freckles-第13部分

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good　help　he　can　do　anything。　　Why；　Duncan；　I'd　give　a　hundred…

dollar　bill　if　you　could　have　been　here　and　seen　for　yourself。〃



〃Yes；　and　I'd　‘a'　done　murder；〃　muttered　the　big　teamster。　　〃I　hope；

sir；　ye　will　make　good　your　plans　for　Freckles；　though　I'd　as　soon

see　ony　born　child　o'　my　ain　taken　from　our　home。　　We　love　the　lad；

me　and　Sarah。〃



Locating　the　tree　was　easy；　because　it　was　so　well　identified。　

When　the　rumble　of　the　big　lumber　wagons　passing　the　cabin　on　the

way　to　the　swamp　wakened　Freckles　next　morning；　he　sprang　up　and

was　soon　following　them。　　He　was　so　sore　and　stiff　that　every

movement　was　torture　at　first；　but　he　grew　easier；　and　shortly　did

not　suffer　so　much。　　McLean　scolded　him　for　coming；　yet　in　his

heart　triumphed　over　every　new　evidence　of　fineness　in　the　boy。



The　tree　was　a　giant　maple；　and　so　precious　that　they　almost　dug　it

out　by　the　roots。　　When　it　was　down；　cut　in　lengths；　and　loaded；

there　was　yet　an　empty　wagon。　　As　they　were　gathering　up　their　tools

to　go；　Duncan　said：　　〃There's　a　big　hollow　tree　somewhere　mighty

close　here　that　I've　been　wanting　for　a　watering…trough　for　my

stock；　the　one　I　have　is　so　small。　　The　Portland　company　cut　this

for　elm　butts　last　year；　and　it's　six　feet　diameter　and　hollow　for

forty　feet。　　It　was　a　buster！　　While　the　men　are　here　and　there　is　an

empty　wagon；　why　mightn't　I　load　it　on　and　tak'　it　up　to　the　barn

as　we　pass？〃



McLean　said　he　was　very　willing；　ordered　the　driver　to　break　line

and　load　the　log；　detailing　men　to　assist。　　He　told　Freckles　to　ride

on　a　section　of　the　maple　with　him；　but　now　the　boy　asked　to　enter

the　swamp　with　Duncan。



〃I　don't　see　why　you　want　to　go；〃　said　McLean。　　〃I　have　no　business

to　let　you　out　today　at　all。〃



〃It's　me　chickens；〃　whispered　Freckles　in　distress。　　〃You　see；　I　was

just　after　finding　yesterday；　from　me　new　book；　how　they　do　be

nesting　in　hollow　trees；　and　there　ain't　any　too　many　in　the　swamp。

There's　just　a　chance　that　they　might　be　in　that　one。〃



〃Go　ahead；〃　said　McLean。　　〃That's　a　different　story。　　If　they　happen

to　be　there；　why　tell　Duncan　he　must　give　up　the　tree　until　they

have　finished　with　it。〃



Then　he　climbed　on　a　wagon　and　was　driven　away。　　Freckles　hurried

into　the　swamp。　　He　was　a　little　behind；　yet　he　could　see　the　men。　

Before　he　overtook　them；　they　had　turned　from　the　west　road　and　had

entered　the　swamp　toward　the　east。



They　stopped　at　the　trunk　of　a　monstrous　prostrate　log。　　It　had　been

cut　three　feet　from　the　ground；　over　three…fourths　of　the　way

through；　and　had　fallen　toward　the　east；　the　body　of　the　log　still

resting　on　the　stump。　　The　underbrush　was　almost　impenetrable；　but

Duncan　plunged　in　and　with　a　crowbar　began　tapping　along　the　trunk

to　decide　how　far　it　was　hollow；　so　that　they　would　know　where　to　cut。　

As　they　waited　his　decision；　there　came　from　the　mouth　of　iton

wingsa　large　black　bird　that　swept　over　their　heads。



Freckles　danced　wildly。　　〃It's　me　chickens！　　Oh；　it's　me　chickens！〃

he　shouted。　　〃Oh；　Duncan；　come　quick！　　You've　found　the　nest　of　me

precious　chickens！〃



Duncan　hurried　to　the　mouth　of　the　log；　but　Freckles　was　before　him。　

He　crashed　through　poison…vines　and　underbrush　regardless　of　any

