a summer in a canyon-第12部分

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tops　the　light　seems　to　vanish　in　an　instant。Dick…y！'

'Think　of　the　poor　darling　out　in　this　darknesshungry；　frightened；
and　alone；'　sighed　Bell。　　'It's　past　his　bed…time　now。　　Oh；　why　did
we　ever　come　to　stay　in　this　horrible　place！'

'You　must　not　blame　the　place；　dear；　we　thought　it　the　happiest　in
the　world　this　morning。　　Here　we　are　by　the　upper　pool；　and　the　path
stops。　　Which　way　had　we　better　go？'

'I've　been　here　before　to…day；'　said　Bell；　'we　might　follow　the　trail
I　made。　　But　where　is　my　string？　　Light　a　match；　Geoff；　please。'

'What　string？　　What　do　you　mean？'

'Why；　I　found　a　beautiful　spot　this　morning；　and；　fearing　I　shouldn't
remember　the　way　again；　I　took　out　my　ball　of　twine　and　dropped　a
white　line　all　the　way　back；　like　Ariadne；　but　I　don't　see　it。　　Where
can　it　have　disappearedunless　Jack　or　Phil　took　it　to　tease　me？'

'Oh　no；　I've　been　with　them　all　day。　　Perhaps　a　snake　has　swallowed
it。　　Come。'

But　a　bright　idea　had　popped　into　Bell's　head。　　'I　want　to　go　that
way；　Geoff；　dear；　it's　as　good　as　any　other；　and　there　are　flowers
just　the　other　side；　in　an　open；　sunny　place；　perhaps　he　found　them。'

'All　right；　let's　go　ahead。'

'The　trouble　is；　I　don't　know　which　way　to　go。　　Here　is　the　rock；　I
remember　it　was　a　spotted　one；　with　tall　ferns　growing　beside　it。
Now　I　wentlet　me　seethis　way；'　and　they　both　plunged　into　the
thick　brush。

'Bell；　Bell；　this　is　utter　nonsense！'　cried　Geoff。　　'No　child　could
crawl　through　this　tangle。'

'Dicky　could　crawl　through　anything　in　this　universe；　if　it　was　the
wrong　thing；　he　isn't　afraid　of　beast；　bird；　or　fish；　and　he
positively　enjoys　getting　scratched；'　said　Bell。

Meanwhile；　what　had　become　of　this　small　hero；　and　what　was　he　doing？
He　was　last　seen　in　the　hammock；　playing　with　the　long…suffering
terrier；　Lubin；　who　was　making　believe　go　to　sleep。　　It　proved　to　be
entirely　a　make…believe；　for；　at　the　first　loosening　of　Dicky's
strangling　hold　upon　his　throat；　he　tumbled　out　of　the　hammock　and
darted　into　the　woods。　　Dicky　followed；　but　Lubin　was　fleet　of　foot；
and　it　was　a　desperate　and　exciting　race　for　full　ten　minutes。

At　length；　as　Lubin　heard　his　little　master's　gleeful　laugh；　he
realised　that　his　anger　was　a　thing　of　the　past；　consequently；　he
wheeled　about　and　ran　into　Dicky's　outstretched　arms；　licking　his
face　and　hands　exuberantly　in　the　joy　of　complete　forgiveness。

By　this　time　the　voice　of　conscience　in　Dicky's　souland　it　was　a
very；　very　still；　small　one　on　all　occasionswas　entirely　silenced。
He　strayed　into　a　sunny　spot；　and　picked　flowers　enough　to　trim　his
little　sailor　hat；　probably　divining　that　this　was　what　lost　children
in　Sunday…school　books　always　did；　and　it　would　be　dishonourable　not
to　keep　up　the　superstition。　　Then　he　built　a　fine；　strong　dam　of
stones　across　the　brook；　wading　to　and　fro　without　the　bother　of
taking　off　his　shoes　and　stockings；　and　filled　his　hat　with　rocks　and
sunk　it　to　the　bottom　for　a　wharf；　keeping　his　hat…band　to　tie　an
unhappy　frog　to　a　bit　of　bark；　and　setting　him　afloat　as　the　captain
of　a　slave…ship。　　When；　at　length；　the　struggling　creature　freed
himself　from　his　bonds　and　leaped　into　the　pool；　Dicky　played　that　he
was　a　drowning　child；　and　threw　Lubin　into　the　water　to　rescue　him。

