eben holden-第4节

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cry；　and　I　asked　what　it　was　and　Uncle　Eb　whispered　back；'　's　a　loon。'　Down　the　side　of　the　mountain　a　shrill　bark　rang　in　the　timber　and　that　was　a　fox；　according　to　my　patient　oracle。　Anon　we　heard　the　crash　and　thunder　of　a　falling　tree　and　a　murmur　that　followed　in　the　wake　of　the　last　echo。

'Big　tree　fallin'！'　said　Uncle　Eb；　as　he　lay　gaping。　'It　has　t'　break　a　way　t'　the　ground　an'　it　must　hurt。　Did　ye　notice　how　the　woods　tremble？　If　we　was　up　above　them　we　could　see　the　hole　thet　tree　hed　made。　Jes'　like　an　open　grave　till　the　others　hev　filed　it　with　their　tops。'

My　ears　had　gone　deaf　with　drowsiness　when　a　quick　stir　in　the　body　of　Uncle　Eb　brought　me　back　to　my　senses。　He　was　up　on　his　elbow　listening　and　the　firelight　had　sunk　to　a　glimmer。　Fred　lay　shivering　and　growling　beside　me。　I　could　hear　no　other　sound。

'Be　still；'　said　Uncle　Eb；　as　he　boxed　the　dog's　ears。　Then　he　rose　and　began　to　stir　the　fire　and　lay　on　more　wood。　As　the　flame　leaped　and　threw　its　light　into　the　tree…tops　a　shrill　cry；　like　the　scream　of　a　frightened　woman；　only　louder　and　more　terrible　to　hear　brought　me　to　my　feet；　crying。　I　knew　the　source　of　it　was　near　us　and　ran　to　Uncle　Eb　in　a　fearful　panic。

'Hush；　boy；'　said　he　as　it　died　away　and　went　echoing　in　the　far　forest。　'I'll　take　care　o'　you。　Don't　be　scairt。　He's　more　'fraid　uv　us　than　we　are　o'　him。　He's　makin'　off　now。'

We　heard　then　a　great　crackling　of　dead　brush　on　the　mountain　above　us。　It　grew　fainter　as　we　listened。　In　a　little　while　the　woods　were　silent。

'It's　the　ol'　man　o'　the　woods；'　said　Uncle　Eb。　'E's　out　takin'　a　walk。'

'Will　he　hurt　folks？'　I　enquired。

'Tow！'　he　answered；　'jest　as　harmless　as　a　kitten。'

Chapter　3

Naturally　there　were　a　good　many　things　I　wanted　to　know　about　'the　ol'　man　o'　the　woods；'　but　Uncle　Eb　would　take　no　part　in　any　further　conversation。

So　I　had　to　lie　down　beside　him　again　and　think　out　the　problem　as　best　I　could。　My　mind　was　never　more　acutely　conscious　and　it　gathered　many　strange　impressions；　wandering　in　the　kingdom　of　Fear；　as　I　looked　up　at　the　tree…tops。　Uncle　Eb　had　built　a　furious　fire　and　the　warmth　of　it　made　me　sleepy　at　last。　Both　he　and　old　Fred　had　been　snoring　a　long　time　when　I　ceased　to　hear　them。　Uncle　Eb　woke　me　at　daylight；　in　the　morning；　and　said　we　must　be　off　to　find　the　trail。　He　left　me　by　the　fire　a　little　while　and　went　looking　on　all　sides　and　came　back　no　wiser。　We　were　both　thirsty　and　started　off　on　rough　footing；　without　stopping　to　eat。　We　climbed　and　crawled　for　hours；　it　seemed　to　me；　and　everywhere　the　fallen　tree　trunks　were　heaped　in　our　way。　Uncle　Eb　sat　down　on　one　of　them　awhile　to　rest。

'Like　the　bones　o'　the　dead；'　said　he；　as　he　took　a　chew　of　tobacco　and　picked　at　the　rotten　skeleton　of　a　fallen　tree。　We　were　both　pretty　well　out　of　breath　and　of　hope　also；　if　I　remember　rightly；　when　we　rested　again　under　the　low　hanging　boughs　of　a　basswood　for　a　bite　of　luncheon。　Uncle　Eb　opened　the　little　box　of　honey　and　spread　some　of　it　on　our　bread　and　butter。　In　a　moment　I　noticed　that　half　a　dozen　bees　had　lit　in　the　open　box。

