rudder grange-第4部分

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think　of　it。　　I　scarcely　dared　to　think　at　all。

The　man　called　after　me　and　I　stopped。　　I　could　but　stop；　no　matter
what　I　might　hear。

〃Hello；　mister；〃　he　said；　〃got　any　tobacco？〃

I　walked　up　to　him。　　I　took　hold　of　him　by　the　lapel　of　his　coat。
It　was　a　dirty　lapel；　as　I　remember　even　now；　but　I　didn't　mind
that。

〃Look　here；〃　said　I。　　〃Tell　me　the　truth；　I　can　bear　it。　　Was　that
vessel　wrecked？〃

The　man　looked　at　me　a　little　queerly。　　I　could　not　exactly
interpret　his　expression。

〃You're　sure　you　kin　bear　it？〃　said　he。

〃Yes；〃　said　I；　my　hand　trembling　as　I　held　his　coat。

〃Well；　then；〃　said　he；　〃it's　mor'n　I　kin；〃　and　he　jerked　his　coat
out　of　my　hand；　and　sprang　away。　　When　he　reached　the　other　side　of
the　road；　he　turned　and　shouted　at　me；　as　though　I　had　been　deaf。

〃Do　you　know　what　I　think？〃　he　yelled。　　〃I　think　you're　a　darned
lunatic；〃　and　with　that　he　went　his　way。

I　hastened　on　to　Peter's　Point。　　Long　before　I　reached　it；　I　saw
the　boat。

It　was　apparently　deserted。　　But　still　I　pressed　on。　　I　must　know
the　worst。　　When　I　reached　the　Point；　I　found　that　the　boat　had　run
aground；　with　her　head　in　among　the　long　reeds　and　mud；　and　the
rest　of　her　hull　lying　at　an　angle　from　the　shore。

There　was　consequently　no　way　for　me　to　get　on　board；　but　to　wade
through　the　mud　and　reeds　to　her　bow；　and　then　climb　up　as　well　as
I　could。

This　I　did；　but　it　was　not　easy　to　do。　　Twice　I　sank　above　my　knees
in　mud　and　water；　and　had　it　not　been　for　reeds；　masses　of　which　I
frequently　clutched　when　I　thought　I　was　going　over；　I　believe　I
should　have　fallen　down　and　come　to　my　death　in　that　horrible
marsh。　　When　I　reached　the　boat；　I　stood　up　to　my　hips　in　water　and
saw　no　way　of　climbing　up。　　The　gang…plank　had　undoubtedly　floated
away；　and　if　it　had　not；　it　would　have　been　of　no　use　to　me　in　my
position。

But　I　was　desperate。　　I　clasped　the　post　that　they　put　in　the　bow
of　canal…boats；　I　stuck　my　toes　and　my　finger…nails　in　the　cracks
between　the　boardshow　glad　I　was　that　the　boat　was　an　old　one　and
had　cracks！and　so；　painfully　and　slowly；　slipping　part　way　down
once　or　twice；　and　besliming　myself　from　chin　to　foot；　I　climbed　up
that　post　and　scrambled　upon　deck。　　In　an　instant；　I　reached　the
top　of　the　stairs；　and　in　another　instant　I　rushed　below。

There　sat　my　wife　and　our　boarder；　one　on　each　side　of　the　dining…
room　table；　complacently　playing　checkers！

My　sudden　entrance　startled　them。　　My　appearance　startled　them
still　more。

Euphemia　sprang　to　her　feet　and　tottered　toward　me。

〃Mercy！〃　she　exclaimed；　〃has　anything　happened？〃

〃Happened！〃　I　gasped。

〃Look　here；〃　cried　the　boarder；　clutching　me　by　the　arm；　〃what　a
condition　you're　in。　　Did　you　fall　in？〃

〃Fall　in！〃　said　I。

Euphemia　and　the　boarder　looked　at　each　other。　　I　looked　at　them。
Then　I　opened　my　mouth　in　earnest。

〃I　suppose　you　don't　know；〃　I　yelled；　〃that　you　have　drifted　away！〃

〃By　George！〃　cried　the　boarder；　and　in　two　bounds　he　was　on　deck。

Dirty　as　I　was；　Euphemia　fell　into　my　arms。　　I　told　her　all。　　She
hadn't　known　a　bit　of　it！

The　boat　had　so　gently　drifted　off；　and　had　so　gently　grounded
among　the　reeds；　that　the　voyage　had　never　so　much　as　disturbed
their　games　of　checkers。

