the golden road-第18节

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t　hear　their　squealing；　and　would　not　have　stepped　on　a　caterpillar　for　anything；　yet　she　did　not　care　at　all　how　much　she　made　the　brisk　Cyrus　suffer。

Then；　suddenly；　all　our　spring　gladness　and　Maytime　hopes　were　blighted　as　by　a　killing　frost。　　Sorrow　and　anxiety　pervaded　our　days　and　embittered　our　dreams　by　night。　　Grim　tragedy　held　sway　in　our　lives　for　the　next　fortnight。

Paddy　disappeared。　　One　night　he　lapped　his　new　milk　as　usual　at　Uncle　Roger's　dairy　door　and　then　sat　blandly　on　the　flat　stone　before　it；　giving　the　world　assurance　of　a　cat；　sleek　sides　glistening；　plumy　tail　gracefully　folded　around　his　paws；　brilliant　eyes　watching　the　stir　and　flicker　of　bare　willow　boughs　in　the　twilight　air　above　him。　　That　was　the　last　seen　of　him。　　In　the　morning　he　was　not。

At　first　we　were　not　seriously　alarmed。　　Paddy　was　no　roving　Thomas；　but　occasionally　he　vanished　for　a　day　or　so。　　But　when　two　days　passed　without　his　return　we　became　anxious；　the　third　day　worried　us　greatly；　and　the　fourth　found　us　distracted。

〃Something　has　happened　to　Pat；〃　the　Story　Girl　declared　miserably。　　〃He　never　stayed　away　from　home　more　than　two　days　in　his　life。〃

〃What　could　have　happened　to　him？〃　asked　Felix。

〃He's　been　poisonedor　a　dog　has　killed　him；〃　answered　the　Story　　Girl　in　tragic　tones。

Cecily　began　to　cry　at　this；　but　tears　were　of　no　avail。　　Neither　was　anything　else；　apparently。　　We　searched　every　nook　and　cranny　of　barns　and　out…buildings　and　woods　on　both　the　King　farms；　we　inquired　far　and　wide；　we　roved　over　Carlisle　meadows　calling　Paddy's　name；　until　Aunt　Janet　grew　exasperated　and　declared　we　must　stop　making　such　exhibitions　of　ourselves。　　But　we　found　and　heard　no　trace　of　our　lost　pet。　　The　Story　Girl　moped　and　refused　to　be　comforted；　Cecily　declared　she　could　not　sleep　at　night　for　thinking　of　poor　Paddy　dying　miserably　in　some　corner　to　which　he　had　dragged　his　failing　body；　or　lying　somewhere　mangled　and　torn　by　a　dog。　　We　hated　every　dog　we　saw　on　the　ground　that　he　might　be　the　guilty　one。

〃It's　the　suspense　that's　so　hard；〃　sobbed　the　Story　Girl。　　〃If　I　just　knew　what　had　happened　to　him　it　wouldn't　be　QUITE　so　hard。　　But　I　don't　know　whether　he's　dead　or　alive。　　He　may　be　living　and　suffering；　and　every　night　I　dream　that　he　has　come　home　and　when　I　wake　up　and　find　it's　only　a　dream　it　just　breaks　my　heart。〃

〃It's　ever　so　much　worse　than　when　he　was　so　sick　last　fall；〃　said　Cecily　drearily。　　〃Then　we　knew　that　everything　was　done　for　him　that　could　be　done。〃

We　could　not　appeal　to　Peg　Bowen　this　time。　　In　our　desperation　we　would　have　done　it；　but　Peg　was　far　away。　　With　the　first　breath　of　spring　she　was　up　and　off；　answering　to　the　lure　of　the　long　road。　　She　had　not　been　seen　in　her　accustomed　haunts　for　many　a　day。　　Her　pets　were　gaining　their　own　living　in　the　woods　and　her　house　was　locked　up。



CHAPTER　XI

THE　WITCH'S　WISHBONE


When　a　fortnight　had　elapsed　we　gave　up　all　hope。

〃Pat　is　dead；〃　said　the　Story　Girl　hopelessly；　as　we　returned　one　evening　from　a　bootless　quest　to　Andrew　Cowan's　where　a　strange　gray　cat　had　been　reporteda　cat　which　turned　out　to　be　a　yellowish　brown　nondescript；　with　no　tail　to　speak　of。

