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+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Tobacco Shop, by William Bowen
+
+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 Old Tobacco Shop
+       A True Account of What Befell a Little Boy in Search of Adventure
+
+Author: William Bowen
+
+Release Date: October 20, 2008 [EBook #26977]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OLD TOBACCO SHOP ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by David Edwards, Katie Ward and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
+file was produced from images generously made available
+by The Internet Archive)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+  Transcriber's note:
+    Archaic and variable spelling preserved as printed.
+    Author's punctuation style preserved.
+    Hyphenation standardized.
+    Passages in italics indicated by underscore _.
+
+  [Illustration: _The Old Tobacco Shop_
+   _By William Bowen_]
+
+              The Old Tobacco Shop
+
+
+                    Also By
+                 WILLIAM BOWEN
+              The Enchanted Forest
+              The Old Tobacco Shop
+
+
+[Illustration: "Lord bless us!" cried the hunch back. "Look at that!"]
+
+
+             _The Old Tobacco Shop_
+
+        _A True Account of What Befell
+             a Little Boy in Search
+                  of Adventure_
+
+
+                      _By
+                 William Bowen_
+
+
+    _Though you believe it not, I care not much: but an honest man, and
+    of good judgment, believeth still what is told him, and that which
+    he finds written._--RABELAIS.
+
+
+                    New York
+             THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
+                      1921
+             _All rights reserved_
+
+
+    PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
+
+                COPYRIGHT, 1921
+            BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
+
+
+Set up and Electrotyped. Published October, 1921
+
+            FERRIS PRINTING COMPANY
+                    NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+                       To
+                 BILLY AND JOHN
+                TWO LITTLE BOYS
+
+
+
+
+    PRINCIPAL PERSONS
+
+  Freddie
+  Mr. Toby
+  Aunt Amanda
+  Mr. Punch
+  The Churchwarden
+  Mr. Hanlon
+  The Sly Old Fox
+  The Old Codger with the Wooden Leg
+  Mr. Lemuel Mizzen
+  The Cabin-Boy
+  Marmaduke
+  Captain Lingo
+  Ketch the Practitioner
+  The Third Vice-President
+  Mr. Matthew Speak
+  Shiraz the Rug-Merchant
+  The King and Queen
+  Robert, Jenny, and James
+  Mr. Punch's Father
+
+
+
+
+  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+  1. "Lord bless us!" cried the hunch back. "Look at that!" Frontispiece
+
+  2. "I'm Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., that's me!"                            50
+
+  3. "L-l-Lem!" shrieked the parrot. "Who's your f-f-f-friends?"      86
+
+  4. Mr. Hanlon was standing on his feet by the log on
+     which his head had been cut off                                 134
+
+  5. Shiraz the Rug-Merchant looked at his visitors
+     with little beady black eyes                                    188
+
+  6. "Ah, yes," said Aunt Amanda, "there's no place like
+     the Old Tobacco Shop after all"                                 235
+
+
+
+
+  CONTENTS
+
+  CHAPTER                                                           PAGE
+
+     I. Mr. Punch and the Clock-Tower                                 1
+
+    II. Aunt Amanda and the Two Old Codgers                           9
+
+   III. Introducing the Churchwarden                                 22
+
+    IV. In which Mr. Hanlon makes a Great Impression                 31
+
+     V. The Chinaman's Head                                          39
+
+    VI. Lemuel Mizzen, A.B.                                          48
+
+   VII. The Hands of the Clock come Together                         54
+
+  VIII. Celluloid Cuffs and a Silk Hat                               60
+
+    IX. The Odour of Sanctity                                        65
+
+     X. Captain Higginson and the Spanish Main                       69
+
+    XI. A Mixed Company in search of Adventure                       74
+
+   XII. The Voyage of the Sieve                                      81
+
+  XIII. The Cabin-Boy's Revenge                                      93
+
+   XIV. The Cruise of the Mattresses                                107
+
+    XV. A Fall in the Dark                                          111
+
+   XVI. Captain Lingo and a Fine Piece of Head-Work                 122
+
+  XVII. High Dudgeon and Low Dudgeon                                139
+
+ XVIII. The Society for Piratical Research                          146
+
+   XIX. A Knock at the Door                                         160
+
+    XX. The City of Towers                                          171
+
+   XXI. Shiraz the Rug-Merchant                                     178
+
+  XXII. Six Enchanted Souls                                         187
+
+ XXIII. From the Fire Back to the Frying-Pan                        196
+
+  XXIV. Disenchantment Complete                                     200
+
+   XXV. The Old Man of the Mountain                                 209
+
+  XXVI. The King's Tower                                            216
+
+ XXVII. The Sorcerer's Den                                          222
+
+XXVIII. The Old Tobacco Shop                                        231
+
+
+
+
+THE OLD TOBACCO SHOP
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+MR. PUNCH AND THE CLOCK-TOWER
+
+
+When the Little Boy first went to the Old Tobacco Shop, he stood a long
+while before going in, to look at the wooden figure which stood beside
+the door.
+
+His father was sitting at home in his carpet-slippers, waiting for
+tobacco for his pipe, but when the Little Boy saw the wooden figure he
+forgot all about hurrying,--"Now don't be long," his mother had said,
+and his father had said "Hurry back,"--but he forgot all about hurrying,
+and stood and looked at the wooden figure a long time: a little
+hunchbacked man, not so very much taller than himself, on a low wooden
+box, holding out in one hand a packet of black wooden cigars. His back
+was terribly humped up between his shoulders, his face was square and
+bony, if wood can be said to be bony, he was bareheaded and bald-headed,
+he had a wide mouth, and his high nose curved down over it and his
+pointed chin curved up under it; and his breast stuck out in front
+almost as much as his shoulders stuck out behind.
+
+The Little Boy's name was Freddie; his mother called him that, and his
+father usually called him Fred; but sometimes his father called him
+Frederick, in fact whenever he didn't come back after he had been told
+to hurry, and then his father looked at him--you know that look--and
+said "Frederick!" just like that. But his mother never called him
+anything but Freddie, even when he was late.
+
+He grasped his money tight in his hand, as he had been told to do, and
+stood and looked at the little hunchbacked wooden man holding out his
+packet of black wooden cigars. "I wonder," thought Freddie, "what makes
+him so crooked?" He walked around him and looked at his back. He walked
+around in front of him again and wondered if the black cigars in his
+hand would smoke; he decided he would ask about it. The little man wore
+blue knee breeches and black stockings and buckled shoes, and his coat
+was cut away in front over his stomach and had two tails behind, down to
+his knees. It was easy to see that he wasn't a boy, though, even if he
+did wear knee breeches; you only had to look at his face, for he had the
+kind of hard boniness in his face that grown-ups have. Freddie made up
+his mind that he liked him, anyway; and it must have been hard to have
+to stand out there all day without moving, rain or shine, and offer that
+bunch of cigars to all the people who went by, and never get a single
+soul to take them. Freddie put out his other hand (not the one with the
+money in it) towards the cigars, but he quickly drew it back, for he
+looked at the little man's face at the same time, and there was
+something about his eyes--anyhow, he stood back a little.
+
+"Better be careful o' Mr. Punch, young feller," said a deep voice from
+the shop door.
+
+Freddie looked, and in the doorway, leaning against the doorpost, with
+his hands in his trousers' pockets, and one foot crossed over the
+other, stood a little man, not so very much taller than himself, and
+certainly no taller than the figure on the stand, who stared at Freddie
+as if he knew all about human boys and did not trust them out of his
+sight. Freddie looked at him and then at the wooden figure beside the
+door; they might have been brothers. The little man had a hump on his
+back, and his breast stuck out in front; his head was big and square,
+and he had high cheek-bones; his face was bony and his mouth wide, and
+his big nose curved down and his chin curved up; but he did not wear
+knee breeches; his trousers were the trousers of grown-ups, and his coat
+was a square coat, buttoned tight over his chest from top to bottom. He
+was bareheaded, and he had plenty of hair, brushed from the top of his
+head down towards his forehead. He looked as if he belonged to the
+tobacco shop; or perhaps the tobacco shop belonged to him.
+
+He stared at Freddie without blinking, and there was something in his
+eyes--anyway, Freddie stepped back, and held his money tighter in his
+hand behind him.
+
+"You'd _better_ stand away from Mr. Punch," said the hunchbacked man,
+without moving.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"Did you say 'why'? Because you know I'm terrible deef, and can't never
+hear boys when they talk down in their stomicks. I'll _tell_ you why, as
+long as you ast me. Do you see that clock on the church-tower over
+there?" He nodded his big wooden head up the street, without taking his
+hands from his pockets. Freddie looked, and there the clock was, plain
+enough. "Well," said the hunchbacked man, "I'll tell you, seeing as you
+insist upon it, and won't take no for an answer: but you mustn't never
+tell it to no one. Do you promise me that? Cross your heart?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"Done," said the hunchback. "Mr. Punch's father lives up there behind
+that clock. And sometimes, just exactly when the two hands of that clock
+come together, one on top of the other, mind you, like you lay one stick
+along another, Mr. Punch's father comes out and stands on that there
+sill under the clock; he's a little old man with a long white beard; and
+he stands there and puts his hand to his mouth and calls down here to
+Mr. Punch, and Mr. Punch climbs down off his little perch and goes over
+to that church, and climbs up the inside of that tower to the very top
+and meets his father! And I've heard tell that they have regular high
+jinks up there all by theirselves, and vittles! more vittles and drink
+than you ever seen at one time; yes, sir; a regular feast, as sure as
+you're born; and they don't only eat vittles; no, sir; if they can only
+get hold of a nice plump little boy or two, with plenty o' meat to him,
+that's what they like best; and if it happens to be night-time, there's
+a lot of queer ones with 'em up there, and all sorts of queer
+noises--you ask the sextant over there about it--_he's_ heard 'em; and
+if you should just happen to be around when Mr. Punch climbs down off of
+this here perch, you'd better look out; for he's just as likely as not
+to snatch you up and carry you off with him up there into that
+church-tower to his father, and if he does _that_, that's the last of
+you; and your ma and your pa could cry their eyes out, and it wouldn't
+be no use; you'd be _gone_! And never come back no more. They say
+there's many a boy been took up into that tower by Mr. Punch here when
+his father comes out and calls him. But he don't _always_ come out when
+the hands of the clock come together; nobody ever knows when he's going
+to do it, no sirree; Mr. Punch himself never knows when his father's
+going to call him. Lord bless us!" cried the little hunchback, looking
+up again in alarm at the clock in the church-tower. "Lord bless us,
+look at that!"
+
+Freddie stared at the clock. It was twenty-five minutes past five. He
+knew how to tell twelve o'clock and ten minutes to ten, but he had never
+got as far as twenty-five minutes past five; he could easily see,
+however, that the big hand was almost on top of the little hand. He
+edged away further from the wooden figure on the box; he was almost sure
+that the hand which held the cigars moved a little.
+
+The hunchbacked man in the doorway stood up straight on his two feet and
+took his hands out of his pockets.
+
+"Look alive, young feller!" he said. "It's pretty near time! In another
+minute! I can't help it if Mr. Punch's father comes out and--Quick, boy!
+Come here to me, before it's too late! I'll see if I can save you!"
+
+Freddie gave another look at the clock; the hands were surely almost
+together, and quick as a flash he darted to the hunchback and hid behind
+him and held on to his coat, peeping around him through the doorway. The
+little man put his arm about Freddie and held him close; it was a strong
+muscular arm, and Freddie felt quite safe. The little man could not have
+been laughing, for his face was as solemn and wooden-looking as ever;
+but Freddie could feel his body shaking all over, he couldn't tell why.
+
+"You'd better come in and see Aunt Amanda," he said, "before it's too
+late. You'll be safe in there."
+
+He took Freddie by the hand and drew him into the shop.
+
+The Old Tobacco Shop stands at the corner of two streets, as you surely
+must know if you have ever been in the city that lies on the river
+called Patapsco, which runs along ever so far out of a great bay where
+ships sail from all over the world, called Chesapeake Bay. It is an old
+brick house, and you go into the shop by the door that opens in the side
+just round the corner, not in the front, for there isn't any door at the
+front, but only a window with pipes and cigars and tobacco in it, and
+the stuffed head of a bull-dog with a pipe in his mouth. The house is
+only one story and a half high, and has a steep gabled roof, with two
+dormer windows in the slope of the roof above the side of the house, and
+one dormer window in the slope of the roof above the shop-window in
+front, where the bull-dog is. All the other houses fronting in the row
+are good high two-story houses; why this corner house never grew up like
+the others, no one knows.
+
+When Freddie was standing at the corner of the street, before he had
+seen the wooden figure offering his bundle of wooden cigars there beside
+the door, he looked down the street that runs along the side of the
+shop, across the street that crosses it, and saw the masts of tall ships
+in the harbor beside the wharves; some with their sails up, some with
+their sails hanging most untidily, and some with their sails neatly
+rolled up and tied; and he would certainly have gone down there, only
+his father had told him to hurry.
+
+Freddie lived in a fine two-story brick house in a row like this one, a
+long, long way off; three squares off (they say "squares" in that city
+when they mean a straight line between two streets and not a square at
+all) down the same street on which the Old Tobacco Shop fronts; and it
+really takes a good while to go all that way, for there is a boy
+half-way down, a big boy, who belongs to a Gang, and likes to bully
+little boys, and you have to watch your chance to get out of his way,
+and there is a place with a knot-hole in the fence where you can see all
+kinds of rusty springs and bed-rails and birdcages and barrel hoops
+piled up inside the yard, and a tin-can factory where you can pick up
+little round pieces of tin just as good as dollars, and a church (where
+the clock is) with a fat old man sitting on the pavement in a chair
+tilted back against the church wall smoking a long pipe, who doesn't
+mind being stared at from the curbstone, and a street-car track where
+you have to look out for the horse-car, which is very dangerous when the
+horse begins to trot, and--but Freddie hadn't lived long in his fine
+two-story house in that street, and these things were new to him and
+took time. But the newest and biggest thing he had yet found (not that
+it was really big, you know) was the wooden hunchback outside the door
+of the Old Tobacco Shop; and you have seen how much time _that_ took.
+
+Freddie found himself inside the shop, and his hand grasped tight by the
+big strong hand of the hunchback, so tight that he wriggled a little to
+get loose; but the hunchback only held him tighter. "Come along," he
+said, "you'd better come in here and see my Aunt Amanda, or Mr. Punch
+may step out and get you; and _then_ where would you be?"
+
+Freddie looked back out of doors over his shoulder, but it did not seem
+as if Mr. Punch meant to step out that time. He breathed easier. The
+shop was a very little shop, with shelves on the wall behind the
+counter, and a window in front where he saw the back of the bull-dog's
+head. The two show-cases on the counter were full of pipes of all kinds,
+and cigars and tobacco and cigarettes, and piled on the shelves were
+boxes of cigars and jars and tins of tobacco, and on the wooden top of
+the counter between the two show-cases stood a tobacco-cutter and a
+little pair of scales with a scoop lying beside it and little iron
+weights in a box. The counter ran from the front window lengthwise to
+the back of the shop, and at the back, on your left as you went in, was
+a closed door. A wooden chair with arms stood beside the front window.
+You could get behind the counter only by a swinging gate at the back
+end. There was a delightful warm odour about the place, very much the
+same odour Freddie liked to smell when his father opened his old
+tobacco-box on the mantel-piece in the sitting-room upstairs and filled
+his pipe, when he came home in the evening and put on his
+carpet-slippers and spread out that everlasting newspaper that had no
+pictures in it. He never could understand why his mother opened all the
+windows the next morning.
+
+"All right, young feller," said the hunchback, "we'll get on the other
+side of that door, and then we'll be safe. Here we are."
+
+They reached the door at the back of the shop, and the hunchback opened
+it and pulled Freddie into the back room and closed the door behind
+them. Freddie hung back a little, but his hand was gripped tight, and he
+couldn't have got away if he had tugged with all his might. He was not
+so much afraid now of Mr. Punch and his father, but he didn't know what
+this little man was going to do with him; and besides, his father had
+told him to hurry.
+
+In this back room, near a window which looked out on the street, sat a
+lady. The hunchback marched Freddie up to her and stopped there before
+her, and wagged his head sidewise towards the Little Boy. The hunchback
+and the Little Boy stood hand in hand, and the lady looked at them
+steadily.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+AUNT AMANDA AND THE TWO OLD CODGERS
+
+
+"Here's Aunt Amanda," said the hunchback, standing before the lady who
+was sitting near the window, and letting go of Freddie's hand, "and
+here's a boy that Mr. Punch pretty near got hold of, if I hadn't come
+along just in time and hustled him in here. Just look out of that
+window, Aunt Amanda, and see if Mr. Punch has moved yet."
+
+The lady did not look out of the window, but stared at Freddie with her
+mouth shut tight. She had very thin lips and she pressed them tight
+together; and without opening them more than a wee mite she said to the
+hunchback, sternly:
+
+"Obelilackyoomuptwonyerix."
+
+Freddie could not understand this at all. He looked at her closely. She
+was very thin, and had a high beaked nose and reddish hair and a reddish
+skin, and on the left side of her chin was a mole, with three little
+reddish hairs sticking out of it; she wore a rusty black dress, very
+tight above the waist and very wide below, and in the bosom of this
+dress were sticking dozens, maybe hundreds, for all Freddie could tell,
+of pins and needles. She must have been very tall when she stood up. A
+cane leaned against the back of her chair; she was a little lame; not
+very lame, but enough to make her limp when she walked, and to make her
+cane useful in getting about. If she had had a stiff starched ruff about
+her neck and a lace thing on her head pointed in front, she would have
+done very well for Queen Elizabeth, the one you see the picture of in
+that history-book. There was a thimble on the second finger of her right
+hand, and a pair of scissors hung by a tape at her waist; and around her
+neck she wore a measuring tape. On the floor at her feet lay a pile of
+goods, and some of it was in her lap; the kind of goods that Mother has
+around her when she is turning and making over that old blue serge, and
+gathers up out of Father's way when she hears him coming in towards the
+sitting-room.
+
+At Aunt Amanda's elbow stood an oval marble-topped table, and besides a
+work-basket there were several fascinating things on it. In the center
+was a glass dome, and under the glass dome was the most beautiful basket
+of wax flowers--calla lilies mostly, with a wonderful yellow spike like
+a finger sticking up out of each one. On one side of the wax flowers was
+a thick book with blue plush covers, and the word "Album" across it in
+slanting gold letters. On the other side was a kind of a--well, it had a
+handle under a piece of wood to hold it up by, and a frame at one end to
+stick up a picture in, and two pieces of thick glass in a frame at the
+other end to look through at the picture and make the picture look
+all--_you_ know!--as if the people in the back of it were a long way
+behind, and the people in front right close up in front, and all that;
+Freddie's father had one.
+
+The chairs in the room had thin curved legs and those slippery
+horse-hair seats which Freddie hated to sit on. On the walls were
+portraits in oval frames of men with chin-whiskers and no mustaches, and
+ladies in shawls and bonnets; but there was one square frame, and it had
+no picture under its glass, but a sheaf of real wheat, standing up as
+natural as life, with some kind of curly writing over it; it was simply
+beautiful. There was a clock on the marble mantel-piece, tall and
+square-cornered, with a clear circle in the glass below where you could
+see the round weight of the pendulum go back and forth, and a picture
+of the sun on the face, very red, with a big nose and eyes, and stiff
+red hair floating off from it.
+
+Aunt Amanda stuck a pin in the goods in her lap and folded her hands.
+Freddie, after glancing around the room, looked at her again and
+wondered who she was; plain sewing she was, that was sure, also an aunt;
+and besides that, although Freddie did not know it, she was an old--I
+hate to say it, though it wasn't anything really against her, if you
+come to that,--an old--well, you know what you call them behind their
+backs, or shout after them as they go down the street and then whip
+around the corner when they turn, just simply because they haven't ever
+been married, like Mother,--well, then, an Old Maid.
+
+Being an Old Maid, she of course wore no wedding ring; but on her
+wedding-finger, the third finger of her left hand, there was a mark at
+the place where a wedding ring would have been; a kind of birth-mark,
+ruby red, in shape and size like the ruby stone of a ring. Freddie
+looked at it often afterwards.
+
+"Now you look here, Aunt Amanda," said her nephew, taking hold of
+Freddie's hand again, "you know well enough I can't understand you with
+all them pins--"
+
+Aunt Amanda put a hand to her lips and drew out of her mouth a pin and
+stuck it in the bosom of her dress. She put her hand to her lips again
+and drew forth another pin and stuck it in the bosom of her dress. She
+drew forth another and another, and stuck each one in her dress.
+Freddie's eyes opened wide; did this lady eat pins? Her mouth seemed to
+be full of them; didn't they hurt? It didn't seem possible she could eat
+them, and yet there they were. No wonder she couldn't talk plainly.
+There seemed to be no end to the pins, but there was, and at last her
+mouth was clear of them so that she could talk.
+
+"Toby Littleback," said she, "you're up to one o' your tricks again.
+Ain't you ashamed of yourself?" That was what she had meant by saying,
+"Obelilackyoomuptwonyerix," with her mouth full of pins.
+
+Toby was quite crestfallen. "Well," he said, "I guess it ain't no
+hangin' matter. All I done was to bring the boy in to see you. 'N' this
+is what I get fer it every time. I ain't a-going to bring 'em in any
+more, that's flat."
+
+"Let go o' the child," said Aunt Amanda, sharply. "Can't you see you're
+hurting his hand? Come here, boy."
+
+Mr. Littleback dropped Freddie's hand and walked over to the table
+beside his aunt. Freddie came forward timidly and stood at Aunt Amanda's
+knee. She examined him carefully.
+
+"It's the best one yet," she said. "Boy, do you know you're as pretty as
+a--Well, anyway, what is your name?"
+
+If there was one thing Freddie loathed, it was to be called pretty; he
+had heard it before, in the parlor at home, when he had been trotted out
+to be inspected by female visitors, and he had tried many a time to
+scrub off the rosy redness from his cheeks, but he had found it only
+made it worse. He hung his head a little, and could not find his voice.
+Aunt Amanda took his chin in her hand and gently held up his head.
+
+"It's all right, my dear," said she. "What is your name, now?"
+
+"Fweddie," said the Little Boy.
+
+"It ain't neither!" cried Mr. Littleback. "There ain't no such name.
+It's Freddie! Come on, now, say Freddie!"
+
+"Fweddie," said the Little Boy.
+
+"No, no!" cried Toby. "Try it again, now. Say Freddie!"
+
+"Toby," said Aunt Amanda, "shut up. Freddie, I haven't any little boy,
+and I don't get out very much, and I'd like you to come and see me
+sometimes. Would you like to do that?"
+
+Freddie stared at her, and said, "Yes'm."
+
+"I hope you will, often. Be sure you do. I suppose you don't like
+gingerbread? Toby."
+
+The little hunchback went out briskly through a back door and returned
+with a slice of gingerbread. "Baked today," said his aunt. "But what
+time is it? Quarter to six. Too near suppertime. You mustn't eat it now,
+Freddie. Toby, wrap it up."
+
+Toby went into the shop and returned with a paper sack, and putting the
+gingerbread into it gave it to Freddie.
+
+"Now," said Aunt Amanda, "take it home with you and eat it after supper.
+Will you come to see me?"
+
+"Yes'm," said Freddie as if he meant it. You couldn't get gingerbread at
+home between meals every day in the week.
+
+"That's a good boy. Now run away home."
+
+"Please, sir," said Freddie, holding out the money in his hand, "my
+farver wants half a pound of Cage-Roach Mitchner."
+
+"What? Oh!" said Toby. "I see. Half a pound of Stage-Coach Mixture. All
+right, young feller, come along into the shop."
+
+"Good-bye, Freddie, and don't break the gingerbread before you get
+home," said Aunt Amanda, taking into her mouth a palmful of pins with a
+back toss of her head. Had she swallowed them? Freddie stared at her in
+alarm.
+
+"Ain't you never comin' for the tobacco?" said Toby. "I can't keep all
+them customers in the shop waiting all day."
+
+Freddie followed him into the shop.
+
+"You'll have to wait your turn, young feller," said Toby. "I can't keep
+these customers waiting no longer. What'll you have, Mr. Applejohn?"
+
+Freddie looked around for Mr. Applejohn, but so far as he could see
+there was no one in the shop but himself and Mr. Littleback. The
+hunchback went through the swinging gate and stood behind the counter,
+and looked over it (his head and shoulders just came over the top) at
+Mr. Applejohn.
+
+"No," said Toby, "we're just out of it. Very sorry. But I have something
+just as good. No? Well, then, come around tomorrow; yes, sir; between
+ten and eleven. Now, then, Tom, it's your turn. You want what? No, sir,
+I won't sell no cigarettes to no boy, so you can clear out. You ought to
+be ashamed o' yourself, smoking cigarettes at your age. No use arguin',
+I won't do it. You can get right out o' here." The big wooden-looking
+head winked an eye at Freddie. "That's the way I treat 'em. Did you see
+how he skipped off in a hurry? You saw him go, didn't you?"
+
+Freddie looked at the door. He hadn't seen anybody, but after all that
+talk there must have been somebody there; he couldn't be sure; probably
+he had been mistaken about it; grown-up people ought to know what they
+were talking about; perhaps he _had_ seen somebody. He hesitated.
+
+"I--I think so; I believe so; yes, sir."
+
+"Don't you fool yourself, young man. You can't smoke cigarettes if you
+ever want to grow up. Look at me. Do you see this?" He turned his back
+and reached over his shoulder to his hump. "Cigarettes. That's what done
+it. Cigarettes. I smoked 'em along with my bottle of milk, regular, when
+I was a kid, and look at me now, not much bigger than Mr. Punch out
+there. Cigarettes. Maybe you might think it was the bottle o' milk done
+it, instead of the cigarettes, being as they was at the same time; but
+don't you never believe it. Cigarettes! You keep off of 'em. Now
+pipe-tobacco! That's a different thing. If I'd only stuck to a pipe,
+along with that bottle o' milk, look how high I'd 'a' been now! What
+kind o' tobacco did you say your farver wanted? Housewife's Favorite?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie. "My farver he wants half a pound of Cage-Roach
+Mitchner."
+
+"That's it," said Toby. "I don't see how I come to forget that name.
+Your father's a man o' good common sense. Nothing like Cage-Roach. Here
+it is." He turned to the shelf behind him and mounted a little ladder
+and took down a large tin. While he was scooping out the tobacco at the
+counter and weighing it on the scales and doing it up, he was singing to
+himself, and Freddie stared at him with rapt attention.
+
+"Some day," said Mr. Littleback, without pausing in his work or looking
+at Freddie, "them eyes of yourn will pop right out of your head, if you
+ain't careful. Did you ever hear that song?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"Would you like to hear it?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"It's about two old codgers--friends of mine; they come in here regular.
+One of 'em's a good customer and pays spot cash; the other one never
+buys nothing; and I can't say which one of 'em I like worse. Anyway,
+here's how it goes:
+
+    "Oh-h-h! There was an old codger, and he had a wooden leg,
+    And he never bought tobacco when tobacco he could beg."
+
+"Don't you never let yourself get into that habit, young man. Always buy
+your tobacco fair and square. I've known 'em--this feller and many
+another one--never have a grain o' tobacco left in their pouch--just
+used up the very last bit two minutes before, and always a-beggin' a
+pipeful, and right here in my own shop too, where I _sell_ tobacco, mind
+you--I'd like 'em better if they sneaked in and _stole_ it, I would, any
+day. But the other one! I don't know that I'd want to be him neither, if
+I had to choose between 'em,--however--
+
+    "Another old codger, as sly as a fox!
+    And he always had tobacco in his old tobacco box.
+
+"Count on him for that! _He_ never begs no tobacco, nor gives away none
+either. However, he ain't such a general nuisance as the other one, and
+he pays spot cash. I'll have to say that much for him. But in spite o'
+everything and all, I can't seem to make myself care for him, much.
+Anyway--
+
+    "Said the one old codger, Won't ye gimme a chew?
+    Said the other old codger, I'll be hanged if I do!
+
+"They're a fine pair now, ain't they? One of 'em a nuisance and the
+other one a grouch. You'll see 'em here both in my shop one o' these
+days, when you're a-visitin' Aunt Amanda, and one of them times--you see
+the way I bounced that boy that wanted cigarettes, didn't you? Well,
+that's what I'm goin' to do to them two old codgers one of these days,
+you watch and see if I don't; yes, sir; both of 'em, as sure as I've got
+a hump on my back. But it's pretty good advice, after all, what the song
+says,--
+
+    "So save up your pennies and put away your rocks,
+    And you'll always have tobacco in your old tobacco box!
+
+"Here's your Cage-Roach. Gimme your money. There's your change; five,
+ten, fifteen, seventeen. Now run along. Come back again; what did you
+say your name was?"
+
+"Fweddie."
+
+"You mean Freddie, don't you?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Why don't you say what you mean? Well, Freddie, there's plenty of
+tobacco left in this shop, so you can come in whenever the old tobacco
+box at home runs out. And don't forget to come in to see Aunt Amanda.
+Plenty of goods left in the shop whenever--you see all that?" He pointed
+up towards the shelves. "I'll tell you something I ain't told to but
+mighty few people before. There's a jar of smoking tobacco up there
+that's just plain magic. Magic! You know what that means?"
+
+Freddie started, and looked up at the shelves in alarm. He nodded.
+
+"It's that one, on the middle shelf; the Chinaman's head. Do you see
+it?"
+
+He pointed to a white porcelain jar, shaped like a human head. Freddie
+could see that it was the head of some foreign kind of man, with a
+little round blue cap on top, which was probably the lid.
+
+"That tobacco in that Chinaman's head is magic, as sure as you're alive.
+I wouldn't smoke it if you'd give me all the plum puddings in this city
+next Christmas; no, sir; and I wouldn't allow nobody else to smoke it,
+neither: I just naturally wouldn't dare to. Do you know where that
+tobacco come from? A sailor off of one them ships down there in the
+harbor, that come all the way from China--yes, sir, _China!_--give it to
+me once for a quid of plug-cut; what you might call broke, he was, and
+it wasn't any use to him because he didn't smoke, but he did chew; and
+he told me all about it; he stole it from an old sorcerer in China,
+where he'd just come from. Don't you never touch it! I wouldn't want to
+be in your boots if you ever smoked that tobacco in that there
+Chinaman's head! You can steal anything else in this shop, and it
+wouldn't do much harm to anybody; but you keep your hands off of that
+Chinaman's tobacco, mind what I'm telling you!"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie. He had never thought about smoking before, in
+connection with himself, but now for the first time he began to wish
+that he knew how to smoke. It would be worth risking something to take a
+whiff or two of the magic tobacco in that Chinaman's head, just to see
+what would happen.
+
+"Do you think you'd better go home now?" said Mr. Littleback.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie. "My farver told me to hurry."
+
+"Oh, he did! Indeed!"
+
+The hunchback followed Freddie to the door, and they looked up together
+at the clock in the church-tower.
+
+"Ah!" said Toby. "You're safe. Just six o'clock. Mr. Punch's father
+can't come out for about half an hour yet."
+
+Freddie looked back as he crossed the street, and saw the live hunchback
+leaning against the wooden hunchback, with one foot crossed over the
+other; he could hardly tell which was which, except for the coat and
+breeches. He went on up the street with his package of tobacco in one
+hand and his package of gingerbread in the other. As he passed the
+church, he lingered a moment to stare at the great fat man with
+spectacles, who was sitting on the pavement in a chair tilted back
+against the church-wall, smoking a long pipe and reading a newspaper;
+could this be the "sextant" of the church, whom Mr. Toby had mentioned,
+and who had heard the queer noises from the top of the tower when Mr.
+Punch and his father were up there having their high jinks? He tried to
+get up his courage to ask the fat man about it, but he could not get the
+words out. He stared so long that the fat man finally put down his paper
+and took the pipe from his mouth and looked over his spectacles and
+said:
+
+"If you're considerin' making a bid for the property, young man, I'll
+see what the senior Churchwarden has to say about it. How much do you
+offer?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie, blushing in confusion, and went on up the
+street. He understood nothing of what the fat man had said, but he
+caught the word "churchwarden," and remembered it.
+
+He did not walk very fast, for he had a good deal to think about; so
+many things had never happened to him in one day before. He dwelt
+especially, in his mind, on the two old codgers who were friends of Mr.
+Toby, and he supposed that his own father never saved up his pennies,
+otherwise his old tobacco box would not be empty every now and then.
+However, he was glad that his father was a spendthrift, because it would
+give him a chance to go to the Old Tobacco Shop sometimes for more
+tobacco for the box; and apart from Aunt Amanda and her gingerbread, he
+was very anxious to look again at the Chinaman's head in which lay the
+magic tobacco which he must not touch. One thing was sure; he would
+never go without looking carefully first at the hands of the clock. He
+wished he knew how to smoke; only not cigarettes; he shivered when he
+thought of the terrible consequences.
+
+When he came to the street-car track, the horse-car was going past; at
+least, it was coming down the street, and he did not want to be run over
+by that horse; he had better wait, for the horse was trotting; his
+mother had warned him about it; he sat down on the curb. He had quite a
+moment or two to wait, and there would be time to give a hasty glance at
+the gingerbread. He laid the tobacco-sack beside him on the curb, and
+opened the other package; the car-horse had dropped into a walk and his
+bell was hardly jingling; there was no hurry after all; it would never
+do to cross in front of that horse even though he was walking. He looked
+at the gingerbread; it was fresh and soft, and its smell, when held
+close to the nose, was nothing less than heavenly; it was a pity it had
+to be hidden away again in the sack, but the horse was going by and the
+danger would soon be past. He held the gingerbread under his nose,
+merely to smell it; the edge of it touched his upper lip by chance, and
+there was something peculiar about the feel of it, he couldn't tell
+exactly what; it was very interesting; he touched it with the tip of his
+tongue, to see if it felt the same to his tongue as to his lip; it was
+just the same; perhaps teeth would be different; his teeth sank into it,
+just for a trial. The horse was going by now, and the driver was looking
+at him. He forgot what he was about, in watching the horse and his
+driver, as they went on past him; the gingerbread completely slipped his
+mind, and when he turned his head back from the horse-car and came to
+himself he found, to his amazement, that his mouth was full of
+gingerbread. He wondered at first how it got there, but there was no use
+in wondering; there it was, and it had to be swallowed; his mother would
+never approve of his spitting it out; and so, to please his mother, he
+swallowed it. The horse-car was nearly a square away; he could cross the
+track at any time now; there was no hurry.
+
+When he came into the fine two-story brick house where he lived, with
+only one package in his hand, his mother threw up her hands and said:
+
+"Why, Freddie! Where on earth have you been? Did you get lost? Are you
+hungry?"
+
+"No'm. Yes'm," said Freddie.
+
+"Frederick," said his father, looking at him with that look, "where have
+you been? Didn't I tell you to hurry?"
+
+"Yes, sir, to Mr. Punch's, and I didn't see his farver at all, but the
+hands come'd right over on top of each other and he didn't get down off
+of his perch, he didn't, so Mr. Toby took me in to see Aunt Namanda and
+she eats pins, and it's cigarettes that gives you that hump on the back,
+only tobacco's all right 'cause you smoke it in a pipe and it doesn't do
+you any harm at all, and that's what Mr. Toby says and he ought to know
+'cause he's got one on his back his own self, but you mustn't touch that
+tobacco in the head 'cause it's magic and the sailor said so, and here's
+the Cage-Roach Mitchner, and that's all."
+
+You will notice that he said nothing about the gingerbread.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+INTRODUCING THE CHURCHWARDEN
+
+
+Every time Freddie visited the Old Tobacco Shop after that--and it was
+pretty often, whether the tobacco box at home needed tobacco or not, for
+there were a good many things that drew him there, and he hardly knew
+which was the most fascinating: there was always a chance of
+gingerbread, and you could usually depend on seeing Aunt Amanda eat
+pins, and you could look through the two pieces of glass at the double
+picture and make it all one picture with the people in it standing out
+as if they were real, and Mr. Toby would often sing about his friends
+the two old Codgers and talk about their mean ways, and Mr. Punch was
+always waiting for his father outside the door, so that you had to keep
+your eyes on the time, or at least the clock (which is different), and
+sometimes Mr. Toby would let you in behind the counter and let you scoop
+tobacco into a paper sack, and when his back was turned you could stand
+under the Chinaman's head with the magic tobacco in it, and look up at
+it and wonder what would happen if you took just one or two little teeny
+whiffs--But I forget what I started to tell you. Oh, yes. Every time
+Freddie visited the Old Tobacco Shop, Mr. Toby would ask him his name,
+in order to see if he was grown up yet.
+
+"What's your name today?" Mr. Toby would say.
+
+"Fweddie," would be the Little Boy's answer.
+
+"Not yet," Mr. Toby would say, shaking his head sadly. "You ain't grown
+up yet. I'm very sorry to have to tell you, son, but you've got to wait
+a while before you're grown up. I'll tell you what; I'll give you six
+months more," said Mr. Toby on one occasion. "If you ain't grown up by
+that time, there's no hope for you; I hate to have to say it, but you
+might as well know it one time as another." And the very next time the
+Little Boy came he said his name was "Fweddie," and Mr. Toby said,
+"Well, never mind, you've got five months and twenty-eight days left,
+and there's hope yet. I suppose you wouldn't want to be a Little Boy
+_all_ the time, and never grow up at all, would you?" Freddie looked up
+at him in alarm and said, "No, sir." "Then," said Mr. Toby, "you'd
+better mind your P's and Q's."
+
+Freddie wanted to ask about these P's and Q's, but you may have noticed
+that he was shy, and he could not make up his mind to do so. He knew all
+about P's and Q's in the Alphabet Book at home, but he did not know how
+to mind them; he knew how to mind his mother,--sometimes, but how could
+you mind letters in a book, that couldn't ever say "Don't do that," like
+mother? He was very anxious on this point, for he knew that his time was
+growing short, and the idea of never growing up was simply terrifying;
+he might as well smoke cigarettes and be done with it. In point of fact,
+he now had only about a week left, and he wasn't grown up yet.
+
+But one morning, when the hands of the church clock were wide apart, and
+all was safe, he passed by Mr. Punch and opened the shop door. Mr. Toby
+was standing behind the counter, tying up a parcel. He went on tying it
+up, and said:
+
+"All right, young feller, it's your turn next. This here package is for
+the Sly Old Codger, and he'll be back for it pretty soon, and if it
+ain't ready,--whew! won't we get blown up, though? Now then, what'll you
+have? Pound o' Maiden's Prayer?"
+
+"No, sir," said the Little Boy. "I don't want anything. I just came."
+
+"Oh; you just came. By the way, young man, what is your name today?"
+
+"Freddie!" said the Little Boy.
+
+Mr. Toby dropped his package and leaned across the counter in amazement.
+
+"What's that you say?"
+
+"Freddie!" cried the Little Boy, bursting with pride.
+
+"Well! Bless my soul! If I ever in my life! As sure as the world! Strike
+me dead if he didn't say it as plain as--! Young man," said Mr. Toby,
+solemnly, and he walked to the end of the counter, opened the swinging
+gate, came through, stood in front of Freddie, and shook him by the
+hand. "Young man, I congratulate you. It's all right now. But you had an
+almighty close shave, I can tell you that. Allow me to congratulate you,
+and accept the best wishes of your kind friend, Toby Littleback."
+
+"Please, sir," said Freddie, opening his eyes wide, "am I grown up now?"
+
+Mr. Toby stared without speaking, and then threw out both his arms, and
+for a moment it looked as if he were going to hug the Little Boy, but he
+evidently thought better of it.
+
+"Are you--? Why, of course you are! Ain't I been telling you? But don't
+you go and presume on it too much, young feller! You don't think you can
+go and smoke cigarettes now, just because you're grown up, do you?"
+
+"Oh no, sir," said Freddie, earnestly.
+
+"I should hope not. And that there Chinaman's head up there--you don't
+think you can go and smoke that magic tobacco now, do you? Because if
+you do!"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie; but he said this a little doubtfully, and he
+looked at the Chinaman's head with more interest than ever. What was the
+use of being grown up if you couldn't take a little risk now and then?
+
+"All right, then!" cried Mr. Toby. "We've got to have a little
+celebration over this here event, and we'd better go in and see Aunt
+Amanda about it, right now!"
+
+He grasped Freddie's hand again, and pulled him to the back door, and
+through into the back room where Aunt Amanda was sitting by the table
+with the wax flowers, sewing.
+
+"Quick! quick! Tell Aunt Amanda your name now, quick! What's your name?"
+cried Mr. Toby.
+
+"Freddie!" said the Little Boy, very distinctly, but looking down at the
+carpet, for fear he should seem proud.
+
+"We're grown up today," cried Mr. Toby, "and we've got to celebrate!"
+
+Aunt Amanda raised her eyebrows in astonishment, and said:
+
+"Esheeraybysart!"
+
+She put her hand to her mouth and somehow got out into her hand a good
+mouthful of pins. She laid them down on the table at her elbow, and
+said:
+
+"Bless the dear baby's heart! And are you grown up now?"
+
+"Yes'm," said Freddie, looking up and then down again, for he did not
+wish to seem too proud.
+
+Aunt Amanda looked at him for a moment, and took out her handkerchief
+and blew her nose very loud.
+
+"Toby," she said, "what did you mean by a celebration?"
+
+"Tomorrow's Saturday," said he.
+
+"Well, what of it?"
+
+Freddie could not understand very well what they were saying after that,
+except that he was concerned in it somehow, until he heard Aunt Amanda
+say:
+
+"You'd better ask his mother, then."
+
+"Young man," said Mr. Toby, "if I write a letter to your ma, will you
+give it to her?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, whereupon Mr. Toby sat down at the other side
+of the table, with pen and paper and ink, and commenced to write.
+
+"First," said Aunt Amanda, "there's some of that fruit-cake from last
+Christmas still in the--"
+
+"Right you are!" cried Toby, jumping up and going out into the kitchen.
+
+Freddie ate the fruit-cake, sitting on a hassock at Aunt Amanda's feet,
+while Toby went on with his letter, but in the midst of it Toby went out
+again, and finally came back with a tall glass of ice-cold lemonade.
+
+"Don't you go and spill it on the carpet," said he, as he sat down to
+his writing.
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie.
+
+Aunt Amanda looked at him, as he sat so seriously on his hassock at her
+feet, munching his fruit-cake and sipping his lemonade; and she pulled
+out her pocket-handkerchief and blew her nose again, very loud. She
+appeared to have a cold. Toby paid no attention to her; his head was
+lying sidewise on his left arm on the table, and he was squinting at the
+sheet of paper, and every time his pen came down he closed his mouth
+tight, and every time his pen went up he opened his mouth wide. Freddie
+and Aunt Amanda had plenty of time to talk. Under the softening
+influence of fruit-cake and lemonade Freddie found his tongue.
+
+"What's a Churchwarden?" he said suddenly into the lemonade-glass, which
+was just under his nose.
+
+"Bless the baby!" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"It's a long clay pipe, young man," said Toby, chewing the end of his
+pen-holder, "like you've seen in the case out there in the shop."
+
+"That ain't what he means," said Aunt Amanda. "You mean a man, don't
+you, Freddie?"
+
+"Yes'm," said Freddie, looking at the cake just going into his mouth.
+
+"It's a man," said Aunt Amanda, "it's a man that belongs to a church,
+and he stands guard over the church property, and sees to the repairs,
+and beats little boys with a cane when they make a noise during service,
+and takes care nobody don't run away with the collection money, and----"
+
+"How do you spell 'respectfully'?" said Toby, scratching his head with
+the pen. "Yours respectfully."
+
+"R-e--" began Aunt Amanda, "s-p-e-c-k--no, that ain't right,--r-e-s--"
+
+"There's one over at that church," said Freddie, pointing towards the
+window, "and he smokes one, too."
+
+"One what, Freddie?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"A Churchwarden. There's a Churchwarden sits out on the pavement and he
+smokes a Churchwarden, he does." Freddie was rather proud that he had
+mastered that difficult word, and he liked to hear himself say it.
+
+"Oh," said Toby, "I reckon he means the sextant over there. Well, 'Yours
+respectfully.' I don't give a--hum!--how you spell it. There she goes.
+Done. 'Yours respectfully, Toby Littleback.' It's blotted up some, by
+crackey, that's a fact; but I ain't a-goin' to write all that over
+again, not by a jugful." And he took out his handkerchief and wiped the
+perspiration from his forehead.
+
+"He's a Churchwarden," insisted Freddie, swallowing the last of the
+lemonade after the last of the cake.
+
+"All right," said Toby, "have it your own way. But a sextant's as good
+as a Churchwarden, in _my_ opinion, any day of the week,--except Sunday,
+of course."
+
+Aunt Amanda inspected the letter, and declared herself horrified by the
+blots; but Toby positively refused to go through that exhausting labor
+again, so she passed it grudgingly, and handed it to Freddie in an
+envelope, and told him to give it to his mother as soon as he got home.
+
+"Do you want some more cake and lemonade?" said she.
+
+"Yes'm," said he.
+
+"Well, you won't get it, so trot along home."
+
+In the shop Mr. Toby showed him the churchwarden pipes in the show-case.
+Freddie wondered how it would taste to smoke some of that magic tobacco
+in the Chinaman's head in a churchwarden pipe.
+
+As he passed the church on his way home, he looked for the fat old man
+who usually sat in his chair tilted back against the wall, but he was
+not there. Freddie wished to ask him about those noises up in the tower
+when Mr. Punch and his father were having their high jinks; he had never
+been able to screw up his courage to the point of asking about this, but
+now that he was grown up he thought he might be able.
+
+He gave the letter to his mother, and she read it; but she said nothing
+to him about it. When his father came home in the evening, she showed
+the letter to him, and they talked about it, and Freddie could not
+understand very well what they were saying. Finally his father said:
+
+"Well, I don't think there would be any harm in it."
+
+"I suppose not," said his mother. "I'll see them in the morning. He had
+better wear his Sunday suit and his new shoes."
+
+This was bad, because it sounded like Sunday-school, and the shoes
+squeaked. Freddie thought he had better change the subject, so he said:
+
+"I'm grown up. I can say Freddie. Mr. Toby says so."
+
+His father laughed, but his mother took him up in her arms and hugged
+him close to her breast.
+
+The next day was in fact Saturday, and after lunch Freddie's mother
+helped him, or rather forced him, into his Sunday suit and his new
+shoes, after a really outrageous piece of washing, which went not only
+behind the ears but actually into them. She put his cap on his head--he
+always had to move it a trifle afterwards,--looked at his finger-nails
+again, pulled down his jacket in front and buttoned every button,
+straightened out each of the four wings of his bow tie, took off his cap
+to see if his hair was mussed and put it on again, pulled down his
+jacket in front, straightened his tie, altered the position of his cap,
+put both her arms around him and kissed him, and told him it was nearly
+two o'clock and he had better hurry. As soon as she had gone in, after
+watching him go off down the street, he unbuttoned every button of his
+jacket, put his cap on the back of his head, and in crossing the
+street-car track deliberately walked his shiny squeaking shoes into a
+pile of street-sweepings; he then felt better, and went on towards the
+Old Tobacco Shop.
+
+As he came to the church, he stopped to look at the hands of the clock;
+he was in luck; the hands would not be together for ever so long, for it
+was ten minutes to two. The Churchwarden was sitting in his chair tilted
+back against the wall, keeping guard over his church; and he was smoking
+his churchwarden pipe. Freddie walked by very slowly, and his shoes
+squeaked aloud on the brick pavement. The fat old man gazed at him
+solemnly, and Freddie looked at the fat old man. The Churchwarden's
+chair came down on the pavement with a thump.
+
+"Look here!" he said. "This ain't Sunday! What's the meaning of all
+this? It's against the rules to wear them squeaking shoes of a Saturday!
+The Dean and Chapter has made that rule, by and with the advice and
+consent of the City Council, don't you know that? And all that big red
+necktie, too! Did you think it was Sunday?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie, for he was always honest, even in the face of
+danger. "I couldn't help it. I didn't want to, but mother made me----"
+
+"Ah! that's it. I thought maybe you'd made a mistake in the day; then it
+wouldn't 'a' been so bad. Look here; it's my duty to report this here
+violation of the Sunday law, but as long as--you're sure you ain't
+_particeps criminis_?"
+
+"No, sir," said the Little Boy earnestly. "My name's Freddie."
+
+"Well, that makes it different. I though you was another party; young
+party-ceps; but if you ain't, why--Here; you'll need something to show,
+in case you should meet the Archdeacon, and he'd want to know why I
+hadn't reported you--Show him this, and he'll know it's all right."
+
+The fat Churchwarden fished in his vest pocket and drew out, between a
+fat thumb and a fat forefinger, a round shining piece of metal, and put
+it in Freddie's hand. Freddie saw that it was a bright new five-cent
+piece, commonly called a nickel. He felt better.
+
+"If you don't meet the Archdeacon between here and Littleback's Tobacco
+Shop," went on the Churchwarden, "you don't need to keep it any longer;
+I don't care what you do with it then; only not pickles, mind you!"
+
+"No sir," said Freddie.
+
+This was his chance to inquire about Mr. Punch's father and the noises
+in the tower, but it was out of his power to stay longer; he was too
+glad to escape without being reported; and he accordingly went off down
+the street, squeaking worse than ever, and positively hurrying.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+IN WHICH MR. HANLON MAKES A GREAT IMPRESSION
+
+
+Freddie found no one in the Tobacco Shop, so he knocked on the door of
+the back room, and it was instantly opened by Mr. Littleback himself;
+but a Mr. Littleback so resplendent that Freddie hardly knew him.
+
+The suit of clothes which Mr. Littleback wore was beyond any doubt a
+brand new suit. The ground color of it was a rich mauve, if you know
+what that is; not exactly purple, nor violet, but somewhere in between;
+and up and down and across were stripes of brown, making good-sized
+squares all over him; it was extremely beautiful. His collar was a high
+white collar, very stiff, and it held up his chin in front like a
+whitewashed fence. His necktie was of a pale-blue satin, with little
+pink roses painted on it, yes sir, painted! mind you, by hand! It was
+not one of those troublesome things that come in a single long piece and
+take you hours before the glass to twist and turn over and under before
+you can get them to look like a necktie; no indeed; it was far better
+than that; it was tied already, by somebody who could do it better than
+you ever could, and when you bought it, all you had to do was to put it
+on; fasten those two rubber bands behind with a hook, and there you
+were; perfect. As to hair, the hand of the barber was yet upon him; his
+hair, parted on one side, was of a slickness which his own soap never
+could have accomplished; on the wide side, it lay flat down over his
+forehead, and there gave a sudden curl backward, like the curve of a
+hairpin, but much more graceful; it is only the most studious barbers
+who ever learn to do it just right. There were creases down the arms of
+Mr. Toby's coat and down the front of his trouser-legs. A yellow silk
+handkerchief showed itself, not boldly, but quietly, from his breast
+pocket.
+
+As he let Freddie in, and in doing so turned his back to Aunt Amanda,
+she screamed and cried out:
+
+"Toby! Look behind you! Merciful heavens!"
+
+Freddie, in the midst of his admiration of the magnificent creature, saw
+him whirl about and look behind himself in alarm. His aunt pointed at
+his coat and said sternly, "Come here."
+
+Freddie saw on the back of Mr. Toby's coat, near the bottom, as he
+whirled about, a little square white tag.
+
+Mr. Toby backed up to his aunt, and stood before her, trying to look at
+his back over his shoulder, while she took her scissors and clipped the
+threads by which the white tag was sewed to the back of his coat. She
+held up the tag; it had numbers printed and written on it.
+
+"Now ain't that just like you, Toby Littleback," she said, "going out
+with your tag on your back, with your size on it and your height and
+age, too, for all I know, for anybody to see that you've got on a
+splittin' brand new suit right out o' the shop. If you'd 'a' gone out
+with that on your back, I'd 'a' died with shame right here in this
+chair. Ain't you even able to dress yourself?"
+
+"By crickets, that _would_ 'a' been bad," said Toby, considerably upset.
+"However, you caught it in time, so there ain't no use cryin' over it.
+Good-bye, Aunt; come along, Freddie, or we'll be late."
+
+"Ain't you goin' to wear a hat?" said Aunt Amanda. "I declare the man's
+so excited he don't know what he's doing."
+
+"Blamed if I didn't come near going without a hat," said Toby. "Here she
+is."
+
+He produced his hat from a cupboard in the room, and put it on. It would
+have been a pity indeed for him to have gone without it. It was a white
+derby; yes, a _white_ derby. It was the kind of a hat which was known in
+that city as a "pinochle"; pronounced "pea-knuckle" by all well-informed
+boys. With the mauve suit and the hand-painted necktie and the
+whitewashed fence, the white derby set him off to perfection, especially
+as he wore it a little towards the back of his head, so as to show the
+loveliest part of the plastered curl of his hair on the forehead. Aunt
+Amanda could not restrain her admiration.
+
+"You'll do now," she said. "I don't know that I ever seen you look so
+genteel before."
+
+Toby, in the embarrassment of being considered genteel, put his hands in
+his trousers pockets.
+
+"Take them hands out of your pockets," said Aunt Amanda sharply, and he
+took them out in a hurry.
+
+"Now, Freddie," she said, "come here a minute, and I'll set you to
+rights."
+
+Freddie stood before her knee, not very willingly, and she buttoned his
+jacket from top to bottom, and put his cap squarely on his head.
+
+"Now you'd better be off," she said.
+
+"Good-bye, Aunt, and I wish you were going too," said Toby, his hand on
+the door-knob.
+
+"Good-bye, Freddie," said she.
+
+"Good-bye," said Freddie.
+
+"Good-bye what?" said she.
+
+"Aunt Amanda," said he.
+
+When they were out in the street, and she heard Toby lock the shop door
+behind him, she took out her handkerchief and blew her nose; her cold
+was evidently worse, because she blew her nose several times; and then,
+tucking her handkerchief away in her dress, she put her head down on
+her arm on the table, and cried.
+
+The first thing Freddie did, as they went up the street, was to put his
+cap back again on the back of his head, and the next thing he did was to
+unbutton every button of his jacket, from top to bottom.
+
+The little hunchback was in a great hurry, and he dragged the Little Boy
+along by the hand so fast that he could hardly keep up. As they hurried
+along, several naughty boys, observing Mr. Toby's white derby hat,
+called after him, very rudely, "Pea-knuckle! pea-knuckle!" But Mr. Toby
+paid no attention, and dragged Freddie along faster than ever.
+
+"We don't want to miss any of it," said Mr. Toby. "Hurry up, boy."
+
+They did not have far to go; only four or five "squares." They stopped
+before a great grimy brick building with a great wide entrance-way.
+
+"Here we are," said Toby.
+
+"What does that say up there?" said Freddie.
+
+"Gaunt Street Theatre," said Toby. "Hurry up."
+
+Freddie hung back before a signboard on which was a picture of a slender
+man dressed up in white clothing, very tight, with red and black squares
+on it; he was leaning against a table; his head and face were a dead
+white, except for red eyebrows, and a red spot in each cheek, and he had
+no hair, but a smooth dead-white skin from his forehead to the back of
+his neck. The peculiar thing was, that his head was on the table beside
+him, and not on his neck. Freddie pointed to the writing underneath the
+picture, and said:
+
+"What does that say?"
+
+"Hanlon's Superba," said Toby, pulling him along. "Hurry up! We'll be
+late."
+
+Mr. Littleback went to a little window in the wall, inside the
+entrance-way, and spoke to a man in there, and evidently asked
+permission to go in, and evidently got it; and they did go in, up a
+flight of stairs, and found themselves suddenly among thousands and
+thousands of people, as it seemed, all sitting in chairs facing the same
+way, in a vast house lit up by gas light so that it was almost as bright
+as day; and Toby and Freddie sat down in the very front row of these
+people, and looked down over a railing in front of them on the heads of
+thousands and thousands, as it seemed, of other people, all sitting in
+chairs facing the same way. Everybody was facing towards a straight wall
+at the other side of the house, which had pictures painted on it. At the
+foot of this wall, in a kind of trench, there was a man at a piano, and
+there were other men with fiddles big and little, and still others with
+brass things, and they were all playing a tremendous tune together, but
+just after Toby and Freddie had sat down, they stopped playing and Toby
+nudged Freddie with his elbow, and said:
+
+"Now, then, young feller, what do you think of this, eh? Just you wait!
+Keep your eye on that curtain!"
+
+He had no sooner said this than somewhere in the house somebody gave a
+piercing whistle between his fingers, and in a minute there was such a
+racket that it was impossible to talk. There must have been people above
+them, and they must certainly have all been boys; for from up there
+Freddie heard a clapping of hands and a stamping of feet, all in a
+regular time, which spread to the whole house, and in the midst of it
+the boys up there began to shout and call and whistle, and in a few
+minutes there was such a hubbub as only boys could make, with whistling
+between the fingers leading the riot. Toby nudged Freddie again with his
+elbow, and to Freddie's surprise began to clap his hands and stamp his
+feet with the rest; and as Freddie thought he ought to be polite, he
+clapped his hands, too, though he did not know very well what it was all
+about.
+
+Suddenly the men in the trench at the foot of the painted wall struck up
+again, and that quieted the other noise for a moment; but only for a
+moment; someone whistled through his fingers, and in an instant those
+fiddlers might as well have been sawing away at their fiddles out at the
+Park, for all you could hear them; and right in the midst of it all,
+while Freddie was trying to shout the word "Peanuts" into Toby's ear,
+suddenly the lights went out and you could have heard a pin drop.
+
+"Now then! now then!" whispered Mr. Toby, in great excitement. "Now
+you'll see! Watch the curtain! It's going up!"
+
+From down there in that dark trench came the sound of a soft twittery
+kind of music, and at the same time the painted wall that Freddie had
+been looking at was rising! going up! And it went on up and up out of
+sight into the ceiling, and there behind it, in a dim light, there
+behind it, mysterious and fearsome and delicious,--Well, there behind it
+was Fairyland. Just Fairyland.
+
+I can't describe it to you. Freddie never forgot it. If you haven't seen
+Hanlon's Superba, in some old Gaunt Street Theatre or other, on a
+Saturday afternoon, with the galleries wild with boys, you have not
+lived. When Freddie tried to tell his mother and his father about it
+that night, it was such a whirling mass of wonders and glories that they
+could not make head nor tail of it. It is useless to speak of the Fairy
+Queen in her glittering white, coming to the rescue in the nick of time
+with her diamond sceptre, or of the horrible demons, or the trouble and
+excitement they made for everybody, or of the beautiful young lady
+who--and such leapings and twistings and climbings and tumblings as no
+mere human beings with bones in them could ever have performed--it is no
+use; it is best not to try to describe it. But there was one part
+which, although it may seem to you the most unlikely thing in the world,
+really had a good deal to do with Freddie afterwards. There was the same
+man whose picture he had seen outside on the signboard; and he could
+climb straight walls and leap through high windows and tumble across
+floors in a way which passed belief; but there was one thing he could
+not do; he could not talk; he never spoke a word from beginning to end.
+Once, after having escaped from a parcel of wicked red imps, he sat
+down, tired out and starved to death, before a table loaded with food,
+and he commenced to make a hearty meal; but just as he was about to
+sample each plate it disappeared, vanished, completely out of sight,
+right under his nose. His distress was pitiable, and Freddie thought it
+cruel of everybody to laugh, as everybody did. On his plate were
+sausages, and he nearly got them; but just as he thought he had them,
+they actually jumped off the table and ran along the floor and up the
+wall; and the poor man had to climb the wall after them, which he did
+like a cat, and even then he never came up with them; he was terribly
+disappointed; and to finish off his miseries, at last a wicked creature
+with a sword came up behind him, as he was leaning his head down on the
+table in despair, and cut off his head before your very eyes; really and
+truly cut it off; there was no doubt about it; the head was on the table
+and the poor man was in the chair; Freddie was terrified, and clutched
+Mr. Toby's arm. But when the wicked murderer had gone away, back popped
+the head onto the dead man's neck, his eyes opened, he grinned from ear
+to ear, and there he was on his feet, skipping and tumbling, as lively
+as ever; and at that Freddie and all the others in the house roared and
+shouted and clapped their hands.
+
+"Is that Mr. Hanlon?" whispered Freddie into Mr. Toby's ear.
+
+"Reckon it is," said Toby, too excited himself to pay much attention to
+Freddie.
+
+But it could not last forever. Even the peanuts, which Toby bought for
+Freddie between the first and second acts, were all gone, and the
+curtain was down for the last time, and the crowd crushed through the
+doors, and Mr. Toby put on his white derby hat.
+
+They were in the street, and the speechless Mr. Hanlon was a thing of
+the past. Freddie did not believe that he would ever see that dumb and
+loose-headed man again; but in that he was mistaken, as you shall see.
+
+Toby left him at the corner near his father's house.
+
+"What I say is," said Toby, "three cheers for our growing-up party!"
+
+"Yes," said Freddie, "and three cheers for Mr. Hanlon!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+THE CHINAMAN'S HEAD
+
+
+For a long time afterwards, Freddie dreamed at night of a hunchbacked
+man whose head came off and popped on again, and wicked red demons who
+chased a poor man with a white face who tried to cry for help and could
+not speak a word, and of a Chinaman's head without a body, smoking a
+long clay pipe. In the daytime, he thought a good deal about the people
+he was now acquainted with: Mr. Toby with his white derby hat, Aunt
+Amanda swallowing pins, the sailorman from China, Mr. Punch and his
+father, Mr. Hanlon with his head on the table, the Churchwarden smoking
+his churchwarden pipe, and the two old Codgers, one so sly and the other
+so beggarly; but that which occupied his mind more than anything else
+was the Chinaman's head on Mr. Toby's shelf.
+
+Freddie was older now, and as time went on it might be thought that he
+would have grown accustomed to all these strange things; but he had not;
+far from it; he thought about them more and more, and most of all about
+the Chinaman's head and the magic tobacco. He really could not get that
+Chinaman's head out of his mind. Here was magic just within reach of
+your hand, and you were told that you mustn't touch it. You might as
+well have Aladdin's lamp in your bureau drawer, and be told to keep away
+from the bureau; even parents ought to know better than to expect such a
+thing. Anyway, what harm could just one or two little whiffs do? You
+needn't smoke a whole pipeful, if you didn't want to. However, Mr. Toby
+would not be pleased, and Freddie did not intend to do anything to
+displease Mr. Toby. Still, it did seem a pity, with such a chance right
+over your head--Oh, well, he would think no more about it; he fixed his
+mind on other things; he thought especially about a hymn they sang
+nearly every Sunday in Sunday-school; it was a great help; he knew it by
+heart, and it went like this:
+
+    "Yield not to temptation,
+      For yielding is sin,
+    Each vict'ry will help you
+      Some other to win."
+
+He resolved he would never think about the magic tobacco again; he went
+to sleep saying over to himself, "Yield not to temptation," and dreamed
+all night about the Chinaman's head, and thought about it all the next
+day.
+
+In order to get it out of his mind, he called on Aunt Amanda. It was
+late in the afternoon; he sat on his hassock and watched Aunt Amanda
+sewing. Mr. Toby was in the shop, waiting on customers. Freddie watched
+for a long time, and then said:
+
+"What are you doing?"
+
+"Basting," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"I thought that was what you did to a turkey," said Freddie.
+
+"So it is," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"That isn't a turkey," said Freddie.
+
+"No," said Aunt Amanda, "you baste a turkey with gravy."
+
+"That isn't gravy," said Freddie.
+
+"It's different," said Aunt Amanda. "You see, I have to sew this up with
+needle and thread, and----"
+
+"You sew up a turkey with needle and thread, too," said Freddie.
+
+"But that's different," said Aunt Amanda. "You couldn't baste a turkey
+with needle and thread, and you couldn't baste dress-goods with
+gravy----"
+
+"Why not?" said Freddie.
+
+"Well," said Aunt Amanda, "well, you see, they don't do it that way;
+it's _different_; it ain't the same thing at all; it's like this; when
+you baste a turkey----"
+
+"Have you ever had any children?" said Freddie.
+
+Aunt Amanda put her hand to her heart suddenly, as if she had received a
+shot there, and caught her breath; then she looked out of the window,
+and then round at the wax flowers on the table, and then at the door,
+and she really seemed to be thinking of running away. But she was too
+lame to do that, and she at last clasped her fingers together tight in
+her lap, and looked hard at Freddie. He was gazing at her calmly,
+waiting for information.
+
+"No," said Aunt Amanda, "I have never--had--any--children."
+
+"Why not?" said Freddie.
+
+"I have--never--been married," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+Freddie thought about this for a moment.
+
+"Didn't anybody ever want you?" said he.
+
+"No," said she, "nobody--ever--wanted--me."
+
+Freddie was puzzled.
+
+"But you're nice," said he.
+
+"That ain't enough," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"What else do you have to be?"
+
+"You have to be pretty."
+
+"Weren't you ever pretty?"
+
+"I thought--so--once, but--but--I must have been mistaken. I guess I
+never was."
+
+Freddie thought it over, and announced his decision seriously.
+
+"_I_ would want you, anyway."
+
+Aunt Amanda stretched out a trembling hand to him and ran her fingers
+through his hair; then she threw both her arms around him and pressed
+him against her knee. He was much annoyed. He was afraid she might be
+going to kiss him; but she did not; instead, she pulled out her
+handkerchief and blew her nose.
+
+"How many children were there that you didn't have?" said Freddie, to
+change the subject. Aunt Amanda did not understand this at first, but
+she finally saw what he meant. What _did_ he mean? you may say. What he
+meant was--well, it is perfectly clear, but it is hard to explain.
+Anyway, Aunt Amanda understood him. "Three," said she. "Bobby was the
+oldest, and Jenny next, and James was the littlest one."
+
+"Did they all go to school?"
+
+"Oh dear no. Only Bobby. And once he played hookey, and was gone
+all day, and didn't come home until after dark, all muddy. I
+was terribly worried. He was a very mischievous boy, but he was
+his--mother's--own----"
+
+"Did he play marbles for keeps?"
+
+"Yes, but he went to Sunday-school just as regular, and liked it,
+and----"
+
+"He _liked_ it?"
+
+"Yes, of course, and he always took good care of Jenny----. She had
+little yellow curls. They went to Sunday-school together hand in hand,
+and he didn't even mind her carrying her dolly with her; she wouldn't go
+without it. He was so careful of her at street-crossings. She loved her
+dollies. She used to pretend that James was one of them."
+
+"Did James like that?"
+
+"Not very well, but he put up with it for quite a few minutes at a time.
+He couldn't be still very long. But he was pretty lonesome when Jenny
+had the measles."
+
+"I've had the chicken-pox. Did Bobby know how to mind his P's and Q's?"
+
+"He didn't mind anybody very well. Once I had a note from his teacher,
+and it said----"
+
+But Freddie never learned what sin Bobby had committed in school; for at
+that moment the shop door opened, and Mr. Toby thrust in his head and
+said:
+
+"Just got to get around to the barber-shop right away this minute; can't
+put it off no longer. Won't be gone twenty minutes. Freddie!"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, standing up.
+
+"Do you think you could look after the shop for twenty minutes, while
+I'm gone?"
+
+Now Freddie did not know it, but this was in fact the most important
+question that had ever been put to him in his life. Everything depended
+on his answer; if he said no, we might as well stop this story right
+here; if he said yes----
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"All right. If anybody comes in, just tell 'em to wait."
+
+Freddie left Aunt Amanda, sitting very still, and gazing out of the
+window, with her hands folded in her lap, and followed Mr. Toby into the
+shop.
+
+"All right, sonny," said Mr. Toby, "make yourself comfortable. I'll be
+back in a jiffy. If anybody comes in, you tell 'em to wait." And with
+that he went out of the door and up the street. Freddie was left alone
+in the shop.
+
+Everything was very quiet now, for it was beginning to be twilight, and
+all the people seemed to be indoors. He knew he ought to be going home,
+but he had promised to mind the shop, and it would never do to leave
+before Mr. Toby came back. The street door and the door to Aunt Amanda's
+room were both closed. He sat down on the chair by the front window and
+looked out across the bull-dog's head. He thought of Bobby and his
+little sister in Sunday-school, and that led him to think of the hymn
+that did him so much good:
+
+    "Yield not to temptation,
+      For yielding is sin."
+
+He sang that tune to himself for a while, and he found himself singing
+other tunes, and finally one which began:
+
+    "There was an old codger, and he had a wooden leg,
+    And he never bought tobacco when tobacco he could beg."
+
+Tobacco! There was a world of tobacco on those shelves. Smoking tobacco,
+and churchwarden pipes. He strolled around behind the counter, and let
+down the back of the show-case. There were the churchwarden pipes; he
+selected one and took it out. It tasted cold and clammy when he put it
+in his mouth, and he wondered what it would taste like with tobacco in
+it. He brought the little ladder and got up on it, facing the shelves,
+and to his surprise he found himself looking directly into the slanting
+eyes of the porcelain Chinaman's head. He stood there gazing
+thoughtfully into those eyes, and singing to himself the verse which was
+always such a help to him:
+
+    "Yield not to temptation,
+      For yielding is sin,
+    Each vict'ry will help you
+      Some other to win."
+
+It was growing a little darker now, and he could not examine the
+Chinaman's head very well without bringing it closer. He took the head
+in his hands, lifted it from the shelf, got down off the ladder, and sat
+down on the floor with his back against the counter; and while he was
+doing this he hummed to himself the next part of his tune:
+
+    "Fight manfully onward,
+      Dark passions subdue."
+
+He put the head on his knees, and took off the Chinaman's little round
+cap, which proved to be in fact a lid. He put his hand inside and drew
+out a good fistful of absolutely black tobacco, fine and powdery like
+coal-dust; he held it to his nose, and it smelt very sweet, in fact much
+like brown sugar. He wondered if it would taste like brown sugar through
+the pipe-stem; and humming quietly to himself, "Each vict'ry will help
+you," he poured the tobacco into the bowl of the pipe. He was
+disappointed, on sucking in through the pipe-stem, to find that there
+was no brown-sugar taste at all. Of course, the only way to give tobacco
+any taste was to light it; he reached up and got a match off the counter
+behind him, and sitting down again struck the match on the floor. It
+made a very pretty glow in the twilight, and he watched it as it burned
+away in his fingers; it would be burnt out in another second, so,
+humming to himself those ever-helpful words, "Yield not to temptation,"
+he put the pipe in his mouth and touched the lighted match to the
+tobacco.
+
+It is painful to have to tell these things, but it can't be helped; for
+the consequences were so strange, and so important to Freddie and his
+friends, that----
+
+Anyway, he lit the pipe and drew in a long breath through the stem. He
+nearly choked to death. Smoke got into his nose and his eyes and his
+throat, and he coughed and coughed; but he remembered the words, "Fight
+manfully onward," and he determined that he would not give up so soon.
+He stopped coughing and pulled again at the pipe; this time he did not
+swallow the smoke, but blew it out of his mouth as he had seen it done a
+thousand times. He gave another pull, and blew the smoke out again; it
+did indeed taste like brown sugar; it was extremely pleasant; he puffed
+again and again. He was astonished that he could have produced so much
+smoke in a few whiffs; there was quite a cloud over his head. He gave
+another puff, and when he blew out the smoke the white cloud above him
+was so thick that he could not see through it. It began to settle down
+on him. He put the Chinaman's head on the floor, and looked up into this
+cloud.
+
+It was growing thicker and thicker, and it was beginning to churn about
+as if in a whirlwind; it turned all sorts of colours, mostly yellow and
+green, and parts of it looked like barber's poles revolving at a
+terrific speed. He became dizzy as he gazed at it; his head began to
+swim; the cloud was coming down closer and closer upon him, and whirling
+about more and more wildly; he crouched down lower, and became dizzier
+and dizzier. The counter and the shelves began to go round and round, so
+that he had to put his hand on the floor to steady himself; in another
+moment the shop disappeared altogether, and there was nothing under him
+but a little square of floor, and nothing over him but the wild,
+churning cloud, now sparkling with jets of fire. He felt himself
+falling, falling, and as he came to the bottom with a crash, he heard
+the shop door open and close, and found himself sitting on the floor
+with his back to the counter as before, with no smoke anywhere to be
+seen; and he was aware that a hoarse voice was speaking on the other
+side of the counter, and it was saying these words, very loud and brisk:
+
+"Avast, there! Belay that piping! All snug, sir, hatches battened down,
+makin' way under skysails and royals, hands piped to quarters, and
+here's your humble servant ready for orders! Shiver my timbers, where's
+the skipper? Piped me up with a 'baccy pipe, he did, and where's he
+gone? Skipper ahoy! Come for orders, I be, and ever yours to command,
+Lemuel Mizzen! That's me!"
+
+Freddie put the pipe down on the floor, rose to his feet, and looked
+over the counter.
+
+Leaning on his elbow on the other side of the counter was a Sailorman,
+with a wide blue collar open at the throat, a flat blue cap with a black
+ribbon on the back of his head, and a green patch over his right eye.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+LEMUEL MIZZEN, A.B.
+
+
+Freddie looked at the Sailorman, and the Sailorman straightened up and
+touched his cap. His face was brown as weathered oak, and creased like
+bark; his one eye was black and glittering; the hand which he raised to
+his cap was of the shape and nearly the size of a ham; and the chest and
+throat which emerged from his wide-open shirt-collar was as brown as his
+face, and big with muscles. There was a delicious odour of tar about
+him; you positively could not look at him without hearing wind whistling
+through ropes. He hitched up his trousers with his other hand and said:
+
+"Ay, ay, skipper! Here I be as big as life, all ready fer orders!"
+
+As Freddie gazed at him, the Little Boy slowly collected his wits, and a
+light began to dawn upon him.
+
+"Have you been to China?" said he.
+
+"Right-o!" cried the Sailorman. "To China I have been----" in a queer
+sing-song, as if he might have been marching in time to it round a
+capstan, hauling in an anchor: "To China I have been, and a many ports
+I've seen, near and far; I can sail before the mast or behind it just as
+fast, I'm a tar, I'm a tar, I'm a tar!"
+
+Freddie continued to stare at him with increasing astonishment.
+
+"Are you a sailor, sir?" said he.
+
+"Wot, me? I'm Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., that's me, and I sail the deep blue
+sea from Maine to Afrikee, and round again on an even keel to Cochin
+China for cochineal, and back to Chili for Chili sauce, and home again
+to Banbury Cross--that's me! Lemuel Mizzen, able seaman! Fed on hard
+tack or soft tack, or a starboard tack or a port tack, it's all the same
+to me! Now then, skipper, you piped me up, wot's the orders?"
+
+"Please, sir," said Freddie, "would you mind telling me what it is you
+would like to have?"
+
+"_Me?_ Douse my binnacle light, wot I want is a chew o' terbacker; but
+the question before the chart-house is, wot do _you_ want, skipper?"
+
+"I don't want anything," said Freddie.
+
+"Wot? You piped me up, didn't you? Piped me up with a pipe?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"Sorry to entertain a different opinion from the skipper! Didn't you
+smoke the Chinaman's 'baccy, _in_ a pipe?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, hanging his head.
+
+"Then you did pipe me up with a pipe, and I hope I knows better than to
+come aft without bein' piped. Didn't you know I've got to come when you
+smoke the pipe with the Chinaman's 'baccy in it?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie.
+
+The Able Seaman fixed his black eye on Freddie in amazement.
+
+"Well, bust my locker if this ain't the--Beggin' your pardon, skipper,
+and no offense meant! Called me off from the China Sea, and don't want
+me after all! Didn't go fer to do it, not him! And me off in the China
+Sea amongst the Boxers, a-v'yaging hither and thither to pick up a cargo
+o' boxes to box compasses with! Ye've brought me a fair long journey fer
+nothin', skipper!"
+
+[Illustration: "I'm Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., that's me!"]
+
+"I'm very sorry, sir," said Freddie, "I didn't know you had to come when
+the Chinaman's tobacco was smoked. Are you the one that brought that
+tobacco here?"
+
+"Ay, ay! That's me! Lemuel Mizzen, A.B.! And a fine long trip from the
+China Sea, to come to a lad in Amerikee when I hears in my ears the
+skipper's call, and all fer nothin' at all, at all! Ain't you got
+nothin' to offer in extenuation?"
+
+Freddie did not know what "extenuation" meant, but he could see by the
+Sailorman's face that that gentleman was a good deal put out. He
+remembered that Mr. Mizzen wanted a chew of tobacco.
+
+"Would a little tobacco make you feel better?" said he.
+
+"Now you've got yer hand on the right rope!" said the Able Seaman, his
+face brightening. "I don't smoke. I chew. If you're goin' to offer a bit
+of a chew, why then, says I, I don't care if I do."
+
+Freddie took a long plug of chewing tobacco from the shelf behind him.
+He knew that Mr. Toby would not mind making a little gift to the
+sailorman after his long journey. He put the plug under the cutter on
+the counter, and was about to press down the handle, to cut off a
+portion, when the Able Seaman hitched up his trousers and said:
+
+"Belay there, skipper! Put the whole cargo aboard! This here craft needs
+ballast; hoist her over the side!" And he reached out his hand for the
+whole plug of tobacco and took it from Freddie, and gnawed off a corner
+with his teeth.
+
+"Ah!" said he, his right cheek bulging out. "Too much ballast to
+starboard." And he gnawed off another corner, so that his left cheek
+bulged out like his right.
+
+"All snug!" said he. "I'll just pay fer my cargo before I set sail, with
+a bit of a draft on the owners, in a manner of speakin'. Here y'are,
+sir. Stow that bit o' paper in yer sea-chest, and it'll come in handy
+one o' these days. Pay as you go, says I."
+
+He placed in Freddie's hand a folded sheet of soiled paper. It was
+greasy with handling, and was evidently very old; it was folded small
+and tight, and was beginning to break with age at the creases. On the
+outside, it was blank; but there might have been writing inside.
+
+"Got it in the Caribbean off a runaway sailor, fer a set of false
+whiskers and a tattoo needle. Will it do to pay fer the cargo with?"
+
+"Yes, sir; thank you," said Freddie, holding the paper in his hand
+without unfolding it.
+
+"Then all I got to say is, before I weighs anchor,--take good keer o'
+that there bit o' paper. Aloft and alow, don't ye never let go; round
+the yard take a bight and hold on to it tight; let the harricane blow
+till yer fingers is blue, but wotever you do, don't ye never let go. And
+skipper, mind wot I'm a-tellin' you; if you ever needs Lemuel Mizzen,
+A.B., fer to give him his orders, all you got to do is to smoke a couple
+o' whiffs of the Chinaman's 'baccy, and Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., he'll be on
+deck before the smoke's cleared away. That's clear?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, with eyes wide open.
+
+"And now as I see there's no orders to give, I'm off to my tight little
+bark called The Sieve, and when I'm aboard I'll close all the shutters,
+and lock up the parrot that sneezes and stutters, and wake all the
+skippers, and put on my slippers, and get into bed while the mates
+overhead are swabbing the decks and heaving the lead and baling the
+bilge-water up with their dippers; and when they have gotten the vessel
+to going, and settled all down to their knitting and sewing, and the
+twenty-third mate, who is always so late, has learned what is meant by a
+third and last warning, I'll turn up the gas, take a look at the glass,
+and read me the Life of Old Chew until morning!----And so, sir,"
+continued Mr. Mizzen, walking towards the street door, "I must give you
+a view of my little stern-light, and bid you, dear sir, a very good
+night."
+
+So saying, he turned squarely towards Freddie, with one hand on the
+door-knob, and with the other hand touched his cap respectfully. Freddie
+saw that his trousers were very wide at the ankles and very tight at the
+hips, and that he rolled a little when he walked. Having touched his cap
+respectfully, he opened the door and went out, and disappeared in the
+darkness outside.
+
+Freddie stood looking after him with his mouth wide open.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+THE HANDS OF THE CLOCK COME TOGETHER
+
+
+It was some minutes before Freddie recovered from his astonishment.
+Certainly this was a strange Sailorman. And he had come all the way from
+the China Sea at a puff of the Chinaman's tobacco! Certainly magic
+tobacco, that! But it was a pity that Mr. Mizzen had been called away
+from the China Sea, all for nothing, while he was so busy gathering
+boxes to box compasses with! No wonder he had felt put out about it. And
+it must have been a queer sort of ship, with its shutters, and all those
+skippers and mates--did they really like to knit and sew after they had
+got the ship to going? It would be a wonderful thing to sail in a ship
+like that; he wished he had thought to ask Mr. Mizzen more about it. He
+must tell Aunt Amanda at once.
+
+He ran to the back door and burst into the back room, crying out "Aunt
+Amanda!"
+
+Aunt Amanda was sound asleep in her chair, with her head back and her
+mouth open; the gas was burning brightly overhead, and the clock was
+ticking away distinctly on the mantel-piece.
+
+"Aunt Amanda!" cried Freddie.
+
+She awoke with a jump, blinked her eyes, and said:
+
+"Hah! Where's the--what's the--who said--Where's Toby? What's the
+matter?"
+
+"It's me, Aunt Amanda," cried Freddie, breathlessly, "and the
+Sailorman's just been here and gone, and I called him with the pipe, and
+I can call him whenever I want him, and he gave me a piece of paper,
+and he talks like a singing-book, and there's a parrot that stutters,
+and they have to bale out the water with dippers because the ship's
+named The Sieve, and we mustn't lose the paper because the runaway
+sailor wore false whiskers, and he feeds on tacks instead of pins, and
+we have to hold on tight to the paper, and one of the men on the ship is
+always late, and we mustn't lose the paper, because----"
+
+"Stop! Stop!" said Aunt Amanda. "What on earth is the child talking
+about? What's all this about a Sailorman and a paper?"
+
+"He's the one that brought the Chinaman's tobacco from China, and he
+gave me a piece of paper, and here it is, and we mustn't lose it,
+because----"
+
+"One minute, Freddie! Now you just stand right there, perfectly still,
+and tell me about it slowly. Now, then; what about this Sailorman? Slow,
+slow."
+
+It was a long time before Freddie made her understand exactly what had
+happened, but at last she did understand, from beginning to end. She was
+grieved and horrified that he had smoked the tobacco, but there was no
+help for it now, and she was too much excited by his tale to scold him
+very long.
+
+"What's the paper he give you?" said she, when he had told her
+everything.
+
+Freddie put the paper in her hand, and she unfolded it carefully.
+
+"Why," said she, "it's a map!"
+
+"What kind of a map?" said Freddie.
+
+"It's a map of an Island," said Aunt Amanda. "Where's Toby? I wish he
+would come home. It looks like an Island, and there's writing here on
+it. Looks like some sailorman might have drawn it, maybe; it's certainly
+pretty old. I wish Toby would come."
+
+"What's the writing on it, Aunt Amanda?" said Freddie.
+
+"Well, here at the top it says, 'Correction Island,' and under that it
+says, 'Spanish Main.' Bless me; that's where the pirates used to----"
+
+"Pirates?" said Freddie, his eyes sparkling.
+
+"Yes, pirates, of course. You've heard of the Spanish Main, haven't
+you?"
+
+"Yes'm. It's a long way off. You have to go there in a ship. Have you
+ever been there?"
+
+"Me? Me been to the Spanish Main? Mercy sakes, no, child! What would I
+be doing on the Spanish Main? I ain't been outside of this town since I
+was born."
+
+"Wouldn't I like to go there! Pirates!" said Freddie. "Oh jiminy!"
+
+"You mustn't use such dreadful language," said Aunt Amanda. "I wonder
+where Toby is? Just look at that clock! Why, bless me, it's twenty-seven
+minutes to seven."
+
+Freddie looked, and saw that the hands of the clock were together, one
+on top of the other. It was the hour for Mr. Punch's father to call Mr.
+Punch from the church-tower.
+
+"Toby's got to talkin' with that barber again, as sure as you live; when
+they once begin, they never know when to leave off. I wish he'd----"
+
+As she said this, the door opened, and in walked Mr. Toby himself.
+
+"Sorry I'm so late," he cried, "but the barber got to talking
+about--What, young feller, are you still here?" He turned and called
+through the open door to someone behind him in the shop. "Come in! Make
+you acquainted with my aunt and a young chap here--Don't be bashful,
+come right in! Nobody's goin' to eat you!"
+
+Mr. Toby held the door wide open, and made way for a little gentleman
+who now advanced into the room. He was a hunchbacked man, of the same
+height as Toby, and he was holding out in one hand a bunch of black
+cigars; he was bareheaded and bald-headed; he had high cheek-bones and a
+big chin and a hooked nose; he wore blue knee breeches and black
+stockings and buckled shoes, and his coat was cut away in front over his
+stomach and had two tails behind, down to his knees. His joints creaked
+a little as he walked. He made a stiff bow to Aunt Amanda, and another
+one to Freddie.
+
+"Come in, Mr. Punch," said Toby, "you don't need to hold them cigars any
+longer. Give 'em to me." And he took them from Mr. Punch and laid them
+on the table. He then went to Mr. Punch and linked his arm in his, and
+the two hunchbacks stepped forward together and stood before Aunt
+Amanda.
+
+"Allow me to present my friend Mr. Punch," said Toby. "Just as I was
+coming in, I heard a voice sing out 'Punch!' from the church-tower, and
+Mr. Punch stepped down from his perch, and I invited him to come in, and
+here we are."
+
+"Good hevening, marm," said Mr. Punch. His voice sounded harsh, as if
+his throat were rusty. "Good hevening, young sir. Hit's wery pleasant
+within-doors, wery pleasant indeed; Hi carn't s'y it's so blooming
+agreeable hout there on my box, hall d'y and hall night; the gaslight is
+wery welcome to me poor heyes, I assure you, marm. Hi trust I see you
+well, marm."
+
+"Mercy on us!" said Aunt Amanda, who had been speechless with
+astonishment. "Freddie, it's Mr. Punch himself, bless me if it ain't!"
+
+Freddie edged a little closer to Aunt Amanda, for he was afraid Mr.
+Punch might snatch him up and carry him off to his father in the tower.
+Mr. Punch noticed this.
+
+"'Ave no fear, me good sir," said Mr. Punch, his wide mouth expanding
+in a smile, almost to his ears. "Hi sharn't see me father this night,
+hif me kind friends will permit me to enjoy their society for a brief
+period, together with their charmin' gaslight, which it is wery dim hall
+night in the street and quite hunsatisfactory, accordingly most pleased
+to haccept me friend Toby's kind 'ospitality, Hi assure you. One grows
+quite cramped in one's legs and one's harms when one 'as to remain in
+one position on one's box hall night, unless one's father should tyke
+hit into 'is 'ead to call one hup for a bit of a lark, and one can never
+be sure of one's father's 'aving it in 'is 'ead to call one hup, to s'y
+nothing of one's fingers coming stiffer and stiffer with one's parcel of
+cigars 'eld out in one's 'and, and no 'at on one's 'ead, and no 'air on
+one's 'ead to defend one against the hevening hair, with one's nose
+dropping hicicles in winter, so that one never knows when one will lose
+one's nose off of one's fyce----"
+
+"Excuse me," said Aunt Amanda. It was evident that Mr. Punch was a
+talkative person. "Are you an Englishman?"
+
+"Ho lor' miss, indeed!" said Mr. Punch. "A Henglishman as ever was, Hi
+assure you. But I 'opes I give myself no hairs."
+
+Freddie gave up trying to understand the difference between air and
+hair; it was plain enough that the bald-headed man had never given
+himself any hair, so it couldn't be that. Anyway, this was an
+Englishman, and Freddie was glad that he would now probably have a
+chance to hear English spoken, which he had never heard before.
+
+"Toby," said Aunt Amanda, "Freddie has seen the Sailorman from China,
+and he has a map. I'll tell you about it."
+
+Thereupon she related the story of Mr. Lemuel Mizzen, as she had got it
+from Freddie. Mr. Toby and Mr. Punch were both tremendously impressed.
+
+"It's too bad," said Mr. Toby, "this young feller here had to go and
+smoke the Chinaman's tobacco after I told him not to; it's too bad,
+that's what it is. What did you mean by it, sir?"
+
+"Hit's a wery naughty haction indeed," said Mr. Punch. "Wery
+reprehensible. Wery. Hi carn't s'y as I ever 'eard of a thing so
+hextremely reprehensible. Now when Hi was a lad----"
+
+"You don't say so!" said Mr. Toby. "Well, I don't see anything so very
+bad about it. I'd a' done it myself if I'd been in his place. What do
+you mean by saying that my Freddie's reprehensible? I won't have nobody
+callin' him names, I won't, and what's more----"
+
+"No offense, Toby! No offense!" cried Mr. Punch. "Sorry, Hi assure you.
+Wery reprehensible of me to s'y such a thing. Wery. Pray be calm; be
+calm."
+
+"Well, then," grumbled Toby, "don't you go and say nothing about
+Freddie, because--Anyway, let's have a look at the map."
+
+At that moment there came a timid knock upon the door.
+
+"Who next?" said Toby. "Come in!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+CELLULOID CUFFS AND A SILK HAT
+
+
+The door opened, and there entered a poor-looking elderly man, bowing
+and scraping as he came, and saluting the company with an old rusty
+dented tall hat which he carried in his hand. The most striking thing
+about him was that he had a wooden leg. His hair was grey and thin, and
+his face was not very clean; there were signs of tobacco at the corners
+of his mouth. His clothes were frayed and patched, and there was a good
+deal of grease on his vest; he wore a celluloid collar without any
+necktie, and round celluloid cuffs; his coat-sleeves were much too
+short, and his cuffs hung out certainly three inches. Strange to say,
+his collar and cuffs were spotlessly clean, and presented quite a
+contrast to his very untidy face and clothes; but then, celluloid is
+easy to clean; much less trouble than washing the face. As he stumped
+into the room, he kept bowing humbly from one to another, and bobbing
+his old hat up and down in his hand.
+
+"Ahem!" he said, making another bow. "I was just going by, and I thought
+I would drop in to--er--ahem!--I hope I am not in the way?"
+
+"Oh, come in," said Toby, not very graciously. "As long as you are here,
+you might as well stay. This is Mr. Punch, and this is Freddie."
+
+The elderly man bowed to Freddie, and went up to Mr. Punch and shook him
+cordially by the hand. He put his mouth quite close to Mr. Punch's ear,
+and lowered his voice, and said:
+
+"Ahem! I'm delighted to know you, sir. I trust you are well. I have seen
+you often, but not to speak to. Ahem!" He lowered his voice again, and
+spoke very confidentially into Mr. Punch's ear. "The fact is, sir, that
+as I was going by, I suddenly found that I had left my tobacco pouch at
+home; most unfortunate; and I came in with the hope that
+perhaps--er--ahem! Very seldom forget my tobacco; very seldom indeed;
+perfectly lost without it; do you--er, ahem!--do you happen to have such
+a thing about you as a--er--ahem!--a small portion of--er--smoking
+tobacco? I should be very much obliged!"
+
+"Sorry," said Mr. Punch, stiffly, backing away. "Hi never use tobacco in
+any way, shape or form."
+
+The elderly man looked much disappointed, and sighed. He turned to Toby,
+and bowed and smiled hopefully.
+
+"Perhaps Mr. Littleback--" he began.
+
+"Not on your life," said Toby. "You don't get no tobacco out of me, and
+that's flat."
+
+The elderly man sighed again, and looked steadily at Freddie; but he
+evidently thought there was no hope in that quarter, and he said
+nothing.
+
+Freddie now realized who the elderly gentleman was. He had a wooden leg,
+and he never bought tobacco when tobacco he could beg--It was the Old
+Codger whom Mr. Toby had now and then sung a song about; one of his two
+friends, the one who was always begging tobacco, and never had any of
+his own. Freddie looked at him, and felt rather sorry for him.
+
+"Ahem!" said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg. "Very sorry to intrude,
+Miss Amanda. I hope I'm not in the way. It's very mild weather we're
+having."
+
+"Now, then," said Toby, briskly, "let's look at this map."
+
+As he said this, another knock was heard at the door; a firm and
+confident knock this time.
+
+"Confound it!" said Toby. "Who next? Come in!"
+
+The door opened, and another elderly man stepped in; a tall slim man,
+with very white hair and a long narrow face; he carried a tall shiny
+black silk hat in his hand; he wore a black suit, all of broadcloth, and
+his coat hung to his knees and was buttoned to the top; his cuffs and
+collar and shirt were of beautiful white linen with a gloss, and his tie
+was a little white linen bow. He came forward with an air of warm
+benevolence.
+
+"My dear, _dear_ friends!" he said, and stretched out both hands towards
+the company, as if to clasp them all to his heart. "What a beautiful,
+beautiful scene! So homelike, so cosy, so sociable, so--so--What can be
+so beautiful as the gathering together of friends about the family
+hearth! _So_ beautiful!" There was a Latrobe stove in the room, but no
+hearth; however, that made no difference; he went, with his hands
+outstretched, to Aunt Amanda, and pressed one of hers in both of his.
+
+The Old Codger with the Wooden Leg immediately sidled up to him, and
+while he was still pressing Aunt Amanda's hand, said, in a confidential
+tone:
+
+"Ahem! I'm delighted to see you again. I trust you are well. The fact
+is, I find that I have--er--left my tobacco pouch at home,--most
+unfortunate; very seldom forget it; completely lost without it; I was
+wondering--er--ahem!--if you happened to have such a thing about you as
+a--"
+
+"No!" said the other old man, changing at once from beaming benevolence
+to stern severity. "I'll be hanged if I do!" And he released Aunt
+Amanda's hand, and turned his back on the Old Codger with the Wooden
+Leg.
+
+"Now," said Toby, "let's look at the map. This here is Mr. Punch, and
+this is Freddie."
+
+The newcomer took Mr. Punch's hand in both of his and squeezed it
+softly; he then took Freddie's hand in both of his and pressed it
+tenderly. Freddie knew him. He was the "other Old Codger, as sly as a
+fox, who always had tobacco in his old tobacco-box." Freddie could
+hardly believe that that white-haired old gentleman could be as sly as a
+fox.
+
+"My dear, _dear_ friends!" said the Sly Old Fox. "What is so beautiful
+as the love of friends?" He stopped to glare at the Old Codger with the
+Wooden Leg, who looked away nervously. "The love of friends! Gathered
+together around the family hearth! How beautiful! It touches me, my
+friends, it touches me----"
+
+"That's all right about that," said Toby. "For heaven's _sake_, let's
+look at the map!"
+
+Aunt Amanda spread out the map on the table beside her, and the others
+gathered round.
+
+"It's an island!" cried Toby.
+
+"On the Spanish Main," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"The Spanish Main!" said the Sly Old Fox. "A beautiful country! Full of
+palms,--and grape-nuts,--What you might call a real work of nature! Full
+of parrots, and monkeys, and lagoons, and other wild creatures; a work
+of nature, my dear friends, a real work of nature."
+
+"And pirates," said Freddie, earnestly.
+
+"I _said_ parrots," said the Sly Old Fox.
+
+"_I_ said pirates," said Freddie.
+
+"Just what I said," said the Sly Old Fox. "That live in trees, my
+little friend, in trees; and have red and blue feathers, and----"
+
+"Pirates don't have feathers," said Freddie.
+
+"Dear, dear!" said the Sly Old Fox. "How _can_ you say such a thing? How
+_can_ you----?"
+
+"Did you ever see a pirate in a tree?"
+
+"In cages, my dear little friend! Hundreds of them!"
+
+"That's enough!" said Mr. Toby. "Quit wrangling for a minute, will you?
+What about this here map? I tell you what, though. I'd like the
+Churchwarden to see this map. Freddie, will you run down the street and
+get the Churchwarden?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, moving towards the door.
+
+"And tell him to bring along his Odour of Sanctity with him. He always
+carries a bottle of it in his pocket, and we may need it. Don't forget
+it."
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"Hold on a minute," said Mr. Toby, snatching up his hat. "I'll go for
+him myself. I can do it quicker." And in a moment he was out of the
+door.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+THE ODOUR OF SANCTITY
+
+
+While Toby was gone, Aunt Amanda explained to the two old men about the
+Sailorman from China, and about his gift of the map which was lying on
+the table. They were just at the end of their discussion when Toby
+returned, bringing with him the Churchwarden, puffing and blowing with
+the unusual exertion of walking, and without his pipe. Toby introduced
+him to Mr. Punch and the two old Codgers, and drew him up to the table
+and showed him the map, explaining at the same time how it came there.
+
+The Churchwarden examined the map carefully, while the others all looked
+at him. He finally put down the map, settled himself in a chair, folded
+his hands across his fat stomach, blew out his cheeks, and said:
+
+"My opinion is, that what we ought to do is to--I've considered the
+matter carefully, from all sides, and I think we ought to--Of course you
+may not agree with me, but I think the best thing to do would be
+to--Unless, of course, some of you may think of something better, but if
+you don't, then I can't say as there's anything better to do than
+to----"
+
+At this moment there came a sound from the street outside which made
+everyone but Aunt Amanda jump to his feet. It was the sound of running
+feet, mixed with strange cries, not very loud, but somehow
+blood-curdling. It was evident that someone was in trouble. Freddie and
+the five men rushed from the room and through the shop and into the
+street.
+
+The street was very dark, except for a gas-lamp at the opposite corner.
+A white figure was running down the pavement towards the shop-door, with
+frantic speed; and behind him, evidently chasing him, came a crowd of
+little dark creatures, hard to make out in the dim light. It was these
+creatures who were making the little blood-curdling cries. In a moment
+they had come so near that the party about the shop-door could see what
+they were. In front, running desperately with leaps and bounds, and
+panting for breath, came a tall slim man all in tight-fitting white
+clothes, with a dead white face and a white hairless head; and after
+him, tumbling on pell-mell, was a perfect riot of little red imps, with
+little horns on their foreheads, and little tails behind them, all
+trying to spear the white man with the wicked little pitchforks which
+they carried, and to seize him with their claws. Freddie thought they
+were precisely like the imps he had seen at Hanlon's Superba. When the
+white man reached the shop-door they had nearly caught him. He paused at
+that moment, looked wildly about him, saw the open door of the shop, and
+dashed in and banged the door to behind him. The imps came tumbling up
+and hesitated an instant before the men at the door; and in that instant
+the Churchwarden showed the most unexpected presence of mind. He quickly
+reached behind him and drew a small bottle out of his pocket and pulled
+out the cork and sprinkled a few drops of its contents on the ground
+before him. A sharp penetrating odour immediately filled the air; it was
+so intense that it made the tears come into Freddie's eyes; but what it
+did to the wild mob of imps was almost beyond belief. As they got their
+first whiff of it, they tumbled back over one another in a mad effort
+to get away; but they could not get away from the odour quick enough; it
+caught them and held them, so that in a moment they could not move; they
+stood fixed and fast and silent; in another moment they began to melt
+away, and in two minutes they had vanished; actually vanished where they
+stood, each and every one, before the very eyes of the astonished party
+before the door.
+
+"Blimy hif I ever see the like!" said Mr. Punch.
+
+"Never knew my Odour of Sanctity to fail once," said the Churchwarden,
+coolly. "Hardly ever go out without it. There ain't a witch or an imp or
+a bad spirit of any kind whatever can stand up against my Odour of
+Sanctity, if he once gets a couple of good whiffs of it out of this
+little bottle. Just a few drops from the bottle, and a few sniffs, and
+whoof! they're done for! No, sir! there ain't no perfumery in the world
+like Odour of Sanctity!"
+
+On the floor of the shop they found the poor white man lying completely
+exhausted. They asked him to explain, but he could not speak. Mr. Toby
+and Mr. Punch, one on each side, supported him into the back room, and
+sat him down in a chair before Aunt Amanda. She held up her hands in
+astonishment. The man was certainly a strange-looking man. They plied
+him with questions, but he touched his tongue with his finger and shook
+his head. He could not speak; he was dumb. Freddie, after one long look
+at him under the gaslight, knew who he was.
+
+"It's Mr. Hanlon!" he cried, in great excitement. "It's Mr. Hanlon!"
+
+The dumb man looked at Freddie and smiled, and nodded his head. He rose
+to his feet, shook Freddie's hand, and made a graceful bow to the whole
+company.
+
+"It's Mr. Hanlon sure enough," said Toby, "still being chased by the
+imps. Pretty near got him that time, too! But he got away safe and
+sound after all, didn't he, eh?" And all the party, including Mr. Hanlon
+himself, laughed with delight. And when the Churchwarden pulled out his
+little perfume bottle and showed it around, and explained to Mr. Hanlon
+what it had done, the poor man was so overcome that he put his head down
+on the Churchwarden's shoulder and wept.
+
+"This'll never do!" cried Toby. "Ain't we never, _never_, going to get
+down to this here map? I never _see_ such a time as I've had, trying to
+examine this here map! One thing right after another! Mr. Hanlon, I'll
+tell you what it's about, and then you can see it for yourself. Would
+you like to stay here with our little party? It's a good deal safer than
+out-of-doors."
+
+Mr. Hanlon nodded eagerly and smiled, and Toby explained everything to
+him and showed him the map.
+
+"Now," said Toby, when that was done, "speak up, Warden, and finish what
+you was a-saying!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+CAPTAIN HIGGINSON AND THE SPANISH MAIN
+
+
+The Churchwarden, having put back into his pocket the bottle of Odour of
+Sanctity, folded his hands across his fat stomach and began again:
+
+"As I was saying----"
+
+"Never mind that," said Toby. "Tell us what we had better do."
+
+"Well, as I was saying," went on the Churchwarden, paying no attention
+to Toby, "the best idea that occurs to me, after thinking it over
+considerable, is that--But I ain't saying there's none better, and I
+don't lay claim to being any wiser than--Anyway, it seems to me we ought
+to----"
+
+"Just listen to this!" broke in Aunt Amanda. She had been studying the
+map all this time, and she was holding it in her hands. She was much
+excited. "I've just made out all this handwriting at the bottom of the
+map, and I'll read it to you. Do you want to hear it?" Her voice shook
+and her hands trembled. Everybody except the Churchwarden begged her to
+go on. "Oh! do you think it could be true? If it only could! Oh, if it
+_could_ only be true!"
+
+"Maybe if you'd read it, Aunt Amanda----" said Toby.
+
+"Yes, yes, I will," said she, all of a twitter. "I'll read it. Don't
+hurry me. This is what it says. If it could only be true! 'Correction
+Island: By dead Reckoning, latitude 12° 32' 14" N., longitude 61° 45'
+13" W.,' whatever that means. But I'll read it to you just as it's
+written. It's a queer kind of language--Anyway, this is what it says:
+
+"'Lately discovered by me, Reuben Higginson, Master Mariner, Brig Cotton
+Mather: New Bedford.
+
+"'Notify Elizabeth Higginson, Spinster: or Else the acknowledged Elder
+of the Society of Friends: New Bedford.
+
+"'Now off course in heavy gale on return Voyage to fetch my Sister
+aforesaid to Correction Island with as Many others as are Minded to
+come.
+
+"'Leaking badly below line: pumps Given over: Water mounting in hold:
+decks Awash: Both masts gone By the board: whale-oil, no use: Down with
+all hands in another Hour.
+
+"'This Map shall be cast Overboard in a stout Bottel as we go down, with
+a Paper of directions how to Gain correction in the Island.'"
+
+"Where's the paper of directions?" said Toby.
+
+"It ain't here," said Aunt Amanda. "I suppose Captain Higginson lost it,
+or else he didn't have time to put it in the bottle. Anyway, this is
+what the writing on the map says:
+
+"'Let him that Finds the Bottel remember these Mariners: Also, let him
+take heed to Search out the Island diligently.
+
+"'For this Island'--Listen to what it says now," said Aunt Amanda,
+trembling with excitement. "Oh, do you suppose it could really be true?
+And yet this Reuben Higginson was a good Quaker captain, I'm sure, and I
+don't believe he would say what wasn't true, and especially when he was
+on his way home to get his own sister----"
+
+"Why don't you read it, instead of talking about it?" said Toby.
+
+"I would, if you'd let me," said Aunt Amanda. "Here's what it says:
+
+"'For this Island is Refuge to such as be afflicted: And in this Island
+shall be Corrected'--oh! listen to this! I wouldn't believe it from
+anybody but Reuben Higginson--'shall be Corrected whatever Errors,
+Disappointments, Miscarriages, Faylures, Preventions, and the like, this
+mortal Life may have afflicted Any withal: Wherefore I have called it
+Correction Island.
+
+"'There be Perils enough in coming at Compleat Correction: But let
+Courage halt not By the way, so shall he Arrive presently.
+
+"'If any be Crooked'--this is the part! it's too wonderful! but Captain
+Higginson wouldn't have said it, when he was so near going down with his
+ship, and especially on his way home to get his own sister----"
+
+"Me dear lydy," said Mr. Punch, "_hif_ you would be so wery kind as
+to----"
+
+"Yes, yes; give me time. I declare you make me so nervous--Now just
+listen to this, every one of you, and don't speak:
+
+"'If any be Crooked, he shall there be made Straight.'"
+
+She paused, and looked hard at Toby. Mr. Punch started at the same time,
+and he and Toby looked hard at each other.
+
+"'If any be Blind, he shall see: If any Dumb, he shall speak.'"
+
+At the word "dumb," Mr. Hanlon, whose elbow was resting on the table,
+jumped so violently that he knocked the Album onto the floor. Aunt
+Amanda nodded her head to him, and all the others stared at him.
+
+"'If any be Old, he shall be Young again: If any Fat, he shall be as
+Lean as he will.'"
+
+At the word "fat", the Churchwarden gave a questioning grunt, and
+settled down deeper in his chair.
+
+"'If any be Poor, whether in Purse or in Mind, he shall seek Alms no
+longer.'"
+
+The Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, who had been resting his wooden leg
+on the chair opposite, dropped it to the floor and sat up very straight.
+Toby, who was standing beside him, clapped him heartily on the shoulder.
+
+"'If any be Mean, or Cunning, or Despiteful, he shall be given a new
+heart.'"
+
+Aunt Amanda looked directly at the Sly Old Codger, who was sitting
+smiling, with his tall silk hat on his knees; and everyone else in the
+room, except Mr. Hanlon, looked very intently at him. He noticed it, and
+glanced around inquiringly, smiling more benevolently than ever.
+
+"How beautiful that would be," he said. "How beautiful! If some of my
+dear, dear friends could only have a new heart,--how beautiful!"
+
+"Don't interrupt," said Aunt Amanda. "Freddie, listen to this:
+
+"'If any be Little in stature, against his desire, he shall be Great.'"
+
+Freddie opened his eyes very wide. Would it be possible to be big at
+once, without waiting all that long dreary time? How glorious that would
+be!
+
+"But this," said Aunt Amanda, "this is the last and the best. I don't
+know--whether I can--read it right--" her voice broke, and she blew her
+nose and cleared her throat--"but I will try. Oh! do you suppose it
+_could_ be true? Would a good Quaker captain, with a sister in New
+Bedford, say it if it wasn't true? With the sea raging and both masts
+gone, and the ship filling up with water, and----"
+
+"Aunt Amanda," said Toby, "if you don't read the rest of it this
+minute----"
+
+"Ah, yes, Toby, I will," said Aunt Amanda. "It must be true, or a good
+man like that wouldn't have said it. This is the last part, and the
+best:
+
+"'If any be Prevented unjustly of Beauty or of Children or of Love or of
+Other like desires, there shall be found for him of these a great Store:
+So that there shall be an End of repining, and none in that Place shall
+say, Thus and thus might I have been also, had I been but justly
+entreated.
+
+"'And so I commit my Body to the sea, and my soul to----'"
+
+"Go on! go on!" cried the company--excepting, of course, Mr. Hanlon.
+
+Aunt Amanda blew her nose again, and laid down the map on the table.
+"That's all," she said. "I suppose he didn't have time to finish it."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+A MIXED COMPANY IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE
+
+
+After Aunt Amanda had stopped reading, it was a moment or two before
+anyone spoke. "If all those things," said Mr. Toby thoughtfully, "could
+be done in that Island, I'd be in favor of going there."
+
+There was a general murmur of assent, and Mr. Hanlon nodded his head.
+
+"Well," went on Mr. Toby, "we'd better make up our minds what we want to
+do about it. The Churchwarden ain't had his say yet, what with all these
+interruptions, and I move we give him a chance to have his say, right
+now. Speak up, Warden; what do you think we ought to do?"
+
+"As I was saying," said the Churchwarden, looking around solemnly,
+"while I don't hold to my own opinion if anybody else can think up
+something better, still it seems to me--But maybe you'd ruther hear from
+the others first."
+
+"No, no!" cried the whole company,--except Mr. Hanlon, who shook his
+head vigorously.
+
+"Well, then, being as you've asked me so particular, and having thought
+about it considerable,--as I was saying, it appears to me that the best
+thing to do would be to--This is only the way it looks to me, you
+understand, and I ain't speaking for nobody but myself, and I don't
+pretend that my opinion is worth----"
+
+"By crackey!" cried Mr. Toby, very rudely. "Ain't you the most maddening
+old feller that ever was in the world? Come on, now, tell us what to
+do, and be quick about it!"
+
+"Call up the Able Seaman!"
+
+This was so unexpected that nobody spoke for a moment.
+
+"Hurrah!" cried Toby. "Now you've said it. We'll call up Mr. Lemuel
+Mizzen--is that his name? That's the thing to do! Do you all agree to
+that?" Everybody approved, and Mr. Toby turned to Freddie. "He's your
+man, Freddie, and if you've done it once, I reckon it won't be any harm
+for you to do it again. Wait a minute." And he ran into the shop, and
+immediately returned with the Chinaman's head and a churchwarden pipe.
+
+"Now, then, Freddie," he said. "Will you do it again?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie. "I'd rather not."
+
+"You shouldn't make him do it," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Nonsense, Aunt Amanda!" cried Toby. "He's as bad now as he'll ever be,
+and it ain't a-going to do him no harm. I'll fill the pipe."
+
+"Hit's quite a lark," said Mr. Punch, laughing heartily. "Fancy the
+little beggar's smoking a pipe!"
+
+"My dear little friend," began the Sly Old Fox, beaming upon Freddie.
+"You must always remember that your elders know best----"
+
+"Here, Freddie," said Mr. Toby, having filled the pipe, "sit down here."
+And he pushed Freddie gently down upon his accustomed hassock at Aunt
+Amanda's feet.
+
+Freddie shook his head, but Mr. Toby put the pipe into his mouth and lit
+a match. All the others sat in silence, watching Freddie intently.
+
+"Now, then!" said Toby. "Pull away!" And he touched the lighted match to
+the pipeful of black tobacco.
+
+Freddie gave a pull, and blew out a cloud of smoke. He did not choke
+this time. He gave another pull, and blew out another cloud. The white
+smoke lay above the heads of the company in a thick mass; it grew
+thicker, so that he could not see through it; it began to move, as if in
+a high wind. He drew on the pipe once more, and blew out another cloud
+of smoke. He knew what was coming, and in fact the same thing happened
+that had happened to him before. The white cloud churned about, with its
+barber-poles and jets of fire, coming down closer and closer upon him,
+and in a jiffy he was sitting in midair on his hassock, and then he felt
+himself falling, falling; and as he struck the bottom with a jar, he
+heard, very distinctly, a knock on the door; and he was sitting again on
+his hassock at Aunt Amanda's feet in the quiet room, with no sign of a
+cloud anywhere to be seen.
+
+"Come in!" he heard Mr. Toby cry.
+
+The door opened, and in walked Mr. Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., as cool as a
+cucumber.
+
+He took off his flat blue cap with the black ribbon, and made a bow to
+the company.
+
+"Piped me aft again, and good evening to you all!" said he, in his
+hoarse voice. "Lemuel Mizzen, A.B.! That's me! What'll it be? All ready
+for orders, skipper! It was just half past by the starboard watch, and
+the skippers their apples were quietly peeling, when I locked up the
+last of the lemons and Scotch, and lay on my bed looking up at the
+ceiling, to snatch forty winks, as I foolishly reckoned; but just as I
+thinks, 'Thirty-first, thirty-second,' there's a ring at the bell of the
+big front-door, and the mates come and yell that I'm wanted ashore; so I
+tucks in my cap the eight points of my nap, and just before stopping to
+turn down the lights, I runs to the dresser and puts it to rights, and
+then before giving a last look behind, I goes to the bed and takes off
+the spread, and lays out to air the three sheets in the wind! And here I
+be," concluded the Able Seaman, "all ready for orders." And he looked
+very hard at Freddie.
+
+"Well!" said Aunt Amanda, gasping. "I never in my life heard such a----"
+
+"I'll tell you what it is, Mr. Mizzen," said Toby. "It's about
+Correction Island, on the Spanish Main."
+
+"Ay, ay, sir!" said Mr. Mizzen. "Would you like to go there?"
+
+"Ah!" said everyone at once, except Mr. Hanlon, who nodded his head.
+
+"No trouble at all," said Mr. Mizzen. "Just step into The Sieve, and
+we'll be off. A sweet little bark is The Sieve, provided there's plenty
+of dippers; but we always go well provided. Is the whole party going?"
+
+"One moment, if you please," said the Sly Old Codger. "There is one
+little point on which I--that is to say--Will there be any expense?"
+
+"Not a penny," said Mr. Mizzen. "Everything's found. Orders from the
+skipper. What he says goes."
+
+"Ah!" said the Sly Old Fox. "The Spanish Main! With all the little
+parrots and monkeys flitting about in the branches of the upas trees!--I
+think I will join."
+
+"I reckon we're all going," said Mr. Toby. "Is everybody agreed? All
+right. It's settled. And my vote is, to go right now, while we've got
+hold of our Able Seaman here."
+
+"Shouldn't I tell mother first?" asked Freddie.
+
+"I'll write her a note in the morning," said Toby. "I'll fix it; you
+leave it to me."
+
+"I suppose I really ought to finish this sewing," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"No time," said Toby, who seemed to be managing everything. "Where's the
+ship, Mr. Mizzen?"
+
+"Made fast to the wharf at the foot of this street," said Mr. Mizzen.
+
+"Then let's go," said Toby.
+
+He ran out of the room, and returned with his white derby hat on his
+head, and his hand-painted necktie neatly in its place. He helped Aunt
+Amanda to get up, and brought her her little black bonnet, which she put
+on and tied under her chin, and her cashmere shawl, which she put around
+her shoulders.
+
+"All right!" cried Toby. "We're off! Come along!"
+
+"We're off to the Spanish Main," said Mr. Mizzen, in his curious
+sing-song, "to the wet Antipodee; but dry or wet we need not fret, for
+we are bold as bold can be; and on the way at Botany Bay we'll probably
+stay a week or two, to gather ferns as the Botanists do, and then we'll
+stop at the door of Spain, to ask the way to the Spanish Main, and so
+without any more delay, on the Spanish Main we'll all alight, where the
+star-fish shines in the sea all night, and the dog-star barks in the sky
+all day--Here, skipper, put this in your pocket, and hold fast to it."
+He handed Freddie the map, and Freddie put it away safely in his pocket.
+
+"Have you got the Odour of Sanctity?" said Mr. Toby to the Churchwarden.
+
+"Right here," said the fat man, tapping his back pocket.
+
+"I'll carry the Chinaman's tobacco," said Toby. "We may need it." And he
+tucked the Chinaman's head under his arm.
+
+In a few moments the whole party were standing on the pavement outside,
+and Toby locked the shop-door behind them. They crossed the street, and
+as they did so they heard a faint voice halloing from the top of the
+church tower, and they could make out that it said, "Punch! Punch!" But
+Mr. Punch only sniffed and shrugged his shoulders, and made no answer.
