cressy-第14章

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the　novelty　and　the　occasion　were　nothing　to　him；　Johnny；　with　a

gulp　of　satisfaction；　knew　that　he　had　seen　a　prince！　　Beautifully

dressed　in　a　white　duck　suit；　with　a　diamond　ring　on　his　finger；　a

gold　chain　swinging　from　his　fob；　and　a　Panama　hat　with　a　broad

black　ribbon　jauntily　resting　on　his　curled　and　scented　hair；

Johnny's　eyes　had　never　rested　on　a　more　resplendent　vision。　　He

was　more　romantic　than　Yuba　Bill；　more　imposing　and　less　impossible

than　the　Honorable　Abner　Dean；　more　eloquent　than　the　masterfar

more　beautiful　than　any　colored　print　that　he　had　ever　seen。　　Had

he　brushed　him　in　passing　Johnny　would　have　felt　a　thrill；　had　he

spoken　to　him　he　knew　he　would　have　been　speechless　to　reply。

Judge　then　of　his　utter　stupefaction　when　he　saw　Uncle　Ben

actually　Uncle　Ben！approach　this　paragon　of　perfection；　albeit

with　some　embarrassment；　and　after　a　word　or　two　of　unintelligible

conversation　walk　away　with　him！　　Need　it　be　wondered　that　Johnny；

forgetful　at　once　of　his　brother；　the　horses；　and　even　the

collation　with　its　possible　〃goodies；〃　instantly　followed。



The　two　men　turned　into　the　side　street；　which；　after　a　few　hundred

yards；　opened　upon　the　deserted　mining　flat；　crossed　and　broken　by

the　burrows　and　mounds　made　by　the　forgotten　engines　of　the　early

gold…seekers。　　Johnny；　at　times　hidden　by　these　irregularities；

kept　closely　in　their　rear；　sauntering　whenever　he　came　within　the

range　of　their　eyes　in　that　sidelong；　spasmodic　and　generally

diagonal　fashion　peculiar　to　small　boys；　but　ready　at　any　moment　to

assume　utter　unconsciousness　and　the　appearance　of　going　somewhere

else　or　of　searching　for　something　on　the　ground。　　In　this　way

appearing；　if　noticed　at　all；　each　time　in　some　different　position

to　the　right　or　left　of　them；　Johnny　followed　them　to　the　fringe　of

woodland　which　enabled　him　to　draw　closer　to　their　heels。



Utterly　oblivious　of　this　artistic　〃shadowing〃　in　the　insignificant

person　of　the　small　boy　who　once　or　twice　even　crossed　their　path

with　affected　timidity；　they　continued　an　apparently　confidential

previous　interview。　　The　words　〃stocks〃　and　〃shares〃　were　alone

intelligible。　　Johnny　had　heard　them　during　the　day；　but　he　was

struck　by　the　fact　that　Uncle　Ben　seemed　to　be　seeking　information

from　the　paragon　and　was　perfectly　submissive　and　humble。　　But　the

boy　was　considerably　mystified　when　after　a　tramp　of　half　an　hour

they　arrived　upon　the　debatable　ground　of　the　Harrison…McKinstry

boundary。　　Having　been　especially　warned　never　to　go　there；　Johnny

as　a　matter　of　course　was　perfectly　familiar　with　it。　　But　what　was

the　incomprehensible　stranger　doing　there？　　Was　he　brought　by　Uncle

Ben　with　a　view　of　paralyzing　both　of　the　combatants　with　the

spectacle　of　his　perfections？　　Was　he　a　youthful　sheriff；　a　young

judge；　or　maybe　the　son　of　the　Governor　of　California？　　Or　was　it

that　Uncle　Ben　was　〃silly〃　and　didn't　know　the　locality？　　Here　was

an　opportunity　for　him；　Johnny；　to　introduce　himself；　and　explain

and　even　magnify　the　danger；　with　perhaps　a　slight　allusion　to　his

own　fearless　familiarity　with　it。　　Unfortunately；　as　he　was　making

up　his　small　mind　behind　a　tree；　the　paragon　turned　and　with　the

easy　disdain　that　so　well　became　him；　said：



〃Well；　I　wouldn't　offer　a　dollar　an　acre　for　the　whole　ranch。　　But

if　YOU　choose　to　give　a　fancy　pricethat's　your　lookout。〃



To　Johnny's　already　prejudiced　mind；　Uncle　Ben　received　this　just

contempt　submissively；　as　he　ought；　but　nevertheless　he　muttered

something　〃silly〃　in　reply；　which　Johnny　was　really　too　disgusted

to　listen　to。　　Ought　he　not　to　step　forward　and　inform　the　paragon

that　he　was　wasting　his　time　on　a　man　who　couldn't　even　spell

〃ba…ker；〃　and　who　was　taught　his　letters　by　his；　Johnny's；　brother？



The　paragon　continued：



〃And　of　course　you　know　that　merely　your　buying　the　title　to　the

land　don't　give　you　possession。　　You'll　have　to　fight　these

