Chapter XXIV. Down the River

lly,evenwhiletheywonderedwherethefunwasinshapingclayandchippingmarble. “Shallyoustayfouryears?”askedMerry'ssoftvoice,whileawistfullookcameintoherhappyeyes. “Ten,ifIcan,”answeredRalph,decidedly,feelingasifalonglifetimewouldbealltooshortfortheimmortalworkhemeanttodo.“I'vegotsomuchtolearn,thatIshalldowhateverDavidthinksbestformeatfirst,andwhenIcangoalone,Ishalljustshutmyselfupandforgetthatthereisanyworldoutsidemyden.” “DowriteandtellushowyougetonnowandthenIliketohearaboutotherpeople'sgoodtimeswhileI'mwaitingformyown,”saidMolly,toomuchinterestedtoobservethatGrifwasstickingburrsupanddownherbraids. “OfcourseIshallwritetosomeofyou,butyoumustn'texpectanygreatthingsforyearsyet.Peopledon'tgrowfamousinahurry,andittakesadealofhardworkeventoearnyourbreadandbutter,asyou'llfindifyouevertryit,”answeredRalph,soberingdownalittleasherememberedthelongandsteadyeffortithadtakentogetevensofar. “Speakingofbreadandbutterremindsmethatwe'dbettereatoursbeforethecoffeegetsquitecold,”saidAnnette,forMerryseemedtohaveforgottenthatshehadbeenchosentoplaymatron,asshewastheoldest. Theboyssecondedthemotion,andforafewminutessupperwastheall-absorbingtopic,asthecupswentroundandthegoodiesvanishedrapidly,accompaniedbytheusualmishapswhichmakepicnicmealssuchfun.Ralph'shealthwasdrunkwithallsortsofgoodwishesandsuchsplendidpropheciesweremade,thathewouldhavefarsurpassedMichaelAngelo,iftheycouldhavecometrue.Grifgavehimanorderonthespotforafull-lengthstatueofhimself,andstooduptoshowtheimposingattitudeinwhichhewishedtobetaken,butunfortunatelyslippedandfellforwardwithonehandinthecustardpie,theotherclutchingwildlyatthecoffee-pot,whichinhospitablyburnthisfingers. “IthinkIgrasptheidea,andwillbesuretoremembernottomakeyourhairblowonewayandthetailsofyourcoatanother,asacertainsculptormadethoseofafamousman,”laughedRalph,asthefallenheroscrambledup,amidstgeneralmerriment. “Willthelittlebustbedonebeforeyougo?”askedJill,anxiously,feelingapersonalinterestinthesuccessofthatorder. “Yes:I'vebeenhardatiteveryspareminuteIcouldget,andhaveafortnightmore.ItsuitsMrs.Lennox,andshewillpaywellforit,soIshallhavesomethingtostartwith,thoughIhaven'tbeenabletosavemuch.I'mtothankyouforthat,andIshallsendyouthefirstprettythingIgetholdof,”answeredRalph,lookinggratefullyatthebrightface,whichgrewstillbrighterasJillexclaimed,— “Idofeelsoproudtoknowarealartist,andhavemybustdonebyhim.IonlywishIcouldpayforitasMrs.LennoxdoesbutIhaven'tanymoney,andyoudon'tneedthesortofthingsIcanmake,”sheadded,shakingherhead,asshethoughtoverknitslippers,wall-pockets,andcrochetinallitsforms,asofferingstoherdepartingfriend. “Youcanwriteoften,andtellmeallabouteverybody,forIshallwanttoknow,andpeoplewillsoonforgetmewhenI'mgone,”saidRalph,lookingatMerry,whowasmakingagarlandofyellowleavesforJuliet'sblackhair. Jillpromised,andkeptherwordbutthelongestletterswentfromthefarm-houseonthehill,thoughnooneknewthefacttilllongafterward.Merrysaidnothingnow,butshesmiled,withaprettycolorinhercheeks,andwasverymuchabsorbedinherwork,whilethetalkwenton. “IwishIwastwenty,andgoingtoseekmyfortune,asyouare,”saidJackandtheotherboysagreedwithhim,forsomethinginRalph'snewplansandpurposesrousedthemanlyspiritinallofthem,remindingthemthatplaytimewouldsoonbeover,andthegreatworldbeforethem,wheretochoose. “Itiseasyenoughtosaywhatyou'dlikebutthetroubleis,youhavetotakewhatyoucanget,andmakethebestofit,”saidGus,whoseownviewswererathervagueasyet. “Noyoudon't,alwaysyoucanmakethingsgoasyouwantthem,ifyouonlytryhardenough,andwalkrightoverwhateverstandsintheway.Idon'tmeantogiveupmyplansforanymanbut,ifIlive,I'llcarrythemout—youseeifIdon't”andFrankgavetherockwherehelayablowwithhisfist,thatsenttheacornsflyingallabout. OneofthemhitJack,andhesaid,sorrowfully,ashehelditinhishandsocarefullyitwasevidenthehadsomeassociationwithit,— “Edusedtosaythat,andhehadsomesplendidplans,but