Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-06-29
CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN.
It was midsummer in the little ravine,
and the brook trickled with mellow ca
dence over the slippery green rocks.
and the moss on the edge of the stream
took up the water and drank it as
fast as the birds and animals did.
Everything was thirsty, and hungry.
and weary with the heat. Tillie Bruce
had finished her school in June, and
was at home. She came over the
mountains at stated intervals to go
botonizing with Fun Ting. and on
such occasions their feet instinctively
followed the well worn path to the
Mystic ravine. They were there today,
sitting at the foot of the falls. on dry
stump that Fun Tings ingenuity had
woven into a rustic BENCH They had
ceased to talk, and both were studying
infinitely all the little twigs. the in
sects, the plants. and the fish and
frogs in the pool 1t was a mode OF
study that Fun Ting had taught Tillle.
Tillie had won admirers in Buckfield.
but she had found no one whose mind
presented such wonderful possibilities
as did that of her boy companion
And no one whose companion5hip was
so charming and altogether sweet as
his.
This afternoon they were again
listening to catch the conversation of
the plants and shrubs the insects and
reptiles.
The Great Master, as they called the
sun in their nature talks was not yet
more than three or four hours up in
the eastern sky when as the birds in
the tree tops flew away to some other
more lucrative fields, and left the oaks
and beeches to their own thoughts.
there was the sound of dim, distant
fairy music. At first there was but
the tramplinE of many myriad feet in
the leaves, and then the short, sharp
commands of those who led an army.
and down the winding road among the
grass roots came long line of black
ants. The end of them was far and far
away up the side of the ravine, and
the front rank of them was coming
slowly, with now and then the groan-
ing of a leaf as it bent beneath their
weight upon the ground. or the sharp
breaking of a straw that had been
taken for a bridge, as the vanguard
walked out upon it. and it proved too
4 frail for their weight. On they came.
4Nteadily, slowly. making no sound now
- they drew near the brook. The
nders of the cavalcade spread out
ind picked the way with the care of
old generals.
They marched in single file, always
g, keeping the black ominous line straight
hand clean, and those in the rear not
us,triving to get ahead. as they would
nave done had they been squirrels, or
neds, or wild cats, or wolves.
Now and then those in front broke
( fierce song. or continuous cries
sounded like the singing of the
ut folk, or if the little denizens
valley had e own it. like the
\ e of the wss re-ei.of the great
A. 4 fof tt with an al 1t was
,ouSv6o~y pastry, reho saw it.
= n %,he Z, into the
rha,,e Of ieoks real neat. and from
nu,dn safe l6der If IN time. yhe oncom-
~, 1,,.ny j. cook ,riCusneSs.
wasD nh a nksgivag mornlgers kept
q P3 .;auce PRIME stoodk. and one
nup,x, h.ck door To bewere look
a. carly forallers. lie line and
f.s as sh ofteern and saw
kind thapeveuch as with
Ia1esdh he dored
aknock ?" asked the
~ fthOughailng Arbu-
Pc ibpenin Of the brook
chst,s Wifeeer,. leaves to
yea newly warmeAhe
2 nearly dropped
srtled was she by
we that spoke so