Gypsy Breynton

e was a "gre-at difference in people?" On the strength of this original statement, it has been supposed that there were a variety of tastes to be suited in sele

of doors, and have adventures, and get into difficulties, and get over t

ever "ca

one morning after her summer vacation had begun, and she was wondering what

re a boy? I'm going to spend

t Tom had the natural boy's feeling about "mistering" any one, that he had gone on fi

Gypsy, again;

our rabbits," said Tom, with an aggravating appearance of indifference

said Gypsy, w

a girl, my dear, as you will find out, o

ood as boys!" answer

y can't c

o sure of

dee

ies of ladies and gentlemen go out up on the

a very supe

do-there's a

you shoot a squirrel, and are always having headaches, and spra

be left alone than you are!" said Gypsy

ing all the doors, and rus

amp out with Mr. Guy Hallam,

s. Breynton, laughing,

-just think! With a tent and a fire

for Tom had come in, and it touched a bit of boy's prid

of you as Guy Hallam, or the next

you should go," obs

who had not intended to comm

e used; for, though Tom always pretended to be quite above any interest in such tender proceedings, yet this rogue of a sister looked so pink and pretty and merry, with her arms about his neck and he

e, if Hallam doesn't-just for once, you understand

ands, and jumping up and down. "Tom, you ar

t rains?" sugges

take our wa

Tom, bringing in his forces like a goo

, my dear; Tom won't want to cut sh

ountain; he'd bring me in his wagon. Besid

arah m

said Gypsy, significantly.

ing Sarah should go, and Mr. G

"if Mrs. Rowe and Mr. Hallam and

ss so; if Tom will take good care of you; and if you will promise

! There never was such a dea

can you let the child do such a thing? She will fall off the

and so ready to take care of her if it is cold or wet; it isn't as if she were going off int

elieve I agreed to let you do as you pleased

, the preparations began, and one sunny morning the party stowed themselves and their baggage comfortably away in Mr. Surly's double-seated wagon (much to the horror of his excellent wife, who look

e was to return with his "team," as the Vermont farmers invariably call their vehicles, and when the party were ready to come home Mr. Fisher was to be hired to bring t

uddenly steep as they began to ascend the mountain. Such beautiful pictures unfolded before them,

the road brought them suddenly to the edge of abysses from which, in dark nights, they might have easily ridden off. Gay flowers perfumed the fresh, high winds, and rank mosses grew and twined, and hung thickly upon old stones and logs and roadside banks, where the mountain sloped steeply. Far above were the tops of those tall, sentinel trees, called, by Vermonters, the Procession of Pines, the t

ned, to watch the leaves flutter in the distant forest-top, when

" said Mr.

fix neow," said Mr. Surly,

d Gypsy and Sarah, in one

enough,"

h for one vehicle; where their wagon stood, it would have been simply impossible to place two abreast. At their right, the wooded

e wood-cart; "I'll turn in here anigh the mou

rt wheeled up into a semi-circular widening of the road where a sand-heap had been dug away. The space left was just wide enough for a c

killed! Oh dear, let me get out!" cried

f you act so. Don't you suppose four grown men know bet

water was gurgling. Once the wheels grazed the log, and it tilted slightly. Sarah screamed aloud. Mr. Surly knew what he w

am went down here five years ago,-jist off that maple-tree there,-horse, wagin, and all, an'clock two men, brothers they was, too; on

this entertaining conversation, and w

them, and returned home; and the party proceeded on foot, with th

n the way. There was a little, natural clearing among the trees, which Mr. Hallam and Tom made larger by cutting down the shrubbery and saplings. They had brought hatchets with them, as well as guns, knives, and

much better arrangement than the dividing of one into two apartments. The two were placed side by side, and the girls' tent was distinguished and honored by a bit of a

y hard, they can be sent

hy, it would be all the fu

e tents-and it took a long time-the two gir

waterproof cloaks, in which they considered themselves safe from a deluge. There were plenty of fish-lines, and tin pans and kettles, and knives and steel forks, and matches, and scissors and twine and needles, and the endless variety of accoutrements necessary to a state of highly-civilized camp-life. There were plates and mugs and pewter teaspoons,-Mrs. Breynton would not consent to letting her silver ones go,-and Gypsy thought the others were better, because it seemed more like "being wild."

