At dEbrEk, /tip waz awEkand bF H /pampkinhed. hI rabd H slIp fram hiz Fz, bEHd in a lital brUk, n Hn Et a pYrSn v hiz bred n cIz. hAvN Has pripErd f a nM dE, H bq sed:
"let as styrt At wans. nFn mFlz z kwFt a distans, bat wI Yt t rIc H /emarald /sitI bF nMn if nO Aksidants hApan." sO H /pampkinhed waz agen parcd apon H bAk v H /sY-/hYrs n H JarnI waz rizMmd.
/tip nOtisd Ht H parpal tint v H grAs n crIz hAd nQ fEdd t a dal lAvandar, n bifYr loN Hs lAvandar apIrd t tEk on a grIniS tinJ Ht grAJMalI brFtand Az HE JrM nIrar t H grEt /sitI wEr H /skErkrO rMld.
H lital pyrtI hAd crAvald bat a SYrt tM mFlz apon HEr wE wen H rOd v jelO brik waz pyrtd bF a brYd n swift rivar. /tip waz pazald hQ t kros Ovar; bat Aftar a tFm hI diskavard a mAn in a fErI-bOt aprOcN fram H aHar sFd v H scrIm.
wen H mAn rIcd H bANk /tip Askd:
"wil jM rO as t H aHar sFd?"
"jes, if jM hAv manI," ritarnd H fErIman, hMz fEs lUkd kros n disagrIabal.
"bat F hAv nO manI," sed /tip.
"nan At Yl?" inkwFrd H mAn.
"nan At Yl," Ansard H bq.
"Hn F'l not brEk mF bAk rOiN jM Ovar," sed H fErImn, disFdadlI.
"wat a nFs mAn!" rimyrkd H /pampkinhed, smFliNlI.
H fErImn stErd At him, bat mEd nO riplF. /tip waz crFiN t TiNk, f i waz a grEt disapqntmnt t him t fFnd hiz JarnI sO sadanlI brYt t an end.
"F mast sartanlI get t H /emarald /sitI," hI sed t H bOtmn; "bat hQ kn F kros H rivar if jM d not tEk mI?"
H mAn lAfd, n i waz not a nFs lAf.
"Ht wUdan hYrs wil flOt," sed hI; "n jM kn rFd him akros. Az f H pampkinhed lMn hM akampanIz jM, let him siNk Yr swim i wOn't mAtar grEtlI wic."
"dOn't warI abQt mI," sed /JAk, smFlN plezantlI apon H krAbd fErImn; "F'm Sar F Yt t flOt bjMtifalI."
/tip TYt H ekspErimnt waz warT mEkN, n H /sY-/hYrs, hM did not nO wat dEnJar ment, ofard nO abJekSnz watevar. sO H bq led i dQn intM H wotar n klFmd apon its bAk. /JAk YlsO wEdd in ap t hiz nIz n grAspd H tEl v H hYrs sO Ht hI mFt kIp hiz pampkin hed abav H wotar.
"nQ," sed /tip, inscraktN H /sY-/hYrs, "if jM wigal jYr legz jM wil probablI swim; n if jM swim wI SAl probablI rIc H aHar sFd."
H /sY-/hYrs At wans bigAn t wigal its legz, wic Aktd Az Yrz n mMvd H Advencararz slOlI akros H rivar t H opOsit sFd. sO saksesfal waz H crip Ht prezantlI HE war klFmN, wet n JripN, ap H grAsI bANk.
/tip's crQzar-legz n SMz war TarOlI sOkd; bat H /sI-/hYrs hAd flOtd sO parfektlI Ht fram hiz nIz ap H bq waz entFrlI JrF. Az f H /pampkinhed, evrI stic v hiz gYrJas klOHN Jripd wotar.
"H san wil sMn JrF as," sed /tip, "n, enIhQ, wI r nQ sEflI akros, in spFt v H fErImn, n kn kntinjM Qr JarnI."
"F didn't mFnd swimN, At Yl," rimyrkd H hYrs.
"nYr did F," Add /JAk.
HE sMn rigEnd H rOd v jelO brik, wic prMvd t b a kntinjMESn v H rOd HE hAd left on H aHar sFd, n Hn /tip wans mYr mQntd H /pampkinhed apon H bAk v H /sY-/hYrs.
"if jM rFd fAst," sed hI, "H wind wil help t JrF jYr klOHN. F wil hOld on t H hYrs'z tEl n ran Aftar jM. in Hs wE wI Yl wil bIkam JrF in a vErI SYrt tFm."
"Hn H hYrs mast step lFvlI," sed /JAk.
"F'l d mF best," ritarnd H /sY-/hYrs, cIrfalI.
/tip grAspd H end v H brAnc Ht sarvd Az tEl t H /sY-/hYrs, n kYld lQdlI: "get-ap!"
