StNicholas [serial] . thewoods. But the tracks on the hard crust were 1907.] THE BALD BROW CHRISTMAS TREES 111 indistinct and soon lost, and Mark, after a shortercircuit, found himself on the clearing at the sum-mit with no trace of Tom. He shouted the newsdisconsolately to Ned, and turned down the moun-tain road toward the hermits house hoping tolearn there some tidings of Tom. Ned, determined to cover Toms path to thesummit, began a zigzag tour in the forest, gradu-ally climbing the hill, shouting and peering intoevery dense covert. Sometimes he discovered drawn the old man from his dungeon
StNicholas [serial] . thewoods. But the tracks on the hard crust were 1907.] THE BALD BROW CHRISTMAS TREES 111 indistinct and soon lost, and Mark, after a shortercircuit, found himself on the clearing at the sum-mit with no trace of Tom. He shouted the newsdisconsolately to Ned, and turned down the moun-tain road toward the hermits house hoping tolearn there some tidings of Tom. Ned, determined to cover Toms path to thesummit, began a zigzag tour in the forest, gradu-ally climbing the hill, shouting and peering intoevery dense covert. Sometimes he discovered drawn the old man from his dungeon and ar-ranged him comfortably in bed—bruised, strained,and suffering from the terror of the lonely night,but with no serious injury. Neds heart leapedat the sound of Toms voice, and he sprang inand stood before the group with the final tokenof reconciliation in his arms—the turkey—which,with a gratified gobble, sprang upon the bed. I vow! was the old mans comment. Anabashed look and a smile of grateful pleasure. THE TURKEY, WITH A GRATIFIED GOBBLE, SPRANG UPON THE BED Toms footprints, followed them a few rods, thenlost them and pursued his zigzag tour the sunlight poured down into clearerspaces he threshed the chill from his body andpressed on. At last, in a clump of firs, an oldbrush camp blocked his path. As he peered intoit, his eyes blind with the brightness of the snow,a rustle in the corner startled him. Drawingback, he heard a querulous gobble, the voice of avexed and uncomfortable fowl. It was JaredFryes turkey. He grasped the immediate horn of the dilemma,and secured the turkey without delay—deter-mined to retrieve his snowball blunder. Hewas now so near the hermitage that he decidedto return the bird, and continue his search—-hoping, meanwhile, to meet Mark. He knockedat the kitchen door, stepped into the entry, andlistened to the voices within. Tom and Mark had stole over his face, and he drew his knucklesacross his eyes. Here I be, sick and in
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Keywords: ., bookauthordodgemar, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookyear1873
