
while Sal wiggled her tooth for him. “You’re growing into a big girl when you
get a loose tooth!”he saild.” What are you going to whish fro when it drops
out?”
“I can’t tell you that,” said Sal solemnly,
“because it’s supposed to be a secret wish.” “Oh, yes, so it is,” her father
agreed. “May I help you dig clams?” Sal aked.
“I’m almost finished,” he replied, “but you
can help if you like, First, you must take off your shoes and socks, and roll
up your pants too, so that they won’t get all wet and muddy.”
Sal took off her shoes and socks and put
them on a dry rock She rolled up her pants and waded into the muddy gravel to
help her father. He dug in the mud with his clam rake, and then they looked
carefully and felt around in the muddy hole for clams.
“I found a tiny baby one!”said Sal. “You
certainly did,” said her father. “But it’s too small. We just keep the large
ones, like this. Let’s put the baby clam back in the mud so he can grow to be a
big clam come day.”
“He is such a baby clam, and I guess he is
too small,” she agreed.
"I guess he isn’t even big enough to have
all his baby teeth,” said Sal, placing the tiny clam tenderly back in the mud.
“Clams don’t have teeth,” grunted her
father, digging another rakeful of mud.
“Not even big clams have teeth?”asked Sal.
“Not even big clams,” her father assured
her.
“Do baby fish hawks and big fish hawks have
teeth?”asked Sal.
“No,” said her father.
“Do loons have teeth?” she asked, “and
gulls?”
“No.”
“Do seals have teeth?”
“because it’s supposed to be a secret wish.” “Oh, yes, so it is,” her father
agreed. “May I help you dig clams?” Sal aked.
“I’m almost finished,” he replied, “but you
can help if you like, First, you must take off your shoes and socks, and roll
up your pants too, so that they won’t get all wet and muddy.”
Sal took off her shoes and socks and put
them on a dry rock She rolled up her pants and waded into the muddy gravel to
help her father. He dug in the mud with his clam rake, and then they looked
carefully and felt around in the muddy hole for clams.
“I found a tiny baby one!”said Sal. “You
certainly did,” said her father. “But it’s too small. We just keep the large
ones, like this. Let’s put the baby clam back in the mud so he can grow to be a
big clam come day.”
“He is such a baby clam, and I guess he is
too small,” she agreed.
"I guess he isn’t even big enough to have
all his baby teeth,” said Sal, placing the tiny clam tenderly back in the mud.
“Clams don’t have teeth,” grunted her
father, digging another rakeful of mud.
“Not even big clams have teeth?”asked Sal.
“Not even big clams,” her father assured
her.
“Do baby fish hawks and big fish hawks have
teeth?”asked Sal.
“No,” said her father.
“Do loons have teeth?” she asked, “and
gulls?”
“No.”
“Do seals have teeth?”
“Yes, they have’em,” he answered.
“And do their teeth get loose like this?”
asked Sal, opening her mouth to show her loose tooth.
“O-owh!” she said with great surprise. She
felt with her tongue, and she felt with her muddy fingers.
“Why it’s goen!” she said sadly, feeling
once more just to make sure. The loose tooth was really and truly gone. The
salty mud from her fingers tasted bitter, and she made a bitter-tasting face
that was almost a face like crying.
“Did you swallow it, Sal?” her father asked
with a concerned smile.
“No.” She shook her head sadly. “I was too
busy asking to do any swallowing. It just dropped itself out. It’s gone, and I
can’t
put it under my pillow and make my wish come true!”
“That’s too bad,” her father sympathized. “But
you are growing into a big girl, and big girls don’t cry about a little thing like
that. They wait for another tooth to come loose and make a wish on that one.”
“And do their teeth get loose like this?”
asked Sal, opening her mouth to show her loose tooth.
“O-owh!” she said with great surprise. She
felt with her tongue, and she felt with her muddy fingers.
“Why it’s goen!” she said sadly, feeling
once more just to make sure. The loose tooth was really and truly gone. The
salty mud from her fingers tasted bitter, and she made a bitter-tasting face
that was almost a face like crying.
“Did you swallow it, Sal?” her father asked
with a concerned smile.
“No.” She shook her head sadly. “I was too
busy asking to do any swallowing. It just dropped itself out. It’s gone, and I
can’t
put it under my pillow and make my wish come true!”