H hYrs startd At a gUd pEs, n /tip folOd bihFnd. Hn hI desFdd HE kUd gO fAstar, sO hI SQtd: "crot!"
nQ, H /sY-/hYrs rimembard Ht Hs ward waz H kmAnd t gO Az fAst Az hI kUd; sO hI bigAn rokN aloN H rOd At a cremendas pEs, n /tip hAd hyrd wark -- ranN fAstar Hn hI evar hAd bifYr in hiz lFf -- t kIp hiz fIt.
sMn hI waz Qt v brIc, n YlHO hI wontd t kYl "wO!" t H hYrs, hI fQnd hI kUd not get H ward Qt v hiz TrOt. Hn H end v H tEl hI waz klacN, bIiN naTN mYr Hn a ded brAnc, sadanlI brOk awE, n H nekst minit H bq waz rOlN in H dast v H rOd, wFl H hYrs n its pampkin-hedd rFdar dASd on n kwiklI disapIrd in H distans.
bF H tFm /tip hAd pikd himself ap n klIrd H dast fram hiz TrOt sO hI kUd sE "wO!" HEr waz nO farHar nId v sEiN i, f H hYrs waz loN sins Qt v sFt.
sO hI did H OnlI sensibal TiN hI kUd d. hI sAt dQn n tUk a gUd rest, n Aftarward bigAn wYkN aloN H rOd.
"sam tFm F wil SarlI OvartEk Hem," hI riflektd; "f H rOd wil end At H gEts v H /emarald /sitI, n HE kn gO nO farHar Hn Ht."
mIntFm /JAk waz hOldN fAst t H pOst n H /sY-/hYrs waz tErN aloN H rOd lFk a rEsar. nIHar v Hem nM /tip waz left bihFnd, f H /pampkinhed did not lUk arQnd n H /sY-/hYrs kUdn't.
Az hI rOd, /JAk nOtisd Ht H grAs n crIz hAd bIkam a brFt emarald-grIn in kalar, sO hI gesd HE war nIrN H /emarald /sitI Ivan bifYr H tYl spFrz n dOmz kEm intM sFt.
At leNkT a hF wYl v grIn stOn, stadd Tik wiT emaraldz, lMmd ap bifYr Hem; n fIrN H /sY-/hYrs wUd not nO Inaf t stop n sO mFt smAS Hem bOT agenst Hs wYl, /JAk vencard t krF "wO!" Az lQd Az hI kUd.
sO sadanlI did H hYrs ObE Ht hAd i not bin f hiz pOst /JAk wUd hAv bin picd of hed fYrmOst, n hiz bjMtifal fEs rMind.
"Ht waz a fAst rFd, dIr fYHar!" hI eksklEmd; n Hn, hIrN nO riplF, hI tarnd arQnd n diskavard f H farst tFm Ht /tip waz not HEr.
Hs apErant dezarSn pazald H /pampkinhed, n mEd him anIzI. n wFl hI waz wandarN wat hAd bIkam v H bq, n wat hI Yt t d nekst andar sac crFiN sarkamstAnsz, H gEtwE in H grIn wYl Opand n a mAn kEm Qt.
Hs mAn waz SYrt n rQnd, wiT a fAt fEs Ht sImd rimyrkablI gUd-nEcard. hI waz klOHd Yl in grIn n wYr a hF, pIkd grIn hAt apon hiz hed n grIn spektaklz Ovar hiz Fz. bQiN bifYr H /pampkinhed hI sed:
"F Am H /gyrdian v H /gEts v H /emarald /sitI. mE F inkwFr hM jM r, n wat z jYr biznis?"
"mF nEm z /JAk /pampkinhed," ritarnd H aHar, smFliNlI; "bat Az t mF biznis, F hAvn't H lIst Fdia in H warld wat i z."
H /gyrdian v H /gEts lUkd sarprFzd, n SUk hiz hed Az if dissAtisfFd wiT H riplF.
"wat r jM, a mAn Yr a pampkin?" hI Askd, palFtlI.
"bOT, if jM plIz," Ansard /JAk.
"n Hs wUdan hYrs -- z i alFv?" kwescnd H /gyrdian.
H hYrs rOld wan noti F apward n wiNkd At /JAk. Hn i gEv a prAns n brYt wan leg dQn on H /gyrdian'z tOz.
"Qc!" krFd H mAn; "F'm syrI F Askd Ht kwescn. bat H Ansar z mOst knvinsN. hAv jM enI Erand, sar, in H /emarald /sitI?"
"i sImz t mI Ht F hAv," riplFd H /pampkinhed, sIriaslI; "bat F kn not TiNk wat i z. mF fYHar nOz Yl abQt i, bat hI z not hIr."
"Hs z a scrAnJ afEr vErI scrEnJ!" diklErd H /gyrdian. "bat jM sIm hyrmlis. fOks d not smFl sO dilFtfalI wen HE mIn miscif."
