eben holden-第8部分

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'Durmo；'　said　I。

'Sumthin'　t'　eat；'　he　continued。　'Boy　liked　it　best　uv　all　things。'

I　guessed　everything　I　could　think　of；　from　cookies　to　beefsteak；　and　gave　up。

'Gingerbread；'　said　he；　soberly；　at　lengrh。

'Thought　ye　said　bears　couldn't　talk〃　I　objected。

'Wall；　the　boy　'd　fell　asleep　an'　he'd　only　dreamed　o'　the　bear；'　said　Uncle　Eb。　'Ye　see；　bears　can'talk　when　boys　are　dreamin'　uv　'em。　Come　daylight；　the　boy　got　up　'n　ketched　a　crow。　Broke　his　wing　with　the　cross…gun。　Then　he　tied　the　kite　swing　on　t'　the　crow's　leg；　an'　the　crow　flopped　along　'n　the　boy　followed　him　'n　bime　bye　they　come　out　a　cornfield；　where　the　crow'd　been　used　t'　comin'　fer　his　dinner。'

'What　'come　o'　the　boy？'　said　I。

'Went　home；'　said　he；　gaping；　as　he　lay　on　his　back　and　looked　up　at　the　tree…tops。　'An'　he　allwus　said　a　bear　was　good　comp'ny　if　he'd　only　keep　his　mouth　shet　…　jes'　like　some　folks　I've　hearn　uv。'　

'An'　what　'come　o'　the　crow？'

'Went　t'　the　ol'　crow　doctor　'n　got　his　wing　fixed；'　he　said；　drowsily。　And　in　a　moment　I　heard　him　snoring。

We　had　been　asleep　a　long　time　when　the　barking　of　Fred　woke　us。　I　could　just　see　Uncle　Eb　in　the　dim　light　of　the　fire；　kneeling　beside　me；　the　rifle　in　his　hand。

'I'll　fill　ye　full　o'　lead　if　ye　come　any　nearer；'　he　shouted。

Chapter　4

We　listened　awhile　then　but　heard　no　sound　in　the　thicket；　although　Fred　was　growling　ominously；　his　hair　on　end。　As　for　myself　I　never　had　a　more　fearful　hour　than　that　we　suffered　before　the　light　of　morning　came。

I　made　no　outcry；　but　clung　to　my　old　companion；　trembling。　He　did　not　stir　for　a　few　minutes；　and　then　we　crept　cautiously　into　the　small　hemlocks　on　one　side　of　the　opening。

'Keep　still；'　he　whispered；　'don't　move　er　speak。'

Presently　we　heard　a　move　in　the　brush　and　then　quick　as　a　flash　Uncle　Eb　lifted　his　rifle　and　fired　in　the　direction　of　it　Before　the　loud　echo　had　gone　off　in　the　woods　we　heard　something　break　through　the　brush　at　a　run。

''S　a　man；'　said　Uncle　Eb；　as　he　listened。　'He　ain't　a　losin'　no　time　nuther。'

We　sat　listening　as　the　sound　grew　fainter；　and　when　it　ceased　entirely　Uncle　Eb　said　he　must　have　got　to　the　road。　After　a　little　the　light　of　the　morning　began　sifting　down　through　the　tree…tops　and　was　greeted　with　innumerable　songs。

'He　done　noble；'　said　Uncle　Eb；　patting　the　old　dog　as　he　rose　to　poke　the　fire。　'Putty　good　chap　I　call　'im！　He　can　hev　half　o'　my　dinner　any　time　he　wants　it。'

'Who　do　you　suppose　it　was？'　I　enquired。

'Robbers；　I　guess；'　he　answered；　'an'　they'll　be　layin'　fer　us　when　we　go　out；　mebbe；　but；　if　they　are；　Fred'll　frnd　'em　an'　I've　got　Ol'　Trusty　here　'n'　I　guess　thet'll　take　care　uv　us。'

His　rifle　was　always　flattered　with　that　name　of　Ol'　Trusty　when　it　had　done　him　a　good　turn。

Soon　as　the　light　had　come　clear　he　went　out　in　the　near　woods　with　dog　and　rifle　and　beat　around　in　the　brush。　He　returned　shortly　and　said　he　had　seen　where　they　came　and　went。

'I'd　a　killed　em　deader　'n　a　door　nail；'　said　he；　laying　down　the　old　rifle；　'if　they'd　a　come　any　nearer。'

