The four young folks started on the trail that wound about the cliffs,
and Mrs. Brewster went indoors to cook some old-fashioned doughnuts--a
large stone crock of which was always kept in the pantry.
The walk seemed very long to Barbara, who was unaccustomed to much
walking, but the other three girls reveled in the exhilarating air and
bright morning sunshine. Reaching the first cliffs, Polly explained
about the volcanoes of that section of Colorado and showed the visitors
many interesting formations of lava.
They were about to continue to the Giant Guards, when Barbara
complained of aching feet. She declared it was the rough trail and not
her tender feet that caused the pain and ache. So the girls sat down to
rest, while Polly told of trips to other volcanic craters and peaks.
They were about to start on their way again, when the echoes of a
lively whistle sounded over the lava walls.
"It's Jeb going to the corral to find our horses for this afternoon,"
explained Polly, leaning out over a fragment of lava to see who was
passing by. But Jeb did not pass. He called loudly for his young
mistress. "Miss Pol-lee--Ah got sumthin fer you-all!"
"Come up here, Jeb! We're resting on the Giant Guards!" shouted Polly.
Soon Jeb appeared on the edge of the cliffs and held out a huge paper
bag that had great grease-spots here and there on its sides and bottom.
"Yer Maw hed me bring these dunnits t' you-all, ez Ah come by. She sez
fer you-all t' let me have anudder one, too."
"Oh, they are still warm!" exclaimed Eleanor, as Polly handed her one
from the bag.
"Shore! But that makes 'em tas' better!" declared Jeb, anxiously
watching Polly hand one to Anne next, and one to Barbara, before
remembering him.
"They're horribly greasy things," said Barbara, holding the doughnut
fastidiously with the tip ends of her fingers.
"Mebbe folks'd call 'em by anudder name ef no grease war used t' cook
'em by. Ah likes 'em, howsomeever, grease an' all!" returned Jeb,
grinning with relief as Polly gave him two large ones.
"Um! But they're good!" Eleanor smacked her lips at the first bite.
"I can't eat mine--they look so impossible!" And Barbara raised her
hand and threw her doughnut over the cliff.
"Oo-ah!" came from Jeb in dismay, but he hurriedly left the girls.
Polly was surprised, too, but she merely said: "We never waste anything
worth while. The chickens and pigs like doughnuts--if we ever have any
left for them."
Anne had to turn away to hide a smile, and at that moment she saw Jeb
at the foot of the cliff, glancing up to see if any one saw him pick up
the discarded delicacy from the ground.
The incident over the doughnut silenced Polly as she led the way
between the two giant peaks of lava. They reared their heads more than
sixty feet high and were so oddly shaped that they derived their names
of "Giant Guards" from the spears seemingly held out from the shoulders
to challenge passersby.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account