a summer in a canyon-第24节

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'Begin　on　those；　and　I'll　fry　like　lightning　on　two　griddles　to　keep
up　with　you；'　and　she　rushed　to　the　brush　kitchen　to　turn　her　next
instalments　that　had　been　left　to　brown。　　Hop　Yet　had　retired　to　a
distant　spot　by　the　brook；　and　was　washing　dish…towels。　　All　Chinese
cooks　are　alike　in　their　horror　of　a　woman　in　the　kitchen；　but　some
of　them　will　unbend　so　far　as　to　allow　her　to　amuse　herself　so　long
as　they　are　not　required　to　witness　the　disagreeable　spectacle。

Bell　delicately　inserted　the　cake…turner　under　the　curled　edges　of
the　flapjacks　and　turned　them　over　deftly；　using　a　little　too　much
force；　perhaps；　in　the　downward　stroke　when　she　flung　them　back　on
the　griddle。

'Seems　to　me　they　come　down　with　considerable　of　a　thud；'　she　said；
reflectively。　　'I　hope　they're　not　tough；　for　I　should　never　hear　the
last　of　it。　　Guess　I'll　punch　one　with　the　handle　of　this　tin　shovel；
and　see　how　it　acts。　　Goodness！　it's　sort　ofelastic。　　That's　funny。
Well；　perhaps　it's　the　way　they　ought　to　look。'　　Here　she　transferred
the　smoking　mysteries　to　her　plate；　passed　a　bit　of　pork　over　the
griddles；　and；　after　ladling　out　eight　more；　flew　off　to　the　group　at
the　table。

'Are　they　good？'　she　was　beginning　to　ask；　when　the　words　were　frozen
on　her　lips　by　the　sight　of　a　significant　tableau。

The　four　boys　were　standing　on　the　bench　that　served　instead　of
dining…chairs；　each　with　a　plate　and　a　pancake　on　the　table　in　front
of　them。　　Jack　held　a　hammer　and　spike；　Scott　Burton　a　hatchet；
Geoffrey　a　saw；　and　Philip　a　rifle。　　Bell　was　nothing　if　not
intuitive。　　No　elaborate　explanations　ever　were　needed　to　show　her　a
fact。　　Without　a　word　she　flung　the　plate　of　flapjacks　she　held　as
far　into　a　thicket　as　she　had　force　to　fling　it；　and　then　dropped　on
her　knees。


〃'Shoot；　if　you　must；　this　old　grey　head；
But　spare　my　flapjacks；　sirs；〃　she　said！


'What's　the　matter　with　them？　　Tough？　　I　refuse　to　believe　it。　　Your
tools　are　too　dull；that's　all。　　Use　more　energy！　　Nothing　in　this
world　can　be　accomplished　without　effort。'

'They're　a　lovely　brown；'　began　Mrs。　Winship；　sympathetically。

'And　they　have　a　very　good　flavour；'　added　Elsie。

'Don't　touch　them；　dearest！'　cried　Bell；　snatching　the　plate　from
under　Elsie's　very　nose。　　'I　won't　have　you　made　ill　by　my　failures。
But　as　for　the　boys；　I　don't　care　a　fig　for　them。　　Let　them　make
flapjacks　more　to　their　taste；　the　odious　things！　　Polly　Oliver；　did
you　put　in　that　baking　powder；　as　I　told　you；　while　I　went　for　the
pork？'

Polly　blanched。　　'Baking　powder？'　she　faltered。

'Yes；　baking　powder！　　B…A…K…I…N…G　P…O…W…D…E…R！　　Do　I　make　myself
plain？'

'Oh；　baking　powder；　to　be　sure。　　Well；　now　that　you　mention　the
matter；　I　do　remember　that　Dicky　called　me　away　just　as　I　was　getting
it；　and　now　that　I　think　of　it；　Elsie　came　just　afterwards；　andand…
…'

'And　that's　the　whole　of　my　story；　O；'　sang　Jack。　　'I　recommend　the
criminal　to　the　mercy　of　the　court。'

'A　case　of　too　many　cooks；'　laughed　Dr。　Winship。　　'Cheer　up；　girls；
better　fortune　next　time。'

