path: root/old/12202.txt

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Castaway, by W.W. Jacobs

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org


Title: The Castaway
       Odd Craft, Part 2.

Author: W.W. Jacobs

Release Date: April 29, 2004 [EBook #12202]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CASTAWAY ***




Produced by David Widger




ODD CRAFT

By W.W. Jacobs



THE CASTAWAY

Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her hands clasped on
her apron.  The short day had drawn to a close, and the lamps in the
narrow little thorough-fares of Shinglesea were already lit.  For a time
she stood listening to the regular beat of the sea on the beach some
half-mile distant, and then with a slight shiver stepped back into the
shop and closed the door.

[Illustration: "Mrs. John Boxer stood at the door of the shop with her
hands clasped on her apron."]

The little shop with its wide-mouthed bottles of sweets was one of her
earliest memories.  Until her marriage she had known no other home, and
when her husband was lost with the _North Star_ some three years before,
she gave up her home in Poplar and returned to assist her mother in the
little shop.

In a restless mood she took up a piece of needle-work, and a minute or
two later put it down again.  A glance through the glass of the door
leading into the small parlour revealed Mrs. Gimpson, with a red shawl
round her shoulders, asleep in her easy-chair.

Mrs. Boxer turned at the clang of the shop bell, and then, with a wild
cry, stood gazing at the figure of a man standing in the door-way.  He
was short and bearded, with oddly shaped shoulders, and a left leg which
was not a match; but the next moment Mrs. Boxer was in his arms sobbing
and laughing together.

Mrs. Gimpson, whose nerves were still quivering owing to the suddenness
with which she had been awakened, came into the shop; Mr. Boxer freed an
arm, and placing it round her waist kissed her with some affection on the
chin.

"He's come back!"  cried Mrs. Boxer, hysterically.

"Thank goodness," said Mrs. Gimpson, after a moment's deliberation.

"He's alive!"  cried Mrs. Boxer.  "He's alive !"

She half-dragged and half-led him into the small parlour, and thrusting
him into the easy-chair lately vacated by Mrs. Gimpson seated herself
upon his knee, regardless in her excitement that the rightful owner was
with elaborate care selecting the most uncomfortable chair in the room.

"Fancy his coming back!" said Mrs. Boxer, wiping her eyes.  "How did you
escape, John?  Where have you been?  Tell us all about it."

Mr. Boxer sighed.  "It 'ud be a long story if I had the gift of telling
of it," he said, slowly, "but I'll cut it short for the present.  When
the _North Star_ went down in the South Pacific most o' the hands got
away in the boats, but I was too late.  I got this crack on the head with
something falling on it from aloft.  Look here."

He bent his head, and Mrs. Boxer, separating the stubble with her
fingers, uttered an exclamation of pity and alarm at the extent of the
scar; Mrs. Gimpson, craning forward, uttered a sound which might mean
anything--even pity.

"When I come to my senses," continued Mr. Boxer, "the ship was sinking,
and I just got to my feet when she went down and took me with her.  How I
escaped I don't know.  I seemed to be choking and fighting for my breath
for years, and then I found myself floating on the sea and clinging to a
grating.  I clung to it all night, and next day I was picked up by a
native who was paddling about in a canoe, and taken ashore to an island,
where I lived for over two years.  It was right out o' the way o' craft,
but at last I was picked up by a trading schooner named the _Pearl,_
belonging to Sydney, and taken there.  At Sydney I shipped aboard the
_Marston Towers,_ a steamer, and landed at the Albert Docks this
morning."

"Poor John," said his wife, holding on to his arm.  "How you must have
suffered!"

"I did," said Mr. Boxer.  "Mother got a cold?"  he inquired, eying that
lady.

"No, I ain't," said Mrs. Gimpson, answering for herself.  "Why didn't you
write when you got to Sydney?"

"Didn't know where to write to," replied Mr. Boxer, staring.  "I didn't
know where Mary had gone to."

"You might ha' wrote here," said Mrs. Gimpson.

