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far as I can judge； he looks at it as one prolonged picnic。'
'My sentiments exactly！' cried Bell； energetically。 'I can't stand
many more of these trying scenes； I am worn to a 〃shadder。〃'
Dicky tucked his head under his mother's arm； with a sigh of relief
that there was one person； at least； whose sentiments were always
favourable and always to be relied upon。
'I love you the best of anybuddy； mamma；' whispered he； and fell
asleep。
CHAPTER IV： RHYME AND REASON
A BUDGET OF LETTERS FROM THE CAMP MAIL…BAG
'The letter of a friend is a likeness passing true。'
Our friend Polly was seated in a secluded spot whence all but her had
fled； her grave demeanour； her discarded sun…bonnet； her corrugated
brow； all bespoke more than common fixedness of purpose； the cause of
which will be discovered in what follows。
I。 FROM THE COUNTESS PAULINA OLIVERA TO HER FRIEND AND CONFIDANTE；
THE LADY ELSIE HOWARD。 ｛1｝
Scene： A sequestered nook in the Valley of the Flowers。
CAMP CHAPARRAL； July 6； 188…。
The countess is discovered at her ommerlu ｛1a｝ writing…table。 A
light zephyr ｛1b｝ plays with her golden locks ｛1c｝ and caresses her
Grecian ｛1d｝ nosea nose that carries on its surface a few trifling
freckles； which serve but to call attention to its exquisite purity
of outline and the height of its ambition。 Her eyes reflect the
changing shadows of moonlight； and her mouth is one fit for sweet
sounds； ｛1e｝ yet this only gives you a faint idea of the beauteous
creature whose fortunes we shall follow in our next number。 ｛1f｝
I have given that style a fair trial； my dear darling； but I cannot
stand it another minute； not being familiar with the language of what
our cook used to call the 'fuddal aristocracy' （feudal； you know）。
I； your faithful Polly； am seated in the card…room； writing with a
dreadful pen which Phil gave me yesterday。 Its internal organs are
filled with ink； which it disgorges when PRESSED to do so； but just
now it is 'too full for utterance；' as you will see by the blots。
We have decided not to make this a real round…robin letter； like the
last； because we want to write what we like； and not have it read by
the person who comes next。
I have been badgered to death over my part of the communication sent
to you last week； for the young persons connected with this camp have
a faculty of making mountains out of mole…hills； as you know； and I
have to suffer for every careless little speech。 However； as we
didn't wish to bore you with six duplicate letters； we invented a
plan for keeping off each other's ground； and appointed Geoff a
committee of one to settle our line of march。 It is to be a
collective letter； made up of individual notes； and these are Geoff's
sealed orders； which must be obeyed； on pain of dismissal from the
camp：
No。 1 （Polly） is to amuse！
No。 2 （Phil） 。。。 inform！
No。 3 （Geoff） 。。。 edify！！
No。 4 （Madge） 。。。 gossip。
No。 5 （Bell） 。。。 versify。
No。 6 （Jack） 。。。 illustrate
So； my dear； if you get any 'information' or happen to be 'edified'
by what I write； don't mention it for worlds！ （I just screamed my
fears about this matter to Jack； and he says 'I needn't fret。' I
shall certainly slap that boy before the summer is over。）
I could just tell you a lovely story about Dicky's getting lost in
the woods the day before yesterday； and our terrible fright about
him； and how we all joined in the boy…hunt； until Geoff and Bell
found him at the Lone Stump； but I suppose the chronicle belongs to
Phil's province； so I desist。 But what can I say？ Suppose I tell
you that Uncle Doc and the boys have been shooting innocent； TAME
sheep； skinning and cutting them up on the way home； and making us
believe for two days that we were eating venison； and we never should
have discovered the imposition had not Dicky dragged home four sheep…
skins from the upper pool； and told us that he saw the boys 'PEELING
THEM OFF A VENISON。' Perhaps Phil may call this information； and
Margery will vow that it is gossip and belongs to her； any way； they
consider it a splendid joke； and chuckle themselves to sleep over it
every night； but I think the whole affair is perfectly maddening； and
it makes me boil with rage to be taken in so easily。 Such a to…do as
they make over the matter you never saw； you would think it was the
first successful joke since the Deluge。 （That wasn't a DRY joke； was
it？ Ha； ha！）
This is the way they twang on their harp of a thousand strings。 At
breakfast； this morning； when Jack passed me the corn…bread； I said
innocently； 'Why； what have we here？' 'It is manna that fell in the
night；' answered Jack； with an exasperating snicker。 'You didn't
know mutton； but I thought； being a Sunday…school teacher； you would
know something about manna。' （N。B。He alludes to that time I took
the infant class for Miss Jones； and they all ran out to see a
military funeral procession。） 'I wish you knew something about
manners；' snapped I； and then Aunt Truth had to warn us both； as
usual。 Oh dear！ it's a weary world。 I'd just like to get Jack at a
disadvantage once！
＇Next paragraph crossed out＇
We climbed Pico Negro yesterday。 Bell； Geoff； Phil； and I had quite
an experience in losing the trail。 I will tell you about it。 Just
as …
（Goodness me！ what have I written？ Oh； Elsie； pray excuse those
HORIZONTAL EVIDENCES of my forgetfulness and disobedience。 I have
bumped my head against the table three times； as penance； and will
now try to turn my thoughts into right channels。 This letter is a
black…and…white evidence that _I_ have not a frivolous order of mind；
and have always been misunderstood from my birth up to this date。）
We have had beautiful weather sincebut no； of course Phil will tell
you about the weather； for that is scarcely an amusing topic。 I do
want to be as prudent as possible； for Uncle Doc is going to read all
the letters （not； of course； aloud） and see whether we have fulfilled
our specific obligations。
（I just asked Bell whether 'specific' had a 'c' or an's in the
middle； and she answered '〃c；〃 of course；' with such an air； you
should have heard her！ I had to remind her of the time she spelled
'Tophet' with an 'f' in the middle； then she subsided。）
（I just read this last paragraph to Madge； to see if she called it
gossip； as I was going to take it out if it belonged to her topic；
but she said No； she didn't call it gossip at allthat she should
call it slander！）
You don't know how we all long to see you； dear darling that you are。
We live in the hope of having you with us very soon； and meanwhile
the beautiful bedstead is almost finished； and a perfect success。 （I
wish to withdraw the last three quarters of that sentence； for
obvious reasons！！）
Dear； dear！ Geoffrey calls 'Time up；' and I've scarcely said
anything I should。 Never； never again will I submit to this method
of correspondence； it is absolutely petrifying to one's genius。 When
I am once forced to walk in a path； nothing but the whole out…of…
doors will satisfy me。
I'm very much afraid I haven't amused you； dear； …
But when I lie in the green kirkyard；
With the mould upo