rudder grange-第27部分

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room　that　they　called　the　office；　to　see　if　there　was　a　letter　for
us　yet；　an'　there　wasn't　nobody　there　to　ask。　　But　I　saw　a　pile　of
letters　under　a　weight　on　the　table；　an'　I　jus'　looked　at　these　to
see　if　one　of　'em　was　for　us；　an'　if　there　wasn't　the　very　letter
Jone　had　written　to　the　doctor！　　They'd　never　sent　it！　　I　rushes
back　to　Jone　an'　tells　him；　an'　he　jus'　set　an'　looked　at　me
without　sayin'　a　word。　　I　didn't　wonder　he　couldn't　speak。

〃'I'll　go　an'　let　them　people　know　what　I　think　of　'em；'　says　I。

〃'Don't　do　that；'　said　Jone；　catchin'　me　by　the　sleeve。　　'It　wont
do　no　good。　　Leave　the　letter　there；　an'　don't　say　nothin'　about
it。　　We'll　stay　here　till　afternoon　quite　quiet；　an'　then　we'll　go
away。　　That　garden　wall　isn't　high。'

〃'An'　how　about　the　trunk？'　says　I。

〃'Oh；　we'll　take　a　few　things　in　our　pockets；　an'　lock　up　the
trunk；　an'　ask　the　doctor　to　send　for　it　when　we　get　to　the　city。'

〃'All　right；'　says　I。　　An'　we　went　to　work　to　get　ready　to　leave。

〃About　five　o'clock　in　the　afternoon；　when　it　was　a　nice　time　to
take　a　walk　under　the　trees；　we　meandered　quietly　down　to　a　corner
of　the　back　wall；　where　Jone　thought　it　would　be　rather　convenient
to　get　over。　　He　hunted　up　a　short　piece　of　board　which　he　leaned
up　ag'in　the　wall；　an'　then　he　put　his　foot　on　the　top　of　that　an'
got　hold　of　the　top　of　the　wall　an'　climbed　up；　as　easy　as　nuthin'。
Then　he　reached　down　to　help　me　step　onto　the　board。　　But　jus'　as
he　was　agoin'　to　take　me　by　the　hand：　'Hello！'　says　he。　　'Look　a…
there！'　　An'　I　turned　round　an'　looked；　an'　if　there　wasn't　Mrs。
Andrew　Jackson　an'　General　Tom　Thumb　a…walkin'　down　the　path。

〃'What　shall　we　do？'　says　I。

〃'Come　along；'　says　he。　　'We　aint　a…goin'　to　stop　for　them。　　Get
up；　all　the　same。'

〃I　tried　to　get　up　as　he　said；　but　it　wasn't　so　easy　for　me　on
account　of　my　not　bein'　such　a　high　stepper　as　Jone；　an'　I　was　a
good　while　a…gettin'　a　good　footin'　on　the　board。

〃Mrs。　Jackson　an'　the　General；　they　came　right　up　to　us　an'　set
down　on　a　bench　which　was　fastened　between　two　trees　near　the　wall。
An'　there　they　set；　a…lookin'　steady　at　us　with　their　four　little
eyes；　like　four　empty　thimbles。

〃'You　appear　to　be　goin'　away；'　says　Mrs。　Jackson。

〃'Yes；'　says　Jone　from　the　top　of　the　wall。　　We're　a…goin'　to　take
a　slight　stroll　outside；　this　salu…brious　evenin'。'

〃'Do　you　think；'　says　she；　'that　the　United　States　Bank　would　be
open　this　time　of　day？'

〃'Oh　no；'　says　Jone；　'the　banks　all　close　at　three　o'clock。　　It's　a
good　deal　after　that　now。'

〃'But　if　I　told　the　officers　who　I　was；　wouldn't　that　make　a
difference？'　says　she。　　'Wouldn't　they　go　down　an'　open　the　bank？'

〃'Not　much；'　says　Jone；　givin'　a　pull　which　brought　me　right　up　to
the　top　o'　the　wall　an'　almost　clean　down　the　other　side；　with　one
jerk。　　'I　never　knowed　no　officers　that　would　do　that。　　But；'　says
he；　a　kind　o'　shuttin'　his　eyes　so　that　she　shouldn't　see　he　was
lyin'；　'we'll　talk　about　that　when　we　come　back。'

〃'If　you　see　that　team　of　little　oxen；'　says　the　big　man；　'send　'em
'round　to　the　front　gate。'

〃'All　right；'　says　Jone；　an'　he　let　me　down　the　outside　of　the　wall
as　if　I　had　been　a　bag　o'　horse…feed。

〃'But　if　the　bank　isn't　open　you　can't　pay　for　it　when　it　does
come；'　we　heard　the　old　lady　a…sayin'　as　we　hurried　off。

