Blue Bonnet's Ranch Party

  CHAPTER XII

  POCO TIEMPO

  "I RECKON we'll all sleep without rocking," Blue Bonnet smileddrowsily in on the girls who were disrobing for the night. She hadstolen from Grandmother's tent for a last word, but lingered forseveral before departing. "How's your bed, Sarah?"

  "A bit bumpy," the honest girl admitted.

  "Mustn't mind a little thing like that," Blue Bonnet admonished her.

  "They're not very little--just you wait and see." Sarah squirmed aboutseeking a level spot for her body.

  Alec and Knight, who had spent hours stuffing the bed-ticks withSpanish moss, would hardly have felt repaid could they have seen herdiscomfort at that moment.

  Observing her Blue Bonnet remarked: "I'm glad we brought the canvascot for Grandmother. I don't mind bumpy beds myself--it isn't right tobe too comfortable when you're camping out."

  Kitty stood, mirror in hand, ministering unto a blistered nose, and asSarah gave a final grunt before closing her eyes, she called suddenly:"Sarah Blake, don't you dare go to sleep 'til we've drawn lots."

  "Lots?" Sarah blinked sleepily.

  "To see who's to get breakfast. After that we'll take turns, two at atime."

  "But there are five of us," protested Debby.

  "Grandmother says to count her in. We'll give her Sarah for arunning-mate,--she's about the only one that can keep Sallykins inorder."

  Sarah woke up at that to give the speaker a surprised and grievedlook, at which Blue Bonnet burst into a laugh. "I'll label my nextjoke, Old Reliable," she said.

  Kitty looked about her for something which they could use for lots.

  Nothing seeming appropriate, she suddenly tweaked three bright hairsfrom her own curly head, arranged them in lengths and held them outfor the others to draw.

  "Shortest gets breakfast; next lunch, longest dinner," she announcedtersely.

  "Hooray for us!" cried Amanda, catching Blue Bonnet around the waistand hopping about on one foot, the other being unshod. "Lunch for us.Let's think up something easy."

  Kitty made a grimace at the short hair left in her hand. "Breakfast!Debby, I call that hard luck."

  "The others may call it harder," prophesied Blue Bonnet.

  "Never mind, the Senora and Sarah will make up for it at dinner-time,"said Kitty.

  "Night-night!" said Blue Bonnet, preparing to leave. With her hand onthe tent-flap she paused. "Shake out your shoes before you put them onin the morning!" she said; and with this dark warning fled.

  Camp Judson had awakened, had had a fiercely contested water-fight,had breakfasted, tidied up, and most of its inmates scattered in questof adventures, before the tired girls of _Poco Tiempo_ gathered forthe morning meal. Kitty and Debby, enveloped in capacious ginghamaprons, and appearing somewhat flushed and nervous, stood waiting toserve.

  Mrs. Clyde gave the two cooks an approving smile. "Everything lookscharming," she said as she took her place at the head of the board.

  The table here was spread with white oilcloth, and the dishes of blueenamelled-ware showed bright and cheerful against the immaculateexpanse. Bowls of steaming oatmeal porridge stood at each place, andhuge mugs of cocoa. But it was at none of these that Blue Bonnet wasgazing; her eyes were fastened in wonder on a pitcher of real milk andanother of real cream.

  "Where did that come from?" she demanded.

  "The Spring!" declared Kitty.

  "Miguel rode to the Circle Y ranch and got it early this morning,"Debby confessed, "and they're going to let us have it every morning."

  "It's a jarring note," Blue Bonnet declared.

  "All right, you can have all the 'condemned milk' you want," saidKitty, "--we've a dozen cans of it."

  But Blue Bonnet was already helping herself generously to the "jarringnote" and seemed to enjoy it as much as any one. Every one wasexceedingly polite and made no mention of lumps in the porridge; andfinally the anxious puckers in Debby's forehead began to smooththemselves out. There was a moment of veritable triumph for the cookswhen they came in with the nicely browned bacon and a plate heapedhigh with golden corn-bread.

