按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
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 alone；' sighed Bell。 'It's past his bed…time now。 Oh； why did
we ever come to stay in this horrible place！'
'You must not blame the place； dear； we thought it the happiest in
the world this morning。 Here we are by the upper pool； and the path
stops。 Which way had we better go？'
'I've been here before to…day；' said Bell； 'we might follow the trail
I made。 But where is my string？ Light a match； Geoff； please。'
'What string？ What do you mean？'
'Why； I found a beautiful spot this morning； and； fearing I shouldn't
remember the way again； I took out my ball of twine and dropped a
white line all the way back； like Ariadne； but I don't see it。 Where
can it have disappearedunless Jack or Phil took it to tease me？'
'Oh no； I've been with them all day。 Perhaps a snake has swallowed
it。 Come。'
But a bright idea had popped into Bell's head。 'I want to go that
way； Geoff； dear； it's as good as any other； and there are flowers
just the other side； in an open； sunny place； perhaps he found them。'
'All right； let's go ahead。'
'The trouble is； I don't know which way to go。 Here is the rock； I
remember it was a spotted one； with tall ferns growing beside it。
Now I wentlet me seethis way；' and they both plunged into the
thick brush。
'Bell； Bell； this is utter nonsense！' cried Geoff。 'No child could
crawl through this tangle。'
'Dicky could crawl through anything in this universe； if it was the
wrong thing； he isn't afraid of beast； bird； or fish； and he
positively enjoys getting scratched；' said Bell。
Meanwhile； what had become of this small hero； and what was he doing？
He was last seen in the hammock； playing with the long…suffering
terrier； Lubin； who was making believe go to sleep。 It proved to be
entirely a make…believe； for； at the first loosening of Dicky's
strangling hold upon his throat； he tumbled out of the hammock and
darted into the woods。 Dicky followed； but Lubin was fleet of foot；
and it was a desperate and exciting race for full ten minutes。
At length； as Lubin heard his little master's gleeful laugh； he
realised that his anger was a thing of the past； consequently； he
wheeled about and ran into Dicky's outstretched arms； licking his
face and hands exuberantly in the joy of complete forgiveness。
By this time the voice of conscience in Dicky's souland it was a
very； very still； small one on all occasionswas entirely silenced。
He strayed into a sunny spot； and picked flowers enough to trim his
little sailor hat； probably divining that this was what lost children
in Sunday…school books always did； and it would be dishonourable not
to keep up the superstition。 Then he built a fine； strong dam of
stones across the brook； wading to and fro without the bother of
taking off his shoes and stockings； and filled his hat with rocks and
sunk it to the bottom for a wharf； keeping his hat…band to tie an
unhappy frog to a bit of bark； and setting him afloat as the captain
of a slave…ship。 When； at length； the struggling creature freed
himself from his bonds and leaped into the pool； Dicky played that he
was a drowning child； and threw Lubin into the water to rescue him。
In these merry antics the hours flew by unnoticed； he had never been
happier in his life； and it flashed through his mind that if he were
left entirely to himself he should always be good。
'Here I've been a whole day offul good by my lone self； haven't said
one notty word or did one notty fing； nor gotted scolded a singul
wunst； did I； Lubin？ I guess we better live here； bettent we； Lubin？
And ven we wunt git stuck inter bed fur wettin' our feets little
teenty mites of wet ev'ry singul night all the livelong days； will
we； Lubin？'
But this was a long period of reflection for Master Dicky； and he
capered on； farther and farther； the water sozzling frightfully in
his little copper…toed boots。 At length he sat down on a stone to
rest himself； and； glancing aimlessly about； his eyes fell on a white
string； which he grasped with alacrity； pulling its end from beneath
the stone on which he sat。
'Luby Winship； the anjulls gaved me this string fur ter make an offul
splendid tight harness for you； little Luby； and you can drag big
heavy stones。 Won't that be nice？'
Lubin looked doubtful； and wagged his tail dissentingly； as much as
to say that his ideas of angel ministrations were a trifle different。
But there was no end to the string！ How very； very curious！ Dicky
wound and wound and crept and crept along； until he was thoroughly
tired but thoroughly determined to see it through； and Lubin；
meanwhile； had seized the first convenient moment； after the mention
of the harness； to retire to the camp。
At length； oh joy！ the tired and torn little man； following carefully
the leading…string； issued from the scratching bushes into a clean；
beautiful； round place； with a great restful…looking stump in the
centre； and round its base a small forest of snowy toadstools。 What
could be a lovelier surprise！ Dicky clapped his hands in glee as he
looked at them； and thought of a little verse of poetry which Bell
had taught him：
'Some fairy umbrellas came up to…day
Under the elm…tree； just over the way；
And as we have had a shower of rain；
The reason they came is made very plain：
To…night is the woodland fairies' ball；
And drops from the elm…tree might on them fall；
So little umbrellas wait for them here；
And under their shelter they'll dance without fear。
Take care where you step； nor crush them； I pray；
For fear you will frighten the fairies away。'
'Oh！' thought Dicky； in a trance of delight； 'now I shall go to the
fairies' ball； and see 'em dance under the cunning little teenty
umberells； and wunt they be mad at home when nobuddy can't see 'em
but just only me！ And then if that potry is a big whopper； like that
there uvver one'laddin…lamp story of Bell'sI'll just pick evry
white toadstool for my papa's Sunday dinner； and she sha'n't never
see a singul fairy dance。'
But he waited very patiently for a long； long time that seemed like
years； for Lubin had disappe