+
+It was very dark. The gas-lamps at the corners only made the darkness
+gloomier. The only sound they heard, after Mr. Punch's father's voice
+had died away behind them, was the stump-stump of the Old Codger's
+wooden leg on the brick pavement. All the dwelling-houses were closed,
+and as they came nearer to the wharves all the warehouses were dark and
+awful. Not a soul was to be seen, except that once they saw the back of
+a policeman as he disappeared around a dark corner in advance. At the
+sight of this policeman's back, and in the shadow of a great gloomy
+building alongside an alley, Freddie slipped his hand into the Able
+Seaman's big paw. He wondered if he were doing quite right in leaving
+home without saying a word to his mother, but Mr. Toby had promised to
+do whatever was necessary, and anyway, he was going aboard a ship! If he
+should stop to speak to his mother about going away on a voyage in a
+ship, he felt somehow that he might never go. He could already smell the
+delicious odour of tarred ropes.
+
+Their progress was very slow, on account of Aunt Amanda's lameness.
+First came Mr. Mizzen, leading the way with Freddie by his side. Next
+came Aunt Amanda, limping with her cane, and supported on one side by
+Mr. Toby and on the other by Mr. Punch. Behind them walked the
+Churchwarden and the Sly Old Fox, and last of all Mr. Hanlon and the Old
+Codger with the Wooden Leg.
+
+They could see not far before them the ghost-like masts and shrouds of
+ships, looking as if they were growing up from the street among the
+buildings; and in another moment they found themselves standing in a
+group on a wide wharf, piled up with bales and boxes, and before them,
+against the edge of the wharf, where the black water was lapping the
+piles, stood a tall ship with most of her sails set. Freddie thrilled in
+every vein of his body. At that moment he did not think of his father or
+mother; he thought of nothing but the smell of brackish water and tarred
+ropes, and the deck of a ship on the open sea under a cloud of canvas,
+and the far-away Spanish Main.
+
+The Able Seaman led the company of adventurers forward between the bales
+and boxes, until they stood beside the dark hull of the ship. He turned
+round and faced them and touched his cap respectfully.
+
+"Come aboard," said he.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+THE VOYAGE OF THE SIEVE
+
+
+When Freddie awoke the next morning, he leaned up on his elbow, rubbing
+his eyes, and was surprised to see the floor of the little room in which
+he found himself settling slowly down at one side. In a moment the floor
+rose again on that side, and the other side settled down. Then the whole
+room tilted sideways and back again. It made him dizzy, and he closed
+his eyes, wondering what kind of a house he had gotten into. He decided
+he would get up and find out about it.
+
+He carefully rose, and tried to walk across the floor to the window. As
+he stepped out, the floor seemed to go down under him, and he quickly
+grasped the bed; he put out his foot again, and the floor rose up; he
+was dizzier than before, and he had a queer sinking feeling in his
+stomach. As the floor tilted down sideways again, he made a dash to the
+opposite wall, and held on there by the window; but the floor sank
+again, and he made another dash, back to bed. He was cold and hot, and
+his head ached, and there was a feeling in his stomach as if--oh dear!
+He decided he would lie in bed for a few moments until he felt better.
+
+He remained there for two days.
+
+What occurred during those two days he could not remember very well
+afterwards. He slept a great deal, and it seemed that some one with a
+green patch over his eye came in now and then; but he paid very little
+attention. All he wanted was to go to sleep and stay asleep.
+
+On the morning after his third night he sat up wide awake. He was
+hungry. He jumped up and dressed in a hurry. As the floor tilted and
+sank and rose with him he thought he had never felt so delicious a
+sensation. He wondered if there would be bacon and eggs for breakfast.
+
+In a moment he had thrown open the door and he was running up a short
+flight of steps. He was weak and tottery, but he paid no attention to
+that. He was at the top of the steps, and he drew in a deep breath of
+the cool morning air.
+
+He was standing on the deck of a great ship. Over his head clouds and
+clouds of beautiful white canvas swelled out to the breeze. The sun was
+sparkling merrily on the water, and there was no land to be seen
+anywhere. Up forward, the bow of the ship was dipping and rising
+regularly. There were three tall masts, and on the first two the sails
+were set square to the masts, and on the third lengthwise; every sail
+seemed to be up. It was glorious.
+
+He walked forward up the deck. Here and there were men in blue overalls,
+cleaning the deck, coiling ropes, and polishing metal; and in a little
+house with windows a man was standing beside an upright wheel. Near the
+first mast, in a group, were Aunt Amanda, Mr. Toby, the Churchwarden,
+and the two old Codgers. Freddie hailed them with a shout.
+
+"All right, young feller," cried Mr. Toby, as Freddie came up, "here we
+are! How is this for a corking spree? Beats all the Tolchester
+excursions you ever see, that's what I say! Blamed if it don't. I ain't
+been out of bed for two days."
+
+"No more has any of us," said Aunt Amanda. "Do you feel well, Freddie?
+I declare I'm quite excited. Isn't the air invigorating?"
+
+"Yes'm," said Freddie. "What did you say in your note, Mr. Toby?"
+
+"What note?" said Toby.
+
+"Why, your note to my mother, explaining about me and----"
+
+"By crackey!" cried Toby. "Blamed if I didn't clean forget all about it!
+Now ain't that too bad! What on earth are we going to do about it?"
+
+"Well!" said Aunt Amanda. "Now ain't that just like you, Toby
+Littleback? I declare if your head wasn't fastened on you'd----"
+
+"Wery reprehensible," said Mr. Punch. "Wery."
+
+"My dear friends," said the Sly Old Codger, "let us not be disquieted on
+such a morning as this. Everything is so beautiful. _So_ beautiful! And
+without any expense whatever. It is a precious thought. How pleasant it
+is to hear the breeze blowing so gently among all the little capstans up
+there!"
+
+He took off his high silk hat and looked up among the sails with a rapt
+expression on his face, and all the others looked up too, trying to see
+the capstans fluttering in the breeze.
+
+"Look!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Why, there's Mr. Hanlon!"
+
+Far, far up, near the top of the second mast, was a white figure,
+standing on a rope under the topmost sail, and holding on with one hand
+and waving the other down at the passengers. Mr. Toby waved his white
+derby, and Mr. Hanlon began to come down. Freddie trembled with alarm,
+but Mr. Hanlon was obviously having the time of his life. He skipped
+swiftly along his dangerous perch, and sliding down and along the spars
+of wood that held the sails, and actually leaping from one to another,
+and tripping lightly down ladders of rope, while the whole top swayed
+dizzily from side to side, he at length came down on the deck with a
+bounce, and bowing to everybody shook Freddie by the hand.
+
+"Here comes the Able Seaman!" cried Toby. "And see what he's got on his
+wrist!"
+
+Mr. Lemuel Mizzen came rolling down the deck, and as he approached he
+took off his cap with his left hand and made a bow. On his right wrist
+was a blue and red parrot, who cocked his head sideways at the
+strangers, and then looked up inquiringly at the Able Seaman.
+
+"Good morning, all!" said Mr. Mizzen. "Glad to see the passengers come
+to life again! Nothing like the open sea, lady and gentlemen!"
+
+"Are you sure it's perfectly safe?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Perfectly safe, ma'am. A tight little bark is The Sieve, provided the
+dippers hold out. Most of the men is below now, baling out the water
+with their dippers, and the ship ain't leaking more than ordinary--yet.
+Of course you never can tell what may happen, but there's plenty of
+dippers, unless we should founder in a storm, or split up on the rocks,
+or----"
+
+"Mercy on us!" cried Aunt Amanda. "I wish we hadn't come. If I only had
+some sewing with me."
+
+"Would you mend socks, ma'am?"
+
+"Oh, that would be lovely! And I could look after the men's shirts, too,
+and count the laundry when it comes home, and--I'm sure we are going to
+have a delightful voyage! I feel better already. I don't believe there's
+any danger after all. It's all nonsense about the ship's leaking."
+
+"Who's your f-f-f-friends, L-l-lem?" shrieked a voice from Mr. Mizzen's
+wrist.
+
+Everyone started, and looked in amazement at the parrot, whose head was
+perked sideways up at Mr. Mizzen's face.
+
+"L-l-lem!" shrieked the parrot, stuttering terribly. "Who's your
+f-f-f-friends?"
+
+"Never you mind," said Lemuel, "you'll find out soon enough. Breakfast's
+ready. Anybody want breakfast?"
+
+Before anyone had a chance to reply, the parrot opened his mouth wide
+and gave a loud laugh, and cried out:
+
+"Th-th-three ch-cheers! Th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-steak, b-b-bacon
+and eggs! I'll have l-l-l-liver and onions! Ha! ha! ha! Th-th-three
+ch-cheers for l-l-l-liver and onions!"
+
+"Be quiet, Marmaduke," said the Able Seaman. "I'll lock you up again, if
+you ain't careful."
+
+"K-k-k-ker-_choo_!" said Marmaduke, giving a loud sneeze; and rubbed his
+beak with his foot and fluttered his feathers. "L-l-l-lock me up in the
+a-a-after hold, till I g-g-g-get all over this d-d-d-dreadful cold!
+Th-th-three ch-cheers for hay f-f-f-fever! K-k-k-ker-_choo_!"
+
+"I'll lock you up in the after hold, if you don't quit being so fresh
+and bold; I'll learn you manners before I'm through, and if ever I hear
+one little--"
+
+"Ker-_choo_!" said Marmaduke, finishing Mr. Mizzen's sentence for him
+very neatly.
+
+Everyone laughed, except the Able Seaman.
+
+"All right," said he, "just wait till I've had my chow, I'll attend to
+you proper; now off with you--now!" And he tossed Master Marmaduke off
+his wrist up into the air. The parrot lit on a spar overhead, just under
+a sail, and peered down at the company without the least appearance of
+embarrassment.
+
+"If there's b-b-b-bacon and eggs," he cried, "I'll take l-l-l-liver!
+Th-th-three ch-ch-cheers for l-l-l-liver!"
+
+[Illustration: "L-l-lem!" shrieked the parrot. "Who's your
+f-f-f-friends?"]
+
+Freddie burst into a merry laugh, and all his friends joined; all except
+Mr. Punch, who looked puzzled.
+
+"'Ow could 'e 'ave liver," said he, "hif there was only bycon an'
+heggs?"
+
+At this everyone laughed louder than before, and Mr. Punch was
+completely perplexed.
+
+"I'll explain that to you some day," said Toby. "Didn't you never hear a
+joke?"
+
+"Ho, yes," said Mr. Punch. "Hi 'eard a wery good joke once; a wery good
+one indeed. Hi'll relate it to you. When I was a lad--"
+
+"There's the breakfast bell," said Mr. Mizzen. "Sorry to interrupt, but
+we mustn't let it get cold. We'll hold the election afterwards."
+
+No one waited to hear Mr. Punch's joke. The Able Seaman led the way, and
+all the others followed him down the deck, towards a kind of three-sided
+box which opened on a stairway below.
+
+In a moment or two they found themselves in the dining-saloon, and in
+another moment they were seated about a round table, set for breakfast.
+The passengers insisted on the Able Seaman's sitting down with them, and
+he consented to do so.
+
+A lad of about eighteen entered, to wait on the table. He had a shock of
+bright red hair, and a kind of frightened look in his eyes, as if he
+were afraid he would do everything wrong, and would always be in hot
+water about it. He stood behind the Able Seaman's chair, and began to
+make a queer contortion of the face, in an effort to speak.
+
+"Th-th-th-there's--" he began.
+
+"Skipper first," interrupted Mr. Mizzen, nodding towards Freddie.
+
+The Cabin-boy (for that was what he was) went to Freddie's chair, and
+began to speak again, with the same contortion of the face.
+
+"Th-th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-bacon and eggs," he
+said.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie.
+
+The Cabin-boy stared in bewilderment, and began again.
+
+"Th-th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-bacon and eggs," said
+he.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, much embarrassed.
+
+"I don't blame you, skipper," said the Able Seaman. "I would too, if I
+hadn't eaten for two days. Next!"
+
+The Cabin-boy stood behind Aunt Amanda's chair, and began:
+
+"Th-th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-bacon
+and--Ker-_choo_!" He gave a hearty sneeze, and pulled out his
+pocket-handkerchief; so he had to begin all over again:
+
+"Th-th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-s-s--"
+
+"Chops, thank you," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+The Cabin-boy took his stand behind Toby's chair, and began:
+
+"There's--there's--th-th-th-th--Ker-_choo_! Th-th-there's
+ch-ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-s-s--"
+
+"Chops and steak," said Toby.
+
+The Cabin-boy stood behind each of the other chairs in turn, and
+repeated each time his entire list. Everybody gave a different order,
+and the boy became so bewildered at last that he wiped his forehead with
+his pocket-handkerchief, brushed a tear from his eye, and when he had
+taken the last order dashed out of the door with a kind of sob.
+
+As soon as he was gone, sounds came through the door by which he had
+left, as if a dreadful row was going on in the next room.
+
+"Frightful temper, that cook," said the Able Seaman, "but the boy
+certainly does get on his nerves."
+
+In a short time the Cabin-boy came in with four plates at once, and as
+he reached Freddie's chair the ship gave a deep lurch downward, and the
+four plates shot out of his arms across the room, showering the floor
+with chops, steak, bacon and eggs.
+
+The boy gave a wild cry and burst into tears, and fled through the door.
+From the next room came the sound of a row more violent than before.
+
+"Never mind," said Mr. Mizzen, "he'll be back."
+
+He came back presently, his eyes very red, and stumbling in and out
+managed to put down before each one a plate. Every plate contained
+chops, steak, bacon and eggs.
+
+"Now," said Mr. Mizzen, when the breakfast was over, "we'll go up and
+hold the election."
+
+When they came on deck, they were astonished to see a considerable
+number of men in blue overalls, who were sitting on the deck in a group.
+As the passengers approached, they stood up respectfully, and one of
+them said something privately to Mr. Mizzen.
+
+"They've held the election already," said the Able Seaman, turning to
+the passengers. "There's three dozen of 'em, and they've elected the
+captains and mates for the voyage; thirteen captains and twenty-three
+mates. They went right ahead without waiting for me, so I'm the only
+Able Seaman left on the ship."
+
+"What!" said Aunt Amanda. "Do you mean to tell me--?"
+
+"It's all right, madam," said Mr. Mizzen in an undertone. "You see,
+they're all free and equal, and everything goes by voting. They won't
+have it any other way. It's lucky they didn't all want to be captains.
+It's all right, anyway, because there's none of 'em knows anything about
+navigation, and I'm the only one on board that _does_ know; so it comes
+to the same thing as if they had elected _me_ captain. But of course
+_they_ don't think of that. Not a word. I'll send 'em about their
+business now, as soon as they've put on their uniforms."
+
+"Well!" said Aunt Amanda, gasping. "I never in my life--!"
+
+The thirteen captains and the twenty-three mates disappeared from the
+deck in a hurry, and in a very few minutes reappeared. Each one of them
+wore, in place of his blue overalls, a smart blue suit with brass
+buttons and gold braid, and a jaunty blue cap with gold braid around it;
+the mates having only nine instead of ten rows of braid around their
+sleeves.
+
+The Able Seaman led them aside, and after a few words with them returned
+to his passengers.
+
+"Everything's settled," said he. "Some of them are going below with
+their dippers, and the rest of them are to look after handling the ship.
+The navigation is left to me. We'll get along fine now, provided the
+leaks don't get any worse."
+
+Freddie wandered off by himself, to inspect the ship. He could walk very
+well now, in spite of the roll of the ship, and he went everywhere. He
+found himself finally on the after deck, leaning over the rail and
+watching the wake of the ship boiling away so white and beautiful
+behind. He was more and more delighted with this strange adventure. It
+was too bad that Mr. Toby had forgotten to write the note to his mother,
+but it couldn't be helped now, and they would sometime find a place
+somewhere or other where they could post a letter. It was so entrancing
+to be actually at sea on a ship, with the deck rising and falling, and
+the wake boiling away behind, and land nowhere in sight, that it would
+seem a pity ever to arrive at the Spanish Main; but the thought of
+adventures there--! However, he was in no hurry to have the voyage over.
+
+Aunt Amanda was sitting somewhere with a pile of sailors' socks in her
+lap, perfectly contented. Mr. Hanlon was swinging his feet away up
+yonder from the topmost yard of the second mast. The Churchwarden, Mr.
+Punch, Toby, and the Sly Old Fox were engaged in an earnest discussion
+in chairs beside the deck-house. The Old Codger with the Wooden Leg was
+speaking confidentially in the ear of the twenty-first mate, in an
+effort to borrow a pipeful of tobacco.
+
+Suddenly Freddie heard behind him the loud harsh laughter of Marmaduke
+the parrot. Turning round, he saw the parrot perched on the ship's rail,
+and before him was the Cabin-boy, shaking his finger in the parrot's
+face, and storming away at him angrily. Freddie immediately went over to
+them.
+
+"I w-w-w-won't s-s-s-s-stand it no l-l-l-l-longer!" the Cabin-boy was
+bawling, his face nearly as red as his hair. "I w-w-w-won't! W-w-w-what
+do you m-m-m-mean by m-m-m-mocking me all the t-t-t-ime?"
+
+"Who? M-m-m-m-m-me?" said the parrot.
+
+"Y-y-y-yaas, y-y-y-you!" cried the Cabin-boy. "Just because I
+s-s-s-s-s-stutter, do you--do you--do you have to--have
+to--s-s-s-s-stut-stutter too?"
+
+"M-m-m-m-me? You're entirely m-m-m-m-mistaken. You're the one that
+s-s-s-stut-s-s-s-stutters."
+
+"Ain't you always s-s-saying--saying--ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak,
+b-b-b-b-bacon and eggs? Ain't you? You've got to k-k-k-k-quit--r-r-right
+_now_, d'you _hear_? I w-w-w-won't s-s-s-stand it no l-l-l-l-longer, and
+you b-b-b-better b-b-b-believe it!"
+
+"Highty-tighty! Sixty, ninety! Uncle Sam! Pop pop! Th-th-there's
+ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-bacon and eggs! Th-th-three ch-ch-cheers
+for l-l-l-liver and onions!"
+
+The poor Cabin-boy burst out crying.
+
+"All ri-i-i-ight," he sobbed, stamping his foot. "All ri-i-i-ight. I
+c-c-can't help it--if--I do s-s-stutter. But there ain't no
+p-p-p-p-parrot going to m-m-m-m-mock me, M-m-m-m-mizzen nor no
+M-m-m-m-mizzen. I'll wring--your--bla-a-a-asted--neck first, you
+ornery--l-l-l-little--varmint, you s-s-s-see if I--see if
+I--d-d-d-don't!"
+
+"Marmaduke's my name!" shrieked the parrot. "Please to note the same!
+Pop, pop, pop! I'll have l-l-l-liver and onions, l-l-l-l-liver and
+onions, l-l-l-l-liver and onions, pop, pop, pop!"
+
+The Cabin-boy, shaking with sobs, raised his hand threateningly.
+
+"D-d-d-d-don't you d-d-d-dare t-t-t-to--Ker-_choo_!" He sneezed, and out
+came his handkerchief.
+
+"Ker-_choo_!" sneezed the parrot, and rubbed his beak with his foot.
+
+This was the last straw. The Cabin-boy reached for Marmaduke's neck, and
+would surely have choked him then and there, if Freddie had not caught
+his arm and pulled him away.
+
+The Cabin-boy allowed himself to be led off, and Freddie drew him along
+towards the companion-way.
+
+"Come along down to my room," said Freddie.
+
+"All r-r-right," said the Cabin-boy, wiping his eyes and sniffling.
+"I'll c-c-c-come, b-b-b-but there's going to be trouble--trouble--on
+this sh-sh-sh-ship along o' that p-p-p-parrot before this--before this
+v-v-v-voyage--is over, you m-m-m-mark m-m-m-m-my w-w-w-w-words!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+THE CABIN-BOY'S REVENGE
+
+
+It was a soft moonlight night in southern seas. Our party of
+adventurers, with Mr. Mizzen in their midst, were sitting quietly on the
+after part of the deck, enjoying the balmy air and watching the bright
+track which the full moon made on the water. The sea was very calm.
+There was only a light breeze, and The Sieve was hardly moving.
+
+Mr. Mizzen was scratching the head of Marmaduke the parrot, who was
+perched on the Able Seaman's wrist. From the forward part of the deck,
+where the skippers and mates were sitting in a party of their own, could
+be heard the tinkle of a guitar and the sound of a voice singing.
+
+"One always enjoys," said Mr. Punch, "a bit of singing by moonlight on
+the water. Hi remember when I was a lad--"
+
+"Why don't you sing for us yourself?" said Toby.
+
+"Oh, do!" cried several of the others.
+
+Mr. Punch looked down at the deck bashfully. "Hi should be wery glad to
+oblige," said he, "but I 'ave a slight cold, and besides, Hi only know
+one song."
+
+"What is the name of it?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Kathleen Mavourneen," said Mr. Punch.
+
+"That's a very good song," said Aunt Amanda. "Sing it."
+
+"Wait a minute," said Mr. Mizzen, "and I'll get the guitar. I can play
+it."
+
+While he was gone, and while the others were talking, Freddie felt a
+hand on his arm, and looking down saw the Cabin-boy sitting on the deck
+beside his chair, and winking up at him with a strange excited look on
+his face. The Cabin-boy pulled Freddie's head down, and whispered in his
+ear.
+
+"S-s-s-sh! K-k-keep your eyes o-o-ope-open! Something's going to happen
+to-to-tonight! You'll see! Down with M-m-mizzen and M-m-marmaduke!"
+
+Freddie gazed at the Cabin-boy in some alarm, and was about to ask a
+question, when Mr. Mizzen returned with the guitar.
+
+"Now we're ready," said he, taking his seat and putting Marmaduke on the
+rail of the ship. "Here's the chord. All right, Mr. Punch."
+
+"Hi really 'ave such a cold--" said Mr. Punch.
+
+"That's understood," said Toby. "Now then, strike up."
+
+Mr. Punch cleared his throat very loud, and coughed once or twice, and
+began to sing:
+
+    "Kathleen Mavourneen, the gr'y dorn is bryking,
+    The 'orn of the 'unter is 'eard on the 'ill."
+
+"Ha! ha! ha! ha!" roared Toby. "The 'orn of the 'unter! Blamed if I ever
+hear the like of that before! My stars! What's the matter, Mr. Punch,
+can't you put in a little 'h' now and then? The 'orn of the 'unter! Oh
+my stars! Ha! ha! ha! ha!"
+
+Mr. Punch was deeply offended. "Hit is quite sufficient," said he. "Hi
+shall sing no more." And nothing that anybody could say could induce him
+to go on.
+
+"Toby Littleback," said Aunt Amanda, "it's just like you, all over. Now
+you ask Mr. Punch's pardon, right this minute."
+
+Toby apologized, and Mr. Punch said that it was of no consequence
+whatever; but he would not sing.
+
+"Then I guess you'll have to sing for us yourself, Mizzen," said Toby.
+
+"Right-o," said Mr. Mizzen, thrumming on his guitar. "What'll it be?"
+
+The Cabin-boy sniffed and spoke in an undertone close to Freddie's ear.
+
+"He'll be s-s-singing on the other s-s-side of his f-f-face before this
+night's o-o-over, you mark m-m-m-my wo-wo-words!"
+
+"Lady and gentlemen"--began Mr. Mizzen.
+
+"Ker-choo!" sneezed the parrot. "A wet sh-sh-sheet and a f-f-flowing
+s-s-s-sea! Three cheers f-f-for the--Ker-choo! Three cheers f-f-for hay
+f-f-fe-fever!"
+
+"Down with b-b-b-both of 'em!" whispered the Cabin-boy fiercely in
+Freddie's ear.
+
+"Suppose you sing us something about yourself," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Ay, ay, ma'am," said Mr. Mizzen; and after playing a few chords and
+quivers on the guitar, he began to sing, in a voice like a fog-horn
+muffled by a heavy fog, the following song concerning the
+
+LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF L. MIZZEN
+
+    "When I was a lad I was bad as I could be,
+    Wouldn't say 'Thank you' nor 'Please,' not me,
+    And at church I wouldn't kneel but only on one knee,
+    And at school I wouldn't study my A B C,
+    And I couldn't conscientious with the Golden Rule agree,
+    Nor understand the secret of its popularitee,
+    Nor get a ounce of pleasure from the Rule of Three,--
+    I was bad right through; sweared 'hully gee,'
+    And worse sometimes, like 'jiminee;'
+    Scrawled with a pencil on my jographee,
+    Stole birds' eggs in the huckleberry tree,--
+    Oh, I was bad; tried to learn a flea
+    How to keep his balance on a rolling pea,--
+    Oh, regular bad; and my ma, said she,
+    'If you don't be better than what you be,
+    I'll put you in the cupboard and turn the key.'
+    But I wouldn't and I wouldn't, no sirree,
+
+            So I ran away to sea;
+            Yes, I ran away to sea;
+
+    With a little gingham, bottle of cambric tea,
+    And a penny wrapped up in my hankerchee,
+
+            For I wanted to be free,
+            So I ran away to sea."
+
+Mr. Mizzen stopped, and looked towards the stern of the ship. "I
+thought," said he, "I kind of noticed something queer about the stern
+rail; looked as if it was lower. But I guess I'm mistaken."
+
+Everyone looked, but saw nothing amiss. The Cabin-boy tittered into
+Freddie's ear.
+
+"Would you like to hear the second verse?" said the Able Seaman.
+
+"Yes, yes! Go on!" said several voices at once.
+
+"Here goes, then," said Mr. Mizzen, thrumming on the guitar. "After I
+ran away to sea, I had a good many adventures, and some of 'em--anyway--
+
+    "When I was young I followed the Equator
+    From Pole to Pole in the ship Perambulator,
+    A four-wheeled schooner, a smoky old freighter,
+    Loaded with sulphur for an old dead crater
+    In the Andes Mountains, and a night or two later
+      With a three-knot gale blowing loud and rude
+        As the dark grows darker and the gale increases
+        Of a sudden we strike and we goes all to pieces
+      On the forty-seventh parallel of latitude.
+    And then and there we formed a committee
+    And went in a body up to London City
+      And walked up the steps and pulled the little bell,
+    And spoke out bold to the Lords of Creation
+    Where they sat in their wigs making rules of navigation,
+      And explained to 'em the dangers of the Deadly Parallel.
+        'Take 'em down and pull 'em in,'
+        That's the way we did begin:
+        ''Tisn't leaks nor 'tisn't whiskey
+        Makes the sailor's life so risky,
+    It's the parallel as lies acrost our track.
+    It's the Deadly Parallel, lying there so long and black,
+        Is the subject of our moderate petition;
+        'Tisn't much that we are wishin',
+        But we humbly beg permission
+                  To implore,--
+    Coil 'em up, we implore, where they won't be in the way,
+    Out of sight, safe ashore, we humbly pray;
+        For there's many a tidy bark
+        Strikes against 'em in the dark
+    And is never never heard of any more.
+        So we'll thank you heartilee
+        If so very kind you'll be
+    And remove this awful danger from the sea.'
+        But we couldn't make 'em do it;
+        No, they simply wouldn't do it;
+    And the bailiff shoved us gently from the door.
+        And we wept uncommon salty,
+        For their reason did seem faulty,
+      Any way that we could view it:
+        And the reason which they gave us
+        Why they really couldn't save us
+    Was because the thing had ne'er been done before;
+    No, such a thing had ne'er been done before."
+
+Mr. Mizzen stopped again, and looked along the deck and up at the masts,
+and said, "I can't get it out of my head that the deck is slanting a
+little more than usual; the ship doesn't seem to come up well at the
+stern. However,--would you like to hear any more of this song?"
+
+Everybody begged him to go on.
+
+The Cabin-boy plucked Freddie's sleeve. "I've done it. You'll s-s-s-see!
+Won't that M-m-marmaduke and that M-m-m-mizzen sing another tune when
+they f-f-f-find out?" Freddie looked at him in amazement; but the Able
+Seaman was commencing the third verse of his song:
+
+    "When I was older, and bold as you please,
+    I shipped on the good ship Firkin of Cheese,
+    For a v'yage of discovery in the far South Seas,
+    To gather up a cargo of ambergris
+    That grows in a cave on the amber trees
+    Where the medicine men, all fine M.D.'s,
+    For the sake of the usual medical fees,
+    Crawl in by night on their hands and knees
+    In a strictly ethical manner to seize
+    The amber fruit that is used to grease
+    The itching palm in Shekel's Disease,--
+    On a long long v'yage, as busy as bees,
+    Never stopping for a moment to take our ease,
+    Never changing our course, except when the breeze
+    Took to blowing to windward,--we had slipped by degrees
+    Down the oozy slopes of the Hebrides,
+    And passed through the locks of the Florida Keys,
+    Which in getting through was a rather tight squeeze,
+    But danger is nothing to men like these,
+    When suddenly the lookout, a Portuguese
+    Who had better been below a-shelling peas,
+    Shrieked out, 'They are coming! By twos and threes!
+    On the starboard bow! We are lost!--"
+
+"We're lost! we're lost! we're lost!" came a terrible cry from the
+forward part of the ship, as if in echo of Mr. Mizzen's song. "We're
+lost! The dippers! The dippers!"
+
+Everyone jumped up, even Aunt Amanda. The Cabin-boy whispered in
+Freddie's ear, in great excitement, "N-n-n-now you'll s-see!"
+
+A man came running down the deck, followed by all the skippers and
+mates. As he halted before Mr. Mizzen, he was evidently the Cook, by the
+white cook's cap he wore on his head. He took off his cap and wiped his
+forehead with his hand. He was in a state of mixed alarm and anger.
+
+"We're lost!" he cried, and actually tore his hair with his hands. "It's
+that rascally Cabin-boy! The dippers is gone! Every last one of them!
+And the ship leakin' by the barrelful! Let me get at that boy once, and
+I'll learn him! Fryin' on a slow fire would be too good for him! Swore
+he'd get even, he did, and now he's gone and done it! Stole all the
+dippers--he's the one that done it, you can bet your last biscuit! There
+ain't a dipper left in the ship, and the water pourin' in by the
+barrelful! I just found it out, while them lazy skippers and mates was
+lying around doing nothing! Gimme one sea-cook for all the skippers on
+the ocean, that's what I say! Every last dipper gone! gone! We're lost!"
+
+Everyone looked around for the Cabin-boy. He was nowhere to be seen, but
+his laugh was heard overhead, and his face was then seen looking down
+from the rigging just above.
+
+"I've d-d-d-done it," he cried, shrieking with laughter. "I'm even with
+you n-n-n-n-now! M-m-m-m-mizzen he l-l-l-learned the parrot to
+m-m-m-mock me, he did, and Cook he b-b-b-basted me in the g-g-g-galley
+all the t-t-t-t-time, and now I'm e-e-e-even with all of 'em. They ain't
+g-g-g-going to t-t-t-torment me no m-m-m-m-more! I stole the dippers and
+th-th-th-threw 'em overboard, every last one of 'em, and n-n-n-now
+you're g-g-g-going to s-s-sink, sink, si-i-_ink_, d-d-d-down, down,
+d-d-d-_down_, to the bottom of the--bottom of the s-s-s-_sea_!"
+
+He laughed louder than before, and the angry Cook sprang forward to
+climb up after him, but just then the ship gave a violent lurch
+backwards, nearly upsetting everyone, and settled down by the stern, so
+that that end of the boat was completely under water.
+
+Aunt Amanda screamed. Toby and Mr. Punch came to her at once and
+supported her on each side. There was a great hubbub. Everyone tried to
+speak at once. Freddie felt his hand grasped in the strong hand of Mr.
+Toby, and he began to feel somewhat less afraid. Over the hubbub could
+be heard the Cabin-boy's wild laugh.
+
+"Everybody quiet!" shouted Mr. Mizzen. "We must think what we had better
+do."
+
+"Yes, yes," cried a number of voices. "What are we going to do?"
+
+"I wish," said Mr. Mizzen, thoughtfully, "I wish we had thought to bring
+a rowboat with us."
+
+"What!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Do you mean to tell me that you came away
+on this long journey without an extra boat?"
+
+"We didn't think of it," said Mr. Mizzen. "We had plenty of dippers, and
+we never thought of anybody's throwing them overboard."
+
+"No! no!" cried all the skippers and mates together. "We never thought
+of that!"
+
+"Then bring out the life-preservers at once!" said Aunt Amanda. "And be
+quick about it!"
+
+"We haven't any," said Mr. Mizzen. "What would have been the use of
+life-preservers if the dippers were all on board? We never thought we
+would need them."
+
+"No! no!" cried all the skippers and mates together. "We never thought
+of that!"
+
+"Then think of something now," said Aunt Amanda. "Don't you see the
+ship's settling deeper in the water?"
+
+The ship was in fact deeper in the water. It was sinking rapidly. The
+deck began to list so much towards the stern that it was difficult to
+stand on it. The ship was making no headway whatever. The breeze was
+even lighter than before, and the sails were hanging limp. It would have
+taken a stiff wind indeed to have moved that water-logged boat; and it
+lay as if moored to a float, going up and down heavily in the long
+swell.
+
+"Do you--er--think," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, "that we
+are in--er--danger?"
+
+"Danger!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Something must be done! Are you going to
+let us drown without turning a hand?"
+
+"There's only one thing to do," said Mr. Mizzen, "and I don't know
+whether it will work or not; but we can try it. Boys, bring up all the
+mattresses from the cabins, and a coil of rope! Look alive, now!"
+
+The skippers and mates ran off in great haste and disappeared down the
+hatchways. In a few minutes they had laid on the deck a great pile of
+mattresses. While this was being done, Aunt Amanda, whose bonnet and
+shawl had been brought to her by one of the men, tied her bonnet-strings
+under her chin and put her shawl about her shoulders, in readiness for
+departure.
+
+"Now then," said Mr. Mizzen, "lash the mattresses together."
+
+The men proved themselves very handy with ropes. With Mr. Mizzen's help,
+they lashed together securely a good number of the mattresses, and the
+first result of their work was a mattress raft some fifteen feet square,
+and some four or five feet thick. A supply of oil-cloth was found in the
+store-room, and this was bound by ropes all over and under and around
+the raft.
+
+"I don't know whether it will do," said Mr. Mizzen, "but anyway there's
+nothing else that _will_ do. Now, lads, over the side with her!"
+
+All the men lent a hand, and the mattress raft was hoisted over the side
+and on to the water. To the satisfaction of everyone, it floated there
+quietly and easily, with its top well above the surface of the sea.
+
+"Lucky it's a smooth sea," said Mr. Mizzen. "We ought to be pleased with
+the state of the weather; couldn't be better; I feel quite joyful about
+it."
+
+"Oh, you do," said Aunt Amanda. "Well, I don't feel joyful about it.
+What next?"
+
+"Put the provisions aboard," said the Able Seaman; whereupon some of the
+men placed on the raft a small barrel of water and some tins of meat,
+soup, biscuit, and other things.
+
+"If you please," said Mr. Mizzen, when this had been done, "I think the
+passengers had better get aboard. When you're aboard, we'll make another
+raft for ourselves. Are you ready?"
+
+The passengers were helped aboard the raft, one after another. Although
+the raft bobbed up and down on the swell, it was not a difficult matter
+for the men and the boy to get on, for it was held fast against the side
+of the ship at a point where it was about even with the deck-rail.
+Freddie gave a good spring, and was on in no time; Mr. Hanlon, who did
+not seem in the least uneasy, got aboard with the agility of a cat;
+there was no trouble with anyone except Aunt Amanda, whose lameness
+impeded her movements a good deal.
+
+As the Sly Old Fox, with his high silk hat on his head, was about to
+step over the side, he turned and said:
+
+"I feel it my duty, Mr. Mizzen, to register a complaint against the
+outrageous treatment to which we are being subjected. I submit under
+protest, sir; under protest. If I had for one moment imagined--"
+
+"Oh bosh," said Toby. "Push him over, Mizzen." And the Sly Old Fox was
+in fact somewhat rudely pushed over on to the raft.
+
+None of the others made any objection. Mr. Punch, who usually talked a
+good deal, was noticeably silent; and when Toby offered him a hand to
+help him over, he said stiffly:
+
+"Hi thank you sir, but I do not require any hassistance."
+
+When the Churchwarden took his seat in the middle of the raft, it went
+down alarmingly; but nothing happened, and when the Old Codger with the
+Wooden Leg was aboard, the party was complete. All the others sat around
+the Churchwarden, as close as they could huddle. It was evident that the
+raft would float them, at least until it should become water-logged, or
+a gale of wind should blow. The men on the ship now let go of the raft,
+and proceeded to lash together the remaining mattresses for themselves.
+The raft floated quietly away from the ship.
+
+Aunt Amanda's arm was about Freddie. He did not feel, however, that he
+needed her protection. He had already forgotten his first alarm, and he
+was feeling most of all what an extraordinary adventure it was that had
+befallen him; the men from the ship would be nearby on the other rafts,
+the sea was calm, the air was warm, and they would probably be picked up
+by some vessel before the food gave out. He supposed there were very few
+boys who had ever sailed the open sea on a mattress.
+
+"Well, Freddie," said Mr. Toby, as the raft continued to float slowly
+away from the ship, "what do you think of this, eh? Have you got the map
+of Correction Island with you?"
+
+"Yes, sir, I have. It's in my pocket."
+
+"Good! Don't lose it. We may get to the Island after all, some day; you
+never can tell. By the way, Warden, have you got your Odour of
+Sanctity?"
+
+"Safe in my pocket," said the Churchwarden. "What about you? Have you
+got the Chinaman's head?"
+
+"What? Me? The Chinaman's head? Oh merciful fathers! I clean forgot it!"
+cried Toby. "Blamed if I didn't leave it in my room on the ship! Never
+thought about it once! If that don't beat all! What'll we do? We can't
+get back! We're floating away! Great jumping Joan! What'll we do?"
+
+"Well!" gasped Aunt Amanda. "Won't you never get a head on your
+shoulders, you Toby Littleback? Can't you never remember anything? I
+declare, Toby Littleback, you are the most addlepated, exasperating,--Oh
+dear, we'd better hail the ship, quick!"
+
+The party on the raft set up a loud cry, which was answered from the
+ship.
+
+"The Chinaman's head!" shouted Toby. "On the dresser in my cabin! I
+forgot it! Run and get it! Quick! We're floating away!"
+
+"Ay, ay, sir!" came a voice from the ship.
+
+The company on the raft waited anxiously. In a very few moments, which
+seemed like a great many, a hail came from the side of the ship, and
+they could see the Cabin-boy standing at a point of the deck where it
+was now sloped high out of the water, and he was holding the Chinaman's
+head aloft in both hands, as if about to throw it towards the raft.
+
+"Don't throw it!" shouted Toby. "Tie a rope to it first!"
+
+But he was too late. The Cabin-boy raised the Chinaman's head higher,
+swinging his body sideways, and as a dark figure came up behind him and
+tried to seize his arm, he gave a mighty heave and toss, and sent the
+Chinaman's head flying through the air in the direction of the raft.
+
+For a second it glistened in the moonlight. In another second it
+descended towards the raft, and almost reached it; but not quite; it
+came down within five feet of it, and fell like a shot plump into the
+ocean. It splashed, and that was all. The Chinaman's head was gone.
+
+A wail went up from the company on the raft at this terrible disaster.
+How terrible it really was they did not even yet understand, but they
+were soon to learn. Freddie was almost ready to burst into tears. Aunt
+Amanda was so exasperated that she could scarcely speak. The others
+seemed to be stupefied.
+
+"Oh! oh! oh!" cried Aunt Amanda. "You Toby, you! Now you've done it for
+good. Why, why, _why_ can't you never remember anything? It's your
+fault, and don't you never try to lay it to that Cabin-boy! And now
+what'll we do if we ever get separated from Mr. Mizzen? How'll we ever
+call him up to help us out of trouble if we get into it? Here's a
+pretty kettle of fish, now ain't it? I hope and pray we can stick close
+to Mr. Mizzen until we're all safe and--"
+
+"Look there!" cried Mr. Punch. "Bless me heyes, what do I see? Look at
+the ship!"
+
+It was high time to look at the ship. No sooner had the Chinaman's head
+disappeared into the depths of the ocean, than a change began to come
+over the ship. It grew paler and thinner in the moonlight. The green
+shutters along the side faded away one by one. The dark hull became
+lighter; the sails grew so thin that at last the watchers could see the
+stars shining through them. The whole ship seemed to waver and dissolve
+into a pale mist. It did not sink; no, the bow was still high out of the
+water, and all the masts and sails were visible. It simply faded away
+where it stood.
+
+As it was becoming more and more vague, the voice of Marmaduke the
+parrot came across the water out of the rigging; a far-away voice, which
+grew fainter and fainter as the ship grew dimmer, until it died away as
+if in the distance.
+
+"Th-th-th-three ch-ch-cheers!" it said. "Th-th-th-three ch-ch-cheers for
+l-l-l-l-liver and onions--th-th-three ch-ch-cheers--l-l-l-liver--and--"
+
+As Marmaduke's voice died away, the ship dissolved like a pale ghost and
+vanished. The Sieve was gone.
+
+The party of adventurers sat on their mattress raft in the midst of the
+wide ocean, with never a ship to be seen; the long sea-swell rolled
+placidly over the place where their ship had been. They sat huddled
+together in silence around the Churchwarden, too horrified to speak a
+word.
+
+The moon glistened on the Sly Old Codger's high silk hat.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+THE CRUISE OF THE MATTRESSES
+
+
+"I wish," said Aunt Amanda, "that I had brought some sewing with me. I
+don't suppose I could sew very well by moonlight on a mattress in the
+middle of the ocean, but I don't believe this would have happened if I'd
+had my sewing with me."
+
+"Hi carn't see 'ow that would 'ave--" began Mr. Punch.
+
+"Now look here," said Toby. "We've got to sit in the middle of this here
+raft, or else she'll tilt over. Why don't you sit in the middle,
+Warden?"
+
+"I _am_ sitting in the middle," said the Churchwarden. "I wonder what
+the Vestry would say if they could--"
+
+"I wish it distinctly understood," said the Sly Old Fox, "that I am here
+under protest. If I had for one moment imagined--"
+
+"Now listen to me," said Aunt Amanda. "There's got to be a captain of
+this expedition, and as there's nobody here but a lot of helpless
+men-creatures, I suppose I've got to be the captain myself. All those in
+favor say aye. I'm elected. That's done. Warden, sit a little bit over
+to the right."
+
+"Ay, ay, sir; ay, ay, ma'am; certainly," said the Warden.
+
+"Now everybody sit up close to the Warden," said Aunt Amanda. "There. Is
+the raft balanced now?"
+
+"Ay, ay, sir," said the Churchwarden. "I mean, ay, ay, ma'am."
+
+"Then my orders as captain is, to sit still and see what's going to
+happen."
+
+Nothing happened. Freddie grew sleepy, and leaned his head against Aunt
+Amanda's shoulder. As he was falling off to sleep, a slim dark object
+rose from the sea near by and whirred across the ocean and plopped into
+the water.
+
+"Bless me heyes," said Mr. Punch, "hit's a flying-fish, as ever was."
+
+"Is it, really?" said Freddie. "Did he really fly?"
+
+"How wonderful is nature!" said the Sly Old Codger. "Such an opportunity
+to improve the mind! My little friend, I trust you will profit by what
+you have seen. It is very educational; very educational indeed."
+
+"Ahem!" said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg. "What do you
+suppose--er--ahem!--if you will pardon me--what are those little things
+sparkling out there on the surface of the water?"
+
+"Hit's a school of sardines!" said Mr. Punch. "Hi know them wery well;
+when I was a lad--"
+
+"There must be millions of them," said Freddie. "Just look!"
+
+The tiny fish were leaping by thousands on the surface of the water,
+immediately in the path of moonlight; and they flashed and sparkled as
+they leaped.
+
+"Hi believe there's a great fish arfter them," said Mr. Punch.
+
+"Maybe a whole regiment of big fish," said Toby. "By crackey, there's
+one now!"
+
+As he spoke, a black fin cut the water near the sardines, and they
+became more agitated than ever; from the size of the fin, it must have
+been a very great fish indeed; and along the upper edge of the fin was
+a row of long sharp saw-teeth, looking big and strong enough to have
+sawed through a wooden plank.
+
+"There's another one!" cried Freddie.
+
+"And another! and another!" cried Aunt Amanda.
+
+There must have been five or six of the great fish.
+
+"I hope they won't come near this boat," said Toby. "One of 'em would
+just about turn us upside down if he struck us."
+
+"Mercy!" said Aunt Amanda. "Don't say such a terrible thing."
+
+At that moment a great round black back appeared above the surface of
+the water, some hundred yards or so away, and in another moment a great
+black blunt head joined itself to the back, and a spout of white vapor
+rose from the head.
+
+"A whale!" cried several voices at once.
+
+"Oh!" said Aunt Amanda. "Suppose he should come this way?"
+
+The five or six fins of the great fish near the sardines now
+disappeared. The whale threw up his enormous tail, and went down head
+first beneath the water. Almost immediately, one of the saw-toothed fins
+reappeared, much nearer the raft than before.
+
+"Merciful heavens!" cried Aunt Amanda. "He's coming towards us! Oh
+dear!"
+
+The great fish was in fact evidently making straight towards the raft.
+Freddie clutched Aunt Amanda's arm. The fin cut the water at a high
+speed; it disappeared at times, but on each reappearance it was still
+pointed towards the raft.
+
+"He's nearly on us!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Hold on tight, Freddie!"
+
+The great fish came on with a rush, and as he reached the raft struck it
+with his back and slid under it. There was a tremendous bump, which
+nearly sent the company flat; then there was a rubbing under the raft,
+and everything was quiet again.
+
+"He's gone," said Toby.
+
+"No, 'e isn't," said Mr. Punch. "Look at 'is tail!"
+
+A great tail could be seen beyond the edge of the raft, just below the
+surface of the water. It thrashed about and churned up the water
+violently for a few seconds, and then waved back and forth quietly; but
+it did not disappear.
+
+"By crackey," said Toby, "he's stuck! His fin has got stuck into the
+bottom of the raft! He's got the whole kit and bilin' of us on his
+back!"
+
+"Mercy on us!" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Is it really true?" said Freddie.
+
+"On due consideration," said the Churchwarden, "I think Toby's right."
+
+"Hi believe 'e is!" said Mr. Punch. "Blimy if I ever rode on the back of
+a fish before! Now 'e's got us on 'is back, what's 'e going to do with
+us?"
+
+"We're moving!" cried Freddie.
+
+"So we are!" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Blamed if we ain't," said Toby.
+
+The mattress craft was in fact moving; very slowly, indeed, but still
+moving; and it was moving in the opposite direction to the fish's tail,
+which could be seen now and then under the water, waving back and forth
+like the tail of a swimming fish.
+
+"If this don't beat all," said Toby. "That fish down there has certainly
+got his fin hooked into our mattress, and he's swimming along with us on
+top of him. I've seen a snail crawlin' with his shell on top of him, but
+a fish with a load of mattresses and live-stock is a new thing to me!"
+
+"I'm the captain," said Aunt Amanda, "and my orders is to sit as still
+as you can and see where he's taking us to."
+
+"Ay, ay, sir," said the Churchwarden. "I mean, ay, ay, ma'am."
+
+The party huddled on top of the mattresses sat as still as mice, hardly
+daring to breathe. Their little craft continued to move gently through
+the water. They expected each moment that the fish would free himself,
+but evidently his fin had embedded itself so firmly in one of the bottom
+mattresses that he could not get loose; he went on swimming with his
+load on his back.
+
+Hour after hour they waited to feel their craft stop; but hour after
+hour it moved gently and slowly across the surface of the sea. They
+settled themselves more comfortably against each other, and spoke very
+little. No one noticed that their raft was now much lower in the water.
+
+The air was warm, the moonlight and the silence were extremely soothing,
+and the motion of the raft was gentle and languorous. Freddie's head
+sank against Aunt Amanda's shoulder, and his eyes closed; and in another
+moment he was asleep. Aunt Amanda herself nodded, and her eyes closed;
+she was asleep too. Toby yawned, and leaned heavily against the Sly Old
+Codger; his eyes closed, and--in short, every eye closed, and every
+frame relaxed heavily against its neighbor, and at last, doubled over in
+a closely huddled group in the exact center of their mattresses, the
+whole party slept; each and every one.
+
+The raft went on steadily and quietly through the water, the moon
+glittered on the sea, the raft settled deeper and deeper, and there was
+absolute silence on the ocean, except for a slight groan which came
+regularly and gently from the nose of the Churchwarden.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+A FALL IN THE DARK
+
+
+Freddie was the first to be awake in the morning. He was cramped and
+stiff. He sat up straight, rubbed his eyes, and stretched his arms. He
+looked abroad, and the sight which met him caused him to grasp Aunt
+Amanda's hand in excitement.
+
+"Land!" he cried, so loud that everyone awoke.
+
+"Blamed if it ain't," said Toby, and put on his white derby hat,
+considering that he had thereby dressed himself for the day.
+
+All the others sat bolt upright, and stared across the smooth blue sea,
+sparkling in the sunlight.
+
+Not more than a quarter of a mile away rose a tall black cliff straight
+up out of the water. It stretched away on either hand for miles and
+miles, and came to an end in the ocean at the right hand and the left,
+so that it was probably the side of an island. The sea rolled up and
+down at the foot of the cliff, making a beautiful white splash against
+the rocks.
+
+"But how on earth," said Aunt Amanda, "are we ever to get ashore on such
+a place as that?"
+
+"We're moving towards it," said Freddie.
+
+"Blamed if we ain't," said Toby. "We'll soon know whether we can get
+ashore or not."
+
+They moved very slowly, and it was a long time before they came close
+enough to the cliff to see what their chances of a landing might be.
+They floated at last within two or three hundred yards of the cliff. It
+was very dangerous looking; the waves rolled over huge black rocks at
+its foot and broke in white foam against its side; it seemed the last
+place in the world for a landing.
+
+A great swell rolled in from the sea and brought them nearer the
+breakers.
+
+"My word!" cried Mr. Punch, excitedly. "There's a harch!"
+
+"A what?" said Toby.
+
+"See!" said Aunt Amanda. "There's a little archway in the rock, like the
+mouth of a cave, over there to the right! Don't you see? With the water
+pouring in! Over there!"
+
+It was true. There was an archway, like the mouth of a cave; and into
+this the water was streaming in a strong current, making a kind of
+passage-way, more or less smooth, through the breakers.
+
+"Yes!" said Freddie. "And I believe we're headed towards it!"
+
+Their course changed a little to the right, as if the fish who was
+piloting them had now taken a correct bearing. They found themselves in
+a passage through the breakers where the water swirled in towards the
+arch. They were caught in this current and were swept to a point close
+under the towering black rocks, and in another moment they were directly
+before the opening. The current seized the raft as if with strong hands
+and drew it in.
+
+They were in a cavern, narrow and high, whose interior was lost in
+darkness. The current carried them onward into the dark. The roar of the
+breakers suddenly ceased, and as they looked behind them the archway was
+no more than a speck of light. Their raft turned slightly to the left,
+and at that moment the speck of light disappeared, as if they had
+turned a corner; and the darkness became so black that no one could see
+even the person sitting next to him.
+
+"I wonder," said Toby, "if there are any matches and candles on board
+this boat. I'm going to see."
+
+He was silent for a while, and it was evident from the tilting of the
+raft that he had moved his position. Finally he said "Ah!" and a match
+spluttered and went out in the breeze which was blowing past them; but
+after it went out there remained a glimmer, and Toby was holding up a
+lighted candle, and shielding it from the draught with his hand.
+
+"Found 'em in the tin with the biscuits," said Toby.
+
+He held the candle on high so that its little beam searched out the
+darkness in front and on both sides.
+
+They were in a narrow passage-way. On each side was a wall of solid
+rock, not ten feet beyond the edge of the raft. How high the wall was
+they could not tell, for it was lost in the darkness overhead. They were
+slipping along a narrow alley-way of water. Toby held the candle higher,
+and everyone peered into the darkness ahead; but it was impossible to
+see more than a few yards.
+
+"I wish it distinctly understood," said the Sly Old Codger, "that I am
+here under--"
+
+"Never mind," said Aunt Amanda, "my orders as captain is, to say nothing
+and wait and see what will happen."
+
+The raft turned a corner to the right, and slipped on silently in that
+direction for a long distance, probably for more than a mile. Then the
+raft turned again, this time to the left; and after about ten minutes
+longer Toby suddenly said, "S-sh! What's that?" They all listened, and
+heard afar off a sound as of rushing water, very faint, but
+unmistakable.
+
+"Er--excuse me," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg. "Do you
+think--ahem!--there is any--er--_danger_?"
+
+"I don't like it," said Aunt Amanda. "I don't think it's safe in here."
+
+"I think we are lower in the water," said Freddie.
+
+"So we are," said Toby. "The water's coming up over the top now, and if
+we don't get on dry land soon, we'll all be sitting in a puddle."
+
+In spite of its being water-logged and lower in the water, the raft was
+beginning to go faster, for the current had suddenly become swifter. The
+wind blew stronger; it swept through the narrow passage-way so briskly
+that Toby put his hat over the candle; but he was too late; the light
+wavered and went out. A groan went up from the company.
+
+"I can hear that rushing sound plainer," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Hit's wery like a water-fall," said Mr. Punch.
+
+"I wish it understood," said the Sly Old Fox, "distinctly understood,
+that I am here under protest. If I had ever for one moment imagined--"
+
+"O-o-oh!" screamed Aunt Amanda. "We're going--faster--o-o-oh!"
+
+She threw her arm around Freddie and held him tight. The current
+suddenly became swifter; the raft, almost under water, was leaping
+forward at a frightful speed. Directly ahead of them, growing louder and
+louder, was the roar of rushing water.
+
+"Hold--on--tight, Freddie!" cried Aunt Amanda.
+
+"We'll all be done for," shouted Toby, "in another--minute, I
+reckon,--hold--on--tight!"
+
+As Toby said this, the raft almost galloped. The roar of falling water
+burst on them from close ahead. The raft seemed to rise up and then to
+sink down. Its nose slanted downward. The roar of falling water was all
+about them. Aunt Amanda screamed, but no one could hear her. The raft
+paused and teetered for an instant; then it pointed downward, almost
+straight, and the whole party, the raft, and the fish under the raft,
+plunged downward through the darkness on a cascade of tumbling water;
+down, down, down; the raft shot from under and the passengers shot off;
+in a twinkling they were going down the water-fall on their backs. Would
+they never reach the bottom? There did not seem to be any bottom; but--
+
+In another moment, there were Aunt Amanda and Freddie (her arm still
+about him) standing on their feet in about twenty-four inches of quiet
+water on a solid bottom. Dark forms appeared, one after another, beside
+them, and almost at once all the party were standing together in a
+group, in about two feet of quiet water, on a solid bottom.
+
+"I fear," said the voice of the Sly Old Codger, "that I have lost my
+hat."
+
+They could see that they were in a great chamber, whose walls they could
+make out dimly on each side. They could not see the top of the
+water-fall, but they could see its lower part very plainly. Through the
+tumbling water of the fall, near the bottom, sunlight was shining.
+Behind the water was an opening some six feet high, and as the water
+fell across this opening the sunlight from without shone through it,
+making it glow with green and sparkle with white. The water-fall hung
+over this opening like a curtain.
+
+"Well," said Aunt Amanda, "I'm pretty near drowned, and my clothes are a
+sight to behold. But I'm the captain of this expedition, and my orders
+is, that we go ashore."
+
+The water proved to be shallow all about them, and they waded to a strip
+of dry ground beside the wall which rose at their left as they faced the
+fall. Aunt Amanda, whose cane was gone, was assisted by Mr. Toby and
+Mr. Punch.
+
+"Blamed if my hat ain't gone too," said Toby. "She was a good hat, I'll
+have to say that for her."
+
+The party walked along the edge of the water, and came to the end wall
+of the chamber, opposite the fall. There lay the wreck of the raft, with
+the tail of the great fish sticking out from beneath.
+
+"I fear," said the Sly Old Codger, "that the faithful creature has
+departed this life."
+
+"He's dead as a doornail," said Toby.
+
+"Poor thing," said Aunt Amanda. "Anyway, my orders is to explore this
+cavern, and see what we can find."
+
+At this end of the cavern the water was slipping away under the wall,
+and this outlet explained why the water inside remained so shallow. The
+party commented on it, and then walked along the side wall towards the
+other end where the fall was. When they were midway along this wall, a
+cry from Toby, who had left Aunt Amanda to the care of Mr. Punch,
+startled the others.
+
+"What's this?" he cried. "Look here!"
+
+He was stooping over something, and as the others gathered round, they
+saw that he was stooping over a pile of small square boxes, standing in
+several long rows along the wall.
+
+Mr. Hanlon lifted one of the boxes, with a great effort, and shook it. A
+jingling sound came from within.
+
+"Aha!" said the Sly Old Fox. "That beautiful music! It is the sound,
+dear friends, the sound of--of Money!"
+
+"Bless my soul!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Is it?"
+
+"My opinion is," said the Churchwarden, "that there is gold in that
+box."
+
+"Then open it!" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+Mr. Hanlon shook his head. The box was locked tight, and it was bound
+with iron bands. All the boxes were locked, and they were all bound with
+iron bands.
+
+"Come along this way," said Toby. "There's something more here."
+
+Further along the wall, leaning against it, was a row of large
+coffee-sacks, each bound around the mouth by strong twine. One of these
+sacks Mr. Hanlon quickly opened. He tilted it over and poured out its
+contents on the ground. The party of onlookers gasped with astonishment.
+
+From the mouth of the bag fell pearl necklaces; diamond rings; ruby
+rings; emerald rings; all kinds of rings; gold bracelets and chains;
+silver forks and spoons; gold toothpicks; gold cups; silver vases; and a
+great variety of other things of the same sort.
+
+It was a moment or two before anyone spoke. Then the Churchwarden said,
+"It's my opinion that this is pirates' treasure."
+
+"Mercy on us!" said Aunt Amanda. "And they may be in here on us any
+minute!"
+
+Mr. Hanlon opened others of the bags. Each was filled with rare and
+costly articles of gold, silver, and precious stones.
+
+"Do you think it's really pirates?" said Freddie, in an awed whisper.
+
+"Not a doubt of it!" said Toby, in a voice much lower than before. "Look
+at this!"
+
+He pointed to a placard on the wall above the sacks. The light was
+almost too dim for reading, but the writing on the placard was very
+large, and Toby, by standing on one of the bags, was able to make it
+out. He read it aloud.
+
+      "Beware! Hands Off! Whoever Shall Touch
+      it He Shall Die by the Hand of Lingo!
+      With a Knife in the Throat! Long Live
+          King James and the Jolly Roger!"
+
+"There a skull and cross-bones under it," said Toby. "Pirates, as sure
+as you're born."
+
+"We'd better be getting away from here," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Better not speak so loud," said Toby. "How are we to----?"
+
+"S-sh!" said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, in a frightened
+whisper. "Excuse me--look--I saw something under the water-fall. What's
+that?"
+
+"Stand close back against the wall," whispered Toby, "and don't speak a
+word."
+
+They crowded back against the wall, alongside of the treasure, and
+looked towards the water-fall.
+
+A dark object was rising from the shallow water at the foot of the fall.
+As they watched, another dark object appeared to come through from under
+the fall and apparently from behind it; and this object rose also from
+the shallow water near the foot of the fall, and took its place beside
+the other. One after another, five more of these dark objects came from
+under the fall and apparently from behind it, and stood upright in the
+shallow water.
+
+There were now seven in all. They moved in a group towards the shore.
+Each of them had two legs, and each was muffled from top to toe in a
+single loose garment with baggy legs; they walked somewhat like a
+company of bears. They stood on the dry ground, and one of them
+proceeded to take off the loose garment with which he was muffled, while
+the others assisted him with evident deference.
+
+First came off a close hood which covered his head, cheeks, and neck. As
+the watchers by the wall saw his head, they held their breath in
+terror, and Aunt Amanda clutched Freddie's arm. Around the head was a
+tight-fitting kerchief, knotted behind; in his ears were great round
+ear-rings; and gripped between his teeth was a long pointed knife.
+
+Aunt Amanda gave a sign as if she was about to scream, but Toby quickly
+put his hand over her mouth.
+
+As the man with the ear-rings got himself out of the legs of his loose
+garment, the party by the wall saw that he was a short and burly man, of
+a ferocious aspect. In a sash which he wore was stuck on one side a
+cutlass, and on the other a long pistol. He wore no coat, and his shirt
+was open at the throat. His arms showed from the elbows down, and they
+were thick with muscles. His trousers were knee breeches, buckled just
+below the knee, and he was very bow-legged; his calves were big and
+knotted.
+
+When his outer covering had been removed, it was plain that he was
+perfectly dry from head to foot, except for water on his face and hands;
+and while the others were taking off their coverings, he withdrew with
+one hand the knife from between his teeth, and with the other hand wiped
+the water from his eyes and face. He then stuck the knife in his sash,
+waved his hands somewhat daintily in the air as if to dry them, took
+from his breeches pocket a large white handkerchief, completed with this
+handkerchief the drying of his face and hands, examined his finger-nails
+carefully, blew on them, and proceeded to polish them delicately with
+his pocket-handkerchief, at the same time swearing two dreadful oaths,
+in a low tone of voice, at the six men who were struggling with their
+coverings. When these had been removed, the six appeared in much the
+same style of dress as the first, and each bore a cutlass and a pistol;
+but their clothing was much ruder than his, and they had no ear-rings;
+instead of sashes they wore leather belts.
+
+"Kerchoo!" rang out a sneeze as sharp as a pistol-shot, from the party
+by the wall.
+
+"Dear me," said the Sly Old Codger, out loud, "I do believe I'm catching
+cold."
+
+At the sudden discharge of the sneeze, the seven men jumped as if they
+had in fact been shot. Each one snatched out his cutlass with his right
+hand and his pistol with his left, and faced in the direction of the
+sneeze.
+
+"Confound your cold," whispered Toby fiercely to the Sly Old Codger,
+"now we're done for."
+
+The seven men with their cutlasses and pistols, with the ear-ringed man
+in the lead, tiptoed stealthily in the direction of the sneeze.
+
+As they came closer to the party who were crouched against the wall,
+Aunt Amanda slipped down quietly to the ground at Toby's feet. The
+captain of the expedition had fainted.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+CAPTAIN LINGO AND A FINE PIECE OF HEAD-WORK
+
+
+The man with the ear-rings muttered something in a fierce undertone to
+his six followers. They spread out behind him in a wide line. With a
+stealthy step they came forward noiselessly. The party by the wall held
+their breath in terror. Nearer and nearer came the seven men, still in
+perfect silence. They reached the cowering company by the wall, leveled
+their pistols at their breasts, held up their cutlasses ready to strike,
+and looked at their leader for the command to kill.
+
+At this moment the man with the ear-rings observed the form of Aunt
+Amanda on the ground. He stooped down and examined her, and stood up
+again. Then he eyed the company of travellers with a hard cold eye, and
+spoke deliberately and in a low voice. His manner of speech was somewhat
+stilted and precise, and scarcely what might have been expected of a
+pirate.
+
+"The ceremony," said he, "will be deferred for the moment. I commend you
+meanwhile to perfect quietness; one movement, and the consequences may
+be fatal. A hint is sufficient. I perceive here a lady in distress. 'Tis
+a monstrous pity, indeed. I regret that we were unaware of the presence
+of a lady; had we known, we should certainly have taken our measures
+more fittingly. I crave your pardon. No one has yet accused Captain
+Lingo of rudeness to a lady. Ketch, put up thy cutlass and go
+straightway to the pool and wet this pocket-handkerchief. Be brisk, thou
+muddle-pated son of a sea-cook! Haste!"
+
+The man called Ketch jumped as though he had been stung, and took from
+Captain Lingo's hand a fine white cambric handkerchief which the captain
+had produced from his breeches pocket, and running to the water
+moistened it and returned in great haste.
+
+While this was going on, the poor captives were able to examine their
+chief captor more carefully. They remarked with surprise the fine
+quality of the handkerchief which he had handed to his man, and they
+were even more surprised to note the whiteness and fineness of the linen
+of his shirt. His breeches were of blue velvet, and his sash and the
+kerchief which bound his head were of crimson silk. On the fingers of
+each hand he wore three or four diamond rings, which sparkled
+brilliantly in the half-darkness. His stockings were plainly of silk,
+and the buckles at his knees and on his shoes were of polished silver,
+outlined in diamonds. His face was hard and cruel, but its
+unpleasantness may have been due to a long scar which crossed his mouth
+from his right cheek to his chin. When he smiled, as he did in referring
+to the lady in distress, the scar gave to his face a singularly evil
+expression.
+
+Taking the wet handkerchief from Ketch's hand, he knelt beside Aunt
+Amanda and bathed her face and wrists, slapping her cheeks and temples
+smartly now and then with the handkerchief, and changing her position so
+that her head lay lower than her body. After he had worked over her with
+much care for a few moments, Aunt Amanda opened her eyes. She was
+staring at the frightful crooked smile of a strange man with rings in
+his ears and a kerchief on his head. She started up, bewildered.
+
+"Where's Toby? Where am I? Who are you?"
+
+"Captain Lingo, ma'am," said the strange man, "at your service."
+
+"Let me up," said Aunt Amanda. She struggled to her feet, rejecting the
+assistance offered by the ear-ring'd man, and stood facing him, her
+bedraggled bonnet very much over her right ear. "Who are you?" she said
+again.
+
+"Your humble servant, ma'am," said the strange man, smiling his crooked
+smile. "Captain Lingo, by name. A gentleman adventurer of the high seas.
+Owner of the treasure which you have discovered here in our little
+retreat. Known here on the Spanish Main as the Scourge of Ships, and
+loyal servant of his blessed Majesty King James, whom the saints defend.
+Your obedient humble servant to command." He made the lady a very
+courtly bow.
+
+Toby whispered into Freddie's ear. "He can't be so terrible bad, not
+with all that polite way of talking. Don't be afraid. We'll be all right
+with this pirate. Who on earth is King James?"
+
+Aunt Amanda was also much relieved by the pirate's polite address.
+
+"As long as you are my obedient servant," said she, "I'll thank you to
+help us to get out of here as soon as possible. We didn't want to come
+in the first place, and we are in a hurry to get out."
+
+Captain Lingo laughed heartily. "They are in a hurry to get out, lads,"
+he said to his companions; and at this they all laughed uproariously.
+
+"I don't see anything to laugh at," said Aunt Amanda. "If we don't get
+out of here soon, we'll catch our death of cold."
+
+This made Captain Lingo laugh more heartily than before. "Ha! ha! ha!
+Their death of cold! That would be a rare fine thing, but a bit too
+slow, lads, eh?" And the other six laughed again, so that the walls of
+the chamber echoed with their mirth.
+
+"What do you mean by too slow?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Madam," said Captain Lingo, "we are a little pressed for time. We
+really could not wait for you to die of colds."
+
+"What?" said Aunt Amanda faintly, her feeling of confidence beginning to
+ooze away. "Do you mean to say----?"
+
+"Madam," said the pirate, seriously, "I will put it to you plainly.
+Our treasure, which you have discovered, has taken a great deal of
+hard work to accumulate. We really couldn't bear to lose it. The
+people of this island, and a great many other people besides, have
+been trying for many years to find it. You have not only found it,
+but you have even gone so far as to open certain of our bags, in
+spite of the warning posted above your heads. Now picture to
+yourselves, dear madam and gentlemen, what consequences would
+certainly ensue if you were to leave--here--ahem!--alive."
+
+"Oh!" gasped Aunt Amanda. "Leave--here--alive!"
+
+"All the fruits of our industry would be lost, and our own safety would
+be imperilled. You will readily see that, of course. 'Tis a pity so many
+will have to die at once, for it will mess up the place very badly, and
+I always endeavor to be neat. But why, _why_ did so many of you come at
+once? Couldn't you have come, say two at a time? It would have made so
+much less trouble."
+
+"Ho!" said Mr. Punch. "Hif we 'ad only stopped at 'ome, hall of us!"
+
+"However, I do not wish you to feel too keenly the trouble you are
+putting us to; my brave lads will cheerfully put up with the
+inconvenience, though I must confess the amount of blood will be quite
+unusual, and so many bodies will be troublesome to bury. I wish it were
+possible to have you walk the plank. However, pray do not bother too
+much on our account."
+
+"We weren't thinking about you at all," said Toby. "We were thinking
+about ourselves."
+
+"Oh," said Captain Lingo, in a tone of disappointment. "I beg your
+pardon; I misunderstood. At any rate, we will now prepare for our little
+ceremony. If there are any trifling articles of jewelry and the like, I
+will be pleased to----"
+
+"But this boy!" cried Toby. "And this lady! You don't mean to--you can't
+mean----"
+
+"Not for worlds," said Captain Lingo, "would I be rude to a lady. I
+trust you will find my conduct towards the lady beyond reproach. There
+shall be no rudeness of any kind. Merely a quick stroke, and all will be
+over. No violence, no roughness of any kind; not a word to offend the
+most sensitive ears. A single stroke, and the affair is done. And let me
+tell you, I have here with me a Practitioner who is very expert in this
+sort of business: our friend Ketch, in fact, who was so kind as to wet
+the handkerchief for the lady. I assure you that you are in great luck
+to fall into the hands of such a Practitioner; he will make it as
+pleasant for you as possible; one stroke only, I promise you. With one
+stroke of a cutlass, he is able to slice off a head as neatly as you
+could do it with a broadaxe; there are very few who can do it with a
+cutlass, let me tell you that. Many men have become famous by being
+operated on by Ketch. I remember a case--However," he said, looking
+about him as if considering something, and speaking rather to himself
+than to the others, "it would be difficult to bury the bodies here, and
+the light is not very good. I think, yes, I think it had better be done
+outside. You are already wet, and I trust that another immersion will
+not inconvenience you too much. Lads," he said to his six men, "put on
+the rubber suits, and help our friends under the fall. Look alive, now."
+
+The six men immediately ran to their rubber suits and began to put them
+on. While they were doing this, Toby put one arm about Freddie and the
+other about Aunt Amanda. She lowered her head to his shoulder for a
+moment, but she soon raised it, and standing very erect she said, "Very
+well, if it must be, it must. It's easy to see that this bloodthirsty
+villain means every word he says; but I ain't going to whimper; I'm the
+captain, and I order that everybody keep up his courage, and wait and
+see what will happen."
+
+"Ay, ay, ma'am," said the Churchwarden.
+
+"Do you know," whispered the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, "I believe
+that we are in a good deal of--er--danger."
+
+Freddie put his hand in Toby's, and held it tight. "You keep close to me
+if you can," said Toby, squeezing his hand. "We may be rescued at the
+last minute; you never can tell. Don't lose your nerve."
+
+Freddie was trembling with fear, and the hand which held Toby's was as
+cold as ice; but he said nothing; the others were being brave, and he
+resolved that he would be as brave as the rest, up to the very last. He
+began to think of his mother and his father, and to wonder what would
+become of them if he should be--but he forced himself not to think of
+that; he pressed his lips tight together, and commanded himself to be
+brave.
+
+The six pirates returned, clad in their baggy rubber suits, and looking
+very much like bears walking on their hind legs. They brought with them
+Captain Lingo's suit, and helped him to get into it. When he was encased
+like the others, with only his hands and face showing, he said:
+
+"Now, madam, I will assist you to the fall."
+
+"We'll attend to that," put in Toby, quickly. "Come on, Mr. Punch."
+
+Aunt Amanda's cane having been lost, she found more difficulty in
+walking than formerly, but Toby and Mr. Punch supported her to such
+good effect that she kept up with the others very well on their march
+into the water towards the fall. All, except the pirates, shivered as
+the cold water came again around their knees, and they looked with fear
+upon the tumbling cataract which they were required to go under. There
+was no help for it, however; the seven pirates surrounded them and
+persuaded them to go on. They stood in a forlorn group in the quiet
+water near the foot of the fall.
+
+"Now, madam," said Captain Lingo, "I will help you under."
+
+Toby and Mr. Punch, feeling that the pirate knew the way better than
+they did, resigned Aunt Amanda to his care, not without some fear that
+the villain might deliberately drown her on the way through. He made her
+kneel in the water, and then lie flat; and with a strong arm he pulled
+her under the water-fall and out of sight.
+
+"You're next," said a deep voice to Freddie, and Ketch the Practitioner
+seized him and plunged with him under the water; and in an instant they
+had disappeared beyond the fall.
+
+One after another the miserable, shivering victims were assisted by the
+pirates under the water, and one by one disappeared. The Old Codger with
+the Wooden Leg was the last, and one of the pirates returned for him.
+When he had followed the others, the great half-dark chamber remained as
+it had been before, in its empty solitude and gloom, without an ear to
+hear the steady rush of water pouring incessantly down its fall.
+
+On the outer side of that rushing fall was a scene very different
+indeed. The pirates and their captives stood under a blazing sun,
+looking across a wide and beautiful landscape. Behind them, in the side
+of a high hill overgrown with bushes, was the hole by which they had
+come forth, and across the inside of this hole was the curtain of
+falling water. Freddie wondered how anyone had ever had the courage to
+plunge for the first time through that curtain into the unknown dark.
+The heat of the sun was very grateful, and the clothing of the soaked
+travellers began to dry perceptibly at once. The pirates took off their
+rubber suits.
+
+Beneath the observers the ground sloped down into a broad valley,
+chequered with grass meadows and dotted with trees. To their left, as
+they gazed out across the landscape, the ground rose from the valley by
+easy stages to a great height, no doubt forming the landward side of the
+black cliff which bordered the ocean.
+
+To the right, the country rolled gently away from the valley in a vast
+unbroken forest, a shimmering green ocean of tree-tops as far as the eye
+could see. Far, far off where the forest rose in a kind of mound,
+Freddie thought he could see what looked like the top of a round tower,
+just emerging above the haze of trees.
+
+The pirates and their captives were standing on a little grassy plateau,
+on which were great boulders here and there, and a few wide leafy trees.
+Two or three fallen logs were lying near the edge of the plateau, where
+it began to slope downward.
+
+Captain Lingo stepped out of his rubber suit, spread out his fine white
+handkerchief on a boulder to dry, and twiddled his moist fingers
+daintily in the air, after which he blew on his finger-nails and
+polished them on his shirt-sleeves.
+
+"We are now ready," said he, "for the ceremony. Ketch, thy cutlass."
+
+Ketch drew his cutlass from his belt and handed it to the captain. It
+glittered wickedly in the sunlight. The captain ran his thumb along its
+edge, and nodded his head with satisfaction.
+
+"It will do," said he. "One stroke for each will be quite sufficient.
+We will now proceed with the ceremony."
+
+He restored the cutlass to the Practitioner, who raised it high and gave
+a swinging slash downward with it, as if to test his eye and arm. The
+Practitioner then rolled his right shirt-sleeve up to his shoulder; he
+was the largest man in the party, and his arm was the arm of a
+blacksmith.
+
+"Stop!" cried Mr. Punch. "One moment! Captain Lingo! You are a
+Henglishman, aren't you?"
+
+"I am an Englishman," said the Captain, swelling out his chest. "Long
+live King James!"
+
+"Hi am a Henglishman also," said Mr. Punch, swelling out _his_ chest.
+"You carn't murder a fellow-countryman in cold blood, now can you? Hi
+s'y, you couldn't do that, you know. We're both subjects of her gracious
+Majesty, we are. Long live Queen Victoria!"
+
+"Who?" said Captain Lingo.
+
+"Queen Victoria!" cried Mr. Punch. "She'd never, never forgive you
+hif----"
+
+"Never heard of her," said Captain Lingo calmly. "I'm a loyal subject of
+his Catholic Majesty King James the Second,--may all the saints defend
+him!"
+
+"King James the Second!" cried Mr. Punch. "Why, 'e's been dead these two
+'undred year, nearly! 'E's as dead as Christopher Columbus!"
+
+Captain Lingo started violently, and his face became dark with anger.
+
+"Dead? King James dead? Do you mark that, lads? He calls his blessed
+Majesty dead! Aha! thou renegade Englishman, thou hast imagined the
+death of the king! A felony, by St. George! And the punishment is death!
+What, thou reprobate, dost thou not know 'tis a felony, punishable by
+death, to imagine the death of the King?"
+
+"But 'e _is_ dead. One carn't live two 'undred years, you know."
+
+"You hear!" said Captain Lingo, his voice quivering with rage. "He
+imagines the death of the King! Any judge in the kingdom would sentence
+him to die for that! 'Tis the law! But enough talk. Captain Lingo is not
+the man to stand by and see the law defied! For that, my pretty
+Englishman, thou shalt die the death twice over. There shall be violence
+in thy case. Thou shalt wish thou hadst never been born. Thou shalt be
+kept for the last. Ay, ay; there shall be fine sport at his taking off,
+eh, lads? Enough! Proceed with the ceremony. To imagine the death of the
+King! Ketch, art thou ready?"
+
+"Ay, ay, Captain," said the Practitioner.
+
+The captain cast his angry eye over the terrified group shivering in
+their damp garments. "One of you must be first. Who shall be first? Let
+me see." Each person quailed as the pirate's eye rested on him. "One
+moment. We will decide it by chance."
+
+He plucked seven sprigs of grass, and broke them into varying lengths.
+He then held them in his hand so that only the even ends showed. "Now
+choose," said he. "The longest blade shall be first."
+
+Each drew a blade of grass, except Mr. Punch, who had already been
+reserved for the last. "Thou shalt be quartered alive," said the captain
+to him. "To dare imagine the death of the King!"
+
+Freddie trembled as he drew his sprig of grass; but he did not draw the
+longest; the longest blade fell to Mr. Hanlon, and the next to Freddie.
+Mr. Toby was third, the Churchwarden fourth, the Sly Old Codger fifth,
+Aunt Amanda sixth, and the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg seventh.
+
+"We will use that fallen log," said the captain, and led the way towards
+it. He was now very stern; all his politeness had been dissipated by
+the offense of Mr. Punch.
+
+"Toby," said Aunt Amanda, as they were moving towards the place of the
+ceremony, "I hope you will excuse me for all the cross words I have ever
+spoken to you."
+
+"Oh, nonsense, Aunt Amanda," said Toby, sniffling a little, "I've been a
+trial enough, I know it. What will become of the shop?"
+
+"Poor Freddie!" said Aunt Amanda. "It just breaks my heart to see him so
+brave. He's so young to have to--to--And his poor mother! Oh dear, oh
+dear!"
+
+"Now then," said Captain Lingo, "you may sit down on the grass until
+your turns come."
+
+Toby helped Aunt Amanda to sit down. Freddie sat beside her and pressed
+his white face against her shoulder. The others grouped themselves on
+the grass about them; all except Mr. Hanlon, who, knowing that his time
+had come, stepped forward and stood before Ketch the Practitioner, who
+was feeling the edge of his cutlass.
+
+One of the pirates produced from his pocket some strong twine, and bound
+Mr. Hanlon's arms behind him. On a sign from Captain Lingo, this man led
+Mr. Hanlon to the fallen log, and made him kneel beside it and rest his
+head face down upon it, so that there was a good view from above of the
+back of his neck.
+
+The dreadful moment had arrived.
+
+Ketch the Practitioner took his place by Mr. Hanlon's side, planted his
+feet firmly, wide apart, tucked in his right shirt-sleeve at the
+shoulder, and raised his gleaming cutlass high above his head.
+
+A scream from Aunt Amanda made him hesitate for an instant, but only for
+an instant; as Aunt Amanda and Freddie closed their eyes and buried
+their faces in their hands, the cutlass flashed twice around the head
+of Ketch and came down with a swift and horrible slash straight upon the
+back of Mr. Hanlon's neck.
+
+A single stroke was enough; Mr. Hanlon's head rolled off upon the
+ground.
+
+"Well done, Ketch," said Captain Lingo, quietly. "I doubt if there's
+another hand on the Spanish Main could have done it."
+
+Ketch blushed with honest pride at these gracious words. He swung his
+bloody cutlass in embarrassment. All the pirates turned towards the pale
+group on the grass, and Captain Lingo said, "Next!"
+
+Freddie stood up. His knees began to tremble under him, and his heart
+was beating so fast that he could hardly breathe. Aunt Amanda flung her
+arms about him as he stood beside her, and cried "No, no, no!" in a
+voice of anguish.
+
+All eyes were on the Little Boy, as he stood awaiting his dreadful fate,
+with Aunt Amanda's arms about him. His time had come. His friends were
+waiting to see if he would be brave, and though his face was white his
+courage did not fail him. He looked at them in farewell, and each one
+gave him a tearful gaze in return.
+
+He turned his eyes towards the warm and friendly landscape, for a last
+look at the world he was about to leave. It would be hard to go, and he
+would need all his strength to bear the--A loud cry from Freddie
+startled all the others. "Look!" he cried, and pointed a shaking finger.
+
+They looked, and what they saw was Mr. Hanlon.
+
+By the log on which his head had been cut off, Mr. Hanlon was standing,
+his hands behind his back, and his head in its proper place on his
+shoulders. He was smiling and bowing, and as the astonished spectators
+gazed at him with their mouths open, he sprang lightly into the air and
+clicked his heels together as he came down.
+
+[Illustration: Mr. Hanlon was standing by the log on which his head had
+been cut off.]
+
+"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Toby in spite of himself. "Freddie, we've seen
+that little act before, haven't we?"
+
+Freddie nodded. He remembered very well the first time he had seen Mr.
+Hanlon's head cut off, at the Gaunt Street Theatre at home; he wondered
+that he had not thought of it before.
+
+Captain Lingo was plainly very angry. His face turned a purple hue, and
+the scar across his mouth showed very white. He fingered his knife
+dangerously, and at the same time glared at Ketch, who was scratching
+his head in bewilderment. The captain did not raise his voice, but he
+spoke with deadly earnestness.
+
+"A fine workman thou, friend Ketch," said he. "Truly a pretty hand with
+a cutlass, thou son of a sea-cook. I've a mind to let a little of thy
+blood with this knife, thou scurvy knave. But I will give thee one more
+chance. If thou fail again, by St. George thou shalt die the death. Once
+more, now! And remember!"
+
+It was Ketch's turn now to tremble. He knew very well that Captain Lingo
+would do as he had said, if he should fail a second time. His own life
+hung on a thread now.
+
+"Ay, ay, Captain," he said huskily, and led Mr. Hanlon back to the
+fallen log and made him kneel as before.
+
+As Mr. Hanlon's head lay across the log, he turned it round towards his
+friends, and gave them a long slow wink.
+
+Ketch's cutlass flashed as before. Round his head it swung twice, and
+down it came with a slashing stroke straight and true on the back of Mr.
+Hanlon's neck. Off rolled Mr. Hanlon's head upon the ground.
+
+Everyone watched breathlessly; and Ketch did not breathe at all.
+
+For a second Mr. Hanlon's body continued to kneel headless beside the
+log. Then the head on the ground popped like a flash to the neck it
+belonged to, and fastened itself accurately there in place. Ketch turned
+ghastly pale.
+
+Mr. Hanlon sprang up, opened his mouth wide in a soundless laugh, bowed
+to Captain Lingo, jumped lightly into the air, and clicked his heels
+together three times as he came down.
+
+Captain Lingo's face was a terrible sight to see. He gazed steadily at
+Ketch. The unfortunate Practitioner was shaking like a leaf. Captain
+Lingo slowly drew his knife, and held it behind him in his right hand.
+With the other hand he pointed to the ground before him.
+
+"Hither, dog," he said, in a quiet, even voice.
+
+Ketch hesitated, gave a wild look about him, and advanced slowly towards
+his captain. When he reached him, he fell on his knees and held up his
+shaking hands.
+
+"No! no! no! captain," he cried. "Don't do it! Oh, please don't do it! I
+done my duty always, and I ain't never failed before! Remember my poor
+old mother, captain! Give me one chance, captain, just one! Don't kill
+me! Captain! Captain!"
+
+The expression on Lingo's face did not change; but the glitter in his
+eye became even more murderous than before. He said not a word, but with
+his left hand snatched off the kerchief which bound Ketch's head, and
+seized him by the hair; and with his other hand he brought the knife
+swiftly around in front and lowered it to plunge it into Ketch's heart.
+
+At that moment Aunt Amanda, forgetting her lameness, struggled to her
+feet, hobbled to the kneeling man, and throwing her body between him
+and the knife, shrieked at Captain Lingo.
+
+"Stop! stop! you bloodthirsty villain! Ain't you got no shame? What are
+you going to murder him for? Ain't he done the best he could? You're a
+big bully, that's all you are! You ain't a man at all, you're a monster!
+Put up that knife, and take your hand out of his hair! Ain't you ashamed
+of yourself?"
+
+Captain Lingo was taken completely by surprise. His eyes opened wide and
+his jaw dropped; he was so astonished that he took his hand from Ketch's
+hair and put up his knife.
+
+"That's the idea," said Aunt Amanda. "You're more of a man than I
+thought. Mr. Ketch, you had better get up."
+
+"Madam," said Captain Lingo, making her a bow, "'tis a bold action and
+generous. I trust I am able to respond to it in kind. My duty to you,
+ma'am; your obedient humble servant. Ketch, thou white-livered dog, get
+up, and thank this lady for thy life."
+
+Ketch, still pale and trembling, stood up, and seizing one of Aunt
+Amanda's hands in both of his, made a low bow over it and kissed it
+fervently. By the look in his eyes it was plain to see that he was from
+that moment her devoted slave.
+
+"Madam and gentlemen," said Captain Lingo, "I am sorry to inform you
+that the ceremony is over, until I can obtain another Practitioner to
+take the place of Ketch. I blush with shame when I think how I boasted
+of his skill. I hope you will not think I meant to deceive you. I assure
+you I am more disappointed than you can possibly be. I am provoked and
+disgusted and irritated; I am annoyed; I can't deny it. There is nothing
+to do but to retire to our home in High Dudgeon."
+
+"What's that?" said Aunt Amanda. "Is it a place, or is it just the way
+you feel?"
+
+"Ask me no more," said Captain Lingo, turning away. "I must confer with
+my lads about our next step."
+
+"Are you going to take us with you?" asked Aunt Amanda.
+
+"We shall certainly give ourselves that pleasure, madam," said the
+captain, rather stiffly. "Lads, come with me."
+
+On a sign from the captain, one of the pirates cut the twine which bound
+Mr. Hanlon's hands, and the restored one joined his friends on the
+grass. The seven pirates moved away to a spot some score of yards apart,
+where they all sat down on the ground and engaged at once in animated
+talk.
+
+"I conclude," said the Churchwarden, "though I don't know as I'm right
+about it, and other people may have a different opinion, that we're a
+good deal better off--"
+
+"What I say is," said Toby, clapping Freddie on the shoulder, "what I
+say is, three cheers for Mr. Hanlon!"
+
+"Yes!" said Freddie. "That's just what I said that day after the
+theatre!"
+
+"I wonder," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, "I wonder
+if--er--ahem!--if Captain Lingo has--er--such a thing as a pinch of
+snuff about him."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+HIGH DUDGEON AND LOW DUDGEON
+
+
+The pirate captain and his men rose from the ground, and Captain Lingo,
+in his politest manner, requested his captives to follow him. The entire
+party moved down the slope into the valley, and after a walk of some
+quarter of a mile entered a grove of trees. In this grove were tethered
+ten handsome mules, of which seven were saddled and three were laden
+with packs.
+
+One of the pack-mules was quickly unladen, a fire was built, and in ten
+minutes the hungry guests and their hosts were making a very good
+breakfast of bacon, fried by Mr. Leatherbread, as the captain called
+him, one of the pirates to whom the business of the frying-pan was left
+by general consent. When the bacon had been washed down with clear cold
+water from a spring near by, and the mule had been packed again, Freddie
+and Aunt Amanda were assisted into the saddles of the two smallest
+mules, and the captain mounted into the saddle of the largest.
+
+"Now look here, Captain Lingo," said Aunt Amanda, "I want to know where
+we are going and all about it. The idea of me sitting here a-straddle of
+a mule! And this bonnet simply ruined, and my dress just about fit to go
+to the rag-bone man, and my hair--Look here, Captain Lingo, I ain't
+going a step on this mule until you tell me what--"
+
+"Pardon me, my dear lady," said the captain, "but I must ask you to put
+up with my little whims a short while longer. I beg the pleasure of your
+society upon a little journey; nothing more. I assure you the country
+is very interesting. May I not promise myself the bliss of your
+approval?" He turned to the six pirates with a scowl. "Mount the rest of
+them, scoundrels!"
+
+Four of the captives were mounted by the pirates on the remaining mules,
+and the procession moved out of the grove into the open valley.
+
+Freddie had never ridden a mule before, and he was delighted. When they
+entered, as they soon did, the great forest which they had seen from the
+plateau, Freddie was more than ever delighted. After the blazing sun of
+the open country, the shade of the forest was delicious. The trees were
+huge, and while the trunks were far apart, their branches made a leafy
+roof overhead which was almost unbroken. Flowering plants grew
+everywhere; vines climbed the trees; little streams murmured here and
+there; and the only sound which disturbed the repose of the forest was
+the occasional screech of a parrot and the occasional chatter of
+monkeys. The first time Freddie heard the sudden scream of a parrot in
+the stillness he was thoroughly alarmed, but when he learned what it
+was, and saw the flash of the bird's plumage between the trees, he
+forgot all about his danger, and for the rest of the day he gave himself
+up to the pleasure of watching for parrots and monkeys among the
+branches.
+
+The Sly Old Codger turned in his saddle and said to Toby, who was riding
+behind, with Mr. Punch walking between:
+
+"A work of nature, my dear friend, a real work of nature. _So_
+beautiful! Parrots and monkeys flitting about overhead, the primeval
+forest stretching its bosky arms above us in all directions--_so_ bosky!
+What one might call a real work of nature; so very, very bosky."
+
+"Right you are," said Toby. "It puts our Druid Hill Park in the shade,
+that's a fact; makes it take a back seat and play second fiddle, as sure
+as you're born."
+
+"Hi beg your pardon," said Mr. Punch. "'Ow can a park sit down and play
+a fiddle?"
+
+All day long they moved onward, single file, further and further into
+the depths of the forest. At noon they halted for a luncheon of fried
+bacon, prepared by Mr. Leatherbread. The afternoon wore on, and the
+forest became gloomier and gloomier about them as they marched; the
+silence grew almost terrifying; and all the pleasure which Freddie had
+felt in the morning vanished. Night fell, and the procession entered a
+little clearing, and there the pirates made camp for the night.
+
+After a supper of fried bacon, prepared by Mr. Leatherbread, the whole
+party retired to rest, each on a mattress of green branches and leaves,
+covered with blankets. The night was mild, and when the last blanket had
+been made ready the moon rose and tinged the tops of the trees with
+silver; and while Freddie was watching the moon as it climbed higher, he
+fell asleep. Aunt Amanda did not go to sleep so soon.
+
+Ketch the Practitioner had devoted himself very specially to her in
+preparing her resting-place. While he was spreading the branches and
+blankets for her, she said to him:
+
+"Ketch, where are we going?"
+
+"Not so loud, ma'am," said he. "We are going to High Dudgeon."
+
+"High Dudgeon! What's that?"
+
+"S-sh! When we're disappointed, or disgusted, or vexed, we always go to
+our home in High Dudgeon."
+
+"Is that where you live?"
+
+"Part of the time, ma'am. Mostly we are away at sea or on the Island;
+but when anything goes wrong, and we're angry about it, we always go
+home and stay there, in High Dudgeon. Yes, ma'am."
+
+"And what are they going to do with us when they get us there?"
+
+"S-sh! You'll be in great danger there. If you can find any way to
+escape from there, I advise you--S-sh! Not another word. Captain Lingo
+is looking this way. I must go."
+
+Aunt Amanda did not sleep very well that night.
+
+In the morning, after a breakfast of fried bacon, prepared by Mr.
+Leatherbread, the company resumed its march.
+
+At noon, a halt was made beside a spring for rest and food, and here Mr.
+Leatherbread prepared a luncheon of fried bacon.
+
+In the evening, as the travellers were plodding onward, Ketch walked for
+a time at the head of Aunt Amanda's mule. Aunt Amanda leaned forward and
+said to him:
+
+"Ketch, are we going to have more bacon tonight?"
+
+"No, ma'am," said he, in a low voice. "We'll have supper in High
+Dudgeon. My old mother's the cook there. You heard me mention her
+yesterday morning. I've an idea there'll be pigeon pies for supper. And
+mark what I'm saying to you, ma'am." His voice sank to a whisper. "If
+you get a pigeon pie for supper, look careful to see what's inside of it
+before you eat it."
+
+"Mercy on us!" said Aunt Amanda. "Are they going to poison us?"
+
+But Ketch slipped away in the gathering darkness, and said no more.
+
+They had gone but a few hundred yards further, when, at the moment when
+the darkness of night was making ready to blot out everything, they
+suddenly emerged into a round grassy clearing enclosed by the forest,
+where the light was better, and over which a star or two could be seen
+glimmering in a pale blue sky. In the midst of this clearing rose a
+tower.
+
+It was a round tower, built of stone; its top came scarcely to the top
+of the surrounding trees, and it was in fact not more than two stories
+high; it appeared, with its wide girth, low and squat. Its sides were
+pierced here and there with deep and narrow slits, for windows, and on
+one side was a heavy oaken door, with great iron hinges and an iron
+lock. Through two or three of the upper slits in the wall glimmered a
+light from within. It was otherwise dark and forbidding.
+
+Aunt Amanda found Ketch at her mule's head again. She leaned forward and
+said to him:
+
+"Is that High Dudgeon?"
+
+"No, ma'am. That's Low Dudgeon."
+
+"Low Dudgeon? What do you mean by Low Dudgeon?"
+
+Ketch looked at the tower and shuddered. "I don't like to talk about it,
+ma'am. I don't like the place. It's the place where we used to live long
+ago, before we built High Dudgeon. There's none of us wants to live
+there now. We haven't lived there since--" Ketch paused, and shuddered
+again, and evidently decided not to go on.
+
+"There's a light up there," said Aunt Amanda. "Does anybody live there?"
+
+"No, ma'am," said Ketch. "Nobody _lives_ there."
+
+"But there's a light," said Aunt Amanda. "Surely there must be somebody
+there."
+
+"There is, ma'am; there is; thirteen of 'em."
+
+"Thirteen what?"
+
+But Ketch only shuddered again, and would say no more.
+
+Aunt Amanda noticed that instead of going straight onward past the door
+of Low Dudgeon, the pirates led the file in a wide course away from it,
+along the edge of the clearing, as if to avoid coming near to it; and
+when the procession had thus skirted the clearing and entered the forest
+again on the other side, leaving the low tower behind, a sigh, as if of
+relief, went up from Ketch and all the other pirates; except, however,
+from Captain Lingo himself, who appeared to be wholly indifferent.
+
+"How much further?" said Aunt Amanda to Ketch.
+
+"About a mile, ma'am," said he.
+
+The last mile of their journey was a long mile, and it was traversed in
+perfect darkness. The moon had not yet risen. Not a word was spoken, and
+there was no sound except the pad of the mules' feet and the breaking of
+twigs and branches as the travellers pushed their way through. The
+prisoners were in a state of greater nervousness and anxiety than
+before, and as they neared the place where their lives were to be
+disposed of in one way or another, their sense of uncertainty became
+almost unbearable. When it seemed that they must be close to the fateful
+place, the procession suddenly halted, and at the same instant the
+screech of a parrot startled the silence and made each of the prisoners
+jump.
+
+"It's only the captain," said Ketch. "It's a signal."
+
+Immediately, as if in response, there came from a distance in advance
+the note of a cuckoo, three times repeated. The procession moved
+forward.
+
+A moment or two later, the whole company came forth from the forest
+under the stars, and stood on the edge of a wide round clearing, grown
+high with grass and weeds. In the midst of this clearing rose a tower.
+
+"High Dudgeon," said Ketch over his shoulder.
+
+This also was a round tower, built of stone; but it was very tall, much
+taller than the highest trees, and from the top there must have been a
+view of all the surrounding country, even as far as the hill within
+which was the treasure cave; from the number of deep and narrow slits
+which served as windows it must have been six or seven stories high. The
+top of the tower was flat, with battlements around the rim. As a
+fortress, it seemed to be impregnable; as a dwelling-house, it was very
+dismal indeed. It was totally dark. The captives trembled at the thought
+of being imprisoned in such a place.
+
+The wayfarers proceeded in their single file directly to the great
+iron-bound oaken door of the tower, and those who were mounted got down.
+Ketch assisted Aunt Amanda and Freddie to alight, and having done so he
+took charge of the mules and led them away.
+
+Captain Lingo took from his breeches pocket a small key and unlocked the
+door.
+
+"Be so kind as to enter," he said, and made way for the captives and his
+men.
+
+When all were within, including Ketch, who had now returned, the captain
+locked the door on the inside and restored the key to his pocket.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+THE SOCIETY FOR PIRATICAL RESEARCH
+
+
+They were in a dark and narrow passage-way. As they stood huddled there
+together, a candle glimmered at the end of the passage, held in a
+tremulous hand, and lighting up the face of a very old woman. She
+advanced towards the party by the door, and holding her candle high
+above her head inspected the strangers with little blinking watery eyes.
+She was short and bent; she hobbled as she came forward; her face was
+seamed with deep wrinkles, and the hand which held the candle was
+knotted and gnarled; wisps of dirty grey hair hung over her eyes.
+
+"Aha! Mother Ketch," said Captain Lingo. "I wager thou didst not expect
+us so soon. What's in the larder? We are famished."
+
+Old Mother Ketch looked at her son, the Practitioner, and nodded her
+head at him once or twice, blinking her eyes. Then she fixed her eyes on
+Aunt Amanda, and seemed to forget everybody else.
+
+"Well? well?" said Captain Lingo, impatiently. "Art going to keep us
+here all night? Come, woman! Speak up directly! What's for supper, eh?"
+
+Mother Ketch slowly removed her eyes from Aunt Amanda, and looked at the
+captain steadily.
+
+"There's nought but pigeons and mushrooms and--" said she.
+
+"Good!" said the captain. "Then we will have pigeon pies; one for each;
+and well filled, mind you. Now haste; be off."
+
+Mother Ketch turned and hobbled slowly down the passage, and the glimmer
+of her candle disappeared.
+
+"Follow me," said Captain Lingo.
+
+The six pirates vanished somewhere in the darkness, and the others
+followed Captain Lingo up a winding stair. At the top was a heavy door,
+which he unlocked with his key, and locked again on the inside after his
+guests had passed through. He then led them down a dark passage-way, and
+turning to the right unlocked a door with his key and threw it open.
+
+They were in a large dining-room, on the table of which were numerous
+candles, which the captain lighted. In one wall was an opening for a
+dumb-waiter for sending up food from the kitchen below. The party seated
+themselves at the table, and after a considerable time Ketch entered, a
+napkin on his arm, and at the same time the dumb-waiter rose from the
+kitchen, and the meal commenced.
+
+Ketch waited on the table. Besides pigeon pies there were mushrooms, a
+lettuce salad, hot biscuit, and excellent coffee. Ketch placed the first
+pigeon pie before the captain, and Aunt Amanda noticed that he examined
+the top of it carefully as he did so. She observed that he examined the
+top of each pie carefully before he placed it, until he had put one
+before herself, after which he put the others about without looking at
+them. She examined the top of her own pie herself, to see what Ketch
+could have been looking at. She saw in the center of it a tiny figure
+made of very brown dough, and as she looked closer it seemed to have the
+shape of a tiny key. She glanced at the other pies, and none of them
+bore any mark of this kind.
+
+Everyone set to with a good will, and Aunt Amanda opened her pie. She
+remembered Ketch's caution, and she prodded it secretly with her fork
+before taking a bite. At the bottom her fork touched something hard. She
+immediately began to put the contents of her pie on her plate, and she
+did so in such a way as to leave the hard object beneath the rest. In
+the course of the meal, she dropped a portion of the pie to the floor,
+and stooped to pick it up. As she did so, she managed to take the hard
+object from her plate and conceal it in her lap. It was a key.
+
+When the meal was over, the captain led his guests forth to their
+respective bedrooms, each carrying a lighted candle from the table. At
+the top of a stair was a closed door, which he unlocked with his key,
+and locked after the others had passed through. Along the passage which
+ran from this door were doors at intervals in the walls, and these he
+opened, one after another, showing one of his guests each time into a
+bedroom and leaving him there. On the stair, Aunt Amanda had whispered
+into Toby's ear the words, "Don't go to bed. Pass it along." And these
+words had been passed in a whisper from one to another of the captives.
+
+Aunt Amanda, in her own room, now sat herself down to wait. She blew out
+her candle, and sat watching the shaft of moonlight which came through
+the slit that served for a window. She must have fallen asleep, for she
+came to herself with a start, and found the shaft of moonlight gone. She
+limped to the door, and found it locked. She took from her dress the
+pigeon-pie key and unlocked the door. The passage-way outside was silent
+and dark. She felt her way along the wall to the next door, and found it
+locked. She quietly unlocked it with her key. Toby was sitting within,
+waiting. He rose without a word, and followed her. They tiptoed from
+door to door, finding each one locked, and silently released each of the
+prisoners.
+
+The key fitted every lock on their way down stairs. They reached the
+ground floor without an accident, and there in the passage which they
+had first seen they stopped to listen. They heard the click of a latch
+at the rear; a door there opened quietly on a crack and a light shone
+through; every heart stopped beating for a moment. The door opened
+wider, and a lighted candle appeared, and over it the wrinkled face of
+an old woman; she peered out into the passage, shading the candle with a
+trembling hand; the party of quaking runaways stood as still as mice,
+and held their breath; the old woman blinked for a moment into the
+darkness, and blew out her candle. All was dark again, and the latch of
+the door clicked.
+
+The runaways lost no time. They crept silently but rapidly to the
+entrance door. Aunt Amanda unlocked and opened it, and they pressed out
+hurriedly. They were standing on the grass in a flood of moonlight.
+
+Aunt Amanda, whose lameness had been almost forgotten in her excitement,
+now leaned on Toby, who was holding Freddie's hand, and who led the way
+to the rim of the forest where the trail lay. There was some difficulty
+in finding the trail, but they did find it at last, and they filed into
+the forest. They had not gone more than twenty yards when Toby, who was
+in advance, saw a great black object directly across their path. He went
+forward cautiously, in spite of his alarm, and breathed a sigh of joy
+when he saw what it was: it was a mule, saddled and bridled, and tied to
+a bush. Further on were other mules, all tethered; there were ten in
+all, of which eight were saddled and two were laden with packs.
+
+"Blessings on that Ketch," whispered Aunt Amanda.
+
+In a moment the entire party were mounted. In another moment they were
+going along the trail at a fast walk. The mules knew the way, and there
+was now no danger of going astray in the forest. Only, where were they
+to go, after all? If the pirates should catch them, everything would
+soon be over. If they should manage to elude the pirates, they would
+still be lost in the wilderness of this unknown Island. What was to
+become of them not one could tell. The future seemed very dark indeed.
+
+Once or twice they paused, to listen for sounds of pursuit; but they
+heard nothing; not a sound disturbed the stillness; and the little
+moonlight which filtered here and there through the trees seemed to make
+the darkness more intense.
+
+They had gone about half a mile, and were plodding along in drowsy
+silence, when suddenly, out of the tall bushes beside the trail, seven
+dark figures sprang upon them and seized the bridles of their mules.
+
+"Ah!" cried Toby. "We are lost! The pirates!"
+
+The mules stood stock still.
+
+"It's no use," said Toby. "We can't escape. They are armed, and we are
+not. All right, Captain Lingo, don't strike; we surrender. We'll go back
+with you; don't strike."
+
+"I beg your pardon," said a voice which none of them had ever heard
+before. "Are you pirates?"
+
+"Ain't you pirates yourselves?" cried Aunt Amanda.
+
+"What?" said the voice. "Is there a lady here? In that case, you are
+probably not pirates. Perhaps we have been too hasty. I beg your
+pardon."
+
+"Who are you?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Do you admit that you are not pirates?" said the voice.
+
+"Admit it!" said Aunt Amanda. "We vow and declare it! The very idea!"
+
+"I am sorry to hear it," said the voice. "We are deeply disappointed. We
+of course cannot doubt the word of a lady, but we were almost sure we
+had found them. We have been searching for pirates for a long time, and
+we were advised that they lived somewhere near here. We must have missed
+our way. Could you perhaps direct us? It is a place called High
+Dudgeon."
+
+"You bet we could," said Toby, "but we won't. We are running away from
+there, and you had better run too."
+
+"Then perhaps you happen to know the whereabouts of a place called Low
+Dudgeon, where the pirates formerly lived?"
+
+"We do," said Toby. "You are about half-way now between High Dudgeon and
+Low Dudgeon; and you had better get out of this neighborhood as fast as
+you can."
+
+"This is very interesting," said the voice. "I feel that you will be
+able to give us some valuable information. If you have no objection, we
+will walk behind you until we come to a place where there is more light,
+when we will have a few minutes' conversation on this interesting
+subject."
+
+The seven dark figures stood aside, and the mules moved onward. The
+seven figures walked behind.
+
+In five minutes they reached a patch of ground where the moon shone
+brightly through the trees, and the riders drew in their animals, and
+turned to look at the figures who now marched sedately up beside them.
+These figures stood in a row facing the riders, and six of them turned
+their heads to the right, looking towards the first in the row, who was
+probably their leader.
+
+They were seven tall men, dressed in black frock coats and striped
+trousers, with pearl-gray spats; but instead of high silk hats each wore
+a small black skull-cap, as more convenient, no doubt, for their rough
+life in the forest. It could be seen that they were no ordinary men;
+they looked like professors at college; their faces were thoughtful and
+even intellectual; each one wore spectacles; they squinted as if from
+too much poring over books by lamplight. The one at the head of the row
+was fat, with mutton-chop whiskers, and his frock coat was buttoned
+tight over a round stomach. He spoke in the same voice which they had
+heard in the dark.
+
+"I beg your pardon," said he. "If you will be so kind as to direct us
+either to High Dudgeon or to Low Dudgeon, we will not fail to gratefully
+acknowledge--"
+
+"Aha!" said one of the others, in a playful tone. "A split infinitive,
+Professor!"
+
+"I beg your pardon. A slight inadvertence. To acknowledge gratefully
+your kind--"
+
+"There's no time to talk now," said Toby. "We are running away from
+these bloodthirsty cut-throats, and if they catch us we are dead, as
+sure as you're born. I'll tell you what we will do. We'll all keep on to
+Low Dudgeon, and we'll go in there, if we can get in, and decide there
+what we had better do. It looked like a strong tower, and we would
+certainly be as safe inside there as out of doors, if the pirates should
+come along."
+
+The Professor looked down the line of his companions. "What is the sense
+of the Committee on this proposal?" said he. "Ah. Very good. We are
+agreed. Proceed, my dear sir."
+
+"One minute," said Aunt Amanda. "Excuse my asking, but I should like to
+know who you are, anyway."
+
+The Professor waved a fat hand towards his companions, and looking at
+Aunt Amanda, said:
+
+"We belong, madam, to the Society for Piratical Research, under the
+patronage of his gracious Majesty, the King of this Island. You behold
+before you a committee of that Society; the Committee on Doubtful and
+Fabulous Tales, sometimes called for the sake of brevity, from the
+initials of its title, the Daft Committee. As Third Vice-President of
+the Society for Piratical Research, I have the honour to be Chairman of
+the Daft Committee. The seat of our Society is far from here, in the
+principal city of this kingdom, the famous City of Towers, blest as the
+residence of his gracious Majesty, the most learned and liberal of
+princes. Our camp, which we made only late this evening, lies at no
+great distance from this spot. We did not wish to delay our researches
+until morning, and so, as Third Vice-President of the Society for
+Piratical Research, and Chairman of the Daft Committee, I--"
+
+"Much obliged," said Toby. "We've no time to listen to any more. We must
+get on."
+
+The Daft Committee, led by the Third Vice-President, fell in behind the
+mules, and the whole party moved forward, as rapidly as the mules and
+the committee could walk.
+
+Aunt Amanda felt far from easy at the prospect of entering Low Dudgeon;
+but she had told Toby something of Ketch's strange words and manner
+regarding that place, and she was glad to leave the responsibility to
+him. Their dark and silent progress through the forest continued, and
+when they had gone what they thought must have been about half a mile,
+they knew they must be near their destination. Every eye was watchful
+and every ear was alert. A grunt from Toby in advance notified the
+others that they had arrived, and they filed out of the forest into the
+clearing, and saw before them the squat tower of Low Dudgeon in the
+moonlight.
+
+The same light as before appeared from within, through the upper slits
+in the side of the tower. As they drew in their mules at the edge of the
+clearing, the Daft Committee came up, and the Third Vice-President spoke
+in a low voice.
+
+"I presume," he said, "that this is Low Dudgeon. I have heard of it, but
+I have never seen it. It was formerly, some hundred years ago, the
+headquarters of the pirates. But something occurred here, I do not know
+what, which impelled the pirates to move. They accordingly built
+themselves a much better residence, known as High Dudgeon, where I
+understand they now live. I do not believe that Low Dudgeon has been
+occupied since. Gentlemen," he said, turning to his companions, "we are
+fortunate in having found this interesting place at last, after so much
+trouble. It is the very spot in which to begin our researches."
+
+A murmur of approval arose from the other members of the committee.
+
+"I don't know whether it's occupied or not," said Aunt Amanda. "Ketch
+told me that no one lives there, and that there's thirteen of 'em; and
+he seemed to be afraid of the place. And there's a light up there. I
+don't understand it."
+
+"Gentlemen," said the Third Vice-President, "is it the sense of the
+committee that we begin our researches in Low Dudgeon?"
+
+Every member of the Daft Committee murmured his assent.
+
+"If we go into the forest," said Toby, "we may be caught; if we go in
+here, we are safe for a while, anyway, and we can decide there what we
+had better do; maybe these gentlemen can send for help. Anyway, let's
+get in if we can."
+
+The riders dismounted from their mules and tied them to trees; in
+another moment the whole party were standing before the door of the
+tower.
+
+"Better knock," said Toby.
+
+They knocked, and knocked again; there was no answer.
+
+"Aunt Amanda," said Toby, "try your key."
+
+Aunt Amanda tried the key, and it fitted; she turned it, and the lock
+snapped back. Toby thrust open the door.
+
+The company entered, and Toby took the key and locked the door behind
+them. They were in a dark passage, near the foot of a winding stair.
+"We had better go up where the light is," said Toby, in a whisper.
+
+They went cautiously and noiselessly up the stair to the landing. There
+they found themselves in a hall, and at a little distance down the hall
+they saw a dim light shining under a closed door. "There it is," said
+Toby. "Come on."
+
+With the same breathless caution they tiptoed to the door. It had no
+lock, and Toby turned the knob and slowly pushed it open.
+
+"Ah!" said Toby, in a frightened gasp, and started back.
+
+The others crowded at his back and pushed him forward. The Third
+Vice-President of the Society for Piratical Research brushed past him
+into the room, and the other six members followed him. The party of
+fugitives moved slowly in after them.
+
+In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the center of this
+table stood some twenty wax tapers in silver candlesticks, burning
+brightly; and seated around the table were thirteen men.
+
+Not one of these men moved as the party came into the room. Not a limb
+nor muscle stirred. The Third Vice-President coughed aloud. Still none
+of the men moved so much as a finger. The whole party came forward to
+the table and stood close behind the thirteen men and examined them.
+They were dead.
+
+They were sitting in all positions. Food was before them, as if they
+were in the midst of a meal. Some were leaning across the table as if in
+conversation. Some were in the act of cutting meat on their plates, some
+in the act of putting forks to their mouths. Every face was ghastly
+white, and every eye was fixed in a vacant stare.
+
+"See!" said Toby, in a whisper, pointing to their backs.
+
+From the back of each was sticking the handle of a knife, the blade of
+which was buried in the flesh to the hilt.
+
+Aunt Amanda sank on Toby's shoulder for a moment, but she soon
+recovered. Freddie grasped Toby's hand.
+
+"Look," said Toby. "They must be pirates."
+
+Each head was bound with a bright-colored kerchief, and as the horrified
+company examined the dead men closer, it was seen that they all wore
+knee breeches. A long dagger was sticking upright in the table, just
+under the candles. Pinned by this dagger to the table was a large sheet
+of white paper, and there was evidently writing on it.
+
+The Third Vice-President had apparently little fear of thirteen dead
+men; he went directly to the table, and reaching across between two of
+the stiff figures drew the dagger from the table and took from the
+dagger's point the sheet of paper. He adjusted his spectacles, turned
+his back to the candles so as to obtain a good light on the paper, and
+read from it aloud:
+
+"Thus does Captain Lingo serve All Traitors."
+
+For a moment there was silence. Then Aunt Amanda spoke sharply.
+
+"The wicked villain!" said she. "Thirteen of his men dead at once, by
+his own hand! No wonder the six that are left are afraid of him! No
+wonder they don't like this place! Oh the wicked scoundrel! If I had him
+here, I declare I would--"
+
+She paused suddenly and listened. There was a stealthy creaking on the
+stairs. It grew more distinct; then it stopped, and there was silence.
+
+The thirteen in their chairs made no motion whatever; but the living
+turned with one accord towards the open doorway of the room. They waited
+with bated breath. In another moment Captain Lingo himself was standing
+in the doorway, a pistol in his right hand and a knife in his left.
+Without a word he advanced into the room, and behind him came his six
+men, shrinking obviously away from the sight of their thirteen murdered
+friends.
+
+As Captain Lingo came to a stand before his recent prisoners, his eyes
+blazed, and with his right thumb he cocked his pistol. Each of his men
+held a pistol in his right hand and a cutlass in his left, and each
+cocked his pistol with his thumb.
+
+The Third Vice-President of the Society for Piratical Research, who
+seemed in no wise disconcerted, stepped forward and addressed the
+pirate.
+
+"Captain Lingo, I presume?"
+
+"Ay, ay; be quick. I must finish this business quickly."
+
+"My committee and myself have been long anxious, sir, in the interest of
+science, to make your acquaintance. I rejoice at this opportunity."
+
+"Oh, indeed," said Captain Lingo, drily.
+
+"Yes, sir; I assure you I am delighted. I believe I have the pleasure of
+speaking to a subject of King James the Second."
+
+"Ay, ay," said Lingo, eyeing him suspiciously. "What then?"
+
+"Then the records of our Society are vindicated. They go back, my dear
+sir, some two hundred years; and they contain, from various sources, an
+unbroken account of Captain Lingo and his exploits from the time of
+James the Second to the present. But the sources of our information were
+not always reliable; some doubts were thrown upon our records by jealous
+persons outside the Society; and as it is the special business of the
+Committee on Doubtful and Fabulous Tales to look into such matters, the
+Committee is here before you at the present moment in the interest of
+truth. No member of our Society has ever seen Captain Lingo, and the
+jealous persons I have mentioned pretend that no such person has ever
+existed. The chief mission of our Committee is to vindicate our records
+by a sight of Captain Lingo himself. Thanks to you, sir, that has now
+been done. Our next mission is to determine for our Society this most
+important question: are you alive or dead?"
+
+At this, the captain's brows came together in a terrible frown; the scar
+across his cheek and chin turned very white; and he glared under his
+eyebrows dangerously at the complacent Third Vice-President. His lips
+parted, showing his white teeth clenched tight together. He started to
+speak through his clenched teeth, and leveled his pistol straight at the
+Third Vice-President's breast; but at that moment a cry from the
+Churchwarden startled everybody.
+
+"Bless my soul! Why didn't I never once think of this before? These men
+ain't real persons at all! How could they be, after two hundred years?
+They're no better than wicked spirits! That's what they are, wicked
+spirits! Why didn't we think of that before? Aha! my fine friends, I've
+got a little medicine here for you! Ha! ha!"
+
+He drew forth from his back pocket a little perfume bottle, and waved it
+over his head.
