GIFT OF 
 
BILL S MISTAKE 
 A STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 
 
 BY 
 
 ROBERT GALE BARSON 
 
BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 A STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 
 
 BY 
 
 ROBERT GALE BARSON 
 
 1921 
 
 HARK WAGNER PUBLISHING CO. 
 San Francisco, California 
 
1921 
 
 Copyrighted 
 Eobert Gale Barson 
 
 
TO THE REDWOODS 
 
 4G4572 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 I. The Last Bell 7 
 
 II. A Supper for Two 23 
 
 III. Wherein Bill Makes a Mistake 40 
 
 IV. Flight to the Eedwoods 53 
 
 V. At the Santa Cruz Big Tree Grove 61 
 
 VI. Conversation Among Some Loganberry Vines . 72 
 
 VII. A Kedwood Saw-Mill 85 
 
 VIII. A Mountain Vineyard 99 
 
 IX. A New Home 113 
 
 X. The Anarchist Scare 128 
 
 XL Worse and More of It 144 
 
 XII. Some Explanations 162 
 
 XIII. Mountain Guests Tom, Dick and Harry . . 174 
 
 XIV. The Anarchist Again and the Picnic Party . . 185 
 
 XV. What Happened at the Cross-roads .... 201 
 
 XVI. The Eeal Anarchist . . .... . / . . 222 
 
 XVII. Homeward Bound .- . . . 243 
 
 The City Beautiful 255 
 
 Afterward 266 
 
BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 I. 
 
 THE LAST BELL. 
 
 Dong ! Dong ! Dong ! 
 
 It was a warm day in early June; one of those 
 days when you just simply cannot stay in; a day 
 that was never made for a school-room or for 
 study; when a dip in the surf or a hike among the 
 redwoods would be far more preferable than a 
 drowsy school-room; a day that meant you MUST 
 be out of doors. But it was all over, anyway for 
 a time, at least. The last bell was ringing. Vaca 
 tion had begun for the students of the Santa Cruz 
 High School. 
 
 Groups of boys and girls came pouring out of 
 the doors, laughing and chattering, with happy, 
 smiling faces; only occasionally a long-drawn face 
 appearing among them no doubt that of some 
 child who had failed to be nromoted. But they 
 were all glad to be free for a long two* months to 
 come; all were glad to pet out into the beautiful 
 summer day. 
 
!& , > i i > A l * * BILL >s MISTAKE 
 
 "Cut that out now!" cried one of three boys, 
 who came tumbling rather than walking down the 
 stairs, each eag^r to reach the ground first. The 
 boy who spoke was in the lead, and the other two 
 were holding him, trying to prevent him from 
 reaching the ground first. As he spoke he turned 
 and gave his tormentors each a punch. 
 
 "You don t need to think you ve always got to 
 be first, Tom!" one of the other boys answered 
 sharply, after he finally succeeded in reaching the 
 ground first. 
 
 "I m NOT always first, but when I make up my 
 mind to do a thing, I usually do it," Tom replied 
 decidedly. 
 
 "Did you get through, Tom?" asked Jim, the 
 smaller of the other two boys. By this time the 
 three boys were standing in a group on the school 
 ground. 
 
 "Yes, I got through!" he replied, as if there 
 w r ere no doubt about his being promoted. 
 
 "Only by a scratch, though," added Ned, the 
 third boy. 
 
 "Well, ain t that enough? What more do you 
 want?" 
 
 "I got through all right," Jim said, happily. 
 He was a class below the other two boys; he had 
 two years yet before him, while the others had but 
 one. 
 
 Ned and Jim, or, rather, Edward and James 
 Nelson, were brothers. They lived with their 
 parents on the east side of the city, near the foot- 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFOKNIA REDWOODS 11 
 
 hills. Their father was engaged in light farming 
 and vegetable raising, and his boys proved two 
 useful assistants, when they were not busy with 
 school work. 
 
 "It s some warm today, isn t it?" Ned re 
 marked. 
 
 "You bet!" Tom replied. "Let s beat it now, 
 fellows. I want to go down and take a swim in 
 the surf. It ll feel good a day like this. Want 
 t come along?" 
 
 "I m afraid we can t," Ned answered disappoint 
 edly, as the three started to leave the school 
 grounds. "Father told us to hurry home after 
 school; he wants us to do some weeding." 
 
 "All right, I ll go alone then." As long as Tom 
 got there that was the main thing with him. 
 
 "Where s Bill?" Jim inquired, looking around. 
 "Ain t you going to wait for him?" 
 
 "He s gone on," Tom said quickly. "He s got to 
 get down to the store and work. No foolin for 
 Bill." 
 
 So the boys went down the steps and, turning, 
 continued down the hill on their homeward way. 
 
 Tom, or as he was sometimes called, Thomas 
 Lawrence, was a small boy for his age perhaps 
 seventeen and fat not excessively, but just 
 enough so that it could not help but be noticed. He 
 had dark brown hair, almost black, dark eyes eyes 
 that sparkled with mischief, but whether they were 
 dark brown or black it was hard to determine. 
 
la BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 Tom had a round, fat, handsome face always 
 beaming. Always? Nearly always would be 
 nearer the truth, for Tom had a quick temper, 
 and when he became angry his face was verj 
 different from the usual smiling face. 
 
 At that time Tom had the reputation of being 
 the worst boy on the school ground to get intc 
 fights. When things went wrong, he simply HAD 
 to let himself out some way; so his fat fists began 
 flying, and the boy who happened to be nearest 
 usually received the benefit of his wrath. Then, 
 ten minutes after the fight was over, Tom, or no 
 body else, could believe that Tom ever got into 
 such trouble ; his face would be beaming again. If 
 any one spoke of the fight a short time afterward, 
 he would say, "Did I?" as though he had for 
 gotten entirely about it. 
 
 Whatever Tom did though that was not just 
 right, it was not because he was a bad boy ; it was 
 just simply because he could not help it. He 
 would always ,say, after such happenings, "I 
 didn t mean to," and that seemed to make every- 
 thing all right, as far as Tom was concerned. 
 
 Tom, like all other boys, liked to have a good 
 time. When he did not have to attend school it 
 would be hunting, fishing, swimming, or boating; 
 and the games, too, whether it was base-ball, foot 
 ball, tennis, or others, Tom dearly loved them all. 
 There was one other game that Tom loved cards. 
 He also liked to run races; Tom s legs were short, 
 but when they got a good start they certainly 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 13 
 
 could go; and such that few boys on the school 
 ground could outrun him. 
 
 Tom was bright and he was quick, whether it 
 was in the games or in the classes ; for busy as 
 he was, he often found time to study; something 
 the teacher just insisted upon having him do, he 
 would settle down and prepare as good as any 
 body. The result would be that Tom s teacher 
 would say, "Thomas, that s just fine!" But it was 
 not very often that any teacher of Tom s had occa 
 sion to make such a remark. Tom preferred to 
 fool rather than study. But, nevertheless, he 
 always managed to get promoted. 
 
 Everybody liked Tom. The boys and girls liked 
 him because he was "funny" and always saying 
 things that made them laugh. 
 
 There was one other thing about Tom that must 
 be mentioned to make his description complete: 
 he was an awful boy to ,swear. Several times the 
 principal had to call him aside and severely repri 
 mand him for the bad language he used on the 
 school ground. 
 
 Thomas Lawrence was an orphan; his parents 
 died when he was little more than a baby ; he could 
 scarcely remember them. His mother died first 
 and the father soon followed. After the death of 
 his parents, Tom came to live with his aunt his 
 mother s sister in Santa Cruz, where he had 
 entered school in the primary class. 
 
 The boy had lived ever since his arrival in Santa 
 Cruz with his aunt, Mrs. Amy Rowland, ii her 
 
14 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 modest little home in Laurel Street. He loved her 
 as he would have loved his own mother. If he was 
 naughty toward her, it was just because he could 
 not help it; he did not mean to. 
 
 Tom loved Santa Cruz. "It s the finest place in 
 all the world, he would say. I want to stay here 
 always. 
 
 When the boy grew older, an uncle of his his 
 father s brother, who lived in San Francisco 
 wanted Tom to come and live with him; but Tom 
 just would not go. "I can look out for myself ; and 
 besides if I went Aunt Amy would be left alone, " 
 he had said when his uncle had urged him to go to 
 the city and live with him. 
 
 "Well, his uncle had replied, "if I hear no bad 
 reports, you can stay with Aunt Amy in Santa 
 Cruz. But remember! I am your guardian, and if 
 I say Come, you will have to do it; so you had 
 better be a good boy." 
 
 Tom always remembered it, too. It was the one 
 thing above all others that helped to keep him on 
 the straight and narrow path at least, as near on 
 it as he could keep. But then Tom was not a bad 
 boy at all; if he did naughty things, he had a very 
 good reason for so doing ; he just simply could not 
 help it. Tom always wanted to do what was right. 
 
 When Tom s father died he left his child a little 
 property; arranging it ,so that the boy would have 
 so much a month, until he would be of age; then 
 if anything was left, Tom would have it for his 
 own. Tom s uncle was his guardian and sent him 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 15 
 
 the monthly allowance, part of which he gave his 
 aunt for his support; the remainder he had for 
 himself. It was not near enough, though, for his 
 modest requirements ; he was always running short. 
 
 The trio of boys continued down the hill, among 
 dozens of others. 
 
 "I m goin fishin Monday," Tom remarked, as 
 he threw his cap into the air, and tried to catch 
 it on his head as it came down. "Can t you 
 fellows go along?" 
 
 "I m afraid we can t," Jim replied softly. "We 
 will have to work nearly all vacation if we expect 
 to earn our bicycles." 
 
 "I shall have to go alone then. Bill can t go; 
 he always has to work. I m glad I don t have to 
 work." 
 
 "I always feel sorry for Bill," Ned said thought 
 fully, "the way he has to work, and with no father 
 or mother to help him. He seems to do pretty well 
 though." 
 
 "Bill s all right," Tom answered. "He s the 
 finest fellow in all the world." The boy was then 
 walking backwards in front of the other two, be 
 cause he often said that it was easier for him to 
 walk backwards than forwards. Just as he was 
 about to cross the railroad track at the foot of the 
 hill, he stumbled, and would have fallen if Ned 
 had not grabbed him by the arm to .steady him. 
 
 "Look out, Tom!" he said warningly. "You ll 
 hurt yourself some day doing that." 
 
 "Don t worry about me! I can look out for 
 
16 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 myself," he replied bravely, as he righted himself, 
 also turning to continue right-side-to" the rest of 
 the way. 
 
 "Hold on, fellers." Some one was calling from 
 the rear. The boys looked around. A tall, long- 
 legged boy was running toward them, down the 
 hill, as fast as his long legs could carry hirr 
 
 "It s Bill!" Tom uttered, rather surprised. 
 
 "What s your hurry?" Bill asked as he at length 
 joined the group. "I was waiting for you in t"he 
 school yard." 
 
 "Thought you d gone on," Tom replied courte 
 ously. "You ll be late to work." 
 
 "Oh, no, Tom, we re out early today; don t you 
 know that?" asked the newcomer, almost out of 
 breath. 
 
 "Early? It seems later to me than usual. I 
 thought school never would end today. It s too 
 nice to be in school any way." 
 
 The boys continued their walk four abreast. 
 
 "Yes; I m glad to be out for a while though, for 
 one," Jim said. 
 
 "And just think, Bill," Ned added joyfully. "In 
 one more year we ll be through for good. What 
 would you like to be, Bill, when you get settled 
 in life? I ve often thought I d like to be a 
 lawyer. 
 
 "I don t know," Bill replied slowly. "I never 
 think about the future much; the present is enough 
 for me to handle, just now. I ll wait and see what 
 turns up." 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 17 
 
 "I d rather be a banker," Tom edged in. He 
 had not been asked to give his opinion, but he was 
 doing so anyhow. "Bankers have more money than 
 anybody; all they have to do is to go to the bank 
 and get what money they want and go off and 
 spend it. I tell you it s a BANK for me." 
 
 "You ve got an uncle that s connected with a 
 bank, haven t you? Ned asked. "Maybe he could 
 get you a job in the bank when you get through 
 school." 
 
 "I don t want any job. If I can t own the bank 
 I don t want anything to do with it." 
 
 "If you owned a bank would you give me a 
 job?" Bill asked of Tom. "I d rather have a job 
 in a bank than to own one." 
 
 You bet I would, he answered truthfully. " I d 
 do anything in the world for you, Bill, old man." 
 
 "Thanks, Tom!" 
 
 Thus the four boys continued down Walnut 
 Avenue, laughing and talking, first about one thing, 
 then about another. They were happy. 
 
 Bill, or to be exact, William Crawford, was a 
 tall, strong, healthy-looking specimen, the kind 
 of a boy that develops into the large, well-pro 
 portioned man. He had a fine face not a hand 
 some face, but a face that showed character. To 
 look at him one could not help but notice the 
 honest integrity that showed out plain in the 
 boyish face. One look at the youth would be 
 enough for any one to know that he was an honest, 
 well-meaning boy a boy that could be trusted. 
 
18 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 Bill had brown hair chestnut brown, slightly 
 curly, and brown, bright-looking eyes. His skin 
 was tanned from much outdoor life, and his hands 
 were rough from hard work; for work and Bill 
 were twin brothers. 
 
 Bill was a youth whom everybody liked and 
 admired. He always did his best, whether it 
 was work or play for he liked to work, and he 
 liked to play. He was not a shirk; when there 
 was work to be done, he was ready to do it. His 
 motto was "work first and play afterwards." 
 
 Bill was unfortunate; his parents both having 
 died, he was left alone in the world without an 
 adviser without a supporter. He had to earn his 
 own living as well as attend school; this meant 
 work before school, after school, Saturdays and 
 vacations. He had little time for pleasure; but he 
 did not complain. Bill had made up his mind long 
 before that he would do the best he could for 
 himself; and he would have to be satisfied with 
 that. In the ischool-room he did his best; it was 
 nothing extra, for he had little time to study, but 
 such as it was was far better than that of many 
 others who had far greater opportunities. 
 
 Bill was of a quiet nature; he seldom spoke 
 except when he had something important to say 
 and if so, he said it ; otherwise he believed in keep 
 ing still. This was one reason why Tom liked 
 Bill so well. He liked a good listener; then, what 
 ever talking was necessary Tom could always do 
 that himself. Bill was also good-natured. This 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 19 
 
 was another reason why Tom and he got along 
 so well together. Bill was always willing to give 
 in and let Tom have his own way. 
 
 Bill had not lived in Santa Cruz long; he 
 arrived the summer previous and had spent only 
 the past year in the high school. It was not his 
 entrance year though, for that he had spent in 
 his home town in Ohio. One year more and he 
 would graduate if everything went well. Then 
 perhaps he would be able to do better for himself. 
 
 William Crawford was born in Warren, Ohio, 
 where he spent his childhood with his parents. His 
 father was a dissolute man, giving little thought to 
 the .support of his wife and son; he reveled in 
 drink and card playing until he became nothing 
 but a wreck and a burden to the woman he had 
 promised to do so much for; and then after a 
 time like all others of his kind he passed away, 
 leaving his wife and child alone, to make their 
 way through life the best they could. Bill scarcely 
 remembered his father. 
 
 His mother, one of the finest of women, always 
 did her best for her boy. Hard as it was both to 
 earn the living and keep up the home, she suc 
 ceeded in making a happy, though humble, home 
 for herself and boy, and sent the lad to school. 
 Her greatest hope was that her son would grow 
 up to be a good man. 
 
 As Bill grew older he began to help his mother 
 earn their living. He became a newsboy; early 
 in the mornings and late in the evenings, he was 
 
20 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 out doing the best he could to help with his sup 
 port. He did his studying whenever he could find 
 a few spare moments. 
 
 All went well for some years; the mother and 
 son were very happy together. But just when the 
 mother wanted to live most, for her boy s sake; 
 just when ,she felt that he most needed her to 
 watch over him, she sickened, and in a few weeks 
 was gone. 
 
 When she felt that she must go, that there was 
 no help for her, she called her boy to her bedside 
 and in her dying hour sobbed these words: "Oh, 
 my boy ! Promise your dying mother that you will 
 always be a good boy; always do your best. 
 Promise me ! Oh, promise me, that you will never 
 touch any liquor, or never play with cards. They 
 were what caused your, father s downfall. Oh, 
 promise me!" And he promised. 
 
 After his mother had been laid to rest beside his 
 father, Bill took what little money there was left 
 and bought a ticket for San Francisco. His only 
 living relative, a brother of his father, lived there, 
 and his mother had bidden him to go to his uncle. 
 
 "Perhaps he will give you a home and help you 
 till you are a little older," were among the last 
 words of the dying mother. 
 
 The unfortunate youth reached San Francisco 
 safely and found his uncle living in a handsome 
 home on Pacific Avenue, where he had every luxury 
 and convenience that money could produce. But 
 it only took Bill a few days to find out that he was 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 21 
 
 an unwelcome guest; the help that he hoped to 
 receive was not there. Rather than live in a 
 home where he felt that he was not w r anted, the 
 disappointed boy thought it better to strike out 
 for himself. He had always worked and worked 
 hard was strong and healthy, and he knew that 
 he would succeed by doing the best he knew how. 
 Being used to a small town he thought it better 
 to Leave the city; besides he felt that his expenses 
 would be less in a smaller city. 
 
 So, after a few days, he bid his uncle gooi-bye 
 and left the city. Some one told him to go to 
 Santa Cruz if he wanted a smaller city. He came 
 here; liked it; and remained here. No one \vho 
 has ever been in Santa Cruz will blame him for 
 his decision. 
 
 A few days after his arrival, Bill procured work 
 at the H. H. Howard Drug Company, on Pacific 
 Avenue, doing odd jobs, cleaning, delivering, and 
 whatever else he was called upon to do. At the 
 beginning of the fall semester he commenced his 
 studies at the high school working when hs> was 
 not in school. He made his home with Tom and 
 his aunt. 
 
 At last the group reached Pacific Avenue, and 
 Bill turned up the avenue to go to his place of 
 employment. As he left them Tom called: 
 
 "Don t forget, Bill eight o clock, sharp!" 
 
 "All right, Tom!" Bill called back. "I ll be 
 home long before that." 
 
 Then the three boys proceeded on their way 
 
22 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 down the main street for half a block, after which 
 the two brothers crossed over to Soquel Avenue, 
 that thoroughfare leading in the direction of their 
 home. Tom continued southward toward the beach. 
 
 Before parting he said to the other boys: "I m 
 sorry you can t come along. Don t forget, though, 
 fellows eight o clock, sharp!" 
 
 "All right, Tom, we ll be there," Ned replied. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA BED WOODS 23 
 
 II. 
 
 A SUPPER FOR TWO. 
 
 "Do you think this will be enough, Bill?" 
 
 "No! That s not half enough, Tom. That 
 isn t enough for one of us. Remember, we re not 
 going to have much else." 
 
 "Then I ll fix some more," Tom replied will 
 ingly. He was shelling the peas for supper. 
 Bill had just made the fire. That afternoon before 
 Tom arrived home from school his Aunt Amy had 
 been called away to Watsonville. Her brother had 
 been badly hurt in a runaway; so she hurried 
 away as quickly as possible, leaving a note for 
 Tom telling him of the trouble, and for the boys 
 to get supper the best they could. They were 
 doing their best. 
 
 "I ll peel some potatoes and put them to boil 
 then, I think, I ll boil some eggs that ought to be 
 enough," Bill remarked slowly. 
 
 "Can t you fix them some other way, Bill? I 
 don t like boiled eggs very well." 
 
 "How do you want them?" 
 
 "Scrambled!" 
 
 "I don t believe I know how to scramble eggs; 
 at least I never tried. Shall I fry them?" 
 
24 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "All right, any way that suits you; I sha n t 
 be particular at a time like this." 
 
 During this talk Tom slowly continued with his 
 pea-shelling and Bill proceeded to prepare the po 
 tatoes, which he at length put on the stove to 
 boil. 
 
 "I think we ll eat here in the kitchen, so s not 
 to make a mess in the dining-room," Bill said 
 thoughtfully, as he took some eggs out of the cup 
 board and placed them on the table. "You re 
 making such a mess here." 
 
 "Am I? What am I doing?" Tom looked 
 around wonderingly. 
 
 "You re getting peas all over everywhere." 
 
 "So I am." The boy could see what his chum 
 referred to as he looked more closely at the floor. 
 "I can t help it though, Bill; every time I open a 
 pod they all hop out and go where they please. 
 There goes one now, over there where you are. 
 Pick it up if you don t want them on the floor!" 
 
 Bill stooped and picked up the fugitive pea, 
 came across the room, and placed it in the pan 
 with the others. 
 
 "There goes another! Get it, Bill!" 
 
 "I m not going to keep picking them up as fast 
 as you drop them," was the decided reply as he 
 sat down by his friend s side and commenced 
 helping w r ith the shelling. "If we don t hurry 
 we won t have them on time." 
 
 "Is this enough to suit you now?" Tom asked 
 a few minutes later. He picked up the pan and 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 25 
 
 held it up nearer Bill, for his closer inspection, 
 wiggling the pan enough to set the peas rolling 
 back and forth. 
 
 "Why not finish them, Tom? There s only about 
 a dozen left. The more we do, the more there ll 
 be to eat." 
 
 "Eight you are! Why didn t I think of that 
 sooner?" Tom resumed his pea-shelling with re 
 newed vigor. "You re dropping some yourself, 
 Bill," he soon added, as one of his companion s 
 peas went rolling over the floor. "There goes 
 another of mine so I can t talk." 
 
 When at length, the peas were all shelled, Bill 
 took them and prepared them for the stove. 
 
 "Get some knives and forks, Tom, and put them 
 on the table." 
 
 "Where shall I get them?" 
 
 "Look in the closet. You ll find them some 
 where," he answered, while washing the peas. 
 
 Tom slowly arose from where he had been sit 
 ting, walked to the closet and after examining its 
 contents for a few minutes returned to the table 
 with the knives and forks. 
 
 "See if there s any bread," Bill directed, after 
 he had put the peas on the .stove to cook. 
 
 Tom again slowly walked to the closet and 
 after a moment spoke: "Here s some." 
 
 "Well, cut some and put it on the table." 
 
 "What shall I cut it with?" stupidly. Tom 
 certainly was not a born house-keeper. 
 
26 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "Take that bread knife lying there beside it and 
 cut a few slices." 
 
 The other cut a couple of chunks of bread and 
 then after placing it on the table, sat down in his 
 former position. 
 
 "I think I ll fry the eggs now," Bill at length 
 said, as he placed the frying pan on the stove. 
 "Get me two plates." 
 
 "Why didn t you tell me before I sat down?" 
 Tom muttered as he slowly arose and went to the 
 closet and procured the plates, which he carried 
 over to Bill as he stood before the stove. 
 
 "Put them on the stove to warm, Tom." 
 
 Tom did as he was directed, and then stood 
 watching Bill as he greased the pan and com 
 menced breaking the eggs into it. 
 
 "Do you want one or two?" 
 
 "Two," was the decided reply. A moment later 
 he said: "Bill, you look like an old woman with 
 that apron on." The youth had tied one of Aunt 
 Amy s aprons on to protect his clothing. 
 
 "I can t help it if I do," was the solemn reply. 
 
 Then there was silence for a few moments as 
 the two boys stood by the stove. Tom watched the 
 eggs as they sputtered in the grease. After they 
 were done to Bill s satisfaction he took the 
 turner and proceeded to place two of the eggs on 
 each plate. 
 
 "If it ever comes to the worst now, Bill, I 
 believe I could cook myself an egg," Tom said 
 softly when his chum finally had the eggs safely 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA KEDWOODS 27 
 
 on the plates, after which he took the pot of peas 
 and divided them as near equally as possible on 
 the plates; he also placed a potato for each. Then 
 the boys sat down to eat their supper. 
 
 Tom was the first to place a forkful of peas 
 in his mouth. Bill! he exclaimed. "I don t 
 believe these peas are done; they don t taste just 
 right." 
 
 Bill tasted tiiem. "I forgot the salt. Get some 
 from the closet and put it on. It ll do just as 
 well." 
 
 "That s the trouble, then, is it? I never should 
 have thought of salt, myself, though." The lad 
 arose, went to the closet for the salt and soon 
 returned with the shaker, which he began shaking 
 over his peas immediately after sitting down. 
 "This is pepper." 
 
 "Well, get the other one. We need pepper, too, 
 though." 
 
 Tom again went to the closet, returning with 
 the salt-shaker. After he had salted his peas to 
 his satisfaction, he again commenced to eat. 
 "They re all right now, he said, after eating a 
 few forkfuls. "They re good, too! Things taste 
 better when you fix em yourself, don t they, 
 Bill?" 
 
 "Yes, Tom. That s always the way in this 
 world. When you have to work for a thing you 
 appreciate it more." 
 
 "I believe you re right. It s so in this case." 
 
 Tom was a poor worker; he knew nothing about 
 
28 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 work, nor did he want to know; he was lazy and 
 worthless as far as work was concerned. He liked 
 to play games and go fishing; that was life enough 
 for Tom. The only work he had to do was to 
 cut the lawn for his Aunt Amy; and that he 
 always left until Sunday so that Bill could help 
 or rather so that Bill could cut the lawn while 
 Tom talked to him. But then Bill did not mind; 
 he liked to cut the lawn and he liked to hear Tom 
 talk ; and Tom liked to talk ; so they were both 
 happy. 
 
 Aunt Amy had always weeded the flowers herself 
 because Tom did not know which were the weeds 
 and which the plants. One time she set Tom to 
 work to weed .some young pansy plants which she 
 had planted for a border. 
 
 "Now, Tom, be careful! These are the plants. 
 Do you see?" and his aunt showed him the plants. 
 "I have planted one every six inches. Now be 
 careful! There are some weeds there that look 
 something like the pansies. Do you think you 
 know them?" 
 
 "Yes, I think so; I ll fix em all right, Aunt 
 Amy," the boy had willingly replied. 
 
 And Tom did "fix em," for when his aunt 
 returned a little later to see how Tom was getting 
 along, she found only a row of tiny weeds that 
 looked something like pansy plants and the 
 pansies had been carefully removed. Of course 
 she felt badly. 
 
 "What have you done, Tom! You ve removed 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 29 
 
 all my pansies and have left only weeds," she said 
 disappointedly, when she discovered his mistake. 
 
 1 Have I? I didn t mean to, Aunt Amy." The 
 boy s eyes had filled with tears. "I never could 
 see any difference in them until the flowers come, 
 any way." 
 
 "Well, never mind, Tom. It s all right. You 
 did the best you could," his aunt replied, when 
 she saw how badly he felt. 
 
 So after this unfortunate experience, Aunt Amy 
 thought it best to do her own weeding. It was 
 the same with everything else that .she had tried 
 to get Tom to do he was always bungling; so she 
 finally gave up hope of ever getting him to do 
 anything useful. 
 
 Tom was the first to finish his egg, pea and 
 potato supper. He leaned back in his chair. 
 
 "Have you got anything else? I haven t had 
 enough yet," he remarked. 
 
 "There s some pie in the closet; I guess we ll 
 eat that. I ll get it in a minute." 
 
 "Take your time! That ll about finish me, I 
 think. You re a good cook, Bill. How do you 
 know all these things?" 
 
 "I used to help my mother," he said sadly. 
 "When she was sick I had to do all the house 
 work and care for her, too." 
 
 "You certainly are a better cook than I. If 
 it were left for me to do, I m afraid that we would 
 have to eat things raw. I can beat you in a foot 
 race though. Want t try after supper?" 
 
30 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "I thought you had something else for to 
 night?" Bill reminded, as he got up and went for 
 the pie. 
 
 "That s so; I nearly forgot." 
 
 Bill brought the pie and placed a piece before 
 Tom, who immediately began to dispose of it; the 
 other piece he put at his own place and after 
 sitting down began to eat it. 
 
 "Shall we cut the lawn, Sunday, Bill, or let it 
 go another week?" Tom inquired, with his mouth 
 full of pie. 
 
 "No, Tom, not another week. We must do it 
 Sunday; it should have been done last week." 
 
 "But if I am going fishing early Monday morn 
 ing I -shall have to get my tackle ready Sunday. 
 Then I shall have to clean my gun; I might want 
 to take it along, too." 
 
 "You ll have plenty of time for all," was the 
 decided reply. 
 
 "And then we ve planned for a game Sunday. 
 Don t forget! Besides, Aunt Amy might insist on 
 me going to church like she did last Sunday. I 
 hope she don t come until Monday. How are we 
 going to do everything?" 
 
 "It wouldn t hurt you to get up a half -hour 
 earlier. 
 
 "I wouldn t like to do that. We ll hope Aunt 
 Amy won t get back until Monday; that ll let us 
 out on the church racket any way." 
 
 "But you may get tired of my cooking before 
 Monday. Did you think of that?" 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 31 
 
 "I m not kicking, yet. This supper has been 
 a howling success. You are a wonder, Bill." And 
 with that, Tom, having finished his pie, leaned 
 back in his chair. 
 
 "Have you had enough, Tom?" the other in 
 quired, as he finished his own pie. 
 
 "Yep, I couldn t eat another bite if you pay 
 me. Say, Bill ! Tom said suddenly, have you made 
 up your mind what you ll have for breakfast yet?" 
 
 Bill was silent for a few seconds while he sat 
 thinking. 
 
 "Better make up your mind to-night! Then 
 you won t have to think about it all night." 
 
 "I think I ll make some coffee," Bill finally 
 remarked slowly. 
 
 "Yes, I must have my coffee. What else will 
 you have?" 
 
 "Then I can fry some eggs and potatoes. I think 
 that ought to be enough." 
 
 "Eggs!" Tom echoed. "Can t you think of 
 something else, Bill? I m gettin tired of eggs; 
 we ve had them every meal since Aunt Amy left." 
 
 "There s some bacon in the cupboard; maybe 
 we can have some of that, instead." 
 
 "Have both! Then we ll be sure and have 
 enough. 
 
 So their breakfast was arranged for satisfac 
 torily, and the boys arose from their chairs. 
 "Now, Bill, don t you think we ve got time for a 
 foot-race, to the hill and back, before the boys 
 come?" 
 
32 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "We ll l*ave to do the dishes first." 
 
 "Nothin doin . Why not leave them? Aunt 
 Amy can do them when she returns," replied Tom. 
 He never believed in doing anything that he could 
 get any one else to do in the work line, at any 
 rate. 
 
 "No!" Bill said. "That wouldn t be nice; your 
 aunt will have enough to do without washing 
 our dirty dishes. You get a pan and put the 
 dishes in, and I ll get a broom and sweep up these 
 peas; you ve got them all over everywhere." The 
 youth accordingly started for the broom. 
 
 "All right, Bill!" Tom said cheerfully, "what 
 ever you say goes; you seem to be running things 
 here. Which pan shall I take?" With all his 
 helplessness to say the least Tom was willing 
 to help as long as Bill was there. 
 
 "Take that big one. Put the dishes in, then I 
 will pour some hot water over them. Scrape them 
 first though." 
 
 Bill began to sweep, and Tom after taking the 
 pan down from the hook and placing it on the 
 table, commenced picking up the dirty dishes. 
 "There s nothing to scrape, Bill!" he called. 
 
 "Well, then, put them in as they are," Bill 
 answered, as he continued sweeping the floor. 
 When done he replaced the broom, and taking the 
 kettle of hot water from the stove went over to the 
 table and poured its contents over the dishes. 
 "Now, would you rather wash or dry them?" he 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFOENIA EEDWOODS 33 
 
 asked, as he placed the kettle on the table. 
 
 "Ill wash." 
 
 "Get to work then. Take off your coat and 
 roll up your shirt-sleeves. Tom immediately took 
 off his coat and rolled up his .shirt-sleeves accord 
 ing to his adviser s directions, while he got some 
 clothes from the drawer for washing and drying 
 the dishes. 
 
 "Ouch!" he heard Tom cry out as he was re 
 turning. 
 
 "What is the matter with you?" 
 
 "That water s hot! I burned my finger," he 
 lamented, placing the injured member in his mouth 
 to console it. 
 
 "That isn t hot at all!" Bill replied sharply, 
 after testing the water with his finger. "If you 
 can t stand that you better let me wash and you 
 can dry." 
 
 "Perhaps you better fix em. You know more 
 about doing these things than I," he responded, 
 after taking his finger from his mouth. Thus the 
 boys changed places. Bill soon began washing the 
 dishes and laying them out on the table. 
 
 "Get to work now!" he said, "and be careful 
 and don t break them." 
 
 Tom did not break any, but he did drop one 
 the first he touched; it was too slippery for him; 
 he could not hold it. But by the time he had the 
 dish picked up and was about to take a cloth and 
 dry it, Bill had finished the washing. 
 
 "Give me the cloth," he said impatiently. "I 
 
34 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 can dry them while you re getting ready." In a 
 few minutes he had the dishes dried and put 
 away. 
 
 "Did you feed the hens, Tom?" 
 
 "No! I never thought of them until this 
 minute. Did you get the eggs, Bill?" Tom sud 
 denly thought of something that needed attend 
 ing to. 
 
 "No, I haven t been near them. Did your aunt 
 tell you to feed them?" 
 
 "I don t know." 
 
 "Didn t you read the note?" 
 
 "Yes, but I don t remember anything but about 
 getting supper." 
 
 Where is the note ? Get it so I can see ! 
 
 "It s in my pocket." Tom put his hand in his 
 coat pocket, which he had already replaced, and 
 drew forth a much crumpled piece of paper, which 
 he handed to Bill. 
 
 "Yes; she said for you to be .sure and feed the 
 hens," Bill remarked, after he had carefully read 
 the note. 
 
 "Well, then we better do it. If you feed em, 
 Bill, I ll get the eggs." 
 
 "Come on then; it ll soon be dark." Both 
 immediately went out the back door onto the porch. 
 Here, Bill took a can full of wheat from a sack 
 which stood on the porch, and then they hurried 
 to the rear of the yard where the hens were con 
 fined. Bill commenced throwing the wheat into the 
 yard; the hens had mostly gone to roost for the 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 35 
 
 night, but, upon seeing the wheat flying over the 
 fence they made no objection to jumping down 
 and disposing of the grain. For a few moments 
 the boys stood looking through the wires at the 
 feeding hens, then Bill said: Now get the eggs, 
 Tom, while they re out of the hen-house." 
 
 " Where are they?" the other asked stupidly. 
 
 "Go in the hen-house and look in those boxes," 
 Bill ordered severely. He was getting disgusted 
 with Tom. 
 
 Tom opened the hen-house door and started 
 toward the nests on the opposite side of the coop. 
 He stopped half-way and said: "There s a hen 
 on one box, Bill. Shall I scare her off?" 
 
 "You may as well." 
 
 "Shoo!" Tom said, waving his hand at the hen; 
 but it was not necessary to "shoo," for the sight 
 of the boy was enough to send the hen flying out 
 into the yard. "Look at em!" he continued, as 
 he stooped before the box. . There .must be a dozen 
 or two of em. What shall I do with em all?" As 
 he spoke he stooped lower and began taking the 
 eggs from the nest. 
 
 Bill was standing at the door. "Wait a minute! 
 Maybe she s setting." He entered the coop and 
 advanced towards Tom, who stood with an egg in 
 each hand. "Yes, those eggs have been set on. 
 Put them back!" 
 
 Tom replaced the eggs "How can you tell?" 
 he asked wonderingly, as he looked up at his com 
 panion. 
 
36 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "Well, they re not fresh looking. Here s a box 
 on the floor which I think your aunt must have 
 had over her to keep the others away. It either 
 got knocked off, or else she took it off for fear 
 we might not notice the hen." 
 
 "Get those other eggs in those boxes. There s 
 three in one, four in the other, and two in this last 
 one," he added as he Started toward the door. 
 
 Tom stooped and gathered the eggs from the 
 first nest with his right hand and then placed 
 them into his left, holding it close to his body 
 so that he might the better hold them. 
 
 "Don t take the nest-eggs, Tom," Bill cautioned. 
 
 "Don t get funny, Bill. Don t you suppose I 
 know enough not to take the nest-eggs?" the 
 boy replied smartly. 
 
 "Yes, but you have one in your hand any way." 
 
 "Have I? You re foolin ." He looked down at 
 the eggs with a puzzled look. "Which one is it?" 
 he inquired softly, a silly expression coming on his 
 face. 
 
 "It s that one underneath." 
 
 "Oh! That one!" The boy extracted the tell 
 tale egg that had been partly hidden by the others. 
 "Oh, well, I couldn t see that!" he exclaimed, as 
 if the fact of the nest-egg being hidden excused 
 him for his stupidity. "They do look alike, though, 
 don t they?" he added, as he carefully examined the 
 false egg, turning it around in his hand. "No 
 wonder the old hens are fooled." 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA EEDWOODS 37 
 
 "Hurry, Tom. The hens want to come in and 
 go to roost." 
 
 Tom began gathering the eggs from the second 
 nest. "Wait!" Bill spoke. "I ll get you the can 
 to put them in you ll drop them." 
 
 "No I won t!" he answered positively. But he 
 did drop one, and when he went to grab that to 
 stop it from falling, he dropped another. "Look 
 what I did, Bill ! I m always getting myself into 
 trouble," he said, as Bill returned with the can. 
 Tom stood there looking down at the broken eggs. 
 Bill took the other eggs from him and put them in 
 the can quickly, without a word; then he gathered 
 the other eggs from the nests and put them also 
 in the can. At last he stooped, gathered up the 
 two broken eggs, and holding them in his hand left 
 the coop and went with them into the house. Tom 
 followed, and shutting the hen-house door also 
 went into the house. 
 
 "Bill, you re a wonder; you know everything," 
 Tom said, after they were both back in the kitchen. 
 "Why couldn t I have been smart like you?" 
 
 "Tom!" Bill turned and looked at his chum; 
 and then in his most powerful tone addressed him 
 again; he had stood Tom s foolishness long enough: 
 "Tom, you ARE smart; you are far smarter than 
 I am! And you are quick! The trouble with you 
 is you don t apply yourself; you re lazy and 
 worthless! All you ever think of are games, and 
 having a good time ! Why don t you learn to work 
 and make yourself useful in this world? Then 
 
38 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 ^ou ll always find time for games in between 
 times. It isn t a case of smartness, Tom; it s a 
 case of downright laziness. You re trying to shove 
 your work off onto me. Why don t you learn to 
 do something? " 
 
 And all the while this "lecturing" was going 
 on, Tom, shamefacedly, with bowed head, looked 
 first at one foot, then at the other. A few mo 
 ments after Bill stopped talking, Tom was silent, 
 then he spoke: 
 
 "What could I do?" 
 
 "What could YOU do?" Bill repeated in his 
 former severe tones. "There s lots of things you 
 could do. You could cut the lawn instead of 
 leaving it for me to do; you could get up in the 
 morning and make the fire for your aunt instead 
 of .staying in bed until breakfast is ready; you 
 could bring in the wood, clean up the yard, sweep 
 the walk, feed the hens, and get the eggs. I ve 
 been doing some of these things to help your aunt ; 
 but you re the one who ought to do it." 
 
 When Bill paused this time the other quickly 
 raised his eyes and looked at his companion s 
 face. "I believe you re right, Bill," he said softly. 
 Then he again dropped his eyes and gazed at his 
 feet. Tom was beginning to see a few things for 
 himself any way. 
 
 "Then, another thing, Tom. You ve got an uncle 
 that s willin to do a great deal for you if you ll 
 only let him. (Bill thought of his own uncle and 
 the help he would like to have had from him.) 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA BED WOODS 39 
 
 I ve got no one to help me. Why don t you let 
 him help you?" 
 
 Tom then raised his eyes for good. "But," he 
 objected, "I d have to leave here if I did, and 
 I m not going to leave Santa Cruz for any uncle 
 that I may have." 
 
 "Well, you ought to learn something any way," 
 Bill advised kindly. "You ll have to work in a 
 few more years and you won t know how. Better 
 begin now." 
 
 "I believe I shall," was the eager response. 
 
40 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 III. 
 
 WHEREIN BILL MAKES A MISTAKE. 
 
 "Doesn t it seem good, Bill to think there are 
 no lessons to get to-night?" Tom remarked with 
 a beaming face, as the two boys waited in their 
 room for the expected company. He was reclining 
 in a rocker with head thrown back, gazing at a 
 picture of George Washington on the opposite 
 wall, which his aunt had given him for a birthday 
 present. "For my part I m tired of this thing of 
 study in three or four hours every night." 
 
 "Yes, Tom, it does seem good. But I don t 
 know about your studying three or four iiours 
 every night," Bill answered from his bed, where 
 he had stretched himself out for a few minutes 
 rest. 
 
 Soon after Bill s arrival in Santa Cruz, when 
 he and Tom began to get "chummy" Tom got his 
 aunt to let Bill have a room in her house. She 
 was very glad to have the extra money that Bill 
 paid her each week; Bill was glad because it Avas 
 more reasonable for him than where he had pre 
 viously boarded; and Tom was glad so that he had 
 somebody to talk to, night and day; so they were 
 all satisfied. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 41 
 
 Later when Tom and Bill got still "chummier" 
 Tom asked his aunt to let Bill move his bed into 
 his room, so that they could talk without having 
 to call through the wall. 
 
 So here they were in their bedroom as well as 
 reception-room, for it was a good-sized apartment 
 and served them for all purposes. Their room 
 opened onto a side porch so that it could be used 
 without disturbing the rest of the house. 
 
