a summer in a canyon-第23章

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decorating　Elsie's　tent。'

'Why；　of　course　you　may　have　it；　Polly；　and　anything　else　that　you
can　find。　　There！　　I　hear　Dicky's　voice　in　the　distance；　perhaps　the
girls　are　coming。'

Bell　and　Polly　darted　through　the　swarm　of　tents；　and　looked　up　the
narrow　path　that　led　to　the　brook。

Sure　enough；　Margery　and　Laura　were　strolling　towards　home　with
little　Anne　and　Dick　dangling　behind；　after　the　manner　of　children。
Margery　carried　a　small　string　of　trout；　and　Dick　the　inevitable　tin
pail　in　which　he　always　kept　an　unfortunate　frog　or　two。　　The　girls
had　discovered　that　he　was　in　the　habit　of　crowding　the　cover　tightly
over　the　pail　and　keeping　his　victims　shut　up　for　twenty…four　hours；
after　which；　he　said；　they　were　nice　and　tameso　very　tame；　as　it
transpired；　that　they　generally　gave　up　the　ghost　in　a　few　hours
after　their　release。　　Margery　had　with　difficulty　persuaded　him　of
his　cruelty；　and　the　cover　had　been　pierced　with　a　certain　number　of
air…holes。

'Guess　the　loveliest　thing　that　could　possibly　happen！'　called　Bell
at　the　top　of　her　voice。

'Elsie　has　come；'　answered　Margery　in　a　second；　nobody　knew　why；　'let
me　hug　her　this　minute！'

'With　those　fish？'　laughed　Polly。　　'No！　you'll　have　to　wait　until　day
after　to…morrow；　and　then　your　guess　will　be　right。　　Isn't　it　almost
too　good　to　be　true？'

'And　she　is　almost　well；'　added　Bell；　joyfully；　slipping　her　arm
through　Margery's　and　squeezing　it　in　sheer　delight。　　'Mrs。　Howard
says　she　is　really　and　truly　better。　　Oh；　if　Elsie　Howard　in　bed　is
the　loveliest；　dearest　thing　in　the　world；　what　will　it　be　like　to
have　her　out　of　it　and　with　us　in　all　our　good　times！'

'Has　she　always　been　ill　since　you　knew　her？'　asked　Laura。

'Yes；　a　terrible　cold　left　her　with　weakness　of　the　lungs；　and　the
doctors　feared　consumption；　but　thought　that　she　might　possibly
outgrow　it　entirely　if　she　lived　in　a　milder　climate；　so　Mrs。　Howard
left　home　and　everybody　she　cared　for；　and　brought　Elsie　to　Santa
Barbara。　　Papa　has　taken　an　interest　in　her　from　the　first；　and　as
far　as　we　girls　are　concerned；　it　was　love　at　first　sight。　　You　never
knew　anybody　like　Elsie！'

'Is　she　pretty？'

'Pretty！'　cried　Polly；　'she　is　like　an　angel　in　a　picture…book！'

'Interesting？'

'Interesting！'　said　Bell；　in　a　tone　that　showed　the　word　to　be　too
feeble　for　the　subject；　'Elsie　is　more　interesting　than　all　the　other
girls　in　the　other　world　put　together！'

'Popular？'

'Popular！'　exclaimed　Margery；　taking　her　turn　in　the　oral
examination；　'I　don't　know　whether　anybody　can　be　popular　who　is
always　in　bed；　but　if　it's　popular　to　be　adored　by　every　man；　woman；
child；　and　animal　that　comes　anywhere　near　her；　why　then　Elsie　is
popular。'

'And　is　she　a　favourite　with　boys　as　well　as　girls？'

'Favourite！'　said　Bell。　　'Why；　they　think　that　she　is　simply　perfect！
Of　course　she　has　scarcely　been　able　to　sit　up　a　week　at　a　time　for　a
year；　and　naturally　she　has　not　seen　many　people；　but；　if　you　want　a
boy's　opinion；　just　ask　Philip　or　Geoffrey。　　I　assure　you；　Laura；
after　you　have　known　Elsie　a　while；　and　have　seen　the　impression　she
makes　upon　everybody；　you　will　want　to　go　to　bed　and　see　if　you　can
do　likewise。'

'It　isn't　just　the　going　to　bed；'　remarked　Margery；　sagely。

'And　it　isn't　the　prettiness　either；'　added　Polly；　'though　if　you　saw
Elsie　asleep；　a　flower　in　one　hand；　the　other　under　her　cheek；　her
hair　straying　over　the　pillow　（O　for　hair　that　would　stray
anywhere！）；　you　would　expect　every　moment　to　see　a　halo　above　her
head。'

'I　don't　believe　it　is　because　she　is　good　that　everybody　admires　her
so；'　said　Laura；　'I　don't　think　goodness　in　itself　is　always　so　very
interesting；　if　Elsie　had　freckles　and　a　snub　nose'（'Don't　mind
me！'　murmured　Polly）'you　would　find　that　people　would　say　less
about　her　wonderful　character。'

'There　are　things　that　puzzle　me；'　said　Polly；　thoughtfully。　　'It
seems　to　me　that　if　I　could　contrive　to　be　ever　so　good；　nobody　ever
would　look　for　a　halo　round　my　head。　　Now；　is　it　my　turned…up　nose
and　red　hair　that　make　me　what　I　am；　or　did　what　I　am　make　my　nose
and　hair　what　they　arewhich？'