sheets and a blanket; so they were nicely fitted out. Gypsy had a secret apprehension that they were preparing for a very luxurious sort of camp-life. After a little consultation, they decided to make two rooms out of their tent, as they were sadly in need of a kitchen. Accordingly they took their heavy bla

the guns, and all dangerous

r preparations were at last completed, an

ypsy was always ready to have supp

a single tro

little girls are tired and hungry,-indeed we all ar

s if no supper had ever tasted as that supper did. The free mountain air was so fresh and strong, and the breath of the pines so sweet. It was so pleasant to sit on the moss around a fire, and eat with your fingers if you chose,

of bears, and Gypsy had a dim notion that she shouldn't so very much object to see her mother come walking up the mountain, seized with an uncontrollable desire to spend a

eal mountain, that was known to have an occasional real bear on it. She did not feel afraid in the least, altho

am having such a good time thinking t

Gypsy of commanding, by a sort of mutual tacit agreement. It was partly for this reason, as was natural enough, that Gypsy chose her so often for a companion, but principally because Sarah never refused any romp or adventure; other timid girls liked to have their own way and choose their own quiet plays. Sarah's

Her frank, impulsive generosity saved her from becoming tyrannical or dictatorial. Th

ning to the strange whispers of the wind in the trees, and making plans

nt-roof, and narrow, walled space which shut her in. The wind was sighing drearily through the forest, the distant scream of an owl had an ugly sound

ight in bed,

uick, and hoarse, and horrible-lik

those traditionary bears which had been seen at Ripton. She had but a moment in which to decide what to do, for the creature was now sniffing at the tent-door, and once she was sure she saw a dark paw lift the sail-cloth. She might

mind in that one instant, while she sat li

little as she touched the canvas gently-so gently that it scarcely stirred. S

's little

t air, and echoed through the forest. He thought Gypsy must be having another fit o

he girls by peering in at a hole in the tent-roof, and making a little

ed Gypsy from outside. The girls hurried out, and there he sat with Mr. Hallam, be

you let us go, t

rpose," said Tom, in his provoking fashion. "N

miling; "and I shall have to tell of him. It happens that I c

, Mr. Hallam, can't w

sure, y

u'll stand it?-girls always

t as long as

whis

cious point of brown crispness, and the break

n. The brook foamed and bubbled down its steep, rocky bed, splashed up jets of rainbow spray into the air, and plunged in miniature cascades over tiny gullies; the wet stones flashed in the light upon the banks, and tall

eau-tiful!"

lessness, and trying to unwind her line in

ream," said Tom. "Now don't speak a word, and be sure you don't scream if

nd Tom walked away, and the girls fished for just half an hour in silence. That is to say, they sat on the bank, an

ones," said Gypsy. "I beli

n the loose stones, which tilt

l fall!" s

h! I se

d down went Gypsy. She disappeared from sight a moment in the s

r me!" s

ecided whether t

ppose you must go directly home, and you'll catch c

have dry clothes up in the tent. Mother said I should want

ripping up the bank. The temptation was to

her own expense. She laughed as merrily as Tom did, and the morning's adventure made quite as much fun as they would have gained from a string of perfectly respectable fishe

d taken Tom some distance up the stream for a comfortable little fish by themselves, and le

ut the trees to look at, and suggested a visit to the brook. She had seen some checker-berry leaves growing in t

said Gypsy, as they ran down over the loose

een, and were surprised to find it growing rapidly dark in the forest when th

k by this time,"

was no

m-as! Mr.

and a spark cracked out of the smoulderi

r tent," said Gypsy, going up

t come!" exc

eave us here," said Gypsy, l

id we were to stay at the tents. Perhaps they came while we w

d away her face a moment, so that Sarah could no

u off. This is rather a bad fix.

gain," said S

ks that crackled now and then from the fire. The heavy gray shadows grew purple and grew black. The little

, Gypsy! I can't bear to stay he

. Fisher's, because that would mislead them all

arm; "it is so dark. Perhaps we'll have

esides, of course, we sha'n't; they'll be back here before long. You go in the tent, if you f

fore the fire. It was a strange picture-the ghostly white tents and tangled brushwood gilded with the light; the great forest stretching away darkly beyond; the fitful shadows

self than with Sarah. "I think it's rather nice. Tom left his gun all loaded, and we can defend ourse

Tom's tent, and b

Sarah, shrinking,

s I pull the trigger. I know how t

d Sarah, beginning to c

Let's l

s, irregular tramping r

and put the gun into pos

e would be two. This is only one, and i

bear! We shall be eaten u

im if it is; but I know it

finger was on the trigger; her face a little pale. She thought the idea of the bear all nonsens

ou hit me. I don't wa

She clung, in her terror, to Gypsy's arm; jerked it; the trigger snapped,

d the most horrible Gypsy

n cry. It was