 "Didn t I commence studyin last night at seven, 
 and wasn t I still studyin at eleven?" Tom replied 
 to Bill s comment. 
 
 "You did last night, but that s only once; be 
 sides, you only did it in order that you might get 
 your experiments written up, so you could get 
 through. If you hadn t left it until the last thing, 
 you wouldn t have had to do so much at once." 
 
 "Well, I couldn t find time any sooner, Bill; 
 there s so much to do." 
 
 "Besides, you needn t complain; you know you 
 only copied mine; so you got off easy. It s lucky 
 for you that the teacher didn t find you out." 
 
 "Well it s work to copy any way. .I m always 
 leaving out words and sometimes entire lines; then 
 I have to squeeze them in somewhere; and then I 
 never know what the figures mean; I never could 
 see any sense in this experiment business. It s a 
 good thing the teacher don t examine them care 
 fully. Isn t it, Bill?" 
 
 "You ought to study more, though, Tom for 
 yourself or you ll never know anything. If you d 
 
42 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 study your lessons and learn them, you d see more 
 sense in things. You do nothing but fool. 
 
 "Well, don t I try?" He was leaning his head 
 back on the rocker and rolling it to and fro. 
 "But when I read the lessons I always find myself 
 thinking about what I shall do Saturday; and 
 when I get through, I know more about what I am 
 going to do Saturday than I do about the lessons; 
 or else if I don t do that, I find myself asleep 
 before I get through. So you see I m wasting 
 time whichever way it goes. It s no use; I may 
 as well enjoy life while I ve got the chance." 
 
 "You ought to learn to concentrate your thoughts 
 on something besides having a good time; if you 
 don t you ll never get along in this world, when 
 you have to go to work; you will some day, you 
 know." 
 
 "Not until I m twenty-one," he replied, as he 
 continued to roll his head on the back of the 
 rocker. "I ve enough to last me till then so I 
 sha n t worry about it for a while yet; I hope it 
 will be a long time coming. Besides I don t believe 
 I was ever born to work anyhow; we don t seem to 
 agree." After this last remark he suddenly sat 
 upright in his chair, and turned his head in the 
 direction of the door, as though he heard some 
 thing. "I wonder if the fellows aren t coming?" 
 he said, leaning back again in the rocker. 
 
 "It s not time yet," Bill answered, as his eyes 
 wandered over the ceiling. 
 
 "It must be long after time," was the impatient 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 43 
 
 reply. Time always went slow to Tom when there 
 was something good in sight. 
 
 Both boys took their watches from their pockets 
 and looked at them. 
 
 "It s eight now," Tom said, replacing his watch. 
 
 "Hardly," Bill answered, replacing his own. 
 
 "It is by my watch," Tom corrected. 
 
 "Not by mine." 
 
 "You re slow." 
 
 "You re fast." 
 
 But just then the argument was stopped by a 
 sound from without like two boys stumbling up the 
 stairs. Tom jumped up and opened the door to 
 admit Jim and Ned. 
 
 "Hurry up, you fellows! Why don t you learn 
 to get around on time? We ve been waitin an 
 hour for you." Tom was impatient, for some 
 reason or other. 
 
 "I hope we re not late," -said Ned softly, as 
 they came into the room and removed their caps. 
 
 "You re not late at all," Bill called from the 
 bed. 
 
 "Get up here now, Bill, so we can get started 
 before midnight!" Tom cried, and at the same 
 time placing a small table in the center of the 
 room. " We have two chairs and I ll just get two 
 more from out of Aunt Amy s rooms." Tom 
 started for the door leading into the other part of 
 the house. 
 
 "Can I help?" asked Jim, wanting to offer his 
 services. 
 
44 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "No!" Tom called back sharply, as he left the 
 room. "Don t you suppose I can carry a couple of 
 chairs without assistance?" 
 
 "Tired, Bill?" Ned asked kindly. 
 
 "A little," he responded. "I always believe in 
 resting when I get the chance." 
 
 Tom returned in a couple of minutes carrying 
 the two chairs, which he placed by the table. 
 Jim and Ned, who had been standing, up till this 
 time, sat down, drawing their chairs close up to 
 the table. Tom got a chair for himself from the 
 opposite corner of the room and sat down opposite 
 Jim. "Jim," he said, "you are the best player in 
 the crowd, so I take you. I am the poorest so 
 that will even things up." Then he took a deck 
 of cards from his pocket and commenced drawing 
 them from the case. Everything was ready. Just 
 as Bill was the better at getting supper and doing 
 up the work, so Tom w r as the better at preparing 
 for a card game. 
 
 "Hurry up here now, Bill you lazy thing! 
 We re all ready. Get up off that bed!" 
 
 Bill slowly arose from his bed, and taking his 
 chair from his bed-side joined the group at the 
 table. For some good reason, Bill did not care 
 much for cards; he played more to please Tom 
 than himself. 
 
 "We needn t hurry about quittin to-night, 
 either," said Tom. He was mixing the cards. 
 "Aunt Amy ain t here to rap on the wall just as 
 we get started." 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 45 
 
 "But we will have to leave at ten," Ned re 
 plied. "Father told us to be sure and leave at 
 ten; and then you know we have a long walk." 
 
 The boys gathered up their cards, and after 
 arranging them the game commenced a harmless 
 game of some sort, so long as no harm came from 
 it and continued nicely. The best and the poorest 
 players were winning decidedly; so all went well. 
 
 After a time the stillness was broken by a cry 
 from Tom. Ned had just taken a trick which he 
 seemed to think he was entitled to. 
 
 "That is mine!" he cried. He pointed one 
 finger directly at Ned as he spoke; his eyes were 
 wide open. 
 
 "No, Tom," Ned replied softly. 
 
 "That is mine!" Tom repeated still pointing his 
 finger at Ned. "I played the king; you the queen." 
 
 Ned took the trick and spread it out on the 
 table before all. "But you see, Tom, Bill trumped 
 it." 
 
 Tom subsided without a word. 
 
 After that the game continued peacefully until 
 Ned, upon examining his watch, said: "We must 
 go; it s after ten." 
 
 "Can t you play just another game?" Tom 
 pleaded. "Aunt Amy isn t here to-night." Tom 
 seemed to think that something extra ought to be 
 done because Aunt Amy wasn t home. 
 
 "No," Ned answered decidedly. "We must go 
 now or father won t let us come again." He arose 
 
46 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 to go and Jim did likewise. Ned tried the door 
 but could not open it. 
 
 "How do you open your door?" 
 
 "Can t you open a door yet?" Tom replied 
 jokingly. He arose and went to open the door, 
 and finding it fast, said: "There s a catch here 
 on this side ; sometimes it slips. That s the trouble. 
 So after slipping the catch he opened the door and 
 Ned walked out. 
 
 "Hury up, Jim," he said, after going outside. 
 But Jim remained standing in the middle of the 
 room looking around with a dazed expression on 
 his face. 
 
 "What s the matter with you anyway?" Tom 
 asked quickly. 
 
 "I can t find my cap!" 
 
 "There it is over there on my bed. Tom )hrew 
 it over there." 
 
 Jim hurried across the room, and after getting 
 his cap returned and started out of the door. 
 Just then Tom gave him a violent push in the back, 
 which sent the boy hurrying down the stairs as if 
 the house were on fire. "Hurry up and get out of 
 here if you re going to!" he said, as he gave the 
 push. Then, after shutting the door, he returned 
 to his chair. 
 
 "You don t treat your company very nice, Tom," 
 said Bill, after he was seated again. 
 
 "Well, I asked them to stay and they wouldn t; 
 so if they were goin they may as well do it in a 
 hurry. I don t like slow people. Now come, Bill, 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 47 
 
 we may as well have a little game by ourselves." 
 
 "No, Tom! I think we ve had enough for to 
 night. There s no good in overdoing things." 
 
 "Please, Bill." Whenever Tom wanted to be 
 especially nice he always said "please." 
 
 "No, Tom; I m tired." 
 
 "Let s toss, Bill. I always like to settle things 
 peacefully." 
 
 "Well go ahead." 
 
 "Heads or tails, Bill?" 
 
 "Tails." 
 
 Tom took a coin from his pocket and threw it 
 into the air; it came down heads up. Tom 
 looked pleased. 
 
 "Come on," he said excitedly, drawing his chair 
 closer to the table. "I win." 
 
 "I m cold," Bill said shivering. "If I ve got to 
 play, I m going to put this blanket around me." 
 He went over to Tom s bed and took a loose 
 blanket which was lying across the foot and after 
 reseating himself put it around his shoulders. 
 
 "I m not cold; only my hands," Tom remarked, 
 when Bill was getting the blanket. But Bill 
 apparently did not hear the remark. After he 
 had placed the blanket around his shoulders he 
 again very reluctantly drew his chair closer to 
 the table and was ready to accommodate Tom. 
 
 "Haven t we got along just fine here together, 
 Bill?" Tom said, as he began shuffling the cards. 
 "Never had a bit of trouble, have we? Been just 
 like two brothers, haven t we, Bill?" 
 
48 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "Yes, Tom; but remember, I m not going to 
 play later than eleven." 
 
 "Just as you say, Bill." 
 
 So the game proceeded. Tom was happy because 
 he was again winning; but, as time went on, his 
 luck seemed to change and Bill began to win. 
 Tom didn t like that. Bill continued winning. 
 Tom began to look desperate; his eyes began to 
 show fire ; he could scarcely control himself. At 
 last Bill s score went far ahead of Tom s. Tom 
 could stand it no longer. Of course he did not 
 mean what he said, but, nevertheless, he said it: 
 
 "You are cheating!" 
 
 "I am NOT!" 
 
 "You ABE! I m on to your game; I ve been 
 watching you." Tom s temper was rising. 
 
 "Now, Tom, look here!" Bill returned passion 
 ately. "I know you didn t mean that, Tom, but 
 I won t stand THAT kind of talk." He shook his 
 clenched fist at Tom, and his face, as well, showed 
 that he was in earnest. But Tom, once aroused, 
 was not to be .subdued so easily. 
 
 "I DID mean it," he snarled, and with that he 
 jumped up and commenced hammering Bill with 
 both fists. His face was the picture of anger. 
 Tom had one of his terrible tantrums. 
 
 What could Bill do? He did not want to fight 
 Tom, but he had to defend himself there was no 
 use being pounded to death; so he did his best to 
 protect himself in the fight which ensued. Indeed 
 he needed to for Tom was quick and strong and 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 49 
 
 when he got mad fought just like a little tiger. 
 Desperately they continued punching, clawing, 
 hammering, snarling at one another, until Bill saw 
 his chance and gave Tom a push, which sent him 
 back against the wall, hoping that this would end 
 the fight. But not so with Tom; he regained his 
 equilibrium and was about to make for Bill when 
 he saw out the corners of his eyes, his base-ball 
 bat, standing in the corner of the room ; he grabbed 
 it, raised it with both hands and started for Bill. 
 He was fairly crazed with anger. Bill snatched 
 a chair the most convenient thing and, raising 
 it, held it up before his head to prevent receiving 
 a blow. 
 
 Just at this moment the blanket, which had 
 fallen on the floor when Bill arose from his chair, 
 came into use. Bill tripped over the blanket and 
 fell, taking with him the chair, and Tom under 
 the chair. They fell on the floor all in a heap 
 Tom on the bottom, the chair on Tom, and Bill on 
 top of the chair. He jumped up as quickly as pos 
 sible and removed the chair; but Tom remained on 
 the floor, silent and motionless. Bill stood there 
 looking down at the inert form, wondering if any 
 thing had happened; he became white, trembling 
 and frightened when he realized Tom was un 
 conscious. 
 
 "I hope I haven t hurt him; it was his own fault, 
 though. He shouldn t have been so quick-tem 
 pered,^ he murmured. He stood there silently a 
 few moments, hoping that Tom would revive ; then 
 
50 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 he went and poured some water from the pitcher, 
 returned and bathed the unconscious brow, hoping 
 thus to revive him; but still there were no signs of 
 life. After a little, stooping, he lifted Tom from 
 the floor and placed him on the bed. 
 
 Not knowing what else to do, he went and sat 
 down on one of the chairs thinking that in time 
 Tom would revive ; he was trembling all over. For 
 a long time he sat and watched his unfortunate 
 companion it seemed hours as he lay on the bed 
 with one arm hanging over the side. The silence 
 was unendurable ; he could hear his own heart-beat, 
 like a hammer sounding against his chest. He gave 
 a sigh of relief when at last he heard the town 
 clock pealing out the midnight hour. It came like 
 a comforter and gave him courage to arise, walk 
 over to the death-like figure stretched upon the 
 bed, and look for signs of re-awakening. But he 
 was disappointed. Then stooping he looked at Tom 
 closely he was as white as death ; bending still 
 closer over the unconscious boy, he could see a blue 
 mark across the temple; reaching down he drew 
 up the hand that hung over the bed-side it was 
 cold as ice. At last he placed his head on Tom s 
 chest ; he could hear no heart-beat except his own, 
 which was still hammering against his chest. 
 
 He stood up quickly, terrified. His face looked 
 like that of one who had suddenly gone mad. 
 "He s dead!" he choked. "What have I done!" 
 
 For a moment he stood motionless, as if petri 
 fied. Then when he fully realized the awful 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 51 
 
 horror of the accident, he turned away from the 
 bed and paced across the room wringing his hands. 
 "What shall I do? What shall I do? I ve killed 
 the best friend I had in the world," he sobbed. 
 "I didn t mean to, though; it was Tom s own fault. 
 He would have killed me if I hadn t held that chair 
 before me. If I d only kept my promise to mother 
 it wouldn t have happened. Oh, why did I do it? 
 /Only to please Tom. I didn t want to play. I 
 never cared for those miserable cards." 
 
 Then he turned and again looked at the silent 
 figure stretched on the bed. The blanket was at 
 his feet ; he stooped, picked it up, went over to the 
 bed and with his trembling fingers covered the 
 body completely. He could not bear to look at it. 
 
 "What shall I do?" he again murmured with 
 quivering voice. He was shaking like a leaf in a 
 heavy wind-storm, so that he could hardly keep his 
 feet. He tried to console himself with the thought 
 that he was not to blame. "It wasn t my fault; 
 it s a cruel mistake." After that he dropped into 
 a chair, unable to stand any longer. A few min 
 utes later he said aloud softly: "I can never 
 explain this thing to anybody s satisfaction. If 
 they catch me, they ll surely hang me or imprison 
 me for life; and all for a mistake. But I know 
 that no judge or jury will ever listen to reason; 
 it s their business to hang. I m not a murderer 
 so if I can get away up there in the mountains 
 among those big redwood trees, I may be able to 
 
52 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 hide so they won t find me. I m going to try 
 anyhow. 
 
 He immediately arose as if there were no time 
 to lose, crossed the room hurriedly, gathered 
 together what of his few belongings he felt that 
 he would most need, and put them in his traveling 
 -case. His books he left in their accustomed place 
 on the table; he would never need them again. 
 Even if he escaped, he would always have to live 
 apart from the rest of mankind, he thought, so 
 there was no need to be hampered with books. 
 He took a blanket from his bed; that would be 
 necessary as a protection from the cold. It might 
 be the only warmth he could secure for the cool 
 nights. 
 
 After everything was ready, he picked up his 
 traveling-case and slowly moved toward the door. 
 He hated to go in this cowardly fashion, but it 
 was his only salvation; besides, remaining never 
 could bring Tom back to life. Just as he took 
 hold of the knob to open the door, he turned and 
 gave his last look at the silent figure, pitifully 
 sobbing: "Good-bye, poor Tom." After which he 
 opened the door and went out into the dark night 
 the moonless night; it was like entering a vault 
 of eternal darkness, never again to see the bright 
 sunshine or to be free from sorrow. He was leav 
 ing what had been a happy home, and all on 
 account of this cruel mistake of his. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 53 
 
 IV. 
 
 FLIGHT TO THE REDWOODS. 
 
 The terrified, heart-broken youth, as he furtively 
 left the house, like a thief in the night, was glad 
 the night was dark; it was all the better to slip 
 away in. Outside the gate he paused as if doubtful 
 which way to turn; sorrowfully he looked up at 
 the blinking stars. There were millions of them; 
 they seemed to feel for him. He could hear the 
 dull croaking of the frogs from the marsh not far 
 away. As he listened the chorus grew louder and 
 louder almost deafening then, as one, they 
 ceased. The silence became painful. 
 
 Choking a sob he turned toward the west. It 
 would never do to go near the main street; some 
 body might stop and question him. Selecting one 
 of the darkest of the side-streets, he turned into it 
 and crept softly along, carrying his grip in his 
 right hand. Once a man appearing suddenly from 
 out of the darkness, stopped and looked at him 
 very closely. Could it be that the horrible deed 
 had already been discovered? He began trembling 
 again. 
 
 "Got- a match, young fellow?" the man asked. 
 
 "N-no," was all he could stammer. 
 
54 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 The man passed along and Bill felt relieved. He 
 continued his flight; turned and went up the hill 
 past the school-house the school whose doors he 
 never could enter again. For a moment he paused 
 to look at the dear old school where he had spent 
 so many happy days; after which he hurried on, 
 crossing Mission Street and then up to the higher 
 hills. Here he stopped, put his luggage down and 
 sat upon it to rest before going further. Sorrow 
 fully he looked down at the twinkling lights of the 
 little city that lay peacefully sleeping beneath him 
 the city that he had learned to love so well in 
 such a short time looked down upon the "City 
 Beautiful." 
 
 And as Bill sat upon the hillside looking down 
 at the city as it slept; before it the murmuring 
 waters, beyond it the silent mountains, over it the 
 twinkling stars; he gave a deep sigh. "I hate to 
 go away from here ; I wanted to stay here always, 
 he softly murmured. "Oh, if it hadn t been for 
 this awful mistake of mine ! 
 
 After this he arose to go. For a moment longer 
 he paused, and looking down at the lights of the 
 city gently said: "They look like the stars, only 
 upside down." Then it was hard to tell what they 
 were as his eyes filled with tears and he turned 
 his back upon it perhaps, forever. Just as he 
 turned to go, he heard the town clock through the 
 stillness again strike: One! Two! "What! is it 
 two already two hours in coming such a short 
 way?" Three! "No, there s something wrong." 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 55 
 
 Four! and so on, he counted until the clock ceased 
 at twelve, and silence again reigned. "It s only 
 twelve. I thought it was twelve before I left the 
 house. It must have been only eleven that I heard 
 strike before." 
 
 "Poor Tom," he sobbed as he again started on 
 ward. "If only it hadn t happened. It was his 
 own fault though." This latter seemed to console 
 him as he crossed the hills and entered the forest. 
 
 At the edge of the woods he paused beneath a 
 huge outspreading oak, whose lower branches ram 
 bled along almost on the ground. Here the tired 
 youth put down his luggage and concluded to 
 rest until dawn; it was too dark to enter the forest 
 such a black night. He took his blanket and 
 wrapping it around himself sat down under the 
 oak, leaning his back against the friendly trunk. 
 For a long time he sat and thought it all over. 
 Would he never stop shaking? Would he be able 
 to escape, or would they at length capture him? 
 Well, anyway he would be free as long as possible ; 
 if caught he would be long enough in prison as it 
 was; so a few days in the woods would only help 
 to shorten the time. He was going to escape if he 
 could; it was not his fault; as soon as dawn came 
 he would continue his flight into the woods, where 
 he hoped to hide among the redwood trees. 
 
 But it was no use, he could not escape; that 
 would be impossible; he may as well have given 
 himself up in the first place. That very night he 
 was captured; some men followed, and after they 
 
56 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 saw him sit down under the tree, advanced upon 
 him. As soon as he saw them he tried to escape; 
 but before he could free himself from the blanket 
 the men had him fast. Three of them held him, 
 while a fourth took a rope which he held in his 
 hand, and, after tying one end to an overhanging 
 branch, proceeded to tie the other end around 
 Bill s neck. This was a cruel thing to do, in a 
 civilized land and all for a mistake, too. Bill 
 gave one last effort to free himself and awoke, 
 as he fell over onto the ground. The sun was just 
 rising over the distant hills. He hastened from 
 his blanket and after gathering his things together 
 entered the forest. 
 
 The carriage road w r as just below him, so the 
 nervous, unhappy boy scrambled down through 
 the undergrowth until he reached it. He could 
 make better time walking along the driveway 
 than he could through the bushes; if he heard 
 any one coming it would be easy enough to hide 
 behind the shrubbery, until they had passed. He 
 walked along cautiously, through Sycamore Flat, 
 listening for any sound of pursuers that might 
 come from the rear. The morning was cool; a 
 light mist having come in from the ocean just at 
 sunrise. But Bill did not mind it; it was all the 
 better for walking. 
 
 He continued on and on along this road of 
 many curves. It proved a beautiful summer 
 morning; the mist having passed away the warm 
 sunshine flooded the lovely slopes. The trees were 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 57 
 
 of a soft, delicate green of springtime and the 
 flowers were brilliant and many-colored. The per 
 fume of the sweet azalea filled the air, and the 
 feathery tribe were singing and twittering from 
 the tree-tops. Everything was bright and beauti 
 ful. Yet Bill could not see it; all he could do 
 was to think of "poor Tom" and how it all hap 
 pened, as he trudged along. After a little he 
 paused to rest in a shady nook and took a drink 
 of pure water from a tiny stream that guraled 
 down the green slope. He had had nothing to eat 
 that morning, but then that did not matter, he was 
 not hungry; he could not have eaten anything if 
 he had it. All he could do was to sigh and think 
 of his awful mistake. 
 
 As he continued on his way, after a time he 
 stopped to look at the view that stretched before 
 him. Unhappy as he was he could not fail to see 
 its beauty. On either side the wooded slopes, 
 thick with a growth of trees and shrubs, sloped 
 downward V-shaped until they almost met at the 
 bottom, leaving room only for the San Lorenzo as 
 it rushed onward, plunging and foaming among 
 the huge boulders. The hill at the right curved 
 in the rear forming the background. On the right, 
 below, half way between the carriage road and the 
 river, was the railroad track, running along a 
 narrow ledge of rock with a steep precipice below 
 and another above. In one place where the ledge 
 was not wide enough for a track, an arch of 
 masonry had been added it seemed impossible. 
 
58 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 It was a beautiful sight, with the warm sunshine 
 falling over it all and the blue sky above. 
 
 Toot ! toot ! The train was coming. Bill watched 
 it as it crept along the narrow ledge. Many of 
 the passengers had their heads out of the window 
 to admire the view. 
 
 "They re not getting as fine a view, though, as 
 I am up here/ he thought to himself. 
 
 Then as he watched the train, it gradually dis 
 appeared through a little hole in the side of the 
 mountain. 
 
 Honk! honk! Somebody was coming in an auto 
 mobile. Bill grabbed his belongings from a stump 
 where he had placed them, to rest himself, and 
 climbing the acclivity on the opposite side of the 
 road, hid himself behind a clump of lilac bushes. 
 It was best not to run any chances ; it might be the 
 sheriff after him. He lay flat on the ground, face 
 downward, hoping to escape being seen. But, 
 nevertheless, the car stopped directly in front of 
 him. He commenced trembling again; he was as 
 white as death. Yes, they had seen him; it was all 
 over now; he could not look up. 
 
 "Oh-h, isn t that bea-u-tiful ! The finest piece of 
 scenery I ve ever seen!" It was a woman s voice. 
 
 "Simply grand!" a gentleman s voice replied. 
 
 Bill looked up; he felt relieved. They were, 
 doubtless, a party of tourists going for a mountain 
 ride ; perhaps to the Big Trees ; or maybe still 
 further into the Big Basin, or some other equally 
 attractive mountain drive. As Bill continued 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 59 
 
 watching the party, one of the gentlemen stepped 
 out of the car and took a picture with a small 
 kodak. A small boy also jumped out of the car to 
 watch the gentleman take the picture. Then they 
 both entered the car again and soon the party, 
 laughing and talking, rounded the adjacent curve 
 and were out of sight, without having even looked 
 in the direction of the lilac bushes. 
 
 After breathing a sigh of relief, the youth de 
 scended to the road and continued his course along 
 the mountain road until he came to a place where 
 the road divided; the one at the right going down 
 into the canyon. He examined the sign-board; 
 the upper arm pointed to Felton, Ben Lomond, 
 Brookdale, Boulder Creek and Big Basin; the 
 lower to the Big Tree Grove. Bill chose the latter ; 
 he had always wanted to visit the grove, ever since 
 coming to the West, and this may have been his 
 only chance. He walked slowly down the grade 
 until he came to the river, which he crossed over 
 the swinging bridge. This brought him into the 
 grove of redwoods. 
 
 Bill was tired after his long walk, and hungry, 
 too, for it was then long after noon and he had 
 had nothing to eat that day. He stepped over to 
 the lunch counter and dropped into a chair. A 
 waiter came to him and took his order of some 
 sandwiches and coffee. After having disposed of 
 this light repast and having sufficiently rested, he 
 arose and went toward the gate of admittance to 
 the grove where the giant redwoods grow. 
 
60 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 It was twenty-five cents admission fee. Bill had 
 not much money left, but then, doubtless he would 
 be taken anyhow, within a few days ; so he thought 
 he may as well spend what little he had left, while 
 he had the chance. So he entered the gate. 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFOENIA REDWOODS 61 
 
 V. 
 
 AT THE SANTA CRUZ BIG TREE GROVE. 
 
 In a grove six miles from the city of Santa 
 Cruz stand the largest of the California redwoods 
 (sequoia sempervirens) like Titans of old the 
 monarehs of all living things. The huge trunks 
 protected by red, fibrous bark, rise, with but little 
 taper, to a wonderful height; and far above the 
 spreading branches gracefully droop with their 
 evergreen foliage. At their feet grow smaller trees 
 and shrubs. In the springtime this wonderful 
 grove is carpeted with a host of woodland flowers, 
 peeping up from among their green leaves. The 
 pink oxalis, the yellow violet, the dainty wake- 
 robin, the wild strawberry blossom, the cream- 
 colored Solomon s-seal with bowed heads, the odd- 
 looking trillium and the blue hound s-tongue on 
 long, spiky stems, abound plentifully. 
 
 The largest of this group of redwoods the Giant 
 is twenty-one feet in diameter and three hundred 
 and six feet in height. The lowest branches are 
 over one hundred feet from the ground; and the 
 age is estimated, by some, to be in the neighbor 
 hood of five thousand years. 
 
 Among the largest are : Jumbo, with its ele- 
 
62 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 phant s head growing on one side ; General Grant, 
 General Sherman and Colonel Roosevelt. General 
 Fremont has a cavity in which, tradition tells, 
 General Fremont camped during the year 1846 
 with his Pathfinders. This cavity is capable of 
 holding, comfortably, fifty people at a given time. 
 During the visit of the Atlantic fleet at Santa Cruz 
 on its tour around the world in 1908, seventy-five 
 sailor lads squeezed themselves into this hollow. 
 Ingersoll s Cathedral is a group of nine separate, 
 good-sized trees and nine smaller ones growing 
 from one root. It is one of the finest specimens in 
 the grove. 
 
 There are hundreds of others, too numerous to 
 mention individually; but all majestic and wonder 
 ful as they tower their massive bulk and height 
 skyward, above insignificant man. 
 
 This is a place where a lover of Nature can well 
 afford to pass away the drowsy summer days; or 
 where, even in the winter time, often the shadows 
 are not unwelcome, as he wanders about inspired 
 by the might of our Creator s handiwork; first 
 wondering at the marvelous bulk; then raising his 
 head to gaze at the wonderful height with the 
 drooping, evergreen branches far above. This 
 gigantic grove is the picnicker s delight, the tour 
 ist s Mecca, the poet s inspiration, the artist s 
 elysium, the pride of every Calif ornian s heart. It 
 is a place, indeed, where a visitor of romantic mood 
 might sit and dream until his fancy sees the fair 
 Rosalind, in masculine attire, walking among the 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 63 
 
 trees, reading the sonnets of her unknown lover 
 as she advances, crushing the violets under her 
 dainty feet; or wonder why some modern Robin 
 Hood has never come in such a place to blow his 
 hunting horn. 
 
 Our fugitive, having paid his entrance fee, wan 
 dered about among these ancient trees and won 
 dered at their greatness, as many another had done 
 in the days gone by and as others will do in the 
 ages to come. After he was satisfied, he strolled 
 back toward the gate and sat down by one of the 
 trees to rest. Meanwhile several other parties 
 had entered the grove and were viewing the giants 
 just as he had done. 
 
 Honk ! honk ! He could hear the sound of an 
 automobile in the outer grove. He jumped up and 
 concealed himself behind the tree; wondering who 
 could be coming. Another party soon entered the 
 gate, which the youth recognized as the same 
 people who had passed him in the morning. 
 
 The first to enter was a stout, elderly lady with 
 gray hair a very important-appearing person 
 and a young girl of perhaps eighteen years, doubt 
 less mother and daughter. Both ladies wore green 
 automobile veils. Bill wondered why they both 
 wore the same color; but concluded that it must 
 be the style, so of course both would have to have 
 it. A small boy of eight or nine years crowded be 
 tween them just as they were entering, and ran on 
 ahead. An elderly gentleman with gray whiskers 
 followed them. Last came a couple a delicate- 
 
64 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 looking woman, who walked with the aid of a cane 
 in her right hand; and a dark-complexioned, 
 middle-aged man, with a kodak strapped over his 
 shoulder, who supported the woman by her left 
 arm. 
 
 After the party had all entered, one of the guides 
 stepped up to them and after the usual prelimi 
 naries offered to show them the Wonders of the 
 West. 
 
 "These certainly are magnificent, too," said the 
 elderly lady, as she walked toward General Fre 
 mont to inspect the forestral wonder. 
 
 "I wonder if they are as large as the ones we 
 saw in the Big Basin," exclaimed the young girl 
 curiously. 
 
 "I hardly think so," the elderly gentleman re 
 plied, as the party advanced toward General Fre 
 mont. 
 
 "Oh, yes," the guide edged in quickly upon 
 hearing the remark. "We have the largest here. 
 I have taken careful measurements both places, 
 so I know ; but in the Basin there are larger 
 numbers. 
 
 "But the man at the Big Basin told us that 
 those were the largest," the girl added. 
 
 "Oh, of course," the guide returned, with an 
 amused smile as if it were absurd for anybody to 
 give such false information, "he w r ould be sure to 
 tell you that; but it is not so." 
 
 "Well, no matter," said the elderly gentleman, 
 "they are all very fine; for my part I can t see 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 65 
 
 any difference. They certainly are the finest trees 
 I have ever seen. Fancy one of these in Pitts- 
 burg." 
 
 "Come in here!" excitedly called the elderly 
 lady from the depths of the tree, where she had 
 preceded the remainder of the party. "See how 
 much room is inside this tree ! Would you be 
 lieve it!" 
 
 "Yes," replied the guide. "Fifty people can 
 comfortably enter this tree at the same time." 
 
 So the entire party disappeared into the cavity 
 of the tree. Bill watched them as they went, from 
 his seat by the tree, which he had resumed after 
 finding out who the party were. After a little 
 they all came out again and continued their tour 
 of inspection through the grove. After a little the 
 sight-seers, having completed their tour, returned 
 in the direction of the gate. Bill could again hear 
 their conversation. 
 
 "Are we ready to go now?" asked the elderly 
 lady. 
 
 "Yes, I am ready," the man of the kodak 
 promptly replied. "I would like to get down to 
 the beach and take a dip in the surf before we have 
 to go on; it is so nice and warm to-day, I know I 
 would enjoy it." 
 
 "Come, Alice, we are going now!" the mother 
 called to the daughter, who was a short space apart 
 from the party, diligently examining one of the 
 trees. 
 
 "But, mother!" disappointedly exclaimed the 
 
66 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 girl as she joined the group. " Haven t we time to 
 measure the Giant? The man who drove the car 
 said that it took thirteen people with outstretched 
 arms to encircle the tree. I should like to see if 
 it is correct." 
 
 "But we haven t thirteen, Alice. So it will not 
 be possible." 
 
 "There are some people over there. I ll ask 
 them if they ll join us. There are eight of us 
 including the guide and driver I l ask them to 
 join us. There are five in that group over there; 
 that will just make the number." 
 
 "Well, ask them if you wish; but hurry, for we 
 haven t much time. Uncle George wants to take 
 a swim in the surf \vhen we get back to Santa 
 Cruz." 
 
 Accordingly, Alice excitedly ran over to the 
 other party of tourists two men and three ladies 
 and asked them to join the circle, which they seemed 
 willing to do. Then she also asked the driver of 
 the car if he would assist, which he assented to do. 
 
 "Have you enjoyed your outing, Ella?" the 
 elderly lady asked of the delicate-looking one. 
 
 "I certainly have," was the cheerful reply. "I 
 think I could soon regain my health if I could stay 
 in these mountains awhile. The air is so invigo 
 rating here." 
 
 "It does seem as if we had no time to see a 
 place after we get there," the younger gentleman 
 added. "We could easily spend a week here, be- 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA KEDWOODS 67 
 
 tween the mountains and the sea-shore, if we were 
 not in such a hurry to get home." 
 
 "But we have been four months from home 
 now," added the elderly lady. "Longer than we 
 intended. We must hurry home and get ready 
 for our European trip this fall." 
 
 "Come, mother!" Alice called to the group from 
 the vicinity of the Giant. "We re all ready." 
 
 So the party joined the strangers, who were 
 already assembled about the tree, and began 
 joining hands as they encircled the tree. 
 
 "Ronald isn t here, father. What has become 
 of him?" Alice asked wonderingly. "He was with 
 you when I left." 
 
 "I don t know," he replied, looking around for 
 the missing lad. "Perhaps twelve will do," indif 
 ferently. 
 
 "No, father, we MUST have thirteen," she said, 
 also looking around. "There is somebody over 
 there. Would you mind joining us?" she smiled 
 pleasantly, as she asked the favor of the thirteenth 
 person. 
 
 It was Bill; he did not mind; so he jumped up 
 and hurried over to the circle, where he soon tound 
 himself joining hands with Alice on his right and 
 her father on his left. Finding the measurement 
 to be correct the party dispersed, to form another 
 circle in the open space before the tree, to show 
 the circumference. Then Uncle George took a 
 picture of the human circle with the Giant in the 
 background. After this the party disjoined hands. 
 
68 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "Think of it, father! Alice whispered. "There 
 are just thirteen! One of us will surely die soon." 
 
 At that moment Bill could feel a rope tightening 
 around his neck. Yes, he had been the thirteenth. 
 
 "Perhaps," the girl continued softly, "it will be 
 Aunt Ella." 
 
 "Hush!" the father cautioned. "She may hear 
 you. 
 
 Anyway these latter words came like balm to 
 Bill s trembling nerves. "Perhaps it would be 
 Aunt Ella," he thought. HE was not ready to 
 die yet. 
 
 For a few minutes the party stood talking with 
 the strangers. 
 
 "Aren t these trees wonderful?" Alice s mother 
 began in her usual important manner. "I shall 
 never forget this day s outing as long as I live. 
 We have had a long ride over the mountains into 
 the Big Basin. Oh, it is such a treat! We are 
 from Pittsburg, you know, and we don t see things 
 like this every day." 
 
 "Yes, it certainly is a beautiful locality," re 
 plied one of the ladies pleasantly. "Ho^ the 
 people who live here must enjoy these beautiful 
 things! Even in the winter these places are 
 seldom inaccessible." 
 
 "What part of the country are you from?" 
 asked Uncle George. 
 
 "We three are from Oainsville, Georgia," the 
 same lady replied. "This other lady and gentle 
 man are from Scotland. I presume people come 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 69 
 
 from all over the world to see these giant red 
 woods." 
 
 "We are very much charmed with Santa Cruz 
 and its beautiful environs," the lady from Scotland 
 uttered with a strong Scotch accent. "It certainly 
 is the garden spot of California. The roses at the 
 hotel where we are stopping are the finest we have 
 seen anywhere in California. We are thinking of 
 locating here." 
 
 "Well, we must go now," said Alice s mother. 
 "Many thanks for your assistance," she added 
 smiling, as she turned away and followed the rest 
 of the party who had preceded her. "Are we 
 ready to go now?" she asked upon reaching the 
 group. "Where is Ronald? Ronald! Where are 
 you?" The party looked around the grove eagerly, 
 wondering where the missing boy could be. 
 
 "Here, mother! Over here playing with the 
 puppies." The lad came running toward the group 
 from the direction of the cabins. "Mother, they 
 are the dearest little puppies," he cried candidly. 
 "The man wants to sell them. Can t I buy one?" 
 
 "Nonsense, Ronald! You already have three 
 dogs at home." 
 
 "Oh, ma-ma," with the usual whine of the dis 
 appointed boy. 
 
 "No, Ronald! Impossible!" the mother replied 
 decidedly. "Think of the trouble we would have 
 at the hotels encumbered with a puppy." 
 
 So the boy gave up hope, with eyes filled with 
 tears, and the party advanced toward the exit. 
 
70 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 Bill stood near the gate and watched them as 
 they departed. Alice was the last to go out, and 
 smilingly bowed toward Bill. 
 
 " Thank you very much," she called thought 
 fully. 
 
 Bill lifted his cap in acknowledgment. Thus the 
 party disappeared from his vision. A few minutes 
 later he heard the honk! honk! of the car as it 
 went up the hill on the opposite side of the river. 
 
 Then Bill, himself, after a parting look at the 
 giant sequoias returned to the outer grove. Not 
 knowing what else to do he wandered toward the 
 river and sat down by the water s edge, upon the 
 trunk of a fallen alder in the shade of a willow 
 copse. 
 
 It was one of those perfect days, that make 
 Santa Cruz summers seem so heavenly not too 
 warm, not too cool. The light fog of the early 
 morning had tempered the air so that it was just 
 comfortable. There among the trees and shrubbery 
 with the birds singing, the flowers blooming, the 
 clear water of the river moving silently along, and 
 the deep blue sky above, it certainly was beautiful. 
 
 But heavenly as it was, Bill could not see it, as 
 he sat there sadly gazing into the quiet water; all 
 he could do was to think of "poor Tom" and how 
 it had all happened. He thought of how together 
 they had prepared supper only the evening before 
 it seemed years; and how they had enjoyed eat 
 ing it. Then he thought of how harshly he had 
 spoken to Tom about his helplessness and wished 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 71 
 
 he had not spoken so; also of the game, and his 
 promise to his dead mother ; then how the other 
 boys came and went. Oh, if he had only stopped 
 when the other boys, as he wanted to dc--all 
 would have gone well. At last he thought of the 
 terrible result and how he had left Tom there 
 alone and fled into the dark night. It made him 
 shudder. He wondered if "it" had been discovered 
 yet. What if Aunt Amy had come home and found 
 her dear boy lying there dead! Would not it be 
 terrible for her? He certainly was heart-broken 
 at the thoughts of it all. 
 
 "I can t help it!" he finally sobbed, with tears 
 rolling down his cheeks. "It wasn t my fault; it 
 was only a mistake. I ve always done the best I 
 could for myself, and nobody s ever helped me 
 either except mother; and now I m not goin to 
 worry about this thing any longer. I m just goin 
 to get along the best I can by myself if I don t 
 get caught." 
 
 After this he stood up for a few moments as if 
 ready to go. He looked at the sun; it was near- 
 ing its rest. Then he stooped down and after wash 
 ing his hands and face in the cool water arose and 
 slowly returned to the grove, feeling much better 
 after his declaration. 
 
 That night, after taking a light repast at the 
 grove, he obtained permission from one of the keep 
 ers to sleep in a deserted hut at the edge of the grove. 
 And he did sleep, too the sleep of the just for he 
 had walked a long way during the day, and his rest 
 of the night before was only brief, and troubled. 
 
72 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 VI. 
 
 CONVERSATION AMONG SOME LOGANBERRIES. 
 
 When Bill awoke the next morning, the first 
 thing he did was to look up through the outspread 
 ing branches of the tall trees at the sun; it was 
 well advanced upon its day ward journey. It was 
 a beautiful morning, free from mists, and the birds 
 were singing merrily in bush and tree. His first 
 thought was of "poor Tom." 
 
 "Shall I never get over thinking about him? It 
 makes me feel awful," he muttered lugubriously, 
 as he came out of the cabin and walked down 
 toward the stream. Here he refreshed himself by 
 washing in the cool waters of the San Lorenzo, 
 and then went over to the lunch counter to get 
 something to eat, before continuing his journey. 
 The unfortunate youth felt it was not safe to 
 remain near a place where so many people were 
 coming and going; most any of his friends might 
 happen along and accuse him of base murder, for 
 such it surely was, although it was a mistake on 
 his part. 
 
 After sitting down at the table, he ordered some 
 coffee and rolls, of the waiter who attended him ; 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFOKNIA KEDWOODS 73 
 
 and also some sandwiches which he intended taking 
 along to eat later in the day. 
 
 Bill had about disposed of his breakfast; he was 
 just taking his last swallow of coffee, when a man 
 entered the grove riding in a small cart drawn 
 by a horse. 
 
 "Oh, Charlie!" the newcomer called, to the 
 man who had served Bill and was then sweeping 
 the porch of his dwelling-house. "Did you hear 
 about the murder?" 
 
 Just as he spoke there was a noise sounded out 
 through the grove like the falling of a cup upon a 
 saucer; and the young man who sat at the 
 table began shaking and growing pale. His head 
 dropped toward his chest. 
 
 "I am caught," were his thoughts. 
 
 "No! What was it?" Charlie asked, excitedly. 
 He stopped sweeping, and paused to hear about the 
 trouble. 
 