"Didn't think of it at the time," said Mr. Boxer.  "One thing is, I was
very busy at Sydney, looking for a ship.  However, I'm 'ere now."

"I always felt you'd turn up some day," said Mrs. Gimpson.  "I felt
certain of it in my own mind.  Mary made sure you was dead, but I said
'no, I knew better.'"

There was something in Mrs. Gimpson's manner of saying this that
impressed her listeners unfavourably.  The impression was deepened when,
after a short, dry laugh _a propos_ of nothing, she sniffed again--three
times.

"Well, you turned out to be right," said Mr. Boxer, shortly.

"I gin'rally am," was the reply; "there's very few people can take me
in."

She sniffed again.

"Were the natives kind to you?" inquired Mrs. Boxer, hastily, as she
turned to her husband.

"Very kind," said the latter.  "Ah! you ought to have seen that island.
Beautiful yellow sands and palm-trees; cocoa-nuts to be 'ad for the
picking, and nothing to do all day but lay about in the sun and swim in
the sea."

"Any public-'ouses there?" inquired Mrs. Gimpson.

"Cert'nly not," said her son-in-law.  "This was an island--one o' the
little islands in the South Pacific Ocean."

"What did you say the name o' the schooner was?"  inquired Mrs. Gimpson.

"_Pearl,_" replied Mr. Boxer, with the air of a resentful witness under
cross-examination.

"And what was the name o' the captin?"  said Mrs. Gimpson.

"Thomas--Henery--Walter--Smith," said Mr. Boxer, with somewhat unpleasant
emphasis.

"An' the mate's name?"

"John Brown," was the reply.

"Common names," commented Mrs. Gimpson, "very common.  But I knew you'd
come back all right--I never 'ad no alarm.  'He's safe and happy, my
dear,' I says.  'He'll come back all in his own good time.'"

"What d'you mean by that?" demanded the sensitive Mr. Boxer.  "I come
back as soon as I could."

"You know you were anxious, mother," interposed her daughter.  "Why, you
insisted upon our going to see old Mr. Silver about it."

"Ah!  but I wasn't uneasy or anxious afterwards," said Mrs. Gimpson,
compressing her lips.

"Who's old Mr. Silver, and what should he know about it?" inquired Mr.
Boxer.

"He's a fortune-teller," replied his wife.  "Reads the stars," said his
mother-in-law.

Mr. Boxer laughed--a good ringing laugh.  "What did he tell you?" he
inquired.  "Nothing," said his wife, hastily.  "Ah!" said Mr. Boxer,
waggishly, "that was wise of 'im.  Most of us could tell fortunes that
way."

"That's wrong," said Mrs. Gimpson to her daughter, sharply.  "Right's
right any day, and truth's truth.  He said that he knew all about John
and what he'd been doing, but he wouldn't tell us for fear of 'urting our
feelings and making mischief."

"Here, look 'ere," said Mr. Boxer, starting up; "I've 'ad about enough o'
this.  Why don't you speak out what you mean?  I'll mischief 'im, the old
humbug.  Old rascal."

"Never mind, John," said his wife, laying her hand upon his arm.  "Here
you are safe and sound, and as for old Mr. Silver, there's a lot o'
people don't believe in him."

"Ah! they don't want to," said Mrs. Gimpson, obstinately.  "But don't
forget that he foretold my cough last winter."

"Well, look 'ere," said Mr. Boxer, twisting his short, blunt nose into as
near an imitation of a sneer as he could manage, "I've told you my story
and I've got witnesses to prove it.  You can write to the master of the
Marston Towers if you like, and other people besides.  Very well, then;
let's go and see your precious old fortune-teller.  You needn't say who I
am; say I'm a friend, and tell 'im never to mind about making mischief,
but to say right out where I am and what I've been doing all this time.
I have my 'opes it'll cure you of your superstitiousness."

[Illustration: "'Well, look 'ere,' said Mr. Boxer, 'I've told you my
story and I've got witnesses to prove it.'"]

"We'll go round after we've shut up, mother," said Mrs. Boxer.  "We'll
have a bit o' supper first and then start early."