'Lord　Harry！　here's　honey　bees；'　said　he；　as　he　covered　the　box　so　as　to　keep　them　in；　and　tumbled　everything　else　into　the　basket。　'Make　haste　now；　Willie；　and　follow　me　with　all　yer　might；'　he　added。

In　a　minute　he　let　out　one　of　the　bees；　and　started　running　in　the　direction　it　flew。　It　went　but　a　few　feet　and　then　rose　into　the　tree…top。

'He's　goin'　t'　git　up　into　the　open　air；'　said　Uncle　Eb。　'But　I've　got　his　bearins'　an'　I　guess　he　knows　the　way　all　right。'

We　took　the　direction　indicated　for　a　few　minutes　and　then　Uncle　Eb　let　out　another　prisoner。　The　bee　flew　off　a　little　way　and　then　rose　in　a　slanting　course　to　the　tree…tops。　He　showed　us；　however；　that　we　were　looking　the　right　way。

'Them　little　fellers　hev　got　a　good　compass；'　said　Uncle　Eb；　as　we　followed　the　line　of　the　bees。　'It　p'ints　home　ev'ry　time；　an'　never　makes　a　mistake。'

We　went　further　this　time　before　releasing　another。　He　showed　us　that　we　had　borne　out　of　our　course　a　little　and　as　we　turned　to　follow　there　were　half　a　dozen　bees　flying　around　the　box；　as　if　begging　for　admission。

'Here　they　are　back　agin；'　said　Uncle　Eb；　'an'　they've　told　a　lot　o'　their　cronies　'bout　the　man　an'　the　boy　with　honey。'

At　length　one　of　them　flew　over　our　heads　and　back　in　the　direction　we　had　come　from。

'Ah；　ha；'　said　Uncle　Eb；　'it's　a　bee　tree　an'　we've　passed　it；　but　I'm　goin'　t'　keep　lettin'　'em　in　an'　out。　Never　heard　uv　a　swarm　o'　bees　goin'　fur　away　an'　so　we　mus'　be　near　the　clearin'。'

In　a　little　while　we　let　one　go　that　took　a　road　of　its　own。　The　others　had　gone　back　over　our　heads；　this　one　bore　off　to　the　right　in　front　of　us；　and　we　followed。　I　was　riding　in　the　basket　and　was　first　to　see　the　light　of　the　open　through　the　tree…tops。　But　I　didn't　know　what　it　meant　until　I　heard　the　hearty　'hurrah'　of　Uncle　Eb。

We　had　come　to　smooth　footing　in　a　grove　of　maples　and　the　clean　trunks　of　the　trees　stood　up　as　straight　as　a　granite　column。　Presently　we　came　out　upon　wide　fields　of　corn　and　clover；　and　as　we　looked　back　upon　the　grove　it　had　a　rounded　front　and　I　think　of　it　now　as　the　vestibule　of　the　great　forest

'It's　a　reg'lar　big　tomb；'　said　Uncle　Eb；　looking　back　over　his　shoulder　into　the　gloomy　cavern　of　the　woods。

We　could　see　a　log　house　in　the　clearing；　and　we　made　for　it　as　fast　as　our　legs　would　carry　us。　We　had　amighty　thirst　and　when　we　came　to　a　little　brook　in　the　meadow　we　laid　down　and　drank　and　drank　until　we　were　fairly　grunting　with　fullness。　Then　we　filled　our　teapot　and　went　on。　Men　were　reaping　with　their　cradles　in　a　field　of　grain　and；　as　we　neared　the　log　house；　a　woman　came　out　in　the　dooryard　and；　lifting　a　shell　to　her　lips；　blew　a　blast　that　rushed　over　the　clearing　and　rang　in　the　woods　beyond　it　A　loud　halloo　came　back　from　the　men。

