Веснушки
Chapter IV
”Past“veery”and“vireo”hewent,downthelineuntilhisfinger,tremblingwitheagerness,stoppedat“vulture.”
“’GreatblackCaliforniavulture,’”heread.
“Humph!ThissidetheRockieswilldoforus.”
“’Commonturkey-buzzard.’”
“Well,weain’thuntingcommonturkeys.McLeansaidchickens,andwhathesaysgoes.”
“’BlackvultureoftheSouth.’”
“Herewearearrivedatonce.”
Freckles’fingerfollowedtheline,andhereadscrapsaloud.
“’CommonintheSouth.SometimescalledJimCrow.NearestequivalenttoC-a-t-h-a-r-t-e-sA-t-r-a-t-a.’”
“HowthedivilamIevertolearnthemcorkin’bigwordsbymesel’?”
“’—thePharaoh’sChickensofEuropeanspecies.SometimesstraynorthasfarasVirginiaandKentucky——’”
“Andsometimesfarther,”interpolatedFreckles,“’cosIgotthemrighthereinIndianasolikethesepicturesIcanjustseemebigchickenbobbinguptogethisearsboxed.Hey?”
“’Light-blueeggs’——”
“Golly!Igottobeseeingthem!”
“’—bigasacommonturkey’s,butshapedlikeahen’s,heavilysplotchedwithchocolate——’”
“Caramels,Isuppose.And——”
“’—inhollowlogsorstumps.’”
“Oh,hagginy!Wasn’tIbarkingupthewrongtree,though?Oughttobeenlookingclosethegroundallthistime.Nowit’salltodoover,andIsuspectthesoonerIstartthesoonerI’llbelikelytofindthem.”
Frecklesputawayhisbook,dampenedthesmudge-fire,withoutwhichthemosquitoesmadetheswampalmostunbearable,tookhiscudgelandlunch,andwenttotheline.
