a girl of the limberlost-第74节

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dragged　her。　　Both　of　them　turned　red　faces　to　the　car

and　berated　the　driver。　　Mrs。　Comstock　laughed　in

unrestrained　enjoyment。　　Then　she　touched　the　chauffeur　again。



〃That's　enough；〃　she　said。　　〃It　seems　a　mite　risky。〃　

A　minute　later　she　added　to　Philip；　〃If　only　they　had

been　carrying　six　pounds　of　butter　and　ten　dozen　eggs

apiece；　wouldn't　that　have　been　just　perfect？〃



Billy　had　wavered　between　Elnora　and　the　motor；　but

his　loyal　little　soul　had　been　true　to　her；　so　the　walk　to

the　cottage　began　with　him　at　her　side。　　Long　before

they　arrived　the　little　O'Mores　had　crowded　around　and

captured　Billy；　and　he　was　giving　them　an　expurgated

version　of　Mrs。　Comstock's　tales　of　Big　Foot　and　Adam

Poe；　boasting　that　Uncle　Wesley　had　been　in　the　camps

of　Me…shin…go…me…sia　and　knew　Wa…ca…co…nah　before

he　got　religion　and　dressed　like　white　men；　while　the

mighty　prowess　of　Snap　as　a　woodchuck　hunter　was　done

full　justice。　　When　they　reached　the　cottage　Philip　took

Billy　aside；　showed　him　the　emerald　ring　and　gravely

asked　his　permission　to　marry　Elnora。　　Billy　struggled

to　be　just；　but　it　was　going　hard　with　him；　when　Alice；

who　kept　close　enough　to　hear；　intervened。



〃Why　don't　you　let　them　get　married？〃　she　asked。　

〃You　are　much　too　small　for　her。　　You　wait　for　me！〃



Billy　studied　her　intently。　　At　last　he　turned　to　Ammon。　

〃Aw；　well！　　Go　on；　then！〃　he　said　gruffly。　　〃I'll　marry　Alice！〃



Alice　reached　her　hand。　　〃If　you　got　that　settled

let's　put　on　our　Indian　clothes；　call　the　boys；　and　go　to

the　playhouse。〃



〃I　haven't　got　any　Indian　clothes；〃　said　Billy　ruefully。



〃Yes；　you　have；〃　explained　Alice。　　〃Father　bought

you　some　coming　from　the　dock。　　You　can　put　them　on　in

the　playhouse。　　The　boys　do。〃



Billy　examined　the　playhouse　with　gleaming　eyes。



Never　had　he　encountered　such　possibilities。　　He　could

see　a　hundred　amusing　things　to　try；　and　he　could　not

decide　which　to　do　first。　　The　most　immediate　attraction

seemed　to　be　a　dead　pine；　held　perpendicularly　by　its

fellows；　while　its　bark　had　decayed　and　fallen；　leaving

a　bare；　smooth　trunk。



〃If　we　just　had　some　grease　that　would　make　the　dandiest

pole　to　play　Fourth　of　July　with！〃　he　shouted。



The　children　remembered　the　Fourth。　　It　had　been

great　fun。



〃Butter　is　grease。　　There　is　plenty　in　the　'frigerator；〃

suggested　Alice；　speeding　away。



Billy　caught　the　cold　roll　and　began　to　rub　it　against

the　tree　excitedly。



〃How　are　you　going　to　get　it　greased　to　the　top？〃　inquired　Terry。



Billy's　face　lengthened。　　〃That's　so！〃　he　said。　　〃The　thing

is　to　begin　at　the　top　and　grease　down。　　I'll　show　you！〃



Billy　put　the　butter　in　his　handkerchief　and　took　the

corners　between　his　teeth。　　He　climbed　the　pole；　greasing

it　as　he　slid　down。



〃Now；　I　got　to　try　first；〃　he　said；　〃because　I'm　the

biggest　and　so　I　have　the　best　chance；　only　the　one　that

