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Main > Fairy tale > All authors > Frank Baum > Fairy tale "Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad"

Aunt Jane's Nieces Abroad

He

drew out his pipe and lighted it, to assist his meditations.

These were none too pleasant. That he had been cleverly entrapped, and

that by a child scarcely in its teens, was too evident to need

reflection. And what a secure trap it was! The mountains ranged all

around the valley were impossible to scale, even by an Alpine climber,

and to one who was not informed of its location the existence of the

valley itself was unimaginable.

"I had not believed Ferralti was so shrewd," he muttered, wonderingly.

"That something was wrong about the fellow I knew, of course; but I had

not suspected such a thing as this. Now, then, first of all let me mark

this spot, so that I will remember it. Just back of where I now stand is

the entrance or outlet to the tunnel through the wall. It is closed, I

suppose, by a swinging stone, like the one on the opposite side. I saw

that one opened--opened by some person concealed from view, as soon as

the boy sang his bit of song which was the signal agreed upon. And I was

fool enough, after that warning, to walk straight through the tunnel!

You're getting old, John Merrick; that's the only way I can account for

your folly. But Ferralti hasn't won the odd trick yet, and if I keep my

wits about me he isn't likely to win."

Thus ruminating, Uncle John searched the rocky wall carefully and

believed he would know the place again, although which of the rough

stones of its surface formed the doorway to the tunnel he could not

guess.

A ledge of rock served as a path leading to right and left around this

end of the valley, or "pocket" in the mountain, as it could more

properly be called. Uncle John turned to the right, striding along with

his usual deliberation, smoking his pipe and swinging his cane as he

approached the stone dwelling that formed the center of the little

settlement. As yet no sign of human life had he observed since Tato had

disappeared, although a few cows were standing in a green meadow and

some goats scrambled among the loose rocks at the further end of the

enclosure.

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