a summer in a canyon-第13章

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'I　know；　dear　auntie；　but　the　callous　old　heathen　makes　me　so　mad　I
can't　contain　myself。　　Come；　Margery；　let's　be　off。　　Get　your　shawl；
and　hurrah　for　the　one　who　comes　back　to　blow　the　horn　first！　　I'll
wager　you　ten　to　one　I'll　have　Dick　in　auntie's　lap　inside　the
hour！'at　which　Aunt　Truth's　eyes　brightened；　and　she　began　to　take
heart　again。　　But　as　he　tore　past　the　brush　kitchen　and　out　into　the
woods；　dragging　Madge　after　him　at　a　breathless　pace；　he　shut　his
lips　together　rather　grimly；　saying；　'I'd　give　five　hundred　dollars
（s'posin'　I　had　a　cent）　to　see　that　youngster　safe　again。'

'Tell　me　one　thing；　Jack；'　said　Margery；　her　teeth　chattering　with
nervousness；　'are　there　any　animals　in　this　canyon　that　would　attack
him？'

'Oh；　of　course　it　is　possible　that　a　California　lion　or　a　wild…cat
might　come　down　to　the　brook　to　drinkthey　have　been　killed
hereaboutsbut　I　hardly　believe　it　is　likely；　and　neither　do　I
believe　they　would　be　apt　to　hurt　him；　any　way；　for　he　would　never
attack　them；　you　know。　　What　I　am　afraid　of　is　that　he　has　tumbled
over　the　rocks　somewhere　in　climbing；　or　tangled　himself　up　in　the
chaparral。　　He　couldn't　have　made　off　with　a　pistol；　could　he？　　He　is
up　to　all　such　tricks。'

Presently　the　canyon　began　to　echo　with　strange　sounds；　which　I　have
no　doubt　sent　the　owls；　birds；　and　rabbits　into　fits　of　terror；　for
the　boys　had　whistles　and　pistols；　while　Polly　had　taken　a　tin　pan
and　a　hammer。　　She　had　gone　with　Phil　out　behind　the　thicket　of
manzanita　bushes；　and　they　both　stood　motionless；　undecided　where　to
go。

'Oh；　Phil；　I　can't　help　it；　I　must　cry；　I　am　so　frightened。　　Let　me
sit　down　a　second。　　Yes；　I　know　it's　an　ant…hill；　and　I　shouldn't
care　if　it　were　a　hornets'　nestI　deserve　to　be　stung。　　What　do　you
think　I　said　to　Margery　this　morning？　　That　Dicky　was　a　perfect
little　marplot；　and　spoiled　all　our　fun；　and　I　wished　he　were　in　the
bottom　of　the　Red　Sea；　and　then　I　called　him　a　k…k…k…ill…joy！'　and
Polly　buried　her　head　in　her　blue　Tam；　and　cried　a　good；　honest；　old…
fashioned　cry。

'There；　chirk　up；　poor　little　soul；　and　don't　you　fret　over　a
careless　speech；　that　meant　nothing　at　all。　　I've　wished　him　in　the
Red　Sea　more　than　once；　but　I'm　blessed　if　I　ever　do　it　again。　　Come；
let's　go　over　yonder；　where　we　caught　the　young　owl；　Dicky　may　have
wanted　to　try　that　little　game　again。'

So　they　went　on；　calling；　listening；　then　struggling　on　again；　more
anxious　every　moment；　but　not　so　thoroughly　dazed　as　Bell；　who　had
rocked　her　baby…brother　in　his　cradle；　and　to　whom　he　was　the
embodiment　of　every　earthly　grace；　if　not　of　every　heavenly　virtue。

'I　might　have　known　this　would　happen；'　she　said；　miserably。　　'He　is
so　careless　that；　if　we　ever　find　him　again；　we　must　keep　him　tied　to
something。'

'Take　care　of　your　steps；　dear；'　said　Geoff；　'and　munch　this　cracker；
or　you　won't　have　strength　enough　to　go　on　with　me。　　I　wish　it　were
not　getting　so　dark；　the　moment　the　sun　gets　behind　these　mountain…
tops　the　light　seems　to　vanish　in　an　instant。Dick…y！'

'Think　of　the　poor　darling　out　in　this　darknesshungry；　frightened；
and　alone；'　sighed　Bell。　　'It's　past　his　bed…time　now。　　Oh；　why　did
we　ever　come　to　stay　in　this　horrible　place！'

'You　must　not　blame　the　place；　dear；　we　thought　it　the　happiest　in
the　world　this　morning。　　Here　we　are　by　the　upper　pool；　and　the　path
stops。　　Which　way　had　we　better　go？'

'I've　been　here　before　to…day；'　said　Bell；　'we　might　follow　the　trail
I　made。　　But　where　is　my　string？　　Light　a　match；　Geoff；　please。'

'What　string？　　What　do　you　mean？'

'Why；　I　found　a　beautiful　spot　this　morning；　and；　fearing　I　shouldn't
remember　the　way　again；　I　took　out　my　ball　of　twine　and　dropped　a
white　line　all　the　way　back；　like　Ariadne；　but　I　don't　see　it。　　Where
can　it　have　disappearedunless　Jack　or　Phil　took　it　to　tease　me？'

'Oh　no；　I've　been　with　them　all　day。　　Perhaps　a　snake　has　swallowed
it。　　Come。'

