Поющие в терновнике

           Wheneveryonethoughtshewasinbed,Meggiesqueezedoutofherbedroomwindowandsneakeddowntothewoodheap.Itwasatremendouslyimportantareainthecontinuinglifeofthehouse;aboutathousandsquarefeetofgroundpaddedanddeadenedbyathicklayerofchipsandbark,greathighstacksoflogsononesidewaitingtobereducedinsize,andontheothersidemosaic-likewallsofneatlypreparedwoodjusttherightsizeforthestovefirebox.Inthemiddleoftheopenspacethreetreestumpsstillrootedinthegroundwereusedasblockstochopdifferentheightsofwood.

           Frankwasnotonablock;hewasworkingonamassiveeucalyptuslogandundercuttingittogetitsmallenoughtoplaceonthelowest,wideststump.Itstwo-foot-diameterbulklayontheearth,eachendimmobilizedbyanironspike,andFrankwasstandingontopofit,cuttingitintwobetweenhisspreadfeet.Theaxewasmovingsofastitwhistled,andthehandlemadeitsownseparateswishingsoundasitslidupanddownwithinhisslipperypalms.Upitflashedabovehishead,downitcameinadullsilverblur,carvingawedge-shapedchunkoutoftheiron-hardwoodaseasilyasifithadbeenapineoradeciduoustree.Sunderedpiecesofwoodwereflyinginalldirections,thesweatwasrunninginstreamsdownFrank’sbarechestandback,andhehadwoundhishandkerchiefabouthisbrowtokeepthesweatfromblindinghim.Itwasdangerouswork,undercutting;onemistimedorbadlydirectedhack,andhewouldbeminusafoot.