〃We　didn't　lose　no　time　agoin'　down　to　that　station；　an'　it's　lucky
we　didn't；　for　a　train　for　the　city　was　comin'　jus'　as　we　got
there；　an'　we　jumped　aboard　without　havin'　no　time　to　buy　tickets。
There　wasn't　many　people　in　our　car；　an　we　got　a　seat　together。

〃'Now　then；'　says　Jone；　as　the　cars　went　abuzzin'　along；　'I　feel　as
if　I　was　really　on　a　bridal…trip；　which　I　mus'　say　I　didn't　at　that
there　asylum。'

〃An'　then　I　said：　'I　should　think　not；'　an'　we　both　bust　out　a…
laughin'；　as　well　we　might；　feelin'　sich　a　change　of　surroundin's。

〃'Do　you　think；'　says　somebody　behind　us；　when　we'd　got　through
laughin'；　'that　if　I　was　to　send　a　boy　up　to　the　cashier　he　would
either　come　down　or　send　me　the　key　of　the　bank？'

〃We　both　turned　aroun'　as　quick　as　lightnin'；　an'　if　there　wasn't
them　two　lunertics　in　the　seat　behind　us！

〃It　nearly　took　our　breaths　away　to　see　them　settin'　there；　staring
at　us　with　their　thimble　eyes；　an'　a…wearin'　their　little　straw
hats；　both　alike。

〃'How　on　the　livin'　earth　did　you　two　got　here？'　says　I；　as　soon　as
I　could　speak。

〃'Oh；　we　come　by　the　same　way　you　comeby　the　tem…per…ary　stairs；'
says　Mrs。　Jackson。　　'We　thought　if　it　was　too　late　to　draw　any
money　to…night；　it　might　be　well　to　be　on　hand　bright　an'　early　in
the　mornin'。　　An'　so　we　follered　you　two；　as　close　as　we　could；
because　we　knew　you　could　take　us　right　to　the　very　bank　doors；　an'
we　didn't　know　the　way　ourselves；　not　never　havin'　had　no　occasion
to　attend　to　nothin'　of　this　kind　before。'

〃Jone　an'　I　looked　at　each　other；　but　we　didn't　speak　for　a　minute。

〃'Then；'　says　I；　'here's　a　pretty　kittle　o'　fish。'

〃'I　should　kinder　say　so；'　says　Jone。　　'We've　got　these　here　two
lunertics　on　our　hands；　sure　enough；　for　there　ain't　no　train　back
to　Pokus　tonight；　an'　I　wouldn't　go　back　with　'em　if　there　was。　　We
must　keep　an　eye　on　'em　till　we　can　see　the　doctor　to…morrow。'

〃'I　suppose　we　must；'　said　I；　'but　this　don't　seem　as　much　like　a
bridal…trip　as　it　did　a　while　ago。'

〃'You're　right　there；'　says　Jone。

〃When　the　conductor　came　along　we　had　to　pay　the　fare　of　them　two
lunertics；　besides　our　own；　for　neither　of　'em　had　a　cent　about
'em。　　When　we　got　to　town　we　went　to　a　smallish　hotel；　near　the
ferry；　where　Jone　knowed　the　man　who　kep'　it；　who　wouldn't　bother
about　none　of　us　havin'　a　scrap　of　baggage；　knowin'　he'd　get　his
money　all　the　same；　out　of　either　Jone　or　his　father。　　The　General
an'　his　sister　looked　a　kind　o'　funny　in　their　little　straw　hats
an'　green　carpet…slippers；　an'　the　clerk　didn't　know　whether　he
hadn't　forgot　how　to　read　writin'　when　the　big　man　put　down　the
names　of　General　Tom　Thumb　and　Mrs。　ex…President　Andrew　Jackson；
which　he　wasn't　ex…President　anyway；　bein'　dead；　but　Jone　he
whispered　they　was　travelin'　under　nommys　dess　plummys　（I　told　him
to　say　that）；　an'　he　would　fix　it　all　right　in　the　mornin'。　　An'
then　we　got　some　supper；　which　it　took　them　two　lunertics　a　long
time　to　eat；　for　they　was　all　the　time　forgettin'　what　particular
kind　o'　business　they　was　about；　an'　then　we　was　showed　to　our
rooms。　　They　had　two　rooms　right　across　the　hall　from　ours。　　We
hadn't　been　inside　our　room　five　minutes　before　Mrs。　General
Jackson　come　a…knockin'　at　the　door。

〃'Look　a…here；'　she　says　to　me；　'there's　a　unforeseen　contingency
in　my　room。　　An'　it　smells。'

〃So　I　went　right　in；　an'　sure　enough　it　did　smell；　for　she　had
turned　on　all　the　gases；　besides　the　one　that　was　lighted。

