a summer in a canyon-第26章

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keeping　her　still。'

This　was　received　with　particular　as　well　as　general　satisfaction。

'Miss　Winship；　we　appoint　you　Committee　on　Music。'

'All　right。　　Do　you　wish　it　to　be　original？'

'Certainly　not；　we　wish　it　to　be　good。'

'But　we　only　know　one　chorus；　and　that's　〃My　Witching　Dinah　Snow。〃'

'Never　mind；　either　write　new　words　to　that　tune　or　sing　tra…la…la　to
it。　　Mr。　Richard　Winship；　the　Chair　appoints　you　Committee　on
Menagerie；　and　suggests　that　as　we　have　proclaimed　a　legal　holiday；
you　give　your　animals　the　freedom　of　the　city。'

'Don't　know　what　freedom　of　er　city　means；'　said　Dicky；　who　feared
that　he　was　being　made　the　butt　of　ridicule。

'Why；　we　want　you　to　allow　the　captives　to　parade　in　the　evening；
with　torch…lights　and　mottoes。'

'All　right！'　cried　Dicky；　kindling　in　an　instant；　''n'　Luby；　'n'　the
doat；　'n'　my　horn'　toads；　all　e'cept　the　one　that　just　gotted　away　in
Laura's　bed；　but　may　be　she'll　find　him　to…night；　so　they'll　be　all
there。'

This　was　too　much　for　the　various　committees；　and　Laura's　wild　shriek
was　the　signal　for　a　hasty　adjournment。　　A　common　danger　restored
peace　to　the　assembly；　and　they　sought　the　runaway　in　perfect
harmony。

'Well；'　said　Jack；　when　quiet　was　restored；　'I　am　going　a　little
distance　up　the　Pico　Negro　trail；　there　are　some　magnificent　Spanish
bayonets　growing　there；　and　if　you'll　let　me　have　Pancho；　Uncle　Doc；
we　can　bring　down　four　of　them　and　lash　them　to　each　of　the　corners
of　Elsie's　tent；they'll　keep　fresh　several　days　in　water；　you
know。'

'Take　him；　certainly；'　said　Dr。　Winship。

'Do　let　me　go　with　you！'　pleaded　Laura；　with　enthusiasm。　　'I　should
like　the　walk　so　much。'

'It's　pretty　rough；　Laura；'　objected　Margery。　　'If　you　couldn't
endure　our　walk　this　morning；　you　would　never　get　home　alive　from
Pico　Negro。'

'Oh；　that　was　in　the　heat　of　the　day；'　she　answered。　　'I　feel　equal
to　any　amount　of　walking　now；　if　Jack　doesn't　mind　taking　me。'

'Delighted；　of　course；　Miss　Laura。　　You'll　be　willing　to　carry　home
one　of　the　trees；　I　suppose；　in　return　for　the　pleasure　of　my
society？'

'Snub　him　severely；　Laura；'　cried　Bell；　'we　never　allow　him　to　say
such　things　unreproved。'

'I　think　he　is　snubbed　too　much　already；'　replied　Laura；　with　a
charming　smile；　'and　I　shall　see　how　a　course　of　encouragement　will
affect　his　behaviour。'


'That　will　be　what　I　long　have　sought；
And　mourned　because　I　found　it　not；'


sang　Jack；　nonchalantly。

'Oh；　Laura；'　remonstrated　Bell；　'think　twice　before　you　encourage　him
in　his　dreadful　ways。　　We　have　studied　him　very　carefully；　and　we
know　that　the　only　way　to　live　with　him　is　to　keep　him　in　a　sort　of
〃pint　pot〃　where　we　can　hold　the　lid　open　just　a　little；　and　clap　it
down　suddenly　whenever　he　tries　to　spring　out。'

'Do　not　mind　that　young　person；　Miss　Laura；　but　form　your　own
impressions　of　my　charming　character。　　Excuse　me；　please；　while　I　put
on　a　celluloid　collar；　and　make　some　few　changes　in　my　toilet
necessary　to　a　proper　appearance　in　your　distinguished　company。'

'I　prefer　you　as　you　are；'　answered　Laura；　laughingly。　　'Let　us　start
at　once。'

'Do　you　hear　that；　young　person？　　She　prefers　me　as　I　are！　　Now　see
what　magic　power　her　generosity　has　upon　me！'　　And　he　darted　into　the
tent；　from　which　he　issued　in　a　moment　with　his　Derby　hat；　a
manzanita　cane；　a　pocket…handkerchief　tied　about　his　throat；　and　a
flower　pinned　on　his　flannel　camping…shirta　most　ridiculous　figure；
since　nothing　seems　so　out　of　place　in　the　woods　as　any　suggestion　of
city　costumes　or　customs。　　Laura　was　in　high　good…humour；　and　looked
exceedingly　brilliant　and　pretty；　as　she　always　did　when　she　was　the
central　figure　of　any　group　or　the　bright　particular　star　of　any
occasion。

'Be　home　before　dark；'　said　Dr。　Winship。　　'Pancho；　keep　a　look…out
for　the　pack…mule。　　Truth；　one　of　the　pack…mules　has　disappeared。'

'So？　　Dumpling　or　Ditto？'

'Ditto；　curiously　enough。　　His　name　should　have　led　him　not　to　set　an
example；　but　to　follow　one。'