 "Two men got into a quarrel over a game of 
 cards. One called the other a cheat or something 
 or other and a fight ensued; one man was killed," 
 the occupant of the cart quickly replied. "The 
 man was found dead, lying on his bed, by a neigh 
 bor." 
 
 "Did they get the murderer?" Charlie asked, 
 eagerly. 
 
 "Yes; he s safely landed in jail," the other add 
 ed, with a toss of his head. "Well, I hope he gets 
 what he deserves whatever that may be." 
 
 At this last, the young man of the fallen coffee 
 
74 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 cup began to revive. He breathed a sigh of relief. 
 There was hope yet. It was not him they were 
 talking about. 
 
 Where did it happen ? Charlie further inquired. 
 
 "Somewhere near Aptos. At first the man es 
 caped, and tried to avoid capture by hiding among 
 the hills ! but they soon caught him. I tell you, that 
 kind can t escape; they re bound to be caught, 
 sooner or later." 
 
 Bill shivered, but hoped it would be "later" in 
 his case. He lifted the cup to its proper position. 
 Meanwhile, he could not help but feel sorry for the 
 prisoner, whoever he was. "Perhaps he didn t 
 mean to do it; it might have been a mistake of 
 some sort," he thought, as he rose from the table; 
 also thinking that he had better get away as 
 quickly as possible. No telling what might happen 
 if he stayed around there. It was best to get 
 higher into the mountains. 
 
 So, after paying for his purchase, he hurried 
 away to the cabin, and quickly gathered his posses 
 sions together. Everything went into his traveling- 
 case except the blanket; this he wrapped around 
 it, and then tied the rope, which he begged of Char 
 lie, around all. After finding a suitable stick, he 
 shoved one end under the rope, and then raised it 
 to his shoulder. Thus he was ready to start, tramp 
 fashion. 
 
 "Perhaps people will take me for a tramp; but, 
 then, better that than a murderer," he thought, as 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 75 
 
 he started from the grove and re-crossed the swing 
 ing-bridge. 
 
 Thus he ascended the hill until the main road was 
 reached again. Turning into it, the youth walked 
 for some distance until he came to an open space 
 among the hills. Ahead of him, toward the left, 
 he could see the houses of Felton. He paused. 
 Directly in front, by the roadside, was a dilapidated 
 picket-fence; in many instances the pickets were 
 missing. Beyond the fence, running parallel with 
 it, were six or eight rows of berry-vines, growing 
 on trellises about four feet high; further over, Bill 
 could see cabbage plants, lettuce, peas, beans and 
 other things growing in rows evidently some 
 body s vegetable garden. Far in the distance, al 
 most hidden among the trees and shrubbery, he 
 could see a modest little home. 
 
 But it was the berries that took Bill s eye ; great 
 monsters, hanging on the vines by the thousands. 
 Surely nobody would object if he crawled through 
 the fence, and helped himself to a few of the lus 
 cious berries. There were such quantities of them 
 that what few he would eat could never be missed, 
 and the house was so hidden that no one would be 
 apt to see him. 
 
 Accordingly, he lowered his baggage from his 
 shoulders to the green grass by the roadside, and 
 crawled through the fence in one of the places 
 where the pickets were missing, and then, after 
 standing erect, began to pluck the berries. 
 
 He was just going to place the first berry in his 
 
76 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 mouth, when suddenly he was startled by a head 
 and shoulders rising from behind the bushes on the 
 opposite side. It was a young girl of perhaps fif 
 teen summers, wearing a blue gingham and a sun- 
 bonnet. 
 
 "Get out of there! Get right out, I say! I ll 
 have no tramps coming around here," came from 
 the sun-bonnet, very decidedly. "Oh-h, but you 
 frightened me, so!" 
 
 Bill stumbled backward in amazement; he was 
 about to leave. Then he spoke thinking it better 
 to apologize. 
 
 "Excuse me! but I m not a tramp. I just slipped 
 in, thinking there d be no harm if I helped myself 
 to a few berries. I ll go right out, though." 
 
 "No, don t go!" was the quick reply. "If you re 
 not a tramp you may remain as long as you like 
 and eat as many berries as you wish; there are 
 plenty here. Now that I look at you more closely, 
 though, I see you re not a tramp. When I saw you 
 coming down the road with something over your 
 back, I thought, of course, it must be a tramp; so 
 I just crouched down behind the vines, hoping 
 you d pass without seeing me. I don t like 
 tramps." 
 
 Accordingly, Bill commenced eating the delicious, 
 dark-brown berries, and the girl resumed her pick 
 ing into a basket which she had been filling. 
 
 "Aren t they nice, though?" he approved. "Are 
 these Loganberries?" 
 
 "Yes; they are Loganberries. They were propa- 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 77 
 
 gated here in Santa Cruz, some years ago, by Judge 
 Logan; they are a cross between the red rasp 
 berry and the wild blackberry so father has told 
 me," the girl explained kindly. "Just look at the 
 size of this one, will you?" At this she held up 
 a large berry, perhaps an inch and a half in 
 length, for the newcomer s inspection, but just as 
 he raised his eyes to look at it it disappeared 
 somewhere in the sun-bonnet. 
 
 "I always eat the biggest," she added. 
 
 "Why so? Ain t the little ones just as good?" 
 
 "Well, you see, it s just this way: I only allow 
 myself to eat a dozen in a day, so if I eat the 
 largest I get more. This last one was thirteen 
 for to-day though; I d forgot. I d already eaten 
 my dozen. What is your name?" 
 
 "My name is Bill," he replied, thinking that 
 would be enough. 
 
 "Mine s Jessie. We re Scotch; at least father 
 is; mother was, but she s dead now," she added 
 sadly. "I, of course, am nothing." 
 
 Bill thought that was a strange remark; but in 
 reply said: "My mother was Scotch also." 
 
 "And your father?" 
 
 "Father was an American." 
 
 "Then YOU are an American. But I am noth 
 ing," she again said queerly. 
 
 "But why do you say you are nothing? Aren t 
 you Scotch, too?" 
 
 "How can I be Scotch when I m born in 
 America?" 
 
78 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "Then you are an American." 
 
 "How can I be an American when my parents 
 are Scotch?" 
 
 "Well, that s a question I never have been 
 able to solve, myself. I ve often wondered about 
 it though." 
 
 "Women have no rights in this country any 
 how; at least not until they re married," Jessie 
 further added, and at the same time unconsciously 
 placing number fourteen in her mouth. 
 
 "But why not until they re married?" Bill 
 asked curiously, as he watched the girl s fingers 
 flying as fast as her tongue, while she plucked 
 the berries and dropped them into her basket ; also 
 thinking to himself that he had often heard to 
 the contrary; but maybe that was from married 
 women. 
 
 "Well, you see, as I understand the laws of this 
 country if I should marry an American, I would 
 become an American; then I would be some 
 body ; but if I should marry a Scotchman then 
 I never could be anything, because I never could 
 be Scotch since I m born in America. Do you 
 see?" At least the girl had her own ideas on the 
 subject, whether they were correct or not. 
 
 "I m afraid I can t explain those things to 
 you," Bill replied. "There are some queer com 
 binations in this world." He had ceased eating 
 the Loganberries, having disposed of all he cared 
 for, and was about to depart, when Jessie con 
 tinued : 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFOKNIA REDWOODS 79 
 
 " Any way I shall never marry a Scotchman." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "Because we have enough of them in the family 
 already. I ll never marry though; so it s no use 
 to worry." 
 
 "Why not?" 
 
 "Because I have enough to do to take care of 
 my sister s children," was the prompt reply. 
 
 "If you don t marry you ll never be anybody," 
 he added playfully. 
 
 "Yes I will!" she said emphatically. 
 
 "What will you be if you never marry?" he 
 inquired wonderingly. 
 
 "An old maid!" Jessie was a girl never to be 
 outdone by anyone. 
 
 In spite of himself Bill could not help but smile 
 at her remark. 
 
 "Now I must be going along," said he, feeling 
 that it would be better to get to the protecting 
 bushes and trees, where he would feel safer. "I m 
 sorry I frightened you." 
 
 "Oh, you didn t frighten me! Not after I knew 
 you weren t a tramp. There s only two things 
 that ever scare ME ; I mean it, too ; and I 11 stick 
 to it, till the very last. You ll see, nothing else 
 will ever frighten me." 
 
 "What are the two things?" 
 
 "Tramps and murderers!" in her most power 
 ful tone. 
 
 "Murderers!" Bill gasped as he staggered back 
 wards. What could this young miss know about 
 
80 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 murderers? Was every one he met to shout that 
 word in his ears? 
 
 1 Well, you see," she went on, "it s just this 
 way: When I was a little girl, up on the moun 
 tain where I live, one of the men who worke 1 for 
 father killed his wife and another man, and I 
 don t know how many more, in one of the cabins. 
 He threatened to kill father, too, and all the rest 
 of us. My, but I was scared! I was sick for a 
 long time afterward; and then for years I couldn t 
 go past the cabin without shivering. The mur 
 derer escaped for a few days and hid in the 
 bushes; but finally they caught him and hung him 
 to one of the trees. Father tried to stop them, 
 but they wouldn t stop. I m glad they caught 
 him; they always catch em sooner or later 
 though! They can t escape!" 
 
 This made Bill wince. He hated to hear of such 
 things. He supposed it would be the same with 
 him; they would surely capture him. But he was 
 going to escape if he could. He tried to turn 
 the conversation by asking her if she was not 
 afraid of thieves. 
 
 "Not a bit of it!" she replied bravely. "Why, 
 once when I was a little girl about eight years 
 old, I was visiting some friends in San Jose. One 
 night we heard a thief downstairs; everybody 
 was afraid but me. I just walked right out of 
 the door to the head of the stairs. The thief was 
 just starting to come up the stairs, when I said 
 lively, too: You just get right out of here! Do 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 81 
 
 you hear? Get right out! And I tell you he 
 GOT!" 
 
 Bill did not wonder that the man "got." "You 
 must be very brave to do such a thing as that," 
 he ventured. 
 
 "Well, what s there to be afraid of with a 
 thief? You know what he wants; he wants to 
 steal. If you ve nothing for him to steal, that 
 settles it. But with a tramp it s different. You 
 don t know what he ll do. He may murder you 
 or he may walk peacefully by. It s the uncer 
 tainty of things that gets away with me. 
 
 "But murderers!" she continued emphatically. 
 "Just point to a man and say to me: That man s 
 a murderer, and I would start to run, and run 
 well, I d just run till I dropped." 
 
 Bill could have done this very easily. Under 
 some circumstances it would have been great fun 
 to see her scampering down the road; but what 
 was the use of making the girl chase her legs off? 
 Besides it was best not to point at any murderer, 
 so he merely said: 
 
 "But suppose the murderer would start after 
 you?" 
 
 "That wouldn t make a bit of difference; once 
 I got started, no power on earth could overtake 
 me." 
 
 "I must go now," Bill broke forth, turning 
 towards the fence. He was anxious to be on his 
 way. 
 
 "Don t hurry! Wait till I finish my basket; 
 
82 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 then I shall have to go myself. I can pick faster 
 if I have some one to talk to." 
 
 "Well, I ll help you. I may as well be work 
 ing as standing here idle. Besides I like to pick 
 them." Accordingly, Bill went round to the other 
 side of the vines, so he would be nearer the 
 basket, and commenced helping Jessie to finish 
 the basket, which yet lacked considerable of be 
 ing filled. "What are you going to do with 
 them?" 
 
 "I and my sister, who lives over in that house," 
 Jessie pointed toward the house among the trees 
 as she spoke, "are going to preserve them. They 
 make the finest kind of jam and jelly to use in 
 the winter time. Then I shall take part of them 
 home with me when father comes for me." After 
 this the girl placed another berry in her mouth. 
 
 "Ain t you eating more than your allowance?" 
 Bill asked smilingly. 
 
 "I don t suppose one extra will hurt me," she 
 returned softly. But Bill knew of more than one 
 extra that she had disposed of. 
 
 "So you don t live here then?" 
 
 "Oh, no, I could never live in such a place as 
 this, long. I live up on the top of the mountain. 
 That s the place to live. When I m here my 
 sister wants me to do all the work and take care 
 of the children besides, while she rests. Now I 
 think people ought to take care of their own 
 children. I don t mind doing my own work at 
 home, where I can have my own way, but I don t 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 83 
 
 like to do other people s. It s always the way 
 though; those that WILL do are always having 
 everything shoved onto their shoulders." 
 
 "You re right enough about that!" Bill an 
 swered decidedly. "Why do you come, if she 
 treats you that way?" 
 
 "For one reason! Father wants me to. Bertha 
 gets lonely spells, and the blues, and I don t know 
 how many other things; father just insists that I 
 come down for a while and cheer her up. You 
 see my brother-in-law is a traveling man and he s 
 gone sometimes for several weeks at a stretch. 
 Then Bertha gets lonely when she s left alone. I 
 don t see what people want to get lonely for in 
 a beautiful world like this." 
 
 The basket was about full; Bill stopped pick 
 ing and started toward the fence. "Now I must 
 go," he said. "Thank you for the berries." 
 
 "Oh, you needn t thank me! They don t belong 
 to me. I just come here and get what I like. 
 They belong to an old man who lives in that 
 house over there." The girl pointed to a house 
 a little distance off from the other side of the road. 
 She had also stopped picking. "He told Sister 
 she could have all she wanted." 
 
 Bill crawled through the fence. 
 
 "Where are you going?" Jessie inquired in 
 quisitively. 
 
 "Somewhere up in the mountains, where I can 
 get work for the summer." 
 
 "I m afraid I can t offer you anything. If it 
 
84 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 was a little later in the season father could give 
 you work picking grapes, but not for a long time 
 yet." 
 
 "Thank you just the same; I ll find something. 
 Good-bye." He had already shouldered his lug 
 gage and thus started down the road. 
 
 "Good-bye!" Jessie called out kindly. "You do 
 look like a tramp now!" 
 
 After continuing a piece along the road, he 
 came to a turn. Looking back he could see Jessie 
 going toward the house. Just then she, herself, 
 turned and seeing him looking backward waved 
 her hand. After returning her farewell, he again 
 proceeded upon his way, thinking of the pleasant 
 little chat he had with the mountain girl. 
 
 Just then a long freight-train came winding 
 down from the high mountains with car after car 
 of redwood lumber, the sight of which put an idea 
 into his head. He would follow the railroad track 
 instead of the wagon road; and thus perhaps 
 reach a lumber-mill where he, doubtless, could 
 obtain work. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 85 
 
 VII. 
 
 A REDWOOD SAWMILL. 
 
 Down deep in the very bottom of the Basin, 
 beside the laughing, sparkling water of the moun 
 tain stream, shaded by the stately majestic red 
 woods, stood the busy little mill. As Bill trudged 
 down the steep, dusty road, weary and foot-sore, 
 before coming to the bottom, he could look down 
 and see the mill, and the mill-men hurrying to 
 and fro, in and out, busy as the bees about a hive; 
 and hear the continuous hum as the great saws 
 converted the redwoods into building material. 
 
 As he approached he could see the men upon 
 the opposite slope felling the trees, while others 
 were engaged in hauling the logs down to the 
 mill-pond. Arriving at the mill he soon became 
 fascinated at the sight of the mill-men dexterously 
 manipulating the huge logs from the mill-pond 
 into the mill, where the keen saws converted them 
 into lumber, after which the lumber was carried 
 along to the rear, where it was placed on flat 
 cars, and then by means of an iron cable was 
 drawn up the opposite hillside, from the one the 
 youth descended ; and there it was transferred to 
 the cars of the main railroad and shipped away 
 to the cities for building purposes. 
 
86 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 For a long time Bill idly strolled around and 
 watched the mill-hands at their work; presently 
 he concluded that he would ask for a job and 
 if he could get it would make his home there 
 for a time at least. It was as good a place as 
 any to hide. So bravely, unhesitatingly, he walked 
 up to one of the men and asked for the foreman. 
 
 "That s him over there by that pile of lumber," 
 was the gruff response. "Mr. Bradley s his 
 name." 
 
 Bill looked and saw a tall, thin, morose-looking 
 man with heavy mustache superintending the re 
 moval of some lumber. He walked over toward 
 Mr. Bradley and spoke: 
 
 "Do I understand that you are the foreman 
 here?" 
 
 "Yes," the man said, turning to look at the 
 speaker. 
 
 "Are you in need of any extra mill-men? I am 
 very anxious to get work during my vacation," 
 Bill said in a complacent manner. 
 
 "Where are you from?" the foreman inquired 
 severely. 
 
 "Santa Cruz." 
 
 "Are you used to work?" further questioned 
 Mr. Bradley softening. 
 
 "Oh, yes," he replied eagerly. "I ve always 
 had to work, ever since I can remember." 
 
 "Well, you look as if you might be a worker 
 if you have a mind to. How old are you?" 
 
 "I m just eighteen this month." 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 87 
 
 "Yes, I need another hand to help with the 
 loading/ Mr. Bradley replied with satisfaction, 
 after thinking a moment. 
 
 At length it was arranged that Bill would com 
 mence his duties at the mill the following morn 
 ing, at a satisfactory compensation. 
 
 Just then the whistle blew for the noon-hour 
 and the men quit their work. 
 
 "Can I get my meals here? And where shall I 
 sleep?" 
 
 "Over there; that building is the cook-house; 
 you will get your meals there." Mr. Bradley 
 pointed to a small, square building built of rough 
 redwood lumber, that stood on the sunny slope 
 in the shadow of some trees. "Just beyond are 
 the cabins where the men sleep." 
 
 Bill could see half a dozen small cabins similar 
 to the ones he had seen further up the hill, only 
 these were in better condition. 
 
 Mr. Bradley paused a moment and looked 
 thoughtful, then he spoke slowly: "I m not sure 
 whether you can have a cabin to yourself or not; 
 they are all fitted with bunks for two. Now I 
 know of one which has but one occupant; you can 
 go in with him, or, if you d rather have one to 
 yourself, there are some old cabins upon the other 
 side of the hill. Casey, one of my men, occupies 
 one of them; the rest are empty; if you prefer you 
 may take one of those." 
 
 "I believe I would." He feared that he might 
 
88 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 talk in his sleep and if so it would be better to 
 be alone. 
 
 "We formerly used those cabins," Mr. Bradley 
 went on, "but it was too shady on that side of 
 the hill and they were right under the trees also ; 
 so we had some new ones built on the sunny side 
 of the hill. Now that summer is here, the old 
 ones will not be so bad; and you will have Casey 
 for company. Come now and we will have 
 dinner. 
 
 Together the two men walked toward the cook 
 house where Bill soon found himself among the 
 work-men, busily appeasing his keen appetite 
 brought on by his long morning walk. The noon 
 day meal over, the men returned to their work 
 and Bill walked over to the creek and there in a 
 shady place he sat down upon a moss-grown rock 
 and watched the ever-moving water forcing its 
 course among the boulders. The sound came like 
 music to the boy s ears the music of the forest. 
 
 Later in the afternoon, Bill took his duds and 
 ascended the hill to the place where the two roads 
 met. Here he descended the foot-path which he had 
 noticed in the morning, just before a rock he had 
 sat upon. Continuing down the path, often the 
 ferns and woody plants, which grew by the path- 
 side, would brush against his lower limbs on 
 account of the narrowness of the trail. He crossed 
 the little rustic bridge which spanned the tiny 
 stream he could easily have jumped across, and 
 advanced on the path up the opposite acclivity, 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 89 
 
 gently rising, parallel with the stream, until he 
 reached the four cabins surrounded by good-sized 
 redwood trees. 
 
 For a moment the youth stopped before the 
 cabins and disapprovingly examined their exterior. 
 They were built alike or nearly so of rough 
 redwood board and batting and were unpainted. 
 The shingle roofs were sadly the worse for age; 
 in many cases shingles had become loosened and 
 had fallen, leaving the sheeting exposed in many 
 places. Each cabin had in the front a door on 
 right-hand side with three steps ascending to it, 
 and a .small six-paned window on the left side. 
 Many of the panes were either partly broken or 
 had entirely disappeared. 
 
 The second cabin had the appearance of being 
 the best preserved. Bill tried the door; it was 
 fastened. Obviously this was the one occupied by 
 Casey. He tried the door of the third cabin; it 
 opened. Thus Bill entered. The interior was 
 divided, forming two compartments; the first con 
 tained at one side, two bunks with their heads 
 together, or their feet, according as one chose. 
 The remains of a wooden bench stood by one of 
 the bunks and a small cracked mirror hung on 
 the wall. Otherwise the room was bare. Bill 
 opened the door communicating with the rear 
 compartment; it was empty; it had evidently been 
 built for cooking purposes, as the relics of a 
 stove-pipe hung from a hole in the ceiling. An 
 other door gave egress at the rear of the cabin. 
 
90 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 Bill opened it and looked up the shady ascent at 
 the ferns and huckleberry foliage with their 
 bright, shiny leaves, that covered the slope. 
 
 After examining the first and fourth cabins, Bill 
 returned to the third. It suited him best because 
 a key which he found on the floor would lock the 
 rear door. The front he planned upon nailing 
 up after he procured a hammer and some nails 
 from the mill. 
 
 The next thing he did was to gather some fallen 
 redwood leaves, which he scraped up into his 
 blanket, then took and emptied them in the bunk 
 which he had selected for his bed. These he 
 thought would be softer than sleeping on the hard 
 boards. Later in the day, after he had gone to 
 the mill for his evening meal, he returned bringing 
 with him a sack which he filled with leaves for a 
 pillow and also the hammer and nails. By nailing 
 the door he would feel that his effects would be 
 safe from any prowlers that might happen along 
 during his absence. When everything wa^ ar 
 ranged to the best advantage, Bill sat down on 
 the broken bench. 
 
 It was a crude home, there among the red 
 woods a dreary, lonely, silent save for the low 
 murmur of the ever-falling water in the brook 
 and heart-broken home; but such as it was it was 
 far better than spending a life behind prison bars. 
 The first night was a desolate, heart-rending one 
 for the unfortunate boy, haunted by silence. He 
 was restless and could not sleep; the sinister 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 91 
 
 thoughts of his awful mistake rang in his ears. 
 Again he would think back to what seemed cen 
 turies ago, of the happy home far, far away, and 
 the dear mother, whom he missed so greatly. At 
 last he fell into a troubled sleep. 
 
 The next morning, after dressing he hurried 
 down to the mill and after eating a hearty break 
 fast and cheered by the beautiful June sunshine 
 and the cool, fresh mountain air, commenced his 
 duties at the mill, helping load the lumber onto 
 the cars, as he was assigned to do, and then 
 watching them as they ascended the steep grade 
 drawn by the iron cable. 
 
 And so there he worked, day by day, hard as it 
 was, for it made his back ache and his hands 
 filled with slivers, but he did not complain; he 
 always felt better when he was working hardest; 
 it made him forget. Besides he felt so secure; 
 surely no one would ever think of looking in such 
 a place for him. Sometimes he would even think 
 it beautiful, with the green trees rising tier upon 
 tier on the slopes, like an army marching up the 
 hillsides, and the odor of the freshly-sawed lumber 
 ever striking his nostrils. 
 
 It was true that many of the mill-men worked 
 with lighter hearts or brighter faces, but none 
 worked with more determination and well-meaning 
 than Bill. It was exasperating, too, for his help 
 mate was a surly old fellow, hard to please and 
 uncommunicative. Whatever Bill did, was done 
 
92 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 wrong, according to his estimation and brought 
 forth a snarling, unkind remark. 
 
 One day Mr. Bradley and Casey were engaged 
 in conversation, just a little apart from where Bill 
 and his partner were busily engaged loading a car. 
 
 "That young fellow appears to be a lively 
 worker; but he seems to be worried about some 
 thing," Mr. Bradley said wonderingly. "Like as 
 not it s to do with some girl. I remember when I 
 was that age, I used to be troubled in the same 
 way. He ll get over it, the next nice-looking girl 
 that happens along." 
 
 But Casey only solemnly replied: "I dunno. 
 You can t always tell." 
 
 Casey was an old bachelor. 
 
 The only friend Bill managed to make was a 
 young man a few years his senior, by name Henry 
 West, a young Californian of clean habits. The 
 majority of the mill-men were of a foreign cast. 
 West was one of the engineers who had charge 
 of the cable system. They would often spend their 
 evenings together talking, or walking over one of 
 the many mountain trails. 
 
 One Sunday they had arranged to go trout fish 
 ing together. Upon their return home after a 
 plentiful catch Henry said to Bill: 
 
 "Would you like to go to Santa Cruz next Sat 
 urday for the opening of the Casino for the 
 summer season? It s always a grand affair. We 
 can go down on the evening train and then return 
 on Sunday." 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 93 
 
 Bill was silent for a moment. It would never do 
 for him to show his face in Santa Cruz again, and 
 yet he did not know how to get out of it. 
 
 "Will you go?" West asked again, wondering 
 at Bill s reticence. 
 
 "I I don t believe I care to," he finally stam 
 mered. "I I much rather stay here and go tish- 
 ing." 
 
 "Oh, come ahead; we ll have a swell time." 
 
 "Well, I ll see. I ll make up my mind in a few 
 days and let you know." Bill thought to put his 
 friend off a few days, which would give him a 
 chance to think of some satisfactory excuse for 
 remaining away, and yet not to offend Henry. 
 
 But a fortunate thing happened a few days later 
 for Bill, at least. Henry West received a tele 
 gram that his father was very ill in Sacramento 
 and for him to hasten to his bed-side. Henry 
 left early Thursday morning; this relieved Bill s 
 anxiety. 
 
 On Saturday evening just as Bill was returning 
 from work to his cabin, he saw a young girl, carry 
 ing a large bunch of flowers, coming toward him 
 along the road upon which he had walked from 
 Santa Cruz. He was just turning from the road 
 to go down the path into the ravine when she 
 called to him pleasantly. 
 
 "Hello!" 
 
 He considered her rather forward, but thinking 
 perhaps it might be the custom of the mountains 
 to exchange greetings with strangers, he courte- 
 
94 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 ously bowed and lifted his cap. Thus he con 
 tinued down the path to his lonely cabin. 
 
 "Why, don t you know me?" the girl called 
 with astonishment. 
 
 Bill stopped and turned. 
 
 "Don t you remember Jessie? I m Jessie. 
 
 Bill scrambled back to the road with a glad 
 smile spreading on his face. "Why, so it is! 
 I m glad to see you again. You had a sun-bonnet 
 on the other time I saw you, so I couldn t see 
 your face very well. Then you had a blue dress 
 on that day and to-day you have a brown one." 
 The two shook hands. 
 
 "I ve been wondering what became of you," 
 Jessie replied complaisantly. "Are you working 
 at the mill?" 
 
 "Yes. How do you happen to be up here?" 
 he inquired wonderingly. 
 
 "How do I happen to be up here?" she re 
 peated with amusement. "Because I live up here; 
 because I was born and raised up here. That s 
 how I happen to be up here." She laughed. "Do 
 you see that white house up on the hill? That s 
 where I live. I hope you re not staying in those 
 horrid old cabins." Jessie had concluded from 
 seeing him start down the path into the ravine 
 that he must be living in the desolate cabins. 
 
 "Yes," he replied, "I am. There was no room 
 in the better cabins for me unless I went in with 
 some one else, and I preferred to come here rather 
 than associate with a stranger." 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA EEDWOODS 95 
 
 "We have some better ones than these; per 
 haps father will let you have one, if you don t 
 mind walking up the hill." 
 
 "I should like it very much if he would," he 
 responded eagerly. "It s lonely down in here at 
 night, and besides Casey, my only companion, tells 
 me that he is going away in a few days. Then I 
 would be alone; I hate the thoughts of it. So if 
 your father will let me come up there I ll feel very 
 thankful." 
 
 "Well, I ll ask him," Jessie added kindly. She 
 felt sorry for this unfortunate boy who had no 
 home. "I know he will." 
 
 "When did you get home?" he asked. 
 
 "Two days ago. I stayed longer than I ex 
 pected; sister was sick and wouldn t let me come 
 away any sooner. I m glad to get home though; 
 I feel safer here than down there where sister 
 lives." 
 
 "Why so?" 
 
 "Well, there ain t so much danger of tramps 
 up here." 
 
 "Don t tramps ever bother you up there?" 
 
 "Don t you worry about a tramp ever walking 
 up a hill like this one. Sometimes they come this 
 far, but they don t like to go any further. There s 
 only one thing that would ever take a tramp up 
 this hill. I ve dreaded it all my life." 
 
 "What s that?" 
 
 "Why, if he was starving to death and there 
 was no other house in sight, he d come up." 
 
96 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "You ve got some pretty flowers. What are 
 they?" 
 
 "They are wild iris; it s getting late for them 
 now, but I can always find them if anybody can." 
 
 Jessie held the flowers upright for admiration. * * I 
 must hurry home now and help granny get supper. 
 You must come up and see us." 
 
 "All right. I ll come up to-morrow. I have 
 nothing to do on Sunday." 
 
 Jessie started up the steep hill. "Good-bye," 
 she said. "Come to-morrow and stay to dinner." 
 
 "Good-bye," Bill answered, as he turned down 
 into the ravine. It had done him good to have 
 another little chat with Jessie. She was so pleas 
 ant and friendly and spoke in such a quaint, inter 
 esting manner. 
 
 Jessie Anderson was a girl of medium height, 
 with a sweet, ruddy, oval-shaped face and large 
 gray eyes with long lashes. She had thick, wavy, 
 light-colored hair, which she usually wore in two 
 braids which hung nearly to her waist. Every one 
 who knew Jessie always loved her for her sweet 
 kindly disposition and her pure character. 
 
 She was only a young girl barely fifteen but 
 she was a splendid worker. Perhaps she did not 
 do quite as much as she sometimes imagined, but 
 nevertheless she was a great worker. She, to 
 gether with her grandmother her only woman 
 companion kept house for her father and what 
 ever additional guests might come to the mountain 
 home. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 97 
 
 Jessie would always rise early, go about her 
 work cheerfully, without any compulsion from 
 any one; she knew what to do and she always did 
 it. There was never any fooling about her, either, 
 when there was work to be done; after which she 
 was always ready for a frolic, or a long walk 
 through the woods, where she loved to gather 
 woodland flowers and dainty, green ferns. Jessie 
 was always happy; she liked company; she liked 
 somebody to talk to ; but if there was no one 
 around, she would be just as happy alone. 
 Although she had but few companions, she was 
 never lonely and always could find something to 
 occupy her time. 
 
 Jessie had lived all her life in the mountains 
 and dearly loved her home ; she seldom left it, and 
 when she did it was only in cases of necessity. 
 Her mother had died when she was but a small girl, 
 and then the grandmother had taken the mother s 
 place and had done her best for her son"s child. 
 The grandmother was very hard of hearing. So it 
 need not be wondered at if Jessie had a few ideas 
 of her own, and managed things in her own way. 
 Her education up to this period consisted of a 
 common country-school training. She had just 
 graduated at the close of the previous school term. 
 The school lacked in many ways; the teacher 
 usually being young and inexperienced. But 
 through it all Jessie was bright and she managed 
 to get a fairly good education. 
 
 Above all things Jessie was quick; she was like 
 
98 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 the mother in this respect, her father being slow. 
 Whatever Jessie did she did quickly, in order that 
 she might have it over with as soon as possible 
 and get ready for the next thing. She usually 
 spoke in a quick way, using as few words as 
 possible. 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 99 
 
 VIII. 
 A MOUNTAIN VINEYARD. 
 
 Sunday morning, according to agreement, Bill 
 started up the steep ascent of the vineyard to visit 
 Jessie in her mountain home. Several times he 
 paused to admire the beautiful scenery of the 
 Santa Cruz Mountains, which grew in grandeur the 
 higher he climbed. 
 
 It was just twelve as he entered the gateway, 
 or, rather, opening between the blackberry briars 
 that grew by the roadside, and walked toward tHe 
 house. The roadway, after entering the vineyard, 
 had been, for a considerable distance, hewn from 
 the hillside, leaving at the right a steep emuank- 
 ment eight or ten feet high; at the left was a 
 declivity. On this latter stood the winery, a two- 
 story building; but as it was built on the hillside, 
 it could be entered from above or below. The 
 road branched off here; the lower part descending 
 to the lower door. 
 
 On the opposite side of the roadway stood the 
 barn, a small two-story structure, with the steep 
 hill rising abruptly behind it. Beyond the barn 
 a short way stood three neat-looking, white-washed 
 cabins, side by side. These cabins were used by the 
 
100 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 men who helped gather the grapes during the 
 vintage, and with the wine making. 
 
 Last, stood the house, facing the south. It was 
 a well-built, two-story structure, with a wide 
 veranda on the south side, and occupied the only 
 flat space on the vineyards, except a small yard space 
 at the rear and some ground at the west that 
 Jessie used for her garden. Beyond this the hill 
 descended again, very abruptly, almost forming a 
 precipice. In front of the house the hill gradually 
 sloped downward to the county road, and was 
 entirely covered with grape-vines. The upper hill 
 side was also planted in grapes for a considerable 
 distance. They were known as the upper and 
 lower vineyards. 
 
 As the youth approached the house, looking from 
 side to side at the various buildings, Jessie, who 
 had been sitting on the veranda watching, hurried 
 across the yard to -meet him. 
 
 "I m awfully glad to see you," she said smiling. 
 "I d just begun to think you weren t coming." 
 
 Bill lifted his cap. "I m glad to see you, too," 
 he replied candidly. "You ve got a nice place 
 here, haven t you?" 
 
 "Yes; but come over to the house and 1 will 
 show you the view; it is the finest from there. 
 Father built the house just where he would get 
 the finest view." 
 
 Together the two walked toward the house and 
 ascended the stairs to the porch. Here, Jessie 
 offered Bill a chair, which he gladly accepted. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 101 
 
 " Isn t it nice up here?" 
 
 "It certainly is! No wonder you think so much 
 of your home." 
 
 As the young fellow sat there, he looked be 
 yond at the beautiful view that lay before him. 
 A picture of mountain ranges, spurs and ridges 
 with their lofty peaks which they wear like royal 
 crowns; all trend, some higher, some lower, in 
 colors of blue and green, silver and gold, until 
 they disappear in the distance a picture of 
 wooded slopes and forests, with their giant trees 
 or their pigmy trees; a broad, green meadow with 
 a ribbon-like stretch of shrubs hiding some moun 
 tain stream, fields of waving grain or checkered 
 vineyards; all colored in deepest of shades or 
 softest of tints betwixt the sunlight and shadows. 
 To add to this marvelous picture of Nature, were 
 mountain homes nestled deeply in some shaded 
 valley or perched aloft on a distant view-point, 
 columns of curling smoke rising heavenward ; and 
 a flock of soaring birds, rising, then gently falling, 
 as they pursued their journey, ever alert for some 
 signs of prey. And over it all the warm sun 
 shine lay, together with the blue haze, the dreamy 
 summer time, and with the clear, azure sky above. 
 It was a picture that no artist could ever paint. 
 
 Would you like to live here?" Jessie at length 
 asked of her new-made friend. "I think father 
 will let you have one of the cabins if you d like 
 to; they re a lot better than the one you ve got. 
 He says he wants to see you first, though." 
 
102 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "Yes, I ll come if he ll let me." 
 
 "He s coming now," the girl added as she heard 
 some one opening the door. 
 
 Bill upon looking toward the door saw a pleas 
 ant-appearing man of medium height, thick set, 
 and with iron-gray hair as well as mustache and 
 chin-beard, standing in the doorway. He had a 
 pipe in his mouth. Bill noticed that Mr. Ander 
 son walked with a slight limp, as he came toward 
 him and shook hands after Jessie introduced the 
 two men. 
 
 "Well, I will go in now and help granny pre 
 pare dinner ; then you shall eat with us ; after that 
 I will show you around." Thus Jessie disappeared 
 within the house. 
 
 Mr. Anderson sat down beside Bill and the two 
 men talked until Jessie returned a little later and 
 summoned them to dinner. 
 
 "This is granny," ,she said softly to her guest, 
 as an elderly Scotch lady came into the room. 
 "It s no use to talk to her; she can t hear very 
 good; and father don t like to talk, so whatever 
 you ve got to say, you may as well say it to me." 
 
 The grandmother came over and shook hands 
 with him and smiled kindly; so Bill felt all he 
 could do was to smile in return. 
 
 Then they all sat down and disposed of a dinner 
 which Bill pronounced the best he had eaten for 
 many a long day, for the food at the mill was 
 coarse and roughly prepared. 
 
 After dinner the happy girl escorted her friend 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 103 
 
 out to show him her garden. "I won t bother to 
 show you the house ; boys usually don t like houses ; 
 so come out and I ll show you my garden," she 
 said, leading the way into the yard, with Bill fol 
 lowing. " Things don t do so very well up here; 
 we have so little water. After we use all the water 
 that s in the cistern, we have to wait till it fills 
 again, and it takes nearly all day in the summer 
 time." Jessie began pointing. "These are pansies. 
 They look pretty good, though; don t you think 
 so?" 
 
 "Why, yes! They look fine. It reminds me of a 
 pansy bed mother and I used to have back home." 
 
 "Here by the house are some geraniums and a 
 few roses. Now, come over here and see my vege 
 tables. I have lettuce, onions, carrots, beets, and 
 over there are cabbages." The girl pointed at the 
 various articles of vegetation as she spoke. 
 
 "It must keep you busy with all these things, 
 besides your house work?" 
 
 "Yes, I m busy all the time. Some people ask 
 me what I do up here to kill time. Well, I just 
 wish they d try it a while." 
 
 "Over there are peas, beans and potatoes. Fa 
 ther cares for those. We get all we need, anyway. 
 Now come around in back of the house; I ve got 
 something there that I know you ll like. Do you 
 like rabbits?" 
 
 "Yes, I always liked rabbits. I used to have 
 some when I was at home," he replied, sadly. 
 
 Thus he followed Jessie to the back yard, where 
 
]04 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 she showed him her snowy-white, pink-eared rab 
 bits. 
 
 "Those are the chickens over there. I have ten; 
 they lay what eggs we need. Now come over, and 
 I ll show you the winery." 
 
 "Have you a dog?" Bill asked, eagerly. 
 
 "My dog died! Just before I went away. I felt 
 terrible; we used to have such good times, romp 
 ing through the woods together. Father s going 
 to get me another as soon as it gets a little older. 
 I ve a cat, though. Tim, I call him. I have to 
 console myself with Tim, for the time being. These 
 are the cabins," she added, as they passed them. 
 "We use them when the men are here picking the 
 grapes and making wine. We used to have board 
 ers, and sometimes, when the house was full, we 
 put some in the cabins." 
 
 "Don t you have boarders any more?" Bill 
 asked, for want of something to say. 
 
 "Not many," Jessie replied. "They were too 
 much trouble ; nothing suited them. The beds were 
 too hard; the cooking didn t suit them; there was 
 too much pepper in the soup for some, and not 
 enough for others; and the hill they nearly DIED 
 climbing up the hill. I can t think of all the things 
 now, though. Father finally said he wouldn t have 
 another one on the place." 
 
 Meanwhile they had reached the winery, and 
 after Jessie opened the upper door, both entered. 
 
 "Now, you see," Jessie began, in a businesslike 
 manner, "these are the presses. They put the 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 105 
 
 grapes into them, where they are pressed, and the 
 juice runs out here at the bottom and goes through 
 these troughs into the vats, which are downstairs. 
 Come over here ; the stairs are at the other end. 
 
 Bill followed Jessie across the floor and down the 
 stairs into the lower part of the winery, where the 
 large vats were. 
 
 "These, you see, are the vats where the juice 
 goes and is left to ferment." The girl pointed 
 toward the huge vats, in her eagerness to please her 
 guest. Over here is the cellar. When father came 
 there was a cave here; so he built the winery over 
 it, and made the cave a little larger, and it makes a 
 fine cellar." 
 
 She walked over to the cellar door, opened it 
 and stepped inside. Bill stood at the doorway, and 
 looked in at the rows of wine kegs that finally dis 
 appeared in the darkness. 
 
 "Would you like to try a little of our wine?" 
 Jessie asked, courteously, as she picked up a small 
 glass from the top of the wine-keg. 
 
 "I I don t believe I care for any," he stam 
 mered, stepping backward. 
 
 "Why not? It s all right. None better any 
 where." Whenever any one refused to take wine 
 which Jessie offered, she imagined that it was be 
 cause they were doubtful of its wholesomeness. 
 
 "I know that," he replied, kindly, "but it s be 
 cause I I promised my mother before she died 
 that I d never taste a drop of liquor," Bill had 
 
106 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 broken one promise, but he was determined not to 
 break another. 
 
 "Oh!" exclaimed Jessie, horrified. "This isn t 
 liquor! It has to be shipped away to the cities and 
 put into bottles before it becomes liquor! We 
 wouldn t keep a drop of liquor on the place! Have 
 some?" she again inquired, looking up at Bill, as 
 she stooped before the keg, with her right hand 
 holding the faucet and with her left holding the 
 glass under the spout. 
 
 "I guess I d better not take any, Jessie. Thank 
 you just the same. 
 
 "Well, then, if you don t mind, I ll just take 
 a little for myself." Jessie helped herself to a 
 small portion of wine in the glajss and then dis 
 posed of it. "I don t take very much at a 
 time, for some days I have more than one caller; 
 and if I had to drink a glass full with each one, 
 it would be too much for me." 
 
 "I suppose what little you took couldn t hurt 
 you," softly commented the youth. 
 
