freckles-第9部分

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〃Oh；　Duncan！〃　cried　the　happy　boy。　　〃Are　you　sure？〃



〃Why　I　know；〃　answered　Duncan。　　〃I　wadna　venture　to　say　so　else。　

In　those　first　days　he　cautioned　me　na　to　tell　ye；　but　now　he

wadna　care。　　D'ye　ken；　Freckles；　that　some　of　the　single　trees

ye　are　guarding　are　worth　a　thousand　dollars？〃



Freckles　caught　his　breath　and　stood　speechless。



〃Ye　see；〃　said　Duncan；　〃that's　why　they　maun　be　watched　so　closely。

They　tak'；　say；　for　instance；　a　burl　maplebird's　eye　they　call　it

in　the　factory；　because　it's　full　o'　wee　knots　and　twists　that　look

like　the　eve　of　a　bird。　　They　saw　it　out　in　sheets　no　muckle　thicker

than　writin'　paper。　　Then　they　make　up　the　funiture　out　of　cheaper

wood　and　cover　it　with　the　mapleveneer；　they　call　it。　　When　it's

all　done　and　polished　ye　never　saw　onythin'　grander。　　Gang　into　a

retail　shop　the　next　time　ye　are　in　town　and　see　some。　　By　sawin'　it

thin　that　way　they　get　finish　for　thousands　of　dollars'　worth　of

furniture　from　a　single　tree。　　If　ye　dinna　watch　faithful；　and　Black

Jack　gets　out　a　few　he　has　marked；　it　means　the　loss　of　more　money

than　ye　ever　dreamed　of；　lad。　　The　other　night；　down　at　camp；　some

son　of　Balaam　was　suggestin'　that　ye　might　be　sellin'　the　Boss　out

to　Jack　and　lettin'　him　tak'　the　trees　secretly；　and　nobody　wad

ever　ken　till　the　gang　gets　here。〃



A　wave　of　scarlet　flooded　Freckles'　face　and　he　blazed　hotly　at　the　insult。



〃And　the　Boss；〃　continued　Duncan；　coolly　ignoring　Freckles'　anger；

〃he　lays　back　just　as　cool　as　cowcumbers　an'　says：　　‘I'll　give　a

thousand　dollars　to　ony　man　that　will　show　me　a　fresh　stump　when　we

reach　the　Limberlost；'　says　he。　　Some　of　the　men　just　snapped　him　op

that　they'd　find　some。　　So　you　see　bow　the　Boss　is　trustin'　ye；　lad。〃



〃I　am　gladder　than　I　can　ever　expriss；〃　said　Freckles。　　〃And　now

will　I　be　walking　double　time　to　keep　some　of　them　from　cutting　a

tree　to　get　all　that　money！〃



〃Mither　o'　Moses！〃　howled　Duncan。　　〃Ye　can　trust　the　Scotch　to

bungle　things　a'thegither。　　McLean　was　only　meanin'　to　show　ye　all

confidence　and　honor。　　He's　gone　and　set　a　high　price　for　some　dirty

whelp　to　ruin　ye。　　I　was　just　tryin'　to　show　ye　how　he　felt　toward

ye；　and　I've　gone　an'　give　ye　that　worry　to　bear。　　Damn　the　Scotch！　

They're　so　slow　an'　so　dumb！〃



〃Exciptin'　prisint　company？〃　sweetly　inquired　Freckles。



〃No！〃　growled　Duncan。　　〃Headin'　the　list！　　He'd　nae　business　to　set

a　price　on　ye；　lad；　for　that's　about　the　amount　of　it；　an'　I'd　nae

right　to　tell　ye。　　We've　both　done　ye　ill；　an'　both　meanin'　the

verra　best。　　Juist　what　I'm　always　sayin'　to　Sarah。〃



〃I　am　mighty　proud　of　what　you　have　been　telling　me；　Duncan；〃

said　Freckles。　　〃I　need　the　warning；　sure。　　For　with　the　books

coming　I　might　be　timpted　to　neglect　me　work　when　double　watching

is　needed。　　Thank　you　more　than　I　can　say　for　putting　me　on　to　it。　

What　you've　told　me　may　be　the　saving　of　me。　　I　won't　stop　for

dinner　now。　　I'll　be　getting　along　the　east　line；　and　when　I　come

around　about　three；　maybe　Mother　Duncan　will　let　me　have　a　glass

of　milk　and　a　bite　of　something。〃



〃Ye　see　now！〃　cried　Duncan　in　disgust。　　〃Ye'll　start　on　that

seven…mile　tramp　with　na　bite　to　stay　your　stomach。　　What　was　it　I

told　ye？〃