“That’s too bad,” her father sympathized. “But
you are growing into a big girl, and big girls don’t cry about a little thing like
that. They wait for another tooth to come loose and make a wish on that one.”
“Maybe we can find my tooth where it
dropped,” said Sal, hopefully feeling around in the muddy gravel where the
clams live.
“Sal’s father helped her look, but a muddy
tooth looks so much like a muddy pebble, and muddy pebble looks so much like a
muddy tooth, that they hunted and hunted without find it.
“We’ll have to stop looking and take our
clams back to the house, Sal,” her father said at last, “or we won’t have time
for the trip to village,” He washed off the clams in the clean salt water of
the bay, and Sal reluctantly stopped looking and waded in to washed off the
clams in the clean salt water of the bay, and Sal reluctantly stopped looking
and waded in to wash the mud from her feet and hands.
“I guess some clam will find my tooth and
get what I wished for,” said Sal. “If we come back here tomorrow and find a
clam eating a chocolate ice-cream cone, why , we’ll have to take it away from
him and make him give my tooth back too,” she said.
While Sal put on her socks and shoes her
father packed seaweed around the clams to keep them moist and fresh.
“Now, let’s hurry back to the house,” he
said, “and in a few minutes we’ll be on our way to Buck’s Harbor in the boat to
get milk and groceries.”
“Okay,” Sal answered, scrambling to her
feet.
dropped,” said Sal, hopefully feeling around in the muddy gravel where the
clams live.
“Sal’s father helped her look, but a muddy
tooth looks so much like a muddy pebble, and muddy pebble looks so much like a
muddy tooth, that they hunted and hunted without find it.
“We’ll have to stop looking and take our
clams back to the house, Sal,” her father said at last, “or we won’t have time
for the trip to village,” He washed off the clams in the clean salt water of
the bay, and Sal reluctantly stopped looking and waded in to washed off the
clams in the clean salt water of the bay, and Sal reluctantly stopped looking
and waded in to wash the mud from her feet and hands.
“I guess some clam will find my tooth and
get what I wished for,” said Sal. “If we come back here tomorrow and find a
clam eating a chocolate ice-cream cone, why , we’ll have to take it away from
him and make him give my tooth back too,” she said.
While Sal put on her socks and shoes her
father packed seaweed around the clams to keep them moist and fresh.
“Now, let’s hurry back to the house,” he
said, “and in a few minutes we’ll be on our way to Buck’s Harbor in the boat to
get milk and groceries.”
“Okay,” Sal answered, scrambling to her
feet.
he gave once last look at the muddy place where she’d lost her tooth
and then started walking back along the shore with her
father. She walked along slowly, looking
at her feet so that her father could not see her face, in case it looked almost
like crying.
“Oh! See what I’ve found!” she exclaimed,
stooping t pick up a feather.
“It’s a gull’s feather,” said her father,
pausing for Sal to pick it up.
“Did a gull lose it? Will another feather
grow in where this one dropped out?” asked Sal.
“Yes, Sal that’s right,” answered her
father.
“Maybe sea gulls put dropped-out feathers
under their pillows and wish secret wishes,” Sal suggested.
“Sea gulls don’t use pillows, but I suppose
they can make wishes,” her father said.
“Then I”ll make my wish on this feather,’
Sal decided..
“Perhaps the sea gull has already made a
wish on that feather and the wish is used up,” suggested her father.
“Oh, no,” Sal said definitely, “he didn’t,
you see. I guess because he was too busy flying and not looking back. He didn’t
notice it was loose when he brushed his feathers this morning, so he didn’t
expect it would drop out. He doesn’t even know it’s gone,” she convinced
herself. She closed her eyes tight and wished her secret wish.
and then started walking back along the shore with her
father. She walked along slowly, looking
at her feet so that her father could not see her face, in case it looked almost
like crying.
“Oh! See what I’ve found!” she exclaimed,
stooping t pick up a feather.
“It’s a gull’s feather,” said her father,
pausing for Sal to pick it up.
“Did a gull lose it? Will another feather
grow in where this one dropped out?” asked Sal.
“Yes, Sal that’s right,” answered her
father.
“Maybe sea gulls put dropped-out feathers
under their pillows and wish secret wishes,” Sal suggested.
