Page 80 - A Little Bush Maid

"T don’t suppose," said the Hermit reflectively, poking a stem of grass down
his pipe, "that T’ll ever lose the memory of the sudden, abject terror of that

moment. They say ’as easy as falling off a log,’ and it certainly doesn’t take
an able-bodied man long to fall off one, as a rule; but it seemed to me that T

was hours and years waiting for the jerk to come on my imprisoned foot.
T’m sure T lived through half a lifetime before it really came.

"Then it came--and T hardly felt it! There was just a sudden pull--scarcely
enough to hurt very much, and the old boot yielded. Sole from upper, it

came clean away, and the pressure on my foot alone wasn’t enough to hold
me. Tt was so unexpected that T didn’t realize T was free until T struck the
water, and went down right into the mud at the bottom of the creek.

"That woke me up, T can assure you. T came up choking and spluttering, and

blinded with the mud-- T wouldn’t like to tell you for a moment that it was
pleasant, but T can truthfully say T never was more relieved in my life. T
struck out for the bank, and got out of the water, and then sat down on the

grass and wondered why on earth T hadn’t made up my mind to jump off
that log before.

"T hadn’t any boot left--the remainder had been kicked off as T swam ashore.
T made my way along the log that had held me so fast all night, and there,

wedged as tight as ever in the crack, was my old sole! Tt’s there still--unless
the mosquitoes have eaten it. T limped home with my fish, cleaned them,

had a meal and went to bed--and T didn’t get up until next day, either!

"And so, Mr. Wally, T venture to think that it was my boot that you landed

this morning," the Hermit said gravely. "T don’t grudge it to you; T can’t say
T ever wish to see it again. You"--magnanimously--"may have it for your

very own!"

"But T chucked it back again!" blurted out Wally, amidst a roar of laughter

from Jim and Harry at his dismayed face.

"T forgive you!" said the Hermit, joining in the laugh. "T admit it was a relic
which didn’t advertise its own fame."