  "Who was the artist?" the Senora asked in pleased surprise.

  "I didn't know you knew how," Sarah commented.

  There was a moment's hesitation, and then Blue Bonnet, who had caughta glimpse of Uncle Joe's face, pointed an accusing finger at him."Fess up, Uncle Joe!"

  Much annoyed at himself, Uncle Joe tried to deny the accusation, butKitty's face confirmed the suspicion against him, and in the end he"fessed up" rather lamely.

  "Have to do something to earn my board and keep," he protested.

  "Amanda and I get lunch, you know," Blue Bonnet suggested tactfully;and Amanda telegraphed her approval of this gentle hint.

  "Well, this camp is well-named," said Knight, appearing suddenly witha half-dozen boys in his train. "Is this breakfast or lunch?"

  "Breakfast, and a very good one," Mrs. Clyde remarked. "Won't you joinus?"

  "Don't tempt my merry men," Knight begged comically. "They've neveryet been known to refuse food, and though it's only an hour sincebreakfast, I've no confidence in them."

  "Won't you please hurry?" Alec asked eagerly. "I can't wait for youall to see the Spring."

  "We're ready right now," said Blue Bonnet, jumping up impulsively."Come on, girls, it's a glorious morning for a tramp."

  "Haven't you forgotten something, Blue Bonnet?" her grandmother asked.

  Blue Bonnet looked puzzled. "Do you mean hats? I'd much rather gowithout one, if you don't mind, Grandmother."

  But it was not hats that Grandmother was thinking of; gradually itdawned on Blue Bonnet that the other girls were not making ready forthe excursion, but were gathering up the dishes and clearing thetable. She flashed a reproachful look at them.

  "You might let those wait," she protested.

  Grandmother smiled. "You do surely belong to the 'land of _pocotiempo_,' Blue Bonnet."

  "But the dishes will keep--"

  "And so will the Spring!"

  The girl gave a discouraged sigh; it was a pity Grandmother had notbeen brought up in Texas; then she would have understood what were thereally necessary things in life. She nodded wistfully at the boys."Grandmother believes in every girl's doing her duty," she said.

  "We'll have the manager hold the performance," said Knight cheerfully."We'll be back in half an hour,--Carita can go by that time, too."

  Blue Bonnet brightened visibly at this, and turned resolutely to thehated tasks.

  "Debby and I will wash the dishes; Sarah can 'red up,' and you andAmanda do the beds," Kitty suggested.

  Aunt Lucinda's training stood Blue Bonnet in good stead here. Thegoing over the rather bumpy beds got in that half-hour left Amandabreathless with admiration.

  "You can do things beautifully when you want to, Blue Bonnet," sheremarked.

  "When I have to, you mean," Blue Bonnet replied.

  "Where's the broom, do you know?" asked Sarah.

  "Sh!" Blue Bonnet drew her into the tent and out of every one'shearing. "There isn't any broom, Sarah."

  "But I put one in the wagon myself."

  "And I _threw it out_!"

  "Blue Bonnet!" Something like horror was in Sarah's blue eyes.

  Blue Bonnet met her gaze defiantly. "Did you ever see a picture of theWitch of Salem, Sarah?"

  Sarah gave a bewildered nod. "What has the Witch of Salem--"

  "Wasn't she riding a broom?" Blue Bonnet persisted.

  "Yes--but--"

  "Well, in my opinion that's the only good use a broom was ever put to!It has no place in a respectable camping party."

  Sarah said no more; but when, a few minutes later, Amanda and BlueBonnet looked out to learn the source of an odd sound, they beheld theindomitable Sarah, armed with an antiquated rake, gathering up theleaves and litter on the hard dirt "floor" of the dining-room.

  "Who would have thought to see our Sarah grown rakish?" asked BlueBonnet,--and then dodged the pillow sent by Amanda's indignan
t hand.