“Sea gulls don’t use pillows, but I suppose
they can make wishes,” her father said.
“Then I”ll make my wish on this feather,’
Sal decided..
“Perhaps the sea gull has already made a
wish on that feather and the wish is used up,” suggested her father.
“Oh, no,” Sal said definitely, “he didn’t,
you see. I guess because he was too busy flying and not looking back. He didn’t
notice it was loose when he brushed his feathers this morning, so he didn’t
expect it would drop out. He doesn’t even know it’s gone,” she convinced
herself. She closed her eyes tight and wished her secret wish.
When they reached home Sal’s mother and
sister Jane were waiting with a box of empty milk bottles to return to the
store and a list of things to buy.
“I’ ll have a nice clam chowder ready for
your lunch when you get back,” said Sal’s mother, waving good-by.
“I ll take good care of Jane,” Sal
promised. “I’m a big girl and I can watch so she doesn’t tumble into the water.”
Sal and Jane and their father went down to
the shore and got aboard their boat.
Sal and Jane put on their life preservers
while their father prepared to start the outboard motor. He pulled and he
pulled on the rope to start it, but the outboard motor just coughed and
sputtered and wouldn’t start.
So he had to row the boat all the way
across the bay to Buck’s Harbor where the store was.
The harbor was full of boats, and Sal’s
father rowed their boat among them, up to a landing, and tied it so it would
not drift away while they were at the store. They all climbed ashore, and Sal’s
father brought along the milk bottles. He brought the outboard motor too, so
Mr. Condon who ran the garage could fix it.
sister Jane were waiting with a box of empty milk bottles to return to the
store and a list of things to buy.
“I’ ll have a nice clam chowder ready for
your lunch when you get back,” said Sal’s mother, waving good-by.
“I ll take good care of Jane,” Sal
promised. “I’m a big girl and I can watch so she doesn’t tumble into the water.”
Sal and Jane and their father went down to
the shore and got aboard their boat.
Sal and Jane put on their life preservers
while their father prepared to start the outboard motor. He pulled and he
pulled on the rope to start it, but the outboard motor just coughed and
sputtered and wouldn’t start.
So he had to row the boat all the way
across the bay to Buck’s Harbor where the store was.
The harbor was full of boats, and Sal’s
father rowed their boat among them, up to a landing, and tied it so it would
not drift away while they were at the store. They all climbed ashore, and Sal’s
father brought along the milk bottles. He brought the outboard motor too, so
Mr. Condon who ran the garage could fix it.
As they came up the path to the village Mr.
Condon was outside his garage, putting gas into a car.
“I have a tooth out!” Sal greeted. ”And our
outboard motor won’t run.”
“My, such trouble!” Mr. Condon commented,
and after he had admired the empty place where Sal’s tooth was missing they
took the outboard motor into the garage to find why it wouldn’t run. Mr. Condon
pinched a little with his pliers, tunked a bit with his hammer, and then, after
selecting a large wrench, he took out the spark plug.
“Came right out, just like that tooth of
yours, didn’t it, Sal?” He said, holding it up to the light. “Humph!” he
grunted, tossing it on the floor. “Needs a new plug!”
Sal was just about to ask how long it would
take for a new spark plug to grow in when Mr. Condon reached up on the shelf
and picked our a brand-new one, and put it in the motor.
Sal picked up the old spark plug and handed
it to sister Jane. Jane. Jane was so little that she couldn’t even say ice-cream
cone! So Sal wished the secret wish for Jane on the spark plug.
Mr.Condon pulled the rope, and the motor
started right up, just as good as new. Sal’s father thanked him and picked up
the motor and the milk bottles. Jane carried her spark plug, Sal carried her
feather, and they said good-by and walked across the street to where Mr. Condon’s
brother kept store.
“Well, look who’s here!”said the Mr.Condon
who kept store. “I have a tooth out!” Sal shouted, returning Mr. Condon’s
greeting.
She showed the empty place where her tooth
had been, first to Mr. Condon, then to Mr.Ferd Clifford and Mr. Oscar Staples,
who were sitting in the store talking about trapping lobsters and how the fish
were biting.
Condon was outside his garage, putting gas into a car.
“I have a tooth out!” Sal greeted. ”And our
outboard motor won’t run.”
