a summer in a canyon-第3章

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devour　a　pet　canary　as　a　mourning　dove。　　But　to　think　that　I've　been
trying　to　diet　for　a　week　in　order　to　get　intimate　with　suffering　and
privation！　　Polly　came　to　stay　with　me　one　night；　and　we　slept　on　the
floor；　with　only　a　blanket　under　us；　and　no　pillow；　it　was　perfectly
horrid。　　Polly　dreamed　that　her　grandfather　ate　up　her　grandmother；
and　I　that　Dicky　stabbed　the　Jersey　calf　with　a　pickle…fork。'

'Horrors！'　ejaculated　Margery；　'that's　a　pleasant　prospect　for　your
future　bedfellows。　　I　hope　the　gophers　won't　make　you　nervous；
gnawing　and　scratching　in　the　straw；　I　got　used　to　them　last　summer。
But　we　really　must　go；　darling；'　and　she　stooped　to　kiss　Elsie　good…
bye。

'Well；　I　suppose　you　ought；'　she　answered。　　'But　remember　you　are　to
start　from　this　gate；　Aunt　Truth　has　promised　me　the　fun　of　seeing
you　out　of　sight。'

The　girls　went　out　at　a　side　door；　and　joined　the　boys；　who　were
busily　at　work　cleaning　their　guns　on　the　broad　western　porch。

'How　are　you　coming　on？'　questioned　Polly。

'Oh；　finely；'　answered　Jack；　who　always　constituted　himself　chief
spokesman；　unless　driven　from　the　rostrum　by　some　one　possessed　of　a
nimbler　tongue。　　'I　only　hope　your　feminine　togs　are　in　half　as　good
order。'

'We　take　no　baggage　to　speak　of；'　said　Bell；　loftily。　　'Papa　has　cut
us　down　to　the　very　last　notch；　and　says　the　law　allows　very　few
pounds　on　this　trip。'

'The　less　the　better；'　quoth　Geoff；　cheerily；　'then　you'll　have　to
polish　up　your　mental　jewels。'

'Which　you　consider　imitation；　I　suppose；'　sniffed　Polly。

'Perish　the　thought！'　cried　Jack。　　'But；　speaking　of　mental　jewels；
you　should　see　the　arrangements　Geoff　has　made　for　polishing　his。　　He
has　actually　stuck　in　six　large　volumes；　any　one　of　which　would　be　a
remedy　for　sleeplessness。　　What　are　you　going　to　study；　Miss　Pol…y…
on…o…mous　Oliver？'

'Now；　Jack；　let　us　decide　at　once　whether　you　intend　to　be　respectful
or　not。　　I　don't　propose　to　expose　myself　to　your　nonsense　for　two
months　unless　you　make　me　good　promises。'

'Why；　that　wasn't　disrespectful。　　It　is　my　newest　word；　and　it　simply
means　having　many　titles。　　I'm　sure　you　have　more　than　most　people。'

'Very　well；　then！　　I'll　overlook　the　irreverence　this　time；　and
announce　that　I　shall　not　take　anything　whatever　to　read；　but　simply
reflect　upon　what　I　know　already。'

'That　may　last　for　the　first　week；'　said　Bell；　slyly；　'but　what　will
you　do　afterward？'

'I'll　reflect　upon　what　you　don't　know；'　retorted　Polly。　　'That　will
easily　occupy　me　two　months。'

Fortunately；　at　the　very　moment　this　stinging　remark　was　made；　Phil
Noble　dashed　up　to　the　front　gate；　flung　his　bridle　over　the
hitching…post；　and　lifted　his　hat　from　a　very　warm　brow。

'Hail；　chief　of　the　commissary　department！'　cried　Geoffrey；　with　mock
salute。　　'Have　you　despatched　the　team？'

'Yes；　everything　is　all　right；'　said　Phil；　breathlessly；　delivering
himself　of　his　information　in　spasmodic　bursts　of　words。　　'Such　a　lot
of　work　it　was！　here's　the　list。　　Pancho　will　dump　them　on　the　ground
and　let　us　settle　them　when　we　get　there。　　Such　a　load！　　You　should
have　seen　it！　　Hardly　room　for　him　to　sit　up　in　front　with　the
Chinaman。　　Just　hear　this；'　and　he　drew　a　large　document　from　what
Polly　called　'a　back…stairs　pocket。'

'Forty　cans　corned　beef；　four　guns；　three　Dutch　cheeses；　pickles；
fishing…tackle；　flour；　bacon；　three　bushels　onions；　crate　of　dishes；
Jack's　banjo；　potatoes；　Short　History　of　the　English　People；　cooking
utensils；　three　hair　pillows；　box　of　ginger…snaps；　four　hammocks；
coffee；　cartridges；　sugar；　Macaulay's　Essays；　Pond's　extract；　sixteen
hams；　Bell's　guitar；　pop…corn；　molasses；　salt；　St。　Jacob's　Oil；
Conquest　of　Mexico；　sack　of　almonds；　flea…powder；　and　smoked　herring。
Whew！　　I　packed　them　all　myself。'

'In　precisely　that　order？'　questioned　Polly。

'In　precisely　that　order；　Miss　Oliver；'　returned　Phil；　urbanely。
'Any　one　who　feels　that　said　packing　might　be　improved　upon　has　only
to　mount　the　fleet　Arabian　yonder'　（the　animal　alluded　to　seized　this
moment　to　stand　on　three　legs；　hang　his　head；　and　look　dejected）；
'and；　giving　him　the　rein；　speed　o'er　the　trackless　plain　which　leads
to　San　Miguel；　o'ertake　the　team；　and　re…pack　the　contents　according
to　her　own　satisfaction。'