danger；　and　climbed　on　the　stump。　　When　Duncan　came　he　was　shouting

like　a　wild　man。



〃It's　hatched！〃　he　yelled。　　〃Oh；　me　big　chicken　has　hatched　out　me

little　chicken；　and　there's　another　egg。　　I　can　see　it　plain；　and

oh；　the　funny　little　white　baby！　　Oh；　Duncan；　can　you　see　me　little

white　chicken？〃



Duncan　could　easily　see　it；　so　could　everyone　else。　　Freckles　crept

into　the　log　and　tenderly　carried　the　hissing；　blinking　little　bird

to　the　light　in　a　leaf…lined　hat。　　The　men　found　it　sufficiently

wonderful　to　satisfy　even　Freckles；　who　had　forgotten　he　was　ever

sore　or　stiff；　and　coddled　over　it　with　every　blarneying　term　of

endearment　he　knew。



Duncan　gathered　his　tools。　　〃Deal's　off；　boys！〃　he　said　cheerfully。

〃This　log　mauna　be　touched　until　Freckles'　chaukies　have　finished

with　it。　　We　might　as　weel　gang。　　Better　put　it　back；　Freckles。　

It's　just　out；　and　it　may　chill。　　Ye　will　probably　hae　twa　the　morn。〃



Freckles　crept　into　the　log　and　carefully　deposited　the　baby　beside

the　egg。　　When　he　came　back；　he　said：　　〃I　made　a　big　mistake　not　to

be　bringing　the　egg　out　with　the　baby；　but　I　was　fearing　to　touch　it。　

It's　shaped　like　a　hen's　egg；　and　it's　big　as　a　turkey's；　and　the

beautifulest　bluejust　splattered　with　big　brown　splotches；

like　me　book　said；　precise。　　Bet　you　never　saw　such　a　sight　as　it

made　on　the　yellow　of　the　rotten　wood　beside　that　funny

leathery…faced　little　white　baby。〃



〃Tell　you　what；　Freckles；〃　said　one　of　the　teamsters。　　〃Have　you

ever　heard　of　this　Bird　Woman　who　goes　all　over　the　country　with　a

camera　and　makes　pictures？　　She　made　some　on　my　brother　Jim's　place

last　summer；　and　Jim's　so　wild　about　them　he　quits　plowing　and　goes

after　her　about　every　nest　he　finds。　　He　helps　her　all　he　can　to

take　them；　and　then　she　gives　him　a　picture。　　Jim's　so　proud　of　what

he　has　he　keeps　them　in　the　Bible。　　He　shows　them　to　everybody　that

comes；　and　brags　about　how　he　helped。　　If　you're　smart；　you'll　send

for　her　and　she'll　come　and　make　a　picture　just　like　life。　　If　you

help　her；　she　will　give　you　one。　　It　would　be　uncommon　pretty　to

keep；　after　your　birds　are　gone。　　I　dunno　what　they　are。　　I　never　see

their　like　before。　　They　must　be　something　rare。　　Any　you　fellows

ever　see　a　bird　like　that　hereabouts？〃



No　one　ever　had。



〃Well；〃　said　the　teamster；　〃failing　to　get　this　log　lets　me　off

till　noon；　and　I'm　going　to　town。　　I　go　right　past　her　place。　

I've　a　big　notion　to　stop　and　tell　her。　　If　she　drives　straight

back　in　the　swamp　on　the　west　road；　and　turns　east　at　this　big

sycamore；　she　can't　miss　finding　the　tree；　even　if　Freckles　ain't

here　to　show　her。　　Jim　says　her　work　is　a　credit　to　the　State　she

lives　in；　and　any　man　is　a　measly　creature　who　isn't　willing　to

help　her　all　he　can。　　My　old　daddy　used　to　say　that　all　there　was

to　religion　was　doing　to　the　other　fellow　what　you'd　want　him　to

do　to　you；　and　if　I　was　making　a　living　taking　bird　pictures；

seems　to　me　I'd　be　mighty　glad　for　a　chance　to　take　one　like　that。　

So　I'll　just　stop　and　tell　her；　and　by　gummy！　　maybe　she　will　give

me　a　picture　of　the　little　white　sucker　for　my　trouble。〃



Freckles　touched　his　arm。



〃Will　she　be　rough　with　it？〃　he　asked。



〃Government　land！　　No！〃　said　the　teamster。　　〃She's　dead　down　on

anybody　that　shoots　a　bird　or　tears　up　a　nest。　　Why；　she's　half

