a summer in a canyon-第25部分

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famous　doctor。'　　And　Bell　finished　dressing　hurriedly；　and　went　to
her　mother's　tent；　while　Polly　and　Margery　smoothed　the　bed　with　a
furtive　kick　of　straw　over　the　offending　gopher…holes；　and　hung　a
dark　shawl　so　as　to　shield　Laura's　eyes。

Aunt　Truth　entered　speedily；　with　a　family　medical　guide　under　one
arm；　and　a　box　of　remedies　under　the　other。

'The　doctor　has　told　me　just　what　to　do；　and　he　will　see　you　after
breakfast　himself。　　It　doesn't　look　so　very　bad　a　case；　dear；　don't
run　about　in　the　sun　for　a　day　or　two；　and　we'll　bring　you　out　all
right。　　The　doctor　has　had　us　all　under　treatment　at　some　time　or
other；　because　of　that　troublesome　little　plant。'

'I　don't　want　to　get　up　to　breakfast；'　moaned　Laura。

'Just　as　you　like。　　But　it　is　Polly's　birthday；　you　know　（many　happy
returns；　my　sweet　Pollykins）；　and　there　are　great　preparations　going
on。'

'I　can't　help　it；　Mrs。　Winship。　　The　boys　would　make　fun　of　my　looks；
and　I　shouldn't　blame　them。'

'Appear　as　the　Veiled　Lady；'　suggested　Margery；　as　Mrs。　Winship　went
out。

'I　won't　come；　and　that's　the　end　of　it；'　said　Laura。　　'Perhaps　if　I
bathe　my　face　all　the　morning　I　can　come　to　dinner。'

After　breakfast　was　cleared　away；　Hop　Yet　and　Mrs。　Howard's　little
China　boy　Gin　were　given　a　half…holiday；　and　allowed　to　go　to　a
neighbouring　ranch　to　see　a　'flend'　of　Hop　Yet's；　for　it　was　a　part
of　the　birthday　scheme　that　Bell　and　Geoffrey　should　cook　the
festival　dinner。

Jack　was　so　delighted　at　the　failure　of　Polly's　scheme　to　sew　him　in
his　tent；　that　he　simply　radiated　amiability；　and　spent　the　whole
morning　helping　Elsie　and　Margery　with　a　set　of　elaborate　dinner…
cards；　executed　on　half…sheets　of　note…paper。

The　dinner　itself　was　a　grand　success。　　Half　of　the　cards　bore　a
caricature　of　Polly　in　the　shape　of　a　parrot；　with　the　inscription
'Polly　want　a　cracker？'　　The　rest　were　adorned　with　pretty　sketches
of　her　in　her　camping…dress；　a　kettle　in　one　hand；　and　underneath；


'Polly；　put　the　kettle　on；
We'll　all　have　tea。'


This　was　the　bill　of　fare　arranged　by　Bell　and　Geoffrey；　and　written
on　the　reverse　side　of　the　dinner…cards


DINNER　A　LA　MOTHER　GOOSE。
CAMP　CHAPARRAL。
August　15；　18…。

'Come　with　a　whoop；　come　with　a　call；
Come　with　a　good　will；　or　not　at　all。'

'VICTUALS　AND　DRINK。'

BEAN　SOUP。
'She　gave　them　some　broth；　she　gave　them　some　bread。'
SALT　CODFISH。
'You　shall　have　a　fishy
In　a　little　dishy。'
ROAST　MUTTON　A　LA　VENISON。
'Dear　sensibility；　O　la！
I　heard　a　little　lamb　cry　ba…a！'
POTATOES　IN　JACKETS。
'The　butcher；　the　baker；　the　candlestick…maker；
All　jumped　out　of　a　roasted　potato。'
STEWED　BEANS。
'You；　nor　I；　nor　nobody　knows；
Where　oats；　peas；　beans；　and　barley　grows。'
CHICKEN　AND　BEEF　SANDWICHES。
'Hickety；　pickety；　my　pretty　hen
Laid　good　eggs　for　gentlemen。'
Taffy　was　a　Welshman；　Taffy　was　a　thief；
Taffy　came　to　my　house　and　stole　a　piece　of　beef。'
LEMON　PIE。
'A　pie　sat　on　a　pear…tree。'
PLUM　TARTS。
'The　Queen　of　Hearts；　she　made　some　tarts；
All　on　a　summer's　day。'
FRUIT；　NUTS；　AND　RAISINS。
'You　shall　have　an　apple；
You　shall　have　a　plum。'
'I　had　a　little　nut…tree；　nothing　would　it　bear
But　a　silver　nutmeg　and　a　golden　pear。'
BREAD　AND　CHEESE。
'When　I　was　a　bachelor　I　lived　by　myself；
And　all　the　bread　and　cheese　I　got　I　put　upon　the　shelf。'
COFFEE　AND　LEMONADE。
'One；　two；　three；　how　good　you　be！
I　love　coffee　and　Billy　loves　tea。'
'Oranges　and　lemons；
Says　the　bell　of　St。　Clemen's。'