Mrs. Gimpson hesitated.  It is never pleasant to submit one's
superstitions to the tests of the unbelieving, but after the attitude she
had taken up she was extremely loath to allow her son-in-law a triumph.

"Never mind, we'll say no more about it," she said, primly, "but I 'ave
my own ideas."

"I dessay," said Mr. Boxer; "but you're afraid for us to go to your old
fortune-teller.  It would be too much of a show-up for 'im."

"It's no good your trying to aggravate me, John Boxer, because you can't
do it," said Mrs. Gimpson, in a voice trembling with passion.

"O' course, if people like being deceived they must be," said Mr. Boxer;
"we've all got to live, and if we'd all got our common sense fortune-
tellers couldn't.  Does he tell fortunes by tea-leaves or by the colour
of your eyes?"

"Laugh away, John Boxer," said Mrs. Gimpson, icily; "but I shouldn't have
been alive now if it hadn't ha' been for Mr. Silver's warnings."

"Mother stayed in bed for the first ten days in July," explained Mrs.
Boxer, "to avoid being bit by a mad dog."

"Tchee--tchee--tchee," said the hapless Mr. Boxer, putting his hand over
his mouth and making noble efforts to restrain himself; "tchee--tch

"I s'pose you'd ha' laughed more if I 'ad been bit?"  said the glaring
Mrs. Gimpson.

"Well, who did the dog bite after all?"  inquired Mr. Boxer, recovering.

"You don't understand," replied Mrs. Gimpson, pityingly; "me being safe
up in bed and the door locked, there was no mad dog.  There was no use
for it."

"Well," said Mr. Boxer, "me and Mary's going round to see that old
deceiver after supper, whether you come or not.  Mary shall tell 'im I'm
a friend, and ask him to tell her everything about 'er husband.  Nobody
knows me here, and Mary and me'll be affectionate like, and give 'im to
understand we want to marry.  Then he won't mind making mischief."

"You'd better leave well alone," said Mrs. Gimpson.

Mr. Boxer shook his head.  "I was always one for a bit o' fun," he said,
slowly.  "I want to see his face when he finds out who I am."

Mrs. Gimpson made no reply; she was looking round for the market-basket,
and having found it she left the reunited couple to keep house while she
went out to obtain a supper which should, in her daughter's eyes, be
worthy of the occasion.

She went to the High Street first and made her purchases, and was on the
way back again when, in response to a sudden impulse, as she passed the
end of Crowner's Alley, she turned into that small by-way and knocked at
the astrologer's door.

A slow, dragging footstep was heard approaching in reply to the summons,
and the astrologer, recognising his visitor as one of his most faithful
and credulous clients, invited her to step inside.  Mrs. Gimpson
complied, and, taking a chair, gazed at the venerable white beard and
small, red-rimmed eyes of her host in some perplexity as to how to begin.

"My daughter's coming round to see you presently," she said, at last.

The astrologer nodded.

"She--she wants to ask you about 'er husband," faltered' Mrs. Gimpson;
"she's going to bring a friend with her--a man who doesn't believe in
your knowledge.  He--he knows all about my daughter's husband, and he
wants to see what you say you know about him."

The old man put on a pair of huge horn spectacles and eyed her carefully.

"You've got something on your mind," he said, at last; "you'd better tell
me everything."

Mrs. Gimpson shook her head.

"There's some danger hanging over you," continued Mr. Silver, in a low,
thrilling voice; "some danger in connection with your son-in-law.  There"
he waved a lean, shrivelled hand backward and for-ward as though
dispelling a fog, and peered into distance--"there is something forming
over you.  You--or somebody--are hiding something from me."

[Illustration: "There is something forming over you."]

Mrs. Gimpson, aghast at such omniscience, sank backward in her chair.

"Speak," said the old man, gently; "there is no reason why you should be
sacrificed for others."

Mrs. Gimpson was of the same opinion, and in some haste she reeled off
the events of the evening.  She had a good memory, and no detail was
lost.

