English
Thetrainfrom‘Friscowasverylate.ItshouldhavearrivedatHugson’sSidingatmidnight,butitwasalreadyfiveo’clockandthegraydawnwasbreakingintheeastwhenthelittletrainslowlyrumbleduptotheopenshedthatservedforthestation-house.
Asitcametoastoptheconductorcalledoutinaloudvoice:
“Hugson’sSiding!”
Atoncealittlegirlrosefromherseatandwalkedtothedoorofthecar,carryingawickersuitcaseinonehandandaroundbirdcagecoveredupwithnewspapersintheother,whileaparasolwastuckedunderherarm.
Theconductorhelpedheroffthecarandthentheengineerstartedhistrainagain,sothatitpuffedandgroanedandmovedslowlyawayupthetrack.
Thereasonhewassolatewasbecauseallthroughthenightthereweretimeswhenthesolidearthshookandtrembledunderhim,andtheengineerwasafraidthatatanymomenttherailsmightspreadapartandanaccidenthappentohispassengers.
Sohemovedthecarsslowlyandwithcaution.
Thelittlegirlstoodstilltowatchuntilthetrainhaddisappearedaroundacurve;thensheturnedtoseewhereshewas.
TheshedatHugson’sSidingwasbaresaveforanoldwoodenbench,anddidnotlookveryinviting.
Asshepeeredthroughthesoftgraylightnotahouseofanysortwasvisiblenearthestation,norwasanypersoninsight;butafterawhilethechilddiscoveredahorseandbuggystandingnearagroupoftreesashortdistanceaway.
Shewalkedtowarditandfoundthehorsetiedtoatreeandstandingmotionless,withitsheadhangingdownalmosttotheground.
Itwasabighorse,tallandbony,withlonglegsandlargekneesandfeet.
Shecouldcounthisribseasilywheretheyshowedthroughtheskinofhisbody,andhisheadwaslongandseemedaltogethertoobigforhim,asifitdidnotfit.
Histailwasshortandscraggly,andhisharnesshadbeenbrokeninmanyplacesandfastenedtogetheragainwithcordsandbitsofwire.
Thebuggyseemedalmostnew,forithadashinytopandsidecurtains.
Gettingaroundinfront,sothatshecouldlookinside,thegirlsawaboycurledupontheseat,fastasleep.
Shesetdownthebirdcageandpokedtheboywithherparasol.Presentlyhewokeup,rosetoasittingpositionandrubbedhiseyesbriskly.
“Hello!”hesaid,seeingher,“areyouDorothyGale?”
“Yes,”sheanswered,lookinggravelyathistousledhairandblinkinggrayeyes.“HaveyoucometotakemetoHugson’sRanch?”
“Ofcourse,”heanswered.“Trainin?”
“Icouldn’tbehereifitwasn’t,”shesaid.
Helaughedatthat,andhislaughwasmerryandfrank.JumpingoutofthebuggyheputDorothy’ssuitcaseundertheseatandherbirdcageonthefloorinfront.
“Canary-birds?”heasked.
“Ohno;it’sjustEureka,mykitten.Ithoughtthatwasthebestwaytocarryher.”
Theboynodded.
“Eureka’safunnynameforacat,”heremarked.
“InamedmykittenthatbecauseIfoundit,”sheexplained.“UncleHenrysays‘Eureka’means‘Ihavefoundit.’”
“Allright;hopin.”
Sheclimbedintothebuggyandhefollowedher.Thentheboypickedupthereins,shookthem,andsaid“Gid-dap!”
Thehorsedidnotstir.Dorothythoughthejustwiggledoneofhisdroopingears,butthatwasall.
“Gid-dap!”calledtheboy,again.
Thehorsestoodstill.
“Perhaps,”saidDorothy,“ifyouuntiedhim,hewouldgo.”
Theboylaughedcheerfullyandjumpedout.
“GuessI’mhalfasleepyet,”hesaid,untyingthehorse.“ButJimknowshisbusinessallright—don’tyou,Jim?”pattingthelongnoseoftheanimal.
Thenhegotintothebuggyagainandtookthereins,andthehorseatoncebackedawayfromthetree,turnedslowlyaround,andbegantotrotdownthesandyroadwhichwasjustvisibleinthedimlight.
“Thoughtthattrainwouldnevercome,”observedtheboy.“I’vewaitedatthatstationforfivehours.”
