Discovering Emily by Jacqueline Pearce Read Free Book Online

puppy. No art supplies.
    I don’t care, Emily told herself. I’ll never be good enough to be a real artist, anyway.

16
Mill Stream
    Winter seemed to last a long time, but finally the green buds of new leaves appeared on the trees outside Emily’s window. Father was in a good mood and promised the family a picnic the following Saturday. The days before the picnic crawled along. The hands of the clock seemed to stick in one place and Emily thought Saturday would never come. But it did.
    Emily’s aunt and uncle were visiting from San Francisco, so Father ordered the omnibus to pick them up and take them out to Mill Stream. The bus was yellow with carpeted seats. Emily’s uncle made a nest of cushions in one corner for Aunty.The baskets of food were tucked in around her, then the children climbed in. Emily settled on one of the high seats. Up ahead, the driver called for the two horses to be off. The bus jerked and rattled over the dirt roads. The wheels were rimmed with iron and made a terrible clanging sound over the stones. Emily’s body swayed, and her dangling legs bumped against the bottom of the seat. She began to feel queasy. She climbed up onto her knees and rested her arms on the open window ledge. That was better.
    On her nest of cushions Aunty coughed and held a white lace handkerchief up to her face.
    â€œThe dust is going to ruin my new coat,” she complained. She waved her hankie at Uncle, and he hurried to close Emily’s window. Emily went back to bumping and swaying and feeling queasy.
    Finally, the omnibus came to a stop. The driver opened the door and everyone spilled out onto a grassy clearing beside a stream. Emily stood, drinking in the sight ofmeadow and forest, the smell of new green, the tinkling sound of the moving water. Behind her, Lizzie pushed past, carrying a basket. Reluctantly, Emily turned back to help unload the bus.
    Soon, Dede had a tablecloth spread across the grass, and she and Mother were removing cloth bundles from the baskets and unwrapping cakes, pies, cold meat and sandwiches. Uncle made a new nest of cushions for Aunty next to the tablecloth.
    â€œLunch first, children,” said Mother. “Then you can play.”
    After they hurried through their food, Emily, Alice and Lizzie jumped to their feet and headed to the stream. Little Richard followed them.
    â€œKeep by the stream,” Mother called after them. “Don’t go into the woods — and watch out for your brother.”
    â€œYou have four hours,” Father called, holding up his watch on its chain.
    Emily sighed happily. Four hours was a wonderfully long time. She walked slowly,poking along the edge of the stream. They followed it into the forest, though they stayed close to the water as Mother had directed. The woods were too thick to get into, anyway. Pine and cedar trees towered overhead, smelling spicy and sweet. The stream made a tunnel through the dark, shadowy forest. This was the type of wild place Emily loved.
    She climbed from rock to rock. In one spot the stream rushed around a huge boulder and bubbled into a pool. In another spot the stream was gentle and slow. Mossy stones looked like babies’ heads, which Alice pretended to be giving a bath. Many-fingered ferns hung over the banks, dipping into the water. Around a bend, there was a muddy beach with mysterious heart shaped prints.
    â€œDeer hooves,” said Lizzie.
    Emily imagined the gentle deer coming to the stream to drink. She sat down on her knees and bent forward. In front of her the water looked clear and fresh. She was thirsty.
    â€œMilly!” Alice cried in alarm, catching hold of the back of Emily’s pinafore as she began to topple over into the stream.
    Emily flung out her hands to help stop her fall. One of them went into the stream, but her sleeve was only wet up to the elbow. Not too bad, Emily thought.
    Plop
! Something jumped into the water beside Emily.
    Splash
! Both