squatters　and　jumpers　just　the　same。　　It'll　be　three　instead　of　two

fightingthat's　all！〃



Uncle　Ben's　imbecile　reply　did　not　trouble　Johnny。　　He　had　ears　now

only　for　the　superior　intellect　before　him。　　IT　continued　coolly：



〃Now　let's　take　a　look　at　that　yield　of　yours。　　I　haven't　much　time

to　give　you；　as　I　expect　some　men　to　be　looking　for　me　hereand　I

suppose　you　want　this　thing　still　kept　a　secret。　　I　don't　see　how

you've　managed　to　do　it　so　far。　　Is　your　claim　near？　　You　live　on

itI　think　you　said？〃



But　that　the　little　listener　was　so　preoccupied　with　the　stranger；

this　suggestion　of　Uncle　Ben's　having　a　claim　worth　the　attention

of　that　distinguished　presence　would　have　set　him　thinking；　the

little　that　he　understood　he　set　down　to　Uncle　Ben's　〃gassin'。〃　　As

the　two　men　moved　forward　again；　he　followed　them　until　Uncle　Ben's

house　was　reached。



It　was　a　rude　shanty　of　boards　and　rough　boulders；　half　burrowing

in　one　of　the　largest　mounds　of　earth　and　gravel；　which　had　once

represented　the　tailings　or　refuse　of　the　abandoned　Indian　Spring

Placer。　　In　fact　it　was　casually　alleged　by　some　that　Uncle　Ben

eked　out　the　scanty　〃grub　wages；〃　he　made　by　actual　mining；　in

reworking　and　sifting　the　tailings　at　odd　timesa　degrading　work

hitherto　practised　only　by　Chinese；　and　unworthy　the　Caucasian

ambition。　　The　mining　code　of　honor　held　that　a　man　might　accept

the　smallest　results　of　his　daily　labor；　as　long　as　he　was

sustained　by　the　prospect　of　a　larger　〃strike；〃　but　condemned　his

contentment　with　a　modest　certainty。　　Nevertheless　a　little　of

this　suspicion　encompassed　his　dwelling　and　contributed　to　its

loneliness；　even　as　a　long　ditch；　the　former　tail…race　of　the

claim；　separated　him　from　his　neighbors。　　Prudently　halting　at　the

edge　of　the　wood；　Johnny　saw　his　resplendent　vision　cross　the　strip

of　barren　flat；　and　enter　the　cabin　with　Uncle　Ben　like　any　other

mortal。　　He　sat　down　on　a　stump　and　awaited　its　return；　which　he

fondly　hoped　might　be　alone！　　At　the　end　of　half　an　hour　he　made　a

short　excursion　to　examine　the　condition　of　a　blackberry　bramble；

and　returned　to　his　post　of　observation。　　But　there　was　neither

sound　nor　motion　in　the　direction　of　the　cabin。　　When　another　ten

minutes　had　elapsed；　the　door　opened　and　to　Johnny's　intense

discomfiture；　Uncle　Ben　appeared　alone　and　walked　leisurely　towards

the　woods。　　Burning　with　anxiety　Johnny　threw　himself　in　Uncle

Ben's　way。　　But　here　occurred　one　of　those　surprising　inconsistencies

known　only　to　children。　　As　Uncle　Ben　turned　his　small　gray　eyes

upon　him　in　a　half　astonished；　half　questioning　manner；　the　potent

spirit　of　childish　secretiveness　suddenly　took　possession　of　the

boy。　　Wild　horses　could　not　now　have　torn　from　him　that　question

which　only　a　moment　before　was　on　his　lips。



〃Hullo；　Johnny！　　What　are　ye　doin'　here？〃　said　Uncle　Ben　kindly。



〃Nothin'。〃　　After　a　pause；　in　which　he　walked　all　round　Uncle　Ben's

large　figure；　gazing　up　at　him　as　if　he　were　a　monument；　he　added；

〃Huntin'　blackberrieth。〃



〃Why　ain't　you　over　at　the　collation？〃



〃Ruperth　there；〃　he　answered　promptly。



The　idea　of　being　thus　vicariously　present　in　the　person　of　his

brother　seemed　a　sufficient　excuse。　　He　leap…frogged　over　the　stump

on　which　he　had　been　sitting　as　an　easy　unembarrassing　pause　for

the　next　question。　　But　Uncle　Ben　was　apparently　perfectly

satisfied　with　Johnny's　reply；　and　nodding　to　him；　walked　away。



When　his　figure　had　disappeared　in　the　bushes；　Johnny　cautiously

approached　the　cabin。　　At　a　certain　distance　he　picked　up　a　stone

and　threw　it　against　the　door；　immediately　taking　to　his　heels　and

the　friendly　copse　again。　　No　one　appearing　he　repeated　the

experiment　twice　and　even　thrice　with　a　larger　stone　and　at　a

nearer　distance。　　Then　he　boldly　skirted　the　cabin　and　dropped　into

the　race…way　at　its　side。　　Following　it　a　few　hundred　yards　he　came

upon　a　long　disused　shaft　opening　into　it；　which　had　been　covered

with　a　rough