“Wehadalotofearthquakes,”saidDorothy.“Didn’tyoufeelthegroundshake?”
“Yes;butwe’reusedtosuchthingsinCalifornia,”hereplied.“Theydon’tscareusmuch.”
“Theconductorsaiditwastheworstquakeheeverknew.”
“Didhe?ThenitmusthavehappenedwhileIwasasleep,”hesaidthoughtfully.
“HowisUncleHenry?”sheenquired,afterapauseduringwhichthehorsecontinuedtotrotwithlong,regularstrides.
“He’sprettywell.HeandUncleHugsonhavebeenhavingafinevisit.”
“IsMr.Hugsonyouruncle?”sheasked.
“Yes.UncleBillHugsonmarriedyourUncleHenry’swife’ssister;sowemustbesecondcousins,”saidtheboy,inanamusedtone.
“IworkforUncleBillonhisranch,andhepaysmesixdollarsamonthandmyboard.”
“Isn’tthatagreatdeal?”sheasked,doubtfully.
“Why,it’sagreatdealforUncleHugson,butnotforme.I’masplendidworker.IworkaswellasIsleep,”headded,withalaugh.
“Whatisyourname?”saidDorothy,thinkingshelikedtheboy’smannerandthecheerytoneofhisvoice.
“Notaveryprettyone,”heanswered,asifalittleashamed.“MywholenameisZebediah;butfolksjustcallme‘Zeb.’You’vebeentoAustralia,haven’tyou?”
“Yes;withUncleHenry,”sheanswered.“WegottoSanFranciscoaweekago,andUncleHenrywentrightontoHugson’sRanchforavisitwhileIstayedafewdaysinthecitywithsomefriendswehadmet.”
“Howlongwillyoubewithus?”heasked.
“Onlyaday.TomorrowUncleHenryandImuststartbackforKansas.We’vebeenawayforalongtime,youknow,andsowe’reanxioustogethomeagain.”
Theboyflickedthebig,boneyhorsewithhiswhipandlookedthoughtful.
Thenhestartedtosaysomethingtohislittlecompanion,butbeforehecouldspeakthebuggybegantoswaydangerouslyfromsidetosideandtheearthseemedtoriseupbeforethem.
Nextminutetherewasaroarandasharpcrash,andathersideDorothysawthegroundopeninawidecrackandthencometogetheragain.
“Goodness!”shecried,graspingtheironrailoftheseat.“Whatwasthat?”
“Thatwasanawfulbigquake,”repliedZeb,withawhiteface.“Italmostgotusthattime,Dorothy.”
Thehorsehadstoppedshort,andstoodfirmasarock.
Zebshookthereinsandurgedhimtogo,butJimwasstubborn.
Thentheboycrackedhiswhipandtouchedtheanimal’sflankswithit,andafteralowmoanofprotestJimsteppedslowlyalongtheroad.
Neithertheboynorthegirlspokeagainforsomeminutes.
Therewasabreathofdangerintheveryair,andeveryfewmomentstheearthwouldshakeviolently.
Jim’searswerestandingerectuponhisheadandeverymuscleofhisbigbodywastenseashetrottedtowardhome.
Hewasnotgoingveryfast,butonhisflanksspecksoffoambegantoappearandattimeshewouldtremblelikealeaf.
Theskyhadgrowndarkeragainandthewindmadestrangesobbingsoundsasitsweptoverthevalley.
Suddenlytherewasarending,tearingsound,andtheearthsplitintoanothergreatcrackjustbeneaththespotwherethehorsewasstanding.
Withawildneighofterrortheanimalfellbodilyintothepit,drawingthebuggyanditsoccupantsafterhim.
Dorothygrabbedfastholdofthebuggytopandtheboydidthesame.Thesuddenrushintospaceconfusedthemsothattheycouldnotthink.
Blacknessengulfedthemoneveryside,andinbreathlesssilencetheywaitedforthefalltoendandcrushthemagainstjaggedrocksorfortheearthtocloseinonthemagainandburythemforeverinitsdreadfuldepths.
Thehorriblesensationoffalling,thedarknessandtheterrifyingnoises,provedmorethanDorothycouldendureandforafewmomentsthelittlegirllostconsciousness.
Zeb,beingaboy,didnotfaint,buthewasbadlyfrightened,andclungtothebuggyseatwithatightgrip,expectingeverymomentwouldbehislast.
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