〃I'm　afraid　so；〃　I　acknowledged　at　last。

〃If　only　Peg　Bowen　had　been　at　home　she　could　have　found　him　for　us；〃　asserted　Peter。　　〃Her　skull　would　have　told　her　where　he　was。〃

〃I　wonder　if　the　wishbone　she　gave　me　would　have　done　any　good；〃　cried　Cecily　suddenly。　　〃I'd　forgotten　all　about　it。　　Oh；　do　you　suppose　it's　too　late　yet？〃

〃There's　nothing　in　a　wishbone；〃　said　Dan　impatiently。

〃You　can't　be　sure。　　She　TOLD　me　I'd　get　the　wish　I　made　on　it。　　I'm　going　to　try　whenever　I　get　home。〃

〃It　can't　do　any　harm；　anyhow；〃　said　Peter；　〃but　I'm　afraid　you've　left　it　too　late。　　If　Pat　is　dead　even　a　witch's　wishbone　can't　bring　him　back　to　life。〃

〃I'll　never　forgive　myself　for　not　thinking　about　it　before；〃　mourned　Cecily。

As　soon　as　we　got　home　she　flew　to　the　little　box　upstairs　where　she　kept　her　treasures；　and　brought　therefrom　the　dry　and　brittle　wishbone。

〃Peg　told　me　how　it　must　be　done。　　I'm　to　hold　the　wishbone　with　both　hands；　like　this；　and　walk　backward；　repeating　the　wish　nine　times。　　And　when　I've　finished　the　ninth　time　I'm　to　turn　around　nine　times；　from　right　to　left；　and　then　the　wish　will　come　true　right　away。〃

〃Do　you　expect　to　see　Pat　when　you　finish　turning？〃　said　Dan　skeptically。

None　of　us　had　any　faith　in　the　incantation　except　Peter；　and；　by　infection；　Cecily。　　You　never　could　tell　what　might　happen。　　Cecily　took　the　wishbone　in　her　trembling　little　hands　and　began　her　backward　pacing；　repeating　solemnly；　〃I　wish　that　we　may　find　Paddy　alive；　or　else　his　body；　so　that　we　can　bury　him　decently。〃　By　the　time　Cecily　had　repeated　this　nine　times　we　were　all　slightly　infected　with　the　desperate　hope　that　something　might　come　of　it；　and　when　she　had　made　her　nine　gyrations　we　looked　eagerly　down　the　sunset　lane；　half　expecting　to　see　our　lost　pet。　　But　we　saw　only　the　Awkward　Man　turning　in　at　the　gate。　　This　was　almost　as　surprising　as　the　sight　of　Pat　himself　would　have　been；　but　there　was　no　sign　of　Pat　and　hope　flickered　out　in　every　breast　but　Peter's。

〃You've　got　to　give　the　spell　time　to　work；〃　he　expostulated。　　〃If　Pat　was　miles　away　when　it　was　wished　it　wouldn't　be　reasonable　to　expect　to　see　him　right　off。〃

But　we　of　little　faith　had　already　lost　that　little；　and　it　was　a　very　disconsolate　group　which　the　Awkward　Man　presently　joined。

He　was　smilinghis　rare；　beautiful　smile　which　only　children　ever　sawand　he　lifted　his　hat　to　the　girls　with　no　trace　of　the　shyness　and　awkwardness　for　which　he　was　notorious。

〃Good　evening；〃　he　said。　　〃Have　you　little　people　lost　a　cat　lately？〃

We　stared。　　Peter　said　〃I　knew　it！〃　in　a　triumphant　pig's　whisper。　　The　Story　Girl　started　eagerly　forward。

〃Oh；　Mr。　Dale；　can　you　tell　us　anything　of　Paddy？〃　she　cried。

〃A　silver　gray　cat　with　black　points　and　very　fine　marking？〃

〃Yes；　yes！〃

〃Alive？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　doesn't　that　beat　the　Dutch！〃　muttered　Dan。

But　we　were　all　crowding　about　the　Awkward　Man；　demanding　where　and　when　he　had　found　Paddy。