But　a　bright　idea　had　popped　into　Bell's　head。　　'I　want　to　go　that
way；　Geoff；　dear；　it's　as　good　as　any　other；　and　there　are　flowers
just　the　other　side；　in　an　open；　sunny　place；　perhaps　he　found　them。'

'All　right；　let's　go　ahead。'

'The　trouble　is；　I　don't　know　which　way　to　go。　　Here　is　the　rock；　I
remember　it　was　a　spotted　one；　with　tall　ferns　growing　beside　it。
Now　I　wentlet　me　seethis　way；'　and　they　both　plunged　into　the
thick　brush。

'Bell；　Bell；　this　is　utter　nonsense！'　cried　Geoff。　　'No　child　could
crawl　through　this　tangle。'

'Dicky　could　crawl　through　anything　in　this　universe；　if　it　was　the
wrong　thing；　he　isn't　afraid　of　beast；　bird；　or　fish；　and　he
positively　enjoys　getting　scratched；'　said　Bell。

Meanwhile；　what　had　become　of　this　small　hero；　and　what　was　he　doing？
He　was　last　seen　in　the　hammock；　playing　with　the　long…suffering
terrier；　Lubin；　who　was　making　believe　go　to　sleep。　　It　proved　to　be
entirely　a　make…believe；　for；　at　the　first　loosening　of　Dicky's
strangling　hold　upon　his　throat；　he　tumbled　out　of　the　hammock　and
darted　into　the　woods。　　Dicky　followed；　but　Lubin　was　fleet　of　foot；
and　it　was　a　desperate　and　exciting　race　for　full　ten　minutes。

At　length；　as　Lubin　heard　his　little　master's　gleeful　laugh；　he
realised　that　his　anger　was　a　thing　of　the　past；　consequently；　he
wheeled　about　and　ran　into　Dicky's　outstretched　arms；　licking　his
face　and　hands　exuberantly　in　the　joy　of　complete　forgiveness。

By　this　time　the　voice　of　conscience　in　Dicky's　souland　it　was　a
very；　very　still；　small　one　on　all　occasionswas　entirely　silenced。
He　strayed　into　a　sunny　spot；　and　picked　flowers　enough　to　trim　his
little　sailor　hat；　probably　divining　that　this　was　what　lost　children
in　Sunday…school　books　always　did；　and　it　would　be　dishonourable　not
to　keep　up　the　superstition。　　Then　he　built　a　fine；　strong　dam　of
stones　across　the　brook；　wading　to　and　fro　without　the　bother　of
taking　off　his　shoes　and　stockings；　and　filled　his　hat　with　rocks　and
sunk　it　to　the　bottom　for　a　wharf；　keeping　his　hat…band　to　tie　an
unhappy　frog　to　a　bit　of　bark；　and　setting　him　afloat　as　the　captain
of　a　slave…ship。　　When；　at　length；　the　struggling　creature　freed
himself　from　his　bonds　and　leaped　into　the　pool；　Dicky　played　that　he
was　a　drowning　child；　and　threw　Lubin　into　the　water　to　rescue　him。

In　these　merry　antics　the　hours　flew　by　unnoticed；　he　had　never　been
happier　in　his　life；　and　it　flashed　through　his　mind　that　if　he　were
left　entirely　to　himself　he　should　always　be　good。

'Here　I've　been　a　whole　day　offul　good　by　my　lone　self；　haven't　said
one　notty　word　or　did　one　notty　fing；　nor　gotted　scolded　a　singul
wunst；　did　I；　Lubin？　　I　guess　we　better　live　here；　bettent　we；　Lubin？
And　ven　we　wunt　git　stuck　inter　bed　fur　wettin'　our　feets　little
teenty　mites　of　wet　ev'ry　singul　night　all　the　livelong　days；　will
we；　Lubin？'

But　this　was　a　long　period　of　reflection　for　Master　Dicky；　and　he
capered　on；　farther　and　farther；　the　water　sozzling　frightfully　in
his　little　copper…toed　boots。　　At　length　he　sat　down　on　a　stone　to
rest　himself；　and；　glancing　aimlessly　about；　his　eyes　fell　on　a　white
string；　which　he　grasped　with　alacrity；　pulling　its　end　from　beneath
the　stone　on　which　he　sat。

'Luby　Winship；　the　anjulls　gaved　me　this　string　fur　ter　make　an　offul
splendid　tight　harness　for　you；　little　Luby；　and　you　can　drag　big
heavy　stones。　　Won't　that　be　nice？'

Lubin　looked　doubtful；　and　wagged　his　tail　dissentingly；　as　much　as
to　say　that　his　ideas　of　angel　ministrations　were　a　trifle　different。

But　there　was　no　end　to　the　string！　　How　very；　very　curious！　　Dicky
wound　and　wound　and　crept　and　crept　along；　until　he　was　thoroughly
tired　but　thoroughly　determined　to　see　it　through；　and　Lubin；
meanwhile；　had　seized　the　first　convenient　moment；　after　the　mention
of　the　harness；　to　retire　to　the　camp。

At　length；　oh　joy！　the　tired　and　torn　little　man；　following　carefully
the　leading…string；　issued　from　the　scratching　bushes　into　a　clean；
beautiful；　round　place；　with　a　great　restful…looking　stump　in　the
centre；　and　round　its　base　a　small　forest　of　snowy　toadstools。　　What
could　be　a　lovelier　surprise！　　Dicky　clapped　his　hands　in　glee　as　he
looked　at　the