'No　butter；　nor　eggs；　nor　fresh　vegetables？'　asked　Margery。　　'We
shall　starve！'

'Not　at　all；'　quoth　Jack。　　'Polly　will　gracefully　dispose　a　horse…
blanket　about　her　shoulders；　to　shield　her　from　the　chill　dews　of　the
early　morn；　mount　the　pack　mule　exactly　at　cock…crow　everyday；　and
ride　to　a　neighbouring　ranch　where　there　are　tons　of　the　aforesaid
articles　awaiting　our　consumption。'

'Can　you　see　me　doing　it；　girls？　　Does　it　seem　entirely　natural？'
asked　Polly；　with　great　gravity。

'Now　hear　my　report　as　chairman　of　the　committee　of　arrangements；'
said　Geoffrey　Strong；　seating　himself　with　dignity　on　a　barrel　of
nails。　　'The　tents；　ropes；　tool…boxes；　bed…sacks；　blankets；
furniture；　etc。；　all　went　down　on　Monday's　steamer；　and　I　have　a
telegram　from　Larry's　Landing　saying　that　they　arrived　in　good　order；
and　that　a　Mexican　gentleman　who　owns　a　mammoth　wood…cart　will　take
them　up　to…morrow　when　we　go　ourselves。　　The　procession　will　move　at
one　P。M。；　wind　and　weather　permitting；　in　the　following　order：…

'1。　　Chief　Noble　on　his　gallant　broncho。

'2。　　Commander　Strong　on　his　ditto；　ditto。

'3。　　Main　conveyance　or　triumphal　chariot；　driven　by　Aide…de…Camp
John　Howard；　and　carrying　Dr。　and　Mrs。　Winship；　our　most　worshipful
and　benignant　host　and　hostess；　Master　Dick　Winship；　the　heir…
apparent；　three　other　young　persons　not　worth　mentioning；　and　four
cans　of　best　leaf　lard；　which　I　omitted　to　put　with　the　other
provisions。

'4。　　Wood…cart　containing　baggage；　driven　by　Senor　Don　Manuel　Felipe
Hilario　Noriega　from　Dead　Wood　Gulch。

'5。　　One　small　tan　terrier。'

'Oh；　Geoff；　Geoff；　pray　do　stop！　it's　too　much！'　cried　the　girls　in　a
fit　of　laughter。

'Hurrah！'　shouted　Jack；　tossing　his　hat　into　a　tall　eucalyptus…tree
in　his　excitement；　'Tent　life　for　ever！'

'Good…bye；　ye　pomps　and　vanities！'　chanted　Bell；　kissing　her　hand　in
imaginary　farewell。　　'Verily　the　noisy　city　shall　know　us　no　more；
for　we　depart　for　the　green　forests。'

'And　the　city　will　not　be　as　noisy　WHEN　you　depart；'　murmured　Jack；
with　an　impudence　that　luckily　passed　unnoticed。

'If　Elsie　could　only　come　too！'　sighed　Polly。


Wednesday　morning　dawned　as　bright　and　beautiful　as　all　mornings　are
wont　to　dawn　in　Southern　California。　　A　light　mist　hung　over　the　old
adobe　mission　church；　through　which；　with　its　snow…white　towers　and
cold；　clear…cut　lines；　it　rose　like　a　frozen　fairy　castle。　　Bell
opened　her　sleepy　eyes　with　the　very　earliest　birds；　and　running　to
the　little　oval　window；　framed　with　white…rose　vines；　looked　out　at
the　new　day　just　creeping　up　into　the　world。

'Oh　dear　and　beautiful　home　of　mine；　how　charming；　how　charming　you
are！　　I　wonder　if　you　are　not　really　Paradise！'　she　said；　dreamily；
and　the　marvel　is　that　the　rising　sun　did　not　stop　a　moment　in　sheer
surprise　at　the　sight　of　this　radiant　morning　vision；　for　the　oval
window　opening　to　the　east　was　a　pretty　frame；　with　its　outline
marked　by　the　dewy　rose…vine　covered　with　hundreds　of　pure；　half…
opened　buds　and　swaying　tendrils；　and　she　stood　there　in　it；　a　fair
image　of　the　morning　in　her　innocent　white　gown。　　Her　luminous　eyes
still　mirrored　the　shadowy　visions　of　dreamland；　mingled　with　dancing
lights　of　hope　and　joyful　anticipation；　while　on　her　fresh　cheeks；
which　had　not　yet　lost　the　roundness　of　childhood；　there　glowed；　as
in　the　eastern　skies；　the　faint　pink　blush　of　the　morning。

The　town　is　yet　asleep；　and　in　truth　it　is　never　apt　to　be　fairly
wide　awake。　　The　air　is　soft　and　balmy；　the　lovely　Pacific；　a
quivering；　sparkling　sheet　of　blue　and　grey　and　green　flecked　with
white　foam；　stretches　far　out　until　it　is　lost　in　the　rosy　sky；　and
the　mountains；　all　purple　and　pink　and　faint　crimson　and　grey；　stand
like　sentinels　along　the　shore。　　The　scent　of　the　roses；　violets；　and
mignonette　mingled　with　the　cloying　fragrance　of　the　datura　is　heavy
in　the　still　air。　　The