〃You'd　better　come　over　to　my　place　and　make　sure　that　it　really　is　your　cat；〃　suggested　the　Awkward　Man；　〃and　I'll　tell　you　all　about　finding　him　on　the　way。　　I　must　warn　you　that　he　is　pretty　thinbut　I　think　he'll　pull　through。〃

We　obtained　permission　to　go　without　much　difficulty；　although　the　spring　evening　was　wearing　late；　for　Aunt　Janet　said　she　supposed　none　of　us　would　sleep　a　wink　that　night　if　we　didn't。　　A　joyful　procession　followed　the　Awkward　Man　and　the　Story　Girl　across　the　gray；　star…litten　meadows　to　his　home　and　through　his　pine…guarded　gate。

〃You　know　that　old　barn　of　mine　back　in　the　woods？〃　said　the　Awkward　Man。　　〃I　go　to　it　only　about　once　in　a　blue　moon。　　There　was　an　old　barrel　there；　upside　down；　one　side　resting　on　a　block　of　wood。　　This　morning　I　went　to　the　barn　to　see　about　having　some　hay　hauled　home；　and　I　had　occasion　to　move　the　barrel。　　I　noticed　that　it　seemed　to　have　been　moved　slightly　since　my　last　visit；　and　it　was　now　resting　wholly　on　the　floor。　　I　lifted　it　upand　there　was　a　cat　lying　on　the　floor　under　it。　　I　had　heard　you　had　lost　yours　and　I　took　it　this　was　your　pet。　　I　was　afraid　he　was　dead　at　first。　　He　was　lying　there　with　his　eyes　closed；　but　when　I　bent　over　him　he　opened　them　and　gave　a　pitiful　little　mew；　or　rather　his　mouth　made　the　motion　of　a　mew；　for　he　was　too　weak　to　utter　a　sound。〃

〃Oh；　poor；　poor　Paddy；〃　said　tender…hearted　Cecily　tearfully。

〃He　couldn't　stand；　so　I　carried　him　home　and　gave　him　just　a　little　milk。　　Fortunately　he　was　able　to　lap　it。　　I　gave　him　a　little　more　at　intervals　all　day；　and　when　I　left　he　was　able　to　crawl　around。　　I　think　he'll　be　all　right；　but　you'll　have　to　be　careful　how　you　feed　him　for　a　few　days。　　Don't　let　your　hearts　run　away　with　your　judgment　and　kill　him　with　kindness。〃

〃Do　you　suppose　any　one　put　him　under　that　barrel？〃　asked　the　Story　Girl。

〃No。　　The　barn　was　locked。　　Nothing　but　a　cat　could　get　in。　　I　suppose　he　went　under　the　barrel；　perhaps　in　pursuit　of　a　mouse；　and　somehow　knocked　it　off　the　block　and　so　imprisoned　himself。〃

Paddy　was　sitting　before　the　fire　in　the　Awkward　Man's　clean；　bare　kitchen。　　Thin！　　Why；　he　was　literally　skin　and　bone；　and　his　fur　was　dull　and　lustreless。　　It　almost　broke　our　hearts　to　see　our　beautiful　Paddy　brought　so　low。

〃Oh；　how　he　must　have　suffered！〃　moaned　Cecily。

〃He'll　be　as　prosperous　as　ever　in　a　week　or　two；〃　said　the　Awkward　Man　kindly。

The　Story　Girl　gathered　Paddy　up　in　her　arms。　　Most　mellifluously　did　he　purr　as　we　crowded　around　to　stroke　him；　with　friendly　joy　he　licked　our　hands　with　his　little　red　tongue；　poor　Paddy　was　a　thankful　cat；　he　was　no　longer　lost；　starving；　imprisoned；　helpless；　he　was　with　his　comrades　once　more　and　he　was　going　homehome　to　his　old　familiar　haunts　of　orchard　and　dairy　and　granary；　to　his　daily　rations　of　new　milk　and　cream；　to　the　cosy　corner　of　his　own　fireside。　　We　trooped　home　joyfully；　the　Story　Girl　in　our　midst　carrying　Paddy　hugged　against　her　shoulder。　　Never　did　April　stars　look