+
+"Hurrah!" he cried. "Hurrah for the Odour of Sanctity!" And with these
+words the Churchwarden uncorked the bottle and sprinkled a few drops of
+his perfume on the floor, directly at the feet of Captain Lingo.
+
+A sharp odour instantly filled the air; so sharp that it brought tears
+to the eyes of everyone. Captain Lingo and his men stepped quickly
+backward, but it was too late. A look of pained surprise crept over
+their faces, and remained fixed there. Their feet stood rooted to the
+floor, and the hands which held the cutlasses and pistols stiffened and
+became rigid. Not one of them could move an eye-lash. Their outlines
+began to waver; their faces began to be dim and vague, as if covered
+with close white veils; from their outsides inward they slowly faded,
+melted, dissolved; nothing remained of any of them but a wraith, a
+vapor, a puff of smoke, remotely in the shape of a human being; and then
+that also vanished; nothing remained; the place where they had been was
+empty.
+
+All eyes turned to the table where the thirteen murdered pirates had
+been sitting. They were gone. Their chairs were vacant.
+
+The Churchwarden calmly put the stopper in his bottle and restored it to
+his pocket.
+
+"Humph!" said he. "Nothing like Odour of Sanctity. Never knew it to
+fail. No harm to human persons, but no wicked spirit as ever lived can
+stand against it; and a blessed good thing the bottle didn't break as we
+came down the water-fall. No perfumery in this world like Odour of
+Sanctity!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+A KNOCK AT THE DOOR
+
+
+The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee
+seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered
+pirates. Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those
+dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the
+Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be
+comfortable.
+
+The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and
+frowned to himself in silence. One of the Committee, taking his
+skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand,
+glanced up at the Chairman and said:
+
+"I fear, Professor, that our hopes are dashed. It is nothing less than
+disastrous."
+
+"You are right, my dear sir," said the Chairman. "It is a terrible
+misfortune; terrible indeed. And just when we were on the point of--"
+
+"What!" exclaimed Toby in astonishment. "Do you mean to say you are
+sorry those rascally pirates are gone?"
+
+"My dear sir," said the Chairman, very patiently, "I am finding no
+fault. I do not wish to blame anyone. The loss of these pirates to
+science is one that can never be compensated. The Society for Piratical
+Research is now at an end. There are no other pirates on this island,
+and you must see for yourselves that without pirates our society must
+perish. It is a woful--"
+
+"Well, I never!" said Aunt Amanda. "Of all things! Do you dare to sit
+there and tell me you'd rather see us all murdered by pirates than--"
+
+"Be calm, my friends," said the Third Vice-President, placidly. "I have
+already said that I do not wish to find fault. I desire to be generous.
+It is my wish. In fact, I forgive you freely. Whatever bitterness you
+may have caused us, we are willing to believe that it was not
+intentional. The Daft Committee forgives you; freely. Let us be
+peaceful. It only remains to decide what steps we shall take to meet the
+future. I submit to you this question: whether we shall first go to the
+pirates' home in High Dudgeon, or return at once to the City of Towers,
+to confess our failure and receive our--Hark! I thought I heard a
+knock."
+
+Everyone listened. There was indeed the sound of knocking, muffled but
+quite audible. The group standing about the table looked from one to
+another in silence. Was this some new danger? Were there other pirates
+to be reckoned with? The Churchwarden put his hand to his back pocket,
+to be ready with his bottle.
+
+"I think it comes from within this room," said the Third Vice-President.
+
+All eyes examined the room. The walls were unbroken, except by
+window-slits on one side, the open doorway on another, and on a third a
+closed door, which no one had before observed. Toby walked over to this
+closed door, and placed his ear against it. A muffled knock sounded from
+within.
+
+Toby nodded his head to the others, and tried the door. It was locked.
+"Lend me your key, Aunt Amanda," said he; and when she had given it to
+him he inserted it in the lock and turned it and threw wide the door.
+Inside was a dark closet hung with cloaks. On the floor sat a man.
+
+Toby stepped back in amazement. The man sat motionless, his legs
+crossed, gazing out into the lighted room. After a second or two he
+rose, and stood in the doorway, rubbing his eyes. He said not a word,
+but continued to rub his eyes until they evidently became used to the
+light, and gave two or three sniffs, as if he smelt an odour, and found
+it far from agreeable.
+
+He was a thickset man, dressed in sailor's clothes, in no way like the
+clothes the pirates had worn. His eyes were small and very close
+together; his nose was broken and flat; his lower jaw stuck out beyond
+his upper; an unpleasant fellow enough, if looks were anything. In his
+belt he carried a long knife. His sailor collar was cut low in front,
+and his chest was tattooed in red and blue ink.
+
+As he hesitated in the doorway, sniffing the air uneasily and blinking
+his eyes, the Chairman of the Daft Committee spoke in his calm voice.
+
+"Come in, my good sir," said he. "I should like to take the liberty of
+asking you a few questions."
+
+The sailorman walked slowly into the room and looked about him.
+
+"What's that there smell in the air?" said he.
+
+"Nothing only my Odour of Sanctity," said the Churchwarden.
+
+"I don't like it," said the sailorman.
+
+"I can't say that I like it much myself," said the Third Vice-President,
+"but it is too faint now to be disagreeable. Pray be seated, sir." One
+of the Committee rose and offered the sailorman his chair. The sailor
+sat down and gazed at the Third Vice-President, who went on with his
+speech. "You need have no fear, sir; if Captain Lingo causes you any
+uneasiness, I may tell you that he is gone, never to return; and all his
+men with him; even the thirteen dead men who were sitting in these
+chairs until a few minutes ago."
+
+"What!" said the sailor. "Has them thirteen men been a-sitting here all
+these years?"
+
+"My dear sir," said the Third Vice-President, "I assure you we saw them
+with our own eyes. But you will perhaps be kind enough to tell us who
+you are, and how you came to be locked up in that closet."
+
+"Humph!" said the sailor, hesitating. "I don't know who you are, nor
+what you're doing in this here place. However, if Lingo's gone, and--Oh
+well, I might as well tell you. By the looks of you, I ain't got much
+cause to be afraid."
+
+"Your courtesy under the circumstances will be much appreciated," said
+the Third Vice-President.
+
+"Courtesy be blowed," said the sailorman. "Well, here goes. I'm Matthew
+Speak, able-bodied seaman, of the brig Cotton Mather, out of New
+Bedford, Reuben Higginson, master."
+
+"What!" cried Aunt Amanda, almost shrieking. "Are you--? The Cotton
+Mather! Reuben Higginson! Did you know him? It ain't possible! I can't
+believe it!"
+
+"It ain't nothing to me whether you believes it or not. I shipped with
+Reuben Higginson at New Bedford and landed here with him and his crew on
+this same identical Island, all tight and safe; here on Correction
+Island, as the cap'n called it."
+
+"What!" cried Aunt Amanda again. "Is this Correction Island? Well, I
+never! Here we are on Correction Island after all, and we never knew it!
+Are you sure?"
+
+"That's what he called it, believe me or not. It ain't nothing to me,
+but I seen it on the map I sold to Mizzen, and the cap'n wrote it there
+in his own handwrite; that's all I know; but maybe if you'd hunt up this
+here Lemuel Mizzen, a sailor with a patch on one eye and--"
+
+"Well, of all things!" exclaimed Aunt Amanda.
+
+"By crackey," said Toby, "I wouldn't 'a' believed it. Lemuel Mizzen!"
+
+"Perhaps you will be so good as to tell us--" began the Third
+Vice-President.
+
+"Freddie," said Aunt Amanda, "have you got the map?"
+
+"Yes'm," said Freddie, and produced it from his pocket.
+
+Aunt Amanda took it from him and spread it open on the table before
+Matthew Speak. The sailorman glanced at it and nodded his head.
+
+"That's it," said he. "I don't know how you come by it, but that's it.
+Higginson was lost with the Cotton Mather in a storm on his way back to
+New Bedford, and a lucky chance for me I wasn't aboard. A good while
+afterwards a fisherman off of this here Island picked up the map at sea
+in a bottle, and I got it off'n him; he squealed a good bit when I stuck
+him, but I got it, right enough. And then along comes Mizzen, me being
+in hiding, and I sold it to him for a set of false whiskers and a
+tattoo-needle."
+
+"Yes, yes," said Freddie eagerly. "Mr. Mizzen told me about it."
+
+"When Higginson sailed away from here in the Cotton Mather, I didn't go
+with him. I ran away. Ay, a runaway sailor, that's what I am. I liked
+the Spanish Main, and I didn't like Higginson; nor yet he didn't like
+me, neither. But before he sailed, I left my mark on him, I did; four of
+his teeth out and a black eye; and I won't say but what he broke my nose
+for me too, right enough. For a Quaker, he hit pretty good. And I stole
+this bit of writing from him; probably it ain't no account, but
+Higginson he seemed to set great store by it, so I stole it, and here it
+is." He took from his pocket a sheet of folded paper and laid it on the
+table beside the map; it was much soiled, and was evidently very old. He
+sniffed the air once or twice, and frowned. "I don't like this here
+smell. It's no good. I say I don't like it. It makes me feel queer.
+Well, I guess the old man thought this here bit of writing was safe in
+his locker right up to the last; I expect he never missed it until he
+went to put it into the bottle with the map and throw it overboard." He
+shook the paper in his hand and dropped it again on the table. "And
+then," he went on, "I fell in with Lingo, and joined his crew."
+
+"Look here," said Toby, "how long ago was all this?"
+
+"How do I know?" said Speak. "I've been shut up in that there cupboard
+so long I ain't got no account of time. But I remember just before we
+sailed from New Bedford there was a lot of crazy people talkin' about
+getting up a fight with England and breakin' loose from her, and being
+free and independent and what not--a great pack of foolish nonsense--and
+something or other about some kind of a tea-party in Boston--I dunno. I
+ain't never heard what come of it. Most likely nothin' at all. I guess
+it must have been a good while ago. I dunno."
+
+The Churchwarden started, and put his hand to his back pocket. "Are you
+as old as that?" said he.
+
+"No older nor what you be, old fat-chaps," said Speak. "You attend to
+your own age, and I'll attend to mine."
+
+"Never mind," said the Third Vice-President, hastily. "Pray tell us how
+you came to be locked up in that closet."
+
+"Gimme a chanc't," said Speak. "I'd tell you if you'd gimme a chanc't. I
+joined Lingo. I served him true and faithful, and many a prize we've
+taken together, and watched many a smart lad walk the plank, that's a
+fact. Well, thirteen of his men laid a plan to go to his treasure-cave
+where all his treasure was hid, and make off with it; steal it; ay, ay;
+steal it, mind you; as bad as that. Now me, I ain't got no patience
+with dishonesty; I'm all for being honest, I am; so, being as I had
+learned about this here plan, I went and told the captain. He never
+winked an eye, not him, but off he sent his other six men, out of the
+way, and made a fine supper here for them thirteen and sat down with
+them to it; ay, that he did. But first he gets a little white powder out
+of a silver box and takes it to Mother Ketch and orders her to put it in
+their food; and she won't, not she, and nothing he can do can make her;
+so he comes to me, and being as I hates dishonesty, I puts the powder in
+their food, and they eats it. Only, being kind of nervous, as you might
+say, I spills about two-thirds of it on my way upstairs in the dark; and
+there ain't enough left to do the work complete. What was left I put in
+the food on the table, and at that minute up the stairs comes the whole
+thirteen with the captain at their head, and I whips into that there
+cupboard and shuts the door, a-trembling in my boots for fear of what
+the captain's going to do to me when he finds out the powder won't work
+only partly. I can hear 'em all set down to the table laughin' hearty,
+and the captain's voice a-crackin' jokes and makin' 'em feel at home;
+but after a bit I don't hear nobody's voice but only the captain's,
+because of the white powder actin' on the others as far as it could, and
+them probably a-settin' up stiff and tongue-tied in their chairs, unable
+to move a hand, because of the mite of powder, d'ye see, and me
+a-settin' quiet in the dark cupboard, a-quakin' all over and wonderin'
+what the captain was a-goin' to do to me. And after a bit I don't hear
+the captain's voice no more, and there ain't no sound at all. And I
+guess the party is over. And in another minute I hears a key turn in the
+lock of my cupboard door, very soft and easy, and there I am shut up and
+locked in as tight as pitch; and there I've been ever since."
+
+"And serve you jolly well right, too, hif you arsk me," said Mr. Punch,
+with great disgust.
+
+"It's the wickedest piece of business all round I ever heard of in my
+life," said Aunt Amanda, indignantly. "It's my opinion you're as bad as
+any of them."
+
+"Worse, if anything," said the Churchwarden, whose hand was still on his
+back pocket.
+
+"It's a pity the captain didn't knife you in the back with the rest of
+'em," said Toby, angrily.
+
+Speak's little eyes flashed fire. He drew his knife and held it out
+threateningly in his hand, and started to rise. But he did not rise. He
+remained fixed in his chair, though it was easy to see that he was
+trying to get up. He sniffed the air, and his head remained fixed in the
+act of sniffing. The hand which held the knife continued to hold it out,
+without moving. A look of alarm came into his eyes. It was evident that
+he had smelled the Odour of Sanctity, which yet lingered faintly in the
+room. His outline began to waver; his face became vague; his features
+ran together; he took on the appearance of vapor; and there in the chair
+by the table, in place of the thick and solid sailorman, was an almost
+transparent form of mist or smoke, remotely in the shape of a man.
+
+Everyone waited to see him vanish. The form still lingered; it did not
+disappear; it continued to sit in its chair with its hand extended,
+holding out a shadowy knife. The Odour of Sanctity had lost its full
+power, and what remained of it was insufficient to make him disappear.
+
+The Churchwarden pulled out his bottle, and commenced to uncork it.
+
+"Stay," said the Third Vice-President, holding up his hand. "I pray you
+stay. Do not spill any more of that deadly fluid. There has been enough
+destruction here tonight. I propose that we leave the late Matthew Speak
+as he is. He belongs to the Society for Piratical Research. He is the
+Last of the Pirates, and I beg leave to claim him for the Society. As an
+exhibit, he will be highly valued. We shall from time to time conduct
+hither parties of the learned or the curious to view the Last of the
+Pirates. Nothing could be better. Our Society is now revived. I am
+immensely gratified. Low Dudgeon shall be known as the only Museum in
+the world with but a single Exhibit. Let the late Matthew Speak repose
+here in his chair as a permanent relic of a bygone age; the sole Exhibit
+in a Museum all his own. The interest of such an Exhibit will doubtless
+warrant a small charge at the door."
+
+The Committee murmured an earnest approval. The Churchwarden looked at
+his companions, and put the bottle back into his pocket with a sigh.
+
+"I thank you," said the Third Vice-President. "We will now proceed to
+consider our next step."
+
+"I simply can't stay in this room," exclaimed Aunt Amanda, "with that
+thing sitting in that chair."
+
+"It is nothing, madam, I assure you," said the Third Vice-President.
+"See!"
+
+He leaned over and passed his hand directly through the body in the
+chair; in at the breast and out at the back.
+
+"Oh!" cried Aunt Amanda; and her friends all gasped; but the Committee
+only nodded their heads in token of their interest.
+
+"You see it is nothing," said the Third Vice-President. "We will now
+look at the paper which our departed friend has left."
+
+He picked up the paper from the table where Speak had left it, adjusted
+his spectacles, turned his back to the candles so as to get a good
+light, and read the paper through to himself. He then glanced at the
+company and read aloud:
+
+  "Shiraz the Rug-Merchant.
+
+  "Outside the Gate of Wanderers, six hundred Paces to the Right, along
+  the Wall.
+
+  "Thee shall know his Shop by certain Numbers, to wit: 3101310.
+
+  "If he Hide himself, say these words: Shagli Jamshid Shahriman.
+
+  "Thee shall buy of his Wares; not that which he shall offer First, nor
+  Second; but that which he shall offer Third, that thee shall Buy; and
+  for that thee shall Pay whatever he shall Demand.
+
+  "Thereafter thee shall do whatever he shall Direct.
+
+  "But enter not into the City but by the Shop of Shiraz the
+  Rug-Merchant."
+
+There was silence for a moment, then Aunt Amanda said:
+
+"That's the way we are to get those wonderful things the map speaks of.
+It doesn't seem to tell us much, though. Where do you suppose is this
+Gate of Wanderers?"
+
+"That, dear madam," said the Third Vice-President, "is one of the gates
+of our City of Towers. We know it very well, of course."
+
+"Then," said Aunt Amanda, "as captain of my party, my orders is that we
+go there at once."
+
+"Much good would that do," said Toby. "We've got to buy something of
+this here Shiraz, if that's his name, and pay anything he asks, too. And
+there ain't a penny amongst us. How could we buy anything?"
+
+"The pirates' treasure!" cried Freddie. "The pirates' treasure in the
+cave!"
+
+"By crackey!" said Toby. "I clean forgot all about it. Good for you,
+Freddie! Talk about money to buy things with! We'll buy out that old
+Shiraz's whole shop! The treasure belongs to us, as sure as you're born.
+By crickets, we're in luck."
+
+"If you will pardon me," said the Third Vice-President, "we know
+nothing of any treasure, and if you would be so good as to----"
+
+"I will," said Aunt Amanda, and she quickly explained the whole matter.
+The Daft Committee, including its Chairman, was much impressed.
+
+"We do not wish to intrude," said the Chairman, "but if we could be of
+any service----"
+
+"Of course!" cried Toby. "You've got to help us get the treasure out of
+the cave, and then help us to find the City of Towers. And if you'll
+help us, why what I say is, the Committee ought to have a share of the
+treasure. Is that right?"
+
+Toby's friends willingly agreed, and the Committee gladly consented to
+go with them to the Treasure Cave and then to the City of Towers.
+
+"The Society for Piratical Research," said the Third Vice-President, "is
+coming back to life! We now have a Museum with one Exhibit, and we are
+about to acquire a Fund of Money. Come, my friends, it is time to
+depart. If you will go out first, I will remain and blow out the
+candles. We must remember to close the door behind us, for a draught of
+air would probably blow the late Mr. Matthew Speak out of the window."
+
+In a few moments the whole party was standing in the moonlight on the
+grass before the deserted tower of Low Dudgeon. Not quite deserted,
+however; in every mind was a picture of a misty and vapory form,
+remotely in the shape of a man, sitting motionless in a chair beside a
+table in a dark and silent room.
+
+"All right," said Toby, "now for the Treasure Cave and the City of
+Towers."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+THE CITY OF TOWERS
+
+
+At the Pirates' Cave, the task of getting out the treasure proved very
+difficult, but it was done at last.
+
+The Committee's camp in the forest had supplied abundance of provisions,
+and a great number of animals; the Committee traveled in luxury.
+
+On the level ground where Mr. Hanlon had given his exhibition of
+head-work, the toilers were now resting in the hot sun, and drying their
+garments, thoroughly soaked by their trips in and out of the cave, under
+the water-fall. They looked with intense delight on the boxes and bags
+which lay before them.
+
+"What I say is," said Toby, "let's divide the treasure now, so we won't
+have to bother about it when we get to the City of Towers."
+
+"How beautiful is nature!" said the Sly Old Codger. "Behold that wide
+expanse of field and forest resting so--so--expansively beneath the orb
+of day! A true, true work of nature! At such a moment as this, dear
+friends, a warm feeling invades my heart, a feeling of--of--Did I hear a
+suggestion to divide the treasure?"
+
+The division was carefully made, and when it was done, and each person
+had declared himself well satisfied, each share was packed separately,
+and the treasure loaded on the backs of the extra mules. It was a
+princely fortune.
+
+"Do you suppose," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, "that--er--I
+shall be able to obtain, in the City of Towers, such a thing as a
+pipeful--ahem!--a pipeful of tobacco?"
+
+"Never fear," said the Third Vice-President. "I fancy you will be able
+to buy there all the tobacco you can use."
+
+"Wery sorry I am to 'ear it," said Mr. Punch. "Hi regard the tobacco
+'abit as a wery reprehensible 'abit. Wery."
+
+"Oh, you do!" said Toby, glaring at him.
+
+"Wery reprehensible indeed," went on Mr. Punch, calmly. "My conscience
+'as troubled me for a long time by reason of my position in the tobacco
+trade. Being posted, as one may s'y, in a wery hadwantageous position
+for hobserwation, I 'ave seen too much, entirely too much, of the sad
+effects of the hobnoxious weed. Many a time 'ave I wept to myself, when
+the hobserver may 'ave thought it was only rain on me cheek, to see 'em,
+young and hold, going in and hout of Toby Littleback's shop, knowing
+what would come of it sooner or later, and me a-standing there
+hencouraging of 'em in, as one may s'y, with me packet of cigars in me
+'and. Hoften enough 'ave I wished to give it hup and embark in a
+hoccupation less reprehensible; many a time 'ave I said to myself, 'Ho,
+hif I could only be hinnocent once, just once.' And now Hi shall put
+be'ind me hall the d'ys of me sinful past, and with my share of the
+treasure Hi shall open a shop for the purveying of tripe."
+
+"There's a deal more harm been done by tripe than ever there was by
+tobacco," said Toby.
+
+"There is a total absence of nicotine in tripe," said Mr. Punch,
+loftily. "At least, such is my hinformation. And I carn't 'elp 'oping
+that my friend Littleback will reform hisself, now that 'e can afford
+it, and engage in some pursuit less 'armful to the young. Hif I was
+arsked, I would suggest pinking and pleating."
+
+"You ain't been asked," said Toby. "I can see myself pinking and
+pleating. When I want advice what to do with my money, I'll ask you.
+Tobacco is my line, and tobacco is going to be my line to the end of the
+chapter, and that's flat. Pinking and pleating! Humph."
+
+"It's my belief," said the Churchwarden, "after listening to what's been
+said, pro and con, backwards and forwards, up and down, that if we don't
+start for the City of Towers, we'll never get there."
+
+"And what's more," said Toby, "when I get back I'm going to have an
+_Indian_ outside my door, instead of a tripe-seller."
+
+"Excuse me," said the Third Vice-President. "I am sorry to interrupt
+this interesting discussion, but we really ought to be going.
+Gentlemen," to the Committee, "our steeds are waiting. To the City of
+Towers!"
+
+The journey which now commenced proved to be a very long one. Day after
+day the pilgrims plodded through a wilderness of forest and field, over
+streams, across mountains, down into deep valleys and up again, camping
+at night wherever they happened to find water and wood, and sleeping
+under the stars in blankets on beds of boughs. The moon was gone before
+their journey was over.
+
+One morning the trail brought them down on a mountain-side to a
+well-paved road. This road they followed for some hours, and it brought
+them finally to the top of a gentle hill, covered with trees. From the
+top of this hill they saw a striking scene.
+
+Stretching away from the foot of the hill lay a great rolling valley, up
+which the road ran as straight as a ribbon. Far away, at the end of the
+road, against a dark wooded mountain, stood a great city, walled around
+with a high wall, and shining in the sun with white and gold domes and
+turrets and towers. The rear of the city rose along the lower slope of
+the mountain, and on the top of the mountain, concealing its peak, lay
+a cloud; black below, and glittering with sunlight at the edges. It hung
+there motionless during the time when the watchers sat watching the
+scene. Directly under the cloud, on the slope where the farthest portion
+of the city lay, was an open space among the buildings, like a great
+garden or park, and in the midst of it a vast white building with a flat
+roof, great enough for the palace of a king. That which struck the
+strangers most, at their first look, was the great number of towers
+which rose at all points in the city; surely so many towers had never
+been gotten together in one place before; and the most remarkable one of
+them was the tower which rose from just behind the great white building
+in the park. It was dull in colour, and doubtless of brick; it was round
+in shape, tapering gradually upwards. It rose to a height which none of
+the strangers would have thought possible, had they not seen it with
+their own eyes; it rose straight to the cloud which hung motionless upon
+the mountain; it pierced the cloud, and its top was lost to view in the
+cloud or above it.
+
+"The City of Towers!" said the Third Vice-President, waving his arm in
+that direction. "The Gate of Wanderers is before us, at the end of the
+road."
+
+The party urged their animals forward down the hill-side, and pressed on
+until noon, when they halted for rest and refreshment in a wood beside
+the road. There they sat at their ease on the grass, and the Third
+Vice-President looked from one to another, and spoke as follows:
+
+"My friends, I must tell you the story of the Towers. Our King, you must
+know, is a handsome and amiable man, in appearance about thirty years of
+age. When I tell you that he has been our king for more than forty
+years, you will be surprised. His wife was a princess of some few years
+less than his own, and of a beauty unequalled in the kingdom. Her
+wedding ring, the gift of her husband, was a single ruby in a plain gold
+band, and this ring she was never known to remove from her
+wedding-finger for a single moment. She was blessed with three beautiful
+children, two boys and a girl, the oldest of whom was nearly nine years
+of age.
+
+"When the prince, our present King, was thirty years old, his father the
+King, who was then alive, gave a great ball at the palace, and at this
+ball the old King declared to the assembled court that he desired to
+build a tower; a mighty tower, higher than any other in the world, where
+he might seek repose from time to time; a tower so tall that it would
+reach the cloud that hangs perpetually on the mountain. To him who
+should build such a tower in the shortest time the King would give any
+reward which the fortunate bidder might ask. The old King laughed as he
+made his offer, and it was plain that he was only half serious; but many
+of the richest of his nobility desired the prize, and contended for it
+earnestly. One proposed to erect the tower in ten years, another in
+eight, and one was found who was willing to promise it in six years and
+a half; but these terms were all too long. The King was old, and he
+would not wait so long.
+
+"'Is there no one,' said the old King at last, 'who will build me my
+tower in less than six years and a half?'
+
+"'I will build it in one night,' said a voice from the rear of the
+ball-room.
+
+"An old man came forward and stood before the King; an old man, dressed
+in a short gown tied in with a cord about the middle, with sandals on
+his feet, a lantern with a lighted candle in one hand, and a staff in
+the other. No one in that place had ever seen him before, and no one
+knew how he had gotten in amongst that glittering company.
+
+"'I will build your tower in one night,' said the old man.
+
+"The old King laughed outright, but he accepted the offer then and
+there. 'In the morning,' said he, 'if we find the tower finished, you
+shall have any gift which may be in my power to give.'
+
+"The old man bowed, and made his way slowly out of the palace. A great
+shout of laughter went up from the company, and in this the King himself
+joined heartily; but the joke was, as I must tell you, my friends, that
+in the morning when the King rose, there stood the tower in fact, behind
+the palace, so tall that its top could not be seen in the cloud that
+hung upon the mountain; and there, my friends, the tower stands to this
+day.
+
+"That evening the old man returned for his reward. He stood before the
+King, and on the King's right and left stood the prince and the prince's
+wife and children. The King asked the old man what reward he desired.
+
+"'I ask nothing,' replied the other, with a sly smile, 'except the ruby
+ring upon the finger of the Princess.'
+
+"The Princess turned pale, and hid her hand behind her. She would not
+give up her wedding-ring; nothing the King could say could move her. He
+offered the old man anything else he might demand; a dozen ruby rings; a
+box of ruby rings; anything; but the old man would have nothing but the
+ring upon the Princess's finger. The Princess grew paler still, as if
+with fear; but she would not give up the ring. The old man smiled his
+sly smile again, and went away.
+
+"The next morning the Princess and her three children were gone. Search
+was made everywhere, but they were not to be found. The King and the
+Prince, mounting the winding stair of the tower, stopped at last when
+they were all but exhausted, and at that moment heard a sound of weeping
+from above. They climbed higher, and on the stair they found the
+children sitting, huddled together and weeping bitterly. Their mother
+was gone, they knew not where; and they did not know how they came to be
+in the tower. The strongest climbers in the city mounted as far as they
+could ascend, but the top of the tower was far beyond their reach; they
+found no Princess. She has never been seen from that day.
+
+"Soon after, the old King died, and his son came to the throne. As for
+him, our present King, and his three children, time stopped for them
+from the day on which the Princess disappeared. They are no older now
+than when she left them. It is supposed that they are awaiting her
+return unchanged, in order that she may not find them old on her return,
+if she should still be young. There are those who say that she has lived
+all these years, and still lives, somewhere, in some strange form,
+perhaps far from here, bewitched by the old man, and waiting for release
+from her enchantment. I do not know."
+
+"And what was her name?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"She was named," said the Third Vice-President, "the Princess Miranda."
+
+"And what are all those other towers in the city?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"It was the fashion, after the King's Tower was built, to build towers.
+The King, as you may suppose, sets the fashion in all things. But no
+more pleasure-towers are built nowadays; the thing had its day, and died
+out. There is a fashion now in pleasure-domes. They are modeled after
+the pleasure-dome built by Kubla Khan in Xanadu."
+
+"Well," said Toby, "I don't see what we've got to do with all this. The
+party I want to see is Shiraz the Rug-Merchant."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI
+
+SHIRAZ THE RUG-MERCHANT
+
+
+The wayfarers came to a halt before the Wanderers' Gate. The wall of the
+city stood before them, and stretched away to a great distance on either
+hand. People were going in and out at the gate; some on foot, driving
+donkeys before them, some on horseback, some in wagons, and all brisk
+and talkative. The Third Vice-President received a respectful greeting
+from several of those on horseback. He turned to his companions with a
+wave of the hand, and said:
+
+"The Wanderers' Bazaar!"
+
+On each side of the open gate, at the foot of the high thick wall, was
+what appeared to be a fair. As far as the eye could see, the base of the
+wall was lined with booths, each with an awning over it from the wall
+behind, gaily striped in orange and blue and yellow and brown. In these
+booths was spread out in disorderly profusion a mass of merchandise of
+all kinds; gold and silver ornaments, brass and copper vessels, rugs and
+carpets, spectacles and clocks, toys and games, herbs and ointments,
+fish-nets and sailors' instruments, canes and crutches, ribbons and
+laces, perfumery, precious stones--things innumerable; even parrots and
+monkeys, in cages; in one booth was a potter, twirling his potter's
+wheel; in another a fortune-teller, laying little sticks down in curious
+patterns on his table; in another a man pasting on cards bits of
+coloured feathers, in the form of tiny birds and fowls, most life-like;
+in another a glass-blower, delicately twining a thread of spun glass for
+the rigging of a ship; in another a man sitting on a rug with a snake
+before him, whose flat head stood stiffly up from his coil, and waved a
+little to the motion of his master's finger; in another, a man was
+bending over a flower-pot with a wand in his hand, and as he moved the
+wand a stalk grew from the pot and at its end a bud appeared and
+unfolded into a flower before the very eyes of his audience; in another
+a great ape was marking down figures with chalk as his master called
+them; in another a shuttle was weaving back and forth in a loom; there
+seemed to be no end to the curious and diverting things to be seen in
+those booths. The people in them were apparently of all the nations of
+the earth; there were brown men and yellow men and black men, as well as
+white; men with slant eyes, with round eyes, with flat noses, with
+beak-noses, with wooly hair, with straight hair; there were turbans, and
+fezzes, and hoods, and white gowns, and coloured robes, and velvet
+jackets, and cotton blouses; and from all the venders rose such a hubbub
+as Freddie had never in his life heard before, except once in the Gaunt
+Street Theatre at home. A lively crowd chaffered with the venders and
+walked in the paved street before their booths. It was a scene full of
+life and colour, and Freddie was transported with delight.
+
+"Oh!" he said, "can't we get down here and see all those sights? I
+should like to spend the whole day here!"
+
+"We've got other fish to fry just now, Freddie," said Toby. "We'll have
+to see this some other time."
+
+"It is a precious thought," said the Sly Old Fox, "that we have here
+with us on our mules enough treasure to buy this whole bazaar, if we
+wished to do it. It is a beautiful thought."
+
+"Six 'undred paces to the right!" said Mr. Punch.
+
+"Shiraz the Rug-Merchant!" said Toby. "By the looks of it, there must be
+about five hundred rug-merchants along there."
+
+"What was the number we were to find him by?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"It's 3103101," said Toby.
+
+"You are quite mistaken," said Mr. Punch. "Hit's 3013101."
+
+"That's exactly what I said," said Toby.
+
+"Excuse me," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, "it seems to me
+that it is--er--3101301."
+
+"My recollection is," said the Churchwarden, "that it is 3031010."
+
+"I am sorry to differ," said the Sly Old Codger, "but I am perfectly
+sure it is 3013010."
+
+"Why don't you look at the paper?" said Aunt Amanda, in an exasperated
+tone.
+
+Everyone looked at everyone else to produce the paper, but no one
+produced it.
+
+"I regret to confess it," said the Third Vice-President, placidly, "but
+I have a distinct recollection of having left it on the table at Low
+Dudgeon. Never mind, it is perfectly safe."
+
+"Well!" said Aunt Amanda. "Isn't that a perfect shame! Whatever are we
+going to do? And where's the map? Freddie, have you got the map?"
+
+Freddie looked in all his pockets. "No'm," said he. "It isn't here."
+
+"I recall distinctly," said the Third Vice-President, without any sign
+of worry, "that the map was left on the table at Low Dudgeon with the
+other paper."
+
+"Merciful fathers!" exclaimed Aunt Amanda. "And you've left the map
+behind too! I never yet see a man that had a head on him worth a--Now
+listen to me; is there anyone that remembers the words the paper said we
+had to say to the----"
+
+"Ah! madam," said the Third Vice-President. "There I can be of
+assistance, I fancy. The words are derived from the Persian, and I am
+accordingly familiar with them. 'Shagli Jamshid Shahriman.' Am I right,
+gentlemen?"
+
+The Daft Committee nodded their heads in assent.
+
+"Then I see no reason," said the Third Vice-President, "why we should
+not proceed."
+
+"Come on then," said Toby. "I'll get down and pace off the six hundred
+steps, and see where we come to."
+
+The party moved slowly through the crowd, along the booths, while Toby
+walked beside them, carefully counting his steps.
+
+"Five hundred and eighty," said he. "Five hundred and ninety.
+Ninety-five. Six hundred"; and stopped. The procession stopped also, and
+all of the riders got down from their mules. Many of the passers-by
+gazed curiously at them, and some paused for a moment before going on;
+but no one seemed to take more than a passing interest. One of the
+Committee led the mules to the open side of the street, where they would
+be out of the way, and stood guard over them. The others joined Toby in
+front of the booth at which he was now standing.
+
+It was not the kind of booth they were seeking at all. There were no
+rugs nor carpets of any kind; only clocks and watches, a great number of
+them, and a few sundials and hour-glasses. Behind the counter stood a
+lad of about twenty, very dark of skin, with snapping black eyes and
+shining white teeth which showed as he now bowed and smiled; a white
+turban on his head, and a loose white robe hanging from his shoulders.
+He was slim and sleek, and his fingers were very long and delicate. He
+rubbed his hands together as the riders dismounted, and commenced to
+chatter to them in an unknown tongue, bowing and smiling the while. His
+wares were displayed about him on shelves and boxes and tables, as well
+as on the counter, and the clocks and watches, as usual in such places,
+showed all hours of the twelve. A striped awning of orange and blue,
+fastened at the rear to the side of the city wall, shielded him and his
+booth from the sun. Behind him in the wall was a closed iron door.
+
+"We're in the wrong shop," said Toby to his companions. "Some mistake.
+Anyway, here goes." And addressing the young man behind the counter, he
+said: "Good-afternoon. We are looking for Mr. Shiraz the Rug-Merchant.
+This don't look much like a rug shop, but maybe you can tell us. Shiraz;
+that's his name."
+
+"No understand," said the young man, rubbing his hands and bowing
+pleasantly.
+
+"Shiraz," said Toby. "Think. Shiraz. Easy word, Shiraz. You understand?"
+
+"Clocks and watches," said the young man. "Sundials. You buy?"
+
+"No, no," said Toby. "We no buy. Want Shiraz. Confound it, that's an
+easy word, ain't it? Shiraz! Can't you understand that?"
+
+"No sell Shiraz," said the young man. "Clocks and watches."
+
+"Look here," said Toby, "what's the number of this place?"
+
+"No number," said the young man, looking puzzled and shaking his head.
+"Clocks and watches."
+
+"By crackey," said Toby, "we're in the wrong place sure enough."
+
+Now while this talk was going on, Freddie had made a discovery. He had
+noticed, on a box at the rear, against the wall, a row of seven old
+clocks. They were battered and broken, and were evidently long since out
+of repair; two of them had no hands. Like most of the clocks in the
+place, they were stopped, and had probably, from the looks of them,
+ceased many years before to keep time. He noted idly the time shown by
+each of these clocks, and started in surprise. The hour shown by the
+first clock at the left was three o'clock. That shown by the next was
+one o'clock. The next had no hands, and showed no time at all. The next
+showed one o'clock, the next three o'clock, the next one o'clock, and
+the seventh had no hands. He ran his eye over them again, and the
+numbers which resulted were 3101310.
+
+"Come along," said Toby. "We might as well ask at some of these other
+shops. There ain't no use wasting time here."
+
+He moved away, and the others followed him towards the adjoining booth.
+The teeth of the dark young man shone white, and he bowed politely to
+the departing strangers.
+
+Freddie pulled at Toby's coat, and whispered in his ear. Toby listened,
+and without a word led the party back to the booth.
+
+"Now see here, young feller," said he, "I've got your number, and I
+don't want no nonsense. I reckon you can understand numbers, if you
+can't understand anything else." He fixed his eyes on the row of old
+clocks at the rear. "Listen to this, my young friend: 3-1-0-1-3-1-0."
+
+The smile left the young man's face. He seemed a trifle uneasy. His long
+fingers rested on the counter, and he leaned forward intently.
+
+"No understand," said he.
+
+"By crackey," said Toby, "this beats all. Where's Shiraz? We're in the
+right place, and we want Shiraz. Out with him!"
+
+"Clocks and watches," said the young man, but this time somewhat
+nervously. "You buy?"
+
+"Buy nothing!" cried Toby. "We want to see Shiraz the Rug-Merchant.
+Professor," said he, turning round, "what's the words to bring out
+Shiraz the Rug-Merchant?"
+
+"Shagli Jamshid Shahriman!" said the Third Vice-President, in a loud
+voice.
+
+Instantly the manner of the young man changed. Crossing his arms upon
+his breast, he made a low salaam, and spoke with the utmost deference.
+
+"I trust you will pardon," said he, "my seeming lack of courtesy. It is
+necessary to exercise a certain caution. There are wicked spirits,
+assuming from time to time the most unlikely forms, who seek to gain
+access to my great-great-grandfather. His life is continually in danger,
+for he possesses secrets which enable him constantly to interfere with
+their designs. By reason of this danger, he was obliged many years ago
+to retire from the rug business, and he has lived ever since in deep
+seclusion. It is your wish to see Shiraz the Persian?"
+
+"You seem to speak English pretty good," said Toby.
+
+"Perfectly, my lord. And twelve other tongues as well. You desire to see
+my great-great-grandfather?"
+
+"That's the exact idea," said Toby.
+
+"Then I will beg your indulgence for a few moments."
+
+The young man bowed again, and disappeared through the doorway in the
+wall, closing the door behind him. After a considerable absence he
+returned.
+
+"If you will follow me," said he, "I will conduct you to my
+great-great-grandfather."
+
+"We will await your return here," said the Third Vice-President to Toby
+and his companions. "It is unnecessary for us to pursue this adventure
+further."
+
+The Third Vice-President and his friends returned to the mules, and the
+others followed the young man to the door behind him in the wall. The
+door was closed and locked behind them, and they found themselves in
+darkness. "If you will come to me here," said the voice of the young
+man, a little in advance, "I will show you the way down." When they felt
+themselves near him, they heard his voice again. "Be good enough to step
+carefully forward, until you feel the first step of a descending stair.
+Then descend cautiously, if you please." Each one put out a foot, and in
+a moment they were all going down a stairway, of which the treads were
+evidently of stone, much worn.
+
+When they had gone down some thirty steps, they were aware that the
+stair had ended, and that they were on a landing. "You will now cross
+the bridge, one by one, holding on to the railing," said the voice of
+the young man. One by one the party stepped forward, feeling the way
+cautiously, and as each in turn found with his hand a slight wooden
+railing, a breath of fresh air blew upon his face and the sound of
+rushing water came from below. Instead of the firm stone they had just
+been treading, they were conscious of wooden planking under their feet,
+and it gave beneath their pressure most uneasily. The bridge was a long
+one, and the sound of rushing water followed them its entire length.
+They walked again, however, on firm ground, and heard the young man's
+voice before them. "Be good enough to follow the right hand wall," it
+said, "and turn with the wall."
+
+Each right hand touched the surface of a wall, and in a moment the wall
+made a turning to the right. In another moment their progress was barred
+by a wall in advance, and the voice of the young man spoke from their
+midst. "You will kindly stoop as you go in," said he, and at the same
+moment a round opening appeared before them, dimly lit from within. It
+was only large enough to admit a single person, stooping. The young man
+entered first, and the others followed, one by one. When they were all
+on the other side of the door, the young man swung it noiselessly to,
+on its hinges, and it was seen that it fitted accurately, so that it was
+impossible to distinguish it from the wall.
+
+They were in a small room, unfurnished except for a table in the center,
+on which burned an oil lamp of silver, in shape like a boat; the walls
+were bare, except for certain shelves containing bottles of coloured
+liquids, other bottles of coloured powders, mortars, retorts,
+gas-burners, and huge dusty books. There appeared to be no outlet from
+the room, but the young man pressed his finger on a spot behind one of
+the bottles on a shelf, and a circular door, like the one by which they
+had entered, swung slowly open in the opposite wall.
+
+"We have arrived," said the young man. "Please to follow."
+
+He stooped and entered the circular doorway, and the others, one by one,
+followed. They found themselves in a rich and luxurious apartment,
+softly lighted by a hanging lamp; in the center was a table, littered
+with open books and scrolls of paper, and bearing notably a great round
+globe of solid crystal.
+
+Beside the table, on a divan, reclined what appeared to be a dry and
+shriveled mummy.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII
+
+SIX ENCHANTED SOULS
+
+
+"This is my great-great-grandfather," said the young man.
+
+The room in which they stood was hung about on all the walls with rare
+and beautiful rugs, and similar rugs covered the floor. Richly
+embroidered cushions and delicate silk and cashmere shawls lay on the
+few easy chairs that were disposed about the room. The bowl of the
+hanging lamp, above the table, was of bits of amber and orange and ruby
+glass, through which shone a subdued and mellow light. Near the ceiling
+were three or four small openings, covered with iron gratings, and the
+air in the apartment was pure, except for the odour of tobacco. The
+figure on the divan was smoking a pipe; a water-pipe, whose long
+flexible stem reached to the floor, where its bowl rested.
+
+Shiraz the Rug-Merchant looked at his visitors with little beady black
+eyes. His skin was very dark, and shriveled and wrinkled like the skin
+of a dried apple. His cheek-bones seemed as if about to break through
+his cheeks, and his lips were stretched back from his teeth, which were
+black and broken. His hands were like the claws of a bird. Thin white
+hair straggled over his tight dark scalp. He wore a robe of some soft
+material, harmoniously mottled upon a ground of maroon, and on his feet
+were slippers of red morocco, pointed upwards at the toes. His turban
+lay upon the table beside him.
+
+[Illustration: Shiraz the Rug-Merchant looked at his visitors with
+little beady black eyes.]
+
+He was the smallest man the strangers had ever seen. After a searching
+look at them with his beady eyes, he rose from the divan, laid down the
+stem of his pipe, and stood up. He was not taller than Freddie. As he
+stood by the divan, looking up at his visitors, he seemed indeed a mere
+mummy of a man, likely to fall to pieces at a breath of air.
+
+"You are welcome," he said, in a voice surprisingly strong. "I perceive
+that you have come from a great distance. Permit me to inquire what
+errand has brought you to your servant's poor habitation."
+
+"I reckon we want to buy something," said Toby. "I don't know what,
+exactly, but a chap by the name of Higginson, Captain Reuben Higginson,
+he give us the direction, as you might say."
+
+"Ah, yes," said Shiraz the Persian. "I remember him very well. I was
+sorry to learn of his misfortune. An excellent man; a member of some
+strange sect----"
+
+"A Quaker," said Toby. "The paper he left said we might buy something
+here, and here we are, ready to buy."
+
+"I have long since retired from the rug business," said Shiraz, "but I
+have brought with me here, as you may see, some of my choicest
+treasures, as a slight solace in my seclusion." He glanced towards the
+rugs on the walls. "I am reluctant to part with any of them, but I am
+willing to make an exception, in view of your having made so long a
+journey to see me. My son," said he to the young man, "bring hither the
+Omar prayer-rug."
+
+The young man took from one of the walls a small rug, and laid it at the
+feet of Shiraz.
+
+"You will immediately perceive," said the Persian, "the extreme beauty
+of this rug. It is one of my rarest treasures. It is a prayer-rug from
+the mosque of Omar at Isfahan; a Kalicheh of cut-pile fabric, with the
+Sehna knot, as I need not tell you; made in Kurdistan three hundred
+years ago; observe, if you please, the delicacy of the design and the
+harmony of the colouring. Its possession is as a spring of water to the
+desert Bedouin; as a palm with dates on the road to Mecca; as a word to
+the believer from the mouth of the Prophet. Its price, to those who have
+journeyed across the sea to buy it, is twelve copper pennies."
+
+The Sly Old Fox stooped down and examined it. His eyes lit up with
+pleasure. "Beautiful!" said he. "I have never seen a rug more beautiful;
+it is a real work of--of--I will take it. At twelve pennies. It is
+mine."
+
+"No, no!" said Aunt Amanda. "You'll do nothing of the kind. It is
+certainly the finest piece of carpet I have ever seen, and the price is
+low enough, in all conscience. But we are not going to buy it. I am
+sorry, sir, but we can't buy your rug. Show us something else."
+
+Shiraz displayed his teeth more plainly than ever in a sly smile.
+
+"Your servant is desolated," he replied. "I crave your pardon for
+showing a trifle so far beneath your notice. My son, take it away. If
+your excellencies will deign to overlook my error, I will produce an
+article more worthy of your attention. This time I promise myself the
+ecstasy of your approval."
+
+"Pretty good line of talk," whispered Toby in Mr. Punch's ear.
+
+"My son," continued Shiraz, "bring hither the Wishing Rug."
+
+The young man took away the prayer-rug, and brought another from the
+wall; a much larger one, large enough, indeed, for twenty people to
+stand on. It was dingy and frayed, and in no way beautiful like the
+other.
+
+"A rug of the Tomb of Rustam," said Shiraz, "gained by the hero in
+battle from the genie Akhnavid. It is the last of the Wishing Rugs. Its
+property is, that it will transport to the farthest regions of the
+earth, in the twinkling of an eye, those who sit upon it and but name
+aloud the place of their desire. Excellencies," he said, addressing his
+visitors very earnestly, "if it is your wish to return home, the moment
+has arrived; you have only to sit upon this rug and wish yourselves at
+home, and you will find yourselves there, safe and sound, before the
+words shall have well left your lips. And the price is only twenty
+pennies."
+
+Every one of the party hesitated. A vision of the Old Tobacco Shop
+entered each mind. It had never seemed so cozy, so quiet, so secure as
+at that moment. How or when they would ever get there, in the natural
+course of events, no one knew. If they did not seize this opportunity,
+they might be lost forever. It was a chance such as they could scarcely
+have hoped for.
+
+"Could we take our belongings with us?" said the Sly Old Fox.
+
+"All that can be piled on the rug," said Shiraz.
+
+"Then I will buy it," said the Sly Old Codger. "I do not consider twenty
+pennies too much for such a rug. The rug is mine."
+
+"It's nothing of the sort," said Aunt Amanda, waking from deep thought.
+"Nobody's going to buy the rug. I'm captain of this expedition, and my
+orders is, to wait and see what's going to happen next. I'm sorry, sir,
+but the rug ain't exactly what we want. You must show us something
+else."
+
+The Rug-Merchant appeared greatly mortified. "I do not know how I could
+have made such a mistake," he said. "I should have known that these
+little trifles could not interest you. I trust you will believe that I
+meant no offense. I fear there is nothing in my poor collection which
+merits your notice. Permit me to wish you a safe journey. Do you intend
+to remain long in the City of Towers?"
+
+"That won't do," said Toby. "You must show us something else."
+
+The Rug-Merchant looked intently at Aunt Amanda. "You command it?" said
+he.
+
+"I do," said she.
+
+"To hear is to obey," said Shiraz. "I tremble to think how contemptible
+are the baubles I shall now offer you, but I trust you will not be angry
+with your servant." He turned to the young man, and spoke to him in an
+unknown tongue. "Be not offended, excellencies," he went on, "by your
+poor servant's ignorance in the art of pleasing."
+
+The young man disappeared behind one of the hanging rugs, and in a
+moment returned with certain small objects, which he stood upon the
+table in a row. They were eight hour-glasses, of a very ordinary kind,
+much like those already seen in the booth outside. The sand in each one
+was wholly in the upper glass, and was just beginning to trickle down
+into the lower. The strangers were obviously disappointed.
+
+"I fear your displeasure," said Shiraz, "but apart from my trifling
+rugs, these are all I have to offer."
+
+"And what," said the Sly Old Fox, "what may be the price of these
+interesting objects?"
+
+"The price," said Shiraz, fixing his beady eyes on Aunt Amanda, "the
+price is this and nothing less: your treasure on the mules outside; your
+share of the treasure on the mules."
+
+Everyone gasped. The treasure which they had gone through so many perils
+to secure, for these indifferent trinkets! A life of ease and plenty for
+an hour-glass!
+
+"Ahem!" said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg. "Excuse me for saying
+it, but the--er--price appears to be a little bit high."
+
+"It is too high for me," said the Sly Old Fox, positively. "I regret to
+say it, but I am compelled to withdraw; I cannot go on at such a
+figure. Please consider me out of it."
+
+"And--er--me too," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg.
+
+"Well," said Toby, doubtfully, "it's a blamed hard thing to give up all
+that treasure for one of these here little toys. I don't see my way
+clear to doing it. What do you say, Aunt Amanda?"
+
+"I'll do it," said Aunt Amanda, looking at Shiraz, whose eyes were still
+on her. "I've come all this way to do it, and I'll do it. I ain't going
+to back out now at the last minute. My mind's made up. Mr. Shiraz, I'll
+buy an hour-glass."
+
+"By crackey," said Toby, "then I will too. What about you, Freddie?"
+
+"Oh, yes, indeed," said Freddie.
+
+"Hi'll 'ave one myself," said Mr. Punch.
+
+"After due consideration," said the Churchwarden, "I think I will buy
+one also."
+
+Mr. Hanlon nodded a vigorous assent.
+
+The two Old Codgers, however, were firm in their refusal. They could not
+be persuaded. They retired from the enterprise then and there.
+
+Under the conduct of the young man, the two Old Codgers left the room,
+and returned to the Committee who were waiting with the mules outside;
+and with them went Toby and Mr. Punch and Mr. Hanlon, to bring back that
+portion of the treasure which was to pay for the six hour-glasses.
+
+This was a work of much difficulty, and occupied a great deal of time.
+While it was going on, the Rug-Merchant, having first asked permission,
+reclined again on the divan and resumed his pipe, while Aunt Amanda,
+Freddie, and the Churchwarden seated themselves, at his invitation, and
+watched him in silence.
+
+The treasure was at length piled, complete, in a corner of the room.
+Toby, Mr. Punch, and Mr. Hanlon returned for the last time, and without
+the great-great-grandson of the Rug-Merchant.
+
+"The others will wait outside for an hour," said Toby. "If we don't come
+back by that time, they'll go on into the city without us."
+
+Shiraz the Rug-Merchant laid down the stem of his pipe, and rising bowed
+to Aunt Amanda with great deference.
+
+"Permit me, most gracious lady," said he, "to see the fingers of your
+left hand."
+
+He took in his own right hand the third finger of Aunt Amanda's left,
+and bent his eyes close over it. He straightened himself up with a long
+breath, and crossing his arms upon his breast, made a low salaam.
+
+"It is as I thought," said he. "The mark is here, on the third finger of
+the left hand. Highness," said he, bowing lower, "I pray you accept your
+servant's salutation on your return." And raising her hand to his lips,
+he kissed it in a very courtly manner.
+
+"Goodness alive!" said Aunt Amanda, turning as red as a rose, "you make
+me feel too foolish for anything."
+
+"You have been away a long time," said Shiraz, "but you have returned.
+Happy am I to be the first to greet you on your return. You and the
+others have all been enchanted. You are six enchanted souls, and in your
+present shapes not one of you is himself. I suppose you do not know that
+you are enchanted; you think that you are yourselves; is it not so? I
+assure you it is a mistake; but I can put you in the way of correcting
+your errors, and restoring yourselves to your true shapes, if you desire
+it. Madam," said he, bowing again to Aunt Amanda, "I await your
+commands."
+
+"I reckon we all want to be corrected," said Aunt Amanda. "It's what
+we've come here for. We've come a long way to this island, and for
+nothing on earth but to be corrected, if there's any way to do it. If
+you can do it, go ahead."
+
+"Hearing is obedience," said Shiraz. "Please to take the hour-glasses."
+
+Each one took up an hour-glass from the table and held it in his hand.
+
+"It is necessary," said Shiraz, "to destroy the sands in the glasses. If
+they can be destroyed, the enchantment will be over. There is no power
+on earth which can destroy the sands but one, and that is the White Fire
+of the Preserver. Will you risk the fire?"
+
+"I will," said Aunt Amanda, now somewhat pale; and the others nodded
+assent.
+
+"Then I will give you the White Robes," said Shiraz. "Without them you
+can not withstand the Fire."
+
+He went to a wall and drew from behind the hangings a box, which he
+opened on the table. From this box he took six white linen gowns, and at
+his direction each put on one of the gowns. Freddie's was much too long,
+and he was obliged to hold it up.
+
+"Well," said Toby, "I always did look ridiculous in a night-gown, but
+this beats--"
+
+"Peace," said Shiraz. "The Fire will not harm you now. Two things only
+are necessary: to fear nothing, and to hold tight to the hour-glasses."
+
+With these words he clapped his hands, and from behind the hangings on
+the rear wall stepped a black man, clad in a robe similar to the others.
+To this man the Persian spoke in some strange tongue, and the man bowed.
+
+"Now," said Shiraz, "you will follow my servant. Farewell, and peace be
+with you."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII
+
+FROM THE FIRE BACK TO THE FRYING PAN
+
+
+The white-robed figures, having left the room by a small circular door
+behind the hangings, followed the black servant along a pitch-dark
+passage, and in a few moments came to a bridge, similar to the one they
+had crossed before. As they felt their way over it cautiously one by
+one, the sound of rushing water came to them from below, and a cold
+breeze fanned their cheeks. A little further on they touched the first
+step of a stair, and began to ascend its worn stone treads. They mounted
+some thirty steps, and touching the wall with their hands, moved onward
+along a passage. This passage made an abrupt turn to the left, and when
+they had cleared the corner they saw in its sides before them a gleam of
+light here and there.
+
+"The Master's work-rooms," said the black servant. "Please to follow."
+
+They passed now and then beneath a lighted window, too high to be seen
+through, and at the end of the passage the servant paused before a
+closed iron door. He opened this door with a key, and led them forth.
+
+Before them was a garden, the most beautiful that any of them had ever
+seen. High over it was a dome of pale green and amber glass, through
+which the sunlight streamed in mild and parti-coloured rays. The walls
+which supported the dome were so high that it was impossible to see
+beyond. In the center was a fountain, dropping in a sparkling shower
+into a marble basin; around it spread a well-ordered carpet of flowers,
+of all the colours, as it seemed, of the rainbow; along the walls were
+cocoa palms, banana trees, and the feathery bamboo; white cockatoos
+sailed across from palm to palm; the air was heavy with a warm odour of
+moist earth and blossoms. The whole party drew a deep breath of
+pleasure. The dark place from which they had come seemed to fade away
+like a dream before the soft beauty of the garden.
+
+The servant led them to the opposite side, and unlocked a door in the
+wall, making way for them to pass in before him. They entered, and heard
+the door locked behind them; the servant was no longer with them; they
+were alone in a small square room, of stone walls and an earthen floor;
+there was no opening, but in the opposite wall was a closed door. A pale
+light pervaded the place, from what source they could not discover. In
+the earthen floor from wall to wall grew a thicket of stiff stalks,
+higher than Freddie's head, and clustered closely around each stalk from
+bottom to top were flowers of a waxen whiteness.
+
+"It seems a real pity," said Aunt Amanda, "to break those pretty plants,
+but I reckon we've got to wade into them. I'm mighty curious to see
+what's on the other side of that door. Probably the fire the old man was
+talking about. Oh, dear, I don't like fire. But we've got to get to that
+door, so come along."
+
+The whole party moved in a body into the thicket of waxen stalks.
+
+As they stepped in, the stalks broke around them with sharp reports.
+They moved on again, and the reports, as the stalks broke, became louder
+and louder; and now each one felt the hour-glass in his hand being
+tugged at, and found that wherever his hand touched a flower, the petals
+flattened themselves on the hand and the glass, and clung so tight that
+it took a hard jerk to get them loose. There was danger of losing the
+glasses, and with one accord they held the glasses high above their
+heads. The moment they did so, the conduct of the stalks became
+terrifying indeed.
+
+As if in anger, the broken stalks spouted forth, with a hiss and a rush,
+blinding jets of liquid white fire, which tore at the ceiling angrily
+and roared and crackled. From the broken stalks it spread to the others,
+and in a moment jets of liquid white fire were blazing and crackling
+upward from all the stalks in the room, and the terrified captives were
+in the very midst of it.
+
+It ran up their robes and showered on them from the ceiling; it became
+denser and angrier; it was all but unbearable, though they felt it in
+only a tiny fraction of its real strength; in another instant the frail
+white gowns must surely be consumed. But in some strange way the gowns
+shed off the liquid fire, and remained unscorched.
+
+For a moment the sufferers were stupefied. They were unable to move.
+Freddie tried to scream, but he could make no sound; he almost fainted
+away; but he felt, through it all, the sturdy arm of Mr. Toby tight
+about him.
+
+They pushed on in a close body and passed the center of the room; the
+white glare became more blinding, the roar and crackle more deafening;
+they were surrounded, cut off, in the midst of destruction; they were
+bewildered; they stopped again; there was no use in going back; they
+must get forward through the furnace at any cost; they made a new start;
+and in a frenzy of terror, their hands before their eyes, with a rush
+they gained the door. They crowded against it; they pushed and beat upon
+it; it gave way before them; they rushed through, and it closed behind
+them of its own accord.
+
+They were standing in broad daylight on the sidewalk of a city street,
+under a high blank wall, with shops on the opposite side; each with an
+hour-glass, empty of sand, in his right hand, and each clad only in a
+long white night-gown.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV
+
+DISENCHANTMENT COMPLETE
+
+
+They looked behind them. A high stone wall rose at their backs, and in
+it was no sign of a door.
+
+They looked across the street. It was a narrow street, paved with
+cobble-stones; on the opposite side, where a row of little low shops
+stretched away on either hand, a few people were going in and out at the
+doors, and a few others were walking at some distance, before the
+shop-windows. An ox-cart was coming slowly down the street.
+
+Freddie had sometimes dreamed of being out among people in broad
+daylight in his night-gown, and he now felt the same terror he had felt
+in those dreams; he looked anxiously at the shops for a place in which
+to hide. No one appeared to observe them yet, but they would soon be
+seen, and it would be dreadful, unless they could find shelter without a
+moment's delay.
+
+"We had better run into one of those shops," said he, breathlessly, "and
+ask them to hide us until we can get some clothes."
+
+"Ah, no," said a soft voice beside him, at his right. "It is not a shop
+that I must go to now. I must hurry home."
+
+Freddie looked around at his right for Aunt Amanda. There was no Aunt
+Amanda. In her place, holding an empty hour-glass in her right hand, was
+a lady, the fairest whom Freddie had ever seen. She was young; her eyes
+were of the blue of summer skies; her hair was golden yellow; on her
+soft white cheek was a tinge of pink; two heavy braids of hair hung
+almost to her knees; her eyes were sparkling with happiness, and a
+tender and wistful smile curved her lips. As Freddie gazed at her, he
+thought that there could not be in the world another so radiantly
+beautiful. She looked about her as one who sees familiar things after a
+long absence.
+
+Freddie's eyes fell to the hand which was nearest him, her left. On the
+third finger of her left hand was a ruby ring.
+
+"Are you," he faltered, "are you--Aunt Amanda?"
+
+"I think," she said, smiling on him, "I think I was, once. I think I can
+remember that name. And you are--let me see; what was your name? Ah,
+yes, your name was Freddie. But we must hurry; we must not keep them
+waiting."
+
+Freddie turned, and saw beside him four strange men, all gazing at the
+beautiful lady in amazement. In the right hand of each was an empty
+hour-glass.
+
+Freddie looked down on the two men who stood nearest him; he looked
+_down_ on them; he was suddenly aware that he was not looking up. They
+were short, for full-grown men, and of precisely the same height; their
+faces were square, their cheek-bones prominent, and their noses hooked;
+the head of one was bald, and the hair of the other's head lay flat down
+on his forehead where it curved back like a hairpin; except for their
+heads, they were in all respects twins. There was no hump on the back of
+either of them.
+
+"Mr. Punch and Mr. Toby!" said Freddie.
+
+"The wery same," said the bald-headed one.
+
+"That's me," said the other.
+
+Behind Mr. Toby stood a lean man in spectacles. His night-gown hung upon
+him very loosely, and he was very spare indeed. His smooth-shaven cheeks
+were somewhat hollow; his eyes behind his glasses were deep and solemn;
+his frame was the frame of one who subdues the flesh by fasting;
+snow-white hair, curling inward at the back of his neck, made a kind of
+aureole around his thin face; he looked for all the world as he stood
+barefoot in his long white gown, like one of those saints you see in
+painted glass windows in a church.
+
+"Is it," said Freddie, hesitating, "is it--the Churchwarden?"
+
+"I have reason to believe," said the saintly looking man, "that I have
+been known by that name. But I am in reality, and always have been, in
+reality, something far more lowly than a churchwarden; I am, and always
+have been, at heart, a meek and humble follower of the holy Thomas à
+Kempis, whose life of serene and cloistered sanctity I have always
+wished to imitate. Now that I am myself, it is my ambition to be known,
+if it is not too presumptuous to say so, as Thomas the Inferior. Pax
+vobiscum."
+
+"I ain't got the least idea what that means," said Toby, "but anyway
+it's the Churchwarden's voice, whether he calls himself Thomas the
+Inferior or Daniel the Deleterious. You're heartily welcome, Warden, and
+I hope you won't mind my saying that a good meal wouldn't do you any
+harm, from the looks of you. I'm pretty near starved to death myself.
+Mr. Punch, we've got rid of our humps, as sure as you're born. We're as
+straight in our bodies as we've always been in our minds, and that's as
+straight as a string. By crackey, I never felt so fine in my life;
+blamed if I couldn't lick my weight in wildcats."
+
+"Hi 'ave no wish to do so," said Mr. Punch. "Hi do not desire to engage
+in any conflict whatever; Hi should regard such conduct as wery
+reprehensible; wery. But one cannot but admit, harfter one's back 'as
+been so long out of correct proportion, as one may s'y, that one enjoys
+a wery pronounced satisfaction when one feels one's self restored to
+one's rightful position as a hupright person, in common with one's
+fellow--"
+
+"What about Mr. Hanlon?" said Toby, turning around.
+
+"Michael Hanlon, prisent!" said a cheerful voice.
+
+Behind the Inferior Thomas stood a tall and handsome man, the picture of
+an athlete in the prime of condition. Short curling black hair clustered
+on his head; his eyes were of a humorous dark blue; his cheeks were like
+red apples; his shoulders were muscular, his back was straight, his
+figure slim; and he wore his night-gown as a Greek runner in ancient
+times might have worn his robe after the games.
+
+"What!" said Freddie. "Can you talk?"
+
+"Faith," said Mr. Hanlon, "I've a tongue in me head that can wag with
+anny that iver come off the blarney stone, and it's no lies I'm tellin'
+ye. For an Irish gintleman to have to listen and listen, and kape his
+tongue still in his head and say niver a worrd at all, at all, 'tis a
+hard life, me frinds, a hard life, and it's plaised I am to be mesilf at
+last, and the nate bit of tongue doin' his duty like a thrue son of
+Erin--I could tell ye a swate little shtory that comes to me mind, of a
+dumb Irishman that could not spake at all, at all, and the deaf wife of
+him that could not hear, and their twelve pigs all lyin' down in the mud
+with wan of thim standing up and crying out that the wolf was comin' in
+through the gate, and the good wife unable to hear and the good man
+unable to spake--"
+
+"I reckon you've got your tongue, all right," said Toby. "I wish we had
+time to hear that story, but we haven't. Now, Freddie, what do you think
+we'd better--Why, Freddie! What's that you've got on your lip?"
+
+Freddie put his hand to his upper lip. What he felt there was a tiny
+silken mustache. He blushed.
+
+"And 'e's taller than any of us except Mr. 'Anlon!" exclaimed Mr. Punch.
+"My word!"
+
+Freddie looked down at Mr. Punch, and realized his own height. He looked
+at his hands, and they were almost as large as Mr. Hanlon's. His
+night-gown came to his ankles, and he realized that he was no longer
+holding it up.
+
+"Why," he said, "I must be grown up!"
+
+"Grown up is the word," said Toby, "but I'd 'a' known you anywhere.
+Twenty-one years old, I should say."
+
+"Twenty-two," said Mr. Punch.
+
+Everyone now fell silent. The young and lovely lady, who had said
+nothing during their talk, was smiling from one to another. She seemed
+to feel no embarrassment nor concern, nor anything indeed but happiness.
+She looked at Toby with a smile, and all the men looked at her.
+
+"Do you know me?" she said to Toby.
+
+"You are changed," said he, "that's a fact. But I always knew that Aunt
+Amanda was like that, down deep inside of her. If she could only have
+looked like what she was, that's the way she would have looked, and I
+always knew it. I'm glad you've come to look like yourself at last."
+
+"Ah!" said the beautiful lady. "I am glad you don't feel that I am
+strange to you. I know you all now, better than I have ever known you.
+You have been with me a long while, under disguise. I don't seem to
+remember very well what your disguises were, for I seem to have known
+you always as you are: my loyal knight," (turning to Freddie), "my
+body-guard," (turning to Mr. Toby and Mr. Punch), "my confessor,"
+(turning to Thomas the Inferior), "and my courier," (turning to Mr.
+Hanlon). "In my exile you have been with me, and in my homecoming you
+shall be with me still."
+
+"We hope to be with you always," said the tall young knight who used to
+be Freddie. "But we are beginning to be noticed. I have seen one or two
+people stare from the shop windows. We had better hurry to one of those
+shops and seek refuge until we can find proper clothes."
+
+"Ah, no!" said the lady, with a radiant smile. "I must hasten home. They
+have been waiting a long time, and I must not lose a moment. I know the
+way! This street is changed since I was here, but I know it! I know the
+way! Come with me! I am going home!"
+
+She placed her empty hour-glass in Freddie's hand, and led the way up
+the street. Her bare feet trod the pavement swiftly; she walked as if
+she had never known what it was to be lame; she went swimmingly, with a
+motion of infinite grace. The others looked about them, uneasily, as
+they followed, but she seemed to care nothing for the eyes of the
+people. The ox-cart stopped as it came to them, and the driver who was
+walking beside it stopped also, and gazed at them with his mouth open.
+Faces appeared at shop-windows as they went by, and figures appeared at
+shop-doors. Two or three foot-passengers passed them, and after they had
+gone, went to the nearest shop-door and stood there for a moment in talk
+with the shop-keeper. They then began to follow the strange white-clad
+group up the street. In a few moments others joined them. Freddie looked
+behind, and wished to run; but the lady who was leading paid no
+attention.
+
+A little further on she turned a corner, and the party found themselves
+in a much busier street. The sidewalks were alive with people. In a
+moment there was a great silence. When the six figures first appeared,
+some of the people began to laugh. Then they looked at the face of the
+lady who swept along in advance of her attendants, and they laughed no
+more. They began to whisper one to another. They fell apart, and made
+way for her and her attendants. They stopped; they forgot their own
+affairs; some ran into the shops and called out the persons who were
+within; they gaped, and whispered, and nodded, and held up their hands,
+and with one accord began to follow.
+
+Further on, heads appeared from the windows of pleasure-towers and
+pleasure-domes; doors opened; all who could walk joined themselves to
+the crowd which was following the wondrous lady and her five strange
+companions.
+
+Deeper and deeper into the city; on past the region of shops into the
+region of gardens and mansions; up by a gradual ascent to the place of
+the largest and tallest towers and domes; on they went, the six
+white-gowned and bare-footed figures before, and the crowd behind; and
+the further they went, the greater became the crowd; and still there was
+no sound from the people, except the sound of an awestruck whispering.
+
+The dark cloud on the mountain-top was now plainly in view before them
+between the towers and domes, and they could see the great mass of the
+King's Tower where it rose to the cloud and lost itself within it. At
+the end of the street which they were now following a majestic gateway
+could be seen, and beyond it a park.
+
+Behind them the street was choked from wall to wall with a vast
+multitude. From every house, as the multitude passed, its people poured
+forth and joined the throng; business was forgotten; shops and houses
+were deserted; it seemed as if the whole city was in the street,
+following the lady and her five attendants. She looked not behind her
+once. She seemed to be unaware of anything in the world about her; her
+eyes shone like stars; she had forgotten even her companions; she spoke
+not a word, but looked forward to the stately gateway and the park
+beyond. Still no sound came from the multitude, except a sound of
+whispering.
+
+They reached the gateway. On each side was a great stone pillar,
+supporting a gate of massive bronze. The gates were open. Without an
+instant's hesitation she led the way within, and as she did so placed
+her left hand on her heart. The throng seemed to waver a moment, and
+then as the six barefoot and white-gowned figures moved swiftly up the
+driveway into the park, it flowed in silently between the gates, and
+followed at a respectful distance.
+
+Before them, at a distance, on a knoll from which terraces of velvet
+grass descended, stood the palace of the King; white and broad and
+flat-roofed.
+
+Passing a grove of trees, the lady left the roadway and stepped into the
+smooth grass of a lawn, and sped across it directly towards the terraces
+before the palace of the King. She mounted the gentle slope, her five
+friends following her; and the vast throng, filling the park to the
+gates, came on behind. She reached the first terrace; her hand was still
+on her heart. A dog barked.
+
+Windows in the palace front began to go up, and faces to appear. From an
+archway sprang a pack of beautiful tall white curly-haired dogs, and
+rushed on the lady, barking. Freddie made as if to protect her, but she
+waved him back with a smile. The dogs sprang up as if to devour her, but
+they did no harm; they barked as if their throats would burst; they
+leaped and gambolled about her; they thrust their noses into her hand;
+they almost spoke; and in the midst of it there appeared upon the wide
+steps before the palace door a noble-looking man, and beside him three
+children.
+
+At sight of this man and the children, the lady covered her eyes for an
+instant with her hands, and gave a sob; but she quickly looked up, and
+sped on more swiftly than before, her hands hanging beside her, and a
+bright misty look in her eyes.
+
+The man upon the palace steps shaded his eyes with his hands, and gazed
+upon her and the multitude spread out across the park behind her. One of
+the children, a tiny boy, he took by the hand, and another, a girl a
+little older, he grasped with his other hand; and with the third, a boy
+of something over nine, beside them, they all four came down the steps
+and crossed the terrace to meet the radiant lady.
+
+On the next terrace they met. He dropped his children's hands, and
+stopped. He was a man of some thirty years, richly clad, and handsome
+beyond measure. As he stopped, the multitude found its voice. A mighty
+shout went up.
+
+"Long live the King! Long live the King!"
+
+He paid no attention. His eyes were on the fair lady before him. A cry
+from the oldest boy rang out clear and sharp in the silence.
+
+"Mother!"
+
+The King held out his arms.
+
+"My darling!" he cried. "At last! At last!"
+
+"Beloved!" she cried, and rushed into his arms, and buried her face in
+his shoulder.
+
+The children clung to her, weeping, and with one arm she pressed them
+close against her side.
+
+The multitude found its voice again.
+
+"Long live Queen Miranda! Long live Queen Miranda!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV
+
+THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN
+
+
+"There's an Old Man," said Robert to Freddie. "He lives on the mountain.
+I saw him once."
+
+They were sitting on the palace lawn, looking up at the mountain which
+rose behind the King's tower. The sun was directly overhead, and was
+accordingly hidden by the cloud. The lower slopes of the mountain were
+easy and gradual, but they grew steeper as they ascended, and at the
+point where the mountain entered the cloud it was a straight and smooth
+wall of granite, plainly impossible to climb. The King's eldest child
+fixed his big eyes on the tall young man beside him.
+
+"I like you," said he. "I wish you would take me up the mountain some
+time for blackberries. Will you?"
+
+"If the Queen permits," said Freddie, "we will go tomorrow."
+
+A long time had passed since the Queen's return; a happy time, during
+which the five who had come with the Queen were made to feel as if they
+had lived all their lives in a palace. The two Old Codgers were found by
+Toby, comfortably established in a double shop of their own, on one side
+of which the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg sold tobacco, and on the
+other side of which the Sly Old Fox sold jewelry; each of them entirely
+contented with his fortune, and settled down for life. The Third
+Vice-President had paid his respects at the palace, and was unable to
+talk of anything but his Museum, for which he was devising many plans,
+including a method whereby the late Mr. Matthew Speak might be assured
+against ever being blown out of the window.
+
+The saintly person who had once been the Churchwarden was occupied
+nowadays, in a little room in the basement of the palace, in copying in
+beautiful letters an ancient book belonging to the King.
+
+Mr. Punch and Mr. Toby spent their time in exploring the city, arm in
+arm, very inquisitive, very talkative, and making friends with
+everybody.
+
+Mr. Hanlon's work in life was, it appeared, the climbing of the King's
+Tower. Every day he disappeared within, and every day he declared that
+he would mount to the top before he finished; but he had not yet got to
+the top, and there did not seem much prospect of his ever doing so.
+
+As for Freddie,--not that he was called Freddie now; the King had given
+him a high-sounding name,--the Chevalier Frederick; and by that name he
+was spoken of by everybody, except that Toby sometimes forgot and called
+him the Chandelier. As for the Chevalier Frederick, his interest was
+mainly in the Queen's three children, Robert, Genevieve, and James; and
+at the present moment the oldest, Robert, was sitting with the Chevalier
+on the palace lawn, gossiping.
+
+"We will go tomorrow," the Chevalier was saying, and then the little boy
+Robert went on about the old man he had seen on the mountain.
+
+"I saw him once," said Robert. "Just before Mother went away. I ran away
+from home, I did, and I was gone all day. Mother was terribly worried. I
+ran away to the mountain, and I was muddy all over when I got back, and
+it was dark, too! Mother was terribly worried. I was gone all day, I
+was; and I didn't get back until after dark, I didn't; and I was muddy
+all over. Oh, but it was dark. Mother, she was terribly worried." He
+stopped to think it over, and then went on again. "There wasn't any
+Tower then. It was just before the old chap came and built the Tower in
+a night; you know about that, don't you? I ran away and didn't come home
+until after dark, I didn't; Mother was worried; and Jenny--I never call
+her Genevieve, because Jenny's shorter--and Jenny wouldn't go because
+she was afraid, and James was too little, so I went all by myself; and
+it was getting pretty dark, and I was starting home down the mountain,
+because I knew Mother would be worried, and I saw the Old Man coming
+down the mountain, and he didn't see me, and he had a pack on his back
+and a long stick in his hand, and a gown belted in about the middle, and
+he was kind of fat and bald-headed; and he didn't see me but I saw him,
+and pretty soon he went down into a gully and I didn't see him any more,
+and I came on home, because it was getting dark, and I knew Mother would
+be worried."
+
+"Then perhaps we had better not go up there," said Freddie.
+
+"Oh no," said Robert. "It's a grand place to climb and gather berries
+and flowers. And I'd like to see the Old Man again. Will you take me
+there today?"
+
+"Tomorrow," said Freddie, "if the Queen will permit."
+
+At this moment Mr. Hanlon appeared, somewhat out of breath, and he and
+Freddie went into the palace together. He was quite jubilant.
+
+"Faith," said he, "'tis a tower indade, that tower, and a swate little
+bit of a journey to the top of it, if there's iver a top at all. But
+it's Michael Hanlon will do it, by the bones of St. Patrick, and don't
+ye forget what I'm tellin' ye, me b'y. I've been up there this day, so
+high, so high--! I'll niver tell ye how high. It's comin' better; me
+wind and me legs are better; in a wake, or two wakes, 'tis meself will
+be fit for the grand ascent, and then there'll be news from the top, and
+a proud look in the eye of Michael Hanlon, Esquire! Wait and see, me
+b'y!"
+
+The next morning, Queen Miranda having given her consent, Freddie and
+Robert left the palace for their day on the mountain. All day they
+wandered up the trails, and in the afternoon, when their luncheon was
+all gone and they were tired, they began to descend. It was growing
+dark; they had had a glorious day, and they were sorry it would soon be
+over. They stretched themselves on the ground beneath a mountain oak,
+and looked below them, past the Tower, across the roof of the palace to
+the city. There was no living thing in sight, except a bird which sailed
+across their view and disappeared. "Well, Robert," said Freddie, "I
+suppose the Old Man who used to be here is gone. Come; we must go; your
+mother will be worried."
+
+They got to their feet. As they did so, a kind of groan startled them.
+They listened. It came again, from some point near by. Freddie thought
+he could make out a weak human voice, trying to call for help. Drawing
+Robert after him, he climbed over a number of boulders and mounted to
+the top of a rise in the ground, and looked down into a deep gully,
+covered on its sides with rocks and bushes. What he saw there gave him a
+start of alarm.
+
+At the bottom was an old man, lying on his back, with one leg doubled
+under him, his face up to the sky. From his lips came a groan, followed
+by a faint cry for help. His head was bald, he was rather stout, he wore
+a long white beard, and he was clad in a short dark gown, belted about
+the middle. His legs were bare, and on the foot which was visible he
+wore a sandal.
+
+Robert looked over Freddie's shoulder, and whispered in his ear.
+"That's him! He's fallen down and hurt himself."
+
+It was true. The old man had evidently fallen, and he was plainly
+suffering. Freddie clambered down to him, and knelt beside him. The old
+man looked into the young man's eyes, and said, in a feeble whisper:
+
+"My leg. Broken. Help me home."
+
+Freddie assisted him into a sitting position, and then lifted him up and
+held him.
+
+"I cannot walk," said the old man. "Unless you can carry me, I must die
+here."
+
+Freddie was properly proud of his new strength, and he believed that he
+could carry the old man.
+
+"Where do you live?" said he.
+
+"Up the mountain. I will show you. I beg you to carry me home."
+
+"I will do my best," said Freddie.
+
+He turned his back to the old man, and supporting him at the same time
+put the old man's arms about his neck, and by a great effort got the
+poor creature on his back. Carrying him thus, he began to go haltingly
+up the side of the gully. The little boy watched them wonderingly.
+
+It was a terrible journey. The old man directed Freddie from moment to
+moment, and the way led steadily up the mountain, by a course which
+Freddie had not seen that day. The burden on Freddie's back became
+heavier and heavier; he panted harder and harder under it; he stumbled
+from time to time, and every instant told himself that he could go no
+further. The old man seemed to think of nothing but of getting home. The
+little boy followed, staring with big eyes.
+
+Freddie had gone but a short way up the mountain-side when he felt
+through all his back, where it touched the old man, a chill; his
+shoulders and throat, where the arms of the old man touched them,
+became cold; as he struggled on, the chill increased; he felt as if he
+were hugging to his back a burden of ice.
+
+"Are we nearly there?" he asked, trying to wipe a cold perspiration from
+his forehead.
+
+"No, no," said the old man. "Go on. A long way yet. You can't be tired
+so soon."
+
+The cold upon Freddie's back and shoulders and throat became a dead
+numbness; he was too cold to shiver; his arms too were now becoming
+numb, and he felt that he could hold his burden no longer. He stopped.
+
+"I must put you down," he said. "I must rest a moment. I don't know what
+makes me so cold."
+
+"No, no," said the old man. "Too soon! too soon! Keep on!"
+
+"I cannot," said Freddie. "I am freezing. My strength is gone. I must
+rest."
+
+With these words he let the old man carefully down, and laid him on the
+ground. He stood there panting and rubbing his frozen hands together.
+
+"Stupid weakling," said the old man, staring up at him, "go and search
+upon the mountain-side and bring me hither seeds of the fennel which you
+will there find, and be quick; for I perish."
+
+Freddie and the little boy hastened away together, and at a distance on
+the mountain-side found, after a long search, a few plants of the
+fennel, with which they hurried back to the old man.
+
+He was gone.
+
+They looked far and near; they examined every nook and cranny; the
+mountain was steep at this point, and difficult for any sound man; for
+an old man, crippled, it seemed impossible, but he was nowhere to be
+found; he was gone.
+
+Freddie and Robert turned homeward, and made hard work of it. The little
+boy became extremely heated with his labor; but Freddie remained as
+cold as ever. It is true that he perspired, but the beads upon his
+forehead were like the beads upon ice-cold glass. His hands were so numb
+that when he cut them slightly on a rock he felt no pain. His back,
+where the old man had clung to it with his body, was coldest of all; he
+was so stiff that he could scarcely bend his arms or body; many times
+the little boy had to help him down; the chill spread; at the foot of
+the mountain his legs were nearly as cold as his arms; when they passed
+the Tower, his knees were as if frozen, and would not bend; the little
+boy put his arm about him and tried to help him walk; he began to lose
+knowledge of his whereabouts; he held out a stiff arm before him, like a
+blind man, and dragged one foot after the other like a man whose legs
+are made of stone. The little boy, weeping to himself, took his icy
+outstretched hand, and led him home.
+
+The palace door was thrown open. The little boy rushed in with a cry,
+and turned around to his companion. The white-faced rigid creature which
+was Freddie stood in the doorway, staring vacantly, and fell slowly
+forward on its face upon the floor.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI
+
+THE KING'S TOWER
+
+
+Freddie was very ill. He was so ill that after a week the King gave up
+all hope, and believed he would die. The Queen wept bitterly; she
+scarcely left his side; at night she did not sleep for weeping, and by
+day she sat by his bed and watched his cold white face. His friends were
+not allowed to see him, and of these it appeared that Mr. Hanlon had
+been gone for some days up the Tower.
+
+All that the best doctors in the city could do had been done, but the
+Chevalier was no better. He lay under the blankets, cold as ice and
+motionless as stone; and his eyes, big round eyes like the eyes of a
+child, stared up strangely out of deep sockets. They looked up at the
+King, who was bending down over the bed and smiling encouragingly. The
+Queen and her three children, Robert, Genevieve, and James, were
+standing close by, but they could not smile.
+
+"Come, Chevalier," said the King, "you will be well soon, I am sure."
+
+A faint voice came from the pale lips; not the voice of a grown man, but
+the voice of a child.
+
+"That isn't my name," it said, "my name is--Fweddie."
+
+The King went away, and took his children with him; and after they had
+gone the Queen heard the childish voice again from the bed.
+
+"I want to see Aunt Amanda."
+
+The Queen went to him, and stood beside the bed. He looked up at her.
+
+"You aren't Aunt Amanda," he said. "I want to see Aunt Amanda."
+
+"I think that was my name once," said the Queen. "Will you talk to me?"
+
+He looked at her again, and she saw that he did not know her.
+
+"My farver sent me," he said. "Mr. Toby has gone to the barber-shop, and
+my farver he wants a pound of Cage-Roach Mitchner."
+
+"Mr. Toby is here in the palace now, and I'm sure he--"
+
+"I don't know about any palace. I can't wait long. My farver told me to
+hurry."
+
+The Queen said no more, and Freddie appeared to go to sleep. The night
+came on, and the Queen still sat by his side. It grew very late; her
+children had long since gone to bed, and even the King was asleep in his
+own apartments. The palace was silent, and there was scarcely a light
+anywhere in the great place except the light of a taper on a table in
+Freddie's room. The Queen was bending forward, watching the face on the
+pillow. The eyes were closed, the lips were together, and there was no
+sign of breathing. She knew that it could not be much longer; she buried
+her face in her hands and wept bitterly.
+
+A gentle tap upon the door aroused her. She rose and admitted Mr. Toby
+and Mr. Punch, Thomas the Inferior, and Mr. Hanlon.
+
+"Quick, ma'am," said Mr. Hanlon. "There's not a minute to be lost. If
+you plase, I'll ask ye to put on yer bonnet in a hurry, ma'am. We're off
+on a journey, and the poor sick young lad's coming along with us. If
+you'll just be in a hurry with the bonnet, ma'am!"
+
+The Queen, scarcely realizing what she was doing, left the room, and
+went first to the nursery, where she bent over her three sleeping
+children and kissed them each, and murmured a loving good-bye above
+them, as if she were going to leave them; and for a long, long time she
+gazed at each rosy face, as if to fix it in her memory forever.
+
+When she returned to the room, wearing a shawl over her head and
+shoulders, she was startled to see that the sick youth was sitting
+upright in a chair, thickly wrapped in blankets. His round childlike
+eyes were wide open, and to her surprise a faint smile seemed to hover
+about his lips.
+
+She looked at the others. Each held, in his hand an empty hour-glass.
+
+"Plase to get your hour-glass, ma'am," said Mr. Hanlon, "and Freddie's
+too."
+
+Freddie's hour-glass was soon found in a drawer in the same room; the
+Queen's she brought in a moment from another room.
+
+Mr. Hanlon picked up from the floor, where he had previously laid it, a
+small canvas bag, and placed it on the table under the candle. All of
+the empty hour-glasses he placed upon the table, and unscrewed the part
+of each by which it was designed to receive its load of sand. He lifted
+his bag, and out of it poured into each glass a quantity of fine white
+sand. "A little more or less won't matter a mite," said he, when he had
+filled them all. "A foine time I've had getting the sand, 'tis sure, but
+it's the true article, straight from the hand of the old crayture
+himself, and 'tis him we're going to this very minute, and the young lad
+with us. By the sand in the hour-glasses we'll get back to the old
+crayture in one-tinth the time it took me to find him without it, and by
+the same we'll get him to save for us the poor lad's life, or me name's
+not Michael."
+
+Each now took his hour-glass in his hand. They were the same
+hour-glasses they had bought of Shiraz the Persian, and the sand which
+was now in them was the same sort of fine white sand which had been in
+them before their ordeal in the fire.
+
+Mr. Punch and Mr. Toby lifted the sick youth from his chair, and carried
+him between them, in a sitting position, towards the door. Mr. Hanlon
+looked at him anxiously, and commanded haste.
+
+In a moment the whole party were in the hall, and in a few moments more
+they were crossing the lawn towards King's Tower. It was a clear night,
+and the sky was spangled with stars.
+
+Mr. Hanlon opened the door of the Tower, and when they were all within
+closed it again.
+
+"Madam and gintlemen," said he, "we are going to the top of the Tower. I
+have been there meself; and there's wan at the top who can bring back
+our young frind to life, if he's a mind to do it."
+
+"Oh!" gasped the Queen in terror. "I must not go to the top of this
+tower. Ah!" she stopped suddenly and went on in a determined voice. "I
+will, though. If it is to be, then it must be. Our young Chevalier came
+here for me, and I will go with him! If my strength holds out, I will go
+even to the top of the Tower, whatever evil may befall me there!"
+
+"'Tis not strength that's needed, madam," said Mr. Hanlon, "for the old
+crayture that give me the sand was willing to help us up to him, and the
+sand will make the travellin' easy, or else the old haythen has much
+desayved me. 'Twas all I could do to get to the top, belave me, and ye'd
+niver do it without the sand in the glasses, let alone carry up the
+young lad in your arms besides. Now we'll be going up the stairs, and if
+the old crayture didn't desayve me, you're to hold your hour-glasses in
+your hands, and see what happens."
+
+Mr. Hanlon went up first; then came the Queen, and after her Mr. Punch
+and Mr. Toby, bearing between them in an upright position the stiff cold
+form of the young Chevalier; and last of all came Thomas the Inferior,
+in his long brown gown and sandals.
+
+Each climbed slowly, but the steps appeared to flow downward under their
+feet with great rapidity. They were not conscious of selecting any
+particular tread to step on; but while a foot was rising from one step
+to the next, it seemed as if a thousand steps were passing downward,
+until the foot came down and found itself on a perfectly motionless
+tread. Undoubtedly they were mounting, without unusual exertion, a
+thousand steps at a time.
+
+Even at that rate of progress, the journey upward seemed an endless one.
+They paused sometimes to go into one of the rooms on a landing for a
+moment's rest, and at those times they looked out of a window. It was
+not long before they were so high that on looking out, the City's lights
+were no more than a glowing blur. At the last window on their upward
+progress they looked up at the cloud; it was immediately above their
+heads. After that there were no more windows. They went on upward in
+silence, aware in the darkness of the swift flow of steps downward under
+them as they raised their feet. Each observed that as he raised his foot
+the sand in his hour-glass flowed downward a thousand times more
+rapidly, as if time were suddenly running faster than it was used to
+running.
+
+The walls of the tower were by this time coming closer together, and the
+stair was even steeper than before. They were panting for breath, and
+Mr. Punch and Mr. Toby seemed to be all but exhausted. "We are almost at
+the top," said Mr. Hanlon. "Keep on. Don't give up."
+
+It was now, because there were no more rooms nor windows, completely
+dark. The face of the sick youth could not be seen, and no one knew
+whether he was still living. Even the sand in their hour-glasses they
+were now unable to see.
+
+"We are almost there," said Mr. Hanlon. "Only another minute or two.
+'Tis easy work to what I had in coming up alone."
+
+Mr. Punch gave a groan. "Hi carn't go another step," said he. "Hi'm
+completely--"
+
+At this moment Mr. Hanlon stopped upon a landing. It had been a long
+while since there had been a landing, and they were all glad to rest
+upon it. They crowded about Mr. Hanlon in the dark.
+
+"The door is over there," said he. "Keep close to me."
+
+He walked a few feet forward across the level floor, and came to a stop
+again.
+
+"'Tis the top of the tower," said he. "I hope we're not too late to save
+the young lad's life. Stand close behind me."
+
+He moved forward again, and stopped; he was evidently feeling a wall
+with his hands.
+
+"Ah!" said he. "'Tis the door itself. Now, thin, we'll see!"
+
+He knocked upon the door with his knuckles.
+
+There was no response.
+
+He knocked again.
+
+There was a sound upon the other side of the door, as of the rattling of
+a chain and the sliding of a bolt.
+
+A slit of light appeared up and down in the dark wall; it became wider;
+it was apparent that the door was opening; and in another moment the
+door was flung wide, and in the doorway stood an Old Man, holding up in
+his right hand a lantern in which glimmered a candle.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII
+
+THE SORCERER'S DEN
+
+
+He was an old man, rather stout, dressed in a short gown tied in with a
+cord about the middle, and wearing sandals on his feet. He stooped
+somewhat; a white beard hung to his waist; his head was bald, except for
+a forelock of white hair which drooped over his forehead towards his
+eyes. There was a humorous twinkle in his eye, and a smile overspread
+his broad round face.
+
+"'Tis the old parrty who will cure the Chivalier," said Mr. Hanlon,
+behind his hand.
+
+"It's the Old Man of the Mountain," whispered Toby.
+
+"It's the Magician who built the Tower," whispered Queen Miranda, in
+alarm.
+
+"Hit's me own father, as ever was!" cried Mr. Punch, aloud. "Greetings,
+old dear! 'Ere's a surprise, what? 'Owever did you come 'ere? Hi'm no
+end glad to see you, and the larst person Hi should 'ave thought to see
+in this--My word, what a lark!"
+
+"Come in, Punch," said the old gentleman, affably, "and your friends
+too. I'm very glad to see you, my boy. I've had some trouble in getting
+you here, but here you are at last, thanks to my good friend Hanlon, and
+you are now well out of the hands of Shiraz. Put the Little Boy down in
+that chair, and we'll see what we can do for him!"
+
+To speak of a grown-up youth with a mustache as a Little Boy seemed
+hardly respectful, but Freddie did not seem to mind it; indeed, his big
+round childlike eyes dwelt fondly on the old man, and there was
+something like a smile about his lips. He was seated gently in a chair
+within the room, and while Mr. Punch's father set down his lantern on a
+table, the others looked about them.
+
+They were in a small square room with a low ceiling. By the dim light of
+the candle they could see that it was bare and dusty; cobwebs hung in
+all the corners; there seemed to be no windows, but set upright in one
+wall was what looked like the back of a clock, as tall as a man.
+Opposite the door by which they had entered was another door. Around the
+walls were shelves, from floor to ceiling, crowded with hour-glasses of
+all sizes.
+
+The old gentleman observed the look which Toby cast at the shelves.
+
+"One of my store-rooms," said he. "I've got a good many of 'em, all
+told, and in fact you'll find a store-room of mine in the top of nearly
+every clock-tower in the world. It takes a deal of space to keep all the
+hour-glasses in, I can tell you. If you'll give me yours, I'll put 'em
+away for you. Shiraz got 'em away from me once, but he won't do it
+again. He manages to steal one now and then, when I'm away, but I
+usually get 'em back, sooner or later."
+
+He collected the hour-glasses from his visitors, and put them away on a
+shelf.
+
+"Look 'ere, parent," said Mr. Punch, "hif I didn't know better, I'd s'y
+as I'd seen this room before. There's the back of the clock, and the
+door over there looks like--"
+
+"You've a sharp eye, Punch, my boy," said the old gentleman. "Quite a
+detective you are, my son. Now, then, we'd better get busy. Aunt Amanda,
+do you want me to cast off your enchantment?"
+
+"Why do you call me that?" asked Queen Miranda.
+
+"Because that's your name. Don't you know who you are?"
+
+"I know I was enchanted once, under the name of Aunt Amanda."
+
+"No, no. You're enchanted _now_, under the name of Queen Miranda."
+
+"But Shiraz the Persian told us he would disenchant us, and he did."
+
+"No, no. You were yourselves before, and _now_ you are enchanted."
+
+"My brain is in a whirl," said Queen Miranda. "Are we ourselves now, or
+were we ourselves before?"
+
+"By crackey," said Toby, "it's too much for me, and I give it up.
+Anyway, what we want to know is, can you cure the Chevalier?"
+
+"I can, and I will," said the old man. "There's nothing the matter with
+him, except that he isn't himself. As soon as he's himself again, he'll
+be well. He was given the chance once before, but he didn't know how to
+use it; he made a great mistake."
+
+"What mistake?" said Toby.
+
+"He made the mistake of carrying the Old Man of the Mountain on his
+back. If he had only lifted him up in his arms before him, the Old Man
+would have been as light as a feather, and Freddie would have been
+himself again in a flash. But of course he didn't know. We've got to
+correct his mistake."
+
+"Well, by crickets," said Toby, "this is Correction Island, right
+enough. Blamed if I know which is the mistake and which is the
+correction. It looks to me as if it was a mistake to be corrected, and
+we've got to correct the correction back again."
+
+"Something like that," said the old man, smiling. "I'm going to undo the
+correction of each one of you, and then you'll all be yourselves once
+more, instead of these false things you now are."
+
+Queen Miranda looked at the ruby ring on her finger, and wept quietly to
+herself. As for Freddie, his eyes never left the face of the old man.
+
+The old man stooped over Freddie, and laid his cheek against the young
+Chevalier's pale forehead, and then against the young man's cheeks; he
+then threw aside the blankets and sat himself down on Freddie's knees.
+His body pressed the young man's breast, and his cheek touched the young
+man's cheeks one after the other. It was some moments before there was
+any change. The others watched anxiously. A red glow began to appear in
+Freddie's cheeks, and his eyes became brighter. He raised his hands; he
+moved his head; he looked about him; he smiled into the face of the old
+man.
+
+"You are better?" said the old man.
+
+"I'm very well," said Freddie, in a clear voice. "But I think I must
+have been sick. Have I been sick?"
+
+"Rather," said the old man. "But you are going to be yourself again in
+another minute. Now, then; put your arms around me and lift me off. Can
+you do that?"
+
+"Easily," said Freddie, and he lifted the old man in his arms, and
+rising to his feet at the same time, tossed the old man off with an easy
+gesture.
+
+As the old man touched the floor, there was no longer any Chevalier.
+Freddie was standing before the chair in his own person; the Little Boy
+once more, with sparkling eyes and rosy cheeks. He looked around in
+surprise.
+
+"Where are Aunt Amanda and the others?" said the Little Boy.
+
+"Wait just a minute, Freddie," said the old man. "Now, madam," he said
+to Queen Miranda, "if you will be kind enough to lift me up and toss me
+away--"
+
+Queen Miranda looked at him doubtfully. He was a solid-looking person,
+and it seemed absurd to think of lifting him. But she did as he
+directed, and placing her hands under his arms she found that he weighed
+no more than a baby. She held him up off the floor.
+
+"Now cast me off," said he.
+
+She tossed him away with an easy gesture, and he alighted on his feet
+with a bound.
+
+"Aunt Amanda!" cried Freddie, and rushed into her arms.
+
+"Land sakes!" said she. "I thought you were never coming. Where are all
+the others? I'm glad there's nobody but this old man to see me in this
+bedraggled bonnet. Why don't that Toby Littleback come? Now ain't it
+like him to keep me waiting here all night? I never see such an
+exasperatin'--"
+
+"Wait just one moment, Aunt Amanda," said the old man. "I'll have him
+here immediately."
+
+He stood before Toby, and directed him what to do. Toby seized him in
+his strong hands and lifted him up over his head like a feather pillow;
+and such a toss did Toby give him as sent him flying across the room
+almost to the wall. The old man came down on his feet with a bound.
+
+"You Toby Littleback!" said Aunt Amanda. "Ain't it just like you to keep
+me and Freddie waiting here all night, while--And where's Mr. Punch and
+all the rest of 'em?"
+
+Toby stood before her, with his hands in his pockets. His hump was on
+his back in its rightful place, and he looked exactly as he had looked
+the first time Freddie had seen him, standing in the doorway of the Old
+Tobacco Shop.
+
+"I ain't been nowhere, Aunt Amanda," said Toby. "And I don't know where
+Mr. Punch is, neither. I ain't his guardian, anyway. The last I seen of
+him, as far as I remember, was in Shiraz's garden, lookin' round at the
+flowers. By crackey, if he can't take care of himself, I ain't a-going
+to do it for him. Maybe the old gentleman here can tell you, if you want
+to know."
+
+"Wait just a moment," said the old man. "I'll have him here
+immediately."
+
+Mr. Punch laughed immoderately as he picked up his own father and tossed
+him in the air and hurled him across the room. The old man did not seem
+to mind it a bit, but joined in the laugh as he came down on his feet
+with a bounce. Mr. Punch was immediately himself again; his hump was on
+his back, his breast stuck out, his long-tailed coat and knee breeches
+were as before, and he looked as if he might just have stepped down from
+his wooden box beside the Tobacco Shop's door.
+
+"Wery glad," said he, "to myke you acquainted with me old parent; and a
+wery good parent too, hif----"
+
+"That's enough, Punch," said his father. "Now we'll bring on the
+Churchwarden."
+
+In another moment the thin and saintly-looking Thomas the Inferior was
+gone, and in his place was the fat and comfortable Churchwarden,
+blinking at his friends through his round spectacles.
+
+"I have been considering," said he, "that it would be highly desirable,
+after all I have passed through lately, to sit in my chair on the
+pavement against the wall of my church with a pipe and a newspaper; and
+I have concluded that----"
+
+"We will now call Mr. Hanlon," said the old man.
+
+From the time Mr. Hanlon placed his hands under the old man's arms his
+tongue was rattling on at a prodigious speed; and as he tossed the old
+man lightly away like a doll he was saying, "And niver once did the
+spacheless man and the deaf wife have anny worrds except once; and 'twas
+then that----." But he spoke no more. He was himself again. He was
+dumb. Toby greeted him warmly, but he only nodded his head vigorously,
+and smiled his old-time cheerful smile.
+
+"That's all," said the old man.
+
+"But the two Old Codgers----" began Toby.
+
+"They will not be here," said the old man. "No use waiting. They made
+their choice some time ago. They are as much themselves now as they ever
+were, and they will remain where they are in perfect contentment. No
+need to bother about them. All that remains now is to bid you farewell,
+and wish you a pleasant journey."
+
+"Have we far to go?" said Toby.
+
+"You'll see," said the old gentleman, going to the door, that was
+opposite the one by which they had entered, and throwing it open.
+
+He stood aside as they passed, and smiled upon each with a kind and
+fatherly smile. He placed his hand on Freddie's head, and turned the
+Little Boy's face up so that he could look down into his eyes.
+
+"Remember!" he said. "Never carry the Old Man of the Mountain on your
+back. Carry him before you in your hands, and he will be as light as a
+feather. Now farewell."
+
+He gently pushed them out and closed the door behind them, and they went
+slowly down a dark stair. Toby held Freddie's hand, and Mr. Punch helped
+Aunt Amanda. They could see very little, and they knew very little where
+they were, until they found themselves after a time on a level floor,
+and feeling the wall with their hands came to a pair of swinging doors.
+Through these doors they passed, and Toby knocked his knee against
+something in the dark.
+
+"It's a long bench!" said Toby. "And here's a sight of other long
+benches! Blamed if they don't seem like pews in a church!"
+
+A dim light as of tall windows was visible at some distance on their
+left.
+
+The Churchwarden pushed forward and walked swiftly here and there with
+the step of one who knows the way. In a moment he returned.
+
+"It's a church," he said, calmly. "It's _my_ church. This way, madam and
+gentlemen."
+
+He led the way to the left. Under a great round window which could be
+dimly seen in the wall was a wide door, before which they all paused.
+
+"As captain of this party," said Aunt Amanda, "my orders is that we open
+the door and see what will happen next."
+
+"Ay, ay, ma'am," said the Churchwarden, and opened the door.
+
+In a moment they were standing under the stars on a brick pavement
+before a church, and on the pavement against the church wall was an
+empty chair.
+
+"Ah!" said the Churchwarden, and sat down in the chair.
+
+"Mercy on us!" cried Aunt Amanda. "We're _home_!"
+
+"Blamed if we ain't!" said Toby. "It's our own street, and I can almost
+see the Tobacco Shop from here!"
+
+"Harfter a life of adventure," said Mr. Punch, "one will find it wery
+pleasant to stand quietly on one's little perch and rest one's legs and
+see one's old friends go in and hout at the Old Tobacco Shop once more,
+watching for the 'ands of the clock to come together for a bit of
+relaxation with one's----"
+
+"All right, young feller!" cried Toby to Freddie. "Come with me. Mr.
+Punch, take Aunt Amanda home. I'll be with you as soon as I've got
+Freddie safe."
+
+Aunt Amanda and Mr. Punch went off together towards the Old Tobacco
+Shop. Mr. Hanlon, after shaking hands all round, departed for the Gaunt
+Street Theatre, where he would be no longer troubled by the imps, who
+had long since been destroyed by the Odour of Sanctity. The
+Churchwarden preferred to enjoy for awhile the comfort of his old chair
+by the Church wall, and Toby and Freddie left him there, his hands
+folded placidly across his stomach.
+
+Freddie and Toby crossed the street-car track, hand in hand together.
+The horse had gone to bed for the night, and there was no danger. All
+the houses were dark. It was very late. No light was to be seen
+anywhere, except a gas-lamp at the next corner. The streets were silent
+and deserted. Freddie yawned.
+
+Freddie's house was dark, like all the rest. A narrow brick passage-way
+followed a fence to the rear, between this house and the next, and a
+gate opened from the sidewalk into this passage. Freddie and Toby went
+through this gate and crept quietly to the backyard of Freddie's house.
+The kitchen-door was locked, but Toby found a window which was
+unfastened. He raised it noiselessly, and helped Freddie to climb in.
+With a whispered good-night the Little Boy left his friend and tiptoed
+into the house and up the back stairs in the dark to his own room.
+
+His bed was there in its old place, and the covers were turned down. He
+did not stop to say his prayers. He yawned and stretched his arms. He
+wanted nothing now but to lie snug and safe under the cool sheets. He
+threw off his clothes and left them on the floor. He knew where his
+night-gown was. He crept into bed; he pulled the covers up to his ears;
+he nestled his head into the pillow, and breathed a deep sigh.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII
+
+THE OLD TOBACCO SHOP
+
+
+The next morning, when Freddie awoke, his mother and father were
+standing over his bed.
+
+"I think he had better not go there anymore," his father was saying.
+
+"Oh, I don't think it will do him any harm now," said his mother.
+
+"It all comes of his staying away so long," said his father. "I always
+told him to hurry back, and just see how long he stayed this time. If he
+can't come back in less than six months or six years or heaven knows how
+long, he'd better not go at all."
+
+"Oh," said his mother, "I'm sure he'll come back promptly after this."
+
+"I couldn't," said Freddie. "It took such a long time to get to the
+Island, and there was all the trouble with the pirates, and it was a
+terrible long journey before we got to the palace, and of course we
+couldn't run away from the queen after we'd gone all that long way with
+her, and the queen's children didn't want me to go anyway, and there
+wasn't any way to get back, except for finding out how to get to the top
+of the tower, and maybe I wouldn't have got back at all if I hadn't met
+the Old Man of the Mountain, and got sick and cured again by Mr. Punch's
+father, and I might have got drowned when the ship disappeared, or I
+might have had my head cut off by the pirates, and then you wouldn't
+have seen me any more, and you'd have been sorry."
+
+His father looked at his mother, and nodded his head.
+
+"He'd better stay in bed today," said he. "We won't talk to him about it
+until tomorrow."
+
+"Yes," said his mother, "that will be much better. Poor little Freddie!"
+
+Freddie did not know why he should be called poor, but he was still
+tired from the adventurous life he had recently lived, and he was very
+glad to remain in bed all day.
+
+The next morning, after his father had said good-bye for the day, his
+mother allowed him to get up, and a little later to go out into the
+sunshine. He strolled down the street, enjoying the familiar sights
+after his long absence. He found his legs a little weak; he must have
+been very ill indeed at the King's palace, and he could not expect to
+get over it in one day. He crossed the street-car track, and on the
+pavement before the church he saw a well-known figure.
+
+The Churchwarden was sitting in his chair tilted back against the wall,
+smoking a long pipe and reading a newspaper. As Freddie approached he
+put down his paper and looked at him over his spectacles.
+
+"Good morning," said he. "I'm glad to see you back again. I hear you've
+been away." And he winked his eye at Freddie in a very knowing manner.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie. "I guess I must have been pretty sick."
+
+"No doubt about it, my son. But of course I knew all the time you'd pull
+through."
+
+Freddie did not believe it for a moment; obviously the Churchwarden was
+bragging.
+
+"The street looks pretty good," said Freddie, "after being away so long.
+Would you rather sit here on the pavement than do anything else?"
+
+"I believe you, son. I'd rather sit here on a sunny day with a pipe and
+a newspaper than have all the treasure of the Incas."
+
+Freddie was glad to hear that the Churchwarden did not regret the loss
+of his share of the treasure, though whether Captain Lingo belonged to
+the Incas he did not know.
+
+"I don't care anything about the treasure myself," said he. "I'm too
+glad to be well again and back in our own street."
+
+"I'm glad I'm here myself, son. And if you happen to see Toby Littleback
+this morning, tell him I'm alive and resting well, considering."
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, and continued his stroll.
+
+The Old Tobacco Shop, when he arrived, looked as it had looked on the
+fateful day when he had last seen it. He paused before the door, and
+gazed at Mr. Punch. He half expected the little man to step down and
+shake hands with him; but Mr. Punch did not move a muscle; he did not
+even look at Freddie; he held out in one hand a packet of black cigars,
+and his wooden face, if it expressed anything at all, showed the great
+calm which he must have felt when he got back to his little perch.
+Freddie looked up at the clock in the tower, with some thought that the
+hands might be together; but it was a quarter past ten, and anyway Mr.
+Punch's father was probably by this time far away in some other of his
+store-rooms about the world.
+
+Freddie entered the shop. Mr. Toby was behind the counter, opening a
+package of tobacco.
+
+"Aha! young feller!" he cried. "Back again, sure enough! Blamed if it
+don't seem as if you'd been away from here for a year. And a mighty sick
+chap you were, that's a fact. I reckon we all thought you were going to
+die, maybe; by crackey, I never seen anyone so pale in my life. Are you
+all right now?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie. "And I'm glad to be back. Are you glad to be
+here in the shop, the same as ever?"
+
+"Me? You bet I am. You couldn't buy me to leave this shop, not if you
+offered me all the money that Captain Kidd ever buried. No, sir. And
+look here, young man; I reckon you ain't surprised to see that the
+Chinaman's head is gone; eh?"
+
+Freddie looked at the shelf behind Toby, and sure enough, the Chinaman's
+head was gone. He knew, of course, that it was lying at the bottom of
+the ocean.
+
+"I kind of lost it one day," said Toby, winking his eye. "Mislaid it,
+you know, or lost it, one or the other, I don't know which,--but,
+anyway, I reckon it won't never be found. It's gone. I hope you don't
+mind it now, do you?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie. He was glad to know that Mr. Toby was not still
+feeling disturbed because he had left it on board The Sieve.
+
+"All right, then," said Toby. "You'd better go in and see Aunt Amanda."
+
+Freddie opened the door at the rear of the shop and went into the back
+room. Aunt Amanda was sitting by the table, sewing.
+
+On the table were the wax flowers and the album and the double glasses
+through which you looked at the twin pictures. The room was just as if
+they had never left it.
+
+"Eshyereerilart," said Aunt Amanda, taking a handful of pins from her
+mouth. "Bless your dear little heart, I'm glad you're back again. Are
+you well? Sit down on the hassock."
+
+Freddie took his customary place on the hassock at her feet. He looked
+up at her and wondered if she were sorry she had been a queen once and
+was a queen no more.
+
+"Yes'm," said he. "I'm all well now."
+
+"And glad to be back here in the shop again?"
+
+"Yes'm; I cert'n'y am."
+
+[Illustration: "Ah, yes," said Aunt Amanda, "there's no place like the
+Old Tobacco Shop, after all."]
+
+"Ah, yes," said Aunt Amanda, "there's no place like the Old Tobacco
+Shop, after all. I wouldn't exchange it for a palace if you'd give it to
+me."
+
+"Wouldn't you?" said Freddie, a little surprised at this.
+
+"I should say not. I wouldn't be myself in a palace. I'm pretty well
+satisfied here."
+
+"But what about the children?" said Freddie.
+
+"The children?" asked Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Yes. Robert and Jenny and James. _You_ know."
+
+Aunt Amanda looked at him for a moment, and then nodded her head and
+sighed.
+
+"Yes," she said. "You know about them, don't you? I forgot that you
+knew. Yes, I miss them a good deal, and I suppose I even cry sometimes
+because I haven't got them. But I love to think about them. I'm happy
+thinking about them, even if I can't have them."
+
+"James was the littlest," said Freddie.
+
+"Yes," said Aunt Amanda, nodding her head to herself as if at a gentle
+memory.
+
+"He was too little to go out much with the others," said Freddie.
+
+"Yes," said Aunt Amanda, "he was too little."
+
+"And Jenny," said Freddie, "she wouldn't go with Robert the day he ran
+away. He wanted her to, but she wouldn't."
+
+"No," said Aunt Amanda, "she wouldn't."
+
+"He was gone all day," said Freddie.
+
+"Yes," said Aunt Amanda, "he was gone all day, and he didn't get back
+until after dark. I didn't know where he was. When he got back it was
+dark, and he was muddy all over. I was terribly worried."
+
+THE END.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Tobacco Shop, by William Bowen
+
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+<pre>
+
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Tobacco Shop, by William Bowen
+
+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 Old Tobacco Shop
+       A True Account of What Befell a Little Boy in Search of Adventure
+
+Author: William Bowen
+
+Release Date: October 20, 2008 [EBook #26977]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OLD TOBACCO SHOP ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by David Edwards, Katie Ward and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
+file was produced from images generously made available
+by The Internet Archive)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+<div style="text-align: center; margin-bottom: 4.00em; margin-top: 4.00em;">
+<div style="height: 0">
+  <a id="fcover"></a>
+</div>
+<div class="figcenter">
+    <img class="plain" src="images/fcover.jpg" alt="Front Cover" title="The Old Tobacco Shop By William Bowen" />
+</div>
+
+<hr class="minor" />
+
+<p class="center" style="font-size: smaller">
+By<br />
+WILLIAM BOWEN<br />
+The Enchanted Forest<br />
+The Old Tobacco Shop<br />
+</p>
+
+<hr class="minor" />
+
+<div style="height: 0">
+  <a id="Frontispiece"></a>
+</div>
+<div class="figcenter">
+    <img src="images/frontis.png" alt="&quot;Lord bless us!&quot; cried the hunch back. &quot;Look at that!&quot;" />
+    <p class="caption">&quot;Lord bless us!&quot; cried the hunch back. &quot;Look at that!&quot;</p>
+</div>
+
+<h1><i>The Old Tobacco Shop</i></h1>
+<br />
+
+  <span style="font-size: smaller">
+<i>A True Account of What Befell<br />
+a Little Boy in Search<br />
+of Adventure</i>
+  </span>
+
+<br /><br />
+
+<h3>By</h3>
+
+<h2>WILLIAM BOWEN</h2>
+
+<br />
+
+<div class="initquot">
+<p><i>Though you believe it not, I care not much: but an honest man,
+and of good judgment, believeth still what is told him, and that
+which he finds written.</i>&mdash;<span class="smcap">Rabelais</span>.</p></div>
+
+<p class="center">
+  <br /><br />
+New York<br />
+THE MACMILLAN COMPANY<br />
+1921<br />
+<span style="font-size: smaller"><i>All rights reserved</i></span>
+  <br /><br />
+
+  PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA</p>
+
+<p class="center"><span class="smcap">Copyright</span>, 1921<br />
+BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY</p>
+
+<p class="center">Set up and Electrotyped. Published October, 1921</p>
+
+<p class="center">FERRIS PRINTING COMPANY<br />
+NEW YORK</p>
+
+<hr class="minor" />
+
+<p class="center">To<br />
+<span style="font-size: larger">BILLY AND JOHN</span><br />
+TWO LITTLE BOYS<br />
+</p>
+
+<hr class="minor" />
+</div>
+
+<h3><a name="PRINCIPAL_PERSONS" id="PRINCIPAL_PERSONS"></a>PRINCIPAL PERSONS</h3>
+
+<div style="margin-left: 30%;">
+<p>
+Freddie<br />
+Mr. Toby<br />
+Aunt Amanda<br />
+Mr. Punch<br />
+The Churchwarden<br />
+Mr. Hanlon<br />
+The Sly Old Fox<br />
+The Old Codger with the Wooden Leg<br />
+Mr. Lemuel Mizzen<br />
+The Cabin-Boy<br />
+Marmaduke<br />
+Captain Lingo<br />
+Ketch the Practitioner<br />
+The Third Vice-President<br />
+Mr. Matthew Speak<br />
+Shiraz the Rug-Merchant<br />
+The King and Queen<br />
+Robert, Jenny, and James<br />
+Mr. Punch's Father<br />
+</p>
+</div>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+
+<h3><a name="LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS" id="LIST_OF_ILLUSTRATIONS"></a>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h3>
+<ol class="TOC">
+    <li><span>"Lord bless us!" cried the hunch back. "Look at that!"</span>
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Frontispiece">Frontispiece</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>"I'm Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., that's me!"
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#image01">50</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>"L-l-Lem!" shrieked the parrot. "Who's your f-f-f-friends?"
