a summer in a canyon-第11章

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These　young　people；　however；　had　been　fortunate　in　having　the　wisest
and　most　loving　guardianship；　so　that　all　their　happy　young　lives　had
been　spent　to　good　purpose。　　They　had　not　shirked　study；　and　so　their
minds　were　stocked　with　useful　information；　they　had　read　carefully
and　digested　thoroughly　whatever　they　had　read；　so　that　they
possessed　a　good　deal　of　general　knowledge。　　The　girls　were　bright；
sensible；　industrious　little　women；　who　tried　to　be　good；　too；　in　the
old…fashioned　sense　of　the　word；　and　full　of　fun；　nonsense；　and
chatter　as　they　were　among　themselves；　they　never　forgot　to　be　modest
and　unassuming。

The　boys　were　pretty　well　in　earnest　about　life；　too；　with　good
ambitions　and　generous　aspirations。　　They　had　all　been　studying　with
Dr。　Winship　for　nearly　two　years；　and　that　means　a　great　deal；　for　he
was　a　real　teacher；　entering　into　the　lives　of　his　pupils；
sympathising　with　them　in　every　way；　and　leading　them；　through　the
study　of　nature；　of　human　beings；　and　of　God；　to　see　the　beauty　and
meaning　of　life。

Geoffrey　Strong；　of　course；　was　older　than　the　rest；　having　completed
his　junior　year　at　college；　but　Dr。　Winship；　who　was　his　guardian；
thought　it　wiser　for　him　to　rest　a　year　and　come　to　him　in
California；　as　his　ambition　and　energy　had　already　led　him　into
greater　exertions　than　his　age　or　strength　warranted。　　He　was　now
studying　medicine　with　the　good　Doctor；　but　would　go　back　to　the
'land　of　perpetual　pie'　in　the　fall　and　complete　his　college　course。

A　splendid　fellow　he　was；so　earnest；　thoughtful；　and　wise；　so
gravely　tender　in　all　his　ways　to　Aunt　Truth；　who　was　the　only　mother
he　had　ever　known；　so　devoted　to　Dr。　Winship；　who　loved　him　as　his
own　elder　son。

What　will　Geoffrey　Strong　be　as　a　man？　　The　twig　is　bent；　and　it　is
safe　to　predict　how　the　tree　will　incline。　　His　word　will　be　as　good
as　his　bond；　he　will　be　a　good　physician；　for　his　eye　is　quick　to　see
suffering；　and　his　hand　ready　to　relieve　it；　little　children　with
feverish　cheeks　and　tired　eyes　will　love　to　clasp　his　cool；　strong
sand；　he　will　be　gentle　as　a　woman；　yet　thoroughly　manly；　as　he　is
now；　for　he　has　made　the　most　of　his　golden　youth；　and　every　lad　who
does　that　will　have　a　golden　manhood　and　a　glorious　old　age。

As　for　Philip　Noble；　he　was　a　dear；　good；　trustworthy　lad　too；
kindly；　generous；　practical；　and　industrious；　a　trifle　slow　and
reserved；　perhaps；　but　full　of　common　sense；the　kind　of　sense
which；　after　all；　is　most　uncommon。

Bell　once　said：　　'This　is　the　difference　between　Philip　and
Geoffrey；one　does；　and　the　other　is。　　Geoff　is　the　real　Simon…pure
ideal　which　we　praise　Philip　for　trying　to　be；'a　very　good
description　for　a　little　maiden　whose　bright　eyes　had　only　looked
into　life　for　sixteen　summers。

And　now　we　come　to　Jack　Howard；　who　never　kept　still　long　enough　for
any　one　to　write　a　description　of　him。　　To　explain　how　he　differed
from　Philip　or　Geoffrey　would　be　like　bringing　the　Equator　and　the
Tropic　of　Cancer　together　for　purposes　of　comparison。

If　there　were　a　horseback　ride；　Jack　rode　the　wildest　colt；　was
oftenest　thrown　and　least　often　hurt；　if　a　fishing…party；　Jack　it　was
who　caught　all　the　fish；　though　he　made　more　noise　than　any　one　else；
and　followed　no　rules　laid　down　in　The　Complete　Angler。

He　was　very　often　in　trouble；　but　his　misdemeanours　were　those　of
pure　mischief；　and　were　generally　atoned　for　when　it　was　possible。
He　excelled　in　all　out…of…door　sports。　　And　indeed；　if　his　prudence
had　at　all　kept　pace　with　his　ability；　he　might　have　done　remarkable
things　in　almost　any　direction；　but　he　constantly　overshot　the　mark；
and　people　looked　to　him　for　the　dazzling　brilliancy　and　uncertainty
of　a　meteor；　but　never　for　the　steady　glow　of　a　fixed　star。

Just　now；　Jack　was　a　good　deal　sobered；　and　appeared　at　his　very
best。　　The　teaching　of　Dr。　Paul　and　the　companionship　of　Geoffrey　had
done　much　for　him；　while　the　illness　of　his　sister　Elsie；　who　was　the
darling　of　his　heart；　acted　constantly　as　a　sort　of　curb　upon　him；
for　he　loved　her　with　all　the　ardour　and　passion　which　he　gave　to
everything　else。　　You　might　be　fearful　of　Jack's　high　spirits　and
riotous　mirth；　of　his　reckless　actions　and　heedless　jokes；　but　you
could　scarcely　keep　from　admiring　the　boy；　for　he　was　brave　and
handsome　and　winsome　enough　to　charm　the　very　birds　off　the　bush；　as
Aunt　Truth　acknowledged；　after　giving　him　a　lecture　for　some
misdemeanour。