  By the time the allotted half-hour was up, _Poco Tiempo_ was a modelof neatness and order. The girls, booted and hatted in spite of BlueBonnet's objections, were ready to the minute, and when the youngscouts appeared they set out at once, exactly--as Blue Bonnetremarked--like the third-graders at recess.

  Grandmother had settled herself comfortably with a book,--Mrs. Judsonwas coming over later for a chat,--and so it was with a free mind anda soul ready for a carnival of pleasure that Blue Bonnet stepped forthon the joyous expedition.

  "I reckon it is better," she admitted to Alec, "to have everythingdone first, instead of having them to do when you're tired."

  "Oh, wise young judge!" he laughed. "We'll make a New Englander of youyet."

  "That reminds me of something Cousin Tracey said once. He thought Iwas developing a New England conscience, and said it was anexceedingly troublesome thing to have around. I believe him,--it'smuch more fun to develop Kodak films. There now!" she broke offimpatiently, "--if I haven't left my camera in the tent. And I wantpictures of the Spring."

  "Never mind, we'll be up here every day," said Alec. "There's a jollylittle rustic bridge where you can gather the crowd for a grouppicture. Here we are!"

  He and Blue Bonnet had walked faster than the others, and so werefirst to see this most beautiful of springs. Blue Bonnet gave onelook, and then something rose in her throat, stifling breath andspeech. Alec watched her appreciatively.

  "If he speaks to me now, he's not the boy I've always believed him,"the girl was saying to herself. She dreaded the first word that shouldbreak in on that moment of perfect beauty.

  Below them the giant spring surged up, a great emerald in a setting ofwoods and hills. Clear as air, the water boiled up from the bowels ofthe earth, revealing every fish and pebble in its mirror-like depths.Shrubs overhung it; wild cresses and ferns clustered about it; belowthe surface long tresses of pinky-coral grasses floated and waved inthe bubbling current.

  A voice shattered the blissful moment of peace. "Isn't she a beauty?"

  It was a sandy-haired youth with Kitty who had clambered roughly intothe picture. Blue Bonnet hated him fiercely for a few seconds. Thenthe rest came up with a babble of voices and exclamations and sheresigned herself, with a sigh, to the fact that the gift of silence,being golden, is given to but few.

  Knight gave her a questioning glance and she glowed back at him. "It'sperfect--almost too perfect."

  "There's a wee spring up higher,--the camp creek flows from it. Do youfeel equal to the climb?" he asked her.

  She gave eager assent, and, after lingering a few minutes for theothers and finding them too slow for the pace she liked, Blue Bonnetfollowed Knight up a steep winding path that circled the hill.

  He carried a "twenty-two" rifle swung across his shoulders, and in hisbelt a rather formidable looking knife.

  "For use or ornament?" she asked, indicating the weapons. "You looklike Dick Danger."

  "Strictly for use," he assured her. "The gun has brought down many atoothsome 'possum, and the knife serves to cut anything from firewoodto alpenstocks. Shall I cut you one to assist your feeble steps?"

  They halted while he selected a sapling for the purpose, trimmed andsharpened it at the end.

  "Alpine travellers put sharp iron points on their staffs, Uncle says,"he explained, "so that by thrusting them in the ice and snow they keepfrom slipping. We don't need them for just that purpose, but they arehandy on steep paths--and to kill bugs with!"

  She accepted the "alpenstock" gratefully and soon found it useful forboth purposes.

  "When we get back to camp I'll get Sandy to carve your initials init--he's quite a genius at carving," Knight said.

  "Is Sandy the--sandy one?"

  "Precisely."

  "Then I don't think I like him."

  "Oh, but you will when you know him better," Knight protested. "He'stremendously clever,--a born orator. He won a medal last year in adebate."

  "That accounts for his talking so much," Blue Bonnet laughed. "He'salways at it."

  "But unlike most incessant talkers, he says something," Knight urgedfor his friend. "We'll get him to recite some evening, then you canjudge how talented he is."

  "Does he do 'Curfew shall not--?'" she asked mischievously.

