Hooray! shouted Larry, jumping up at this point, and performing a species of war-dance for a few moments, and then sitting down and demanding another supply of tea. Didnt I tell ye, Bunco, that the order would soon be up anchor an away again! Its Wanderin Will hes been named, an Wanderin Will hell remain, thats as plain as the nose on me face.
No doubt the nose on your face is very plainthe plainest I ever did see, said Maryann sharply,but youre quite wrong about Master Will, for hes very anxious to get married, I can tell you, an wants to settle down at ome, like a sensible man, though it does grieve my eart to think of the creetur as has took him in in furrin parts.
Get married! exclaimed Larry, Jemima, and Richards in the same breath.
Yes, get married, replied Maryann, very full of the importance of her keyhole discoveries, and not willing to make them known too readily.
How did you come to know that, Maryhann? asked Jemima; are you sure of it?
How I came for to know it, replied the other, is nobodys business (she paused a moment and looked sternly at Richards, but that sensible man continued to gaze steadfastly at his plate and to scrunch crusts with grave abstraction), and, as to its bein true, all I can say is I had it from his own lips. Master Will has no objection to my knowing what he tells his motheras no more he shouldnt, for Jemimar, you can bear me witness that Ive been a second mother to him, an used to love him as if he were my ownthough he was a aggrawatin hinfant, an used to bump his ead, an skin his knees, an tear his clothes, an wet his feet, in a way that often distracted me, though I did my very best to prevent it; but nothinks of any use tryin of wen you cant do it; as my usband, as was in the mutton-pie line, said to the doctor the night afore he diedmy eart used to be quite broke about him, so it did; but thats all past an gonewell, as I was a-sayin, Master Will he told his mother as ow there was a young lady (so he called her) as ad won his art, an she was a cannibal as lived on a coal island in the Paphysic Ocean. Then he told her some stories about the coal island as made my blood run cold, and said his Flora behaved like a heroine in the midst of it all.
At this point Larry and Bunco exchanged meaning glances, and the former gave vent to a soft whistle, which he accompanied with a wink.
Im sure, continued Maryann, its past my comprehension; for instead of being dreadfully shocked, as I had expected, Mrs Osten threw her arms round Master Wills neck and blessed him and the cannibal, too, and said she hoped to be spared to see em united, though she wouldnt like them to remain on the coal island in the Paphysic. I do assure you, Jemimar, continued Maryann, putting the corner of her apron to her eyes, it quite gave me a turn, and I was nearly took bad wen I eard it. Master Will, he made his mother promise to keep it to herself, as, he said, not a soul in the world knew of it but him and her
Mr Richards coughed at this point, and appeared to be engaged in a severe conflict with an untractable crust, which caused Maryann to stop suddenly and look at him. But Larry again came to the rescue by saying
Why, Maryann, my dear, yeve bin an mistook a good deal of what youve heard, intirely. This Flora Westwood is no cannibal, but wan o the purtiest bit craturs I iver had the good luck to set eyes on; as white as a lily, wid cheeks like the rose, not to spake of a smile an a timper of an angel. Shes a parsons daughter, too, an lives on a coral island in the Pacific Ocean, where the people is cannibals, no doubt, as Ive good raison to know, for they ait up a lot o me shipmates, and it was by good luck they didnt ait up myself and Master Will toothough I do belaive theyd have found me so tough that Id have blunted their teeth an soured on their stummicks, bad luck to them. But its surprised that I am to hear about this. Ah, then, Master Will, but yere a sly dogmore cunnin than I took ye for. Ye threw dust in the eyes of Larry OHale, anyhow.
Poor Maryann appeared much relieved by this explanation, although she felt it to be consistent with her dignity that she should throw considerable doubt on Larrys statement, cross-question him pretty severely, and allow herself to be convinced only after the accumulation of an amount of evidence that could not be resisted.
Well, now, that accounts for the way in which his mother received the news, said Maryann.
It is a strange story, remarked Jemima.
Uncommon, observed Richards.
Bunco said nothing, but he grinned from ear to ear.
At that moment, as if it were aware of the climax at which the party had arrived, the baby, without a single note of warning, set up a hideous howl, in the midst of which the bell rang, and Maryann rose to answer it.
Master Will wants to speak to you, Mr Hale, and to Mr Bunco, too, she said on returning.
Come along, Mister Bunco, said Larry, thatll be the order to trip our anchors.
My friends, said Will Osten, when the two were seated on the corners of their respective chairs in the drawing-room, I sent for you to say that circumstances have occurred which render it necessary that I should visit California. Do you feel inclined to join me in this trip, or do you prefer to remain in England?
Im yer man, said Larry.
Sos me, added Bunco.
I thought so, said Will, smiling; we have been comrades together too long to part yet. But I must start without delay, and mean to go by the plains and across the Rocky Mountains. Are you ready to set off on short notice?
In half an hour av ye plaze, sur, said Larry.
Bunco grinned and nodded his head.
The end of the week will do, said Will, laughing; so be off and make your preparations for a long and rough trip.
In pursuance of this plan, Will Osten and his two staunch followers, soon after the date of the above conversation, crossed the Atlantic, traversed the great Lakes of Canada to the centre of North America, purchased, at the town of Saint Pauls, horses, guns, provisions, powder, shot, etcetera, for a long journey, and found themselves, one beautiful summer evening, galloping gaily over those wide prairies that roll beyond the last of the backwood settlements, away into the wild recesses of the Western Wilderness.
Chapter Two
Describes a Burst over the Western Prairie, and introduces a New Character, also a Hunt, and a Great FeastWandering Will and his companions laid the reins on the necks of their half-tamed horses and galloped wildly away over the western prairie. Perhaps it was the feeling of absolute freedom from human restraints that excited them to the galloping and shouting condition of maniacs; perhaps it was the idea of sweeping over unbounded space in these interminable plains, or the influence of the fresh air around, the sunny blue sky overhead, and the flower-speckled sward underfootperhaps it was all these put together, but, whatever the cause, our three travellers commenced their journey at a pace that would have rendered them incapable of further progress in a few hours had they kept it up. Their state of mind was aptly expressed, at the end of one of these wild flights, by Larry, who exclaimed, as he reined in
Ah, then, its flyin Ill be in a minit. Sure av I only had a pair o wings no bigger than a sparrows, I cud do it aisy.