a summer in a canyon-第12章

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forgive　you。'

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

'Are　you　writing　a　copy…book；　Miss　Oliver？　　I　didn't　want　to　listen；
it　was　very　painful　to　my　feelings；　but　I　was　too　sleepy　to　move。'

'And　now　our　afternoon　is　gone；　and　we　have　not　read　a　word；'　sighed
little　Margery。　　'I　never　met　two　such　chatterboxes　as　you　and
Polly。'

'And　to　hear　us　talk　is　a　liberal　education；'　retorted　Polly。

'Exactly；'　said　Philip；　dryly；　'Come；　I'll　take　the　books　and　shawls。
It's　nearly　five　o'clock；　and　we　shall　hear　Hop　Yet　blowing　his　lusty
dinner…horn　presently。'

'Why　didn't　you　go　off　shooting　with　the　others？'　asked　Margery。

'Stayed　at　home　so　they'd　get　a　chance　to　shoot。'

'Why；　do　you　mean　you　always　scare　the　game　away？'　inquired　Polly；
artlessly。

'No；　I　mean　that　I　always　do　all　the　shooting；　and　the　others　get
discouraged。'

'Clasp　hands　over　the　bloody　chasm；'　said　Bell；　'and　let　us　smoke　the
pipe　of　peace　at　dinner。'

Philip　and　Bell　came　through　the　trees；　and；　as　they　neared　the　camp；
saw　Aunt　Truth　sitting　at　the　door　of　Tent　Chatter；　looking　the　very
picture　of　comfort；　as　she　drew　her　darning…needle　in　and　out　of　an
unseemly　rent　in　one　of　Dicky's　stockings。　　Margery　and　Polly　came　up
just　behind；　and　dropped　into　her　lap　some　beautiful　branches　of　wild
azalea。

'Did　you　have　a　pleasant　walk；　dears？'　she　asked。

'Yes；　indeed；　dear　auntie。　　Now；　just　hold　your　head　perfectly　still；
while　we　decorate　you　for　dinner。　　We　will　make　Uncle　Doc's　eyes
fairly　pop　with　admiration。　　Have　you　been　lonely　without　us？'

'Oh；　not　a　bit。　　You　see　there　has　been　a　good　deal　of　noise　about
here；　and　I　felt　as　if　I　were　not　alone。　　Hop　Yet　has　been　pounding
soap…root　in　the　kitchen；　and　I　hear　the　sound　of　Pancho's　axe　in　the
distance；the　Doctor　asked　him　to　chop　wood　for　the　camp…fire。　　Was
Dicky　any　trouble？　　Where　is　he？'

'Why；　darling　mother；　are　you　crazy？'　asked　Bell。　　'If　you　think　a
moment；　he　was　in　the　hammock　and　you　were　lying　down　in　the　tent
when　we　started。'

'Why；　I　certainly　thought　I　heard　him　ask　to　go　with　you；'　said　Mrs。
Winship；　in　rather　an　alarmed　tone。

'So　he　did；　but　I　told　him　it　was　too　far。'

'I　didn't　hear　that；　in　fact；　I　was　half　asleep；　I　was　not　feeling
well。　　Ask　Hop　Yet；　he　has　been　in　the　kitchen　all　the　afternoon。'

Hop　Yet　replied；　with　discouraging　tranquillity；　'Oh；　I　no　know。　　I
no　sabe　Dicky；　he　allee　time　lun　loun　camp；　I　no　look；　too　muchee
work。　　I　chop　hashDicky　come　in　kitch'make　heap　workno　good。　　I
tell　him　go　longhe　go；　bime…by　you　catchum；　you　see。'　　Whereupon　he
gracefully　skinned　an　onion；　and　burst　into　a　Chinese　song；　with
complete　indifference　as　to　whether　Dicky　lived　or　died。

'Perhaps　he　is　with　Pancho；　I'll　run　and　see！'　cried　Polly；　dashing
swiftly　in　the　direction　of　the　sky…parlour。　　But　after　a　few　minutes
she　ran　back；　with　a　serious　face。　　'He's　not　there；　Pancho　has　not
seen　him　since　lunch。'

'Well；　I've　just　happened　to　think；'　said　pale　Aunt　Truth；　'that　papa
came　into　the　tent　for　some　cartridges；　after　you　left；　and　of　course
he　took　Dick　with　him。　　I　don't　suppose　it　is　any　use　to　worry。　　He
always　does　come　out　right；　and　I　have　told　him　so　many　times　never
on　any　account　to　go　away　from　the　camp　alone　that　he　surely　would
not　do　it。　　Papa　and　the　boys　will　be　home　soon；　now。　　It　is　nearly
six　o'clock；　and　I　told　them　that　I　would　blow　the　horn　at　six；　as
usual。　　If　they　are　too　far　away　to　hear　it；　they　will　know　the　time
by　the　sun。'

'Well；'　said　Bell；　anxiously；　'I　hope　it　is　all　right。　　Papa　is　so
strict　that　he　won't　be　late　himself。　　Did　all　the　boys　go　with　him；
mamma？'

'Yes；　all　but　Philip。'

'Oh；　then　Dicky　must　be　with　them；'　said　Margery；　consolingly。
'Geoffrey　always　takes　him　wherever　he　can。'

So　the　girls　went　into　the　tent　to　begin　their　dinner　toilet；　which
consisted　in　carefully　brushing　burrs　and　dust　from　their　pretty
dresses；　and　donning　fresh　collars　and　stockings；　with　low　ties　of
russet　leather；　which　Polly　declared　belonged　only　to　the　stage
conception　of　a　camping　costume；　then；　with　smoothly　brushed　hair　and
bright　flower…knots　at　collar　and　belt；　they　looked　charming　enough
to　grace　any　drawing…room　in　the　land。