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#image02">86</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>Mr. Hanlon was standing on his feet by the log on which his head had been cut off
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#image03">134</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>Shiraz the Rug-Merchant looked at his visitor with little beady black eyes
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#image04">188</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>"Ah, yes," said Aunt Amanda, "there's no place like the Old Tobacco Shop after all"
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#image05">235</a></span>
+    </li>
+</ol>
+<div style="text-align: left; margin-bottom: 4.00em; margin-top: 4.00em;">
+
+<hr class="major" />
+
+<h3><a name="CONTENTS" id="CONTENTS"></a>CONTENTS</h3>
+<ol class="TOC" style="list-style-type: upper-roman;" >
+    <li>Mr. Punch and the Clock-Tower
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_1">1</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>Aunt Amanda and the Two Old Codgers
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_9">9</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>Introducing the Churchwarden
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_22">22</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li> In which Mr. Hanlon makes a Great Impression
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_31">31</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>The Chinaman's Head
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_39">39</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>Lemuel Mizzen, A.B.
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_48">48</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>The Hands of the Clock come Together
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_54">54</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>Celluloid Cuffs and a Silk Hat
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_60">60</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>The Odour of Sanctity
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_65">65</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>Captain Higginson and the Spanish Main
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_69">69</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>A Mixed Company in search of Adventure
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_74">74</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>The Voyage of the Sieve
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_81">81</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>The Cabin-Boy's Revenge
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_93">93</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>The Cruise of the Mattresses
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_107">107</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>A Fall in the Dark
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_111">111</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>Captain Lingo and a Fine Piece of Head-Work
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_122">122</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>High Dudgeon and Low Dudgeon
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_139">139</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>The Society for Piratical Research
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_146">146</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>A Knock at the Door
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_160">160</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>The City of Towers
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_171">171</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>Shiraz the Rug-Merchant
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_178">178</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>Six Enchanted Souls
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_187">187</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>From the Fire Back to the Frying-Pan
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_196">196</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>Disenchantment Complete
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_200">200</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>The Old Man of the Mountain
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_209">209</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>The King's Tower
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_216">216</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>The Sorcerer's Den
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_222">222</a></span>
+    </li>
+    <li>The Old Tobacco Shop
+        <span class="ralign"><a href="#Page_231">231</a></span>
+    </li>
+</ol>
+</div>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+
+<p><!-- Page 1 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[Pg 1]</a></span></p>
+
+<h2><a name="THE_OLD_TOBACCO_SHOP" id="THE_OLD_TOBACCO_SHOP"></a>THE OLD TOBACCO SHOP</h2>
+
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_I" id="CHAPTER_I"></a>CHAPTER I</h2>
+
+<h3>MR. PUNCH AND THE CLOCK-TOWER</h3>
+
+<p>When the Little Boy first went to the Old
+Tobacco Shop, he stood a long while before
+going in, to look at the wooden figure which
+stood beside the door.</p>
+
+<p>His father was sitting at home in his carpet-slippers,
+waiting for tobacco for his pipe, but when the
+Little Boy saw the wooden figure he forgot all about
+hurrying,&mdash;"Now don't be long," his mother had said,
+and his father had said "Hurry back,"&mdash;but he forgot
+all about hurrying, and stood and looked at the wooden
+figure a long time: a little hunchbacked man, not so
+very much taller than himself, on a low wooden box,
+holding out in one hand a packet of black wooden
+cigars. His back was terribly humped up between his
+shoulders, his face was square and bony, if wood can
+be said to be bony, he was bareheaded and bald-headed,
+he had a wide mouth, and his high nose curved down
+over it and his pointed chin curved up under it; and
+his breast stuck out in front almost as much as his
+shoulders stuck out behind.</p>
+
+<p>The Little Boy's name was Freddie; his mother
+called him that, and his father usually called him Fred;<!-- Page 2 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[Pg 2]</a></span>
+but sometimes his father called him Frederick, in fact
+whenever he didn't come back after he had been told
+to hurry, and then his father looked at him&mdash;you
+know that look&mdash;and said "Frederick!" just like that.
+But his mother never called him anything but Freddie,
+even when he was late.</p>
+
+<p>He grasped his money tight in his hand, as he had
+been told to do, and stood and looked at the little
+hunchbacked wooden man holding out his packet of
+black wooden cigars. "I wonder," thought Freddie,
+"what makes him so crooked?" He walked around
+him and looked at his back. He walked around in
+front of him again and wondered if the black cigars in
+his hand would smoke; he decided he would ask about
+it. The little man wore blue knee breeches and black
+stockings and buckled shoes, and his coat was cut away
+in front over his stomach and had two tails behind,
+down to his knees. It was easy to see that he wasn't
+a boy, though, even if he did wear knee breeches; you
+only had to look at his face, for he had the kind of
+hard boniness in his face that grown-ups have. Freddie
+made up his mind that he liked him, anyway; and it
+must have been hard to have to stand out there all day
+without moving, rain or shine, and offer that bunch of
+cigars to all the people who went by, and never get
+a single soul to take them. Freddie put out his other
+hand (not the one with the money in it) towards the
+cigars, but he quickly drew it back, for he looked at
+the little man's face at the same time, and there was
+something about his eyes&mdash;anyhow, he stood back a
+little.</p>
+
+<p>"Better be careful o' Mr. Punch, young feller," said
+a deep voice from the shop door.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie looked, and in the doorway, leaning against
+the doorpost, with his hands in his trousers' pockets,<!-- Page 3 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[Pg 3]</a></span>
+and one foot crossed over the other, stood a little man,
+not so very much taller than himself, and certainly no
+taller than the figure on the stand, who stared at Freddie
+as if he knew all about human boys and did not
+trust them out of his sight. Freddie looked at him
+and then at the wooden figure beside the door; they
+might have been brothers. The little man had a hump
+on his back, and his breast stuck out in front; his
+head was big and square, and he had high cheek-bones;
+his face was bony and his mouth wide, and his big
+nose curved down and his chin curved up; but he
+did not wear knee breeches; his trousers were the
+trousers of grown-ups, and his coat was a square coat,
+buttoned tight over his chest from top to bottom. He
+was bareheaded, and he had plenty of hair, brushed
+from the top of his head down towards his forehead.
+He looked as if he belonged to the tobacco shop; or
+perhaps the tobacco shop belonged to him.</p>
+
+<p>He stared at Freddie without blinking, and there was
+something in his eyes&mdash;anyway, Freddie stepped back,
+and held his money tighter in his hand behind him.</p>
+
+<p>"You'd <i>better</i> stand away from Mr. Punch," said the
+hunchbacked man, without moving.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Did you say 'why'? Because you know I'm terrible
+deef, and can't never hear boys when they talk
+down in their stomicks. I'll <i>tell</i> you why, as long as
+you ast me. Do you see that clock on the church-tower
+over there?" He nodded his big wooden head
+up the street, without taking his hands from his pockets.
+Freddie looked, and there the clock was, plain enough.
+"Well," said the hunchbacked man, "I'll tell you, seeing
+as you insist upon it, and won't take no for an answer:
+but you mustn't never tell it to no one. Do you
+promise me that? Cross your heart?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie.<!-- Page 4 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[Pg 4]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Done," said the hunchback. "Mr. Punch's father
+lives up there behind that clock. And sometimes, just
+exactly when the two hands of that clock come together,
+one on top of the other, mind you, like you lay one stick
+along another, Mr. Punch's father comes out and stands
+on that there sill under the clock; he's a little old man
+with a long white beard; and he stands there and puts
+his hand to his mouth and calls down here to Mr.
+Punch, and Mr. Punch climbs down off his little perch
+and goes over to that church, and climbs up the inside
+of that tower to the very top and meets his father!
+And I've heard tell that they have regular high jinks
+up there all by theirselves, and vittles! more vittles and
+drink than you ever seen at one time; yes, sir; a regular
+feast, as sure as you're born; and they don't only
+eat vittles; no, sir; if they can only get hold of a
+nice plump little boy or two, with plenty o' meat to
+him, that's what they like best; and if it happens to be
+night-time, there's a lot of queer ones with 'em up
+there, and all sorts of queer noises&mdash;you ask the sextant
+over there about it&mdash;<i>he's</i> heard 'em; and if you
+should just happen to be around when Mr. Punch
+climbs down off of this here perch, you'd better look
+out; for he's just as likely as not to snatch you up
+and carry you off with him up there into that church-tower
+to his father, and if he does <i>that</i>, that's the last
+of you; and your ma and your pa could cry their
+eyes out, and it wouldn't be no use; you'd be <i>gone</i>!
+And never come back no more. They say there's many
+a boy been took up into that tower by Mr. Punch here
+when his father comes out and calls him. But he
+don't <i>always</i> come out when the hands of the clock
+come together; nobody ever knows when he's going
+to do it, no sirree; Mr. Punch himself never knows
+when his father's going to call him. Lord bless us!"
+cried the little hunchback, looking up again in alarm at<!-- Page 5 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[Pg 5]</a></span>
+the clock in the church-tower. "Lord bless us, look
+at that!"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie stared at the clock. It was twenty-five minutes
+past five. He knew how to tell twelve o'clock
+and ten minutes to ten, but he had never got as far
+as twenty-five minutes past five; he could easily see,
+however, that the big hand was almost on top of the
+little hand. He edged away further from the wooden
+figure on the box; he was almost sure that the hand
+which held the cigars moved a little.</p>
+
+<p>The hunchbacked man in the doorway stood up
+straight on his two feet and took his hands out of
+his pockets.</p>
+
+<p>"Look alive, young feller!" he said. "It's pretty
+near time! In another minute! I can't help it if Mr.
+Punch's father comes out and&mdash;Quick, boy! Come
+here to me, before it's too late! I'll see if I can
+save you!"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie gave another look at the clock; the hands
+were surely almost together, and quick as a flash he
+darted to the hunchback and hid behind him and held
+on to his coat, peeping around him through the doorway.
+The little man put his arm about Freddie and
+held him close; it was a strong muscular arm, and
+Freddie felt quite safe. The little man could not have
+been laughing, for his face was as solemn and wooden-looking
+as ever; but Freddie could feel his body shaking
+all over, he couldn't tell why.</p>
+
+<p>"You'd better come in and see Aunt Amanda," he
+said, "before it's too late. You'll be safe in there."</p>
+
+<p>He took Freddie by the hand and drew him into the
+shop.</p>
+
+<p>The Old Tobacco Shop stands at the corner of two
+streets, as you surely must know if you have ever
+been in the city that lies on the river called Patapsco,
+which runs along ever so far out of a great bay where
+ships sail from all over the world, called Chesapeake<!-- Page 6 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[Pg 6]</a></span>
+Bay. It is an old brick house, and you go into the
+shop by the door that opens in the side just round the
+corner, not in the front, for there isn't any door at
+the front, but only a window with pipes and cigars
+and tobacco in it, and the stuffed head of a bull-dog
+with a pipe in his mouth. The house is only one story
+and a half high, and has a steep gabled roof, with
+two dormer windows in the slope of the roof above the
+side of the house, and one dormer window in the
+slope of the roof above the shop-window in front,
+where the bull-dog is. All the other houses fronting
+in the row are good high two-story houses; why this
+corner house never grew up like the others, no one
+knows.</p>
+
+<p>When Freddie was standing at the corner of the
+street, before he had seen the wooden figure offering
+his bundle of wooden cigars there beside the door, he
+looked down the street that runs along the side of the
+shop, across the street that crosses it, and saw the
+masts of tall ships in the harbor beside the wharves;
+some with their sails up, some with their sails hanging
+most untidily, and some with their sails neatly
+rolled up and tied; and he would certainly have gone
+down there, only his father had told him to hurry.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie lived in a fine two-story brick house in
+a row like this one, a long, long way off; three squares
+off (they say "squares" in that city when they mean
+a straight line between two streets and not a square at
+all) down the same street on which the Old Tobacco
+Shop fronts; and it really takes a good while to go all
+that way, for there is a boy half-way down, a big boy,
+who belongs to a Gang, and likes to bully little boys,
+and you have to watch your chance to get out of his
+way, and there is a place with a knot-hole in the fence
+where you can see all kinds of rusty springs and bed-rails
+and birdcages and barrel hoops piled up inside<!-- Page 7 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[Pg 7]</a></span>
+the yard, and a tin-can factory where you can pick up
+little round pieces of tin just as good as dollars, and
+a church (where the clock is) with a fat old man
+sitting on the pavement in a chair tilted back against
+the church wall smoking a long pipe, who doesn't
+mind being stared at from the curbstone, and a street-car
+track where you have to look out for the horse-car,
+which is very dangerous when the horse begins to trot,
+and&mdash;but Freddie hadn't lived long in his fine two-story
+house in that street, and these things were new
+to him and took time. But the newest and biggest
+thing he had yet found (not that it was really big, you
+know) was the wooden hunchback outside the door of
+the Old Tobacco Shop; and you have seen how much
+time <i>that</i> took.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie found himself inside the shop, and his hand
+grasped tight by the big strong hand of the hunchback,
+so tight that he wriggled a little to get loose;
+but the hunchback only held him tighter. "Come
+along," he said, "you'd better come in here and see
+my Aunt Amanda, or Mr. Punch may step out and
+get you; and <i>then</i> where would you be?"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie looked back out of doors over his shoulder,
+but it did not seem as if Mr. Punch meant to step
+out that time. He breathed easier. The shop was
+a very little shop, with shelves on the wall behind
+the counter, and a window in front where he saw the
+back of the bull-dog's head. The two show-cases on
+the counter were full of pipes of all kinds, and cigars
+and tobacco and cigarettes, and piled on the shelves
+were boxes of cigars and jars and tins of tobacco, and
+on the wooden top of the counter between the two show-cases
+stood a tobacco-cutter and a little pair of scales
+with a scoop lying beside it and little iron weights in
+a box. The counter ran from the front window
+lengthwise to the back of the shop, and at the back,<!-- Page 8 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[Pg 8]</a></span>
+on your left as you went in, was a closed door. A
+wooden chair with arms stood beside the front window.
+You could get behind the counter only by a swinging
+gate at the back end. There was a delightful warm
+odour about the place, very much the same odour
+Freddie liked to smell when his father opened his old
+tobacco-box on the mantel-piece in the sitting-room
+upstairs and filled his pipe, when he came home in the
+evening and put on his carpet-slippers and spread out
+that everlasting newspaper that had no pictures in it.
+He never could understand why his mother opened all
+the windows the next morning.</p>
+
+<p>"All right, young feller," said the hunchback, "we'll
+get on the other side of that door, and then we'll be
+safe. Here we are."</p>
+
+<p>They reached the door at the back of the shop, and
+the hunchback opened it and pulled Freddie into the
+back room and closed the door behind them. Freddie
+hung back a little, but his hand was gripped tight, and
+he couldn't have got away if he had tugged with all
+his might. He was not so much afraid now of Mr.
+Punch and his father, but he didn't know what this
+little man was going to do with him; and besides, his
+father had told him to hurry.</p>
+
+<p>In this back room, near a window which looked out
+on the street, sat a lady. The hunchback marched
+Freddie up to her and stopped there before her, and
+wagged his head sidewise towards the Little Boy. The
+hunchback and the Little Boy stood hand in hand, and
+the lady looked at them steadily.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 9 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9" />[Pg 9]</p>
+<h2><a name="CHAPTER_II" id="CHAPTER_II"></a>CHAPTER II</h2>
+
+<h3>AUNT AMANDA AND THE TWO OLD CODGERS</h3>
+
+<p>"Here's Aunt Amanda," said the hunchback,
+standing before the lady who was sitting near
+the window, and letting go of Freddie's hand,
+"and here's a boy that Mr. Punch pretty near got hold
+of, if I hadn't come along just in time and hustled him
+in here. Just look out of that window, Aunt Amanda,
+and see if Mr. Punch has moved yet."</p>
+
+<p>The lady did not look out of the window, but stared
+at Freddie with her mouth shut tight. She had very
+thin lips and she pressed them tight together; and without
+opening them more than a wee mite she said to
+the hunchback, sternly:</p>
+
+<p>"Obelilackyoomuptwonyerix."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie could not understand this at all. He looked
+at her closely. She was very thin, and had a high
+beaked nose and reddish hair and a reddish skin, and
+on the left side of her chin was a mole, with three little
+reddish hairs sticking out of it; she wore a rusty black
+dress, very tight above the waist and very wide below,
+and in the bosom of this dress were sticking dozens,
+maybe hundreds, for all Freddie could tell, of pins and
+needles. She must have been very tall when she stood
+up. A cane leaned against the back of her chair; she
+was a little lame; not very lame, but enough to make
+her limp when she walked, and to make her cane useful
+in getting about. If she had had a stiff starched ruff
+about her neck and a lace thing on her head pointed
+in front, she would have done very well for Queen<!-- Page 10 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[Pg 10]</a></span>
+Elizabeth, the one you see the picture of in that history-book.
+There was a thimble on the second finger of her
+right hand, and a pair of scissors hung by a tape at her
+waist; and around her neck she wore a measuring tape.
+On the floor at her feet lay a pile of goods, and some
+of it was in her lap; the kind of goods that Mother
+has around her when she is turning and making over
+that old blue serge, and gathers up out of Father's way
+when she hears him coming in towards the sitting-room.</p>
+
+<p>At Aunt Amanda's elbow stood an oval marble-topped
+table, and besides a work-basket there were several
+fascinating things on it. In the center was a
+glass dome, and under the glass dome was the most
+beautiful basket of wax flowers&mdash;calla lilies mostly,
+with a wonderful yellow spike like a finger sticking up
+out of each one. On one side of the wax flowers was
+a thick book with blue plush covers, and the word
+"Album" across it in slanting gold letters. On the
+other side was a kind of a&mdash;well, it had a handle under
+a piece of wood to hold it up by, and a frame at one
+end to stick up a picture in, and two pieces of thick
+glass in a frame at the other end to look through at
+the picture and make the picture look all&mdash;<i>you</i> know!&mdash;as
+if the people in the back of it were a long way
+behind, and the people in front right close up in front,
+and all that; Freddie's father had one.</p>
+
+<p>The chairs in the room had thin curved legs and those
+slippery horse-hair seats which Freddie hated to sit
+on. On the walls were portraits in oval frames of men
+with chin-whiskers and no mustaches, and ladies in
+shawls and bonnets; but there was one square frame,
+and it had no picture under its glass, but a sheaf of
+real wheat, standing up as natural as life, with some
+kind of curly writing over it; it was simply beautiful.
+There was a clock on the marble mantel-piece, tall and
+square-cornered, with a clear circle in the glass below
+where you could see the round weight of the pendulum<!-- Page 11 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[Pg 11]</a></span>
+go back and forth, and a picture of the sun on the
+face, very red, with a big nose and eyes, and stiff red
+hair floating off from it.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda stuck a pin in the goods in her lap and
+folded her hands. Freddie, after glancing around the
+room, looked at her again and wondered who she was;
+plain sewing she was, that was sure, also an aunt; and
+besides that, although Freddie did not know it, she was
+an old&mdash;I hate to say it, though it wasn't anything
+really against her, if you come to that,&mdash;an old&mdash;well,
+you know what you call them behind their backs, or
+shout after them as they go down the street and then
+whip around the corner when they turn, just simply
+because they haven't ever been married, like Mother,&mdash;well,
+then, an Old Maid.</p>
+
+<p>Being an Old Maid, she of course wore no wedding
+ring; but on her wedding-finger, the third finger of her
+left hand, there was a mark at the place where a wedding
+ring would have been; a kind of birth-mark, ruby
+red, in shape and size like the ruby stone of a ring.
+Freddie looked at it often afterwards.</p>
+
+<p>"Now you look here, Aunt Amanda," said her
+nephew, taking hold of Freddie's hand again, "you
+know well enough I can't understand you with all them
+pins&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda put a hand to her lips and drew out
+of her mouth a pin and stuck it in the bosom of her
+dress. She put her hand to her lips again and drew
+forth another pin and stuck it in the bosom of her
+dress. She drew forth another and another, and stuck
+each one in her dress. Freddie's eyes opened wide;
+did this lady eat pins? Her mouth seemed to be full
+of them; didn't they hurt? It didn't seem possible
+she could eat them, and yet there they were. No wonder
+she couldn't talk plainly. There seemed to be no<!-- Page 12 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[Pg 12]</a></span>
+end to the pins, but there was, and at last her mouth
+was clear of them so that she could talk.</p>
+
+<p>"Toby Littleback," said she, "you're up to one o'
+your tricks again. Ain't you ashamed of yourself?"
+That was what she had meant by saying, "Obelilackyoomuptwonyerix,"
+with her mouth full of pins.</p>
+
+<p>Toby was quite crestfallen. "Well," he said, "I
+guess it ain't no hangin' matter. All I done was to
+bring the boy in to see you. 'N' this is what I get
+fer it every time. I ain't a-going to bring 'em in any
+more, that's flat."</p>
+
+<p>"Let go o' the child," said Aunt Amanda, sharply.
+"Can't you see you're hurting his hand? Come here,
+boy."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Littleback dropped Freddie's hand and walked
+over to the table beside his aunt. Freddie came forward
+timidly and stood at Aunt Amanda's knee. She examined
+him carefully.</p>
+
+<p>"It's the best one yet," she said. "Boy, do you know
+you're as pretty as a&mdash;Well, anyway, what is your
+name?"</p>
+
+<p>If there was one thing Freddie loathed, it was to be
+called pretty; he had heard it before, in the parlor at
+home, when he had been trotted out to be inspected by
+female visitors, and he had tried many a time to scrub
+off the rosy redness from his cheeks, but he had found
+it only made it worse. He hung his head a little, and
+could not find his voice. Aunt Amanda took his chin
+in her hand and gently held up his head.</p>
+
+<p>"It's all right, my dear," said she. "What is your
+name, now?"</p>
+
+<p>"Fweddie," said the Little Boy.</p>
+
+<p>"It ain't neither!" cried Mr. Littleback. "There
+ain't no such name. It's Freddie! Come on, now,
+say Freddie!"</p>
+
+<p>"Fweddie," said the Little Boy.<!-- Page 13 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[Pg 13]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"No, no!" cried Toby. "Try it again, now. Say
+Freddie!"</p>
+
+<p>"Toby," said Aunt Amanda, "shut up. Freddie, I
+haven't any little boy, and I don't get out very much,
+and I'd like you to come and see me sometimes. Would
+you like to do that?"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie stared at her, and said, "Yes'm."</p>
+
+<p>"I hope you will, often. Be sure you do. I suppose
+you don't like gingerbread? Toby."</p>
+
+<p>The little hunchback went out briskly through a back
+door and returned with a slice of gingerbread. "Baked
+today," said his aunt. "But what time is it? Quarter
+to six. Too near suppertime. You mustn't eat it now,
+Freddie. Toby, wrap it up."</p>
+
+<p>Toby went into the shop and returned with a paper
+sack, and putting the gingerbread into it gave it to
+Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Now," said Aunt Amanda, "take it home with you
+and eat it after supper. Will you come to see me?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes'm," said Freddie as if he meant it. You couldn't
+get gingerbread at home between meals every day in
+the week.</p>
+
+<p>"That's a good boy. Now run away home."</p>
+
+<p>"Please, sir," said Freddie, holding out the money in
+his hand, "my farver wants half a pound of Cage-Roach
+Mitchner."</p>
+
+<p>"What? Oh!" said Toby. "I see. Half a pound
+of Stage-Coach Mixture. All right, young feller, come
+along into the shop."</p>
+
+<p>"Good-bye, Freddie, and don't break the gingerbread
+before you get home," said Aunt Amanda, taking
+into her mouth a palmful of pins with a back toss of
+her head. Had she swallowed them? Freddie stared
+at her in alarm.</p>
+
+<p>"Ain't you never comin' for the tobacco?" said<!-- Page 14 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[Pg 14]</a></span>
+Toby. "I can't keep all them customers in the shop
+waiting all day."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie followed him into the shop.</p>
+
+<p>"You'll have to wait your turn, young feller," said
+Toby. "I can't keep these customers waiting no longer.
+What'll you have, Mr. Applejohn?"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie looked around for Mr. Applejohn, but so
+far as he could see there was no one in the shop but
+himself and Mr. Littleback. The hunchback went
+through the swinging gate and stood behind the
+counter, and looked over it (his head and shoulders
+just came over the top) at Mr. Applejohn.</p>
+
+<p>"No," said Toby, "we're just out of it. Very sorry.
+But I have something just as good. No? Well, then,
+come around tomorrow; yes, sir; between ten and
+eleven. Now, then, Tom, it's your turn. You want
+what? No, sir, I won't sell no cigarettes to no boy, so
+you can clear out. You ought to be ashamed o' yourself,
+smoking cigarettes at your age. No use arguin',
+I won't do it. You can get right out o' here." The
+big wooden-looking head winked an eye at Freddie.
+"That's the way I treat 'em. Did you see how he
+skipped off in a hurry? You saw him go, didn't you?"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie looked at the door. He hadn't seen anybody,
+but after all that talk there must have been
+somebody there; he couldn't be sure; probably he had
+been mistaken about it; grown-up people ought to know
+what they were talking about; perhaps he <i>had</i> seen
+somebody. He hesitated.</p>
+
+<p>"I&mdash;I think so; I believe so; yes, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"Don't you fool yourself, young man. You can't
+smoke cigarettes if you ever want to grow up. Look at
+me. Do you see this?" He turned his back and
+reached over his shoulder to his hump. "Cigarettes.
+That's what done it. Cigarettes. I smoked 'em along
+with my bottle of milk, regular, when I was a kid, and
+look at me now, not much bigger than Mr. Punch out<!-- Page 15 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[Pg 15]</a></span>
+there. Cigarettes. Maybe you might think it was the
+bottle o' milk done it, instead of the cigarettes, being
+as they was at the same time; but don't you never
+believe it. Cigarettes! You keep off of 'em. Now
+pipe-tobacco! That's a different thing. If I'd only
+stuck to a pipe, along with that bottle o' milk, look
+how high I'd 'a' been now! What kind o' tobacco did
+you say your farver wanted? Housewife's Favorite?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," said Freddie. "My farver he wants half
+a pound of Cage-Roach Mitchner."</p>
+
+<p>"That's it," said Toby. "I don't see how I come to
+forget that name. Your father's a man o' good common
+sense. Nothing like Cage-Roach. Here it is."
+He turned to the shelf behind him and mounted a
+little ladder and took down a large tin. While he was
+scooping out the tobacco at the counter and weighing
+it on the scales and doing it up, he was singing to
+himself, and Freddie stared at him with rapt attention.</p>
+
+<p>"Some day," said Mr. Littleback, without pausing
+in his work or looking at Freddie, "them eyes of yourn
+will pop right out of your head, if you ain't careful.
+Did you ever hear that song?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Would you like to hear it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"It's about two old codgers&mdash;friends of mine; they
+come in here regular. One of 'em's a good customer
+and pays spot cash; the other one never buys nothing;
+and I can't say which one of 'em I like worse. Anyway,
+here's how it goes:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Oh-h-h! There was an old codger, and he had a wooden leg,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And he never bought tobacco when tobacco he could beg."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>"Don't you never let yourself get into that habit,
+young man. Always buy your tobacco fair and square.<!-- Page 16 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[Pg 16]</a></span>
+I've known 'em&mdash;this feller and many another one&mdash;never
+have a grain o' tobacco left in their pouch&mdash;just
+used up the very last bit two minutes before, and always
+a-beggin' a pipeful, and right here in my own shop too,
+where I <i>sell</i> tobacco, mind you&mdash;I'd like 'em better if
+they sneaked in and <i>stole</i> it, I would, any day. But the
+other one! I don't know that I'd want to be him
+neither, if I had to choose between 'em,&mdash;however&mdash;</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Another old codger, as sly as a fox!<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And he always had tobacco in his old tobacco box.<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>"Count on him for that! <i>He</i> never begs no tobacco,
+nor gives away none either. However, he ain't such
+a general nuisance as the other one, and he pays spot
+cash. I'll have to say that much for him. But in
+spite o' everything and all, I can't seem to make myself
+care for him, much. Anyway&mdash;</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Said the one old codger, Won't ye gimme a chew?<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Said the other old codger, I'll be hanged if I do!<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>"They're a fine pair now, ain't they? One of 'em a
+nuisance and the other one a grouch. You'll see 'em
+here both in my shop one o' these days, when you're
+a-visitin' Aunt Amanda, and one of them times&mdash;you
+see the way I bounced that boy that wanted cigarettes,
+didn't you? Well, that's what I'm goin' to do to
+them two old codgers one of these days, you watch
+and see if I don't; yes, sir; both of 'em, as sure as I've
+got a hump on my back. But it's pretty good advice,
+after all, what the song says,&mdash;</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"So save up your pennies and put away your rocks,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And you'll always have tobacco in your old tobacco box!<br /></span>
+<!-- Page 17 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[Pg 17]</a></span></div></div>
+
+<p>"Here's your Cage-Roach. Gimme your money.
+There's your change; five, ten, fifteen, seventeen. Now
+run along. Come back again; what did you say your
+name was?"</p>
+
+<p>"Fweddie."</p>
+
+<p>"You mean Freddie, don't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir."</p>
+
+<p>"Why don't you say what you mean? Well, Freddie,
+there's plenty of tobacco left in this shop, so you
+can come in whenever the old tobacco box at home
+runs out. And don't forget to come in to see Aunt
+Amanda. Plenty of goods left in the shop whenever&mdash;you
+see all that?" He pointed up towards the shelves.
+"I'll tell you something I ain't told to but mighty few
+people before. There's a jar of smoking tobacco up
+there that's just plain magic. Magic! You know
+what that means?"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie started, and looked up at the shelves in
+alarm. He nodded.</p>
+
+<p>"It's that one, on the middle shelf; the Chinaman's
+head. Do you see it?"</p>
+
+<p>He pointed to a white porcelain jar, shaped like a
+human head. Freddie could see that it was the head
+of some foreign kind of man, with a little round blue
+cap on top, which was probably the lid.</p>
+
+<p>"That tobacco in that Chinaman's head is magic,
+as sure as you're alive. I wouldn't smoke it if you'd
+give me all the plum puddings in this city next Christmas;
+no, sir; and I wouldn't allow nobody else to smoke
+it, neither: I just naturally wouldn't dare to. Do you
+know where that tobacco come from? A sailor off
+of one them ships down there in the harbor, that come
+all the way from China&mdash;yes, sir, <i>China!</i>&mdash;give it to
+me once for a quid of plug-cut; what you might call
+broke, he was, and it wasn't any use to him because
+he didn't smoke, but he did chew; and he told me all<!-- Page 18 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[Pg 18]</a></span>
+about it; he stole it from an old sorcerer in China,
+where he'd just come from. Don't you never touch it!
+I wouldn't want to be in your boots if you ever smoked
+that tobacco in that there Chinaman's head! You can
+steal anything else in this shop, and it wouldn't do
+much harm to anybody; but you keep your hands off
+of that Chinaman's tobacco, mind what I'm telling
+you!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie. He had never thought
+about smoking before, in connection with himself, but
+now for the first time he began to wish that he knew
+how to smoke. It would be worth risking something
+to take a whiff or two of the magic tobacco in that
+Chinaman's head, just to see what would happen.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you think you'd better go home now?" said
+Mr. Littleback.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie. "My farver told me to
+hurry."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, he did! Indeed!"</p>
+
+<p>The hunchback followed Freddie to the door, and
+they looked up together at the clock in the church-tower.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said Toby. "You're safe. Just six o'clock.
+Mr. Punch's father can't come out for about half an
+hour yet."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie looked back as he crossed the street, and
+saw the live hunchback leaning against the wooden
+hunchback, with one foot crossed over the other; he
+could hardly tell which was which, except for the
+coat and breeches. He went on up the street with
+his package of tobacco in one hand and his package
+of gingerbread in the other. As he passed the church,
+he lingered a moment to stare at the great fat man
+with spectacles, who was sitting on the pavement in
+a chair tilted back against the church-wall, smoking
+a long pipe and reading a newspaper; could this be the
+"sextant" of the church, whom Mr. Toby had mentioned,<!-- Page 19 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[Pg 19]</a></span>
+and who had heard the queer noises from the
+top of the tower when Mr. Punch and his father were
+up there having their high jinks? He tried to get up
+his courage to ask the fat man about it, but he could
+not get the words out. He stared so long that the
+fat man finally put down his paper and took the pipe
+from his mouth and looked over his spectacles and
+said:</p>
+
+<p>"If you're considerin' making a bid for the property,
+young man, I'll see what the senior Churchwarden has
+to say about it. How much do you offer?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," said Freddie, blushing in confusion, and
+went on up the street. He understood nothing of
+what the fat man had said, but he caught the word
+"churchwarden," and remembered it.</p>
+
+<p>He did not walk very fast, for he had a good deal
+to think about; so many things had never happened
+to him in one day before. He dwelt especially, in his
+mind, on the two old codgers who were friends of
+Mr. Toby, and he supposed that his own father never
+saved up his pennies, otherwise his old tobacco box
+would not be empty every now and then. However, he
+was glad that his father was a spendthrift, because
+it would give him a chance to go to the Old Tobacco
+Shop sometimes for more tobacco for the box; and
+apart from Aunt Amanda and her gingerbread, he
+was very anxious to look again at the Chinaman's
+head in which lay the magic tobacco which he must
+not touch. One thing was sure; he would never go
+without looking carefully first at the hands of the
+clock. He wished he knew how to smoke; only not
+cigarettes; he shivered when he thought of the terrible
+consequences.</p>
+
+<p>When he came to the street-car track, the horse-car
+was going past; at least, it was coming down the
+street, and he did not want to be run over by that
+horse; he had better wait, for the horse was trotting;<!-- Page 20 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[Pg 20]</a></span>
+his mother had warned him about it; he sat down on
+the curb. He had quite a moment or two to wait, and
+there would be time to give a hasty glance at the
+gingerbread. He laid the tobacco-sack beside him on
+the curb, and opened the other package; the car-horse
+had dropped into a walk and his bell was hardly jingling;
+there was no hurry after all; it would never
+do to cross in front of that horse even though he was
+walking. He looked at the gingerbread; it was fresh
+and soft, and its smell, when held close to the nose,
+was nothing less than heavenly; it was a pity it had to
+be hidden away again in the sack, but the horse was
+going by and the danger would soon be past. He held
+the gingerbread under his nose, merely to smell it; the
+edge of it touched his upper lip by chance, and there
+was something peculiar about the feel of it, he couldn't
+tell exactly what; it was very interesting; he touched it
+with the tip of his tongue, to see if it felt the same
+to his tongue as to his lip; it was just the same; perhaps
+teeth would be different; his teeth sank into it, just for
+a trial. The horse was going by now, and the driver
+was looking at him. He forgot what he was about,
+in watching the horse and his driver, as they went on
+past him; the gingerbread completely slipped his mind,
+and when he turned his head back from the horse-car
+and came to himself he found, to his amazement, that
+his mouth was full of gingerbread. He wondered at
+first how it got there, but there was no use in wondering;
+there it was, and it had to be swallowed; his
+mother would never approve of his spitting it out; and
+so, to please his mother, he swallowed it. The horse-car
+was nearly a square away; he could cross the track
+at any time now; there was no hurry.</p>
+
+<p>When he came into the fine two-story brick house
+where he lived, with only one package in his hand,
+his mother threw up her hands and said:<!-- Page 21 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[Pg 21]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Why, Freddie! Where on earth have you been?
+Did you get lost? Are you hungry?"</p>
+
+<p>"No'm. Yes'm," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Frederick," said his father, looking at him with
+that look, "where have you been? Didn't I tell you
+to hurry?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir, to Mr. Punch's, and I didn't see his
+farver at all, but the hands come'd right over on top
+of each other and he didn't get down off of his perch,
+he didn't, so Mr. Toby took me in to see Aunt Namanda
+and she eats pins, and it's cigarettes that gives
+you that hump on the back, only tobacco's all right
+'cause you smoke it in a pipe and it doesn't do you any
+harm at all, and that's what Mr. Toby says and he
+ought to know 'cause he's got one on his back his own
+self, but you mustn't touch that tobacco in the head
+'cause it's magic and the sailor said so, and here's the
+Cage-Roach Mitchner, and that's all."</p>
+
+<p>You will notice that he said nothing about the
+gingerbread.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 22 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[Pg 22]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_III" id="CHAPTER_III"></a>CHAPTER III</h2>
+
+<h3>INTRODUCING THE CHURCHWARDEN</h3>
+
+<p>Every time Freddie visited the Old Tobacco
+Shop after that&mdash;and it was pretty often,
+whether the tobacco box at home needed tobacco
+or not, for there were a good many things that drew
+him there, and he hardly knew which was the most
+fascinating: there was always a chance of gingerbread,
+and you could usually depend on seeing Aunt
+Amanda eat pins, and you could look through the two
+pieces of glass at the double picture and make it all
+one picture with the people in it standing out as if they
+were real, and Mr. Toby would often sing about his
+friends the two old Codgers and talk about their mean
+ways, and Mr. Punch was always waiting for his father
+outside the door, so that you had to keep your eyes on
+the time, or at least the clock (which is different), and
+sometimes Mr. Toby would let you in behind the
+counter and let you scoop tobacco into a paper sack,
+and when his back was turned you could stand under
+the Chinaman's head with the magic tobacco in it, and
+look up at it and wonder what would happen if you
+took just one or two little teeny whiffs&mdash;But I forget
+what I started to tell you. Oh, yes. Every time Freddie
+visited the Old Tobacco Shop, Mr. Toby would
+ask him his name, in order to see if he was grown up
+yet.</p>
+
+<p>"What's your name today?" Mr. Toby would say.</p>
+
+<p>"Fweddie," would be the Little Boy's answer.</p>
+
+<p>"Not yet," Mr. Toby would say, shaking his head
+sadly. "You ain't grown up yet. I'm very sorry to<!-- Page 23 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[Pg 23]</a></span>
+have to tell you, son, but you've got to wait a while
+before you're grown up. I'll tell you what; I'll give
+you six months more," said Mr. Toby on one occasion.
+"If you ain't grown up by that time, there's no hope
+for you; I hate to have to say it, but you might as well
+know it one time as another." And the very next time
+the Little Boy came he said his name was "Fweddie,"
+and Mr. Toby said, "Well, never mind, you've got five
+months and twenty-eight days left, and there's hope yet.
+I suppose you wouldn't want to be a Little Boy <i>all</i> the
+time, and never grow up at all, would you?" Freddie
+looked up at him in alarm and said, "No, sir." "Then,"
+said Mr. Toby, "you'd better mind your P's and Q's."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie wanted to ask about these P's and Q's, but
+you may have noticed that he was shy, and he could not
+make up his mind to do so. He knew all about P's
+and Q's in the Alphabet Book at home, but he did not
+know how to mind them; he knew how to mind his
+mother,&mdash;sometimes, but how could you mind letters in
+a book, that couldn't ever say "Don't do that," like
+mother? He was very anxious on this point, for he
+knew that his time was growing short, and the idea
+of never growing up was simply terrifying; he might
+as well smoke cigarettes and be done with it. In point
+of fact, he now had only about a week left, and he
+wasn't grown up yet.</p>
+
+<p>But one morning, when the hands of the church clock
+were wide apart, and all was safe, he passed by Mr.
+Punch and opened the shop door. Mr. Toby was
+standing behind the counter, tying up a parcel. He
+went on tying it up, and said:</p>
+
+<p>"All right, young feller, it's your turn next. This
+here package is for the Sly Old Codger, and he'll be
+back for it pretty soon, and if it ain't ready,&mdash;whew!
+won't we get blown up, though? Now then, what'll
+you have? Pound o' Maiden's Prayer?"<!-- Page 24 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[Pg 24]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," said the Little Boy. "I don't want anything.
+I just came."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh; you just came. By the way, young man, what
+is your name today?"</p>
+
+<p>"Freddie!" said the Little Boy.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Toby dropped his package and leaned across
+the counter in amazement.</p>
+
+<p>"What's that you say?"</p>
+
+<p>"Freddie!" cried the Little Boy, bursting with pride.</p>
+
+<p>"Well! Bless my soul! If I ever in my life! As
+sure as the world! Strike me dead if he didn't say it
+as plain as&mdash;! Young man," said Mr. Toby, solemnly,
+and he walked to the end of the counter, opened the
+swinging gate, came through, stood in front of Freddie,
+and shook him by the hand. "Young man, I congratulate
+you. It's all right now. But you had an almighty
+close shave, I can tell you that. Allow me to congratulate
+you, and accept the best wishes of your kind
+friend, Toby Littleback."</p>
+
+<p>"Please, sir," said Freddie, opening his eyes wide,
+"am I grown up now?"</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Toby stared without speaking, and then threw
+out both his arms, and for a moment it looked as if
+he were going to hug the Little Boy, but he evidently
+thought better of it.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you&mdash;? Why, of course you are! Ain't I
+been telling you? But don't you go and presume on
+it too much, young feller! You don't think you can
+go and smoke cigarettes now, just because you're grown
+up, do you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh no, sir," said Freddie, earnestly.</p>
+
+<p>"I should hope not. And that there Chinaman's
+head up there&mdash;you don't think you can go and smoke
+that magic tobacco now, do you? Because if you do!"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," said Freddie; but he said this a little
+doubtfully, and he looked at the Chinaman's head with
+more interest than ever. What was the use of being<!-- Page 25 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[Pg 25]</a></span>
+grown up if you couldn't take a little risk now and then?</p>
+
+<p>"All right, then!" cried Mr. Toby. "We've got to
+have a little celebration over this here event, and we'd
+better go in and see Aunt Amanda about it, right
+now!"</p>
+
+<p>He grasped Freddie's hand again, and pulled him
+to the back door, and through into the back room
+where Aunt Amanda was sitting by the table with the
+wax flowers, sewing.</p>
+
+<p>"Quick! quick! Tell Aunt Amanda your name now,
+quick! What's your name?" cried Mr. Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"Freddie!" said the Little Boy, very distinctly, but
+looking down at the carpet, for fear he should seem
+proud.</p>
+
+<p>"We're grown up today," cried Mr. Toby, "and
+we've got to celebrate!"</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda raised her eyebrows in astonishment,
+and said:</p>
+
+<p>"Esheeraybysart!"</p>
+
+<p>She put her hand to her mouth and somehow got
+out into her hand a good mouthful of pins. She laid
+them down on the table at her elbow, and said:</p>
+
+<p>"Bless the dear baby's heart! And are you grown
+up now?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes'm," said Freddie, looking up and then down
+again, for he did not wish to seem too proud.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda looked at him for a moment, and
+took out her handkerchief and blew her nose very
+loud.</p>
+
+<p>"Toby," she said, "what did you mean by a celebration?"</p>
+
+<p>"Tomorrow's Saturday," said he.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, what of it?"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie could not understand very well what they
+were saying after that, except that he was concerned
+in it somehow, until he heard Aunt Amanda say:</p>
+
+<p>"You'd better ask his mother, then."<!-- Page 26 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[Pg 26]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Young man," said Mr. Toby, "if I write a letter
+to your ma, will you give it to her?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie, whereupon Mr. Toby sat
+down at the other side of the table, with pen and
+paper and ink, and commenced to write.</p>
+
+<p>"First," said Aunt Amanda, "there's some of that
+fruit-cake from last Christmas still in the&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Right you are!" cried Toby, jumping up and going
+out into the kitchen.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie ate the fruit-cake, sitting on a hassock at
+Aunt Amanda's feet, while Toby went on with his letter,
+but in the midst of it Toby went out again, and
+finally came back with a tall glass of ice-cold lemonade.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't you go and spill it on the carpet," said he,
+as he sat down to his writing.</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda looked at him, as he sat so seriously
+on his hassock at her feet, munching his fruit-cake
+and sipping his lemonade; and she pulled out her
+pocket-handkerchief and blew her nose again, very
+loud. She appeared to have a cold. Toby paid no
+attention to her; his head was lying sidewise on his left
+arm on the table, and he was squinting at the sheet
+of paper, and every time his pen came down he closed
+his mouth tight, and every time his pen went up he
+opened his mouth wide. Freddie and Aunt Amanda
+had plenty of time to talk. Under the softening influence
+of fruit-cake and lemonade Freddie found his
+tongue.</p>
+
+<p>"What's a Churchwarden?" he said suddenly into
+the lemonade-glass, which was just under his nose.</p>
+
+<p>"Bless the baby!" said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"It's a long clay pipe, young man," said Toby, chewing
+the end of his pen-holder, "like you've seen in the
+case out there in the shop."</p>
+
+<p>"That ain't what he means," said Aunt Amanda.
+"You mean a man, don't you, Freddie?"<!-- Page 27 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[Pg 27]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Yes'm," said Freddie, looking at the cake just
+going into his mouth.</p>
+
+<p>"It's a man," said Aunt Amanda, "it's a man that
+belongs to a church, and he stands guard over the
+church property, and sees to the repairs, and beats
+little boys with a cane when they make a noise during
+service, and takes care nobody don't run away with
+the collection money, and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"How do you spell 'respectfully'?" said Toby,
+scratching his head with the pen. "Yours respectfully."</p>
+
+<p>"R-e&mdash;" began Aunt Amanda, "s-p-e-c-k&mdash;no, that
+ain't right,&mdash;r-e-s&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"There's one over at that church," said Freddie,
+pointing towards the window, "and he smokes one,
+too."</p>
+
+<p>"One what, Freddie?" said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"A Churchwarden. There's a Churchwarden sits out
+on the pavement and he smokes a Churchwarden, he
+does." Freddie was rather proud that he had mastered
+that difficult word, and he liked to hear himself say it.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," said Toby, "I reckon he means the sextant
+over there. Well, 'Yours respectfully.' I don't give a&mdash;hum!&mdash;how
+you spell it. There she goes. Done.
+'Yours respectfully, Toby Littleback.' It's blotted up
+some, by crackey, that's a fact; but I ain't a-goin' to
+write all that over again, not by a jugful." And he
+took out his handkerchief and wiped the perspiration
+from his forehead.</p>
+
+<p>"He's a Churchwarden," insisted Freddie, swallowing
+the last of the lemonade after the last of the cake.</p>
+
+<p>"All right," said Toby, "have it your own way.
+But a sextant's as good as a Churchwarden, in <i>my</i>
+opinion, any day of the week,&mdash;except Sunday, of
+course."</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda inspected the letter, and declared herself
+horrified by the blots; but Toby positively refused
+to go through that exhausting labor again, so she passed<!-- Page 28 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[Pg 28]</a></span>
+it grudgingly, and handed it to Freddie in an envelope,
+and told him to give it to his mother as soon as he got
+home.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you want some more cake and lemonade?"
+said she.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes'm," said he.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, you won't get it, so trot along home."</p>
+
+<p>In the shop Mr. Toby showed him the churchwarden
+pipes in the show-case. Freddie wondered how it
+would taste to smoke some of that magic tobacco in the
+Chinaman's head in a churchwarden pipe.</p>
+
+<p>As he passed the church on his way home, he looked
+for the fat old man who usually sat in his chair tilted
+back against the wall, but he was not there. Freddie
+wished to ask him about those noises up in the tower
+when Mr. Punch and his father were having their
+high jinks; he had never been able to screw up his
+courage to the point of asking about this, but now that
+he was grown up he thought he might be able.</p>
+
+<p>He gave the letter to his mother, and she read it;
+but she said nothing to him about it. When his father
+came home in the evening, she showed the letter to
+him, and they talked about it, and Freddie could not
+understand very well what they were saying. Finally
+his father said:</p>
+
+<p>"Well, I don't think there would be any harm in it."</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose not," said his mother. "I'll see them
+in the morning. He had better wear his Sunday suit
+and his new shoes."</p>
+
+<p>This was bad, because it sounded like Sunday-school,
+and the shoes squeaked. Freddie thought he had better
+change the subject, so he said:</p>
+
+<p>"I'm grown up. I can say Freddie. Mr. Toby
+says so."</p>
+
+<p>His father laughed, but his mother took him up in
+her arms and hugged him close to her breast.</p>
+
+<p>The next day was in fact Saturday, and after lunch<!-- Page 29 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[Pg 29]</a></span>
+Freddie's mother helped him, or rather forced him,
+into his Sunday suit and his new shoes, after a really
+outrageous piece of washing, which went not only behind
+the ears but actually into them. She put his cap
+on his head&mdash;he always had to move it a trifle afterwards,&mdash;looked
+at his finger-nails again, pulled down
+his jacket in front and buttoned every button, straightened
+out each of the four wings of his bow tie, took
+off his cap to see if his hair was mussed and put it on
+again, pulled down his jacket in front, straightened
+his tie, altered the position of his cap, put both her
+arms around him and kissed him, and told him it was
+nearly two o'clock and he had better hurry. As soon
+as she had gone in, after watching him go off down the
+street, he unbuttoned every button of his jacket, put
+his cap on the back of his head, and in crossing the
+street-car track deliberately walked his shiny squeaking
+shoes into a pile of street-sweepings; he then felt
+better, and went on towards the Old Tobacco Shop.</p>
+
+<p>As he came to the church, he stopped to look at the
+hands of the clock; he was in luck; the hands would
+not be together for ever so long, for it was ten minutes
+to two. The Churchwarden was sitting in his chair
+tilted back against the wall, keeping guard over his
+church; and he was smoking his churchwarden pipe.
+Freddie walked by very slowly, and his shoes squeaked
+aloud on the brick pavement. The fat old man gazed
+at him solemnly, and Freddie looked at the fat old
+man. The Churchwarden's chair came down on the
+pavement with a thump.</p>
+
+<p>"Look here!" he said. "This ain't Sunday! What's
+the meaning of all this? It's against the rules to wear
+them squeaking shoes of a Saturday! The Dean and
+Chapter has made that rule, by and with the advice
+and consent of the City Council, don't you know that?
+And all that big red necktie, too! Did you think it
+was Sunday?"<!-- Page 30 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[Pg 30]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," said Freddie, for he was always honest,
+even in the face of danger. "I couldn't help it. I
+didn't want to, but mother made me&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! that's it. I thought maybe you'd made a mistake
+in the day; then it wouldn't 'a' been so bad. Look
+here; it's my duty to report this here violation of the
+Sunday law, but as long as&mdash;you're sure you ain't
+<i>particeps criminis</i>?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," said the Little Boy earnestly. "My
+name's Freddie."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, that makes it different. I though you was
+another party; young party-ceps; but if you ain't, why&mdash;Here;
+you'll need something to show, in case you
+should meet the Archdeacon, and he'd want to know
+why I hadn't reported you&mdash;Show him this, and he'll
+know it's all right."</p>
+
+<p>The fat Churchwarden fished in his vest pocket and
+drew out, between a fat thumb and a fat forefinger,
+a round shining piece of metal, and put it in Freddie's
+hand. Freddie saw that it was a bright new five-cent
+piece, commonly called a nickel. He felt better.</p>
+
+<p>"If you don't meet the Archdeacon between here
+and Littleback's Tobacco Shop," went on the Churchwarden,
+"you don't need to keep it any longer; I don't
+care what you do with it then; only not pickles, mind
+you!"</p>
+
+<p>"No sir," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>This was his chance to inquire about Mr. Punch's
+father and the noises in the tower, but it was out of
+his power to stay longer; he was too glad to escape
+without being reported; and he accordingly went off
+down the street, squeaking worse than ever, and positively
+hurrying.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 31 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[Pg 31]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_IV" id="CHAPTER_IV"></a>CHAPTER IV</h2>
+
+<h3>IN WHICH MR. HANLON MAKES A GREAT IMPRESSION</h3>
+
+<p>Freddie found no one in the Tobacco Shop, so
+he knocked on the door of the back room, and
+it was instantly opened by Mr. Littleback himself;
+but a Mr. Littleback so resplendent that Freddie
+hardly knew him.</p>
+
+<p>The suit of clothes which Mr. Littleback wore was
+beyond any doubt a brand new suit. The ground color
+of it was a rich mauve, if you know what that is; not
+exactly purple, nor violet, but somewhere in between;
+and up and down and across were stripes of brown,
+making good-sized squares all over him; it was extremely
+beautiful. His collar was a high white collar,
+very stiff, and it held up his chin in front like a whitewashed
+fence. His necktie was of a pale-blue satin,
+with little pink roses painted on it, yes sir, painted!
+mind you, by hand! It was not one of those troublesome
+things that come in a single long piece and take
+you hours before the glass to twist and turn over and
+under before you can get them to look like a necktie;
+no indeed; it was far better than that; it was tied
+already, by somebody who could do it better than you
+ever could, and when you bought it, all you had to
+do was to put it on; fasten those two rubber bands
+behind with a hook, and there you were; perfect. As
+to hair, the hand of the barber was yet upon him; his
+hair, parted on one side, was of a slickness which his
+own soap never could have accomplished; on the wide
+side, it lay flat down over his forehead, and there gave
+a sudden curl backward, like the curve of a hairpin,<!-- Page 32 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[Pg 32]</a></span>
+but much more graceful; it is only the most studious
+barbers who ever learn to do it just right. There
+were creases down the arms of Mr. Toby's coat and
+down the front of his trouser-legs. A yellow silk handkerchief
+showed itself, not boldly, but quietly, from his
+breast pocket.</p>
+
+<p>As he let Freddie in, and in doing so turned his back
+to Aunt Amanda, she screamed and cried out:</p>
+
+<p>"Toby! Look behind you! Merciful heavens!"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie, in the midst of his admiration of the magnificent
+creature, saw him whirl about and look behind
+himself in alarm. His aunt pointed at his coat and
+said sternly, "Come here."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie saw on the back of Mr. Toby's coat, near
+the bottom, as he whirled about, a little square white
+tag.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Toby backed up to his aunt, and stood before
+her, trying to look at his back over his shoulder, while
+she took her scissors and clipped the threads by which
+the white tag was sewed to the back of his coat. She
+held up the tag; it had numbers printed and written
+on it.</p>
+
+<p>"Now ain't that just like you, Toby Littleback," she
+said, "going out with your tag on your back, with your
+size on it and your height and age, too, for all I know,
+for anybody to see that you've got on a splittin' brand
+new suit right out o' the shop. If you'd 'a' gone out
+with that on your back, I'd 'a' died with shame right
+here in this chair. Ain't you even able to dress yourself?"</p>
+
+<p>"By crickets, that <i>would</i> 'a' been bad," said Toby,
+considerably upset. "However, you caught it in time,
+so there ain't no use cryin' over it. Good-bye, Aunt;
+come along, Freddie, or we'll be late."</p>
+
+<p>"Ain't you goin' to wear a hat?" said Aunt Amanda.
+"I declare the man's so excited he don't know what he's
+doing."<!-- Page 33 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[Pg 33]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Blamed if I didn't come near going without a hat,"
+said Toby. "Here she is."</p>
+
+<p>He produced his hat from a cupboard in the room,
+and put it on. It would have been a pity indeed for
+him to have gone without it. It was a white derby;
+yes, a <i>white</i> derby. It was the kind of a hat which
+was known in that city as a "pinochle"; pronounced
+"pea-knuckle" by all well-informed boys. With the
+mauve suit and the hand-painted necktie and the whitewashed
+fence, the white derby set him off to perfection,
+especially as he wore it a little towards the back
+of his head, so as to show the loveliest part of the
+plastered curl of his hair on the forehead. Aunt
+Amanda could not restrain her admiration.</p>
+
+<p>"You'll do now," she said. "I don't know that I
+ever seen you look so genteel before."</p>
+
+<p>Toby, in the embarrassment of being considered genteel,
+put his hands in his trousers pockets.</p>
+
+<p>"Take them hands out of your pockets," said Aunt
+Amanda sharply, and he took them out in a hurry.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, Freddie," she said, "come here a minute, and
+I'll set you to rights."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie stood before her knee, not very willingly,
+and she buttoned his jacket from top to bottom, and
+put his cap squarely on his head.</p>
+
+<p>"Now you'd better be off," she said.</p>
+
+<p>"Good-bye, Aunt, and I wish you were going too,"
+said Toby, his hand on the door-knob.</p>
+
+<p>"Good-bye, Freddie," said she.</p>
+
+<p>"Good-bye," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Good-bye what?" said she.</p>
+
+<p>"Aunt Amanda," said he.</p>
+
+<p>When they were out in the street, and she heard
+Toby lock the shop door behind him, she took out
+her handkerchief and blew her nose; her cold was
+evidently worse, because she blew her nose several
+times; and then, tucking her handkerchief away in her<!-- Page 34 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[Pg 34]</a></span>
+dress, she put her head down on her arm on the table,
+and cried.</p>
+
+<p>The first thing Freddie did, as they went up the
+street, was to put his cap back again on the back of
+his head, and the next thing he did was to unbutton
+every button of his jacket, from top to bottom.</p>
+
+<p>The little hunchback was in a great hurry, and he
+dragged the Little Boy along by the hand so fast that
+he could hardly keep up. As they hurried along, several
+naughty boys, observing Mr. Toby's white derby
+hat, called after him, very rudely, "Pea-knuckle! pea-knuckle!"
+But Mr. Toby paid no attention, and
+dragged Freddie along faster than ever.</p>
+
+<p>"We don't want to miss any of it," said Mr. Toby.
+"Hurry up, boy."</p>
+
+<p>They did not have far to go; only four or five
+"squares." They stopped before a great grimy brick
+building with a great wide entrance-way.</p>
+
+<p>"Here we are," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"What does that say up there?" said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Gaunt Street Theatre," said Toby. "Hurry up."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie hung back before a signboard on which
+was a picture of a slender man dressed up in white
+clothing, very tight, with red and black squares on it;
+he was leaning against a table; his head and face were
+a dead white, except for red eyebrows, and a red spot
+in each cheek, and he had no hair, but a smooth dead-white
+skin from his forehead to the back of his neck.
+The peculiar thing was, that his head was on the table
+beside him, and not on his neck. Freddie pointed to
+the writing underneath the picture, and said:</p>
+
+<p>"What does that say?"</p>
+
+<p>"Hanlon's Superba," said Toby, pulling him along.
+"Hurry up! We'll be late."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Littleback went to a little window in the wall,
+inside the entrance-way, and spoke to a man in there,
+and evidently asked permission to go in, and evidently<!-- Page 35 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[Pg 35]</a></span>
+got it; and they did go in, up a flight of stairs, and
+found themselves suddenly among thousands and thousands
+of people, as it seemed, all sitting in chairs facing
+the same way, in a vast house lit up by gas light so
+that it was almost as bright as day; and Toby and
+Freddie sat down in the very front row of these people,
+and looked down over a railing in front of them on
+the heads of thousands and thousands, as it seemed,
+of other people, all sitting in chairs facing the same
+way. Everybody was facing towards a straight wall
+at the other side of the house, which had pictures
+painted on it. At the foot of this wall, in a kind of
+trench, there was a man at a piano, and there were
+other men with fiddles big and little, and still others
+with brass things, and they were all playing a tremendous
+tune together, but just after Toby and Freddie
+had sat down, they stopped playing and Toby
+nudged Freddie with his elbow, and said:</p>
+
+<p>"Now, then, young feller, what do you think of this,
+eh? Just you wait! Keep your eye on that curtain!"</p>
+
+<p>He had no sooner said this than somewhere in the
+house somebody gave a piercing whistle between his
+fingers, and in a minute there was such a racket that it
+was impossible to talk. There must have been people
+above them, and they must certainly have all been
+boys; for from up there Freddie heard a clapping of
+hands and a stamping of feet, all in a regular time,
+which spread to the whole house, and in the midst of
+it the boys up there began to shout and call and
+whistle, and in a few minutes there was such a hubbub
+as only boys could make, with whistling between the
+fingers leading the riot. Toby nudged Freddie again
+with his elbow, and to Freddie's surprise began to
+clap his hands and stamp his feet with the rest; and as
+Freddie thought he ought to be polite, he clapped his
+hands, too, though he did not know very well what it
+was all about.<!-- Page 36 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[Pg 36]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Suddenly the men in the trench at the foot of the
+painted wall struck up again, and that quieted the
+other noise for a moment; but only for a moment;
+someone whistled through his fingers, and in an instant
+those fiddlers might as well have been sawing
+away at their fiddles out at the Park, for all you could
+hear them; and right in the midst of it all, while Freddie
+was trying to shout the word "Peanuts" into Toby's
+ear, suddenly the lights went out and you could have
+heard a pin drop.</p>
+
+<p>"Now then! now then!" whispered Mr. Toby, in
+great excitement. "Now you'll see! Watch the curtain!
+It's going up!"</p>
+
+<p>From down there in that dark trench came the sound
+of a soft twittery kind of music, and at the same time
+the painted wall that Freddie had been looking at was
+rising! going up! And it went on up and up out of
+sight into the ceiling, and there behind it, in a dim
+light, there behind it, mysterious and fearsome and
+delicious,&mdash;Well, there behind it was Fairyland. Just
+Fairyland.</p>
+
+<p>I can't describe it to you. Freddie never forgot it.
+If you haven't seen Hanlon's Superba, in some old
+Gaunt Street Theatre or other, on a Saturday afternoon,
+with the galleries wild with boys, you have not
+lived. When Freddie tried to tell his mother and his
+father about it that night, it was such a whirling mass
+of wonders and glories that they could not make
+head nor tail of it. It is useless to speak of the Fairy
+Queen in her glittering white, coming to the rescue
+in the nick of time with her diamond sceptre, or of the
+horrible demons, or the trouble and excitement they
+made for everybody, or of the beautiful young lady
+who&mdash;and such leapings and twistings and climbings
+and tumblings as no mere human beings with bones
+in them could ever have performed&mdash;it is no use; it is
+best not to try to describe it. But there was one part<!-- Page 37 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[Pg 37]</a></span>
+which, although it may seem to you the most unlikely
+thing in the world, really had a good deal to do with
+Freddie afterwards. There was the same man whose
+picture he had seen outside on the signboard; and he
+could climb straight walls and leap through high windows
+and tumble across floors in a way which passed
+belief; but there was one thing he could not do; he
+could not talk; he never spoke a word from beginning
+to end. Once, after having escaped from a parcel of
+wicked red imps, he sat down, tired out and starved
+to death, before a table loaded with food, and he
+commenced to make a hearty meal; but just as he was
+about to sample each plate it disappeared, vanished,
+completely out of sight, right under his nose. His distress
+was pitiable, and Freddie thought it cruel of
+everybody to laugh, as everybody did. On his plate
+were sausages, and he nearly got them; but just as he
+thought he had them, they actually jumped off the table
+and ran along the floor and up the wall; and the poor
+man had to climb the wall after them, which he did like
+a cat, and even then he never came up with them; he
+was terribly disappointed; and to finish off his miseries,
+at last a wicked creature with a sword came up behind
+him, as he was leaning his head down on the table in
+despair, and cut off his head before your very eyes;
+really and truly cut it off; there was no doubt about
+it; the head was on the table and the poor man was in
+the chair; Freddie was terrified, and clutched Mr.
+Toby's arm. But when the wicked murderer had gone
+away, back popped the head onto the dead man's neck,
+his eyes opened, he grinned from ear to ear, and there
+he was on his feet, skipping and tumbling, as lively
+as ever; and at that Freddie and all the others in the
+house roared and shouted and clapped their hands.</p>
+
+<p>"Is that Mr. Hanlon?" whispered Freddie into Mr.
+Toby's ear.<!-- Page 38 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[Pg 38]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Reckon it is," said Toby, too excited himself to
+pay much attention to Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>But it could not last forever. Even the peanuts,
+which Toby bought for Freddie between the first and
+second acts, were all gone, and the curtain was down
+for the last time, and the crowd crushed through the
+doors, and Mr. Toby put on his white derby hat.</p>
+
+<p>They were in the street, and the speechless Mr.
+Hanlon was a thing of the past. Freddie did not
+believe that he would ever see that dumb and loose-headed
+man again; but in that he was mistaken, as you
+shall see.</p>
+
+<p>Toby left him at the corner near his father's house.</p>
+
+<p>"What I say is," said Toby, "three cheers for our
+growing-up party!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," said Freddie, "and three cheers for Mr.
+Hanlon!"</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 39 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[Pg 39]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_V" id="CHAPTER_V"></a>CHAPTER V</h2>
+
+<h3>THE CHINAMAN'S HEAD</h3>
+
+<p>For a long time afterwards, Freddie dreamed at
+night of a hunchbacked man whose head came
+off and popped on again, and wicked red demons
+who chased a poor man with a white face who tried
+to cry for help and could not speak a word, and of a
+Chinaman's head without a body, smoking a long clay
+pipe. In the daytime, he thought a good deal about
+the people he was now acquainted with: Mr. Toby
+with his white derby hat, Aunt Amanda swallowing
+pins, the sailorman from China, Mr. Punch and his
+father, Mr. Hanlon with his head on the table, the
+Churchwarden smoking his churchwarden pipe, and the
+two old Codgers, one so sly and the other so beggarly;
+but that which occupied his mind more than anything
+else was the Chinaman's head on Mr. Toby's shelf.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie was older now, and as time went on it
+might be thought that he would have grown accustomed
+to all these strange things; but he had not; far from
+it; he thought about them more and more, and most
+of all about the Chinaman's head and the magic tobacco.
+He really could not get that Chinaman's head
+out of his mind. Here was magic just within reach of
+your hand, and you were told that you mustn't touch
+it. You might as well have Aladdin's lamp in your
+bureau drawer, and be told to keep away from the
+bureau; even parents ought to know better than to
+expect such a thing. Anyway, what harm could just
+one or two little whiffs do? You needn't smoke a whole
+pipeful, if you didn't want to. However, Mr. Toby<!-- Page 40 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[Pg 40]</a></span>
+would not be pleased, and Freddie did not intend to do
+anything to displease Mr. Toby. Still, it did seem a
+pity, with such a chance right over your head&mdash;Oh,
+well, he would think no more about it; he fixed his mind
+on other things; he thought especially about a hymn
+they sang nearly every Sunday in Sunday-school; it was
+a great help; he knew it by heart, and it went like this:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Yield not to temptation,<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">For yielding is sin,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Each vict'ry will help you<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">Some other to win."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>He resolved he would never think about the magic
+tobacco again; he went to sleep saying over to himself,
+"Yield not to temptation," and dreamed all night
+about the Chinaman's head, and thought about it all
+the next day.</p>
+
+<p>In order to get it out of his mind, he called on Aunt
+Amanda. It was late in the afternoon; he sat on his
+hassock and watched Aunt Amanda sewing. Mr. Toby
+was in the shop, waiting on customers. Freddie watched
+for a long time, and then said:</p>
+
+<p>"What are you doing?"</p>
+
+<p>"Basting," said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"I thought that was what you did to a turkey," said
+Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"So it is," said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"That isn't a turkey," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"No," said Aunt Amanda, "you baste a turkey with
+gravy."</p>
+
+<p>"That isn't gravy," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"It's different," said Aunt Amanda. "You see, I
+have to sew this up with needle and thread, and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You sew up a turkey with needle and thread, too,"
+said Freddie.<!-- Page 41 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[Pg 41]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"But that's different," said Aunt Amanda. "You
+couldn't baste a turkey with needle and thread, and
+you couldn't baste dress-goods with gravy&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Why not?" said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said Aunt Amanda, "well, you see, they
+don't do it that way; it's <i>different</i>; it ain't the same
+thing at all; it's like this; when you baste a turkey&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Have you ever had any children?" said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda put her hand to her heart suddenly,
+as if she had received a shot there, and caught her
+breath; then she looked out of the window, and then
+round at the wax flowers on the table, and then at the
+door, and she really seemed to be thinking of running
+away. But she was too lame to do that, and she at
+last clasped her fingers together tight in her lap, and
+looked hard at Freddie. He was gazing at her calmly,
+waiting for information.</p>
+
+<p>"No," said Aunt Amanda, "I have never&mdash;had&mdash;any&mdash;children."</p>
+
+<p>"Why not?" said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"I have&mdash;never&mdash;been married," said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie thought about this for a moment.</p>
+
+<p>"Didn't anybody ever want you?" said he.</p>
+
+<p>"No," said she, "nobody&mdash;ever&mdash;wanted&mdash;me."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie was puzzled.</p>
+
+<p>"But you're nice," said he.</p>
+
+<p>"That ain't enough," said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"What else do you have to be?"</p>
+
+<p>"You have to be pretty."</p>
+
+<p>"Weren't you ever pretty?"</p>
+
+<p>"I thought&mdash;so&mdash;once, but&mdash;but&mdash;I must have been
+mistaken. I guess I never was."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie thought it over, and announced his decision
+seriously.</p>
+
+<p>"<i>I</i> would want you, anyway."<!-- Page 42 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[Pg 42]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda stretched out a trembling hand to
+him and ran her fingers through his hair; then she
+threw both her arms around him and pressed him
+against her knee. He was much annoyed. He was
+afraid she might be going to kiss him; but she did not;
+instead, she pulled out her handkerchief and blew her
+nose.</p>
+
+<p>"How many children were there that you didn't
+have?" said Freddie, to change the subject. Aunt
+Amanda did not understand this at first, but she finally
+saw what he meant. What <i>did</i> he mean? you may say.
+What he meant was&mdash;well, it is perfectly clear, but it
+is hard to explain. Anyway, Aunt Amanda understood
+him. "Three," said she. "Bobby was the oldest,
+and Jenny next, and James was the littlest one."</p>
+
+<p>"Did they all go to school?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh dear no. Only Bobby. And once he played
+hookey, and was gone all day, and didn't come home
+until after dark, all muddy. I was terribly worried.
+He was a very mischievous boy, but he was his&mdash;mother's&mdash;own&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Did he play marbles for keeps?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, but he went to Sunday-school just as regular,
+and liked it, and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"He <i>liked</i> it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, of course, and he always took good care of
+Jenny&mdash;&mdash;. She had little yellow curls. They went
+to Sunday-school together hand in hand, and he didn't
+even mind her carrying her dolly with her; she wouldn't
+go without it. He was so careful of her at street-crossings.
+She loved her dollies. She used to pretend
+that James was one of them."</p>
+
+<p>"Did James like that?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not very well, but he put up with it for quite a
+few minutes at a time. He couldn't be still very long.<!-- Page 43 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[Pg 43]</a></span>
+But he was pretty lonesome when Jenny had the
+measles."</p>
+
+<p>"I've had the chicken-pox. Did Bobby know how
+to mind his P's and Q's?"</p>
+
+<p>"He didn't mind anybody very well. Once I had a
+note from his teacher, and it said&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>But Freddie never learned what sin Bobby had committed
+in school; for at that moment the shop door
+opened, and Mr. Toby thrust in his head and said:</p>
+
+<p>"Just got to get around to the barber-shop right
+away this minute; can't put it off no longer. Won't
+be gone twenty minutes. Freddie!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie, standing up.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you think you could look after the shop for
+twenty minutes, while I'm gone?"</p>
+
+<p>Now Freddie did not know it, but this was in fact
+the most important question that had ever been put
+to him in his life. Everything depended on his answer;
+if he said no, we might as well stop this story right
+here; if he said yes&mdash;&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"All right. If anybody comes in, just tell 'em to
+wait."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie left Aunt Amanda, sitting very still, and
+gazing out of the window, with her hands folded in
+her lap, and followed Mr. Toby into the shop.</p>
+
+<p>"All right, sonny," said Mr. Toby, "make yourself
+comfortable. I'll be back in a jiffy. If anybody comes
+in, you tell 'em to wait." And with that he went out
+of the door and up the street. Freddie was left alone
+in the shop.</p>
+
+<p>Everything was very quiet now, for it was beginning
+to be twilight, and all the people seemed to be indoors.
+He knew he ought to be going home, but he had promised
+to mind the shop, and it would never do to leave
+before Mr. Toby came back. The street door and the
+door to Aunt Amanda's room were both closed. He<!-- Page 44 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[Pg 44]</a></span>
+sat down on the chair by the front window and looked
+out across the bull-dog's head. He thought of Bobby
+and his little sister in Sunday-school, and that led him
+to think of the hymn that did him so much good:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Yield not to temptation,<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">For yielding is sin."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>He sang that tune to himself for a while, and he
+found himself singing other tunes, and finally one which
+began:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"There was an old codger, and he had a wooden leg,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And he never bought tobacco when tobacco he could beg."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>Tobacco! There was a world of tobacco on those
+shelves. Smoking tobacco, and churchwarden pipes.
+He strolled around behind the counter, and let down
+the back of the show-case. There were the churchwarden
+pipes; he selected one and took it out. It
+tasted cold and clammy when he put it in his mouth,
+and he wondered what it would taste like with tobacco
+in it. He brought the little ladder and got up on it,
+facing the shelves, and to his surprise he found himself
+looking directly into the slanting eyes of the porcelain
+Chinaman's head. He stood there gazing thoughtfully
+into those eyes, and singing to himself the verse
+which was always such a help to him:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Yield not to temptation,<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">For yielding is sin,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Each vict'ry will help you<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">Some other to win."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>It was growing a little darker now, and he could
+not examine the Chinaman's head very well without
+bringing it closer. He took the head in his hands,
+lifted it from the shelf, got down off the ladder, and
+sat down on the floor with his back against the counter;<!-- Page 45 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[Pg 45]</a></span>
+and while he was doing this he hummed to himself the
+next part of his tune:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Fight manfully onward,<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">Dark passions subdue."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>He put the head on his knees, and took off the Chinaman's
+little round cap, which proved to be in fact a
+lid. He put his hand inside and drew out a good
+fistful of absolutely black tobacco, fine and powdery
+like coal-dust; he held it to his nose, and it smelt very
+sweet, in fact much like brown sugar. He wondered
+if it would taste like brown sugar through the pipe-stem;
+and humming quietly to himself, "Each vict'ry
+will help you," he poured the tobacco into the bowl of
+the pipe. He was disappointed, on sucking in through
+the pipe-stem, to find that there was no brown-sugar
+taste at all. Of course, the only way to give tobacco
+any taste was to light it; he reached up and got a match
+off the counter behind him, and sitting down again
+struck the match on the floor. It made a very pretty
+glow in the twilight, and he watched it as it burned
+away in his fingers; it would be burnt out in another
+second, so, humming to himself those ever-helpful
+words, "Yield not to temptation," he put the pipe in
+his mouth and touched the lighted match to the tobacco.</p>
+
+<p>It is painful to have to tell these things, but it can't
+be helped; for the consequences were so strange, and
+so important to Freddie and his friends, that&mdash;&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>Anyway, he lit the pipe and drew in a long breath
+through the stem. He nearly choked to death. Smoke
+got into his nose and his eyes and his throat, and he
+coughed and coughed; but he remembered the words,
+"Fight manfully onward," and he determined that he
+would not give up so soon. He stopped coughing and
+pulled again at the pipe; this time he did not swallow
+the smoke, but blew it out of his mouth as he had seen it
+done a thousand times. He gave another pull, and<!-- Page 46 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[Pg 46]</a></span>
+blew the smoke out again; it did indeed taste like
+brown sugar; it was extremely pleasant; he puffed
+again and again. He was astonished that he could
+have produced so much smoke in a few whiffs; there
+was quite a cloud over his head. He gave another
+puff, and when he blew out the smoke the white cloud
+above him was so thick that he could not see through
+it. It began to settle down on him. He put the Chinaman's
+head on the floor, and looked up into this cloud.</p>
+
+<p>It was growing thicker and thicker, and it was beginning
+to churn about as if in a whirlwind; it turned
+all sorts of colours, mostly yellow and green, and parts
+of it looked like barber's poles revolving at a terrific
+speed. He became dizzy as he gazed at it; his head
+began to swim; the cloud was coming down closer and
+closer upon him, and whirling about more and more
+wildly; he crouched down lower, and became dizzier
+and dizzier. The counter and the shelves began to go
+round and round, so that he had to put his hand on the
+floor to steady himself; in another moment the shop
+disappeared altogether, and there was nothing under
+him but a little square of floor, and nothing over him
+but the wild, churning cloud, now sparkling with jets of
+fire. He felt himself falling, falling, and as he came
+to the bottom with a crash, he heard the shop door
+open and close, and found himself sitting on the floor
+with his back to the counter as before, with no smoke
+anywhere to be seen; and he was aware that a hoarse
+voice was speaking on the other side of the counter,
+and it was saying these words, very loud and brisk:</p>
+
+<p>"Avast, there! Belay that piping! All snug, sir,
+hatches battened down, makin' way under skysails and
+royals, hands piped to quarters, and here's your humble
+servant ready for orders! Shiver my timbers, where's
+the skipper? Piped me up with a 'baccy pipe, he did,
+and where's he gone? Skipper ahoy! Come for<!-- Page 47 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[Pg 47]</a></span>
+orders, I be, and ever yours to command, Lemuel
+Mizzen! That's me!"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie put the pipe down on the floor, rose to his
+feet, and looked over the counter.</p>
+
+<p>Leaning on his elbow on the other side of the counter
+was a Sailorman, with a wide blue collar open at the
+throat, a flat blue cap with a black ribbon on the back
+of his head, and a green patch over his right eye.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 48 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[Pg 48]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_VI" id="CHAPTER_VI"></a>CHAPTER VI</h2>
+
+<h3>LEMUEL MIZZEN, A.B.</h3>
+
+<p>Freddie looked at the Sailorman, and the Sailorman
+straightened up and touched his cap. His
+face was brown as weathered oak, and creased
+like bark; his one eye was black and glittering; the
+hand which he raised to his cap was of the shape and
+nearly the size of a ham; and the chest and throat
+which emerged from his wide-open shirt-collar was as
+brown as his face, and big with muscles. There was
+a delicious odour of tar about him; you positively could
+not look at him without hearing wind whistling through
+ropes. He hitched up his trousers with his other hand
+and said:</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, skipper! Here I be as big as life, all ready
+fer orders!"</p>
+
+<p>As Freddie gazed at him, the Little Boy slowly collected
+his wits, and a light began to dawn upon him.</p>
+
+<p>"Have you been to China?" said he.</p>
+
+<p>"Right-o!" cried the Sailorman. "To China I have
+been&mdash;&mdash;" in a queer sing-song, as if he might have
+been marching in time to it round a capstan, hauling
+in an anchor: "To China I have been, and a many
+ports I've seen, near and far; I can sail before the
+mast or behind it just as fast, I'm a tar, I'm a tar,
+I'm a tar!"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie continued to stare at him with increasing
+astonishment.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you a sailor, sir?" said he.<!-- Page 49 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[Pg 49]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Wot, me? I'm Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., that's me,
+and I sail the deep blue sea from Maine to Afrikee,
+and round again on an even keel to Cochin China for
+cochineal, and back to Chili for Chili sauce, and home
+again to Banbury Cross&mdash;that's me! Lemuel Mizzen,
+able seaman! Fed on hard tack or soft tack, or a starboard
+tack or a port tack, it's all the same to me! Now
+then, skipper, you piped me up, wot's the orders?"</p>
+
+<p>"Please, sir," said Freddie, "would you mind telling
+me what it is you would like to have?"</p>
+
+<p>"<i>Me?</i> Douse my binnacle light, wot I want is a
+chew o' terbacker; but the question before the chart-house
+is, wot do <i>you</i> want, skipper?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't want anything," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Wot? You piped me up, didn't you? Piped me
+up with a pipe?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Sorry to entertain a different opinion from the
+skipper! Didn't you smoke the Chinaman's 'baccy,
+<i>in</i> a pipe?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie, hanging his head.</p>
+
+<p>"Then you did pipe me up with a pipe, and I hope
+I knows better than to come aft without bein' piped.
+Didn't you know I've got to come when you smoke the
+pipe with the Chinaman's 'baccy in it?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>The Able Seaman fixed his black eye on Freddie in
+amazement.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, bust my locker if this ain't the&mdash;Beggin' your
+pardon, skipper, and no offense meant! Called me off
+from the China Sea, and don't want me after all!
+Didn't go fer to do it, not him! And me off in the
+China Sea amongst the Boxers, a-v'yaging hither and
+thither to pick up a cargo o' boxes to box compasses
+with! Ye've brought me a fair long journey fer
+nothin', skipper!"</p>
+
+<div style="height: 0">
+  <a id="image01"></a>
+</div>
+<div class="figcenter">
+  <!-- Page 50 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[Pg 50]</a></span>
+    <img src="images/i001.png" alt="&quot;I&#39;m Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., that&#39;s me!&quot;" />
+    <p class="caption">&quot;I&#39;m Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., that&#39;s me!&quot;</p>
+</div>
+<p><!-- Page 51 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[Pg 51]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I'm very sorry, sir," said Freddie, "I didn't know
+you had to come when the Chinaman's tobacco was
+smoked. Are you the one that brought that tobacco
+here?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay! That's me! Lemuel Mizzen, A.B.!
+And a fine long trip from the China Sea, to come to a
+lad in Amerikee when I hears in my ears the skipper's
+call, and all fer nothin' at all, at all! Ain't you got
+nothin' to offer in extenuation?"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie did not know what "extenuation" meant,
+but he could see by the Sailorman's face that that gentleman
+was a good deal put out. He remembered that
+Mr. Mizzen wanted a chew of tobacco.</p>
+
+<p>"Would a little tobacco make you feel better?"
+said he.</p>
+
+<p>"Now you've got yer hand on the right rope!" said
+the Able Seaman, his face brightening. "I don't smoke.
+I chew. If you're goin' to offer a bit of a chew, why
+then, says I, I don't care if I do."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie took a long plug of chewing tobacco from
+the shelf behind him. He knew that Mr. Toby would
+not mind making a little gift to the sailorman after
+his long journey. He put the plug under the cutter
+on the counter, and was about to press down the
+handle, to cut off a portion, when the Able Seaman
+hitched up his trousers and said:</p>
+
+<p>"Belay there, skipper! Put the whole cargo aboard!
+This here craft needs ballast; hoist her over the side!"
+And he reached out his hand for the whole plug of
+tobacco and took it from Freddie, and gnawed off a
+corner with his teeth.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said he, his right cheek bulging out. "Too
+much ballast to starboard." And he gnawed off another
+corner, so that his left cheek bulged out like his
+right.</p>
+
+<p>"All snug!" said he. "I'll just pay fer my cargo
+before I set sail, with a bit of a draft on the owners,
+in a manner of speakin'. Here y'are, sir. Stow that<!-- Page 52 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[Pg 52]</a></span>
+bit o' paper in yer sea-chest, and it'll come in handy
+one o' these days. Pay as you go, says I."</p>
+
+<p>He placed in Freddie's hand a folded sheet of soiled
+paper. It was greasy with handling, and was evidently
+very old; it was folded small and tight, and was beginning
+to break with age at the creases. On the outside,
+it was blank; but there might have been writing
+inside.</p>
+
+<p>"Got it in the Caribbean off a runaway sailor, fer a
+set of false whiskers and a tattoo needle. Will it do
+to pay fer the cargo with?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir; thank you," said Freddie, holding the
+paper in his hand without unfolding it.</p>
+
+<p>"Then all I got to say is, before I weighs anchor,&mdash;take
+good keer o' that there bit o' paper. Aloft and
+alow, don't ye never let go; round the yard take a bight
+and hold on to it tight; let the harricane blow till yer
+fingers is blue, but wotever you do, don't ye never let
+go. And skipper, mind wot I'm a-tellin' you; if you
+ever needs Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., fer to give him his
+orders, all you got to do is to smoke a couple o' whiffs
+of the Chinaman's 'baccy, and Lemuel Mizzen, A.B.,
+he'll be on deck before the smoke's cleared away.
+That's clear?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie, with eyes wide open.</p>
+
+<p>"And now as I see there's no orders to give, I'm off
+to my tight little bark called The Sieve, and when I'm
+aboard I'll close all the shutters, and lock up the parrot
+that sneezes and stutters, and wake all the skippers,
+and put on my slippers, and get into bed while the
+mates overhead are swabbing the decks and heaving
+the lead and baling the bilge-water up with their dippers;
+and when they have gotten the vessel to going,
+and settled all down to their knitting and sewing, and
+the twenty-third mate, who is always so late, has
+learned what is meant by a third and last warning, I'll
+turn up the gas, take a look at the glass, and read me<!-- Page 53 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[Pg 53]</a></span>
+the Life of Old Chew until morning!&mdash;And so, sir,"
+continued Mr. Mizzen, walking towards the street
+door, "I must give you a view of my little stern-light,
+and bid you, dear sir, a very good night."</p>
+
+<p>So saying, he turned squarely towards Freddie, with
+one hand on the door-knob, and with the other hand
+touched his cap respectfully. Freddie saw that his
+trousers were very wide at the ankles and very tight
+at the hips, and that he rolled a little when he walked.
+Having touched his cap respectfully, he opened the
+door and went out, and disappeared in the darkness
+outside.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie stood looking after him with his mouth
+wide open.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 54 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[Pg 54]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_VII" id="CHAPTER_VII"></a>CHAPTER VII</h2>
+
+<h3>THE HANDS OF THE CLOCK COME TOGETHER</h3>
+
+<p>It was some minutes before Freddie recovered from
+his astonishment. Certainly this was a strange
+Sailorman. And he had come all the way from the
+China Sea at a puff of the Chinaman's tobacco! Certainly
+magic tobacco, that! But it was a pity that Mr.
+Mizzen had been called away from the China Sea, all
+for nothing, while he was so busy gathering boxes to
+box compasses with! No wonder he had felt put out
+about it. And it must have been a queer sort of ship,
+with its shutters, and all those skippers and mates&mdash;did
+they really like to knit and sew after they had got
+the ship to going? It would be a wonderful thing to
+sail in a ship like that; he wished he had thought to
+ask Mr. Mizzen more about it. He must tell Aunt
+Amanda at once.</p>
+
+<p>He ran to the back door and burst into the back
+room, crying out "Aunt Amanda!"</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda was sound asleep in her chair, with her
+head back and her mouth open; the gas was burning
+brightly overhead, and the clock was ticking away distinctly
+on the mantel-piece.</p>
+
+<p>"Aunt Amanda!" cried Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>She awoke with a jump, blinked her eyes, and said:</p>
+
+<p>"Hah! Where's the&mdash;what's the&mdash;who said&mdash;Where's
+Toby? What's the matter?"</p>
+
+<p>"It's me, Aunt Amanda," cried Freddie, breathlessly,
+"and the Sailorman's just been here and gone,
+and I called him with the pipe, and I can call him whenever<!-- Page 55 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[Pg 55]</a></span>
+I want him, and he gave me a piece of paper, and
+he talks like a singing-book, and there's a parrot that
+stutters, and they have to bale out the water with dippers
+because the ship's named The Sieve, and we
+mustn't lose the paper because the runaway sailor wore
+false whiskers, and he feeds on tacks instead of pins,
+and we have to hold on tight to the paper, and one of
+the men on the ship is always late, and we mustn't lose
+the paper, because&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Stop! Stop!" said Aunt Amanda. "What on earth
+is the child talking about? What's all this about a
+Sailorman and a paper?"</p>
+
+<p>"He's the one that brought the Chinaman's tobacco
+from China, and he gave me a piece of paper, and
+here it is, and we mustn't lose it, because&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"One minute, Freddie! Now you just stand right
+there, perfectly still, and tell me about it slowly. Now,
+then; what about this Sailorman? Slow, slow."</p>
+
+<p>It was a long time before Freddie made her understand
+exactly what had happened, but at last she did
+understand, from beginning to end. She was grieved
+and horrified that he had smoked the tobacco, but
+there was no help for it now, and she was too much
+excited by his tale to scold him very long.</p>
+
+<p>"What's the paper he give you?" said she, when he
+had told her everything.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie put the paper in her hand, and she unfolded
+it carefully.</p>
+
+<p>"Why," said she, "it's a map!"</p>
+
+<p>"What kind of a map?" said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"It's a map of an Island," said Aunt Amanda.
+"Where's Toby? I wish he would come home. It
+looks like an Island, and there's writing here on it.
+Looks like some sailorman might have drawn it,
+maybe; it's certainly pretty old. I wish Toby would
+come."<!-- Page 56 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[Pg 56]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"What's the writing on it, Aunt Amanda?" said
+Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, here at the top it says, 'Correction Island,'
+and under that it says, 'Spanish Main.' Bless me;
+that's where the pirates used to&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Pirates?" said Freddie, his eyes sparkling.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, pirates, of course. You've heard of the
+Spanish Main, haven't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes'm. It's a long way off. You have to go there
+in a ship. Have you ever been there?"</p>
+
+<p>"Me? Me been to the Spanish Main? Mercy
+sakes, no, child! What would I be doing on the Spanish
+Main? I ain't been outside of this town since I
+was born."</p>
+
+<p>"Wouldn't I like to go there! Pirates!" said
+Freddie. "Oh jiminy!"</p>
+
+<p>"You mustn't use such dreadful language," said
+Aunt Amanda. "I wonder where Toby is? Just look
+at that clock! Why, bless me, it's twenty-seven minutes
+to seven."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie looked, and saw that the hands of the clock
+were together, one on top of the other. It was the
+hour for Mr. Punch's father to call Mr. Punch from
+the church-tower.</p>
+
+<p>"Toby's got to talkin' with that barber again, as
+sure as you live; when they once begin, they never
+know when to leave off. I wish he'd&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>As she said this, the door opened, and in walked
+Mr. Toby himself.</p>
+
+<p>"Sorry I'm so late," he cried, "but the barber got
+to talking about&mdash;What, young feller, are you still
+here?" He turned and called through the open door to
+someone behind him in the shop. "Come in! Make
+you acquainted with my aunt and a young chap here&mdash;Don't
+be bashful, come right in! Nobody's goin' to
+eat you!"</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Toby held the door wide open, and made way<!-- Page 57 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[Pg 57]</a></span>
+for a little gentleman who now advanced into the room.
+He was a hunchbacked man, of the same height as
+Toby, and he was holding out in one hand a bunch of
+black cigars; he was bareheaded and bald-headed; he
+had high cheek-bones and a big chin and a hooked
+nose; he wore blue knee breeches and black stockings
+and buckled shoes, and his coat was cut away in front
+over his stomach and had two tails behind, down to
+his knees. His joints creaked a little as he walked.
+He made a stiff bow to Aunt Amanda, and another
+one to Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Come in, Mr. Punch," said Toby, "you don't need
+to hold them cigars any longer. Give 'em to me."
+And he took them from Mr. Punch and laid them on
+the table. He then went to Mr. Punch and linked his
+arm in his, and the two hunchbacks stepped forward
+together and stood before Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"Allow me to present my friend Mr. Punch," said
+Toby. "Just as I was coming in, I heard a voice sing
+out 'Punch!' from the church-tower, and Mr. Punch
+stepped down from his perch, and I invited him to
+come in, and here we are."</p>
+
+<p>"Good hevening, marm," said Mr. Punch. His
+voice sounded harsh, as if his throat were rusty. "Good
+hevening, young sir. Hit's wery pleasant within-doors,
+wery pleasant indeed; Hi carn't s'y it's so blooming
+agreeable hout there on my box, hall d'y and hall
+night; the gaslight is wery welcome to me poor heyes,
+I assure you, marm. Hi trust I see you well, marm."</p>
+
+<p>"Mercy on us!" said Aunt Amanda, who had been
+speechless with astonishment. "Freddie, it's Mr.
+Punch himself, bless me if it ain't!"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie edged a little closer to Aunt Amanda, for
+he was afraid Mr. Punch might snatch him up and
+carry him off to his father in the tower. Mr. Punch
+noticed this.</p>
+
+<p>"'Ave no fear, me good sir," said Mr. Punch, his<!-- Page 58 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[Pg 58]</a></span>
+wide mouth expanding in a smile, almost to his ears.
+"Hi sharn't see me father this night, hif me kind friends
+will permit me to enjoy their society for a brief period,
+together with their charmin' gaslight, which it is wery
+dim hall night in the street and quite hunsatisfactory,
+accordingly most pleased to haccept me friend Toby's
+kind 'ospitality, Hi assure you. One grows quite
+cramped in one's legs and one's harms when one 'as
+to remain in one position on one's box hall night, unless
+one's father should tyke hit into 'is 'ead to call one
+hup for a bit of a lark, and one can never be sure of
+one's father's 'aving it in 'is 'ead to call one hup, to s'y
+nothing of one's fingers coming stiffer and stiffer with
+one's parcel of cigars 'eld out in one's 'and, and no 'at
+on one's 'ead, and no 'air on one's 'ead to defend one
+against the hevening hair, with one's nose dropping
+hicicles in winter, so that one never knows when one
+will lose one's nose off of one's fyce&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Excuse me," said Aunt Amanda. It was evident
+that Mr. Punch was a talkative person. "Are you an
+Englishman?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ho lor' miss, indeed!" said Mr. Punch. "A Henglishman
+as ever was, Hi assure you. But I 'opes I give
+myself no hairs."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie gave up trying to understand the difference
+between air and hair; it was plain enough that the
+bald-headed man had never given himself any hair, so
+it couldn't be that. Anyway, this was an Englishman,
+and Freddie was glad that he would now probably
+have a chance to hear English spoken, which he had
+never heard before.</p>
+
+<p>"Toby," said Aunt Amanda, "Freddie has seen the
+Sailorman from China, and he has a map. I'll tell
+you about it."</p>
+
+<p>Thereupon she related the story of Mr. Lemuel
+Mizzen, as she had got it from Freddie. Mr. Toby
+and Mr. Punch were both tremendously impressed.<!-- Page 59 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[Pg 59]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"It's too bad," said Mr. Toby, "this young feller
+here had to go and smoke the Chinaman's tobacco
+after I told him not to; it's too bad, that's what it is.
+What did you mean by it, sir?"</p>
+
+<p>"Hit's a wery naughty haction indeed," said Mr.
+Punch. "Wery reprehensible. Wery. Hi carn't s'y
+as I ever 'eard of a thing so hextremely reprehensible.
+Now when Hi was a lad&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You don't say so!" said Mr. Toby. "Well, I don't
+see anything so very bad about it. I'd a' done it myself
+if I'd been in his place. What do you mean by saying
+that my Freddie's reprehensible? I won't have nobody
+callin' him names, I won't, and what's more&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"No offense, Toby! No offense!" cried Mr. Punch.
+"Sorry, Hi assure you. Wery reprehensible of me to
+s'y such a thing. Wery. Pray be calm; be calm."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then," grumbled Toby, "don't you go and
+say nothing about Freddie, because&mdash;Anyway, let's
+have a look at the map."</p>
+
+<p>At that moment there came a timid knock upon the
+door.</p>
+
+<p>"Who next?" said Toby. "Come in!"</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 60 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[Pg 60]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_VIII" id="CHAPTER_VIII"></a>CHAPTER VIII</h2>
+
+<h3>CELLULOID CUFFS AND A SILK HAT</h3>
+
+<p>The door opened, and there entered a poor-looking
+elderly man, bowing and scraping as
+he came, and saluting the company with an old
+rusty dented tall hat which he carried in his hand. The
+most striking thing about him was that he had a
+wooden leg. His hair was grey and thin, and his face
+was not very clean; there were signs of tobacco at the
+corners of his mouth. His clothes were frayed and
+patched, and there was a good deal of grease on his
+vest; he wore a celluloid collar without any necktie,
+and round celluloid cuffs; his coat-sleeves were much
+too short, and his cuffs hung out certainly three inches.
+Strange to say, his collar and cuffs were spotlessly
+clean, and presented quite a contrast to his very untidy
+face and clothes; but then, celluloid is easy to clean;
+much less trouble than washing the face. As he
+stumped into the room, he kept bowing humbly from
+one to another, and bobbing his old hat up and down
+in his hand.</p>
+
+<p>"Ahem!" he said, making another bow. "I was
+just going by, and I thought I would drop in to&mdash;er&mdash;ahem!&mdash;I
+hope I am not in the way?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, come in," said Toby, not very graciously. "As
+long as you are here, you might as well stay. This
+is Mr. Punch, and this is Freddie."</p>
+
+<p>The elderly man bowed to Freddie, and went up
+to Mr. Punch and shook him cordially by the hand.<!-- Page 61 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[Pg 61]</a></span>
+He put his mouth quite close to Mr. Punch's ear, and
+lowered his voice, and said:</p>
+
+<p>"Ahem! I'm delighted to know you, sir. I trust
+you are well. I have seen you often, but not to speak
+to. Ahem!" He lowered his voice again, and spoke
+very confidentially into Mr. Punch's ear. "The fact
+is, sir, that as I was going by, I suddenly found that I
+had left my tobacco pouch at home; most unfortunate;
+and I came in with the hope that perhaps&mdash;er&mdash;ahem!
+Very seldom forget my tobacco; very seldom indeed;
+perfectly lost without it; do you&mdash;er, ahem!&mdash;do you
+happen to have such a thing about you as a&mdash;er&mdash;ahem!&mdash;a
+small portion of&mdash;er&mdash;smoking tobacco? I
+should be very much obliged!"</p>
+
+<p>"Sorry," said Mr. Punch, stiffly, backing away. "Hi
+never use tobacco in any way, shape or form."</p>
+
+<p>The elderly man looked much disappointed, and
+sighed. He turned to Toby, and bowed and smiled
+hopefully.</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps Mr. Littleback&mdash;" he began.</p>
+
+<p>"Not on your life," said Toby. "You don't get no
+tobacco out of me, and that's flat."</p>
+
+<p>The elderly man sighed again, and looked steadily
+at Freddie; but he evidently thought there was no hope
+in that quarter, and he said nothing.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie now realized who the elderly gentleman was.
+He had a wooden leg, and he never bought tobacco
+when tobacco he could beg&mdash;It was the Old Codger
+whom Mr. Toby had now and then sung a song about;
+one of his two friends, the one who was always begging
+tobacco, and never had any of his own. Freddie
+looked at him, and felt rather sorry for him.</p>
+
+<p>"Ahem!" said the Old Codger with the Wooden
+Leg. "Very sorry to intrude, Miss Amanda. I hope
+I'm not in the way. It's very mild weather we're
+having."<!-- Page 62 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[Pg 62]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Now, then," said Toby, briskly, "let's look at this
+map."</p>
+
+<p>As he said this, another knock was heard at the door;
+a firm and confident knock this time.</p>
+
+<p>"Confound it!" said Toby. "Who next? Come
+in!"</p>
+
+<p>The door opened, and another elderly man stepped
+in; a tall slim man, with very white hair and a long
+narrow face; he carried a tall shiny black silk hat in
+his hand; he wore a black suit, all of broadcloth, and
+his coat hung to his knees and was buttoned to the
+top; his cuffs and collar and shirt were of beautiful
+white linen with a gloss, and his tie was a little white
+linen bow. He came forward with an air of warm
+benevolence.</p>
+
+<p>"My dear, <i>dear</i> friends!" he said, and stretched out
+both hands towards the company, as if to clasp them
+all to his heart. "What a beautiful, beautiful scene!
+So homelike, so cosy, so sociable, so&mdash;so&mdash;What can
+be so beautiful as the gathering together of friends
+about the family hearth! <i>So</i> beautiful!" There was
+a Latrobe stove in the room, but no hearth; however,
+that made no difference; he went, with his hands
+outstretched, to Aunt Amanda, and pressed one of hers
+in both of his.</p>
+
+<p>The Old Codger with the Wooden Leg immediately
+sidled up to him, and while he was still pressing Aunt
+Amanda's hand, said, in a confidential tone:</p>
+
+<p>"Ahem! I'm delighted to see you again. I trust
+you are well. The fact is, I find that I have&mdash;er&mdash;left
+my tobacco pouch at home,&mdash;most unfortunate; very
+seldom forget it; completely lost without it; I was
+wondering&mdash;er&mdash;ahem!&mdash;if you happened to have such
+a thing about you as a&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"No!" said the other old man, changing at once
+from beaming benevolence to stern severity. "I'll be<!-- Page 63 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[Pg 63]</a></span>
+hanged if I do!" And he released Aunt Amanda's
+hand, and turned his back on the Old Codger with
+the Wooden Leg.</p>
+
+<p>"Now," said Toby, "let's look at the map. This
+here is Mr. Punch, and this is Freddie."</p>
+
+<p>The newcomer took Mr. Punch's hand in both of his
+and squeezed it softly; he then took Freddie's hand in
+both of his and pressed it tenderly. Freddie knew
+him. He was the "other Old Codger, as sly as a
+fox, who always had tobacco in his old tobacco-box."
+Freddie could hardly believe that that white-haired
+old gentleman could be as sly as a fox.</p>
+
+<p>"My dear, <i>dear</i> friends!" said the Sly Old Fox.
+"What is so beautiful as the love of friends?" He
+stopped to glare at the Old Codger with the Wooden
+Leg, who looked away nervously. "The love of
+friends! Gathered together around the family hearth!
+How beautiful! It touches me, my friends, it touches
+me&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"That's all right about that," said Toby. "For
+heaven's <i>sake</i>, let's look at the map!"</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda spread out the map on the table beside
+her, and the others gathered round.</p>
+
+<p>"It's an island!" cried Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"On the Spanish Main," said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"The Spanish Main!" said the Sly Old Fox. "A
+beautiful country! Full of palms,&mdash;and grape-nuts,&mdash;What
+you might call a real work of nature! Full
+of parrots, and monkeys, and lagoons, and other wild
+creatures; a work of nature, my dear friends, a real
+work of nature."</p>
+
+<p>"And pirates," said Freddie, earnestly.</p>
+
+<p>"I <i>said</i> parrots," said the Sly Old Fox.</p>
+
+<p>"<i>I</i> said pirates," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Just what I said," said the Sly Old Fox. "That<!-- Page 64 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[Pg 64]</a></span>
+live in trees, my little friend, in trees; and have red
+and blue feathers, and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Pirates don't have feathers," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Dear, dear!" said the Sly Old Fox. "How <i>can</i>
+you say such a thing? How <i>can</i> you&mdash;&mdash;?"</p>
+
+<p>"Did you ever see a pirate in a tree?"</p>
+
+<p>"In cages, my dear little friend! Hundreds of
+them!"</p>
+
+<p>"That's enough!" said Mr. Toby. "Quit wrangling
+for a minute, will you? What about this here map? I
+tell you what, though. I'd like the Churchwarden to
+see this map. Freddie, will you run down the street
+and get the Churchwarden?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie, moving towards the door.</p>
+
+<p>"And tell him to bring along his Odour of Sanctity
+with him. He always carries a bottle of it in his
+pocket, and we may need it. Don't forget it."</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Hold on a minute," said Mr. Toby, snatching up
+his hat. "I'll go for him myself. I can do it quicker."
+And in a moment he was out of the door.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 65 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[Pg 65]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_IX" id="CHAPTER_IX"></a>CHAPTER IX</h2>
+
+<h3>THE ODOUR OF SANCTITY</h3>
+
+<p>While Toby was gone, Aunt Amanda explained
+to the two old men about the Sailorman from
+China, and about his gift of the map which
+was lying on the table. They were just at the end of
+their discussion when Toby returned, bringing with
+him the Churchwarden, puffing and blowing with the
+unusual exertion of walking, and without his pipe.
+Toby introduced him to Mr. Punch and the two old
+Codgers, and drew him up to the table and showed him
+the map, explaining at the same time how it came
+there.</p>
+
+<p>The Churchwarden examined the map carefully,
+while the others all looked at him. He finally put
+down the map, settled himself in a chair, folded his
+hands across his fat stomach, blew out his cheeks, and
+said:</p>
+
+<p>"My opinion is, that what we ought to do is to&mdash;I've
+considered the matter carefully, from all sides, and
+I think we ought to&mdash;Of course you may not agree
+with me, but I think the best thing to do would be
+to&mdash;Unless, of course, some of you may think of
+something better, but if you don't, then I can't say as
+there's anything better to do than to&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>At this moment there came a sound from the street
+outside which made everyone but Aunt Amanda jump
+to his feet. It was the sound of running feet, mixed
+with strange cries, not very loud, but somehow blood-curdling.
+It was evident that someone was in trouble.<!-- Page 66 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[Pg 66]</a></span>
+Freddie and the five men rushed from the room and
+through the shop and into the street.</p>
+
+<p>The street was very dark, except for a gas-lamp
+at the opposite corner. A white figure was running
+down the pavement towards the shop-door, with
+frantic speed; and behind him, evidently chasing him,
+came a crowd of little dark creatures, hard to make
+out in the dim light. It was these creatures who were
+making the little blood-curdling cries. In a moment
+they had come so near that the party about the shop-door
+could see what they were. In front, running
+desperately with leaps and bounds, and panting for
+breath, came a tall slim man all in tight-fitting white
+clothes, with a dead white face and a white hairless
+head; and after him, tumbling on pell-mell, was a
+perfect riot of little red imps, with little horns on their
+foreheads, and little tails behind them, all trying to
+spear the white man with the wicked little pitchforks
+which they carried, and to seize him with their claws.
+Freddie thought they were precisely like the imps he
+had seen at Hanlon's Superba. When the white man
+reached the shop-door they had nearly caught him.
+He paused at that moment, looked wildly about him,
+saw the open door of the shop, and dashed in and
+banged the door to behind him. The imps came tumbling
+up and hesitated an instant before the men at
+the door; and in that instant the Churchwarden showed
+the most unexpected presence of mind. He quickly
+reached behind him and drew a small bottle out of his
+pocket and pulled out the cork and sprinkled a few
+drops of its contents on the ground before him. A
+sharp penetrating odour immediately filled the air; it
+was so intense that it made the tears come into Freddie's
+eyes; but what it did to the wild mob of imps
+was almost beyond belief. As they got their first whiff
+of it, they tumbled back over one another in a mad<!-- Page 67 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[Pg 67]</a></span>
+effort to get away; but they could not get away from
+the odour quick enough; it caught them and held them,
+so that in a moment they could not move; they stood
+fixed and fast and silent; in another moment they began
+to melt away, and in two minutes they had vanished;
+actually vanished where they stood, each and
+every one, before the very eyes of the astonished party
+before the door.</p>
+
+<p>"Blimy hif I ever see the like!" said Mr. Punch.</p>
+
+<p>"Never knew my Odour of Sanctity to fail once,"
+said the Churchwarden, coolly. "Hardly ever go out
+without it. There ain't a witch or an imp or a bad
+spirit of any kind whatever can stand up against my
+Odour of Sanctity, if he once gets a couple of good
+whiffs of it out of this little bottle. Just a few drops
+from the bottle, and a few sniffs, and whoof! they're
+done for! No, sir! there ain't no perfumery in the
+world like Odour of Sanctity!"</p>
+
+<p>On the floor of the shop they found the poor white
+man lying completely exhausted. They asked him to
+explain, but he could not speak. Mr. Toby and Mr.
+Punch, one on each side, supported him into the back
+room, and sat him down in a chair before Aunt
+Amanda. She held up her hands in astonishment. The
+man was certainly a strange-looking man. They plied
+him with questions, but he touched his tongue with his
+finger and shook his head. He could not speak; he
+was dumb. Freddie, after one long look at him under
+the gaslight, knew who he was.</p>
+
+<p>"It's Mr. Hanlon!" he cried, in great excitement.
+"It's Mr. Hanlon!"</p>
+
+<p>The dumb man looked at Freddie and smiled, and
+nodded his head. He rose to his feet, shook Freddie's
+hand, and made a graceful bow to the whole company.</p>
+
+<p>"It's Mr. Hanlon sure enough," said Toby, "still
+being chased by the imps. Pretty near got him that<!-- Page 68 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[Pg 68]</a></span>
+time, too! But he got away safe and sound after all,
+didn't he, eh?" And all the party, including Mr. Hanlon
+himself, laughed with delight. And when the
+Churchwarden pulled out his little perfume bottle and
+showed it around, and explained to Mr. Hanlon what
+it had done, the poor man was so overcome that he
+put his head down on the Churchwarden's shoulder
+and wept.</p>
+
+<p>"This'll never do!" cried Toby. "Ain't we never,
+<i>never</i>, going to get down to this here map? I never
+<i>see</i> such a time as I've had, trying to examine this
+here map! One thing right after another! Mr. Hanlon,
+I'll tell you what it's about, and then you can see
+it for yourself. Would you like to stay here with
+our little party? It's a good deal safer than out-of-doors."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hanlon nodded eagerly and smiled, and Toby
+explained everything to him and showed him the map.</p>
+
+<p>"Now," said Toby, when that was done, "speak
+up, Warden, and finish what you was a-saying!"</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 69 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[Pg 69]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_X" id="CHAPTER_X"></a>CHAPTER X</h2>
+
+<h3>CAPTAIN HIGGINSON AND THE SPANISH MAIN</h3>
+
+<p>The Churchwarden, having put back into his
+pocket the bottle of Odour of Sanctity, folded
+his hands across his fat stomach and began
+again:</p>
+
+<p>"As I was saying&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Never mind that," said Toby. "Tell us what we
+had better do."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, as I was saying," went on the Churchwarden,
+paying no attention to Toby, "the best idea that occurs
+to me, after thinking it over considerable, is that&mdash;But
+I ain't saying there's none better, and I don't lay
+claim to being any wiser than&mdash;Anyway, it seems to
+me we ought to&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Just listen to this!" broke in Aunt Amanda. She
+had been studying the map all this time, and she was
+holding it in her hands. She was much excited. "I've
+just made out all this handwriting at the bottom of
+the map, and I'll read it to you. Do you want to hear
+it?" Her voice shook and her hands trembled. Everybody
+except the Churchwarden begged her to go on.
+"Oh! do you think it could be true? If it only could!
+Oh, if it <i>could</i> only be true!"</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe if you'd read it, Aunt Amanda&mdash;&mdash;" said
+Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, yes, I will," said she, all of a twitter. "I'll
+read it. Don't hurry me. This is what it says. If it
+could only be true! 'Correction Island: By dead Reckoning,
+latitude 12&deg; 32' 14" N., longitude 61&deg; 45' 13"<!-- Page 70 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[Pg 70]</a></span>
+W.,' whatever that means. But I'll read it to you just
+as it's written. It's a queer kind of language&mdash;Anyway,
+this is what it says:</p>
+
+<p>"'Lately discovered by me, Reuben Higginson,
+Master Mariner, Brig Cotton Mather: New Bedford.</p>
+
+<p>"'Notify Elizabeth Higginson, Spinster: or Else
+the acknowledged Elder of the Society of Friends:
+New Bedford.</p>
+
+<p>"'Now off course in heavy gale on return Voyage
+to fetch my Sister aforesaid to Correction Island with
+as Many others as are Minded to come.</p>
+
+<p>"'Leaking badly below line: pumps Given over:
+Water mounting in hold: decks Awash: Both masts
+gone By the board: whale-oil, no use: Down with all
+hands in another Hour.</p>
+
+<p>"'This Map shall be cast Overboard in a stout Bottel
+as we go down, with a Paper of directions how to
+Gain correction in the Island.'"</p>
+
+<p>"Where's the paper of directions?" said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"It ain't here," said Aunt Amanda. "I suppose
+Captain Higginson lost it, or else he didn't have time
+to put it in the bottle. Anyway, this is what the writing
+on the map says:</p>
+
+<p>"'Let him that Finds the Bottel remember these
+Mariners: Also, let him take heed to Search out the
+Island diligently.</p>
+
+<p>"'For this Island'&mdash;Listen to what it says now,"
+said Aunt Amanda, trembling with excitement. "Oh,
+do you suppose it could really be true? And yet this
+Reuben Higginson was a good Quaker captain, I'm
+sure, and I don't believe he would say what wasn't
+true, and especially when he was on his way home to
+get his own sister&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Why don't you read it, instead of talking about
+it?" said Toby.<!-- Page 71 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[Pg 71]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"I would, if you'd let me," said Aunt Amanda.
+"Here's what it says:</p>
+
+<p>"'For this Island is Refuge to such as be afflicted:
+And in this Island shall be Corrected'&mdash;oh! listen to
+this! I wouldn't believe it from anybody but Reuben
+Higginson&mdash;'shall be Corrected whatever Errors, Disappointments,
+Miscarriages, Faylures, Preventions,
+and the like, this mortal Life may have afflicted Any
+withal: Wherefore I have called it Correction Island.</p>
+
+<p>"'There be Perils enough in coming at Compleat
+Correction: But let Courage halt not By the way, so
+shall he Arrive presently.</p>
+
+<p>"'If any be Crooked'&mdash;this is the part! it's too wonderful!
+but Captain Higginson wouldn't have said it,
+when he was so near going down with his ship, and
+especially on his way home to get his own sister&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Me dear lydy," said Mr. Punch, "<i>hif</i> you would
+be so wery kind as to&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, yes; give me time. I declare you make me
+so nervous&mdash;Now just listen to this, every one of you,
+and don't speak:</p>
+
+<p>"'If any be Crooked, he shall there be made
+Straight.'"</p>
+
+<p>She paused, and looked hard at Toby. Mr. Punch
+started at the same time, and he and Toby looked hard
+at each other.</p>
+
+<p>"'If any be Blind, he shall see: If any Dumb, he
+shall speak.'"</p>
+
+<p>At the word "dumb," Mr. Hanlon, whose elbow
+was resting on the table, jumped so violently that he
+knocked the Album onto the floor. Aunt Amanda
+nodded her head to him, and all the others stared at
+him.</p>
+
+<p>"'If any be Old, he shall be Young again: If any
+Fat, he shall be as Lean as he will.'"<!-- Page 72 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[Pg 72]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>At the word "fat", the Churchwarden gave a questioning
+grunt, and settled down deeper in his chair.</p>
+
+<p>"'If any be Poor, whether in Purse or in Mind, he
+shall seek Alms no longer.'"</p>
+
+<p>The Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, who had
+been resting his wooden leg on the chair opposite,
+dropped it to the floor and sat up very straight. Toby,
+who was standing beside him, clapped him heartily on
+the shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>"'If any be Mean, or Cunning, or Despiteful, he
+shall be given a new heart.'"</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda looked directly at the Sly Old Codger,
+who was sitting smiling, with his tall silk hat on his
+knees; and everyone else in the room, except Mr. Hanlon,
+looked very intently at him. He noticed it, and
+glanced around inquiringly, smiling more benevolently
+than ever.</p>
+
+<p>"How beautiful that would be," he said. "How
+beautiful! If some of my dear, dear friends could only
+have a new heart,&mdash;how beautiful!"</p>
+
+<p>"Don't interrupt," said Aunt Amanda. "Freddie,
+listen to this:</p>
+
+<p>"'If any be Little in stature, against his desire, he
+shall be Great.'"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie opened his eyes very wide. Would it be
+possible to be big at once, without waiting all that long
+dreary time? How glorious that would be!</p>
+
+<p>"But this," said Aunt Amanda, "this is the last and
+the best. I don't know&mdash;whether I can&mdash;read it
+right&mdash;" her voice broke, and she blew her nose and
+cleared her throat&mdash;"but I will try. Oh! do you suppose
+it <i>could</i> be true? Would a good Quaker captain,
+with a sister in New Bedford, say it if it wasn't true?
+With the sea raging and both masts gone, and the
+ship filling up with water, and&mdash;&mdash;"<!-- Page 73 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[Pg 73]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Aunt Amanda," said Toby, "if you don't read the
+rest of it this minute&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, yes, Toby, I will," said Aunt Amanda. "It
+must be true, or a good man like that wouldn't have
+said it. This is the last part, and the best:</p>
+
+<p>"'If any be Prevented unjustly of Beauty or of
+Children or of Love or of Other like desires, there
+shall be found for him of these a great Store: So that
+there shall be an End of repining, and none in that
+Place shall say, Thus and thus might I have been also,
+had I been but justly entreated.</p>
+
+<p>"'And so I commit my Body to the sea, and my
+soul to&mdash;&mdash;'"</p>
+
+<p>"Go on! go on!" cried the company&mdash;excepting, of
+course, Mr. Hanlon.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda blew her nose again, and laid down
+the map on the table. "That's all," she said. "I
+suppose he didn't have time to finish it."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 74 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[Pg 74]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XI" id="CHAPTER_XI"></a>CHAPTER XI</h2>
+
+<h3>A MIXED COMPANY IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE</h3>
+
+<p>After Aunt Amanda had stopped reading, it
+was a moment or two before anyone spoke.