goes　first　hasn't　hardly　any　chance　at　all；　because　he　has

to　wipe　off　the　grease　on　himself；　so　the　others　can　get　up

at　last。　　See？〃



〃All　right！〃　said　Terry。　　〃You　go　first　and　then　I　will

and　then　Alice。　　Phew！　　It's　slick。　　He'll　never　get　up。〃



Billy　wrestled　manfully；　and　when　he　was　exhausted

he　boosted　Terry；　and　then　both　of　them　helped　Alice；

to　whom　they　awarded　a　prize　of　her　own　doll。　　As　they

rested　Billy　remembered。



〃Do　your　folks　keep　cows？〃　he　asked。



〃No；　we　buy　milk；〃　said　Terry。



〃Gee！　　Then　what　about　the　butter？　　Maybe　your

ma　needs　it　for　dinner！〃



〃No；　she　doesn't！〃　cried　Alice。　　〃There's　stacks　of　it！　

I　can　have　all　the　butter　I　want。〃



〃Well；　I'm　mighty　glad　of　it！〃　said　Billy。　　〃I　didn't

just　think。　　I'm　afraid　we've　greased　our　clothes；　too。〃



〃That's　no　difference；〃　said　Terry。　　〃We　can　play

what　we　please　in　these　things。〃



〃Well；　we　ought　to　be　all　dirty；　and　bloody；　and　have

feathers　on　us　to　be　real　Indians；〃　said　Billy。



Alice　tried　a　handful　of　dirt　on　her　sleeve　and　it

streaked　beautifully。　　Instantly　all　of　them　began

smearing　themselves。



〃If　we　only　had　feathers；〃　lamented　Billy。



Terry　disappeared　and　shortly　returned　from　the　garage

with　a　feather　duster。　　Billy　fell　on　it　with　a　shriek。　

Around　each　one's　head　he　firmly　tied　a　twisted　handkerchief；

and　stuck　inside　it　a　row　of　stiffly　upstanding　feathers。



〃Now；　if　we　just　only　had　some　pokeberries　to　paint　us

red；　we'd　be　real；　for　sure　enough　Indians；　and　we　could　go

on　the　warpath　and　fight　all　the　other　tribes　and　burn　a

lot　of　them　at　the　stake。〃



Alice　sidled　up　to　him。　　〃Would　huckleberries　do？〃

she　asked　softly。



〃Yes！〃　shouted　Terry；　wild　with　excitement。　　〃Anything　that's

a　colour。〃



Alice　made　another　trip　to　the　refrigerator。　　Billy　crushed

the　berries　in　his　hands　and　smeared　and　streaked　all　their

faces　liberally。



〃Now　are　we　ready？〃　asked　Alice。



Billy　collapsed。　　〃I　forgot　the　ponies！　　You　got　to　ride

ponies　to　go　on　the　warpath！〃



〃You　ain't　neither！〃　contradicted　Terry。　　〃It's　the

very　latest　style　to　go　on　the　warpath　in　a　motor。　

Everybody　does！　　They　go　everywhere　in　them。　　They　are

much　faster　and　better　than　any　old　ponies。〃



Billy　gave　one　genuine　whoop。　　〃Can　we　take　your　motor？〃



Terry　hesitated。



〃I　suppose　you　are　too　little　to　run　it？〃　said　Billy。



〃I　am　not！〃　flashed　Terry。　　〃I　know　how　to　start　and

stop　it；　and　I　drive　lots　for　Stephens。　　It　is　hard　to　turn

over　the　engine　when　you　start。〃



〃I'll　turn　it；〃　volunteered　Billy。　　〃I'm　strong　as　anything。〃



〃Maybe　it　will　start　without。　　If　Stephens　has　just

been　running　it；　sometimes　it　will。　　Come　on；　let's　try。〃



Billy　straightened　up；　lifted　his　chin　and　cried：　　〃Houpe！　

Houpe！　　Houpe！〃



The　little　O'Mores　stared　in　amazement。



〃Why　don't　you　come　on　and　whoop？〃　demanded　Billy。　

〃Don't　you　know　how？　　You　are　great　Indians！　

You　got　to　whoop　before　you　go　on　the　warpath。　