"Strange, strange," said the venerable Mr. Silver, when he had finished.
"He is an ingenious man."

"Isn't it true?"  inquired his listener.  "He says he can prove it.  And
he is going to find out what you meant by saying you were afraid of
making mischief."

"He can prove some of it," said the old man, his eyes snapping
spitefully.  "I can guarantee that."

"But it wouldn't have made mischief if you had told us that," ventured
Mrs. Gimpson.  "A man can't help being cast away."

"True," said the astrologer, slowly; "true.  But let them come and
question me; and whatever you do, for your own sake don't let a soul know
that you have been here.  If you do, the danger to yourself will be so
terrible that even I may be unable to help you."

Mrs. Gimpson shivered, and more than ever impressed by his marvellous
powers made her way slowly home, where she found the unconscious Mr.
Boxer relating his adventures again with much gusto to a married couple
from next door.

"It's a wonder he's alive," said Mr. Jem Thompson, looking up as the old
woman entered the room; "it sounds like a story-book.  Show us that cut
on your head again, mate."

The obliging Mr. Boxer complied.

"We're going on with 'em after they've 'ad sup-per," continued Mr.
Thompson, as he and his wife rose to depart.  "It'll be a fair treat to
me to see old Silver bowled out."

Mrs. Gimpson sniffed and eyed his retreating figure disparagingly; Mrs.
Boxer, prompted by her husband, began to set the table for supper.

It was a lengthy meal, owing principally to Mr. Boxer, but it was over at
last, and after that gentleman had assisted in shutting up the shop they
joined the Thompsons, who were waiting outside, and set off for Crowner's
Alley.  The way was enlivened by Mr. Boxer, who had thrills of horror
every ten yards at the idea of the supernatural things he was about to
witness, and by Mr. Thompson, who, not to be outdone, persisted in
standing stock-still at frequent intervals until he had received the
assurances of his giggling better-half that he would not be made to
vanish in a cloud of smoke.

By the time they reached Mr. Silver's abode the party had regained its
decorum, and, except for a tremendous shudder on the part of Mr. Boxer as
his gaze fell on a couple of skulls which decorated the magician's table,
their behaviour left nothing to be desired.  Mrs. Gimpson, in a few
awkward words, announced the occasion of their visit.  Mr. Boxer she
introduced as a friend of the family from London.

"I will do what I can," said the old man, slowly, as his visitors seated
themselves, "but I can only tell you what I see.  If I do not see all, or
see clearly, it cannot be helped."

Mr. Boxer winked at Mr. Thompson, and received an understanding pinch in
return; Mrs. Thompson in a hot whisper told them to behave themselves.

The mystic preparations were soon complete.  A little cloud of smoke,
through which the fierce red eyes of the astrologer peered keenly at Mr.
Boxer, rose from the table.  Then he poured various liquids into a small
china bowl and, holding up his hand to command silence, gazed steadfastly
into it.  "I see pictures," he announced, in a deep voice.  "The docks of
a great city; London.  I see an ill-shaped man with a bent left leg
standing on the deck of a ship."

Mr. Thompson, his eyes wide open with surprise, jerked Mr. Boxer in the
ribs, but Mr. Boxer, whose figure was a sore point with him, made no
response.

"The ship leaves the docks," continued Mr. Silver, still peering into the
bowl.  "As she passes through the entrance her stern comes into view with
the name painted on it.  The--the--the----"

"Look agin, old chap," growled Mr. Boxer, in an undertone.

"The North Star," said the astrologer.  "The ill-shaped man is still
standing on the fore-part of the ship; I do not know his name or who he
is.  He takes the portrait of a beautiful young woman from his pocket and
gazes at it earnestly."

Mrs. Boxer, who had no illusions on the subject of her personal
appearance, sat up as though she had been stung; Mr. Thompson, who was
about to nudge Mr. Boxer in the ribs again, thought better of it and
assumed an air of uncompromising virtue.

