tales of trail and town-第34章

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proprietor　of　a　stage…coach　route；　moved　away　to　Sacramento；

Medliker's　Ranch　became　a　station　for　changing　horses；　and；　as　the

new　railway　in　time　superseded　even　that；　sank　into　a　blacksmith's

shop　on　the　outskirts　of　the　new　town　of　Burnt　Spring。　　And　then

one　day；　six　years　after；　news　fell　as　a　bolt　from　the　blue！



It　was　thus　recorded　in　the　county　paper：　〃A　piece　of　rare　good

fortune；　involving；　it　is　said；　the　development　of　a　lead　of

extraordinary　value；　has　lately　fallen　to　the　lot　of　Mr。　John

Silsbee；　the　popular　blacksmith；　on　the　site　of　the　old　Medliker

Ranch。　　In　clearing　out　the　failing　water…course　known　as　Burnt

Spring；　Mr。　Silsbee　came　upon　a　rich　ledge　or　pocket　at　the　actual

source　of　the　spring；a　fissure　in　the　ground　a　few　rods　from　the

road。　　The　present　yield　has　been　estimated　to　be　from　eight　to　ten

thousand　dollars。　　But　the　event　is　considered　as　one　of　the　most

remarkable　instances　of　the　vagaries　of　'prospecting'　ever　known；

as　this　valuable　'pot…hole'　existed　undisturbed　for　EIGHT　YEARS　not

FIFTY　YARDS　from　the　old　cabin　that　was　in　former　times　the

residence　of　J。　Medliker；　Esq。；　and　the　station　of　the　Pioneer

Stage　Company；　and　was　utterly　unknown　and　unsuspected　by　the

previous　inhabitants！　　Verily　truth　is　stranger　than　fiction！〃







A　TALE　OF　THREE　TRUANTS





The　schoolmaster　at　Hemlock　Hill　was　troubled　that　morning。　　Three

of　his　boys　were　missing。　　This　was　not　only　a　notable　deficit　in　a

roll…call　of　twenty；　but　the　absentees　were　his　three　most　original

and　distinctive　scholars。　　He　had　received　no　preliminary　warning

or　excuse。　　Nor　could　he　attribute　their　absence　to　any　common

local　detention　or　difficulty　of　travel。　　They　lived　widely　apart

and　in　different　directions。　　Neither　were　they　generally　known　as

〃chums；〃　or　comrades；　who　might　have　entered　into　an　unhallowed

combination　to　〃play　hookey。〃



He　looked　at　the　vacant　places　before　him　with　a　concern　which　his

other　scholars　little　shared；　having；　after　their　first　lively

curiosity；　not　unmixed　with　some　envy　of　the　derelicts；　apparently

forgotten　them。　　He　missed　the　cropped　head　and　inquisitive　glances

of　Jackson　Tribbs　on　the　third　bench；　the　red　hair　and　brown　eyes

of　Providence　Smith　in　the　corner；　and　there　was　a　blank　space　in

the　first　bench　where　Julian　Fleming；　a　lanky　giant　of　seventeen；

had　sat。　　Still；　it　would　not　do　to　show　his　concern　openly；　and；

as　became　a　man　who　was　at　least　three　years　the　senior　of　the

eldest；　Julian　Fleming；　he　reflected　that　they　were　〃only　boys；〃

and　that　their　friends　were　probably　ignorant　of　the　good　he　was

doing　them；　and　so　dismissed　the　subject。　　Nevertheless；　it　struck

him　as　wonderful　how　the　little　world　beneath　him　got　on　without

them。　　Hanky　Rogers；　bully；　who　had　been　kept　in　wholesome　check　by

Julian　Fleming；　was　lively　and　exuberant；　and　his　conduct　was

quietly　accepted　by　the　whole　school；　Johnny　Stebbins；　Tribbs's

bosom　friend；　consorted　openly　with　Tribbs's　particular　enemy；　some

of　the　girls　were　singularly　gay　and　conceited。　　It　was　evident

that　some　superior　masculine　oppression　had　been　removed。



He　was　particularly　struck　by　this　last　fact；　when；　the　next

morning；　no　news　coming　of　the　absentees；　he　was　impelled　to

question　his　flock　somewhat　precisely　concerning　them。　　There　was

the　usual　shy　silence　which　follows　a　general　inquiry　from　the

teacher's　desk；　the　children　looked　at　one　another；　giggled

nervously；　and　said　nothing。



〃Can　you　give　me　any　idea　as　to　what　might　have　kept　them　away？〃