'What　they　ate　I　can't　tell；
But　'tis　known　very　well
That　none　of　the　party　grew　fat。'


Bell　and　Geoff　took　turns　at　'dishing　up'　in　the　kitchen；　and　sat
down　at　the　table　between　whiles；　and　they　barely　escaped　being
mobbed　when　they　omitted　one　or　two　dishes　on　the　programme；　and
confessed　that　they　had　been　put　on　principally　for　the　'style'　of
the　thing；a　very　poor　excuse　to　a　company　of　people　who　have　made
up　their　mouths　for　all　the　delicacies　of　the　season。

Jack　was　head　waiter；　and　having　donned　a　clean　white　blouse　of　Hop
Yet's　and　his　best　cap　with　the　red　button；　from　which　dangled　a
hastily　improvised　queue　of　black　worsted；　he　proceeded　to　convulse
everybody　with　his　Mongolian　antics。　　These　consisted　of　most
informal　remarks　in　clever　pigeon　English；　and　snatches　of　Chinese
melody；　rendered　from　time　to　time　as　he　carried　dishes　into　the
kitchen。　　Elsie　laughed　until　she　cried；　and　Laura　sat　in　the
shadiest　corner；　her　head　artistically　swathed　in　white　tarlatan。

Polly　occupied　the　seat　of　honour　at　the　end　of　the　table　opposite
Dr。　Winship；　and　was　happier　than　a　queen。　　She　wore　her　new　green
cambric；　with　a　bunch　of　leaves　at　her　belt。　　She　was　sun…burned；　but
the　freckles　seemed　to　have　disappeared　mysteriously　from　her　nose；
and　almost　any　one　would　have　admired　the　rosy　skin；　the　dancing
eyes；　and　the　graceful　little　auburn　head；　'sunning　over　with　curls。'

When　the　last　bit　of　dessert　had　been　disposed　of；　and　Dicky　had　gone
to　sleep　in　his　mother's　lap；　like　an　infant　boa…constrictor　after　a
hearty　meal；　the　presentation　of　gifts　and　reading　of　poems　took
place；　and　Polly　had　to　be　on　the　alert　to　answer　all　the　nonsensical
jokes　that　were　aimed　at　her。

Finally；　Bell　crowned　the　occasion　by　producing　a　song　of　Miss
Mulock's；　which　had　come　in　the　morning　mail　from　some　girl　friend　of
Polly's　in　the　East；　who　had　discovered　that　Polly's　name　had
appeared　in　poetry　and　song　without　her　knowledge；　and　who　thought
she　might　be　interested　to　hear　the　composition。　　With　the　aid　of
Bell's　guitar　and　Jack's　banjo　the　girls　and　boys　soon　caught　the
pretty　air；　and　sung　it　in　chorus。

1。　　Pretty　Pol…ly　Ol…i…ver；　will　you　be　my　own？
Pret…ty　Pol…ly　Ol…i…ver；　as　cold　as　a
stone；　But　my　love　has　grown　warm…er　as
cold…er　you've　grown；　O　Pret…ty　Pol…ly
Ol…i…ver；　will　you　be　my　own？

2。　　Pret…ty　Pol…ly　Ol…i…ver；　I　love　you　so　dear！
Pret…ty　Pol…ly　Ol…i…ver；　my　hope　and　my
fear；　I've　wait…ed　for　you；　sweet…heart；　this
many　a　long　year；　For　Pret…ty　Pol…ly
Ol…i…ver；　I've　loved　you　so　dear！

