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and corner of the mappink； yellow； blue； red； and green countries。
And though the story of California is not written； in all its
romantic details； in the school…books of to…day； it is a part of the
poetry of our late American history； full of strange and thrilling
scenes； glowing with interest and dramatic fire。
I know a little girl who crossed the plains in that great ungeneraled
army of fifteen or twenty thousand people that made the long and
weary journey to the land of gold in 1849。 She tells her children
now of the strange； long days and months in the ox…team； passing
through the heat and dust of alkali deserts； fording rivers； and
toiling over steep mountains。 She tells them how at night she often
used to lie awake； curled up in her grey blanket； and hear the men
talking together of the gold treasures they were to dig from the
groundtreasures； it seemed to her childish mind； more precious than
those of which she read in The Arabian Nights。 And from a little
hole in the canvas cover of the old emigrant wagon she used to see
the tired fathers and brothers； worn and footsore from their hard
day's tramp； some sleeping restlessly； and others guarding the cattle
or watching for Indians； who were always expected； and often came；
and the last thing at night； when her eyes were heavy with sleep； she
peered dreamily out into the darkness to see the hundreds of gleaming
camp…fires； which dotted the plain as far as the eye could reach。
You will have noticed that this first week of camp…life was a quiet
one； spent mostly by the young people in getting their open…air home
comfortably arranged； making conveniences of all kinds； becoming
acquainted with the canyon so far as they could； and riding once or
twice to neighbouring ranches for hay or provisions。
Dr。 Winship believed in a good beginning； and； as this was not a
week's holiday； but a summer campaign； he wanted his young people to
get fully used to the situation before undertaking any of the
exciting excursions in prospect。 So； before the week was over； they
began to enjoy sound； dreamless sleep on their hard straw beds； to
eat the plain fare with decided relish； to grow a little hardy and
brown； and quite strong and tough enough for a long tramp or
horseback ride。
After a religious devotion to cold cream for a few nights； Polly had
signified her terrible intention of 'letting her nose go。' 'I disown
it！' she cried； peeping in her tiny mirror； and lighting up her too
rosy tints with a tallow candle。 'Hideous objick； I defy thee！ Spot
and speckle； yea； burn to a crisp； and shed thy skin afterwards！ I
care not。 Indeed； I shall be well rid of thee； thouh'mthou
well； leopard； for instance。'
One beautiful day followed another； each the exact counterpart of the
one that had preceded it； for California boys and girls never have to
say 'wind and weather permitting' from March or April until November。
They always know what the weather is going to do； and whether this is
an advantage or not is a difficult matter to settle conclusively。
New England boys affirm that they wouldn't live in a country where it
couldn't rain any day it felt like it； and California lads retort
that they are glad their dispositions are not ruined by the freaks of
New England weather。 At all events； it is a paradise for would…be
campers； and any one who should assert the contrary would meet with
energetic opposition from the loyal dwellers in Camp Chaparral。
Bell returned one day from a walk which she had taken by herself；
while the other girls were off on some errand with the Doctor。 After
luncheon she drew them mysteriously into the square tent； and lowered
the curtains。
'What is it？' Polly whispered； with an anxious expression of
countenance。 'Have you lost your gold thimble again； or your temper；
or have you discovered a silver mine？'
'I have found；' she answered mysteriously； 'the most beautifully
secret place you ever beheld。 It will be just the spot for us to
write and study in when we want to be alone； or it will even do for a
theatre； and it is scarcely more than half a mile up the canyon。'
'How did you find it？' asked Margery。
'As I was walking along by the brookside； I saw a snake making its
way through the bushes； and'
'Goodness！' shrieked Polly； 'I shall not write there； thank you。'
'Goose！ Just wait a minute。 I looked at it； and followed at a
distance； it was a harmless little thing； and I thought； for the fun
of it； I would just push blindly on and see what I should find；