〃He　plays　such　a　splendid　game；〃　Euphemia　sobbed；　〃and　just　as　you
came；　I　thought　I　was　going　to　beat　him。　　I　had　two　kings　and　two
pieces　on　the　next　to　last　row；　and　you　are　nearly　drowned。　　You'll
get　your　death　of　coldandand　he　had　only　one　king。〃

She　led　me　away　and　I　undressed　and　washed　myself　and　put　on　my
Sunday　clothes。

When　I　reappeared　I　went　out　on　deck　with　Euphemia。　　The　boarder
was　there；　standing　by　the　petunia　bed。　　His　arms　were　folded　and
he　was　thinking　profoundly。　　As　we　approached；　he　turned　toward　us。

〃You　were　right　about　that　anchor；〃　he　said；　〃I　should　not　have
hauled　it　in；　but　it　was　such　a　little　anchor　that　I　thought　it
would　be　of　more　use　on　board　as　a　garden　hoe。〃

〃A　very　little　anchor　will　sometimes　do　very　well；〃　said　I；
cuttingly；　〃when　it　is　hooked　around　a　tree。〃

〃Yes；　there　is　something　in　that；〃　said　he。

It　was　now　growing　late；　and　as　our　agitation　subsided　we　began　to
be　hungry。　　Fortunately；　we　had　everything　necessary　on　board；　and；
as　it　really　didn't　make　any　difference　in　our　household　economy；
where　we　happened　to　be　located；　we　had　supper　quite　as　usual。　　In
fact；　the　kettle　had　been　put　on　to　boil　during　the　checker…
playing。

After　supper；　we　went　on　deck　to　smoke；　as　was　our　custom；　but
there　was　a　certain　coolness　between　me　and　our　boarder。

Early　the　next　morning　I　arose　and　went　upstairs　to　consider　what
had　better　be　done；　when　I　saw　the　boarder　standing　on　shore；　near
by。

〃Hello！〃　he　cried；　〃the　tide's　down　and　I　got　ashore　without　any
trouble。　　You　stay　where　you　are。　　I've　hired　a　couple　of　mules　to
tow　the　boat　back。　　They'll　be　here　when　the　tide　rises。　　And；
hello！　　I've　found　the　gang…plank。　　It　floated　ashore　about　a
quarter　of　a　mile　below　here。〃

In　the　course　of　the　afternoon　the　mules　and　two　men　with　a　long
rope　appeared；　and　we　were　then　towed　back　to　where　we　belonged。

And　we　are　there　yet。　　Our　boarder　remains　with　us；　as　the　weather
is　still　fine；　and　the　coolness　between　us　is　gradually
diminishing。　　But　the　boat　is　moored　at　both　ends；　and　twice　a　day
I　look　to　see　if　the　ropes　are　all　right。

The　petunias　are　growing　beautifully；　but　the　geraniums　do　not　seem
to　flourish。　　Perhaps　there　is　not　a　sufficient　depth　of　earth　for
them。　　Several　times　our　boarder　has　appeared　to　be　on　the　point　of
suggesting　something　in　regard　to　them；　but；　for　some　reason　or
other；　he　says　nothing。



CHAPTER　III。

TREATING　OF　A　NOVEL　STYLE　OF　GIRL。


One　afternoon；　as　I　was　hurrying　down　Broadway　to　catch　the　five
o'clock　train；　I　met　Waterford。　　He　is　an　old　friend　of　mine；　and　I
used　to　like　him　pretty　well。

〃Hello！〃　said　he；　〃where　are　you　going？〃

〃Home；〃　I　answered。

〃Is　that　so？〃　said　he。　　〃I　didn't　know　you　had　one。〃

I　was　a　little　nettled　at　this；　and　so　I　said；　somewhat　brusquely
perhaps：

〃But　you　must　have　known　I　lived　somewhere。〃

〃Oh；　yes！　　But　I　thought　you　boarded；〃　said　he。　　〃I　had　no　idea
that　you　had　a　home。〃

〃But　I　have　one；　and　a　very　pleasant　home；　too。　　You　must　excuse　me
for　not　stopping　longer；　as　I　must　catch　my　train。〃

〃Oh！　I'll　walk　along　with　you；〃　said　Waterford；　and　so　we　went　down
the　street　together。

〃Where　is　your　little　house？〃　he　asked。

Why　in　the　world　he　thought　it　was　a　little　house　I　could　not　at
the　time　imagine；　unless　he　supposed　that　two　people　would　not
require　a　large　one。　　But　I　know；　now；　that　he　lived　in　a　very
little　house　himself。

But　it　was　of　no　use　getting　angry　with　Waterford；　especially　as　I
saw　he　intended　walking　all　the　way　down　to　the　ferry　with　me；　so　I
told　him　I　didn't　live　in　any　house　at　all。

