United States or New Zealand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
A hostler was forking down hay for the evening's feeding, and Robert climbed to his side, upon which the hostler good-naturedly took him by the shoulders and let him slide down and alight upon the spongy pile below. This would have been a delightful sensation had Bobaday not bitten his tongue in the descent.
Boswell and Johnson, under the carriage, waked by the cautious talk from that sound sleep a hard day's hunts after woods things induces, and perhaps sniffing the presence of their master and the familiar air of home, rose up to shake themselves, and one of them yawned until his jaws creaked. "It's the dogs," whispered Bobaday. "We mustn't set them to barking," cautioned Pa Padgett.
"Everybody's well," replied Bobaday. "But how did you know we were here?" "I'd have passed by," said Pa Padgett, "if I hadn't seen all that white strung along. Been washing clothes?" "Yes, sir." "Then I made out the carriage, and something like a wagon back in the bushes. So I came up to examine." "We thought you'd be at the State line," said Robert.
"But the man was the funniest thing," said Bobaday. "He just talked poetry all the time, and Grandma said he was daft. I'd like to talk that way myself, but I can't make it jee." Zene observed mysteriously, that there were some queer folks in this section. Yes, Bobaday admitted; the landlord was as Dutch as sour-krout. Zene observed that all the queer folks wasn't Dutch.
But they might prove her lawful guardians and cause a small moving party a great deal of trouble. "But we won't let them find her again," said aunt Corinne. "Ma, mayn't I keep her for my little sister? and Bobaday would like to have another aunt." "Then we'd be stealing her," said Grandma Padgett.
I wouldn't grudge payin' that man a good price and cookin' them myself, if I could give you something to eat." "We can look," suggested Bobaday. "They'd be in the cellar, wouldn't they?" "It's lots lonesomer than our house was the morning we came away," chattered aunt Corinne, warming her long hands at the blaze.
Through gaps in foliage and undergrowth they saw many an individual part of the general camp; the wagon-cover in some cases being as dun as the hide of an elephant. When a curtain was dropped over the front opening of the wagon, Bobaday and Corinne knew that women and children were sleeping within on their chattels.
She hated to be on expense, but they had much to return thanks for; and the Israelites made Sabbath day's journeys when they were moving. The first Sunday which seemed so remote now had been partially spent in a grove where they camped for dinner, and Grandma Padgett read the Bible, and made Bobaday and Corinne answer their catechism. But this June Sunday was to be of a thanksgiving character.
"You better go to bed quick as ever you can," he said. "I guess I ain't goin'," said aunt Corinne with indignant surprise, "till you tell me somethin' about what was up in the bushes. I stayed still and let you look, and now you won't tell me!" "You heard the sound," remonstrated Robert. "But I didn't see anything," argued aunt Corinne. "You wouldn't want to," said Bobaday.
Bobaday learned how to make a slip-knot with the horse-hair and hold it in silent suspense just where the minnows moved: the moment a fish glided into the open snare a dexterous jerk whipped him out of the water, held firmly about the middle by the hair noose. It required skill and nice handling, and the split-sleeved boy was the most accomplished snarer of all.
Word Of The Day