"Az f Ht," sed /JAk, "F kn not help mF smFl, f i z kyrvd on mF fEs wiT a JAk-nFf."
"wel, kam wiT mI intM mF rMm," rizMmd H /gyrdian, "n F wil sI wat kn b dan f jM."
sO /JAk rOd H /sY-/hYrs TrM H gEtwE intM a lital rMm bilt intM H wYl. H /gyrdian pUld a bel-kYrd, n prezantlI a vErI tYl sOlJar -- klOHd in a grIn jMnifYrm -- entard fram H opasit dYr. Hs sOlJar kErId a loN grIn gan Ovar hiz SOldar n hAd lavlI grIn wiskarz Ht fel kwFt t hiz nIz. H /gyrdian At wans aJresd him, sEiN:
"hIr z a scrEnJ Jentalmn hM dazn't nO wF hI hAz kam t H /emarald /sitI, Yr wat hI wonts. tel mI, wat SAl wI d wiT him?"
H /sOlJar wiT H /grIn /wiskarz lUkd At /JAk wiT mac kEr n kjarIositI. fFnalI hI SUk hiz hed sO pozitivlI Ht lital wEvz ripald dQn hiz wiskarz, n Hn hI sed:
"F mast tEk him t /hiz /mAJistI, H /skErkrO."
"bat wat wil /hiz /mAJestI, H /skErkrO, d wiT him?" Askd H /gyrdian v H /gEts.
"Ht z /hiz /mAJestI'z biznis," ritarnd H sOlJar. "F hAv crabalz Inaf v mF On. Yl QtsFd crabalz mast b tarn Ovar t /hiz /mAJestI. sO pUt H spektaklz on Hs felO, n F'l tEk him t H rqal pAlis."
sO H /gyrdian Opand a big boks v spektaklz n crFd t fit a pEr t /JAk's grEt rQnd Fz.
"F hAvn't a pEr in stok Ht wil rIlI kavar HOz Fz ap," sed H lital mAn, wiT a sF; "n jYr hed z sO big Ht F SAl b ablFJd t tF H spektaklz on."
"bat wF nId F wEr spektakalz?" Asked /JAk.
"it's H fASn hIr," sed H /sOlJar, "n HE wil kIp jM fram bIiN blFndd bF H glitar n glEr v H gYrJas /emarald /sitI."
"O!" eksklEmd /JAk. "tF Hem on, bF Yl mInz. F dOn't wiS t b blFndd."
"nYr F!" brOk in H /sY-/hYrs; sO a pEr v grIn spektaklz waz kwiklI fAsand Ovar H balJN nots Ht sarvd i f Fz.
Hn H /sOlJar wiT H /grIn /wiskarz led Hem TrM H inar gEt n HE At wans fQnd Hemselvz in H mEn scrIt v H mAgnifisant /emarald /sitI.
spyrklN grIn Jemz yrnamentd H frants v H bjMtifal hQsz n H tQrz n tarits war Yl fEsd wiT emaraldz. Ivan H grIn myrbal pEvmnt glitard wiT preSas stOnz, n i waz indId a grAnd n myrvalas sFt t wan hM bIheld i f H farst tFm.
hQevar, H /pampkinhed n H /sY-/hYrs, nOiN naTiN v welT n bjMtI, pEd lital atenSn t H wandarfal sFts HE sY TrM HEr grIn spektaklz. HE kYmlI folOd Aftar H grIn sOlJar n skErslI nOtisd H krQdz v grIn pIpal hM stErd At Hem in sarprFz. wen a grIn dog rAn Qt n byrkd At Hem H /sY-/hYrs promptlI kikd At i wiT its wUdan leg n sent H lital Animal hQlN intM wan v H hQsz; bat naTiN mYr sIrias Hn Hs hApand t intarapt HEr progres t H rqal pAlis.
H /pampkinhed wontd t rFd ap H grIn myrbal steps n scrEt intM H skErkrO'z prezans; bat H sOlJar wUd not parmit Ht. sO /JAk dismQntd, wiT mac difikaltI, n a sarvant led H /sY-/hYrs arQnd t H rIr wFl H /sOlJar wiT H /grIn /wiskarz eskYrtd H /pampkinhed intM H pAlis, bF H frant encrans.
H scrEnJar waz left in a hAndsamlI farniSd wEtN rMm wFl H sOlJar went t anQns him. i s hApand Ht At Hs Qr /hiz /mAJestI waz At lIZar n grEtlI bYrd f wont v samTiN t d, sO hI Yrdard hiz vizitar t b SOn At wans intM hiz TrOn rMm.
/JAk felt nO fIr Yr embErasmnt At mItN H rMlar v Hs mAgnifisant sitI, f hI waz entIrlI ignYrant v Yl warldlI kastamz. bat wen hI entard H rMm n sY f H farst tFm /hiz /mAJestI H /skErkrO sItd apon hiz glitarN TrOn, hI stopd SYrt in amEzmnt.