 "Never has yet," she replied decidedly, as she 
 closed the cellar-door. "Are you ready to go now? 
 I suppose you ve seen everything you want to." 
 
 "All right, we ll go." 
 
 So they went upstairs again. 
 
 "I wonder who shut the door! Jessie cried 
 surprisingly, as she reached the top of the stairs. 
 "I wondered what made it so dark!" 
 
 They went across to the door. Jessie took hold 
 to open it; the door was fast. 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFOENIA REDWOODS 107 
 
 "It s locked!" she gasped. "I believe father 
 locked it, not knowing we were in here. It s 
 funny, too, for he seldom locks it only at night. 
 How shall we get out?" 
 
 "Can t we get out the door downstairs?" 
 
 "No, that s always locked." 
 
 "Can t I get out one of those windows down 
 stairs?" The windows were all on the south side 
 both up and down stairs. 
 
 "No, you ll fall down the hill and be killed if 
 you try that." She sat down on an empty wine- 
 keg as if resigned to her fate. "Fancy being 
 locked up here for a week." 
 
 "A week!" 
 
 "Yes, a man once was. We were all away 
 but father, and he was coming to stay a week 
 with us and then bring us home. Just before he 
 locked the winery the man went down to get a 
 drink without asking father. Then father went 
 away and when he came back the man was still 
 locked up. Father said he guessed the man didn t 
 care much ; he -said there was nothing in the world 
 the man liked so well as wine." 
 
 For a few moments all was silent, while both 
 thought diligently for some means of egress. 
 
 "Where are all my plans?" Jessie suddenly ex 
 claimed. 
 
 "Your plans?" 
 
 "Yes. I always form plans for what I will do 
 ahead, so that when the proper time comes I won t 
 have to stop and think ; it takes up too much 
 
108 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 time. I have a plan if the saw-mill should burn 
 father says it s bound to some day, the men are all 
 so careless. I have a plan if father should have 
 heart-failure he s bound to some day, all his 
 family have died with it." 
 
 "What is your plan?" Bill inquired curiously. 
 
 "You wait till the proper time comes and 
 you ll see." 
 
 "Would you go for a doctor?" 
 
 "No, indeed! I tried that once and I ll never 
 do it again. Once granny got a fish-bone stuck 
 in her throat. I did everything I could think of 
 I hammered on her back; I tried to reach down 
 her throat and get it out but no use, she just 
 kept coughing, till I thought she would die. Then 
 I started to run, down the hill as fast as I could 
 go to the station; there I got a man to telephone 
 for a doctor. After that I ran home again, not 
 knowing whether I d find her dead or alive. When 
 I got back, here was granny peacefully seated on 
 the front porch, crocheting. She d got it out 
 while I was gone. Oh, but I was mad!" 
 
 "Well, you did what you thought was for the 
 best. That s all anybody could do." 
 
 "Yes," she responded softly. "But that wasn t 
 all. That night after we had all gone to bed, I 
 heard some one knocking down stairs. I jumped 
 out of bed and went to the window and asked 
 who was there. It was the doctor just arriving. 
 I told him granny was all right; that he needn t 
 stay; but if you please he wanted to be paid just 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 109 
 
 the same, so I had to go and wake father. Then 
 it was father s turn to get mad ; it took nearly 
 all the money we had on hand. I couldn t help 
 it. What would you have done if you d been 
 there?" 
 
 "It s hard to say, Jessie," he added solemnly. 
 "It seems whatever we do in such cases, we do 
 wrong." Bill wondered if he had done wrong 
 in leaving as he did; or should he have remained 
 and suffered the consequences. 
 
 "Well," Jessie continued, "I ll never run for a 
 doctor again; no matter what happens. Can t 
 you think of some way out?" 
 
 "I don t think of any; unless I could get out 
 one of the windows." 
 
 "But you can t. Then again both were silent 
 for a few moments. 
 
 "Oh, now I have a plan!" Jessie suddenly ex 
 claimed, jumping off from the keg. 
 
 "What is it?" 
 
 "Back in the far corner, up in the roof, is a 
 hole; there is a chute comes down from the upper 
 vineyard in which they slide the grapes down. 
 You climb up there and call to father. Perhaps 
 he ll hear." 
 
 "All right!" The excited youth hurried toward 
 the corner indicated and started climbing the 
 ladder to the hole in the roof. "If I can t make 
 him hear, I ll climb up the chute to the hill," he 
 called back to Jessie. 
 
110 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "No, you can t do that! They take the chute 
 away when it isn t in use; it s in the way." 
 
 Bill reached the top of the ladder, stuck his 
 head out of the hole in the roof and called several 
 times, but no one responded. "I m afraid it s no 
 use," he at length called down. 
 
 "Well, come down, then," Jessie replied dis 
 appointedly. "We ll just have to wait till father 
 comes." 
 
 After calling again a few times, Bill gave it up 
 as a bad job and descended to the floor again to 
 find the door standing wide open and Jessie in 
 the doorway laughing "fit to kill." When she 
 could control herself she said: 
 
 "I thought I d try it again and it came open 
 as easy as could be. I wonder what could have 
 been the matter with it before?" 
 
 "That s funny," Bill said smilingly. "I ve 
 known doors and windows to act just that same 
 way before. Let s go out while we ve got the 
 chance." 
 
 Thus they went out into the sunshine again and 
 walked toward the house. 
 
 "Come over and see Dolly," Jessie said, leading 
 the way to the barn, where she opened the door 
 and both entered. There stood Dolly, a small, 
 sorrel mare, nibbling on a few straws of hay. 
 Jessie went over and patted her on the neck. 
 Dolly whinnied, for, horse-like, she was always glad 
 to receive a little attention. 
 
 I think you ve seen everything now," the 
 
 " 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 111 
 
 hostess remarked pleasantly, after they were again 
 out of doors, " unless we go to the top of the 
 upper vineyard. From there you can see all over 
 everywhere, even to the Monterey Bay, and at 
 night we can see the lights of the Casino. I 
 guess it s too warm to go up there to-day." 
 
 "Yes, I think so, too." 
 
 "If you come up to stay, we ll go up some 
 evening, so we can see the lights. I ve wanted to 
 for a long while, but I don t have anybody to go 
 with." 
 
 By this time they had reached the porch of the 
 house and Bill sat down to again admire the 
 beautiful picture before him, while Jessie retired 
 into the house. A little later she returned and 
 selecting a chair sat down. 
 
 "Father says you may come up here and live 
 in one of the cabins if you wish. He says you 
 look all right. He s going away in a few days to 
 help a friend build a house, and won t be here at 
 night, so he d be glad to have man on the place, 
 so granny and I won t be alone. I m not afraid 
 though." 
 
 "Yes, I think 111 come," Bill responded cheer 
 fully. "Casey said he was going away in a few 
 days and then I would be left alone. I wouldn t 
 like that; it s so lonesome down there in that ra 
 vine at night. How much does your father want?" 
 
 "Oh, he won t ask you very much. You can 
 go inside and ask him if you want to. He s in 
 there reading." 
 
112 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 Gladly the youth hurried into the house, and 
 after conversing with Mr. Anderson for a few 
 minutes returned and joyfully said: 
 
 "I m coming. Your father says he ll be glad 
 to have me, and I know I ll like It better than 
 down below. I think I ll bring my things up 
 to-morrow evening after I am through work." 
 
 "I m iso glad!" Jessie clapped her hands for 
 joy. "I ll have some one to talk to. Father 
 won t listen to me, and granny can t hear; so I 
 never have anybody to talk to." 
 
 "Now I think I shall go. I ve enjoyed every 
 thing so much," Bill said, complaisantly moving 
 toward the steps. "Night is coming on." 
 
 Jessie walked with him to the gateway, where 
 they parted, :she returning to her home. The 
 youth continued down the steep road through the 
 fast lengthening shadows, feeling happier, by far, 
 than he had for many a long day. Often in his 
 joy would he pause to gaze at the distant ridges 
 bathed with the rosy glow of sunset, contrasted 
 with the deep shadows of the lowlands, like 
 tinted clouds. As he watched, the light grew 
 fainter and fainter, as the shadows crept up the 
 mountainside, until all the sunlight had dis 
 appeared, and only the feeble twilight remained. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA EEDWOODS 113 
 
 IX. 
 
 A NEW HOME. 
 
 The following evening, after his day s work was 
 done, Bill went to the lonely cabin where he 
 gathered his few earthly belongings and started 
 for his new home at the vineyard, hoping that 
 there his life would be a little more cheerful. It 
 was always "poor Tom" wherever he went though; 
 there was no rest from that. The thoughts of 
 "poor Tom" and his "awful mistake" would ring 
 in his ears as long as he lived. 
 
 By living at the vineyard it would be a little 
 further to walk to and from work; but then Bill 
 did not mind that, for by so doing he would have 
 company in the evenings some one to talk to 
 for that was the hardest time of all. During the 
 day he was busy and had his mind on his work, 
 and after retiring he was fatigued with his day s 
 labor and would usually soon fall asleep and 
 have a good night s rest. Again he would have 
 a better room and bed as well as more wholesome 
 food, for the meal prepared by Jessie and her 
 grandmother was far better than the rough saw 
 mill fare. After this he would have only to take 
 his noon meal there. 
 
114 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 So with these thoughts it was with a cheerful 
 heart that Bill went, softly and whistling, up the 
 hill to his new home. 
 
 Jessie was sitting on the veranda reading when 
 her guest approached. "So you ve come; I m so 
 glad," she said, as he came up the stairs. 
 
 "Yes. And I m real glad, too. It was lone 
 some down there, and when Casey goes he s 
 stopped already I don t believe I could have 
 stood it alone." 
 
 "Put your things on the porch and sit do\\n," 
 Jessie continued kindly. "After a little I ll show 
 you to your room. I ve been waiting here for 
 father; he went to town to get some things we 
 need." 
 
 The youth placed his traveling case on the 
 porch and sat down. "What are you reading?" 
 he asked courteously. 
 
 "This is one of my school-books Evangeline. 
 I always liked it. Did you ever study it?" 
 
 "Yes, I did and I always enjoyed it; it s such 
 a pretty story. Do you go to school any more?" 
 
 "No, I finished our school last year and I 
 can t go any more unless I go away from home. 
 I can t do that; I m needed here." 
 
 "Have you a good school up here?" 
 
 "The school s all right, but it s the teachers," 
 the girl rattled along. "They send us the poorest 
 teachers they can find. They simply don t know 
 anything. They lay everything to inexperience/ 
 but I know better; it s just because they don t 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 115 
 
 know anything. Why, the last one we had was 
 worse than any of em. Why, she didn t even 
 know which end of a pencil to write with. I took 
 my paper up the first morning she was there for 
 her to mark, and, if you please, she picked up her 
 pencil and tried to write with the wrong end. 
 Then I .said as nicely and politely as I could, of 
 course: You d better turn that thing up the 
 other way if you want to write with it. Then 
 she began shaking all over and said she didn t 
 know what she was doing; so I finally had to 
 mark my paper myself. It was all right anyhow. 
 They ve always got some way out of everything 
 though. Anyhow we got her so she did pretty good 
 by the end of the year; now she s goin to teach 
 somewhere down in Santa Cruz this coming term." 
 
 While they sat there talking the sun was sink 
 ing to its rest. The two watched it as it sank 
 lower and lower, behind the distant tree-tops on 
 a neighboring ridge. The last fading rays flooded 
 the mountain-tops; the canyons were in deep 
 shadow. The golden beams shone through the 
 trees like long, slender fingers pointing hither and 
 thither on the mountain-sides to the different things 
 of beauty. Then as the sun sank lower, only the 
 highest peaks were flooded with light. In an 
 other moment it was gone ; only the distant sequoias 
 remained silhouetted against the roseate sky where 
 it had so lately been. Night was coming on with 
 its deeper shadows. 
 
 Now it s gone!" Jessie exclaimed. "And 
 
116 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 father is coming; I can see him below just turning 
 up the hill. Come, let s go and meet him." 
 
 The young people rose from their places and 
 leaving the veranda started across the yard to 
 meet Mr. Anderson, who soon drove into the 
 vineyard, stopping at the barn. 
 
 "Father, did you get everything? Did you get 
 coffee? I forgot to tell you we were nearly out," 
 said Jessie eagerly, also stepping up to Dolly and 
 petting her on the nose. "Well, Dolly, are you 
 glad to get home?" 
 
 Dolly whinnied her approval. 
 
 "Yes," her father replied indifferently. "I 
 brought coffee and all the rest of the things you 
 wanted, Your grandmother gave me a list of what 
 was needed. You can get Bill to help you take 
 the things out of the wagon and carry them into 
 the house." 
 
 "All right, Mr. Anderson, we ll get the things 
 out," Bill replied, willingly advancing toward the 
 wagon. Soon he, assisted by Jessie, removed the 
 packages from the wagon, while Mr. Anderson un 
 harnessed the horse, after which they carried the 
 supplies into the house. 
 
 "Now come," Jessie said, after everything had 
 been put away. "I ll show you where you re 
 going to sleep." 
 
 "I ll go and get my things from the porch; 
 then you can show me," Bill called, as he hurried 
 away toward the front of the house. A few mo 
 ments later he came back, bringing his luggage, 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 117 
 
 and went toward the cabins, where Jessie was 
 awaiting him. 
 
 "The last one, I m going to give you," she said, 
 as her companion approached. So, taking a key 
 from her pocket as she walked up the steps, she 
 unlocked the door. "I ve got everything ready 
 for you. I spent all morning cleaning and sunning 
 the bedding, so that everything would be nice 
 when you came." With that she opened the door 
 and displayed a small, neat bed-room. 
 
 "You ve a good bed, a chair, a place over there 
 to put your clothes, and a place to wash. If you 
 need anything else, just let me know." 
 
 Bill entered. "This is fine!" he said cheer 
 fully. "I know I ll be much happier here than I 
 was down in that lonely ravine." 
 
 "I suppose," Jessie added, hesitatingly, "that 
 before I go I may as well tell you. Here the girl 
 paused. 
 
 "Tell me what?" he asked, not knowing what 
 to expect. 
 
 "This is the one where the murder was," she at 
 length added, sheepishly. "I thought you d like 
 it; boys usually like those things better than girls. 
 It s nice to have something like that to think 
 about nights when you can t sleep. See! There s 
 some of the blood over there on the wall. It isn t 
 really blood; it s only where people have splashed 
 the water when they were washing, but you can 
 imagine that it s blood if you want to." 
 
 Bill shivered at this horrible information. 
 
118 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "Don t, Jessie," he coaxed, nervously. I d 
 rather you hadn t told me that." 
 
 Bill considered that he already had enough to 
 think about nights in the murder line. 
 
 "I must go now," Jessie said, fearing she had 
 better not have spoken, as she turned and went 
 down the stairs. "Good night." 
 
 "Good night, Jessie." 
 
 In spite of being in the murderer s cabin, Bill 
 felt happier in his new home ; but he did wish that 
 Jessie had not told him that awful news. 
 
 After the youth had been at the vineyard for a 
 few days, Jessie came up to him one evening, and 
 said: "Father says he ll take us to Santa Cruz 
 on the Fourth of July, if we want to go. Today 
 is the first, you know. You ll have a holiday on 
 the Fourth. Would you like to go?" 
 
 "I I don t believe I really care to go. I d al 
 ready planned on going fishing." Bill had a rea 
 son of his own for not wanting to appear in Santa 
 Cruz. 
 
 "Well, then, we won t go," she replied, with 
 satisfaction. "You must be just like I am; you 
 hate to leave these beautiful mountains." 
 
 "Yes, I do like it here," he answered, much re 
 lieved. "But you needn t stay home on my 
 account, if you d like to go." 
 
 "I know. I don t care much about going, any 
 how. I don t like it down there; there s too 
 many people to suit me. I can t move but what 
 I bump into somebody, and they always scowl at 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 119 
 
 me as though it was my fault entirely. Father 
 says I ought to go slower; but then I d just as 
 soon stay up here, where there s plenty of room. 
 I tell you what we ll do. You can go fishing in 
 the daytime, then in the evening we ll go up 
 through the upper vineyard to the top of the moun 
 tain, and from there we can see the lights from 
 the Casino, and also the fireworks. Won t that be 
 nice?" 
 
 "Can you really see the fireworks, so far away?" 
 
 "Yes; not so very good, though. They look 
 small. We ll go up anyhow, if you wish." 
 
 "I d like to go. We can go before dark, so we 
 can get the view. It would be much finer there 
 than it is here." 
 
 "No finer; only you can see much more. You 
 can look in all directions up there; it s one of the 
 highest mountains in this ridge. Yes, we ll go 
 early; I want to see the sunset from there." 
 
 So, when the Fourth came, Bill went fishing, the 
 result being that they had mountain trout for 
 supper, after which he and Jessie started to climb 
 the mountain. They had a long, steep climb up 
 the hill, scrambling among the grapevines with 
 Jessie leading, for she knew the way. About half 
 way up the slope the vineyard ceased, the higher 
 part being uncultivated. It was too rocky. 
 
 "Hu-u-u!" Jessie paused, out of breath. "It s 
 hard work," she said, as she paused for a mo 
 ment s spell. "Now we can see the water." 
 
 Both looked toward the south at the blue water 
 
120 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 of Monterey Bay for a few moments. Then Jessie 
 started up again. 
 
 "Do you think we ll be able to get down with 
 out trouble, after dark?" Bill cautioned. 
 
 "Yes; with the moonlight we can get down all 
 right, but if it was a dark night, it would never 
 do to stay till after dark. I thought of that before 
 I asked you. I hope it won t be foggy tonight 
 down by the water; it is sometimes. It would be 
 too bad after all our trouble." 
 
 "We ll hope it won t." 
 
 At length the mountain top was reached, after 
 much exertion, and the boy and girl began looking 
 around at the magnificent panorama that encircled 
 the mount. For nowhere in the world does the 
 scenery surpass that of the Santa Cruz Mountains. 
 
 "The sun is just about ready to set now!" Jessie 
 exclaimed. "Let us sit down and watch it." 
 
 "Isn t it grand, though?" Bill added, as he 
 looked beyond at the light-flooded ranges with 
 their many spurs and beautiful trees, and then 
 below into the darkening canyons. 
 
 After a little the sun had gone down, and the 
 two young people sat there talking as they awaited 
 the darkness, so they might see the lights and fire 
 works from the Casino. 
 
 "Do you see over there where that smoke is ris 
 ing?" Jessie asked, pointing toward the east. 
 
 "Yes, I see it." 
 
 "Well, a friend of mine lives over there. Some 
 times I go over and stay with her all night; then 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 121 
 
 again she comes and stays with me. We have 
 grand times together. Her name s Adelaide Mason. 
 Oh, but I think Adelaide is such a pretty name. 
 If I had the naming of myself, my name would 
 surely be Adelaide. She s away now; she won t be 
 back till school opens. She has to go one more 
 year. 
 
 After a little the darkness came on and the 
 lights began to twinkle, far away down by the 
 water front. It made Bill think of another night 
 when he had watched the twinkling lights below 
 him. It brought it all back ; he began to think 
 again of "poor Tom" and how it had all hap 
 pened. 
 
 "Do you sing?" A sweet voice near by brought 
 him back to the mountain-top. 
 
 "N-not exactly. Sometimes I holler; that s as 
 near as I ever come to singing. Do you sing?" 
 
 "A little," Jessie answered, unaffectedly. 4< A 
 few songs we learned at school. Shall I sing for 
 you?" 
 
 "Yes, go ahead!" he said, gladly. "It would 
 be nice." 
 
 "Well, all right. I ll sing Hail Columbia. " 
 
 So Jessie began singing, and her sweet, girlish 
 voice sounded out over the mountain-top. Bill 
 thought he had never heard a girl sing so sweetly. 
 
 "She can sing far better than any of the girls at 
 the Hi," he thought, as he sat there listening. 
 
 At last the song came to an end. Jessie ceased. 
 
122 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "That s fine!" cried Bill, emphatically. "You 
 ou " 
 
 "Now wait!" Jessie interrupted, abruptly. "I m 
 not through yet. I m going to sing another. Do 
 you like America ?" 
 
 "Why, of course; everybody likes l America. " 
 
 Again the young girl began to sing in her clear, 
 sweet way; and, while she sang, several times she 
 pointed to where, far, far away, down by the 
 Casino, a tiny rocket would .shoot through the air; 
 then, gracefully curving, would burst and send 
 forth a shower of red, green or blue as the case 
 may have been. 
 
 In due time the song was ended. 
 
 "Now, how you like that?" she asked, immedi 
 ately upon finishing her song. 
 
 "It s fine!" her companion exclaimed, enthusi 
 astically. "Jessie, you ve got a wonderful voice. 
 You ought to go to the city and have your voice 
 cultivated. You could make lots of money singing 
 in the big theaters of San Francisco." 
 
 "Sing in a theater!" She was amazed. "Why, 
 I can t even speak when I go to the city let alone 
 sing ." 
 
 For a while they watched the fireworks. After 
 they ceased the two arose and started on their 
 downward path. The feeble light of the new moon 
 proved sufficient to enable them to reach the house 
 in safety. 
 
 "Haven t we had a nice time?" Jessie asked, 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA EEDWOODS 123 
 
 pleasantly, as she climbed the stairs of the front 
 porch. 
 
 "Yes, I ve enjoyed it." 
 
 "Much better than if we d been down there 
 bumping into everybody. Haven t we?" 
 
 "Yes." 
 
 "Good night." Thus they parted for the night. 
 
 A few days later, just as Bill was returning 
 from work in the evening, Jessie came running to 
 meet him. Just by the winery she stopped him, 
 and said: "Somebody came today a young man; 
 he drove up in a cart. I don t like him a bit. He 
 wants to stay here; says he came up here for a 
 few days rest. At first I told him that he couldn t 
 stay; then he showed me a note from father telling 
 us to give him a room and meals for a few days. 
 So I just had to let him stay. He says his name s 
 Mr. Miller. Well, I just won t Mr. HIM; he s 
 too much of a kid. If I can t find out his other 
 name, I ll just call him Miller ." Jessie was very 
 indignant over it all. 
 
 "I suppose," Bill answered, thoughtfully, "it 
 must be all right; your father sent him." 
 
 "I ve put him in the first cabin, so he won t be 
 near you," she further added. "I hope he won t 
 turn out to be a murderer." 
 
 "A murderer!" Bill gasped. "Why, Jessie, what 
 makes you say such awful things?" 
 
 "I can t help it! Whenever a stranger comes 
 here I always find myself wondering if he is a mur 
 derer. This is just the place one would take to 
 
124 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 to hide. Nobody would ever think of looking up 
 here." 
 
 Bill fairly choked at this information. Jessie 
 noticed his embarrassment. 
 
 "Oh, you needn t worry. I wouldn t think of 
 such a thing about you. You don t look like the 
 murderin kind. I must be careful what I say, 
 though. I didn t think about you being a stranger; 
 you ve been here so long." 
 
 "I it s all right," Bill managed to say. 
 
 "Oh, look! He s just comin out of his cabin 
 now. Come over, and I ll introduce you." 
 
 Bill followed Jessie over to where the newcomer, 
 a young man wearing a sombrero-like hat, stood 
 before his cabin gazing at the mountain scenery. 
 Jessie introduced the young men, after which she 
 retired to the houso to help her grandmother pre 
 pare supper. Bill talked with the stranger for a 
 few minutes, and then turned toward his own cabin 
 to wash before dining. Thus the newcomer was 
 left alone. 
 
 Joseph Miller, or Joe, as we shall call him, was a 
 young man of medium height, quite stout, with 
 light hair, blue eyes and a florid complexion. There 
 was one other thing worthy of mention a small 
 thing, scarcely noticeable; but, as small things 
 often become large things, it may be well to men 
 tion. It was a sparse-looking arrangement, the 
 same color of his hair; it was on his upper lip. Joe 
 was something of an egotist, as well as given to 
 exaggeration, and was a very, very brave appear- 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 125 
 
 ing young gentleman, of perhaps twenty-two years. 
 
 The next evening Jessie was at the bottom of 
 the hill waiting for Bill, at the fork, when he 
 came from work. She had been gathering flowers 
 that afternoon, and as she waited she arranged her 
 bunch of California poppies in a satisfactory ar 
 rangement. 
 
 "He makes me tired!" she said, as Bill ap 
 proached. 
 
 "Who? Miller, you mean?" 
 
 "Yes, I do!" she responded, decidedly. "He s 
 got altogether too much to say. He asked me 
 about everything. Who comes, and who goes. He 
 wanted to know who you were, and why you were 
 here; and how long you d been here. Then he 
 wanted to know if we had any tramps around here. 
 I just told him, No! I d like to know what busi 
 ness it is of his. He came out into the kitchen 
 this morning, when I was at work, and I asked 
 him what he wanted. He said he was hungry, and 
 wanted me to give him something to eat. Now, I 
 don t like people like that. I m willin that they 
 should have all they want at the table, but I don t 
 like to have them coming into the kitchen, asking 
 for things." 
 
 "Did you give him anything?" 
 
 "Yes, I gave him a piece of pie; but I told him 
 out plain not to come back for any more." 
 
 "Did he go away then?" 
 
 "Yes, he went away; but in five minutes he was 
 back again. I asked him what he wanted, and he 
 
126 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 said he didn t know what to do with himself. I 
 wish I had something to do. It s hard to kill time 
 up here, isn t it? he said. Well, I just told him 
 that I didn t have any trouble killing time. Then 
 I put him to work; I took him out on the back 
 porch and put him to work shelling peas. In five 
 minutes I went back to see how he was getting 
 along, and he was gone. He had shelled exactly 
 eleven I counted the pods, so I d know, for sure, 
 just what to tell you. Now, I know how to get 
 rid of him if he bothers me again." 
 
 "I wonder what he s here for, anyhow," Bill 
 said, curiously. "I talked with him awhile last 
 evening, and he seemed displeased about some 
 thing; I couldn t make out just what. He said 
 he hated to be away from town just now, every 
 thing s iso lively there." 
 
 " Never mind, I m watching him," Jessie said, 
 cautiously. " There s something up. I ll find out, 
 though. Father must know; he gave him permis 
 sion to come. Wait till father comes home; per 
 haps he can tell us." 
 
 "When will your father be back?" 
 
 "Not for a few days; he s gone to help a friend 
 build a house. Maybe it will be a week." 
 
 "But there is another thing," she continued, 
 "that I don t like. This morning I took Joe out 
 and showed him everything, just as I do everybody 
 else; finally, I showed him the winery, and there 
 I gave him a glass of wine. I saw my mistake, 
 though, for just one glass was enough to set him 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 127 
 
 talking saucily. This afternoon, just as I was 
 coming out to go for a walk, I caught sight of 
 him coming out of the winery. I asked him what 
 he was doing, and he said, Nothing. But I 
 noticed he got red in the face if it could get any 
 redder. The truth of the matter was he had been 
 in the wine cellar. I could smell it on his breath. 
 I didn t say anything more, though, but I just 
 locked the door and put the key in my pocket. 
 I ll fix him." 
 
 "I hope he won t cause any trouble," Bill re 
 plied, doubtfully. 
 
 He won t. Don t worry. If he says much more 
 I ll say something as well. He can t get the best 
 of me." 
 
 "It s certainly cheeky for him to help himself 
 to wine." 
 
 "Yes. That s one trouble we always had with 
 the boarders; they would get into the wine or 
 out of it would sound more grammatical. Then, 
 if father would say anything, they d tell him that 
 that was what they came for, and if they couldn t 
 have it they d go away. So he had to let em 
 have it. Once a woman left the faucet on, and an 
 entire keg leaked away. Oh, but father was mad!" 
 
 By this time they had reached Bill s cabin, and 
 as he turned to enter, Jessie hurried on toward 
 the house. 
 
128 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 X. 
 
 THE ANARCHIST SCARE. 
 
 The following evening, when Bill returned from 
 work, Jessie Avas anxiously awaiting him at the 
 gateway. 
 
 "Something has happened," she began, cautious 
 ly, as he approached. 
 
 "What?" he asked, excitedly. 
 
 "I don t know," was the undecided reply. "It s 
 about Joe. He went away this morning soon 
 after breakfast, and hasn t returned yet. I won 
 der what can have happened to him?" 
 
 "Did he go in his cart?" 
 
 "No; he walked away." 
 
 "Maybe he s just gone for a walk; he was at the 
 mill this forenoon. If he don t show up by the 
 time we re through supper, I ll look round and 
 see if I can get any trace of him. He ll probably 
 come by supper time." 
 
 So Jessie, half satisfied, hurried off toward the 
 house, and Bill went into his cabin. After a little 
 he went into the house, and in due time the family 
 :sat down to supper without Joe. They had just 
 finished with soup when the door between the 
 dining-room and sitting-room opened; the belated 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFOKNIA KEDWOODS 129 
 
 Joe walked in and sat down in his accustomed 
 place. He appeared very nervous and excited; it 
 was apparent to all that something unusual had 
 happened. 
 
 "We thought you were lost, Joe," Bill said, in 
 a friendly manner, for want of something to say. 
 
 "Oh, no; I was just out for a stroll through the 
 woods," Joe answered, carelessly. 
 
 "But you were not here for dinner," Jessie 
 added, curiously. 
 
 " Oh that s so." Joe had forgotten. "Well, 
 you see I this morning, I was rather tired and 
 I lay down on my bed and took a little nap," Joe 
 bungled. "The fact is, I didn t waken until after 
 your dining-hour was over; so I didn t like to 
 bother you." 
 
 Jessie knew this information to be untrue. Only 
 just before dinner she had gone to the two cabins 
 and made the beds. She had had company that 
 morning and had been delayed in her work. She 
 made no reply to Joe s remark, but, nevertheless, 
 her curiosity had been aroused. She arose, and 
 removing the soup-plates retired to the kitchen; 
 a moment later she returned with the supper, and 
 said: 
 
 "We are going to have trout for supper. I had 
 a caller today; a young gentleman from San Fran 
 cisco, who said that he was a banker s son." 
 Jessie placed the platter of fish with the other 
 victuals at her grandmother s place for her to 
 serve; after which she again sat down. "Just 
 
130 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 imagine ME entertaining a banker s son. He 
 has been in the mountains for a few days on a 
 fishing expedition and got lost; so he came up 
 here to see if he could locate himself. I showed 
 him around and, of course considering who he 
 was I was unusually nice. He stayed to lunch 
 with us; then he offered to leave his fish, saying 
 that he had no use for them himself, not being, 
 able to take them back to the city. Of course I 
 was glad to get them." 
 
 "After dinner I showed him through the winery 
 and offered him some wine just as I do every 
 body. At first he refused. I guess he thought it 
 wouldn t be good enough for city folks until it 
 came out of a bottle ; but after I took a taste, he 
 said if I didn t mind he guessed he would take a 
 little." 
 
 "Did you get locked in again?" Bill asked play 
 fully, i 
 
 "Don t you worry about me ever getting locked 
 in there again," she replied emphatically. "I m too 
 smart for that ! I put a rock before the door 
 this time!" 
 
 "What became of him then?" Joe asked inquis 
 itively, looking at Jessie very closely. He evi 
 dently had a large bump of curiosity. 
 
 "I showed him the right road to take to the 
 station, and after thanking me for my kindness 
 he started down the hill." 
 
 Joe resumed his "picking" at his fish. He didn t 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 131 
 
 seem very hungry, in spite of the fact that he had 
 missed the noon meal. 
 
 "Oh, yes!" Jessie exclaimed. "There s one 
 thing more: he said that he was coming up here 
 for a month, next summer, because the fishing is 
 so good around here. He asked if we took board 
 ers. I do so hope he comes; he was so nice. I 
 can t imagine anything much nicer than a banker s 
 son." 
 
 The meal continued in silence for a short time. 
 Later, Jessie again spoke: "What shall we do 
 after supper play games?" 
 
 "Yes, I just as soon," Bill responded willingly. 
 
 Joe only fidgeted in his chair. A moment later 
 he spoke nervously: "I am going to ask Bill to 
 help me with a few matters of importance in my 
 cabin first; after that we will come in and play 
 games, or whatever you like." 
 
 Bill looked wonderingly at Joe; Jessie as well. 
 
 "All right!" she replied. This arrangement 
 seemed to satisfy her. 
 
 Supper over, the two young men returned to 
 the sitting-room, while Jessie and her grand 
 mother washed the dishes. 
 
 "I would like to speak with you a few minutes," 
 Joe whispered softly to Bill, also taking him by 
 the arm and starting toward the door. 
 
 Bill was now curious to know what the trouble 
 could be, that Joe seemed so upset over; so he 
 went willingly with Joe, out of the house and 
 across the yard into Joe s cabin. After they had 
 
132 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 entered Joe shut the door securely and fastened it. 
 
 "Now, my man, listen here not a word to any 
 one remember! he began, with particular stress 
 on each word. "I may as well tell you first as 
 last who I am and why I m here. This is the 
 truth of the matter: I am a secret service detective 
 sent here from Washington. 
 
 But this was more than Bill could endure. At 
 last he had been traced. It was all over with for 
 him. Completely overcome, he sank into a chair 
 and began trembling in every muscle. 
 
 "Don t be alarmed!" continued the secret ser 
 vice detective provokingly. "There is nothing to 
 be afraid of. So long as you do not plot against 
 your country, steal or kill you need have no fear 
 of a secret service man. All I want is a little help 
 from you; so calm yourself and be brave like I 
 am." 
 
 "Now this is the way things stand," Joe went 
 on very importantly. "Remember, not a word to 
 anyone. All over the United States there are 
 bands of lawless men sordid and unprincipled 
 men called Anarchists. At a given time there 
 will be an uprising, and they will attempt to 
 overthrow the United States government. Now, 
 these men must be suppressed, for they are grow 
 ing in strength every day. It happens that one 
 of those bands are forming right here in these 
 mountains, where they hope not to be molested." 
 
 "Anarchists!" Bill interrupted. He had re 
 covered from his scare and sat upright on the 
 
STOEY OP THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 133 
 
 chair, looking up into Joe s face; but he was 
 dumfounded at this latter information. "An 
 archists in these mountains ! Impossible ! 
 
 "Nevertheless it is true," the detective replied 
 decidedly, "and I am sent here by the government 
 to suppress them, which I intend doing in short 
 order, if you will give me a little help. It was 
 just by a lucky chance that I dropped into their 
 rendezvous this evening. It upset me quite a little. 
 You know down in that ravine at the foot of this 
 mountain are some cabins?" 
 
 "Yes," Bill answered nervously. "I used to 
 sleep in one of them before I came up here." 
 
 "Did you? Well, it s in one of those cabins; 
 there they hold their meetings under cover of 
 darkness and then before morning all quietly dis 
 appear. One of them was already there on guard ; 
 he threatened to shoot me. The others will as 
 semble as soon as it is dark. So if you will come 
 with me I will show you something that will sur 
 prise you." 
 
 "I would rather not. I don t care to mix in 
 such business. Does Mr. Bradley know anything 
 about it?" 
 
 "Hush! not a word to anybody, or my plans 
 will be ruined. I expect to make a name for my 
 self out of this little affair. You must come. I 
 need an assistant. Remember! I have the author 
 ity to demand it of you ; so you had better come 
 peacefully. I should hate to arrest you. Do you 
 see that?" Joe hastily turned back the lapel of 
 
134 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 his vest and displayed a glittering star, and then 
 as hastily concealed it again, giving Bill a mere 
 glimpse. 
 
 "Well," Bill replied timidly, "if that is the case, 
 of course I ll do whatever you say." Bill did not 
 want to be arrested for several reasons. 
 
 "As soon as it is dark we will go together, 
 then," Joe answered with satisfaction. 
 
 "I think you ought to have more of your own 
 men. Two cannot capture a band of desperate 
 men." 
 
 "Have no fear; I shall do nothing to-night. I 
 merely want to learn their plans. Then if it is 
 necessary, I shall send for more of my men." 
 
 "All right," was the solemn reply. 
 
 "Come now," Joe said encouragingly, a little 
 later, moving toward the door. "I think it is 
 dark enough, and you know it will be darker 
 down in that ravine." Joe gave a slight shudder, 
 almost unnoticeable, at the word ravine . "Don t 
 let your nerve get away with you. There is noth 
 ing to fear. By the time you are as old as I, and 
 have had as much experience as I, in this line of 
 work, you will think nothing of a small matter 
 like this." 
 
 "I don t believe I d ever care to be a detective," 
 Bill answered truthfully, as they left the cabin 
 and hurried down the hill at a lively pace in the 
 deepening gloom. After reaching the fork at the 
 base of the hill, where the path led down into 
 the ravine, Joe paused; Bill followed his example. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS .135 
 
 i My! but it s dark down in there!" Joe uttered 
 alarmingly. "I can t see anything. Can you?" 
 
 4 Not very well," Bill answered, trying to 
 appear brave. "If we keep to the path though 
 we ll have no trouble." 
 
 "Well, you better go first, then, if you know the 
 way; you ve been down here .oftener than I," 
 Joe responded with the least quiver in his voice. 
 
 "All right," Bill offered reluctantly. Thus he 
 turned and started down the declivity with Joe 
 closely following. All was quiet except the gentle 
 murmuring of the stream below in the darkness, 
 as it ceaselessly moved along, or the swish of the 
 ferns as they brushed against the lower limbs of 
 the young fellows as they cautiously advanced. 
 
 "Be careful!" Joe expostulated, as he nearly 
 stumbled over a rock in the pathway. "I can t 
 see where I m going. It s as black as ink down 
 here. I wish I hadn t taken this damned job." 
 
 "I can see all right now," was the cheerful 
 reply. "We re coming to the bridge now. Be 
 careful!" He started over the bridge. 
 
 "Wait!" Joe cried with a quiver. "I m afraid 
 I ll fall in. Now I m all right," as he found his 
 footing on the narrow bridge. 
 
 After both were .safely across the bridge, the 
 assistant continued up the opposite path with his 
 superior closely following, until they were within 
 sight of the cabins. Here Bill paused. 
 
 "What are you going to do now?" he whispered 
 
13G BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 as he turned toward Joe. Shall we go any 
 closer?" 
 
 "No, w r ait!" Joe cautioned in a whisper. "I 
 shall watch here a bit first. We must be careful. 
 We have to think of our own hides. If they catch 
 us, they will make short work of us. Do nothing 
 only as I direct. Let us get behind this tree and 
 watch." 
 
 Bill followed Joe behind a large redwood, where 
 both sat down upon a projecting root to watch 
 developments. Not a sound was heard but the 
 rushing stream below them. 
 
 After a little Joe said softly: "I think I shall 
 go up to the cabin ; perhaps I shall learn something. 
 If I hear anything I ll let you know. I m getting 
 so s I can see better now." He arose to go. 
 
 "Which cabin was the man in?" Bill whispered. 
 
 "The second one; I took particular notice." 
 
 "Did you see him?" 
 
 "I only got a glimpse of him as he looked out 
 the broken window." 
 
 "What kind of a looking man was he?" 
 
 "He was a black, desperate-looking fellow, I 
 should judge about thirty years of age. I would 
 take him for a foreigner of some sort." 
 
 "What did he say to you?" 
 
 "He threatened to blow my brains out u I 
 didn t go away." Just then there came a crash, 
 through the stillness; Bill jumped up. 
 
 "What was that?" he asked. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 137 
 
 "A limb fell from one of those trees; I think 
 it hit that cabin the third one." 
 
 "Be careful then! It may arouse them! Get 
 behind the tree!" 
 
 Joe dove behind the tree and for a few minutes 
 the detective and his assistant breathlessly clung 
 to the shadow of the tree, dreading what the result 
 might be. Silence reigned, nothing disturbed the 
 quiet except the repeated squawking of some bird 
 aroused from its slumber by the falling limb. At 
 first it startled them; but when they realized what 
 it was and silence again settled around them, after 
 the bird had ceased its lament, Bill spoke: 
 
 "I don t believe they re there at all. We haven t 
 heard a sound from the cabins." 
 
 "I m going to the cabin now; if they re there 
 yet I think I can hear them talking from that 
 broken pane. If you hear anybody coming whistle 
 softly, so I can get away." 
 
 Joe very stealthily advanced toward the second 
 cabin. Bill watched him from his position by the 
 tree; saw him creep softly up to the window where 
 he paused with his ear at the broken pane. He 
 thought that Joe must be very brave to go so close 
 to such a place of danger. The least noise might 
 put him in the hands of the desperadoes within. 
 
 In a few minutes Joe left the window and tip 
 toed quickly back to where his anxious assistant 
 stood waiting. 
 
 "They re there," he whispered. "I heard one 
 of them speak in a louder tone than the rest; it 
 
138 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 was the same voice without doubt that I heard 
 this evening. It s the only thing I could dis 
 tinguish. They are very careful not to be over 
 heard. This is what he said: Dammit! What s 
 the matter with things anyhow? I ll be glad when 
 this business is over with! " 
 
 "What are you going to do now?" Bill asked 
 tremblingly. 
 
 "I m going back again to listen. I want to get 
 their plans if I can." Joe, obviously, was in his 
 glory now that he could see all right, caused partly 
 by his eyesight becoming accustomed to the dark 
 ness and partly because the light of the rising 
 moon becoming stronger. The queen of the night 
 had risen to the crest of the adjoining mountain 
 and was now looking down into the deep ravine 
 through the drooping branches of the ancient 
 sequoias. Just as he was about to start back 
 to the cabin, he turned and in a loud whisper said 
 to Bill: "Perhaps you had better get behind the 
 tree if you are afraid." Joe, himself, showed no 
 signs of nervousness. 
 