said　the　master。



Hanky　Rogers　looked　quickly　around；　began；　〃Playin'　hook〃　in　a

loud　voice；　but　stopped　suddenly　without　finishing　the　word；　and

became　inaudible。　　The　master　saw　fit　to　ignore　him。



〃Bee…huntin'；〃　said　Annie　Roker　vivaciously。



〃Who　is？〃　asked　the　master。



〃Provy　Smith；　of　course。　　Allers　bee…huntin'。　　Gets　lots　o'　honey。

Got　two　full　combs　in　his　desk　last　week。　　He's　awful　on　bees　and

honey。　　Ain't　he；　Jinny？〃　　This　in　a　high　voice　to　her　sister。



The　younger　Miss　Roker；　thus　appealed　to；　was　heard　to　murmur　that

of　all　the　sneakin'　bee…hunters　she　had　ever　seed；　Provy　Smith　was

the　worst。　　〃And　squirrelsfor　nuts；〃　she　added。



The　master　became　attentive；a　clue　seemed　probable　here。　　〃Would

Tribbs　and　Fleming　be　likely　to　go　with　him？〃　he　asked。



A　significant　silence　followed。　　The　master　felt　that　the　children

recognized　a　doubt　of　this；　knowing　the　boys　were　not　〃chums；〃

possibly　they　also　recognized　something　incriminating　to　them；　and

with　characteristic　freemasonry　looked　at　one　another　and　were

dumb。



He　asked　no　further　questions；　but；　when　school　was　dismissed；

mounted　his　horse　and　started　for　the　dwelling　of　the　nearest

culprit；　Jackson　Tribbs；　four　miles　distant。　　He　had　often　admired

the　endurance　of　the　boy；　who　had　accomplished　the　distance；

including　the　usual　meanderings　of　a　country　youth；　twice　a　day；　on

foot；　in　all　weathers；　with　no　diminution　of　spirits　or　energy。　　He

was　still　more　surprised　when　he　found　it　a　mountain　road；　and　that

the　house　lay　well　up　on　the　ascent　of　the　pass。　　Autumn　was

visible　only　in　a　few　flaming　sumacs　set　among　the　climbing　pines；

and　here；　in　a　little　clearing　to　the　right；　appeared　the　dwelling

he　was　seeking。



〃Tribbses；〃　or　〃Tribbs's　Run；〃　was　devoted　to　the　work　of　cutting

down　the　pines　midway　on　a　long　regularly　sloping　mountain…side；

which　allowed　the　trunks；　after　they　were　trimmed　and　cut　into

suitable　lengths；　to　be　slid　down　through　rude　runs；　or　artificial

channels；　into　the　valley　below；　where　they　were　collected　by　teams

and　conveyed　to　the　nearest　mills。　　The　business　was　simple　in　the

extreme；　and　was　carried　on　by　Tribbs　senior；　two　men　with　saws　and

axes；　and　the　natural　laws　of　gravitation。　　The　house　was　a　long

log　cabin；　several　sheds　roofed　with　bark　or　canvas　seemed

consistent　with　the　still　lingering　summer　and　the　heated　odors　of

the　pines；　but　were　strangely　incongruous　to　those　white　patches　on

the　table…land　and　the　white　tongue　stretching　from　the　ridge　to

the　valley。　　But　the　master　was　familiar　with　those　Sierran

contrasts；　and　as　he　had　never　ascended　the　trail　before；　it　might

be　only　the　usual　prospect　of　the　dwellers　there。　　At　this　moment

Mr。　Tribbs　appeared　from　the　cabin；　with　his　axe　on　his　shoulder。

Nodding　carelessly　to　the　master；　he　was　moving　away；　when　the

latter　stopped　him。



〃Is　Jackson　here？〃　he　asked。



〃No；〃　said　the　father；　half　impatiently；　still　moving　on。　　〃Hain't

seen　him　since　yesterday。〃



〃Nor　has　he　been　at　school；〃　said　the　master；　〃either　yesterday　or

to…day。〃



Mr。　Tribbs　looked　puzzled　and　grieved。　　〃Now　I　reckoned　you　had

kep'　him　in　for　some　devilment　of　his'n；　or　lessons。〃



〃Not　ALL　NIGHT！〃　said　the　master；　somewhat　indignant　at　this

presumption　of　his　arbitrary　functions。



〃Humph！〃　said　Mr。　Tribbs。　　〃Mariar！〃　　Mrs。　Tribbs　made　her

appearance　in　the　doorway。　　〃The　schoolmaster　allows　that　Jackson

ain't　bin　to　school　at　all。〃　　Then；　turning　to　the　master；　he

added；　〃Thar！　you　settle　it　between　ye；〃　and　quietly　walked　away。



Mrs。　Tribbs　looked　by　no　means　satisfied　with　or　interested　in　the