〃You　told　me　that　the　Scotch　had　the　hardest　heads　and　the　softest

hearts　of　any　people　that's　living；〃　answered　Freckles。



Duncan　grunted　in　gratified　disapproval。



Freckles　picked　up　his　club　and　started　down　the　line；　whistling

cheerily；　for　he　had　an　unusually　long　repertoire　upon　which　to　draw。



Duncan　went　straight　to　the　lower　camp；　and　calling　McLean　aside；

repeated　the　conversation　verbatim；　ending：　　〃And　nae　matter　what

happens　now　or　ever；　dinna　ye　dare　let　onythin'　make　ye　believe

that　Freckles　hasna　guarded　faithful　as　ony　man　could。〃



〃I　don't　think　anything　could　shake　my　faith　in　the　lad；〃　answered　McLean。



Freckles　was　whistling　merrily。　　He　kept　one　eye　religiously　on

the　line。　　The　other　he　divided　between　the　path；　his　friends　of　the

wire；　and　a　search　of　the　sky　for　his　latest　arrivals。　　Every　day

since　their　coming　he　had　seen　them；　either　hanging　as　small；　black

clouds　above　the　swamp　or　bobbing　over　logs　and　trees　with　their

queer；　tilting　walk。　　Whenever　he　could　spare　time；　he　entered　the

swamp　and　tried　to　make　friends　with　them；　for　they　were　the　tamest

of　all　his　unnumbered　subjects。　　They　ducked；　dodged；　and　ambled

around　him；　over　logs　and　bushes；　and　not　even　a　near　approach

would　drive　them　to　flight。



For　two　weeks　he　had　found　them　circling　over　the　Limberlost

regularly；　but　one　morning　the　female　was　missing　and　only　the　big

black　chicken　hung　sentinel　above　the　swamp。　　His　mate　did　not

reappear　in　the　following　days；　and　Freckles　grew　very　anxious。　

He　spoke　of　it　to　Mrs。　Duncan；　and　she　quieted　his　fears　by　raising

a　delightful　hope　in　their　stead。



〃Why；　Freckles；　if　it's　the　hen…bird　ye　are　missing；　it's　ten　to

one　she's　safe；〃　she　said。　　〃She's　laid；　and　is　setting；　ye　silly！　

Watch　him　and　mark　whaur　he　lichts。　　Then　follow　and　find　the　nest。　

Some　Sabbath　we'll　all　gang　see　it。〃



Accepting　this　theory；　Freckles　began　searching　for　the　nest。

Because　these　〃chickens〃　were　large；　as　the　hawks；　he　looked　among

the　treetops　until　he　almost　sprained　the　back　of　his　neck。　　He　had

half　the　crow　and　hawk　nests　in　the　swamp　located。　　He　searched　for

this　nest　instead　of　collecting　subjects　for　his　case。　　He　found　the

pair　the　middle　of　one　forenoon　on　the　elm　where　he　had　watched

their　love…making。　　The　big　black　chicken　was　feeding　his　mate；　so

it　was　proved　that　they　were　a　pair；　they　were　both　alive；　and

undoubtedly　she　was　brooding。　　After　that　Freckles'　nest…hunting

continued　with　renewed　zeal；　but　as　he　had　no　idea　where　to　look

and　Duncan　could　offer　no　helpful　suggestion；　the　nest　was　no

nearer　to　being　found。



Coming　from　a　long　day　on　the　trail；　Freckles　saw　Duncan's　children

awaiting　him　much　closer　the　swale　than　they　usually　ventured；　and

from　their　wild　gestures　he　knew　that　something　had　happened。　

He　began　to　run；　but　the　cry　that　reached　him　was：　　〃The　books

have　come！〃



How　they　hurried！　　Freckles　lifted　the　youngest　to　his　shoulder；　the

second　took　his　club　and　dinner　pail；　and　when　they　reached　Mrs。

Duncan　they　found　her　at　work　on　a　big　box。　　She　had　loosened　the

lid；　and　then　she　laughingly　sat　on　it。



〃Ye　canna　have　a　peep　in　here　until　ye　have　washed　and　eaten

supper；〃　she　said。　　〃It's　all　ready　on　the　table。　　Ance　ye　begin　on

this；　ye'll　no　be　willin'　to　tak'　your　nose　o'　it　till　bedtime；　and