You　ought　to　kill　a　bat；　too；　and　see　if　the　wind

is　right。　　But　maybe　the　engine　won't　run　if　we　wait

to　do　that。　　You　can　whoop；　anyway。　　All　together　now！〃





They　did　whoop；　and　after　several　efforts　the　cry　satisfied

Billy；　so　he　led　the　way　to　the　big　motor；　and　took

the　front　seat　with　Terry。　　Alice　and　Little　Brother

climbed　into　the　back。



〃Will　it　go？〃　asked　Billy；　〃or　do　we　have　to　turn　it？〃



〃It　will　go；〃　said　Terry　as　the　machine　gently　slid　out

into　the　avenue　and　started　under　his　guidance。



〃This　is　no　warpath！〃　scoffed　Billy。　　〃We　got　to　go　a

lot　faster　than　this；　and　we　got　to　whoop。　　Alice；　why

don't　you　whoop？



Alice　arose；　took　hold　of　the　seat　in　front　and　whooped。



〃If　I　open　the　throttle；　I　can't　squeeze　the　bulb　to　scare

people　out　of　our　way；〃　said　Terry。　　〃I　can't　steer　and

squeeze；　too。〃



〃We'll　whoop　enough　to　get　them　out　of　the　way。　　Go　faster！〃

urged　Billy。



Billy　also　stood；　lifted　his　chin　and　whooped　like　the

wildest　little　savage　that　ever　came　out　of　the　West。　

Alice　and　Little　Brother　added　their　voices；　and　when　he

was　not　absorbed　with　the　steering　gear；　Terry　joined　in。



〃Faster！〃　shouted　Billy。



Intoxicated　with　the　speed　and　excitement；　Terry

threw　the　throttle　wider　and　the　big　car　leaped　forward

and　sped　down　the　avenue。　　In　it　four　black；　feather…

bedecked　children　whooped　in　wild　glee　until　suddenly

Terry's　war　cry　changed　to　a　scream　of　panic。



〃The　lake　is　coming！〃



〃Stop！〃　cried　Billy。　　〃Stop！　　Why　don't　you　stop？〃



Paralyzed　with　fear　Terry　clung　to　the　steering　gear　and

the　car　sped　onward。



〃You　little　fool！　　Why　don't　you　stop？〃　screamed

Billy；　catching　Terry's　arm。　　〃Tell　me　how　to　stop！〃



A　bicycle　shot　beside　them　and　Freckles　standing　on

the　pedals　shouted：　　〃Pull　out　the　pin　in　that　little

circle　at　your　feet！〃



Billy　fell　on　his　knees　and　tugged　and　the　pin　yielded

at　last。　　Just　as　the　wheels　struck　the　white　sand　the　bicycle

sheered　close；　Freckles　caught　the　lever　and　with　one　strong

shove　set　the　brake。　　The　water　flew　as　the　car　struck　Huron；

but　luckily　it　was　shallow　and　the　beach　smooth。　　Hub　deep

the　big　motor　stood　quivering　as　Freckles　climbed　in　and

backed　it　to　dry　sand。



Then　he　drew　a　deep　breath　and　stared　at　his　brood。



〃Terence；　would　you　kindly　be　explaining？〃　he　said　at　last。



Billy　looked　at　the　panting　little　figure　of　Terry。



〃I　guess　I　better；〃　he　said。　　〃We　were　playing　Indians

on　the　warpath；　and　we　hadn't　any　ponies；　and　Terry

said　it　was　all　the　style　to　go　in　automobiles　now；

so　we〃



Freckles's　head　went　back；　and　be　did　some　whooping　himself。



〃I　wonder　if　you　realize　how　nearly　you　came　to　being

four　drowned　children？〃　he　said　gravely；　after　a　time。



〃Oh；　I　think　I　could　swim　enough　to　get　most　of　us　out；〃

said　Billy。　　〃Anyway；　we　need　washing。〃



〃You　do　indeed；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃I　will　head　this

proces