IT WAS SNOWING THAT WEDNESDAY AFTER NEW YEAR’S when the Julita steamed into New York harbor. The big white flakes seemed to be drifting horizontally instead of falling vertically. To Cherry Ames and Kirk Monroe, standing at the rail waiting to catch a glimpse of the 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 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 captain’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.”
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 something 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 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 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.