I　willna　get　my　work　done　the　nicht。　　We've　eaten　long　ago。〃



It　was　difficult　work；　but　Freckles　smiled　bravely。　　He　made　himself

neat；　swallowed　a　few　bites；　then　came　so　eagerly　that　Mrs。　Duncan

yielded；　although　she　said　she　very　well　knew　all　the　time　that　his

supper　would　be　spoiled。



Lifting　the　lid；　they　removed　the　packing　and　found　in　that　box

books　on　birds；　trees；　flowers；　moths；　and　butterflies。　　There　was

also　one　containing　Freckles'　bullfrog；　true　to　life。　　Besides　these

were　a　butterfly…net；　a　naturalist's　tin　specimen…box；　a　bottle　of

cyanide；　a　box　of　cotton；　a　paper　of　long；　steel　specimen…pins；　and

a　letter　telling　what　all　these　things　were　and　how　to　use　them。



At　the　discovery　of　each　new　treasure；　Freckles　shouted：　　〃Will　you

be　looking　at　this；　now？〃



Mrs。　Duncan　cried：　　〃Weel；　I　be　drawed　on！〃



The　eldest　boy　turned　a　somersault　for　every　extra；　while　the　baby；

trying　to　follow　his　example；　bunched　over　in　a　sidewise　sprawl　and

cut　his　foot　on　the　axe　with　which　his　mother　had　prized　up　the

box…lid。　　That　sobered　them；　they　carried　the　books　indoors。　　Mrs。

Duncan　had　a　top　shelf　in　her　closet　cleared　for　them；　far　above

the　reach　of　meddling　little　fingers。



When　Freckles　started　for　the　trail　next　morning；　the　shining　new

specimen…box　flashed　on　his　back。　　The　black　〃chicken；〃　a　mere　speck

in　the　blue；　caught　the　gleam　of　it。　　The　folded　net　hung　beside　the

boy's　hatchet；　and　the　bird　book　was　in　the　box。　　He　walked　the　line

and　tested　each　section　scrupulously；　watching　every　foot　of　the

trail；　for　he　was　determined　not　to　slight　his　work；　but　if　ever　a

boy　〃made　haste　slowly〃　in　a　hurry；　it　was　Freckles　that　morning。　

When　at　last　he　reached　the　space　he　had　cleared　and　planted　around

his　case；　his　heart　swelled　with　the　pride　of　possessing　even　so

much　that　he　could　call　his　own；　while　his　quick　eyes　feasted　on

the　beauty　of　it。



He　had　made　a　large　room　with　the　door　of　the　case　set　even　with

one　side　of　it。　　On　three　sides；　fine　big　bushes　of　wild　rose

climbed　to　the　lower　branches　of　the　trees。　　Part　of　his　walls　were

mallow；　part　alder；　thorn；　willow；　and　dogwood。　　Below　there　filled

in　a　solid　mass　of　pale　pink　sheep…laurel；　and　yellow　St。　John's

wort；　while　the　amber　threads　of　the　dodder　interlaced　everywhere。　

At　one　side　the　swamp　came　close；　here　cattails　grew　in　profusion。　

In　front　of　them　he　had　planted　a　row　of　water…hyacinths　without

disturbing　in　the　least　the　state　of　their　azure　bloom；　and　where

the　ground　arose　higher　for　his　floor；　a　row　of　foxfire；　that　soon

would　be　open。



To　the　left　he　had　discovered　a　queer　natural　arrangement　of　the

trees；　that　grew　to　giant　size　and　were　set　in　a　gradually

narrowing　space　so　that　a　long；　open　vista　stretched　away　until

lost　in　the　dim　recesses　of　the　swamp。　　A　little　trimming　of

underbush；　rolling　of　dead　logs；　levelling　of　floor　and　carpeting

with　moss；　made　it　easy　to　understand　why　Freckles　had　named　this

the　〃cathedral〃；　yet　he　never　had　been　taught　that　〃the　groves　were

God's　first　temples。〃



On　either　side　of　the　trees　that　constituted　the　first　arch　of　this

dim　vista　of　the　swamp　he　planted　ferns　that　grew　waist…high　thus

early　in　the　season；　and　so　skilfully　the　work　had　been　done　that

not　a　frond