killing　herself　in　all　kinds　of　places　and　weather　to　teach　people

to　love　and　protect　the　birds。　　She's　that　plum　careful　of　them　that

Jim's　wife　says　she　has　Jim　a　standin'　like　a　big　fool　holding　an

ombrelly　over　them　when　they　are　young　and　tender　until　she　gets　a

focus；　whatever　that　is。　　Jim　says　there　ain't　a　bird　on　his　place

that　don't　actually　seem　to　like　having　her　around　after　she　has

wheedled　them　a　few　days；　and　the　pictures　she　takes　nobody　would

ever　believe　who　didn't　stand　by　and　see。〃



〃Will　you　he　sure　to　tell　her　to　come？〃　asked　Freckles。



Duncan　slept　at　home　that　night。　　He　heard　Freckles　slipping　out

early　the　next　morning；　but　he　was　too　sleepy　to　wonder　why；　until

he　came　to　do　his　morning　chores。　　When　he　found　that　none　of　his

stock　was　at　all　thirsty；　and　saw　the　water…trough　brimming；　he

knew　that　the　boy　was　trying　to　make　up　to　him　for　the　loss　of　the

big　trough　that　he　had　been　so　anxious　to　have。



〃Bless　his　fool　little　hot　heart！〃　said　Duncan。　　〃And　him　so　sore　it

is　tearing　him　to　move　for　anything。　　Nae　wonder　he　has　us　all

loving　him！〃



Freckles　was　moving　briskly；　and　his　heart　was　so　happy　that　he

forgot　all　about　the　bruises。　　He　hurried　around　the　trail；　and　on

his　way　down　the　east　side　he　went　to　see　the　chickens。　　The　mother

bird　was　on　the　nest。　　He　was　afraid　the　other　egg　might　be

hatching；　so　he　did　not　venture　to　disturb　her。　　He　made　the　round

and　reached　his　study　early。　　He　ate　his　lunch；　but　did　not　need

to　start　on　the　second　trip　until　the　middle　of　the　afternoon。　

He　would　have　long　hours　to　work　on　his　flower　bed；　improve　his　study；

and　learn　about　his　chickens。　　Lovingly　he　set　his　room　in　order　and

watered　the　flowers　and　carpet。　　He　had　chosen　for　his　resting…place

the　coolest　spot　on　the　west　side；　where　there　was　almost　always　a

breeze；　but　today　the　heat　was　so　intense　that　it　penetrated　even　there。



〃I'm　mighty　glad　there's　nothing　calling　me　inside！〃　he　said。

〃There's　no　bit　of　air　stirring；　and　it　will　just　be　steaming。　

Oh；　but　it's　luck　Duncan　found　the　nest　before　it　got　so　unbearing　hot！

I　might　have　missed　it　altogether。　　Wouldn't　it　have　been　a　shame　to

lose　that　sight？　　The　cunning　little　divil！　　When　he　gets　to　toddling

down　that　log　to　meet　me；　won't　he　be　a　circus？　　Wonder　if　he'll　be

as　graceful　a　performer　afoot　as　his　father　and　mother？〃



The　heat　became　more　insistent。　　Noon　came；　Freckles　ate　his　dinner

and　settled　for　an　hour　or　two　on　a　bench　with　a　book。







　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　CHAPTER　V



　　　　　　　　　　　　Wherein　an　Angel　Materializes　and　a　Man　Worships



Perhaps　there　was　a　breath　of　soundFreckles　never　afterward　could

rememberbut　for　some　reason　he　lifted　his　head　as　the　bushes

parted　and　the　face　of　an　angel　looked　between。　　Saints；　nymphs；　and

fairies　had　floated　down　his　cathedral　aisle　for　him　many　times；

with　forms　and　voices　of　exquisite　beauty。



Parting　the　wild　roses　at　the　entrance　was　beauty　of　which

Freckles　never　had　dreamed。　　Was　it　real　or　would　it　vanish　as　the

other　dreams？　　He　dropped　his　book；　and　rising　to　his　feet；　went　a　step

closer；　gazing　intently。　　This　was　real　flesh　and　blood。　　It　was　in

every　way　kin　to　the　Limberlost；　for　no　bird　of　its　branches　swung

with　easier　grac