a summer in a canyon-第5章

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possible。　　We'll　take　such　good　care　of　her；'　teased　Bell；　with　one
last　squeeze；　and　strong　signs　of　a　shower　in　both　eyes。

'Come；　girls　and　boys；'　said　kind　Dr。　Paul；　'the　steamer　has　blown
her　first　whistle；　and　we　must　be　off。'

Oh；　how　clear　and　beautiful　a　day　it　was；　and　how　charmingly　gracious
Dame　Ocean　looked　in　her　white　caps　and　blue　ruffles！　　Even　the
combination　steamboat　smell　of　dinner；　oil；　and　close　air　was
obliterated　by　the　keen　sea…breeze。

The　good　ship　Orizaba　ploughed　her　way　through　the　sparkling；　sun…lit
waves；　traversing　quickly　the　distance　which　lay　between　the　young
people　and　their　destination。　　They　watched　the　long　white　furrow
that　stretched　in　her　wake；　the　cloud　of　black　smoke　which　floated
like　a　dark　shadow　above　the　laughing　crests　of　the　waves；　and　the
flocks　of　sea…gulls　sailing　overhead；　with　wild　shrill　screams　ever
and　anon　swooping　down　for　some　bit　of　food　flung　from　the　ship；　and
then　floating　for　miles　on　the　waves。

How　they　sung　'Life　on　the　Ocean　Wave；'　'Bounding　Billow；'　and
'Rocked　in　the　Cradle　of　the　Deep！'　　How　Jack　chanted；　…


　　　'I　wish　I　were　a　fish；
　　　　　　With　a　great　long　tail；
　　　A　tiny　little　tittlebat；
　　　　　　A　wiggle　or　a　whale；
In　the　middle　of　the　great　blue　sea。　　Oh；　my！'


'Oh；　how　I　long　to　be　there！'　exclaimed　Philip；　'to　throw　aside　all
the　formal　customs　of　a　wicked　world　I　abhor；　and　live　a　free　life
under　the　blue　sky！'

'Why；　Philip　Noble！　　I　never　saw　you　inside　of　a　house　in　my　life；'
cried　Polly。

'Oh；　yes；　you're　mistaken。　　I've　been　obliged　to　eat　most　of　my　meals
in　the　house；　and　sleep　there；　but　I　don't　approve　of　it；　and　it's　a
trial　to　be　borne　with　meekness　only　when　there's　no　remedy　for　it。'

'Besides；'　said　Jack；　'even　when　we　are　out…of…doors　we　are　shelling
the　reluctant　almond；　poisoning　the　voracious　gopher；　pruning　grape…
vines；　and　〃sich。〃　　Now　I　am　only　going　to　shoot　to　eat；　and　eat　to
shoot！'

'Hope　you've　improved　since　last　year；　or　you'll　have　a　low　diet；'
murmured　Phil；　in　an　undertone。

'The　man　of　genius　must　expect　to　be　the　butt　of　ridicule；'　sighed
Jack；　meekly。

'But　you'll　not　repine；　although　your　heartstrings　break；　will　you？'
said　Polly；　sympathisingly；　'especially　in　the　presence　of　several
witnesses　who　have　seen　you　handle　a　gun。'

'How　glad　I　am　that　I'm　too　near…sighted　to　shoot；'　said　Geoffrey；
taking　off　the　eye…glasses　that　made　him　look　so　wise　and　dignified。
'I　shall　lounge　under　the　trees；　read　Macaulay；　and　order　the　meals。'

'I　shall　need　an　assistant　about　the　camp；'　said　Aunt　Truth；
smilingly；　'but　I　hardly　think　he'll　have　much　time　to　lounge；　when
everything　else　fails；　there's　always　Dicky；　you　know。'

Geoffrey　looked　discouraged。

'And；　furthermore；　I　declare　by　the　nose　of　the　great　Tam　o'　Shanter
that　I　will　cut　down　every　tree　in　the　vicinity　ere　you　shall　lounge
under　it；'　said　Jack。

'Softly；　my　boy。　　Hill's　blue…gum　forest　is　not　so　very　far　away。
You'll　have　your　hands　full；'　laughed　Dr。　Paul。

Here　Margery　and　Bell　joined　the　group　after　a　quick　walk　up　and　down
the　deck。

'Papa；'　said　Bell；　excitedly；　'we　certainly　are　nearing　the　place。
Do　you　see　that　bend　in　the　shore；　and　don't　you　remember　that　the
landing　isn't　far　below？'

'Bell's　bump　of　locality　is　immense。　　There　are　nineteen　bends　in　the
shore　exactly　like　that　one　before　we　reach　the　landing。　　How　many
knots　an　hour　do　you　suppose　this　ship　travels；　my　fair　cousin？'
asked　Geoffrey。

'I　could　tell　better；'　replied　Bell　calmly；　'if　I　could　ever　remember
how　many　knots　made　a　mile；　or　how　many　miles　made　a　knot；　but　I
always　forget。'

'Oh；　see！　　There's　a　porpoise！'　cried　Jack。　　'Polly；　why　is　a
porpoise　like　a　water…lily？'

But　before　he　could　say　'Guess；'　Phil；　Geoff；　and　the　girls　had　drawn
themselves　into　a　line；　and；　with　a　whispered　'One；　two；　three；'　to
secure　a　good　start；　replied　in　concert；　'We…give…it…up！'

'What　a　deafening　shout！'　cried　Aunt　Truth；　coming　out　of　the　cabin。
'What's　the　matter；　pray？'

