a summer in a canyon-第11节

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when　we　started。'

'Why；　I　certainly　thought　I　heard　him　ask　to　go　with　you；'　said　Mrs。
Winship；　in　rather　an　alarmed　tone。

'So　he　did；　but　I　told　him　it　was　too　far。'

'I　didn't　hear　that；　in　fact；　I　was　half　asleep；　I　was　not　feeling
well。　　Ask　Hop　Yet；　he　has　been　in　the　kitchen　all　the　afternoon。'

Hop　Yet　replied；　with　discouraging　tranquillity；　'Oh；　I　no　know。　　I
no　sabe　Dicky；　he　allee　time　lun　loun　camp；　I　no　look；　too　muchee
work。　　I　chop　hashDicky　come　in　kitch'make　heap　workno　good。　　I
tell　him　go　longhe　go；　bime…by　you　catchum；　you　see。'　　Whereupon　he
gracefully　skinned　an　onion；　and　burst　into　a　Chinese　song；　with
complete　indifference　as　to　whether　Dicky　lived　or　died。

'Perhaps　he　is　with　Pancho；　I'll　run　and　see！'　cried　Polly；　dashing
swiftly　in　the　direction　of　the　sky…parlour。　　But　after　a　few　minutes
she　ran　back；　with　a　serious　face。　　'He's　not　there；　Pancho　has　not
seen　him　since　lunch。'

'Well；　I've　just　happened　to　think；'　said　pale　Aunt　Truth；　'that　papa
came　into　the　tent　for　some　cartridges；　after　you　left；　and　of　course
he　took　Dick　with　him。　　I　don't　suppose　it　is　any　use　to　worry。　　He
always　does　come　out　right；　and　I　have　told　him　so　many　times　never
on　any　account　to　go　away　from　the　camp　alone　that　he　surely　would
not　do　it。　　Papa　and　the　boys　will　be　home　soon；　now。　　It　is　nearly
six　o'clock；　and　I　told　them　that　I　would　blow　the　horn　at　six；　as
usual。　　If　they　are　too　far　away　to　hear　it；　they　will　know　the　time
by　the　sun。'

'Well；'　said　Bell；　anxiously；　'I　hope　it　is　all　right。　　Papa　is　so
strict　that　he　won't　be　late　himself。　　Did　all　the　boys　go　with　him；
mamma？'

'Yes；　all　but　Philip。'

'Oh；　then　Dicky　must　be　with　them；'　said　Margery；　consolingly。
'Geoffrey　always　takes　him　wherever　he　can。'

So　the　girls　went　into　the　tent　to　begin　their　dinner　toilet；　which
consisted　in　carefully　brushing　burrs　and　dust　from　their　pretty
dresses；　and　donning　fresh　collars　and　stockings；　with　low　ties　of
russet　leather；　which　Polly　declared　belonged　only　to　the　stage
conception　of　a　camping　costume；　then；　with　smoothly　brushed　hair　and
bright　flower…knots　at　collar　and　belt；　they　looked　charming　enough
to　grace　any　drawing…room　in　the　land。

The　horn　was　blown　again　at　six　o'clock；　Aunt　Truth　standing　at　the
entrance　of　the　path　which　led　up　the　canyon；　shading　her　anxious
eyes　from　the　light　of　the　setting　sun。　…

'Here　they　come！'　she　cried；　joyously；　as　the　welcome　party　appeared
in　sight；　guns　over　shoulder；　full　game…bags；　and　Jack　and　Geoff　with
a　few　rabbits　and　quail　hanging　over　their　arms。

The　girls　rushed　out　of　the　tent。　　Bell　took　in　the　whole　group　with
one　swift　glance；　and　then　turned　to　her　mother；　who；　like　most
mothers；　believed　the　worst　at　once；　and　grew　paler　as　she　asked：

'Papa；　where　is　little　Dick？'

'Dick！　　Why；　my　dear；　he　has　not　been　out　with　us。　　What　do　you
mean？'

'Are　you　sure　you　didn't　take　him？'　faltered　Aunt　Truth。

'Of　course　I　am。　　Good　heavens！　　Doesn't　any　one　know　where　the　child
is？'　looking　at　the　frightened　group。

