apidly, and the bird I judged
well-nigh done; wherefore I began to shout and halloo, bidding her to
supper. But the shadows deepening and getting no answer to my
outcries, I started up, clean forgetting my cookery, and hasted off in
search of my companion, calling her name now and then as I went.
Following the stream I found it to narrow suddenly (and it running very
furious and deep) perceiving which I began to fear lest some mischance
had befallen my wilful lady. Presently as I hurried on, casting my
eyes here and there in search of her, I heard, above the rush of the
water, a strange and intermittent roaring, the which I could make
nothing of, until, at last, forcing my way through the underbrush I saw
before me a column of water that spouted up into the air from a fissure
at the base of the hill, and this waterspout was about the bigness of a
fair-sized tree and gushed up some twenty feet or so, now sinking to
half this height, only to rise again. Scarce pausing to behold this
wonder I would have hasted on (and roaring louder than the water) when
I beheld her seated close by upon a rock and watching me, chin in hand.

"Why must you shout so loud?" says she reprovingly.

"I feared you lost!" says I, like any fool.

"Would it matter so much? And you so angry with me and no reason?"

"Howbeit, supper is ready!"

"I am not hungry, I thank you, sir."

"But I am!"

"Then go eat!"

"Not alone!" says I; and then very humbly, "Prithee, comrade, come to
supper, indeed you should be hungry!"

"And indeed, Martin," says she, rising and giving me her hand, "I do
think I am vastly hungry after all." So back we went together and,
reaching the fire, found the accursed bird burned black as any coal,
whereupon I stood mighty downcast and abashed the while she laughed and
laughed until she needs must lean against a tree; and I, seeing her
thus merry at my expense, presently laughed also. Hereupon she falls
on her knees, and taking the thing from the fire sets it upon a great
leaf for dish, and turns it this way and that.

"Good lack, Martin!" says she, "'Tis burned as black e'en as I wished!
This cometh of your usurpation of my duties, sir! And yet methinks
'tis not utterly spoiled!" And drawing her knife she scrapes and trims
it, cutting away the burned parts until there little enough remained,
but that mighty delectable judging by the smell of it.

So down we sat to supper forthwith and mighty amicable, nay indee