The　horn　was　blown　again　at　six　o'clock；　Aunt　Truth　standing　at　the
entrance　of　the　path　which　led　up　the　canyon；　shading　her　anxious
eyes　from　the　light　of　the　setting　sun。　…

'Here　they　come！'　she　cried；　joyously；　as　the　welcome　party　appeared
in　sight；　guns　over　shoulder；　full　game…bags；　and　Jack　and　Geoff　with
a　few　rabbits　and　quail　hanging　over　their　arms。

The　girls　rushed　out　of　the　tent。　　Bell　took　in　the　whole　group　with
one　swift　glance；　and　then　turned　to　her　mother；　who；　like　most
mothers；　believed　the　worst　at　once；　and　grew　paler　as　she　asked：

'Papa；　where　is　little　Dick？'

'Dick！　　Why；　my　dear；　he　has　not　been　out　with　us。　　What　do　you
mean？'

'Are　you　sure　you　didn't　take　him？'　faltered　Aunt　Truth。

'Of　course　I　am。　　Good　heavens！　　Doesn't　any　one　know　where　the　child
is？'　looking　at　the　frightened　group。

'You　know；　uncle；'　said　Geoffrey；　'we　started　out　at　three　o'clock。
I　noticed　Dicky　playing　with　his　blocks　in　our　tent；　and　said　good…
bye　to　him。　　Did　you　see　him　when　you　came　back　for　the　cartridges？'

'Certainly　I　did；　he　called　me　to　look　at　his　dog　making　believe　go
to　sleep　in　the　hammock。'

'We　girls　went　down　to　the　pool　soon　after　that；'　said　Bell；
tearfully。　　'He　asked　to　go　with　us；　and　I　told　him　it　was　too　far；
and　that　he'd　better　stay　with　mamma；　who　would　be　all　alone。　　He
said　〃Yes〃　so　sweetly　I　couldn't　mistrust　him。　　Oh；　was　it　my　fault；
papa？　　Please　don't　say　it　was！'　and　she　burst　into　a　passion　of
sobs。

'No；　no；　my　child；　of　course　it　was　not。　　Don't　cry；　we　shall　find
him。　　Go　and　look　about　the　camp；　Geoff；　while　we　consider　for　a
minute　what　to　do？'

'If　there　is　any　fault；　it　is　mine；　for　going　to　sleep；'　said　poor
Aunt　Truth；　'but　I　never　dreamed　he　would　dare　to　wander　off　alone；
my　poor　little　disobedient　darling！　　What　shall　we　do？'

'Have　you　spoken　to　Pancho　and　Hop　Yet？'　asked　Phil。

'Yes；　they　have　seen　nothing。'

Hop　Yet　just　at　this　moment　issued　from　his　kitchen　with　an　immense
platter　of　mutton…stew　and　dumplings；　which　he　deposited　on　the
table。　　On　being　questioned　again；　he　answered　as　before；　with　the
greatest　serenity；　intimating　that　Dicky　would　come　home　'heap　bime…
by'　when　he　got　'plenty　hungly。'　　He　seemed　to　think　a　lost　boy　or
two　in　a　family　rather　a　trifle　than　otherwise；　and　wound　up　his
unfeeling　remarks　with　the　practical　one；　'Dinner　all　leady；　you　no
eat　mutton；　he　get　cold！　　Misser　Wins'；　I　no　find　pickle；　you
catchum！'

'I　don't　believe　he　would　care　if　we　all　died　right　before　his　eyes；'
muttered　Polly；　angrily。　　'I　should　just　like　to　see　a　Chinaman's
heart　once；　and　find　out　whether　it　was　made　of　resin；　or　cuttle…
fish；　or　what。'

'Well；'　said　Phil；　as　Dr。　Winship　came　through　the　trees　from　the
card…room；　'we　must　start　out　this　instant；　and　of　course　we　can　find
him　somehow；　somewhere；　he　hasn't　been　gone　over　two　hours；　and　he
couldn't　walk　far；　that's　certain。　　Now；　Uncle　Doc；　shall　we　all　go
different　ways；　and　leave　the　girls　here　to　see　if　he　doesn't　turn
up？'

'Oh；　papa；'　cried　Bell；　do　not　leave　us　at　home！　　We　can　hunt　as　well
as　any　one；　we　know　every　foot　of　the　canyon。　　Let　me　go　with　Geoff；
and　we'll　follow　the　brook　trail。'

'Very　well。　　Now；　mamma；　Pancho　and　I　will　go　down　to　the　main　road；
and　you　wait　patiently　here。　　Make　all　the　noise　you　can；　children；
and　the　one　who　finds　him　must　come　back　to　the　camp　and　blow　the
horn。　　Hop　Yet；　we　go　now；　if　Dicky　comes　back；　you　blow　the　horn
yourself；　will　you？'

'All　light；　boss。　　You　eat　um　dinner　now；　then　go　bime…by；　mutton
heap　cold；　you'

'Dinner！'　shouted　Jack。　　'Confound　your　impudence！　　If　you　say　dinner
again；　I'll　cut　the　queue　off　your　stupid　head。'

'Good！'　murmured　Polly；　giving　a　savage　punch　to　her　blue　Tam　o'
Shanter　cap。

'Jack；　Jack！'　remonstrated　Aunt　Truth。

'I　know；　dear　auntie；　but　the　callous　old　heathen　makes　me　so　mad　I
can't　contain　myself。　　Come；　Mar