on our selection-第24节

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lling　after　them）　〃NEXT　yearnext　year；　all　being　well；　please　God；　I'll　have　SIXTY！〃




CHAPTER　XXIV。



A　Lady　at　Shingle　Hut。


Miss　Ribbone　had　just　arrived。

She　was　the　mistress　of　the　local　school；　and　had　come　to　board　with　us　a　month。　　The　parents　of　the　score　of　more　of　youngsters　attending　the　school　had　arranged　to　accommodate　her；　month　about；　and　it　was　our　turn。　And　did　n't　Mother　just　load　us　up　how　we　were　to　behaveparticularly　Joe。

Dad　lumbered　in　the　usual　log　for　the　fire；　and　we　all　helped　him　throw　it　onall　except　the　schoolmistress。　　Poor　thing！　　She　would　have　injured　her　long；　miserable；　putty…looking　fingers！　　Such　a　contrast　between　her　and　Sal！　　Then　we　sat　down　to　supperthat　old　familiar　repast；　hot　meat　and　pumpkin。

Somehow　we　did　n't　feel　quite　at　home；　but　Dad　got　on　well。　　He　talked　away　learnedly　to　Miss　Ribbone　about　everything。　　Told　her；　without　swearing　once；　how；　when　at　school　in　the　old　country；　he　fought　the　schoolmaster　and　leathered　him　well。　　A　pure　lie；　but　an　old　favourite　of　Dad's；　and　one　that　never　failed　to　make　Joe　laugh。　　He　laughed　now。　　And　such　a　laugh！a　loud；　mirthless；　merciless　noise。　　No　one　else　joined　in；　though　Miss　Ribbone　smiled　a　little。　　When　Joe　recovered　he　held　out　his　plate。

〃More　pumpkin；　Dad。〃

〃Ifwhat；　sir？〃　Dad　was　prompting　him　in　manners。

〃IF？〃　and　Joe　laughed　again。　　〃Who　said　'if'？I　never。〃

Just　then　Miss　Ribbone　sprang　to　her　feet；　knocking　over　the　box　she　had　been　sitting　on；　and　stood　for　a　time　as　though　she　had　seen　a　ghost。　　We　stared　at　her。　　〃Oh；〃　she　murmured　at　last；　〃it　was　the　dog！　　It　gave　me　such　a　fright！〃

Mother　sympathised　with　her　and　seated　her　again；　and　Dad　fixed　his　eye　on　Joe。

〃Did　n't　I　tell　you；〃　he　said；　〃to　keep　that　useless　damned　mongrel　of　a　dog　outside　the　house　altogethereh？did　n't　I？　　Go　this　moment　and　tie　the　brute　up；　you　vagabond！〃

〃I　did　tie　him　up；　but　he　chewed　the　greenhide。〃

〃Be　off　with　you；　you〃　（Dad　coughed　suddenly　and　scattered　fragments　of　meat　and　munched　pumpkin　about　the　table）　〃at　once；　and　do　as　I　tell　you；　you〃

〃That'll　do；　Fatherthat'll　do；〃　Mother　said　gently；　and　Joe　took　Stump　out　to　the　barn　and　kicked　him；　and　hit　him　against　the　corn…sheller；　and　threatened　to　put　him　through　it　if　he　did　n't　stop　squealing。

He　was　a　small　dog；　a　dog　that　was　always　on　the　watchfor　meat；　a　shrewd；　intelligent　beast　that　never　barked　at　anyone　until　he　got　inside　and　well　under　the　bed。　　Anyway；　he　had　taken　a　fancy　to　Miss　Ribbone's　stocking；　which　had　fallen　down　while　he　was　lying　under　the　table；　and　commenced　to　worry　it。　　Then　he　discovered　she　had　a　calf；　and　started　to　eat　THAT。　　She　did　n't　tell　US　thoughshe　told　Mrs。　Macpherson；　who　imparted　the　secret　to　mother。　　I　suppose　Stump　did　n't　understand　stockings；　because　neither　Mother　nor　Sal　ever　wore　any；　except　to　a　picnic　or　somebody's　funeral；　and　that　was　very　seldom。　　The　Creek　was　n't　much　of　a　place　for　sport。