〃'What　did　you　do　that　for？'　says　I；　a…turnin'　them　off　as　fast　as
I　could。

〃'I'd　like　to　know　what　they're　made　for；'　says　she；　'if　they　isn't
to　be　turned　on。'

〃When　I　told　Jone　about　this　he　looked　real　serious；　an'　jus'　then
a　waiter　came　upstairs　an'　went　into　the　big　man's　room。　　In　a
minute　he　come　out　an'　says　to　Jone　an'　me；　a…grinnin'：

〃'We　can't　suit　him　no　better　in　this　house。'

〃'What　does　he　want？'　asks　Jone。

〃'Why；　he　wants　a　smaller　bed；'　says　the　waiter。　　'He　says　he　can't
sleep　in　a　bed　as　big　as　that；　an'　we　haven't　none　smaller　in　this
house；　which　he　couldn't　get　into　if　we　had；　in　my　opinion；'　says
he。

〃'All　right；'　says　Jone。　　'Jus'　you　go　downstairs；　an'　I'll　fix
him。'　　So　the　man　goes　off；　still　a…grinnin'。　　'I　tell　you　what　it
is；'　says　Jone；　'it　wont　do　to　let　them　two　lunertics　have　rooms　to
themselves。　　They'll　set　this　house　afire　or　turn　it　upside　down　in
the　middle　of　the　night；　if　they　has。　　There's　nuthin'　to　be　done
but　for　you　to　sleep　with　the　woman　an'　for　me　to　sleep　with　the
man；　an'　to　keep　'em　from　cuttin'　up　till　mornin'。'

〃So　Jone　he　went　into　the　room　where　General　Tom　Thumb　was　a…
settin'　with　his　hat　on；　a…lookin'　doleful　at　the　bed；　an'　says　he：

〃'What's　the　matter　with　the　bed？'

〃'Oh；　it's　too　large　entirely；'　says　the　General。　　'It　wouldn't　do
for　me　to　sleep　in　a　bed　like　that。　　It　would　ruin　my　character　as
a　genuine　Thumb。'

〃'Well；'　says　Jone；　'it's　nearly　two　times　too　big　for　you；　but　if
you　an'　me　was　both　to　sleep　in　it；　it　would　be　about　right；
wouldn't　it？'

〃'Oh　yes；'　says　the　General。　　An'　he　takes　off　his　hat；　an'　Jone
says　good…night　to　me　an'　shuts　the　door。　　Our　room　was　better　than
Mrs。　General　Jackson's；　so　I　takes　her　in　there；　an'　the　fust　thing
she　does　is　to　turn　on　all　the　gases。

〃'Stop　that！'　I　hollers。　　'If　you　do　that　again；I'llI'll　break
the　United　States　Bank　tomorrow！'

〃'How'll　you　do　that？'　says　she。

〃'I'll　draw　out　all　my　capital；'　says　I。

〃'I　hope　really　you　wont；'　says　she；　'till　I've　been　there；'　an'
she　leans　out　of　the　open　winder　to　look　into　the　street；　but　while
she　was　a…lookin'　out　I　see　her　left　hand　a…creepin'　up　to　the　gas
by　the　winder；　that　wasn't　lighted。　　I　felt　mad　enough　to　take　her
by　the　feet　an'　pitch　her　out；　as　you　an　the　boarder；〃　said　Pomona；
turning　to　me；　〃h'isted　me　out　of　the　canal…boat　winder。〃

This；　by　the　way；　was　the　first　intimation　we　had　had　that　Pomona
knew　how　she　came　to　fall　out　of　that　window。

〃But　I　didn't　do　it；〃　she　continued；　〃for　there　wasn't　no　soft
water　underneath　for　her　to　fall　into。　　After　we　went　to　bed　I　kep'
awake　for　a　long　time；　bein'　afraid　she'd　get　up　in　the　night　an'
turn　on　all　the　gases　and　smother　me　alive。　　But　I　fell　asleep　at
last；　an'　when　I　woke　up；　early　in　the　mornin'；　the　first　thing　I
did　was　to　feel　for　that　lunertic。　　But　she　was　gone！〃



CHAPTER　XVI。

IN　WHICH　AN　OLD　FRIEND　APPEARS　AND　THE　BRIDAL　TRIP　TAKES　A　FRESH
START。


〃Gone？〃　cried　Euphemia；　who；　with　myself；　had　been　listening　most
intently　to　Pomona's　story。

〃Yes；〃　continued　Pomona；　〃she　was　gone。　　I　give　one　jump　out　of　bed
and　felt　the　gases；　but　they　was　all　right。　　But　she　was　gone；　an'
her　clothes　was　gone。　　I　dressed；　as　pale　as　death；　I　do　expect；
an'　hurried　to　Jone's　room；　an'　he　an'　me　an'　the　big　man　was　all
ready　in　no　time　to　go　an'　look　for　her。　　G