Elsie　came。

Perhaps　you　thought　that　this　was　going　to　be　an　exciting　story；　and
that　something　would　happen　to　keep　her　at　the　Tacitas　ranch；　but
nothing　did。　　Everything　came　to　pass　exactly　as　it　was　arranged；　and
Jack　met　his　mother　and　sister　at　twelve　o'clock　some　four　miles　from
the　camp；　and　escorted　them　to　the　gates。

'Welcome'　had　been　painted　on　twenty　different　boards　or　bits　of
white　cloth　and　paper；　and　nailed　here　and　there　on　the　trees　that
lined　the　rough　wood…road；　the　strains　of　an　orchestra；　formed　of　a
guitar；　banjo；　castanets；　Chinese　fiddle；　and　tin　cans；　greeted　them
from　a　distance；　but　were　properly　allowed　to　die　away　in　silence
when　the　guest　neared　the　tents。　　Everything　wore　a　new　and　smiling
face；　and　Elsie　never　came　more　dangerously　near　being　squeezed　to
death。

Elsie；　in　the　prettiest　of　gingham　dresses；　and　her　cloud　of　golden
hair　braided　in　two　funny　little　pugs　to　keep　it　out　of　the　dust；
Elsie；　with　a　wide　hat　that　shaded　her　face；　already　a　little　tanned
and　burned；　no　longer　colourless；　Elsie；　with　no　lines　of　pain　in　her
pretty　forehead；　and　the　hollow　ring　gone　from　her　voice；　Elsie；　who
jumped　over　the　wheel　of　the　wagon；　and　hugged　her　huggers　with　the
strength　of　a　young　bear！　　It　was　too　good　to　believe；　and　nobody　did
quite　believe　it　for　days。

At　three　o'clock　the　happiest　party　in　the　world　assembled　at　the
rough　dining…table　under　the　sycamore…trees。

Elsie　beamed　upon　the　feast　from　the　high…backed　manzanita　chair；　a
faint　colour　in　her　cheeks；　and　starry　prisms　of　light　in　a　pair　of
eyes　that　had　not　sparkled　for　many　a　weary　month。　　Hop　Yet　smiled　a
trifle　himself；　wore　his　cap　with　a　red　button　on　the　top　to　wait
upon　the　table；　and　ministered　to　the　hungry　people　with　more
interest　and　alacrity　than　he　had　shown　since　he　had　been　dragged
from　Santa　Barbara；　his　Joss；　and　his　nightly　game　of　fantan。　　And
such　a　dinner　as　he　had　prepared　in　honour　of　the　occasion！longer
by　four　courses　than　usual；　and　each　person　was　allowed　two　plates　in
the　course　of　the　meal。


BILL　OF　FARE　FOR　HER　MAJESTY'S　DINNER

Quail　Soup。　　　　　　　　　　Crackers。
　　　　　　　　　Chili　Colorado。
（Mutton　stew；　in　Spanish　style；
　　　　　　with　Chili　peppers；　tomatoes；
　　　　　　　　　　and　onions。）
Cold　Boiled　Ham。　　　　　　　Fried　Potatoes。
　　　Apples　and　Onions　stewed　together。
Ginger…snaps。　　　　　　　　　　Pickles。
　　Peaches；　Apricots；　and　Nectarines。
California　Nuts　and　Raisins。
　　　　　　　　　　　　　Coffee。


And　last　of　all；　a　surprise　of　Bell's；　flapjacks；　long　teased　for　by
the　boys；　and　prepared　and　fried　by　her　own　hands　while　the　merry
party　waited　at　table；　to　get　them　smoking　hot。

She　came　in　flushed　with　heat　and　pride；　the　prettiest　cook　anybody
ever　saw；　with　her　hair　bobbed　up　out　of　the　way　and　doing　its　best
to　escape；　a　high…necked　white　apron；　sleeves　rolled　up　to　the　elbow；
and　an　insinuating　spot　of　batter　in　the　dimple　of　her　left　cheek。

'There！'　she　cried；　joyfully；　as　she　deposited　a　heaping　plate　in
front　of　her　mother；　and　set　the　tin　can　of　maple　syrup　by　its　side。
'Begin　on　those；　and　I'll　fry　like　lightning　on　two　griddles　to　keep
up　with　you；'　and　she　rushed　to　the　brush　kitchen　to　turn　her　next
instalments　that　had　been　left　to　brown。　　Hop　Yet　had　retired　to　a
distant　spot　by　the　brook；　and　was　washing　dish…towels。　　All　Chinese
cooks　are　alike　in　their　horror　of　a　woman　in　the　kitchen；　but　some
of　them　will　unbend　so　far　as　to　allow　her　to　amuse　herself　so　long
as　they　are　not　required　to　witness　the　disagreeable　spectacle。

Bell　delicately　inserted　the　cake…turner　under　the　curled　edges　of
the　flapjacks　and　turned　them　over　deftly；　using　a　little　too　much
force；　perhaps；　in　the　downward　stroke　when　she　flung　them　back　on
the　griddle。

'Seems　to　me　they　come　down　with　considerable　of　a　thud；'　she　said；
reflectively。　　'I　hope　they're　not　tough；　for　I　should　never　hear　the
last　of　it。　　Guess　I'll　punch　one　with　the　handle　of　this　tin　shovel；
and　see　how　it　acts。　　Goodness！　it's　sort　ofelastic。　　That's　funny。
Well；　perhaps　it's　the　way　they　ought　to　look。'　　Here　she　transferred
the　smoking　mysteries　to　her　plate；　passed　a　bit　of　pork　over