eben holden-第13章

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is　deep　cut　on　Fadden's　Hill；　and　the　snow　piled　in　upon　us　rapidly。　We　had　a　warm　blanket　for　Old　Doctor　and　two　big　buffalo　robes　for　our　own　use。　We　gave　him　a　good　feed　of　hay　and　oats；　and　then　Uncle　Eb　cut　up　a　fence　rail　with　our　hatchet　and　built　a　roaring　fire　in　the　stove。　We　had　got　a　bit　chilly　wading　in　the　snow；　and　the　fire　gave　us　a　mighty　sense　of　comfort。

'I　thought　somethin'　might　happen；'　said　Uncle　Eb；　as　he　hung　his　lantern　to　the　ridge　pole　and　took　a　big　paper　parcel　out　of　his　great　coat　pocket。　'I　thought　mebbe　somethin'　might　happen；　an'　so　I　brought　along　a　bite　o'　luncheon。'

He　gave　us　dried　herring　and　bread　and　butter　and　cheese。

''S　a　little　dry；'　he　remarked；　while　we　were　eating；　'but　it's　drier　where　there's　none。'

We　had　a　pail　of　snow　on　top　of　the　little　stove　and　plenty　of　good　drinking　water　for　ourselves　and　the　Old　Doctor　in　a　few　minutes。

After　supper　Uncle　Eb　went　up　the　side　of　the　cut　and　brought　back　a　lot　of　hemlock　boughs　and　spread　them　under　Old　Doctor　for　bedding。

Then　we　all　sat　around　the　stove　on　the　warm　robes　and　listened　to　the　wind　howling　above　our　little　roof　and　the　stories　of　Uncle　Eb。　The　hissing　of　the　snow　as　it　beat　upon　the　sledgehouse　grew　fainter　by　and　by；　and　Uncle　Eb　said　he　guessed　we　were　pretty　well　covered　up。　We　fell　asleep　soon。　I　remember　he　stopped　in　the　middle　of　a　wolf　story；　and；　seeing　that　our　eyes　were　shut；　pulled　us　back　from　the　fire　a　little　and　covered　us　with　one　of　the　robes。　It　had　been　a　mighty　struggle　between　Sleep　and　Romance；　and　Sleep　had　won。　I　roused　myself　and　begged　him　to　go　on　with　the　story；　but　he　only　said；　'Hush；　boy；　it's　bedtime；'　and　turned　up　the　lantern　and　went　out　of　doors。　I　woke　once　or　twice　in　the　night　and　saw　him　putting　wood　on　the　fire。　He　had　put　out　the　light。　The　gleam　of　the　fire　shone　on　his　face　when　he　opened　the　stove　door。

'Gittin'　a　leetle　cool　here；　Uncle　Eb；'　he　was　saying　to　himself。

We　were　up　at　daylight；　and　even　then　it　was　snowing　and　blowing　fiercely。　There　were　two　feet　of　snow　on　the　sledgehouse　roof；　and　we　were　nearly　buried　in　the　bank。　Uncle　Eb　had　to　do　a　lot　of　shoveling　to　get　out　of　doors　and　into　the　stable。　Old　Doctor　was　quite　out　of　the　wind　in　a　cave　of　snow　and　nickering　for　his　breakfast。　There　was　plenty　for　him；　but　we　were　on　short　rations。　Uncle　Eb　put　on　the　snow　shoes；　after　we　had　eaten　what　there　was　left；　and；　cautioning　us　to　keep　in；　set　out　for　Fadden's　across　lots。　He　came　back　inside　of　an　hour　with　a　good　supply　of　provisions　in　a　basket　on　his　shoulder。　The　wind　had　gone　down　and　the　air　was　milder。　Big　flakes　of　snow　came　fluttering　slowly　downward　out　of　a　dark　sky。　After　dinner　we　went　up　on　top　of　the　sledgehouse　and　saw　a　big　scraper　coming　in　the　valley　below。　Six　teams　of　oxen　were　drawing　it；　and　we　could　see　the　flying　furrows　on　either　side　of　the　scraper　as　it　ploughed　in　the　deep　drifts。　Uncle　Eb　put　on　the　snow　shoes　again；　and；　with　Hope　on　his　back　and　me　clinging　to　his　hand；　he　went　down　to　meet　them　and　to　tell　of　our　plight。　The　front　team　had　wallowed　to　their　ears；　and　the　men　were　digging　them　out　with　shovels　when　we　got　to　the　scraper。　A　score　of　men　and　boys　clung　to　the　sides　of　that　big；　hollow　wedge；　and　put　their　weight　on　it　as　the　oxen　pulled。　We　got　on　with　the　others；　I　remember；　and　I　was　swept　off　as　soon　as　the　scraper　started　by　a　roaring　avalanche　of　snow　that　came　down　upon　our　heads　and　buried　me　completely。　I　was　up　again　and　had　a　fresh　hold　in　a　jiffy；　and　clung　to　my　place　until　I　was　nearly　smothered　by　the　flying　snow。　It　was　great　fun　for　me；　and　they　were　all　shouting　and　hallooing　as　if　it　were　a　fine　holiday。　They　made　slow　progress；　however；　and　we　left　them　shortly　on　their　promise　to　try　to　reach　us　before　night。　If　they　failed　to　get　through；　one　of　them　said　he　would　drive　over　to　Paradise　Valley；　if　possible；　and　tell　the　Browers　we　were　all　right

On　our　return；　Uncle　Eb　began　shoveling　a　tunnel　in　the　cut。　When　we　got　through　to　the　open　late　in　the　afternoon　we　saw　the　scraper　party　going　back　with　their　teams。

