Веснянки

           Somethingbig,black,andheavycamecrashingthroughtheswampclosetohim,andwithayellofutterpanicFrecklesran—howfarhedidnotknow;butatlasthegainedcontroloverhimselfandretracedhissteps.Hisjawssetstifflyandthesweatdriedonhisbody.Whenhereachedtheplacefromwhichhehadstartedtorun,heturnedandwithmeasuredstepsmadehiswaydowntheline.Afteratimeherealizedthathewasonlywalking,sohefacedthatseaofhorrorsagain.Whenhecametowardthecorduroy,thecudgelfelltotestthewireateachstep.

           Soundsthatcurdledhisbloodseemedtoencompasshim,andshapesofterrortodrawcloserandcloser.Fearhadsogainedthemasterythathedidnotdarelookbehindhim;andjustwhenhefeltthathewouldfalldeadbeforeheeverreachedtheclearing,cameDuncan’srollingcall:“Freckles!Freckles!”Ashudderingsobburstintheboy’sdrythroat;butheonlytoldDuncanthatfindingthewiredownhadcausedthedelay.

           Thenextmorninghestartedontime.Dayafterday,withhisheartpounding,heducked,dodged,ranwhenhecould,andfoughtwhenhewasbroughttobay.Ifheeverhadanideaofgivingup,nooneknewit;forheclungtohisjobwithouttheshadowofwavering.Allthesethings,insofarasheguessedthem,Duncan,whohadbeensettowatchthefirstweeksofFreckles’work,carriedtotheBossatthesouthcamp;buttheinnermost,exquisitetortureofthethingthebigScotchmanneverguessed,andMcLean,withhisfinerperceptions,cameonlyalittlecloser.