because we are for ever walking in the beaten path； and I long for
something new。'
'A bad instinct；' remarked Madge； 'and one which will get you into
trouble； so you should crush it in its infancy。'
'Well； I took up my dress and ploughed through the chaparral； until I
came； in about three minutes of scratching and fighting； to an open
circular place about as large as this tent。 It was exactly round；
which is the curious part of it； and in the centre was one stump；
covered with moss and surrounded by great white toadstools。 How any
one happened to go in there and cut down a single tree I can't
understand； nor yet how they managed to bring out the tree through
the tangled brush。 It is so strange that it seems as if there must
be a mystery about it。'
'Certainly；' said Margery promptly。 'A tragedy of the darkest kind！
Some cruel wretch has cut down； in the pride and pomp of it beauty；
one sycamore…tree； its innocent life…blood has stained the ground；
and given birth to the white toadstools which mark the spot and
testify to the purity of the victim。'
'Well；' continued Bell； impressively； 'I knew I could never find it
again； and I wanted so much you should see it that I took the ball of
twine we always carry； unrolled it； and dropped the thread all the
way along to the brookside； like Phrygia； or Melpomene； or Anemone；
or whatever her name was。'
'Or Artesia； or Polynesia； or Euthanasia；' interrupted Polly。 'I
think the lady you mean is Ariadne。'
'Exactly。 Now we'll take papa to see it； and then we'll fit it up as
a retreat。 Won't it be charming？ We'll call it the Lone Stump。'
'Oh； I like that； it makes me shiver！' cried Polly。 'I'm going to
write an ode to it at once。 Ahem！ It shall beginlet me see …
'O lonely tree；
What cruel 〃he〃
Did lay thee low？
Tell us the facts；
Did cruel axe
Abuse thee so？'
'Sublime！ Second verse；' said Bell slowly； with pauses between the
lines：…
'Or did a gopher；
The wicked loafer；
Gnaw at thy base；
And； doing so；
Contrive to go；
And leave no trace？'
'Oh dear！' sighed Margery； 'if you will do it； wait a minute。
'O toadstools white；
Pray give us light
Upon the question。
Did gopher gnaw；
And live in awe
Of indigestion？'
'Good！' continued Bell：…
'Or did a man
Malicious plan
The good tree's ruin；
And leave it so
Convenient low；
A seat for Bruin？
For travelling grizzlies； you know。 We may go there and see a hungry
creature making a stump…speech； while an admiring audience of
grasshoppers and tarantulas seat themselves in a circle on the
toadstools。'
'Charming prospect！' said Madge。 'I don't think I care to visit the
Lone Stump or pass my mornings there。'
'Nonsense； dear child； it is just like every other part of the
canyon； only a little more lonely。 It is not half a mile from camp；
and hardly a dozen steps from the place where the boys go so often to
shoot quail。'
'Very well；' said the girls。 'We must go there to…morrow morning；
and perhaps we'd better not tell the boys；they are so peculiar。
Jack will certainly interfere with us in some way； if he hears about
it。'
'Now let us take our books and run down by the pool for an hour or
two；' said Bell。 'Papa and the boys are all off shooting； and mamma
is lying down。 We can have a cool； quiet time； the sunshine is so
hot here by the tents。'
Accordingly； they departed； as they often did； for one of the
prolonged chats in which school…girls are wont to indulge； and which
so often； too； are but idle； senseless chatter。
These young people； however； had been fortunate in having the wisest
and most loving guardianship； so that all their happy young lives had
been spent to good purpose。 They had not shirked study； and so their
minds were stocked with useful information； they had read carefully
and digested thoroughly whatever they had read； so that they
possessed a good deal of general knowledge。 The girls were bright；
sensible； industrious little women； who tried to be good； too； in the
old…fashioned sense of the word； and full of fun； nonsense； and
chatter as they were among themselves； they never forgot to be modest
and unassuming。
The boys were pretty well in earnest about life； too； with good
ambitions and generous aspirations。 They had all been studying with
Dr。 Winship for nearly two years； and that means a great deal； for he
was a real teacher； entering into the lives of his pupils；
sympathising with them in every way； and leading them； through the
study of nature； of human beings； and of God； to see the beauty and
meaning of life。
Geoffrey Strong； of course； was older than the rest； having comple