〃I　hope　as　you'll　be　comfortable；　my　dear；〃　Mother　observed　as　she　showed　the　young　lady　the　back…room　where　she　was　to　sleep。　　〃It　ain't　s'　nice　as　we　should　like　to　have　it　f'　y'；　we　had　n't　enough　spare　bags　to　line　it　all　with；　but　the　cracks　is　pretty　well　stuffed　up　with　husks　an'　one　thing　an'　'nother；　and　I　don't　think　you'll　find　any　wind　kin　get　in。　Here's　a　bear…skin　f'　your　feet；　an'　I've　nailed　a　bag　up　so　no　one　kin　see…in　in　the　morning。　　S'　now；　I　think　you'll　be　pretty　snug。〃

The　schoolmistress　cast　a　distressed　look　at　the　waving　bag…door　and　said：

〃Th…h…ank　you…very　much。〃

What　a　voice！　　I've　heard　kittens　that　had　n't　their　eyes　open　make　a　fiercer　noise。

Mother　must　have　put　all　the　blessed　blankets　in　the　house　on　the　school…teacher's　bed。　　I　don't　know　what　she　had　on　her　own；　but　we　only　had　the　old　bag…quilt　and　a　stack　of　old　skirts；　and　other　remnants　of　the　family　wardrobe；　on　ours。　　In　the　middle　of　the　night；　the　whole　confounded　pile　of　them　rolled　off；　and　we　nearly　froze。　　Do　what　we　boys　wouldtie　ourselves　in　knots　and　coil　into　each　other　like　ropeswe　could　n't　get　warm。　　We　sat　up　in　the　bed　in　turns；　and　glared　into　the　darkness　towards　the　schoolmistress's　room；　which　was　n't　more　than　three　yards　away；　then　we　would　lie　back　again　and　shiver。　　We　were　having　a　time。　　But　at　last　we　heard　a　noise　from　the　young　lady's　room。　　We　listenedall　we　knew。　Miss　Ribbone　was　up　and　dressing。　　We　could　hear　her　teeth　chattering　and　her　knees　knocking　together。　　Then　we　heard　her　sneak　back　to　bed　again　and　felt　disappointed　and　colder　than　ever；　for　we　had　hoped　she　was　getting　up　early；　and　would　n't　want　the　bed　any　longer　that　night。　　Then　we　too　crawled　out　and　dressed　and　tried　it　that　way。

In　answer　to　Mother　at　breakfast；　next　morning；　Miss　Ribbone　said　she　had　〃slept　very　well　indeed。〃

We　did　n't　say　anything。

She　was　n't　much　of　an　eater。　　School…teachers　are　n't　as　a　　rule。　　They　pick；　and　paw；　and　fiddle　round　a　meal　in　a　way　that　gives　a　healthy…appetited　person　the　jim…jams。　　She　did　n't　touch　the　fried　pumpkin。　　And　the　way　she　sat　there　at　the　table　in　her　watch…chain　and　ribbons　made　poor　old　Dave；　who　sat　opposite　her　in　a　ragged　shirt　without　a　shirt…button；　feel　quite　miserable　and　awkward。

For　a　whole　week　she　did　n't　take　anything　but　bread　and　teathough　there　was　always　plenty　good　pumpkin　and　all　that。　　Mother　used　to　speak　to　Dad　about　it；　and　wonder　if　she　ate　the　little　pumpkin…tarts　she　put　up　for　her　lunch。　　Dad　could　n't　understand　anyone　not　eating　pumpkin；　and　said　HE'D　tackle　GRASS　before　he'd　starve。

〃And　did　ever　y'　see　such　a　object？〃　Mother　went　on。　　〃The　hands　an'　arms　on　her！　　Dear　me！　　Why；　I　do　believe　if　our　Sal　was　to　give　her　one　squeeze　she'd　kill　her。　　Oh；　but　the　finery　and　clothes！　　Y'　never　see　the　like！　　Just　look　at　her！〃　　And　Dad；　the　great　oaf；　with　Joe　at　his　heels；　followed　her　into　the　young　lady's　bedroom。

〃Look　at　that！〃　said　Mother；　pointing　to　a　couple　of　dresses　hanging　on　a　nail〃she　wears　THEM　on　week…days；　no　less；　and　here〃　（raising　the　lid　of　a　trunk　and　exposing　a　pile　of　clean　and　neatly…folded　clothing　that　might　have　been　anything；　and　drawing　the　articles　forth　one　by　one）〃look　at　them！　　There's　thatand　thatand　thisand〃