'There　are　eight　more　of　them　burning　on　the　griddles　this　moment；
Polly；'　said　Bell；　scathingly；　'and　as　they　are　yours；　not　mine；　I
advise　you　to　throw　them　in　the　brook；　with　the　rest　of　the　batter；
so　that　Hop　Yet　won't　know　that　there　has　been　a　failure。'

'Some　people　blight　everything　they　touch；'　sighed　Polly；　gloomily；
as　she　departed　for　the　kitchen。


'But　when　I　lie　in　the　green　kirkyard　…


'Oh；　Polly；　dear；'　interrupted　Margery；　'that　apology　will　not　serve
any　longer；　you've　used　it　too　often。'

'This　is　going　to　be　entirely　different；'　continued　Polly；
tragically。


'But　when　I　lie　in　the　green　kirkyard；
　　　With　the　mould　upon　my　breasts
Say　not　that　she　made　flapjacks　well；
　　　Only；　she　did　her　best。'


'We　promise！'　cried　Bell。



CHAPTER　VII：　　POLLY'S　BIRTHDAY：　　FIRST　HALF
IN　WHICH　SHE　REJOICES　AT　THE　MERE　FACT　OF　HER　EXISTENCE。



'〃O　frabjous　day！　　Calooh！　　Callay！〃
He　chortled　in　his　joy。'


Polly's　birthday　dawned　auspiciously。　　At　six　o'clock　she　was　kissed
out　of　a　sound　sleep　by　Bell　and　Margery；　and　the　three　girls　slipped
on　their　wrappers；　and　prepared　to　run　through　the　trees　for　a
morning　plunge　in　Mirror　Pool。　　Although　it　was　August　there　was
still　water　enough　in　Minnehaha　Brook　to　give　one　a　refreshing　dip。
Mirror　Pool　was　a　quarter　of　a　mile　distant　and　well　guarded　with
rocks　and　deep　hidden　in　trees；　but　a　little　pathway　had　been　made　to
the　water's　edge；　and　thus　the　girls　had　easy　access　to　what　they
called　The　Mermaid's　Bath。　　A　bay…tree　was　adorned　with　a　little
redwood　sign；　which　bore　a　picture　of　a　mermaid；　drawn　by　Margery；
and　below　the　name　these　lines　in　rustic　letters：…


　　　'A　hidden　brook；
That　to　the　sleeping　woods　all　night
Singeth　a　quiet　tune。'


Laura　had　not　lived　long　enough　in　the　woods　to　enjoy　these　cold
plunges；　and；　as　her　ideal　was　a　marble　tub；　with　scented　water；　and
a　French　maid　to　apply　the　same　with　a　velvet　sponge；　it　is　not　much
wonder。　　She　insisted　that；　though　it　was　doubtless　a　very　romantic
proceeding；　the　bottom　and　sides　of　the　natural　tub　were　quite　too
rocky　and　rough　for　her　taste；　and　that　she　should　be　in　constant
terror　of　snakes　curling　round　her　toes。

'I've　a　great　mind　to　wake　Laura；　just　for　once；'　said　Bell；　opening
the　tent　door。　　'There　never　was　such　a　morning！　　（I　believe　I've
said　that　regularly　every　day；　but　I　simply　never　can　get　used　to
it。）　　There　must　have　been　a　wonderful　sunrise；　dears；　for　the　glow
hasn't　faded　yet。　　Not　a　bit　of　morning　fogthat's　good　for　Elsie。
And　what　a　lovely　day　for　a　birthday！　　Did　they　use　to　give　you
anything　like　this　in　Vermont；　Polly？'

'Hardly；'　said　Polly；　peering　over　Bell's　shoulder。　　'Let's　see。
What　did　they　give　us　in　Vermont　this　month？　　Why；　I　can't　think　of
anything　but　dog…days；　hot　nights；　and　hay　fever；　but　that　sounds
ungrateful。　　Why；　Geoff's　up　already！　　There's　Elsie's　bunch　of
vines；　and　twigs；　and　pretty　things　hanging　on　her　tent…door。　　He's
been　off　on　horseback。　　Just　my　luck　to　have　him　get　up　first。　　Jack
always　does；　you　know；　and　last　night　I　sewed　up　the　tent…opening
with　carpet…thread；　good　and　tight；　overhandstitches　I　wouldn't　be
ashamed　of　at　a　sewing…school。'

