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city s towers through the snowstorm, it did not seem
possible that only a few days ago the skies had been
blue and the air soft and all of the passengers and crew
in their summer whites.
And now Cherry found herself shivering slightly in
her chocolate-brown suit and her poinsettia-red hat as
she leaned against the icy rail.
I m crazy about that perfume you re wearing, Kirk
was saying. What is it?
It was a present from a pirate, Cherry replied. He
hoped it would make me remember him. She smiled
222
HAPPY ENDING 223
up at Kirk. Oh, I ll remember him all right, down to
the last drop of his farewell present.
Kirk grinned. I m jealous. Timmy s pirate was in
many ways a likable dog, if he d only had more respect
for other people s property.
Cherry seemed to be lost in thought for several
moments. I ll never forget that morning at Curaçao.
Timmy and I were at the rail watching the pontoon
bridge swing open at Willemstad. Suddenly there was
a step behind us. We both turned. It was Henry Landgraf.
He was in shirt sleeves and wearing sneakers. I never
was as surprised in my life especially after the cap-
tain s telling us the night before that Henry would be
kept in the brig until he could be turned over to the
port officer at Curaçao.
No brig ever was built that could hold that one, the
doctor replied.
He didn t look at me, not once. But when Timmy
let out a squeal of delight, he stopped, reached into his
pocket, pulled out an old Spanish coin, and handed
it to Tim. Something to remember our days on the
Spanish Main, Tim, he said
A pirate to the end, murmured Kirk. That was
probably a Spanish piece of eight.
A moment later, continued Cherry, he had climbed
over the rail and dived into the canal. Timmy screamed
like a banshee. Everybody rushed to the rail to see
Henry swimming for the nearest dock. I doubt whether
the Julita ever made a more exciting entrance.
224 CHERRY AMES, CRUISE NURSE
A few hours later, Cherry and Kirk were sitting in a
Village restaurant only a few blocks from No. 9.
Over a bowl of hot soup Cherry said thoughtfully,
I keep thinking about Timmy s pirate. I know that he
picked locks and broke and entered and took some-
thing that didn t belong to him. But I can t help hoping
that that he got away. Prison would kill something in
a man like that. After all, Jan got her inheritance
Kirk grinned. Criminals are going to be in clover
when you ladies take over the law courts, he said.
Well, it all came out all right, didn t it? Ziggy and
Waidler are still in the captain s good graces. And wasn t
that Mr. Camelot a funny little fussbudget? How do
you suppose a crusty old man like Jan s uncle could
have put such trust in that dry little man?
Kirk shook his head.
I missed Jan on the trip back, Cherry said softly.
I m going to miss that little Timmy, too. Who knows
but I may find myself missing you, too, Kirk, even
though you did scare me half to death that first day
out.
Cherry knew that her cheeks matched her perky
little red hat. She liked this serious young doctor and
hoped that he wouldn t go out of her life forever when
the Julita sailed again on Friday. She said with a trace
of shyness, Maybe you ll have time while you re in
port to have dinner some evening at the Spencer Club.
Bertha Larsen is a wonderful cook.
Kirk s gray eyes widened in mock horror. You couldn t
lure me to dinner with six nurses no matter how good
HAPPY ENDING 225
a cook Bertha is. Then he sobered. Besides, Cherry,
I want you all to myself. I ve got only two days. Have
dinner with me tonight and tomorrow. Please.
Cherry laughed. One would think we hadn t had
breakfast, lunch, and dinner together nearly every day
for the past twelve days! Then she added, Dinner
tonight and tomorrow night would be fun, but you must
meet the girls. They d never forgive me. And besides,
you ll like them and they ll like you.
Compromise, Kirk said quickly. I ll brave your
den, but you ll have to go dancing with me both nights.
Think of all those evenings at sea when we had to
watch the passengers from the sidelines.
Cherry s eyes twinkled. All right. But sometime
let s go for a swim in one of the hotel pools. She told
him then for the first time about her illegal dip on the
Julita.
Kirk threw back his head and roared with laughter.
Cherry Ames, he chuckled, you ve got more spunk
than any girl I ever knew! I ve a good mind to give up
my ship s surgeon job just to stay on shore near you.
As a matter of fact, he added seriously, I m going to
do just that in a month or so. One of the big New York
children s hospitals has offered me a residency. I ve just
about decided to specialize in pediatrics.
And you should, Cherry said with a smile. The
way you handled that imp, Timmy, was something to
see.
He looked as pleased as though she had told him
he was the best children s doctor in the world. Maybe
226 CHERRY AMES, CRUISE NURSE
someday we ll end up in the same hospital, he said.
I d like that. Would you, Cherry?
Cherry nodded. I d like it very much.
And somehow she knew that although the cruise
had come to a happy ending, her friendship with young
Dr. Monroe had only just begun.
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