+"If all those things," said Mr. Toby
+thoughtfully, "could be done in that Island, I'd be in
+favor of going there."</p>
+
+<p>There was a general murmur of assent, and Mr.
+Hanlon nodded his head.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," went on Mr. Toby, "we'd better make up
+our minds what we want to do about it. The Churchwarden
+ain't had his say yet, what with all these interruptions,
+and I move we give him a chance to have
+his say, right now. Speak up, Warden; what do you
+think we ought to do?"</p>
+
+<p>"As I was saying," said the Churchwarden, looking
+around solemnly, "while I don't hold to my own opinion
+if anybody else can think up something better, still it
+seems to me&mdash;But maybe you'd ruther hear from the
+others first."</p>
+
+<p>"No, no!" cried the whole company,&mdash;except Mr.
+Hanlon, who shook his head vigorously.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, then, being as you've asked me so particular,
+and having thought about it considerable,&mdash;as I was
+saying, it appears to me that the best thing to do would
+be to&mdash;This is only the way it looks to me, you understand,
+and I ain't speaking for nobody but myself, and
+I don't pretend that my opinion is worth&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"By crackey!" cried Mr. Toby, very rudely. "Ain't
+you the most maddening old feller that ever was in the<!-- Page 75 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[Pg 75]</a></span>
+world? Come on, now, tell us what to do, and be
+quick about it!"</p>
+
+<p>"Call up the Able Seaman!"</p>
+
+<p>This was so unexpected that nobody spoke for a
+moment.</p>
+
+<p>"Hurrah!" cried Toby. "Now you've said it. We'll
+call up Mr. Lemuel Mizzen&mdash;is that his name? That's
+the thing to do! Do you all agree to that?" Everybody
+approved, and Mr. Toby turned to Freddie.
+"He's your man, Freddie, and if you've done it once,
+I reckon it won't be any harm for you to do it again.
+Wait a minute." And he ran into the shop, and immediately
+returned with the Chinaman's head and a
+churchwarden pipe.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, then, Freddie," he said. "Will you do it
+again?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," said Freddie. "I'd rather not."</p>
+
+<p>"You shouldn't make him do it," said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"Nonsense, Aunt Amanda!" cried Toby. "He's as
+bad now as he'll ever be, and it ain't a-going to do him
+no harm. I'll fill the pipe."</p>
+
+<p>"Hit's quite a lark," said Mr. Punch, laughing
+heartily. "Fancy the little beggar's smoking a pipe!"</p>
+
+<p>"My dear little friend," began the Sly Old Fox,
+beaming upon Freddie. "You must always remember
+that your elders know best&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Here, Freddie," said Mr. Toby, having filled the
+pipe, "sit down here." And he pushed Freddie gently
+down upon his accustomed hassock at Aunt Amanda's
+feet.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie shook his head, but Mr. Toby put the pipe
+into his mouth and lit a match. All the others sat in
+silence, watching Freddie intently.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, then!" said Toby. "Pull away!" And he
+touched the lighted match to the pipeful of black
+tobacco.<!-- Page 76 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[Pg 76]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Freddie gave a pull, and blew out a cloud of smoke.
+He did not choke this time. He gave another pull,
+and blew out another cloud. The white smoke lay above
+the heads of the company in a thick mass; it grew
+thicker, so that he could not see through it; it began to
+move, as if in a high wind. He drew on the pipe
+once more, and blew out another cloud of smoke. He
+knew what was coming, and in fact the same thing
+happened that had happened to him before. The
+white cloud churned about, with its barber-poles and
+jets of fire, coming down closer and closer upon him,
+and in a jiffy he was sitting in midair on his hassock,
+and then he felt himself falling, falling; and as he
+struck the bottom with a jar, he heard, very distinctly,
+a knock on the door; and he was sitting again on his
+hassock at Aunt Amanda's feet in the quiet room, with
+no sign of a cloud anywhere to be seen.</p>
+
+<p>"Come in!" he heard Mr. Toby cry.</p>
+
+<p>The door opened, and in walked Mr. Lemuel Mizzen,
+A.B., as cool as a cucumber.</p>
+
+<p>He took off his flat blue cap with the black ribbon,
+and made a bow to the company.</p>
+
+<p>"Piped me aft again, and good evening to you all!"
+said he, in his hoarse voice. "Lemuel Mizzen, A.B.!
+That's me! What'll it be? All ready for orders,
+skipper! It was just half past by the starboard watch,
+and the skippers their apples were quietly peeling, when
+I locked up the last of the lemons and Scotch, and
+lay on my bed looking up at the ceiling, to snatch forty
+winks, as I foolishly reckoned; but just as I thinks,
+'Thirty-first, thirty-second,' there's a ring at the bell of
+the big front-door, and the mates come and yell that
+I'm wanted ashore; so I tucks in my cap the eight
+points of my nap, and just before stopping to turn
+down the lights, I runs to the dresser and puts it to
+rights, and then before giving a last look behind, I goes<!-- Page 77 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[Pg 77]</a></span>
+to the bed and takes off the spread, and lays out to
+air the three sheets in the wind! And here I be," concluded
+the Able Seaman, "all ready for orders." And
+he looked very hard at Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Well!" said Aunt Amanda, gasping. "I never in
+my life heard such a&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I'll tell you what it is, Mr. Mizzen," said Toby.
+"It's about Correction Island, on the Spanish Main."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, sir!" said Mr. Mizzen. "Would you like
+to go there?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said everyone at once, except Mr. Hanlon,
+who nodded his head.</p>
+
+<p>"No trouble at all," said Mr. Mizzen. "Just step
+into The Sieve, and we'll be off. A sweet little bark
+is The Sieve, provided there's plenty of dippers; but
+we always go well provided. Is the whole party
+going?"</p>
+
+<p>"One moment, if you please," said the Sly Old
+Codger. "There is one little point on which I&mdash;that
+is to say&mdash;Will there be any expense?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not a penny," said Mr. Mizzen. "Everything's
+found. Orders from the skipper. What he says
+goes."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said the Sly Old Fox. "The Spanish Main!
+With all the little parrots and monkeys flitting about
+in the branches of the upas trees!&mdash;I think I will
+join."</p>
+
+<p>"I reckon we're all going," said Mr. Toby. "Is
+everybody agreed? All right. It's settled. And my
+vote is, to go right now, while we've got hold of our
+Able Seaman here."</p>
+
+<p>"Shouldn't I tell mother first?" asked Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll write her a note in the morning," said Toby.
+"I'll fix it; you leave it to me."</p>
+
+<p>"I suppose I really ought to finish this sewing," said
+Aunt Amanda.<!-- Page 78 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[Pg 78]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"No time," said Toby, who seemed to be managing
+everything. "Where's the ship, Mr. Mizzen?"</p>
+
+<p>"Made fast to the wharf at the foot of this street,"
+said Mr. Mizzen.</p>
+
+<p>"Then let's go," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>He ran out of the room, and returned with his white
+derby hat on his head, and his hand-painted necktie
+neatly in its place. He helped Aunt Amanda to get up,
+and brought her her little black bonnet, which she put
+on and tied under her chin, and her cashmere shawl,
+which she put around her shoulders.</p>
+
+<p>"All right!" cried Toby. "We're off! Come along!"</p>
+
+<p>"We're off to the Spanish Main," said Mr. Mizzen,
+in his curious sing-song, "to the wet Antipodee; but
+dry or wet we need not fret, for we are bold as bold
+can be; and on the way at Botany Bay we'll probably
+stay a week or two, to gather ferns as the Botanists
+do, and then we'll stop at the door of Spain, to ask
+the way to the Spanish Main, and so without any more
+delay, on the Spanish Main we'll all alight, where the
+star-fish shines in the sea all night, and the dog-star
+barks in the sky all day&mdash;Here, skipper, put this in your
+pocket, and hold fast to it." He handed Freddie the
+map, and Freddie put it away safely in his pocket.</p>
+
+<p>"Have you got the Odour of Sanctity?" said Mr.
+Toby to the Churchwarden.</p>
+
+<p>"Right here," said the fat man, tapping his back
+pocket.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll carry the Chinaman's tobacco," said Toby. "We
+may need it." And he tucked the Chinaman's head
+under his arm.</p>
+
+<p>In a few moments the whole party were standing
+on the pavement outside, and Toby locked the shop-door
+behind them. They crossed the street, and as
+they did so they heard a faint voice halloing from the
+top of the church tower, and they could make out<!-- Page 79 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[Pg 79]</a></span>
+that it said, "Punch! Punch!" But Mr. Punch only
+sniffed and shrugged his shoulders, and made no
+answer.</p>
+
+<p>It was very dark. The gas-lamps at the corners only
+made the darkness gloomier. The only sound they
+heard, after Mr. Punch's father's voice had died away
+behind them, was the stump-stump of the Old Codger's
+wooden leg on the brick pavement. All the dwelling-houses
+were closed, and as they came nearer to the
+wharves all the warehouses were dark and awful. Not
+a soul was to be seen, except that once they saw the
+back of a policeman as he disappeared around a dark
+corner in advance. At the sight of this policeman's
+back, and in the shadow of a great gloomy building
+alongside an alley, Freddie slipped his hand into the
+Able Seaman's big paw. He wondered if he were doing
+quite right in leaving home without saying a word to
+his mother, but Mr. Toby had promised to do whatever
+was necessary, and anyway, he was going aboard
+a ship! If he should stop to speak to his mother about
+going away on a voyage in a ship, he felt somehow
+that he might never go. He could already smell the
+delicious odour of tarred ropes.</p>
+
+<p>Their progress was very slow, on account of Aunt
+Amanda's lameness. First came Mr. Mizzen, leading
+the way with Freddie by his side. Next came Aunt
+Amanda, limping with her cane, and supported on one
+side by Mr. Toby and on the other by Mr. Punch. Behind
+them walked the Churchwarden and the Sly Old
+Fox, and last of all Mr. Hanlon and the Old Codger
+with the Wooden Leg.</p>
+
+<p>They could see not far before them the ghost-like
+masts and shrouds of ships, looking as if they were
+growing up from the street among the buildings; and
+in another moment they found themselves standing in
+a group on a wide wharf, piled up with bales and<!-- Page 80 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[Pg 80]</a></span>
+boxes, and before them, against the edge of the wharf,
+where the black water was lapping the piles, stood a
+tall ship with most of her sails set. Freddie thrilled
+in every vein of his body. At that moment he did
+not think of his father or mother; he thought of nothing
+but the smell of brackish water and tarred ropes,
+and the deck of a ship on the open sea under a cloud
+of canvas, and the far-away Spanish Main.</p>
+
+<p>The Able Seaman led the company of adventurers
+forward between the bales and boxes, until they stood
+beside the dark hull of the ship. He turned round
+and faced them and touched his cap respectfully.</p>
+
+<p>"Come aboard," said he.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 81 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[Pg 81]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XII" id="CHAPTER_XII"></a>CHAPTER XII</h2>
+
+<h3>THE VOYAGE OF THE SIEVE</h3>
+
+<p>When Freddie awoke the next morning, he
+leaned up on his elbow, rubbing his eyes, and
+was surprised to see the floor of the little
+room in which he found himself settling slowly down
+at one side. In a moment the floor rose again on
+that side, and the other side settled down. Then the
+whole room tilted sideways and back again. It made
+him dizzy, and he closed his eyes, wondering what kind
+of a house he had gotten into. He decided he would
+get up and find out about it.</p>
+
+<p>He carefully rose, and tried to walk across the floor
+to the window. As he stepped out, the floor seemed
+to go down under him, and he quickly grasped the
+bed; he put out his foot again, and the floor rose up;
+he was dizzier than before, and he had a queer sinking
+feeling in his stomach. As the floor tilted down
+sideways again, he made a dash to the opposite wall,
+and held on there by the window; but the floor sank
+again, and he made another dash, back to bed. He
+was cold and hot, and his head ached, and there was a
+feeling in his stomach as if&mdash;oh dear! He decided he
+would lie in bed for a few moments until he felt better.</p>
+
+<p>He remained there for two days.</p>
+
+<p>What occurred during those two days he could not
+remember very well afterwards. He slept a great deal,
+and it seemed that some one with a green patch over
+his eye came in now and then; but he paid very little<!-- Page 82 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[Pg 82]</a></span>
+attention. All he wanted was to go to sleep and stay
+asleep.</p>
+
+<p>On the morning after his third night he sat up wide
+awake. He was hungry. He jumped up and dressed
+in a hurry. As the floor tilted and sank and rose with
+him he thought he had never felt so delicious a sensation.
+He wondered if there would be bacon and eggs
+for breakfast.</p>
+
+<p>In a moment he had thrown open the door and he
+was running up a short flight of steps. He was weak
+and tottery, but he paid no attention to that. He was
+at the top of the steps, and he drew in a deep breath
+of the cool morning air.</p>
+
+<p>He was standing on the deck of a great ship. Over
+his head clouds and clouds of beautiful white canvas
+swelled out to the breeze. The sun was sparkling merrily
+on the water, and there was no land to be seen
+anywhere. Up forward, the bow of the ship was dipping
+and rising regularly. There were three tall masts,
+and on the first two the sails were set square to the
+masts, and on the third lengthwise; every sail seemed
+to be up. It was glorious.</p>
+
+<p>He walked forward up the deck. Here and there
+were men in blue overalls, cleaning the deck, coiling
+ropes, and polishing metal; and in a little house with
+windows a man was standing beside an upright wheel.
+Near the first mast, in a group, were Aunt Amanda,
+Mr. Toby, the Churchwarden, and the two old Codgers.
+Freddie hailed them with a shout.</p>
+
+<p>"All right, young feller," cried Mr. Toby, as Freddie
+came up, "here we are! How is this for a corking
+spree? Beats all the Tolchester excursions you ever
+see, that's what I say! Blamed if it don't. I ain't
+been out of bed for two days."</p>
+
+<p>"No more has any of us," said Aunt Amanda. "Do<!-- Page 83 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[Pg 83]</a></span>
+you feel well, Freddie? I declare I'm quite excited.
+Isn't the air invigorating?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes'm," said Freddie. "What did you say in your
+note, Mr. Toby?"</p>
+
+<p>"What note?" said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"Why, your note to my mother, explaining about me
+and&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"By crackey!" cried Toby. "Blamed if I didn't
+clean forget all about it! Now ain't that too bad!
+What on earth are we going to do about it?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well!" said Aunt Amanda. "Now ain't that just
+like you, Toby Littleback? I declare if your head
+wasn't fastened on you'd&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Wery reprehensible," said Mr. Punch. "Wery."</p>
+
+<p>"My dear friends," said the Sly Old Codger, "let us
+not be disquieted on such a morning as this. Everything
+is so beautiful. <i>So</i> beautiful! And without any
+expense whatever. It is a precious thought. How
+pleasant it is to hear the breeze blowing so gently
+among all the little capstans up there!"</p>
+
+<p>He took off his high silk hat and looked up among
+the sails with a rapt expression on his face, and all the
+others looked up too, trying to see the capstans fluttering
+in the breeze.</p>
+
+<p>"Look!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Why, there's Mr.
+Hanlon!"</p>
+
+<p>Far, far up, near the top of the second mast, was a
+white figure, standing on a rope under the topmost
+sail, and holding on with one hand and waving the
+other down at the passengers. Mr. Toby waved his
+white derby, and Mr. Hanlon began to come down.
+Freddie trembled with alarm, but Mr. Hanlon was
+obviously having the time of his life. He skipped
+swiftly along his dangerous perch, and sliding down
+and along the spars of wood that held the sails, and
+actually leaping from one to another, and tripping<!-- Page 84 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[Pg 84]</a></span>
+lightly down ladders of rope, while the whole top
+swayed dizzily from side to side, he at length came
+down on the deck with a bounce, and bowing to everybody
+shook Freddie by the hand.</p>
+
+<p>"Here comes the Able Seaman!" cried Toby. "And
+see what he's got on his wrist!"</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Lemuel Mizzen came rolling down the deck,
+and as he approached he took off his cap with his left
+hand and made a bow. On his right wrist was a
+blue and red parrot, who cocked his head sideways at
+the strangers, and then looked up inquiringly at the
+Able Seaman.</p>
+
+<p>"Good morning, all!" said Mr. Mizzen. "Glad to
+see the passengers come to life again! Nothing like
+the open sea, lady and gentlemen!"</p>
+
+<p>"Are you sure it's perfectly safe?" said Aunt
+Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"Perfectly safe, ma'am. A tight little bark is The
+Sieve, provided the dippers hold out. Most of the men
+is below now, baling out the water with their dippers,
+and the ship ain't leaking more than ordinary&mdash;yet.
+Of course you never can tell what may happen, but
+there's plenty of dippers, unless we should founder in
+a storm, or split up on the rocks, or&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Mercy on us!" cried Aunt Amanda. "I wish we
+hadn't come. If I only had some sewing with me."</p>
+
+<p>"Would you mend socks, ma'am?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, that would be lovely! And I could look after
+the men's shirts, too, and count the laundry when it
+comes home, and&mdash;I'm sure we are going to have a
+delightful voyage! I feel better already. I don't believe
+there's any danger after all. It's all nonsense
+about the ship's leaking."</p>
+
+<p>"Who's your f-f-f-friends, L-l-lem?" shrieked a voice
+from Mr. Mizzen's wrist.</p>
+
+<p>Everyone started, and looked in amazement at the<!-- Page 85 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[Pg 85]</a></span>
+parrot, whose head was perked sideways up at Mr.
+Mizzen's face.</p>
+
+<p>"L-l-lem!" shrieked the parrot, stuttering terribly.
+"Who's your f-f-f-friends?"</p>
+
+<p>"Never you mind," said Lemuel, "you'll find out
+soon enough. Breakfast's ready. Anybody want breakfast?"</p>
+
+<p>Before anyone had a chance to reply, the parrot
+opened his mouth wide and gave a loud laugh, and
+cried out:</p>
+
+<p>"Th-th-three ch-cheers! Th-th-there's ch-ch-chops,
+s-s-steak, b-b-bacon and eggs! I'll have l-l-l-liver and
+onions! Ha! ha! ha! Th-th-three ch-cheers for
+l-l-l-liver and onions!"</p>
+
+<p>"Be quiet, Marmaduke," said the Able Seaman.
+"I'll lock you up again, if you ain't careful."</p>
+
+<p>"K-k-k-ker-<i>choo</i>!" said Marmaduke, giving a loud
+sneeze; and rubbed his beak with his foot and fluttered
+his feathers. "L-l-l-lock me up in the a-a-after
+hold, till I g-g-g-get all over this d-d-d-dreadful cold!
+Th-th-three ch-cheers for hay f-f-f-fever! K-k-k-ker-<i>choo</i>!"</p>
+
+<p>"I'll lock you up in the after hold, if you don't quit
+being so fresh and bold; I'll learn you manners before
+I'm through, and if ever I hear one little&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Ker-<i>choo</i>!" said Marmaduke, finishing Mr. Mizzen's
+sentence for him very neatly.</p>
+
+<p>Everyone laughed, except the Able Seaman.</p>
+
+<p>"All right," said he, "just wait till I've had my chow,
+I'll attend to you proper; now off with you&mdash;now!"
+And he tossed Master Marmaduke off his wrist up
+into the air. The parrot lit on a spar overhead, just
+under a sail, and peered down at the company without
+the least appearance of embarrassment.</p>
+
+<p>"If there's b-b-b-bacon and eggs," he cried, "I'll
+take l-l-l-liver! Th-th-three ch-ch-cheers for l-l-l-liver!"</p>
+
+<div style="height: 0">
+  <a id="image02"></a>
+</div>
+<div class="figcenter">
+  <!-- Page 86 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[Pg 86]</a></span>
+    <img src="images/i002.png" alt="&quot;L-l-lem!&quot; shrieked the parrot. &quot;Who&#39;s your f-f-f-friends?&quot;" />
+    <p class="caption">&quot;L-l-lem!&quot; shrieked the parrot. &quot;Who&#39;s your f-f-f-friends?&quot;</p>
+</div><p><!-- Page 87 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[Pg 87]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Freddie burst into a merry laugh, and all his friends
+joined; all except Mr. Punch, who looked puzzled.</p>
+
+<p>"'Ow could 'e 'ave liver," said he, "hif there was
+only bycon an' heggs?"</p>
+
+<p>At this everyone laughed louder than before, and
+Mr. Punch was completely perplexed.</p>
+
+<p>"I'll explain that to you some day," said Toby.
+"Didn't you never hear a joke?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ho, yes," said Mr. Punch. "Hi 'eard a wery
+good joke once; a wery good one indeed. Hi'll relate
+it to you. When I was a lad&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"There's the breakfast bell," said Mr. Mizzen.
+"Sorry to interrupt, but we mustn't let it get cold.
+We'll hold the election afterwards."</p>
+
+<p>No one waited to hear Mr. Punch's joke. The
+Able Seaman led the way, and all the others followed
+him down the deck, towards a kind of three-sided
+box which opened on a stairway below.</p>
+
+<p>In a moment or two they found themselves in the
+dining-saloon, and in another moment they were
+seated about a round table, set for breakfast. The
+passengers insisted on the Able Seaman's sitting down
+with them, and he consented to do so.</p>
+
+<p>A lad of about eighteen entered, to wait on the
+table. He had a shock of bright red hair, and a kind
+of frightened look in his eyes, as if he were afraid
+he would do everything wrong, and would always be
+in hot water about it. He stood behind the Able Seaman's
+chair, and began to make a queer contortion of
+the face, in an effort to speak.</p>
+
+<p>"Th-th-th-there's&mdash;" he began.</p>
+
+<p>"Skipper first," interrupted Mr. Mizzen, nodding
+towards Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>The Cabin-boy (for that was what he was) went
+to Freddie's chair, and began to speak again, with
+the same contortion of the face.<!-- Page 88 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[Pg 88]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Th-th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-bacon
+and eggs," he said.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>The Cabin-boy stared in bewilderment, and began
+again.</p>
+
+<p>"Th-th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-bacon
+and eggs," said he.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie, much embarrassed.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't blame you, skipper," said the Able Seaman.
+"I would too, if I hadn't eaten for two days. Next!"</p>
+
+<p>The Cabin-boy stood behind Aunt Amanda's chair,
+and began:</p>
+
+<p>"Th-th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-bacon
+and&mdash;Ker-<i>choo</i>!" He gave a hearty sneeze, and pulled
+out his pocket-handkerchief; so he had to begin all
+over again:</p>
+
+<p>"Th-th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-s-s&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Chops, thank you," said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>The Cabin-boy took his stand behind Toby's chair,
+and began:</p>
+
+<p>"There's&mdash;there's&mdash;th-th-th-th&mdash;Ker-<i>choo</i>! Th-th-there's
+ch-ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-s-s&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Chops and steak," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>The Cabin-boy stood behind each of the other chairs
+in turn, and repeated each time his entire list. Everybody
+gave a different order, and the boy became so
+bewildered at last that he wiped his forehead with his
+pocket-handkerchief, brushed a tear from his eye, and
+when he had taken the last order dashed out of the
+door with a kind of sob.</p>
+
+<p>As soon as he was gone, sounds came through the
+door by which he had left, as if a dreadful row was
+going on in the next room.</p>
+
+<p>"Frightful temper, that cook," said the Able Seaman,
+"but the boy certainly does get on his nerves."</p>
+
+<p>In a short time the Cabin-boy came in with four<!-- Page 89 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[Pg 89]</a></span>
+plates at once, and as he reached Freddie's chair the
+ship gave a deep lurch downward, and the four plates
+shot out of his arms across the room, showering the
+floor with chops, steak, bacon and eggs.</p>
+
+<p>The boy gave a wild cry and burst into tears, and fled
+through the door. From the next room came the sound
+of a row more violent than before.</p>
+
+<p>"Never mind," said Mr. Mizzen, "he'll be back."</p>
+
+<p>He came back presently, his eyes very red, and
+stumbling in and out managed to put down before
+each one a plate. Every plate contained chops, steak,
+bacon and eggs.</p>
+
+<p>"Now," said Mr. Mizzen, when the breakfast was
+over, "we'll go up and hold the election."</p>
+
+<p>When they came on deck, they were astonished to
+see a considerable number of men in blue overalls,
+who were sitting on the deck in a group. As the
+passengers approached, they stood up respectfully, and
+one of them said something privately to Mr. Mizzen.</p>
+
+<p>"They've held the election already," said the Able
+Seaman, turning to the passengers. "There's three
+dozen of 'em, and they've elected the captains and
+mates for the voyage; thirteen captains and twenty-three
+mates. They went right ahead without waiting
+for me, so I'm the only Able Seaman left on the ship."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" said Aunt Amanda. "Do you mean to
+tell me&mdash;?"</p>
+
+<p>"It's all right, madam," said Mr. Mizzen in an
+undertone. "You see, they're all free and equal, and
+everything goes by voting. They won't have it any
+other way. It's lucky they didn't all want to be captains.
+It's all right, anyway, because there's none of
+'em knows anything about navigation, and I'm the only
+one on board that <i>does</i> know; so it comes to the same
+thing as if they had elected <i>me</i> captain. But of course
+<i>they</i> don't think of that. Not a word. I'll send 'em<!-- Page 90 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[Pg 90]</a></span>
+about their business now, as soon as they've put on
+their uniforms."</p>
+
+<p>"Well!" said Aunt Amanda, gasping. "I never in
+my life&mdash;!"</p>
+
+<p>The thirteen captains and the twenty-three mates
+disappeared from the deck in a hurry, and in a very
+few minutes reappeared. Each one of them wore, in
+place of his blue overalls, a smart blue suit with brass
+buttons and gold braid, and a jaunty blue cap with
+gold braid around it; the mates having only nine instead
+of ten rows of braid around their sleeves.</p>
+
+<p>The Able Seaman led them aside, and after a few
+words with them returned to his passengers.</p>
+
+<p>"Everything's settled," said he. "Some of them
+are going below with their dippers, and the rest of
+them are to look after handling the ship. The navigation
+is left to me. We'll get along fine now, provided
+the leaks don't get any worse."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie wandered off by himself, to inspect the ship.
+He could walk very well now, in spite of the roll of the
+ship, and he went everywhere. He found himself
+finally on the after deck, leaning over the rail and
+watching the wake of the ship boiling away so white
+and beautiful behind. He was more and more delighted
+with this strange adventure. It was too bad
+that Mr. Toby had forgotten to write the note to his
+mother, but it couldn't be helped now, and they would
+sometime find a place somewhere or other where they
+could post a letter. It was so entrancing to be actually
+at sea on a ship, with the deck rising and falling,
+and the wake boiling away behind, and land nowhere
+in sight, that it would seem a pity ever to arrive at
+the Spanish Main; but the thought of adventures
+there&mdash;! However, he was in no hurry to have the
+voyage over.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda was sitting somewhere with a pile of<!-- Page 91 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[Pg 91]</a></span>
+sailors' socks in her lap, perfectly contented. Mr.
+Hanlon was swinging his feet away up yonder from
+the topmost yard of the second mast. The Churchwarden,
+Mr. Punch, Toby, and the Sly Old Fox were
+engaged in an earnest discussion in chairs beside the
+deck-house. The Old Codger with the Wooden Leg
+was speaking confidentially in the ear of the twenty-first
+mate, in an effort to borrow a pipeful of tobacco.</p>
+
+<p>Suddenly Freddie heard behind him the loud harsh
+laughter of Marmaduke the parrot. Turning round,
+he saw the parrot perched on the ship's rail, and before
+him was the Cabin-boy, shaking his finger in the parrot's
+face, and storming away at him angrily. Freddie
+immediately went over to them.</p>
+
+<p>"I w-w-w-won't s-s-s-s-stand it no l-l-l-l-longer!" the
+Cabin-boy was bawling, his face nearly as red as
+his hair. "I w-w-w-won't! W-w-w-what do you
+m-m-m-mean by m-m-m-mocking me all the t-t-t-ime?"</p>
+
+<p>"Who? M-m-m-m-m-me?" said the parrot.</p>
+
+<p>"Y-y-y-yaas, y-y-y-you!" cried the Cabin-boy. "Just
+because I s-s-s-s-s-stutter, do you&mdash;do you&mdash;do you have
+to&mdash;have to&mdash;s-s-s-s-stut-stutter too?"</p>
+
+<p>"M-m-m-m-me? You're entirely m-m-m-m-mistaken.
+You're the one that s-s-s-stut-s-s-s-stutters."</p>
+
+<p>"Ain't you always s-s-saying&mdash;saying&mdash;ch-ch-chops,
+s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-b-bacon and eggs? Ain't you? You've
+got to k-k-k-k-quit&mdash;r-r-right <i>now</i>, d'you <i>hear</i>? I
+w-w-w-won't s-s-s-stand it no l-l-l-l-longer, and you
+b-b-b-better b-b-b-believe it!"</p>
+
+<p>"Highty-tighty! Sixty, ninety! Uncle Sam! Pop
+pop! Th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-bacon
+and eggs! Th-th-three ch-ch-cheers for l-l-l-liver and
+onions!"</p>
+
+<p>The poor Cabin-boy burst out crying.</p>
+
+<p>"All ri-i-i-ight," he sobbed, stamping his foot. "All
+ri-i-i-ight. I c-c-can't help it&mdash;if&mdash;I do s-s-stutter. But<!-- Page 92 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[Pg 92]</a></span>
+there ain't no p-p-p-p-parrot going to m-m-m-m-mock
+me, M-m-m-m-mizzen nor no M-m-m-m-mizzen. I'll
+wring&mdash;your&mdash;bla-a-a-asted&mdash;neck first, you ornery&mdash;l-l-l-little&mdash;varmint,
+you s-s-s-see if I&mdash;see if I&mdash;d-d-d-don't!"</p>
+
+<p>"Marmaduke's my name!" shrieked the parrot.
+"Please to note the same! Pop, pop, pop! I'll have
+l-l-l-liver and onions, l-l-l-l-liver and onions, l-l-l-l-liver
+and onions, pop, pop, pop!"</p>
+
+<p>The Cabin-boy, shaking with sobs, raised his hand
+threateningly.</p>
+
+<p>"D-d-d-d-don't you d-d-d-dare t-t-t-to&mdash;Ker-<i>choo</i>!"
+He sneezed, and out came his handkerchief.</p>
+
+<p>"Ker-<i>choo</i>!" sneezed the parrot, and rubbed his
+beak with his foot.</p>
+
+<p>This was the last straw. The Cabin-boy reached
+for Marmaduke's neck, and would surely have choked
+him then and there, if Freddie had not caught his
+arm and pulled him away.</p>
+
+<p>The Cabin-boy allowed himself to be led off, and
+Freddie drew him along towards the companion-way.</p>
+
+<p>"Come along down to my room," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"All r-r-right," said the Cabin-boy, wiping his eyes
+and sniffling. "I'll c-c-c-come, b-b-b-but there's going
+to be trouble&mdash;trouble&mdash;on this sh-sh-sh-ship along o'
+that p-p-p-parrot before this&mdash;before this v-v-v-voyage&mdash;is
+over, you m-m-m-mark m-m-m-m-my w-w-w-w-words!"</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 93 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[Pg 93]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIII" id="CHAPTER_XIII"></a>CHAPTER XIII</h2>
+
+<h3>THE CABIN-BOY'S REVENGE</h3>
+
+<p>It was a soft moonlight night in southern seas. Our
+party of adventurers, with Mr. Mizzen in their
+midst, were sitting quietly on the after part of the
+deck, enjoying the balmy air and watching the bright
+track which the full moon made on the water. The
+sea was very calm. There was only a light breeze, and
+The Sieve was hardly moving.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Mizzen was scratching the head of Marmaduke
+the parrot, who was perched on the Able Seaman's
+wrist. From the forward part of the deck, where the
+skippers and mates were sitting in a party of their own,
+could be heard the tinkle of a guitar and the sound
+of a voice singing.</p>
+
+<p>"One always enjoys," said Mr. Punch, "a bit of
+singing by moonlight on the water. Hi remember when
+I was a lad&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Why don't you sing for us yourself?" said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, do!" cried several of the others.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Punch looked down at the deck bashfully. "Hi
+should be wery glad to oblige," said he, "but I 'ave a
+slight cold, and besides, Hi only know one song."</p>
+
+<p>"What is the name of it?" said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"Kathleen Mavourneen," said Mr. Punch.</p>
+
+<p>"That's a very good song," said Aunt Amanda.
+"Sing it."</p>
+
+<p>"Wait a minute," said Mr. Mizzen, "and I'll get the
+guitar. I can play it."<!-- Page 94 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[Pg 94]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>While he was gone, and while the others were
+talking, Freddie felt a hand on his arm, and looking
+down saw the Cabin-boy sitting on the deck beside
+his chair, and winking up at him with a strange excited
+look on his face. The Cabin-boy pulled Freddie's head
+down, and whispered in his ear.</p>
+
+<p>"S-s-s-sh! K-k-keep your eyes o-o-ope-open! Something's
+going to happen to-to-tonight! You'll see!
+Down with M-m-mizzen and M-m-marmaduke!"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie gazed at the Cabin-boy in some alarm, and
+was about to ask a question, when Mr. Mizzen returned
+with the guitar.</p>
+
+<p>"Now we're ready," said he, taking his seat and putting
+Marmaduke on the rail of the ship. "Here's the
+chord. All right, Mr. Punch."</p>
+
+<p>"Hi really 'ave such a cold&mdash;" said Mr. Punch.</p>
+
+<p>"That's understood," said Toby. "Now then, strike
+up."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Punch cleared his throat very loud, and coughed
+once or twice, and began to sing:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"Kathleen Mavourneen, the gr'y dorn is bryking,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">The 'orn of the 'unter is 'eard on the 'ill."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>"Ha! ha! ha! ha!" roared Toby. "The 'orn of the 'unter! Blamed if I ever
+hear the like of that before! My stars! What's the matter, Mr. Punch,
+can't you put in a little 'h' now and then? The 'orn of the 'unter! Oh
+my stars! Ha! ha! ha! ha!"</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Punch was deeply offended. "Hit is quite sufficient," said he. "Hi
+shall sing no more." And nothing that anybody could say could induce him
+to go on.</p>
+
+<p>"Toby Littleback," said Aunt Amanda, "it's just like you, all over. Now
+you ask Mr. Punch's pardon, right this minute."</p>
+
+<p>Toby apologized, and Mr. Punch said that it was of no consequence
+whatever; but he would not sing.<!-- Page 95 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[Pg 95]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Then I guess you'll have to sing for us yourself, Mizzen," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"Right-o," said Mr. Mizzen, thrumming on his guitar. "What'll it be?"</p>
+
+<p>The Cabin-boy sniffed and spoke in an undertone close to Freddie's ear.</p>
+
+<p>"He'll be s-s-singing on the other s-s-side of his f-f-face before this
+night's o-o-over, you mark m-m-m-my wo-wo-words!"</p>
+
+<p>"Lady and gentlemen"&mdash;began Mr. Mizzen.</p>
+
+<p>"Ker-choo!" sneezed the parrot. "A wet sh-sh-sheet and a f-f-flowing
+s-s-s-sea! Three cheers f-f-for the&mdash;Ker-choo! Three cheers f-f-for hay
+f-f-fe-fever!"</p>
+
+<p>"Down with b-b-b-both of 'em!" whispered the Cabin-boy fiercely in
+Freddie's ear.</p>
+
+<p>"Suppose you sing us something about yourself," said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, ma'am," said Mr. Mizzen; and after playing a few chords and
+quivers on the guitar, he began to sing, in a voice like a fog-horn
+muffled by a heavy fog, the following song concerning the</p>
+
+<h4>LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF L. MIZZEN</h4>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"When I was a lad I was bad as I could be,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Wouldn't say 'Thank you' nor 'Please,' not me,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And at church I wouldn't kneel but only on one knee,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And at school I wouldn't study my A B C,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And I couldn't conscientious with the Golden Rule agree,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Nor understand the secret of its popularitee,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Nor get a ounce of pleasure from the Rule of Three,&mdash;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">I was bad right through; sweared 'hully gee,'<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And worse sometimes, like 'jiminee;'<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Scrawled with a pencil on my jographee,</span><!-- Page 96 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[Pg 96]</a></span><br />
+<span class="i0">Stole birds' eggs in the huckleberry tree,&mdash;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Oh, I was bad; tried to learn a flea<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">How to keep his balance on a rolling pea,&mdash;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Oh, regular bad; and my ma, said she,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">'If you don't be better than what you be,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">I'll put you in the cupboard and turn the key.'<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">But I wouldn't and I wouldn't, no sirree,<br /></span>
+</div><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i4">So I ran away to sea;<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">Yes, I ran away to sea;<br /></span>
+</div><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">With a little gingham, bottle of cambric tea,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And a penny wrapped up in my hankerchee,<br /></span>
+</div><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i4">For I wanted to be free,<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">So I ran away to sea."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>Mr. Mizzen stopped, and looked towards the stern
+of the ship. "I thought," said he, "I kind of noticed
+something queer about the stern rail; looked as if it
+was lower. But I guess I'm mistaken."</p>
+
+<p>Everyone looked, but saw nothing amiss. The
+Cabin-boy tittered into Freddie's ear.</p>
+
+<p>"Would you like to hear the second verse?" said the
+Able Seaman.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, yes! Go on!" said several voices at once.</p>
+
+<p>"Here goes, then," said Mr. Mizzen, thrumming
+on the guitar. "After I ran away to sea, I had a good
+many adventures, and some of 'em&mdash;anyway&mdash;</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"When I was young I followed the Equator<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">From Pole to Pole in the ship Perambulator,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">A four-wheeled schooner, a smoky old freighter,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Loaded with sulphur for an old dead crater<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">In the Andes Mountains, and a night or two later<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">With a three-knot gale blowing loud and rude<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">As the dark grows darker and the gale increases</span><!-- Page 97 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[Pg 97]</a></span><br />
+<span class="i4">Of a sudden we strike and we goes all to pieces<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">On the forty-seventh parallel of latitude.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And then and there we formed a committee<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And went in a body up to London City<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">And walked up the steps and pulled the little bell,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And spoke out bold to the Lords of Creation<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Where they sat in their wigs making rules of navigation,<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">And explained to 'em the dangers of the Deadly Parallel.<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">'Take 'em down and pull 'em in,'<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">That's the way we did begin:<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">''Tisn't leaks nor 'tisn't whiskey<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">Makes the sailor's life so risky,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">It's the parallel as lies acrost our track.<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">It's the Deadly Parallel, lying there so long and black,<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">Is the subject of our moderate petition;<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">'Tisn't much that we are wishin',<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">But we humbly beg permission<br /></span>
+<span class="i14">To implore,&mdash;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Coil 'em up, we implore, where they won't be in the way,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Out of sight, safe ashore, we humbly pray;<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">For there's many a tidy bark<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">Strikes against 'em in the dark<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And is never never heard of any more.<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">So we'll thank you heartilee<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">If so very kind you'll be<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And remove this awful danger from the sea.'<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">But we couldn't make 'em do it;<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">No, they simply wouldn't do it;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And the bailiff shoved us gently from the door.<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">And we wept uncommon salty,</span><!-- Page 98 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[Pg 98]</a></span><br />
+<span class="i4">For their reason did seem faulty,<br /></span>
+<span class="i2">Any way that we could view it:<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">And the reason which they gave us<br /></span>
+<span class="i4">Why they really couldn't save us<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Was because the thing had ne'er been done before;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">No, such a thing had ne'er been done before."<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>Mr. Mizzen stopped again, and looked along the
+deck and up at the masts, and said, "I can't get it out
+of my head that the deck is slanting a little more than
+usual; the ship doesn't seem to come up well at the
+stern. However,&mdash;would you like to hear any more of
+this song?"</p>
+
+<p>Everybody begged him to go on.</p>
+
+<p>The Cabin-boy plucked Freddie's sleeve. "I've done
+it. You'll s-s-s-see! Won't that M-m-marmaduke and
+that M-m-m-mizzen sing another tune when they f-f-f-find
+out?" Freddie looked at him in amazement; but
+the Able Seaman was commencing the third verse of
+his song:</p>
+
+<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
+<span class="i0">"When I was older, and bold as you please,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">I shipped on the good ship Firkin of Cheese,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">For a v'yage of discovery in the far South Seas,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">To gather up a cargo of ambergris<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">That grows in a cave on the amber trees<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Where the medicine men, all fine M.D.'s,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">For the sake of the usual medical fees,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Crawl in by night on their hands and knees<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">In a strictly ethical manner to seize<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">The amber fruit that is used to grease<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">The itching palm in Shekel's Disease,&mdash;<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">On a long long v'yage, as busy as bees,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Never stopping for a moment to take our ease,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Never changing our course, except when the breeze<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Took to blowing to windward,&mdash;we had slipped by degrees</span><!-- Page 99 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[Pg 99]</a></span><br />
+<span class="i0">Down the oozy slopes of the Hebrides,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">And passed through the locks of the Florida Keys,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Which in getting through was a rather tight squeeze,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">But danger is nothing to men like these,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">When suddenly the lookout, a Portuguese<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Who had better been below a-shelling peas,<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">Shrieked out, 'They are coming! By twos and threes!<br /></span>
+<span class="i0">On the starboard bow! We are lost!&mdash;"<br /></span>
+</div></div>
+
+<p>"We're lost! we're lost! we're lost!" came a terrible
+cry from the forward part of the ship, as if in echo of
+Mr. Mizzen's song. "We're lost! The dippers! The
+dippers!"</p>
+
+<p>Everyone jumped up, even Aunt Amanda. The
+Cabin-boy whispered in Freddie's ear, in great excitement,
+"N-n-n-now you'll s-see!"</p>
+
+<p>A man came running down the deck, followed by all
+the skippers and mates. As he halted before Mr. Mizzen,
+he was evidently the Cook, by the white cook's
+cap he wore on his head. He took off his cap and
+wiped his forehead with his hand. He was in a state
+of mixed alarm and anger.</p>
+
+<p>"We're lost!" he cried, and actually tore his hair
+with his hands. "It's that rascally Cabin-boy! The
+dippers is gone! Every last one of them! And the
+ship leakin' by the barrelful! Let me get at that
+boy once, and I'll learn him! Fryin' on a slow fire
+would be too good for him! Swore he'd get even, he
+did, and now he's gone and done it! Stole all the
+dippers&mdash;he's the one that done it, you can bet your last
+biscuit! There ain't a dipper left in the ship, and the
+water pourin' in by the barrelful! I just found it out,
+while them lazy skippers and mates was lying around
+doing nothing! Gimme one sea-cook for all the skippers<!-- Page 100 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[Pg 100]</a></span>
+on the ocean, that's what I say! Every last
+dipper gone! gone! We're lost!"</p>
+
+<p>Everyone looked around for the Cabin-boy. He
+was nowhere to be seen, but his laugh was heard
+overhead, and his face was then seen looking down
+from the rigging just above.</p>
+
+<p>"I've d-d-d-done it," he cried, shrieking with laughter.
+"I'm even with you n-n-n-n-now! M-m-m-m-mizzen
+he l-l-l-learned the parrot to m-m-m-mock me, he
+did, and Cook he b-b-b-basted me in the g-g-g-galley
+all the t-t-t-t-time, and now I'm e-e-e-even with all of
+'em. They ain't g-g-g-going to t-t-t-torment me no
+m-m-m-m-more! I stole the dippers and th-th-th-threw
+'em overboard, every last one of 'em, and n-n-n-now
+you're g-g-g-going to s-s-sink, sink, si-i-<i>ink</i>, d-d-d-down,
+down, d-d-d-<i>down</i>, to the bottom of the&mdash;bottom of
+the s-s-s-<i>sea</i>!"</p>
+
+<p>He laughed louder than before, and the angry Cook
+sprang forward to climb up after him, but just then
+the ship gave a violent lurch backwards, nearly upsetting
+everyone, and settled down by the stern, so that
+that end of the boat was completely under water.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda screamed. Toby and Mr. Punch
+came to her at once and supported her on each side.
+There was a great hubbub. Everyone tried to speak
+at once. Freddie felt his hand grasped in the strong
+hand of Mr. Toby, and he began to feel somewhat
+less afraid. Over the hubbub could be heard the Cabin-boy's
+wild laugh.</p>
+
+<p>"Everybody quiet!" shouted Mr. Mizzen. "We
+must think what we had better do."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, yes," cried a number of voices. "What are
+we going to do?"</p>
+
+<p>"I wish," said Mr. Mizzen, thoughtfully, "I wish
+we had thought to bring a rowboat with us."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Do you mean to tell<!-- Page 101 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[Pg 101]</a></span>
+me that you came away on this long journey without
+an extra boat?"</p>
+
+<p>"We didn't think of it," said Mr. Mizzen. "We
+had plenty of dippers, and we never thought of anybody's
+throwing them overboard."</p>
+
+<p>"No! no!" cried all the skippers and mates together.
+"We never thought of that!"</p>
+
+<p>"Then bring out the life-preservers at once!" said
+Aunt Amanda. "And be quick about it!"</p>
+
+<p>"We haven't any," said Mr. Mizzen. "What would
+have been the use of life-preservers if the dippers were
+all on board? We never thought we would need
+them."</p>
+
+<p>"No! no!" cried all the skippers and mates together.
+"We never thought of that!"</p>
+
+<p>"Then think of something now," said Aunt Amanda.
+"Don't you see the ship's settling deeper in the water?"</p>
+
+<p>The ship was in fact deeper in the water. It was
+sinking rapidly. The deck began to list so much towards
+the stern that it was difficult to stand on it. The
+ship was making no headway whatever. The breeze
+was even lighter than before, and the sails were hanging
+limp. It would have taken a stiff wind indeed to
+have moved that water-logged boat; and it lay as if
+moored to a float, going up and down heavily in the
+long swell.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you&mdash;er&mdash;think," said the Old Codger with
+the Wooden Leg, "that we are in&mdash;er&mdash;danger?"</p>
+
+<p>"Danger!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Something must
+be done! Are you going to let us drown without turning
+a hand?"</p>
+
+<p>"There's only one thing to do," said Mr. Mizzen,
+"and I don't know whether it will work or not; but
+we can try it. Boys, bring up all the mattresses from
+the cabins, and a coil of rope! Look alive, now!"</p>
+
+<p>The skippers and mates ran off in great haste and<!-- Page 102 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[Pg 102]</a></span>
+disappeared down the hatchways. In a few minutes
+they had laid on the deck a great pile of mattresses.
+While this was being done, Aunt Amanda, whose bonnet
+and shawl had been brought to her by one of the
+men, tied her bonnet-strings under her chin and put her
+shawl about her shoulders, in readiness for departure.</p>
+
+<p>"Now then," said Mr. Mizzen, "lash the mattresses
+together."</p>
+
+<p>The men proved themselves very handy with ropes.
+With Mr. Mizzen's help, they lashed together securely
+a good number of the mattresses, and the first result
+of their work was a mattress raft some fifteen feet
+square, and some four or five feet thick. A supply
+of oil-cloth was found in the store-room, and this was
+bound by ropes all over and under and around the raft.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know whether it will do," said Mr. Mizzen,
+"but anyway there's nothing else that <i>will</i> do. Now,
+lads, over the side with her!"</p>
+
+<p>All the men lent a hand, and the mattress raft was
+hoisted over the side and on to the water. To the satisfaction
+of everyone, it floated there quietly and easily,
+with its top well above the surface of the sea.</p>
+
+<p>"Lucky it's a smooth sea," said Mr. Mizzen. "We
+ought to be pleased with the state of the weather;
+couldn't be better; I feel quite joyful about it."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, you do," said Aunt Amanda. "Well, I don't
+feel joyful about it. What next?"</p>
+
+<p>"Put the provisions aboard," said the Able Seaman;
+whereupon some of the men placed on the raft a small
+barrel of water and some tins of meat, soup, biscuit,
+and other things.</p>
+
+<p>"If you please," said Mr. Mizzen, when this had
+been done, "I think the passengers had better get
+aboard. When you're aboard, we'll make another raft
+for ourselves. Are you ready?"</p>
+
+<p>The passengers were helped aboard the raft, one<!-- Page 103 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[Pg 103]</a></span>
+after another. Although the raft bobbed up and down
+on the swell, it was not a difficult matter for the men
+and the boy to get on, for it was held fast against the
+side of the ship at a point where it was about even
+with the deck-rail. Freddie gave a good spring, and
+was on in no time; Mr. Hanlon, who did not seem
+in the least uneasy, got aboard with the agility of a
+cat; there was no trouble with anyone except Aunt
+Amanda, whose lameness impeded her movements a
+good deal.</p>
+
+<p>As the Sly Old Fox, with his high silk hat on his
+head, was about to step over the side, he turned and
+said:</p>
+
+<p>"I feel it my duty, Mr. Mizzen, to register a complaint
+against the outrageous treatment to which we
+are being subjected. I submit under protest, sir; under
+protest. If I had for one moment imagined&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh bosh," said Toby. "Push him over, Mizzen."
+And the Sly Old Fox was in fact somewhat rudely
+pushed over on to the raft.</p>
+
+<p>None of the others made any objection. Mr. Punch,
+who usually talked a good deal, was noticeably silent;
+and when Toby offered him a hand to help him over,
+he said stiffly:</p>
+
+<p>"Hi thank you sir, but I do not require any hassistance."</p>
+
+<p>When the Churchwarden took his seat in the middle
+of the raft, it went down alarmingly; but nothing
+happened, and when the Old Codger with the Wooden
+Leg was aboard, the party was complete. All the
+others sat around the Churchwarden, as close as they
+could huddle. It was evident that the raft would float
+them, at least until it should become water-logged, or
+a gale of wind should blow. The men on the ship
+now let go of the raft, and proceeded to lash together<!-- Page 104 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[Pg 104]</a></span>
+the remaining mattresses for themselves. The raft
+floated quietly away from the ship.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda's arm was about Freddie. He did
+not feel, however, that he needed her protection. He
+had already forgotten his first alarm, and he was feeling
+most of all what an extraordinary adventure it
+was that had befallen him; the men from the ship
+would be nearby on the other rafts, the sea was calm,
+the air was warm, and they would probably be picked
+up by some vessel before the food gave out. He supposed
+there were very few boys who had ever sailed
+the open sea on a mattress.</p>
+
+<p>"Well, Freddie," said Mr. Toby, as the raft continued
+to float slowly away from the ship, "what do
+you think of this, eh? Have you got the map of Correction
+Island with you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir, I have. It's in my pocket."</p>
+
+<p>"Good! Don't lose it. We may get to the Island
+after all, some day; you never can tell. By the way,
+Warden, have you got your Odour of Sanctity?"</p>
+
+<p>"Safe in my pocket," said the Churchwarden. "What
+about you? Have you got the Chinaman's head?"</p>
+
+<p>"What? Me? The Chinaman's head? Oh merciful
+fathers! I clean forgot it!" cried Toby. "Blamed if
+I didn't leave it in my room on the ship! Never
+thought about it once! If that don't beat all! What'll
+we do? We can't get back! We're floating away!
+Great jumping Joan! What'll we do?"</p>
+
+<p>"Well!" gasped Aunt Amanda. "Won't you never
+get a head on your shoulders, you Toby Littleback?
+Can't you never remember anything? I declare, Toby
+Littleback, you are the most addlepated, exasperating,&mdash;Oh
+dear, we'd better hail the ship, quick!"</p>
+
+<p>The party on the raft set up a loud cry, which was
+answered from the ship.</p>
+
+<p>"The Chinaman's head!" shouted Toby. "On the<!-- Page 105 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[Pg 105]</a></span>
+dresser in my cabin! I forgot it! Run and get it!
+Quick! We're floating away!"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, sir!" came a voice from the ship.</p>
+
+<p>The company on the raft waited anxiously. In a
+very few moments, which seemed like a great many,
+a hail came from the side of the ship, and they could
+see the Cabin-boy standing at a point of the deck
+where it was now sloped high out of the water, and
+he was holding the Chinaman's head aloft in both
+hands, as if about to throw it towards the raft.</p>
+
+<p>"Don't throw it!" shouted Toby. "Tie a rope to
+it first!"</p>
+
+<p>But he was too late. The Cabin-boy raised the
+Chinaman's head higher, swinging his body sideways,
+and as a dark figure came up behind him and tried
+to seize his arm, he gave a mighty heave and toss, and
+sent the Chinaman's head flying through the air in the
+direction of the raft.</p>
+
+<p>For a second it glistened in the moonlight. In another
+second it descended towards the raft, and almost
+reached it; but not quite; it came down within five
+feet of it, and fell like a shot plump into the ocean.
+It splashed, and that was all. The Chinaman's head
+was gone.</p>
+
+<p>A wail went up from the company on the raft at
+this terrible disaster. How terrible it really was they
+did not even yet understand, but they were soon to
+learn. Freddie was almost ready to burst into tears.
+Aunt Amanda was so exasperated that she could scarcely
+speak. The others seemed to be stupefied.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh! oh! oh!" cried Aunt Amanda. "You Toby,
+you! Now you've done it for good. Why, why, <i>why</i>
+can't you never remember anything? It's your fault,
+and don't you never try to lay it to that Cabin-boy!
+And now what'll we do if we ever get separated from
+Mr. Mizzen? How'll we ever call him up to help<!-- Page 106 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[Pg 106]</a></span>
+us out of trouble if we get into it? Here's a pretty
+kettle of fish, now ain't it? I hope and pray we can
+stick close to Mr. Mizzen until we're all safe and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Look there!" cried Mr. Punch. "Bless me heyes,
+what do I see? Look at the ship!"</p>
+
+<p>It was high time to look at the ship. No sooner
+had the Chinaman's head disappeared into the depths
+of the ocean, than a change began to come over the
+ship. It grew paler and thinner in the moonlight. The
+green shutters along the side faded away one by one.
+The dark hull became lighter; the sails grew so thin
+that at last the watchers could see the stars shining
+through them. The whole ship seemed to waver and
+dissolve into a pale mist. It did not sink; no, the bow
+was still high out of the water, and all the masts
+and sails were visible. It simply faded away where it
+stood.</p>
+
+<p>As it was becoming more and more vague, the voice
+of Marmaduke the parrot came across the water out
+of the rigging; a far-away voice, which grew fainter
+and fainter as the ship grew dimmer, until it died away
+as if in the distance.</p>
+
+<p>"Th-th-th-three ch-ch-cheers!" it said. "Th-th-th-three
+ch-ch-cheers for l-l-l-l-liver and onions&mdash;th-th-three
+ch-ch-cheers&mdash;l-l-l-liver&mdash;and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>As Marmaduke's voice died away, the ship dissolved
+like a pale ghost and vanished. The Sieve
+was gone.</p>
+
+<p>The party of adventurers sat on their mattress raft
+in the midst of the wide ocean, with never a ship to
+be seen; the long sea-swell rolled placidly over the
+place where their ship had been. They sat huddled
+together in silence around the Churchwarden, too horrified
+to speak a word.</p>
+
+<p>The moon glistened on the Sly Old Codger's high
+silk hat.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 107 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[Pg 107]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIV" id="CHAPTER_XIV"></a>CHAPTER XIV</h2>
+
+<h3>THE CRUISE OF THE MATTRESSES</h3>
+
+<p>"I wish," said Aunt Amanda, "that I had brought
+some sewing with me. I don't suppose I could
+sew very well by moonlight on a mattress in
+the middle of the ocean, but I don't believe this would
+have happened if I'd had my sewing with me."</p>
+
+<p>"Hi carn't see 'ow that would 'ave&mdash;" began Mr.
+Punch.</p>
+
+<p>"Now look here," said Toby. "We've got to sit
+in the middle of this here raft, or else she'll tilt over.
+Why don't you sit in the middle, Warden?"</p>
+
+<p>"I <i>am</i> sitting in the middle," said the Churchwarden.
+"I wonder what the Vestry would say if they
+could&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I wish it distinctly understood," said the Sly Old
+Fox, "that I am here under protest. If I had for one
+moment imagined&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Now listen to me," said Aunt Amanda. "There's
+got to be a captain of this expedition, and as there's
+nobody here but a lot of helpless men-creatures, I
+suppose I've got to be the captain myself. All those
+in favor say aye. I'm elected. That's done. Warden,
+sit a little bit over to the right."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, sir; ay, ay, ma'am; certainly," said the
+Warden.</p>
+
+<p>"Now everybody sit up close to the Warden," said
+Aunt Amanda. "There. Is the raft balanced now?"<!-- Page 108 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[Pg 108]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, sir," said the Churchwarden. "I mean,
+ay, ay, ma'am."</p>
+
+<p>"Then my orders as captain is, to sit still and see
+what's going to happen."</p>
+
+<p>Nothing happened. Freddie grew sleepy, and leaned
+his head against Aunt Amanda's shoulder. As he was
+falling off to sleep, a slim dark object rose from the
+sea near by and whirred across the ocean and plopped
+into the water.</p>
+
+<p>"Bless me heyes," said Mr. Punch, "hit's a flying-fish,
+as ever was."</p>
+
+<p>"Is it, really?" said Freddie. "Did he really fly?"</p>
+
+<p>"How wonderful is nature!" said the Sly Old Codger.
+"Such an opportunity to improve the mind! My
+little friend, I trust you will profit by what you have
+seen. It is very educational; very educational indeed."</p>
+
+<p>"Ahem!" said the Old Codger with the Wooden
+Leg. "What do you suppose&mdash;er&mdash;ahem!&mdash;if you
+will pardon me&mdash;what are those little things sparkling
+out there on the surface of the water?"</p>
+
+<p>"Hit's a school of sardines!" said Mr. Punch. "Hi
+know them wery well; when I was a lad&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"There must be millions of them," said Freddie.
+"Just look!"</p>
+
+<p>The tiny fish were leaping by thousands on the
+surface of the water, immediately in the path of moonlight;
+and they flashed and sparkled as they leaped.</p>
+
+<p>"Hi believe there's a great fish arfter them," said
+Mr. Punch.</p>
+
+<p>"Maybe a whole regiment of big fish," said Toby.
+"By crackey, there's one now!"</p>
+
+<p>As he spoke, a black fin cut the water near the
+sardines, and they became more agitated than ever;
+from the size of the fin, it must have been a very great
+fish indeed; and along the upper edge of the fin was<!-- Page 109 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[Pg 109]</a></span>
+a row of long sharp saw-teeth, looking big and strong
+enough to have sawed through a wooden plank.</p>
+
+<p>"There's another one!" cried Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"And another! and another!" cried Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>There must have been five or six of the great fish.</p>
+
+<p>"I hope they won't come near this boat," said Toby.
+"One of 'em would just about turn us upside down
+if he struck us."</p>
+
+<p>"Mercy!" said Aunt Amanda. "Don't say such a
+terrible thing."</p>
+
+<p>At that moment a great round black back appeared
+above the surface of the water, some hundred yards
+or so away, and in another moment a great black blunt
+head joined itself to the back, and a spout of white
+vapor rose from the head.</p>
+
+<p>"A whale!" cried several voices at once.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" said Aunt Amanda. "Suppose he should
+come this way?"</p>
+
+<p>The five or six fins of the great fish near the sardines
+now disappeared. The whale threw up his enormous
+tail, and went down head first beneath the water.
+Almost immediately, one of the saw-toothed fins reappeared,
+much nearer the raft than before.</p>
+
+<p>"Merciful heavens!" cried Aunt Amanda. "He's
+coming towards us! Oh dear!"</p>
+
+<p>The great fish was in fact evidently making straight
+towards the raft. Freddie clutched Aunt Amanda's
+arm. The fin cut the water at a high speed; it disappeared
+at times, but on each reappearance it was
+still pointed towards the raft.</p>
+
+<p>"He's nearly on us!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Hold
+on tight, Freddie!"</p>
+
+<p>The great fish came on with a rush, and as he
+reached the raft struck it with his back and slid under
+it. There was a tremendous bump, which nearly sent<!-- Page 110 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[Pg 110]</a></span>
+the company flat; then there was a rubbing under the
+raft, and everything was quiet again.</p>
+
+<p>"He's gone," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"No, 'e isn't," said Mr. Punch. "Look at 'is tail!"</p>
+
+<p>A great tail could be seen beyond the edge of the
+raft, just below the surface of the water. It thrashed
+about and churned up the water violently for a few
+seconds, and then waved back and forth quietly; but
+it did not disappear.</p>
+
+<p>"By crackey," said Toby, "he's stuck! His fin has
+got stuck into the bottom of the raft! He's got the
+whole kit and bilin' of us on his back!"</p>
+
+<p>"Mercy on us!" said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"Is it really true?" said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"On due consideration," said the Churchwarden, "I
+think Toby's right."</p>
+
+<p>"Hi believe 'e is!" said Mr. Punch. "Blimy if I
+ever rode on the back of a fish before! Now 'e's got
+us on 'is back, what's 'e going to do with us?"</p>
+
+<p>"We're moving!" cried Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"So we are!" said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"Blamed if we ain't," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>The mattress craft was in fact moving; very slowly,
+indeed, but still moving; and it was moving in the
+opposite direction to the fish's tail, which could be seen
+now and then under the water, waving back and forth
+like the tail of a swimming fish.</p>
+
+<p>"If this don't beat all," said Toby. "That fish down
+there has certainly got his fin hooked into our mattress,
+and he's swimming along with us on top of him.
+I've seen a snail crawlin' with his shell on top of him,
+but a fish with a load of mattresses and live-stock is
+a new thing to me!"</p>
+
+<p>"I'm the captain," said Aunt Amanda, "and my
+orders is to sit as still as you can and see where he's
+taking us to."<!-- Page 111 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[Pg 111]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, sir," said the Churchwarden. "I mean,
+ay, ay, ma'am."</p>
+
+<p>The party huddled on top of the mattresses sat
+as still as mice, hardly daring to breathe. Their little
+craft continued to move gently through the water.
+They expected each moment that the fish would free
+himself, but evidently his fin had embedded itself so
+firmly in one of the bottom mattresses that he could
+not get loose; he went on swimming with his load
+on his back.</p>
+
+<p>Hour after hour they waited to feel their craft stop;
+but hour after hour it moved gently and slowly across
+the surface of the sea. They settled themselves more
+comfortably against each other, and spoke very little.
+No one noticed that their raft was now much lower
+in the water.</p>
+
+<p>The air was warm, the moonlight and the silence
+were extremely soothing, and the motion of the raft
+was gentle and languorous. Freddie's head sank
+against Aunt Amanda's shoulder, and his eyes closed;
+and in another moment he was asleep. Aunt Amanda
+herself nodded, and her eyes closed; she was asleep
+too. Toby yawned, and leaned heavily against the Sly
+Old Codger; his eyes closed, and&mdash;in short, every eye
+closed, and every frame relaxed heavily against its
+neighbor, and at last, doubled over in a closely huddled
+group in the exact center of their mattresses, the
+whole party slept; each and every one.</p>
+
+<p>The raft went on steadily and quietly through the
+water, the moon glittered on the sea, the raft settled
+deeper and deeper, and there was absolute silence on
+the ocean, except for a slight groan which came regularly
+and gently from the nose of the Churchwarden.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 112 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[Pg 112]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XV" id="CHAPTER_XV"></a>CHAPTER XV</h2>
+
+<h3>A FALL IN THE DARK</h3>
+
+<p>Freddie was the first to be awake in the
+morning. He was cramped and stiff. He
+sat up straight, rubbed his eyes, and stretched
+his arms. He looked abroad, and the sight which
+met him caused him to grasp Aunt Amanda's hand
+in excitement.</p>
+
+<p>"Land!" he cried, so loud that everyone awoke.</p>
+
+<p>"Blamed if it ain't," said Toby, and put on his
+white derby hat, considering that he had thereby
+dressed himself for the day.</p>
+
+<p>All the others sat bolt upright, and stared across
+the smooth blue sea, sparkling in the sunlight.</p>
+
+<p>Not more than a quarter of a mile away rose a
+tall black cliff straight up out of the water. It stretched
+away on either hand for miles and miles, and came
+to an end in the ocean at the right hand and the left,
+so that it was probably the side of an island. The
+sea rolled up and down at the foot of the cliff, making
+a beautiful white splash against the rocks.</p>
+
+<p>"But how on earth," said Aunt Amanda, "are we
+ever to get ashore on such a place as that?"</p>
+
+<p>"We're moving towards it," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Blamed if we ain't," said Toby. "We'll soon know
+whether we can get ashore or not."</p>
+
+<p>They moved very slowly, and it was a long time
+before they came close enough to the cliff to see what
+their chances of a landing might be. They floated at
+last within two or three hundred yards of the cliff.<!-- Page 113 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[Pg 113]</a></span>
+It was very dangerous looking; the waves rolled over
+huge black rocks at its foot and broke in white foam
+against its side; it seemed the last place in the world
+for a landing.</p>
+
+<p>A great swell rolled in from the sea and brought
+them nearer the breakers.</p>
+
+<p>"My word!" cried Mr. Punch, excitedly. "There's
+a harch!"</p>
+
+<p>"A what?" said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"See!" said Aunt Amanda. "There's a little archway
+in the rock, like the mouth of a cave, over there
+to the right! Don't you see? With the water pouring
+in! Over there!"</p>
+
+<p>It was true. There was an archway, like the mouth
+of a cave; and into this the water was streaming in a
+strong current, making a kind of passage-way, more
+or less smooth, through the breakers.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes!" said Freddie. "And I believe we're headed
+towards it!"</p>
+
+<p>Their course changed a little to the right, as if the
+fish who was piloting them had now taken a correct
+bearing. They found themselves in a passage through
+the breakers where the water swirled in towards the
+arch. They were caught in this current and were swept
+to a point close under the towering black rocks, and
+in another moment they were directly before the opening.
+The current seized the raft as if with strong
+hands and drew it in.</p>
+
+<p>They were in a cavern, narrow and high, whose interior
+was lost in darkness. The current carried them
+onward into the dark. The roar of the breakers
+suddenly ceased, and as they looked behind them the
+archway was no more than a speck of light. Their
+raft turned slightly to the left, and at that moment
+the speck of light disappeared, as if they had turned<!-- Page 114 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[Pg 114]</a></span>
+a corner; and the darkness became so black that no
+one could see even the person sitting next to him.</p>
+
+<p>"I wonder," said Toby, "if there are any matches
+and candles on board this boat. I'm going to see."</p>
+
+<p>He was silent for a while, and it was evident from
+the tilting of the raft that he had moved his position.
+Finally he said "Ah!" and a match spluttered and
+went out in the breeze which was blowing past them;
+but after it went out there remained a glimmer, and
+Toby was holding up a lighted candle, and shielding it
+from the draught with his hand.</p>
+
+<p>"Found 'em in the tin with the biscuits," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>He held the candle on high so that its little beam
+searched out the darkness in front and on both sides.</p>
+
+<p>They were in a narrow passage-way. On each side
+was a wall of solid rock, not ten feet beyond the edge
+of the raft. How high the wall was they could not
+tell, for it was lost in the darkness overhead. They
+were slipping along a narrow alley-way of water.
+Toby held the candle higher, and everyone peered into
+the darkness ahead; but it was impossible to see more
+than a few yards.</p>
+
+<p>"I wish it distinctly understood," said the Sly Old
+Codger, "that I am here under&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Never mind," said Aunt Amanda, "my orders as
+captain is, to say nothing and wait and see what will
+happen."</p>
+
+<p>The raft turned a corner to the right, and slipped on
+silently in that direction for a long distance, probably
+for more than a mile. Then the raft turned again, this
+time to the left; and after about ten minutes longer
+Toby suddenly said, "S-sh! What's that?" They
+all listened, and heard afar off a sound as of rushing
+water, very faint, but unmistakable.</p>
+
+<p>"Er&mdash;excuse me," said the Old Codger with the<!-- Page 115 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[Pg 115]</a></span>
+Wooden Leg. "Do you think&mdash;ahem!&mdash;there is any&mdash;er&mdash;<i>danger</i>?"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't like it," said Aunt Amanda. "I don't
+think it's safe in here."</p>
+
+<p>"I think we are lower in the water," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"So we are," said Toby. "The water's coming up
+over the top now, and if we don't get on dry land
+soon, we'll all be sitting in a puddle."</p>
+
+<p>In spite of its being water-logged and lower in
+the water, the raft was beginning to go faster, for the
+current had suddenly become swifter. The wind blew
+stronger; it swept through the narrow passage-way
+so briskly that Toby put his hat over the candle; but
+he was too late; the light wavered and went out.
+A groan went up from the company.</p>
+
+<p>"I can hear that rushing sound plainer," said Aunt
+Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"Hit's wery like a water-fall," said Mr. Punch.</p>
+
+<p>"I wish it understood," said the Sly Old Fox, "distinctly
+understood, that I am here under protest. If
+I had ever for one moment imagined&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"O-o-oh!" screamed Aunt Amanda. "We're going&mdash;faster&mdash;o-o-oh!"</p>
+
+<p>She threw her arm around Freddie and held him
+tight. The current suddenly became swifter; the raft,
+almost under water, was leaping forward at a frightful
+speed. Directly ahead of them, growing louder
+and louder, was the roar of rushing water.</p>
+
+<p>"Hold&mdash;on&mdash;tight, Freddie!" cried Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"We'll all be done for," shouted Toby, "in another&mdash;minute,
+I reckon,&mdash;hold&mdash;on&mdash;tight!"</p>
+
+<p>As Toby said this, the raft almost galloped. The
+roar of falling water burst on them from close ahead.
+The raft seemed to rise up and then to sink down.
+Its nose slanted downward. The roar of falling
+water was all about them. Aunt Amanda screamed,<!-- Page 116 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[Pg 116]</a></span>
+but no one could hear her. The raft paused and
+teetered for an instant; then it pointed downward,
+almost straight, and the whole party, the raft, and
+the fish under the raft, plunged downward through
+the darkness on a cascade of tumbling water; down,
+down, down; the raft shot from under and the passengers
+shot off; in a twinkling they were going down
+the water-fall on their backs. Would they never
+reach the bottom? There did not seem to be any
+bottom; but&mdash;</p>
+
+<p>In another moment, there were Aunt Amanda and
+Freddie (her arm still about him) standing on their
+feet in about twenty-four inches of quiet water on a
+solid bottom. Dark forms appeared, one after another,
+beside them, and almost at once all the party
+were standing together in a group, in about two feet
+of quiet water, on a solid bottom.</p>
+
+<p>"I fear," said the voice of the Sly Old Codger,
+"that I have lost my hat."</p>
+
+<p>They could see that they were in a great chamber,
+whose walls they could make out dimly on each side.
+They could not see the top of the water-fall, but
+they could see its lower part very plainly. Through
+the tumbling water of the fall, near the bottom, sunlight
+was shining. Behind the water was an opening
+some six feet high, and as the water fell across this
+opening the sunlight from without shone through it,
+making it glow with green and sparkle with white.
+The water-fall hung over this opening like a curtain.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said Aunt Amanda, "I'm pretty near
+drowned, and my clothes are a sight to behold. But
+I'm the captain of this expedition, and my orders is,
+that we go ashore."</p>
+
+<p>The water proved to be shallow all about them, and
+they waded to a strip of dry ground beside the
+wall which rose at their left as they faced the fall.<!-- Page 117 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[Pg 117]</a></span>
+Aunt Amanda, whose cane was gone, was assisted
+by Mr. Toby and Mr. Punch.</p>
+
+<p>"Blamed if my hat ain't gone too," said Toby.
+"She was a good hat, I'll have to say that for her."</p>
+
+<p>The party walked along the edge of the water, and
+came to the end wall of the chamber, opposite the
+fall. There lay the wreck of the raft, with the tail
+of the great fish sticking out from beneath.</p>
+
+<p>"I fear," said the Sly Old Codger, "that the faithful
+creature has departed this life."</p>
+
+<p>"He's dead as a doornail," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"Poor thing," said Aunt Amanda. "Anyway, my
+orders is to explore this cavern, and see what we
+can find."</p>
+
+<p>At this end of the cavern the water was slipping
+away under the wall, and this outlet explained why
+the water inside remained so shallow. The party commented
+on it, and then walked along the side wall
+towards the other end where the fall was. When they
+were midway along this wall, a cry from Toby, who
+had left Aunt Amanda to the care of Mr. Punch,
+startled the others.</p>
+
+<p>"What's this?" he cried. "Look here!"</p>
+
+<p>He was stooping over something, and as the others
+gathered round, they saw that he was stooping over
+a pile of small square boxes, standing in several long
+rows along the wall.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hanlon lifted one of the boxes, with a great
+effort, and shook it. A jingling sound came from
+within.</p>
+
+<p>"Aha!" said the Sly Old Fox. "That beautiful
+music! It is the sound, dear friends, the sound of&mdash;of
+Money!"</p>
+
+<p>"Bless my soul!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Is it?"</p>
+
+<p>"My opinion is," said the Churchwarden, "that
+there is gold in that box."<!-- Page 118 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[Pg 118]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Then open it!" said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hanlon shook his head. The box was locked
+tight, and it was bound with iron bands. All the
+boxes were locked, and they were all bound with iron
+bands.</p>
+
+<p>"Come along this way," said Toby. "There's
+something more here."</p>
+
+<p>Further along the wall, leaning against it, was a
+row of large coffee-sacks, each bound around the
+mouth by strong twine. One of these sacks Mr. Hanlon
+quickly opened. He tilted it over and poured out
+its contents on the ground. The party of onlookers
+gasped with astonishment.</p>
+
+<p>From the mouth of the bag fell pearl necklaces;
+diamond rings; ruby rings; emerald rings; all kinds
+of rings; gold bracelets and chains; silver forks and
+spoons; gold toothpicks; gold cups; silver vases; and
+a great variety of other things of the same sort.</p>
+
+<p>It was a moment or two before anyone spoke. Then
+the Churchwarden said, "It's my opinion that this is
+pirates' treasure."</p>
+
+<p>"Mercy on us!" said Aunt Amanda. "And they may
+be in here on us any minute!"</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hanlon opened others of the bags. Each was
+filled with rare and costly articles of gold, silver, and
+precious stones.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you think it's really pirates?" said Freddie, in
+an awed whisper.</p>
+
+<p>"Not a doubt of it!" said Toby, in a voice much
+lower than before. "Look at this!"</p>
+
+<p>He pointed to a placard on the wall above the sacks.
+The light was almost too dim for reading, but the writing
+on the placard was very large, and Toby, by standing
+on one of the bags, was able to make it out. He
+read it aloud.<!-- Page 119 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[Pg 119]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>
+"Beware! Hands Off! Whoever Shall Touch<br />
+it He Shall Die by the Hand of Lingo!<br />
+With a Knife in the Throat! Long Live<br />
+<span style="margin-left: 2em;">King James and the Jolly Roger!"</span><br />
+</p>
+
+<p>"There a skull and cross-bones under it," said Toby.
+"Pirates, as sure as you're born."</p>
+
+<p>"We'd better be getting away from here," said Aunt
+Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"Better not speak so loud," said Toby. "How are
+we to&mdash;&mdash;?"</p>
+
+<p>"S-sh!" said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg,
+in a frightened whisper. "Excuse me&mdash;look&mdash;I saw
+something under the water-fall. What's that?"</p>
+
+<p>"Stand close back against the wall," whispered Toby,
+"and don't speak a word."</p>
+
+<p>They crowded back against the wall, alongside of
+the treasure, and looked towards the water-fall.</p>
+
+<p>A dark object was rising from the shallow water at
+the foot of the fall. As they watched, another dark
+object appeared to come through from under the fall
+and apparently from behind it; and this object rose also
+from the shallow water near the foot of the fall, and
+took its place beside the other. One after another, five
+more of these dark objects came from under the fall
+and apparently from behind it, and stood upright in
+the shallow water.</p>
+
+<p>There were now seven in all. They moved in a group
+towards the shore. Each of them had two legs, and
+each was muffled from top to toe in a single loose garment
+with baggy legs; they walked somewhat like a
+company of bears. They stood on the dry ground,
+and one of them proceeded to take off the loose garment
+with which he was muffled, while the others assisted
+him with evident deference.</p>
+
+<p>First came off a close hood which covered his head,
+cheeks, and neck. As the watchers by the wall saw his<!-- Page 120 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[Pg 120]</a></span>
+head, they held their breath in terror, and Aunt
+Amanda clutched Freddie's arm. Around the head
+was a tight-fitting kerchief, knotted behind; in his ears
+were great round ear-rings; and gripped between his
+teeth was a long pointed knife.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda gave a sign as if she was about to
+scream, but Toby quickly put his hand over her mouth.</p>
+
+<p>As the man with the ear-rings got himself out of the
+legs of his loose garment, the party by the wall saw
+that he was a short and burly man, of a ferocious
+aspect. In a sash which he wore was stuck on one side
+a cutlass, and on the other a long pistol. He wore no
+coat, and his shirt was open at the throat. His arms
+showed from the elbows down, and they were thick
+with muscles. His trousers were knee breeches, buckled
+just below the knee, and he was very bow-legged; his
+calves were big and knotted.</p>
+
+<p>When his outer covering had been removed, it was
+plain that he was perfectly dry from head to foot,
+except for water on his face and hands; and while the
+others were taking off their coverings, he withdrew
+with one hand the knife from between his teeth, and
+with the other hand wiped the water from his eyes and
+face. He then stuck the knife in his sash, waved his
+hands somewhat daintily in the air as if to dry them,
+took from his breeches pocket a large white handkerchief,
+completed with this handkerchief the drying of
+his face and hands, examined his finger-nails carefully,
+blew on them, and proceeded to polish them delicately
+with his pocket-handkerchief, at the same time swearing
+two dreadful oaths, in a low tone of voice, at the six
+men who were struggling with their coverings. When
+these had been removed, the six appeared in much the
+same style of dress as the first, and each bore a cutlass
+and a pistol; but their clothing was much ruder than
+his, and they had no ear-rings; instead of sashes they
+wore leather belts.<!-- Page 121 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[Pg 121]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Kerchoo!" rang out a sneeze as sharp as a pistol-shot,
+from the party by the wall.</p>
+
+<p>"Dear me," said the Sly Old Codger, out loud, "I
+do believe I'm catching cold."</p>
+
+<p>At the sudden discharge of the sneeze, the seven men
+jumped as if they had in fact been shot. Each one
+snatched out his cutlass with his right hand and his
+pistol with his left, and faced in the direction of the
+sneeze.</p>
+
+<p>"Confound your cold," whispered Toby fiercely to
+the Sly Old Codger, "now we're done for."</p>
+
+<p>The seven men with their cutlasses and pistols, with
+the ear-ringed man in the lead, tiptoed stealthily in the
+direction of the sneeze.</p>
+
+<p>As they came closer to the party who were crouched
+against the wall, Aunt Amanda slipped down quietly
+to the ground at Toby's feet. The captain of the expedition
+had fainted.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 122 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[Pg 122]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVI" id="CHAPTER_XVI"></a>CHAPTER XVI</h2>
+
+<h3>CAPTAIN LINGO AND A FINE PIECE OF HEAD-WORK</h3>
+
+<p>The man with the ear-rings muttered something
+in a fierce undertone to his six followers.
+They spread out behind him in a wide line.
+With a stealthy step they came forward noiselessly.
+The party by the wall held their breath in terror.
+Nearer and nearer came the seven men, still in perfect
+silence. They reached the cowering company by the
+wall, leveled their pistols at their breasts, held up their
+cutlasses ready to strike, and looked at their leader for
+the command to kill.</p>
+
+<p>At this moment the man with the ear-rings observed
+the form of Aunt Amanda on the ground. He stooped
+down and examined her, and stood up again. Then he
+eyed the company of travellers with a hard cold eye,
+and spoke deliberately and in a low voice. His manner
+of speech was somewhat stilted and precise, and scarcely
+what might have been expected of a pirate.</p>
+
+<p>"The ceremony," said he, "will be deferred for the
+moment. I commend you meanwhile to perfect quietness;
+one movement, and the consequences may be fatal.
+A hint is sufficient. I perceive here a lady in distress.
+'Tis a monstrous pity, indeed. I regret that we were
+unaware of the presence of a lady; had we known, we
+should certainly have taken our measures more fittingly.
+I crave your pardon. No one has yet accused Captain
+Lingo of rudeness to a lady. Ketch, put up thy cutlass
+and go straightway to the pool and wet this pocket-handkerchief.
+Be brisk, thou muddle-pated son of a
+sea-cook! Haste!"<!-- Page 123 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[Pg 123]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The man called Ketch jumped as though he had been
+stung, and took from Captain Lingo's hand a fine white
+cambric handkerchief which the captain had produced
+from his breeches pocket, and running to the water
+moistened it and returned in great haste.</p>
+
+<p>While this was going on, the poor captives were able
+to examine their chief captor more carefully. They
+remarked with surprise the fine quality of the handkerchief
+which he had handed to his man, and they were
+even more surprised to note the whiteness and fineness
+of the linen of his shirt. His breeches were of blue
+velvet, and his sash and the kerchief which bound his
+head were of crimson silk. On the fingers of each hand
+he wore three or four diamond rings, which sparkled
+brilliantly in the half-darkness. His stockings were
+plainly of silk, and the buckles at his knees and on his
+shoes were of polished silver, outlined in diamonds.
+His face was hard and cruel, but its unpleasantness may
+have been due to a long scar which crossed his mouth
+from his right cheek to his chin. When he smiled, as
+he did in referring to the lady in distress, the scar gave
+to his face a singularly evil expression.</p>
+
+<p>Taking the wet handkerchief from Ketch's hand, he
+knelt beside Aunt Amanda and bathed her face and
+wrists, slapping her cheeks and temples smartly now
+and then with the handkerchief, and changing her position
+so that her head lay lower than her body. After
+he had worked over her with much care for a few
+moments, Aunt Amanda opened her eyes. She was
+staring at the frightful crooked smile of a strange man
+with rings in his ears and a kerchief on his head. She
+started up, bewildered.</p>
+
+<p>"Where's Toby? Where am I? Who are you?"</p>
+
+<p>"Captain Lingo, ma'am," said the strange man, "at
+your service."</p>
+
+<p>"Let me up," said Aunt Amanda. She struggled to
+her feet, rejecting the assistance offered by the ear-ring'd<!-- Page 124 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[Pg 124]</a></span>
+man, and stood facing him, her bedraggled bonnet
+very much over her right ear. "Who are you?"
+she said again.</p>
+
+<p>"Your humble servant, ma'am," said the strange
+man, smiling his crooked smile. "Captain Lingo, by
+name. A gentleman adventurer of the high seas.
+Owner of the treasure which you have discovered here
+in our little retreat. Known here on the Spanish Main
+as the Scourge of Ships, and loyal servant of his blessed
+Majesty King James, whom the saints defend. Your
+obedient humble servant to command." He made the
+lady a very courtly bow.</p>
+
+<p>Toby whispered into Freddie's ear. "He can't be
+so terrible bad, not with all that polite way of talking.
+Don't be afraid. We'll be all right with this pirate.
+Who on earth is King James?"</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda was also much relieved by the pirate's
+polite address.</p>
+
+<p>"As long as you are my obedient servant," said she,
+"I'll thank you to help us to get out of here as soon
+as possible. We didn't want to come in the first place,
+and we are in a hurry to get out."</p>
+
+<p>Captain Lingo laughed heartily. "They are in a
+hurry to get out, lads," he said to his companions; and
+at this they all laughed uproariously.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't see anything to laugh at," said Aunt
+Amanda. "If we don't get out of here soon, we'll
+catch our death of cold."</p>
+
+<p>This made Captain Lingo laugh more heartily than
+before. "Ha! ha! ha! Their death of cold! That
+would be a rare fine thing, but a bit too slow, lads, eh?"
+And the other six laughed again, so that the walls of
+the chamber echoed with their mirth.</p>
+
+<p>"What do you mean by too slow?" said Aunt
+Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"Madam," said Captain Lingo, "we are a little<!-- Page 125 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[Pg 125]</a></span>
+pressed for time. We really could not wait for you to
+die of colds."</p>
+
+<p>"What?" said Aunt Amanda faintly, her feeling of
+confidence beginning to ooze away. "Do you mean to
+say&mdash;&mdash;?"</p>
+
+<p>"Madam," said the pirate, seriously, "I will put it
+to you plainly. Our treasure, which you have discovered,
+has taken a great deal of hard work to accumulate.
+We really couldn't bear to lose it. The people
+of this island, and a great many other people besides,
+have been trying for many years to find it. You have
+not only found it, but you have even gone so far as to
+open certain of our bags, in spite of the warning posted
+above your heads. Now picture to yourselves, dear
+madam and gentlemen, what consequences would certainly
+ensue if you were to leave&mdash;here&mdash;ahem!&mdash;alive."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" gasped Aunt Amanda. "Leave&mdash;here&mdash;alive!"</p>
+
+<p>"All the fruits of our industry would be lost, and
+our own safety would be imperilled. You will readily
+see that, of course. 'Tis a pity so many will have to
+die at once, for it will mess up the place very badly,
+and I always endeavor to be neat. But why, <i>why</i> did
+so many of you come at once? Couldn't you have
+come, say two at a time? It would have made so much
+less trouble."</p>
+
+<p>"Ho!" said Mr. Punch. "Hif we 'ad only stopped
+at 'ome, hall of us!"</p>
+
+<p>"However, I do not wish you to feel too keenly the
+trouble you are putting us to; my brave lads will cheerfully
+put up with the inconvenience, though I must
+confess the amount of blood will be quite unusual, and
+so many bodies will be troublesome to bury. I wish it
+were possible to have you walk the plank. However,
+pray do not bother too much on our account."<!-- Page 126 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[Pg 126]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"We weren't thinking about you at all," said Toby.
+"We were thinking about ourselves."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," said Captain Lingo, in a tone of disappointment.
+"I beg your pardon; I misunderstood. At any
+rate, we will now prepare for our little ceremony. If
+there are any trifling articles of jewelry and the like,
+I will be pleased to&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"But this boy!" cried Toby. "And this lady! You
+don't mean to&mdash;you can't mean&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Not for worlds," said Captain Lingo, "would I be
+rude to a lady. I trust you will find my conduct
+towards the lady beyond reproach. There shall be no
+rudeness of any kind. Merely a quick stroke, and all
+will be over. No violence, no roughness of any kind;
+not a word to offend the most sensitive ears. A single
+stroke, and the affair is done. And let me tell you, I
+have here with me a Practitioner who is very expert
+in this sort of business: our friend Ketch, in fact, who
+was so kind as to wet the handkerchief for the lady.
+I assure you that you are in great luck to fall into the
+hands of such a Practitioner; he will make it as pleasant
+for you as possible; one stroke only, I promise you.
+With one stroke of a cutlass, he is able to slice off a
+head as neatly as you could do it with a broadaxe;
+there are very few who can do it with a cutlass, let me
+tell you that. Many men have become famous by being
+operated on by Ketch. I remember a case&mdash;However,"
+he said, looking about him as if considering something,
+and speaking rather to himself than to the others, "it
+would be difficult to bury the bodies here, and the light
+is not very good. I think, yes, I think it had better
+be done outside. You are already wet, and I trust that
+another immersion will not inconvenience you too
+much. Lads," he said to his six men, "put on the rubber
+suits, and help our friends under the fall. Look
+alive, now."</p>
+
+<p>The six men immediately ran to their rubber suits<!-- Page 127 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[Pg 127]</a></span>
+and began to put them on. While they were doing this,
+Toby put one arm about Freddie and the other about
+Aunt Amanda. She lowered her head to his shoulder
+for a moment, but she soon raised it, and standing very
+erect she said, "Very well, if it must be, it must. It's
+easy to see that this bloodthirsty villain means every
+word he says; but I ain't going to whimper; I'm the
+captain, and I order that everybody keep up his courage,
+and wait and see what will happen."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, ma'am," said the Churchwarden.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you know," whispered the Old Codger with the
+Wooden Leg, "I believe that we are in a good deal of&mdash;er&mdash;danger."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie put his hand in Toby's, and held it tight.
+"You keep close to me if you can," said Toby, squeezing
+his hand. "We may be rescued at the last minute;
+you never can tell. Don't lose your nerve."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie was trembling with fear, and the hand which
+held Toby's was as cold as ice; but he said nothing;
+the others were being brave, and he resolved that he
+would be as brave as the rest, up to the very last. He
+began to think of his mother and his father, and to
+wonder what would become of them if he should be&mdash;but
+he forced himself not to think of that; he pressed
+his lips tight together, and commanded himself to
+be brave.</p>
+
+<p>The six pirates returned, clad in their baggy rubber
+suits, and looking very much like bears walking on
+their hind legs. They brought with them Captain
+Lingo's suit, and helped him to get into it. When he
+was encased like the others, with only his hands and
+face showing, he said:</p>
+
+<p>"Now, madam, I will assist you to the fall."</p>
+
+<p>"We'll attend to that," put in Toby, quickly. "Come
+on, Mr. Punch."</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda's cane having been lost, she found
+more difficulty in walking than formerly, but Toby and<!-- Page 128 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[Pg 128]</a></span>
+Mr. Punch supported her to such good effect that she
+kept up with the others very well on their march into
+the water towards the fall. All, except the pirates,
+shivered as the cold water came again around their
+knees, and they looked with fear upon the tumbling
+cataract which they were required to go under. There
+was no help for it, however; the seven pirates surrounded
+them and persuaded them to go on. They
+stood in a forlorn group in the quiet water near the
+foot of the fall.</p>
+
+<p>"Now, madam," said Captain Lingo, "I will help
+you under."</p>
+
+<p>Toby and Mr. Punch, feeling that the pirate knew
+the way better than they did, resigned Aunt Amanda to
+his care, not without some fear that the villain might
+deliberately drown her on the way through. He made
+her kneel in the water, and then lie flat; and with a
+strong arm he pulled her under the water-fall and out
+of sight.</p>
+
+<p>"You're next," said a deep voice to Freddie, and
+Ketch the Practitioner seized him and plunged with
+him under the water; and in an instant they had disappeared
+beyond the fall.</p>
+
+<p>One after another the miserable, shivering victims
+were assisted by the pirates under the water, and one
+by one disappeared. The Old Codger with the Wooden
+Leg was the last, and one of the pirates returned for
+him. When he had followed the others, the great
+half-dark chamber remained as it had been before, in
+its empty solitude and gloom, without an ear to hear
+the steady rush of water pouring incessantly down its
+fall.</p>
+
+<p>On the outer side of that rushing fall was a scene
+very different indeed. The pirates and their captives
+stood under a blazing sun, looking across a wide and
+beautiful landscape. Behind them, in the side of a high
+hill overgrown with bushes, was the hole by which they<!-- Page 129 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[Pg 129]</a></span>
+had come forth, and across the inside of this hole was
+the curtain of falling water. Freddie wondered how
+anyone had ever had the courage to plunge for the
+first time through that curtain into the unknown dark.
+The heat of the sun was very grateful, and the clothing
+of the soaked travellers began to dry perceptibly at
+once. The pirates took off their rubber suits.</p>
+
+<p>Beneath the observers the ground sloped down into
+a broad valley, chequered with grass meadows and
+dotted with trees. To their left, as they gazed out
+across the landscape, the ground rose from the valley
+by easy stages to a great height, no doubt forming the
+landward side of the black cliff which bordered the
+ocean.</p>
+
+<p>To the right, the country rolled gently away from
+the valley in a vast unbroken forest, a shimmering green
+ocean of tree-tops as far as the eye could see. Far, far
+off where the forest rose in a kind of mound, Freddie
+thought he could see what looked like the top of a
+round tower, just emerging above the haze of trees.</p>
+
+<p>The pirates and their captives were standing on a
+little grassy plateau, on which were great boulders here
+and there, and a few wide leafy trees. Two or three
+fallen logs were lying near the edge of the plateau,
+where it began to slope downward.</p>
+
+<p>Captain Lingo stepped out of his rubber suit, spread
+out his fine white handkerchief on a boulder to dry,
+and twiddled his moist fingers daintily in the air, after
+which he blew on his finger-nails and polished them on
+his shirt-sleeves.</p>
+
+<p>"We are now ready," said he, "for the ceremony.
+Ketch, thy cutlass."</p>
+
+<p>Ketch drew his cutlass from his belt and handed it
+to the captain. It glittered wickedly in the sunlight.
+The captain ran his thumb along its edge, and nodded
+his head with satisfaction.</p>
+
+<p>"It will do," said he. "One stroke for each will be<!-- Page 130 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[Pg 130]</a></span>
+quite sufficient. We will now proceed with the ceremony."</p>
+
+<p>He restored the cutlass to the Practitioner, who
+raised it high and gave a swinging slash downward
+with it, as if to test his eye and arm. The Practitioner
+then rolled his right shirt-sleeve up to his shoulder; he
+was the largest man in the party, and his arm was the
+arm of a blacksmith.</p>
+
+<p>"Stop!" cried Mr. Punch. "One moment! Captain
+Lingo! You are a Henglishman, aren't you?"</p>
+
+<p>"I am an Englishman," said the Captain, swelling
+out his chest. "Long live King James!"</p>
+
+<p>"Hi am a Henglishman also," said Mr. Punch,
+swelling out <i>his</i> chest. "You carn't murder a fellow-countryman
+in cold blood, now can you? Hi s'y, you
+couldn't do that, you know. We're both subjects of
+her gracious Majesty, we are. Long live Queen Victoria!"</p>
+
+<p>"Who?" said Captain Lingo.</p>
+
+<p>"Queen Victoria!" cried Mr. Punch. "She'd never,
+never forgive you hif&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Never heard of her," said Captain Lingo calmly.
+"I'm a loyal subject of his Catholic Majesty King
+James the Second,&mdash;may all the saints defend him!"</p>
+
+<p>"King James the Second!" cried Mr. Punch. "Why,
+'e's been dead these two 'undred year, nearly! 'E's
+as dead as Christopher Columbus!"</p>
+
+<p>Captain Lingo started violently, and his face became
+dark with anger.</p>
+
+<p>"Dead? King James dead? Do you mark that,
+lads? He calls his blessed Majesty dead! Aha! thou
+renegade Englishman, thou hast imagined the death
+of the king! A felony, by St. George! And the
+punishment is death! What, thou reprobate, dost thou
+not know 'tis a felony, punishable by death, to imagine
+the death of the King?"<!-- Page 131 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[Pg 131]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"But 'e <i>is</i> dead. One carn't live two 'undred years,
+you know."</p>
+
+<p>"You hear!" said Captain Lingo, his voice quivering
+with rage. "He imagines the death of the King! Any
+judge in the kingdom would sentence him to die for
+that! 'Tis the law! But enough talk. Captain Lingo
+is not the man to stand by and see the law defied! For
+that, my pretty Englishman, thou shalt die the death
+twice over. There shall be violence in thy case. Thou
+shalt wish thou hadst never been born. Thou shalt be
+kept for the last. Ay, ay; there shall be fine sport at
+his taking off, eh, lads? Enough! Proceed with the
+ceremony. To imagine the death of the King! Ketch,
+art thou ready?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, Captain," said the Practitioner.</p>
+
+<p>The captain cast his angry eye over the terrified
+group shivering in their damp garments. "One of you
+must be first. Who shall be first? Let me see." Each
+person quailed as the pirate's eye rested on him. "One
+moment. We will decide it by chance."</p>
+
+<p>He plucked seven sprigs of grass, and broke them
+into varying lengths. He then held them in his hand
+so that only the even ends showed. "Now choose,"
+said he. "The longest blade shall be first."</p>
+
+<p>Each drew a blade of grass, except Mr. Punch, who
+had already been reserved for the last. "Thou shalt
+be quartered alive," said the captain to him. "To dare
+imagine the death of the King!"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie trembled as he drew his sprig of grass; but
+he did not draw the longest; the longest blade fell to
+Mr. Hanlon, and the next to Freddie. Mr. Toby was
+third, the Churchwarden fourth, the Sly Old Codger
+fifth, Aunt Amanda sixth, and the Old Codger with
+the Wooden Leg seventh.</p>
+
+<p>"We will use that fallen log," said the captain, and
+led the way towards it. He was now very stern; all<!-- Page 132 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[Pg 132]</a></span>
+his politeness had been dissipated by the offense of Mr.
+Punch.</p>
+
+<p>"Toby," said Aunt Amanda, as they were moving
+towards the place of the ceremony, "I hope you will
+excuse me for all the cross words I have ever spoken
+to you."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, nonsense, Aunt Amanda," said Toby, sniffling
+a little, "I've been a trial enough, I know it. What
+will become of the shop?"</p>
+
+<p>"Poor Freddie!" said Aunt Amanda. "It just
+breaks my heart to see him so brave. He's so young
+to have to&mdash;to&mdash;And his poor mother! Oh dear, oh
+dear!"</p>
+
+<p>"Now then," said Captain Lingo, "you may sit down
+on the grass until your turns come."</p>
+
+<p>Toby helped Aunt Amanda to sit down. Freddie
+sat beside her and pressed his white face against her
+shoulder. The others grouped themselves on the grass
+about them; all except Mr. Hanlon, who, knowing that
+his time had come, stepped forward and stood before
+Ketch the Practitioner, who was feeling the edge of
+his cutlass.</p>
+
+<p>One of the pirates produced from his pocket some
+strong twine, and bound Mr. Hanlon's arms behind
+him. On a sign from Captain Lingo, this man led
+Mr. Hanlon to the fallen log, and made him kneel
+beside it and rest his head face down upon it, so that
+there was a good view from above of the back of
+his neck.</p>
+
+<p>The dreadful moment had arrived.</p>
+
+<p>Ketch the Practitioner took his place by Mr. Hanlon's
+side, planted his feet firmly, wide apart, tucked
+in his right shirt-sleeve at the shoulder, and raised
+his gleaming cutlass high above his head.</p>
+
+<p>A scream from Aunt Amanda made him hesitate
+for an instant, but only for an instant; as Aunt Amanda
+and Freddie closed their eyes and buried their faces in<!-- Page 133 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[Pg 133]</a></span>
+their hands, the cutlass flashed twice around the head
+of Ketch and came down with a swift and horrible
+slash straight upon the back of Mr. Hanlon's neck.</p>
+
+<p>A single stroke was enough; Mr. Hanlon's head
+rolled off upon the ground.</p>
+
+<p>"Well done, Ketch," said Captain Lingo, quietly.
+"I doubt if there's another hand on the Spanish Main
+could have done it."</p>
+
+<p>Ketch blushed with honest pride at these gracious
+words. He swung his bloody cutlass in embarrassment.
+All the pirates turned towards the pale group
+on the grass, and Captain Lingo said, "Next!"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie stood up. His knees began to tremble
+under him, and his heart was beating so fast that
+he could hardly breathe. Aunt Amanda flung her
+arms about him as he stood beside her, and cried "No,
+no, no!" in a voice of anguish.</p>
+
+<p>All eyes were on the Little Boy, as he stood awaiting
+his dreadful fate, with Aunt Amanda's arms about
+him. His time had come. His friends were waiting
+to see if he would be brave, and though his face was
+white his courage did not fail him. He looked at them
+in farewell, and each one gave him a tearful gaze
+in return.</p>
+
+<p>He turned his eyes towards the warm and friendly
+landscape, for a last look at the world he was about
+to leave. It would be hard to go, and he would need
+all his strength to bear the&mdash;A loud cry from Freddie
+startled all the others. "Look!" he cried, and pointed
+a shaking finger.</p>
+
+<p>They looked, and what they saw was Mr. Hanlon.</p>
+
+<p>By the log on which his head had been cut off, Mr.
+Hanlon was standing, his hands behind his back,
+and his head in its proper place on his shoulders.
+He was smiling and bowing, and as the astonished
+spectators gazed at him with their mouths open,
+he sprang lightly into the air and clicked his heels
+together as he came down.</p>
+
+<div style="height: 0">
+  <a id="image03"></a>
+</div>
+<div class="figcenter">
+  <!-- Page 134 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[Pg 134]</a></span>
+    <img src="images/i003.png" alt="Mr. Hanlon was standing by the log on which his head had been cut off." />
+    <p class="caption">Mr. Hanlon was standing by the log on which his head had been cut off.</p>
+</div><p><!-- Page 135 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[Pg 135]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Toby in spite of himself.
+"Freddie, we've seen that little act before, haven't
+we?"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie nodded. He remembered very well the first
+time he had seen Mr. Hanlon's head cut off, at the
+Gaunt Street Theatre at home; he wondered that he
+had not thought of it before.</p>
+
+<p>Captain Lingo was plainly very angry. His face
+turned a purple hue, and the scar across his mouth
+showed very white. He fingered his knife dangerously,
+and at the same time glared at Ketch, who
+was scratching his head in bewilderment. The captain
+did not raise his voice, but he spoke with deadly
+earnestness.</p>
+
+<p>"A fine workman thou, friend Ketch," said he.
+"Truly a pretty hand with a cutlass, thou son of a
+sea-cook. I've a mind to let a little of thy blood
+with this knife, thou scurvy knave. But I will give
+thee one more chance. If thou fail again, by St.
+George thou shalt die the death. Once more, now!
+And remember!"</p>
+
+<p>It was Ketch's turn now to tremble. He knew
+very well that Captain Lingo would do as he had
+said, if he should fail a second time. His own life
+hung on a thread now.</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, Captain," he said huskily, and led Mr.
+Hanlon back to the fallen log and made him kneel
+as before.</p>
+
+<p>As Mr. Hanlon's head lay across the log, he turned
+it round towards his friends, and gave them a long
+slow wink.</p>
+
+<p>Ketch's cutlass flashed as before. Round his head it
+swung twice, and down it came with a slashing stroke
+straight and true on the back of Mr. Hanlon's neck.
+Off rolled Mr. Hanlon's head upon the ground.<!-- Page 136 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[Pg 136]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Everyone watched breathlessly; and Ketch did not
+breathe at all.</p>
+
+<p>For a second Mr. Hanlon's body continued to kneel
+headless beside the log. Then the head on the ground
+popped like a flash to the neck it belonged to, and
+fastened itself accurately there in place. Ketch turned
+ghastly pale.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hanlon sprang up, opened his mouth wide in
+a soundless laugh, bowed to Captain Lingo, jumped
+lightly into the air, and clicked his heels together three
+times as he came down.</p>
+
+<p>Captain Lingo's face was a terrible sight to see. He
+gazed steadily at Ketch. The unfortunate Practitioner
+was shaking like a leaf. Captain Lingo slowly drew
+his knife, and held it behind him in his right hand.
+With the other hand he pointed to the ground before
+him.</p>
+
+<p>"Hither, dog," he said, in a quiet, even voice.</p>
+
+<p>Ketch hesitated, gave a wild look about him, and
+advanced slowly towards his captain. When he
+reached him, he fell on his knees and held up his
+shaking hands.</p>
+
+<p>"No! no! no! captain," he cried. "Don't do it!
+Oh, please don't do it! I done my duty always, and
+I ain't never failed before! Remember my poor
+old mother, captain! Give me one chance, captain,
+just one! Don't kill me! Captain! Captain!"</p>
+
+<p>The expression on Lingo's face did not change; but
+the glitter in his eye became even more murderous
+than before. He said not a word, but with his left
+hand snatched off the kerchief which bound Ketch's
+head, and seized him by the hair; and with his other
+hand he brought the knife swiftly around in front and
+lowered it to plunge it into Ketch's heart.</p>
+
+<p>At that moment Aunt Amanda, forgetting her lameness,
+struggled to her feet, hobbled to the kneeling<!-- Page 137 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[Pg 137]</a></span>
+man, and throwing her body between him and the
+knife, shrieked at Captain Lingo.</p>
+
+<p>"Stop! stop! you bloodthirsty villain! Ain't you
+got no shame? What are you going to murder him
+for? Ain't he done the best he could? You're a big
+bully, that's all you are! You ain't a man at all,
+you're a monster! Put up that knife, and take your
+hand out of his hair! Ain't you ashamed of yourself?"</p>
+
+<p>Captain Lingo was taken completely by surprise. His
+eyes opened wide and his jaw dropped; he was so astonished
+that he took his hand from Ketch's hair and
+put up his knife.</p>
+
+<p>"That's the idea," said Aunt Amanda. "You're
+more of a man than I thought. Mr. Ketch, you had
+better get up."</p>
+
+<p>"Madam," said Captain Lingo, making her a bow,
+"'tis a bold action and generous. I trust I am able
+to respond to it in kind. My duty to you, ma'am;
+your obedient humble servant. Ketch, thou white-livered
+dog, get up, and thank this lady for thy life."</p>
+
+<p>Ketch, still pale and trembling, stood up, and seizing
+one of Aunt Amanda's hands in both of his, made a
+low bow over it and kissed it fervently. By the look
+in his eyes it was plain to see that he was from
+that moment her devoted slave.</p>
+
+<p>"Madam and gentlemen," said Captain Lingo, "I
+am sorry to inform you that the ceremony is over, until
+I can obtain another Practitioner to take the place
+of Ketch. I blush with shame when I think how I
+boasted of his skill. I hope you will not think I meant
+to deceive you. I assure you I am more disappointed
+than you can possibly be. I am provoked and disgusted
+and irritated; I am annoyed; I can't deny it.
+There is nothing to do but to retire to our home in
+High Dudgeon."<!-- Page 138 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[Pg 138]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"What's that?" said Aunt Amanda. "Is it a place,
+or is it just the way you feel?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ask me no more," said Captain Lingo, turning
+away. "I must confer with my lads about our next
+step."</p>
+
+<p>"Are you going to take us with you?" asked Aunt
+Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"We shall certainly give ourselves that pleasure,
+madam," said the captain, rather stiffly. "Lads, come
+with me."</p>
+
+<p>On a sign from the captain, one of the pirates cut
+the twine which bound Mr. Hanlon's hands, and the
+restored one joined his friends on the grass. The
+seven pirates moved away to a spot some score of yards
+apart, where they all sat down on the ground and
+engaged at once in animated talk.</p>
+
+<p>"I conclude," said the Churchwarden, "though I
+don't know as I'm right about it, and other people
+may have a different opinion, that we're a good deal
+better off&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"What I say is," said Toby, clapping Freddie on the
+shoulder, "what I say is, three cheers for Mr.
+Hanlon!"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes!" said Freddie. "That's just what I said that
+day after the theatre!"</p>
+
+<p>"I wonder," said the Old Codger with the Wooden
+Leg, "I wonder if&mdash;er&mdash;ahem!&mdash;if Captain Lingo
+has&mdash;er&mdash;such a thing as a pinch of snuff about him."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 139 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[Pg 139]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVII" id="CHAPTER_XVII"></a>CHAPTER XVII</h2>
+
+<h3>HIGH DUDGEON AND LOW DUDGEON</h3>
+
+<p>The pirate captain and his men rose from the
+ground, and Captain Lingo, in his politest
+manner, requested his captives to follow him.
+The entire party moved down the slope into the valley,
+and after a walk of some quarter of a mile entered
+a grove of trees. In this grove were tethered
+ten handsome mules, of which seven were saddled and
+three were laden with packs.</p>
+
+<p>One of the pack-mules was quickly unladen, a fire
+was built, and in ten minutes the hungry guests and
+their hosts were making a very good breakfast of
+bacon, fried by Mr. Leatherbread, as the captain
+called him, one of the pirates to whom the business of
+the frying-pan was left by general consent. When
+the bacon had been washed down with clear cold water
+from a spring near by, and the mule had been packed
+again, Freddie and Aunt Amanda were assisted into
+the saddles of the two smallest mules, and the captain
+mounted into the saddle of the largest.</p>
+
+<p>"Now look here, Captain Lingo," said Aunt
+Amanda, "I want to know where we are going and
+all about it. The idea of me sitting here a-straddle
+of a mule! And this bonnet simply ruined, and my
+dress just about fit to go to the rag-bone man, and
+my hair&mdash;Look here, Captain Lingo, I ain't going a
+step on this mule until you tell me what&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Pardon me, my dear lady," said the captain, "but
+I must ask you to put up with my little whims a
+short while longer. I beg the pleasure of your society<!-- Page 140 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[Pg 140]</a></span>
+upon a little journey; nothing more. I assure
+you the country is very interesting. May I not promise
+myself the bliss of your approval?" He turned to
+the six pirates with a scowl. "Mount the rest of
+them, scoundrels!"</p>
+
+<p>Four of the captives were mounted by the pirates
+on the remaining mules, and the procession moved out
+of the grove into the open valley.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie had never ridden a mule before, and he
+was delighted. When they entered, as they soon did,
+the great forest which they had seen from the plateau,
+Freddie was more than ever delighted. After the
+blazing sun of the open country, the shade of the forest
+was delicious. The trees were huge, and while the
+trunks were far apart, their branches made a leafy roof
+overhead which was almost unbroken. Flowering
+plants grew everywhere; vines climbed the trees; little
+streams murmured here and there; and the only sound
+which disturbed the repose of the forest was the occasional
+screech of a parrot and the occasional chatter
+of monkeys. The first time Freddie heard the
+sudden scream of a parrot in the stillness he was
+thoroughly alarmed, but when he learned what it was,
+and saw the flash of the bird's plumage between the
+trees, he forgot all about his danger, and for the rest
+of the day he gave himself up to the pleasure of watching
+for parrots and monkeys among the branches.</p>
+
+<p>The Sly Old Codger turned in his saddle and said
+to Toby, who was riding behind, with Mr. Punch
+walking between:</p>
+
+<p>"A work of nature, my dear friend, a real work
+of nature. <i>So</i> beautiful! Parrots and monkeys flitting
+about overhead, the primeval forest stretching
+its bosky arms above us in all directions&mdash;<i>so</i> bosky!
+What one might call a real work of nature; so very,
+very bosky."</p>
+
+<p>"Right you are," said Toby. "It puts our Druid<!-- Page 141 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[Pg 141]</a></span>
+Hill Park in the shade, that's a fact; makes it take a
+back seat and play second fiddle, as sure as you're
+born."</p>
+
+<p>"Hi beg your pardon," said Mr. Punch. "'Ow can
+a park sit down and play a fiddle?"</p>
+
+<p>All day long they moved onward, single file, further
+and further into the depths of the forest. At noon
+they halted for a luncheon of fried bacon, prepared
+by Mr. Leatherbread. The afternoon wore on, and
+the forest became gloomier and gloomier about them
+as they marched; the silence grew almost terrifying;
+and all the pleasure which Freddie had felt in the
+morning vanished. Night fell, and the procession entered
+a little clearing, and there the pirates made
+camp for the night.</p>
+
+<p>After a supper of fried bacon, prepared by Mr.
+Leatherbread, the whole party retired to rest, each on
+a mattress of green branches and leaves, covered with
+blankets. The night was mild, and when the last
+blanket had been made ready the moon rose and tinged
+the tops of the trees with silver; and while Freddie
+was watching the moon as it climbed higher, he fell
+asleep. Aunt Amanda did not go to sleep so soon.</p>
+
+<p>Ketch the Practitioner had devoted himself very
+specially to her in preparing her resting-place. While
+he was spreading the branches and blankets for her,
+she said to him:</p>
+
+<p>"Ketch, where are we going?"</p>
+
+<p>"Not so loud, ma'am," said he. "We are going
+to High Dudgeon."</p>
+
+<p>"High Dudgeon! What's that?"</p>
+
+<p>"S-sh! When we're disappointed, or disgusted, or
+vexed, we always go to our home in High Dudgeon."</p>
+
+<p>"Is that where you live?"</p>
+
+<p>"Part of the time, ma'am. Mostly we are away at
+sea or on the Island; but when anything goes wrong,<!-- Page 142 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[Pg 142]</a></span>
+and we're angry about it, we always go home and
+stay there, in High Dudgeon. Yes, ma'am."</p>
+
+<p>"And what are they going to do with us when they
+get us there?"</p>
+
+<p>"S-sh! You'll be in great danger there. If you
+can find any way to escape from there, I advise you&mdash;S-sh!
+Not another word. Captain Lingo is looking
+this way. I must go."</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda did not sleep very well that night.</p>
+
+<p>In the morning, after a breakfast of fried bacon,
+prepared by Mr. Leatherbread, the company resumed
+its march.</p>
+
+<p>At noon, a halt was made beside a spring for rest
+and food, and here Mr. Leatherbread prepared a
+luncheon of fried bacon.</p>
+
+<p>In the evening, as the travellers were plodding onward,
+Ketch walked for a time at the head of Aunt
+Amanda's mule. Aunt Amanda leaned forward and
+said to him:</p>
+
+<p>"Ketch, are we going to have more bacon tonight?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, ma'am," said he, in a low voice. "We'll have
+supper in High Dudgeon. My old mother's the cook
+there. You heard me mention her yesterday morning.
+I've an idea there'll be pigeon pies for supper.
+And mark what I'm saying to you, ma'am." His voice
+sank to a whisper. "If you get a pigeon pie for supper,
+look careful to see what's inside of it before you
+eat it."</p>
+
+<p>"Mercy on us!" said Aunt Amanda. "Are they
+going to poison us?"</p>
+
+<p>But Ketch slipped away in the gathering darkness,
+and said no more.</p>
+
+<p>They had gone but a few hundred yards further,
+when, at the moment when the darkness of night was
+making ready to blot out everything, they suddenly
+emerged into a round grassy clearing enclosed by the
+forest, where the light was better, and over which a<!-- Page 143 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[Pg 143]</a></span>
+star or two could be seen glimmering in a pale blue
+sky. In the midst of this clearing rose a tower.</p>
+
+<p>It was a round tower, built of stone; its top came
+scarcely to the top of the surrounding trees, and it
+was in fact not more than two stories high; it appeared,
+with its wide girth, low and squat. Its sides were
+pierced here and there with deep and narrow slits,
+for windows, and on one side was a heavy oaken door,
+with great iron hinges and an iron lock. Through
+two or three of the upper slits in the wall glimmered
+a light from within. It was otherwise dark and forbidding.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda found Ketch at her mule's head again.
+She leaned forward and said to him:</p>
+
+<p>"Is that High Dudgeon?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, ma'am. That's Low Dudgeon."</p>
+
+<p>"Low Dudgeon? What do you mean by Low
+Dudgeon?"</p>
+
+<p>Ketch looked at the tower and shuddered. "I don't
+like to talk about it, ma'am. I don't like the place.
+It's the place where we used to live long ago, before
+we built High Dudgeon. There's none of us wants
+to live there now. We haven't lived there since&mdash;"
+Ketch paused, and shuddered again, and evidently decided
+not to go on.</p>
+
+<p>"There's a light up there," said Aunt Amanda.
+"Does anybody live there?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, ma'am," said Ketch. "Nobody <i>lives</i> there."</p>
+
+<p>"But there's a light," said Aunt Amanda. "Surely
+there must be somebody there."</p>
+
+<p>"There is, ma'am; there is; thirteen of 'em."</p>
+
+<p>"Thirteen what?"</p>
+
+<p>But Ketch only shuddered again, and would say no
+more.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda noticed that instead of going straight
+onward past the door of Low Dudgeon, the pirates
+led the file in a wide course away from it, along the<!-- Page 144 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[Pg 144]</a></span>
+edge of the clearing, as if to avoid coming near to
+it; and when the procession had thus skirted the clearing
+and entered the forest again on the other side,
+leaving the low tower behind, a sigh, as if of relief,
+went up from Ketch and all the other pirates; except,
+however, from Captain Lingo himself, who appeared
+to be wholly indifferent.</p>
+
+<p>"How much further?" said Aunt Amanda to Ketch.</p>
+
+<p>"About a mile, ma'am," said he.</p>
+
+<p>The last mile of their journey was a long mile, and
+it was traversed in perfect darkness. The moon had
+not yet risen. Not a word was spoken, and there was
+no sound except the pad of the mules' feet and the
+breaking of twigs and branches as the travellers
+pushed their way through. The prisoners were in a
+state of greater nervousness and anxiety than before,
+and as they neared the place where their lives were
+to be disposed of in one way or another, their sense
+of uncertainty became almost unbearable. When it
+seemed that they must be close to the fateful place,
+the procession suddenly halted, and at the same instant
+the screech of a parrot startled the silence and made
+each of the prisoners jump.</p>
+
+<p>"It's only the captain," said Ketch. "It's a signal."</p>
+
+<p>Immediately, as if in response, there came from a
+distance in advance the note of a cuckoo, three times
+repeated. The procession moved forward.</p>
+
+<p>A moment or two later, the whole company came
+forth from the forest under the stars, and stood on the
+edge of a wide round clearing, grown high with grass
+and weeds. In the midst of this clearing rose a tower.</p>
+
+<p>"High Dudgeon," said Ketch over his shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>This also was a round tower, built of stone; but it
+was very tall, much taller than the highest trees, and
+from the top there must have been a view of all the
+surrounding country, even as far as the hill within
+which was the treasure cave; from the number of deep<!-- Page 145 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[Pg 145]</a></span>
+and narrow slits which served as windows it must have
+been six or seven stories high. The top of the tower
+was flat, with battlements around the rim. As a fortress,
+it seemed to be impregnable; as a dwelling-house,
+it was very dismal indeed. It was totally dark.
