下载辰思小说免费APP
Hesetdownhisgun，tookthepipeandquiteasslowlyanddeliberatelyhelookedatthewaitingband，atthechief，andthenraisedittohislips。
“`Whitesquawbrave！Heapmuchbrave！’saidthechief。
“`InthestrengthoftheLord。Amen！’saidfather。
“Thenhereachedhishandandthechieftookit，soIcamedowntheladderandstoodbesidefather，astheIndiansbegantofileinthefrontdoorandouttheback。Astheypassed，everymanofthemmadethepeacesignandpiledinaheap，venison，fish，andgame，whileeachsquawplayedwiththebabyandgavemeagiftofbeads，ametaltrinket，orablanketshehadwoven。Afterthattheycameoften，andbroughtgifts，andifprowlingGypsieswerepilfering，IcouldlooktoseeabigIndianloomupandseathimselfatmyfiresideuntilanydangerwaspast。IreallygotsoIlikedanddependedonthem，andfatherleftmeintheircarewhenhewenttomill，andIwassafeaswithhim。Youhaveheardthestoryoverandover，butto-dayisthetimetoimpressonyouthatanexhibitionlikeTHISistheveriestchild’splaycomparedwithwhatIhaveseenyourfatherdorepeatedly！“
“Butitwasyou，thechiefsaidwasbrave！“
Motherlaughed。
“Ihadtobe，baby，“shesaid。“Motherhadnochoice。There’sonlyonewaytodealwithanIndian。Ihadlivedamongthemallmylife，andIknewwhatmustbedone。“
“Ithinkbothofyouwerebrave，“Isaid，“you，thebravest！“
“Quitethecontrary，“laughedmother。“IshallhavetoconfessthatwhatIdidhappenedsoquicklyI’dnotimetothink。Ionlyrealizedthecoalredironwasmenacingthepapoosewhenitdrewbackandwhimpered。Fatherhadallnighttofacewhatwascomingtohim，anditwasnotonetoone，butonetoforty，withasmanymoresquaws，asgoodfightersasthebraves，tobackthem。ItwasaterrorbutIneverhavebeensorrywewentthroughittogether。Ihaverestedsosecurelyinyourfathereversince。“
“Andheisassafeinyou，“Iinsisted。
“Asyouwill，“saidmother。“Thisworldmusthaveherwomenquiteasmuchashermen。Itisshouldertoshoulder，hearttoheart，business。“
Theclamourinthemeadowaroseaboveourvoicesandbroughtusbacktothefoxes。
“Theregoesanother！“Isaid，thetearsbeginningtorollagain。
“Itisheathenishbusiness，“saidmother。“Idon’tblameyou！
Ifpeoplewerenottooshiftlesstocarefortheirstuff，thefoxeswouldn’ttaketheirchickensandgeese。Theynevergetours！“
“Hoodsaren’tshiftless！“Isobbed。
“Therearealwaysexceptions，“saidmother，“andtheyaretheexceptioninthiscase。“
ThedoorflewopenandLeonranin。Hewaswhitewithexcitement，andtrembling。
“Mother，comeandseemetakeafenceonPryor’sRocket！“hecried。
Motherhadhiminherarms。
“Youlittlewhiffet！“shesaid。“Youlittletow-hairedwhiffet！“
Bothofthemwerelaughingandcryingatthesametime，andsowasI。
“Isawyoutakeonefenceandthecreek，Weiscope！“shesaid，holdinghimtight，andstrokinghishair。“Thatwilldoforto-
day。Ridethehorsehomeslowly，rubitdowniftheywillallowyou，andbesuretorememberyourmannerswhenyouleave。Totrustsuchachildasyouwithsovaluableahorse，andforMr。
Pryortopersonallyridewithyouandhelpyou，Ithinkthatwasabigthingforamanlikehimtodo。“
“But，mother，he’sbeenshowingmeforweeks，orIcouldn’thavedoneitto-day。Itwasoursecrettosurpriseyou。WhenIgetmyhorse，I’llbeabletoridealittle，aswellasMr。Laddie。“
“Leon，don’t，“saidmother，grippinghimtighter。
“Youmustbearinmind，wordaboutthatmoneymaycomeanyday。“
“Aw，itwon’teither，“saidLeon，pullingaway。“Andsay，mother，thatdumb-bellwaslikecountryboysmakeinEngland。Hehelpedmehuntthewoodandshowedme，andIcouldn’trideandmanageit，sohehaditallday，andyoushouldhaveheardhimmakeitrip。Say，mother，takemyword，hewassomepumpkinsinEngland。IbetheorderedtheQueenaround，whenhewasthere！“
“Nodoubt！“laughedmother，kissinghimandpushinghimfromthedoor。
Somepeopleareneversatisfied。Afterthatsplendidridingandtheperfectday，father，Leon，andLaddiecamehomeblamingeveryone，andfindingfault，andtryingtoexplainhowithappened，thatthepeoplefromtheeastsideclaimedtwofoxes，andtherewasonlyoneleftforthewestside，whentheyhadseenandknewtheyhaddriventhreeformiles。TheysaidtheylosttheminourBigWoods。
Ididn’tcareonespeck。Iwouldasliefwearacalicodress，andletthelittlefoxeshavetheirmammiestofeedthem；andI
waswillingtobetallmymoneythatwewouldhaveasmuchham，andasmanygreensnextsummerasweeverhad。AndifthefoxestookHoods’Dorkingsagain，letthembuildacoopwithsafefoundations。Thewaywastousestoneandheapupdirtarounditinthefall，tobeperfectlysure，andmakeitwarmer。
Wetookcareofourchickensbecausewehadtohavethem。Alltheyearweneededthem，butmostespeciallyforEaster。Mothersaidthatwasordainedchickentime。TurkeysforThanksgiving，suckingpigsforChristmas，chickensforEaster，goose，shecouldn’tabide。Shethoughtitwastoostrong。Shesaidtheeggwasasymboloflife；ofawakening，ofbirth，andthechickenscamefromtheeggs，firstonesaboutEaster，sothatproveditwaschickentime。
IamgoingtoquitprayingaboutlittlethingsIcanmanagemyself。Fathersaidnoprayerwouldbringananswerunlessyoutookholdandpulledwithallyourbeingforwhatyouwanted。I
hadbeenintendingfordaystoasktheLordtohelpmefindwhereLeonhidhisEastereggs。Ithadbeenthelawatourhousefromtheveryfirst，thatforthelastmonthbeforeEaster，asidefromwhatmotherhadtohaveforthehouse，allofusmightgathereveryeggwecouldfindandkeepthemuntilEaster。Ifwecouldlocatethehidingplaceofanyoneelse，wemighttakealltheirs。ThedaybeforeEastertheywerebroughtin，motherputasidewhatsherequired，andtheonewhohadthemostgottosellallofthemandtakethemoney。Some
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