〃Why；　where　DO　you　live？〃　he　exclaimed；　stopping　short。

〃I　live　in　a　boat；〃　said　I。

〃A　boat！　　A　sort　of　'Rob　Roy'　arrangement；　I　suppose。　　Well；　I
would　not　have　thought　that　of　you。　　And　your　wife；　I　suppose；　has
gone　home　to　her　people？〃

〃She　has　done　nothing　of　the　kind；〃　I　answered。　　〃She　lives　with
me；　and　she　likes　it　very　much。　　We　are　extremely　comfortable；　and
our　boat　is　not　a　canoe；　or　any　such　nonsensical　affair。　　It　is　a
large；　commodious　canal…boat。〃

Waterford　turned　around　and　looked　at　me。

〃Are　you　a　deck…hand？〃　he　asked。

〃Deck…grandmother！〃　I　exclaimed。

〃Well；　you　needn't　get　mad　about　it；〃　he　said。　　〃I　didn't　mean　to
hurt　your　feelings；　but　I　couldn't　see　what　else　you　could　be　on　a
canal…boat。　　I　don't　suppose；　for　instance；　that　you're　captain。〃

〃But　I　am；〃　said　I。

〃Look　here！〃　said　Waterford；　〃this　is　coming　it　rather　strong；
isn't　it？〃

As　I　saw　he　was　getting　angry；　I　told　him　all　about　it；told　him
how　we　had　hired　a　stranded　canal…boat　and　had　fitted　it　up　as　a
house；　and　how　we　lived　so　cosily　in　it；　and　had　called　it　〃Rudder
Grange；〃　and　how　we　had　taken　a　boarder。

〃Well！〃　said　he；　〃this　is　certainly　surprising。　　I'm　coming　out　to
see　you　some　day。　　It　will　be　better　than　going　to　Barnum's。〃

I　told　himit　is　the　way　of　societythat　we　would　be　glad　to　see
him；　and　we　parted。　　Waterford　never　did　come　to　see　us；　and　I
merely　mention　this　incident　to　show　how　some　of　our　friends　talked
about　Rudder　Grange；　when　they　first　heard　that　we　lived　there。

After　dinner　that　evening；　when　I　went　up　on　deck　with　Euphemia　to
have　my　smoke；　we　saw　the　boarder　sitting　on　the　bulwarks　near　the
garden；　with　his　legs　dangling　down　outside。

〃Look　here！〃　said　he。

I　looked；　but　there　was　nothing　unusual　to　see。

〃What　is　it？〃　I　asked。

He　turned　around　and　seeing　Euphemia；　said：

〃Nothing。〃

It　would　be　a　very　stupid　person　who　could　not　take　such　a　hint　as
that；　and　so；　after　a　walk　around　the　garden；　Euphemia　took
occasion　to　go　below　to　look　at　the　kitchen　fire。

As　soon　as　she　had　gone；　the　boarder　turned　to　me　and　said：

〃I'll　tell　you　what　it　is。　　She's　working　herself　sick。〃

〃Sick？〃　said　I。　　〃Nonsense！〃

〃No　nonsense　about　it；〃　he　replied。

The　truth　was；　that　the　boarder　was　right　and　I　was　wrong。　　We　had
spent　several　months　at　Rudder　Grange；　and　during　this　time
Euphemia　had　been　working　very　hard；　and　she　really　did　begin　to
look　pale　and　thin。　　Indeed；　it　would　be　very　wearying　for　any
woman　of　culture　and　refinement；　unused　to　house…work；　to　cook　and
care　for　two　men；　and　to　do　all　the　work　of　a　canal…boat　besides。

But　I　saw　Euphemia　so　constantly；　and　thought　so　much　of　her；　and
had　her　image　so　continually　in　my　heart；　that　I　did　not　notice
this　until　our　boarder　now　called　my　attention　to　it。　　I　was　sorry
that　he　had　to　do　it。

〃If　I　were　in　your　place；〃　said　he；　〃I　would　get　her　a　servant。〃

〃If　you　were　in　my　place；〃　I　replied；　somewhat　cuttingly；　〃you
would　probably　suggest　a　lot　of　little　things　which　would　make
everything　very　easy　for　her。〃

〃I'd　try　to；〃　he　answered；　without　getting　in　the　least　angry。

Although　I　felt　annoyed　that　he　had　suggested　it；　still　I　made　up
my　mind　that　Euphemia　must　have　a　servant。

She　agreed　quite　readily　when　I　proposed　th