In　these　merry　antics　the　hours　flew　by　unnoticed；　he　had　never　been
happier　in　his　life；　and　it　flashed　through　his　mind　that　if　he　were
left　entirely　to　himself　he　should　always　be　good。

'Here　I've　been　a　whole　day　offul　good　by　my　lone　self；　haven't　said
one　notty　word　or　did　one　notty　fing；　nor　gotted　scolded　a　singul
wunst；　did　I；　Lubin？　　I　guess　we　better　live　here；　bettent　we；　Lubin？
And　ven　we　wunt　git　stuck　inter　bed　fur　wettin'　our　feets　little
teenty　mites　of　wet　ev'ry　singul　night　all　the　livelong　days；　will
we；　Lubin？'

But　this　was　a　long　period　of　reflection　for　Master　Dicky；　and　he
capered　on；　farther　and　farther；　the　water　sozzling　frightfully　in
his　little　copper…toed　boots。　　At　length　he　sat　down　on　a　stone　to
rest　himself；　and；　glancing　aimlessly　about；　his　eyes　fell　on　a　white
string；　which　he　grasped　with　alacrity；　pulling　its　end　from　beneath
the　stone　on　which　he　sat。

'Luby　Winship；　the　anjulls　gaved　me　this　string　fur　ter　make　an　offul
splendid　tight　harness　for　you；　little　Luby；　and　you　can　drag　big
heavy　stones。　　Won't　that　be　nice？'

Lubin　looked　doubtful；　and　wagged　his　tail　dissentingly；　as　much　as
to　say　that　his　ideas　of　angel　ministrations　were　a　trifle　different。

But　there　was　no　end　to　the　string！　　How　very；　very　curious！　　Dicky
wound　and　wound　and　crept　and　crept　along；　until　he　was　thoroughly
tired　but　thoroughly　determined　to　see　it　through；　and　Lubin；
meanwhile；　had　seized　the　first　convenient　moment；　after　the　mention
of　the　harness；　to　retire　to　the　camp。

At　length；　oh　joy！　the　tired　and　torn　little　man；　following　carefully
the　leading…string；　issued　from　the　scratching　bushes　into　a　clean；
beautiful；　round　place；　with　a　great　restful…looking　stump　in　the
centre；　and　round　its　base　a　small　forest　of　snowy　toadstools。　　What
could　be　a　lovelier　surprise！　　Dicky　clapped　his　hands　in　glee　as　he
looked　at　them；　and　thought　of　a　little　verse　of　poetry　which　Bell
had　taught　him：


'Some　fairy　umbrellas　came　up　to…day
Under　the　elm…tree；　just　over　the　way；
And　as　we　have　had　a　shower　of　rain；
The　reason　they　came　is　made　very　plain：
To…night　is　the　woodland　fairies'　ball；
And　drops　from　the　elm…tree　might　on　them　fall；
So　little　umbrellas　wait　for　them　here；
And　under　their　shelter　they'll　dance　without　fear。
Take　care　where　you　step；　nor　crush　them；　I　pray；
For　fear　you　will　frighten　the　fairies　away。'


'Oh！'　thought　Dicky；　in　a　trance　of　delight；　'now　I　shall　go　to　the
fairies'　ball；　and　see　'em　dance　under　the　cunning　little　teenty
umberells；　and　wunt　they　be　mad　at　home　when　nobuddy　can't　see　'em
but　just　only　me！　　And　then　if　that　potry　is　a　big　whopper；　like　that
there　uvver　one'laddin…lamp　story　of　Bell'sI'll　just　pick　evry
white　toadstool　for　my　papa's　Sunday　dinner；　and　she　sha'n't　never
see　a　singul　fairy　dance。'