+The captives trembled at the thought of being imprisoned
+in such a place.</p>
+
+<p>The wayfarers proceeded in their single file directly
+to the great iron-bound oaken door of the tower, and
+those who were mounted got down. Ketch assisted
+Aunt Amanda and Freddie to alight, and having done
+so he took charge of the mules and led them away.</p>
+
+<p>Captain Lingo took from his breeches pocket a small
+key and unlocked the door.</p>
+
+<p>"Be so kind as to enter," he said, and made way
+for the captives and his men.</p>
+
+<p>When all were within, including Ketch, who had now
+returned, the captain locked the door on the inside and
+restored the key to his pocket.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 146 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[Pg 146]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XVIII" id="CHAPTER_XVIII"></a>CHAPTER XVIII</h2>
+
+<h3>THE SOCIETY FOR PIRATICAL RESEARCH</h3>
+
+<p>They were in a dark and narrow passage-way.
+As they stood huddled there together, a candle
+glimmered at the end of the passage, held in a
+tremulous hand, and lighting up the face of a very
+old woman. She advanced towards the party by the
+door, and holding her candle high above her head inspected
+the strangers with little blinking watery eyes.
+She was short and bent; she hobbled as she came forward;
+her face was seamed with deep wrinkles, and
+the hand which held the candle was knotted and
+gnarled; wisps of dirty grey hair hung over her eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Aha! Mother Ketch," said Captain Lingo. "I
+wager thou didst not expect us so soon. What's in
+the larder? We are famished."</p>
+
+<p>Old Mother Ketch looked at her son, the Practitioner,
+and nodded her head at him once or twice,
+blinking her eyes. Then she fixed her eyes on Aunt
+Amanda, and seemed to forget everybody else.</p>
+
+<p>"Well? well?" said Captain Lingo, impatiently.
+"Art going to keep us here all night? Come, woman!
+Speak up directly! What's for supper, eh?"</p>
+
+<p>Mother Ketch slowly removed her eyes from Aunt
+Amanda, and looked at the captain steadily.</p>
+
+<p>"There's nought but pigeons and mushrooms and&mdash;"
+said she.</p>
+
+<p>"Good!" said the captain. "Then we will have
+pigeon pies; one for each; and well filled, mind you.
+Now haste; be off."<!-- Page 147 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[Pg 147]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Mother Ketch turned and hobbled slowly down the
+passage, and the glimmer of her candle disappeared.</p>
+
+<p>"Follow me," said Captain Lingo.</p>
+
+<p>The six pirates vanished somewhere in the darkness,
+and the others followed Captain Lingo up a
+winding stair. At the top was a heavy door, which
+he unlocked with his key, and locked again on the inside
+after his guests had passed through. He then led
+them down a dark passage-way, and turning to the
+right unlocked a door with his key and threw it open.</p>
+
+<p>They were in a large dining-room, on the table of
+which were numerous candles, which the captain
+lighted. In one wall was an opening for a dumb-waiter
+for sending up food from the kitchen below. The
+party seated themselves at the table, and after a considerable
+time Ketch entered, a napkin on his arm, and
+at the same time the dumb-waiter rose from the kitchen,
+and the meal commenced.</p>
+
+<p>Ketch waited on the table. Besides pigeon pies
+there were mushrooms, a lettuce salad, hot biscuit, and
+excellent coffee. Ketch placed the first pigeon pie before
+the captain, and Aunt Amanda noticed that he
+examined the top of it carefully as he did so. She observed
+that he examined the top of each pie carefully
+before he placed it, until he had put one before herself,
+after which he put the others about without looking
+at them. She examined the top of her own pie
+herself, to see what Ketch could have been looking at.
+She saw in the center of it a tiny figure made of very
+brown dough, and as she looked closer it seemed to
+have the shape of a tiny key. She glanced at the other
+pies, and none of them bore any mark of this kind.</p>
+
+<p>Everyone set to with a good will, and Aunt Amanda
+opened her pie. She remembered Ketch's caution, and
+she prodded it secretly with her fork before taking a
+bite. At the bottom her fork touched something hard.
+She immediately began to put the contents of her pie<!-- Page 148 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[Pg 148]</a></span>
+on her plate, and she did so in such a way as to leave
+the hard object beneath the rest. In the course of the
+meal, she dropped a portion of the pie to the floor,
+and stooped to pick it up. As she did so, she managed
+to take the hard object from her plate and conceal
+it in her lap. It was a key.</p>
+
+<p>When the meal was over, the captain led his guests
+forth to their respective bedrooms, each carrying a
+lighted candle from the table. At the top of a stair
+was a closed door, which he unlocked with his key,
+and locked after the others had passed through. Along
+the passage which ran from this door were doors at
+intervals in the walls, and these he opened, one after
+another, showing one of his guests each time into a
+bedroom and leaving him there. On the stair, Aunt
+Amanda had whispered into Toby's ear the words,
+"Don't go to bed. Pass it along." And these words
+had been passed in a whisper from one to another of
+the captives.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda, in her own room, now sat herself
+down to wait. She blew out her candle, and sat watching
+the shaft of moonlight which came through the
+slit that served for a window. She must have fallen
+asleep, for she came to herself with a start, and found
+the shaft of moonlight gone. She limped to the door,
+and found it locked. She took from her dress the
+pigeon-pie key and unlocked the door. The passage-way
+outside was silent and dark. She felt her way
+along the wall to the next door, and found it locked.
+She quietly unlocked it with her key. Toby was sitting
+within, waiting. He rose without a word, and
+followed her. They tiptoed from door to door, finding
+each one locked, and silently released each of the
+prisoners.</p>
+
+<p>The key fitted every lock on their way down stairs.
+They reached the ground floor without an accident, and
+there in the passage which they had first seen they<!-- Page 149 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[Pg 149]</a></span>
+stopped to listen. They heard the click of a latch at
+the rear; a door there opened quietly on a crack and
+a light shone through; every heart stopped beating
+for a moment. The door opened wider, and a lighted
+candle appeared, and over it the wrinkled face of an
+old woman; she peered out into the passage, shading
+the candle with a trembling hand; the party of quaking
+runaways stood as still as mice, and held their
+breath; the old woman blinked for a moment into the
+darkness, and blew out her candle. All was dark
+again, and the latch of the door clicked.</p>
+
+<p>The runaways lost no time. They crept silently
+but rapidly to the entrance door. Aunt Amanda
+unlocked and opened it, and they pressed out hurriedly.
+They were standing on the grass in a flood of moonlight.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda, whose lameness had been almost forgotten
+in her excitement, now leaned on Toby, who
+was holding Freddie's hand, and who led the way to
+the rim of the forest where the trail lay. There was
+some difficulty in finding the trail, but they did find
+it at last, and they filed into the forest. They had
+not gone more than twenty yards when Toby, who
+was in advance, saw a great black object directly across
+their path. He went forward cautiously, in spite of
+his alarm, and breathed a sigh of joy when he saw
+what it was: it was a mule, saddled and bridled, and
+tied to a bush. Further on were other mules, all
+tethered; there were ten in all, of which eight were
+saddled and two were laden with packs.</p>
+
+<p>"Blessings on that Ketch," whispered Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>In a moment the entire party were mounted. In
+another moment they were going along the trail at a
+fast walk. The mules knew the way, and there was
+now no danger of going astray in the forest. Only,
+where were they to go, after all? If the pirates should
+catch them, everything would soon be over. If they<!-- Page 150 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[Pg 150]</a></span>
+should manage to elude the pirates, they would still be
+lost in the wilderness of this unknown Island. What
+was to become of them not one could tell. The future
+seemed very dark indeed.</p>
+
+<p>Once or twice they paused, to listen for sounds of
+pursuit; but they heard nothing; not a sound disturbed
+the stillness; and the little moonlight which filtered here
+and there through the trees seemed to make the darkness
+more intense.</p>
+
+<p>They had gone about half a mile, and were plodding
+along in drowsy silence, when suddenly, out of the tall
+bushes beside the trail, seven dark figures sprang upon
+them and seized the bridles of their mules.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" cried Toby. "We are lost! The pirates!"</p>
+
+<p>The mules stood stock still.</p>
+
+<p>"It's no use," said Toby. "We can't escape. They
+are armed, and we are not. All right, Captain Lingo,
+don't strike; we surrender. We'll go back with you;
+don't strike."</p>
+
+<p>"I beg your pardon," said a voice which none of
+them had ever heard before. "Are you pirates?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ain't you pirates yourselves?" cried Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"What?" said the voice. "Is there a lady here? In
+that case, you are probably not pirates. Perhaps we
+have been too hasty. I beg your pardon."</p>
+
+<p>"Who are you?" said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you admit that you are not pirates?" said the
+voice.</p>
+
+<p>"Admit it!" said Aunt Amanda. "We vow and declare
+it! The very idea!"</p>
+
+<p>"I am sorry to hear it," said the voice. "We are
+deeply disappointed. We of course cannot doubt the
+word of a lady, but we were almost sure we had found
+them. We have been searching for pirates for a long
+time, and we were advised that they lived somewhere
+near here. We must have missed our way. Could<!-- Page 151 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[Pg 151]</a></span>
+you perhaps direct us? It is a place called High
+Dudgeon."</p>
+
+<p>"You bet we could," said Toby, "but we won't. We
+are running away from there, and you had better run
+too."</p>
+
+<p>"Then perhaps you happen to know the whereabouts
+of a place called Low Dudgeon, where the pirates formerly
+lived?"</p>
+
+<p>"We do," said Toby. "You are about half-way now
+between High Dudgeon and Low Dudgeon; and you
+had better get out of this neighborhood as fast as you
+can."</p>
+
+<p>"This is very interesting," said the voice. "I feel
+that you will be able to give us some valuable information.
+If you have no objection, we will walk behind
+you until we come to a place where there is more light,
+when we will have a few minutes' conversation on this
+interesting subject."</p>
+
+<p>The seven dark figures stood aside, and the mules
+moved onward. The seven figures walked behind.</p>
+
+<p>In five minutes they reached a patch of ground where
+the moon shone brightly through the trees, and the
+riders drew in their animals, and turned to look at the
+figures who now marched sedately up beside them.
+These figures stood in a row facing the riders, and six
+of them turned their heads to the right, looking towards
+the first in the row, who was probably their leader.</p>
+
+<p>They were seven tall men, dressed in black frock
+coats and striped trousers, with pearl-gray spats; but
+instead of high silk hats each wore a small black skull-cap,
+as more convenient, no doubt, for their rough life
+in the forest. It could be seen that they were no ordinary
+men; they looked like professors at college;
+their faces were thoughtful and even intellectual; each
+one wore spectacles; they squinted as if from too much
+poring over books by lamplight. The one at the head
+of the row was fat, with mutton-chop whiskers, and<!-- Page 152 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[Pg 152]</a></span>
+his frock coat was buttoned tight over a round stomach.
+He spoke in the same voice which they had
+heard in the dark.</p>
+
+<p>"I beg your pardon," said he. "If you will be so
+kind as to direct us either to High Dudgeon or to Low
+Dudgeon, we will not fail to gratefully acknowledge&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Aha!" said one of the others, in a playful tone.
+"A split infinitive, Professor!"</p>
+
+<p>"I beg your pardon. A slight inadvertence. To
+acknowledge gratefully your kind&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"There's no time to talk now," said Toby. "We are
+running away from these bloodthirsty cut-throats, and
+if they catch us we are dead, as sure as you're born.
+I'll tell you what we will do. We'll all keep on to
+Low Dudgeon, and we'll go in there, if we can get in,
+and decide there what we had better do. It looked
+like a strong tower, and we would certainly be as
+safe inside there as out of doors, if the pirates should
+come along."</p>
+
+<p>The Professor looked down the line of his companions.
+"What is the sense of the Committee on this
+proposal?" said he. "Ah. Very good. We are
+agreed. Proceed, my dear sir."</p>
+
+<p>"One minute," said Aunt Amanda. "Excuse my
+asking, but I should like to know who you are, anyway."</p>
+
+<p>The Professor waved a fat hand towards his companions,
+and looking at Aunt Amanda, said:</p>
+
+<p>"We belong, madam, to the Society for Piratical
+Research, under the patronage of his gracious Majesty,
+the King of this Island. You behold before you a
+committee of that Society; the Committee on Doubtful
+and Fabulous Tales, sometimes called for the sake of
+brevity, from the initials of its title, the Daft Committee.
+As Third Vice-President of the Society for
+Piratical Research, I have the honour to be Chairman
+of the Daft Committee. The seat of our Society is<!-- Page 153 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[Pg 153]</a></span>
+far from here, in the principal city of this kingdom, the
+famous City of Towers, blest as the residence of his
+gracious Majesty, the most learned and liberal of
+princes. Our camp, which we made only late this
+evening, lies at no great distance from this spot. We
+did not wish to delay our researches until morning,
+and so, as Third Vice-President of the Society for
+Piratical Research, and Chairman of the Daft Committee,
+I&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Much obliged," said Toby. "We've no time to
+listen to any more. We must get on."</p>
+
+<p>The Daft Committee, led by the Third Vice-President,
+fell in behind the mules, and the whole party
+moved forward, as rapidly as the mules and the committee
+could walk.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda felt far from easy at the prospect of
+entering Low Dudgeon; but she had told Toby something
+of Ketch's strange words and manner regarding
+that place, and she was glad to leave the responsibility
+to him. Their dark and silent progress through
+the forest continued, and when they had gone what
+they thought must have been about half a mile, they
+knew they must be near their destination. Every eye
+was watchful and every ear was alert. A grunt from
+Toby in advance notified the others that they had arrived,
+and they filed out of the forest into the clearing,
+and saw before them the squat tower of Low
+Dudgeon in the moonlight.</p>
+
+<p>The same light as before appeared from within,
+through the upper slits in the side of the tower. As
+they drew in their mules at the edge of the clearing, the
+Daft Committee came up, and the Third Vice-President
+spoke in a low voice.</p>
+
+<p>"I presume," he said, "that this is Low Dudgeon.
+I have heard of it, but I have never seen it. It was
+formerly, some hundred years ago, the headquarters
+of the pirates. But something occurred here, I do<!-- Page 154 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[Pg 154]</a></span>
+not know what, which impelled the pirates to move.
+They accordingly built themselves a much better residence,
+known as High Dudgeon, where I understand
+they now live. I do not believe that Low Dudgeon
+has been occupied since. Gentlemen," he said, turning
+to his companions, "we are fortunate in having found
+this interesting place at last, after so much trouble.
+It is the very spot in which to begin our researches."</p>
+
+<p>A murmur of approval arose from the other members
+of the committee.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know whether it's occupied or not," said
+Aunt Amanda. "Ketch told me that no one lives
+there, and that there's thirteen of 'em; and he seemed
+to be afraid of the place. And there's a light up
+there. I don't understand it."</p>
+
+<p>"Gentlemen," said the Third Vice-President, "is
+it the sense of the committee that we begin our researches
+in Low Dudgeon?"</p>
+
+<p>Every member of the Daft Committee murmured
+his assent.</p>
+
+<p>"If we go into the forest," said Toby, "we may be
+caught; if we go in here, we are safe for a while, anyway,
+and we can decide there what we had better do;
+maybe these gentlemen can send for help. Anyway,
+let's get in if we can."</p>
+
+<p>The riders dismounted from their mules and tied
+them to trees; in another moment the whole party
+were standing before the door of the tower.</p>
+
+<p>"Better knock," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>They knocked, and knocked again; there was no
+answer.</p>
+
+<p>"Aunt Amanda," said Toby, "try your key."</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda tried the key, and it fitted; she turned
+it, and the lock snapped back. Toby thrust open the
+door.</p>
+
+<p>The company entered, and Toby took the key and
+locked the door behind them. They were in a dark<!-- Page 155 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[Pg 155]</a></span>
+passage, near the foot of a winding stair. "We had
+better go up where the light is," said Toby, in a
+whisper.</p>
+
+<p>They went cautiously and noiselessly up the stair
+to the landing. There they found themselves in a hall,
+and at a little distance down the hall they saw a dim
+light shining under a closed door. "There it is," said
+Toby. "Come on."</p>
+
+<p>With the same breathless caution they tiptoed to the
+door. It had no lock, and Toby turned the knob and
+slowly pushed it open.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said Toby, in a frightened gasp, and started
+back.</p>
+
+<p>The others crowded at his back and pushed him
+forward. The Third Vice-President of the Society for
+Piratical Research brushed past him into the room, and
+the other six members followed him. The party of
+fugitives moved slowly in after them.</p>
+
+<p>In the middle of the room was a large round table.
+In the center of this table stood some twenty wax
+tapers in silver candlesticks, burning brightly; and
+seated around the table were thirteen men.</p>
+
+<p>Not one of these men moved as the party came into
+the room. Not a limb nor muscle stirred. The Third
+Vice-President coughed aloud. Still none of the men
+moved so much as a finger. The whole party came
+forward to the table and stood close behind the thirteen
+men and examined them. They were dead.</p>
+
+<p>They were sitting in all positions. Food was before
+them, as if they were in the midst of a meal.
+Some were leaning across the table as if in conversation.
+Some were in the act of cutting meat on their
+plates, some in the act of putting forks to their mouths.
+Every face was ghastly white, and every eye was fixed
+in a vacant stare.</p>
+
+<p>"See!" said Toby, in a whisper, pointing to their
+backs.<!-- Page 156 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[Pg 156]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>From the back of each was sticking the handle of a
+knife, the blade of which was buried in the flesh to
+the hilt.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda sank on Toby's shoulder for a moment,
+but she soon recovered. Freddie grasped Toby's
+hand.</p>
+
+<p>"Look," said Toby. "They must be pirates."</p>
+
+<p>Each head was bound with a bright-colored kerchief,
+and as the horrified company examined the dead men
+closer, it was seen that they all wore knee breeches.
+A long dagger was sticking upright in the table, just
+under the candles. Pinned by this dagger to the table
+was a large sheet of white paper, and there was
+evidently writing on it.</p>
+
+<p>The Third Vice-President had apparently little fear
+of thirteen dead men; he went directly to the table,
+and reaching across between two of the stiff figures
+drew the dagger from the table and took from the
+dagger's point the sheet of paper. He adjusted his
+spectacles, turned his back to the candles so as to obtain
+a good light on the paper, and read from it aloud:</p>
+
+<p>"Thus does Captain Lingo serve All Traitors."</p>
+
+<p>For a moment there was silence. Then Aunt
+Amanda spoke sharply.</p>
+
+<p>"The wicked villain!" said she. "Thirteen of his
+men dead at once, by his own hand! No wonder the
+six that are left are afraid of him! No wonder they
+don't like this place! Oh the wicked scoundrel! If
+I had him here, I declare I would&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>She paused suddenly and listened. There was a
+stealthy creaking on the stairs. It grew more distinct;
+then it stopped, and there was silence.</p>
+
+<p>The thirteen in their chairs made no motion whatever;
+but the living turned with one accord towards
+the open doorway of the room. They waited with
+bated breath. In another moment Captain Lingo
+himself was standing in the doorway, a pistol in his<!-- Page 157 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[Pg 157]</a></span>
+right hand and a knife in his left. Without a word
+he advanced into the room, and behind him came his
+six men, shrinking obviously away from the sight of
+their thirteen murdered friends.</p>
+
+<p>As Captain Lingo came to a stand before his recent
+prisoners, his eyes blazed, and with his right thumb he
+cocked his pistol. Each of his men held a pistol in
+his right hand and a cutlass in his left, and each cocked
+his pistol with his thumb.</p>
+
+<p>The Third Vice-President of the Society for Piratical
+Research, who seemed in no wise disconcerted, stepped
+forward and addressed the pirate.</p>
+
+<p>"Captain Lingo, I presume?"</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay; be quick. I must finish this business
+quickly."</p>
+
+<p>"My committee and myself have been long anxious,
+sir, in the interest of science, to make your acquaintance.
+I rejoice at this opportunity."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, indeed," said Captain Lingo, drily.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir; I assure you I am delighted. I believe
+I have the pleasure of speaking to a subject of King
+James the Second."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay," said Lingo, eyeing him suspiciously. "What
+then?"</p>
+
+<p>"Then the records of our Society are vindicated.
+They go back, my dear sir, some two hundred years;
+and they contain, from various sources, an unbroken account
+of Captain Lingo and his exploits from the time
+of James the Second to the present. But the sources of
+our information were not always reliable; some doubts
+were thrown upon our records by jealous persons outside
+the Society; and as it is the special business of the
+Committee on Doubtful and Fabulous Tales to look
+into such matters, the Committee is here before you
+at the present moment in the interest of truth. No
+member of our Society has ever seen Captain Lingo,
+and the jealous persons I have mentioned pretend<!-- Page 158 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[Pg 158]</a></span>
+that no such person has ever existed. The chief mission
+of our Committee is to vindicate our records by
+a sight of Captain Lingo himself. Thanks to you, sir,
+that has now been done. Our next mission is to determine
+for our Society this most important question:
+are you alive or dead?"</p>
+
+<p>At this, the captain's brows came together in a terrible
+frown; the scar across his cheek and chin turned
+very white; and he glared under his eyebrows dangerously
+at the complacent Third Vice-President. His
+lips parted, showing his white teeth clenched tight together.
+He started to speak through his clenched
+teeth, and leveled his pistol straight at the Third Vice-President's
+breast; but at that moment a cry from the
+Churchwarden startled everybody.</p>
+
+<p>"Bless my soul! Why didn't I never once think of
+this before? These men ain't real persons at all! How
+could they be, after two hundred years? They're no
+better than wicked spirits! That's what they are,
+wicked spirits! Why didn't we think of that before?
+Aha! my fine friends, I've got a little medicine here
+for you! Ha! ha!"</p>
+
+<p>He drew forth from his back pocket a little perfume
+bottle, and waved it over his head.</p>
+
+<p>"Hurrah!" he cried. "Hurrah for the Odour of
+Sanctity!" And with these words the Churchwarden
+uncorked the bottle and sprinkled a few drops of his
+perfume on the floor, directly at the feet of Captain
+Lingo.</p>
+
+<p>A sharp odour instantly filled the air; so sharp that
+it brought tears to the eyes of everyone. Captain
+Lingo and his men stepped quickly backward, but it
+was too late. A look of pained surprise crept over
+their faces, and remained fixed there. Their feet
+stood rooted to the floor, and the hands which held
+the cutlasses and pistols stiffened and became rigid.
+Not one of them could move an eye-lash. Their outlines<!-- Page 159 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[Pg 159]</a></span>
+began to waver; their faces began to be dim
+and vague, as if covered with close white veils; from
+their outsides inward they slowly faded, melted, dissolved;
+nothing remained of any of them but a wraith,
+a vapor, a puff of smoke, remotely in the shape of a
+human being; and then that also vanished; nothing remained;
+the place where they had been was empty.</p>
+
+<p>All eyes turned to the table where the thirteen murdered
+pirates had been sitting. They were gone. Their
+chairs were vacant.</p>
+
+<p>The Churchwarden calmly put the stopper in his
+bottle and restored it to his pocket.</p>
+
+<p>"Humph!" said he. "Nothing like Odour of Sanctity.
+Never knew it to fail. No harm to human
+persons, but no wicked spirit as ever lived can stand
+against it; and a blessed good thing the bottle didn't
+break as we came down the water-fall. No perfumery
+in this world like Odour of Sanctity!"</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 160 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[Pg 160]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XIX" id="CHAPTER_XIX"></a>CHAPTER XIX</h2>
+
+<h3>A KNOCK AT THE DOOR</h3>
+
+<p>The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members
+of the Daft Committee seated themselves
+in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered
+pirates. Nothing could have persuaded any of
+the others to sit in those dreadful seats; but no feeling
+of this sort appeared to disturb the Committee, and
+they evidently saw no reason why they should not be
+comfortable.</p>
+
+<p>The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with
+his fingers, and frowned to himself in silence. One of
+the Committee, taking his skull-cap from his head and
+smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand, glanced up
+at the Chairman and said:</p>
+
+<p>"I fear, Professor, that our hopes are dashed. It
+is nothing less than disastrous."</p>
+
+<p>"You are right, my dear sir," said the Chairman.
+"It is a terrible misfortune; terrible indeed. And just
+when we were on the point of&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"What!" exclaimed Toby in astonishment. "Do
+you mean to say you are sorry those rascally pirates
+are gone?"</p>
+
+<p>"My dear sir," said the Chairman, very patiently,
+"I am finding no fault. I do not wish to blame anyone.
+The loss of these pirates to science is one that
+can never be compensated. The Society for Piratical
+Research is now at an end. There are no other pirates
+on this island, and you must see for yourselves that
+without pirates our society must perish. It is a
+woful&mdash;"<!-- Page 161 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[Pg 161]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Well, I never!" said Aunt Amanda. "Of all
+things! Do you dare to sit there and tell me you'd
+rather see us all murdered by pirates than&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Be calm, my friends," said the Third Vice-President,
+placidly. "I have already said that I do not
+wish to find fault. I desire to be generous. It is my
+wish. In fact, I forgive you freely. Whatever bitterness
+you may have caused us, we are willing to believe
+that it was not intentional. The Daft Committee
+forgives you; freely. Let us be peaceful. It
+only remains to decide what steps we shall take to meet
+the future. I submit to you this question: whether we
+shall first go to the pirates' home in High Dudgeon, or
+return at once to the City of Towers, to confess our
+failure and receive our&mdash;Hark! I thought I heard a
+knock."</p>
+
+<p>Everyone listened. There was indeed the sound of
+knocking, muffled but quite audible. The group standing
+about the table looked from one to another in silence.
+Was this some new danger? Were there other
+pirates to be reckoned with? The Churchwarden put
+his hand to his back pocket, to be ready with his bottle.</p>
+
+<p>"I think it comes from within this room," said the
+Third Vice-President.</p>
+
+<p>All eyes examined the room. The walls were unbroken,
+except by window-slits on one side, the open
+doorway on another, and on a third a closed door,
+which no one had before observed. Toby walked
+over to this closed door, and placed his ear against it.
+A muffled knock sounded from within.</p>
+
+<p>Toby nodded his head to the others, and tried the
+door. It was locked. "Lend me your key, Aunt
+Amanda," said he; and when she had given it to him
+he inserted it in the lock and turned it and threw wide
+the door. Inside was a dark closet hung with cloaks.
+On the floor sat a man.</p>
+
+<p>Toby stepped back in amazement. The man sat<!-- Page 162 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[Pg 162]</a></span>
+motionless, his legs crossed, gazing out into the lighted
+room. After a second or two he rose, and stood in
+the doorway, rubbing his eyes. He said not a word,
+but continued to rub his eyes until they evidently
+became used to the light, and gave two or three sniffs,
+as if he smelt an odour, and found it far from
+agreeable.</p>
+
+<p>He was a thickset man, dressed in sailor's clothes,
+in no way like the clothes the pirates had worn. His
+eyes were small and very close together; his nose was
+broken and flat; his lower jaw stuck out beyond his
+upper; an unpleasant fellow enough, if looks were anything.
+In his belt he carried a long knife. His sailor
+collar was cut low in front, and his chest was tattooed
+in red and blue ink.</p>
+
+<p>As he hesitated in the doorway, sniffing the air uneasily
+and blinking his eyes, the Chairman of the Daft
+Committee spoke in his calm voice.</p>
+
+<p>"Come in, my good sir," said he. "I should like
+to take the liberty of asking you a few questions."</p>
+
+<p>The sailorman walked slowly into the room and
+looked about him.</p>
+
+<p>"What's that there smell in the air?" said he.</p>
+
+<p>"Nothing only my Odour of Sanctity," said the
+Churchwarden.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't like it," said the sailorman.</p>
+
+<p>"I can't say that I like it much myself," said the
+Third Vice-President, "but it is too faint now to be
+disagreeable. Pray be seated, sir." One of the Committee
+rose and offered the sailorman his chair. The
+sailor sat down and gazed at the Third Vice-President,
+who went on with his speech. "You need have no fear,
+sir; if Captain Lingo causes you any uneasiness, I may
+tell you that he is gone, never to return; and all his
+men with him; even the thirteen dead men who were
+sitting in these chairs until a few minutes ago."<!-- Page 163 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[Pg 163]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"What!" said the sailor. "Has them thirteen men
+been a-sitting here all these years?"</p>
+
+<p>"My dear sir," said the Third Vice-President, "I assure
+you we saw them with our own eyes. But you will
+perhaps be kind enough to tell us who you are, and
+how you came to be locked up in that closet."</p>
+
+<p>"Humph!" said the sailor, hesitating. "I don't
+know who you are, nor what you're doing in this here
+place. However, if Lingo's gone, and&mdash;Oh well, I
+might as well tell you. By the looks of you, I ain't got
+much cause to be afraid."</p>
+
+<p>"Your courtesy under the circumstances will be much
+appreciated," said the Third Vice-President.</p>
+
+<p>"Courtesy be blowed," said the sailorman. "Well,
+here goes. I'm Matthew Speak, able-bodied seaman,
+of the brig Cotton Mather, out of New Bedford,
+Reuben Higginson, master."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" cried Aunt Amanda, almost shrieking.
+"Are you&mdash;? The Cotton Mather! Reuben Higginson!
+Did you know him? It ain't possible! I can't
+believe it!"</p>
+
+<p>"It ain't nothing to me whether you believes it or
+not. I shipped with Reuben Higginson at New Bedford
+and landed here with him and his crew on this
+same identical Island, all tight and safe; here on Correction
+Island, as the cap'n called it."</p>
+
+<p>"What!" cried Aunt Amanda again. "Is this Correction
+Island? Well, I never! Here we are on
+Correction Island after all, and we never knew it! Are
+you sure?"</p>
+
+<p>"That's what he called it, believe me or not. It
+ain't nothing to me, but I seen it on the map I sold
+to Mizzen, and the cap'n wrote it there in his own
+handwrite; that's all I know; but maybe if you'd hunt
+up this here Lemuel Mizzen, a sailor with a patch
+on one eye and&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Well, of all things!" exclaimed Aunt Amanda.<!-- Page 164 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[Pg 164]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"By crackey," said Toby, "I wouldn't 'a' believed it.
+Lemuel Mizzen!"</p>
+
+<p>"Perhaps you will be so good as to tell us&mdash;" began
+the Third Vice-President.</p>
+
+<p>"Freddie," said Aunt Amanda, "have you got the
+map?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes'm," said Freddie, and produced it from his
+pocket.</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda took it from him and spread it open
+on the table before Matthew Speak. The sailorman
+glanced at it and nodded his head.</p>
+
+<p>"That's it," said he. "I don't know how you come
+by it, but that's it. Higginson was lost with the Cotton
+Mather in a storm on his way back to New Bedford,
+and a lucky chance for me I wasn't aboard. A good
+while afterwards a fisherman off of this here Island
+picked up the map at sea in a bottle, and I got it off'n
+him; he squealed a good bit when I stuck him, but
+I got it, right enough. And then along comes Mizzen,
+me being in hiding, and I sold it to him for a set of
+false whiskers and a tattoo-needle."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, yes," said Freddie eagerly. "Mr. Mizzen
+told me about it."</p>
+
+<p>"When Higginson sailed away from here in the Cotton
+Mather, I didn't go with him. I ran away. Ay,
+a runaway sailor, that's what I am. I liked the Spanish
+Main, and I didn't like Higginson; nor yet he didn't
+like me, neither. But before he sailed, I left my mark
+on him, I did; four of his teeth out and a black eye; and
+I won't say but what he broke my nose for me too,
+right enough. For a Quaker, he hit pretty good. And
+I stole this bit of writing from him; probably it ain't
+no account, but Higginson he seemed to set great store
+by it, so I stole it, and here it is." He took from his
+pocket a sheet of folded paper and laid it on the
+table beside the map; it was much soiled, and was evidently
+very old. He sniffed the air once or twice,<!-- Page 165 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[Pg 165]</a></span>
+and frowned. "I don't like this here smell. It's no
+good. I say I don't like it. It makes me feel queer.
+Well, I guess the old man thought this here bit of
+writing was safe in his locker right up to the last; I
+expect he never missed it until he went to put it into the
+bottle with the map and throw it overboard." He
+shook the paper in his hand and dropped it again on
+the table. "And then," he went on, "I fell in with
+Lingo, and joined his crew."</p>
+
+<p>"Look here," said Toby, "how long ago was all
+this?"</p>
+
+<p>"How do I know?" said Speak. "I've been shut
+up in that there cupboard so long I ain't got no account
+of time. But I remember just before we sailed from
+New Bedford there was a lot of crazy people talkin'
+about getting up a fight with England and breakin'
+loose from her, and being free and independent and
+what not&mdash;a great pack of foolish nonsense&mdash;and
+something or other about some kind of a tea-party
+in Boston&mdash;I dunno. I ain't never heard what come
+of it. Most likely nothin' at all. I guess it must have
+been a good while ago. I dunno."</p>
+
+<p>The Churchwarden started, and put his hand to his
+back pocket. "Are you as old as that?" said he.</p>
+
+<p>"No older nor what you be, old fat-chaps," said
+Speak. "You attend to your own age, and I'll attend
+to mine."</p>
+
+<p>"Never mind," said the Third Vice-President,
+hastily. "Pray tell us how you came to be locked up
+in that closet."</p>
+
+<p>"Gimme a chanc't," said Speak. "I'd tell you if
+you'd gimme a chanc't. I joined Lingo. I served him
+true and faithful, and many a prize we've taken together,
+and watched many a smart lad walk the plank,
+that's a fact. Well, thirteen of his men laid a plan
+to go to his treasure-cave where all his treasure was
+hid, and make off with it; steal it; ay, ay; steal it, mind<!-- Page 166 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[Pg 166]</a></span>
+you; as bad as that. Now me, I ain't got no patience
+with dishonesty; I'm all for being honest, I am; so,
+being as I had learned about this here plan, I went
+and told the captain. He never winked an eye, not
+him, but off he sent his other six men, out of the way,
+and made a fine supper here for them thirteen and
+sat down with them to it; ay, that he did. But first
+he gets a little white powder out of a silver box and
+takes it to Mother Ketch and orders her to put it in
+their food; and she won't, not she, and nothing he
+can do can make her; so he comes to me, and being as
+I hates dishonesty, I puts the powder in their food,
+and they eats it. Only, being kind of nervous, as you
+might say, I spills about two-thirds of it on my way
+upstairs in the dark; and there ain't enough left to do
+the work complete. What was left I put in the food
+on the table, and at that minute up the stairs comes
+the whole thirteen with the captain at their head, and
+I whips into that there cupboard and shuts the door,
+a-trembling in my boots for fear of what the captain's
+going to do to me when he finds out the powder won't
+work only partly. I can hear 'em all set down to the
+table laughin' hearty, and the captain's voice a-crackin'
+jokes and makin' 'em feel at home; but after a bit I
+don't hear nobody's voice but only the captain's, because
+of the white powder actin' on the others as far
+as it could, and them probably a-settin' up stiff and
+tongue-tied in their chairs, unable to move a hand, because
+of the mite of powder, d'ye see, and me a-settin'
+quiet in the dark cupboard, a-quakin' all over and wonderin'
+what the captain was a-goin' to do to me. And
+after a bit I don't hear the captain's voice no more,
+and there ain't no sound at all. And I guess the party
+is over. And in another minute I hears a key turn in
+the lock of my cupboard door, very soft and easy, and
+there I am shut up and locked in as tight as pitch; and
+there I've been ever since."<!-- Page 167 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[Pg 167]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"And serve you jolly well right, too, hif you arsk
+me," said Mr. Punch, with great disgust.</p>
+
+<p>"It's the wickedest piece of business all round I ever
+heard of in my life," said Aunt Amanda, indignantly.
+"It's my opinion you're as bad as any of them."</p>
+
+<p>"Worse, if anything," said the Churchwarden, whose
+hand was still on his back pocket.</p>
+
+<p>"It's a pity the captain didn't knife you in the back
+with the rest of 'em," said Toby, angrily.</p>
+
+<p>Speak's little eyes flashed fire. He drew his knife
+and held it out threateningly in his hand, and started
+to rise. But he did not rise. He remained fixed in
+his chair, though it was easy to see that he was trying
+to get up. He sniffed the air, and his head remained
+fixed in the act of sniffing. The hand which held the
+knife continued to hold it out, without moving. A look
+of alarm came into his eyes. It was evident that he
+had smelled the Odour of Sanctity, which yet lingered
+faintly in the room. His outline began to waver; his
+face became vague; his features ran together; he took
+on the appearance of vapor; and there in the chair by
+the table, in place of the thick and solid sailorman, was
+an almost transparent form of mist or smoke, remotely
+in the shape of a man.</p>
+
+<p>Everyone waited to see him vanish. The form still
+lingered; it did not disappear; it continued to sit in its
+chair with its hand extended, holding out a shadowy
+knife. The Odour of Sanctity had lost its full power,
+and what remained of it was insufficient to make him
+disappear.</p>
+
+<p>The Churchwarden pulled out his bottle, and commenced
+to uncork it.</p>
+
+<p>"Stay," said the Third Vice-President, holding up
+his hand. "I pray you stay. Do not spill any more
+of that deadly fluid. There has been enough destruction
+here tonight. I propose that we leave the late
+Matthew Speak as he is. He belongs to the Society<!-- Page 168 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[Pg 168]</a></span>
+for Piratical Research. He is the Last of the Pirates,
+and I beg leave to claim him for the Society. As an
+exhibit, he will be highly valued. We shall from time
+to time conduct hither parties of the learned or the
+curious to view the Last of the Pirates. Nothing could
+be better. Our Society is now revived. I am immensely
+gratified. Low Dudgeon shall be known as
+the only Museum in the world with but a single Exhibit.
+Let the late Matthew Speak repose here in his
+chair as a permanent relic of a bygone age; the sole
+Exhibit in a Museum all his own. The interest of such
+an Exhibit will doubtless warrant a small charge at
+the door."</p>
+
+<p>The Committee murmured an earnest approval.
+The Churchwarden looked at his companions, and put
+the bottle back into his pocket with a sigh.</p>
+
+<p>"I thank you," said the Third Vice-President. "We
+will now proceed to consider our next step."</p>
+
+<p>"I simply can't stay in this room," exclaimed Aunt
+Amanda, "with that thing sitting in that chair."</p>
+
+<p>"It is nothing, madam, I assure you," said the Third
+Vice-President. "See!"</p>
+
+<p>He leaned over and passed his hand directly through
+the body in the chair; in at the breast and out at the
+back.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" cried Aunt Amanda; and her friends all
+gasped; but the Committee only nodded their heads
+in token of their interest.</p>
+
+<p>"You see it is nothing," said the Third Vice-President.
+"We will now look at the paper which our departed
+friend has left."</p>
+
+<p>He picked up the paper from the table where Speak
+had left it, adjusted his spectacles, turned his back to
+the candles so as to get a good light, and read the paper
+through to himself. He then glanced at the company
+and read aloud:</p>
+
+<p><!-- Page 169 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[Pg 169]</a></span></p>
+<div class="blockquot"><p>"Shiraz the Rug-Merchant.</p>
+
+<p>"Outside the Gate of Wanderers, six hundred Paces
+to the Right, along the Wall.</p>
+
+<p>"Thee shall know his Shop by certain Numbers, to
+wit: 3101310.</p>
+
+<p>"If he Hide himself, say these words: Shagli Jamshid
+Shahriman.</p>
+
+<p>"Thee shall buy of his Wares; not that which he
+shall offer First, nor Second; but that which he
+shall offer Third, that thee shall Buy; and for that
+thee shall Pay whatever he shall Demand.</p>
+
+<p>"Thereafter thee shall do whatever he shall Direct.</p>
+
+<p>"But enter not into the City but by the Shop of Shiraz
+the Rug-Merchant."</p></div>
+
+<p>There was silence for a moment, then Aunt Amanda
+said:</p>
+
+<p>"That's the way we are to get those wonderful things
+the map speaks of. It doesn't seem to tell us much,
+though. Where do you suppose is this Gate of Wanderers?"</p>
+
+<p>"That, dear madam," said the Third Vice-President,
+"is one of the gates of our City of Towers. We know
+it very well, of course."</p>
+
+<p>"Then," said Aunt Amanda, "as captain of my party,
+my orders is that we go there at once."</p>
+
+<p>"Much good would that do," said Toby. "We've
+got to buy something of this here Shiraz, if that's his
+name, and pay anything he asks, too. And there ain't
+a penny amongst us. How could we buy anything?"</p>
+
+<p>"The pirates' treasure!" cried Freddie. "The
+pirates' treasure in the cave!"</p>
+
+<p>"By crackey!" said Toby. "I clean forgot all about
+it. Good for you, Freddie! Talk about money to buy
+things with! We'll buy out that old Shiraz's whole
+shop! The treasure belongs to us, as sure as you're
+born. By crickets, we're in luck."</p>
+
+<p>"If you will pardon me," said the Third Vice-President,<!-- Page 170 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[Pg 170]</a></span>
+"we know nothing of any treasure, and if you
+would be so good as to&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I will," said Aunt Amanda, and she quickly explained
+the whole matter. The Daft Committee, including
+its Chairman, was much impressed.</p>
+
+<p>"We do not wish to intrude," said the Chairman,
+"but if we could be of any service&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Of course!" cried Toby. "You've got to help us
+get the treasure out of the cave, and then help us
+to find the City of Towers. And if you'll help us, why
+what I say is, the Committee ought to have a share
+of the treasure. Is that right?"</p>
+
+<p>Toby's friends willingly agreed, and the Committee
+gladly consented to go with them to the Treasure Cave
+and then to the City of Towers.</p>
+
+<p>"The Society for Piratical Research," said the Third
+Vice-President, "is coming back to life! We now have
+a Museum with one Exhibit, and we are about to acquire
+a Fund of Money. Come, my friends, it is time
+to depart. If you will go out first, I will remain and
+blow out the candles. We must remember to close the
+door behind us, for a draught of air would probably
+blow the late Mr. Matthew Speak out of the window."</p>
+
+<p>In a few moments the whole party was standing in
+the moonlight on the grass before the deserted tower
+of Low Dudgeon. Not quite deserted, however; in
+every mind was a picture of a misty and vapory form,
+remotely in the shape of a man, sitting motionless in
+a chair beside a table in a dark and silent room.</p>
+
+<p>"All right," said Toby, "now for the Treasure Cave
+and the City of Towers."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 171 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[Pg 171]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XX" id="CHAPTER_XX"></a>CHAPTER XX</h2>
+
+<h3>THE CITY OF TOWERS</h3>
+
+<p>At the Pirates' Cave, the task of getting out the
+treasure proved very difficult, but it was done
+at last.</p>
+
+<p>The Committee's camp in the forest had supplied
+abundance of provisions, and a great number of animals;
+the Committee traveled in luxury.</p>
+
+<p>On the level ground where Mr. Hanlon had given
+his exhibition of head-work, the toilers were now resting
+in the hot sun, and drying their garments, thoroughly
+soaked by their trips in and out of the cave,
+under the water-fall. They looked with intense delight
+on the boxes and bags which lay before them.</p>
+
+<p>"What I say is," said Toby, "let's divide the treasure
+now, so we won't have to bother about it when we
+get to the City of Towers."</p>
+
+<p>"How beautiful is nature!" said the Sly Old Codger.
+"Behold that wide expanse of field and forest resting
+so&mdash;so&mdash;expansively beneath the orb of day! A true,
+true work of nature! At such a moment as this, dear
+friends, a warm feeling invades my heart, a feeling of&mdash;of&mdash;Did
+I hear a suggestion to divide the treasure?"</p>
+
+<p>The division was carefully made, and when it was
+done, and each person had declared himself well satisfied,
+each share was packed separately, and the treasure
+loaded on the backs of the extra mules. It was a
+princely fortune.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you suppose," said the Old Codger with the
+Wooden Leg, "that&mdash;er&mdash;I shall be able to obtain, in<!-- Page 172 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[Pg 172]</a></span>
+the City of Towers, such a thing as a pipeful&mdash;ahem!&mdash;a
+pipeful of tobacco?"</p>
+
+<p>"Never fear," said the Third Vice-President. "I
+fancy you will be able to buy there all the tobacco you
+can use."</p>
+
+<p>"Wery sorry I am to 'ear it," said Mr. Punch. "Hi
+regard the tobacco 'abit as a wery reprehensible 'abit.
+Wery."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, you do!" said Toby, glaring at him.</p>
+
+<p>"Wery reprehensible indeed," went on Mr. Punch,
+calmly. "My conscience 'as troubled me for a long
+time by reason of my position in the tobacco trade.
+Being posted, as one may s'y, in a wery hadwantageous
+position for hobserwation, I 'ave seen too much, entirely
+too much, of the sad effects of the hobnoxious
+weed. Many a time 'ave I wept to myself, when the
+hobserver may 'ave thought it was only rain on me
+cheek, to see 'em, young and hold, going in and hout
+of Toby Littleback's shop, knowing what would come
+of it sooner or later, and me a-standing there hencouraging
+of 'em in, as one may s'y, with me packet of
+cigars in me 'and. Hoften enough 'ave I wished to
+give it hup and embark in a hoccupation less reprehensible;
+many a time 'ave I said to myself, 'Ho, hif
+I could only be hinnocent once, just once.' And now
+Hi shall put be'ind me hall the d'ys of me sinful past,
+and with my share of the treasure Hi shall open a shop
+for the purveying of tripe."</p>
+
+<p>"There's a deal more harm been done by tripe than
+ever there was by tobacco," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"There is a total absence of nicotine in tripe," said
+Mr. Punch, loftily. "At least, such is my hinformation.
+And I carn't 'elp 'oping that my friend Littleback will
+reform hisself, now that 'e can afford it, and engage in
+some pursuit less 'armful to the young. Hif I was
+arsked, I would suggest pinking and pleating."</p>
+
+<p>"You ain't been asked," said Toby. "I can see<!-- Page 173 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[Pg 173]</a></span>
+myself pinking and pleating. When I want advice
+what to do with my money, I'll ask you. Tobacco is
+my line, and tobacco is going to be my line to the end
+of the chapter, and that's flat. Pinking and pleating!
+Humph."</p>
+
+<p>"It's my belief," said the Churchwarden, "after listening
+to what's been said, pro and con, backwards
+and forwards, up and down, that if we don't start for
+the City of Towers, we'll never get there."</p>
+
+<p>"And what's more," said Toby, "when I get back
+I'm going to have an <i>Indian</i> outside my door, instead
+of a tripe-seller."</p>
+
+<p>"Excuse me," said the Third Vice-President. "I am
+sorry to interrupt this interesting discussion, but we
+really ought to be going. Gentlemen," to the Committee,
+"our steeds are waiting. To the City of
+Towers!"</p>
+
+<p>The journey which now commenced proved to be a
+very long one. Day after day the pilgrims plodded
+through a wilderness of forest and field, over streams,
+across mountains, down into deep valleys and up again,
+camping at night wherever they happened to find water
+and wood, and sleeping under the stars in blankets on
+beds of boughs. The moon was gone before their
+journey was over.</p>
+
+<p>One morning the trail brought them down on a
+mountain-side to a well-paved road. This road they
+followed for some hours, and it brought them finally
+to the top of a gentle hill, covered with trees. From
+the top of this hill they saw a striking scene.</p>
+
+<p>Stretching away from the foot of the hill lay a great
+rolling valley, up which the road ran as straight as a
+ribbon. Far away, at the end of the road, against a
+dark wooded mountain, stood a great city, walled
+around with a high wall, and shining in the sun with
+white and gold domes and turrets and towers. The
+rear of the city rose along the lower slope of the mountain,<!-- Page 174 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[Pg 174]</a></span>
+and on the top of the mountain, concealing its
+peak, lay a cloud; black below, and glittering with sunlight
+at the edges. It hung there motionless during
+the time when the watchers sat watching the scene.
+Directly under the cloud, on the slope where the farthest
+portion of the city lay, was an open space among
+the buildings, like a great garden or park, and in the
+midst of it a vast white building with a flat roof, great
+enough for the palace of a king. That which struck
+the strangers most, at their first look, was the great
+number of towers which rose at all points in the city;
+surely so many towers had never been gotten together
+in one place before; and the most remarkable one of
+them was the tower which rose from just behind the
+great white building in the park. It was dull in colour,
+and doubtless of brick; it was round in shape, tapering
+gradually upwards. It rose to a height which none of
+the strangers would have thought possible, had they
+not seen it with their own eyes; it rose straight to the
+cloud which hung motionless upon the mountain; it
+pierced the cloud, and its top was lost to view in the
+cloud or above it.</p>
+
+<p>"The City of Towers!" said the Third Vice-President,
+waving his arm in that direction. "The Gate of
+Wanderers is before us, at the end of the road."</p>
+
+<p>The party urged their animals forward down the
+hill-side, and pressed on until noon, when they halted
+for rest and refreshment in a wood beside the road.
+There they sat at their ease on the grass, and the Third
+Vice-President looked from one to another, and spoke
+as follows:</p>
+
+<p>"My friends, I must tell you the story of the Towers.
+Our King, you must know, is a handsome and amiable
+man, in appearance about thirty years of age. When
+I tell you that he has been our king for more than
+forty years, you will be surprised. His wife was a
+princess of some few years less than his own, and of<!-- Page 175 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[Pg 175]</a></span>
+a beauty unequalled in the kingdom. Her wedding
+ring, the gift of her husband, was a single ruby in a
+plain gold band, and this ring she was never known
+to remove from her wedding-finger for a single moment.
+She was blessed with three beautiful children,
+two boys and a girl, the oldest of whom was nearly
+nine years of age.</p>
+
+<p>"When the prince, our present King, was thirty
+years old, his father the King, who was then alive,
+gave a great ball at the palace, and at this ball the old
+King declared to the assembled court that he desired
+to build a tower; a mighty tower, higher than any
+other in the world, where he might seek repose from
+time to time; a tower so tall that it would reach the
+cloud that hangs perpetually on the mountain. To him
+who should build such a tower in the shortest time
+the King would give any reward which the fortunate
+bidder might ask. The old King laughed as he made
+his offer, and it was plain that he was only half serious;
+but many of the richest of his nobility desired the prize,
+and contended for it earnestly. One proposed to erect
+the tower in ten years, another in eight, and one was
+found who was willing to promise it in six years and
+a half; but these terms were all too long. The King
+was old, and he would not wait so long.</p>
+
+<p>"'Is there no one,' said the old King at last, 'who
+will build me my tower in less than six years and a
+half?'</p>
+
+<p>"'I will build it in one night,' said a voice from the
+rear of the ball-room.</p>
+
+<p>"An old man came forward and stood before the
+King; an old man, dressed in a short gown tied in with
+a cord about the middle, with sandals on his feet, a
+lantern with a lighted candle in one hand, and a staff
+in the other. No one in that place had ever seen him
+before, and no one knew how he had gotten in amongst
+that glittering company.<!-- Page 176 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[Pg 176]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"'I will build your tower in one night,' said the old
+man.</p>
+
+<p>"The old King laughed outright, but he accepted the
+offer then and there. 'In the morning,' said he, 'if we
+find the tower finished, you shall have any gift which
+may be in my power to give.'</p>
+
+<p>"The old man bowed, and made his way slowly out
+of the palace. A great shout of laughter went up from
+the company, and in this the King himself joined
+heartily; but the joke was, as I must tell you, my friends,
+that in the morning when the King rose, there stood
+the tower in fact, behind the palace, so tall that its top
+could not be seen in the cloud that hung upon the mountain;
+and there, my friends, the tower stands to this
+day.</p>
+
+<p>"That evening the old man returned for his reward.
+He stood before the King, and on the King's right and
+left stood the prince and the prince's wife and children.
+The King asked the old man what reward he desired.</p>
+
+<p>"'I ask nothing,' replied the other, with a sly smile,
+'except the ruby ring upon the finger of the Princess.'</p>
+
+<p>"The Princess turned pale, and hid her hand behind
+her. She would not give up her wedding-ring; nothing
+the King could say could move her. He offered the
+old man anything else he might demand; a dozen ruby
+rings; a box of ruby rings; anything; but the old man
+would have nothing but the ring upon the Princess's
+finger. The Princess grew paler still, as if with fear;
+but she would not give up the ring. The old man
+smiled his sly smile again, and went away.</p>
+
+<p>"The next morning the Princess and her three children
+were gone. Search was made everywhere, but
+they were not to be found. The King and the Prince,
+mounting the winding stair of the tower, stopped at
+last when they were all but exhausted, and at that moment
+heard a sound of weeping from above. They
+climbed higher, and on the stair they found the children<!-- Page 177 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[Pg 177]</a></span>
+sitting, huddled together and weeping bitterly. Their
+mother was gone, they knew not where; and they did
+not know how they came to be in the tower. The
+strongest climbers in the city mounted as far as they
+could ascend, but the top of the tower was far beyond
+their reach; they found no Princess. She has never
+been seen from that day.</p>
+
+<p>"Soon after, the old King died, and his son came to
+the throne. As for him, our present King, and his
+three children, time stopped for them from the day on
+which the Princess disappeared. They are no older
+now than when she left them. It is supposed that they
+are awaiting her return unchanged, in order that she
+may not find them old on her return, if she should still
+be young. There are those who say that she has lived
+all these years, and still lives, somewhere, in some
+strange form, perhaps far from here, bewitched by the
+old man, and waiting for release from her enchantment.
+I do not know."</p>
+
+<p>"And what was her name?" said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"She was named," said the Third Vice-President,
+"the Princess Miranda."</p>
+
+<p>"And what are all those other towers in the city?"
+said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"It was the fashion, after the King's Tower was
+built, to build towers. The King, as you may suppose,
+sets the fashion in all things. But no more pleasure-towers
+are built nowadays; the thing had its day, and
+died out. There is a fashion now in pleasure-domes.
+They are modeled after the pleasure-dome built by
+Kubla Khan in Xanadu."</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said Toby, "I don't see what we've got to
+do with all this. The party I want to see is Shiraz
+the Rug-Merchant."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 178 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[Pg 178]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXI" id="CHAPTER_XXI"></a>CHAPTER XXI</h2>
+
+<h3>SHIRAZ THE RUG-MERCHANT</h3>
+
+<p>The wayfarers came to a halt before the Wanderers'
+Gate. The wall of the city stood before
+them, and stretched away to a great distance
+on either hand. People were going in and out at the
+gate; some on foot, driving donkeys before them, some
+on horseback, some in wagons, and all brisk and talkative.
+The Third Vice-President received a respectful
+greeting from several of those on horseback. He
+turned to his companions with a wave of the hand,
+and said:</p>
+
+<p>"The Wanderers' Bazaar!"</p>
+
+<p>On each side of the open gate, at the foot of the
+high thick wall, was what appeared to be a fair. As
+far as the eye could see, the base of the wall was lined
+with booths, each with an awning over it from the
+wall behind, gaily striped in orange and blue and
+yellow and brown. In these booths was spread out in
+disorderly profusion a mass of merchandise of all
+kinds; gold and silver ornaments, brass and copper
+vessels, rugs and carpets, spectacles and clocks, toys
+and games, herbs and ointments, fish-nets and sailors'
+instruments, canes and crutches, ribbons and laces, perfumery,
+precious stones&mdash;things innumerable; even parrots
+and monkeys, in cages; in one booth was a potter,
+twirling his potter's wheel; in another a fortune-teller,
+laying little sticks down in curious patterns on his table;
+in another a man pasting on cards bits of coloured
+feathers, in the form of tiny birds and fowls, most life-like;<!-- Page 179 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[Pg 179]</a></span>
+in another a glass-blower, delicately twining a
+thread of spun glass for the rigging of a ship; in
+another a man sitting on a rug with a snake before
+him, whose flat head stood stiffly up from his coil, and
+waved a little to the motion of his master's finger; in
+another, a man was bending over a flower-pot with a
+wand in his hand, and as he moved the wand a stalk
+grew from the pot and at its end a bud appeared and
+unfolded into a flower before the very eyes of his audience;
+in another a great ape was marking down figures
+with chalk as his master called them; in another a
+shuttle was weaving back and forth in a loom; there
+seemed to be no end to the curious and diverting things
+to be seen in those booths. The people in them were
+apparently of all the nations of the earth; there were
+brown men and yellow men and black men, as well as
+white; men with slant eyes, with round eyes, with flat
+noses, with beak-noses, with wooly hair, with straight
+hair; there were turbans, and fezzes, and hoods, and
+white gowns, and coloured robes, and velvet jackets,
+and cotton blouses; and from all the venders rose such
+a hubbub as Freddie had never in his life heard before,
+except once in the Gaunt Street Theatre at home. A
+lively crowd chaffered with the venders and walked in
+the paved street before their booths. It was a scene
+full of life and colour, and Freddie was transported
+with delight.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" he said, "can't we get down here and see all
+those sights? I should like to spend the whole day
+here!"</p>
+
+<p>"We've got other fish to fry just now, Freddie,"
+said Toby. "We'll have to see this some other time."</p>
+
+<p>"It is a precious thought," said the Sly Old Fox,
+"that we have here with us on our mules enough treasure
+to buy this whole bazaar, if we wished to do it.
+It is a beautiful thought."</p>
+
+<p>"Six 'undred paces to the right!" said Mr. Punch.<!-- Page 180 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[Pg 180]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Shiraz the Rug-Merchant!" said Toby. "By the
+looks of it, there must be about five hundred rug-merchants
+along there."</p>
+
+<p>"What was the number we were to find him by?"
+said Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"It's 3103101," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"You are quite mistaken," said Mr. Punch. "Hit's
+3013101."</p>
+
+<p>"That's exactly what I said," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"Excuse me," said the Old Codger with the Wooden
+Leg, "it seems to me that it is&mdash;er&mdash;3101301."</p>
+
+<p>"My recollection is," said the Churchwarden, "that
+it is 3031010."</p>
+
+<p>"I am sorry to differ," said the Sly Old Codger,
+"but I am perfectly sure it is 3013010."</p>
+
+<p>"Why don't you look at the paper?" said Aunt
+Amanda, in an exasperated tone.</p>
+
+<p>Everyone looked at everyone else to produce the
+paper, but no one produced it.</p>
+
+<p>"I regret to confess it," said the Third Vice-President,
+placidly, "but I have a distinct recollection of
+having left it on the table at Low Dudgeon. Never
+mind, it is perfectly safe."</p>
+
+<p>"Well!" said Aunt Amanda. "Isn't that a perfect
+shame! Whatever are we going to do? And where's
+the map? Freddie, have you got the map?"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie looked in all his pockets. "No'm," said he.
+"It isn't here."</p>
+
+<p>"I recall distinctly," said the Third Vice-President,
+without any sign of worry, "that the map was left on
+the table at Low Dudgeon with the other paper."</p>
+
+<p>"Merciful fathers!" exclaimed Aunt Amanda. "And
+you've left the map behind too! I never yet see a man
+that had a head on him worth a&mdash;Now listen to me; is
+there anyone that remembers the words the paper said
+we had to say to the&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Ah! madam," said the Third Vice-President.<!-- Page 181 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[Pg 181]</a></span>
+"There I can be of assistance, I fancy. The words are
+derived from the Persian, and I am accordingly familiar
+with them. 'Shagli Jamshid Shahriman.' Am
+I right, gentlemen?"</p>
+
+<p>The Daft Committee nodded their heads in assent.</p>
+
+<p>"Then I see no reason," said the Third Vice-President,
+"why we should not proceed."</p>
+
+<p>"Come on then," said Toby. "I'll get down and
+pace off the six hundred steps, and see where we come
+to."</p>
+
+<p>The party moved slowly through the crowd, along
+the booths, while Toby walked beside them, carefully
+counting his steps.</p>
+
+<p>"Five hundred and eighty," said he. "Five hundred
+and ninety. Ninety-five. Six hundred"; and stopped.
+The procession stopped also, and all of the riders got
+down from their mules. Many of the passers-by gazed
+curiously at them, and some paused for a moment before
+going on; but no one seemed to take more than
+a passing interest. One of the Committee led the mules
+to the open side of the street, where they would be out
+of the way, and stood guard over them. The others
+joined Toby in front of the booth at which he was
+now standing.</p>
+
+<p>It was not the kind of booth they were seeking at
+all. There were no rugs nor carpets of any kind; only
+clocks and watches, a great number of them, and a
+few sundials and hour-glasses. Behind the counter
+stood a lad of about twenty, very dark of skin, with
+snapping black eyes and shining white teeth which
+showed as he now bowed and smiled; a white turban
+on his head, and a loose white robe hanging from his
+shoulders. He was slim and sleek, and his fingers were
+very long and delicate. He rubbed his hands together
+as the riders dismounted, and commenced to chatter to
+them in an unknown tongue, bowing and smiling the
+while. His wares were displayed about him on shelves<!-- Page 182 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[Pg 182]</a></span>
+and boxes and tables, as well as on the counter, and
+the clocks and watches, as usual in such places, showed
+all hours of the twelve. A striped awning of orange
+and blue, fastened at the rear to the side of the city
+wall, shielded him and his booth from the sun. Behind
+him in the wall was a closed iron door.</p>
+
+<p>"We're in the wrong shop," said Toby to his companions.
+"Some mistake. Anyway, here goes." And
+addressing the young man behind the counter, he said:
+"Good-afternoon. We are looking for Mr. Shiraz
+the Rug-Merchant. This don't look much like a rug
+shop, but maybe you can tell us. Shiraz; that's his
+name."</p>
+
+<p>"No understand," said the young man, rubbing his
+hands and bowing pleasantly.</p>
+
+<p>"Shiraz," said Toby. "Think. Shiraz. Easy
+word, Shiraz. You understand?"</p>
+
+<p>"Clocks and watches," said the young man. "Sundials.
+You buy?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, no," said Toby. "We no buy. Want Shiraz.
+Confound it, that's an easy word, ain't it? Shiraz!
+Can't you understand that?"</p>
+
+<p>"No sell Shiraz," said the young man. "Clocks and
+watches."</p>
+
+<p>"Look here," said Toby, "what's the number of this
+place?"</p>
+
+<p>"No number," said the young man, looking puzzled
+and shaking his head. "Clocks and watches."</p>
+
+<p>"By crackey," said Toby, "we're in the wrong place
+sure enough."</p>
+
+<p>Now while this talk was going on, Freddie had made
+a discovery. He had noticed, on a box at the rear,
+against the wall, a row of seven old clocks. They were
+battered and broken, and were evidently long since
+out of repair; two of them had no hands. Like most
+of the clocks in the place, they were stopped, and had
+probably, from the looks of them, ceased many years<!-- Page 183 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[Pg 183]</a></span>
+before to keep time. He noted idly the time shown by
+each of these clocks, and started in surprise. The hour
+shown by the first clock at the left was three o'clock.
+That shown by the next was one o'clock. The next
+had no hands, and showed no time at all. The next
+showed one o'clock, the next three o'clock, the next one
+o'clock, and the seventh had no hands. He ran his
+eye over them again, and the numbers which resulted
+were 3101310.</p>
+
+<p>"Come along," said Toby. "We might as well ask
+at some of these other shops. There ain't no use wasting
+time here."</p>
+
+<p>He moved away, and the others followed him
+towards the adjoining booth. The teeth of the dark
+young man shone white, and he bowed politely to the
+departing strangers.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie pulled at Toby's coat, and whispered in his
+ear. Toby listened, and without a word led the party
+back to the booth.</p>
+
+<p>"Now see here, young feller," said he, "I've got
+your number, and I don't want no nonsense. I reckon
+you can understand numbers, if you can't understand
+anything else." He fixed his eyes on the row of old
+clocks at the rear. "Listen to this, my young friend:
+3-1-0-1-3-1-0."</p>
+
+<p>The smile left the young man's face. He seemed a
+trifle uneasy. His long fingers rested on the counter,
+and he leaned forward intently.</p>
+
+<p>"No understand," said he.</p>
+
+<p>"By crackey," said Toby, "this beats all. Where's
+Shiraz? We're in the right place, and we want Shiraz.
+Out with him!"</p>
+
+<p>"Clocks and watches," said the young man, but this
+time somewhat nervously. "You buy?"</p>
+
+<p>"Buy nothing!" cried Toby. "We want to see
+Shiraz the Rug-Merchant. Professor," said he, turning<!-- Page 184 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[Pg 184]</a></span>
+round, "what's the words to bring out Shiraz the
+Rug-Merchant?"</p>
+
+<p>"Shagli Jamshid Shahriman!" said the Third Vice-President,
+in a loud voice.</p>
+
+<p>Instantly the manner of the young man changed.
+Crossing his arms upon his breast, he made a low
+salaam, and spoke with the utmost deference.</p>
+
+<p>"I trust you will pardon," said he, "my seeming lack
+of courtesy. It is necessary to exercise a certain caution.
+There are wicked spirits, assuming from time to
+time the most unlikely forms, who seek to gain access
+to my great-great-grandfather. His life is continually
+in danger, for he possesses secrets which enable him
+constantly to interfere with their designs. By reason
+of this danger, he was obliged many years ago to retire
+from the rug business, and he has lived ever since in
+deep seclusion. It is your wish to see Shiraz the Persian?"</p>
+
+<p>"You seem to speak English pretty good," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"Perfectly, my lord. And twelve other tongues as
+well. You desire to see my great-great-grandfather?"</p>
+
+<p>"That's the exact idea," said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"Then I will beg your indulgence for a few moments."</p>
+
+<p>The young man bowed again, and disappeared
+through the doorway in the wall, closing the door behind
+him. After a considerable absence he returned.</p>
+
+<p>"If you will follow me," said he, "I will conduct
+you to my great-great-grandfather."</p>
+
+<p>"We will await your return here," said the Third
+Vice-President to Toby and his companions. "It is
+unnecessary for us to pursue this adventure further."</p>
+
+<p>The Third Vice-President and his friends returned
+to the mules, and the others followed the young man
+to the door behind him in the wall. The door was
+closed and locked behind them, and they found themselves<!-- Page 185 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[Pg 185]</a></span>
+in darkness. "If you will come to me here,"
+said the voice of the young man, a little in advance,
+"I will show you the way down." When they felt
+themselves near him, they heard his voice again. "Be
+good enough to step carefully forward, until you feel
+the first step of a descending stair. Then descend cautiously,
+if you please." Each one put out a foot, and
+in a moment they were all going down a stairway, of
+which the treads were evidently of stone, much worn.</p>
+
+<p>When they had gone down some thirty steps, they
+were aware that the stair had ended, and that they
+were on a landing. "You will now cross the bridge,
+one by one, holding on to the railing," said the voice
+of the young man. One by one the party stepped forward,
+feeling the way cautiously, and as each in turn
+found with his hand a slight wooden railing, a breath
+of fresh air blew upon his face and the sound of rushing
+water came from below. Instead of the firm stone
+they had just been treading, they were conscious of
+wooden planking under their feet, and it gave beneath
+their pressure most uneasily. The bridge was a long
+one, and the sound of rushing water followed them its
+entire length. They walked again, however, on firm
+ground, and heard the young man's voice before them.
+"Be good enough to follow the right hand wall," it
+said, "and turn with the wall."</p>
+
+<p>Each right hand touched the surface of a wall, and
+in a moment the wall made a turning to the right. In
+another moment their progress was barred by a wall
+in advance, and the voice of the young man spoke
+from their midst. "You will kindly stoop as you go
+in," said he, and at the same moment a round opening
+appeared before them, dimly lit from within. It was
+only large enough to admit a single person, stooping.
+The young man entered first, and the others followed,
+one by one. When they were all on the other side of<!-- Page 186 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[Pg 186]</a></span>
+the door, the young man swung it noiselessly to, on its
+hinges, and it was seen that it fitted accurately, so that
+it was impossible to distinguish it from the wall.</p>
+
+<p>They were in a small room, unfurnished except for
+a table in the center, on which burned an oil lamp of
+silver, in shape like a boat; the walls were bare, except
+for certain shelves containing bottles of coloured
+liquids, other bottles of coloured powders, mortars,
+retorts, gas-burners, and huge dusty books. There appeared
+to be no outlet from the room, but the young
+man pressed his finger on a spot behind one of the
+bottles on a shelf, and a circular door, like the one by
+which they had entered, swung slowly open in the
+opposite wall.</p>
+
+<p>"We have arrived," said the young man. "Please
+to follow."</p>
+
+<p>He stooped and entered the circular doorway, and
+the others, one by one, followed. They found themselves
+in a rich and luxurious apartment, softly lighted
+by a hanging lamp; in the center was a table, littered
+with open books and scrolls of paper, and bearing
+notably a great round globe of solid crystal.</p>
+
+<p>Beside the table, on a divan, reclined what appeared
+to be a dry and shriveled mummy.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 187 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[Pg 187]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXII" id="CHAPTER_XXII"></a>CHAPTER XXII</h2>
+
+<h3>SIX ENCHANTED SOULS</h3>
+
+<p>"This is my great-great-grandfather," said the
+young man.</p>
+
+<p>The room in which they stood was hung
+about on all the walls with rare and beautiful rugs, and
+similar rugs covered the floor. Richly embroidered
+cushions and delicate silk and cashmere shawls lay on
+the few easy chairs that were disposed about the
+room. The bowl of the hanging lamp, above the table,
+was of bits of amber and orange and ruby glass,
+through which shone a subdued and mellow light. Near
+the ceiling were three or four small openings, covered
+with iron gratings, and the air in the apartment was
+pure, except for the odour of tobacco. The figure on
+the divan was smoking a pipe; a water-pipe, whose long
+flexible stem reached to the floor, where its bowl rested.</p>
+
+<p>Shiraz the Rug-Merchant looked at his visitors with
+little beady black eyes. His skin was very dark, and
+shriveled and wrinkled like the skin of a dried apple.
+His cheek-bones seemed as if about to break through
+his cheeks, and his lips were stretched back from his
+teeth, which were black and broken. His hands were
+like the claws of a bird. Thin white hair straggled
+over his tight dark scalp. He wore a robe of some
+soft material, harmoniously mottled upon a ground of
+maroon, and on his feet were slippers of red morocco,
+pointed upwards at the toes. His turban lay upon the
+table beside him.</p>
+
+<div style="height: 0">
+  <a id="image04"></a>
+</div>
+<div class="figcenter">
+  <!-- Page 188 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[Pg 188]</a></span>
+    <img src="images/i004.png" alt="Shiraz the Rug-Merchant looked at his visitors with little beady black eyes." />
+    <p class="caption">Shiraz the Rug-Merchant looked at his visitors with little beady black eyes.</p>
+</div><p><!-- Page 189 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[Pg 189]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>He was the smallest man the strangers had ever seen.
+After a searching look at them with his beady eyes,
+he rose from the divan, laid down the stem of his pipe,
+and stood up. He was not taller than Freddie. As he
+stood by the divan, looking up at his visitors, he seemed
+indeed a mere mummy of a man, likely to fall to pieces
+at a breath of air.</p>
+
+<p>"You are welcome," he said, in a voice surprisingly
+strong. "I perceive that you have come from a great
+distance. Permit me to inquire what errand has
+brought you to your servant's poor habitation."</p>
+
+<p>"I reckon we want to buy something," said Toby.
+"I don't know what, exactly, but a chap by the name
+of Higginson, Captain Reuben Higginson, he give us
+the direction, as you might say."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, yes," said Shiraz the Persian. "I remember
+him very well. I was sorry to learn of his misfortune.
+An excellent man; a member of some strange sect&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"A Quaker," said Toby. "The paper he left said
+we might buy something here, and here we are, ready
+to buy."</p>
+
+<p>"I have long since retired from the rug business,"
+said Shiraz, "but I have brought with me here, as you
+may see, some of my choicest treasures, as a slight
+solace in my seclusion." He glanced towards the rugs
+on the walls. "I am reluctant to part with any of them,
+but I am willing to make an exception, in view of your
+having made so long a journey to see me. My son,"
+said he to the young man, "bring hither the Omar
+prayer-rug."</p>
+
+<p>The young man took from one of the walls a small
+rug, and laid it at the feet of Shiraz.</p>
+
+<p>"You will immediately perceive," said the Persian,
+"the extreme beauty of this rug. It is one of my rarest
+treasures. It is a prayer-rug from the mosque of Omar
+at Isfahan; a Kalicheh of cut-pile fabric, with the Sehna
+knot, as I need not tell you; made in Kurdistan three<!-- Page 190 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[Pg 190]</a></span>
+hundred years ago; observe, if you please, the delicacy
+of the design and the harmony of the colouring. Its
+possession is as a spring of water to the desert Bedouin;
+as a palm with dates on the road to Mecca; as a word
+to the believer from the mouth of the Prophet. Its
+price, to those who have journeyed across the sea to
+buy it, is twelve copper pennies."</p>
+
+<p>The Sly Old Fox stooped down and examined it. His
+eyes lit up with pleasure. "Beautiful!" said he. "I
+have never seen a rug more beautiful; it is a real work
+of&mdash;of&mdash;I will take it. At twelve pennies. It is mine."</p>
+
+<p>"No, no!" said Aunt Amanda. "You'll do nothing
+of the kind. It is certainly the finest piece of carpet
+I have ever seen, and the price is low enough, in all
+conscience. But we are not going to buy it. I am
+sorry, sir, but we can't buy your rug. Show us something
+else."</p>
+
+<p>Shiraz displayed his teeth more plainly than ever
+in a sly smile.</p>
+
+<p>"Your servant is desolated," he replied. "I crave
+your pardon for showing a trifle so far beneath your
+notice. My son, take it away. If your excellencies
+will deign to overlook my error, I will produce an
+article more worthy of your attention. This time I
+promise myself the ecstasy of your approval."</p>
+
+<p>"Pretty good line of talk," whispered Toby in Mr.
+Punch's ear.</p>
+
+<p>"My son," continued Shiraz, "bring hither the
+Wishing Rug."</p>
+
+<p>The young man took away the prayer-rug, and
+brought another from the wall; a much larger one,
+large enough, indeed, for twenty people to stand on.
+It was dingy and frayed, and in no way beautiful like
+the other.</p>
+
+<p>"A rug of the Tomb of Rustam," said Shiraz,
+"gained by the hero in battle from the genie Akhnavid.<!-- Page 191 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[Pg 191]</a></span>
+It is the last of the Wishing Rugs. Its property is,
+that it will transport to the farthest regions of the
+earth, in the twinkling of an eye, those who sit upon it
+and but name aloud the place of their desire. Excellencies,"
+he said, addressing his visitors very earnestly,
+"if it is your wish to return home, the moment has
+arrived; you have only to sit upon this rug and wish
+yourselves at home, and you will find yourselves there,
+safe and sound, before the words shall have well left
+your lips. And the price is only twenty pennies."</p>
+
+<p>Every one of the party hesitated. A vision of the
+Old Tobacco Shop entered each mind. It had never
+seemed so cozy, so quiet, so secure as at that moment.
+How or when they would ever get there, in the natural
+course of events, no one knew. If they did not seize
+this opportunity, they might be lost forever. It was
+a chance such as they could scarcely have hoped for.</p>
+
+<p>"Could we take our belongings with us?" said the
+Sly Old Fox.</p>
+
+<p>"All that can be piled on the rug," said Shiraz.</p>
+
+<p>"Then I will buy it," said the Sly Old Codger. "I
+do not consider twenty pennies too much for such a rug.
+The rug is mine."</p>
+
+<p>"It's nothing of the sort," said Aunt Amanda, waking
+from deep thought. "Nobody's going to buy the
+rug. I'm captain of this expedition, and my orders is,
+to wait and see what's going to happen next. I'm
+sorry, sir, but the rug ain't exactly what we want. You
+must show us something else."</p>
+
+<p>The Rug-Merchant appeared greatly mortified. "I
+do not know how I could have made such a mistake,"
+he said. "I should have known that these little trifles
+could not interest you. I trust you will believe that I
+meant no offense. I fear there is nothing in my poor
+collection which merits your notice. Permit me to wish
+you a safe journey. Do you intend to remain long in
+the City of Towers?"<!-- Page 192 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[Pg 192]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"That won't do," said Toby. "You must show us
+something else."</p>
+
+<p>The Rug-Merchant looked intently at Aunt Amanda.
+"You command it?" said he.</p>
+
+<p>"I do," said she.</p>
+
+<p>"To hear is to obey," said Shiraz. "I tremble to
+think how contemptible are the baubles I shall now
+offer you, but I trust you will not be angry with your
+servant." He turned to the young man, and spoke to
+him in an unknown tongue. "Be not offended, excellencies,"
+he went on, "by your poor servant's ignorance
+in the art of pleasing."</p>
+
+<p>The young man disappeared behind one of the hanging
+rugs, and in a moment returned with certain small
+objects, which he stood upon the table in a row. They
+were eight hour-glasses, of a very ordinary kind, much
+like those already seen in the booth outside. The sand
+in each one was wholly in the upper glass, and was just
+beginning to trickle down into the lower. The strangers
+were obviously disappointed.</p>
+
+<p>"I fear your displeasure," said Shiraz, "but apart
+from my trifling rugs, these are all I have to offer."</p>
+
+<p>"And what," said the Sly Old Fox, "what may be
+the price of these interesting objects?"</p>
+
+<p>"The price," said Shiraz, fixing his beady eyes on
+Aunt Amanda, "the price is this and nothing less: your
+treasure on the mules outside; your share of the treasure
+on the mules."</p>
+
+<p>Everyone gasped. The treasure which they had
+gone through so many perils to secure, for these indifferent
+trinkets! A life of ease and plenty for an hour-glass!</p>
+
+<p>"Ahem!" said the Old Codger with the Wooden
+Leg. "Excuse me for saying it, but the&mdash;er&mdash;price
+appears to be a little bit high."</p>
+
+<p>"It is too high for me," said the Sly Old Fox, positively.
+"I regret to say it, but I am compelled to withdraw;<!-- Page 193 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[Pg 193]</a></span>
+I cannot go on at such a figure. Please consider
+me out of it."</p>
+
+<p>"And&mdash;er&mdash;me too," said the Old Codger with the
+Wooden Leg.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said Toby, doubtfully, "it's a blamed hard
+thing to give up all that treasure for one of these here
+little toys. I don't see my way clear to doing it. What
+do you say, Aunt Amanda?"</p>
+
+<p>"I'll do it," said Aunt Amanda, looking at Shiraz,
+whose eyes were still on her. "I've come all this way
+to do it, and I'll do it. I ain't going to back out now
+at the last minute. My mind's made up. Mr. Shiraz,
+I'll buy an hour-glass."</p>
+
+<p>"By crackey," said Toby, "then I will too. What
+about you, Freddie?"</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, yes, indeed," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Hi'll 'ave one myself," said Mr. Punch.</p>
+
+<p>"After due consideration," said the Churchwarden,
+"I think I will buy one also."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hanlon nodded a vigorous assent.</p>
+
+<p>The two Old Codgers, however, were firm in their
+refusal. They could not be persuaded. They retired
+from the enterprise then and there.</p>
+
+<p>Under the conduct of the young man, the two Old
+Codgers left the room, and returned to the Committee
+who were waiting with the mules outside; and with
+them went Toby and Mr. Punch and Mr. Hanlon, to
+bring back that portion of the treasure which was to
+pay for the six hour-glasses.</p>
+
+<p>This was a work of much difficulty, and occupied a
+great deal of time. While it was going on, the Rug-Merchant,
+having first asked permission, reclined again
+on the divan and resumed his pipe, while Aunt Amanda,
+Freddie, and the Churchwarden seated themselves, at
+his invitation, and watched him in silence.</p>
+
+<p>The treasure was at length piled, complete, in a corner
+of the room. Toby, Mr. Punch, and Mr. Hanlon<!-- Page 194 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[Pg 194]</a></span>
+returned for the last time, and without the great-great-grandson
+of the Rug-Merchant.</p>
+
+<p>"The others will wait outside for an hour," said
+Toby. "If we don't come back by that time, they'll
+go on into the city without us."</p>
+
+<p>Shiraz the Rug-Merchant laid down the stem of
+his pipe, and rising bowed to Aunt Amanda with great
+deference.</p>
+
+<p>"Permit me, most gracious lady," said he, "to see
+the fingers of your left hand."</p>
+
+<p>He took in his own right hand the third finger of
+Aunt Amanda's left, and bent his eyes close over it. He
+straightened himself up with a long breath, and crossing
+his arms upon his breast, made a low salaam.</p>
+
+<p>"It is as I thought," said he. "The mark is here,
+on the third finger of the left hand. Highness," said
+he, bowing lower, "I pray you accept your servant's
+salutation on your return." And raising her hand to
+his lips, he kissed it in a very courtly manner.</p>
+
+<p>"Goodness alive!" said Aunt Amanda, turning as
+red as a rose, "you make me feel too foolish for anything."</p>
+
+<p>"You have been away a long time," said Shiraz, "but
+you have returned. Happy am I to be the first to greet
+you on your return. You and the others have all been
+enchanted. You are six enchanted souls, and in your
+present shapes not one of you is himself. I suppose
+you do not know that you are enchanted; you think
+that you are yourselves; is it not so? I assure you it
+is a mistake; but I can put you in the way of correcting
+your errors, and restoring yourselves to your true
+shapes, if you desire it. Madam," said he, bowing
+again to Aunt Amanda, "I await your commands."</p>
+
+<p>"I reckon we all want to be corrected," said Aunt
+Amanda. "It's what we've come here for. We've
+come a long way to this island, and for nothing on<!-- Page 195 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[Pg 195]</a></span>
+earth but to be corrected, if there's any way to do it.
+If you can do it, go ahead."</p>
+
+<p>"Hearing is obedience," said Shiraz. "Please to
+take the hour-glasses."</p>
+
+<p>Each one took up an hour-glass from the table and
+held it in his hand.</p>
+
+<p>"It is necessary," said Shiraz, "to destroy the sands
+in the glasses. If they can be destroyed, the enchantment
+will be over. There is no power on earth which
+can destroy the sands but one, and that is the White
+Fire of the Preserver. Will you risk the fire?"</p>
+
+<p>"I will," said Aunt Amanda, now somewhat pale;
+and the others nodded assent.</p>
+
+<p>"Then I will give you the White Robes," said
+Shiraz. "Without them you can not withstand the
+Fire."</p>
+
+<p>He went to a wall and drew from behind the hangings
+a box, which he opened on the table. From
+this box he took six white linen gowns, and at his direction
+each put on one of the gowns. Freddie's was
+much too long, and he was obliged to hold it up.</p>
+
+<p>"Well," said Toby, "I always did look ridiculous in
+a night-gown, but this beats&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Peace," said Shiraz. "The Fire will not harm you
+now. Two things only are necessary: to fear nothing,
+and to hold tight to the hour-glasses."</p>
+
+<p>With these words he clapped his hands, and from
+behind the hangings on the rear wall stepped a black
+man, clad in a robe similar to the others. To this
+man the Persian spoke in some strange tongue, and
+the man bowed.</p>
+
+<p>"Now," said Shiraz, "you will follow my servant.
+Farewell, and peace be with you."</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 196 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[Pg 196]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIII" id="CHAPTER_XXIII"></a>CHAPTER XXIII</h2>
+
+<h3>FROM THE FIRE BACK TO THE FRYING PAN</h3>
+
+<p>The white-robed figures, having left the
+room by a small circular door behind the hangings,
+followed the black servant along a pitch-dark
+passage, and in a few moments came to a bridge,
+similar to the one they had crossed before. As they
+felt their way over it cautiously one by one, the sound
+of rushing water came to them from below, and a
+cold breeze fanned their cheeks. A little further on
+they touched the first step of a stair, and began to ascend
+its worn stone treads. They mounted some thirty
+steps, and touching the wall with their hands, moved
+onward along a passage. This passage made an
+abrupt turn to the left, and when they had cleared the
+corner they saw in its sides before them a gleam of
+light here and there.</p>
+
+<p>"The Master's work-rooms," said the black servant.
+"Please to follow."</p>
+
+<p>They passed now and then beneath a lighted window,
+too high to be seen through, and at the end of
+the passage the servant paused before a closed iron
+door. He opened this door with a key, and led them
+forth.</p>
+
+<p>Before them was a garden, the most beautiful that
+any of them had ever seen. High over it was a dome
+of pale green and amber glass, through which the sunlight
+streamed in mild and parti-coloured rays. The
+walls which supported the dome were so high that it
+was impossible to see beyond. In the center was a<!-- Page 197 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[Pg 197]</a></span>
+fountain, dropping in a sparkling shower into a marble
+basin; around it spread a well-ordered carpet of flowers,
+of all the colours, as it seemed, of the rainbow;
+along the walls were cocoa palms, banana trees, and
+the feathery bamboo; white cockatoos sailed across
+from palm to palm; the air was heavy with a warm
+odour of moist earth and blossoms. The whole party
+drew a deep breath of pleasure. The dark place from
+which they had come seemed to fade away like a dream
+before the soft beauty of the garden.</p>
+
+<p>The servant led them to the opposite side, and unlocked
+a door in the wall, making way for them to
+pass in before him. They entered, and heard the
+door locked behind them; the servant was no longer
+with them; they were alone in a small square room, of
+stone walls and an earthen floor; there was no opening,
+but in the opposite wall was a closed door. A
+pale light pervaded the place, from what source they
+could not discover. In the earthen floor from wall
+to wall grew a thicket of stiff stalks, higher than Freddie's
+head, and clustered closely around each stalk from
+bottom to top were flowers of a waxen whiteness.</p>
+
+<p>"It seems a real pity," said Aunt Amanda, "to break
+those pretty plants, but I reckon we've got to wade
+into them. I'm mighty curious to see what's on the
+other side of that door. Probably the fire the old man
+was talking about. Oh, dear, I don't like fire. But
+we've got to get to that door, so come along."</p>
+
+<p>The whole party moved in a body into the thicket of
+waxen stalks.</p>
+
+<p>As they stepped in, the stalks broke around them
+with sharp reports. They moved on again, and the
+reports, as the stalks broke, became louder and
+louder; and now each one felt the hour-glass in his
+hand being tugged at, and found that wherever his
+hand touched a flower, the petals flattened themselves
+on the hand and the glass, and clung so tight that it<!-- Page 198 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[Pg 198]</a></span>
+took a hard jerk to get them loose. There was danger
+of losing the glasses, and with one accord they
+held the glasses high above their heads. The moment
+they did so, the conduct of the stalks became terrifying
+indeed.</p>
+
+<p>As if in anger, the broken stalks spouted forth,
+with a hiss and a rush, blinding jets of liquid white
+fire, which tore at the ceiling angrily and roared and
+crackled. From the broken stalks it spread to the
+others, and in a moment jets of liquid white fire were
+blazing and crackling upward from all the stalks in
+the room, and the terrified captives were in the very
+midst of it.</p>
+
+<p>It ran up their robes and showered on them from
+the ceiling; it became denser and angrier; it was all but
+unbearable, though they felt it in only a tiny fraction of
+its real strength; in another instant the frail white
+gowns must surely be consumed. But in some strange
+way the gowns shed off the liquid fire, and remained
+unscorched.</p>
+
+<p>For a moment the sufferers were stupefied. They
+were unable to move. Freddie tried to scream, but
+he could make no sound; he almost fainted away; but
+he felt, through it all, the sturdy arm of Mr. Toby
+tight about him.</p>
+
+<p>They pushed on in a close body and passed the center
+of the room; the white glare became more blinding,
+the roar and crackle more deafening; they were surrounded,
+cut off, in the midst of destruction; they were
+bewildered; they stopped again; there was no use in
+going back; they must get forward through the furnace
+at any cost; they made a new start; and in a frenzy
+of terror, their hands before their eyes, with a rush
+they gained the door. They crowded against it; they
+pushed and beat upon it; it gave way before them;
+they rushed through, and it closed behind them of its
+own accord.<!-- Page 199 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[Pg 199]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>They were standing in broad daylight on the sidewalk
+of a city street, under a high blank wall, with
+shops on the opposite side; each with an hour-glass,
+empty of sand, in his right hand, and each clad only
+in a long white night-gown.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 200 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[Pg 200]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXIV" id="CHAPTER_XXIV"></a>CHAPTER XXIV</h2>
+
+<h3>DISENCHANTMENT COMPLETE</h3>
+
+<p>They looked behind them. A high stone wall
+rose at their backs, and in it was no sign of a
+door.</p>
+
+<p>They looked across the street. It was a narrow
+street, paved with cobble-stones; on the opposite side,
+where a row of little low shops stretched away on
+either hand, a few people were going in and out at the
+doors, and a few others were walking at some distance,
+before the shop-windows. An ox-cart was coming slowly
+down the street.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie had sometimes dreamed of being out among
+people in broad daylight in his night-gown, and he now
+felt the same terror he had felt in those dreams; he
+looked anxiously at the shops for a place in which to
+hide. No one appeared to observe them yet, but they
+would soon be seen, and it would be dreadful, unless
+they could find shelter without a moment's delay.</p>
+
+<p>"We had better run into one of those shops," said
+he, breathlessly, "and ask them to hide us until we
+can get some clothes."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, no," said a soft voice beside him, at his right.
+"It is not a shop that I must go to now. I must
+hurry home."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie looked around at his right for Aunt
+Amanda. There was no Aunt Amanda. In her place,
+holding an empty hour-glass in her right hand, was
+a lady, the fairest whom Freddie had ever seen. She
+was young; her eyes were of the blue of summer skies;<!-- Page 201 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[Pg 201]</a></span>
+her hair was golden yellow; on her soft white cheek
+was a tinge of pink; two heavy braids of hair hung
+almost to her knees; her eyes were sparkling with
+happiness, and a tender and wistful smile curved her
+lips. As Freddie gazed at her, he thought that there
+could not be in the world another so radiantly beautiful.
+She looked about her as one who sees familiar things
+after a long absence.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie's eyes fell to the hand which was nearest
+him, her left. On the third finger of her left hand
+was a ruby ring.</p>
+
+<p>"Are you," he faltered, "are you&mdash;Aunt Amanda?"</p>
+
+<p>"I think," she said, smiling on him, "I think I was,
+once. I think I can remember that name. And you
+are&mdash;let me see; what was your name? Ah, yes, your
+name was Freddie. But we must hurry; we must not
+keep them waiting."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie turned, and saw beside him four strange
+men, all gazing at the beautiful lady in amazement.
+In the right hand of each was an empty hour-glass.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie looked down on the two men who stood
+nearest him; he looked <i>down</i> on them; he was suddenly
+aware that he was not looking up. They were
+short, for full-grown men, and of precisely the same
+height; their faces were square, their cheek-bones prominent,
+and their noses hooked; the head of one was
+bald, and the hair of the other's head lay flat down
+on his forehead where it curved back like a hairpin;
+except for their heads, they were in all respects twins.
+There was no hump on the back of either of them.</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Punch and Mr. Toby!" said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"The wery same," said the bald-headed one.</p>
+
+<p>"That's me," said the other.</p>
+
+<p>Behind Mr. Toby stood a lean man in spectacles.
+His night-gown hung upon him very loosely, and he
+was very spare indeed. His smooth-shaven cheeks
+were somewhat hollow; his eyes behind his glasses were<!-- Page 202 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[Pg 202]</a></span>
+deep and solemn; his frame was the frame of one who
+subdues the flesh by fasting; snow-white hair, curling
+inward at the back of his neck, made a kind of aureole
+around his thin face; he looked for all the world as
+he stood barefoot in his long white gown, like one of
+those saints you see in painted glass windows in a
+church.</p>
+
+<p>"Is it," said Freddie, hesitating, "is it&mdash;the Churchwarden?"</p>
+
+<p>"I have reason to believe," said the saintly looking
+man, "that I have been known by that name. But
+I am in reality, and always have been, in reality, something
+far more lowly than a churchwarden; I am, and
+always have been, at heart, a meek and humble follower
+of the holy Thomas &agrave; Kempis, whose life of
+serene and cloistered sanctity I have always wished to
+imitate. Now that I am myself, it is my ambition to
+be known, if it is not too presumptuous to say so,
+as Thomas the Inferior. Pax vobiscum."</p>
+
+<p>"I ain't got the least idea what that means," said
+Toby, "but anyway it's the Churchwarden's voice,
+whether he calls himself Thomas the Inferior or Daniel
+the Deleterious. You're heartily welcome, Warden,
+and I hope you won't mind my saying that a
+good meal wouldn't do you any harm, from the looks
+of you. I'm pretty near starved to death myself.
+Mr. Punch, we've got rid of our humps, as sure as
+you're born. We're as straight in our bodies as we've
+always been in our minds, and that's as straight as a
+string. By crackey, I never felt so fine in my life;
+blamed if I couldn't lick my weight in wildcats."</p>
+
+<p>"Hi 'ave no wish to do so," said Mr. Punch. "Hi
+do not desire to engage in any conflict whatever; Hi
+should regard such conduct as wery reprehensible;
+wery. But one cannot but admit, harfter one's back
+'as been so long out of correct proportion, as one may
+s'y, that one enjoys a wery pronounced satisfaction<!-- Page 203 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[Pg 203]</a></span>
+when one feels one's self restored to one's rightful
+position as a hupright person, in common with one's
+fellow&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"What about Mr. Hanlon?" said Toby, turning
+around.</p>
+
+<p>"Michael Hanlon, prisent!" said a cheerful voice.</p>
+
+<p>Behind the Inferior Thomas stood a tall and handsome
+man, the picture of an athlete in the prime of
+condition. Short curling black hair clustered on his
+head; his eyes were of a humorous dark blue; his
+cheeks were like red apples; his shoulders were muscular,
+his back was straight, his figure slim; and he
+wore his night-gown as a Greek runner in ancient
+times might have worn his robe after the games.</p>
+
+<p>"What!" said Freddie. "Can you talk?"</p>
+
+<p>"Faith," said Mr. Hanlon, "I've a tongue in me
+head that can wag with anny that iver come off the
+blarney stone, and it's no lies I'm tellin' ye. For an
+Irish gintleman to have to listen and listen, and kape
+his tongue still in his head and say niver a worrd
+at all, at all, 'tis a hard life, me frinds, a hard life,
+and it's plaised I am to be mesilf at last, and the nate
+bit of tongue doin' his duty like a thrue son of Erin&mdash;I
+could tell ye a swate little shtory that comes to me
+mind, of a dumb Irishman that could not spake at
+all, at all, and the deaf wife of him that could not
+hear, and their twelve pigs all lyin' down in the mud
+with wan of thim standing up and crying out that the
+wolf was comin' in through the gate, and the good
+wife unable to hear and the good man unable to
+spake&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I reckon you've got your tongue, all right," said
+Toby. "I wish we had time to hear that story, but we
+haven't. Now, Freddie, what do you think we'd better&mdash;Why,
+Freddie! What's that you've got on your lip?"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie put his hand to his upper lip. What he felt
+there was a tiny silken mustache. He blushed.<!-- Page 204 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[Pg 204]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"And 'e's taller than any of us except Mr. 'Anlon!"
+exclaimed Mr. Punch. "My word!"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie looked down at Mr. Punch, and realized
+his own height. He looked at his hands, and they
+were almost as large as Mr. Hanlon's. His night-gown
+came to his ankles, and he realized that he was
+no longer holding it up.</p>
+
+<p>"Why," he said, "I must be grown up!"</p>
+
+<p>"Grown up is the word," said Toby, "but I'd 'a'
+known you anywhere. Twenty-one years old, I should
+say."</p>
+
+<p>"Twenty-two," said Mr. Punch.</p>
+
+<p>Everyone now fell silent. The young and lovely
+lady, who had said nothing during their talk, was
+smiling from one to another. She seemed to feel no
+embarrassment nor concern, nor anything indeed but
+happiness. She looked at Toby with a smile, and all
+the men looked at her.</p>
+
+<p>"Do you know me?" she said to Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"You are changed," said he, "that's a fact. But I
+always knew that Aunt Amanda was like that, down
+deep inside of her. If she could only have looked like
+what she was, that's the way she would have looked,
+and I always knew it. I'm glad you've come to look
+like yourself at last."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said the beautiful lady. "I am glad you
+don't feel that I am strange to you. I know you
+all now, better than I have ever known you. You
+have been with me a long while, under disguise. I
+don't seem to remember very well what your disguises
+were, for I seem to have known you always as you
+are: my loyal knight," (turning to Freddie), "my
+body-guard," (turning to Mr. Toby and Mr. Punch),
+"my confessor," (turning to Thomas the Inferior),
+"and my courier," (turning to Mr. Hanlon). "In
+my exile you have been with me, and in my homecoming
+you shall be with me still."<!-- Page 205 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[Pg 205]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"We hope to be with you always," said the tall
+young knight who used to be Freddie. "But we are
+beginning to be noticed. I have seen one or two
+people stare from the shop windows. We had better
+hurry to one of those shops and seek refuge until
+we can find proper clothes."</p>
+
+<p>"Ah, no!" said the lady, with a radiant smile. "I
+must hasten home. They have been waiting a long
+time, and I must not lose a moment. I know the way!
+This street is changed since I was here, but I know
+it! I know the way! Come with me! I am going
+home!"</p>
+
+<p>She placed her empty hour-glass in Freddie's hand,
+and led the way up the street. Her bare feet trod
+the pavement swiftly; she walked as if she had never
+known what it was to be lame; she went swimmingly,
+with a motion of infinite grace. The others looked
+about them, uneasily, as they followed, but she seemed
+to care nothing for the eyes of the people. The ox-cart
+stopped as it came to them, and the driver who
+was walking beside it stopped also, and gazed at them
+with his mouth open. Faces appeared at shop-windows
+as they went by, and figures appeared at shop-doors.
+Two or three foot-passengers passed them, and after
+they had gone, went to the nearest shop-door and
+stood there for a moment in talk with the shop-keeper.
+They then began to follow the strange white-clad group
+up the street. In a few moments others joined them.
+Freddie looked behind, and wished to run; but the
+lady who was leading paid no attention.</p>
+
+<p>A little further on she turned a corner, and the party
+found themselves in a much busier street. The sidewalks
+were alive with people. In a moment there
+was a great silence. When the six figures first appeared,
+some of the people began to laugh. Then
+they looked at the face of the lady who swept along
+in advance of her attendants, and they laughed no<!-- Page 206 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[Pg 206]</a></span>
+more. They began to whisper one to another. They
+fell apart, and made way for her and her attendants.
+They stopped; they forgot their own affairs; some ran
+into the shops and called out the persons who were
+within; they gaped, and whispered, and nodded, and
+held up their hands, and with one accord began to
+follow.</p>
+
+<p>Further on, heads appeared from the windows of
+pleasure-towers and pleasure-domes; doors opened; all
+who could walk joined themselves to the crowd which
+was following the wondrous lady and her five strange
+companions.</p>
+
+<p>Deeper and deeper into the city; on past the region
+of shops into the region of gardens and mansions; up
+by a gradual ascent to the place of the largest and tallest
+towers and domes; on they went, the six white-gowned
+and bare-footed figures before, and the crowd behind;
+and the further they went, the greater became
+the crowd; and still there was no sound from the
+people, except the sound of an awestruck whispering.</p>
+
+<p>The dark cloud on the mountain-top was now plainly
+in view before them between the towers and domes,
+and they could see the great mass of the King's Tower
+where it rose to the cloud and lost itself within it. At
+the end of the street which they were now following
+a majestic gateway could be seen, and beyond it a park.</p>
+
+<p>Behind them the street was choked from wall to wall
+with a vast multitude. From every house, as the multitude
+passed, its people poured forth and joined the
+throng; business was forgotten; shops and houses were
+deserted; it seemed as if the whole city was in the
+street, following the lady and her five attendants. She
+looked not behind her once. She seemed to be unaware
+of anything in the world about her; her eyes
+shone like stars; she had forgotten even her companions;
+she spoke not a word, but looked forward to
+the stately gateway and the park beyond. Still no<!-- Page 207 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[Pg 207]</a></span>
+sound came from the multitude, except a sound of whispering.</p>
+
+<p>They reached the gateway. On each side was a
+great stone pillar, supporting a gate of massive bronze.
+The gates were open. Without an instant's hesitation
+she led the way within, and as she did so placed her
+left hand on her heart. The throng seemed to waver
+a moment, and then as the six barefoot and white-gowned
+figures moved swiftly up the driveway into the
+park, it flowed in silently between the gates, and followed
+at a respectful distance.</p>
+
+<p>Before them, at a distance, on a knoll from which
+terraces of velvet grass descended, stood the palace
+of the King; white and broad and flat-roofed.</p>
+
+<p>Passing a grove of trees, the lady left the roadway
+and stepped into the smooth grass of a lawn, and
+sped across it directly towards the terraces before the
+palace of the King. She mounted the gentle slope,
+her five friends following her; and the vast throng,
+filling the park to the gates, came on behind. She
+reached the first terrace; her hand was still on her
+heart. A dog barked.</p>
+
+<p>Windows in the palace front began to go up, and
+faces to appear. From an archway sprang a pack of
+beautiful tall white curly-haired dogs, and rushed on
+the lady, barking. Freddie made as if to protect her,
+but she waved him back with a smile. The dogs
+sprang up as if to devour her, but they did no harm;
+they barked as if their throats would burst; they
+leaped and gambolled about her; they thrust their noses
+into her hand; they almost spoke; and in the midst of
+it there appeared upon the wide steps before the palace
+door a noble-looking man, and beside him three
+children.</p>
+
+<p>At sight of this man and the children, the lady covered
+her eyes for an instant with her hands, and gave
+a sob; but she quickly looked up, and sped on more<!-- Page 208 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[Pg 208]</a></span>
+swiftly than before, her hands hanging beside her, and
+a bright misty look in her eyes.</p>
+
+<p>The man upon the palace steps shaded his eyes with
+his hands, and gazed upon her and the multitude spread
+out across the park behind her. One of the children,
+a tiny boy, he took by the hand, and another, a girl
+a little older, he grasped with his other hand; and
+with the third, a boy of something over nine, beside
+them, they all four came down the steps and crossed the
+terrace to meet the radiant lady.</p>
+
+<p>On the next terrace they met. He dropped his children's
+hands, and stopped. He was a man of some
+thirty years, richly clad, and handsome beyond measure.
+As he stopped, the multitude found its voice.
+A mighty shout went up.</p>
+
+<p>"Long live the King! Long live the King!"</p>
+
+<p>He paid no attention. His eyes were on the fair
+lady before him. A cry from the oldest boy rang
+out clear and sharp in the silence.</p>
+
+<p>"Mother!"</p>
+
+<p>The King held out his arms.</p>
+
+<p>"My darling!" he cried. "At last! At last!"</p>
+
+<p>"Beloved!" she cried, and rushed into his arms, and
+buried her face in his shoulder.</p>
+
+<p>The children clung to her, weeping, and with one
+arm she pressed them close against her side.</p>
+
+<p>The multitude found its voice again.</p>
+
+<p>"Long live Queen Miranda! Long live Queen
+Miranda!"</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 209 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[Pg 209]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXV" id="CHAPTER_XXV"></a>CHAPTER XXV</h2>
+
+<h3>THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN</h3>
+
+<p>"There's an Old Man," said Robert to Freddie.
+"He lives on the mountain. I saw
+him once."</p>
+
+<p>They were sitting on the palace lawn, looking up
+at the mountain which rose behind the King's tower.
+The sun was directly overhead, and was accordingly
+hidden by the cloud. The lower slopes of the mountain
+were easy and gradual, but they grew steeper as
+they ascended, and at the point where the mountain
+entered the cloud it was a straight and smooth wall
+of granite, plainly impossible to climb. The King's
+eldest child fixed his big eyes on the tall young man
+beside him.</p>
+
+<p>"I like you," said he. "I wish you would take me
+up the mountain some time for blackberries. Will
+you?"</p>
+
+<p>"If the Queen permits," said Freddie, "we will go
+tomorrow."</p>
+
+<p>A long time had passed since the Queen's return;
+a happy time, during which the five who had come
+with the Queen were made to feel as if they had lived
+all their lives in a palace. The two Old Codgers
+were found by Toby, comfortably established in a
+double shop of their own, on one side of which the
+Old Codger with the Wooden Leg sold tobacco, and
+on the other side of which the Sly Old Fox sold
+jewelry; each of them entirely contented with his fortune,
+and settled down for life. The Third Vice-President<!-- Page 210 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[Pg 210]</a></span>
+had paid his respects at the palace, and was
+unable to talk of anything but his Museum, for which
+he was devising many plans, including a method whereby
+the late Mr. Matthew Speak might be assured
+against ever being blown out of the window.</p>
+
+<p>The saintly person who had once been the Churchwarden
+was occupied nowadays, in a little room in
+the basement of the palace, in copying in beautiful letters
+an ancient book belonging to the King.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Punch and Mr. Toby spent their time in exploring
+the city, arm in arm, very inquisitive, very
+talkative, and making friends with everybody.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hanlon's work in life was, it appeared, the
+climbing of the King's Tower. Every day he disappeared
+within, and every day he declared that he
+would mount to the top before he finished; but he
+had not yet got to the top, and there did not seem
+much prospect of his ever doing so.</p>
+
+<p>As for Freddie,&mdash;not that he was called Freddie
+now; the King had given him a high-sounding name,&mdash;the
+Chevalier Frederick; and by that name he was
+spoken of by everybody, except that Toby sometimes
+forgot and called him the Chandelier. As for the
+Chevalier Frederick, his interest was mainly in the
+Queen's three children, Robert, Genevieve, and James;
+and at the present moment the oldest, Robert, was
+sitting with the Chevalier on the palace lawn, gossiping.</p>
+
+<p>"We will go tomorrow," the Chevalier was saying,
+and then the little boy Robert went on about the old
+man he had seen on the mountain.</p>
+
+<p>"I saw him once," said Robert. "Just before Mother
+went away. I ran away from home, I did, and I was
+gone all day. Mother was terribly worried. I ran
+away to the mountain, and I was muddy all over when
+I got back, and it was dark, too! Mother was terribly
+worried. I was gone all day, I was; and I didn't
+get back until after dark, I didn't; and I was muddy<!-- Page 211 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[Pg 211]</a></span>
+all over. Oh, but it was dark. Mother, she was
+terribly worried." He stopped to think it over, and
+then went on again. "There wasn't any Tower then.
+It was just before the old chap came and built the
+Tower in a night; you know about that, don't you?
+I ran away and didn't come home until after dark,
+I didn't; Mother was worried; and Jenny&mdash;I never
+call her Genevieve, because Jenny's shorter&mdash;and Jenny
+wouldn't go because she was afraid, and James was
+too little, so I went all by myself; and it was getting
+pretty dark, and I was starting home down the mountain,
+because I knew Mother would be worried, and
+I saw the Old Man coming down the mountain, and
+he didn't see me, and he had a pack on his back and
+a long stick in his hand, and a gown belted in about
+the middle, and he was kind of fat and bald-headed;
+and he didn't see me but I saw him, and pretty soon he
+went down into a gully and I didn't see him any more,
+and I came on home, because it was getting dark, and
+I knew Mother would be worried."</p>
+
+<p>"Then perhaps we had better not go up there," said
+Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh no," said Robert. "It's a grand place to climb
+and gather berries and flowers. And I'd like to see
+the Old Man again. Will you take me there today?"</p>
+
+<p>"Tomorrow," said Freddie, "if the Queen will
+permit."</p>
+
+<p>At this moment Mr. Hanlon appeared, somewhat
+out of breath, and he and Freddie went into the palace
+together. He was quite jubilant.</p>
+
+<p>"Faith," said he, "'tis a tower indade, that tower,
+and a swate little bit of a journey to the top of it, if
+there's iver a top at all. But it's Michael Hanlon
+will do it, by the bones of St. Patrick, and don't ye
+forget what I'm tellin' ye, me b'y. I've been up
+there this day, so high, so high&mdash;! I'll niver tell ye
+how high. It's comin' better; me wind and me legs<!-- Page 212 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[Pg 212]</a></span>
+are better; in a wake, or two wakes, 'tis meself will
+be fit for the grand ascent, and then there'll be news
+from the top, and a proud look in the eye of Michael
+Hanlon, Esquire! Wait and see, me b'y!"</p>
+
+<p>The next morning, Queen Miranda having given her
+consent, Freddie and Robert left the palace for their
+day on the mountain. All day they wandered up the
+trails, and in the afternoon, when their luncheon was
+all gone and they were tired, they began to descend.
+It was growing dark; they had had a glorious day, and
+they were sorry it would soon be over. They stretched
+themselves on the ground beneath a mountain oak, and
+looked below them, past the Tower, across the roof
+of the palace to the city. There was no living thing
+in sight, except a bird which sailed across their view
+and disappeared. "Well, Robert," said Freddie, "I
+suppose the Old Man who used to be here is gone.
+Come; we must go; your mother will be worried."</p>
+
+<p>They got to their feet. As they did so, a kind of
+groan startled them. They listened. It came again,
+from some point near by. Freddie thought he could
+make out a weak human voice, trying to call for help.
+Drawing Robert after him, he climbed over a number
+of boulders and mounted to the top of a rise in the
+ground, and looked down into a deep gully, covered
+on its sides with rocks and bushes. What he saw there
+gave him a start of alarm.</p>
+
+<p>At the bottom was an old man, lying on his back,
+with one leg doubled under him, his face up to the sky.
+From his lips came a groan, followed by a faint cry
+for help. His head was bald, he was rather stout, he
+wore a long white beard, and he was clad in a short
+dark gown, belted about the middle. His legs were
+bare, and on the foot which was visible he wore a
+sandal.</p>
+
+<p>Robert looked over Freddie's shoulder, and whispered<!-- Page 213 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[Pg 213]</a></span>
+in his ear. "That's him! He's fallen down
+and hurt himself."</p>
+
+<p>It was true. The old man had evidently fallen, and
+he was plainly suffering. Freddie clambered down to
+him, and knelt beside him. The old man looked into
+the young man's eyes, and said, in a feeble whisper:</p>
+
+<p>"My leg. Broken. Help me home."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie assisted him into a sitting position, and then
+lifted him up and held him.</p>
+
+<p>"I cannot walk," said the old man. "Unless you
+can carry me, I must die here."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie was properly proud of his new strength,
+and he believed that he could carry the old man.</p>
+
+<p>"Where do you live?" said he.</p>
+
+<p>"Up the mountain. I will show you. I beg you
+to carry me home."</p>
+
+<p>"I will do my best," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>He turned his back to the old man, and supporting
+him at the same time put the old man's arms about
+his neck, and by a great effort got the poor creature
+on his back. Carrying him thus, he began to go haltingly
+up the side of the gully. The little boy watched
+them wonderingly.</p>
+
+<p>It was a terrible journey. The old man directed
+Freddie from moment to moment, and the way led
+steadily up the mountain, by a course which Freddie
+had not seen that day. The burden on Freddie's back
+became heavier and heavier; he panted harder and
+harder under it; he stumbled from time to time, and
+every instant told himself that he could go no further.
+The old man seemed to think of nothing but of getting
+home. The little boy followed, staring with big
+eyes.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie had gone but a short way up the mountain-side
+when he felt through all his back, where it
+touched the old man, a chill; his shoulders and throat,
+where the arms of the old man touched them, became<!-- Page 214 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[Pg 214]</a></span>
+cold; as he struggled on, the chill increased; he felt
+as if he were hugging to his back a burden of ice.</p>
+
+<p>"Are we nearly there?" he asked, trying to wipe a
+cold perspiration from his forehead.</p>
+
+<p>"No, no," said the old man. "Go on. A long way
+yet. You can't be tired so soon."</p>
+
+<p>The cold upon Freddie's back and shoulders and
+throat became a dead numbness; he was too cold to
+shiver; his arms too were now becoming numb, and
+he felt that he could hold his burden no longer. He
+stopped.</p>
+
+<p>"I must put you down," he said. "I must rest a
+moment. I don't know what makes me so cold."</p>
+
+<p>"No, no," said the old man. "Too soon! too soon!
+Keep on!"</p>
+
+<p>"I cannot," said Freddie. "I am freezing. My
+strength is gone. I must rest."</p>
+
+<p>With these words he let the old man carefully
+down, and laid him on the ground. He stood there
+panting and rubbing his frozen hands together.</p>
+
+<p>"Stupid weakling," said the old man, staring up at
+him, "go and search upon the mountain-side and bring
+me hither seeds of the fennel which you will there find,
+and be quick; for I perish."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie and the little boy hastened away together,
+and at a distance on the mountain-side found, after
+a long search, a few plants of the fennel, with which
+they hurried back to the old man.</p>
+
+<p>He was gone.</p>
+
+<p>They looked far and near; they examined every
+nook and cranny; the mountain was steep at this
+point, and difficult for any sound man; for an old
+man, crippled, it seemed impossible, but he was nowhere
+to be found; he was gone.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie and Robert turned homeward, and made
+hard work of it. The little boy became extremely
+heated with his labor; but Freddie remained as cold<!-- Page 215 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[Pg 215]</a></span>
+as ever. It is true that he perspired, but the beads
+upon his forehead were like the beads upon ice-cold
+glass. His hands were so numb that when he cut
+them slightly on a rock he felt no pain. His back,
+where the old man had clung to it with his body, was
+coldest of all; he was so stiff that he could scarcely
+bend his arms or body; many times the little boy had
+to help him down; the chill spread; at the foot of
+the mountain his legs were nearly as cold as his
+arms; when they passed the Tower, his knees were
+as if frozen, and would not bend; the little boy put
+his arm about him and tried to help him walk; he
+began to lose knowledge of his whereabouts; he held
+out a stiff arm before him, like a blind man, and
+dragged one foot after the other like a man whose
+legs are made of stone. The little boy, weeping to
+himself, took his icy outstretched hand, and led him
+home.</p>
+
+<p>The palace door was thrown open. The little boy
+rushed in with a cry, and turned around to his companion.
+The white-faced rigid creature which was
+Freddie stood in the doorway, staring vacantly, and fell
+slowly forward on its face upon the floor.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 216 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[Pg 216]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVI" id="CHAPTER_XXVI"></a>CHAPTER XXVI</h2>
+
+<h3>THE KING'S TOWER</h3>
+
+<p>Freddie was very ill. He was so ill that
+after a week the King gave up all hope,
+and believed he would die. The Queen wept
+bitterly; she scarcely left his side; at night she did
+not sleep for weeping, and by day she sat by his bed
+and watched his cold white face. His friends were
+not allowed to see him, and of these it appeared that
+Mr. Hanlon had been gone for some days up the
+Tower.</p>
+
+<p>All that the best doctors in the city could do had
+been done, but the Chevalier was no better. He lay
+under the blankets, cold as ice and motionless as stone;
+and his eyes, big round eyes like the eyes of a child,
+stared up strangely out of deep sockets. They looked
+up at the King, who was bending down over the bed
+and smiling encouragingly. The Queen and her three
+children, Robert, Genevieve, and James, were standing
+close by, but they could not smile.</p>
+
+<p>"Come, Chevalier," said the King, "you will be well
+soon, I am sure."</p>
+
+<p>A faint voice came from the pale lips; not the voice
+of a grown man, but the voice of a child.</p>
+
+<p>"That isn't my name," it said, "my name is&mdash;Fweddie."</p>
+
+<p>The King went away, and took his children with
+him; and after they had gone the Queen heard the
+childish voice again from the bed.</p>
+
+<p>"I want to see Aunt Amanda."<!-- Page 217 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[Pg 217]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>The Queen went to him, and stood beside the bed.