 So Bill stepped back toward the tree, but not 
 behind it. He wanted to see what the brave 
 secret service man would do. Joe crept softly back 
 to the window and stood there listening agam for 
 some time. Then he left the window and moved 
 noiselessly toward the door; here he listened a 
 moment, after which he carefully reached up his 
 arm, took the knob in his hand, unlatched the 
 door and slowly pushed it open; while he himself 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 139 
 
 stood hidden by the house from anybody within. 
 Bill nervously watched every movement, scarcely 
 daring to move, expecting any minute to see the 
 Anarchists dash out and capture Joe. He thought 
 the detective was doing a very risky thing in 
 opening the door; but then he, doubtless, knew 
 what was best to be done. The trembling youth 
 stood ready to run if Joe was captured. There 
 was no use in him being taken if he could escape. 
 As he watched excitedly, he saw Joe reach into 
 the room and catching the door underneath, 
 slowly drew it toward him, and when it was closed 
 he reached up again, took the knob within his 
 hand, gently latched the door and turned away. 
 
 Bill, who could hear the latch click from where 
 he stood, was afraid that the Anarchists, hearing 
 it as well, would be out upon them; so he stepped 
 behind the tree. 
 
 Joe was coming back to the tree w r ith long 
 strides when suddenly " something" went up the 
 slope from the rear of the cabin, through the 
 bushes like the shot out of a gun and then 
 suddenly stopped somewhere above. 
 
 "What was that!" exclaimed Joe in loud 
 whisper. 
 
 "I don t know! Whatever it was, it went 
 lively. I don t believe it could have been a man, 
 for surely no man could go like that." 
 
 "Maybe it was a dog or some wild animal! 
 Have you seen any wild animals around here?" 
 Joe shivered, as he was getting nervous. 
 
140 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "Not since I came; but one of the men at the 
 mill told me that several years ago he shot a 
 mountain lion somewhere in this ravine." 
 
 "A lion!" Joe gasped. "Well, come, we may as 
 well go. I ve done all I could to-night." 
 
 Thus the two boys turned and hurried down 
 the path and after crossing the bridge ascended 
 to the road above. 
 
 "Well, I m glad to be out of there anyhow," 
 Joe said, breathing a sigh of relief. They started 
 up the hill toward the vineyard. 
 
 "So am I," Bill returned, also relieved. "I 
 don t like that kind of business anyhow." 
 
 "It is nothing." 
 
 "Did you get what information you wanted, 
 Joe?" 
 
 "Well, not exactly; but to-morrow night we 
 shall probably have better luck. I don t think 
 there could have been many there; everything was 
 so quiet." 
 
 "To-morrow!" Bill repeated. "Will we have 
 to go again to-morrow? I think that I shall speak 
 to Mr. Bradley in the morning; he has charge of 
 these cabins and I think that he ought to know 
 what s going on in them." 
 
 "Don t do anything of the kind! * Joe an 
 swered firmly. "If you do, you ll ruin all of my 
 carefully laid plans. I expect to make a name for 
 myself out of this affair. If it gets out, the 
 Anarchists will change their meeting-place. So, 
 not a word." 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFOENIA REDWOODS 141 
 
 All right, Joe, just as you say. You surely 
 know what s best in cases like this." 
 
 "I certainly do! But I would like to know 
 what it was that went up that hillside so speedy 
 whether it was man or beast." 
 
 "There s only one person I know that could 
 go that fast," Bill said playfully. 
 
 "Who?" 
 
 "Jessie. When once she gets started, she can 
 go just like the wind." 
 
 "Jessie!" Joe exclaimed amazed. "So she s 
 really one of them! I ve suspected her from the 
 very first." 
 
 Bill immediately saw his mistake and was sorry 
 that he had mentioned Jessie s name; he knew that, 
 of course, it was not she. He had only spoken in 
 fun. Thus he had aroused Joe s suspicions, need 
 lessly, and might cause Jessie some trouble. 
 
 "A famous detective," Joe continued, "once 
 gave me a pointer. He said: When you are 
 working on a case, always look for a woman 
 first. So I have taken his advice and I always 
 look first for a woman; if there is no woman in 
 sight, I give up the case. If it hadn t been for 
 this woman if you can call her a woman I should 
 have been gone long ago." 
 
 Bill was amused, as well as indignant. "You 
 are certainly mistaken about Jessie having any 
 thing to do with these law-breakers, so you may 
 as well give up the idea." 
 
 "Perhaps I had," Joe responded softly. "Be- 
 
142 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 sides I don t believe she could have gone up that 
 hillside so quick anyhow." 
 
 By this time the detective and his assistant 
 had reached the house and were just about to enter. 
 
 "Remember, now; not a word to anybody," 
 Joe whispered cautiously. "Just walk right in as 
 though nothing had happened." 
 
 Joe opened the door, walked in with a careless 
 stride and tossed his hat upon a vacant chair. Bill 
 followed him into the room a little uncomposed. 
 Jessie was sitting by the table reading ; she looked 
 up upon hearing the boys enter. Her grand 
 mother was dozing in a rocker in the far corner 
 of the room. 
 
 "So you ve been reading," Joe remarked care 
 lessly, dropping into a rocker. 
 
 "Has anything happened?" Jessie asked won- 
 deringly, as she looked from one to the other. 
 
 "Why, no!" Joe answered quickly. "Nothing 
 at all. Why should you ask?" 
 
 "Why, you both look so scared! Your faces 
 are perfectly white ! 
 
 "Are they? W why it s the moon. I often 
 get that way when I go out in the moonlight. 
 Don t you, Bill?" 
 
 "Y yes," stammered Bill, who up to this time 
 had said nothing. 
 
 "Are you ready for your games?" Joe hurriedly 
 asked, to turn the conversation. 
 
 "Yes, I ve got a new game for this evening. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 143 
 
 I ve been thinking about it and reading while 
 you ve been gone." 
 
 "Can you read, and think of games at the 
 same time?" Joe asked sarcastically. "I can t." 
 Joe often made attempts at being funny. 
 
 "Yes I can!" she replied emphatically, plac 
 ing her book upon the table. "I don t know how 
 it is; I just guess I read with one eye and think 
 with the other." 
 
144 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 XI. 
 
 WORSE AND MORE OF IT 
 
 The next evening when Bill was returning from 
 work, he saw two suspicious-looking characters 
 going down into the ravine. He stopped and 
 watched them as they ascended the path leading 
 toward the cabins, until they were hidden from 
 view behind the shrubbery in the vicinity of the 
 cabins. Then he turned and hurried up the hill. 
 Joe was sitting in his doorway; so Bill told him 
 what he had seen. 
 
 Joe stood up and excitedly said: "You don t 
 say! Those are undoubtedly the men I am after. 
 So as soon as it is dark be on hand and we shall 
 see." 
 
 After assuring the detective that he would be 
 ready to help at the appointed time, Bill returned 
 to his cabin to wash, before going to the house. 
 As soon as he was ready, he came out and accom- 
 pained by Joe went to the house, where they found 
 supper awaiting them. 
 
 After supper was over, just as they had arisen 
 from the table, Joe stepped over toward Bill and 
 whispered in his ear: "Come, let us get out of 
 here, before we have this girl proposing some 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 145 
 
 game. If we have her on our hands it will ruin 
 everything. 
 
 So, hurriedly, both left the house, going toward 
 Joe s cabin as quickly as they dared. 
 
 "Hurry! Joe exclaimed. "She s comin ." 
 Bill turned just as he was entering, to see Jessie 
 standing on the front porch of the house, looking 
 in their direction. He entered, followed by his 
 companion, who hastily closed the door all but a 
 crack. 
 
 "She s gone back into the house," he said, 
 much relieved, after watching a moment. "It s 
 lucky we left when we did. I always bungle when 
 I have to make excuses." 
 
 While they waited for darkness, the young 
 fellows sat talking; Joe relating to Bill many of 
 his perilous adventures in the times gone by, and 
 how bravely he had always conducted himself. 
 When it still lacked half an hour of darkness, 
 Joe, getting up, said: 
 
 "I think we may as well start before it gets 
 too dark. Then I can get through the ravine 
 easier." 
 
 "Why -do you say I are there not two of 
 us?" Don t you include me?" Bill asked indig 
 nantly. 
 
 "Oh, yes, I have not forgotten you," was the 
 careless reply. "But you see to-night I am going 
 to act a little different. As soon as we reach the 
 bottom of the hill, I shall tell you what I want 
 you to do." 
 
146 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 They were then walking down the hill at a 
 brisk pace, through the deepening twilight. Below 
 them, in the ravine, was darkness, but looking 
 toward the west the trees still stood out plainly, 
 outlined aginst the faint glow that still lingered 
 in the western sky. Venus, queen-like, herald of 
 the night, already shone resplendent in the western 
 glow, and slowly, one by one, her attendants 
 appeared. 
 
 "Last night," Joe went on, as they had about 
 reached the bottom of the hill, "I noticed that 
 you were a little timid; so I am not going to take 
 you down into the ravine to-night. You must 
 learn to nerve yourself though, if you expect to 
 get along in this world." 
 
 Bill made no reply. At the fork both stopped. 
 
 "Now, my man, I ll tell you what I want you 
 to do," the detective commenced very authorita 
 tively. "Get behind those grape-vines at the side 
 of the road you may sit down if you wish and 
 wait for me. I have a whistle here. See it." 
 He took a whistle from his vest pocket and held 
 it up for his assistant s inspection. "If you hear 
 me blow this whistle, come as quickly as ever you 
 can ; if not, upon no condition whatever are you to 
 leave your position behind the grape-vines until I 
 return. So, remember: if you hear the whistle, 
 come as fast as your legs will carry you." 
 
 At this parting remark, our very brave secret 
 service man, unaccompanied, plunged into the dark 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 147 
 
 ravine, to watch alone on such a dangerous 
 mission. 
 
 Bill watched him until he disappeared in the 
 darkness; then he to obey orders crossed the 
 road and, stepping behind the grape-vines, sat 
 down on the dry earth, thinking what a brave 
 fellow Joe certainly was, to go down there alone 
 into a nest of Anarchists; he never could have 
 done it. For a long time he sat there in that 
 clear, warm July night, watching the scattered 
 stars and wondering what would happen. He 
 dreaded the sound of the whistle; it might mean 
 death. For surely if they were caught by such 
 desperate characters, they might expect the worst. 
 His thoughts made him nervous and set him trem 
 bling. As time went on the night grew brighter; 
 the bright light behind the hill toward the east 
 foretold that the moon would soon shine over it 
 into the ravine. More than once as he sat there 
 he wished that the grapes were ripe. He could 
 easily have disposed of a bunch while he waited. 
 There was a cluster hanging just by his arm; he 
 took them in his hand the grapes were small and 
 green; it would have been several months before 
 they were fit to eat. 
 
 Then, suddenly, through the stillness Bill heard 
 tb sharp report of a gun. The sound seemed to 
 come from the ravine and went echoing and re 
 echoing through the mountain canyons, like a 
 dozen shots instead of only one. 
 
 Bill jumped up, but remained standing behind 
 
148 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 the grape-vine, wondering what could have hap 
 pened. He was undecided what to do. Should he 
 go and see what the trouble was? No, Joe had 
 given him strict orders not to move unless he blew 
 the whistle; so he concluded that the best course 
 would be to obey orders, especially when they were 
 those of a secret service man from Washington. 
 Besides he was not anxious to go anyhow. If the 
 whistle blew he would go; otherwise, not. Then 
 he wondered if Joe had fired the shot, or if some 
 one had fired at him perhaps killing him; if so, 
 of course he could not blow the whistle. Well, 
 there was no use for him to go down if Joe was 
 dead; he would likely meet with the same fate. 
 
 As he .stood there trembling, at length he heard 
 somebody running down the hill. Could it be Joe? 
 No, surely he could not have gotten out of the 
 ravine without him noticing. As the runner came 
 closer Bill could see that it was a woman. 
 
 "It s Jessie!" he breathed almost aloud. Thus 
 he stepped out from behind the grape-vines to the 
 road, just as Jessie reached the bottom of the hill. 
 If this had been some young woman, doubtless 
 there would have been a scream when a man 
 jumped out from the bushes; but not so with 
 Jessie; she was afraid of nothing, as long as 
 there were no tramps or murderers about. Be 
 sides she knew, immediately, who it was. 
 
 "Jessie!" exclaimed Bill excitedly. "I wonder 
 what s happened?" 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 149 
 
 I heard a shot! I wonder if somebody has 
 been murdered?" 
 
 "I don t know! Joe s down there somewhere. 
 I hope he hasn t been shot. How did you get 
 here so quickly?" 
 
 "I was outside. I wondered what you boys 
 were doing." 
 
 Just then a sound came from the ravine like 
 a stifled cry from somebody, and they could hear 
 the bushes rustling as though some one were run 
 ning through them. 
 
 "Shall we go down and see what s up?" Jessie 
 asked wonderingly. 
 
 "No," was the decided reply. "It s not safe. 
 Besides Joe told me not to move, unless he blew a 
 whistle." 
 
 "But, he may be killed and then he couldn t 
 blow his whistle," she replied calmly. "What s 
 he doing down there anyhow?" 
 
 "He s watchin for somebody. I I don t know 
 exactly who." 
 
 "Well, let s go down and see, anyway. He may 
 be murdered. Thus she stepped toward the path. 
 
 "But aren t you afraid?" choked Bill. He 
 did not like the idea of going into that dark hole. 
 "There may be murderers down there," thinking 
 that this would deter Jessie from going down into 
 the dark abyss. 
 
 "Perhaps I won t be afraid. Not if we catch 
 the murderer. It s only when they re running 
 around loose that I m afraid; so if we can catch 
 
150 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 him I ll feel safer. Maybe after it s all over 
 with, I may have something, like I did the other 
 time. Come on!" With that she started to 
 descend. 
 
 "Wait, Jessie," her companion said nervously, 
 taking her by the arm to prevent her from going 
 into the ravine. "If I were you I wouldn t go 
 down there. You are risking your life. I I 
 think I may as well tell you the truth. There is 
 a nest of Anarchists forming down there in those 
 cabins, and Joe is a secret service man sent here 
 to watch them." 
 
 " Anarchists! What kind of things are those?" 
 she asked curiously. 
 
 "They are men who plot against their country." 
 
 "Well, if that s all," she returned unalarmed, 
 "we may as well go along down. I d rather meet 
 half a dozen of them whatever you called em 
 than one murderer. Anyway I shan t rest till I 
 know who s been shooting." 
 
 After this remark the fearless girl hurriedly 
 started down the path as if nothing could btx>p 
 her. Bill, not wanting to appear cowardly, very 
 unwillingly followed. 
 
 They had almost reached the stream, when they 
 again heard something plunging through the 
 bushes. Jessie stopped just as she reached the 
 bridge and crouched back behind a redwood sap- 
 pling. "Get back," she whispered, "he s comin . " 
 Bill stepped back close to Jessie. 
 
 Whoever it was on the opposite side was stag- 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 151 
 
 gering down the narrow path. The two awaited 
 him breathlessly. The noisy little stream was out 
 doing itself beneath. Bill hoped that the man 
 would pass by without seeing them. Just as the 
 oncomer was about to dive across the bridge, 
 Jessie whispered to Bill: 
 
 Grab him! Don t let him get by." 
 
 Bill had no such intention; he was just going 
 to caution Jessie to remain quiet when she sud 
 denly jumped to grab the approacher as he crossed 
 the bridge. Bill did likewise. Between the two 
 they captured him. 
 
 "Oh oh oh!" screamed the man, terrified. 
 "Let me go! How shall I ever get out of this 
 hole?" 
 
 "It s Joe!" Jessie exclaimed. 
 
 "Oh oh! It s you; you sc-sca you I I m 
 lost! Where am I? H-how can I get out of this 
 place?" All this came from what was left of 
 our very, very brave detective after one of his 
 thrilling adventures. 
 
 "Joe! What has happened?" Bill inquired ex 
 citedly. "Can t you tell us? Who was shooting?" 
 
 "Wh why didn t you come when I called 
 you?" the shaking detective demanded. 
 
 "Did you blow the whistle, Joe? I dildn t hear 
 it." 
 
 "N-no; I I forgot; but I hollered. Why didn t 
 you come? I got off on the wrong track some 
 how. I thought I would never get out." 
 
152 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 You told me not to move under any con 
 ditions unless you whistled." 
 
 "Th-that s so," the quivering detective recol 
 lected. "I forgot the whistle." 
 
 "What s the matter with you anyhow?" Jessie 
 asked, impatient to know what the trouble really 
 was. "Can t you tell us what s happened?" 
 
 "Y-yes. Somebody s been murdered." 
 
 "Who did it?" the girl gasped. 
 
 "I don t know exactly." 
 
 "Well, tell us what you know," Bill added im 
 patiently. 
 
 So, Joe, after calming himself as much as pos 
 sible, began: 
 
 "After I left you I went over to the cabins. 
 It took me a long while, for twice I lost the path 
 and got tangled up in the underbrush it was so 
 dark. But finally I saw a light; I knew that it 
 must have come from one of the cabins. So 
 using it as a guide, I crept along through the 
 bushes until I reached the cabins. I waited by 
 the tree for a little to see what would happen. 
 The light came from the second cabin, the same 
 that they were in last night. 
 
 "I could hear no sounds from where I was, so 
 I ventured over closer, where I could look in the 
 window. The first thing I saw was a burning 
 candle stuck in a bottle, which stood on an old 
 chair. Then as I looked closer I could see a 
 man s figure stretched out on one of the bunks 
 and another man sitting in a chair in the opposite 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA EEDWOODS 153 
 
 corner quietly smoking. While I watched, the man 
 in the chair picked up a gun that was standing 
 in the corner and coolly and deliberately aimed 
 it at the man on the bed. At first I supposed the 
 man was only examining it; but suddenly, to my 
 horror, a shot rang out. The man on the bed 
 jumped up to a sitting position for an instant; 
 then he dropped back dead! After that I ran 
 I mean I started back for you ; but I lost my way ; 
 I think I must have gone in the opposite direc 
 tion. I never had such an experience; at least not 
 for a long time." 
 
 "I can see the light from here," Jessie said, 
 with her usual composure, having taken a few 
 steps, beyond the bridge, after Joe had completed 
 his adventure. 
 
 "What became of the murderer?" Bill asked. 
 
 "I I don t know," Joe responded nervously. 
 "But come; let s get out of this place. I can t 
 stand I think nothing can be done to-night." 
 
 "Let s go up to the cabins first and see what 
 the trouble is for ourselves, Bill," Jessie added. 
 She was not over-anxious to believe all Joe had 
 had to say; but she knew something serious must 
 have happened. 
 
 "I wouldn t go to-night," Bill responded, not 
 caring to go himself. 
 
 But aren t you afraid ? Joe cautioned. There s 
 a dead man in that cabin," thinking to dissuade 
 her. 
 
 "What s there to be afraid of with a dead man? 
 
154 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 It s the live ones that I m afraid or. Perhaps if 
 we hurry we may be able to catch the murderer. 
 Come ahead. I m goin to see this thing out, now 
 I m started." 
 
 So Jessie started up the path with Bill follow 
 ing and the very brave secret service man only a 
 step behind Bill ; he would have been abreast with 
 him if the path had been wider. 
 
 Jessie, of course, was the first to reach the cabin. 
 She ascended the steps, and opening the door 
 without a knock entered. Bill followed, with Joe 
 left on the steps outside ; he would have been in 
 though, only the other two blocked the way. 
 
 The dead man lay on the bunk with one hand 
 hanging over the side, and was completely covered 
 with a blanket. The other man still sat in the 
 chair calmly smoking as if nothing had happened 
 just as Joe had described him. He partly arose 
 upon seeing the three enter; but changing his 
 mind, indifferently settled down again. 
 
 When Jessie entered the cabin she looked first 
 at one man, then at the other. It was the first she 
 had believed of Joe s story. 
 
 In a moment after entering, Bill stepped fur 
 ther into the room, thus giving Joe a chance to 
 enter, which he very bravely did, for everything 
 was very serene just then. 
 
 Bill looked at the bunk, where the dead man lay 
 completely covered with the blanket except for 
 the hand which hung over the edge. This was 
 almost more than he could bear; he wondered 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 155 
 
 if all murderers covered their victims with a 
 blanket. Even the blanket seemed to mock him. 
 Could he be losing his senses, or was it the tears 
 that gathered in his eyes that made it look like 
 another murder that he knew about? He looked 
 at the other bunk to see what was there; only an 
 old fish basket lay in one corner and the gun 
 stood beside the bunk. 
 
 Just as he turned to look at the murderer, the 
 fellow again arose and started for the door, as if 
 to escape. 
 
 But Jessie was too quick for him. When she 
 saw him start she hurriedly pushed the door shut 
 and stood before it. 
 
 " Don t let him escape! Grab him!" she ex 
 claimed, all in one breath. 
 
 Bill grabbed the man by the arm and held him, 
 while Joe importantly put his hand in his coat 
 pocket and drew forth a pair of hand-cuffs, which, 
 after much fumbling, he at length fastened on 
 the man s hands. He was getting more composed 
 every minute. After securing the murderer s 
 hands, he bravely drew forth from his hip pocket 
 a revolver, and in a very commanding tone said: 
 
 "Step along here, now, my man! So you would 
 murder your fellow man, would you? Well, we ll 
 see about that!" 
 
 The man made no move to go; so Joe spoke 
 again ; this time pointing toward the door with his 
 revolver. At this, the guilty one, doubtless think 
 ing it best to obey orders, started toward the 
 
156 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 door, muttering something incoherently as he 
 advanced. Jessie opened the door to give him 
 exit. Thus he went out of the house and started 
 down the path with Joe following pointing the 
 revolver at the man s back. The other two brought 
 up the rear. Thus, in due time, this little proces 
 sion reached the upper road, where all stopped. 
 
 The golden moon had, by this time, reached the 
 summit of the opposite mountain and was then 
 flooding the open place in the ravine with its soft 
 light. Perhaps it wondered what this little drama 
 enacted in its light could possibly be about, as 
 it passed over the mountain-top. 
 
 What are you going to do with him?" Bill 
 asked a moment after pausing. 
 
 "Shall I get a rope?" Jessie asked, beginning 
 to get excited. 
 
 "No, we don t need a rope," Joe replied 
 promptly. "He s got hand-cuffs on; that s 
 enough." 
 
 "Yes, but aren t you going to hang him?" 
 
 "Why, no, Jessie! You can t do that!" Bill 
 responded, horrified. "That would be lynching. 
 We must send him to Santa Cruz, where he will 
 have a fair trial. Then if the jury find him guilty 
 they may hang him." Bill shivered at the un 
 pleasant thoughts. 
 
 "Well, have your own way. Where there s a 
 man around I believe in letting him run things. 
 But for my part I d feel safer if he was strung 
 up here somewhere. That s the way they did the 
 
-STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 157 
 
 other one. Father tried to stop them; but he 
 said afterwards he guessed it was as good a way 
 as any." 
 
 Joe still held the revolver, pointing it at the 
 murderer. For a few moments he stood quietly, 
 then he began muttering and throwing his arms 
 about frantically trying to free his hands. 
 
 "I believe he s crazy. 1 Bill spoke in an under 
 tone. 
 
 "He acts like it," Joe approved. 
 
 "Hush up, will you!" Jessie said to the man 
 violently, stamping her foot as she spoke. 
 
 After that the fellow quieted down. 
 
 "I think," Joe began slowly, "if you will be 
 so kind as to go and get my horse and cart and 
 my few duds, that I will at once start for Santa 
 Cruz. There is no use waiting until morning as 
 I have the light of the moon; and besides I ex 
 pect to make a name for myself out of this case ; 
 so you see I am anxious to get to town. 
 
 "All right," Jessie consented. "We ll go and 
 get everything for you." 80 Jessie and Bill hur 
 ried off up the hill to get the desired objects, leav 
 ing Joe alone, still pointing the revolver at the 
 unfortunate fellow. 
 
 "I really hate to send him to jail," Bill said 
 sorrowfully as they hurried up the hill. "I almost 
 wish that he would escape. Perhaps it was only 
 a mistake; the man might not have intended kill 
 ing his friend." 
 
 "Escape!" gasped the girl. "Do you realize 
 
158 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 what you re saying? If a man like that s left 
 around loose, he ll kill every one of us. Don t you 
 worry about it being a mistake; people don t make 
 mistakes of that kind. I think I know what I m 
 talking about; I ve had them to deal with all my 
 life. It seems as though I can t move without a 
 murdering following me about." 
 
 Bill felt that she spoke the truth, but made no 
 reply. ; 
 
 When they reached home, the boy went to fhe 
 barn to get the horse and cart, while the girl 
 hurried to Joe s cabin to get his things. In a short 
 time she returned carrying his suit-case. Bill 
 had about finished hitching. 
 
 "I hope I ve got everything," she called, as she 
 advanced. Jessie was not sorry to have Joe de 
 part; nor did she want to miss any of his belong 
 ings, so he would have to return for them. "Are 
 you ready?" she queried. 
 
 "Yes, I m ready," he acquiesced. "Jump in! 
 
 Jessie placed the detective s suit-case on the 
 bottom of the cart and then hopped In herself. 
 Bill, taking the lines in his hand, stepped in and 
 sat down beside his friend. Thus they started 
 down the hill. 
 
 "This is far better than walking, anyhow," 
 Jessie said gladly, as they started off. 
 
 When they had nearly reached the bottom of 
 the hill, they could see Joe, by the light of the 
 moon, still pointing the revolver at the murderer, 
 who stood sullenly with his hands before him. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 159 
 
 "I m afraid Joe 11 kill that fellow before he gets 
 through, if he isn t careful," Bill ventured. 
 
 "Well, maybe it would be just as well if he 
 did," the girl responded heartlessly. "I ll never 
 feel safe as long as I know he s alive." 
 
 As soon as they reached the spot where Joe 
 and his prisoner stood, Bill stopped the horse and 
 both jumped out. 
 
 "Your things are in the cart, Joe. I hope I got 
 everything," Jessie said hurriedly, as she jumped 
 out. 
 
 "Never mind, if you didn t I ll come back if 
 anything s left some day when I m not busy, and 
 get it," Joe answered gallantly. 
 
 "Now, my man," he continued, "we ll soon have 
 you where you won t kill any more of your fellow 
 creatures. Get in there." 
 
 ;But the man made no move to obey. 
 
 "Lively now; do as you re told! In with you!" 
 This time the detective pointed at the cart forci 
 bly, and the prisoner, muttering as he went, step 
 ped into the cart and sat down. He evidently 
 concluded that it was just as well to obey orders. 
 
 "I believe he s deaf," Jessie whispered to Bill, 
 as the fellow entered the cart. 
 
 "Joe!" said Bill, strongly. "You better be care 
 ful how you flourish that revolver around; it may 
 go off and kill that fellow." 
 
 "Come here!" said Joe, taking Bill by the arm, 
 and, leading him a little aside, he whispered: 
 "Have no fear. It s not loaded." He, obviously, 
 
160 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 would not care to carry a loaded revolver around 
 with him. It might go off. 
 
 4 * Well, I m glad of that," Bill answered, feeling 
 relieved. " You d feel awfully if you killed a 
 man. 
 
 After this the secret service man returned to the 
 cart, and, just as he was about to get in, turned 
 and said: 
 
 "Before I go, Bill, I want to thank you for your 
 kind assistance; it will greatly help me to win 
 fame, I m sure. I m really sorry, though, to have 
 troubled you at all. I could just as well have taken 
 the man alone." Then, turning toward Jessie, this 
 time removing his hat with a sweeping bow, said: 
 "And you, too, Miss Jessie; I wish to thank you 
 for your kind help; you certainly are a very brave 
 young woman. This night s doings you will always 
 remember among the pleasant little incidents of 
 your mountain life." 
 
 Then, with another sweeping bow, he replaced 
 his hat, which he had been holding in his hand, 
 and, taking his seat in the cart, drove off down 
 the road through the moonlight and the shadows. 
 
 Bill and Jessie stood there for a few minutes 
 watching them until the cart disappeared around 
 a curve in the road. 
 
 "Did you ever hear anything to equal that?" 
 Jessie laughed. "Very brave young woman! 
 Pleasant little incidences of your mountain life ! 
 Pugh! He certainly isn t very brave!" 
 
 "No; I don t believe he s very truthful, either." 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 161 
 
 Bill had begun to doubt the veracity concerning 
 some of the things Joe had told him. "I wonder 
 what s best to be done with the dead man." 
 
 " Leave him there till morning," Jessie advised. 
 1 Hell keep." 
 
 "Well, come; let s go home then." 
 
 "I wish father was home; he d know what s best 
 to do." 
 
 Thus they started silently up the hill, the one 
 wishing that the murderer would escape, the other 
 wishing equally as hard that he would not. 
 
162 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 XII. 
 
 SOME EXPLANATIONS. 
 
 "Are you up?" 
 
 Bill was awakened by somebody pounding on 
 his door the morning after the unfortunate acci 
 dent. 
 
 "Are you up?" the voice came again. It was 
 Jessie speaking. 
 
 "Yes! What s the matter?" called Bill, jump 
 ing out of bed and commencing to dress. 
 
 "I ve got something to tell you; so hurry!" 
 
 "I ll be there in a minute!" 
 
 Jessie went down the steps to await her friend. 
 She looked toward the east, where the sun was just 
 rising over the distant hills and flooding the moun 
 tain .sides with a faint, rosy glow. 
 
 Bill soon opened the door, and came out, asking 
 excitedly: "What s happened now, Jessie?" 
 
 "What you you think?" she asked, as she turned 
 and faced Bill. "I got up early I couldn t sleep 
 and went down to have a look at things in the 
 cabin, and see how the dead man was." 
 
 "Goodness! I hope you didn t go down there 
 alone this early in the morning," Bill gasped, 
 dumfoundedly. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 163 
 
 "Why not?" she inquired, as though it were 
 nothing unusual for her to rise before sun-up and 
 go for a walk. "But listen; the man s gone 
 blanket and all." 
 
 "Gone! Who could have removed him this 
 early in the morning? Surely, the coroner couldn t 
 get here this quick." 
 
 "Say, Bill," Jessie asked in an undertone, "did 
 you ever hear of a dead man coming back to 
 life?" 
 
 Why, no, Jessie ! That would be impossible ! 
 Bill wished, as he looked off at the rising sun, that 
 such things could be possible. 
 
 "Well," the excited girl continued, "when I 
 was going down the hill, just as I reached the 
 bottom, and was about to turn down the path into 
 the ravine, I saw a man leisurely walking down 
 the road toward the mill. I remember now, he had 
 a blanket just like the one we saw last night, 
 strapped over his shoulder. Dead or alive, I be 
 lieve it s the same man." 
 
 "Perhaps he wasn t killed, after all," Bill re 
 marked, feeling relieved. "Joe must have been 
 lying to us." 
 
 "Do you want to go down and see for your 
 self?" 
 
 "Not now. Wait until I go down to the mill. I ll 
 look then. There s no need to look, anyway, if 
 he s gone." 
 
 "All right. I ll go in and get breakfast, so you 
 can get an early start. Come in whenever you re 
 
164 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 ready." Jessie turned and hurried off toward 
 the house, as if it were necessary to have break 
 fast an hour earlier than usual. 
 
 Bill re-entered his cabin, and lay down to rest 
 until breakfast time, for he had got but little sleep 
 during the night. It seemed to him that he had 
 only just gone to sleep when the pounding com 
 menced on his door. 
 
 When Bill went in to breakfast, Jessie came up 
 to him and whispered: "I ve been trying to tell 
 granny all about it; but such a time as I had. 
 First, she thinks you ve been murderin some 
 body; then she thinks I m telling her something 
 I read in a story-book. Now, I don t know what 
 she thinks. I guess I won t tell her any more 
 about it; there s no good scaring her." 
 
 "Just as well as not," Bill responded, for want 
 of something to say. 
 
 After breakfast he started down the hill, won 
 dering whether or not he should go over to the 
 cabins and see how things were. Finally, he con 
 cluded that he would go directly to the mill and 
 tell Mr. Bradley what had happened. Joe had 
 gone, and, besides, he had begun to doubt the de 
 tective s veracity. 
 
 Having informed the foreman of the previous 
 night s tragedy, and what Joe had said about the 
 Anarchists, after reaching the mill, the two men 
 went together back to the cabins. Upon entering, 
 Bill first looked toward the bunk where the dead 
 man lay so quietly the night before; it certainly 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 165 
 
 was empty. The gun was still standing by the 
 bunk, and the fish basket lay in the corner where 
 he had noticed it previously. A bottle ornamented 
 with candle grease also stood on the empty bunk, 
 where it had burned itself out. The young people 
 had thoughtlessly left it burning. 
 
 "Well," began Mr. Bradley, "your corpse cer 
 tainly has disappeared. Who do these things be 
 long to?" 
 
 "I don t know. Perhaps to the other man the 
 one who was arrested. If this fellow was the 
 owner, surely he would have taken them with 
 him." 
 
 "Come, now, we may as well go; we can do 
 nothing. No doubt, somebody will come from 
 town soon, and then we can talk it over. I will 
 take these things and care for them until we find 
 out who the owner is. I believe I shall have these 
 cabins torn down; they have caused us trouble 
 several times before. As to the Anarchists you 
 speak of it is absurd to think of such a thing. 
 If there were such doings going on around here, 
 I think I would know something about it myself. 
 Miller evidently was fooling you." 
 
 "Yes; but there must be something up, or else 
 why should he be here? He s been staying around 
 here several days. Surely, not to watch two 
 tramps." 
 
 "Perhaps we ll know before the day s over 
 Come now." 
 
 Mr. Bradley left the cabin, followed by the 
 
166 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 youth, and together they returned to the mill to 
 resume their day s work. 
 
 That afternoon, after Bill had returned from 
 work, just as he was about to enter his cabin, he 
 heard somebody driving up the hill. He waited to 
 see who it was, hoping that it would be Mr. An 
 derson. He was right. Just as Mr. Anderson 
 turned and drove into the yard, his daughter glee 
 fully ran out of the house and down to meet him. 
 
 "Here s father now," the girl called, as she 
 passed Bill. "I must tell him everything." 
 
 The two hurried on toward the barn, where Mr. 
 Anderson had already stopped, and, after getting 
 out of the cart, began unhitching the horse. 
 
 "Father!" Jessie began, rather excitedly. 
 "We ve nearly had another murder. A man shot 
 another man in one of the cabins down in the 
 ravine, and we thought he was dead. This morn 
 ing he was gone." 
 
 "Yes, so I understand. That s what I came 
 home for," drawled out Mr. Anderson, apparently 
 indifferent. He was one of those men who, while 
 speaking, the listener always wishes that he could 
 pump it out of him just a little bit faster. He 
 was very different from his daughter in this re 
 spect. "I m afraid," he cont ; nued, drawling, as 
 he limped about the horse unfastening the straps,- 
 "that you young people have been making some 
 mistakes, if what I hear is correct; but then I sup 
 pose I really am most to blame myself." 
 
 "Why so, father?" 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 167 
 
 "Well, you see, it s just this way: Last fall, 
 when we were gathering the grapes, there were 
 two men here who worked for me for a time ; 
 but as they were of little use, except to drink wine, 
 I finally discharged them. They left me and went 
 to the cabins down in the ravine, where they con 
 tinued to cause trouble. It seems that the fellows 
 were playing cards one night, when one of the men 
 accused the other of cheating. It was the same 
 old story." (Bill shivered.) "A fight ensued, 
 and if it hadn t been for the timely interference 
 of Casey, one of the mill hands who occupied the 
 adjoining cabin, there might have been murder." 
 (Bill wished that somebody had interfered with a 
 certain fight that he remembered.) "I finally had 
 to send for the sheriff and have the men arrested." 
 
 "What else did they do, father?" 
 
 "A few days ago, when I was driving to town, 
 I saw two men walking along the road, not far 
 from here, coming in this direction. They looked 
 to me like the same two that caused the trouble 
 last year, so naturally it worried me to think I 
 would be away and you and your grandmother 
 here alone. I was afraid they might come up here 
 and cause you trouble." 
 
 "You don t need to worry about us, father," 
 Jessie broke in. 
 
 "Now wait; let me finish. When I got to town 
 I happened to run across the sheriff; so I asked 
 him if he knew what had become of the men. He 
 told me that they had been arrested several times 
 
168 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 since for various offenses. Then I informed him of 
 how I had passed th& man when I was driving to 
 town. I also advised him to be ready in case they 
 caused us trouble up here again if I should send 
 for him. 
 
 "The sheriff told me that he would send a man 
 up, anyhow; but I told him not to do anything of 
 the kind, for that would be a needless waste of 
 money. The sheriff replied by saying, Well, it s 
 just this way: I have a young man that is very 
 anxious to become a great detective. Now, such 
 a case as this would be just the thing to nerve the 
 boy for a beginner, as there is not likely to be 
 any real trouble, anyhow. If you ll let him stay 
 at your home a few days, I ll send him up there 
 \vith instructions to watch around the cabins a lit 
 tle while in the evenings. If there is any trouble 
 which I doubt he probably can settle it. Any 
 way, I want to see what this boy s made of. So 
 I agreed; I suppose it s as good a way as any to 
 dispose of the county s funds. Also I was glad 
 to have somebody up here with you while I was 
 away." Here Mr. Anderson paused. 
 
 "But," broke in Bill, indignantly, "he told me 
 that he was a secret service man sent here from 
 Washington; and that there was a nest of An 
 archists forming here in the mountains; and that 
 they met here every night in one of the cabins. 
 Twice he got me to go down there with him to 
 watch both last night and the night before." 
 
 "Ha-ha-ha!" Mr. Anderson broke forth. "A 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFOENIA REDWOODS 169 
 
 little scheme all of his own to get you to accom 
 pany him, as doubtless he was afraid to go alone. 
 A nice detective he would make afraid to watch a 
 couple of tramps alone." 
 
 I d like to get hold of him again; I d soon tell 
 him what I think of him," Bill returned, with a 
 disgusted look on his face. "He tried to make 
 every one here think he was very brave. If I d 
 known it was only two tramps I d just as soon 
 have gone down there alone." 
 
 "Tramps!" Jessie exclaimed, shivering. "If I d 
 known they were tramps I don t believe you d 
 ever got me down there." 
 
 "Now," Mr. Anderson continued, drawling, "as 
 to this man whom you sent down to jail, I m afraid 
 you made a great mistake." 
 
 "Why, papa? Would you let a man like that 
 run around loose? He might kill every one of 
 us." 
 
 "We only did as Joe directed us," Bill ven 
 tured, meekly. 
 
 "Well, perhaps you are not to blame," Mr. An 
 derson answered. "I suppose I ought to blame 
 myself for having spoken to the sheriff. If I 
 have left matters alone, doubtless all would have 
 gone on as usual. What is more, I doubt now if 
 either of these were the men I supposed them to 
 be. Anyway, the arrested man was nobody I had 
 ever seen before." 
 
 "What did they do to him, father? I hope they 
 didn t hang him." 
 
170 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "Now wait a minute," her father interrupted, 
 impatiently. "If you ll give me a chance I ll tell 
 you about him. The man is not a murderer any 
 more than you or I, nor did he attempt murder." 
 
 "But, father; Joe saw the man shoot directly 
 at the other, even if he didn t kill him. It s the 
 next thing to murder." 
 
 "Now, just listen to me, if you wish to hear 
 about your man," her father insisted, forcibly, 
 "and don t keep interrupting. The fellow told us 
 that when he and his companion went into the 
 cabin, where they intended spending the night, 
 they at first supposed the cabin was uninhabited, 
 as it was quite dark when they entered, and they 
 could see nothing in the bare room. One of the 
 men immediately lay down in one of the bunks, 
 and covered himself with an old blanket which 
 was lying there; he was tired after a long tramp 
 which the two had taken during the day, and was 
 ready to sleep. This other the one Joe arrested 
 sat down in a chair, and began smoking. He told 
 that, after he had been smoking a few minutes, he 
 saw a bottle standing on the floor; he picked it 
 up to find a candle sticking in it. Then he lighted 
 the candle, so that he might the better examine the 
 habitation. The first thing he noticed was the gun 
 standing in the corner, and a few other things. 
 This made him think that possibly the cabin was 
 utilized by somebody. So he sat there, quietly 
 smoking, and waiting to see if any one came; if 
 so, he intended leaving. After a little he said that 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 171 
 
 he picked the gun up and began examining it. 
 Accidentally, it exploded. The fellow said that 
 he didn t know much about firearms." 
 
 "But, father, Joe told us that he saw the man 
 on the bunk rise and then fall back dead," Jessie 
 edged in, not yet satisfied that the man was not a 
 murderer. 
 
 I wouldn t place too much faith in what Joe 
 says; he seems to misconstrue things. It may be, 
 though, that when the gun exploded the man was 
 aroused from his sleep, and sat up suddenly, and 
 then, not realizing just what happened, lay down 
 again and resumed his sleep." 
 
 "That must have been the way of it," Bill com 
 mented. "You can hardly blame Joe, though, for 
 being alarmed; it certainly looked like murder." 
 
 "Then another thing," Mr. Anderson resumed 
 his story, "the man said that when you all entered 
 he supposed that it must be your cabin, and he 
 arose to go, but you, with a different idea, grab 
 bed him, and thus sent him to town." 
 