Then　we　brought　water　from　the　river　and　had　our　breakfast。　Fred　went　on　ahead　of　us；　when　we　started　for　the　road；　scurrying　through　the　brush　on　both　sides　of　the　trail；　as　if　he　knew　what　was　expected　of　him。　He　flushed　a　number　of　partridges　and　Uncle　Eb　killed　one　of　them　on　our　way　to　the　road。　We　resumed　our　journey　without　any　further　adventure。　It　was　so　smooth　and　level　under　foot　that　Uncle　Eb　let　me　get　in　the　wagon　after　Fred　was　hitched　to　it　The　old　dog　went　along　soberly　and　without　much　effort；　save　when　we　came　to　hills　or　sandy　places；　when　I　always　got　out　and　ran　on　behind。　Uncle　Eb　showed　me　how　to　brake　the　wheels　with　a　long　stick　going　downhill。　I　remember　how　it　hit　the　dog's　heels　at　the　first　down　grade；　and　how　he　ran　to　keep　out　of　the　way　of　it　We　were　going　like　mad　in　half　a　minute；　Uncle　Eb　coming　after　us　calling　to　the　dog。　Fred　only　looked　over　his　shoulder；　with　a　wild　eye；　at　the　rattling　wagon　and　ran　the　harder。　He　leaped　aside　at　the　bottom　and　then　we　went　all　in　a　heap。　Fortunately　no　harm　was　done。

'I　declare！'　said　Uncle　Eb　as　he　came　up　to　us；　puffing　like　a　spent　horse；　and　picked　me　up　unhurt　and　began　to　untangle　the　harness　of　old　Fred；　'I　guess　he　must　a　thought　the　devil　was　after　him。'

The　dog　growled　a　little　for　a　moment　and　bit　at　the　harness；　but　coaxing　reassured　him　and　he　went　along　all　right　again　on　the　level。　At　a　small　settlement　the　children　came　out　and　ran　along　beside　my　wagon；　laughing　and　asking　me　questions。　Some　of　them　tried　to　pet　the　dog；　but　old　Fred　kept　to　his　labour　at　the　heels　of　Uncle　Eb　and　looked　neither　to　right　nor　left。　We　stopped　under　a　tree　by　the　side　of　a　narrow　brook　for　our　dinner；　and　one　incident　of　that　meal　I　think　of　always　when　I　think　of　Uncle　Eb。　It　shows　the　manner　of　man　he　was　and　with　what　understanding　and　sympathy　he　regarded　every　living　thing。　In　rinsing　his　teapot　he　accidentally　poured　a　bit　of　water　on　a　big　bumble…bee。　The　poor　creature　struggled　to　lift　hill；　and　then　another　downpour　caught　him　and　still　another　until　his　wings　fell　drenched。　Then　his　breast　began　heaving　violently；　his　legs　stiffened　behind　him　and　he　sank；　head　downward；　in　the　grass。　Uncle　Eb　saw　the　death　throes　of　the　bee　and　knelt　down　and　lifted　the　dead　body　by　one　of　its　wings。

'Jes'　look　at　his　velvet　coat；'　he　said；　'an'　his　wings　all　wet　n'　stiff。

They'll　never　carry　him　another　journey。　It's　too　bad　a　man　has　t'　kill　every　step　he　takes。'

The　bee's　tail　was　moving　faintly　and　Uncle　Eb　laid　him　out　in　the　warm　sunlight　and　fanned　him　awhile　with　his　hat；　trying　to　bring　back　the　breath　of　life。

'Guilty！'　he　said；　presently；　coming　back　with　a　sober　face。　'Thet's　a　dead　bee。　No　tellin'　how　many　was　dependent　on　him　er　what　plans　he　bed。　Must　a　gi'n　him　a　lot　o'　pleasure　t'　fly　round　in　the　sunlight；　workin'　every　fair　day。　'S　all　over　now。'

He　had　a　gloomy　face　for　an　hour　after　that　and　many　a　time；　in　the　days　that　followed；　I　heard　him　speak　of　the　murdered　bee。

We　lay　resting　awhile　after　dinner　and　watching　a　big　city　of　ants。　Uncle　Eb　told　me　how　they　tilled　the　soil　of　the　mound　every　year　and　sowed　their　own　kind　of　grain　…　a　small　white　seed　like　rice　…　and　reaped　their　harvest　in　the　late　surnmer；　storing　the　crop　in　their　dry　cellars　under　ground。　He　told　me　also　the　story　of　the　ant　lion　…　a　big　beetle　that　lives　in　the　jungles　of　the　grain　and　the　grass　…　of　which　I　remember　only　an　outline；　more　or　less　imperfect。

Here　it　is　in　my　own　rewording　of　his　tale：　On　a　bright　day　one　of　the　little　black　folks　went　off　on　a　long　road　in　a　great　field　of　barley。　He　was　going　to　another　city　of　his　own　people　to　bring　helpers　for　the　harvest。　He　came　shortly　to　a　sandy　place　where　the　barley　was　thin　and　the　hot　sunlight　lay　near　to　the　ground。　In　a　little　valley　close　by　the　road　of　the　ants　he　saw　a　deep　pit；　in　the　sand；　with　steep　sides　sloping　to　a　point　in　the　middle　and　as　big　around　as　a　biscuit。　Now　the　ants　are　a　curious　people　and　go　looking　for　things　that　are　new　and　wonderful　as　they　walk　abroad；　so　they　have　much　to　tell　worth　hearing　after