a summer in a canyon-第6章

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Then　we'll　get　to　housekeeping　in　the　morning。'

This　plan　received　a　most　enthusiastic　reception。

'Very　well；'　replied　the　Doctor。　　'If　you　are　all　agreed；　I　suppose
we　may　as　well　begin　roughing　it　now　as　at　any　time。'

You　may　have　noticed　sometimes；　after　having　fortified　yourself
against　a　terrible　misfortune　which　seemed　in　store　for　you；　that　it
didn't　come；　after　all。　　Well；　it　was　so　in　this　case；　for　just　as
Dr。　Winship　and　the　boys　started　out　over　the　hillside　at　a　brisk
pace；　an　immense　cloud　of　dust；　some　distance　up　the　road；　attracted
their　attention；　and　they　came　to　a　sudden　standstill。

The　girls　held　their　breath　in　anxious　expectation；　and　at　length
gave　an　irrepressible　shout　of　joy　and　relief　when　there　issued　from
the　dense　grey　cloud　the　familiar　four…horse　team；　with　Daisy；　Tule
Molly；　Villikins；　and　Dinah；　looking　as　fresh　as　if　they　had　not　been
driven　a　mile；　tough　little　mustangs　that　they　were。

A　long　conversation　in　Spanish　ensued；　which；　being　translated　by　Dr。
Winship；　furnished　all　necessary　information　concerning　the　delay。

S。　D。　M。　F。　H。　N。　stated　that　Pancho　was　neither　faithless　nor
stupid；　but　was　waiting　for　them　on　the　camping…ground；　and　that　as
the　goods　were　already　packed　in　his　wood…cart　he　would　follow　them
immediately。　　So　the　whole　party　started　without　more　delay；　Dr。　and
Mrs。　Winship；　Master　Paul；　Jack　Howard；　and　the　three　girls　riding　in
the　wagon；　while　Geoffrey　and　Philip　galloped　ahead　on　horseback。

It　was　a　long；　dusty；　tiresome　ride；　and　Dicky；　who　had　been　as　good
all　day　as　any　saint　ever　carved　in　marble　and　set　in　a　niche；　grew
rather　warm；　cross；　and　hungry；　although　he　had　been　consuming
ginger…snaps　and　apricots　since　early　morning。　　After　asking
plaintively　for　the　fiftieth　time　how　long　it　would　be　before　dinner；
he　finally　succumbed　to　his　weariness；　and　dropping　his　yellow　head；
that　was　like　a　cowslip　ball；　in　his　mother's　lap；　he　fell　asleep。

But　the　young　people；　whose　eyes　were　not　blinded　by　hunger　and
sleep；　found　more　than　enough　to　interest　them　on　this　dusty
California　road；　winding　as　it　did　through　grand　old　growths　of
trees；　acres　and　acres　of　waving　grain；　and　endless　stretches　of
gorgeous　yellow　mustard；　the　stalks　of　which　were　five　or　six　feet
high；　almost　hiding　from　view　the　boys　who　dashed　into　the　golden
forest　from　time　to　time。

At　the　foot　of　the　hill　they　passed　an　old　adobe　hut；　with　a　crowd　of
pretty；　swarthy；　frowzy　Mexican　children　playing　in　the　sunshine；
while　their　mother；　black…haired　and　ample　of　figure；　occupied
herself　in　hanging　great　quantities　of　jerked　beef　on　a　sort　of
clothes…line　running　between　the　eucalyptus…trees。

The　father；　a　wild…looking　individual　in　a　red　shirt　and　enormous
hat；　came　from　behind　the　hut；　unhitched　the　stout　little　broncho
tied　to　the　fence；　gave　the　poor　animal　a　desperately　tight　'cinch；'
threw　himself　into　the　saddle　without　touching　his　foot　to　the
lumbering　wooden　stirrups；　and；　digging　his　spurs　well　into　the
horse's　sides；　was　out　of　sight　in　an　instant；　leaving　only　a　huge
cloud　of　dust　to　cover　his　disappearance。

'How　those　fellows　do　ride！'　exclaimed　Dr。　Winship；　savagely。　　'I
wish　they　were　all　obliged　to　walk　until　they　knew　how　to　treat　a
horse。'

'Then　they'd　walk　straight　into　the　millennium；'　said　Jack；　sagely；
'for　their　cruelty　seems　to　be　an　instinct。'

'But　how　beautifully　they　ride；　too！'　said　Polly。　　'Mamma　and　I　were
sitting　on　the　hotel　piazza　the　other　day；　watching　two　young
Spaniards　who　were　performing　feats　of　horsemanship。　　They　dropped
four…bit　pieces　on　the　dusty　road；　and　riding　up　to　them　at　full
speed　clutched　them　from　the　ground　in　some　mysterious　way　that　was
perfectly　wonderful。　　Then　Nick　Gutierrez　mounted　a　bucking　horse；
and　actually　rolled　and　lighted　a　cigarette　while　the　animal　bucked
with　all　his　might。'

'See　that　cunning；　cunning　muchachita；　mamma！'　cried　Bell；　for；　as
they　stopped　at　the　top　of　the　hill　to　let　the　horses　breathe；　one　of
the　little　Mexican　children　ran　after　them；　holding　out　a　handful　of
glowing　yellow　poppies。