+He looked up at her.</p>
+
+<p>"You aren't Aunt Amanda," he said. "I want to
+see Aunt Amanda."</p>
+
+<p>"I think that was my name once," said the Queen.
+"Will you talk to me?"</p>
+
+<p>He looked at her again, and she saw that he did
+not know her.</p>
+
+<p>"My farver sent me," he said. "Mr. Toby has
+gone to the barber-shop, and my farver he wants a
+pound of Cage-Roach Mitchner."</p>
+
+<p>"Mr. Toby is here in the palace now, and I'm sure
+he&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"I don't know about any palace. I can't wait long.
+My farver told me to hurry."</p>
+
+<p>The Queen said no more, and Freddie appeared to
+go to sleep. The night came on, and the Queen still
+sat by his side. It grew very late; her children had
+long since gone to bed, and even the King was asleep
+in his own apartments. The palace was silent, and
+there was scarcely a light anywhere in the great place
+except the light of a taper on a table in Freddie's room.
+The Queen was bending forward, watching the face on
+the pillow. The eyes were closed, the lips were together,
+and there was no sign of breathing. She knew
+that it could not be much longer; she buried her face
+in her hands and wept bitterly.</p>
+
+<p>A gentle tap upon the door aroused her. She rose
+and admitted Mr. Toby and Mr. Punch, Thomas the
+Inferior, and Mr. Hanlon.</p>
+
+<p>"Quick, ma'am," said Mr. Hanlon. "There's not
+a minute to be lost. If you plase, I'll ask ye to put
+on yer bonnet in a hurry, ma'am. We're off on a
+journey, and the poor sick young lad's coming along
+with us. If you'll just be in a hurry with the bonnet,
+ma'am!"</p>
+
+<p>The Queen, scarcely realizing what she was doing,<!-- Page 218 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[Pg 218]</a></span>
+left the room, and went first to the nursery, where
+she bent over her three sleeping children and kissed
+them each, and murmured a loving good-bye above
+them, as if she were going to leave them; and for a
+long, long time she gazed at each rosy face, as if to
+fix it in her memory forever.</p>
+
+<p>When she returned to the room, wearing a shawl
+over her head and shoulders, she was startled to see
+that the sick youth was sitting upright in a chair, thickly
+wrapped in blankets. His round childlike eyes were
+wide open, and to her surprise a faint smile seemed to
+hover about his lips.</p>
+
+<p>She looked at the others. Each held, in his hand
+an empty hour-glass.</p>
+
+<p>"Plase to get your hour-glass, ma'am," said Mr.
+Hanlon, "and Freddie's too."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie's hour-glass was soon found in a drawer
+in the same room; the Queen's she brought in a moment
+from another room.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hanlon picked up from the floor, where he had
+previously laid it, a small canvas bag, and placed it on
+the table under the candle. All of the empty hour-glasses
+he placed upon the table, and unscrewed the part
+of each by which it was designed to receive its load
+of sand. He lifted his bag, and out of it poured into
+each glass a quantity of fine white sand. "A little
+more or less won't matter a mite," said he, when he
+had filled them all. "A foine time I've had getting
+the sand, 'tis sure, but it's the true article, straight
+from the hand of the old crayture himself, and 'tis
+him we're going to this very minute, and the young
+lad with us. By the sand in the hour-glasses we'll
+get back to the old crayture in one-tinth the time it
+took me to find him without it, and by the same
+we'll get him to save for us the poor lad's life, or me
+name's not Michael."</p>
+
+<p>Each now took his hour-glass in his hand. They<!-- Page 219 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[Pg 219]</a></span>
+were the same hour-glasses they had bought of Shiraz
+the Persian, and the sand which was now in them was
+the same sort of fine white sand which had been in
+them before their ordeal in the fire.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Punch and Mr. Toby lifted the sick youth from
+his chair, and carried him between them, in a sitting
+position, towards the door. Mr. Hanlon looked at
+him anxiously, and commanded haste.</p>
+
+<p>In a moment the whole party were in the hall, and
+in a few moments more they were crossing the lawn
+towards King's Tower. It was a clear night, and the
+sky was spangled with stars.</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hanlon opened the door of the Tower, and
+when they were all within closed it again.</p>
+
+<p>"Madam and gintlemen," said he, "we are going
+to the top of the Tower. I have been there meself;
+and there's wan at the top who can bring back our
+young frind to life, if he's a mind to do it."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh!" gasped the Queen in terror. "I must not
+go to the top of this tower. Ah!" she stopped suddenly
+and went on in a determined voice. "I will,
+though. If it is to be, then it must be. Our young
+Chevalier came here for me, and I will go with
+him! If my strength holds out, I will go even to the
+top of the Tower, whatever evil may befall me
+there!"</p>
+
+<p>"'Tis not strength that's needed, madam," said Mr.
+Hanlon, "for the old crayture that give me the sand
+was willing to help us up to him, and the sand will
+make the travellin' easy, or else the old haythen has
+much desayved me. 'Twas all I could do to get to
+the top, belave me, and ye'd niver do it without the
+sand in the glasses, let alone carry up the young lad
+in your arms besides. Now we'll be going up the
+stairs, and if the old crayture didn't desayve me, you're
+to hold your hour-glasses in your hands, and see what
+happens."<!-- Page 220 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[Pg 220]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Mr. Hanlon went up first; then came the Queen,
+and after her Mr. Punch and Mr. Toby, bearing between
+them in an upright position the stiff cold form
+of the young Chevalier; and last of all came Thomas
+the Inferior, in his long brown gown and sandals.</p>
+
+<p>Each climbed slowly, but the steps appeared to flow
+downward under their feet with great rapidity. They
+were not conscious of selecting any particular tread
+to step on; but while a foot was rising from one step
+to the next, it seemed as if a thousand steps were
+passing downward, until the foot came down and found
+itself on a perfectly motionless tread. Undoubtedly
+they were mounting, without unusual exertion, a thousand
+steps at a time.</p>
+
+<p>Even at that rate of progress, the journey upward
+seemed an endless one. They paused sometimes to go
+into one of the rooms on a landing for a moment's
+rest, and at those times they looked out of a window.
+It was not long before they were so high that on
+looking out, the City's lights were no more than a
+glowing blur. At the last window on their upward
+progress they looked up at the cloud; it was immediately
+above their heads. After that there were no
+more windows. They went on upward in silence,
+aware in the darkness of the swift flow of steps downward
+under them as they raised their feet. Each
+observed that as he raised his foot the sand in his
+hour-glass flowed downward a thousand times more
+rapidly, as if time were suddenly running faster than
+it was used to running.</p>
+
+<p>The walls of the tower were by this time coming
+closer together, and the stair was even steeper than
+before. They were panting for breath, and Mr. Punch
+and Mr. Toby seemed to be all but exhausted. "We
+are almost at the top," said Mr. Hanlon. "Keep
+on. Don't give up."</p>
+
+<p>It was now, because there were no more rooms nor<!-- Page 221 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[Pg 221]</a></span>
+windows, completely dark. The face of the sick youth
+could not be seen, and no one knew whether he was
+still living. Even the sand in their hour-glasses they
+were now unable to see.</p>
+
+<p>"We are almost there," said Mr. Hanlon. "Only
+another minute or two. 'Tis easy work to what I
+had in coming up alone."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Punch gave a groan. "Hi carn't go another
+step," said he. "Hi'm completely&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>At this moment Mr. Hanlon stopped upon a landing.
+It had been a long while since there had been
+a landing, and they were all glad to rest upon it. They
+crowded about Mr. Hanlon in the dark.</p>
+
+<p>"The door is over there," said he. "Keep close
+to me."</p>
+
+<p>He walked a few feet forward across the level floor,
+and came to a stop again.</p>
+
+<p>"'Tis the top of the tower," said he. "I hope
+we're not too late to save the young lad's life. Stand
+close behind me."</p>
+
+<p>He moved forward again, and stopped; he was evidently
+feeling a wall with his hands.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said he. "'Tis the door itself. Now, thin,
+we'll see!"</p>
+
+<p>He knocked upon the door with his knuckles.</p>
+
+<p>There was no response.</p>
+
+<p>He knocked again.</p>
+
+<p>There was a sound upon the other side of the door,
+as of the rattling of a chain and the sliding of a bolt.</p>
+
+<p>A slit of light appeared up and down in the dark
+wall; it became wider; it was apparent that the door
+was opening; and in another moment the door was
+flung wide, and in the doorway stood an Old Man,
+holding up in his right hand a lantern in which glimmered
+a candle.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 222 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[Pg 222]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVII" id="CHAPTER_XXVII"></a>CHAPTER XXVII</h2>
+
+<h3>THE SORCERER'S DEN</h3>
+
+<p>He was an old man, rather stout, dressed in
+a short gown tied in with a cord about the
+middle, and wearing sandals on his feet. He
+stooped somewhat; a white beard hung to his waist;
+his head was bald, except for a forelock of white hair
+which drooped over his forehead towards his eyes.
+There was a humorous twinkle in his eye, and a smile
+overspread his broad round face.</p>
+
+<p>"'Tis the old parrty who will cure the Chivalier,"
+said Mr. Hanlon, behind his hand.</p>
+
+<p>"It's the Old Man of the Mountain," whispered
+Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"It's the Magician who built the Tower," whispered
+Queen Miranda, in alarm.</p>
+
+<p>"Hit's me own father, as ever was!" cried Mr.
+Punch, aloud. "Greetings, old dear! 'Ere's a surprise,
+what? 'Owever did you come 'ere? Hi'm no
+end glad to see you, and the larst person Hi should
+'ave thought to see in this&mdash;My word, what a lark!"</p>
+
+<p>"Come in, Punch," said the old gentleman, affably,
+"and your friends too. I'm very glad to see you, my
+boy. I've had some trouble in getting you here, but
+here you are at last, thanks to my good friend Hanlon,
+and you are now well out of the hands of Shiraz.
+Put the Little Boy down in that chair, and we'll see
+what we can do for him!"</p>
+
+<p>To speak of a grown-up youth with a mustache
+as a Little Boy seemed hardly respectful, but Freddie
+did not seem to mind it; indeed, his big round childlike<!-- Page 223 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[Pg 223]</a></span>
+eyes dwelt fondly on the old man, and there was
+something like a smile about his lips. He was seated
+gently in a chair within the room, and while Mr.
+Punch's father set down his lantern on a table, the
+others looked about them.</p>
+
+<p>They were in a small square room with a low ceiling.
+By the dim light of the candle they could see that
+it was bare and dusty; cobwebs hung in all the corners;
+there seemed to be no windows, but set upright in one
+wall was what looked like the back of a clock, as tall
+as a man. Opposite the door by which they had
+entered was another door. Around the walls were
+shelves, from floor to ceiling, crowded with hour-glasses
+of all sizes.</p>
+
+<p>The old gentleman observed the look which Toby
+cast at the shelves.</p>
+
+<p>"One of my store-rooms," said he. "I've got a
+good many of 'em, all told, and in fact you'll find a
+store-room of mine in the top of nearly every clock-tower
+in the world. It takes a deal of space to keep
+all the hour-glasses in, I can tell you. If you'll give
+me yours, I'll put 'em away for you. Shiraz got 'em
+away from me once, but he won't do it again. He
+manages to steal one now and then, when I'm away,
+but I usually get 'em back, sooner or later."</p>
+
+<p>He collected the hour-glasses from his visitors, and
+put them away on a shelf.</p>
+
+<p>"Look 'ere, parent," said Mr. Punch, "hif I didn't
+know better, I'd s'y as I'd seen this room before.
+There's the back of the clock, and the door over there
+looks like&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"You've a sharp eye, Punch, my boy," said the old
+gentleman. "Quite a detective you are, my son. Now,
+then, we'd better get busy. Aunt Amanda, do you
+want me to cast off your enchantment?"</p>
+
+<p>"Why do you call me that?" asked Queen Miranda.<!-- Page 224 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[Pg 224]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Because that's your name. Don't you know who
+you are?"</p>
+
+<p>"I know I was enchanted once, under the name of
+Aunt Amanda."</p>
+
+<p>"No, no. You're enchanted <i>now</i>, under the name
+of Queen Miranda."</p>
+
+<p>"But Shiraz the Persian told us he would disenchant
+us, and he did."</p>
+
+<p>"No, no. You were yourselves before, and <i>now</i> you
+are enchanted."</p>
+
+<p>"My brain is in a whirl," said Queen Miranda. "Are
+we ourselves now, or were we ourselves before?"</p>
+
+<p>"By crackey," said Toby, "it's too much for me, and
+I give it up. Anyway, what we want to know is, can
+you cure the Chevalier?"</p>
+
+<p>"I can, and I will," said the old man. "There's
+nothing the matter with him, except that he isn't himself.
+As soon as he's himself again, he'll be well.
+He was given the chance once before, but he didn't
+know how to use it; he made a great mistake."</p>
+
+<p>"What mistake?" said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"He made the mistake of carrying the Old Man
+of the Mountain on his back. If he had only lifted
+him up in his arms before him, the Old Man would
+have been as light as a feather, and Freddie would
+have been himself again in a flash. But of course he
+didn't know. We've got to correct his mistake."</p>
+
+<p>"Well, by crickets," said Toby, "this is Correction
+Island, right enough. Blamed if I know which is the
+mistake and which is the correction. It looks to me
+as if it was a mistake to be corrected, and we've got
+to correct the correction back again."</p>
+
+<p>"Something like that," said the old man, smiling.
+"I'm going to undo the correction of each one of you,
+and then you'll all be yourselves once more, instead
+of these false things you now are."<!-- Page 225 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[Pg 225]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>Queen Miranda looked at the ruby ring on her
+finger, and wept quietly to herself. As for Freddie,
+his eyes never left the face of the old man.</p>
+
+<p>The old man stooped over Freddie, and laid his
+cheek against the young Chevalier's pale forehead, and
+then against the young man's cheeks; he then threw
+aside the blankets and sat himself down on Freddie's
+knees. His body pressed the young man's breast, and
+his cheek touched the young man's cheeks one after the
+other. It was some moments before there was any
+change. The others watched anxiously. A red glow
+began to appear in Freddie's cheeks, and his eyes became
+brighter. He raised his hands; he moved his
+head; he looked about him; he smiled into the face of
+the old man.</p>
+
+<p>"You are better?" said the old man.</p>
+
+<p>"I'm very well," said Freddie, in a clear voice.
+"But I think I must have been sick. Have I been
+sick?"</p>
+
+<p>"Rather," said the old man. "But you are going to
+be yourself again in another minute. Now, then; put
+your arms around me and lift me off. Can you do
+that?"</p>
+
+<p>"Easily," said Freddie, and he lifted the old man in
+his arms, and rising to his feet at the same time, tossed
+the old man off with an easy gesture.</p>
+
+<p>As the old man touched the floor, there was no
+longer any Chevalier. Freddie was standing before
+the chair in his own person; the Little Boy once more,
+with sparkling eyes and rosy cheeks. He looked
+around in surprise.</p>
+
+<p>"Where are Aunt Amanda and the others?" said
+the Little Boy.</p>
+
+<p>"Wait just a minute, Freddie," said the old man.
+"Now, madam," he said to Queen Miranda, "if you
+will be kind enough to lift me up and toss me away&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>Queen Miranda looked at him doubtfully. He was<!-- Page 226 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[Pg 226]</a></span>
+a solid-looking person, and it seemed absurd to think
+of lifting him. But she did as he directed, and placing
+her hands under his arms she found that he weighed
+no more than a baby. She held him up off the floor.</p>
+
+<p>"Now cast me off," said he.</p>
+
+<p>She tossed him away with an easy gesture, and he
+alighted on his feet with a bound.</p>
+
+<p>"Aunt Amanda!" cried Freddie, and rushed into her
+arms.</p>
+
+<p>"Land sakes!" said she. "I thought you were never
+coming. Where are all the others? I'm glad there's
+nobody but this old man to see me in this bedraggled
+bonnet. Why don't that Toby Littleback come? Now
+ain't it like him to keep me waiting here all night? I
+never see such an exasperatin'&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"Wait just one moment, Aunt Amanda," said the
+old man. "I'll have him here immediately."</p>
+
+<p>He stood before Toby, and directed him what to
+do. Toby seized him in his strong hands and lifted
+him up over his head like a feather pillow; and such
+a toss did Toby give him as sent him flying across
+the room almost to the wall. The old man came down
+on his feet with a bound.</p>
+
+<p>"You Toby Littleback!" said Aunt Amanda. "Ain't
+it just like you to keep me and Freddie waiting here
+all night, while&mdash;And where's Mr. Punch and all the
+rest of 'em?"</p>
+
+<p>Toby stood before her, with his hands in his pockets.
+His hump was on his back in its rightful place, and
+he looked exactly as he had looked the first time Freddie
+had seen him, standing in the doorway of the Old
+Tobacco Shop.</p>
+
+<p>"I ain't been nowhere, Aunt Amanda," said Toby.
+"And I don't know where Mr. Punch is, neither. I
+ain't his guardian, anyway. The last I seen of him,
+as far as I remember, was in Shiraz's garden, lookin'
+round at the flowers. By crackey, if he can't take care<!-- Page 227 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[Pg 227]</a></span>
+of himself, I ain't a-going to do it for him. Maybe
+the old gentleman here can tell you, if you want to
+know."</p>
+
+<p>"Wait just a moment," said the old man. "I'll
+have him here immediately."</p>
+
+<p>Mr. Punch laughed immoderately as he picked up
+his own father and tossed him in the air and hurled
+him across the room. The old man did not seem to
+mind it a bit, but joined in the laugh as he came down
+on his feet with a bounce. Mr. Punch was immediately
+himself again; his hump was on his back, his
+breast stuck out, his long-tailed coat and knee breeches
+were as before, and he looked as if he might just have
+stepped down from his wooden box beside the Tobacco
+Shop's door.</p>
+
+<p>"Wery glad," said he, "to myke you acquainted
+with me old parent; and a wery good parent too,
+hif&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"That's enough, Punch," said his father. "Now
+we'll bring on the Churchwarden."</p>
+
+<p>In another moment the thin and saintly-looking
+Thomas the Inferior was gone, and in his place was
+the fat and comfortable Churchwarden, blinking at his
+friends through his round spectacles.</p>
+
+<p>"I have been considering," said he, "that it would
+be highly desirable, after all I have passed through
+lately, to sit in my chair on the pavement against the
+wall of my church with a pipe and a newspaper; and
+I have concluded that&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"We will now call Mr. Hanlon," said the old man.</p>
+
+<p>From the time Mr. Hanlon placed his hands under
+the old man's arms his tongue was rattling on at a
+prodigious speed; and as he tossed the old man lightly
+away like a doll he was saying, "And niver once did
+the spacheless man and the deaf wife have anny worrds
+except once; and 'twas then that&mdash;&mdash;." But he spoke
+no more. He was himself again. He was dumb.<!-- Page 228 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[Pg 228]</a></span>
+Toby greeted him warmly, but he only nodded his head
+vigorously, and smiled his old-time cheerful smile.</p>
+
+<p>"That's all," said the old man.</p>
+
+<p>"But the two Old Codgers&mdash;&mdash;" began Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"They will not be here," said the old man. "No use
+waiting. They made their choice some time ago. They
+are as much themselves now as they ever were, and they
+will remain where they are in perfect contentment. No
+need to bother about them. All that remains now is to
+bid you farewell, and wish you a pleasant journey."</p>
+
+<p>"Have we far to go?" said Toby.</p>
+
+<p>"You'll see," said the old gentleman, going to the
+door, that was opposite the one by which they had
+entered, and throwing it open.</p>
+
+<p>He stood aside as they passed, and smiled upon each
+with a kind and fatherly smile. He placed his hand
+on Freddie's head, and turned the Little Boy's face
+up so that he could look down into his eyes.</p>
+
+<p>"Remember!" he said. "Never carry the Old Man
+of the Mountain on your back. Carry him before you
+in your hands, and he will be as light as a feather.
+Now farewell."</p>
+
+<p>He gently pushed them out and closed the door behind
+them, and they went slowly down a dark stair.
+Toby held Freddie's hand, and Mr. Punch helped Aunt
+Amanda. They could see very little, and they knew
+very little where they were, until they found themselves
+after a time on a level floor, and feeling the wall with
+their hands came to a pair of swinging doors. Through
+these doors they passed, and Toby knocked his knee
+against something in the dark.</p>
+
+<p>"It's a long bench!" said Toby. "And here's a sight
+of other long benches! Blamed if they don't seem like
+pews in a church!"</p>
+
+<p>A dim light as of tall windows was visible at some
+distance on their left.</p>
+
+<p>The Churchwarden pushed forward and walked<!-- Page 229 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[Pg 229]</a></span>
+swiftly here and there with the step of one who knows
+the way. In a moment he returned.</p>
+
+<p>"It's a church," he said, calmly. "It's <i>my</i> church.
+This way, madam and gentlemen."</p>
+
+<p>He led the way to the left. Under a great round
+window which could be dimly seen in the wall was a
+wide door, before which they all paused.</p>
+
+<p>"As captain of this party," said Aunt Amanda, "my
+orders is that we open the door and see what will
+happen next."</p>
+
+<p>"Ay, ay, ma'am," said the Churchwarden, and
+opened the door.</p>
+
+<p>In a moment they were standing under the stars on
+a brick pavement before a church, and on the pavement
+against the church wall was an empty chair.</p>
+
+<p>"Ah!" said the Churchwarden, and sat down in the
+chair.</p>
+
+<p>"Mercy on us!" cried Aunt Amanda. "We're
+<i>home</i>!"</p>
+
+<p>"Blamed if we ain't!" said Toby. "It's our own
+street, and I can almost see the Tobacco Shop from
+here!"</p>
+
+<p>"Harfter a life of adventure," said Mr. Punch, "one
+will find it wery pleasant to stand quietly on one's little
+perch and rest one's legs and see one's old friends go
+in and hout at the Old Tobacco Shop once more, watching
+for the 'ands of the clock to come together for a
+bit of relaxation with one's&mdash;&mdash;"</p>
+
+<p>"All right, young feller!" cried Toby to Freddie.
+"Come with me. Mr. Punch, take Aunt Amanda
+home. I'll be with you as soon as I've got Freddie
+safe."</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda and Mr. Punch went off together
+towards the Old Tobacco Shop. Mr. Hanlon, after
+shaking hands all round, departed for the Gaunt Street
+Theatre, where he would be no longer troubled by the
+imps, who had long since been destroyed by the Odour<!-- Page 230 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[Pg 230]</a></span>
+of Sanctity. The Churchwarden preferred to enjoy for
+awhile the comfort of his old chair by the Church wall,
+and Toby and Freddie left him there, his hands folded
+placidly across his stomach.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie and Toby crossed the street-car track, hand
+in hand together. The horse had gone to bed for the
+night, and there was no danger. All the houses were
+dark. It was very late. No light was to be seen anywhere,
+except a gas-lamp at the next corner. The
+streets were silent and deserted. Freddie yawned.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie's house was dark, like all the rest. A narrow
+brick passage-way followed a fence to the rear,
+between this house and the next, and a gate opened
+from the sidewalk into this passage. Freddie and Toby
+went through this gate and crept quietly to the backyard
+of Freddie's house. The kitchen-door was locked,
+but Toby found a window which was unfastened. He
+raised it noiselessly, and helped Freddie to climb in.
+With a whispered good-night the Little Boy left his
+friend and tiptoed into the house and up the back
+stairs in the dark to his own room.</p>
+
+<p>His bed was there in its old place, and the covers
+were turned down. He did not stop to say his prayers.
+He yawned and stretched his arms. He wanted nothing
+now but to lie snug and safe under the cool sheets. He
+threw off his clothes and left them on the floor. He
+knew where his night-gown was. He crept into bed;
+he pulled the covers up to his ears; he nestled his head
+into the pillow, and breathed a deep sigh.</p>
+
+<hr class="major" />
+<!-- Page 231 --><p class='pagenum'><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[Pg 231]</a></p><h2><a name="CHAPTER_XXVIII" id="CHAPTER_XXVIII"></a>CHAPTER XXVIII</h2>
+
+<h3>THE OLD TOBACCO SHOP</h3>
+
+<p>The next morning, when Freddie awoke, his
+mother and father were standing over his bed.</p>
+
+<p>"I think he had better not go there anymore,"
+his father was saying.</p>
+
+<p>"Oh, I don't think it will do him any harm now,"
+said his mother.</p>
+
+<p>"It all comes of his staying away so long," said his
+father. "I always told him to hurry back, and just
+see how long he stayed this time. If he can't come back
+in less than six months or six years or heaven knows
+how long, he'd better not go at all."</p>
+
+<p>"Oh," said his mother, "I'm sure he'll come back
+promptly after this."</p>
+
+<p>"I couldn't," said Freddie. "It took such a long
+time to get to the Island, and there was all the trouble
+with the pirates, and it was a terrible long journey
+before we got to the palace, and of course we couldn't
+run away from the queen after we'd gone all that long
+way with her, and the queen's children didn't want me
+to go anyway, and there wasn't any way to get back,
+except for finding out how to get to the top of the
+tower, and maybe I wouldn't have got back at all if I
+hadn't met the Old Man of the Mountain, and got
+sick and cured again by Mr. Punch's father, and I
+might have got drowned when the ship disappeared, or
+I might have had my head cut off by the pirates, and
+then you wouldn't have seen me any more, and you'd
+have been sorry."<!-- Page 232 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[Pg 232]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>His father looked at his mother, and nodded his
+head.</p>
+
+<p>"He'd better stay in bed today," said he. "We won't
+talk to him about it until tomorrow."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," said his mother, "that will be much better.
+Poor little Freddie!"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie did not know why he should be called poor,
+but he was still tired from the adventurous life he had
+recently lived, and he was very glad to remain in bed
+all day.</p>
+
+<p>The next morning, after his father had said good-bye
+for the day, his mother allowed him to get up,
+and a little later to go out into the sunshine. He
+strolled down the street, enjoying the familiar sights
+after his long absence. He found his legs a little weak;
+he must have been very ill indeed at the King's palace,
+and he could not expect to get over it in one day. He
+crossed the street-car track, and on the pavement
+before the church he saw a well-known figure.</p>
+
+<p>The Churchwarden was sitting in his chair tilted
+back against the wall, smoking a long pipe and reading
+a newspaper. As Freddie approached he put down
+his paper and looked at him over his spectacles.</p>
+
+<p>"Good morning," said he. "I'm glad to see you
+back again. I hear you've been away." And he
+winked his eye at Freddie in a very knowing manner.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie. "I guess I must have
+been pretty sick."</p>
+
+<p>"No doubt about it, my son. But of course I knew
+all the time you'd pull through."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie did not believe it for a moment; obviously
+the Churchwarden was bragging.</p>
+
+<p>"The street looks pretty good," said Freddie, "after
+being away so long. Would you rather sit here on the
+pavement than do anything else?"</p>
+
+<p>"I believe you, son. I'd rather sit here on a sunny<!-- Page 233 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[Pg 233]</a></span>
+day with a pipe and a newspaper than have all the
+treasure of the Incas."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie was glad to hear that the Churchwarden
+did not regret the loss of his share of the treasure,
+though whether Captain Lingo belonged to the Incas
+he did not know.</p>
+
+<p>"I don't care anything about the treasure myself,"
+said he. "I'm too glad to be well again and back in
+our own street."</p>
+
+<p>"I'm glad I'm here myself, son. And if you happen
+to see Toby Littleback this morning, tell him I'm alive
+and resting well, considering."</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie, and continued his stroll.</p>
+
+<p>The Old Tobacco Shop, when he arrived, looked as
+it had looked on the fateful day when he had last seen
+it. He paused before the door, and gazed at Mr.
+Punch. He half expected the little man to step down
+and shake hands with him; but Mr. Punch did not
+move a muscle; he did not even look at Freddie; he
+held out in one hand a packet of black cigars, and his
+wooden face, if it expressed anything at all, showed
+the great calm which he must have felt when he got
+back to his little perch. Freddie looked up at the
+clock in the tower, with some thought that the hands
+might be together; but it was a quarter past ten, and
+anyway Mr. Punch's father was probably by this time
+far away in some other of his store-rooms about the
+world.</p>
+
+<p>Freddie entered the shop. Mr. Toby was behind
+the counter, opening a package of tobacco.</p>
+
+<p>"Aha! young feller!" he cried. "Back again, sure
+enough! Blamed if it don't seem as if you'd been away
+from here for a year. And a mighty sick chap you
+were, that's a fact. I reckon we all thought you were
+going to die, maybe; by crackey, I never seen anyone
+so pale in my life. Are you all right now?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes, sir," said Freddie. "And I'm glad to be back.<!-- Page 234 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[Pg 234]</a></span>
+Are you glad to be here in the shop, the same as ever?"</p>
+
+<p>"Me? You bet I am. You couldn't buy me to
+leave this shop, not if you offered me all the money
+that Captain Kidd ever buried. No, sir. And look
+here, young man; I reckon you ain't surprised to see
+that the Chinaman's head is gone; eh?"</p>
+
+<p>Freddie looked at the shelf behind Toby, and sure
+enough, the Chinaman's head was gone. He knew, of
+course, that it was lying at the bottom of the ocean.</p>
+
+<p>"I kind of lost it one day," said Toby, winking his
+eye. "Mislaid it, you know, or lost it, one or the
+other, I don't know which,&mdash;but, anyway, I reckon it
+won't never be found. It's gone. I hope you don't
+mind it now, do you?"</p>
+
+<p>"No, sir," said Freddie. He was glad to know that
+Mr. Toby was not still feeling disturbed because he
+had left it on board The Sieve.</p>
+
+<p>"All right, then," said Toby. "You'd better go in
+and see Aunt Amanda."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie opened the door at the rear of the shop and
+went into the back room. Aunt Amanda was sitting
+by the table, sewing.</p>
+
+<p>On the table were the wax flowers and the album
+and the double glasses through which you looked at the
+twin pictures. The room was just as if they had never
+left it.</p>
+
+<p>"Eshyereerilart," said Aunt Amanda, taking a handful
+of pins from her mouth. "Bless your dear little
+heart, I'm glad you're back again. Are you well? Sit
+down on the hassock."</p>
+
+<p>Freddie took his customary place on the hassock at
+her feet. He looked up at her and wondered if she
+were sorry she had been a queen once and was a queen
+no more.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes'm," said he. "I'm all well now."</p>
+
+<p>"And glad to be back here in the shop again?"</p>
+
+<p>"Yes'm; I cert'n'y am."<!-- Page 235 --></p>
+
+<div style="height: 0">
+  <a id="image05"></a>
+</div>
+<div class="figcenter">
+  <span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[Pg 235]</a></span>
+    <img src="images/i005.png" alt="&quot;Ah, yes,&quot; said Aunt Amanda, &quot;there&#39;s no place like the Old Tobacco Shop, after all.&quot;" />
+    <p class="caption">&quot;Ah, yes,&quot; said Aunt Amanda, &quot;there&#39;s no place like the Old Tobacco Shop, after all.&quot;</p>
+</div><p><!-- Page 236 --><span class='pagenum'><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[Pg 236]</a></span></p>
+
+<p>"Ah, yes," said Aunt Amanda, "there's no place like
+the Old Tobacco Shop, after all. I wouldn't exchange
+it for a palace if you'd give it to me."</p>
+
+<p>"Wouldn't you?" said Freddie, a little surprised at
+this.</p>
+
+<p>"I should say not. I wouldn't be myself in a palace.
+I'm pretty well satisfied here."</p>
+
+<p>"But what about the children?" said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"The children?" asked Aunt Amanda.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes. Robert and Jenny and James. <i>You</i> know."</p>
+
+<p>Aunt Amanda looked at him for a moment, and then
+nodded her head and sighed.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," she said. "You know about them, don't you?
+I forgot that you knew. Yes, I miss them a good deal,
+and I suppose I even cry sometimes because I haven't
+got them. But I love to think about them. I'm happy
+thinking about them, even if I can't have them."</p>
+
+<p>"James was the littlest," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," said Aunt Amanda, nodding her head to herself
+as if at a gentle memory.</p>
+
+<p>"He was too little to go out much with the others,"
+said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," said Aunt Amanda, "he was too little."</p>
+
+<p>"And Jenny," said Freddie, "she wouldn't go with
+Robert the day he ran away. He wanted her to, but
+she wouldn't."</p>
+
+<p>"No," said Aunt Amanda, "she wouldn't."</p>
+
+<p>"He was gone all day," said Freddie.</p>
+
+<p>"Yes," said Aunt Amanda, "he was gone all day,
+and he didn't get back until after dark. I didn't know
+where he was. When he got back it was dark, and
+he was muddy all over. I was terribly worried."</p>
+
+<h2>THE END.</h2>
+
+<div class="trnote">
+<p><b>Transcriber's Note</b></p>
+
+<p>Archaic and variable spelling preserved as printed.<br />
+Author's punctuation style preserved.<br />
+Hyphenation standardized.
+</p>
+</div>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Tobacco Shop, by William Bowen
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+</body>
+</html>
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@@ -0,0 +1,8466 @@
+The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Tobacco Shop, by William Bowen
+
+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 Old Tobacco Shop
+       A True Account of What Befell a Little Boy in Search of Adventure
+
+Author: William Bowen
+
+Release Date: October 20, 2008 [EBook #26977]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE OLD TOBACCO SHOP ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by David Edwards, Katie Ward and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
+file was produced from images generously made available
+by The Internet Archive)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+  Transcriber's note:
+    Archaic and variable spelling preserved as printed.
+    Author's punctuation style preserved.
+    Hyphenation standardized.
+    Passages in italics indicated by underscore _.
+
+  [Illustration: _The Old Tobacco Shop_
+   _By William Bowen_]
+
+              The Old Tobacco Shop
+
+
+                    Also By
+                 WILLIAM BOWEN
+              The Enchanted Forest
+              The Old Tobacco Shop
+
+
+[Illustration: "Lord bless us!" cried the hunch back. "Look at that!"]
+
+
+             _The Old Tobacco Shop_
+
+        _A True Account of What Befell
+             a Little Boy in Search
+                  of Adventure_
+
+
+                      _By
+                 William Bowen_
+
+
+    _Though you believe it not, I care not much: but an honest man, and
+    of good judgment, believeth still what is told him, and that which
+    he finds written._--RABELAIS.
+
+
+                    New York
+             THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
+                      1921
+             _All rights reserved_
+
+
+    PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
+
+                COPYRIGHT, 1921
+            BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
+
+
+Set up and Electrotyped. Published October, 1921
+
+            FERRIS PRINTING COMPANY
+                    NEW YORK
+
+
+
+
+                       To
+                 BILLY AND JOHN
+                TWO LITTLE BOYS
+
+
+
+
+    PRINCIPAL PERSONS
+
+  Freddie
+  Mr. Toby
+  Aunt Amanda
+  Mr. Punch
+  The Churchwarden
+  Mr. Hanlon
+  The Sly Old Fox
+  The Old Codger with the Wooden Leg
+  Mr. Lemuel Mizzen
+  The Cabin-Boy
+  Marmaduke
+  Captain Lingo
+  Ketch the Practitioner
+  The Third Vice-President
+  Mr. Matthew Speak
+  Shiraz the Rug-Merchant
+  The King and Queen
+  Robert, Jenny, and James
+  Mr. Punch's Father
+
+
+
+
+  LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
+
+  1. "Lord bless us!" cried the hunch back. "Look at that!" Frontispiece
+
+  2. "I'm Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., that's me!"                            50
+
+  3. "L-l-Lem!" shrieked the parrot. "Who's your f-f-f-friends?"      86
+
+  4. Mr. Hanlon was standing on his feet by the log on
+     which his head had been cut off                                 134
+
+  5. Shiraz the Rug-Merchant looked at his visitors
+     with little beady black eyes                                    188
+
+  6. "Ah, yes," said Aunt Amanda, "there's no place like
+     the Old Tobacco Shop after all"                                 235
+
+
+
+
+  CONTENTS
+
+  CHAPTER                                                           PAGE
+
+     I. Mr. Punch and the Clock-Tower                                 1
+
+    II. Aunt Amanda and the Two Old Codgers                           9
+
+   III. Introducing the Churchwarden                                 22
+
+    IV. In which Mr. Hanlon makes a Great Impression                 31
+
+     V. The Chinaman's Head                                          39
+
+    VI. Lemuel Mizzen, A.B.                                          48
+
+   VII. The Hands of the Clock come Together                         54
+
+  VIII. Celluloid Cuffs and a Silk Hat                               60
+
+    IX. The Odour of Sanctity                                        65
+
+     X. Captain Higginson and the Spanish Main                       69
+
+    XI. A Mixed Company in search of Adventure                       74
+
+   XII. The Voyage of the Sieve                                      81
+
+  XIII. The Cabin-Boy's Revenge                                      93
+
+   XIV. The Cruise of the Mattresses                                107
+
+    XV. A Fall in the Dark                                          111
+
+   XVI. Captain Lingo and a Fine Piece of Head-Work                 122
+
+  XVII. High Dudgeon and Low Dudgeon                                139
+
+ XVIII. The Society for Piratical Research                          146
+
+   XIX. A Knock at the Door                                         160
+
+    XX. The City of Towers                                          171
+
+   XXI. Shiraz the Rug-Merchant                                     178
+
+  XXII. Six Enchanted Souls                                         187
+
+ XXIII. From the Fire Back to the Frying-Pan                        196
+
+  XXIV. Disenchantment Complete                                     200
+
+   XXV. The Old Man of the Mountain                                 209
+
+  XXVI. The King's Tower                                            216
+
+ XXVII. The Sorcerer's Den                                          222
+
+XXVIII. The Old Tobacco Shop                                        231
+
+
+
+
+THE OLD TOBACCO SHOP
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER I
+
+MR. PUNCH AND THE CLOCK-TOWER
+
+
+When the Little Boy first went to the Old Tobacco Shop, he stood a long
+while before going in, to look at the wooden figure which stood beside
+the door.
+
+His father was sitting at home in his carpet-slippers, waiting for
+tobacco for his pipe, but when the Little Boy saw the wooden figure he
+forgot all about hurrying,--"Now don't be long," his mother had said,
+and his father had said "Hurry back,"--but he forgot all about hurrying,
+and stood and looked at the wooden figure a long time: a little
+hunchbacked man, not so very much taller than himself, on a low wooden
+box, holding out in one hand a packet of black wooden cigars. His back
+was terribly humped up between his shoulders, his face was square and
+bony, if wood can be said to be bony, he was bareheaded and bald-headed,
+he had a wide mouth, and his high nose curved down over it and his
+pointed chin curved up under it; and his breast stuck out in front
+almost as much as his shoulders stuck out behind.
+
+The Little Boy's name was Freddie; his mother called him that, and his
+father usually called him Fred; but sometimes his father called him
+Frederick, in fact whenever he didn't come back after he had been told
+to hurry, and then his father looked at him--you know that look--and
+said "Frederick!" just like that. But his mother never called him
+anything but Freddie, even when he was late.
+
+He grasped his money tight in his hand, as he had been told to do, and
+stood and looked at the little hunchbacked wooden man holding out his
+packet of black wooden cigars. "I wonder," thought Freddie, "what makes
+him so crooked?" He walked around him and looked at his back. He walked
+around in front of him again and wondered if the black cigars in his
+hand would smoke; he decided he would ask about it. The little man wore
+blue knee breeches and black stockings and buckled shoes, and his coat
+was cut away in front over his stomach and had two tails behind, down to
+his knees. It was easy to see that he wasn't a boy, though, even if he
+did wear knee breeches; you only had to look at his face, for he had the
+kind of hard boniness in his face that grown-ups have. Freddie made up
+his mind that he liked him, anyway; and it must have been hard to have
+to stand out there all day without moving, rain or shine, and offer that
+bunch of cigars to all the people who went by, and never get a single
+soul to take them. Freddie put out his other hand (not the one with the
+money in it) towards the cigars, but he quickly drew it back, for he
+looked at the little man's face at the same time, and there was
+something about his eyes--anyhow, he stood back a little.
+
+"Better be careful o' Mr. Punch, young feller," said a deep voice from
+the shop door.
+
+Freddie looked, and in the doorway, leaning against the doorpost, with
+his hands in his trousers' pockets, and one foot crossed over the
+other, stood a little man, not so very much taller than himself, and
+certainly no taller than the figure on the stand, who stared at Freddie
+as if he knew all about human boys and did not trust them out of his
+sight. Freddie looked at him and then at the wooden figure beside the
+door; they might have been brothers. The little man had a hump on his
+back, and his breast stuck out in front; his head was big and square,
+and he had high cheek-bones; his face was bony and his mouth wide, and
+his big nose curved down and his chin curved up; but he did not wear
+knee breeches; his trousers were the trousers of grown-ups, and his coat
+was a square coat, buttoned tight over his chest from top to bottom. He
+was bareheaded, and he had plenty of hair, brushed from the top of his
+head down towards his forehead. He looked as if he belonged to the
+tobacco shop; or perhaps the tobacco shop belonged to him.
+
+He stared at Freddie without blinking, and there was something in his
+eyes--anyway, Freddie stepped back, and held his money tighter in his
+hand behind him.
+
+"You'd _better_ stand away from Mr. Punch," said the hunchbacked man,
+without moving.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"Did you say 'why'? Because you know I'm terrible deef, and can't never
+hear boys when they talk down in their stomicks. I'll _tell_ you why, as
+long as you ast me. Do you see that clock on the church-tower over
+there?" He nodded his big wooden head up the street, without taking his
+hands from his pockets. Freddie looked, and there the clock was, plain
+enough. "Well," said the hunchbacked man, "I'll tell you, seeing as you
+insist upon it, and won't take no for an answer: but you mustn't never
+tell it to no one. Do you promise me that? Cross your heart?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"Done," said the hunchback. "Mr. Punch's father lives up there behind
+that clock. And sometimes, just exactly when the two hands of that clock
+come together, one on top of the other, mind you, like you lay one stick
+along another, Mr. Punch's father comes out and stands on that there
+sill under the clock; he's a little old man with a long white beard; and
+he stands there and puts his hand to his mouth and calls down here to
+Mr. Punch, and Mr. Punch climbs down off his little perch and goes over
+to that church, and climbs up the inside of that tower to the very top
+and meets his father! And I've heard tell that they have regular high
+jinks up there all by theirselves, and vittles! more vittles and drink
+than you ever seen at one time; yes, sir; a regular feast, as sure as
+you're born; and they don't only eat vittles; no, sir; if they can only
+get hold of a nice plump little boy or two, with plenty o' meat to him,
+that's what they like best; and if it happens to be night-time, there's
+a lot of queer ones with 'em up there, and all sorts of queer
+noises--you ask the sextant over there about it--_he's_ heard 'em; and
+if you should just happen to be around when Mr. Punch climbs down off of
+this here perch, you'd better look out; for he's just as likely as not
+to snatch you up and carry you off with him up there into that
+church-tower to his father, and if he does _that_, that's the last of
+you; and your ma and your pa could cry their eyes out, and it wouldn't
+be no use; you'd be _gone_! And never come back no more. They say
+there's many a boy been took up into that tower by Mr. Punch here when
+his father comes out and calls him. But he don't _always_ come out when
+the hands of the clock come together; nobody ever knows when he's going
+to do it, no sirree; Mr. Punch himself never knows when his father's
+going to call him. Lord bless us!" cried the little hunchback, looking
+up again in alarm at the clock in the church-tower. "Lord bless us,
+look at that!"
+
+Freddie stared at the clock. It was twenty-five minutes past five. He
+knew how to tell twelve o'clock and ten minutes to ten, but he had never
+got as far as twenty-five minutes past five; he could easily see,
+however, that the big hand was almost on top of the little hand. He
+edged away further from the wooden figure on the box; he was almost sure
+that the hand which held the cigars moved a little.
+
+The hunchbacked man in the doorway stood up straight on his two feet and
+took his hands out of his pockets.
+
+"Look alive, young feller!" he said. "It's pretty near time! In another
+minute! I can't help it if Mr. Punch's father comes out and--Quick, boy!
+Come here to me, before it's too late! I'll see if I can save you!"
+
+Freddie gave another look at the clock; the hands were surely almost
+together, and quick as a flash he darted to the hunchback and hid behind
+him and held on to his coat, peeping around him through the doorway. The
+little man put his arm about Freddie and held him close; it was a strong
+muscular arm, and Freddie felt quite safe. The little man could not have
+been laughing, for his face was as solemn and wooden-looking as ever;
+but Freddie could feel his body shaking all over, he couldn't tell why.
+
+"You'd better come in and see Aunt Amanda," he said, "before it's too
+late. You'll be safe in there."
+
+He took Freddie by the hand and drew him into the shop.
+
+The Old Tobacco Shop stands at the corner of two streets, as you surely
+must know if you have ever been in the city that lies on the river
+called Patapsco, which runs along ever so far out of a great bay where
+ships sail from all over the world, called Chesapeake Bay. It is an old
+brick house, and you go into the shop by the door that opens in the side
+just round the corner, not in the front, for there isn't any door at the
+front, but only a window with pipes and cigars and tobacco in it, and
+the stuffed head of a bull-dog with a pipe in his mouth. The house is
+only one story and a half high, and has a steep gabled roof, with two
+dormer windows in the slope of the roof above the side of the house, and
+one dormer window in the slope of the roof above the shop-window in
+front, where the bull-dog is. All the other houses fronting in the row
+are good high two-story houses; why this corner house never grew up like
+the others, no one knows.
+
+When Freddie was standing at the corner of the street, before he had
+seen the wooden figure offering his bundle of wooden cigars there beside
+the door, he looked down the street that runs along the side of the
+shop, across the street that crosses it, and saw the masts of tall ships
+in the harbor beside the wharves; some with their sails up, some with
+their sails hanging most untidily, and some with their sails neatly
+rolled up and tied; and he would certainly have gone down there, only
+his father had told him to hurry.
+
+Freddie lived in a fine two-story brick house in a row like this one, a
+long, long way off; three squares off (they say "squares" in that city
+when they mean a straight line between two streets and not a square at
+all) down the same street on which the Old Tobacco Shop fronts; and it
+really takes a good while to go all that way, for there is a boy
+half-way down, a big boy, who belongs to a Gang, and likes to bully
+little boys, and you have to watch your chance to get out of his way,
+and there is a place with a knot-hole in the fence where you can see all
+kinds of rusty springs and bed-rails and birdcages and barrel hoops
+piled up inside the yard, and a tin-can factory where you can pick up
+little round pieces of tin just as good as dollars, and a church (where
+the clock is) with a fat old man sitting on the pavement in a chair
+tilted back against the church wall smoking a long pipe, who doesn't
+mind being stared at from the curbstone, and a street-car track where
+you have to look out for the horse-car, which is very dangerous when the
+horse begins to trot, and--but Freddie hadn't lived long in his fine
+two-story house in that street, and these things were new to him and
+took time. But the newest and biggest thing he had yet found (not that
+it was really big, you know) was the wooden hunchback outside the door
+of the Old Tobacco Shop; and you have seen how much time _that_ took.
+
+Freddie found himself inside the shop, and his hand grasped tight by the
+big strong hand of the hunchback, so tight that he wriggled a little to
+get loose; but the hunchback only held him tighter. "Come along," he
+said, "you'd better come in here and see my Aunt Amanda, or Mr. Punch
+may step out and get you; and _then_ where would you be?"
+
+Freddie looked back out of doors over his shoulder, but it did not seem
+as if Mr. Punch meant to step out that time. He breathed easier. The
+shop was a very little shop, with shelves on the wall behind the
+counter, and a window in front where he saw the back of the bull-dog's
+head. The two show-cases on the counter were full of pipes of all kinds,
+and cigars and tobacco and cigarettes, and piled on the shelves were
+boxes of cigars and jars and tins of tobacco, and on the wooden top of
+the counter between the two show-cases stood a tobacco-cutter and a
+little pair of scales with a scoop lying beside it and little iron
+weights in a box. The counter ran from the front window lengthwise to
+the back of the shop, and at the back, on your left as you went in, was
+a closed door. A wooden chair with arms stood beside the front window.
+You could get behind the counter only by a swinging gate at the back
+end. There was a delightful warm odour about the place, very much the
+same odour Freddie liked to smell when his father opened his old
+tobacco-box on the mantel-piece in the sitting-room upstairs and filled
+his pipe, when he came home in the evening and put on his
+carpet-slippers and spread out that everlasting newspaper that had no
+pictures in it. He never could understand why his mother opened all the
+windows the next morning.
+
+"All right, young feller," said the hunchback, "we'll get on the other
+side of that door, and then we'll be safe. Here we are."
+
+They reached the door at the back of the shop, and the hunchback opened
+it and pulled Freddie into the back room and closed the door behind
+them. Freddie hung back a little, but his hand was gripped tight, and he
+couldn't have got away if he had tugged with all his might. He was not
+so much afraid now of Mr. Punch and his father, but he didn't know what
+this little man was going to do with him; and besides, his father had
+told him to hurry.
+
+In this back room, near a window which looked out on the street, sat a
+lady. The hunchback marched Freddie up to her and stopped there before
+her, and wagged his head sidewise towards the Little Boy. The hunchback
+and the Little Boy stood hand in hand, and the lady looked at them
+steadily.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER II
+
+AUNT AMANDA AND THE TWO OLD CODGERS
+
+
+"Here's Aunt Amanda," said the hunchback, standing before the lady who
+was sitting near the window, and letting go of Freddie's hand, "and
+here's a boy that Mr. Punch pretty near got hold of, if I hadn't come
+along just in time and hustled him in here. Just look out of that
+window, Aunt Amanda, and see if Mr. Punch has moved yet."
+
+The lady did not look out of the window, but stared at Freddie with her
+mouth shut tight. She had very thin lips and she pressed them tight
+together; and without opening them more than a wee mite she said to the
+hunchback, sternly:
+
+"Obelilackyoomuptwonyerix."
+
+Freddie could not understand this at all. He looked at her closely. She
+was very thin, and had a high beaked nose and reddish hair and a reddish
+skin, and on the left side of her chin was a mole, with three little
+reddish hairs sticking out of it; she wore a rusty black dress, very
+tight above the waist and very wide below, and in the bosom of this
+dress were sticking dozens, maybe hundreds, for all Freddie could tell,
+of pins and needles. She must have been very tall when she stood up. A
+cane leaned against the back of her chair; she was a little lame; not
+very lame, but enough to make her limp when she walked, and to make her
+cane useful in getting about. If she had had a stiff starched ruff about
+her neck and a lace thing on her head pointed in front, she would have
+done very well for Queen Elizabeth, the one you see the picture of in
+that history-book. There was a thimble on the second finger of her right
+hand, and a pair of scissors hung by a tape at her waist; and around her
+neck she wore a measuring tape. On the floor at her feet lay a pile of
+goods, and some of it was in her lap; the kind of goods that Mother has
+around her when she is turning and making over that old blue serge, and
+gathers up out of Father's way when she hears him coming in towards the
+sitting-room.
+
+At Aunt Amanda's elbow stood an oval marble-topped table, and besides a
+work-basket there were several fascinating things on it. In the center
+was a glass dome, and under the glass dome was the most beautiful basket
+of wax flowers--calla lilies mostly, with a wonderful yellow spike like
+a finger sticking up out of each one. On one side of the wax flowers was
+a thick book with blue plush covers, and the word "Album" across it in
+slanting gold letters. On the other side was a kind of a--well, it had a
+handle under a piece of wood to hold it up by, and a frame at one end to
+stick up a picture in, and two pieces of thick glass in a frame at the
+other end to look through at the picture and make the picture look
+all--_you_ know!--as if the people in the back of it were a long way
+behind, and the people in front right close up in front, and all that;
+Freddie's father had one.
+
+The chairs in the room had thin curved legs and those slippery
+horse-hair seats which Freddie hated to sit on. On the walls were
+portraits in oval frames of men with chin-whiskers and no mustaches, and
+ladies in shawls and bonnets; but there was one square frame, and it had
+no picture under its glass, but a sheaf of real wheat, standing up as
+natural as life, with some kind of curly writing over it; it was simply
+beautiful. There was a clock on the marble mantel-piece, tall and
+square-cornered, with a clear circle in the glass below where you could
+see the round weight of the pendulum go back and forth, and a picture
+of the sun on the face, very red, with a big nose and eyes, and stiff
+red hair floating off from it.
+
+Aunt Amanda stuck a pin in the goods in her lap and folded her hands.
+Freddie, after glancing around the room, looked at her again and
+wondered who she was; plain sewing she was, that was sure, also an aunt;
+and besides that, although Freddie did not know it, she was an old--I
+hate to say it, though it wasn't anything really against her, if you
+come to that,--an old--well, you know what you call them behind their
+backs, or shout after them as they go down the street and then whip
+around the corner when they turn, just simply because they haven't ever
+been married, like Mother,--well, then, an Old Maid.
+
+Being an Old Maid, she of course wore no wedding ring; but on her
+wedding-finger, the third finger of her left hand, there was a mark at
+the place where a wedding ring would have been; a kind of birth-mark,
+ruby red, in shape and size like the ruby stone of a ring. Freddie
+looked at it often afterwards.
+
+"Now you look here, Aunt Amanda," said her nephew, taking hold of
+Freddie's hand again, "you know well enough I can't understand you with
+all them pins--"
+
+Aunt Amanda put a hand to her lips and drew out of her mouth a pin and
+stuck it in the bosom of her dress. She put her hand to her lips again
+and drew forth another pin and stuck it in the bosom of her dress. She
+drew forth another and another, and stuck each one in her dress.
+Freddie's eyes opened wide; did this lady eat pins? Her mouth seemed to
+be full of them; didn't they hurt? It didn't seem possible she could eat
+them, and yet there they were. No wonder she couldn't talk plainly.
+There seemed to be no end to the pins, but there was, and at last her
+mouth was clear of them so that she could talk.
+
+"Toby Littleback," said she, "you're up to one o' your tricks again.
+Ain't you ashamed of yourself?" That was what she had meant by saying,
+"Obelilackyoomuptwonyerix," with her mouth full of pins.
+
+Toby was quite crestfallen. "Well," he said, "I guess it ain't no
+hangin' matter. All I done was to bring the boy in to see you. 'N' this
+is what I get fer it every time. I ain't a-going to bring 'em in any
+more, that's flat."
+
+"Let go o' the child," said Aunt Amanda, sharply. "Can't you see you're
+hurting his hand? Come here, boy."
+
+Mr. Littleback dropped Freddie's hand and walked over to the table
+beside his aunt. Freddie came forward timidly and stood at Aunt Amanda's
+knee. She examined him carefully.
+
+"It's the best one yet," she said. "Boy, do you know you're as pretty as
+a--Well, anyway, what is your name?"
+
+If there was one thing Freddie loathed, it was to be called pretty; he
+had heard it before, in the parlor at home, when he had been trotted out
+to be inspected by female visitors, and he had tried many a time to
+scrub off the rosy redness from his cheeks, but he had found it only
+made it worse. He hung his head a little, and could not find his voice.
+Aunt Amanda took his chin in her hand and gently held up his head.
+
+"It's all right, my dear," said she. "What is your name, now?"
+
+"Fweddie," said the Little Boy.
+
+"It ain't neither!" cried Mr. Littleback. "There ain't no such name.
+It's Freddie! Come on, now, say Freddie!"
+
+"Fweddie," said the Little Boy.
+
+"No, no!" cried Toby. "Try it again, now. Say Freddie!"
+
+"Toby," said Aunt Amanda, "shut up. Freddie, I haven't any little boy,
+and I don't get out very much, and I'd like you to come and see me
+sometimes. Would you like to do that?"
+
+Freddie stared at her, and said, "Yes'm."
+
+"I hope you will, often. Be sure you do. I suppose you don't like
+gingerbread? Toby."
+
+The little hunchback went out briskly through a back door and returned
+with a slice of gingerbread. "Baked today," said his aunt. "But what
+time is it? Quarter to six. Too near suppertime. You mustn't eat it now,
+Freddie. Toby, wrap it up."
+
+Toby went into the shop and returned with a paper sack, and putting the
+gingerbread into it gave it to Freddie.
+
+"Now," said Aunt Amanda, "take it home with you and eat it after supper.
+Will you come to see me?"
+
+"Yes'm," said Freddie as if he meant it. You couldn't get gingerbread at
+home between meals every day in the week.
+
+"That's a good boy. Now run away home."
+
+"Please, sir," said Freddie, holding out the money in his hand, "my
+farver wants half a pound of Cage-Roach Mitchner."
+
+"What? Oh!" said Toby. "I see. Half a pound of Stage-Coach Mixture. All
+right, young feller, come along into the shop."
+
+"Good-bye, Freddie, and don't break the gingerbread before you get
+home," said Aunt Amanda, taking into her mouth a palmful of pins with a
+back toss of her head. Had she swallowed them? Freddie stared at her in
+alarm.
+
+"Ain't you never comin' for the tobacco?" said Toby. "I can't keep all
+them customers in the shop waiting all day."
+
+Freddie followed him into the shop.
+
+"You'll have to wait your turn, young feller," said Toby. "I can't keep
+these customers waiting no longer. What'll you have, Mr. Applejohn?"
+
+Freddie looked around for Mr. Applejohn, but so far as he could see
+there was no one in the shop but himself and Mr. Littleback. The
+hunchback went through the swinging gate and stood behind the counter,
+and looked over it (his head and shoulders just came over the top) at
+Mr. Applejohn.
+
+"No," said Toby, "we're just out of it. Very sorry. But I have something
+just as good. No? Well, then, come around tomorrow; yes, sir; between
+ten and eleven. Now, then, Tom, it's your turn. You want what? No, sir,
+I won't sell no cigarettes to no boy, so you can clear out. You ought to
+be ashamed o' yourself, smoking cigarettes at your age. No use arguin',
+I won't do it. You can get right out o' here." The big wooden-looking
+head winked an eye at Freddie. "That's the way I treat 'em. Did you see
+how he skipped off in a hurry? You saw him go, didn't you?"
+
+Freddie looked at the door. He hadn't seen anybody, but after all that
+talk there must have been somebody there; he couldn't be sure; probably
+he had been mistaken about it; grown-up people ought to know what they
+were talking about; perhaps he _had_ seen somebody. He hesitated.
+
+"I--I think so; I believe so; yes, sir."
+
+"Don't you fool yourself, young man. You can't smoke cigarettes if you
+ever want to grow up. Look at me. Do you see this?" He turned his back
+and reached over his shoulder to his hump. "Cigarettes. That's what done
+it. Cigarettes. I smoked 'em along with my bottle of milk, regular, when
+I was a kid, and look at me now, not much bigger than Mr. Punch out
+there. Cigarettes. Maybe you might think it was the bottle o' milk done
+it, instead of the cigarettes, being as they was at the same time; but
+don't you never believe it. Cigarettes! You keep off of 'em. Now
+pipe-tobacco! That's a different thing. If I'd only stuck to a pipe,
+along with that bottle o' milk, look how high I'd 'a' been now! What
+kind o' tobacco did you say your farver wanted? Housewife's Favorite?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie. "My farver he wants half a pound of Cage-Roach
+Mitchner."
+
+"That's it," said Toby. "I don't see how I come to forget that name.
+Your father's a man o' good common sense. Nothing like Cage-Roach. Here
+it is." He turned to the shelf behind him and mounted a little ladder
+and took down a large tin. While he was scooping out the tobacco at the
+counter and weighing it on the scales and doing it up, he was singing to
+himself, and Freddie stared at him with rapt attention.
+
+"Some day," said Mr. Littleback, without pausing in his work or looking
+at Freddie, "them eyes of yourn will pop right out of your head, if you
+ain't careful. Did you ever hear that song?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"Would you like to hear it?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"It's about two old codgers--friends of mine; they come in here regular.
+One of 'em's a good customer and pays spot cash; the other one never
+buys nothing; and I can't say which one of 'em I like worse. Anyway,
+here's how it goes:
+
+    "Oh-h-h! There was an old codger, and he had a wooden leg,
+    And he never bought tobacco when tobacco he could beg."
+
+"Don't you never let yourself get into that habit, young man. Always buy
+your tobacco fair and square. I've known 'em--this feller and many
+another one--never have a grain o' tobacco left in their pouch--just
+used up the very last bit two minutes before, and always a-beggin' a
+pipeful, and right here in my own shop too, where I _sell_ tobacco, mind
+you--I'd like 'em better if they sneaked in and _stole_ it, I would, any
+day. But the other one! I don't know that I'd want to be him neither, if
+I had to choose between 'em,--however--
+
+    "Another old codger, as sly as a fox!
+    And he always had tobacco in his old tobacco box.
+
+"Count on him for that! _He_ never begs no tobacco, nor gives away none
+either. However, he ain't such a general nuisance as the other one, and
+he pays spot cash. I'll have to say that much for him. But in spite o'
+everything and all, I can't seem to make myself care for him, much.
+Anyway--
+
+    "Said the one old codger, Won't ye gimme a chew?
+    Said the other old codger, I'll be hanged if I do!
+
+"They're a fine pair now, ain't they? One of 'em a nuisance and the
+other one a grouch. You'll see 'em here both in my shop one o' these
+days, when you're a-visitin' Aunt Amanda, and one of them times--you see
+the way I bounced that boy that wanted cigarettes, didn't you? Well,
+that's what I'm goin' to do to them two old codgers one of these days,
+you watch and see if I don't; yes, sir; both of 'em, as sure as I've got
+a hump on my back. But it's pretty good advice, after all, what the song
+says,--
+
+    "So save up your pennies and put away your rocks,
+    And you'll always have tobacco in your old tobacco box!
+
+"Here's your Cage-Roach. Gimme your money. There's your change; five,
+ten, fifteen, seventeen. Now run along. Come back again; what did you
+say your name was?"
+
+"Fweddie."
+
+"You mean Freddie, don't you?"
+
+"Yes, sir."
+
+"Why don't you say what you mean? Well, Freddie, there's plenty of
+tobacco left in this shop, so you can come in whenever the old tobacco
+box at home runs out. And don't forget to come in to see Aunt Amanda.
+Plenty of goods left in the shop whenever--you see all that?" He pointed
+up towards the shelves. "I'll tell you something I ain't told to but
+mighty few people before. There's a jar of smoking tobacco up there
+that's just plain magic. Magic! You know what that means?"
+
+Freddie started, and looked up at the shelves in alarm. He nodded.
+
+"It's that one, on the middle shelf; the Chinaman's head. Do you see
+it?"
+
+He pointed to a white porcelain jar, shaped like a human head. Freddie
+could see that it was the head of some foreign kind of man, with a
+little round blue cap on top, which was probably the lid.
+
+"That tobacco in that Chinaman's head is magic, as sure as you're alive.
+I wouldn't smoke it if you'd give me all the plum puddings in this city
+next Christmas; no, sir; and I wouldn't allow nobody else to smoke it,
+neither: I just naturally wouldn't dare to. Do you know where that
+tobacco come from? A sailor off of one them ships down there in the
+harbor, that come all the way from China--yes, sir, _China!_--give it to
+me once for a quid of plug-cut; what you might call broke, he was, and
+it wasn't any use to him because he didn't smoke, but he did chew; and
+he told me all about it; he stole it from an old sorcerer in China,
+where he'd just come from. Don't you never touch it! I wouldn't want to
+be in your boots if you ever smoked that tobacco in that there
+Chinaman's head! You can steal anything else in this shop, and it
+wouldn't do much harm to anybody; but you keep your hands off of that
+Chinaman's tobacco, mind what I'm telling you!"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie. He had never thought about smoking before, in
+connection with himself, but now for the first time he began to wish
+that he knew how to smoke. It would be worth risking something to take a
+whiff or two of the magic tobacco in that Chinaman's head, just to see
+what would happen.
+
+"Do you think you'd better go home now?" said Mr. Littleback.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie. "My farver told me to hurry."
+
+"Oh, he did! Indeed!"
+
+The hunchback followed Freddie to the door, and they looked up together
+at the clock in the church-tower.
+
+"Ah!" said Toby. "You're safe. Just six o'clock. Mr. Punch's father
+can't come out for about half an hour yet."
+
+Freddie looked back as he crossed the street, and saw the live hunchback
+leaning against the wooden hunchback, with one foot crossed over the
+other; he could hardly tell which was which, except for the coat and
+breeches. He went on up the street with his package of tobacco in one
+hand and his package of gingerbread in the other. As he passed the
+church, he lingered a moment to stare at the great fat man with
+spectacles, who was sitting on the pavement in a chair tilted back
+against the church-wall, smoking a long pipe and reading a newspaper;
+could this be the "sextant" of the church, whom Mr. Toby had mentioned,
+and who had heard the queer noises from the top of the tower when Mr.
+Punch and his father were up there having their high jinks? He tried to
+get up his courage to ask the fat man about it, but he could not get the
+words out. He stared so long that the fat man finally put down his paper
+and took the pipe from his mouth and looked over his spectacles and
+said:
+
+"If you're considerin' making a bid for the property, young man, I'll
+see what the senior Churchwarden has to say about it. How much do you
+offer?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie, blushing in confusion, and went on up the
+street. He understood nothing of what the fat man had said, but he
+caught the word "churchwarden," and remembered it.
+
+He did not walk very fast, for he had a good deal to think about; so
+many things had never happened to him in one day before. He dwelt
+especially, in his mind, on the two old codgers who were friends of Mr.
+Toby, and he supposed that his own father never saved up his pennies,
+otherwise his old tobacco box would not be empty every now and then.
+However, he was glad that his father was a spendthrift, because it would
+give him a chance to go to the Old Tobacco Shop sometimes for more
+tobacco for the box; and apart from Aunt Amanda and her gingerbread, he
+was very anxious to look again at the Chinaman's head in which lay the
+magic tobacco which he must not touch. One thing was sure; he would
+never go without looking carefully first at the hands of the clock. He
+wished he knew how to smoke; only not cigarettes; he shivered when he
+thought of the terrible consequences.
+
+When he came to the street-car track, the horse-car was going past; at
+least, it was coming down the street, and he did not want to be run over
+by that horse; he had better wait, for the horse was trotting; his
+mother had warned him about it; he sat down on the curb. He had quite a
+moment or two to wait, and there would be time to give a hasty glance at
+the gingerbread. He laid the tobacco-sack beside him on the curb, and
+opened the other package; the car-horse had dropped into a walk and his
+bell was hardly jingling; there was no hurry after all; it would never
+do to cross in front of that horse even though he was walking. He looked
+at the gingerbread; it was fresh and soft, and its smell, when held
+close to the nose, was nothing less than heavenly; it was a pity it had
+to be hidden away again in the sack, but the horse was going by and the
+danger would soon be past. He held the gingerbread under his nose,
+merely to smell it; the edge of it touched his upper lip by chance, and
+there was something peculiar about the feel of it, he couldn't tell
+exactly what; it was very interesting; he touched it with the tip of his
+tongue, to see if it felt the same to his tongue as to his lip; it was
+just the same; perhaps teeth would be different; his teeth sank into it,
+just for a trial. The horse was going by now, and the driver was looking
+at him. He forgot what he was about, in watching the horse and his
+driver, as they went on past him; the gingerbread completely slipped his
+mind, and when he turned his head back from the horse-car and came to
+himself he found, to his amazement, that his mouth was full of
+gingerbread. He wondered at first how it got there, but there was no use
+in wondering; there it was, and it had to be swallowed; his mother would
+never approve of his spitting it out; and so, to please his mother, he
+swallowed it. The horse-car was nearly a square away; he could cross the
+track at any time now; there was no hurry.
+
+When he came into the fine two-story brick house where he lived, with
+only one package in his hand, his mother threw up her hands and said:
+
+"Why, Freddie! Where on earth have you been? Did you get lost? Are you
+hungry?"
+
+"No'm. Yes'm," said Freddie.
+
+"Frederick," said his father, looking at him with that look, "where have
+you been? Didn't I tell you to hurry?"
+
+"Yes, sir, to Mr. Punch's, and I didn't see his farver at all, but the
+hands come'd right over on top of each other and he didn't get down off
+of his perch, he didn't, so Mr. Toby took me in to see Aunt Namanda and
+she eats pins, and it's cigarettes that gives you that hump on the back,
+only tobacco's all right 'cause you smoke it in a pipe and it doesn't do
+you any harm at all, and that's what Mr. Toby says and he ought to know
+'cause he's got one on his back his own self, but you mustn't touch that
+tobacco in the head 'cause it's magic and the sailor said so, and here's
+the Cage-Roach Mitchner, and that's all."
+
+You will notice that he said nothing about the gingerbread.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER III
+
+INTRODUCING THE CHURCHWARDEN
+
+
+Every time Freddie visited the Old Tobacco Shop after that--and it was
+pretty often, whether the tobacco box at home needed tobacco or not, for
+there were a good many things that drew him there, and he hardly knew
+which was the most fascinating: there was always a chance of
+gingerbread, and you could usually depend on seeing Aunt Amanda eat
+pins, and you could look through the two pieces of glass at the double
+picture and make it all one picture with the people in it standing out
+as if they were real, and Mr. Toby would often sing about his friends
+the two old Codgers and talk about their mean ways, and Mr. Punch was
+always waiting for his father outside the door, so that you had to keep
+your eyes on the time, or at least the clock (which is different), and
+sometimes Mr. Toby would let you in behind the counter and let you scoop
+tobacco into a paper sack, and when his back was turned you could stand
+under the Chinaman's head with the magic tobacco in it, and look up at
+it and wonder what would happen if you took just one or two little teeny
+whiffs--But I forget what I started to tell you. Oh, yes. Every time
+Freddie visited the Old Tobacco Shop, Mr. Toby would ask him his name,
+in order to see if he was grown up yet.
+
+"What's your name today?" Mr. Toby would say.
+
+"Fweddie," would be the Little Boy's answer.
+
+"Not yet," Mr. Toby would say, shaking his head sadly. "You ain't grown
+up yet. I'm very sorry to have to tell you, son, but you've got to wait
+a while before you're grown up. I'll tell you what; I'll give you six
+months more," said Mr. Toby on one occasion. "If you ain't grown up by
+that time, there's no hope for you; I hate to have to say it, but you
+might as well know it one time as another." And the very next time the
+Little Boy came he said his name was "Fweddie," and Mr. Toby said,
+"Well, never mind, you've got five months and twenty-eight days left,
+and there's hope yet. I suppose you wouldn't want to be a Little Boy
+_all_ the time, and never grow up at all, would you?" Freddie looked up
+at him in alarm and said, "No, sir." "Then," said Mr. Toby, "you'd
+better mind your P's and Q's."
+
+Freddie wanted to ask about these P's and Q's, but you may have noticed
+that he was shy, and he could not make up his mind to do so. He knew all
+about P's and Q's in the Alphabet Book at home, but he did not know how
+to mind them; he knew how to mind his mother,--sometimes, but how could
+you mind letters in a book, that couldn't ever say "Don't do that," like
+mother? He was very anxious on this point, for he knew that his time was
+growing short, and the idea of never growing up was simply terrifying;
+he might as well smoke cigarettes and be done with it. In point of fact,
+he now had only about a week left, and he wasn't grown up yet.
+
+But one morning, when the hands of the church clock were wide apart, and
+all was safe, he passed by Mr. Punch and opened the shop door. Mr. Toby
+was standing behind the counter, tying up a parcel. He went on tying it
+up, and said:
+
+"All right, young feller, it's your turn next. This here package is for
+the Sly Old Codger, and he'll be back for it pretty soon, and if it
+ain't ready,--whew! won't we get blown up, though? Now then, what'll you
+have? Pound o' Maiden's Prayer?"
+
+"No, sir," said the Little Boy. "I don't want anything. I just came."
+
+"Oh; you just came. By the way, young man, what is your name today?"
+
+"Freddie!" said the Little Boy.
+
+Mr. Toby dropped his package and leaned across the counter in amazement.
+
+"What's that you say?"
+
+"Freddie!" cried the Little Boy, bursting with pride.
+
+"Well! Bless my soul! If I ever in my life! As sure as the world! Strike
+me dead if he didn't say it as plain as--! Young man," said Mr. Toby,
+solemnly, and he walked to the end of the counter, opened the swinging
+gate, came through, stood in front of Freddie, and shook him by the
+hand. "Young man, I congratulate you. It's all right now. But you had an
+almighty close shave, I can tell you that. Allow me to congratulate you,
+and accept the best wishes of your kind friend, Toby Littleback."
+
+"Please, sir," said Freddie, opening his eyes wide, "am I grown up now?"
+
+Mr. Toby stared without speaking, and then threw out both his arms, and
+for a moment it looked as if he were going to hug the Little Boy, but he
+evidently thought better of it.
+
+"Are you--? Why, of course you are! Ain't I been telling you? But don't
+you go and presume on it too much, young feller! You don't think you can
+go and smoke cigarettes now, just because you're grown up, do you?"
+
+"Oh no, sir," said Freddie, earnestly.
+
+"I should hope not. And that there Chinaman's head up there--you don't
+think you can go and smoke that magic tobacco now, do you? Because if
+you do!"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie; but he said this a little doubtfully, and he
+looked at the Chinaman's head with more interest than ever. What was the
+use of being grown up if you couldn't take a little risk now and then?
+
+"All right, then!" cried Mr. Toby. "We've got to have a little
+celebration over this here event, and we'd better go in and see Aunt
+Amanda about it, right now!"
+
+He grasped Freddie's hand again, and pulled him to the back door, and
+through into the back room where Aunt Amanda was sitting by the table
+with the wax flowers, sewing.
+
+"Quick! quick! Tell Aunt Amanda your name now, quick! What's your name?"
+cried Mr. Toby.
+
+"Freddie!" said the Little Boy, very distinctly, but looking down at the
+carpet, for fear he should seem proud.
+
+"We're grown up today," cried Mr. Toby, "and we've got to celebrate!"
+
+Aunt Amanda raised her eyebrows in astonishment, and said:
+
+"Esheeraybysart!"
+
+She put her hand to her mouth and somehow got out into her hand a good
+mouthful of pins. She laid them down on the table at her elbow, and
+said:
+
+"Bless the dear baby's heart! And are you grown up now?"
+
+"Yes'm," said Freddie, looking up and then down again, for he did not
+wish to seem too proud.
+
+Aunt Amanda looked at him for a moment, and took out her handkerchief
+and blew her nose very loud.
+
+"Toby," she said, "what did you mean by a celebration?"
+
+"Tomorrow's Saturday," said he.
+
+"Well, what of it?"
+
+Freddie could not understand very well what they were saying after that,
+except that he was concerned in it somehow, until he heard Aunt Amanda
+say:
+
+"You'd better ask his mother, then."
+
+"Young man," said Mr. Toby, "if I write a letter to your ma, will you
+give it to her?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, whereupon Mr. Toby sat down at the other side
+of the table, with pen and paper and ink, and commenced to write.
+
+"First," said Aunt Amanda, "there's some of that fruit-cake from last
+Christmas still in the--"
+
+"Right you are!" cried Toby, jumping up and going out into the kitchen.
+
+Freddie ate the fruit-cake, sitting on a hassock at Aunt Amanda's feet,
+while Toby went on with his letter, but in the midst of it Toby went out
+again, and finally came back with a tall glass of ice-cold lemonade.
+
+"Don't you go and spill it on the carpet," said he, as he sat down to
+his writing.
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie.
+
+Aunt Amanda looked at him, as he sat so seriously on his hassock at her
+feet, munching his fruit-cake and sipping his lemonade; and she pulled
+out her pocket-handkerchief and blew her nose again, very loud. She
+appeared to have a cold. Toby paid no attention to her; his head was
+lying sidewise on his left arm on the table, and he was squinting at the
+sheet of paper, and every time his pen came down he closed his mouth
+tight, and every time his pen went up he opened his mouth wide. Freddie
+and Aunt Amanda had plenty of time to talk. Under the softening
+influence of fruit-cake and lemonade Freddie found his tongue.
+
+"What's a Churchwarden?" he said suddenly into the lemonade-glass, which
+was just under his nose.
+
+"Bless the baby!" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"It's a long clay pipe, young man," said Toby, chewing the end of his
+pen-holder, "like you've seen in the case out there in the shop."
+
+"That ain't what he means," said Aunt Amanda. "You mean a man, don't
+you, Freddie?"
+
+"Yes'm," said Freddie, looking at the cake just going into his mouth.
+
+"It's a man," said Aunt Amanda, "it's a man that belongs to a church,
+and he stands guard over the church property, and sees to the repairs,
+and beats little boys with a cane when they make a noise during service,
+and takes care nobody don't run away with the collection money, and----"
+
+"How do you spell 'respectfully'?" said Toby, scratching his head with
+the pen. "Yours respectfully."
+
+"R-e--" began Aunt Amanda, "s-p-e-c-k--no, that ain't right,--r-e-s--"
+
+"There's one over at that church," said Freddie, pointing towards the
+window, "and he smokes one, too."
+
+"One what, Freddie?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"A Churchwarden. There's a Churchwarden sits out on the pavement and he
+smokes a Churchwarden, he does." Freddie was rather proud that he had
+mastered that difficult word, and he liked to hear himself say it.
+
+"Oh," said Toby, "I reckon he means the sextant over there. Well, 'Yours
+respectfully.' I don't give a--hum!--how you spell it. There she goes.
+Done. 'Yours respectfully, Toby Littleback.' It's blotted up some, by
+crackey, that's a fact; but I ain't a-goin' to write all that over
+again, not by a jugful." And he took out his handkerchief and wiped the
+perspiration from his forehead.
+
+"He's a Churchwarden," insisted Freddie, swallowing the last of the
+lemonade after the last of the cake.
+
+"All right," said Toby, "have it your own way. But a sextant's as good
+as a Churchwarden, in _my_ opinion, any day of the week,--except Sunday,
+of course."
+
+Aunt Amanda inspected the letter, and declared herself horrified by the
+blots; but Toby positively refused to go through that exhausting labor
+again, so she passed it grudgingly, and handed it to Freddie in an
+envelope, and told him to give it to his mother as soon as he got home.
+
+"Do you want some more cake and lemonade?" said she.
+
+"Yes'm," said he.
+
+"Well, you won't get it, so trot along home."
+
+In the shop Mr. Toby showed him the churchwarden pipes in the show-case.
+Freddie wondered how it would taste to smoke some of that magic tobacco
+in the Chinaman's head in a churchwarden pipe.
+
+As he passed the church on his way home, he looked for the fat old man
+who usually sat in his chair tilted back against the wall, but he was
+not there. Freddie wished to ask him about those noises up in the tower
+when Mr. Punch and his father were having their high jinks; he had never
+been able to screw up his courage to the point of asking about this, but
+now that he was grown up he thought he might be able.
+
+He gave the letter to his mother, and she read it; but she said nothing
+to him about it. When his father came home in the evening, she showed
+the letter to him, and they talked about it, and Freddie could not
+understand very well what they were saying. Finally his father said:
+
+"Well, I don't think there would be any harm in it."
+
+"I suppose not," said his mother. "I'll see them in the morning. He had
+better wear his Sunday suit and his new shoes."
+
+This was bad, because it sounded like Sunday-school, and the shoes
+squeaked. Freddie thought he had better change the subject, so he said:
+
+"I'm grown up. I can say Freddie. Mr. Toby says so."
+
+His father laughed, but his mother took him up in her arms and hugged
+him close to her breast.
+
+The next day was in fact Saturday, and after lunch Freddie's mother
+helped him, or rather forced him, into his Sunday suit and his new
+shoes, after a really outrageous piece of washing, which went not only
+behind the ears but actually into them. She put his cap on his head--he
+always had to move it a trifle afterwards,--looked at his finger-nails
+again, pulled down his jacket in front and buttoned every button,
+straightened out each of the four wings of his bow tie, took off his cap
+to see if his hair was mussed and put it on again, pulled down his
+jacket in front, straightened his tie, altered the position of his cap,
+put both her arms around him and kissed him, and told him it was nearly
+two o'clock and he had better hurry. As soon as she had gone in, after
+watching him go off down the street, he unbuttoned every button of his
+jacket, put his cap on the back of his head, and in crossing the
+street-car track deliberately walked his shiny squeaking shoes into a
+pile of street-sweepings; he then felt better, and went on towards the
+Old Tobacco Shop.
+
+As he came to the church, he stopped to look at the hands of the clock;
+he was in luck; the hands would not be together for ever so long, for it
+was ten minutes to two. The Churchwarden was sitting in his chair tilted
+back against the wall, keeping guard over his church; and he was smoking
+his churchwarden pipe. Freddie walked by very slowly, and his shoes
+squeaked aloud on the brick pavement. The fat old man gazed at him
+solemnly, and Freddie looked at the fat old man. The Churchwarden's
+chair came down on the pavement with a thump.
+
+"Look here!" he said. "This ain't Sunday! What's the meaning of all
+this? It's against the rules to wear them squeaking shoes of a Saturday!
+The Dean and Chapter has made that rule, by and with the advice and
+consent of the City Council, don't you know that? And all that big red
+necktie, too! Did you think it was Sunday?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie, for he was always honest, even in the face of
+danger. "I couldn't help it. I didn't want to, but mother made me----"
+
+"Ah! that's it. I thought maybe you'd made a mistake in the day; then it
+wouldn't 'a' been so bad. Look here; it's my duty to report this here
+violation of the Sunday law, but as long as--you're sure you ain't
+_particeps criminis_?"
+
+"No, sir," said the Little Boy earnestly. "My name's Freddie."
+
+"Well, that makes it different. I though you was another party; young
+party-ceps; but if you ain't, why--Here; you'll need something to show,
+in case you should meet the Archdeacon, and he'd want to know why I
+hadn't reported you--Show him this, and he'll know it's all right."
+
+The fat Churchwarden fished in his vest pocket and drew out, between a
+fat thumb and a fat forefinger, a round shining piece of metal, and put
+it in Freddie's hand. Freddie saw that it was a bright new five-cent
+piece, commonly called a nickel. He felt better.
+
+"If you don't meet the Archdeacon between here and Littleback's Tobacco
+Shop," went on the Churchwarden, "you don't need to keep it any longer;
+I don't care what you do with it then; only not pickles, mind you!"
+
+"No sir," said Freddie.
+
+This was his chance to inquire about Mr. Punch's father and the noises
+in the tower, but it was out of his power to stay longer; he was too
+glad to escape without being reported; and he accordingly went off down
+the street, squeaking worse than ever, and positively hurrying.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IV
+
+IN WHICH MR. HANLON MAKES A GREAT IMPRESSION
+
+
+Freddie found no one in the Tobacco Shop, so he knocked on the door of
+the back room, and it was instantly opened by Mr. Littleback himself;
+but a Mr. Littleback so resplendent that Freddie hardly knew him.
+
+The suit of clothes which Mr. Littleback wore was beyond any doubt a
+brand new suit. The ground color of it was a rich mauve, if you know
+what that is; not exactly purple, nor violet, but somewhere in between;
+and up and down and across were stripes of brown, making good-sized
+squares all over him; it was extremely beautiful. His collar was a high
+white collar, very stiff, and it held up his chin in front like a
+whitewashed fence. His necktie was of a pale-blue satin, with little
+pink roses painted on it, yes sir, painted! mind you, by hand! It was
+not one of those troublesome things that come in a single long piece and
+take you hours before the glass to twist and turn over and under before
+you can get them to look like a necktie; no indeed; it was far better
+than that; it was tied already, by somebody who could do it better than
+you ever could, and when you bought it, all you had to do was to put it
+on; fasten those two rubber bands behind with a hook, and there you
+were; perfect. As to hair, the hand of the barber was yet upon him; his
+hair, parted on one side, was of a slickness which his own soap never
+could have accomplished; on the wide side, it lay flat down over his
+forehead, and there gave a sudden curl backward, like the curve of a
+hairpin, but much more graceful; it is only the most studious barbers
+who ever learn to do it just right. There were creases down the arms of
+Mr. Toby's coat and down the front of his trouser-legs. A yellow silk
+handkerchief showed itself, not boldly, but quietly, from his breast
+pocket.
+
+As he let Freddie in, and in doing so turned his back to Aunt Amanda,
+she screamed and cried out:
+
+"Toby! Look behind you! Merciful heavens!"
+
+Freddie, in the midst of his admiration of the magnificent creature, saw
+him whirl about and look behind himself in alarm. His aunt pointed at
+his coat and said sternly, "Come here."
+
+Freddie saw on the back of Mr. Toby's coat, near the bottom, as he
+whirled about, a little square white tag.
+
+Mr. Toby backed up to his aunt, and stood before her, trying to look at
+his back over his shoulder, while she took her scissors and clipped the
+threads by which the white tag was sewed to the back of his coat. She
+held up the tag; it had numbers printed and written on it.
+
+"Now ain't that just like you, Toby Littleback," she said, "going out
+with your tag on your back, with your size on it and your height and
+age, too, for all I know, for anybody to see that you've got on a
+splittin' brand new suit right out o' the shop. If you'd 'a' gone out
+with that on your back, I'd 'a' died with shame right here in this
+chair. Ain't you even able to dress yourself?"
+
+"By crickets, that _would_ 'a' been bad," said Toby, considerably upset.
+"However, you caught it in time, so there ain't no use cryin' over it.
+Good-bye, Aunt; come along, Freddie, or we'll be late."
+
+"Ain't you goin' to wear a hat?" said Aunt Amanda. "I declare the man's
+so excited he don't know what he's doing."
+
+"Blamed if I didn't come near going without a hat," said Toby. "Here she
+is."
+
+He produced his hat from a cupboard in the room, and put it on. It would
+have been a pity indeed for him to have gone without it. It was a white
+derby; yes, a _white_ derby. It was the kind of a hat which was known in
+that city as a "pinochle"; pronounced "pea-knuckle" by all well-informed
+boys. With the mauve suit and the hand-painted necktie and the
+whitewashed fence, the white derby set him off to perfection, especially
+as he wore it a little towards the back of his head, so as to show the
+loveliest part of the plastered curl of his hair on the forehead. Aunt
+Amanda could not restrain her admiration.
+
+"You'll do now," she said. "I don't know that I ever seen you look so
+genteel before."
+
+Toby, in the embarrassment of being considered genteel, put his hands in
+his trousers pockets.
+
+"Take them hands out of your pockets," said Aunt Amanda sharply, and he
+took them out in a hurry.
+
+"Now, Freddie," she said, "come here a minute, and I'll set you to
+rights."
+
+Freddie stood before her knee, not very willingly, and she buttoned his
+jacket from top to bottom, and put his cap squarely on his head.
+
+"Now you'd better be off," she said.
+
+"Good-bye, Aunt, and I wish you were going too," said Toby, his hand on
+the door-knob.
+
+"Good-bye, Freddie," said she.
+
+"Good-bye," said Freddie.
+
+"Good-bye what?" said she.
+
+"Aunt Amanda," said he.
+
+When they were out in the street, and she heard Toby lock the shop door
+behind him, she took out her handkerchief and blew her nose; her cold
+was evidently worse, because she blew her nose several times; and then,
+tucking her handkerchief away in her dress, she put her head down on
+her arm on the table, and cried.
+
+The first thing Freddie did, as they went up the street, was to put his
+cap back again on the back of his head, and the next thing he did was to
+unbutton every button of his jacket, from top to bottom.
+
+The little hunchback was in a great hurry, and he dragged the Little Boy
+along by the hand so fast that he could hardly keep up. As they hurried
+along, several naughty boys, observing Mr. Toby's white derby hat,
+called after him, very rudely, "Pea-knuckle! pea-knuckle!" But Mr. Toby
+paid no attention, and dragged Freddie along faster than ever.
+
+"We don't want to miss any of it," said Mr. Toby. "Hurry up, boy."
+
+They did not have far to go; only four or five "squares." They stopped
+before a great grimy brick building with a great wide entrance-way.
+
+"Here we are," said Toby.
+
+"What does that say up there?" said Freddie.
+
+"Gaunt Street Theatre," said Toby. "Hurry up."
+
+Freddie hung back before a signboard on which was a picture of a slender
+man dressed up in white clothing, very tight, with red and black squares
+on it; he was leaning against a table; his head and face were a dead
+white, except for red eyebrows, and a red spot in each cheek, and he had
+no hair, but a smooth dead-white skin from his forehead to the back of
+his neck. The peculiar thing was, that his head was on the table beside
+him, and not on his neck. Freddie pointed to the writing underneath the
+picture, and said:
+
+"What does that say?"
+
+"Hanlon's Superba," said Toby, pulling him along. "Hurry up! We'll be
+late."
+
+Mr. Littleback went to a little window in the wall, inside the
+entrance-way, and spoke to a man in there, and evidently asked
+permission to go in, and evidently got it; and they did go in, up a
+flight of stairs, and found themselves suddenly among thousands and
+thousands of people, as it seemed, all sitting in chairs facing the same
+way, in a vast house lit up by gas light so that it was almost as bright
+as day; and Toby and Freddie sat down in the very front row of these
+people, and looked down over a railing in front of them on the heads of
+thousands and thousands, as it seemed, of other people, all sitting in
+chairs facing the same way. Everybody was facing towards a straight wall
+at the other side of the house, which had pictures painted on it. At the
+foot of this wall, in a kind of trench, there was a man at a piano, and
+there were other men with fiddles big and little, and still others with
+brass things, and they were all playing a tremendous tune together, but
+just after Toby and Freddie had sat down, they stopped playing and Toby
+nudged Freddie with his elbow, and said:
+
+"Now, then, young feller, what do you think of this, eh? Just you wait!
+Keep your eye on that curtain!"
+
+He had no sooner said this than somewhere in the house somebody gave a
+piercing whistle between his fingers, and in a minute there was such a
+racket that it was impossible to talk. There must have been people above
+them, and they must certainly have all been boys; for from up there
+Freddie heard a clapping of hands and a stamping of feet, all in a
+regular time, which spread to the whole house, and in the midst of it
+the boys up there began to shout and call and whistle, and in a few
+minutes there was such a hubbub as only boys could make, with whistling
+between the fingers leading the riot. Toby nudged Freddie again with his
+elbow, and to Freddie's surprise began to clap his hands and stamp his
+feet with the rest; and as Freddie thought he ought to be polite, he
+clapped his hands, too, though he did not know very well what it was all
+about.
+
+Suddenly the men in the trench at the foot of the painted wall struck up
+again, and that quieted the other noise for a moment; but only for a
+moment; someone whistled through his fingers, and in an instant those
+fiddlers might as well have been sawing away at their fiddles out at the
+Park, for all you could hear them; and right in the midst of it all,
+while Freddie was trying to shout the word "Peanuts" into Toby's ear,
+suddenly the lights went out and you could have heard a pin drop.
+
+"Now then! now then!" whispered Mr. Toby, in great excitement. "Now
+you'll see! Watch the curtain! It's going up!"
+
+From down there in that dark trench came the sound of a soft twittery
+kind of music, and at the same time the painted wall that Freddie had
+been looking at was rising! going up! And it went on up and up out of
+sight into the ceiling, and there behind it, in a dim light, there
+behind it, mysterious and fearsome and delicious,--Well, there behind it
+was Fairyland. Just Fairyland.
+
+I can't describe it to you. Freddie never forgot it. If you haven't seen
+Hanlon's Superba, in some old Gaunt Street Theatre or other, on a
+Saturday afternoon, with the galleries wild with boys, you have not
+lived. When Freddie tried to tell his mother and his father about it
+that night, it was such a whirling mass of wonders and glories that they
+could not make head nor tail of it. It is useless to speak of the Fairy
+Queen in her glittering white, coming to the rescue in the nick of time
+with her diamond sceptre, or of the horrible demons, or the trouble and
+excitement they made for everybody, or of the beautiful young lady
+who--and such leapings and twistings and climbings and tumblings as no
+mere human beings with bones in them could ever have performed--it is no
+use; it is best not to try to describe it. But there was one part
+which, although it may seem to you the most unlikely thing in the world,
+really had a good deal to do with Freddie afterwards. There was the same
+man whose picture he had seen outside on the signboard; and he could
+climb straight walls and leap through high windows and tumble across
+floors in a way which passed belief; but there was one thing he could
+not do; he could not talk; he never spoke a word from beginning to end.
+Once, after having escaped from a parcel of wicked red imps, he sat
+down, tired out and starved to death, before a table loaded with food,
+and he commenced to make a hearty meal; but just as he was about to
+sample each plate it disappeared, vanished, completely out of sight,
+right under his nose. His distress was pitiable, and Freddie thought it
+cruel of everybody to laugh, as everybody did. On his plate were
+sausages, and he nearly got them; but just as he thought he had them,
+they actually jumped off the table and ran along the floor and up the
+wall; and the poor man had to climb the wall after them, which he did
+like a cat, and even then he never came up with them; he was terribly
+disappointed; and to finish off his miseries, at last a wicked creature
+with a sword came up behind him, as he was leaning his head down on the
+table in despair, and cut off his head before your very eyes; really and
+truly cut it off; there was no doubt about it; the head was on the table
+and the poor man was in the chair; Freddie was terrified, and clutched
+Mr. Toby's arm. But when the wicked murderer had gone away, back popped
+the head onto the dead man's neck, his eyes opened, he grinned from ear
+to ear, and there he was on his feet, skipping and tumbling, as lively
+as ever; and at that Freddie and all the others in the house roared and
+shouted and clapped their hands.
+
+"Is that Mr. Hanlon?" whispered Freddie into Mr. Toby's ear.
+
+"Reckon it is," said Toby, too excited himself to pay much attention to
+Freddie.
+
+But it could not last forever. Even the peanuts, which Toby bought for
+Freddie between the first and second acts, were all gone, and the
+curtain was down for the last time, and the crowd crushed through the
+doors, and Mr. Toby put on his white derby hat.
+
+They were in the street, and the speechless Mr. Hanlon was a thing of
+the past. Freddie did not believe that he would ever see that dumb and
+loose-headed man again; but in that he was mistaken, as you shall see.
+
+Toby left him at the corner near his father's house.
+
+"What I say is," said Toby, "three cheers for our growing-up party!"
+
+"Yes," said Freddie, "and three cheers for Mr. Hanlon!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER V
+
+THE CHINAMAN'S HEAD
+
+
+For a long time afterwards, Freddie dreamed at night of a hunchbacked
+man whose head came off and popped on again, and wicked red demons who
+chased a poor man with a white face who tried to cry for help and could
+not speak a word, and of a Chinaman's head without a body, smoking a
+long clay pipe. In the daytime, he thought a good deal about the people
+he was now acquainted with: Mr. Toby with his white derby hat, Aunt
+Amanda swallowing pins, the sailorman from China, Mr. Punch and his
+father, Mr. Hanlon with his head on the table, the Churchwarden smoking
+his churchwarden pipe, and the two old Codgers, one so sly and the other
+so beggarly; but that which occupied his mind more than anything else
+was the Chinaman's head on Mr. Toby's shelf.
+
+Freddie was older now, and as time went on it might be thought that he
+would have grown accustomed to all these strange things; but he had not;
+far from it; he thought about them more and more, and most of all about
+the Chinaman's head and the magic tobacco. He really could not get that
+Chinaman's head out of his mind. Here was magic just within reach of
+your hand, and you were told that you mustn't touch it. You might as
+well have Aladdin's lamp in your bureau drawer, and be told to keep away
+from the bureau; even parents ought to know better than to expect such a
+thing. Anyway, what harm could just one or two little whiffs do? You
+needn't smoke a whole pipeful, if you didn't want to. However, Mr. Toby
+would not be pleased, and Freddie did not intend to do anything to
+displease Mr. Toby. Still, it did seem a pity, with such a chance right
+over your head--Oh, well, he would think no more about it; he fixed his
+mind on other things; he thought especially about a hymn they sang
+nearly every Sunday in Sunday-school; it was a great help; he knew it by
+heart, and it went like this:
+
+    "Yield not to temptation,
+      For yielding is sin,
+    Each vict'ry will help you
+      Some other to win."
+
+He resolved he would never think about the magic tobacco again; he went
+to sleep saying over to himself, "Yield not to temptation," and dreamed
+all night about the Chinaman's head, and thought about it all the next
+day.
+
+In order to get it out of his mind, he called on Aunt Amanda. It was
+late in the afternoon; he sat on his hassock and watched Aunt Amanda
+sewing. Mr. Toby was in the shop, waiting on customers. Freddie watched
+for a long time, and then said:
+
+"What are you doing?"
+
+"Basting," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"I thought that was what you did to a turkey," said Freddie.
+
+"So it is," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"That isn't a turkey," said Freddie.
+
+"No," said Aunt Amanda, "you baste a turkey with gravy."
+
+"That isn't gravy," said Freddie.
+
+"It's different," said Aunt Amanda. "You see, I have to sew this up with
+needle and thread, and----"
+
+"You sew up a turkey with needle and thread, too," said Freddie.
+
+"But that's different," said Aunt Amanda. "You couldn't baste a turkey
+with needle and thread, and you couldn't baste dress-goods with
+gravy----"
+
+"Why not?" said Freddie.
+
+"Well," said Aunt Amanda, "well, you see, they don't do it that way;
+it's _different_; it ain't the same thing at all; it's like this; when
+you baste a turkey----"
+
+"Have you ever had any children?" said Freddie.
+
+Aunt Amanda put her hand to her heart suddenly, as if she had received a
+shot there, and caught her breath; then she looked out of the window,
+and then round at the wax flowers on the table, and then at the door,
+and she really seemed to be thinking of running away. But she was too
+lame to do that, and she at last clasped her fingers together tight in
+her lap, and looked hard at Freddie. He was gazing at her calmly,
+waiting for information.
+
+"No," said Aunt Amanda, "I have never--had--any--children."
+
+"Why not?" said Freddie.
+
+"I have--never--been married," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+Freddie thought about this for a moment.
+
+"Didn't anybody ever want you?" said he.
+
+"No," said she, "nobody--ever--wanted--me."
+
+Freddie was puzzled.
+
+"But you're nice," said he.
+
+"That ain't enough," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"What else do you have to be?"
+
+"You have to be pretty."
+
+"Weren't you ever pretty?"
+
+"I thought--so--once, but--but--I must have been mistaken. I guess I
+never was."
+
+Freddie thought it over, and announced his decision seriously.
+
+"_I_ would want you, anyway."
+
+Aunt Amanda stretched out a trembling hand to him and ran her fingers
+through his hair; then she threw both her arms around him and pressed
+him against her knee. He was much annoyed. He was afraid she might be
+going to kiss him; but she did not; instead, she pulled out her
+handkerchief and blew her nose.
+
+"How many children were there that you didn't have?" said Freddie, to
+change the subject. Aunt Amanda did not understand this at first, but
+she finally saw what he meant. What _did_ he mean? you may say. What he
+meant was--well, it is perfectly clear, but it is hard to explain.
+Anyway, Aunt Amanda understood him. "Three," said she. "Bobby was the
+oldest, and Jenny next, and James was the littlest one."
+
+"Did they all go to school?"
+
+"Oh dear no. Only Bobby. And once he played hookey, and was gone
+all day, and didn't come home until after dark, all muddy. I
+was terribly worried. He was a very mischievous boy, but he was
+his--mother's--own----"
+
+"Did he play marbles for keeps?"
+
+"Yes, but he went to Sunday-school just as regular, and liked it,
+and----"
+
+"He _liked_ it?"
+
+"Yes, of course, and he always took good care of Jenny----. She had
+little yellow curls. They went to Sunday-school together hand in hand,
+and he didn't even mind her carrying her dolly with her; she wouldn't go
+without it. He was so careful of her at street-crossings. She loved her
+dollies. She used to pretend that James was one of them."
+
+"Did James like that?"
+
+"Not very well, but he put up with it for quite a few minutes at a time.
+He couldn't be still very long. But he was pretty lonesome when Jenny
+had the measles."
+
+"I've had the chicken-pox. Did Bobby know how to mind his P's and Q's?"
+
+"He didn't mind anybody very well. Once I had a note from his teacher,
+and it said----"
+
+But Freddie never learned what sin Bobby had committed in school; for at
+that moment the shop door opened, and Mr. Toby thrust in his head and
+said:
+
+"Just got to get around to the barber-shop right away this minute; can't
+put it off no longer. Won't be gone twenty minutes. Freddie!"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, standing up.
+
+"Do you think you could look after the shop for twenty minutes, while
+I'm gone?"
+
+Now Freddie did not know it, but this was in fact the most important
+question that had ever been put to him in his life. Everything depended
+on his answer; if he said no, we might as well stop this story right
+here; if he said yes----
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"All right. If anybody comes in, just tell 'em to wait."
+
+Freddie left Aunt Amanda, sitting very still, and gazing out of the
+window, with her hands folded in her lap, and followed Mr. Toby into the
+shop.
+
+"All right, sonny," said Mr. Toby, "make yourself comfortable. I'll be
+back in a jiffy. If anybody comes in, you tell 'em to wait." And with
+that he went out of the door and up the street. Freddie was left alone
+in the shop.
+
+Everything was very quiet now, for it was beginning to be twilight, and
+all the people seemed to be indoors. He knew he ought to be going home,
+but he had promised to mind the shop, and it would never do to leave
+before Mr. Toby came back. The street door and the door to Aunt Amanda's
+room were both closed. He sat down on the chair by the front window and
+looked out across the bull-dog's head. He thought of Bobby and his
+little sister in Sunday-school, and that led him to think of the hymn
+that did him so much good:
+
+    "Yield not to temptation,
+      For yielding is sin."
+
+He sang that tune to himself for a while, and he found himself singing
+other tunes, and finally one which began:
+
+    "There was an old codger, and he had a wooden leg,
+    And he never bought tobacco when tobacco he could beg."
+
+Tobacco! There was a world of tobacco on those shelves. Smoking tobacco,
+and churchwarden pipes. He strolled around behind the counter, and let
+down the back of the show-case. There were the churchwarden pipes; he
+selected one and took it out. It tasted cold and clammy when he put it
+in his mouth, and he wondered what it would taste like with tobacco in
+it. He brought the little ladder and got up on it, facing the shelves,
+and to his surprise he found himself looking directly into the slanting
+eyes of the porcelain Chinaman's head. He stood there gazing
+thoughtfully into those eyes, and singing to himself the verse which was
+always such a help to him:
+
+    "Yield not to temptation,
+      For yielding is sin,
+    Each vict'ry will help you
+      Some other to win."
+
+It was growing a little darker now, and he could not examine the
+Chinaman's head very well without bringing it closer. He took the head
+in his hands, lifted it from the shelf, got down off the ladder, and sat
+down on the floor with his back against the counter; and while he was
+doing this he hummed to himself the next part of his tune:
+
+    "Fight manfully onward,
+      Dark passions subdue."
+
+He put the head on his knees, and took off the Chinaman's little round
+cap, which proved to be in fact a lid. He put his hand inside and drew
+out a good fistful of absolutely black tobacco, fine and powdery like
+coal-dust; he held it to his nose, and it smelt very sweet, in fact much
+like brown sugar. He wondered if it would taste like brown sugar through
+the pipe-stem; and humming quietly to himself, "Each vict'ry will help
+you," he poured the tobacco into the bowl of the pipe. He was
+disappointed, on sucking in through the pipe-stem, to find that there
+was no brown-sugar taste at all. Of course, the only way to give tobacco
+any taste was to light it; he reached up and got a match off the counter
+behind him, and sitting down again struck the match on the floor. It
+made a very pretty glow in the twilight, and he watched it as it burned
+away in his fingers; it would be burnt out in another second, so,
+humming to himself those ever-helpful words, "Yield not to temptation,"
+he put the pipe in his mouth and touched the lighted match to the
+tobacco.
+
+It is painful to have to tell these things, but it can't be helped; for
+the consequences were so strange, and so important to Freddie and his
+friends, that----
+
+Anyway, he lit the pipe and drew in a long breath through the stem. He
+nearly choked to death. Smoke got into his nose and his eyes and his
+throat, and he coughed and coughed; but he remembered the words, "Fight
+manfully onward," and he determined that he would not give up so soon.
+He stopped coughing and pulled again at the pipe; this time he did not
+swallow the smoke, but blew it out of his mouth as he had seen it done a
+thousand times. He gave another pull, and blew the smoke out again; it
+did indeed taste like brown sugar; it was extremely pleasant; he puffed
+again and again. He was astonished that he could have produced so much
+smoke in a few whiffs; there was quite a cloud over his head. He gave
+another puff, and when he blew out the smoke the white cloud above him
+was so thick that he could not see through it. It began to settle down
+on him. He put the Chinaman's head on the floor, and looked up into this
+cloud.
+
+It was growing thicker and thicker, and it was beginning to churn about
+as if in a whirlwind; it turned all sorts of colours, mostly yellow and
+green, and parts of it looked like barber's poles revolving at a
+terrific speed. He became dizzy as he gazed at it; his head began to
+swim; the cloud was coming down closer and closer upon him, and whirling
+about more and more wildly; he crouched down lower, and became dizzier
+and dizzier. The counter and the shelves began to go round and round, so
+that he had to put his hand on the floor to steady himself; in another
+moment the shop disappeared altogether, and there was nothing under him
+but a little square of floor, and nothing over him but the wild,
+churning cloud, now sparkling with jets of fire. He felt himself
+falling, falling, and as he came to the bottom with a crash, he heard
+the shop door open and close, and found himself sitting on the floor
+with his back to the counter as before, with no smoke anywhere to be
+seen; and he was aware that a hoarse voice was speaking on the other
+side of the counter, and it was saying these words, very loud and brisk:
+
+"Avast, there! Belay that piping! All snug, sir, hatches battened down,
+makin' way under skysails and royals, hands piped to quarters, and
+here's your humble servant ready for orders! Shiver my timbers, where's
+the skipper? Piped me up with a 'baccy pipe, he did, and where's he
+gone? Skipper ahoy! Come for orders, I be, and ever yours to command,
+Lemuel Mizzen! That's me!"
+
+Freddie put the pipe down on the floor, rose to his feet, and looked
+over the counter.
+
+Leaning on his elbow on the other side of the counter was a Sailorman,
+with a wide blue collar open at the throat, a flat blue cap with a black
+ribbon on the back of his head, and a green patch over his right eye.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VI
+
+LEMUEL MIZZEN, A.B.
+
+
+Freddie looked at the Sailorman, and the Sailorman straightened up and
+touched his cap. His face was brown as weathered oak, and creased like
+bark; his one eye was black and glittering; the hand which he raised to
+his cap was of the shape and nearly the size of a ham; and the chest and
+throat which emerged from his wide-open shirt-collar was as brown as his
+face, and big with muscles. There was a delicious odour of tar about
+him; you positively could not look at him without hearing wind whistling
+through ropes. He hitched up his trousers with his other hand and said:
+
+"Ay, ay, skipper! Here I be as big as life, all ready fer orders!"
+
+As Freddie gazed at him, the Little Boy slowly collected his wits, and a
+light began to dawn upon him.
+
+"Have you been to China?" said he.
+
+"Right-o!" cried the Sailorman. "To China I have been----" in a queer
+sing-song, as if he might have been marching in time to it round a
+capstan, hauling in an anchor: "To China I have been, and a many ports
+I've seen, near and far; I can sail before the mast or behind it just as
+fast, I'm a tar, I'm a tar, I'm a tar!"
+
+Freddie continued to stare at him with increasing astonishment.
+
+"Are you a sailor, sir?" said he.
+
+"Wot, me? I'm Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., that's me, and I sail the deep blue
+sea from Maine to Afrikee, and round again on an even keel to Cochin
+China for cochineal, and back to Chili for Chili sauce, and home again
+to Banbury Cross--that's me! Lemuel Mizzen, able seaman! Fed on hard
+tack or soft tack, or a starboard tack or a port tack, it's all the same
+to me! Now then, skipper, you piped me up, wot's the orders?"
+
+"Please, sir," said Freddie, "would you mind telling me what it is you
+would like to have?"
+
+"_Me?_ Douse my binnacle light, wot I want is a chew o' terbacker; but
+the question before the chart-house is, wot do _you_ want, skipper?"
+
+"I don't want anything," said Freddie.
+
+"Wot? You piped me up, didn't you? Piped me up with a pipe?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"Sorry to entertain a different opinion from the skipper! Didn't you
+smoke the Chinaman's 'baccy, _in_ a pipe?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, hanging his head.
+
+"Then you did pipe me up with a pipe, and I hope I knows better than to
+come aft without bein' piped. Didn't you know I've got to come when you
+smoke the pipe with the Chinaman's 'baccy in it?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie.
+
+The Able Seaman fixed his black eye on Freddie in amazement.
+
+"Well, bust my locker if this ain't the--Beggin' your pardon, skipper,
+and no offense meant! Called me off from the China Sea, and don't want
+me after all! Didn't go fer to do it, not him! And me off in the China
+Sea amongst the Boxers, a-v'yaging hither and thither to pick up a cargo
+o' boxes to box compasses with! Ye've brought me a fair long journey fer
+nothin', skipper!"
+
+[Illustration: "I'm Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., that's me!"]
+
+"I'm very sorry, sir," said Freddie, "I didn't know you had to come when
+the Chinaman's tobacco was smoked. Are you the one that brought that
+tobacco here?"
+
+"Ay, ay! That's me! Lemuel Mizzen, A.B.! And a fine long trip from the
+China Sea, to come to a lad in Amerikee when I hears in my ears the
+skipper's call, and all fer nothin' at all, at all! Ain't you got
+nothin' to offer in extenuation?"
+
+Freddie did not know what "extenuation" meant, but he could see by the
+Sailorman's face that that gentleman was a good deal put out. He
+remembered that Mr. Mizzen wanted a chew of tobacco.
+
+"Would a little tobacco make you feel better?" said he.
+
+"Now you've got yer hand on the right rope!" said the Able Seaman, his
+face brightening. "I don't smoke. I chew. If you're goin' to offer a bit
+of a chew, why then, says I, I don't care if I do."
+
+Freddie took a long plug of chewing tobacco from the shelf behind him.
+He knew that Mr. Toby would not mind making a little gift to the
+sailorman after his long journey. He put the plug under the cutter on
+the counter, and was about to press down the handle, to cut off a
+portion, when the Able Seaman hitched up his trousers and said:
+
+"Belay there, skipper! Put the whole cargo aboard! This here craft needs
+ballast; hoist her over the side!" And he reached out his hand for the
+whole plug of tobacco and took it from Freddie, and gnawed off a corner
+with his teeth.
+
+"Ah!" said he, his right cheek bulging out. "Too much ballast to
+starboard." And he gnawed off another corner, so that his left cheek
+bulged out like his right.
+
+"All snug!" said he. "I'll just pay fer my cargo before I set sail, with
+a bit of a draft on the owners, in a manner of speakin'. Here y'are,
+sir. Stow that bit o' paper in yer sea-chest, and it'll come in handy
+one o' these days. Pay as you go, says I."
+
+He placed in Freddie's hand a folded sheet of soiled paper. It was
+greasy with handling, and was evidently very old; it was folded small
+and tight, and was beginning to break with age at the creases. On the
+outside, it was blank; but there might have been writing inside.
+
+"Got it in the Caribbean off a runaway sailor, fer a set of false
+whiskers and a tattoo needle. Will it do to pay fer the cargo with?"
+
+"Yes, sir; thank you," said Freddie, holding the paper in his hand
+without unfolding it.
+
+"Then all I got to say is, before I weighs anchor,--take good keer o'
+that there bit o' paper. Aloft and alow, don't ye never let go; round
+the yard take a bight and hold on to it tight; let the harricane blow
+till yer fingers is blue, but wotever you do, don't ye never let go. And
+skipper, mind wot I'm a-tellin' you; if you ever needs Lemuel Mizzen,
+A.B., fer to give him his orders, all you got to do is to smoke a couple
+o' whiffs of the Chinaman's 'baccy, and Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., he'll be on
+deck before the smoke's cleared away. That's clear?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, with eyes wide open.
+
+"And now as I see there's no orders to give, I'm off to my tight little
+bark called The Sieve, and when I'm aboard I'll close all the shutters,
+and lock up the parrot that sneezes and stutters, and wake all the
+skippers, and put on my slippers, and get into bed while the mates
+overhead are swabbing the decks and heaving the lead and baling the
+bilge-water up with their dippers; and when they have gotten the vessel
+to going, and settled all down to their knitting and sewing, and the
+twenty-third mate, who is always so late, has learned what is meant by a
+third and last warning, I'll turn up the gas, take a look at the glass,
+and read me the Life of Old Chew until morning!----And so, sir,"
+continued Mr. Mizzen, walking towards the street door, "I must give you
+a view of my little stern-light, and bid you, dear sir, a very good
+night."
+
+So saying, he turned squarely towards Freddie, with one hand on the
+door-knob, and with the other hand touched his cap respectfully. Freddie
+saw that his trousers were very wide at the ankles and very tight at the
+hips, and that he rolled a little when he walked. Having touched his cap
+respectfully, he opened the door and went out, and disappeared in the
+darkness outside.
+
+Freddie stood looking after him with his mouth wide open.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VII
+
+THE HANDS OF THE CLOCK COME TOGETHER
+
+
+It was some minutes before Freddie recovered from his astonishment.
+Certainly this was a strange Sailorman. And he had come all the way from
+the China Sea at a puff of the Chinaman's tobacco! Certainly magic
+tobacco, that! But it was a pity that Mr. Mizzen had been called away
+from the China Sea, all for nothing, while he was so busy gathering
+boxes to box compasses with! No wonder he had felt put out about it. And
+it must have been a queer sort of ship, with its shutters, and all those
+skippers and mates--did they really like to knit and sew after they had
+got the ship to going? It would be a wonderful thing to sail in a ship
+like that; he wished he had thought to ask Mr. Mizzen more about it. He
+must tell Aunt Amanda at once.
+
+He ran to the back door and burst into the back room, crying out "Aunt
+Amanda!"
+
+Aunt Amanda was sound asleep in her chair, with her head back and her
+mouth open; the gas was burning brightly overhead, and the clock was
+ticking away distinctly on the mantel-piece.
+
+"Aunt Amanda!" cried Freddie.
+
+She awoke with a jump, blinked her eyes, and said:
+
+"Hah! Where's the--what's the--who said--Where's Toby? What's the
+matter?"
+
+"It's me, Aunt Amanda," cried Freddie, breathlessly, "and the
+Sailorman's just been here and gone, and I called him with the pipe, and
+I can call him whenever I want him, and he gave me a piece of paper,
+and he talks like a singing-book, and there's a parrot that stutters,
+and they have to bale out the water with dippers because the ship's
+named The Sieve, and we mustn't lose the paper because the runaway
+sailor wore false whiskers, and he feeds on tacks instead of pins, and
+we have to hold on tight to the paper, and one of the men on the ship is
+always late, and we mustn't lose the paper, because----"
+
+"Stop! Stop!" said Aunt Amanda. "What on earth is the child talking
+about? What's all this about a Sailorman and a paper?"
+
+"He's the one that brought the Chinaman's tobacco from China, and he
+gave me a piece of paper, and here it is, and we mustn't lose it,
+because----"
+
+"One minute, Freddie! Now you just stand right there, perfectly still,
+and tell me about it slowly. Now, then; what about this Sailorman? Slow,
+slow."
+
+It was a long time before Freddie made her understand exactly what had
+happened, but at last she did understand, from beginning to end. She was
+grieved and horrified that he had smoked the tobacco, but there was no
+help for it now, and she was too much excited by his tale to scold him
+very long.
+
+"What's the paper he give you?" said she, when he had told her
+everything.
