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！
that he should furnish us daily with a few of the products of his
garden。
〃I could go to the butcher's and get you a steak or some chops； if
you'd let me know in the morning；〃 said he； intent on the profits
of further commissions。
But this was going too far。 We remembered we were camping out； and
declined to have meat from the butcher。
John had not been gone more than ten minutes before we saw Mr。 Ball
approaching。
〃Oh； I hope he isn't going to say we can't stay！〃 exclaimed
Euphemia。
〃How d'ye do？〃 said Mr。 Ball； shaking hands with us。 〃Did you
stick it out all night？〃
〃Oh yes； indeed；〃 I replied； 〃and expect to stick it out for a many
more nights if you don't object to our occupying your land。〃
〃No objection in the world；〃 said he； 〃but it seems a little queer
for people who have a good house to be living out here in the
fields in a tent； now； don't it？〃
〃Oh； but you see；〃 said I； and I went on and explained the whole
thing to him；the advice of the doctor； the discussion about the
proper place to go to； and the good reasons for fixing on this
spot。
〃Ye…es；〃 said he； 〃that's all very well； no doubt。 But how's the
girl？〃
〃What girl？〃 I asked。
〃Your girl。 The hired girl you left at the house。〃
〃Oh； she's all right；〃 said I； 〃she's always well。〃
〃Well；〃 said Mr。 Ball； slowly turning on his heel； 〃if you say so；
I suppose she is。 But you're going up to the house to…day to see
about her； aren't you？〃
〃Oh； no；〃 said Euphemia。 〃We don't intend to go near the house
until our camping is over。〃
〃Just so；just so；〃 said Mr。 Ball； 〃I expected as much。 But look
here； don't you think it would be well for me to ask Dr。 Ames to
stop in and see how she is gettin' along？ I dare say you've fixed
everything for her； but that would be safer； you know。 He's coming
this morning to vaccinate my baby； and he might stop there； just as
well as not； after he has left my house。〃
Euphemia and I could see no necessity for this proposed visit of
the doctor； but we could not well object to it； and so Mr。 Ball
said he would be sure and send him。
After our visitor had gone； the significance of his remarks flashed
on me。 He still thought that Pomona was sick with something
catching； and that we were afraid to stay in the house with her。
But I said nothing about this to Euphemia。 It would only worry
her； and our vacation was to be a season of unalloyed delight。
CHAPTER X。
WET BLANKETS。
We certainly enjoyed our second day in camp。 All the morning； and
a great part of the afternoon； we 〃explored。〃 We fastened up the
tent as well as we could； and then； I with my gun； and Euphemia
with the fishing…pole； we started up the creek。 We did not go very
far； for it would not do to leave the tent too long。 I did not
shoot anything； but Euphemia caught two or three nice little fish；
and we enjoyed the sport exceedingly。
Soon after we returned in the afternoon； and while we were getting
things in order for supper； we had a call from two of our
neighbors； Captain Atkinson and wife。 The captain greeted us
hilariously。
〃Hello！〃 he cried。 〃Why； this is gay。 Who would ever have thought
of a domestic couple like you going on such a lark as this。 We
just heard about it from old John； and we came down to see what you
are up to。 You've got everything very nice。 I think I'd like this
myself。 Why； you might have a rifle…range out here。 You could cut
down those bushes on the other side of the creek； and put up your
target over there on that hill。 Then you could lie down here on
the grass and bang away all day。 If you'll do that； I'll come down
and practice with you。 How long are you going to keep it up？〃
I told him that we expected to spend my two weeks' vacation here。
〃Not if it rains； my boy；〃 said he。 〃I know what it is to camp out
in the rain。〃
Meanwhile； Mrs。 Atkinson had been with Euphemia examining the tent；
and our equipage generally。
〃It would be very nice for a day's picnic；〃 she said； 〃but I
wouldn't want to stay out…of…doors all night。〃
And then； addressing me； she asked：
〃Do you have to breathe the fresh air all the time； night as well
as day？ I expect that is a very good prescription； but I would not
like to have to follow it myself。〃
〃If the fresh air is what you must have；〃 said the captain； 〃you
might have got all you wanted of that without taking the trouble to
come out here。 You could have sat out on your back porch night and
day for the whole two weeks； and breathed all the fresh air that
any man could need。〃
〃Yes；〃 said I； 〃and I might have gone down cellar and put my head
in the cold…air box of the furnace。 But there wouldn't have been
much fun in that。〃
〃There are a good many things that there's no fun in；〃 said the
captain。 〃Do you cook your own meals； or have them sent from the
house？〃
〃Cook them ourselves； of course；〃 said Euphemia。 〃We are going to
have supper now。 Won't you wait and take some？〃
〃Thank you；〃 said Mrs。 Atkinson； 〃but we must go。〃
〃Yes； we must be going；〃 said the captain。 〃Good…bye。 If it rains
I'll come down after you with an umbrella。〃
〃You need not trouble yourself about that；〃 said I。 〃We shall
rough it out； rain or shine。〃
〃I'd stay here now；〃 said Euphemia； when they had gone； 〃if it
rained pitch。〃
〃You mean pitchforks；〃 I suggested。
〃Yes； anything；〃 she answered。
〃Well； I don't know about the pitchforks；〃 I said； looking over the
creek at the sky； 〃but am very much afraid that it is going to rain
rain…water to…morrow。 But that won't drive us home； will it？〃
〃No； indeed！〃 said she。 〃We're prepared for it。 But I wish they'd
staid at home。〃
Sure enough； it commenced to rain that night； and we had showers
all the next day。 We staid in camp during the morning； and I
smoked and we played checkers； and had a very cosy time； with a
wood fire burning under a tree near by。 We kept up this fire； not
to dry the air； but to make things look comfortable。 In the
afternoon I dressed myself up in water…proof coat； boots and hat；
and went out fishing。 I went down to the water and fished along
the banks for an hour； but caught nothing of any consequence。 This
was a great disappointment； for we had expected to live on fresh
fish for a great part of the time while we were camping。 With
plenty of fish； we could do without meat very well。
We talked the matter over on my return； and we agreed that as it
seemed impossible to depend upon a supply of fish； from the waters
about our camp； it would be better to let old John bring fresh meat
from the butcher； and as neither of us liked crackers； we also
agreed that he should bring bread。
Our greatest trouble； that evening； was to make a fire。 The wood；
of which there was a good deal lying about under the trees； was now
all wet and would not burn。 However； we managed to get up a fire
in the stove； but I did not know what we were going to do in the
morning。 We should have stored away some wood under shelter。
We set our little camp…table in the tent； and we had scarcely
finished our supper； when a very heavy rain set in； accompanied by
a violent wind。 The canv