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as this valuable 'pot…hole' existed undisturbed for EIGHT YEARS not
FIFTY YARDS from the old cabin that was in former times the
residence of J。 Medliker； Esq。； and the station of the Pioneer
Stage Company； and was utterly unknown and unsuspected by the
previous inhabitants！ Verily truth is stranger than fiction！〃
A TALE OF THREE TRUANTS
The schoolmaster at Hemlock Hill was troubled that morning。 Three
of his boys were missing。 This was not only a notable deficit in a
roll…call of twenty； but the absentees were his three most original
and distinctive scholars。 He had received no preliminary warning
or excuse。 Nor could he attribute their absence to any common
local detention or difficulty of travel。 They lived widely apart
and in different directions。 Neither were they generally known as
〃chums；〃 or comrades； who might have entered into an unhallowed
combination to 〃play hookey。〃
He looked at the vacant places before him with a concern which his
other scholars little shared； having； after their first lively
curiosity； not unmixed with some envy of the derelicts； apparently
forgotten them。 He missed the cropped head and inquisitive glances
of Jackson Tribbs on the third bench； the red hair and brown eyes
of Providence Smith in the corner； and there was a blank space in
the first bench where Julian Fleming； a lanky giant of seventeen；
had sat。 Still； it would not do to show his concern openly； and；
as became a man who was at least three years the senior of the
eldest； Julian Fleming； he reflected that they were 〃only boys；〃
and that their friends were probably ignorant of the good he was
doing them； and so dismissed the subject。 Nevertheless； it struck
him as wonderful how the little world beneath him got on without
them。 Hanky Rogers； bully； who had been kept in wholesome check by
Julian Fleming； was lively and exuberant； and his conduct was
quietly accepted by the whole school； Johnny Stebbins； Tribbs's
bosom friend； consorted openly with Tribbs's particular enemy； some
of the girls were singularly gay and conceited。 It was evident
that some superior masculine oppression had been removed。
He was particularly struck by this last fact； when； the next
morning； no news coming of the absentees； he was impelled to
question his flock somewhat precisely concerning them。 There was
the usual shy silence which follows a general inquiry from the
teacher's desk； the children looked at one another； giggled
nervously； and said nothing。
〃Can you give me any idea as to what might have kept them away？〃
said the master。
Hanky Rogers looked quickly around； began； 〃Playin' hook〃 in a
loud voice； but stopped suddenly without finishing the word； and
became inaudible。 The master saw fit to ignore him。
〃Bee…huntin'；〃 said Annie Roker vivaciously。
〃Who is？〃 asked the master。
〃Provy Smith； of course。 Allers bee…huntin'。 Gets lots o' honey。
Got two full combs in his desk last week。 He's awful on bees and
honey。 Ain't he； Jinny？〃 This in a high voice to her sister。
The younger Miss Roker； thus appealed to； was heard to murmur that
of all the sneakin' bee…hunters she had ever seed； Provy Smith was
the worst。 〃And squirrelsfor nuts；〃 she added。
The master became attentive；a clue seemed probable here。 〃Would
Tribbs and Fleming be likely to go with him？〃 he asked。
A significant silence followed。 The master felt that the children
recognized a doubt of this； knowing the boys were not 〃chums；〃
possibly they also recognized something incriminating to them； and
with characteristic freemasonry looked at one another and were
dumb。
He asked no further questions； but； when school was dismissed；
mounted his horse and started for the dwelling of the nearest
culprit； Jackson Tribbs； four miles distant。 He had often admired
the endurance of the boy； who had accomplished the distance；
including the usual meanderings of a country youth； twice a day； on
foot； in all weathers； with no diminution of spirits or energy。 He
was still more surprised when he found it a mountain road； and that
the house lay well up on the ascent of the pass。 Autumn was
visible only in a few flaming sumacs set among the climbing pines；
and here； in a little clearing to the right； appeared the dwelling
he was seeking。
〃Tribbses；〃 or 〃Tribbs's Run；〃 was devoted to the work of cutting
down the pines midway on a long regularly sloping mountain…side；
which allowed the trunks； after they were trimmed and cut into
suitable lengths； to be slid down through rude runs； or artificial
channels； into the valley below； where they were collected by teams
and conveyed to the nearest mills。 The business was simple in the
extreme； and was carried on by Tribbs senior； two men with saws and
axes； and the natural laws of gravitation。 The house was a long
log cabin； several sheds roofed with bark or canvas seemed
consistent with the still lingering summer and the heated odors of
the pines； but were strangely incongruous to those white patches on
the table…land and the white tongue stretching from the ridge to
the valley。 But the master was familiar with those Sierran
contrasts； and as he had never ascended the trail before； it might
be only the usual prospect of the dwellers there。 At this moment
Mr。 Tribbs appeared from the cabin； with his axe on his shoulder。
Nodding carelessly to the master； he was moving away； when the
latter stopped him。
〃Is Jackson here？〃 he asked。
〃No；〃 said the father； half impatiently； still moving on。 〃Hain't
seen him since yesterday。〃
〃Nor has he been at school；〃 said the master； 〃either yesterday or
to…day。〃
Mr。 Tribbs looked puzzled and grieved。 〃Now I reckoned you had
kep' him in for some devilment of his'n； or lessons。〃
〃Not ALL NIGHT！〃 said the master； somewhat indignant at this
presumption of his arbitrary functions。
〃Humph！〃 said Mr。 Tribbs。 〃Mariar！〃 Mrs。 Tribbs made her
appearance in the doorway。 〃The schoolmaster allows that Jackson
ain't bin to school at all。〃 Then； turning to the master； he
added； 〃Thar！ you settle it between ye；〃 and quietly walked away。
Mrs。 Tribbs looked by no means satisfied with or interested in the
proposed tete…a…tete。 〃Hev ye looked in the bresh〃 （i。 e。； brush
or underwood） 〃for him？〃 she said querulously。
〃No；〃 said the master； 〃I came here first。 There are two other
boys missing；Providence Smith and Julian Fleming。 Did either of
them〃
But Mrs。 Tribbs had interrupted him with a gesture of impatient
relief。 〃Oh； that's all； is it？ Playin' hookey together； in
course。 'Scuse me； I must go back to my bakin'。〃 She turned away；
but stopped suddenly； touched； as the master fondly believed； by
some tardy maternal solicitude。 But she only said： 〃When he DOES
come back； you just give him a whalin'； will ye？〃 and vanished into
her kitchen。
The master rode away； half ashamed of his foo