 "Well, why couldn t he have told us that, in 
 stead of growling so much?" Jessie added, disgust 
 edly, i 
 
 "The man was a foreigner, and could speak no 
 English at all. He just came to this country a 
 few months ago. His companion could speak some 
 English, he said, but he none. The sheriff had to 
 get one of his countrymen to interpret for him. 
 The men were coming to the mill looking for work. 
 
172 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 Joe was very much crestfallen when he learned 
 what an absurd mistake he had made." 
 
 "He ll lose his job for telling such lies, won t 
 he, father?" Jessie inquired, anxiously. 
 
 "Well, I don t know about that," Mr. Anderson 
 said, smilingly. "Not so long as the present 
 sheriff holds his office, anyway; you see he s one 
 of the sheriff s poor relations. Now, I must go 
 into the barn and see if everything s all right." 
 
 iThus Mr. Anderson started limping toward the 
 barn. 
 
 "Are you home for good, papa?" 
 
 "No; I ll be here a day or so, though; then I 
 must leave you again for a few days." 
 
 After this the young people started and walked 
 toward the cabins. 
 
 "Doesn t it beat all?" Jessie laughed. "And 
 just think how I might have had that poor fellow 
 strung up somewhere, if I had been running 
 things." 
 
 "Yes, Jessie; that is where the danger of lynch 
 ing comes in. Innocent men are often suspected 
 of doing things they never think of doing. You 
 see, I told you it might have been a mistake." 
 
 Bill wished that another murder that he knew 
 about had turned out as pleasantly as this one. 
 
 "Yes, you were right," Jessie acknowledged. 
 "When I get old and can t get about very well, 
 I m going to write a book about all the things 
 that have happened to me up here. It would make 
 good reading. Don t you think so?" 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 173 
 
 "Yes, fine. And what will you call your book 
 Tramps and Murderers ?" 
 
 "No, indeed; I shall call it Pleasant Little Inci 
 dences of a Mountain Life , she replied, with a 
 seemingly affected manner. 
 
174 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 XIII. 
 
 MOUNTAIN GUESTS TOM, DICK AND HARRY. 
 
 One morning, while weeding in her garden, 
 Jessie heard the honking of an automobile coming 
 from the opposite side of the house. She dropped 
 her hoe, with which she had been weeding, and 
 hurried to the front of the house, where she could 
 see who it was. The car had stopped near the 
 winery, and the people were getting out. 
 
 There were five in the party, including the man 
 who drove. The other four consisted of two men 
 one was tall, slim and fair-haired; the other, as 
 well as the two women were short, pudgy people, 
 of swarthy complexion. The women both wore 
 automobile veils, which were very much in evi 
 dence as they fluttered in the mountain breeze. 
 The two couples got out of the car as Jessie 
 approached; but the driver remained seated. 
 
 "Good morning," said the tall, slim man pleas 
 antly, as Jessie stopped before them, also bidding 
 them "good morning" in return. 
 
 "We understand that you have a winery up 
 here?" the pudgy man inquired. 
 
 "Yes," Jessie replied complacently. "That s 
 it over there." She pointed toward the winery 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 175 
 
 just back of the party. "Will you come in?" 
 
 "I I don t think we d better," commented one 
 of the ladies. "D-do you have any wine at this 
 season of the year? We thought it would be so 
 nice if we could get a little pure mountain wine 
 from one of the wineries." She smiled affectedly 
 while speaking. 
 
 "Well, if you don t care to come in," Jessie 
 continued courteously, come over to the porch 
 and see the view. It is finest from there." 
 
 "But " the short man began hesitatingly. 
 "Well, come; let s go over and see the view." 
 he concluded, turning toward the others. 
 
 Jessie started ahead, the guests following very 
 reluctantly as if it were too far for them to walk. 
 It was not scenery they had come to the vine 
 yard for. 
 
 "What do you think of that?" Jessie cried, 
 stopping in front of the house and looking off 
 over the magnificent scenery that she never tired 
 looking at. 
 
 "Oh, isn t that beautiful!" replied the woman 
 nearest her, in a tone that might have been con 
 sidered as ironical. The others made no reply, 
 but stood looking toward the south. 
 
 "Now, would you like to see my garden?" Jessie 
 asked of the woman who had spoken. 
 
 "Well, really, I m afraid we won t have time. 
 I d like to; but you see we re in somewhat of a 
 hurry," the woman returned with a forced smile. 
 
 "Would you mind showing us through the 
 
176 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 winery?" the stout man asked. "The ladies are 
 very anxious to see how the wine is made." 
 
 "All right," Jessie replied briefly, as she 
 quickly started toward the winery, with the guests 
 following. She appeared the least bit upset; she 
 always had a formula for showing her home to 
 visitors; and she liked to have them follow her 
 about as she directed. The winery came last. 
 These people were unmanageable. 
 
 Jessie led her guests into the winery, where she 
 showed them the presses and other necessities 
 used in making the wine, and explained the pro 
 cess of wine-making, at which the party seemed 
 very much pleased. Then Jessie led the way 
 down stairs, where she pointed to the huge vats, 
 in which the juice was left to ferment. Just as 
 she was stepping toward the cellar-door, doubt 
 less to get some wine for her company, one of the 
 women said: 
 
 "Could you let us try a little of your wine? 
 We would enjoy it ever so much." 
 
 "Well," Jessie responded abruptly, coming away 
 from the door, "I m sorry, but it s all in the 
 cellar and I haven t the key." 
 
 "Oh, you keep it locked, do you?" the pudgy 
 man inquired sarcastically. 
 
 "Father believes in taking every precaution. 
 If he were here, I m sure he would let you have 
 some. He went to Santa Cruz to-day to get some 
 things we need. You must come again." After 
 that she moved quickly toward the stairs and 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 177 
 
 began to ascend them. The guests looked at one 
 another disappointedly and shrugged their shoul 
 ders, but followed Jessie up the stairs and out of 
 doors. Soon they were in their car again and 
 resumed their journey. 
 
 That evening Jessie was waiting for Bill by 
 his cabin, when he returned from the mill, eager 
 to relate to him the day s doings. 
 
 "They had the cheek to ask me for it," she 
 said indignantly after relating the incident. * Well, 
 I just wouldn t give em any. I told em I hadn t 
 the key. All the time the door was unlocked." 
 
 "Perhaps you ought to have given them some 
 anyway, Jessie." 
 
 "I don t care. I don t like people like that," 
 was the decided reply. "If they had waited and 
 given me time, I should have treated them as I 
 do everybody else. Nothing I did seemed to suit 
 them." 
 
 "That s the way with some people/ 
 
 "There s one thing, though: I would like to 
 have had a ride in their car. I never had a ride 
 in one." 
 
 "Didn t you? They re awful nice." 
 
 "Have you had many rides?" 
 
 "Only a few. The best ride I had was with 
 Tom and his uncle ; he took us up the coast to the 
 Portland Cement plant, and back." 
 
 "Who s Tom?" Jessie asked curiously. 
 
 "He s a friend of mine." 
 
 "Is he a nice boy?" 
 
) ) 
 
 178 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 Yes he WAS," Bill blundered. 
 
 "Was!" she repeated. "Well isn t he now? 
 
 "W-well." Bill was getting nervous. "H-he s 
 dead now." 
 
 "What did he die of?" inquisitively. 
 
 I I don t remember. I I don t know exactly. 
 The situation was growing very unpleasant for 
 Bill. He wished he had kept still about Tom. 
 This was a lesson for him to be careful in future. 
 
 "Did you go to the funeral?" Jessie went on. 
 This was almost as good as a murder story for 
 her. 
 
 "N-no. I didn t. Well, the fact is: I was 
 called out of town before it began," he stammered 
 truthfully. "But I must go now and get washed 
 for supper." He swung on his heel and hurried 
 off to his cabin to avoid further questioning. He 
 could endure it no longer. 
 
 In the evening they sat talking upon the ver 
 anda until night had drawn before them its dark 
 curtain, hiding from them the beauties of the 
 outdoor world. 
 
 "Come," Jessie said rising. "We may as well 
 go inside." Bill arose and followed her into the 
 house, where Mr. Anderson had already lighted 
 a lamp and sat reading in his favorite rocker. 
 Mrs. Anderson had already retired to her sleeping- 
 room, tired after her hard day s work. 
 
 "I ll tell you what we ll do," Jessie cried sud 
 denly. "Would you like to have me read you a 
 story? This afternoon I was reading in one of 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA BEDWOODS 179 
 
 the magazines, and I found the cutest little story; 
 I m sure you ll like it. Shall I read it to you? I 
 think perhaps I can put more expression into it 
 than you could by reading it yourself, as I ve 
 already read it once." 
 
 "Yes," the youth replied frankly. "It ll be 
 fine! Go ahead!" 
 
 "Well, you light the lamp, while I find the 
 magazine; and then we ll go over in the opposite 
 corner so we won t disturb father." 
 
 So while Bill lighted the lamp, Jessie hunted 
 through some magazines lying on the table, until 
 she found the desired one, after which both sat 
 down Bill on the sofa, and Jessie in a rocker by 
 the table, where she would get the full benefit of 
 the light. After finding the desired page, she 
 began reading in a sweet, low tone so as not to 
 disturb her father the following story: 
 Tom, Dick and Harry. 
 
 There s just three of us; that s enough, though; 
 we wouldn t want any more; if we did, there d be 
 trouble. We have grand times, too, away up 
 here on the mountain top, where we live. There s 
 much more fun bein three, than if it were only 
 one. It s much more fun rollin down the green 
 hill when there s three than if it were only one. 
 We can roll and tumble all in a heap. Oh, but 
 it s fun! 
 
 There s just three of us Tom, Dick and Harry. 
 I m Dick, Tom s Tom and Harry s Harry. If 
 you saw us you couldn t tell which was which; 
 
180 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 we re all just alike we re triplets, you know. 
 We re all the same size; all got red hair, blue 
 eyes and freckled face; but it doesn t matter 
 much away up here on the mountain top. No 
 body ever sees us, except father and mother, and 
 they don t count. Besides father s away all the 
 time except when we re asleep; and mother s too 
 busy to look at us; she always says, "run off and 
 play." We wear hats just alike, shirts just alike, 
 and pants just alike. That s all; we never wear 
 shoes and stockings only sometimes. We like it 
 best without. 
 
 Whatever one of us does, the others do; we all 
 talk together; we all whistle and sing together. 
 When we go to school, we all three go together; 
 it s much better than being only one and having 
 to go alone; much more fun. We walk in a row; 
 I m always in the middle. I like the middle best, 
 because then I have some one on both sides of 
 me. We each carry a little dinner pail and always 
 whistle as we go just alike; we never get out of 
 tune. Oh! but it s such fun, to be three of us! 
 
 We ve got a gun, too only one gun; that s 
 enough. We all shoot with it, though. First, Tom 
 shoots, then I shoot, then little Harry shoots. 
 Harry isn t little; he s just as big as the rest of 
 us; but bein he always comes last it makes him 
 seem littler. Sometimes I call Tom my big 
 brother; he isn t any bigger than ME, though. 
 When we re not shooting we carry the gun 
 Tom first, for a little while, then me, then Harry. 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 181 
 
 Sometimes we each bring home a little rabbit; we 
 never shoot more than one apiece; that s enough 
 for one time. Sometimes we shoot birds instead 
 of rabbits;, then we kill more than one apiece, 
 because they re good and we like to eat them. 
 Oh! but it s such fun we have together, we three. 
 It s so much better than if it were only one. 
 
 We never have any trouble. If we fight, it s 
 always in fun; and we all fight together. We 
 stand in a triangle; then each fellow punches one 
 fellow with one fist and the other one with the 
 other fist. That makes things even. We never 
 punch hard, though. Oh; but it s fun! 
 
 Then we have a pony; only one pony that s 
 enough. We all want to be together. Tom rides 
 in front and holds the lines; I m always in the 
 middle ; I hold the lines, too, and little Harry holds 
 me he s always last. And such fun as we have 
 the three of us riding up hill and down dale, 
 laughing and singing. Pinto enjoys it as much as 
 we do. We re not too heavy for him; we re 
 only little fellers. If we pass any one on the 
 road, they always stop and watch us till we re 
 out of sight. But we don t care not when we re 
 having a good time. Gee! but it s fun! 
 
 Sometimes we all go down to the brook and all 
 take of? our little hats and shirts and pants; then 
 we jump into the swimming pool for a grand 
 swim. Oh! but I wish you could see us! We 
 enjoy it so splashing and diving in the cool 
 waters on the warm summer afternoons. 
 
182 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 Again we all go fishing. We each have a little 
 pole with line and hook; and each have a little 
 basket hung over our shoulder. We all sit in 
 a row along the river bank and fish. I m always 
 in the middle. And then we just love to gather 
 daisies and sweet clover blossoms and take them 
 home to mother. 
 
 We all have to do just alike ; if I tear my pants, 
 Tom and Harry tear theirs. Then when we re 
 asleep at night, mother mends them. It must be 
 so much more fun to mend three little pairs of 
 pants than only one. 
 
 When we sleep at night, we all sleep in one 
 little bed; we all want to be together. Father 
 made it, and mother made the soft little blankets 
 which keep us warm. I always sleep in the middle. 
 Tom sleeps on the outside; he must be awful 
 brave. I d be afraid to sleep on the outside. 
 Little Harry sleeps in the inside by the wall. It s 
 much nicer to be in the middle, though; then I 
 have some one on both sides of me. Oh; but it s 
 such fun, all to get under the blankets together 
 much nicer than if it were only one ! 
 
 When we wake up in the morning, bright and 
 early, Tom hops out first, then I, and last always 
 last little Harry. Then we put on our little 
 shirts, and pants, and hats, and go out and bring 
 in the wood; it s the only work we have to do. 
 But then we don t mind, as long as there s three 
 of us. It s much pleasanter for three to bring in 
 
STOjiiY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 183 
 
 the wood than for only one to have to do it alone. 
 It s fun for three. 
 
 Don t you wish you d been a triplet? We always 
 liked it; it s much better than being only one. 
 Here, away up on the mountain-top where we live, 
 we ve always been together ever since we was 
 borned. And we re always goin to live together; 
 and when we die we re all goin to die at once 
 and all be buried in one little grave. Little 
 grave? Yes, for I ain t very big; and I ain t 
 goin to fool you any longer, either. After all 
 there ain t three of us; there s only one only me. 
 Tom and Harry died when we all was borned; 
 but I like to think we re all alive; it s so much 
 more fun bein three than only one away up 
 here on the mountain-top. 
 
 "That s all. How do you like it?" Jessie asked 
 immediately after finishing the story. Then she 
 leaned back in the rocker with a sigh, as if 
 exhausted by her reading. 
 
 "Fine, Jessie! It s a nice little story. You 
 read it nicely, too." 
 
 "Do you know," Jessie went on after a min 
 ute s breathing spell, "that story reminds me of 
 myself? Sometimes when I m alone I just imagine 
 there s some one else with me; so I ll have some 
 body to talk to." 
 
 "Yes, that s a good way to do," Bill approved. 
 
 After that the two sat quietly for a time, await 
 ing their proper retiring hour. Mr. Anderson still 
 sat reading in the opposite corner of the room, 
 
184 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 with his back toward them. Suddenly he leaned 
 forward in his chair, and gave a sort of low moan 
 or groan, and his book dropped to the floor. 
 
 Jessie jumped from her chair, dove across the 
 room, and gave her father a terrific blow between 
 the shoulder blades. "Are you alive?" she fairly 
 shouted. Her face was white. 
 
 Mr. Anderson quietly arose to his feet and 
 turning around said in a dazed way, "Why, 
 Jessie," and without another word he quietly left 
 the room, as if to retire for the night. 
 
 Jessie returned across the room looking very 
 much embarrassed and whispered to Bill. "I 
 thought sure he had his heart-failure that time; 
 I ve been watchin for it for years. Now I m 
 glad it s over with. Some one told me that that 
 was the best thing to do in cases of heart-failure. 
 I ll never try it again though; I guess he was 
 only asleep. Father is always goin to sleep when 
 he reads; but I never knew him to make that 
 funny noise before. Did you hear it?" 
 
 Yes," he answered amusingly. "It was only 
 a sigh, Jessie." 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFOENIA EED WOODS 185 
 
 XIV. 
 
 THE ANARCHIST AGAIN AND THE PICNIC PARTY. 
 
 One morning just as Bill was about to commence 
 his usual routine at the mill, Mr. Bradley, the 
 foreman, came running excitedly toward him 
 from the direction of the cabins where the mill- 
 men slept. 
 
 Come here, quick!" he called to Bill, who 
 instantly ran to meet him, wondering what could 
 be the matter. 
 
 " There has been some trouble!" Mr. Bradley 
 went on breathlessly. "Two of the men got into 
 a quarrel; it was something about a gun. I can t 
 get much out of either of them, though; they 
 speak but little English. Now, it s just possible 
 that it concerns the gun you found in the cabin. 
 The men fought; one of them drew a knife and 
 stabbed the other. Now we must have a doctor. 
 I don t believe the fellow is seriously hurt, but 
 he must be attended to. I want you to run up 
 to the station and telephone for a doctor; so he 
 can come up on the noon train." 
 
 "All right, Mr. Bradley," Bill willingly re 
 plied. "I ll run right up." Accordingly the ex- 
 
186 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 cited youth started to hurry away in the 
 tion of the station. 
 
 "Wait one minute," the foreman called. "I 
 think you had also better telephone the sheriff. 
 This man must be arrested." 
 
 Bill gave a sudden start. The sheriff he was 
 the last man in the world he would w r ant to sum 
 mon; but in another moment he was off running 
 up the dusty road. Perhaps when the sheriff 
 arrived he could manage to keep out of the way, 
 and thus avoid trouble for himself. 
 
 The men who quarreled were dark-skinned for 
 eigners of some nationality. The wounded man 
 could speak but little English and that very 
 brokenly; the other could speak none at all. 
 They had come to that locality only a short time 
 previously and had obtained employment doing 
 odd jobs about the mill. They were of little value, 
 however, being a dissatisfied and lazy pair. 
 
 Mr. Bradley tried to find out the cause of the 
 trouble from the wounded man ; but owing to the 
 seriousness of the wound and the man s inability 
 to speak English he learned but little other than 
 that the trouble was concerning a gun, which he 
 seemed to think the other had taken. 
 
 Mr. Bradley imagined that as the men had 
 come to the mill about the time the gun had been 
 found in the cabin in the ravine, it was possible 
 that the foreigners may have stayed one night 
 in the cabin before coming to the mill. Thus the 
 wounded fellow may have absent-mindedly left the 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 187 
 
 gun in the cabin and forgot where he left it. 
 When the unfortunate fellow improved, Mr. Brad 
 ley intended showing him the gun and asking if 
 it were his. 
 
 Upon returning from the station, Bill hurried 
 off toward the cabins to tell the foreman that the 
 doctor and sheriff would be up on the next train. 
 The first thing that met his eye was a man of 
 swarthy complexion, with thick, black, bushy 
 hair and a face-full of week-old whiskers, in the 
 clutches of two of the mill-men. The prisoner 
 was a young man between thirty and thirty-five 
 years. His captors were tying his hands behind 
 him with a stout cord. The fellow stood sullenly 
 glaring at the ground. 
 
 "Is Mr. Bradley here?" Bill asked hurriedly of 
 the men, as he paused a moment to watch the 
 operation, pitying the unfortunate prisoner. 
 
 Thus Bill hurried off toward the cabins. One 
 of the doors stood open; he looked in the wound 
 ed man was lying in his bunk, groaning distress 
 fully. Mr. Bradley and another who were attend 
 ing him, turned upon hearing foot-steps outside. 
 Bill gave his information, mopping his brow as he 
 spoke, and then not knowing what else to do he 
 returned to his duties. The prisoner, who mean 
 while had been tied to a redwood sapling to await 
 the coming of the proper authorities, looked sul 
 lenly out of his evil eyes at him as he passed. 
 
 Our hero returned to work a little upset. He 
 hoped that the sheriff would not see him when he 
 
188 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 came. Perhaps he could arrange to get behind 
 a pile of lumber and thus avoid being seen by 
 the dreaded sheriff. He had escaped so long, and 
 was doing so nicely, that he hated to be trapped 
 after this length of time. He wondered if the 
 sheriff would recognize him or know who he 
 was, and what he had done if they should meet. 
 Any way it was best to keep out of sight, even if 
 he missed his lunch; for the train arrived shortly 
 before noon. Nervously he worked along. 
 
 During the course of the morning, at the ex 
 pected time, he heard the whistle of the approach 
 ing train. It sounded louder than usual that day 
 as it echoed and re-echoed among the canyons. 
 It made his heart beat faster. Now he would have 
 to watch out, or all his carefully-laid plans would 
 be ruined. He hoped that the whistle for noon 
 would blow before the sheriff could reach the 
 mill. Thus he would be able to hide. 
 
 A moment after the locomotive ceased whistling, 
 he heard somebody address him; upon turning 
 around he beheld Mr. Bradley. 
 
 "Bill," he spoke quickly; "I think I will have 
 you run up to the station and meet the doctor and 
 sheriff; so no time will be lost. Our patient is 
 suffering intensely. Like as not they will not know 
 the way; so if you re there, you can bring them 
 down without delay." 
 
 Provoked, the boy stood for a moment and 
 looked at the foreman, as if paralyzed; he had 
 not planned on such a thing as this happening. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 189 
 
 If he went he would be running a terrible risk, 
 and yet he dared not refuse. In another moment 
 he was off, going as fast as though he expected 
 to meet his dearest friend on the incoming train. 
 He was not going to be cowardly be the result 
 what it may. 
 
 He reached the station before the train arrived 
 and stood there awaiting it white, nervous and 
 out of breath from his hasty run up the hilly 
 road. In a few minutes the train, after rounding 
 a curve, came puffing and steaming along the 
 curving track with the tall trees rising on either 
 side. He dreaded having it stop. But, regard 
 less of his fears, according to its daily custom the 
 train slowed down as it approached the station 
 and presently stopped. 
 
 The unfortunate youth expectantly and trem 
 blingly watched for the dreaded arrivals. At 
 sight of the first to get off, Bill gave a start of 
 surprise. It was Joe. "What can Joe be coming 
 up here for?" he wondered. The second to get off 
 was a short, thick-set gentleman carrying a satchel 
 the doctor. The train having paused only for 
 an instant, then moved slowly along through the 
 tunnel on its way over the mountains. So the 
 sheriff had not come. Obviously Joe had been 
 sent in his place. Bill breathed a sigh of relief 
 as he walked up to the incomers and told them 
 why he was there. Thus the three hurriedly 
 walked off toward the mill. 
 
 Joe conducted himself as importantly as usual, 
 
190 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 much to Bill s disgust. He had half a notion to 
 tell the braggart about what he thought of him; 
 but then the doctor was along and he did not 
 like to say anything before him. Perhaps later 
 in the day he would get a chance; and if so, 
 he would ask Joe what he meant by scaring him 
 with all those lies about Anarchists, when he was 
 only sent up to watch two tramps. So he spent 
 his time telling the doctor, as well as Joe, what he 
 knew concerning the quarrel, as they walked 
 down to the mill. 
 
 As they neared the cabins, Joe, seeing the un 
 fortunate prisoner tied to the tree, left the others 
 and walked over toward him. Bill conducted the 
 doctor on to the cabin where the suffering man 
 lay groaning with intense pain. That worthy 
 gentleman quickly entered to administer his pro 
 fessional aid. Bill then turned away. Just as he 
 passed the last cabin, upon looking to the left, 
 where the prisoner was tied, he saw Joe go up to 
 the man and give him several severe kicks upon 
 the thigh. 
 
 "So at last you are caught red-handed are 
 you? Well, I ll teach you a lesson," he cried, 
 showing temper. 
 
 Bill started to go over to Joe and give him a 
 severe chastising for inhuman treatment of a 
 fallen man; but just then Mr. Bradley came run 
 ning from the sick man s cabin, and, calling to 
 Bill sent him on an errand. When he returned, 
 sometime later, the prisoner was still bound to the 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNA REDWOODS 19L 
 
 redwood sapling, looking sullenly at the ground. 
 Joe and Mr. Bradley were engaged very confi 
 dentially in conversation a short distance away 
 from the prisoner. He delivered his message, 
 after which Mr. Bradley bid him return to his 
 work, which he promptly did. 
 
 It was only for a short time though, for soon 
 the whistle blew for the cessation of work for the 
 noon hour. Bill, as he stopped work, looked over 
 in the direction where the prisoner still stood. 
 Joe was sitting on a pile of lumber near by in 
 the shade of a sequoia, guarding his charge very 
 importantly and never taking his eyes off the poor 
 fellow for fear that if he did so the fellow might 
 escape. 
 
 Bill saw his chance. He hastened over to where 
 Joe sat, and began first by saying: "What are 
 you going to do with him, Joe?" 
 
 "I have an assistant coming up in a wagon," 
 Joe responded egotistically. "I expect he will 
 be at the station about one o oclock. I shall wait 
 here until nearly that time; then I shall take this 
 desperate character up to the station and when 
 my man comes we will hurry him off to the county 
 jail in a jiffy, where he will cause no further 
 trouble. As soon as I heard of the trouble I 
 started my man off and I jumped on the train, 
 so as to get here quickly in case the fellow was 
 unmanageable." 
 
 "Joe!" Bill demanded forcibly, "what did you 
 mean by telling me there were a lot of Anarchists 
 
192 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 down in those cabins, when you were only sent 
 there to wateh a couple of tramps?" 
 
 "Bill," Joe apologized kindly. "I m sorry to 
 have alarmed you; but I had good reasons for so 
 doing. On my word of honor, when I went down 
 to those cabins that first evening, just before I 
 told you about the Anarchists, there was a man 
 there who told me that he was an Anarchist. 
 He pointed a gun at me from the window and 
 threatened to blow my brains out if I didn t go 
 away. Now, at first I believed him, and what s 
 more unless I m very much mistaken this (again 
 pointing at the man) is the same black head, the 
 same black eyes, but as to the whiskers I could 
 not swear. Evidently he was freshly shaven at 
 that time and these villainous whiskers have 
 appeared since. 
 
 "Now at first I was positive that I had accident 
 ally stumbled on a nest of Anarchists, and I felt 
 if I could learn of their whereabouts I could 
 easily win fame as a detective. So surely you 
 can t blame me if I wanted somebody to accom 
 pany me into that dark hole. 
 
 "The next day I gave up the idea of there being 
 any Anarchists; thinking that if the man who 
 ever he was was really an Anarchist, he would 
 not have mentioned it. Perhaps he wanted to 
 alarm me needlessly, for some reason or other; 
 so I put him up to be a liar. The next evening 
 when you reported having seen the two men, I 
 immediately concluded that they were the ones 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 193 
 
 I had been sent up here to watch. So, thinking 
 nothing of a couple of tramps, I left you above 
 the next night so you would not be nervous. Then 
 that awful accident happened; I thought sure 
 that fellow had been shot, the way he acted. Now 
 do you blame me for anything I did?" 
 
 Bill was thoughtful for a moment, staring at the 
 lumber pile before him. If what Joe said was 
 true, he would have no further hard feeling in 
 the matter. But he knew of several positive lies 
 that Joe had told, so he did not know what to 
 believe. 
 
 "But, Joe," he finally said, puzzled, "who do 
 you suppose the gun belonged to? Neither of the 
 two tramps claimed it." 
 
 "Now that s just what I m coming to," Joe 
 interrupted forcibly, clapping his fist on his 
 thigh. "It must belong to somebody. Who else 
 but the Anarchist man? He was there I saw and 
 heard him. Now since coming up here to-day I 
 have changed my opinion again. I believe the man 
 really is an Anarchist. I believe now that he said 
 what he did in order to scare me away so I would 
 not interfere with the meeting. He was a sly one. 
 Today, since coming up here I have been talk 
 ing with Mr. Bradley and he agrees with me in 
 thinking that the man really is an Anarchist. 
 He says that he has been having trouble with 
 more than one of these blue-skinned foreigners, 
 who have taken employment at the mill and can 
 get but little work out of them. Anyhow I m 
 
194 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 sure that this is the man I saw at the cabin; 
 so when I get him to town, we ll find out all 
 about it. There s no use to question him here, 
 he seems so sulky. Afterwards I ll let you know." 
 
 "Well, I suppose it s all right, Joe," Bill half 
 way forgave. "Only I don t believe he s an 
 Anarchist." 
 
 "What s that!" It was Mr. Bradley speaking 
 from behind Bill. He turned at the sound of the 
 voice. 
 
 "Bill is inclined to doubt my word concerning 
 this Anarchist," Joe spoke, seemingly indignant. 
 
 "I can t believe the man is an Anarchist, some 
 how or other," he solemnly responded. "It don t 
 seem likely." 
 
 "If I were you, Bill," Mr. Bradley advised, "I 
 would say no more about these Anarchists. It 
 may be possible that what Joe suspects is true. I 
 am suspicious of several of the men employed 
 here; so I intend to watch them. I think you 
 had better keep as quiet as possible, until we 
 simmer this thing down. Joe is quite positive that 
 this fellow here is the one he saw at the cabins. 
 It seems reasonable, too; as near as I can recollect, 
 these foreigners arrived at the mill about the time 
 the trouble came up. Then as to this gun they 
 have been quarreling about, like as not the gun 
 belongs to the wounded man. Well, as soon as he 
 quiets down a little, I m going to show it to him 
 and find out for certain. As to this desperado 
 here, on account of what he s done, he ll have to 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 195 
 
 be arrested Anarchist or not. Then when they 
 get him down town, they may be able to straighten 
 things out." 
 
 "How is the injured man?" Bill thoughtfully 
 asked. 
 
 "The doctor says he s not seriously hurt; he 
 says he ll be all right in a short time. The 
 fellow s more scared than hurt." 
 
 "I believe I ll take this Anarchist up to the sta 
 tion now; my assistant may come most any time," 
 the would-be detective said, replacing his watch 
 which he had just examined, and, rising from the 
 lumber, walked slowly over toward the prisoner 
 and unfastened the rope which bound the unfor 
 tunate fellow to the sapling. His hands he left 
 tied behind him. Then taking the man by the arm, 
 Joe led him off toward the road leading up to 
 the station. The unfortunate fellow went quietly, 
 except for a little jabbering, incoherently. 
 
 "What makes him act like that?" Bill inquired 
 of Mr. Bradley, as he sorrowfully watched the 
 departure. 
 
 "Oh, he can t speak a word of English," Mr. 
 Bradley replied, surprised that Bill had only just 
 found out that fact. "He only came to this country 
 a few months ago, with this fellow he has wounded 
 He is a Greek, I think. I managed to get a little 
 information from the sick man, just before the 
 doctor came. He can speak fairly good English; 
 has been in America for five years. Last winter 
 he returned home on a visit; and when he came 
 
196 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 back this spring, this other fellow came with him. 
 I imagine they are related in some way. Perhaps 
 they are not concerned with Miller s Anarchism; 
 but I believe it best to investigate." 
 
 "Yes. That would be perfectly correct. I must 
 hurry now and get my dinner." 
 
 "So must I." 
 
 The two men turned and walked hurriedly 
 toward the cook-house as the noon hour was fast 
 slipping away. 
 
 Meanwhile, Joe, accompanied by the suspected 
 Anarchist, slowly plodded along through the noon 
 tide heat, up the hill to the Laurel station. The 
 Anarchist went along quietly, and Joe thinking 
 that he would have no further trouble with him, 
 soon took his hand from the man s arm, and 
 together they walked along in silence. Just as 
 they neared the station, the prisoner tried to run 
 away, but Joe soon captured him, and to show his 
 authority commenced brutally kicking the man 
 about the legs. Joe easily lost his temper, 
 
 "What is the trouble?" some one called from 
 across the railroad track. Joe looked in the direc 
 tion whence the voice had come, and was surprised 
 to see that he had an audience. A party of pic 
 nickers, who had just finished eating their lunch 
 from a pile of lumber, arose and stood watching 
 him and his charge amazedly. A four-in-hand 
 stood a little apart from the picnickers patiently 
 waiting for them to resume their journey. Joe 
 was too dumfounded to speak. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 197 
 
 "What is the trouble?" one of the gentlemen 
 of the party again called. 
 
 "Why, this man is an Anarchist. There is a 
 nest of them forming in these mountains, as well 
 as others in various parts of the United States. 
 They expect, sooner or later, to overthrow the 
 government of the United States. I am a secret 
 service man sent here from Washington to sup 
 press them." Joe evidently never wasted an op 
 portunity to sing his own praises, whether they 
 were real or imaginary. "Do you see that?" he 
 continued importantly, turning back his shirt 
 front to give proof of his being a secret service 
 man. But the amazed party were all too far 
 away to see whether the proof was there or not. 
 "This is the first arrest I have made; but others 
 will soon follow." 
 
 After that the so-called Anarchist began mut 
 tering something in his own tongue, and showed 
 temper. 
 
 "What is he saying?" anxiously inquired the 
 member of the picnic party. 
 
 "He says," Joe responded gallantly, " excuse 
 the expression ladies To hell with the Ameri 
 cans ." 
 
 Just then a man in a small cart came driving 
 down the road. Joe, upon seeing him, took the 
 prisoner by the arm and led him across the track 
 to where the man with the cart stopped. He 
 ordered the Anarchist to get into the cart, which 
 the unhappy fellow unwillingly did. Then just as 
 
198 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 Joe was about to enter also, he turned around 
 and, removing his hat, with a sweeping bow said to 
 the picnickers: "Ladies and gentlemen, this has 
 been put a pleasant little incident of your moun 
 tain drive." After which he replaced his hat, and 
 (stepping into the cart took his seat beside the 
 other two. Thus the three drove off in the same 
 direction in which Joe s assisant had come, leaving 
 a much bewildered and horrified party of pic 
 nickers watching them until they disappeared be 
 hind an embankment. The picnickers then looked 
 at one another, too dumfounded to speak, at the 
 thoughts of Anarchists forming in the Santa Cruz 
 Mountains. 
 
 The next evening as Bill was returning from 
 work he was startled by a voice coming from 
 behind the blackberry briars, just as he was about 
 to enter the gateway. 
 
 "Here I am again." Bill looked up at the 
 sound of the voice, to see Jessie standing there, 
 with a glad smile spreading over her sweet face, 
 waiting to meet him after a few days absence. 
 
 "Well, how did you get home!" he surprisingly 
 exclaimed. "I thought your father wasn t going 
 after you until to-morrow." 
 
 "I came on the cars this morning. Father will 
 bring my things up to-morrow when he goes down. 
 I just couldn t wait any longer. It s so stupid 
 down there. My brother-in-law came home yes 
 terday and will be there until Monday, so I 
 wasn t needed any longer. This morning when I 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 199 
 
 hard the train coming it just put an idea into 
 my head Good-bye, I said to all of them we 
 had just finished breakfast and I grabbed my hat 
 and said I was going home on the train; and I 
 started off on the run toward the station. When 
 I got there I had no money to buy a ticket, so I 
 just borrowed enough from Mr. Hartwell, the 
 station agent, and told him that father would re 
 turn it to-morrow. So here I am. It seems good 
 to get home again. I believe I d have died if I d 
 had to have stayed down there another night. 
 Have you been lonely?" 
 
 "A little," he felt that he must acknowledge. 
 "And Jessie, we had quite an excitement yester 
 day at the mill." 
 
 "Yes," she interrupted. "Father was telling 
 me about it this afternoon. I m so sorry I was 
 away. It s just my luck though. I m so glad 
 to know at last who that gun belongs to. I ve 
 been dying with curiosity about it." 
 
 "But Jessie, that wasn t the man s gun after 
 all the one they quarreled over, I mean. To-day 
 some one found the sick man s gun under his bunk 
 behind some other things, where he put it. When 
 they showed it to him he finally acknowledged 
 that he put it there himself and then forgot where 
 he put it." 
 
 "You don t say! Well, then, to whom could 
 the other gun belong?" 
 
 "I don t know," Bill replied doubtfully. "It 
 must belong to somebody; but we can t find out. 
 
200 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 Come, now, let s move along." So they left 
 the gateway where they had been standing and 
 continued toward the house. 
 
 "Ill never rest until I find out who that gun 
 belongs to," Jessie offered thoughtfully. "I d 
 give my new hat to know this minute." 
 "Did you get a new hat while you were away?" 
 "Yes; it s a beaut; it s got red poppies all over 
 it. Bertha wanted me to get one that had purple 
 pansies. She said it would be a little more sub 
 dued; but I liked the red one best. People will 
 be able to see me when I m comin if I have 
 somethin lively on." 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 201 
 
 XV. 
 
 WHAT HAPPENED AT THE CROSS-ROADS. 
 
 It was a beautiful summer morning one of 
 those days when you just feel like saying, 
 "Perfect! Could anything be more beautiful!" 
 The air was clear and fresh, with a gentle breeze 
 rustling through the tree-tops, and then dying 
 away again, like strains of distant music. The 
 bright, golden sunshine bathed the mountain-tops, 
 as well as the deep valleys, till every leaf and 
 every blade of grass seemed to reflect the glorious 
 summer gladness; and the dew-drops sparkled 
 in the grass like precious gems. Various song 
 sters were busy in every mazanita and toyon, sing 
 ing as if their very souls would burst into songs 
 of joy. Here and there a cluster of late bloom 
 ing wild flowers added their brightness to the 
 scene, and a sweet fragrance permeated all the 
 mingling of grasses, trees and flowers. 
 
 The evening before, Jessie and Bill had planned 
 on taking an all-day walk through the mountains, 
 eating their lunch under the shade-trees somewhere 
 beside the stream. 
 
 So when Sunday morning arrived according 
 to arrangement they got a good early start, while 
 
202 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 it was cool, and went down the hill. Jessie carried 
 a small paste-board box, which contained their 
 lunch. They continued on, past the mill, over the 
 creek, and up the opposite hillside. They were 
 both happy as they went chattering and laughing 
 along the road of many ups and downs. If any 
 one had mentioned the name of Thomas Lawrence 
 to Bill that morning, he would doubtless have 
 said, "Who was he?" For so quick do we forget 
 the dear departed. But Bill had not forgotten; it 
 was only while listening to Jessie, as she jabbered 
 along in her quaint way, that he seemed to forget. 
 
 They continued their walk up the hill until they 
 reached the summit; here they paused to admire 
 the beautiful landscape that lay before them 
 the wooded slopes, the broad, green valleys and 
 the foaming, rushing, murmuring water far below 
 them. After resting a while, they descended the 
 opposite side of the mountain, until they nearly 
 reached the bottom, where another road coming 
 from the base of the hill crossed the one they were 
 on, and continued on to their right, curving around 
 a hill in the distance. The road they were on ran 
 straight down and crossed the creek a little 
 distance in front of them, and then disappeared 
 between two hills on the opposite side. 
 
 "Which way shall we go now?" Bill asked hes 
 itatingly, as they stopped at the cross-roads. 
 "There are three to choose from." 
 
 "Well," Jessie began, "this one to the left goes 
 back to the mill, only it s much longer. I think 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 203 
 
 we had better go home that way; there s more 
 trees along it, and it will be cooler this after 
 noon. It s beginninng to get warm now. The 
 road crossing the creek doesn t go very far; it 
 stops somewhere behind those hills. This one to 
 the right (she paused a moment), I don t know 
 exactly where it goes; I don t come over here very 
 often. Once I went on that road with father in 
 the cart; but I don t remember much about it." 
 
 " Let s try it anyway," Bill suggested. "One 
 way will do as well as another." 
 
 "No," Jessie disapproved. "Let s go down by 
 the creek and eat our lunch, and have that over 
 with, so I can get rid of this box. Then we ll 
 decide what to do." 
 
 "Jessie, why don t you let me carry the box 
 a while?" 
 
 "No. I ll carry it. Come on." 
 
 So they walked down toward the stream, and 
 after selecting a suitable place beneath the shade 
 trees, sat down and ate the lunch which Jessie had 
 carefully prepared, with the sound of the moun 
 tain stream rushing among the rocks for their 
 orchestra. 
 
 "If I had only thought to bring my pole; I 
 might do some fishing," Bill remarked, after they 
 had finished their repast. 
 
 "We can go fishing next Sunday, if you like," 
 Jessie responded pleasantly. "Let s just sit here 
 in the shade a while and rest. I like to hear the 
 
204 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 water; don t you? Sometimes I sit and listen to 
 it by the hour." 
 
 "Yes, I always like to hear it. It s like music. 
 Do you ever go fishing, Jessie?" 
 
 "Yes; but I never catch anything. Father 
 says I haven t patience. Well, I guess men make 
 the best fishermen anyhow. Father always brings 
 home a lot every time he goes; and so do you." 
 
 For a long time the boy and the girl sat by the 
 creek talking, and enjoying the beautiful summer 
 day. At length Jessie proposed that they continue 
 their walk, which Bill agreed to do. 
 
 "Which way shall we go?" Jessie asked, not 
 being able to decide for herself. 
 
 "Let s try the road crossing the creek; it looks 
 pretty over there." 
 
 "But it doesn t go very far," Jessie objected. 
 
 "Well, we don t want to go very much further. 
 We ll have a long walk home." 
 
 "All right! Come on!" Jessie jumped up as 
 she spoke and was ready to start. Bill followed 
 her example. They advanced toward the bridge, 
 and after crossing it continued along the other 
 side. At the left was a broad, green pasture; an 
 old cow was peacefully grazing on the sweet 
 grass. She looked up at them as they passed, 
 for a moment, and then continued nibbling the 
 green grass. After the two had gone as far as 
 they cared to on this road, they returned and, 
 re-crossing the bridge, ascended the road until 
 they again stood at the cross-roads. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 205 
 
 "Shall we go home the long way?" Jessie asked. 
 "It will be cooler." 
 