But　he　waited　very　patiently　for　a　long；　long　time　that　seemed　like
years；　for　Lubin　had　disappeared；　and　all　at　once　it　grew　so　dark　in
this　thickly…wooded　place　that　Dicky's　courage　oozed　out　in　a　single
moment；　without　any　previous　warnings　as　to　its　intention。　　The
toadstools　looked　like　the　ghosts　of　little　past…and…gone　fairy
umbrellas　in　the　darkness；　and　not　a　single　fairy　couple　came　to
waltz　under　their　snowy　canopies；　or　exchange　a　furtive　kiss　beneath
their　friendly　shadows。

Dicky　thought　the　situation　exceedingly　gloomy；　and；　without　knowing
it；　followed　the　example　of　many　older　people；　who；　on　being　deserted
by　man；　experienced　their　first　desire　to　find　favour　with　God。　　He
was　not　in　the　least　degree　a　saintly　child；　but　he　felt
instinctively　that　this　was　the　proper　time　for　prayer；　and　not
knowing　anything　appropriate　to　the　occasion；　he　repeated　over　and
over　again　the　time…worn　plaint　of　childhood：…


'Now　I　lay　me　down　to　sleep；
I　pray　the　Lord　my　soul　to　keep；
If　I　should　die　before　I　wake；
I　pray　the　Lord　my　soul　to　take。　　Amen。'


Like　older　mortals　of　feeble　faith；　he　looked　for　an　immediate　and
practical　answer；　in　the　shape；　perhaps；　of　his　mother；　with　his
little　night…gown　and　bowl　of　bread　and　milk。

'My　sakes　alive！'　he　grumbled　between　his　sobs；　'they're　the　meanest
fings　I　ever　saw。　　How　long　do　they　s'pose　I'm　goin'　to　wait　for　'em
in　this　dark？　　When　the　bears　have　et　me　up　in　teenty　snips；　then
they'll　be　saterfied；　I　guess；　and　wisht　they'd　tookened　gooder　care
of　mea　little　speck　of　a　boy；　lefted　out　in　this　dark；　bear…y
place；　all　by　his　lone　self。　　Ooooooh！'　and　he　wound　up　with　a
murderous　yell；　which　had　never　failed　before　to　bring　the　whole
family　to　his　side。

His　former　prayer　seeming　to　be　in　vain；　he　found　a　soft　place；
brushed　it　as　clean　as　possible；　and　with　difficulty　bending　his
little　stiff；　scratched　body　into　a　kneeling　position；　he　prayed　his
nightly　postscript　to　'Now　I　lay　me'：　　'God　bless　papa；　'n'　mamma；
'n'　Bell；　'n'　Jack；　'n'　Madge；　'n'　Polly；　'n'　Phil；　'n'　Geoff；　'n'
Elsie。'　　Then；　realizing　that　he　was　in　a　perilous　position；　and　it
behoved　him　to　be　as　pious　as　possible；　he　added：　　'And　please　bless
Pancho；　'n'　Hop　Yet；　'n'　Lubin；　'n'　the　goatnot　the　wild　goat　up　on
the　hill；　but　my　goat；　what　got　sick　to　his　stummick　when　I　painted
him　with　black　letters。'

What　a　dreadful　calamity；　to　be　sure；　if　the　wrong　goat　had　been
blessed　by　mistake！　　His　whole　duty　performed；　he　picked　the
toadstools　for　his　papa's　Sunday　dinner；　and；　leaning　his　head
against　the　lone　stump；　cried　himself　to　sleep。

But　relief　was　near；　though　he　little　suspected　it　as　he　lay　in　the
sound；　dreamless　sleep　which　comes　only　to　the　truly　good。　　There　was
a　crashing　sound　in　the　still　darkness；　and　Bell　plunged　through　the
thick　underbrush　with　a　cry　of　delight。

'He　is　here！　　Dear；　dear　Geoff；　he　is　all　here！　　I　knew　it；　I　knew
it！　　Hurrah！no；　I　meanthank　God！'　she　said　softly　as　she　stooped
down　to　kiss　her　mischievous　little　brother。

'But　what　a　looking