"The picture disappears," said Mr. Silver.  "Ah!  I see; I see.  A ship
in a gale at sea.  It is the North Star; it is sinking.  The ill-shaped
man sheds tears and loses his head.  I cannot discover the name of this
man."

Mr. Boxer, who had been several times on the point of interrupting,
cleared his throat and endeavoured to look unconcerned.

"The ship sinks," continued the astrologer, in thrilling tones.  "Ah!
what is this?  a piece of wreck-age with a monkey clinging to it?  No,
no-o.  The ill-shaped man again.  Dear me!"

[Illustration: "Ah!  what is this?  a piece of wreckage with a monkey
clinging to it?"]

His listeners sat spellbound.  Only the laboured and intense breathing of
Mr. Boxer broke the silence.

"He is alone on the boundless sea," pursued the seer; "night falls.  Day
breaks, and a canoe propelled by a slender and pretty but dusky maiden
approaches the castaway.  She assists him into the canoe and his head
sinks on her lap, as with vigorous strokes of her paddle she propels the
canoe toward a small island fringed with palm trees."

"Here, look 'ere--" began the overwrought Mr. Boxer.

"H'sh, h'sh!"  ejaculated the keenly interested Mr. Thompson.  "W'y don't
you keep quiet?"

"The picture fades," continued the old man.  "I see another: a native
wedding.  It is the dusky maiden and the man she rescued.  Ah! the
wedding is interrupted; a young man, a native, breaks into the group.  He
has a long knife in his hand.  He springs upon the ill-shaped man and
wounds him in the head."

Involuntarily Mr. Boxer's hand went up to his honourable scar, and the
heads of the others swung round to gaze at it.  Mrs. Boxer's face was
terrible in its expression, but Mrs. Gimpson's bore the look of sad and
patient triumph of one who knew men and could not be surprised at
anything they do.

"The scene vanishes," resumed the monotonous voice, "and another one
forms.  The same man stands on the deck of a small ship.  The name on
the stern is the Peer--no, Paris--no, no, no, Pearl. It fades from the
shore where the dusky maiden stands with hands stretched out
imploringly.  The ill-shaped man smiles and takes the portrait of the
young and beautiful girl from his pocket."

"Look 'ere," said the infuriated Mr. Boxer, "I think we've 'ad about
enough of this rubbish.  I have--more than enough."

"I don't wonder at it," said his wife, trembling furiously.  "You can go
if you like.  I'm going to stay and hear all that there is to hear."

"You sit quiet," urged the intensely interested Mr. Thompson.  "He ain't
said it's you.  There's more than one misshaped man in the world, I
s'pose?"

"I see an ocean liner," said the seer, who had appeared to be in a trance
state during this colloquy.  "She is sailing for England from Australia.
I see the name distinctly: the _Marston Towers_.  The same man is on
board of her.  The ship arrives at London.  The scene closes; another one
forms.  The ill-shaped man is sitting with a woman with a beautiful face
--not the same as the photograph."

"What they can see in him I can't think," muttered Mr. Thompson, in an
envious whisper.  "He's a perfick terror, and to look at him----"

"They sit hand in hand," continued the astrologer, raising his voice.
"She smiles up at him and gently strokes his head; he----"

A loud smack rang through the room and startled the entire company; Mrs.
Boxer, unable to contain herself any longer, had, so far from profiting
by the example, gone to the other extreme and slapped her husband's head
with hearty good-will.  Mr. Boxer sprang raging to his feet, and in the
confusion which ensued the fortune-teller, to the great regret of Mr.
Thompson, upset the contents of the magic bowl.

"I can see no more," he said, sinking hastily into his chair behind the
table as Mr. Boxer advanced upon him.

Mrs. Gimpson pushed her son-in-law aside, and laying a modest fee upon
the table took her daughter's arm and led her out.  The Thompsons
followed, and Mr. Boxer, after an irresolute glance in the direction of
the ingenuous Mr. Silver, made his way after them and fell into the rear.
The people in front walked on for some time in silence, and then the
voice of the greatly impressed Mrs. Thompson was heard, to the effect
that if there were only more fortune-tellers in the world there would be
a lot more better men.