'Oh　you　naughty　girl！'　laughed　Bell。　　'The　boys　could　rip　it　open
with　a　knife　in　half　the　time　it　took　you　to　sew　it。'

'Certainly。　　I　didn't　mean　to　keep　them　sewed　up　all　day；　but　I
thought　I'd　like　Jack　to　remember　me　the　first　thing　this　morning。'

'Girls；'　whispered　Margery；　excitedly；　'don't　stand　there　mooningor
sunningfor　ever！　　I　thought　there　was　a　gopher　in　this　tent　last
night。　　I　heard　something　scratching；　and　I　thought　it　was　the　dog
outside；　but　just　look　at　these　two　holes　almost　under　Laura's
pillow！'

'Let's　fill　them　up；　cover　them　overanything！'　gasped　Bell。　　'Laura
will　never　sleep　here　another　night　if　she　sees　them。'

'Nobody　insured　Laura　against　gophers；'　said　Polly。　　'She　must　take
the　fortunes　of　war。'

'I　wouldn't　wake　her；'　said　Margery。　　'She　didn't　sleep　well；　and　her
face　is　flushed。　　Come；　or　we　shall　be　late　for　breakfast。'

When　they　returned；　fresh　and　rosy；　from　their　bath；　there　was　a　stir
of　life　in　all　the　tents。　　Pancho　had　come　from　the　stage…station
with　mail；　an　odour　of　breakfast　issued　from　the　kitchen；　where　Hop
Yet　was　humming　a　fragment　of　Chinese　song；　that　ran　something　like
this；not　loud；　but　unearthly　enough；　as　Bell　used　to　say；　to　spoil
almost　any　cooking：…

＇Music　follows＇
Fong　fong　mongmong　tiu　he　sun　yi…u
sow　chong　how　ki…u　me　yun　tan…tar　che　ku　choi　song！


Dicky　was　abroad；　radiant　in　a　new　suit　of　clothes；　and　Elsie　pushed
her　golden　head　out　between　the　curtains；　and　proclaimed　herself
strong　enough　for　a　wrestling…match　with　any　boy　or　man　about　the
camp。

But　they　found　Laura　sitting　on　the　edge　of　her　straw　bed；　directly
over　the　concealed　gopher…holes；　a　mirror　in　her　hand　and　an
expression　of　abject　misery　on　her　countenance。

'What's　the　matter？'　cried　the　girls　in　one　breath。　　But　they　needed
no　answer；　as　she　turned　her　face　towards　the　light；　for　it　was
plainly　a　case　of　poison…oakone　eye　almost　closed；　and　the　cheek
scarlet　and　swollen。

'Where　do　you　suppose　you　got　it？'　asked　Bell。

'Oh；　I　don't　know。　　It's　everywhere；　so　I　don't　see　how　I　ever　hoped
to　escape　it。　　Yet　I've　worn　gloves　every　minute。　　I　think　I　must
have　touched　it　when　I　went　up　the　mountain　trail　with　Jack。　　I'm　a
perfect　fright　already；　and　I　suppose　it　has　only　begun。'

'Is　it　very　painful？'　asked　Polly；　sympathetically。　　'Oh；　you　do　look
so　funny；　I　can　hardly　help　laughing；　but　I'm　as　sorry　as　I　can　be。'

'I　should　expect　you　to　laughyou　generally　do；'　retorted　Laura。
'No；　it's　not　painful　yet；　but　I　don't　care　about　thatit's　looking
so　ridiculous。　　I　wonder　if　Dr。　Winship　could　send　me　home。　　I　wish
now　that　I　had　gone　with　Scott；　for　I　can't　be　penned　up　in　this　tent
a　week。'

'Oh；　it　won't　hurt　you　to　go　out；'　said　Bell；　'and　you　can　lie　in　the
sitting…room。　　Just　wait；　and　let　mamma　try　and　cure　you。　　She's　a
famous　doctor。'　　And　Bell　finished　dressing　hurriedly；　and　went　to
her　m