a summer in a canyon-第31部分

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tents　will　be　dry　before　night；　Elsie　has　caught　no　cold；　the　dust
will　be　laid；　and　we　can　stay　another　week　with　safety。'

Everybody　was　hilarious　over　this　decision　save　the　men…of…all…work；
who　longed　unspeakably　for　a　less　poetic　existenceHop　Yet
particularly；　who　thought　camping　out　'not　muchee　good。'

Dicky　was　more　pleased　than　anybody；　perhaps；　as　every　day　in　the
canyon　was　one　day　less　in　school；　not　that　he　had　ever　been　to
school；　but　he　knew　in　advance；　instinctively；　that　it　wouldn't　suit
him。　　Accordingly；　he　sought　the　wettest　possible　places　and　played
all　day　with　superhuman　energy。　　He　finally　found　Hop　Yet's　box　of
blueing　under　a　tree；　in　a　very　moist　and　attractive　state　of
fluidity；　and　just　before　dinner　improved　the　last　shining　hour　by
painting　himself　a　brilliant　hue　and　appearing　at　dinner　in　such　a
fiendish　guise　that　he　frightened　the　family　into　fits。

Now　Dr。　Winship　was　one　of　the　most　weather…wise　men　in　California；
and　his　predictions　were　always　quite　safe　and　sensible；　but　somehow
or　other　it　did　rain　again　in　two　or　three　days；　and　it　poured　harder
than　ever；　too。　　To　be　sure；　it　cleared　promptly；　but　the　doctor　was
afraid　to　trust　so　fickle　a　person　as　the　Clerk　of　the　Weather　had
become；　and　marching　orders　were　issued。

The　boys　tramped　over　all　their　favourite　bits　of　country；　and　the
girls　visited　all　their　best　beloved　haunts；　every　one　of　them　dear
from　a　thousand　charming　associations。　　They　looked　for　the　last　time
in　Mirror　Pool；　and　saw　the　reflection　of　their　facesrather　grave
faces　just　then；　over　the　leave…taking。

The　water…mirror　might　have　been　glad　to　keep　the　picture　for　ever　on
its　surfaceMargery　with　her　sleek　braids　and　serene　forehead；　with
Polly；　saucy　nose　and　mischievous　eyes；　laughing　at　you　like　a　merry
water…sprite；　Bell；　with　her　brilliant　cheeks　glowing　like　two　roses
just　fallen　in　the　brook；　and　Gold　Elsie；　who；　if　you　had　put　a　frame
of　green　leaves　about　her　delicate　face　and　yellow　locks；　would　have
looked　up　at　you　like　a　water…lily。

They　wafted　a　farewell　to　Pico　Negro；　and　having　got　rid　of　the　boys；
privately　embraced　a　certain　Whispering　Tree　under　whose　singing
branches　they　had　been　wont　to　lie　and　listen　to　all　the　murmuring
that　went　on　in　the　forest。

Then　they　clambered　into　the　great　thorough…brace　wagon；　where　they
all　sat　in　gloomy　silence　for　ten　minutes；　while　Dicky's　tan　terrier
was　found　for　the　fourth　time　that　morning；　and　the　long　train；　with
its　baggage…carts；　its　saddle…horses　and　its　dogged　little　pack…
mules；　moved　down　the　rocky　steeps　that　led　to　civilisation。　　The
gate　that　shut　them　in　from　the　county　road　and　the　outer　world　was
opened　for　the　last　time；　and　shut　with　a　clang；　and　it　was　all　over…
…their　summer　in　a　canyon！





Footnotes：



｛1｝　Foot…notes　by　a　rival　of　the　Countess。

｛1a｝　　Is　that　spelled　right？
｛1b｝　　Fifty　miles　an　hour；　Jack　says。
｛1c｝　　Poetic　licence。
｛1d｝　　Gone　back　to　cold　cream。
｛1e｝　　And　pie。
｛1f｝　　For　sale　at　all　bookstores；　ten　cents　a　copy。

｛2｝　　'Four　little　white　doves　began　to　coo；
　　　To　coo　to　their　mates　so　fair；
And　each　to　the　other　dove　said；　'Your　coo
　　　With　mine　cannot　compare！'







End