“My, such trouble!” Mr. Condon commented,
and after he had admired the empty place where Sal’s tooth was missing they
took the outboard motor into the garage to find why it wouldn’t run. Mr. Condon
pinched a little with his pliers, tunked a bit with his hammer, and then, after
selecting a large wrench, he took out the spark plug.
“Came right out, just like that tooth of
yours, didn’t it, Sal?” He said, holding it up to the light. “Humph!” he
grunted, tossing it on the floor. “Needs a new plug!”
Sal was just about to ask how long it would
take for a new spark plug to grow in when Mr. Condon reached up on the shelf
and picked our a brand-new one, and put it in the motor.
Sal picked up the old spark plug and handed
it to sister Jane. Jane. Jane was so little that she couldn’t even say ice-cream
cone! So Sal wished the secret wish for Jane on the spark plug.
Mr.Condon pulled the rope, and the motor
started right up, just as good as new. Sal’s father thanked him and picked up
the motor and the milk bottles. Jane carried her spark plug, Sal carried her
feather, and they said good-by and walked across the street to where Mr. Condon’s
brother kept store.
“Well, look who’s here!”said the Mr.Condon
who kept store. “I have a tooth out!” Sal shouted, returning Mr. Condon’s
greeting.
She showed the empty place where her tooth
had been, first to Mr. Condon, then to Mr.Ferd Clifford and Mr. Oscar Staples,
who were sitting in the store talking about trapping lobsters and how the fish
were biting.
“Don’t put your tongue in the empty place,”
Mr. Clifford advised, “and a nice shiny gold one like mine will grow in.”
“But I didn’t know soon enough,” said Sal,
looking confused.
“Hawh!: said Mr. Condon, chuckling. “Don’t
you go worryin’ about everything these jokers suggest. I don’t suppose,” he
added, opening up his freezer, “that you could eat an ice-cream con with one of
your tooth out?”
“Oh, yes, I could!” said Sal.”And it’s
supposed to be chocolate!”
“And this little lady?” he questioned,
turning to Jane.
“Here is supposed to be vanilla, so the
drips won’t spot, and you’d better push it together tight, so it won’t drop
off,” Sal dictated, “because she’s still almost a baby and doesn’t even have
all of her first teeth.
After Mr. Condon had put the groceries and
milk in the box, they thanked him once more and waved good-by. They walked down
the path to the harbor and down the runway to the float where their boat was
tied. They all climbed aboard, carrying the outboard motor, the box of milk and
groceries, the feather, the spark plug, and the ice-cream cones.
While their father fastened the outboard
motor to the boat Sal and Jane finished their ice-cream cones.
“I want s’more!” Jane demanded.
“Silly!” exclaimed Sal. “Our wishes are all
used up.” Then she remembered that she was growing up, and just like a grownup
she said, “Besides, Jane, two ice-cream cones would ruin your appetite. Ehen we
get home we are going to have clam chowder for lunch!”
Mr. Clifford advised, “and a nice shiny gold one like mine will grow in.”
“But I didn’t know soon enough,” said Sal,
looking confused.
“Hawh!: said Mr. Condon, chuckling. “Don’t
you go worryin’ about everything these jokers suggest. I don’t suppose,” he
added, opening up his freezer, “that you could eat an ice-cream con with one of
your tooth out?”
“Oh, yes, I could!” said Sal.”And it’s
supposed to be chocolate!”
“And this little lady?” he questioned,
turning to Jane.
“Here is supposed to be vanilla, so the
drips won’t spot, and you’d better push it together tight, so it won’t drop
off,” Sal dictated, “because she’s still almost a baby and doesn’t even have
all of her first teeth.
After Mr. Condon had put the groceries and
milk in the box, they thanked him once more and waved good-by. They walked down
the path to the harbor and down the runway to the float where their boat was
tied. They all climbed aboard, carrying the outboard motor, the box of milk and
groceries, the feather, the spark plug, and the ice-cream cones.
While their father fastened the outboard
motor to the boat Sal and Jane finished their ice-cream cones.
“I want s’more!” Jane demanded.
“Silly!” exclaimed Sal. “Our wishes are all
used up.” Then she remembered that she was growing up, and just like a grownup
she said, “Besides, Jane, two ice-cream cones would ruin your appetite. Ehen we
get home we are going to have clam chowder for lunch!”