Mr. Boxer trotted up to his wife's side.  "Look here, Mary," he began.

"Don't you speak to me," said his wife, drawing closer to her mother,
"because I won't answer you."

Mr. Boxer laughed, bitterly.  "This is a nice home-coming," he remarked.

He fell to the rear again and walked along raging, his temper by no means
being improved by observing that Mrs. Thompson, doubtless with a firm
belief in the saying that "Evil communications corrupt good manners,"
kept a tight hold of her husband's arm.  His position as an outcast was
clearly defined, and he ground his teeth with rage as he observed the
virtuous uprightness of Mrs. Gimpson's back.  By the time they reached
home he was in a spirit of mad recklessness far in advance of the
character given him by the astrologer.

His wife gazed at him with a look of such strong interrogation as he was
about to follow her into the house that he paused with his foot on the
step and eyed her dumbly.

"Have you left anything inside that you want?" she inquired.

[Illustration: "'Have you left anything inside that you want?' she
inquired."]

Mr. Boxer shook his head.  "I only wanted to come in and make a clean
breast of it," he said, in a curious voice; "then I'll go."

Mrs. Gimpson stood aside to let him pass, and Mr. Thompson, not to be
denied, followed close behind with his faintly protesting wife.  They sat
down in a row against the wall, and Mr. Boxer, sitting opposite in a
hang-dog fashion, eyed them with scornful wrath.

"Well?"  said Mrs. Boxer, at last.

"All that he said was quite true," said her husband, defiantly.  "The
only thing is, he didn't tell the arf of it.  Altogether, I married three
dusky maidens."

Everybody but Mr. Thompson shuddered with horror.

"Then I married a white girl in Australia," pursued Mr. Boxer, musingly.
"I wonder old Silver didn't see that in the bowl; not arf a fortune-
teller, I call 'im."

"What they see in 'im!" whispered the astounded Mr. Thompson to his wife.

"And did you marry the beautiful girl in the photograph?" demanded Mrs.
Boxer, in trembling accents.

"I did," said her husband.

"Hussy," cried Mrs. Boxer.

"I married her," said Mr. Boxer, considering--"I married her at
Camberwell, in eighteen ninety-three."

"Eighteen ninety-three!" said his wife, in a startled voice.  "But you
couldn't.  Why, you didn't marry me till eighteen ninety-four."

"What's that got to do with it?" inquired the monster, calmly.

Mrs. Boxer, pale as ashes, rose from her seat and stood gazing at him
with horror-struck eyes, trying in vain to speak.

"You villain!" cried Mrs. Gimpson, violently.  "I always distrusted you."

[Illustration: "'You villain!' cried Mrs. Gimpson, violently.  'I always
distrusted you.'"]

"I know you did," said Mr. Boxer, calmly.  "You've been committing
bigamy," cried Mrs. Gimpson.

"Over and over agin," assented Mr. Boxer, cheerfully.  "It's got to be a
'obby with me."

"Was the first wife alive when you married my daughter?" demanded Mrs.
Gimpson.

"Alive?" said Mr. Boxer.  "O' course she was.  She's alive now--bless
her."

He leaned back in his chair and regarded with intense satisfaction the
horrified faces of the group in front.

"You--you'll go to jail for this," cried Mrs. Gimpson, breathlessly.
"What is your first wife's address?"

"I decline to answer that question," said her son-in-law.

"What is your first wife's address?"  repeated Mrs. Gimpson.

"Ask the fortune-teller," said Mr. Boxer, with an aggravating smile.
"And then get 'im up in the box as a witness, little bowl and all.  He
can tell you more than I can."

"I demand to know her name and address," cried Mrs. Gimpson, putting a
bony arm around the waist of the trembling Mrs. Boxer.

"I decline to give it," said Mr. Boxer, with great relish.  "It ain't
likely I'm going to give myself away like that; besides, it's agin the
law for a man to criminate himself.  You go on and start your bigamy
case, and call old red-eyes as a witness."