'Guess　they've　gi'n　up　fer　t'day；'　said　he。　'Snow's　powerful　deep　down　there　below　the　bridge。　Mebbe　we　can　get　'round　to　where　the　road's　clear　by　goin'　'cross　lots。　I've　a　good　mind　t'　try　it。'

Then　he　went　over　in　the　field　and　picked　a　winding　way　down　the　hill　toward　the　river；　while　we　children　stood　watching　him。　He　came　back　soon　and　took　down　a　bit　of　the　fence　and　harnessed　Old　Doctor　and　hitched　him　to　the　sledgehouse。　The　tunnel　was　just　wide　enough　to　let　us　through　with　a　tight　pinch　here　and　there。　The　footing　was　rather　soft'　and　the　horse　had　hard　pulling。　We　went　in　the　field；　struggling　on　afoot　…　we　little　people　…　while　Uncle　Eb　led　the　horse。　He　had　to　stop　frequently　to　tunnel　through　a　snowdrift；　and　at　dusk　we　had　only　got　half…way　to　the　bridge　from　our　cave　in　the　cat。　Of　a　sudden　Old　Doctor　went　up　to　his　neck　in　a　wall　of　deep　snow　that　seemed　to　cut　us　off　completely。　He　struggled　a　moment；　falling　on　his　side　and　wrenching　the　shafts　from　the　runners。　Uncle　Eb　went　to　work　vigorously　with　his　shovel　and　had　soon　cut　a　narrow　box　stall　in　the　deep　snow　around　Old　Doctor。　Just　beyond　the　hill　dipped　sharply　and　down　the　slope　we　could　see　the　stubble　sticking　through　the　shallow　snow。　'We'll　hev　t'　stop　right　where　we　are　until　mornin'；'　he　said。　'It's　mos'　dark　now。

Our　little　house　stood　tilting　forward　about　half…way　down　the　hill；　its　runners　buried　in　the　snow。　A　few　hundred　yards　below　was　a　cliff　where　the　shore　fell　to　the　river　some　thirty　feet　It　had　stopped　snowing；　and　the　air　had　grown　warmer；　but　the　sky　was　dark　We　put　nearly　all　the　hay　in　the　sledgehouse　under　Old　Doctor　and　gave　him　the　last　of　the　oats　and　a　warm　cover　of　blankets。　Then　Uncle　Eb　went　away　to　the　fence　for　more　wood；　while　we　spread　the　supper。　He　was　very　tired；　I　remember；　and　we　all　turned　in　for　the　night　a　short　time　after　we　had　eaten。　The　little　stove　was　roaring　like　a　furnace　when　we　spread　our　blankets　on　the　sloping　floor　and　lay　down；　our　feet　to　the　front；　and　drew　the　warm　robes　over　us。　Uncle　Eb；　who　had　had　no　sleep　the　night　before；　began　to　snore　heavily　before　we　children　had　stopped　whispering。　He　was　still　snoring；　and　Hope　sound　asleep；　when　I　woke　in　the　night　and　heard　the　rain　falling　on　our　little　roof　and　felt　the　warm　breath　of　the　south　wind。　The　water　dripping　from　the　eaves　and　falling　far　and　near　upon　the　yielding　snow　had　many　voices。　I　was　half…asleep　when　I　heard　a　new　noise　under　the　sledge。　Something　struck　the　front　corner　of　the　sledgehouse　…　a　heavy；　muffled　blow　…　and　brushed　the　noisy　boards。　Then　I　heard　the　timbers　creak　and　felt　the　runners　leaping　over　the　soft　snow。　I　remember　it　was　like　a　dream　of　falling。　I　raised　myself　and　stared　about　me。　We　were　slipping　down　the　steep　floor。　The　lantern；　burning　dimly　under　the　roof；　swung　and　rattled。　Uncle　Eb　was　up　on　his　elbow　staring　wildly。　I　could　feel　the　jar　and　rush　of　the　runners　and　the　rain　that　seemed　to　roar　as　it　dashed　into　my　face。　Then；　suddenly；　the　sledgehouse　gave　a　great　leap　into　the　air　and　the　grating　of　the　runners　ceased。　The　lantern　went　hard　against　the　roof；　there　was　a　mighty　roar　in　my　ears；　then　we　heard　a　noise　like　thunder　and　felt　the　shock　of　a　blow　that　set　my　back　aching；　and　cracked　the　roof　above　our　heads。　It　was　all　still　for　a　second；　then　we　children　began　to　cry；　and　Uncle　Eb　staggered　to　his　feet　and　lit　the　lantern　that　had　gone　out　and　that　had　no　globe；　I　remember；　as　he　held　it　down　to　our　faces。

'Hush！　Are　you　hurt？'　he　said；　as　he　knelt　before　us。　'Git　up　now；　see　if　ye　can　stand。'

We　got　to　our　feet；　neither　of　us　much　the　worse　for　what　had　happened…　My　knuckles　were　cut　a　bit　by　a　splinter；　and　Hope　had　been　hit　on　the　shins　by　the　lantern　globe　as　it　fell。

'By　the　Lord　Harry！'　said　Uncle　Eb；　when　he　saw　we　were　not　hurt。　'Wonder　what　hit　us。'

We　followed　him　outside　while　he　was　speaking。

'We've　slid　downhill；'　he　said。　'Went　over　the　cliff　Went　kerplunk　in　the　deep　snow；　er　there'd　have　been　nuthin'　left　uv　us。　Snow's　meltin'　jest　as　if　it　was　July。'

Uncle　Eb　helped　us　into　our　heavy