3。　　Pret…ty　Pol…ly　Ol…i…ver；　I'll　bid　you　good　bye：
Pret…ty　Pol…ly　Ol…i…ver；　for　you　I'll　not
die；　You'll　nev…er　get　a　tru…er　true
lov…er　than　I；　So　Pret…ty　Pol…ly
Ol…i…ver；　good…bye；　love；　good…bye！


At　the　end；　Dr。　Winship　raised　his　glass　of　lemonade；　and　proposed　to
drink　Miss　Oliver's　health。　　This　was　done　with　enthusiasm；　and
Geoffrey　immediately　cried；　'Speech；　speech！'

'I　can't；'　said　Polly；　blushing　furiously。

'Speech！'　sung　Jack　and　Philip　vociferously；　pounding　on　the　table
with　knife…handles　to　increase　the　furore。

'Speech！'　demanded　the　genial　doctor；　going　over　to　the　majority；　and
smiling　encouragingly　at　Polly；　who　was　pushed　to　her　feet　before　she
knew　very　well　what　she　was　doing。　　'Oh；　if　Laura　were　not　looking　at
me；'　she　thought；　'I'd　just　like　to　speak　right　out；　and　tell　them　a
little　bit　of　what　is　in　my　heart。　　I　don't　careI　will！'

'I　know　you　are　all　in　fun；'　she　said；　looking　bravely　into　the　good
doctor's　eyes；　'and　of　course　no　one　could　make　a　proper　speech　with
Jack　grinning　like　a　Cheshire　cat；　but　I　can't　help　telling　you　that
this　is　the　happiest　summer　and　the　happiest　birthday　of　my　whole
life；　and　that　I　scarcely　remember　nowadays　that　I　have　no　father　and
no　brothers　and　sisters；　for　I　have　never　been　alone　or　unhappy　since
you　took　me　in　among　you　and　Bell　chose　me　for　her　friend；　and　I
think　that　if　you　knew　how　grateful　I　am　for　my　beautiful　summer；
dear　Dr。　Paul　and　Aunt　Truth；　you　would　be　glad　that　you　gave　it　to
me；　and　I　love　you　all；　dearly；　dearly；　dearly！'　　Whereupon　the
impulsive　little　creature　finished　her　maiden　speech　by　dashing　round
the　table　and　giving　Mrs。　Winship　one　of　her　'bear　hugs；'　at　which
everybody　laughed　and　rose　from　the　table。

Laura　Burton；　who　was　thoroughly　out　of　conceit　with　the　world；　and
who　was　never　quite　happy　when　other　people　seemed　for　the　moment　to
be　preferred　to　herself；　thought　this　burst　of　affection　decidedly
theatrical；　but　she　did　not　know　of　any　one　to　whom　she　could　confine
her　opinions　just　then；　indeed；　she　felt　too　depressed　and　out　of
sorts　to　join　in　the　general　hilarity。

Dinner　being　over；　Dr。　Paul　and　the　boys　took　the　children　and
sauntered　up　the　canyon　for　a　lazy　afternoon　with　their　books。　　Elsie
went　to　sleep　in　the　new　hammock　that　the　doctor　had　hung　in　the
sycamores　back　of　the　girls'　sleeping…tent；　and　Mrs。　Winship　lay　down
for　her　afternoon　nap。　　Pancho　saddled　the　horses　for　Bell　and
Margery；　who　went　for　a　gallop。　　Polly　climbed　into　the　sky…parlour
to　write　a　long　letter　to　her　mother；　and　Laura　was　left　to　solitude
in　the　sleeping…tent。　　Now　everybody　knows　that　a　tent　at　midday　is
not　a　particularly　pleasant　spot；　and　after　many　a　groan　at　the　glare
of　the　sun；　which　could　not　be　tempered　by　any　system　of　shawls；　and
moans　at　the　gopher…holes　which　she　discovered　while　searching　for
her　ear…ring；　and　repeated　consultations　with　the　hand…glass　at　brief
intervals；　during　which　she　convinced　herself　that　she　looked　worse
every　minute；she　finally　discovered　a　series　of　alarming　new　spots
on　her　neck　and　chin。　　She　felt　then　that　camping　out　was　a　complete
failure；　and