Mrs. Gimpson gazed at him in speechless wrath and then stooping down
conversed in excited whispers with Mrs. Thompson.  Mrs. Boxer crossed
over to her husband.

"Oh, John," she wailed, "say it isn't true, say it isn't true."

Mr. Boxer hesitated.  "What's the good o' me saying anything?"  he said,
doggedly.

"It isn't true," persisted his wife.  "Say it isn't true."

"What I told you when I first came in this evening was quite true," said
her husband, slowly.  "And what I've just told you is as true as what
that lying old fortune-teller told you.  You can please yourself what you
believe."

"I believe you, John," said his wife, humbly.

Mr. Boxer's countenance cleared and he drew her on to his knee.

"That's right," he said, cheerfully.  "So long as you believe in me I
don't care what other people think.  And before I'm much older I'll find
out how that old rascal got to know the names of the ships I was aboard.
Seems to me somebody's been talking."





End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Castaway, by W.W. Jacobs

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CASTAWAY ***

***** This file should be named 12202.txt or 12202.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in:
        https://www.gutenberg.org/1/2/2/0/12202/

Produced by David Widger

Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions
will be renamed.

Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no
one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation
(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without
permission and without paying copyright royalties.  Special rules,
set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to
copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to
protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark.  Project
Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you
charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission.  If you
do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the
rules is very easy.  You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose
such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and
research.  They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do
practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks.  Redistribution is
subject to the trademark license, especially commercial
redistribution.



*** START: FULL LICENSE ***

THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE
PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK

To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free
distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work
(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project
Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project
Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at
https://gutenberg.org/license).


Section 1.  General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic works

1.A.  By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to
and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property
(trademark/copyright) agreement.  If you do not agree to abide by all
the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy
all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession.
If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the
terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or
entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8.

1.B.  "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark.  It may only be
used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who
agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement.  There are a few
things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works
even without complying with the full terms of this agreement.  See
paragraph 1.C below.  There are a lot of things you can do with Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement
and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.  See paragraph 1.E below.

1.C.  The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation"
or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic works.  Nearly all the individual works in the
collection are in the public domain in the United States.  If an
individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are
located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from
copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative
works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg
are removed.  Of course, we hope that you will support the Project
Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by
freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of
this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with
the work.  You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by
keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project
Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others.

1.D.  The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern
what you can do with this work.  Copyright laws in most countries are in
a constant state of change.  If you are outside the United States, check
the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement
before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or
creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project
Gutenberg-tm work.  The Foundation makes no representations concerning
the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United
States.

1.E.  Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg:

1.E.1.  The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate
access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently
whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the
phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project
Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed,
copied or distributed:

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org

1.E.2.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived
from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is
posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied
and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees
or charges.  If you are redistributing or providing access to a work
with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the
work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1
through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the
Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or
1.E.9.

1.E.3.  If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted
with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution
must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional
terms imposed by the copyright holder.  Additional terms will be linked
to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the
permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work.

1.E.4.  Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this
work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm.

1.E.5.  Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this
electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without
prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with
active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project
Gutenberg-tm License.

1.E.6.  You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary,
compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any
word processing or hypertext form.  However, if you provide access to or
distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than
"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version
posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org),
you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a
copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon
request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other
form.  Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm
License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1.

1.E.7.  Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying,
performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works
unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9.

1.E.8.  You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing
access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided
that

- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from
     the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method
     you already use to calculate your applicable taxes.  The fee is
     owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he
     has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the
     Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation.  Royalty payments
     must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you
     prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax
     returns.  Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and
     sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the
     address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to
     the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation."

- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies
     you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he
     does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm
     License.  You must require such a user to return or
     destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium
     and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of
     Project Gutenberg-tm works.

- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any
     money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the
     electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days
     of receipt of the work.

- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free
     distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works.

1.E.9.  If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm
electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set
forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from
both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael
Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark.  Contact the
Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below.