'We'll　have　to　ask　Aunt　Truth；'　said　Margery；　'that　is　too　difficult
a　thing　for　us　to　answer。'

'Wasn't　it　nice　I　catched　that　big　bull…frog；　Margie？'　cried　Dick；
his　eyes　shining　with　anticipation。　　'Now　I'll　have　as　many　as　seven
or　'leven　frogs　and　lots　of　horned　toads　when　Elsie　comes；　and　she
can　help　me　play　with　'em。'

When　the　girls　reached　the　tents　again；　the　last　article　had　been
taken　from　the　team　and　Manuel　had　driven　away。　　The　sound　of　Phil's
hammer　could　be　heard　from　the　carpenter…shop；　and　Pancho　was　already
laying　the　tent　floor　in　a　small；　open；　sunny　place；　where　the　low
boughs　of　a　single　sycamore　hung　so　as　to　protect　one　of　its　corners；
leaving　the　rest　to　the　full　warmth　of　the　sunshine　that　was　to　make
Elsie　entirely　well　again。

'I　am　tired　to　death；'　sighed　Laura；　throwing　herself　down　in　a
bamboo　lounging…chair。　　'Such　a　tramp　as　we　had！　and　after　all；　the
boys　insisted　on　going　where　Dr。　Winship　wouldn't　allow　us　to　follow；
so　that　we　had　to　stay　behind　and　fish　with　the　children；　I　wish　I
had　stayed　at　home　and　read　The　Colonel's　Daughter。'

'Oh；　Laura！'　remonstrated　Margery；　'think　of　that　lovely　pool　with
the　forests　of　maiden…hair　growing　all　about　it！'

'And　poison…oak；'　grumbled　Laura。　　'I　know　I　walked　into　some　of　it
and　shall　look　like　a　perfect　fright　for　a　week。　　I　shall　never　make
a　country　girlit's　no　use　for　me　to　try。'

'It's　no　use　for　you　to　try　walking　four　miles　in　high…heeled　shoes；
my　dear；'　said　Polly；　bluntly。

'They　are　not　high；'　retorted　Laura；　'and　if　they　are；　I　don't　care
to　look　like　aacow…boy；　even　in　the　backwoods。'

'I'm　an　awful　example；'　sighed　Polly；　seating　herself　on　a　stump　in
front　of　the　tent；　and　elevating　a　very　dusty　little　common…sense
boot。　　'Sir　Walter　Raleigh　would　never　have　allowed　me　to　walk　on　his
velvet　cloak　with　that　boot；　would　he；　girls？　　Oh；　wasn't　that
romantic；　though？　and　don't　I　wish　that　I　had　been　Queen　Elizabeth！'

'You've　got　the　HAIR；'　said　Laura。

'Thank　you！　　I　had　forgotten　Elizabeth's　hair　was　red；　so　it　was。
This　is　my　court　train；'　snatching　a　tablecloth　that　bung　on　a　hush
near　by；　and　pinning　it　to　her　waist　in　the　twinkling　of　an　eye；
'this　my　farthingale；'　dangling　her　sun…bonnet　from　her　belt；'this
my　sceptre；'　seizing　a　Japanese　umbrella；'this　my　crown；'　inverting
a　bright　tin　plate　upon　her　curly　head。　　'She　is　just　alighting　from
her　chariot；　THUS；　the　courtiers　turn　pale；　THUS；　（why　don't　you　do
it？）　what　shall　be　done？　　The　Royal　Feet　must　not　be　wet。　　〃Go　round
the　puddle？　　Prit；　me　Lud；　'Od's　body！　　Forsooth！　　Certainly　not！
Remove　the　puddle！〃　she　says　haughtily　to　her　subjects。　　They　are
just　about　to　do　so；　when　out　from　behind　a　neighbouring　chaparral
bush　stalks　a　beautiful　young　prince　with　coal…black　hair　and　rose…
red　cheeks。　　He　wears　a　rich　velvet　cloak；　glittering　with
embroidery。　　He　sees　not　her　crown；　her　hair　outshines　it；　he　sees
not　her　sceptre；　her　tiny　hand　conceals　it；　he　sees　naught　save　the
loathly　mud。　　He　strips　off　his　cloak　and　floats　it　on　the　puddle。
With　a　haughty　but　gracious　bend　of　her　head　the　Queen　accepts　the
courtesy；　crosses　the　puddle；　THUS；　waves　her　sceptre；　THUS；　and
saying；　〃You　shall　hear　from　me　by　return　mail；　me　Lud；〃　she　vanishes
within　the　castle。　　The　next　morning　she　makes　Sir　Walter　British
Minister　to　Florida。　　He　departs　at　once　with　a　cargo　of　tobacco；
which　he　exchanges　for　sweet　potatoes；　and　everybody　is　happy　ever
after。'

The　girls　were　convulsed　with　mirth　at　this　historical　romance；　and；
as　Mrs。　Winship　wiped　the　tears　of　merriment　from　her　eyes；　Polly
seized　the　golden　opportunity　and　dropped　on　her　knees　beside　her。

'Please；　Aunt　Truth；　we　can't　get　the　white　mosquito…netting　because
Dr。　Winship　has　the　key　of　the　storehouse　in　his　pocket；　and　somay…
…Iblow　the　horn？'

Mrs。　Winship　gave　her　consent　in　despair；　and　Polly　went　to　the　oak…
tree　where　the　horn　hung　and　blew　all　the　strength　of　her　lungs　into
blast　after　blast　for　five　minutes。

'That's　all　I　need