〃I　say；　what's　this；　Mother？〃　interrupted　Joe；　holding　up　something　he　had　discovered。

〃And　thatan'〃

〃Mother！〃

〃And　this〃

〃Eh；　Mother？〃

〃Don't　bother　me；　boy；　it's　her　tooth…brush；〃　and　Mother　pitched　the　clothes　back　into　the　trunk　and　glared　round。　　Meanwhile；　Joe　was　hard　at　his　teeth　with　the　brush。

〃Oh；　here！〃　and　she　dived　at　the　bed　and　drew　a　night…gown　from　beneath　the　pillow；　unfolded　it；　and　held　it　up　by　the　neck　for　inspection。

Dad；　with　his　huge；　ungainly；　hairy　paws　behind　him；　stood　mute；　like　the　great　pitiful　elephant　he　was；　and　looked　　at　the　tucks　and　the　reststupidly。　　〃Where　before　did　y'ever　see　such　tucks　and　frills　and　lace　on　a　night…shirt？　　Why；　you'd　think　't　were　for　goin'　to　picnics　in；　'stead　o'　goin'　to　bed　with。　　Here；　too！　here's　a　pair　of　brand　new　stays；　besides　the　ones　she's　on　her　back。　　Clothes！she's　nothin'　else　but　clothes。〃

Then　they　came　out；　and　Joe　began　to　spit　and　said　he　thought　there　must　have　been　something　on　that　brush。

Miss　Ribbone　did　n't　stay　the　full　monthshe　left　at　the　end　of　the　second　week；　and　Mother　often　used　to　wonder　afterwards　why　the　creature　never　came　to　see　us。




CHAPTER　XXV。



The　Man　with　the　Bear…Skin　Cap。


One　evening　a　raggedly…dressed　man；　with　a　swag　on　his　back；　a　bear…skin　cap　on　his　head；　and　a　sheath…knife　in　his　belt；　came　to　our　place　and　took　possession　of　the　barn。　　Dad　ordered　him　off。　　The　man　offered　to　fight　Dad　for　the　barn。　　Dad　ran　in　and　got　the　gun。　　Then　the　man　picked　up　his　swag　and　went　away。　　The　incident　caused　much　talk　for　a　few　days；　but　we　soon　forgot　all　about　it；　and　the　man　with　the　bear…skin　cap　passed　from　our　minds。

Church　service　was　to　be　held　at　our　selection。　　It　was　the　first　occasion；　in　fact；　that　the　Gospel　had　come　to　disturb　the　contentedly　irreligious　mind　of　our　neighbourhood。　　Service　was　to　open　at　3　p。m。；　at　break…of…day　we　had　begun　to　get　ready。

Nothing　but　bustle　and　hurry。　　Buttons　to　be　sewn　on　Dave's　shirt；　Dad's　pantswashed　the　night　before　and　left　on　the　clothes…line　all　night　to　bleachlost；　Little　Bill's　to　be　patched　up　generally；　Mother　trotting　out　to　the　clothes…line　every　minute　to　see　if　Joe's　coat　was　dry。　　And；　what　　was　unusual；　Dave；　the　easy…going；　took　a　notion　to　spruce　himself　up。　　He　wandered　restlessly　from　one　room　to　another；　robed　in　a　white　shirt　which　was　n't　starched　or　ironed；　trying　hard　to　fix　a　collar　to　it。　He　had　n't　worn　the　turn…out　for　a　couple　of　years；　and；　of　course；　had　grown　out　of　it；　but　this　did　n't　seem　to　strike　him。　　He　tugged　and　fumbled　till　he　lost　patience；　then　he　sat　on　the　bed　and　railed　at　the　women；　and　wished　that　the　shirt　and　the　collar；　and　the　church…service　and　the　parson；　were　in　Heaven。　　Mother　offered　to　fasten　the　collar；　but　when　she　took　hold　of　itforgetting　that　her　hands　were　covered　with　dough　and　thingsDave　flew　clean　off　the　handle！　　And　when　Sal　advised　him　to　wear　his　coloured　shirt；　same　as　Dad　was　go