She　was　distractingly　pretty；　with　a　beauty　that　is　short…lived　with
the　people　of　her　race。　　The　afternoon　sun　shone　down　fiercely　on　her
waving　coal…black　locks；　and　brought　a　rich　colour　to　her　nut…brown
cheek；　she　had　one　little　flimsy；　ragged　garment；　neither　long；
broad；　nor　thick；　which　hung　about　her　picturesquely；　and；　with　her
soft；　dark；　sleepy　eyes；　the　rows　of　little　white　teeth　behind　her
laughing　red　mouth；　and　the　vivid　yellow　blossoms　in　her　tiny
outstretched　hand；　she　was　a　very　charming　vision。

'Como　te　llamas；　muchachita？'　　（What　is　your　name；　little　one？）　asked
Bell；　airing　her　Spanish；　which　was　rather　good。

'Teresita；'　she　answered；　with　a　pretty　accent；　as　she　scratched　a
set　of　five　grimy　little　toes　to　and　fro　in　the　dusty　ground。

'Throw　her　a　bit；　papa；'　whispered　Bell；　and；　as　he　did　so；　Teresita
caught　the　piece　of　silver　very　deftly；　and　ran　excitedly　back　to　the
centre　of　the　chattering　group　in　front　of　the　house。

'How　intense　everything　is　in　California！　　Do　you　know　what　I　mean；
mamma？'　said　Bell。　　'The　fruit　is　so　immense；　the　canyons　so　deep；
the　trees　so　big；　the　hills　so　high；　the　rain　so　wet；　and　the　drought
so　dry。'

'The　fleas　so　many；　the　fleas　so　spry；'　chanted　Jack；　who　had
perceived　that　Bell　was　talking　in　rhyme　without　knowing　it。
'California　is　just　the　place　for　you；　Bell；　it　gives　you　a　chance
for　innumerable　adjectives　heaped　one　on　the　other。'

'I　don't　always　heap　up　adjectives；'　replied　Bell；　with　dignity。
'When　I　wish　to　describe　you；　for　instance；　I　simply　say　〃that
hateful　boy；〃　and　let　it　go　at　that。'

Jack　retired　to　private　life　for　a　season。

'I'd　like　to　paint　a　picture　of　Teresita；'　said　Margery；　who　had　a
pretty　talent　for　sketching；　'and　call　it　The　Summer　Child；　or　some
such　thing。　　I　should　think　the　famous　old　colour　artists　might　have
loved　to　paint　this　gorgeous　flame…tinted　poppy。'

'Not　poppy；eschscholtzia；'　corrected　Jack；　coming　rapidly　to　the
surface　again；　after　Bell's　rebuke；　and　delivering　himself　of　the
tongue…confusing　word　with　a　terrible　grimace。

'I'm　not　writing　a　botany；'　retorted　Margery；　'and　I　can　never
remember　that　word；　much　less　spell　it。　　I　don't　see　how　it　grows
under　such　an　abominable　Russian　name。　　It's　worse　than
ichthyosaurus。　　Do　you　remember　that　funny　nonsense　verse？　…


〃I　is　for　ichthyosaurus；
Who　lived　when　the　world　was　all　porous；
　　　But　he　fainted　with　shame
　　　When　he　first　heard　his　name；
And　departed　a　long　while　before　us。〃'


'The　Spaniards　are　more　poetic；'　said　Aunt　Truth；　'for　they　call　it
la　copa　de　oro；　the　golden　cup。　　Oh；　see　them　yonder！　　It　is　like　the
Field　of　the　Cloth　of　Gold。'

The　sight　would　have　driven　a　royal　florist　mad　with　joy：　　a　hillside
that　was　a　swaying　mass　of　radiant　bloom；　a　joyous　carnival　of　vivid
colour；　in　which　the　thousand　golden　goblets；　turned　upward　to　the
sun；　were　dancing；　and　glowing；　and　shaming　out　of　countenance　the
purple　and　blue　and　pink　masses　which　surrounded　them　on　every　side。

'You　know　Professor　Pinnie　told　us　that　every　well…informed　young
girl　should　know　at　least　the　flora　of　her　own　State；'　said　Jack；
after　the　excitement　had　subsided。

'Well；　one　thing　is　certain：　　Professor　Pinnie　never　knew　the　STATE
of　his　own　flora；　or　at　least　he　kept　his　wife　sorting　and　arranging
his　specimens　all　the　time；　and　I　think　he's　a　regular　old　frump；'
said　Polly；　irreverently；　but　meeting　Aunt　Truth's　reproving　glance；
which　brought　a　blush　and　a　whispered　'Excuse　me；'　she　went　on；
'Well；　what　I　mean　is；　he　doesn't　know　any　more　than　other　people；
after　all；　for　he　cares　for　nothing　but　bushes　and　herbs　and　seeds
and　shrubs　and　roots　and　stamens　and　pistils；　and　he　can't　tell
whether　a　flower　is　lovely　or　not；　he　is　so　crazy　to　find　out　where
it　belongs　and　tie　a　tag　round　it。'

'I　must　agree　with　Polly；'　laughed　Jack。　　'Why；　I　went　to　ride　with
him　one　day　in　the　Cathedral　Oaks；　and　he　made　me　get　off　my　horse
every　five　minutes　to　dig　up　roots　and　tie　them　to　the　pommel　of　his
old　saddle；　so　that　we　ca