The　three　girls　made　their　way　a　short　distance　up　the　canyon　to　a
place　which　they　called　Prospect　Pool；　because　it　was　so　entirely
shut　in　from　observation。

'Dear　old　Geoff！'　said　Bell；　throwing　her　shawl　over　a　rock　and
opening　her　volume　of　Carlyle。　　'He　has　gone　all　through　this　for　me；
and　written　nice　little　remarks　on　the　margin；explanations　and
things；　and　interrogations　where　he　thinks　I　won't　know　what　is　meant
and　had　better　find　out；bless　his　heart！　　What　have　you　brought；
Margery？　　By　the　way；　you　must　move　your　seat　away　from　that　clump　of
poison…oak　bushes；　we　can't　afford　to　have　any　accidents　which　will
interfere　with　our　fun。　　We　have　all　sorts　of　new　remedies；　but　I
prefer　that　the　boys　should　experiment　with　them。'

'It's　the　softest　seat　here；　too；'　grumbled　Margery。　　'We　must　get
the　boys　to　cut　these　bushes　down。　　Why；　you　haven't　any　book；　you
lazy　Polly。　　Are　you　going　to　sleep；　or　shall　you　chatter　and　prevent
our　reading？'

'Neither；'　she　answered。　　'Here　is　a　doughnut　which　I　propose　to　send
down　the　red　pathway　of　fate；　and　here　a　pencil　and　paper　with　which
I　am　going　to　begin　our　round…robin　letter　to　Elsie。'

'That's　good！　　She　has　only　had　notes　from　Jack　and　one　letter　from
us；　which；　if　I　remember　right；　had　nothing　in　it。'

'Thanks！　　I　wrote　it；'　sniffed　Bell。

'Well；　I　meant　it　had　no　newsno　account　of　things；　you　know。'

'No；　I　wouldn't　descend　to　writing　news；　and　I　leave　accounts　to　the
butcher。'

'Stop　quarrelling；　girls！　　This　is　my　plan：　　I　will　begin　in　my　usual
rockety　style；　sometimes　maliciously　called　the　Pollyoliver　method；
Margery　will　take　up　the　thread　sedately；　Bell　will　plunge　in　with　a
burst　of　enthusiasm　and　seventeen　adjectives；　followed　by　a　verse　of
poor　poetry；　Geoff　will　do　the　sportive　or　instructive；　just　as　he
happens　to　feel；　and　Phil　will　wind　up　the　letter　by　some　practical
details　which　will　serve　as　a　key　to　all　the　rest。　　Won't　it　be　a　box
of　literary　bonbons　for　her　to　read　in　bed；　poor　darling！　　Let　me
see！　　I　represent　the　cayenne　lozenges；　sharp　but　impressive；　Margery
will　do　for　jujube　paste；　which　I　adore；mild；　pleasant；　yielding；
delicious。'

'Sticky　and　insipid！'　murmured　Madge；　plaintively。

'Not　at　all；　my　dear。　　Bell　stands　for　the　peppermints；　Jack　for
chocolates；　〃the　ladies'　delight〃；　Geoffrey　for　a　wine…drop；
altogether　good；　but　sweetest　in　its　heart；　Phillet　me　see！　　Phil
is　likewhat　is　he　like？'

'No　more　like　candy　than　a　cold　boiled　potato；'　said　his　sister。

'He　is　candid；'　suggested　Bell。　　'Let　us　call　him　rock…candy；　pure；
healthful；　and　far　from　soft。'

'Or　marshmallow；'　said　Margery；　'good；　but　tough。'

'Or　caramel；'　laughed　Polly；　'it　always　sticks　to　a　point。'

'Thanks；　gentle　creatures；'　said　a　voice　from　the　bushes　on　the　other
side　of　the　pool；　and　Phil　stalked　out　from　his　covert；　like　a
wounded　deer。

'How　long　have　you　been　in　there；　villain？'　cried　Bell。

'Ever　since　lunch；　but　I　only　waked　from　a　sound　sleep　some　twenty
minutes　ago。　　I've　heard　a　most　instructive　conversationnever　been
more　amused　in　my　life；　don't　know　whether　I　prefer　being　a　cold
boiled　potato　or　a　ladies'…delight！'

'You　haven't　any　choice；'　snapped　Polly；　a　trifle　embarrassed　at
having　been　overheard。

'I'm　glad　it　was　my　own　sister　who　called　me　a　c。　b。　p。　（the　most
loathsome　thing　in　existence；　by　the　way）；　because　sisters　never
appreciate　their　brothers。'

'I　didn't　call　you　a　c。　b。　p。；'　remonstrated　Margery。　　'I　said　you
were　no　more　like　candy　than　a　c。　b。　p。　　There　is　a　difference。'

'Is　there？　　My　poor　brain　fails　to　grasp　it。　　But　never　mind；　I'll
forgive　you。'

'Listeners　never　hear　good　of　themselves；'　sighed　Polly。

'Are　you　writin