1.F.

1.F.1.  Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable
effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread
public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm
collection.  Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain
"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or
corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual
property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a
computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by
your equipment.

1.F.2.  LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right
of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project
Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project
Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all
liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal
fees.  YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT
LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE
PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3.  YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE
TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE
LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR
INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH
DAMAGE.

1.F.3.  LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a
defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can
receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a
written explanation to the person you received the work from.  If you
received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with
your written explanation.  The person or entity that provided you with
the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a
refund.  If you received the work electronically, the person or entity
providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to
receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund.  If the second copy
is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further
opportunities to fix the problem.

1.F.4.  Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth
in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER
WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO
WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE.

1.F.5.  Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied
warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages.
If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the
law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be
interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by
the applicable state law.  The invalidity or unenforceability of any
provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions.

1.F.6.  INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the
trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone
providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance
with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production,
promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works,
harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees,
that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do
or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm
work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any
Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause.


Section  2.  Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm

Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of
electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers
including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers.  It exists
because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from
people in all walks of life.

Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the
assistance they need, is critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's
goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will
remain freely available for generations to come.  In 2001, the Project
Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure
and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations.
To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation
and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4
and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org.


Section 3.  Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive
Foundation

The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit
501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the
state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal
Revenue Service.  The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification
number is 64-6221541.  Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at
https://pglaf.org/fundraising.  Contributions to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent
permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws.

The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S.
Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered
throughout numerous locations.  Its business office is located at
809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email
business@pglaf.org.  Email contact links and up to date contact
information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official
page at https://pglaf.org

For additional contact information:
     Dr. Gregory B. Newby
     Chief Executive and Director
     gbnewby@pglaf.org

Section 4.  Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg
Literary Archive Foundation

Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide
spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of
increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be
freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest
array of equipment including outdated equipment.  Many small donations
($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt
status with the IRS.

The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating
charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United
States.  Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a
considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up
with these requirements.  We do not solicit donations in locations
where we have not received written confirmation of compliance.  To
SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any
particular state visit https://pglaf.org

While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we
have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition
against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who
approach us with offers to donate.

International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make
any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from
outside the United States.  U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff.

Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation
methods and addresses.  Donations are accepted in a number of other
ways including including checks, online payments and credit card
donations.  To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate


Section 5.  General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic
works.

Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm
concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared
with anyone.  For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project
Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support.

Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed
editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S.
unless a copyright notice is included.  Thus, we do not necessarily
keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition.

Each eBook is in a subdirectory of the same number as the eBook's
eBook number, often in several formats including plain vanilla ASCII,
compressed (zipped), HTML and others.

Corrected EDITIONS of our eBooks replace the old file and take over
the old filename and etext number.  The replaced older file is renamed.
VERSIONS based on separate sources are treated as new eBooks receiving
new filenames and etext numbers.

Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility:

     https://www.gutenberg.org

This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm,
including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary
Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to
subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks.

EBooks posted prior to November 2003, with eBook numbers BELOW #10000,
are filed in directories based on their release date.  If you want to
download any of these eBooks directly, rather than using the regular
search system you may utilize the following addresses and just
download by the etext year.

     https://www.gutenberg.org/etext06

    (Or /etext 05, 04, 03, 02, 01, 00, 99,
     98, 97, 96, 95, 94, 93, 92, 92, 91 or 90)

EBooks posted since November 2003, with etext numbers OVER #10000, are
filed in a different way.  The year of a release date is no longer part
of the directory path.  The path is based on the etext number (which is
identical to the filename).  The path to the file is made up of single
digits corresponding to all but the last digit in the filename.  For
example an eBook of filename 10234 would be found at:

     https://www.gutenberg.org/1/0/2/3/10234

or filename 24689 would be found at:
     https://www.gutenberg.org/2/4/6/8/24689

An alternative method of locating eBooks:
     https://www.gutenberg.org/GUTINDEX.ALL