'You　know；　uncle；'　said　Geoffrey；　'we　started　out　at　three　o'clock。
I　noticed　Dicky　playing　with　his　blocks　in　our　tent；　and　said　good…
bye　to　him。　　Did　you　see　him　when　you　came　back　for　the　cartridges？'

'Certainly　I　did；　he　called　me　to　look　at　his　dog　making　believe　go
to　sleep　in　the　hammock。'

'We　girls　went　down　to　the　pool　soon　after　that；'　said　Bell；
tearfully。　　'He　asked　to　go　with　us；　and　I　told　him　it　was　too　far；
and　that　he'd　better　stay　with　mamma；　who　would　be　all　alone。　　He
said　〃Yes〃　so　sweetly　I　couldn't　mistrust　him。　　Oh；　was　it　my　fault；
papa？　　Please　don't　say　it　was！'　and　she　burst　into　a　passion　of
sobs。

'No；　no；　my　child；　of　course　it　was　not。　　Don't　cry；　we　shall　find
him。　　Go　and　look　about　the　camp；　Geoff；　while　we　consider　for　a
minute　what　to　do？'

'If　there　is　any　fault；　it　is　mine；　for　going　to　sleep；'　said　poor
Aunt　Truth；　'but　I　never　dreamed　he　would　dare　to　wander　off　alone；
my　poor　little　disobedient　darling！　　What　shall　we　do？'

'Have　you　spoken　to　Pancho　and　Hop　Yet？'　asked　Phil。

'Yes；　they　have　seen　nothing。'

Hop　Yet　just　at　this　moment　issued　from　his　kitchen　with　an　immense
platter　of　mutton…stew　and　dumplings；　which　he　deposited　on　the
table。　　On　being　questioned　again；　he　answered　as　before；　with　the
greatest　serenity；　intimating　that　Dicky　would　come　home　'heap　bime…
by'　when　he　got　'plenty　hungly。'　　He　seemed　to　think　a　lost　boy　or
two　in　a　family　rather　a　trifle　than　otherwise；　and　wound　up　his
unfeeling　remarks　with　the　practical　one；　'Dinner　all　leady；　you　no
eat　mutton；　he　get　cold！　　Misser　Wins'；　I　no　find　pickle；　you
catchum！'

'I　don't　believe　he　would　care　if　we　all　died　right　before　his　eyes；'
muttered　Polly；　angrily。　　'I　should　just　like　to　see　a　Chinaman's
heart　once；　and　find　out　whether　it　was　made　of　resin；　or　cuttle…
fish；　or　what。'

'Well；'　said　Phil；　as　Dr。　Winship　came　through　the　trees　from　the
card…room；　'we　must　start　out　this　instant；　and　of　course　we　can　find
him　somehow；　somewhere；　he　hasn't　been　gone　over　two　hours；　and　he
couldn't　walk　far；　that's　certain。　　Now；　Uncle　Doc；　shall　we　all　go
different　ways；　and　leave　the　girls　here　to　see　if　he　doesn't　turn
up？'

'Oh；　papa；'　cried　Bell；　do　not　leave　us　at　home！　　We　can　hunt　as　well
as　any　one；　we　know　every　foot　of　the　canyon。　　Let　me　go　with　Geoff；
and　we'll　follow　the　brook　trail。'

'Very　well。　　Now；　mamma；　Pancho　and　I　will　go　down　to　the　main　road；
and　you　wait　patiently　here。　　Make　all　the　noise　you　can；　children；
and　the　one　who　finds　him　must　come　back　to　the　camp　and　blow　the
horn。　　Hop　Yet；　we　go　now；　if　Dicky　comes　back；　you　blow　the　horn
yourself；　will　you？'

'All　light；　boss。　　You　eat　um　dinner　now；　then　go　bime…by；　mutton
heap　cold；　you'

'Dinner！'　shouted　Jack。　　'Confound　your　impudence！　　If　you　say　dinner
again；　I'll　cut　the　queue　off　your　stupid　head。'

