A Summer in a Canyon: A California Story

s day! Calo

led in h

gh it was August there was still water enough in Minnehaha Brook to give one a refreshing dip. Mirror Pool was a quarter of a mile distant and well guarded with rocks and deep hidden in trees; but a little pathway had been made to the wat

dden

sleeping woo

a quie

to apply the same with a velvet sponge, it is not much wonder. She insisted that, though it was doubtless a very romantic proceeding, the bottom a

egularly every day; but I simply never can get used to it.) There must have been a wonderful sunrise, dears, for the glow hasn't faded yet. Not

hat sounds ungrateful. Why, Geoff's up already! There's Elsie's bunch of vines, and twigs, and pretty things hanging on her tent-door. He's been off on horseback. Just my luck to have hi

he boys could rip it open with a knife

d up all day; but I thought I'd like Jack t

hought there was a gopher in this tent last night. I heard something scratching, and I tho

thing!' gasped Bell. 'Laura will never s

gophers,' said Polly. 'She m

didn't sleep well, and her face is flushed

e stage-station with mail; an odour of breakfast issued from the kitchen, where Hop Yet was humming a fragment of Chine

her golden head out between the curtains, and proclaimed herself st

directly over the concealed gopher-holes, a mirror in her

nswer, as she turned her face towards the light, for it was plainly a ca

uppose you got

I've worn gloves every minute. I think I must have touched it when I went up the mou

cally. 'Oh, you do look so funny, I can hardl

but I don't care about that-it's looking so ridiculous. I wonder if Dr. Winship could send m

u. She's a famous doctor.' And Bell finished dressing hurriedly, and went to her mother's tent, while Polly and Margery smoo

family medical guide under one arm,

very bad a case, dear; don't run about in the sun for a day or two, and we'll bring you out all right. Th

get up to breakfa

you know (many happy returns, my sweet Pollykin

The boys would make fun of my lo

dy,' suggested Margery,

' said Laura. 'Perhaps if I bathe my fac

a half-holiday, and allowed to go to a-neighbouring ranch to see a 'flend' of Hop Yet's; for

at he simply radiated amiability, and spent the whole morning helping Elsie and M

he shape of a parrot, with the inscription 'Polly want a cracker?' The rest were adorned

put the

all ha

y Bell and Geoffrey, and written on

LA MOTH

Chapa

t 15,

whoop, come

good will, o

LS AND

n S

me broth, she gav

Cod

all hav

ittle

tton à l

nsibilit

little lam

es in

he baker, the c

ut of a roas

ed B

I, nor nob

as, beans, and

nd Beef S

pickety, m

eggs for g

Welshman, Taf

house and stole

on

t on a pe

m T

Hearts, she ma

a summe

uts, and

ll have

ll have

nut-tree, noth

nutmeg and a

and

bachelor I l

nd cheese I got I p

and L

three, how

ee and Bill

es and

ell of St.

y ate I c

known v

f the party

ng mobbed when they omitted one or two dishes on the programme, and confessed that they had been put on principally for the 'st

d, he proceeded to convulse everybody with his Mongolian antics. These consisted of most informal remarks in clever pigeon English, and snatches of Chinese melody, rendered

ambric, with a bunch of leaves at her belt. She was sun-burned, but the freckles seemed to have disappeared mysteriously from her nose

ike an infant boa-constrictor after a hearty meal, the presentation of gifts and reading of poems too

n the East, who had discovered that Polly's name had appeared in poetry and song without her knowledge, and who thought she might be intereste

1

roposed to drink Miss Oliver's health. This was done with e

d Polly, blush

erously, pounding on the table with

ushed to her feet before she knew very well what she was doing. 'Oh, if Laura were not looking at me,' she thou

hat I scarcely remember nowadays that I have no father and no brothers and sisters, for I have never been alone or unhappy since you took me in among you and Bell chose me for her friend; and I think that if you knew how grateful I am for my beautiful summer, dear Dr. Paul and Aunt T

moment to be preferred to herself, thought this burst of affection decidedly theatrical, but she did not know of any one to w

erybody knows that a tent at midday is not a particularly pleasant spot, and after many a groan at the glare of the sun, which could not be tempered by any system of shawls, and moans at the gopher-holes which she discovered while searching for her ear-ring, and repeated consultations with the hand-glass at brief intervals, during which she convinced herself that she looked worse every minute,-she finally discovered a series of alarming new spots on her neck and chin. She felt then that

peaceful snooze. 'If you can spare Pancho over night, I really think I must trouble you to send Anne and

your visit unfinished. You know we don't mind any

ind, but indeed

consulting the doctor, and everybody is away excep

the ranch by eight this evening. I feel too ill to say good-bye, any way, and we shal

such an exciting day; but I'll call Polly to help you pack, and then tell Pancho to find Anne and harness the team. While he is doing that, I'll get you a litt