 "All right," he consented. "But let s sit down 
 here and rest a little first." 
 
 Thus they sat down on the dry grass by the 
 roadside, where it was shady, to rest for a time. 
 
 "Some one has been camping here. See the 
 place where they cooked their meals." Jessie 
 pointed at a heap of blackened rocks a short dis 
 tance away. "And there is a rope hanging to that 
 tree, where they tied their horses." 
 
 "Yes. It s a nice place to camp. Come now," 
 he added, after resting sufficiently. "If we re 
 going the long road, we better get started; or we 
 won t get home in time for supper." 
 
 Both stood up and started on their homeward 
 journey, by the lower road; but had only gone a 
 short way when Jessie suddenly stopped and said 
 abruptly : 
 
 "Wait! I must get a drink or I ll die before 
 ever I can get home." With that she turned and 
 ran off toward the creek. Bill watched her until 
 she disappeared from sight, behind some willow 
 bushes near the stream. It was only a moment 
 though until she re-appeared, looking excited. Bill 
 saw her running up the road as fast as she could 
 come, until she was within hailing distance. He 
 wondered if anything was wrong. 
 
 "Can you swim? she excitedly called. 
 
 "A little," he cried wonderingly. 
 
 "Then come quick!" Thus she turned and again 
 
206 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 hurried back in the same direction she had pre 
 viously gone. 
 
 At her call, Bill started running toward the 
 river, not knowing what possibly could excite 
 his companion so greatly. When he reached her 
 she was standing by the creek, a little below the 
 road, near where they had eaten their lunch, look 
 ing intently into the water. 
 
 "What is the matter?" he asked, after reaching 
 her side. 
 
 "There is something or somebody in there, 
 somewhere; I don t know what," she excitedly re 
 plied. "I just got a glimpse of it as it fell off 
 that ledge of rock," pointing to the opposite side 
 of the creek, where the mountain-side came down 
 rather abruptly to the water s edge. A few feet 
 from the bottom was a narrow ledge of rock, just 
 wide enough to give passage to a pedestrian. 
 
 "Maybe it was a rock falling down the moun 
 tain-side. 
 
 "No, it wasn t a rock; a rock couldn t scream 
 the way it did, whatever it was." 
 
 "Maybe some one s fallen " 
 
 "There it is!" Jessie cried, pointing. "Over 
 there! It s a man s head or a boy s just sticking 
 out of the water a little, between those rocks! 
 See it? What shall we do?" wringing her hands. 
 "Shall I jump in?" 
 
 "No, don t! I ll go in," he expostulated hur 
 riedly, removing his coat and making ready to go 
 into the water. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 207 
 
 "Wait!" the other cautioned, stopping the 
 youth just in time to prevent him taking a bath. 
 "Let s cross over those stones to the other side; 
 then we can get him out without you going into 
 the water." 
 
 "Well, hurry then!" Bill started jumping from 
 rock to rock, with Jessie following, until they 
 reached the opposite side, where the head lay ex 
 posed between the rocks. At length they suc 
 ceeded in getting the boy for such it proved to 
 be, a boy of perhaps eleven years on dry ground. 
 A fish-basket hung over one shoulder. 
 
 "I wonder if he s dead or alive!" Jessie ex 
 claimed. 
 
 "I don t know; he doesn t seem very lively," 
 was Bill s solemn remark. They both stood look 
 ing down at the unconscious, water-soaked child, 
 who lay as if in death. "What shall we do?" 
 
 "Stand him on his head!" Jessie suggested 
 quickly. Maybe some of the water will run out. 
 
 Bill, not knowing what else to do, stooped and 
 lifting the boy, stood him on his head. 
 
 "Squeeze him!" Another order from Jessie. 
 
 Bill squeezed him. 
 
 "That s the way they do when people are 
 drowned, or nearly so I mean," Jessie corrected 
 herself. 
 
 "I m afraid he s dead," muttered Bill. Jessie s 
 experiments failed to restore the lad. 
 
 "Put him down!" Another command from 
 
208 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 Jessie. "I don t know what else we possibly can 
 do; do you?" 
 
 "I think perhaps we had better carry him up 
 into the sunshine; that might revive him. This 
 shady place never will." 
 
 Well, come on." 
 
 So together they managed to carry the boy, 
 Bill taking the upper part of the body and Jessie 
 the feet, until they reached the road by the bridge. 
 Then Jessie said: "Put him down a minute; I 
 must rest; I m not strong like you are." 
 
 Thus they dropped the inert body on the grass 
 by the roadside, until the girl was sufficiently 
 rested to continue ; after which they gathered their 
 burden up and stumbled along, over the bridge, 
 and up the road, until they reached the cross 
 roads again. 
 
 "I can t go any further," gasping, out of 
 breath. "Put him down here in the sun; and if 
 he don t come to I can t help it. I ve done all I 
 can do." 
 
 After selecting a sunny spot, they again placed 
 the boy on the grass by the roadside, and stood 
 looking down at him, not knowing whether he was 
 dead or alive. 
 
 "I hope he ll come to all right," said Bill sol 
 emnly. "I hate to see anyone die." It reminded 
 him of another dead boy that he had gazed upon 
 what seemed years ago. "It seems to me that my 
 life is besieged with dead people, just as yours is 
 with murderers," he added softly, stooping and 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFOKNIA REDWOODS 209 
 
 removing the fish-basket from the boy s shoulder. 
 
 "Why? What other dead people have you had to 
 deal with? 
 
 The former quickly saw his mistake, but in 
 answering said: "W-well, the dead man in the 
 cabin. 
 
 "He wasn t dead though." 
 
 "I know, but it seems as though he was." 
 
 "Well, what others?" Jessie spoke as though 
 she expected to hear of at least a dozen others. 
 
 "T-hat s all," he stammered. Bill felt that it 
 was best not to tell of all the dead people that he 
 had come in contact with. 
 
 "Well, then there ain t any, because this one 
 ain t dead yet at least I don t think he is. So 
 you can t keep up with me after all." 
 
 Meanwhile time was passing and nothing was 
 being done to help the unfortunate lad. 
 
 "There s a mark on his forehead. I guess he s 
 only stunned. Don t you think so?" 
 
 "Yes, if he ain t drowned along with it." 
 
 "If we could only get him over by the mill, 
 some one over there might know what to do," 
 with a sigh, eager to do all she could for the un 
 fortunate lad. 
 
 "If we only had a horse, we could put the boy 
 on his back, and take him somewhere I don t 
 know just where though; it s a long way to the 
 mill." 
 
 "Why didn t we think to bring Dolly?" Jessie 
 interrupted. 
 
210 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "It s no use to wish for things, Jessie," the 
 other thoughtfully added. 
 
 "There s that cow over there in the pasture 
 where we were a while ago," the thoughtful girl 
 suggested. "I wonder if she would mind?" 
 
 "No, Jessie. You couldn t do anything with a, 
 cow." 
 
 "Well, we might try. She might do it when 
 she finds out what the trouble is." 
 
 "I m afraid it would be useless. He seems to 
 be dead anyhow; he doesn t move at all." 
 
 "Well, come; if he s dead, we may as well go 
 along home; it s getting late. I ve done all I 
 could." 
 
 "No, you can t go away and leave him, even if 
 he is dead. That wouldn t be right." 
 
 "Look, quick! He opened his mouth; he wants 
 to say something! Oh! if we could only do some 
 thing!" 
 
 "Tell me what to do and I ll do it," Bill replied 
 sorrowfully. "If somebody would only come 
 along!" 
 
 "I ll get the cow, anyway, and we ll see what 
 we can do with her. I d rather be doing some 
 thing than standing here; then we ll feel better." 
 Thus she started down the road, as fast as she 
 could go, and after crossing the bridge disap 
 peared behind the trees that bordered the pasture. 
 
 A few minutes later the youth saw the cow come 
 up from the pasture and slowly cross the bridge, 
 his friend following. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 211 
 
 "Go along, Boss; go along, Boss!" he could 
 hear her saying to the cow, as she crossed the 
 bridge. Boss advanced nicely, but very slowly 
 and deliberately she certainly believed in taking 
 her time chewing her cud as she advanced. 
 
 4 She s a poky old thing. I had a hard time 
 to get her to come at first," calling when she was 
 within hailing distance; "but finally I ran over 
 where she was in the pasture and I said, Go 
 along Boss! as though I meant it; then she 
 started." 
 
 "She s comin all right," he called back hope 
 fully. "Isn t she a big cow though? I don t 
 believe I ever saw such a big cow." 
 
 "Yes," was the quick response. "But now that 
 I ve got her started, can we ever stop her?" 
 
 "I ll stop here when she gets here. Whoa, 
 Boss!" he said, a moment later when the cow had 
 finally reached the desired spot. Boss very oblig 
 ingly stopped, and stood there quietly chewing 
 her cud. 
 
 "Good!" Jessie approved, as she also stopped. 
 "Now I believe we shall have no further trouble. 
 She seems so gentle and nice. I m glad I thought 
 of her." 
 
 "She may do it," doubtfully. 
 
 "Now, shall I get on first, or will you?" 
 
 "Jessie!" in amazement. "I hope you don t 
 think we re all going to ride!" 
 
 "Why not? Not that I m anxious to; but some 
 body s got to go along; you can t send him off 
 
212 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 alone; he d fall off. If you ve got a better plan, 
 why, all right. When there s a man around I 
 believe in lettin him run things. " 
 
 "I was going to put the boy on the cow s 
 back, and walk along beside and hold him on. 
 You never could ride a cow." 
 
 "Maybe that ll do just as well," she replied, 
 satisfied. "But one time, when we were going to 
 school, an old cow came along if I m not mis 
 taken, this is the same one and a lot of us got on 
 her and had a ride. She didn t " 
 
 "Don t stop to tell it now! Let s do something 
 with this boy!" 
 
 "Oh, yes. How is he any better?" 
 
 Both turned around from the cow to see how the 
 boy was. He still lay quietly on the grass, just as 
 they had left him, with a deathlike pallor on his 
 childish face. 
 
 "We must do something quick," Jessie advised, 
 "or he will surely die. Is he gettin any warmer? 
 If he is, he may live; if he gets colder, he s dying. 
 Feel him." 
 
 The other stooped and felt the boy s face, then 
 his hands. "He s cold as ice," was the disappoint 
 ing reply. 
 
 "Then he s dead," the girl concluded. "We 
 can t do anything. I 11 take the cow back. No ! 
 Look! He opened his eyes; he can t be dead. 
 Let s put him on the cow s back. I hope she 
 won t start to kick when we put him on." 
 
 "That s just what I m afraid of," Bill agreed, 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 213 
 
 rising to his feet and looking again toward the 
 cow, which stood quietly chewing her cud in the 
 center of the road. "I never could do anything 
 with a cow ; they always get to kicking or run 
 ning, whenever I tried to do anything with them." 
 
 "I don t believe she ll kick," was the optimistic 
 response. "She stands so quietly." 
 
 "You never can tell, though," hesitatingly. "A 
 cow s the most uncertain of animals; you can t tell 
 what minute she may go chasing off down the 
 road. I don t believe we d better try it." 
 
 "Why not? It won t hurt to try." 
 
 "Well, all right." Bill again stooped to gather 
 the boy in his arms and place him on the cow s 
 back. 
 
 "Wait!" abruptly came from his companion. 
 "I m going to get that rope over there on that 
 tree, and put it around the cow. Then we ll have 
 something to hold her with in case she runs." 
 
 "Yes; that s a good idea. I ll go and get it." 
 So he ran to the tree, and, after untying the rope, 
 returned and fastened it around the cow s horns. 
 Then he went over where the boy lay and picked 
 him up. Jessie took the rope to hold the cow, in 
 case she started to run. Bill placed the boy very 
 carefully, so as not to frighten her. Everything 
 went nicely. The eager girl stood in front of the 
 cow holding the rope. 
 
 "Jessie," the youth cried, as he stood holding 
 the drooping child on the animal s back. "Don t 
 
214 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 stand in front of her; she may take a notion to 
 run any minute." 
 
 "Never mind! If she runs, I ll run, too, 5 she 
 returned, fearlessly. "Have you got him fixed?" 
 
 "Yes," was the response, as he finally arranged 
 the boy on the cow s back to the best of his ability, 
 and holding him to keep him from falling off. Boss 
 offered no objection whatever, as she stood perfect 
 ly motionless, except for the rhythmical movement 
 of her lower jaw. 
 
 "Now, if you re ready, we better get started. 
 Go easy with her." 
 
 "All right, I m ready. No, wait! There s the 
 basket; I ll get it," stooping to pick up the boy s 
 fish-basket. 
 
 "Never mind it," the other answered, provok- 
 ingly. "We ve got enough already." 
 
 "Yes, I ll get it; I can just as well take it as 
 not. I ll hang it down my back." So she, after 
 picking up the b-asket, placed the strap over her 
 head, allowing the basket to hang down her back. 
 Then she quickly took hold of the rope again. 
 
 "Now hurry, Jessie; whenever you re ready, 
 start her along," the youth expostulated. 
 
 "I m ready; and I m anxious to see how this 
 thing s going to turn out." 
 
 "Well, go ahead." 
 
 "Now, which way shall we go?" 
 
 Bill made no reply, but was busy thinking, with 
 an undecided expression on his face. 
 
 "We never can go over the hill, with all this 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 215 
 
 performance; if we go around the hill, it s so far 
 the boy would surely die before we ever get there ; 
 if we go to the left, I don t know where we d go 
 to. I haven t been out there much." 
 
 "I don t see much choice. Let s do something; 
 then we ll feel better satisfied." 
 
 "I m goin straight ahead; then we won. t have 
 to turn around. Besides, that looks like the best 
 road." Thus the girl proceeded to start the cow 
 ahead to the left, on the unknown road. "Come, 
 Boss!" she cried, giving the rope a pull. "Come, 
 Boss!" But Boss would not come. "Come, I 
 say!" she repeated, giving the rope another violent 
 pull; but Boss would not budge an inch. She 
 quietly and calmly stood, just as she had done 
 through it all, with eyes almost closed, and still 
 chewing her cud. 
 
 "What shall we do?" Bill asked. "She won t 
 come." 
 
 "Go behind and push her, while I pull," his 
 companion shouted she was getting vexed. "Some 
 times, when you can t start a cow from the front, 
 you can from the back ; so we 11 have her, which 
 ever way it is." 
 
 "I can t! I m afraid if I leave him, he ll fall 
 off." Bill had the boy astride the cow, with the 
 upper part of his body leaning forward. 
 
 "I can t help it. We ve got to get started some 
 way. It ll be midnight before we get home, if we 
 don t get started soon." 
 
 The former left the boy s side, and went behind 
 
216 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 the cow and pushed, while the girl pulled in front; 
 but all to no avail. For all the old cow cared, they 
 may have been a hundred miles away. 
 
 "It s no use," he finally said, returning to the 
 boy s side to again support him. "She won t go." 
 
 "Come, Boss; come, Boss!" Jessie continued, 
 jerking the rope violently with both arms. I don t 
 see how I ever got her to come this far, so easy; 
 she s such a mule." With that she dropped the 
 rope from her hands entirely. "Besides, I feel 
 water running dow r n my back from somewhere. 
 
 "It s that basket! Take it off !" her friend com 
 manded, severely. "Don t you know it s been in 
 the river?" 
 
 "I guess I will," she replied, quickly, also stop 
 ping and removing the strap from over her head. 
 "Where shall I put it?" She looked around, won 
 dering what to do with the basket. 
 
 "Leave it here!" Bill ordered. 
 
 "No, I won t! I m not coming clear back alter 
 this basket. I ll put it here." "Here" meant the 
 cow s horn, where she hung the basket. 
 
 "Be careful, or you ll scare her!" 
 
 "I don t think there s much danger," she re 
 sponded, softly. "How s the boy?" 
 
 "I think he s improvin ," was the encouraging 
 replied. "He s getting warmer," after examining 
 the boy. 
 
 "If we could only get started!" Jessie* again 
 took hold of the rope for another try. "If I only 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 217 
 
 could get her to stop chewing for a minute, I think 
 I could get her to start." 
 
 "There now she s stopped!" he exclaimed, a 
 minute later. 
 
 "Come quick!" abruptly came from Jessie, as 
 she gave the rope a violent jerk; but for once she 
 was not quick enough. The cow had already re 
 ceived a fresh supply, and was quietly chewing 
 again. 
 
 Just then the boy moved. 
 
 "He s gettting better. I think, if we wait, who 
 ever this cow belongs to will come; it s milking 
 time now." 
 
 "You can wait, if you want to; but I m goin 
 to make this cow move, if I have to kick her." 
 Jessie never liked to give up when once she under 
 took a task. "Here, stick her with this." She pro 
 duced a pin from her dress and handed it to Bill. 
 
 "No, Jessie; you may start her to kicking, if you 
 do that," he cautioned. 
 
 "Well, let her kick. Anything s better than 
 having her stand there like a frozen image." 
 
 "Look! Some one s coming," the youth cried, 
 gladly, looking down the road. His companion 
 turned and did likewise. A man was slowly and 
 deliberately walking up the unknown road "Com 
 ing much the same as the cow had come," Bill 
 thought, as he watched the man slowly advancing 
 toward them, "even to the chewing." 
 
 What is the trouble ? the man asked, calmly, 
 
218 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 when he saw the boy sprawled over the cow s 
 back. 
 
 "We found this boy in the creek," Jessie an 
 swered, quickly. "He fell in and was nearly 
 drowned. We re trying to get him somewhere." 
 
 "Why, it s Harry," the man replied, unmoved, 
 coming closer and lifting the boy to an upright 
 position. The man, to all outward appearances, 
 was as unaffected as though nothing had happened 
 to his child. "He should have been home long 
 ago with the cow; and, wondering what delayed 
 him, I came along to see." 
 
 "Papa," suddenly came from the boy s lips. All 
 were pleasantly surprised. The boy could speak; 
 there was no further need for alarm. 
 
 "I am much obliged to you for doing what you 
 have done," the man drawled, as if it were too 
 much trouble to speak. "You have done every 
 thing just right. The children often, when they 
 have been fishing, upon bringing the cow home 
 from pasture, hang their fish-baskets over the 
 horns just as you have done and then all pile on 
 and ride home. Sometimes they even drape her 
 with ferns. You can do anything in the world 
 with her." 
 
 "She seems real gentle," Bill ventured. 
 
 "Oh, yes; we re ALL just like that," with em 
 phasis on the "all," as if the cow were one of the 
 family. 
 
 "Yes; but we can t make her GO." Jessie spoke 
 with much vexation. 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 219 
 
 "Oh, yes," the man replied, decidedly; "she ll 
 go without any trouble. All you have to do is to 
 say, Go along, Boss ! " 
 
 "I ll try it," Jessie abruptly said. "Go along, 
 Boss! Go along, Boss!" And with that "Boss," 
 very slowly, of course, and deliberately, walked 
 off down the road, with the fish-basket dangling 
 over one horn, the rope from the other, and the 
 boy on her back, the latter having recovered suffi 
 ciently to enjoy his homeward ride. 
 
 "Oh!" Jessie suddenly exclaimed. "That s the 
 way I got her here in the first place. Don t you 
 remember? I told her to Go along! I ve been 
 wonderin through it all, how I got her to move 
 in the first place." Yes, Boss had been true to her 
 nature; she had been educated "to go" and not 
 "to come." 
 
 Then the man, after thanking them again, slowly 
 followed down the road at the same deliberate pace 
 in which he had come. 
 
 "Now, you see my plan was best, after all. If 
 we had hung the basket on her horn in the first 
 place, and all piled on, as I said, and told her to 
 go along, we should have had no further trouble. I 
 should never have thought of the ferns, though; 
 but perhaps we would have got along just as well 
 without them. Now, I believe that s the same 
 cow we used to ride at school. I don t see how 
 she ever got away over here, though." 
 
 "Come, Jessie; we must hurry. It ll be dark 
 long before we get home." The sun had already 
 
220 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 sunk behind the distant trees, and was not far 
 from its settting. The cool of the evening was 
 coming on, and the two were many miles from 
 home. Bill turned, ready to start. "I guess he ll 
 be all right now," he said, gladly. 
 
 "Yes," Jessie said, still watching the departing 
 procession. "I told you he was only stunned." 
 
 Bill wished that such another case of "stunning" 
 had turned out as pleasantly. "Come, Jessie. Why 
 don t you come?" 
 
 "Wait! I want to see them go around the hill 
 first. Why, do you know, one time at school a boy 
 was stunned by a baseball, and he was unconscious 
 for eight hours. Everybody thought he was dead, 
 for a long time ; but he recovered all right. Come, 
 now." She turned just as the cow and boy dis 
 appeared around the hill, and was ready to start. 
 "Which way shall we go?" 
 
 "We ll go over the hill; don t stop to argue. 
 The sun s nearly set now." 
 
 So they hurried off up the same road they had 
 come in the morning, as fast as they could go. 
 
 "I can t see but what everything s turned out 
 very nicely," Jessie said, pleasingly. "If granny 
 don t have a fit before I get home." 
 
 "We ll get there as fast as we can," was the 
 hopeful reply, as he started with long strides up 
 the hill. 
 
 They had only gone a few paces, though, when 
 Jessie suddenly stopped short. "Wait!" she said, 
 abruptly. And with that she turned and started 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFOENIA EEDWOODS 221 
 
 running back in the direction whence they had so 
 lately come, as fast as her legs could carry her. 
 
 "Jessie!" Bill called after her, provokingly. 
 "What are you going to do now?" 
 
 "I MUST get my drink," she called back over 
 her shoulder, as she sped toward the creek. 
 
222 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 XVI. 
 
 THE REAL ANARCHIST. 
 
 "I had a caller today," Jessie called to her 
 friend, as he came up from the mill. She was 
 waiting at the fork for him, after her afternoon 
 walk, gathering flowers. 
 
 "Who?" he asked, as they started up the hill 
 together. 
 
 "A young gentleman. Ahem! A very, very 
 brave young gentleman," smiling. 
 
 "Joe?" 
 
 "Yes. Ha! ha!" She evidently considered it 
 as quite a joke. "I ll tell you about it: I was 
 sitting on the front porch this afternoon, reading, 
 when I happened to look down where we can see 
 the road coming up the hill. I saw a man riding 
 in a cart up the hill; I wondered who it could be. 
 Just as he turned into the gateway, I saw who it 
 was. I quickly went inside, and shut the door. 
 Looking out of the window, I saw him tie his horse 
 to the ring on the corner of the barn, and then he 
 started toward the house. I sat down in a chair 
 near the door to wait for him. In a few seconds 
 I heard him rapping on the door. I sat quietly, 
 and let him knock, three times; then I got up to 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 223 
 
 go to the door; but I no sooner reached my feet 
 than the door opened, and he stood in the door 
 way. If he d come a second sooner, he d found 
 me seated peacefully in the chair, gazing at the 
 door. Ha ! ha ! 
 
 " How do you do? he said, with one of those 
 lordly bows of his. I thought he would sweep the 
 floor with his hat. I bowed stiffly. I I forgot 
 something/ he said, when I left in such a hurry, 
 and I ve come to get it, if you ll let me look in the 
 room. Now, I know well enough that there was 
 nothing left; I ve thoroughly cleaned the room. 
 Anyway, I told him to go and look in the room, if 
 he wanted to. I thought it would be a good way 
 to get rid of him. 
 
 " Well, I ll sit down and talk a little first; you 
 must be lonely up here alone. Is that boy here 
 yet? I said that there was no one here besides 
 ourselves, except a young man who works at the 
 sawmill; and, what s more, I also said that there 
 had been no boys here since HE left, except a 
 little fellow of five. Then he started to enter; 
 but I got in the way. Go and get what you left, 
 first, and then you can return, I said, as though 
 I meant it. 
 
 "So he left and went to his room; but soon re 
 turned, without even entering the cabin. When 
 he got back I had completely disappeared. Ha! 
 ha!" At this Jessie leaned forward in order that 
 she might the better relieve her feelings. "He 
 came back on the porch, and, after rapping once, 
 
224 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 opened the door and walked in only to find me 
 gone ! After a little he came out on the porch 
 again, and sat down doubtless to admire our 
 beautiful scenery; then he got up and went to his 
 cart, climbed in and drove off, down the hill. I 
 saw the whole thing from my window upstairs. 
 
 "Then I came down stairs, and sat on the porch 
 to resume my reading, where I had been inter 
 rupted. I got there just in time to see him driving 
 along below the hill. Then he disappeared; I don t 
 know what could have become of him. I hoped 
 that some of those things got him whatever you 
 called them." 
 
 "Anarchists," Bill answered. "Joe came down 
 to the mill, Jessie. That s why you didn t see him 
 go down the road. He came to tell me about the 
 man that was arrested." 
 
 "Oh, did he? What did he say?" 
 
 "He wasn t the man in the cabin at all. This 
 man couldn t speak a word of English; and Joe 
 said that the man in the cabin spoke good English. 
 None of us thought of that, the other day, when 
 he was arrested." Bill smiled. "So, now, nobody 
 knows who the man in the cabin could have been. 
 Joe s come up to investigate." 
 
 "I wonder who it could have been?" Jessie 
 asked, curiously. "I d give most anything to 
 know." 
 
 Meanwhile, having ascended the hill and entered 
 the vineyard, the two paused before Bill s cabin 
 to finish their conversation. 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA EEDWOODS 225 
 
 "Do you want to go for a walk after supper?" 
 Jessie asked, friendly, of Bill. "If so, I ll hurry 
 supper. I only had a short walk this afternoon, 
 and it s grand today." 
 
 "Yes, I ll go," was the cheerful reply, as he 
 turned toward his cabin. 
 
 So, accordingly, after supper, Jessie and her 
 guest started for a walk, through the woods, at 
 the close of a glorious summer day. 
 
 "I ve got something to tell you," Jessie com 
 menced. 
 
 "What is it?" 
 
 "Something you won t like; I don t, either." 
 
 "Tell me, anyway." 
 
 "I m goin away again," sadly. 
 
 "To your sister?" 
 
 "No; I m goin further than that. I m goin for 
 good this time. I m afraid you ll never see me 
 again." 
 
 Bill looked serious. "Has you father sold the 
 vineyard?" 
 
 "Oh, no, not that; but I m going away to school. 
 Father says I need to get civilized. Besides, he 
 pays I ve been real good, so if I want to, I can 
 go away to school. Sister s comin up here to 
 live, so I w r on t be needed so much now. She gets 
 so lonely down there she can t stand it alone. My 
 brother-in-law can get off the train here just as 
 well as down there, so it won t make any differ 
 ence to him. I hate to go ; but then I 11 always 
 come home Friday and stay until Sunday." 
 
22G BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 " Where are you going to?" was the eager ques 
 tion. 
 
 "I m going to the Santa Cruz High School. 
 Father s goin to take me down Sunday; then I m 
 going to stay with some friends of his that live 
 down there. But, say, ain t you going back to 
 school, when it opens." 
 
 "I I m afraid not." That was out of the ques 
 tion. "I ll have to work. If you come home Fri 
 day, I ll see you again, though." 
 
 "That s so!" Jessie responded, gladly, as she 
 hurried up the back steps into the kitchen, with 
 the other following. "I didn t think of that." 
 
 Sunday morning came all too soon, for those 
 concerned in Jessie s departure for school. It was 
 a beautiful morning, clear and cool, with a light 
 breeze blowing from the coast. The low-lands, far 
 below, toward the water-front, were hidden with a 
 thick fog that had come in from the ocean. As 
 Bill sat on the front porch looking at the scene 
 before him, it reminded him of a great ocean, with 
 the mountain tops dotted about like islands. 
 
 Soon Jessie came down, carrying her basket, 
 ready for her journey. "I m ready to go," she 
 said, sadly, as she stood in the doorway, with her 
 basket in one hand and her coat over the other 
 arm. "I feel as if I were going away forever, in 
 stead of only five days." 
 
 "I m sorry to have you go," Bill returned. "I 
 think your father s waiting, Jessie. Shall I carry 
 your basket out to the cart?" He arose, and, 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 227 
 
 taking her traveling case, started toward the barn, 
 where Mr. Anderson, having already harnessed the 
 horse, stood waiting for his daughter. 
 
 "I ll be along in a minute," she replied, "as 
 soon as I have a last look at everything." 
 
 A few minutes later, the girl sat beside her 
 father in the cart, and, after a last sad farewell 
 to Bill and her grandmother, who had also come 
 out to witness the departure, Jessie left for the 
 city by the sea. 
 
 They had only gone a little way when she turned 
 around and called to Bill, who was still standing, 
 watching the departure: 
 
 "If you find out to whom the gun belongs, let 
 me know." 
 
 "All right, Jessie!" 
 
 After the cart with its occupants disappeared 
 beyond the gateway, Bill turned and slowly strayed 
 toward the cabin; he knew not what else to do. 
 He went inside, and sat down on his chair. He 
 already began to feel lonely. His friend had gone 
 to school, the very school he would give so much 
 to be able to return to the following day. But 
 that would be impossible ; he might as well have 
 wished that his awful mistake had not been made, 
 as to wish that he might return to school. Then 
 his loneliness grew, as he thought more and more 
 of "poor Tom" and his cruel mistake. It was 
 wretched; he could not endure it. Jumping up, he 
 grabbed his hat and went outside. Perhaps, if 
 
228 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 he took a walk somewhere through the bright sun 
 shine, he would feel better. 
 
 The heartsick youth went plunging down the 
 hill, on down, past the mill, to the creek-bed. But 
 the feeling was the same; nothing could ever undo 
 that. He sighed. Then he went on and on, stum 
 bling over the rocks, till he had gone half a mile 
 down along the creek. Tired, he sat down upon a 
 rock to rest. Oh, but it was awful to think and 
 think about it, the rest of his days. The little 
 stream went past him moaning and groaning, as if 
 to add to his misery. The songsters were busy 
 in the tree-tops, but it was only a dirge that they 
 sang. Why could not they have sung something 
 cheerful? And the little mountain flowers, on 
 every hand, only drooped their heads, as if they 
 would feel with him. 
 
 Then the poor boy bent over, and, hiding his 
 face in his hands, began to sob: "I never can stand 
 it here; I must go away. If it hadn t been for 
 Jessie, I never could have stood it this long. Yes, 
 I ll go away." He lifted his head, as if a new 
 thought had suddenly come to him. "I believe 
 I ll go back and give myself up; it wasn t the right 
 thing to do, to run away like that it was cow 
 ardly. I ll give myself up, and then I ll feel bet 
 ter, even if I am locked up." 
 
 He stood up suddenly, as if to go; then he sat 
 down again, as if not knowing what he was doing, 
 and again put his face in his hands. 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 229 
 
 " Hello, Bill!" Was that a voice? He raised 
 his head and listened. 
 
 " Hello, Bill!" Yes, it was the voice of some 
 one he had known long ago. Oh, but it was terri 
 ble to have such things happen. Or was he losing 
 his mind? 
 
 1 Oh, Bill ! Ain t that you ? The bushes rustled. 
 
 He stood up, horrified, and turned in the direc 
 tion whence the voice had seemed to come. It was 
 worse than ever. Did he believe in ghosts, or was 
 it in the resurrection of the dead? 
 
 "What s the matter with you? Why don t you 
 speak? Nice w r ay you treated the bunch going 
 away and never saying a word to any of us where 
 you were going. What s the matter, anyway?" 
 
 "Tom!" Bill gasped, almost inaudibly. 
 
 "Well!" the voice again. 
 
 "Tom! Is that really you!" A change came 
 over the face of the mistaken youth a look of 
 relief. 
 
 "I believe it is." Tom advanced toward Bill. 
 "What are you acting so queer about, anyhow? 
 You look as if you d seen a ghost!" 
 
 "Tom, are you really alive? I thought you was 
 dead." 
 
 "Thought I was dead!" 
 
 "Yes. I thought I killed you." 
 
 "Thought you killed me! When?" 
 
 "That night when we had the fight." 
 
 "Did we ever have a fight? I don t remember 
 
230 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 it if we did. I always thought we got along just 
 fine together." 
 
 "Don t you remember the night we played cards, 
 and you called me a cheat, and then we fought?" 
 
 It was all so plain to Bill that he could not quite 
 understand Tom s indifference. 
 
 "NOW I remember! So that was why you went 
 away, was it? I ve been wonderin all summer why 
 you went off like that. Yes, now I remember all 
 about it; but I really didn t mean it. You didn t 
 need to have got mad about it, Bill." 
 
 "I didn t get mad. You were the one that got 
 mad. You rushed at me with your bat, and " 
 
 "Did I?" Tom interrupted. "So I did." 
 
 "When you started at me with your bat," Bill 
 continued, "I held the chair up to protect myself; 
 then I tripped over the blanket and fell, with you 
 under the chair. Do you remember?" 
 
 "Yes, I remember all that now that you speak 
 of it; but I don t remember getting killed!" 
 
 "Well, of course, you wouldn t remember that 
 part of it. You probably were knocked uncon 
 scious for a while. I picked you up and put you 
 on the bed, and covered you up with that con 
 founded blanket, which caused all the trouble. I 
 did everything I could for you, Tom, after which 
 I listened, and I couldn t hear your heart beat, 
 and you lay there so quiet I never saw you so 
 quiet before, Tom ; so I made up my mind you were 
 dead." 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 231 
 
 Maybe I was! Did you ever hear of a dead 
 person coming back to life, Bill?" 
 
 "Yes, Tom, I have!" Bill honestly replied. "Peo 
 ple have been dying or nearly so around me all 
 summer, and then coming back to life again; and 
 yet I never once thought that you could have done 
 likewise. That night, when I covered you up with 
 that blanket, I thought, just as sure as anything, 
 that you were dead." 
 
 "I remember now, Bill, the next morning, when 
 I woke up, I wondered why I went to bed with all 
 my clothes on; I couldn t seem to remember about 
 things. I was glad enough; for once I didn t have 
 to dress." 
 
 "You ve caused me a lot of trouble, Tom." 
 
 "Did I!" Tom said, sorrowfully. "Well, I didn t 
 mean to. Forgive me, Bill, won t you?" Tom put 
 forth his hand, and soon the two were fast friends 
 again. 
 
 "It s all right, Tom. Now that I ve got you 
 back, I feel so good again." He gave a deep sigh 
 of relief. 
 
 Things seemed different then. Everything was 
 bright and beautiful the sunshine, the trees and 
 the flowers. The sound of the water rushing 
 among the rocks came to his ears like sweet music, 
 and the birds were singing as if their souls were 
 filled with gladness. It was like a great anthem, 
 with a host of angels singing. 
 
 Bill looked around at the beauties he had failed 
 to notice until that moment. A bluejay was calling 
 
232 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 saucily from a tall redwood. Was it the same im 
 pudent fellow that he had heard so often that 
 summer? This time he seemed to be laughing. 
 The flowers, too, had raised their heads and seemed 
 to be smiling. Bill looked at Tom. Tom was 
 laughing. Then the joyful youth, himself, relieved 
 from his long suffering, joined in, and the two 
 boyish voices rang out loudly, until they echoed 
 and re-echoed through the canyon and all over a 
 mistake. Oh, but it did seem good again to laugh 
 the laugh of care-free youth. 
 
 11 There s one thing more, Tom," Bill continued, 
 when they could laugh no more, "that I simply 
 must tell you; I should have died this summer if 
 it hadn t been for one thing." 
 
 "And what s that?" his companion asked, curi 
 ously. 
 
 "If it hadn t been for Jessie a girl where I am 
 staying." 
 
 "Ain t she the classiest, though! Can t she 
 spiel!" came from Tom, eagerly. 
 
 Bill looked at Tom in amazement. "Why, where 
 did you ever see Jessie?" 
 
 "Wasn t I up there?" 
 
 "When?" 
 
 "One day." 
 
 "Was you, Tom? Tell me about it" 
 
 "Well, you see, one day, a few weeks ago, I 
 came up here fishing, and I got lost. I never can 
 tell where I am when I come up here in these 
 mountains. So I went up to the top of a hill where 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 233 
 
 I saw a house. I thought maybe if I got up high 
 I might be able to see where I was. When I got 
 up there, there was the girl you speak of. I liked 
 her fine, too, Bill. She showed me around, and 
 told me everything about the place. I had lunch 
 there. She was so nice that I thought I would 
 give her what fish I had; I didn t want them, any 
 how. 8he said she d be glad to have them. Be 
 fore I went she showed me the winery, and told 
 me how they make the wine, and when I was goin 
 she asked me to come again. Well, I m comin up 
 here for a month next summer, just to hear that 
 girl spiel." 
 
 "So that was you that brought the fish that day, 
 was it?" Bill remarked, doubtfully. "And, Tom, 
 there s one thing more I want to ask you." 
 
 "Ask away," was the apparently unconcerned 
 reply. 
 
 "Did you say anything to Jessie about being a 
 banker s son?" 
 
 "I think I did." 
 
 "Well, is that true? Are you?" 
 
 "I think I am." 
 
 "Tom, was your father a banker? You never 
 told me if he was." 
 
 "Well, I don t tell you everything I know." 
 
 "But, Tom, why didn t you tell me?" 
 
 "How could I tell you when I didn t know; I 
 only just found it out myself. I ve told everybody 
 that I ve seen; if you d been round, I d have told 
 you. Besides, it ain t my uncle s bank at all; it s 
 
234 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 MY bank. He s only looking after it till I m old 
 enough to do it." 
 
 "How did you find this out?" 
 
 "I went up to the city to visit my uncle this 
 vacation, and one day I heard him talking about it 
 when he didn t know I was there. I don t see 
 why he never told me about it?" 
 
 "Probably he thought you were too young, 
 Tom." 
 
 "Besides the bank, I ve got a lot of houses and 
 business blocks, Bill," he whispered. "I heard my 
 uncle say that when I m twenty-one I ll have a 
 million. Think of it, Bill." Tom s face was beam 
 ing with the thoughts of it all. 
 
 "Good, Tom!" Bill gladly replied. "Now you 
 can give me a job. Will you?" 
 
 "All right, old man; when I get it, you shall 
 have your job." 
 
 "And, say, Tom; there s one thing more I want 
 to ask you: Did you drink a glass of wine at the 
 winery that day?" 
 
 "I I don t remember." Tom looked at his feet. 
 
 "Tom!" This was very decided. 
 
 "I think I did," he acknowledged, raising his 
 eyes. 
 
 "You should have refused. You oughtn t to 
 drink it, Tom!" 
 
 "Well, I did refuse," he acknowledged indig 
 nantly, "and then she said, Well, if you don t 
 mind, I ll just take a drop for myself. Then I 
 said, Well, I guess I ll take a little, too! " Tom, 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 235 
 
 evidently, was not going to be outdone by a girl. 
 
 "If I were you I wouldn t touch it, Tom." 
 
 "I m not going to again. Besides, she said it 
 wasn t so bad unless it came out of a bottle," he 
 said, smilingly. 
 
 "I know, Tom; that s what she thinks; but, for 
 my part, I can t see what the bottle s got to do 
 with it." 
 
 "Nor I, Bill. There s not much in a bottle; not 
 when it s empty, eh, Bill?" Both laughed at 
 Tom s attempt at being funny. 
 
 "Besides, Bill, I believe she gave me too much," 
 Tom continued, after their laugh was over. "That 
 day, coming down the hill, I couldn t tell where I 
 was going. When I tried to go one way, I d find 
 myself going some other way. I had to sit down 
 and rest for a while, for fear I d go over the 
 cliff." 
 
 "Don t you touch any more of it, if it affects 
 you like that!" Bill ordered, severely. "Remem 
 ber, Tom!" 
 
 "I m not going to. I ve made up my mind to 
 that." 
 
 "Now, Tom," Bill asked, anxiously. "Tell me. 
 Whatever brought you up here again today?" 
 
 "Well," Tom began, "that day I was up here 
 before I came to fish, and I also brought my gun 
 I thought I might want it. I brought a blanket as 
 well, thinking I might possibly stay all night some 
 where. I d always had an idea that I d like to 
 stay in the mountains all night once to see what 
 
236 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 it was like after dark ; and also so I could be here 
 early in the morning, to fish, before some one else 
 had them all caught up. Aunt Amy said I wouldn t 
 like it when it got dark; but I came, anyway. 
 Well, you see, as I told you before, I got lost, and. 
 after going up on the hill, the girl told me which 
 road to take; but after I came down I wandered 
 around till I got lost again. 
 
 "When it was nearly night I came to a place 
 where there were some little cottages built among 
 the trees, and, as I saw no one around, I concluded 
 that I might just as well stay there as not. So I 
 went through all of them to see which suited me 
 the best; finally, I decided on the second, as the 
 door both front and back could be locked. 
 
 "The first thing that I did was to take particu 
 lar pains to see that both doors were well locked. 
 Now, notice what I say, Bill? I locked both doors. 
 Then I sat down in the chair for a while, and ate 
 some things I d brought along in my basket. Now, 
 Bill, I wasn t a bit scared, but when it grew dark 
 I got kind o lonely, and wished I hadn t come. 
 Aunt Amy was right; I didn t like it. But I was 
 there, and couldn t get away; so I concluded the 
 best thing would be to go to sleep. But I said to 
 myself, Never again! 
 