  "Grief, no!" Knight's disgusted tone sent Blue Bonnet off in a fit oflaughter. To her surprise the ripple of her laugh came back in agleeful "ha, ha!" that had something witchlike about it. She turned astartled face to her companion.

  "We've reached the 'Whispering Grotto,'" he explained. "The echo isfamous." He pushed aside a low-growing bough, and brushing by it BlueBonnet found herself in a lovely little cave-like spot, in the centreof which was a tiny spring. It bubbled up somewhere back in the hilland had made a long tunnel, coming to the light just here.

  "Oh, for a cup. I'm thirsty as--as Tantalus!" sighed Blue Bonnet.

  "A Texas girl crying for a cup?" Knight asked teasingly.

  "That wouldn't have happened before I went to Woodford. I've beengoing through what they call--being civilized. It's mostly learningnot to shock the New England sense of propriety."

  "I'm not a New Englander!"

  Knight's eyes were daring her; and it was fatal. What Sarah would havesaid if she could have seen Blue Bonnet's method of getting a drink ishard to conjecture. Hardly had she time to spring to her feet whenvoices were heard close at hand.

  "I can hear Sandy." She turned eagerly to Knight. "Let's go on--Idon't feel ready for a crowd."

  "There's a lovely view from the top of the hill," he suggested.

  Her only answer was to push on, plying her alpenstock eagerly in herhaste to elude the others. Pausing only when the top of the hill wasreached, she sank at length on a fallen tree-trunk. The view was allKnight had promised for it, overlooking a quiet valley.

  "Let's call it 'Peaceful Valley,'" she said.

  "It may have a different name on the map, but no one can prevent ourchristening it what we like," he agreed.

  Blue Bonnet was content to rest for a while here. There was no sign oflife anywhere, except a solitary bird wheeling about far above theirheads.

  "A swallow-tailed kite," Knight said as the bird dropped suddenly intoclearer view. "Graceful, isn't it?"

  All at once the big kite alighted on the dead branch of a tree nearthem.

  "What glorious wings!" breathed Blue Bonnet.

  "Would you like one for your hat?" Knight asked.

  "Oh, wouldn't I!" she cried eagerly.

  Quick as flash Knight swung his rifle about, aimed and fired. BlueBonnet put her fingers in her ears with an exclamation of alarm. Thebird toppled as if to fall, then righted itself with a lurch andfluttered out from the tree. Blue Bonnet gave a sigh of relief.

  "I was so afraid you had hurt him!" she cried,--and the words diedaway in a gasp of distress. The kite, pitching headlong, had fallenalmost at her feet.

  She dropped on her knees beside it; but the bird was still. Knight,bending over her, was suddenly filled with surprise and dismay; shewas crying like a child.

  "It was so mean and vain of me," she said with quivering lips, "--towant him just for a hat, when he was having such a beautiful time."

  Knight was pale with hatred of himself.

  She looked up at last and smiled mistily through her tears. "I reckonyou think I am pretty much of a baby. But I can't bear to seethings--die."

  "It's only a big hawk," he said to comfort both himself and her.

  She looked up hopefully. "And hawks are mean birds, aren't they,--thatkill little chickens and other birds?"

  He hesitated, then said unwillingly: "Some hawks do. But this is adifferent kind. It lives on snakes and insects--"

  "Then it is a good bird!--that's what Uncle Cliff calls them." Herface clouded again and she turned towards camp.

  "You don't want one of the wings then?"

  She shuddered. "Oh, no!" Then she paused. "I will have--I saw somefeathers fall. Will you give me one? I want it
for a reminder."

  Knight picked up one of the tiny barred wing-feathers and handed it toher. "A reminder?"

  "I'm never going to wear things like that again--wings and birds andall those cruel ornaments. I never realized before--And whenever I amtempted I shall look at this."

  Knight bent, picked up another of the feathers and laid it away in hisfly-book. "I need a reminder, too," he remarked.

  "But you never wear birds in your hats," Blue Bonnet said wonderingly.

  "My reminder shall be: 'Think before you shoot,'" he said quietly.