'Nothing；　aunty；'　laughed　Polly。　　'But　we　have　formed　a　society　for
suppressing　Jack's　conundrums；　and　this　is　our　first　public　meeting。
How　do　you　like　the　watchword？'

Aunt　Truth　smiled。　　'It　was　very　audible；'　she　said。　　'Yours　is
evidently　not　a　secret　society。'

'I　wish　I　could　find　out　who　originated　this　plan；'　quoth　Jack；
murderously。　　'But　I　suppose　it's　one　of　you　girls；　and　I　can't
revenge　myself。　　Oh；　when　will　this　barrier　between　the　sexes　be
removed！'

'I　trust　not　in　your　lifetime；'　shuddered　Polly；　'or　we　might　as　well
begin　to　〃stand　round　our　dying　beds〃　at　once。'



CHAPTER　II：　　THE　JOURNEY



'Away；　away；　from　men　and　towns；
To　the　wild　wood　and　the　downs；
To　the　silent　wilderness。'


Whatever　the　distance　was　in　reality；　the　steamer　had　consumed　more
time　than　usual；　and　it　was　quite　two　o'clock；　instead　of　half…past
twelve；　as　they　had　expected；　before　they　were　landed　on　the　old　and
almost　forgotten　pier；　and　saw　the　smoke　of　the　Orizaba　as　she
steamed　away。

After　counting　over　their　bags　and　packages　to　see　if　anything　had
been　forgotten；　they　looked　about　them。

There　was　a　dirty　little　settlement；　a　mile　or　two　to　the　south；
consisting　of　a　collection　of　tumble…down　adobe　houses　which　looked
like　a　blotch　on　the　brown　hillside；　a　few　cattle　were　browsing　near
by；　and　the　locality　seemed　to　be　well　supplied　with　lizards；　which
darted　over　the　dusty　ground　in　all　directions。　　But　the　startling
point　of　the　landscape　was　that　it　showed　no　sign　of　human　life；　and
Pancho's　orders　had　been　to　have　Senor　Don　Manuel　Felipe　Hilario
Noriega　and　his　wood…cart　on　hand　promptly　at　half…past　twelve。

'Can　Pancho　have　forgotten？'

'Can　he　have　lost　his　way　and　never　arrived　here　at　all？'

'Can　Senor　Don　Manuel　Felipe　Hilario　Noriega　have　grown　tired　of
waiting　and　gone　off？'

'Has　Senor　Don　Manuel　Felipe　Hilario　Noriega　been　drinking　too　much
aguardiente　and　so　forgotten　to　come？'

'Has　Pancho　been　murdered　by　highway　robbers；　and　served　up　into　stew
for　their　evening　meal？'

'With　Hop　Yet　for　dessert！　　Oh；　horrible！'　　These　were　some　of　the
questions　and　exclamations　that　greeted　the　ears　of　the　lizards；　and
caused　them　to　fly　over　the　ground　in　a　more　excited　fashion　than
ever。

'One　thing　is　certain。　　If　Pancho　has　been　stupid　enough　to　lose　his
way　coming　fifty　miles　down　the　coast；　I'll　discharge　him；'　said　Dr。
Winship；　with　decision。

'When　you　find　him；'　added　Aunt　Truth；　prudently。

'Of　course。　　But　really；　mamma；　this　looks　discouraging；　I　am　afraid
we　can't　get　into　camp　this　evening。　　Shall　we　go　up　to　the　nearest
ranch　house　for　the　night；　and　see　what　can　be　done　to…morrow？'

'Never！'　exclaimed　the　young　people；　with　one　deafening　shout。

'Never；'　echoed　Philip　separately。　　'I　have　vowed　that　a　bed　shall
not　know　me　for　three　months；　and　I'll　keep　my　vow。'

'What　do　you　say　to　this；　Uncle　Doc？'　said　Geoffrey。　　'Suppose　you　go
up　to　the　storehouse　and　office；it's　about　a　mile；and　see　if　the
goods　are　there　all　right；　and　whether　the　men　saw　Pancho　on　his　way
up　to　the　canyon。　　Meanwhile；　Phil　and　I　will　ride　over　here
somewhere　to　get　a　team；　or　look　up　Senor　Don　Manuel　Felipe　Hilario
Noriega。　　Jack　can　stay　with　Aunt　Truth　and　the　girls；　to　watch
developments。'

'But；　papa；　can't　we　pitch　the　camp　to…night；　somehow？'　asked　Bell；
piteously。

'I　don't　see　how。　　We　are　behindhand　already；　and　if　we　get　started
within　an　hour　we　can't　reach　the　ground　I　selected　before　dark　and
we　can't　choose　any　nearer　one；　because　if　Pancho　is　anywhere　in
creation　he　is　on　the　identical　spot　I　sent　him　to。'

'But；　Dr。　Paul；　I'll　tell　you　what　we　could　do；'　suggested　Jack。　　'If
we　get　any　kind　of　a　start；　we　can't　fail　to　reach　camp　by　seven　or
eight　o'clock　at　latest。　　Now　it's　bright　moonlight；　and　if　we　find
Pancho；　he'll　have　the　baggage　unloaded；　and　Hop　Yet　will　have　a　fire
lighted。　　What's　to　prevent　our　swinging　the　hammocks　for　the　ladies？
And　we'll　just　roll　up　in　our　blankets　by　the　fire；　for　to…night。
Then　we'll　get　to　housekeeping　in　the　morning。'

This　plan　received　a　most　enthusiastic　reception。

'Very　well