 "Then I selected one of the bunks they were 
 horrible things, though, and I began to think of 
 1 bed-bugs. But I couldn t help it, though. So, 
 wrapping myself up in the blanket, I lay down 
 and tried to sleep. I had the hardest time, though ; 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 237 
 
 I couldn t get fixed, and then I had nothing for a 
 pillow but my fish-basket. I had a horrible time; 
 I got to thinkin of you and wonderin -whatever 
 became of you. I wished you d been there; then I 
 wouldn t have minded a bit. It was horribly 
 quiet; then once a tree fell down and nearly 
 smashed my cottage." 
 
 "No, Tom," Bill interrupted, "that was only a 
 branch that fell, and it struck one of the other 
 cabins. Go on with your story." 
 
 "Where was I, anyway?" 
 
 "You were trying to go to sleep." 
 
 "Oh, yes. I was trying to go to sleep, and the 
 harder I tried to go to sleep the more I woke up. 
 Once I thought I heard a noise; I sat up and lis 
 tened. Now, Bill, I ll tell you what happened. I 
 never exactly believed in ghosts; but now I do. 
 Just as I sat up the door unlatched, in spite of the 
 fact that I had it locked, and slowly opened itself. 
 Now, Bill, I think I could have stood that; but 
 when it slowly closed and latched itself again, with 
 a sharp click, it was too much for me. I didn t 
 mean to, but I just naturally went out of the back 
 door and up the hillside as tight as I could go. 
 I d have been goin yet, if I hadn t tripped over a 
 stump and skinned my shins." 
 
 "So that was you, then, that went up that hill 
 so lively," Bill again interrupted. "I might have 
 know no one could run that fast but you." 
 
 * What do you know about it, I d like to know ? 
 Tom asked, with an astonished look on his face. 
 
238 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 "I was there, Tom, and heard you. It was Joe, 
 a friend of mine, who opened that door and then 
 shut it again. He was looking for some one." 
 
 1 Was it? Why didn t you say so. I thought 
 sure it was a ghost. Aunt Amy tried to make me 
 think it was the wind; but I knew no wind could 
 ever do that stunt." 
 
 "It s too bad, Tom, we didn t know it was you; 
 it would have saved us a lot of trouble. We ve 
 been wondering all along who it could have been." 
 
 "But how could Joe as you call him open the 
 door when I had it locked?" 
 
 "Perhaps the lock didn t hold. Those doors are 
 old and worn out." 
 
 "Maybe you re right. Now, today I ve come up 
 to get my things before school opens. I found the 
 cabin all right; but my things are gone. Some 
 body has run off with them. While I was waitin 
 till time to catch my train, I thought I d run down 
 to the creek and see how the fish are doing, and 
 here I find you. Are you coming back to school 
 tomorrow?" 
 
 "Yes, Tom, I may as well," Bill smiled, bright 
 ly. 
 
 "Now that I ve got so much money I think I ll 
 get my uncle to let you have enough to finish 
 school." 
 
 "No, Tom; I have plenty. I ve been working at 
 the mill all summer. Besides I prefer to make my 
 own way entirely." 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFOENIA REDWOODS 239 
 
 "Working! Have you?" Tom exclaimed, eager 
 ly. "So have I been working!" 
 
 "What!" Bill was dumfounded. "You been 
 working ! 
 
 "I ve been working," Tom repeated, as if to 
 verify his former statement. 
 
 "What have you been doing?" 
 
 "What have I been doing! I ve been cutting 
 the lawn; I ve been making the fire; I ve been 
 bringing in the wood. I ve been doing everything, 
 just as you said, Bill cleaning up the yard, sweep 
 ing the walk, feeding the hens, and getting the 
 eggs. I asked Aunt Amy if I might, and she said 
 I could. I like to get the eggs; I just get curious 
 to know how many there will be ; sometimes I have 
 to go ahead of time to see how many I m going 
 to get." 
 
 "That s fine, Tom! I m .glad to hear you ve 
 been working." However, Bill was never so sur 
 prised in his life. 
 
 "Oh, yes," he continued; "I helped Aunt Amy 
 with the weeding one day; I only cut one plant, 
 and she said that didn t matter she often did 
 that herself." 
 
 "Good for you, Tom." 
 
 "Aunt Amy says," Tom continued, proudly, 
 "Bill, I leave it to Aunt Amy she says that I m 
 just doing FINE!" 
 
 "I m awful glad to hear it, Tom," Bill approved. 
 "You certainly are doing FINE!" 
 
 "I find work s not so bad as I imagined, after 
 
240 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 you once get your hand in. Bank or no bank, 
 Bill, I m going to learn to work while I m young. 
 Then I am going to study more this year too. I 
 have a lot to learn if I m going to run my bank 
 when I get older; and I mean to do it my mind 
 is made up. I heard my uncle say I never would 
 do it; but I m going to show HIM if I ll ever run 
 my own bank . When I make up my mind to do a 
 thing I usually do it ! " Tom was very much en 
 thused over his new turn of mind. 
 
 "Yes, Tom; you can do it as well as .anybody 
 when you get a little older. But come now, if we 
 are going to catch the afternoon train, we shall 
 have to start. I must go to the mill, and see Mr. 
 Bradley, and then to the vineyard and get my 
 things." 
 
 So they turned to follow the same path back to 
 the mill that Bill had come down earlier in the 
 day. They had only taken a few steps when Bill, 
 who was leading, stopped, and, turning to Tom, 
 said, almost in a whisper: "Tom, don t you say 
 anything to the other fellows about my horrible 
 mistake, will you?" 
 
 "All right, Bill, old man, mum s the word. And 
 say, Bill, don t you say nothing, either!" 
 
 "What about, Tom? Oh, you mean about the 
 bank?" 
 
 "No, not that. I ll tell that. I mean how I ran 
 up the hillside that night. I didn t mean to do 
 it." 
 
 And so it was agreed that neither boy would 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFOKNIA REDWOODS 241 
 
 tell on the other, .after which the two continued 
 their way through the bushes and scrambling over 
 the rocks along the creek. 
 
 "I wonder what Aunt Amy will say," Tom 
 called, "when she hears my things are gone. I 
 went off in such a hurry that night that I didn t 
 stop to get my things. Now, they re gone. * 
 
 "No, Tom. Your things are at the mill. Mr. 
 Bradley has them. He took them to care for them 
 until we found out who the owner was." 
 
 "Good! I m glad of that." 
 
 "And, say, Tom, there s one thing more I want 
 to ask you," Bill said, softly, as they neared the 
 silent mill. 
 
 "Ask away," was the unconcerned reply. 
 
 "Did you ever say anything about being an 
 Anarchist to any one the night you were in the 
 cabin?" 
 
 "I did." 
 
 "Well, what did you say?" 
 
 "I ll tell you. I didn t think of it before. When 
 I went into the cabin that night, just after I had 
 finished latching the doors, I heard something 
 crackling around outside. I looked out of the 
 window to see what it was, and there stood a 
 horrible-looking critter. I pulled my head back 
 quick before he could see me; but he must have 
 seen me, for he called to know who I was, what I 
 was doing there, where I had come from, and 
 where I was going to. I just hollered back and 
 told him it was none of his business. I didn t like 
 
242 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 having such a critter around, if I was to stay there 
 all night; so I thought I d better get rid of him 
 while I had the chance. I poked my gun out of 
 the window and called to him to get away or I d 
 shoot his brains out. Then, Bill, I said I was an 
 Anarchist, and that there was a lot more coming 
 later, and as many other things as I could think 
 of on the impulse of the moment, to make myself 
 as desperate as possible. When I looked out of 
 the window again he was chasing down the path 
 I had come up on as fast as he could go. I was 
 thankful to iget rid of him so easy." 
 
 "Tom, that was Joe," Bill spoke, smilingly. 
 "You had the life nearly frightened out of him." 
 
 "Was it? Was that Joe? Well, I wish now I 
 had taken a shot at him, any way. It would have 
 saved me lots of trouble later." 
 
 "Tom, you certainly have kept things stirred up 
 this summer." Bill was so amused that he could 
 control himself no longer. He burst out laughing. 
 Tom joined him. When he could control himself 
 again he looked at Bill, and with a broad grin 
 said: "What do you know about that!" 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 243 
 
 XVII. 
 
 HOMEWARD BOUND. 
 
 The first thing the boys did upon reaching the 
 mill was to look for Mr. Bradley. They soon found 
 him sitting on his doorstep, smoking, and enjoying 
 the beauties of the silent, peaceful Sunday fore 
 noon. Bill quickly informed Mr. Bradley that he 
 would like to stop work, in order that he might 
 return to school on the following day. Mr. Brad 
 ley was sorry to hear Bill intended leaving, for 
 he liked the youth much better than the ordinary 
 millhand, and had found him to be a splendid 
 worker. However, he arose from the doorstep, and 
 retired within his cabin, returning a few minutes 
 later with a check which he presented to Bill, who 
 gladly placed it within his vest pocket, after 
 thanking Mr. Bradley; then he told the foreman 
 that the gun belonged to Tom, and asked if he 
 could have it. Mr. Bradley looked at Tom very 
 closely for a few moments, and before getting the 
 gun Tom had to tell Mr. Bradley "what he knew 
 about that," after which the foreman threw back 
 his head and literally roared, until his gruff voice 
 was thrown back to him from the mountain-side. 
 It was the first time that Bill had ever seen the 
 
244 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 morose character even crack a smile. After he 
 he had done laughing he again retired to the cabin, 
 and soon returned with the much-wondered-at gun, 
 as well as the fish-basket. 
 
 Where is my blanket, Bill?" Tom asked, after 
 the other articles were safely in his possession. 
 
 "Tom!" Bill fairly gasped. "So that was your 
 blanket. I might have known it no wonder I 
 felt sick that night in the cabin; it WAS the same 
 blanket," he thought to himself. "Tom, some 
 tramps got in that cabin the next night, and one 
 of them carried your blanket away the next morn 
 ing. Jessie saw him going down the road with it 
 strapped over his shoulder. You ll have to let it 
 go!" 
 
 "Tramps!" Tom repeated. "If I d known that 
 tramps lived there, you bet I d never have gone 
 into those cabins. Never again, Bill, do I stay 
 here overnight." 
 
 "Come, Tom; we must hurry. I have to go and 
 get my things, you know." 
 
 After bidding Mr. Bradley good-bye, the boys 
 hurried away from the mill in the direction of the 
 vineyard. 
 
 "Did you have a pole, Tom?" Bill asked, not 
 yet having seen anything of the fishing-pole. 
 
 "Yes, Bill; but I lost it somewhere that day, 
 before I went to the cabins. I put it down some 
 place, and I ve never been able to find it since. 
 I don t care, though, as long as I ve found my 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 245 
 
 gun. Have you got money enough to commence 
 school with?" 
 
 "Yes, Tom. Then, if I get a job somewhere to 
 work out of school hours, 111 get along nicely." 
 
 "Yes, Bill; you ll be going back to the store 
 again as soon as school opens." 
 
 "I m afraid not," was the solemn reply. 
 
 "Yes, Bill." 
 
 "No, Tom. I left there without saying any 
 thing. They wouldn t have me back. I m sorry, 
 too; I liked it real well." 
 
 "Yes, Bill. You ll have your place back. I ve 
 arranged for all that." 
 
 "You have, Tom?" he asked, incredulously. 
 "How?" 
 
 "I ll tell you all about it, Bill, just as I remem 
 ber it: The next morning after you left I was 
 late waking up; I didn t feel so very good. I re 
 member now my head was sore. I wondered why 
 I went to bed with all my clothes on. I couldn t 
 remember about the fight then I couldn t remem 
 ber what we did. You were gone. First I thought 
 you had gone off to the store; then I discovered 
 your clothes were all gone. First I thought you 
 had gone off mad, because I wasn t working. You 
 know what you said?" 
 
 "Yes," Bill acknowledged. 
 
 "Then, Bill, I thought maybe you had gone 
 off somewhere to work for the vacation you said 
 you might, where you could get more pay and 
 had left on the early train the one that wakes me 
 
246 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 up every morning when it goes past the house. 
 Still, I wondered why you didn t leave a note, or 
 write afterwards. I puzzled over it until my head 
 ached, and I couldn t come to any conclusion that 
 suited me. It was the same thing all vacation, 
 Bill, wherever I went, or whatever I did; whether 
 I was working, or fishing, or hanging around the 
 Casino, it would be the same thing I d get to 
 thinkin : Poor Bill! poor Bill! what ever became 
 of him, anyway! After I was up a little while I 
 began to want my breakfast, and, as there was no 
 one else to get it, I had to cook it myself." 
 
 "Did you, Tom?" Bill interrupted, curiously. 
 "What did you have?" 
 
 "Eggs!" Tom answered, smiling. "I had the 
 two broken eggs. I thought I better get them 
 out of the way before Aunt Amy came home. I 
 did everything just as you did, Bill. Lucky I 
 watched you cook them the night before, wasn t 
 it?" 
 
 "Did you have the bacon, too, Tom?" 
 
 " No ; I was afraid if I tried any new wrinkles 
 I might set the house on fire." 
 
 "You could have cooked it just the same as the 
 eggs." 
 
 "Never mind; I had enough. I ate the potatoes; 
 I ate them cold. I wasn t every hungry, any way, 
 wonderin about things. I did miss my cup of 
 coffee, though. I d just finished eatin , when I 
 heard some one hammering on the front door. I 
 went out to see who it was. It was a man from 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFOKNIA REDWOODS 247 
 
 the store ; he wanted to know where you were. For 
 a minute I couldn t think what to say. Then I 
 told him I had to say something that you d 
 gone off to work for the vacation where you could 
 get more pay. I told him that you d gone off in 
 such a hurry that you didn t have time to go 
 around and tell them. Then I said that I was to 
 have gone around and told them, but that I over 
 slept that morning, and hadn t got round yet. I 
 knew, Bill, you must have had some good reason 
 for going; it wouldn t be like you to go off like 
 that unless you had. So I just thought I d make 
 up something. I knew, Bill, wherever you were, 
 you d be working; I was right, too, wasn t I?" 
 Tom looked pleased to think he had hit the nail 
 on the head. "Then I told him you d be back 
 when school opened again; I knew you d come 
 back because you left your books. I was right, 
 too, wasn t I? You are coming back, ain t you, 
 Bill?" Tom was highly delighted to think how 
 dextrously he had managed everything. 
 
 "Last night I was so sure that you d come home 
 that I went down to the evening train to meet 
 you. That s why I waited until today to come up 
 here; so you could come with me. 
 
 "Then, Bill, after I told the man from the store 
 what I say, he looked at the ground; then he 
 looked up and said he guessed it would be all 
 right. He said he knew you too well not to know 
 that you wouldn t go off in such a hurry, unless 
 you had some good reason. He said he intended 
 
248 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 paying you more for the vacation; but it was all 
 right; he d get somebody else until you came 
 back; that he wanted you again, because you were 
 the best he ever had to do things up about the 
 store. So, you see, Bill, you can ,go back to the 
 store again." 
 
 "All right, Tom!" Bill gladly exclaimed. "I m 
 awful glad of that. You ve managed everything 
 just fine!" 
 
 "After that I went out into the yard, and, not 
 knowing what else to do, I climbed up in the 
 apple tree, where w r e go when we want to talk. 
 There I got thinkin and thinkin , first about you 
 and where you had gone. Then I .got to thinkin 
 about you and what you said that I was lazy 
 and worthless and ought to learn to work. Then, 
 Bill, right then and there in the apple tree, I 
 made up my mind that I d do it. So I came 
 down, out of the tree, and went right to work. 
 First, I fed the hens. I hadn t thought of them 
 until then, and they were hungry. After that I 
 cut the lawn, brought in the wood, and everything 
 else just as you said, Bill. 
 
 "After I had done everything just as I d seen 
 you do, I was hungry. I went inside wonderin 
 what I d have for lunch if it would be eggs . 
 Just then the door opened, and who should walk 
 serenely in but Aunt Amy! It seems my uncle 
 wasn t hurt as badly as they thought; so she came 
 home. She wanted to know who d been fixing 
 things so nice. I said that I had, and she looked 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 249 
 
 pleased. When you didn t come home to lunch 
 she asked where you were ; so I told her the 
 same thing that I did the store-man. I thought I 
 better tell everybody the same thing, and I was 
 right, too, wasn t I, Bill?" Again Tom smiled 
 pleasingly. 
 
 By this time the boys had reached the vineyard. 
 An hour later they were ready to leave, Bill 
 having .gathered together his belongings and packed 
 them in his traveling-case, as well as bidding 
 good-bye to his friends. Thus the boys retraced 
 their foot-steps down the hill. 
 
 "How are you going to get out of this place, 
 anyway?" Tom was lost again. 
 
 "Follow me, Tom? I know the way." 
 
 As they continued toward the station, along 
 the winding road, sometimes rising, more often 
 gently falling, at times the warm sunshine would 
 beat strongly upon their backs; again they would 
 pass through the cool, welcome shade of the 
 mighty redwoods or other forest monarchs. On 
 either hand, bordering the silent, country road 
 were the dust-covered leaves of woodland plants, 
 shrubs, trailing vines, grasses and tangled briars, 
 amassed together, each struggling for supremacy ; 
 and like the great sea of humanity the strongest 
 ever became the victors, unmindful of the weak. 
 Beyond were the deep canyons, the sunny mead 
 ows, the checkered vineyards, or the thick forests. 
 In the shadiest places beside some babbling brook 
 bordered with mosses and grasses, kissed only 
 
250 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 occasionally by a stray sunbeam, they would pass 
 beds of pink oxalis, white forget-me-nots or bright 
 yellow buttercups. And often while trudging 
 along, their incessant chattering or fresh, boyish 
 laughter would startle some squirrel or cottontail 
 to scamper into the deeper woods for safety. 
 
 The next day after you left," Tom eagerly 
 continued, "I did everything different from what 
 I planned. What is the use of plans? First, we 
 went to church ; then when we got home, who 
 should be waiting at the gate but Uncle John in 
 his car? He took lunch with us; afterwards he 
 took us for a ride. We went up to the Big Trees. 
 My ! but it was fine ! You should have been there 
 and seen me climbing the trees!" 
 
 "No, Tom! You never could climb those trees!" 
 
 "What! Not the Cathedral, Bill!" 
 
 "Oh, of course you could climb around those 
 trees I did that myself." 
 
 "When was you there?" 
 
 "Only the day before you. I stopped over 
 there on my way here." Bill thought back to 
 the day he had visited the trees; it had been the 
 hardest day of his life. How different it was now! 
 
 "The next day, Bill, when Uncle John returned 
 to the city, who should go along but myself! I 
 tell you it was fine riding along over the moun 
 tains with the trees and things looking at you! 
 I was gone two weeks. It was while I was away 
 that I found out about myself owning the bank. 
 It s fine up here, isn t it?" he concluded, looking 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 251 
 
 around at the giant trees and the other wonders 
 of the wooded mountains. Do you have any 
 trees like this back where you come from, Bill?" 
 
 "No, Tom. We have lots of nice things, but 
 not trees like these." 
 
 "This is the place for me, Bill." 
 
 "Yes. I like it here, too." 
 
 "Here I intend to stay always." 
 
 "But you will have to go away when you begin 
 to run your bank," Bill answered, pausing to see 
 what Tom s reply to that would be. 
 
 "Not far, Bill. I will have a car like Uncle 
 John, and I will come here when I like. I m not 
 goin to work all the time," he uttered emphatic 
 ally. "I shall live half here and half in the city." 
 
 "How can you do that cut yourself in two?" 
 Bill spoke smilingly. 
 
 "Bill, you are the funniest! Don t get me 
 started again." A broad grin was spreading over 
 Tom s face. When he could control himself, he 
 added: "You know well enough what I mean. I 
 shall live half of the TIME here, and half of the 
 TIME at my bank. I believe in working half and 
 playing half that s my way." 
 
 "You re right. That s my way, too." 
 
 "Then why are you working all the time?" 
 
 "I can t help it now, while I m going to school; 
 but I m not always goin to. When I get through 
 school I hope to have more spare time." 
 
 "Won t it seem good to get back to school 
 again?" Tom at length said. "I mean to study 
 
252 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 real hard this year. I will study quick and then 
 I shall have plenty of time for games afterwards." 
 
 "That s the way, Tom." 
 
 "And, Bill, there s one thing I ve been thinkin 
 as we ve been walking along: I think we d better 
 not play cards quite so much this year; now that 
 I see the harm that comes from it." 
 
 "You may do as you like," Bill replied deter 
 minedly, "but for my part I shall never touch 
 another card. Tom, before my mother died, I 
 promised her that I would never touch a card. I 
 didn t keep my promise very well; but I shall 
 now always. 
 
 "I don t remember what I promised my mother, 
 Bill; I was too small. But you seem to know 
 what s best; so if you say so I shall never play 
 again." 
 
 "I can only speak for myself, Tom. You must 
 decide for yourself. I shall never touch another 
 card." 
 
 "Nor I, Bill." 
 
 "And, Tom, there s one thing more you need 
 to do; I tell you for your own good: you need to 
 control your temper." 
 
 "I know it. I ve been thinking of that, too, as 
 we re walking along. I know what I ll dp, when 
 I feel myself getting mad; I shall say to myself: 
 Now, .see here, Thomas, hadn t you better cut 
 that right out? And that will end it all." 
 
 "You have the right idea, Tom. All you need 
 to do is to learn to control yourself." 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFOKNIA KEDWOODS 253 
 
 For a few minutes they walked along in silence 
 down the quiet mountain road; then Tom said: 
 
 "Bill, let s put our things down here and have 
 a foot-race, down to that big tree and back. I 
 haven t had a good run this vacation." 
 
 "All right, Tom." Bill was ready for any 
 thing; he was so glad to have Tom back again. 
 
 So the two boys placed their luggage by the 
 roadside, after which Tom drew a line across the 
 dusty road with his boot-toe, and both took their 
 places in preparation for the coming race. 
 
 "Now ready, Bill! One! Two! Three! Go!" 
 Both boys went chasing down the road with Tom 
 in the lead, for the simple reason that he had 
 started on "Three!" instead of "Go!" 
 
 "Are you coming?" he called back over his 
 shoulder. But Bill made no reply; he was too 
 busy. 
 
 "Go around the tree!" Tom called a minute 
 later, as he still led the race toward the giant 
 redwood. 
 
 He was the first to go around the tree, with 
 Bill closely following. But on the home run, Bill, 
 to show what he could do, gained on his com 
 panion, soon passed him, and thus reached the 
 starting point first, with Tom only a step behind. 
 Breathlessly the youths gathered up their traps 
 in preparation to continue their way. 
 
 "You are better at it than I," Tom, between 
 breaths, acknowledged. 
 
 Thus the two youths, with smiling, happy faces 
 
254 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 continued along the mountain road, with the aged 
 monarchs breathing down upon them their gentle 
 blessings. They were happy; happy because they 
 were together again and happy because they were 
 going back to Santa Cruz and to school. 
 
 "Let s whistle something , Bill." 
 
 "All right, Tom." 
 
 Tom began to whistle "something," and Bill 
 accompanied him; they whistled as only two 
 happy boys can whistle. When they had finished 
 their tune, Tom turned toward Bill and with his 
 face beaming and his dark brown eyes sparkling, 
 said: 
 
 "Doesn t it seem good, Bill, to be together 
 again?" 
 
 "Yes, Tom; it DOES seem good." 
 
 In time they came to a mountain-top, and, look 
 ing down, there it all lay below them Santa Cruz, 
 "The City Beautiful." 
 
STOEY OF THE CALIFOKNIA REDWOODS 255 
 
 THE CITY BEAUTIFUL. 
 
 Santa Cruz, City of the Holy Cross, IS beautiful ; 
 perhaps not so much in itself as in its surround 
 ings and in its balmy, salubrious climate its cool 
 summers and mild winters. It is true that there 
 are days of heat, days of cold, days of wind, and 
 days of fog in summer and rain in winter, and 
 even frost (never snow) ; but is it not enough to 
 know that there are no piercing blasts of winter, 
 no sweltering heat of summer? Then there are 
 the perfect days the days when it seems that 
 heaven and earth are one, when everything is 
 just right the warm sunshine the cloudless sky, 
 the green grass and trees, the many-colored blos 
 soms, the gay songsters and the buzzing bees. 
 Sometimes these days come in June, sometimes in 
 January. 
 
 And always the beautiful flowers; in the spring 
 time it seems as if they were everywhere; at other 
 seasons, not so many, of course, but there are 
 always some. Santa Cruz is famous for its beau 
 tiful roses; here in the gardens they may be 
 gathered every day of the year. 
 
 Santa Cruz is world famous for its beautiful 
 scenery. Some cities that lie on the sea coast 
 
256 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 may boast of their beautiful harbors, or of the 
 cliffs and sandy beaches; others may boast of their 
 parks, or of their lakes, or their rivers; and still 
 others may boast of their green, rolling hills 
 or of rugged mountains that surround them. But 
 Santa Cruz? .She may boast of them all the 
 high mountains sloping downward, with their 
 many ridges, and valleys between them; the deep 
 canyons, always with a stream of purest moun 
 tain water at the very bottom, rushing along 
 among the rocks; and the growth of trees and 
 flowers from the giant redwoods, the living 
 monarchs of the earth, down to the tiniest of 
 mountain floAvers, all amassed together in every 
 available space. The mountains gradually slope 
 downward to the foot-hills, in shades of green in 
 winter and of brown in late summer. From the 
 foot-hills there is a gentle, gradual slope to the 
 cliffs, and below them the sandy beaches that 
 border part on the Pacific Ocean and part on 
 Monterey Bay. 
 
 Santa Cruz is a thriving little city, with its 
 homes beautiful homes, modest homes and poorer 
 homes ; its business blocks, its churches and 
 schools, and its factories, and, above all not to 
 be forgotten the famous Casino and Natatorium, 
 which guard one of the finest bathing beaches on 
 the Pacific Coast. Here is the place where all 
 Californians love to gather in the summer time to 
 frolic on the sands, to sport in the gentle waves, 
 to drive alone: the cliffs or beyond among the 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 257 
 
 hills and mountains, to fish in the bay or in the 
 mountain streams, to rest, to dream and to enjoy 
 " Beautiful" Santa Cruz, where the silent, deep- 
 blue mountains look down on the sea and the 
 ever-restless sea calls back to the mountains. 
 Here, along the San Lorenzo as it gently falls 
 from the lofty ridges, passing through deep can 
 yons, passing through the beautiful city, until it 
 at last reaches the sea, you may in one day 
 breathe the breath of the redwoods mingled with 
 that of woodland flowers, or inhale the fresh, salt 
 sea air. 
 
 Is it any wonder, then, that with such surround 
 ings there should be beautiful drives? Here, in 
 deed, is a place for a tourist with an automobile. 
 
 The first drive will take the sightseer west 
 ward, through the city, and thence along the cliffs 
 overlooking the bay, passing beautiful homes 
 ideally situated where they command the marine 
 view as well as that of the beach, city and distant 
 mountains. After passing Light House Point, 
 with its characteristic light house, at the entrance 
 of the harbor, he continues along the cliffs of the 
 ocean, often pink with the little blossom of the 
 mesembryanthemum, and with sandy beaches or 
 jutting rocks below. Thus as he rides, the traveler 
 may watch Father Neptune as he lashes his fiery 
 steeds against the rocks, or the huge combers 
 as they advance shoreward sending a thin veil of 
 white spray behind, then with an innumerable 
 retinue of whitecaps in the rear. Or it may be 
 
258 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 that the waves are only gentle ripples that mur 
 mur softly with the summer breeze as they roll 
 upon the pebbles of the beaches. Again it may be 
 that the silvery moonbeams will sparkle upon the 
 churning waters while he rides. 
 
 After riding several miles along the cliffs, the 
 tourist may, if he wish, continue further up the 
 coast by turning a short space inland. Then he 
 proceeds with the rolling hills at his right and 
 the gentle, green slope on the left, with the ocean 
 not far in the distance. This drive continues, pass 
 ing grain fields, dairies of Holsteins peacefully 
 grazing on the many hills, and over little streams 
 that creep along, laughing, sparkling, until at 
 length they mingle their waters with that of the 
 mighty Pacific. In due time the traveler arrives 
 at Davenport, the site of the Portland Cement 
 plant. If he wish he may return, or continue 
 further passing through cool, woody places, up 
 steep hills, then down again, often reaching the 
 rocky coast and riding for some distance along 
 the cliffs or by the beaches, listening to the inces 
 sant roar of the tumbling water. 
 
 After a delightful ride, in time the sightseer 
 will cross the line into San Mateo County and 
 soon pass Pigeon Point, with its imposing light 
 house, and New Years Island, a short distance from 
 the mainland. As he advances, winding along 
 between the great hills with sometimes fertile 
 valleys lying between them and through several 
 sea-coast towns, he at length comes to Pescadero, 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFOENIA REDWOODS 259 
 
 with its famous beach of rare pebbles. By going 
 further the traveler, after passing along among 
 hundreds of great hills, finally reaches the broad 
 artichoke country of Half Moon Bay. Then, over 
 the hills inland, twisting, turning, rising, he 
 reaches the very summit where he can look down 
 on it all. Down again, the opposite side, crossing 
 the Spring Valley lake, he arrives at Belmont, from 
 which place it is only a short ride to the great 
 Metropolis of the West San Francisco. 
 
 The second drive, perhaps the most famous, 
 will take the tourist through the San Lorenzo can 
 yon, among the giant redwoods. He leaves the 
 main street of the city, and after passing through 
 the northern limits enters the canyon, famous for 
 its variety of vegetation. First he passes through 
 a grove of sycamore trees standing so densely that 
 they almost meet overhead, leaving space only 
 for a narrow ribbon-like stretch of pale-blue sky. 
 
 Advancing, the sightseer passes a multitude of 
 kingly forest trees mantled in emerald shades, 
 from the pale green of the maple and alder to the 
 dark green of the oak, and California laurel with 
 its peculiar spicy aroma. The stately pine, the 
 feathery fir, the attractive madrone with its dark 
 green, richly varnished leaves showing against the 
 reddish peeling bark, which in the springtime puts 
 forth great panicles of small, white waxen bells 
 which in autumn change to clusters of crimson 
 berries, are associated together; and are all ever 
 green, so that judging by the trees of this grand 
 
260 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 canyon, it is hard to determine between summer 
 and winter. 
 
 But most admirable and numerous of all are the 
 tall, slender redwoods that rise, gracefully droop 
 ing their evergreen branches and emitting a de 
 licious fragrance, to a wonderful height so that 
 all other trees appear as mere pigmies. 
 
 Beneath this kingly army are smaller attend 
 ants trailing vines, delicate ferns, pleasing 
 shrubs, and gayest flowers. The wild currant, with 
 its clusters of fresh, pink flowers; the wild lilac, 
 both pale blue and white, so compact that they 
 often tint the distant hillsides; and hazel bushes, 
 often bearing nuts abound, as well as brakes and 
 sword ferns, thimble-berry bushes, with their 
 large white flowers with crumpled petals which 
 are deliciously fragrant ; and a retinue of many- 
 colored mountain flowers that love the shady places 
 beneath the iris, violets, buttercups and lilies. 
 
 As the road continues, the excursionist has at 
 his left the rising tree-covered slopes, and at his 
 right the deep canyon; sometimes broad, with a 
 thick growth of tall, slender redwoods, rising to 
 such a height that it seems as if they were eager 
 to touch the sky; sometimes narrow, leaving only 
 room at the bottom for the San Lorenzo as it 
 hurries along, dancing and singing among the 
 huge boulders. Presently, after a delightful ride 
 through this natural park, along this road of many 
 turns and sharp curves, through shady as well as 
 
STOKY OF THE CALIFOKNIA EEDWOODS 261 
 
 sunny places, the traveler reaches the branch road 
 that leads down to the grove of giant redwoods. 
 
 After seeing these "oldest and largest living 
 inhabitants of the earth," he may return to the 
 main road and proceed further to see more of the 
 wonders of the Santa Cruz Mountains. After pass 
 ing Felton, a small settlement in an open valley, 
 he whirls along the winding road, passing moun 
 tain homes and woody places, until Ben Lomond, 
 with its picturesque summer hotels and cottages 
 bordering along the river, is reached. Brookdale 
 is the next resort. Here are hundreds of rustic 
 cottages, so hidden among the trees and shrubs 
 that each cannot easily see their next-door neighbor. 
 
 But the grandest part of the ride will be from 
 Boulder Creek, a lumber town, on up onto the 
 higher mountains, winding and turning, upgrade, 
 until near the summit the sightseer stops his car, 
 awed with the grandeur of the sublime scenery 
 that stretches before him. Directly below lies the 
 Little Basin; beyond it the rising mountain 
 ridges with their higher peaks, as far as the eye 
 can see; and all tree-covered. It is a beautiful 
 view, with the clear, cerulean sky above and the 
 warm sunlight sifted gently over it all together 
 with the deep shadows. Indeed, it is a living 
 picture painted by Nature, with colors of blue 
 and green flaked with silver and gold; a picture 
 painted by an unseen hand with a brush of sun 
 beams. As the traveler continues his ride, he 
 passes through the gateway, hewn through the top 
 
262 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 of the mountain, and then begins to descend, 
 down, down the ever-turning road on the opposite 
 side of the mountain into the Big Basin. Down 
 at the very bottom, nurtured by the heavy rains 
 of winter and the fogs from the nearby ocean in 
 summer, stand the giant redwoods, perhaps no 
 larger than those of the San Lorenzo canyon but 
 ever so many more of them, standing almost as 
 thick as blades of grass, with masses of rich, 
 shiny huckleberry foliage beneath. Here is the 
 place for the picnicker to eat his lunch and while 
 aw r ay the noonday hours and then return to Santa 
 Cruz before nightfall. 
 
 The third drive takes the sightseer, after hav 
 ing the city, between the hills into Scott s valley 
 fertile with farming lands, orchards, dairies and 
 happy homes. As he proceeds he enters the higher 
 mountains, with their wondrous growth of trees 
 and flowers. The mighty redwoods stand like sen 
 tinels along the path as the car goes gliding 
 along for many a mile, up hill and down dale, 
 through the cool shadows. Often a small moun 
 tain brook, bordered with ferns and mosses, or 
 companies of golden buttercups or modest baby- 
 blue-eyes, gently wanders onward, or more swiftly 
 plunges over the rocks singing to the traveler as 
 he passes and breathes the breath of the redwoods 
 mingled with that of sweet grasses and flowers. 
 
 After little more than an hour s ride the little 
 town of Glenwood, nestled among the mountains, 
 is reached; here the driver turns and takes a road 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 263 
 
 that leads back over one of the mountains. At the 
 highest point he may pause to drink in the mag 
 nificent view which lies before him a picture of 
 ridges, and broad valleys or deep canyons that 
 lie between them. In the distance upon the high 
 est range lies the crown of all the blue dome- 
 shaped mountain, Loma Prieta. To the southward 
 a glimpse of the blue water of the bay is visible 
 on a clear day. In returning to the city the tour 
 ist may come through Blackburn Gulch, thus re 
 ceiving a variety of mountain grandeur. 
 
 The fourth drive is from Santa Cruz along the 
 main county road to the picturesque village of 
 Soquel, four miles distant; thence turning into 
 the mountains and continuing through the canyon 
 of the Soquel. This in many ways resembles that 
 of the San Lorenzo ride, only it is broader and 
 contains more in the way of farms and orchards. 
 The traveler may go as far as he likes over this 
 road, even over the mountains into the Santa Clara 
 valley, to San Jose and San Francisco. Returning, 
 however, he may take the scenic road over Moun 
 tain View, a lofty ride, rich in scenery, vineyards, 
 as well as other vegetation, and health resorts; 
 descending again into Doyle Gulch, he at length 
 reaches the county road again. 
 
 The fifth drive is through the city to the east 
 and along the cliffs that overlook Monterey Bay, 
 passing Seabright and Twin Lakes, two suburban 
 seaside resorts. As he continues the sightseer has 
 at his right the crescent-shaped bay, with the ever- 
 
264 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 restless, spumy waves rolling upon the sandy 
 beaches; and far across the water he will see the 
 blue mountains of Monterey. At his left he will 
 see neat homes, surrounded by flowers and trees, 
 and, if it be in the springtime, the empty fields 
 will be carpeted with wild flowers, the golden 
 California poppy, or copa de oro, and the blue 
 lupine predominating. In the distance are the 
 Santa Cruz Mountains, with Loma Prieta, who 
 from her lofty position like a queen smiles down 
 from her throne on her favorite county. 
 
 After reaching Capitola, another seaside resort, 
 the driver turns inland for a mile until he reaches 
 Soquel. Here he enters the main county road and, 
 continuing eastward, soon passes Aptos, where the 
 redwoods come down to the sea; then whirls along 
 among the hills, leaving behind orchards, grain- 
 fields, dairies and farm-homes, until at length 
 Watsonville the sister city which lies in the 
 center of the broad and fertile Pajaro valley 
 the valley of apples and strawberries is reached. 
 Here the tourist may, if it be in April, inhale the 
 sweet perfume of the apple blossom, or, if it be 
 in October, the breath of the apple itself mingled 
 with that of the strawberry. 
 
 If he wish, in returning, for a variety of scenery 
 he may go by the San Andreas road, nearer the 
 coast, which enters the main road near Aptos. 
 
 Nor are these all the drives about Santa Cruz 
 worthy of mention. They are too numerous to de- 
 scribe. The Empire grade, to Bonny Doon, is as 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 265 
 
 grand a ride as any, or through the De Laveaga 
 park and down the famous cork-screw road into 
 Blackburn Gulch. Best of all, perhaps, is the trip 
 to the top of Loma Prieta mountain via the Soquel 
 canyon, where the sightseer can look down upon 
 the entire county and the broad Pacific, as well 
 as into the beautiful Santa Clara valley. 
 
 Is it any wonder, then, considering all these 
 beautiful attractions, if we who were born here 
 and know of all these marvelous environs, should 
 ask why more people do not come here to make 
 this city their home here in the West, where they 
 may live out of doors nearly every day of the year, 
 among these beautiful things God has given us 
 and be happy and healthy? Is it because they do 
 not know of it? 
 
266 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 AFTERWARD. 
 
 There is one other incident which belongs to 
 this story to make it complete "The Lovers." It 
 was not, however, until six years later. ^ 
 
 And, after all, Bill did not make any mistake. 
 That night when he thought he had killed Tom, 
 he did kill him. The little, old, worthless Tom 
 did die that night; but in his place a new Tom 
 arose a Tom that meant to work as well as play. 
 And it was a good thing, too, that Bill went away, 
 just as he did, for if he did not Tom might never 
 have got to "thinkin things over." 
 
 The result was, that six years later Tom was 
 running his own bank, as good as any one could 
 have done. One of the older employees said one 
 day: "He s the smartest young man I ever saw. 
 I used to think his father was smart, but he wasn t 
 in it long side of Tom. I used to think that Tom 
 would inherit his father s awful temper, but he 
 doesn t seem to. Sometimes he gets a little mad, 
 but it passes away almost as quickly as it comes." 
 
 And Bill, too, was in the bank, helping Tom to 
 run it. One morning Tom walked over to whert 
 Bill sat, busy at his desk with his books, and said: 
 
 "Bill, I m goin to get married." 
 
 "Who to, Tom?" 
 
STORY OF THE CALIFORNIA REDWOODS 267 
 
 "Remember Jessie?" 
 
 "Jessie! Why, Tom! Have you asked her yet?" 
 
 "No, but I m goin to. What s the matter?" 
 
 "Why, Tom! Jessie s as good as engaged to 
 me!" 
 
 "Is she? Well, why didn t you say so? You 
 always said that you were never going to marry." 
 
 "I didn t really mean it. I was waiting till I 
 had more money. 
 
 Then for a moment there was silence. For the 
 second time in his life, Tom was knocked speech 
 less. 
 
 "I suppose," Bill began solemnly, as he made 
 a pretense of marking in his books, "it would be 
 better for Jessie if you marry her; you can do 
 so much more for her than I." 
 
 "Well, let s toss. I always like to settle things 
 peacefully. That s the best way to settle it." 
 
 "I hate to toss for a girl, Tom." 
 
 "I ll do it." With that Tom took a coin from 
 his pocket and threw it toward the ceiling. "Heads 
 or tails, Bill?" he asked as he threw the coin. 
 
 "Heads." 
 
 The coin came down to the floor. For a moment 
 both young men looked at it in silence. Tom spoke 
 first: 
 
 "I m sorry, Bill anyway you shall have your 
 raise of pay." 
 
 Then Tom went away and Bill was left alone 
 for a few days. But why should Bill care? He 
 had always loved Tom, It was best for Jessie, 
 
268 BILL S MISTAKE 
 
 too; and what was best for her was best for Bill. 
 Besides, how could a plain, ordinary man like Bill 
 expect a girl to marry him when there was a 
 handsome young banker in the field? 
 
 In a few days Tom came back. He entered the 
 office and walked up to Bill s desk, and, leaning 
 over his shoulder, softly said: 
 
 "I m back again, Bill." 
 
 "Back again?" Bill spoke sadly, without turn 
 ing. 
 
 "Bill, I suppose I may as well tell you first as 
 last." 
 
 "Yes, Tom, tell me all about it." While speak 
 ing he scratched with his pen. 
 
 "Bill." Then Tom paused. 
 
 "Yes, Tom." 
 
 "It s not me she wants; it s you. I m glad, 
 though; it s as it should be. You knew her first. 
 I got to thinkin things over, and I went fishin 
 instead. Fishin s good now." Here Tom s voice 
 began to quiver. In a moment he controlled him 
 self, and continued: "Besides I know another girl 
 that I think will suit me better. You ve done a 
 great deal for me more than YOU can ever 
 know Bill." 
 
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