A　small　dog　rushed　out　at　Fred；　barking；　and；　I　suppose；　with　some　lack　of　respect；　for　the　old　dog　laid　hold　of　him　in　a　violent　temper　and　sent　him　away　yelping。　We　must　have　presented　an　evil　aspect；　for　our　clothes　were　torn　and　we　were　both　limping　with　fatigue。　The　woman　had　a　kindly　face　and；　after　looking　at　us　a　moment；　came　and　stooped　before　me　and　held　my　small　face　in　her　hands　turning　it　so　she　could　look　into　my　eyes。

'You　poor　little　critter；'　said　she；　'where　you　goin'？'

Uncle　Eb　told　her　something　about　my　father　and　mother　being　dead　and　our　going　west　Then　she　hugged　and　kissed　me　and　made　me　very　miserable；　I　remember；　wetting　my　face　with　her　tears；　that　were　quite　beyond　my　comprehension。

'Jethro；'　said　she；　as　the　men　came　into　the　yard；　'I　want　ye　t'　look　at　this　boy。　Did　ye　ever　see　such　a　cunnin'　little　critter？　Jes'　look　at　them　bright　eyes！'　and　then　she　held　me　to　her　breast　and　nearly　smothered　me　and　began　to　hum　a　bit　of　an　old　song。

'Yer　full　o'　mother　love；'　said　her　husband；　as　he　sat　down　on　the　grass　a　moment　'Lost　her　only　baby；　an'　the　good　Lord　has　sent　no　other。　I　swan；　he　has　got　putty　eyes。　Jes'　as　blue　as　a　May　flower。　Ain't　ye　hungry？　Come　right　in；　both　o'　ye；　an'　set　down　t'　the　table　with　us。'

They　made　room　for　us　and　we　sat　down　between　the　bare　elbows　of　the　hired　men。　I　remember　my　eyes　came　only　to　the　top　of　the　table。　So　the　good　woman　brought　the　family　Bible　and　sitting　on　that　firm　foundation　I　ate　my　dinner　of　salt　pork　and　potatoes　and　milk　gravy　a　diet　as　grateful　as　it　was　familiar　to　my　taste。

'Orphan；　eh？'　said　the　man　of　the　house；　looking　down　at　me。

'Orphan；'　Uncle　Eb　answered；　nodding　his　head。

'God…fearin'　folks？'

'Best　in　the　world；'　said　Uncle　Eb。

Want　t'　bind　'im　out？'　the　man　asked。

'Couldn't　spare　'im；'　said　Uncle　Eb；　decisively。

'Where　ye　goin'？'

Uncle　Eb　hesitated；　groping　for　an　answer；　I　suppose；　that　would　do　no　violence　to　our　mutual　understanding。

'Goin'　t'　heaven；'　I　ventured　to　say　presently　…　an　answer　that　gave　rise　to　conflicting　emotions　at　the　table。

'That's　right；'　said　Uncle　Eb；　turning　to　me　and　patting　my　head。　'We're　on　the　road　t'　heaven；　I　hope；　an'　ye'll　see　it　someday；　sartin　sure；　if　ye　keep　in　the　straight　road　and　be　a　good　boy。'

After　dinner　the　good　woman　took　off　my　clothes　and　put　me　in　bed　while　she　mended　them。　I　went　asleep　then　and　did　not　awake　for　a　long　time。　When　I　got　up　at　last　she　brought　a　big　basin　of　water　and　washed　me　with　such　motherly　tenderness　in　voice　and　manner　that　I　have　never　forgotten　it。　Uncle　Eb　lay　sleeping　on　the　lounge　and　when　she　had　finished　dressing　me；　Fred　and　I　went　out　to　play　in　the　garden。　It　was　supper　time　in　a　little　while　and　then；　again；　the　woman　winded　the　shell　and　the　men　came　up　from　the　field。　We　sat　down　to　eat　with　them；　as　we　had　done　at　noon；　and　Uncle　Eb　consented　to　spend　the　night　after　some　urging。　He　helped　them　with　the　milking；　and　as　I　stood　beside　him　shot　a　jet　of　the　warm　white　flood　into　my　mouth；　that　tickled　it　so　I　ran　away　laughing。　The　milking　done；　I　sat　on　Uncle　Eb's　knee　in　the　door…yard　with　all　the　rest　of　that　household；　hearing　many　tales　of　the　wilderness；　and　of　robbery　and　murder　on　Paradise　Road。　I　got　the　impression　that　it　was　a　country　of　unexampl