'Good！'　murmured　Polly；　giving　a　savage　punch　to　her　blue　Tam　o'
Shanter　cap。

'Jack；　Jack！'　remonstrated　Aunt　Truth。

'I　know；　dear　auntie；　but　the　callous　old　heathen　makes　me　so　mad　I
can't　contain　myself。　　Come；　Margery；　let's　be　off。　　Get　your　shawl；
and　hurrah　for　the　one　who　comes　back　to　blow　the　horn　first！　　I'll
wager　you　ten　to　one　I'll　have　Dick　in　auntie's　lap　inside　the
hour！'at　which　Aunt　Truth's　eyes　brightened；　and　she　began　to　take
heart　again。　　But　as　he　tore　past　the　brush　kitchen　and　out　into　the
woods；　dragging　Madge　after　him　at　a　breathless　pace；　he　shut　his
lips　together　rather　grimly；　saying；　'I'd　give　five　hundred　dollars
（s'posin'　I　had　a　cent）　to　see　that　youngster　safe　again。'

'Tell　me　one　thing；　Jack；'　said　Margery；　her　teeth　chattering　with
nervousness；　'are　there　any　animals　in　this　canyon　that　would　attack
him？'

'Oh；　of　course　it　is　possible　that　a　California　lion　or　a　wild…cat
might　come　down　to　the　brook　to　drinkthey　have　been　killed
hereaboutsbut　I　hardly　believe　it　is　likely；　and　neither　do　I
believe　they　would　be　apt　to　hurt　him；　any　way；　for　he　would　never
attack　them；　you　know。　　What　I　am　afraid　of　is　that　he　has　tumbled
over　the　rocks　somewhere　in　climbing；　or　tangled　himself　up　in　the
chaparral。　　He　couldn't　have　made　off　with　a　pistol；　could　he？　　He　is
up　to　all　such　tricks。'

Presently　the　canyon　began　to　echo　with　strange　sounds；　which　I　have
no　doubt　sent　the　owls；　birds；　and　rabbits　into　fits　of　terror；　for
the　boys　had　whistles　and　pistols；　while　Polly　had　taken　a　tin　pan
and　a　hammer。　　She　had　gone　with　Phil　out　behind　the　thicket　of
manzanita　bushes；　and　they　both　stood　motionless；　undecided　where　to
go。

'Oh；　Phil；　I　can't　help　it；　I　must　cry；　I　am　so　frightened。　　Let　me
sit　down　a　second。　　Yes；　I　know　it's　an　ant…hill；　and　I　shouldn't
care　if　it　were　a　hornets'　nestI　deserve　to　be　stung。　　What　do　you
think　I　said　to　Margery　this　morning？　　That　Dicky　was　a　perfect
little　marplot；　and　spoiled　all　our　fun；　and　I　wished　he　were　in　the
bottom　of　the　Red　Sea；　and　then　I　called　him　a　k…k…k…ill…joy！'　and
Polly　buried　her　head　in　her　blue　Tam；　and　cried　a　good；　honest；　old…
fashioned　cry。

'There；　chirk　up；　poor　little　soul；　and　don't　you　fret　over　a
careless　speech；　that　meant　nothing　at　all。　　I've　wished　him　in　the
Red　Sea　more　than　once；　but　I'm　blessed　if　I　ever　do　it　again。　　Come；
let's　go　over　yonder；　where　we　caught　the　young　owl；　Dicky　may　have
wanted　to　try　that　little　game　again。'

So　they　went　on；　calling；　listening；　then　struggling　on　again；　more
anxious　every　moment；　but　not　so　thoroughly　dazed　as　Bell；　who　had
rocked　her　baby…brother　in　his　cradle；　and　to　whom　he　was　the
embodiment　of　every　earthly　grace；　if　not　of　every　heavenly　virtue。

'I　might　have　known　this　would　happen；'　she　said；　miserably。　　'He　is
so　careless　that；　if　we　ever　find　him　again；　we　must　keep　him　tied　to
something。'

'Take　care　of　your　steps；　dear；'　said　Geoff；　'and　munch　this　cracker；
or　you　won't　have　strength　enough　to　go　on　with　me。　　I　wish　it　were
not　getting　so　dark；　the　moment　the　sun　gets　behind　these　mountain…
tops　the　light　seems　to　vanish　in　an　instant。Dick…y！'

'Think　of　the　poor　darling　out　in　this　darknesshungry；　frightened；
and　alo