proposed　tete…a…tete。　　〃Hev　ye　looked　in　the　bresh〃　（i。　e。；　brush

or　underwood）　〃for　him？〃　she　said　querulously。



〃No；〃　said　the　master；　〃I　came　here　first。　　There　are　two　other

boys　missing；Providence　Smith　and　Julian　Fleming。　　Did　either　of

them〃



But　Mrs。　Tribbs　had　interrupted　him　with　a　gesture　of　impatient

relief。　　〃Oh；　that's　all；　is　it？　　Playin'　hookey　together；　in

course。　　'Scuse　me；　I　must　go　back　to　my　bakin'。〃　　She　turned　away；

but　stopped　suddenly；　touched；　as　the　master　fondly　believed；　by

some　tardy　maternal　solicitude。　　But　she　only　said：　〃When　he　DOES

come　back；　you　just　give　him　a　whalin'；　will　ye？〃　and　vanished　into

her　kitchen。



The　master　rode　away；　half　ashamed　of　his　foolish　concern　for　the

derelicts。　　But　he　determined　to　try　Smith's　father；　who　owned　a

small　rancho　lower　down　on　a　spur　of　the　same　ridge。　　But　the　spur

was　really　nearer　Hemlock　Hill；　and　could　have　been　reached　more

directly　by　a　road　from　there。　　He；　however；　kept　along　the　ridge；

and　after　half　an　hour's　ride　was　convinced　that　Jackson　Tribbs

could　have　communicated　with　Provy　Smith　without　coming　nearer

Hemlock　Hill；　and　this　revived　his　former　belief　that　they　were

together。　　He　found　the　paternal　Smith　engaged　in　hoeing　potatoes

in　a　stony　field。　　The　look　of　languid　curiosity　with　which　he　had

regarded　the　approach　of　the　master　changed　to　one　of　equally

languid　aggression　as　he　learned　the　object　of　his　visit。



〃Wot　are　ye　comin'　to　ME　for？　　I　ain't　runnin'　your　school；〃　he

said　slowly　and　aggressively。　　〃I　started　Providence　all　right　for

it　mornin'　afore　last；　since　when　I　never　set　eyes　on　him。　　That

lets　ME　out。　　My　business；　young　feller；　is　lookin'　arter　the

ranch。　　Yours；　I　reckon；　is　lookin'　arter　your　scholars。〃



〃I　thought　it　my　business　to　tell　you　your　son　was　absent　from

school；〃　said　the　master　coldly；　turning　away。　　〃If　you　are

satisfied；　I　have　nothing　more　to　say。〃　　Nevertheless；　for　the

moment　he　was　so　startled　by　this　remarkable　theory　of　his　own

responsibility　in　the　case　that　he　quite　accepted　the　father's

callousness；or　rather　it　seemed　to　him　that　his　unfortunate

charges　more　than　ever　needed　his　protection。　　There　was　still　the

chance　of　his　hearing　some　news　from　Julian　Fleming's　father；　he

lived　at　some　distance；　in　the　valley　on　the　opposite　side　of

Hemlock　Hill；　and　thither　the　master　made　his　way。　　Luckily　he　had

not　gone　far　before　he　met　Mr。　Fleming；　who　was　a　teamster；　en

route。　　Like　the　fathers　of　the　other　truants；　he　was　also　engaged

in　his　vocation。　　But；　unlike　the　others；　Fleming　senior　was　jovial

and　talkative。　　He　pulled　up　his　long　team　promptly；　received　the

master's　news　with　amused　interest；　and　an　invitation　to　spirituous

refreshment　from　a　demijohn　in　his　wagon。



〃Me　and　the　ole　woman　kind　o'　spekilated　that　Jule　might　hev　been

over　with　Aunt　Marthy；　but　don't　you　worry；　Mr。　Schoolmaster。

They're　limbs；　every　one　o'　them；　but　they'll　fetch　up　somewhere；

all　square！　　Just　you　put　two　fingers　o'　that　corn　juice　inside　ye；

and　let　'em　slide。　　Ye　didn't　hear　what　the　'lekshun　news　was　when

ye　was　at　Smith's；　did　ye？〃



The　master　had　not　inquired。　　He　confessed　he　had　been　worried

about　the　boys。　　He　had　even　thought　that　Julian　might　have　met

with　an　accident。



Mr。　Fleming　wiped　his　mouth；　with　a　humorous　affectation　of

concern。　　〃Met　with　an　ACCIDENT？　　Yes；　I　reckon　not　ONE　accident；

but　TWO　of　'em。　　These　yer　accidents　Jule's　met　with　had　two　legs；

and　were　mighty　lively　accidents；　you　bet；　and　took　him　off　with

'em；　or　mebbe　they　had　four　legs；　and　he's　huntin'　'em　yet。

Accidents！　　Now　I　never　thought　o'　that！　　Wel