按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
whole frame was trembling with emotion； 〃Euphemia； I am glad I
married you！〃
Had it not been Sunday； we would have set up our tent that night。
Early the next morning； old John's fifteen…dollar horse drew from
our house a wagon…load of camp…fixtures。 There was some difficulty
in getting the wagon over the field； and there were fences to be
taken down to allow of its passage； but we overcame all obstacles；
and reached the camp…ground without breaking so much as a teacup。
Old John helped me pitch the tent； and as neither of us understood
the matter very well； it took us some time。 It was； indeed； nearly
noon when old John left us； and it may have been possible that he
delayed matters a little so as to be able to charge for a full
half…day for himself and horse。 Euphemia got into the wagon to
ride back with him； that she might give some parting injunctions to
Pomona。
〃I'll have to stop a bit to put up the fences； ma'am；〃 said old
John； 〃or Misther Ball might make a fuss。〃
〃Is this Mr。 Ball's land？〃 I asked。
〃Oh yes； sir； it's Mr。 Ball's land。〃
〃I wonder how he'll like our camping on it？〃 I said； thoughtfully。
〃I'd 'a' thought； sir； you'd 'a' asked him that before you came；〃
said old John； in a tone that seemed to indicate that he had his
doubts about Mr。 Ball。
〃Oh； there'll be no trouble about that；〃 cried Euphemia。 〃You can
drive me past Mr。 Ball's；it's not much out of the way；and I'll
ask him。〃
〃In that wagon？〃 said I。 〃Will you stop at Mr。 Ball's door in
that？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said she； as she arranged herself on the board which
served as a seat。 〃Now that our campaign has really commenced； we
ought to begin to rough it； and should not be too proud to ride
even in ain a〃
She evidently couldn't think of any vehicle mean enough for her
purpose。
〃In a green…grocery cart；〃 I suggested。
〃Yes； or in a red one。 Go ahead； John。〃
When Euphemia returned on foot； I had a fire in the camp…stove and
the kettle was on。
〃Well；〃 said Euphemia； 〃Mr。 Ball says it's all right； if we keep
the fence up。 He don't want his cows to get into the creek； and
I'm sure we don't want 'em walking over us。 He couldn't
understand； though； why we wanted to live out here。 I explained
the whole thing to him very carefully； but it didn't seem to make
much impression on him。 I believe he thinks Pomona has something
the matter with her； and that we have come to stay out here in the
fresh air so as not to take it。〃
〃What an extremely stupid man Mr。 Ball must be！〃 I said。
The fire did not burn very well； and while I was at work at it；
Euphemia spread a cloth upon the grass； and set forth bread and
butter； cheese； sardines； potted ham； preserves； biscuits； and a
lot of other things。
We did not wait for the kettle to boil； but concluded to do without
tea or coffee； for this meal； and content ourselves with pure
water。 For some reason or other； however； the creek water did not
seem to be very pure； and we did not like it a bit。
〃After lunch；〃 said I； 〃we will go and look for a spring； that will
be a good way of exploring the country。〃
〃If we can't find one；〃 said Euphemia； 〃we shall have to go to the
house for water； for I can never drink that stuff。〃
Soon after lunch we started out。 We searched high and low； near
and far； for a spring； but could not find one。
At length； by merest accident； we found ourselves in the vicinity
of old John's little house。 I knew he had a good well； and so we
went in to get a drink； for our ham and biscuits had made us very
thirsty。
We told old John； who was digging potatoes； and was also very much
surprised to see us so soon； about our unexpected trouble in
finding a spring。
〃No；〃 said he； very slowly； 〃there is no spring very near to you。
Didn't you tell your gal to bring you water？〃
〃No；〃 I replied； 〃we don't want her coming down to the camp。 She
is to attend to the house。〃
〃Oh； very well；〃 said John； 〃I will bring you water； morning and
night；good； fresh water；from my well； for；well； for ten cents
a day。〃
〃That will be nice；〃 said Euphemia； 〃and cheap； too。 And then it
will be well to have John come every day； he can carry our
letters。〃
〃I don't expect to write any letters。〃
〃Neither do I；〃 said Euphemia； 〃but it will be pleasant to have
some communication with the outer world。〃
So we engaged old John to bring us water twice a day。 I was a
little disappointed at this； for I thought that camping on the edge
of a stream settled the matter of water。 But we have many things
to learn in this world。
Early in the afternoon I went out to catch some fish for supper。
We agreed to dispense with dinner； and have breakfast； lunch； and a
good solid supper。
For some time I had poor luck。 There were either very few fish in
the creek； or they were not hungry。
I had been fishing an hour or more when I saw Euphemia running
toward me。
〃What's the matter？〃 said I。
〃Oh！ nothing。 I've just come to see how you were getting along。
Haven't you been gone an awfully long time？ And are those all the
fish you've caught？ What little bits of things they are！ I
thought people who camped out caught big fish and lots of them？〃
〃That depends a good deal upon where they go；〃 said I。
〃Yes； I suppose so；〃 replied Euphemia； 〃but I should think a stream
as big as this would have plenty of fish in it。 However； if you
can't catch any； you might go up to the road and watch for Mr。
Mulligan。 He sometimes comes along on Mondays。〃
〃I'm not going to the road to watch for any fish…man；〃 I replied； a
little more testily than I should have spoken。 〃What sort of a
camping out would that be？ But we must not be talking here or I
shall never get a bite。 Those fish are a little soiled from
jumping about in the dust。 You might wash them off at that shallow
place； while I go a little further on and try my luck。〃
I went a short distance up the creek； and threw my line into a
dark； shadowy pool； under some alders； where there certainly should
be fish。 And； sure enough； in less than a minute I got a splendid
bite；not only a bite； but a pull。 I knew that I had certainly
hooked a big fish！ The thing actually tugged at my line so that I
was afraid the pole would break。 I did not fear for the line； for
that； I knew； was strong。 I would have played the fish until he
was tired； and I could pull him out without risk to the pole； but I
did not know exactly how the process of 〃playing〃 was conducted。 I
was very much excited。 Sometimes I gave a jerk and a pull； and
then the fish would give a jerk and a pull。
Directly I heard some one running toward me； and then I heard
Euphemia cry out：
〃Give him the butt！ Give him the butt！〃
〃Give him what？〃 I exclaimed； without having time even to look up
at her。
〃The butt！ the butt！〃 she cried； almost breathlessly。 〃I know
that's right！ I read how Edward Everett Hale did it in the
Adirondacks。〃
〃No； it wasn't Hale at all；〃 said I； as I jumped about the bank；
〃it was Mr。 Murray。〃
〃Well； it was one of those fishing ministers； and I know that it
caught the fish。〃
〃I know； I know。 I read it； but I don't know how to do it。〃