+
+Freddie put the paper in her hand, and she unfolded it carefully.
+
+"Why," said she, "it's a map!"
+
+"What kind of a map?" said Freddie.
+
+"It's a map of an Island," said Aunt Amanda. "Where's Toby? I wish he
+would come home. It looks like an Island, and there's writing here on
+it. Looks like some sailorman might have drawn it, maybe; it's certainly
+pretty old. I wish Toby would come."
+
+"What's the writing on it, Aunt Amanda?" said Freddie.
+
+"Well, here at the top it says, 'Correction Island,' and under that it
+says, 'Spanish Main.' Bless me; that's where the pirates used to----"
+
+"Pirates?" said Freddie, his eyes sparkling.
+
+"Yes, pirates, of course. You've heard of the Spanish Main, haven't
+you?"
+
+"Yes'm. It's a long way off. You have to go there in a ship. Have you
+ever been there?"
+
+"Me? Me been to the Spanish Main? Mercy sakes, no, child! What would I
+be doing on the Spanish Main? I ain't been outside of this town since I
+was born."
+
+"Wouldn't I like to go there! Pirates!" said Freddie. "Oh jiminy!"
+
+"You mustn't use such dreadful language," said Aunt Amanda. "I wonder
+where Toby is? Just look at that clock! Why, bless me, it's twenty-seven
+minutes to seven."
+
+Freddie looked, and saw that the hands of the clock were together, one
+on top of the other. It was the hour for Mr. Punch's father to call Mr.
+Punch from the church-tower.
+
+"Toby's got to talkin' with that barber again, as sure as you live; when
+they once begin, they never know when to leave off. I wish he'd----"
+
+As she said this, the door opened, and in walked Mr. Toby himself.
+
+"Sorry I'm so late," he cried, "but the barber got to talking
+about--What, young feller, are you still here?" He turned and called
+through the open door to someone behind him in the shop. "Come in! Make
+you acquainted with my aunt and a young chap here--Don't be bashful,
+come right in! Nobody's goin' to eat you!"
+
+Mr. Toby held the door wide open, and made way for a little gentleman
+who now advanced into the room. He was a hunchbacked man, of the same
+height as Toby, and he was holding out in one hand a bunch of black
+cigars; he was bareheaded and bald-headed; he had high cheek-bones and a
+big chin and a hooked nose; he wore blue knee breeches and black
+stockings and buckled shoes, and his coat was cut away in front over his
+stomach and had two tails behind, down to his knees. His joints creaked
+a little as he walked. He made a stiff bow to Aunt Amanda, and another
+one to Freddie.
+
+"Come in, Mr. Punch," said Toby, "you don't need to hold them cigars any
+longer. Give 'em to me." And he took them from Mr. Punch and laid them
+on the table. He then went to Mr. Punch and linked his arm in his, and
+the two hunchbacks stepped forward together and stood before Aunt
+Amanda.
+
+"Allow me to present my friend Mr. Punch," said Toby. "Just as I was
+coming in, I heard a voice sing out 'Punch!' from the church-tower, and
+Mr. Punch stepped down from his perch, and I invited him to come in, and
+here we are."
+
+"Good hevening, marm," said Mr. Punch. His voice sounded harsh, as if
+his throat were rusty. "Good hevening, young sir. Hit's wery pleasant
+within-doors, wery pleasant indeed; Hi carn't s'y it's so blooming
+agreeable hout there on my box, hall d'y and hall night; the gaslight is
+wery welcome to me poor heyes, I assure you, marm. Hi trust I see you
+well, marm."
+
+"Mercy on us!" said Aunt Amanda, who had been speechless with
+astonishment. "Freddie, it's Mr. Punch himself, bless me if it ain't!"
+
+Freddie edged a little closer to Aunt Amanda, for he was afraid Mr.
+Punch might snatch him up and carry him off to his father in the tower.
+Mr. Punch noticed this.
+
+"'Ave no fear, me good sir," said Mr. Punch, his wide mouth expanding
+in a smile, almost to his ears. "Hi sharn't see me father this night,
+hif me kind friends will permit me to enjoy their society for a brief
+period, together with their charmin' gaslight, which it is wery dim hall
+night in the street and quite hunsatisfactory, accordingly most pleased
+to haccept me friend Toby's kind 'ospitality, Hi assure you. One grows
+quite cramped in one's legs and one's harms when one 'as to remain in
+one position on one's box hall night, unless one's father should tyke
+hit into 'is 'ead to call one hup for a bit of a lark, and one can never
+be sure of one's father's 'aving it in 'is 'ead to call one hup, to s'y
+nothing of one's fingers coming stiffer and stiffer with one's parcel of
+cigars 'eld out in one's 'and, and no 'at on one's 'ead, and no 'air on
+one's 'ead to defend one against the hevening hair, with one's nose
+dropping hicicles in winter, so that one never knows when one will lose
+one's nose off of one's fyce----"
+
+"Excuse me," said Aunt Amanda. It was evident that Mr. Punch was a
+talkative person. "Are you an Englishman?"
+
+"Ho lor' miss, indeed!" said Mr. Punch. "A Henglishman as ever was, Hi
+assure you. But I 'opes I give myself no hairs."
+
+Freddie gave up trying to understand the difference between air and
+hair; it was plain enough that the bald-headed man had never given
+himself any hair, so it couldn't be that. Anyway, this was an
+Englishman, and Freddie was glad that he would now probably have a
+chance to hear English spoken, which he had never heard before.
+
+"Toby," said Aunt Amanda, "Freddie has seen the Sailorman from China,
+and he has a map. I'll tell you about it."
+
+Thereupon she related the story of Mr. Lemuel Mizzen, as she had got it
+from Freddie. Mr. Toby and Mr. Punch were both tremendously impressed.
+
+"It's too bad," said Mr. Toby, "this young feller here had to go and
+smoke the Chinaman's tobacco after I told him not to; it's too bad,
+that's what it is. What did you mean by it, sir?"
+
+"Hit's a wery naughty haction indeed," said Mr. Punch. "Wery
+reprehensible. Wery. Hi carn't s'y as I ever 'eard of a thing so
+hextremely reprehensible. Now when Hi was a lad----"
+
+"You don't say so!" said Mr. Toby. "Well, I don't see anything so very
+bad about it. I'd a' done it myself if I'd been in his place. What do
+you mean by saying that my Freddie's reprehensible? I won't have nobody
+callin' him names, I won't, and what's more----"
+
+"No offense, Toby! No offense!" cried Mr. Punch. "Sorry, Hi assure you.
+Wery reprehensible of me to s'y such a thing. Wery. Pray be calm; be
+calm."
+
+"Well, then," grumbled Toby, "don't you go and say nothing about
+Freddie, because--Anyway, let's have a look at the map."
+
+At that moment there came a timid knock upon the door.
+
+"Who next?" said Toby. "Come in!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER VIII
+
+CELLULOID CUFFS AND A SILK HAT
+
+
+The door opened, and there entered a poor-looking elderly man, bowing
+and scraping as he came, and saluting the company with an old rusty
+dented tall hat which he carried in his hand. The most striking thing
+about him was that he had a wooden leg. His hair was grey and thin, and
+his face was not very clean; there were signs of tobacco at the corners
+of his mouth. His clothes were frayed and patched, and there was a good
+deal of grease on his vest; he wore a celluloid collar without any
+necktie, and round celluloid cuffs; his coat-sleeves were much too
+short, and his cuffs hung out certainly three inches. Strange to say,
+his collar and cuffs were spotlessly clean, and presented quite a
+contrast to his very untidy face and clothes; but then, celluloid is
+easy to clean; much less trouble than washing the face. As he stumped
+into the room, he kept bowing humbly from one to another, and bobbing
+his old hat up and down in his hand.
+
+"Ahem!" he said, making another bow. "I was just going by, and I thought
+I would drop in to--er--ahem!--I hope I am not in the way?"
+
+"Oh, come in," said Toby, not very graciously. "As long as you are here,
+you might as well stay. This is Mr. Punch, and this is Freddie."
+
+The elderly man bowed to Freddie, and went up to Mr. Punch and shook him
+cordially by the hand. He put his mouth quite close to Mr. Punch's ear,
+and lowered his voice, and said:
+
+"Ahem! I'm delighted to know you, sir. I trust you are well. I have seen
+you often, but not to speak to. Ahem!" He lowered his voice again, and
+spoke very confidentially into Mr. Punch's ear. "The fact is, sir, that
+as I was going by, I suddenly found that I had left my tobacco pouch at
+home; most unfortunate; and I came in with the hope that
+perhaps--er--ahem! Very seldom forget my tobacco; very seldom indeed;
+perfectly lost without it; do you--er, ahem!--do you happen to have such
+a thing about you as a--er--ahem!--a small portion of--er--smoking
+tobacco? I should be very much obliged!"
+
+"Sorry," said Mr. Punch, stiffly, backing away. "Hi never use tobacco in
+any way, shape or form."
+
+The elderly man looked much disappointed, and sighed. He turned to Toby,
+and bowed and smiled hopefully.
+
+"Perhaps Mr. Littleback--" he began.
+
+"Not on your life," said Toby. "You don't get no tobacco out of me, and
+that's flat."
+
+The elderly man sighed again, and looked steadily at Freddie; but he
+evidently thought there was no hope in that quarter, and he said
+nothing.
+
+Freddie now realized who the elderly gentleman was. He had a wooden leg,
+and he never bought tobacco when tobacco he could beg--It was the Old
+Codger whom Mr. Toby had now and then sung a song about; one of his two
+friends, the one who was always begging tobacco, and never had any of
+his own. Freddie looked at him, and felt rather sorry for him.
+
+"Ahem!" said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg. "Very sorry to intrude,
+Miss Amanda. I hope I'm not in the way. It's very mild weather we're
+having."
+
+"Now, then," said Toby, briskly, "let's look at this map."
+
+As he said this, another knock was heard at the door; a firm and
+confident knock this time.
+
+"Confound it!" said Toby. "Who next? Come in!"
+
+The door opened, and another elderly man stepped in; a tall slim man,
+with very white hair and a long narrow face; he carried a tall shiny
+black silk hat in his hand; he wore a black suit, all of broadcloth, and
+his coat hung to his knees and was buttoned to the top; his cuffs and
+collar and shirt were of beautiful white linen with a gloss, and his tie
+was a little white linen bow. He came forward with an air of warm
+benevolence.
+
+"My dear, _dear_ friends!" he said, and stretched out both hands towards
+the company, as if to clasp them all to his heart. "What a beautiful,
+beautiful scene! So homelike, so cosy, so sociable, so--so--What can be
+so beautiful as the gathering together of friends about the family
+hearth! _So_ beautiful!" There was a Latrobe stove in the room, but no
+hearth; however, that made no difference; he went, with his hands
+outstretched, to Aunt Amanda, and pressed one of hers in both of his.
+
+The Old Codger with the Wooden Leg immediately sidled up to him, and
+while he was still pressing Aunt Amanda's hand, said, in a confidential
+tone:
+
+"Ahem! I'm delighted to see you again. I trust you are well. The fact
+is, I find that I have--er--left my tobacco pouch at home,--most
+unfortunate; very seldom forget it; completely lost without it; I was
+wondering--er--ahem!--if you happened to have such a thing about you as
+a--"
+
+"No!" said the other old man, changing at once from beaming benevolence
+to stern severity. "I'll be hanged if I do!" And he released Aunt
+Amanda's hand, and turned his back on the Old Codger with the Wooden
+Leg.
+
+"Now," said Toby, "let's look at the map. This here is Mr. Punch, and
+this is Freddie."
+
+The newcomer took Mr. Punch's hand in both of his and squeezed it
+softly; he then took Freddie's hand in both of his and pressed it
+tenderly. Freddie knew him. He was the "other Old Codger, as sly as a
+fox, who always had tobacco in his old tobacco-box." Freddie could
+hardly believe that that white-haired old gentleman could be as sly as a
+fox.
+
+"My dear, _dear_ friends!" said the Sly Old Fox. "What is so beautiful
+as the love of friends?" He stopped to glare at the Old Codger with the
+Wooden Leg, who looked away nervously. "The love of friends! Gathered
+together around the family hearth! How beautiful! It touches me, my
+friends, it touches me----"
+
+"That's all right about that," said Toby. "For heaven's _sake_, let's
+look at the map!"
+
+Aunt Amanda spread out the map on the table beside her, and the others
+gathered round.
+
+"It's an island!" cried Toby.
+
+"On the Spanish Main," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"The Spanish Main!" said the Sly Old Fox. "A beautiful country! Full of
+palms,--and grape-nuts,--What you might call a real work of nature! Full
+of parrots, and monkeys, and lagoons, and other wild creatures; a work
+of nature, my dear friends, a real work of nature."
+
+"And pirates," said Freddie, earnestly.
+
+"I _said_ parrots," said the Sly Old Fox.
+
+"_I_ said pirates," said Freddie.
+
+"Just what I said," said the Sly Old Fox. "That live in trees, my
+little friend, in trees; and have red and blue feathers, and----"
+
+"Pirates don't have feathers," said Freddie.
+
+"Dear, dear!" said the Sly Old Fox. "How _can_ you say such a thing? How
+_can_ you----?"
+
+"Did you ever see a pirate in a tree?"
+
+"In cages, my dear little friend! Hundreds of them!"
+
+"That's enough!" said Mr. Toby. "Quit wrangling for a minute, will you?
+What about this here map? I tell you what, though. I'd like the
+Churchwarden to see this map. Freddie, will you run down the street and
+get the Churchwarden?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, moving towards the door.
+
+"And tell him to bring along his Odour of Sanctity with him. He always
+carries a bottle of it in his pocket, and we may need it. Don't forget
+it."
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie.
+
+"Hold on a minute," said Mr. Toby, snatching up his hat. "I'll go for
+him myself. I can do it quicker." And in a moment he was out of the
+door.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER IX
+
+THE ODOUR OF SANCTITY
+
+
+While Toby was gone, Aunt Amanda explained to the two old men about the
+Sailorman from China, and about his gift of the map which was lying on
+the table. They were just at the end of their discussion when Toby
+returned, bringing with him the Churchwarden, puffing and blowing with
+the unusual exertion of walking, and without his pipe. Toby introduced
+him to Mr. Punch and the two old Codgers, and drew him up to the table
+and showed him the map, explaining at the same time how it came there.
+
+The Churchwarden examined the map carefully, while the others all looked
+at him. He finally put down the map, settled himself in a chair, folded
+his hands across his fat stomach, blew out his cheeks, and said:
+
+"My opinion is, that what we ought to do is to--I've considered the
+matter carefully, from all sides, and I think we ought to--Of course you
+may not agree with me, but I think the best thing to do would be
+to--Unless, of course, some of you may think of something better, but if
+you don't, then I can't say as there's anything better to do than
+to----"
+
+At this moment there came a sound from the street outside which made
+everyone but Aunt Amanda jump to his feet. It was the sound of running
+feet, mixed with strange cries, not very loud, but somehow
+blood-curdling. It was evident that someone was in trouble. Freddie and
+the five men rushed from the room and through the shop and into the
+street.
+
+The street was very dark, except for a gas-lamp at the opposite corner.
+A white figure was running down the pavement towards the shop-door, with
+frantic speed; and behind him, evidently chasing him, came a crowd of
+little dark creatures, hard to make out in the dim light. It was these
+creatures who were making the little blood-curdling cries. In a moment
+they had come so near that the party about the shop-door could see what
+they were. In front, running desperately with leaps and bounds, and
+panting for breath, came a tall slim man all in tight-fitting white
+clothes, with a dead white face and a white hairless head; and after
+him, tumbling on pell-mell, was a perfect riot of little red imps, with
+little horns on their foreheads, and little tails behind them, all
+trying to spear the white man with the wicked little pitchforks which
+they carried, and to seize him with their claws. Freddie thought they
+were precisely like the imps he had seen at Hanlon's Superba. When the
+white man reached the shop-door they had nearly caught him. He paused at
+that moment, looked wildly about him, saw the open door of the shop, and
+dashed in and banged the door to behind him. The imps came tumbling up
+and hesitated an instant before the men at the door; and in that instant
+the Churchwarden showed the most unexpected presence of mind. He quickly
+reached behind him and drew a small bottle out of his pocket and pulled
+out the cork and sprinkled a few drops of its contents on the ground
+before him. A sharp penetrating odour immediately filled the air; it was
+so intense that it made the tears come into Freddie's eyes; but what it
+did to the wild mob of imps was almost beyond belief. As they got their
+first whiff of it, they tumbled back over one another in a mad effort
+to get away; but they could not get away from the odour quick enough; it
+caught them and held them, so that in a moment they could not move; they
+stood fixed and fast and silent; in another moment they began to melt
+away, and in two minutes they had vanished; actually vanished where they
+stood, each and every one, before the very eyes of the astonished party
+before the door.
+
+"Blimy hif I ever see the like!" said Mr. Punch.
+
+"Never knew my Odour of Sanctity to fail once," said the Churchwarden,
+coolly. "Hardly ever go out without it. There ain't a witch or an imp or
+a bad spirit of any kind whatever can stand up against my Odour of
+Sanctity, if he once gets a couple of good whiffs of it out of this
+little bottle. Just a few drops from the bottle, and a few sniffs, and
+whoof! they're done for! No, sir! there ain't no perfumery in the world
+like Odour of Sanctity!"
+
+On the floor of the shop they found the poor white man lying completely
+exhausted. They asked him to explain, but he could not speak. Mr. Toby
+and Mr. Punch, one on each side, supported him into the back room, and
+sat him down in a chair before Aunt Amanda. She held up her hands in
+astonishment. The man was certainly a strange-looking man. They plied
+him with questions, but he touched his tongue with his finger and shook
+his head. He could not speak; he was dumb. Freddie, after one long look
+at him under the gaslight, knew who he was.
+
+"It's Mr. Hanlon!" he cried, in great excitement. "It's Mr. Hanlon!"
+
+The dumb man looked at Freddie and smiled, and nodded his head. He rose
+to his feet, shook Freddie's hand, and made a graceful bow to the whole
+company.
+
+"It's Mr. Hanlon sure enough," said Toby, "still being chased by the
+imps. Pretty near got him that time, too! But he got away safe and
+sound after all, didn't he, eh?" And all the party, including Mr. Hanlon
+himself, laughed with delight. And when the Churchwarden pulled out his
+little perfume bottle and showed it around, and explained to Mr. Hanlon
+what it had done, the poor man was so overcome that he put his head down
+on the Churchwarden's shoulder and wept.
+
+"This'll never do!" cried Toby. "Ain't we never, _never_, going to get
+down to this here map? I never _see_ such a time as I've had, trying to
+examine this here map! One thing right after another! Mr. Hanlon, I'll
+tell you what it's about, and then you can see it for yourself. Would
+you like to stay here with our little party? It's a good deal safer than
+out-of-doors."
+
+Mr. Hanlon nodded eagerly and smiled, and Toby explained everything to
+him and showed him the map.
+
+"Now," said Toby, when that was done, "speak up, Warden, and finish what
+you was a-saying!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER X
+
+CAPTAIN HIGGINSON AND THE SPANISH MAIN
+
+
+The Churchwarden, having put back into his pocket the bottle of Odour of
+Sanctity, folded his hands across his fat stomach and began again:
+
+"As I was saying----"
+
+"Never mind that," said Toby. "Tell us what we had better do."
+
+"Well, as I was saying," went on the Churchwarden, paying no attention
+to Toby, "the best idea that occurs to me, after thinking it over
+considerable, is that--But I ain't saying there's none better, and I
+don't lay claim to being any wiser than--Anyway, it seems to me we ought
+to----"
+
+"Just listen to this!" broke in Aunt Amanda. She had been studying the
+map all this time, and she was holding it in her hands. She was much
+excited. "I've just made out all this handwriting at the bottom of the
+map, and I'll read it to you. Do you want to hear it?" Her voice shook
+and her hands trembled. Everybody except the Churchwarden begged her to
+go on. "Oh! do you think it could be true? If it only could! Oh, if it
+_could_ only be true!"
+
+"Maybe if you'd read it, Aunt Amanda----" said Toby.
+
+"Yes, yes, I will," said she, all of a twitter. "I'll read it. Don't
+hurry me. This is what it says. If it could only be true! 'Correction
+Island: By dead Reckoning, latitude 12 deg. 32' 14" N., longitude 61 deg. 45'
+13" W.,' whatever that means. But I'll read it to you just as it's
+written. It's a queer kind of language--Anyway, this is what it says:
+
+"'Lately discovered by me, Reuben Higginson, Master Mariner, Brig Cotton
+Mather: New Bedford.
+
+"'Notify Elizabeth Higginson, Spinster: or Else the acknowledged Elder
+of the Society of Friends: New Bedford.
+
+"'Now off course in heavy gale on return Voyage to fetch my Sister
+aforesaid to Correction Island with as Many others as are Minded to
+come.
+
+"'Leaking badly below line: pumps Given over: Water mounting in hold:
+decks Awash: Both masts gone By the board: whale-oil, no use: Down with
+all hands in another Hour.
+
+"'This Map shall be cast Overboard in a stout Bottel as we go down, with
+a Paper of directions how to Gain correction in the Island.'"
+
+"Where's the paper of directions?" said Toby.
+
+"It ain't here," said Aunt Amanda. "I suppose Captain Higginson lost it,
+or else he didn't have time to put it in the bottle. Anyway, this is
+what the writing on the map says:
+
+"'Let him that Finds the Bottel remember these Mariners: Also, let him
+take heed to Search out the Island diligently.
+
+"'For this Island'--Listen to what it says now," said Aunt Amanda,
+trembling with excitement. "Oh, do you suppose it could really be true?
+And yet this Reuben Higginson was a good Quaker captain, I'm sure, and I
+don't believe he would say what wasn't true, and especially when he was
+on his way home to get his own sister----"
+
+"Why don't you read it, instead of talking about it?" said Toby.
+
+"I would, if you'd let me," said Aunt Amanda. "Here's what it says:
+
+"'For this Island is Refuge to such as be afflicted: And in this Island
+shall be Corrected'--oh! listen to this! I wouldn't believe it from
+anybody but Reuben Higginson--'shall be Corrected whatever Errors,
+Disappointments, Miscarriages, Faylures, Preventions, and the like, this
+mortal Life may have afflicted Any withal: Wherefore I have called it
+Correction Island.
+
+"'There be Perils enough in coming at Compleat Correction: But let
+Courage halt not By the way, so shall he Arrive presently.
+
+"'If any be Crooked'--this is the part! it's too wonderful! but Captain
+Higginson wouldn't have said it, when he was so near going down with his
+ship, and especially on his way home to get his own sister----"
+
+"Me dear lydy," said Mr. Punch, "_hif_ you would be so wery kind as
+to----"
+
+"Yes, yes; give me time. I declare you make me so nervous--Now just
+listen to this, every one of you, and don't speak:
+
+"'If any be Crooked, he shall there be made Straight.'"
+
+She paused, and looked hard at Toby. Mr. Punch started at the same time,
+and he and Toby looked hard at each other.
+
+"'If any be Blind, he shall see: If any Dumb, he shall speak.'"
+
+At the word "dumb," Mr. Hanlon, whose elbow was resting on the table,
+jumped so violently that he knocked the Album onto the floor. Aunt
+Amanda nodded her head to him, and all the others stared at him.
+
+"'If any be Old, he shall be Young again: If any Fat, he shall be as
+Lean as he will.'"
+
+At the word "fat", the Churchwarden gave a questioning grunt, and
+settled down deeper in his chair.
+
+"'If any be Poor, whether in Purse or in Mind, he shall seek Alms no
+longer.'"
+
+The Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, who had been resting his wooden leg
+on the chair opposite, dropped it to the floor and sat up very straight.
+Toby, who was standing beside him, clapped him heartily on the shoulder.
+
+"'If any be Mean, or Cunning, or Despiteful, he shall be given a new
+heart.'"
+
+Aunt Amanda looked directly at the Sly Old Codger, who was sitting
+smiling, with his tall silk hat on his knees; and everyone else in the
+room, except Mr. Hanlon, looked very intently at him. He noticed it, and
+glanced around inquiringly, smiling more benevolently than ever.
+
+"How beautiful that would be," he said. "How beautiful! If some of my
+dear, dear friends could only have a new heart,--how beautiful!"
+
+"Don't interrupt," said Aunt Amanda. "Freddie, listen to this:
+
+"'If any be Little in stature, against his desire, he shall be Great.'"
+
+Freddie opened his eyes very wide. Would it be possible to be big at
+once, without waiting all that long dreary time? How glorious that would
+be!
+
+"But this," said Aunt Amanda, "this is the last and the best. I don't
+know--whether I can--read it right--" her voice broke, and she blew her
+nose and cleared her throat--"but I will try. Oh! do you suppose it
+_could_ be true? Would a good Quaker captain, with a sister in New
+Bedford, say it if it wasn't true? With the sea raging and both masts
+gone, and the ship filling up with water, and----"
+
+"Aunt Amanda," said Toby, "if you don't read the rest of it this
+minute----"
+
+"Ah, yes, Toby, I will," said Aunt Amanda. "It must be true, or a good
+man like that wouldn't have said it. This is the last part, and the
+best:
+
+"'If any be Prevented unjustly of Beauty or of Children or of Love or of
+Other like desires, there shall be found for him of these a great Store:
+So that there shall be an End of repining, and none in that Place shall
+say, Thus and thus might I have been also, had I been but justly
+entreated.
+
+"'And so I commit my Body to the sea, and my soul to----'"
+
+"Go on! go on!" cried the company--excepting, of course, Mr. Hanlon.
+
+Aunt Amanda blew her nose again, and laid down the map on the table.
+"That's all," she said. "I suppose he didn't have time to finish it."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XI
+
+A MIXED COMPANY IN SEARCH OF ADVENTURE
+
+
+After Aunt Amanda had stopped reading, it was a moment or two before
+anyone spoke. "If all those things," said Mr. Toby thoughtfully, "could
+be done in that Island, I'd be in favor of going there."
+
+There was a general murmur of assent, and Mr. Hanlon nodded his head.
+
+"Well," went on Mr. Toby, "we'd better make up our minds what we want to
+do about it. The Churchwarden ain't had his say yet, what with all these
+interruptions, and I move we give him a chance to have his say, right
+now. Speak up, Warden; what do you think we ought to do?"
+
+"As I was saying," said the Churchwarden, looking around solemnly,
+"while I don't hold to my own opinion if anybody else can think up
+something better, still it seems to me--But maybe you'd ruther hear from
+the others first."
+
+"No, no!" cried the whole company,--except Mr. Hanlon, who shook his
+head vigorously.
+
+"Well, then, being as you've asked me so particular, and having thought
+about it considerable,--as I was saying, it appears to me that the best
+thing to do would be to--This is only the way it looks to me, you
+understand, and I ain't speaking for nobody but myself, and I don't
+pretend that my opinion is worth----"
+
+"By crackey!" cried Mr. Toby, very rudely. "Ain't you the most maddening
+old feller that ever was in the world? Come on, now, tell us what to
+do, and be quick about it!"
+
+"Call up the Able Seaman!"
+
+This was so unexpected that nobody spoke for a moment.
+
+"Hurrah!" cried Toby. "Now you've said it. We'll call up Mr. Lemuel
+Mizzen--is that his name? That's the thing to do! Do you all agree to
+that?" Everybody approved, and Mr. Toby turned to Freddie. "He's your
+man, Freddie, and if you've done it once, I reckon it won't be any harm
+for you to do it again. Wait a minute." And he ran into the shop, and
+immediately returned with the Chinaman's head and a churchwarden pipe.
+
+"Now, then, Freddie," he said. "Will you do it again?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie. "I'd rather not."
+
+"You shouldn't make him do it," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Nonsense, Aunt Amanda!" cried Toby. "He's as bad now as he'll ever be,
+and it ain't a-going to do him no harm. I'll fill the pipe."
+
+"Hit's quite a lark," said Mr. Punch, laughing heartily. "Fancy the
+little beggar's smoking a pipe!"
+
+"My dear little friend," began the Sly Old Fox, beaming upon Freddie.
+"You must always remember that your elders know best----"
+
+"Here, Freddie," said Mr. Toby, having filled the pipe, "sit down here."
+And he pushed Freddie gently down upon his accustomed hassock at Aunt
+Amanda's feet.
+
+Freddie shook his head, but Mr. Toby put the pipe into his mouth and lit
+a match. All the others sat in silence, watching Freddie intently.
+
+"Now, then!" said Toby. "Pull away!" And he touched the lighted match to
+the pipeful of black tobacco.
+
+Freddie gave a pull, and blew out a cloud of smoke. He did not choke
+this time. He gave another pull, and blew out another cloud. The white
+smoke lay above the heads of the company in a thick mass; it grew
+thicker, so that he could not see through it; it began to move, as if in
+a high wind. He drew on the pipe once more, and blew out another cloud
+of smoke. He knew what was coming, and in fact the same thing happened
+that had happened to him before. The white cloud churned about, with its
+barber-poles and jets of fire, coming down closer and closer upon him,
+and in a jiffy he was sitting in midair on his hassock, and then he felt
+himself falling, falling; and as he struck the bottom with a jar, he
+heard, very distinctly, a knock on the door; and he was sitting again on
+his hassock at Aunt Amanda's feet in the quiet room, with no sign of a
+cloud anywhere to be seen.
+
+"Come in!" he heard Mr. Toby cry.
+
+The door opened, and in walked Mr. Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., as cool as a
+cucumber.
+
+He took off his flat blue cap with the black ribbon, and made a bow to
+the company.
+
+"Piped me aft again, and good evening to you all!" said he, in his
+hoarse voice. "Lemuel Mizzen, A.B.! That's me! What'll it be? All ready
+for orders, skipper! It was just half past by the starboard watch, and
+the skippers their apples were quietly peeling, when I locked up the
+last of the lemons and Scotch, and lay on my bed looking up at the
+ceiling, to snatch forty winks, as I foolishly reckoned; but just as I
+thinks, 'Thirty-first, thirty-second,' there's a ring at the bell of the
+big front-door, and the mates come and yell that I'm wanted ashore; so I
+tucks in my cap the eight points of my nap, and just before stopping to
+turn down the lights, I runs to the dresser and puts it to rights, and
+then before giving a last look behind, I goes to the bed and takes off
+the spread, and lays out to air the three sheets in the wind! And here I
+be," concluded the Able Seaman, "all ready for orders." And he looked
+very hard at Freddie.
+
+"Well!" said Aunt Amanda, gasping. "I never in my life heard such a----"
+
+"I'll tell you what it is, Mr. Mizzen," said Toby. "It's about
+Correction Island, on the Spanish Main."
+
+"Ay, ay, sir!" said Mr. Mizzen. "Would you like to go there?"
+
+"Ah!" said everyone at once, except Mr. Hanlon, who nodded his head.
+
+"No trouble at all," said Mr. Mizzen. "Just step into The Sieve, and
+we'll be off. A sweet little bark is The Sieve, provided there's plenty
+of dippers; but we always go well provided. Is the whole party going?"
+
+"One moment, if you please," said the Sly Old Codger. "There is one
+little point on which I--that is to say--Will there be any expense?"
+
+"Not a penny," said Mr. Mizzen. "Everything's found. Orders from the
+skipper. What he says goes."
+
+"Ah!" said the Sly Old Fox. "The Spanish Main! With all the little
+parrots and monkeys flitting about in the branches of the upas trees!--I
+think I will join."
+
+"I reckon we're all going," said Mr. Toby. "Is everybody agreed? All
+right. It's settled. And my vote is, to go right now, while we've got
+hold of our Able Seaman here."
+
+"Shouldn't I tell mother first?" asked Freddie.
+
+"I'll write her a note in the morning," said Toby. "I'll fix it; you
+leave it to me."
+
+"I suppose I really ought to finish this sewing," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"No time," said Toby, who seemed to be managing everything. "Where's the
+ship, Mr. Mizzen?"
+
+"Made fast to the wharf at the foot of this street," said Mr. Mizzen.
+
+"Then let's go," said Toby.
+
+He ran out of the room, and returned with his white derby hat on his
+head, and his hand-painted necktie neatly in its place. He helped Aunt
+Amanda to get up, and brought her her little black bonnet, which she put
+on and tied under her chin, and her cashmere shawl, which she put around
+her shoulders.
+
+"All right!" cried Toby. "We're off! Come along!"
+
+"We're off to the Spanish Main," said Mr. Mizzen, in his curious
+sing-song, "to the wet Antipodee; but dry or wet we need not fret, for
+we are bold as bold can be; and on the way at Botany Bay we'll probably
+stay a week or two, to gather ferns as the Botanists do, and then we'll
+stop at the door of Spain, to ask the way to the Spanish Main, and so
+without any more delay, on the Spanish Main we'll all alight, where the
+star-fish shines in the sea all night, and the dog-star barks in the sky
+all day--Here, skipper, put this in your pocket, and hold fast to it."
+He handed Freddie the map, and Freddie put it away safely in his pocket.
+
+"Have you got the Odour of Sanctity?" said Mr. Toby to the Churchwarden.
+
+"Right here," said the fat man, tapping his back pocket.
+
+"I'll carry the Chinaman's tobacco," said Toby. "We may need it." And he
+tucked the Chinaman's head under his arm.
+
+In a few moments the whole party were standing on the pavement outside,
+and Toby locked the shop-door behind them. They crossed the street, and
+as they did so they heard a faint voice halloing from the top of the
+church tower, and they could make out that it said, "Punch! Punch!" But
+Mr. Punch only sniffed and shrugged his shoulders, and made no answer.
+
+It was very dark. The gas-lamps at the corners only made the darkness
+gloomier. The only sound they heard, after Mr. Punch's father's voice
+had died away behind them, was the stump-stump of the Old Codger's
+wooden leg on the brick pavement. All the dwelling-houses were closed,
+and as they came nearer to the wharves all the warehouses were dark and
+awful. Not a soul was to be seen, except that once they saw the back of
+a policeman as he disappeared around a dark corner in advance. At the
+sight of this policeman's back, and in the shadow of a great gloomy
+building alongside an alley, Freddie slipped his hand into the Able
+Seaman's big paw. He wondered if he were doing quite right in leaving
+home without saying a word to his mother, but Mr. Toby had promised to
+do whatever was necessary, and anyway, he was going aboard a ship! If he
+should stop to speak to his mother about going away on a voyage in a
+ship, he felt somehow that he might never go. He could already smell the
+delicious odour of tarred ropes.
+
+Their progress was very slow, on account of Aunt Amanda's lameness.
+First came Mr. Mizzen, leading the way with Freddie by his side. Next
+came Aunt Amanda, limping with her cane, and supported on one side by
+Mr. Toby and on the other by Mr. Punch. Behind them walked the
+Churchwarden and the Sly Old Fox, and last of all Mr. Hanlon and the Old
+Codger with the Wooden Leg.
+
+They could see not far before them the ghost-like masts and shrouds of
+ships, looking as if they were growing up from the street among the
+buildings; and in another moment they found themselves standing in a
+group on a wide wharf, piled up with bales and boxes, and before them,
+against the edge of the wharf, where the black water was lapping the
+piles, stood a tall ship with most of her sails set. Freddie thrilled in
+every vein of his body. At that moment he did not think of his father or
+mother; he thought of nothing but the smell of brackish water and tarred
+ropes, and the deck of a ship on the open sea under a cloud of canvas,
+and the far-away Spanish Main.
+
+The Able Seaman led the company of adventurers forward between the bales
+and boxes, until they stood beside the dark hull of the ship. He turned
+round and faced them and touched his cap respectfully.
+
+"Come aboard," said he.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XII
+
+THE VOYAGE OF THE SIEVE
+
+
+When Freddie awoke the next morning, he leaned up on his elbow, rubbing
+his eyes, and was surprised to see the floor of the little room in which
+he found himself settling slowly down at one side. In a moment the floor
+rose again on that side, and the other side settled down. Then the whole
+room tilted sideways and back again. It made him dizzy, and he closed
+his eyes, wondering what kind of a house he had gotten into. He decided
+he would get up and find out about it.
+
+He carefully rose, and tried to walk across the floor to the window. As
+he stepped out, the floor seemed to go down under him, and he quickly
+grasped the bed; he put out his foot again, and the floor rose up; he
+was dizzier than before, and he had a queer sinking feeling in his
+stomach. As the floor tilted down sideways again, he made a dash to the
+opposite wall, and held on there by the window; but the floor sank
+again, and he made another dash, back to bed. He was cold and hot, and
+his head ached, and there was a feeling in his stomach as if--oh dear!
+He decided he would lie in bed for a few moments until he felt better.
+
+He remained there for two days.
+
+What occurred during those two days he could not remember very well
+afterwards. He slept a great deal, and it seemed that some one with a
+green patch over his eye came in now and then; but he paid very little
+attention. All he wanted was to go to sleep and stay asleep.
+
+On the morning after his third night he sat up wide awake. He was
+hungry. He jumped up and dressed in a hurry. As the floor tilted and
+sank and rose with him he thought he had never felt so delicious a
+sensation. He wondered if there would be bacon and eggs for breakfast.
+
+In a moment he had thrown open the door and he was running up a short
+flight of steps. He was weak and tottery, but he paid no attention to
+that. He was at the top of the steps, and he drew in a deep breath of
+the cool morning air.
+
+He was standing on the deck of a great ship. Over his head clouds and
+clouds of beautiful white canvas swelled out to the breeze. The sun was
+sparkling merrily on the water, and there was no land to be seen
+anywhere. Up forward, the bow of the ship was dipping and rising
+regularly. There were three tall masts, and on the first two the sails
+were set square to the masts, and on the third lengthwise; every sail
+seemed to be up. It was glorious.
+
+He walked forward up the deck. Here and there were men in blue overalls,
+cleaning the deck, coiling ropes, and polishing metal; and in a little
+house with windows a man was standing beside an upright wheel. Near the
+first mast, in a group, were Aunt Amanda, Mr. Toby, the Churchwarden,
+and the two old Codgers. Freddie hailed them with a shout.
+
+"All right, young feller," cried Mr. Toby, as Freddie came up, "here we
+are! How is this for a corking spree? Beats all the Tolchester
+excursions you ever see, that's what I say! Blamed if it don't. I ain't
+been out of bed for two days."
+
+"No more has any of us," said Aunt Amanda. "Do you feel well, Freddie?
+I declare I'm quite excited. Isn't the air invigorating?"
+
+"Yes'm," said Freddie. "What did you say in your note, Mr. Toby?"
+
+"What note?" said Toby.
+
+"Why, your note to my mother, explaining about me and----"
+
+"By crackey!" cried Toby. "Blamed if I didn't clean forget all about it!
+Now ain't that too bad! What on earth are we going to do about it?"
+
+"Well!" said Aunt Amanda. "Now ain't that just like you, Toby
+Littleback? I declare if your head wasn't fastened on you'd----"
+
+"Wery reprehensible," said Mr. Punch. "Wery."
+
+"My dear friends," said the Sly Old Codger, "let us not be disquieted on
+such a morning as this. Everything is so beautiful. _So_ beautiful! And
+without any expense whatever. It is a precious thought. How pleasant it
+is to hear the breeze blowing so gently among all the little capstans up
+there!"
+
+He took off his high silk hat and looked up among the sails with a rapt
+expression on his face, and all the others looked up too, trying to see
+the capstans fluttering in the breeze.
+
+"Look!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Why, there's Mr. Hanlon!"
+
+Far, far up, near the top of the second mast, was a white figure,
+standing on a rope under the topmost sail, and holding on with one hand
+and waving the other down at the passengers. Mr. Toby waved his white
+derby, and Mr. Hanlon began to come down. Freddie trembled with alarm,
+but Mr. Hanlon was obviously having the time of his life. He skipped
+swiftly along his dangerous perch, and sliding down and along the spars
+of wood that held the sails, and actually leaping from one to another,
+and tripping lightly down ladders of rope, while the whole top swayed
+dizzily from side to side, he at length came down on the deck with a
+bounce, and bowing to everybody shook Freddie by the hand.
+
+"Here comes the Able Seaman!" cried Toby. "And see what he's got on his
+wrist!"
+
+Mr. Lemuel Mizzen came rolling down the deck, and as he approached he
+took off his cap with his left hand and made a bow. On his right wrist
+was a blue and red parrot, who cocked his head sideways at the
+strangers, and then looked up inquiringly at the Able Seaman.
+
+"Good morning, all!" said Mr. Mizzen. "Glad to see the passengers come
+to life again! Nothing like the open sea, lady and gentlemen!"
+
+"Are you sure it's perfectly safe?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Perfectly safe, ma'am. A tight little bark is The Sieve, provided the
+dippers hold out. Most of the men is below now, baling out the water
+with their dippers, and the ship ain't leaking more than ordinary--yet.
+Of course you never can tell what may happen, but there's plenty of
+dippers, unless we should founder in a storm, or split up on the rocks,
+or----"
+
+"Mercy on us!" cried Aunt Amanda. "I wish we hadn't come. If I only had
+some sewing with me."
+
+"Would you mend socks, ma'am?"
+
+"Oh, that would be lovely! And I could look after the men's shirts, too,
+and count the laundry when it comes home, and--I'm sure we are going to
+have a delightful voyage! I feel better already. I don't believe there's
+any danger after all. It's all nonsense about the ship's leaking."
+
+"Who's your f-f-f-friends, L-l-lem?" shrieked a voice from Mr. Mizzen's
+wrist.
+
+Everyone started, and looked in amazement at the parrot, whose head was
+perked sideways up at Mr. Mizzen's face.
+
+"L-l-lem!" shrieked the parrot, stuttering terribly. "Who's your
+f-f-f-friends?"
+
+"Never you mind," said Lemuel, "you'll find out soon enough. Breakfast's
+ready. Anybody want breakfast?"
+
+Before anyone had a chance to reply, the parrot opened his mouth wide
+and gave a loud laugh, and cried out:
+
+"Th-th-three ch-cheers! Th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-steak, b-b-bacon
+and eggs! I'll have l-l-l-liver and onions! Ha! ha! ha! Th-th-three
+ch-cheers for l-l-l-liver and onions!"
+
+"Be quiet, Marmaduke," said the Able Seaman. "I'll lock you up again, if
+you ain't careful."
+
+"K-k-k-ker-_choo_!" said Marmaduke, giving a loud sneeze; and rubbed his
+beak with his foot and fluttered his feathers. "L-l-l-lock me up in the
+a-a-after hold, till I g-g-g-get all over this d-d-d-dreadful cold!
+Th-th-three ch-cheers for hay f-f-f-fever! K-k-k-ker-_choo_!"
+
+"I'll lock you up in the after hold, if you don't quit being so fresh
+and bold; I'll learn you manners before I'm through, and if ever I hear
+one little--"
+
+"Ker-_choo_!" said Marmaduke, finishing Mr. Mizzen's sentence for him
+very neatly.
+
+Everyone laughed, except the Able Seaman.
+
+"All right," said he, "just wait till I've had my chow, I'll attend to
+you proper; now off with you--now!" And he tossed Master Marmaduke off
+his wrist up into the air. The parrot lit on a spar overhead, just under
+a sail, and peered down at the company without the least appearance of
+embarrassment.
+
+"If there's b-b-b-bacon and eggs," he cried, "I'll take l-l-l-liver!
+Th-th-three ch-ch-cheers for l-l-l-liver!"
+
+[Illustration: "L-l-lem!" shrieked the parrot. "Who's your
+f-f-f-friends?"]
+
+Freddie burst into a merry laugh, and all his friends joined; all except
+Mr. Punch, who looked puzzled.
+
+"'Ow could 'e 'ave liver," said he, "hif there was only bycon an'
+heggs?"
+
+At this everyone laughed louder than before, and Mr. Punch was
+completely perplexed.
+
+"I'll explain that to you some day," said Toby. "Didn't you never hear a
+joke?"
+
+"Ho, yes," said Mr. Punch. "Hi 'eard a wery good joke once; a wery good
+one indeed. Hi'll relate it to you. When I was a lad--"
+
+"There's the breakfast bell," said Mr. Mizzen. "Sorry to interrupt, but
+we mustn't let it get cold. We'll hold the election afterwards."
+
+No one waited to hear Mr. Punch's joke. The Able Seaman led the way, and
+all the others followed him down the deck, towards a kind of three-sided
+box which opened on a stairway below.
+
+In a moment or two they found themselves in the dining-saloon, and in
+another moment they were seated about a round table, set for breakfast.
+The passengers insisted on the Able Seaman's sitting down with them, and
+he consented to do so.
+
+A lad of about eighteen entered, to wait on the table. He had a shock of
+bright red hair, and a kind of frightened look in his eyes, as if he
+were afraid he would do everything wrong, and would always be in hot
+water about it. He stood behind the Able Seaman's chair, and began to
+make a queer contortion of the face, in an effort to speak.
+
+"Th-th-th-there's--" he began.
+
+"Skipper first," interrupted Mr. Mizzen, nodding towards Freddie.
+
+The Cabin-boy (for that was what he was) went to Freddie's chair, and
+began to speak again, with the same contortion of the face.
+
+"Th-th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-bacon and eggs," he
+said.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie.
+
+The Cabin-boy stared in bewilderment, and began again.
+
+"Th-th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-bacon and eggs," said
+he.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, much embarrassed.
+
+"I don't blame you, skipper," said the Able Seaman. "I would too, if I
+hadn't eaten for two days. Next!"
+
+The Cabin-boy stood behind Aunt Amanda's chair, and began:
+
+"Th-th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-bacon
+and--Ker-_choo_!" He gave a hearty sneeze, and pulled out his
+pocket-handkerchief; so he had to begin all over again:
+
+"Th-th-th-there's ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-s-s--"
+
+"Chops, thank you," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+The Cabin-boy took his stand behind Toby's chair, and began:
+
+"There's--there's--th-th-th-th--Ker-_choo_! Th-th-there's
+ch-ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-s-s--"
+
+"Chops and steak," said Toby.
+
+The Cabin-boy stood behind each of the other chairs in turn, and
+repeated each time his entire list. Everybody gave a different order,
+and the boy became so bewildered at last that he wiped his forehead with
+his pocket-handkerchief, brushed a tear from his eye, and when he had
+taken the last order dashed out of the door with a kind of sob.
+
+As soon as he was gone, sounds came through the door by which he had
+left, as if a dreadful row was going on in the next room.
+
+"Frightful temper, that cook," said the Able Seaman, "but the boy
+certainly does get on his nerves."
+
+In a short time the Cabin-boy came in with four plates at once, and as
+he reached Freddie's chair the ship gave a deep lurch downward, and the
+four plates shot out of his arms across the room, showering the floor
+with chops, steak, bacon and eggs.
+
+The boy gave a wild cry and burst into tears, and fled through the door.
+From the next room came the sound of a row more violent than before.
+
+"Never mind," said Mr. Mizzen, "he'll be back."
+
+He came back presently, his eyes very red, and stumbling in and out
+managed to put down before each one a plate. Every plate contained
+chops, steak, bacon and eggs.
+
+"Now," said Mr. Mizzen, when the breakfast was over, "we'll go up and
+hold the election."
+
+When they came on deck, they were astonished to see a considerable
+number of men in blue overalls, who were sitting on the deck in a group.
+As the passengers approached, they stood up respectfully, and one of
+them said something privately to Mr. Mizzen.
+
+"They've held the election already," said the Able Seaman, turning to
+the passengers. "There's three dozen of 'em, and they've elected the
+captains and mates for the voyage; thirteen captains and twenty-three
+mates. They went right ahead without waiting for me, so I'm the only
+Able Seaman left on the ship."
+
+"What!" said Aunt Amanda. "Do you mean to tell me--?"
+
+"It's all right, madam," said Mr. Mizzen in an undertone. "You see,
+they're all free and equal, and everything goes by voting. They won't
+have it any other way. It's lucky they didn't all want to be captains.
+It's all right, anyway, because there's none of 'em knows anything about
+navigation, and I'm the only one on board that _does_ know; so it comes
+to the same thing as if they had elected _me_ captain. But of course
+_they_ don't think of that. Not a word. I'll send 'em about their
+business now, as soon as they've put on their uniforms."
+
+"Well!" said Aunt Amanda, gasping. "I never in my life--!"
+
+The thirteen captains and the twenty-three mates disappeared from the
+deck in a hurry, and in a very few minutes reappeared. Each one of them
+wore, in place of his blue overalls, a smart blue suit with brass
+buttons and gold braid, and a jaunty blue cap with gold braid around it;
+the mates having only nine instead of ten rows of braid around their
+sleeves.
+
+The Able Seaman led them aside, and after a few words with them returned
+to his passengers.
+
+"Everything's settled," said he. "Some of them are going below with
+their dippers, and the rest of them are to look after handling the ship.
+The navigation is left to me. We'll get along fine now, provided the
+leaks don't get any worse."
+
+Freddie wandered off by himself, to inspect the ship. He could walk very
+well now, in spite of the roll of the ship, and he went everywhere. He
+found himself finally on the after deck, leaning over the rail and
+watching the wake of the ship boiling away so white and beautiful
+behind. He was more and more delighted with this strange adventure. It
+was too bad that Mr. Toby had forgotten to write the note to his mother,
+but it couldn't be helped now, and they would sometime find a place
+somewhere or other where they could post a letter. It was so entrancing
+to be actually at sea on a ship, with the deck rising and falling, and
+the wake boiling away behind, and land nowhere in sight, that it would
+seem a pity ever to arrive at the Spanish Main; but the thought of
+adventures there--! However, he was in no hurry to have the voyage over.
+
+Aunt Amanda was sitting somewhere with a pile of sailors' socks in her
+lap, perfectly contented. Mr. Hanlon was swinging his feet away up
+yonder from the topmost yard of the second mast. The Churchwarden, Mr.
+Punch, Toby, and the Sly Old Fox were engaged in an earnest discussion
+in chairs beside the deck-house. The Old Codger with the Wooden Leg was
+speaking confidentially in the ear of the twenty-first mate, in an
+effort to borrow a pipeful of tobacco.
+
+Suddenly Freddie heard behind him the loud harsh laughter of Marmaduke
+the parrot. Turning round, he saw the parrot perched on the ship's rail,
+and before him was the Cabin-boy, shaking his finger in the parrot's
+face, and storming away at him angrily. Freddie immediately went over to
+them.
+
+"I w-w-w-won't s-s-s-s-stand it no l-l-l-l-longer!" the Cabin-boy was
+bawling, his face nearly as red as his hair. "I w-w-w-won't! W-w-w-what
+do you m-m-m-mean by m-m-m-mocking me all the t-t-t-ime?"
+
+"Who? M-m-m-m-m-me?" said the parrot.
+
+"Y-y-y-yaas, y-y-y-you!" cried the Cabin-boy. "Just because I
+s-s-s-s-s-stutter, do you--do you--do you have to--have
+to--s-s-s-s-stut-stutter too?"
+
+"M-m-m-m-me? You're entirely m-m-m-m-mistaken. You're the one that
+s-s-s-stut-s-s-s-stutters."
+
+"Ain't you always s-s-saying--saying--ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak,
+b-b-b-b-bacon and eggs? Ain't you? You've got to k-k-k-k-quit--r-r-right
+_now_, d'you _hear_? I w-w-w-won't s-s-s-stand it no l-l-l-l-longer, and
+you b-b-b-better b-b-b-believe it!"
+
+"Highty-tighty! Sixty, ninety! Uncle Sam! Pop pop! Th-th-there's
+ch-ch-chops, s-s-s-steak, b-b-b-bacon and eggs! Th-th-three ch-ch-cheers
+for l-l-l-liver and onions!"
+
+The poor Cabin-boy burst out crying.
+
+"All ri-i-i-ight," he sobbed, stamping his foot. "All ri-i-i-ight. I
+c-c-can't help it--if--I do s-s-stutter. But there ain't no
+p-p-p-p-parrot going to m-m-m-m-mock me, M-m-m-m-mizzen nor no
+M-m-m-m-mizzen. I'll wring--your--bla-a-a-asted--neck first, you
+ornery--l-l-l-little--varmint, you s-s-s-see if I--see if
+I--d-d-d-don't!"
+
+"Marmaduke's my name!" shrieked the parrot. "Please to note the same!
+Pop, pop, pop! I'll have l-l-l-liver and onions, l-l-l-l-liver and
+onions, l-l-l-l-liver and onions, pop, pop, pop!"
+
+The Cabin-boy, shaking with sobs, raised his hand threateningly.
+
+"D-d-d-d-don't you d-d-d-dare t-t-t-to--Ker-_choo_!" He sneezed, and out
+came his handkerchief.
+
+"Ker-_choo_!" sneezed the parrot, and rubbed his beak with his foot.
+
+This was the last straw. The Cabin-boy reached for Marmaduke's neck, and
+would surely have choked him then and there, if Freddie had not caught
+his arm and pulled him away.
+
+The Cabin-boy allowed himself to be led off, and Freddie drew him along
+towards the companion-way.
+
+"Come along down to my room," said Freddie.
+
+"All r-r-right," said the Cabin-boy, wiping his eyes and sniffling.
+"I'll c-c-c-come, b-b-b-but there's going to be trouble--trouble--on
+this sh-sh-sh-ship along o' that p-p-p-parrot before this--before this
+v-v-v-voyage--is over, you m-m-m-mark m-m-m-m-my w-w-w-w-words!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIII
+
+THE CABIN-BOY'S REVENGE
+
+
+It was a soft moonlight night in southern seas. Our party of
+adventurers, with Mr. Mizzen in their midst, were sitting quietly on the
+after part of the deck, enjoying the balmy air and watching the bright
+track which the full moon made on the water. The sea was very calm.
+There was only a light breeze, and The Sieve was hardly moving.
+
+Mr. Mizzen was scratching the head of Marmaduke the parrot, who was
+perched on the Able Seaman's wrist. From the forward part of the deck,
+where the skippers and mates were sitting in a party of their own, could
+be heard the tinkle of a guitar and the sound of a voice singing.
+
+"One always enjoys," said Mr. Punch, "a bit of singing by moonlight on
+the water. Hi remember when I was a lad--"
+
+"Why don't you sing for us yourself?" said Toby.
+
+"Oh, do!" cried several of the others.
+
+Mr. Punch looked down at the deck bashfully. "Hi should be wery glad to
+oblige," said he, "but I 'ave a slight cold, and besides, Hi only know
+one song."
+
+"What is the name of it?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Kathleen Mavourneen," said Mr. Punch.
+
+"That's a very good song," said Aunt Amanda. "Sing it."
+
+"Wait a minute," said Mr. Mizzen, "and I'll get the guitar. I can play
+it."
+
+While he was gone, and while the others were talking, Freddie felt a
+hand on his arm, and looking down saw the Cabin-boy sitting on the deck
+beside his chair, and winking up at him with a strange excited look on
+his face. The Cabin-boy pulled Freddie's head down, and whispered in his
+ear.
+
+"S-s-s-sh! K-k-keep your eyes o-o-ope-open! Something's going to happen
+to-to-tonight! You'll see! Down with M-m-mizzen and M-m-marmaduke!"
+
+Freddie gazed at the Cabin-boy in some alarm, and was about to ask a
+question, when Mr. Mizzen returned with the guitar.
+
+"Now we're ready," said he, taking his seat and putting Marmaduke on the
+rail of the ship. "Here's the chord. All right, Mr. Punch."
+
+"Hi really 'ave such a cold--" said Mr. Punch.
+
+"That's understood," said Toby. "Now then, strike up."
+
+Mr. Punch cleared his throat very loud, and coughed once or twice, and
+began to sing:
+
+    "Kathleen Mavourneen, the gr'y dorn is bryking,
+    The 'orn of the 'unter is 'eard on the 'ill."
+
+"Ha! ha! ha! ha!" roared Toby. "The 'orn of the 'unter! Blamed if I ever
+hear the like of that before! My stars! What's the matter, Mr. Punch,
+can't you put in a little 'h' now and then? The 'orn of the 'unter! Oh
+my stars! Ha! ha! ha! ha!"
+
+Mr. Punch was deeply offended. "Hit is quite sufficient," said he. "Hi
+shall sing no more." And nothing that anybody could say could induce him
+to go on.
+
+"Toby Littleback," said Aunt Amanda, "it's just like you, all over. Now
+you ask Mr. Punch's pardon, right this minute."
+
+Toby apologized, and Mr. Punch said that it was of no consequence
+whatever; but he would not sing.
+
+"Then I guess you'll have to sing for us yourself, Mizzen," said Toby.
+
+"Right-o," said Mr. Mizzen, thrumming on his guitar. "What'll it be?"
+
+The Cabin-boy sniffed and spoke in an undertone close to Freddie's ear.
+
+"He'll be s-s-singing on the other s-s-side of his f-f-face before this
+night's o-o-over, you mark m-m-m-my wo-wo-words!"
+
+"Lady and gentlemen"--began Mr. Mizzen.
+
+"Ker-choo!" sneezed the parrot. "A wet sh-sh-sheet and a f-f-flowing
+s-s-s-sea! Three cheers f-f-for the--Ker-choo! Three cheers f-f-for hay
+f-f-fe-fever!"
+
+"Down with b-b-b-both of 'em!" whispered the Cabin-boy fiercely in
+Freddie's ear.
+
+"Suppose you sing us something about yourself," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Ay, ay, ma'am," said Mr. Mizzen; and after playing a few chords and
+quivers on the guitar, he began to sing, in a voice like a fog-horn
+muffled by a heavy fog, the following song concerning the
+
+LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF L. MIZZEN
+
+    "When I was a lad I was bad as I could be,
+    Wouldn't say 'Thank you' nor 'Please,' not me,
+    And at church I wouldn't kneel but only on one knee,
+    And at school I wouldn't study my A B C,
+    And I couldn't conscientious with the Golden Rule agree,
+    Nor understand the secret of its popularitee,
+    Nor get a ounce of pleasure from the Rule of Three,--
+    I was bad right through; sweared 'hully gee,'
+    And worse sometimes, like 'jiminee;'
+    Scrawled with a pencil on my jographee,
+    Stole birds' eggs in the huckleberry tree,--
+    Oh, I was bad; tried to learn a flea
+    How to keep his balance on a rolling pea,--
+    Oh, regular bad; and my ma, said she,
+    'If you don't be better than what you be,
+    I'll put you in the cupboard and turn the key.'
+    But I wouldn't and I wouldn't, no sirree,
+
+            So I ran away to sea;
+            Yes, I ran away to sea;
+
+    With a little gingham, bottle of cambric tea,
+    And a penny wrapped up in my hankerchee,
+
+            For I wanted to be free,
+            So I ran away to sea."
+
+Mr. Mizzen stopped, and looked towards the stern of the ship. "I
+thought," said he, "I kind of noticed something queer about the stern
+rail; looked as if it was lower. But I guess I'm mistaken."
+
+Everyone looked, but saw nothing amiss. The Cabin-boy tittered into
+Freddie's ear.
+
+"Would you like to hear the second verse?" said the Able Seaman.
+
+"Yes, yes! Go on!" said several voices at once.
+
+"Here goes, then," said Mr. Mizzen, thrumming on the guitar. "After I
+ran away to sea, I had a good many adventures, and some of 'em--anyway--
+
+    "When I was young I followed the Equator
+    From Pole to Pole in the ship Perambulator,
+    A four-wheeled schooner, a smoky old freighter,
+    Loaded with sulphur for an old dead crater
+    In the Andes Mountains, and a night or two later
+      With a three-knot gale blowing loud and rude
+        As the dark grows darker and the gale increases
+        Of a sudden we strike and we goes all to pieces
+      On the forty-seventh parallel of latitude.
+    And then and there we formed a committee
+    And went in a body up to London City
+      And walked up the steps and pulled the little bell,
+    And spoke out bold to the Lords of Creation
+    Where they sat in their wigs making rules of navigation,
+      And explained to 'em the dangers of the Deadly Parallel.
+        'Take 'em down and pull 'em in,'
+        That's the way we did begin:
+        ''Tisn't leaks nor 'tisn't whiskey
+        Makes the sailor's life so risky,
+    It's the parallel as lies acrost our track.
+    It's the Deadly Parallel, lying there so long and black,
+        Is the subject of our moderate petition;
+        'Tisn't much that we are wishin',
+        But we humbly beg permission
+                  To implore,--
+    Coil 'em up, we implore, where they won't be in the way,
+    Out of sight, safe ashore, we humbly pray;
+        For there's many a tidy bark
+        Strikes against 'em in the dark
+    And is never never heard of any more.
+        So we'll thank you heartilee
+        If so very kind you'll be
+    And remove this awful danger from the sea.'
+        But we couldn't make 'em do it;
+        No, they simply wouldn't do it;
+    And the bailiff shoved us gently from the door.
+        And we wept uncommon salty,
+        For their reason did seem faulty,
+      Any way that we could view it:
+        And the reason which they gave us
+        Why they really couldn't save us
+    Was because the thing had ne'er been done before;
+    No, such a thing had ne'er been done before."
+
+Mr. Mizzen stopped again, and looked along the deck and up at the masts,
+and said, "I can't get it out of my head that the deck is slanting a
+little more than usual; the ship doesn't seem to come up well at the
+stern. However,--would you like to hear any more of this song?"
+
+Everybody begged him to go on.
+
+The Cabin-boy plucked Freddie's sleeve. "I've done it. You'll s-s-s-see!
+Won't that M-m-marmaduke and that M-m-m-mizzen sing another tune when
+they f-f-f-find out?" Freddie looked at him in amazement; but the Able
+Seaman was commencing the third verse of his song:
+
+    "When I was older, and bold as you please,
+    I shipped on the good ship Firkin of Cheese,
+    For a v'yage of discovery in the far South Seas,
+    To gather up a cargo of ambergris
+    That grows in a cave on the amber trees
+    Where the medicine men, all fine M.D.'s,
+    For the sake of the usual medical fees,
+    Crawl in by night on their hands and knees
+    In a strictly ethical manner to seize
+    The amber fruit that is used to grease
+    The itching palm in Shekel's Disease,--
+    On a long long v'yage, as busy as bees,
+    Never stopping for a moment to take our ease,
+    Never changing our course, except when the breeze
+    Took to blowing to windward,--we had slipped by degrees
+    Down the oozy slopes of the Hebrides,
+    And passed through the locks of the Florida Keys,
+    Which in getting through was a rather tight squeeze,
+    But danger is nothing to men like these,
+    When suddenly the lookout, a Portuguese
+    Who had better been below a-shelling peas,
+    Shrieked out, 'They are coming! By twos and threes!
+    On the starboard bow! We are lost!--"
+
+"We're lost! we're lost! we're lost!" came a terrible cry from the
+forward part of the ship, as if in echo of Mr. Mizzen's song. "We're
+lost! The dippers! The dippers!"
+
+Everyone jumped up, even Aunt Amanda. The Cabin-boy whispered in
+Freddie's ear, in great excitement, "N-n-n-now you'll s-see!"
+
+A man came running down the deck, followed by all the skippers and
+mates. As he halted before Mr. Mizzen, he was evidently the Cook, by the
+white cook's cap he wore on his head. He took off his cap and wiped his
+forehead with his hand. He was in a state of mixed alarm and anger.
+
+"We're lost!" he cried, and actually tore his hair with his hands. "It's
+that rascally Cabin-boy! The dippers is gone! Every last one of them!
+And the ship leakin' by the barrelful! Let me get at that boy once, and
+I'll learn him! Fryin' on a slow fire would be too good for him! Swore
+he'd get even, he did, and now he's gone and done it! Stole all the
+dippers--he's the one that done it, you can bet your last biscuit! There
+ain't a dipper left in the ship, and the water pourin' in by the
+barrelful! I just found it out, while them lazy skippers and mates was
+lying around doing nothing! Gimme one sea-cook for all the skippers on
+the ocean, that's what I say! Every last dipper gone! gone! We're lost!"
+
+Everyone looked around for the Cabin-boy. He was nowhere to be seen, but
+his laugh was heard overhead, and his face was then seen looking down
+from the rigging just above.
+
+"I've d-d-d-done it," he cried, shrieking with laughter. "I'm even with
+you n-n-n-n-now! M-m-m-m-mizzen he l-l-l-learned the parrot to
+m-m-m-mock me, he did, and Cook he b-b-b-basted me in the g-g-g-galley
+all the t-t-t-t-time, and now I'm e-e-e-even with all of 'em. They ain't
+g-g-g-going to t-t-t-torment me no m-m-m-m-more! I stole the dippers and
+th-th-th-threw 'em overboard, every last one of 'em, and n-n-n-now
+you're g-g-g-going to s-s-sink, sink, si-i-_ink_, d-d-d-down, down,
+d-d-d-_down_, to the bottom of the--bottom of the s-s-s-_sea_!"
+
+He laughed louder than before, and the angry Cook sprang forward to
+climb up after him, but just then the ship gave a violent lurch
+backwards, nearly upsetting everyone, and settled down by the stern, so
+that that end of the boat was completely under water.
+
+Aunt Amanda screamed. Toby and Mr. Punch came to her at once and
+supported her on each side. There was a great hubbub. Everyone tried to
+speak at once. Freddie felt his hand grasped in the strong hand of Mr.
+Toby, and he began to feel somewhat less afraid. Over the hubbub could
+be heard the Cabin-boy's wild laugh.
+
+"Everybody quiet!" shouted Mr. Mizzen. "We must think what we had better
+do."
+
+"Yes, yes," cried a number of voices. "What are we going to do?"
+
+"I wish," said Mr. Mizzen, thoughtfully, "I wish we had thought to bring
+a rowboat with us."
+
+"What!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Do you mean to tell me that you came away
+on this long journey without an extra boat?"
+
+"We didn't think of it," said Mr. Mizzen. "We had plenty of dippers, and
+we never thought of anybody's throwing them overboard."
+
+"No! no!" cried all the skippers and mates together. "We never thought
+of that!"
+
+"Then bring out the life-preservers at once!" said Aunt Amanda. "And be
+quick about it!"
+
+"We haven't any," said Mr. Mizzen. "What would have been the use of
+life-preservers if the dippers were all on board? We never thought we
+would need them."
+
+"No! no!" cried all the skippers and mates together. "We never thought
+of that!"
+
+"Then think of something now," said Aunt Amanda. "Don't you see the
+ship's settling deeper in the water?"
+
+The ship was in fact deeper in the water. It was sinking rapidly. The
+deck began to list so much towards the stern that it was difficult to
+stand on it. The ship was making no headway whatever. The breeze was
+even lighter than before, and the sails were hanging limp. It would have
+taken a stiff wind indeed to have moved that water-logged boat; and it
+lay as if moored to a float, going up and down heavily in the long
+swell.
+
+"Do you--er--think," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, "that we
+are in--er--danger?"
+
+"Danger!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Something must be done! Are you going to
+let us drown without turning a hand?"
+
+"There's only one thing to do," said Mr. Mizzen, "and I don't know
+whether it will work or not; but we can try it. Boys, bring up all the
+mattresses from the cabins, and a coil of rope! Look alive, now!"
+
+The skippers and mates ran off in great haste and disappeared down the
+hatchways. In a few minutes they had laid on the deck a great pile of
+mattresses. While this was being done, Aunt Amanda, whose bonnet and
+shawl had been brought to her by one of the men, tied her bonnet-strings
+under her chin and put her shawl about her shoulders, in readiness for
+departure.
+
+"Now then," said Mr. Mizzen, "lash the mattresses together."
+
+The men proved themselves very handy with ropes. With Mr. Mizzen's help,
+they lashed together securely a good number of the mattresses, and the
+first result of their work was a mattress raft some fifteen feet square,
+and some four or five feet thick. A supply of oil-cloth was found in the
+store-room, and this was bound by ropes all over and under and around
+the raft.
+
+"I don't know whether it will do," said Mr. Mizzen, "but anyway there's
+nothing else that _will_ do. Now, lads, over the side with her!"
+
+All the men lent a hand, and the mattress raft was hoisted over the side
+and on to the water. To the satisfaction of everyone, it floated there
+quietly and easily, with its top well above the surface of the sea.
+
+"Lucky it's a smooth sea," said Mr. Mizzen. "We ought to be pleased with
+the state of the weather; couldn't be better; I feel quite joyful about
+it."
+
+"Oh, you do," said Aunt Amanda. "Well, I don't feel joyful about it.
+What next?"
+
+"Put the provisions aboard," said the Able Seaman; whereupon some of the
+men placed on the raft a small barrel of water and some tins of meat,
+soup, biscuit, and other things.
+
+"If you please," said Mr. Mizzen, when this had been done, "I think the
+passengers had better get aboard. When you're aboard, we'll make another
+raft for ourselves. Are you ready?"
+
+The passengers were helped aboard the raft, one after another. Although
+the raft bobbed up and down on the swell, it was not a difficult matter
+for the men and the boy to get on, for it was held fast against the side
+of the ship at a point where it was about even with the deck-rail.
+Freddie gave a good spring, and was on in no time; Mr. Hanlon, who did
+not seem in the least uneasy, got aboard with the agility of a cat;
+there was no trouble with anyone except Aunt Amanda, whose lameness
+impeded her movements a good deal.
+
+As the Sly Old Fox, with his high silk hat on his head, was about to
+step over the side, he turned and said:
+
+"I feel it my duty, Mr. Mizzen, to register a complaint against the
+outrageous treatment to which we are being subjected. I submit under
+protest, sir; under protest. If I had for one moment imagined--"
+
+"Oh bosh," said Toby. "Push him over, Mizzen." And the Sly Old Fox was
+in fact somewhat rudely pushed over on to the raft.
+
+None of the others made any objection. Mr. Punch, who usually talked a
+good deal, was noticeably silent; and when Toby offered him a hand to
+help him over, he said stiffly:
+
+"Hi thank you sir, but I do not require any hassistance."
+
+When the Churchwarden took his seat in the middle of the raft, it went
+down alarmingly; but nothing happened, and when the Old Codger with the
+Wooden Leg was aboard, the party was complete. All the others sat around
+the Churchwarden, as close as they could huddle. It was evident that the
+raft would float them, at least until it should become water-logged, or
+a gale of wind should blow. The men on the ship now let go of the raft,
+and proceeded to lash together the remaining mattresses for themselves.
+The raft floated quietly away from the ship.
+
+Aunt Amanda's arm was about Freddie. He did not feel, however, that he
+needed her protection. He had already forgotten his first alarm, and he
+was feeling most of all what an extraordinary adventure it was that had
+befallen him; the men from the ship would be nearby on the other rafts,
+the sea was calm, the air was warm, and they would probably be picked up
+by some vessel before the food gave out. He supposed there were very few
+boys who had ever sailed the open sea on a mattress.
+
+"Well, Freddie," said Mr. Toby, as the raft continued to float slowly
+away from the ship, "what do you think of this, eh? Have you got the map
+of Correction Island with you?"
+
+"Yes, sir, I have. It's in my pocket."
+
+"Good! Don't lose it. We may get to the Island after all, some day; you
+never can tell. By the way, Warden, have you got your Odour of
+Sanctity?"
+
+"Safe in my pocket," said the Churchwarden. "What about you? Have you
+got the Chinaman's head?"
+
+"What? Me? The Chinaman's head? Oh merciful fathers! I clean forgot it!"
+cried Toby. "Blamed if I didn't leave it in my room on the ship! Never
+thought about it once! If that don't beat all! What'll we do? We can't
+get back! We're floating away! Great jumping Joan! What'll we do?"
+
+"Well!" gasped Aunt Amanda. "Won't you never get a head on your
+shoulders, you Toby Littleback? Can't you never remember anything? I
+declare, Toby Littleback, you are the most addlepated, exasperating,--Oh
+dear, we'd better hail the ship, quick!"
+
+The party on the raft set up a loud cry, which was answered from the
+ship.
+
+"The Chinaman's head!" shouted Toby. "On the dresser in my cabin! I
+forgot it! Run and get it! Quick! We're floating away!"
+
+"Ay, ay, sir!" came a voice from the ship.
+
+The company on the raft waited anxiously. In a very few moments, which
+seemed like a great many, a hail came from the side of the ship, and
+they could see the Cabin-boy standing at a point of the deck where it
+was now sloped high out of the water, and he was holding the Chinaman's
+head aloft in both hands, as if about to throw it towards the raft.
+
+"Don't throw it!" shouted Toby. "Tie a rope to it first!"
+
+But he was too late. The Cabin-boy raised the Chinaman's head higher,
+swinging his body sideways, and as a dark figure came up behind him and
+tried to seize his arm, he gave a mighty heave and toss, and sent the
+Chinaman's head flying through the air in the direction of the raft.
+
+For a second it glistened in the moonlight. In another second it
+descended towards the raft, and almost reached it; but not quite; it
+came down within five feet of it, and fell like a shot plump into the
+ocean. It splashed, and that was all. The Chinaman's head was gone.
+
+A wail went up from the company on the raft at this terrible disaster.
+How terrible it really was they did not even yet understand, but they
+were soon to learn. Freddie was almost ready to burst into tears. Aunt
+Amanda was so exasperated that she could scarcely speak. The others
+seemed to be stupefied.
+
+"Oh! oh! oh!" cried Aunt Amanda. "You Toby, you! Now you've done it for
+good. Why, why, _why_ can't you never remember anything? It's your
+fault, and don't you never try to lay it to that Cabin-boy! And now
+what'll we do if we ever get separated from Mr. Mizzen? How'll we ever
+call him up to help us out of trouble if we get into it? Here's a
+pretty kettle of fish, now ain't it? I hope and pray we can stick close
+to Mr. Mizzen until we're all safe and--"
+
+"Look there!" cried Mr. Punch. "Bless me heyes, what do I see? Look at
+the ship!"
+
+It was high time to look at the ship. No sooner had the Chinaman's head
+disappeared into the depths of the ocean, than a change began to come
+over the ship. It grew paler and thinner in the moonlight. The green
+shutters along the side faded away one by one. The dark hull became
+lighter; the sails grew so thin that at last the watchers could see the
+stars shining through them. The whole ship seemed to waver and dissolve
+into a pale mist. It did not sink; no, the bow was still high out of the
+water, and all the masts and sails were visible. It simply faded away
+where it stood.
+
+As it was becoming more and more vague, the voice of Marmaduke the
+parrot came across the water out of the rigging; a far-away voice, which
+grew fainter and fainter as the ship grew dimmer, until it died away as
+if in the distance.
+
+"Th-th-th-three ch-ch-cheers!" it said. "Th-th-th-three ch-ch-cheers for
+l-l-l-l-liver and onions--th-th-three ch-ch-cheers--l-l-l-liver--and--"
+
+As Marmaduke's voice died away, the ship dissolved like a pale ghost and
+vanished. The Sieve was gone.
+
+The party of adventurers sat on their mattress raft in the midst of the
+wide ocean, with never a ship to be seen; the long sea-swell rolled
+placidly over the place where their ship had been. They sat huddled
+together in silence around the Churchwarden, too horrified to speak a
+word.
+
+The moon glistened on the Sly Old Codger's high silk hat.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIV
+
+THE CRUISE OF THE MATTRESSES
+
+
+"I wish," said Aunt Amanda, "that I had brought some sewing with me. I
+don't suppose I could sew very well by moonlight on a mattress in the
+middle of the ocean, but I don't believe this would have happened if I'd
+had my sewing with me."
+
+"Hi carn't see 'ow that would 'ave--" began Mr. Punch.
+
+"Now look here," said Toby. "We've got to sit in the middle of this here
+raft, or else she'll tilt over. Why don't you sit in the middle,
+Warden?"
+
+"I _am_ sitting in the middle," said the Churchwarden. "I wonder what
+the Vestry would say if they could--"
+
+"I wish it distinctly understood," said the Sly Old Fox, "that I am here
+under protest. If I had for one moment imagined--"
+
+"Now listen to me," said Aunt Amanda. "There's got to be a captain of
+this expedition, and as there's nobody here but a lot of helpless
+men-creatures, I suppose I've got to be the captain myself. All those in
+favor say aye. I'm elected. That's done. Warden, sit a little bit over
+to the right."
+
+"Ay, ay, sir; ay, ay, ma'am; certainly," said the Warden.
+
+"Now everybody sit up close to the Warden," said Aunt Amanda. "There. Is
+the raft balanced now?"
+
+"Ay, ay, sir," said the Churchwarden. "I mean, ay, ay, ma'am."
+
+"Then my orders as captain is, to sit still and see what's going to
+happen."
+
+Nothing happened. Freddie grew sleepy, and leaned his head against Aunt
+Amanda's shoulder. As he was falling off to sleep, a slim dark object
+rose from the sea near by and whirred across the ocean and plopped into
+the water.
+
+"Bless me heyes," said Mr. Punch, "hit's a flying-fish, as ever was."
+
+"Is it, really?" said Freddie. "Did he really fly?"
+
+"How wonderful is nature!" said the Sly Old Codger. "Such an opportunity
+to improve the mind! My little friend, I trust you will profit by what
+you have seen. It is very educational; very educational indeed."
+
+"Ahem!" said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg. "What do you
+suppose--er--ahem!--if you will pardon me--what are those little things
+sparkling out there on the surface of the water?"
+
+"Hit's a school of sardines!" said Mr. Punch. "Hi know them wery well;
+when I was a lad--"
+
+"There must be millions of them," said Freddie. "Just look!"
+
+The tiny fish were leaping by thousands on the surface of the water,
+immediately in the path of moonlight; and they flashed and sparkled as
+they leaped.
+
+"Hi believe there's a great fish arfter them," said Mr. Punch.
+
+"Maybe a whole regiment of big fish," said Toby. "By crackey, there's
+one now!"
+
+As he spoke, a black fin cut the water near the sardines, and they
+became more agitated than ever; from the size of the fin, it must have
+been a very great fish indeed; and along the upper edge of the fin was
+a row of long sharp saw-teeth, looking big and strong enough to have
+sawed through a wooden plank.
+
+"There's another one!" cried Freddie.
+
+"And another! and another!" cried Aunt Amanda.
+
+There must have been five or six of the great fish.
+
+"I hope they won't come near this boat," said Toby. "One of 'em would
+just about turn us upside down if he struck us."
+
+"Mercy!" said Aunt Amanda. "Don't say such a terrible thing."
+
+At that moment a great round black back appeared above the surface of
+the water, some hundred yards or so away, and in another moment a great
+black blunt head joined itself to the back, and a spout of white vapor
+rose from the head.
+
+"A whale!" cried several voices at once.
+
+"Oh!" said Aunt Amanda. "Suppose he should come this way?"
+
+The five or six fins of the great fish near the sardines now
+disappeared. The whale threw up his enormous tail, and went down head
+first beneath the water. Almost immediately, one of the saw-toothed fins
+reappeared, much nearer the raft than before.
+
+"Merciful heavens!" cried Aunt Amanda. "He's coming towards us! Oh
+dear!"
+
+The great fish was in fact evidently making straight towards the raft.
+Freddie clutched Aunt Amanda's arm. The fin cut the water at a high
+speed; it disappeared at times, but on each reappearance it was still
+pointed towards the raft.
+
+"He's nearly on us!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Hold on tight, Freddie!"
+
+The great fish came on with a rush, and as he reached the raft struck it
+with his back and slid under it. There was a tremendous bump, which
+nearly sent the company flat; then there was a rubbing under the raft,
+and everything was quiet again.
+
+"He's gone," said Toby.
+
+"No, 'e isn't," said Mr. Punch. "Look at 'is tail!"
+
+A great tail could be seen beyond the edge of the raft, just below the
+surface of the water. It thrashed about and churned up the water
+violently for a few seconds, and then waved back and forth quietly; but
+it did not disappear.
+
+"By crackey," said Toby, "he's stuck! His fin has got stuck into the
+bottom of the raft! He's got the whole kit and bilin' of us on his
+back!"
+
+"Mercy on us!" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Is it really true?" said Freddie.
+
+"On due consideration," said the Churchwarden, "I think Toby's right."
+
+"Hi believe 'e is!" said Mr. Punch. "Blimy if I ever rode on the back of
+a fish before! Now 'e's got us on 'is back, what's 'e going to do with
+us?"
+
+"We're moving!" cried Freddie.
+
+"So we are!" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Blamed if we ain't," said Toby.
+
+The mattress craft was in fact moving; very slowly, indeed, but still
+moving; and it was moving in the opposite direction to the fish's tail,
+which could be seen now and then under the water, waving back and forth
+like the tail of a swimming fish.
+
+"If this don't beat all," said Toby. "That fish down there has certainly
+got his fin hooked into our mattress, and he's swimming along with us on
+top of him. I've seen a snail crawlin' with his shell on top of him, but
+a fish with a load of mattresses and live-stock is a new thing to me!"
+
+"I'm the captain," said Aunt Amanda, "and my orders is to sit as still
+as you can and see where he's taking us to."
+
+"Ay, ay, sir," said the Churchwarden. "I mean, ay, ay, ma'am."
+
+The party huddled on top of the mattresses sat as still as mice, hardly
+daring to breathe. Their little craft continued to move gently through
+the water. They expected each moment that the fish would free himself,
+but evidently his fin had embedded itself so firmly in one of the bottom
+mattresses that he could not get loose; he went on swimming with his
+load on his back.
+
+Hour after hour they waited to feel their craft stop; but hour after
+hour it moved gently and slowly across the surface of the sea. They
+settled themselves more comfortably against each other, and spoke very
+little. No one noticed that their raft was now much lower in the water.
+
+The air was warm, the moonlight and the silence were extremely soothing,
+and the motion of the raft was gentle and languorous. Freddie's head
+sank against Aunt Amanda's shoulder, and his eyes closed; and in another
+moment he was asleep. Aunt Amanda herself nodded, and her eyes closed;
+she was asleep too. Toby yawned, and leaned heavily against the Sly Old
+Codger; his eyes closed, and--in short, every eye closed, and every
+frame relaxed heavily against its neighbor, and at last, doubled over in
+a closely huddled group in the exact center of their mattresses, the
+whole party slept; each and every one.
+
+The raft went on steadily and quietly through the water, the moon
+glittered on the sea, the raft settled deeper and deeper, and there was
+absolute silence on the ocean, except for a slight groan which came
+regularly and gently from the nose of the Churchwarden.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XV
+
+A FALL IN THE DARK
+
+
+Freddie was the first to be awake in the morning. He was cramped and
+stiff. He sat up straight, rubbed his eyes, and stretched his arms. He
+looked abroad, and the sight which met him caused him to grasp Aunt
+Amanda's hand in excitement.
+
+"Land!" he cried, so loud that everyone awoke.
+
+"Blamed if it ain't," said Toby, and put on his white derby hat,
+considering that he had thereby dressed himself for the day.
+
+All the others sat bolt upright, and stared across the smooth blue sea,
+sparkling in the sunlight.
+
+Not more than a quarter of a mile away rose a tall black cliff straight
+up out of the water. It stretched away on either hand for miles and
+miles, and came to an end in the ocean at the right hand and the left,
+so that it was probably the side of an island. The sea rolled up and
+down at the foot of the cliff, making a beautiful white splash against
+the rocks.
+
+"But how on earth," said Aunt Amanda, "are we ever to get ashore on such
+a place as that?"
+
+"We're moving towards it," said Freddie.
+
+"Blamed if we ain't," said Toby. "We'll soon know whether we can get
+ashore or not."
+
+They moved very slowly, and it was a long time before they came close
+enough to the cliff to see what their chances of a landing might be.
+They floated at last within two or three hundred yards of the cliff. It
+was very dangerous looking; the waves rolled over huge black rocks at
+its foot and broke in white foam against its side; it seemed the last
+place in the world for a landing.
+
+A great swell rolled in from the sea and brought them nearer the
+breakers.
+
+"My word!" cried Mr. Punch, excitedly. "There's a harch!"
+
+"A what?" said Toby.
+
+"See!" said Aunt Amanda. "There's a little archway in the rock, like the
+mouth of a cave, over there to the right! Don't you see? With the water
+pouring in! Over there!"
+
+It was true. There was an archway, like the mouth of a cave; and into
+this the water was streaming in a strong current, making a kind of
+passage-way, more or less smooth, through the breakers.
+
+"Yes!" said Freddie. "And I believe we're headed towards it!"
+
+Their course changed a little to the right, as if the fish who was
+piloting them had now taken a correct bearing. They found themselves in
+a passage through the breakers where the water swirled in towards the
+arch. They were caught in this current and were swept to a point close
+under the towering black rocks, and in another moment they were directly
+before the opening. The current seized the raft as if with strong hands
+and drew it in.
+
+They were in a cavern, narrow and high, whose interior was lost in
+darkness. The current carried them onward into the dark. The roar of the
+breakers suddenly ceased, and as they looked behind them the archway was
+no more than a speck of light. Their raft turned slightly to the left,
+and at that moment the speck of light disappeared, as if they had
+turned a corner; and the darkness became so black that no one could see
+even the person sitting next to him.
+
+"I wonder," said Toby, "if there are any matches and candles on board
+this boat. I'm going to see."
+
+He was silent for a while, and it was evident from the tilting of the
+raft that he had moved his position. Finally he said "Ah!" and a match
+spluttered and went out in the breeze which was blowing past them; but
+after it went out there remained a glimmer, and Toby was holding up a
+lighted candle, and shielding it from the draught with his hand.
+
+"Found 'em in the tin with the biscuits," said Toby.
+
+He held the candle on high so that its little beam searched out the
+darkness in front and on both sides.
+
+They were in a narrow passage-way. On each side was a wall of solid
+rock, not ten feet beyond the edge of the raft. How high the wall was
+they could not tell, for it was lost in the darkness overhead. They were
+slipping along a narrow alley-way of water. Toby held the candle higher,
+and everyone peered into the darkness ahead; but it was impossible to
+see more than a few yards.
+
+"I wish it distinctly understood," said the Sly Old Codger, "that I am
+here under--"
+
+"Never mind," said Aunt Amanda, "my orders as captain is, to say nothing
+and wait and see what will happen."
+
+The raft turned a corner to the right, and slipped on silently in that
+direction for a long distance, probably for more than a mile. Then the
+raft turned again, this time to the left; and after about ten minutes
+longer Toby suddenly said, "S-sh! What's that?" They all listened, and
+heard afar off a sound as of rushing water, very faint, but
+unmistakable.
+
+"Er--excuse me," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg. "Do you
+think--ahem!--there is any--er--_danger_?"
+
+"I don't like it," said Aunt Amanda. "I don't think it's safe in here."
+
+"I think we are lower in the water," said Freddie.
+
+"So we are," said Toby. "The water's coming up over the top now, and if
+we don't get on dry land soon, we'll all be sitting in a puddle."
+
+In spite of its being water-logged and lower in the water, the raft was
+beginning to go faster, for the current had suddenly become swifter. The
+wind blew stronger; it swept through the narrow passage-way so briskly
+that Toby put his hat over the candle; but he was too late; the light
+wavered and went out. A groan went up from the company.
+
+"I can hear that rushing sound plainer," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Hit's wery like a water-fall," said Mr. Punch.
+
+"I wish it understood," said the Sly Old Fox, "distinctly understood,
+that I am here under protest. If I had ever for one moment imagined--"
+
+"O-o-oh!" screamed Aunt Amanda. "We're going--faster--o-o-oh!"
+
+She threw her arm around Freddie and held him tight. The current
+suddenly became swifter; the raft, almost under water, was leaping
+forward at a frightful speed. Directly ahead of them, growing louder and
+louder, was the roar of rushing water.
+
+"Hold--on--tight, Freddie!" cried Aunt Amanda.
+
+"We'll all be done for," shouted Toby, "in another--minute, I
+reckon,--hold--on--tight!"
+
+As Toby said this, the raft almost galloped. The roar of falling water
+burst on them from close ahead. The raft seemed to rise up and then to
+sink down. Its nose slanted downward. The roar of falling water was all
+about them. Aunt Amanda screamed, but no one could hear her. The raft
+paused and teetered for an instant; then it pointed downward, almost
+straight, and the whole party, the raft, and the fish under the raft,
+plunged downward through the darkness on a cascade of tumbling water;
+down, down, down; the raft shot from under and the passengers shot off;
+in a twinkling they were going down the water-fall on their backs. Would
+they never reach the bottom? There did not seem to be any bottom; but--
+
+In another moment, there were Aunt Amanda and Freddie (her arm still
+about him) standing on their feet in about twenty-four inches of quiet
+water on a solid bottom. Dark forms appeared, one after another, beside
+them, and almost at once all the party were standing together in a
+group, in about two feet of quiet water, on a solid bottom.
+
+"I fear," said the voice of the Sly Old Codger, "that I have lost my
+hat."
+
+They could see that they were in a great chamber, whose walls they could
+make out dimly on each side. They could not see the top of the
+water-fall, but they could see its lower part very plainly. Through the
+tumbling water of the fall, near the bottom, sunlight was shining.
+Behind the water was an opening some six feet high, and as the water
+fell across this opening the sunlight from without shone through it,
+making it glow with green and sparkle with white. The water-fall hung
+over this opening like a curtain.
+
+"Well," said Aunt Amanda, "I'm pretty near drowned, and my clothes are a
+sight to behold. But I'm the captain of this expedition, and my orders
+is, that we go ashore."
+
+The water proved to be shallow all about them, and they waded to a strip
+of dry ground beside the wall which rose at their left as they faced the
+fall. Aunt Amanda, whose cane was gone, was assisted by Mr. Toby and
+Mr. Punch.
+
+"Blamed if my hat ain't gone too," said Toby. "She was a good hat, I'll
+have to say that for her."
+
+The party walked along the edge of the water, and came to the end wall
+of the chamber, opposite the fall. There lay the wreck of the raft, with
+the tail of the great fish sticking out from beneath.
+
+"I fear," said the Sly Old Codger, "that the faithful creature has
+departed this life."
+
+"He's dead as a doornail," said Toby.
+
+"Poor thing," said Aunt Amanda. "Anyway, my orders is to explore this
+cavern, and see what we can find."
+
+At this end of the cavern the water was slipping away under the wall,
+and this outlet explained why the water inside remained so shallow. The
+party commented on it, and then walked along the side wall towards the
+other end where the fall was. When they were midway along this wall, a
+cry from Toby, who had left Aunt Amanda to the care of Mr. Punch,
+startled the others.
+
+"What's this?" he cried. "Look here!"
+
+He was stooping over something, and as the others gathered round, they
+saw that he was stooping over a pile of small square boxes, standing in
+several long rows along the wall.
+
+Mr. Hanlon lifted one of the boxes, with a great effort, and shook it. A
+jingling sound came from within.
+
+"Aha!" said the Sly Old Fox. "That beautiful music! It is the sound,
+dear friends, the sound of--of Money!"
+
+"Bless my soul!" cried Aunt Amanda. "Is it?"
+
+"My opinion is," said the Churchwarden, "that there is gold in that
+box."
+
+"Then open it!" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+Mr. Hanlon shook his head. The box was locked tight, and it was bound
+with iron bands. All the boxes were locked, and they were all bound with
+iron bands.
+
+"Come along this way," said Toby. "There's something more here."
+
+Further along the wall, leaning against it, was a row of large
+coffee-sacks, each bound around the mouth by strong twine. One of these
+sacks Mr. Hanlon quickly opened. He tilted it over and poured out its
+contents on the ground. The party of onlookers gasped with astonishment.
+
+From the mouth of the bag fell pearl necklaces; diamond rings; ruby
+rings; emerald rings; all kinds of rings; gold bracelets and chains;
+silver forks and spoons; gold toothpicks; gold cups; silver vases; and a
+great variety of other things of the same sort.
+
+It was a moment or two before anyone spoke. Then the Churchwarden said,
+"It's my opinion that this is pirates' treasure."
+
+"Mercy on us!" said Aunt Amanda. "And they may be in here on us any
+minute!"
+
+Mr. Hanlon opened others of the bags. Each was filled with rare and
+costly articles of gold, silver, and precious stones.
+
+"Do you think it's really pirates?" said Freddie, in an awed whisper.
+
+"Not a doubt of it!" said Toby, in a voice much lower than before. "Look
+at this!"
+
+He pointed to a placard on the wall above the sacks. The light was
+almost too dim for reading, but the writing on the placard was very
+large, and Toby, by standing on one of the bags, was able to make it
+out. He read it aloud.
+
+      "Beware! Hands Off! Whoever Shall Touch
+      it He Shall Die by the Hand of Lingo!
+      With a Knife in the Throat! Long Live
+          King James and the Jolly Roger!"
+
+"There a skull and cross-bones under it," said Toby. "Pirates, as sure
+as you're born."
+
+"We'd better be getting away from here," said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Better not speak so loud," said Toby. "How are we to----?"
+
+"S-sh!" said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, in a frightened
+whisper. "Excuse me--look--I saw something under the water-fall. What's
+that?"
+
+"Stand close back against the wall," whispered Toby, "and don't speak a
+word."
+
+They crowded back against the wall, alongside of the treasure, and
+looked towards the water-fall.
+
+A dark object was rising from the shallow water at the foot of the fall.
+As they watched, another dark object appeared to come through from under
+the fall and apparently from behind it; and this object rose also from
+the shallow water near the foot of the fall, and took its place beside
+the other. One after another, five more of these dark objects came from
+under the fall and apparently from behind it, and stood upright in the
+shallow water.
+
+There were now seven in all. They moved in a group towards the shore.
+Each of them had two legs, and each was muffled from top to toe in a
+single loose garment with baggy legs; they walked somewhat like a
+company of bears. They stood on the dry ground, and one of them
+proceeded to take off the loose garment with which he was muffled, while
+the others assisted him with evident deference.
+
+First came off a close hood which covered his head, cheeks, and neck. As
+the watchers by the wall saw his head, they held their breath in
+terror, and Aunt Amanda clutched Freddie's arm. Around the head was a
+tight-fitting kerchief, knotted behind; in his ears were great round
+ear-rings; and gripped between his teeth was a long pointed knife.
+
+Aunt Amanda gave a sign as if she was about to scream, but Toby quickly
+put his hand over her mouth.
+
+As the man with the ear-rings got himself out of the legs of his loose
+garment, the party by the wall saw that he was a short and burly man, of
+a ferocious aspect. In a sash which he wore was stuck on one side a
+cutlass, and on the other a long pistol. He wore no coat, and his shirt
+was open at the throat. His arms showed from the elbows down, and they
+were thick with muscles. His trousers were knee breeches, buckled just
+below the knee, and he was very bow-legged; his calves were big and
+knotted.
+
+When his outer covering had been removed, it was plain that he was
+perfectly dry from head to foot, except for water on his face and hands;
+and while the others were taking off their coverings, he withdrew with
+one hand the knife from between his teeth, and with the other hand wiped
+the water from his eyes and face. He then stuck the knife in his sash,
+waved his hands somewhat daintily in the air as if to dry them, took
+from his breeches pocket a large white handkerchief, completed with this
+handkerchief the drying of his face and hands, examined his finger-nails
+carefully, blew on them, and proceeded to polish them delicately with
+his pocket-handkerchief, at the same time swearing two dreadful oaths,
+in a low tone of voice, at the six men who were struggling with their
+coverings. When these had been removed, the six appeared in much the
+same style of dress as the first, and each bore a cutlass and a pistol;
+but their clothing was much ruder than his, and they had no ear-rings;
+instead of sashes they wore leather belts.
+
+"Kerchoo!" rang out a sneeze as sharp as a pistol-shot, from the party
+by the wall.
+
+"Dear me," said the Sly Old Codger, out loud, "I do believe I'm catching
+cold."
+
+At the sudden discharge of the sneeze, the seven men jumped as if they
+had in fact been shot. Each one snatched out his cutlass with his right
+hand and his pistol with his left, and faced in the direction of the
+sneeze.
+
+"Confound your cold," whispered Toby fiercely to the Sly Old Codger,
+"now we're done for."
+
+The seven men with their cutlasses and pistols, with the ear-ringed man
+in the lead, tiptoed stealthily in the direction of the sneeze.
+
+As they came closer to the party who were crouched against the wall,
+Aunt Amanda slipped down quietly to the ground at Toby's feet. The
+captain of the expedition had fainted.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVI
+
+CAPTAIN LINGO AND A FINE PIECE OF HEAD-WORK
+
+
+The man with the ear-rings muttered something in a fierce undertone to
+his six followers. They spread out behind him in a wide line. With a
+stealthy step they came forward noiselessly. The party by the wall held
+their breath in terror. Nearer and nearer came the seven men, still in
+perfect silence. They reached the cowering company by the wall, leveled
+their pistols at their breasts, held up their cutlasses ready to strike,
+and looked at their leader for the command to kill.
+
+At this moment the man with the ear-rings observed the form of Aunt
+Amanda on the ground. He stooped down and examined her, and stood up
+again. Then he eyed the company of travellers with a hard cold eye, and
+spoke deliberately and in a low voice. His manner of speech was somewhat
+stilted and precise, and scarcely what might have been expected of a
+pirate.
+
+"The ceremony," said he, "will be deferred for the moment. I commend you
+meanwhile to perfect quietness; one movement, and the consequences may
+be fatal. A hint is sufficient. I perceive here a lady in distress. 'Tis
+a monstrous pity, indeed. I regret that we were unaware of the presence
+of a lady; had we known, we should certainly have taken our measures
+more fittingly. I crave your pardon. No one has yet accused Captain
+Lingo of rudeness to a lady. Ketch, put up thy cutlass and go
+straightway to the pool and wet this pocket-handkerchief. Be brisk, thou
+muddle-pated son of a sea-cook! Haste!"
+
+The man called Ketch jumped as though he had been stung, and took from
+Captain Lingo's hand a fine white cambric handkerchief which the captain
+had produced from his breeches pocket, and running to the water
+moistened it and returned in great haste.
+
+While this was going on, the poor captives were able to examine their
+chief captor more carefully. They remarked with surprise the fine
+quality of the handkerchief which he had handed to his man, and they
+were even more surprised to note the whiteness and fineness of the linen
+of his shirt. His breeches were of blue velvet, and his sash and the
+kerchief which bound his head were of crimson silk. On the fingers of
+each hand he wore three or four diamond rings, which sparkled
+brilliantly in the half-darkness. His stockings were plainly of silk,
+and the buckles at his knees and on his shoes were of polished silver,
+outlined in diamonds. His face was hard and cruel, but its
+unpleasantness may have been due to a long scar which crossed his mouth
+from his right cheek to his chin. When he smiled, as he did in referring
+to the lady in distress, the scar gave to his face a singularly evil
+expression.
+
+Taking the wet handkerchief from Ketch's hand, he knelt beside Aunt
+Amanda and bathed her face and wrists, slapping her cheeks and temples
+smartly now and then with the handkerchief, and changing her position so
+that her head lay lower than her body. After he had worked over her with
+much care for a few moments, Aunt Amanda opened her eyes. She was
+staring at the frightful crooked smile of a strange man with rings in
+his ears and a kerchief on his head. She started up, bewildered.
+
+"Where's Toby? Where am I? Who are you?"
+
+"Captain Lingo, ma'am," said the strange man, "at your service."
+
+"Let me up," said Aunt Amanda. She struggled to her feet, rejecting the
+assistance offered by the ear-ring'd man, and stood facing him, her
+bedraggled bonnet very much over her right ear. "Who are you?" she said
+again.
+
+"Your humble servant, ma'am," said the strange man, smiling his crooked
+smile. "Captain Lingo, by name. A gentleman adventurer of the high seas.
+Owner of the treasure which you have discovered here in our little
+retreat. Known here on the Spanish Main as the Scourge of Ships, and
+loyal servant of his blessed Majesty King James, whom the saints defend.
+Your obedient humble servant to command." He made the lady a very
+courtly bow.
+
+Toby whispered into Freddie's ear. "He can't be so terrible bad, not
+with all that polite way of talking. Don't be afraid. We'll be all right
+with this pirate. Who on earth is King James?"
+
+Aunt Amanda was also much relieved by the pirate's polite address.
+
+"As long as you are my obedient servant," said she, "I'll thank you to
+help us to get out of here as soon as possible. We didn't want to come
+in the first place, and we are in a hurry to get out."
+
+Captain Lingo laughed heartily. "They are in a hurry to get out, lads,"
+he said to his companions; and at this they all laughed uproariously.
+
+"I don't see anything to laugh at," said Aunt Amanda. "If we don't get
+out of here soon, we'll catch our death of cold."
+
+This made Captain Lingo laugh more heartily than before. "Ha! ha! ha!
+Their death of cold! That would be a rare fine thing, but a bit too
+slow, lads, eh?" And the other six laughed again, so that the walls of
+the chamber echoed with their mirth.
+
+"What do you mean by too slow?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Madam," said Captain Lingo, "we are a little pressed for time. We
+really could not wait for you to die of colds."
+
+"What?" said Aunt Amanda faintly, her feeling of confidence beginning to
+ooze away. "Do you mean to say----?"
+
+"Madam," said the pirate, seriously, "I will put it to you plainly.
+Our treasure, which you have discovered, has taken a great deal of
+hard work to accumulate. We really couldn't bear to lose it. The
+people of this island, and a great many other people besides, have
+been trying for many years to find it. You have not only found it,
+but you have even gone so far as to open certain of our bags, in
+spite of the warning posted above your heads. Now picture to
+yourselves, dear madam and gentlemen, what consequences would
+certainly ensue if you were to leave--here--ahem!--alive."
+
+"Oh!" gasped Aunt Amanda. "Leave--here--alive!"
+
+"All the fruits of our industry would be lost, and our own safety would
+be imperilled. You will readily see that, of course. 'Tis a pity so many
+will have to die at once, for it will mess up the place very badly, and
+I always endeavor to be neat. But why, _why_ did so many of you come at
+once? Couldn't you have come, say two at a time? It would have made so
+much less trouble."
+
+"Ho!" said Mr. Punch. "Hif we 'ad only stopped at 'ome, hall of us!"
+
+"However, I do not wish you to feel too keenly the trouble you are
+putting us to; my brave lads will cheerfully put up with the
+inconvenience, though I must confess the amount of blood will be quite
+unusual, and so many bodies will be troublesome to bury. I wish it were
+possible to have you walk the plank. However, pray do not bother too
+much on our account."
+
+"We weren't thinking about you at all," said Toby. "We were thinking
+about ourselves."
+
+"Oh," said Captain Lingo, in a tone of disappointment. "I beg your
+pardon; I misunderstood. At any rate, we will now prepare for our little
+ceremony. If there are any trifling articles of jewelry and the like, I
+will be pleased to----"
+
+"But this boy!" cried Toby. "And this lady! You don't mean to--you can't
+mean----"
+
+"Not for worlds," said Captain Lingo, "would I be rude to a lady. I
+trust you will find my conduct towards the lady beyond reproach. There
+shall be no rudeness of any kind. Merely a quick stroke, and all will be
+over. No violence, no roughness of any kind; not a word to offend the
+most sensitive ears. A single stroke, and the affair is done. And let me
+tell you, I have here with me a Practitioner who is very expert in this
+sort of business: our friend Ketch, in fact, who was so kind as to wet
+the handkerchief for the lady. I assure you that you are in great luck
+to fall into the hands of such a Practitioner; he will make it as
+pleasant for you as possible; one stroke only, I promise you. With one
+stroke of a cutlass, he is able to slice off a head as neatly as you
+could do it with a broadaxe; there are very few who can do it with a
+cutlass, let me tell you that. Many men have become famous by being
+operated on by Ketch. I remember a case--However," he said, looking
+about him as if considering something, and speaking rather to himself
+than to the others, "it would be difficult to bury the bodies here, and
+the light is not very good. I think, yes, I think it had better be done
+outside. You are already wet, and I trust that another immersion will
+not inconvenience you too much. Lads," he said to his six men, "put on
+the rubber suits, and help our friends under the fall. Look alive, now."
+
+The six men immediately ran to their rubber suits and began to put them
+on. While they were doing this, Toby put one arm about Freddie and the
+other about Aunt Amanda. She lowered her head to his shoulder for a
+moment, but she soon raised it, and standing very erect she said, "Very
+well, if it must be, it must. It's easy to see that this bloodthirsty
+villain means every word he says; but I ain't going to whimper; I'm the
+captain, and I order that everybody keep up his courage, and wait and
+see what will happen."
+
+"Ay, ay, ma'am," said the Churchwarden.
+
+"Do you know," whispered the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, "I believe
+that we are in a good deal of--er--danger."
+
+Freddie put his hand in Toby's, and held it tight. "You keep close to me
+if you can," said Toby, squeezing his hand. "We may be rescued at the
+last minute; you never can tell. Don't lose your nerve."
+
+Freddie was trembling with fear, and the hand which held Toby's was as
+cold as ice; but he said nothing; the others were being brave, and he
+resolved that he would be as brave as the rest, up to the very last. He
+began to think of his mother and his father, and to wonder what would
+become of them if he should be--but he forced himself not to think of
+that; he pressed his lips tight together, and commanded himself to be
+brave.
+
+The six pirates returned, clad in their baggy rubber suits, and looking
+very much like bears walking on their hind legs. They brought with them
+Captain Lingo's suit, and helped him to get into it. When he was encased
+like the others, with only his hands and face showing, he said:
+
+"Now, madam, I will assist you to the fall."
+
+"We'll attend to that," put in Toby, quickly. "Come on, Mr. Punch."
+
+Aunt Amanda's cane having been lost, she found more difficulty in
+walking than formerly, but Toby and Mr. Punch supported her to such
+good effect that she kept up with the others very well on their march
+into the water towards the fall. All, except the pirates, shivered as
+the cold water came again around their knees, and they looked with fear
+upon the tumbling cataract which they were required to go under. There
+was no help for it, however; the seven pirates surrounded them and
+persuaded them to go on. They stood in a forlorn group in the quiet
+water near the foot of the fall.
+
+"Now, madam," said Captain Lingo, "I will help you under."
+
+Toby and Mr. Punch, feeling that the pirate knew the way better than
+they did, resigned Aunt Amanda to his care, not without some fear that
+the villain might deliberately drown her on the way through. He made her
+kneel in the water, and then lie flat; and with a strong arm he pulled
+her under the water-fall and out of sight.
+
+"You're next," said a deep voice to Freddie, and Ketch the Practitioner
+seized him and plunged with him under the water; and in an instant they
+had disappeared beyond the fall.
+
+One after another the miserable, shivering victims were assisted by the
+pirates under the water, and one by one disappeared. The Old Codger with
+the Wooden Leg was the last, and one of the pirates returned for him.
+When he had followed the others, the great half-dark chamber remained as
+it had been before, in its empty solitude and gloom, without an ear to
+hear the steady rush of water pouring incessantly down its fall.
+
+On the outer side of that rushing fall was a scene very different
+indeed. The pirates and their captives stood under a blazing sun,
+looking across a wide and beautiful landscape. Behind them, in the side
+of a high hill overgrown with bushes, was the hole by which they had
+come forth, and across the inside of this hole was the curtain of
+falling water. Freddie wondered how anyone had ever had the courage to
+plunge for the first time through that curtain into the unknown dark.
+The heat of the sun was very grateful, and the clothing of the soaked
+travellers began to dry perceptibly at once. The pirates took off their
+rubber suits.
+
+Beneath the observers the ground sloped down into a broad valley,
+chequered with grass meadows and dotted with trees. To their left, as
+they gazed out across the landscape, the ground rose from the valley by
+easy stages to a great height, no doubt forming the landward side of the
+black cliff which bordered the ocean.
+
+To the right, the country rolled gently away from the valley in a vast
+unbroken forest, a shimmering green ocean of tree-tops as far as the eye
+could see. Far, far off where the forest rose in a kind of mound,
+Freddie thought he could see what looked like the top of a round tower,
+just emerging above the haze of trees.
+
+The pirates and their captives were standing on a little grassy plateau,
+on which were great boulders here and there, and a few wide leafy trees.
+Two or three fallen logs were lying near the edge of the plateau, where
+it began to slope downward.
+
+Captain Lingo stepped out of his rubber suit, spread out his fine white
+handkerchief on a boulder to dry, and twiddled his moist fingers
+daintily in the air, after which he blew on his finger-nails and
+polished them on his shirt-sleeves.
+
+"We are now ready," said he, "for the ceremony. Ketch, thy cutlass."
+
+Ketch drew his cutlass from his belt and handed it to the captain. It
+glittered wickedly in the sunlight. The captain ran his thumb along its
+edge, and nodded his head with satisfaction.
+
+"It will do," said he. "One stroke for each will be quite sufficient.
+We will now proceed with the ceremony."
+
+He restored the cutlass to the Practitioner, who raised it high and gave
+a swinging slash downward with it, as if to test his eye and arm. The
+Practitioner then rolled his right shirt-sleeve up to his shoulder; he
+was the largest man in the party, and his arm was the arm of a
+blacksmith.
+
+"Stop!" cried Mr. Punch. "One moment! Captain Lingo! You are a
+Henglishman, aren't you?"
+
+"I am an Englishman," said the Captain, swelling out his chest. "Long
+live King James!"
+
+"Hi am a Henglishman also," said Mr. Punch, swelling out _his_ chest.
+"You carn't murder a fellow-countryman in cold blood, now can you? Hi
+s'y, you couldn't do that, you know. We're both subjects of her gracious
+Majesty, we are. Long live Queen Victoria!"
+
+"Who?" said Captain Lingo.
+
+"Queen Victoria!" cried Mr. Punch. "She'd never, never forgive you
+hif----"
+
+"Never heard of her," said Captain Lingo calmly. "I'm a loyal subject of
+his Catholic Majesty King James the Second,--may all the saints defend
+him!"
+
+"King James the Second!" cried Mr. Punch. "Why, 'e's been dead these two
+'undred year, nearly! 'E's as dead as Christopher Columbus!"
+
+Captain Lingo started violently, and his face became dark with anger.
+
+"Dead? King James dead? Do you mark that, lads? He calls his blessed
+Majesty dead! Aha! thou renegade Englishman, thou hast imagined the
+death of the king! A felony, by St. George! And the punishment is death!
+What, thou reprobate, dost thou not know 'tis a felony, punishable by
+death, to imagine the death of the King?"
+
+"But 'e _is_ dead. One carn't live two 'undred years, you know."
+
+"You hear!" said Captain Lingo, his voice quivering with rage. "He
+imagines the death of the King! Any judge in the kingdom would sentence
+him to die for that! 'Tis the law! But enough talk. Captain Lingo is not
+the man to stand by and see the law defied! For that, my pretty
+Englishman, thou shalt die the death twice over. There shall be violence
+in thy case. Thou shalt wish thou hadst never been born. Thou shalt be
+kept for the last. Ay, ay; there shall be fine sport at his taking off,
+eh, lads? Enough! Proceed with the ceremony. To imagine the death of the
+King! Ketch, art thou ready?"
+
+"Ay, ay, Captain," said the Practitioner.
+
+The captain cast his angry eye over the terrified group shivering in
+their damp garments. "One of you must be first. Who shall be first? Let
+me see." Each person quailed as the pirate's eye rested on him. "One
+moment. We will decide it by chance."
+
+He plucked seven sprigs of grass, and broke them into varying lengths.
+He then held them in his hand so that only the even ends showed. "Now
+choose," said he. "The longest blade shall be first."
+
+Each drew a blade of grass, except Mr. Punch, who had already been
+reserved for the last. "Thou shalt be quartered alive," said the captain
+to him. "To dare imagine the death of the King!"
+
+Freddie trembled as he drew his sprig of grass; but he did not draw the
+longest; the longest blade fell to Mr. Hanlon, and the next to Freddie.
+Mr. Toby was third, the Churchwarden fourth, the Sly Old Codger fifth,
+Aunt Amanda sixth, and the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg seventh.
+
+"We will use that fallen log," said the captain, and led the way towards
+it. He was now very stern; all his politeness had been dissipated by
+the offense of Mr. Punch.
+
+"Toby," said Aunt Amanda, as they were moving towards the place of the
+ceremony, "I hope you will excuse me for all the cross words I have ever
+spoken to you."
+
+"Oh, nonsense, Aunt Amanda," said Toby, sniffling a little, "I've been a
+trial enough, I know it. What will become of the shop?"
+
+"Poor Freddie!" said Aunt Amanda. "It just breaks my heart to see him so
+brave. He's so young to have to--to--And his poor mother! Oh dear, oh
+dear!"
+
+"Now then," said Captain Lingo, "you may sit down on the grass until
+your turns come."
+
+Toby helped Aunt Amanda to sit down. Freddie sat beside her and pressed
+his white face against her shoulder. The others grouped themselves on
+the grass about them; all except Mr. Hanlon, who, knowing that his time
+had come, stepped forward and stood before Ketch the Practitioner, who
+was feeling the edge of his cutlass.
+
+One of the pirates produced from his pocket some strong twine, and bound
+Mr. Hanlon's arms behind him. On a sign from Captain Lingo, this man led
+Mr. Hanlon to the fallen log, and made him kneel beside it and rest his
+head face down upon it, so that there was a good view from above of the
+back of his neck.
+
+The dreadful moment had arrived.
+
+Ketch the Practitioner took his place by Mr. Hanlon's side, planted his
+feet firmly, wide apart, tucked in his right shirt-sleeve at the
+shoulder, and raised his gleaming cutlass high above his head.
+
+A scream from Aunt Amanda made him hesitate for an instant, but only for
+an instant; as Aunt Amanda and Freddie closed their eyes and buried
+their faces in their hands, the cutlass flashed twice around the head
+of Ketch and came down with a swift and horrible slash straight upon the
+back of Mr. Hanlon's neck.
+
+A single stroke was enough; Mr. Hanlon's head rolled off upon the
+ground.
+
+"Well done, Ketch," said Captain Lingo, quietly. "I doubt if there's
+another hand on the Spanish Main could have done it."
+
+Ketch blushed with honest pride at these gracious words. He swung his
+bloody cutlass in embarrassment. All the pirates turned towards the pale
+group on the grass, and Captain Lingo said, "Next!"
+
+Freddie stood up. His knees began to tremble under him, and his heart
+was beating so fast that he could hardly breathe. Aunt Amanda flung her
+arms about him as he stood beside her, and cried "No, no, no!" in a
+voice of anguish.
+
+All eyes were on the Little Boy, as he stood awaiting his dreadful fate,
+with Aunt Amanda's arms about him. His time had come. His friends were
+waiting to see if he would be brave, and though his face was white his
+courage did not fail him. He looked at them in farewell, and each one
+gave him a tearful gaze in return.
+
+He turned his eyes towards the warm and friendly landscape, for a last
+look at the world he was about to leave. It would be hard to go, and he
+would need all his strength to bear the--A loud cry from Freddie
+startled all the others. "Look!" he cried, and pointed a shaking finger.
+
+They looked, and what they saw was Mr. Hanlon.
+
+By the log on which his head had been cut off, Mr. Hanlon was standing,
+his hands behind his back, and his head in its proper place on his
+shoulders. He was smiling and bowing, and as the astonished spectators
+gazed at him with their mouths open, he sprang lightly into the air and
+clicked his heels together as he came down.
+
+[Illustration: Mr. Hanlon was standing by the log on which his head had
+been cut off.]
+
+"Ha! ha! ha!" laughed Toby in spite of himself. "Freddie, we've seen
+that little act before, haven't we?"
+
+Freddie nodded. He remembered very well the first time he had seen Mr.
+Hanlon's head cut off, at the Gaunt Street Theatre at home; he wondered
+that he had not thought of it before.
+
+Captain Lingo was plainly very angry. His face turned a purple hue, and
+the scar across his mouth showed very white. He fingered his knife
+dangerously, and at the same time glared at Ketch, who was scratching
+his head in bewilderment. The captain did not raise his voice, but he
+spoke with deadly earnestness.
+
+"A fine workman thou, friend Ketch," said he. "Truly a pretty hand with
+a cutlass, thou son of a sea-cook. I've a mind to let a little of thy
+blood with this knife, thou scurvy knave. But I will give thee one more
+chance. If thou fail again, by St. George thou shalt die the death. Once
+more, now! And remember!"
+
+It was Ketch's turn now to tremble. He knew very well that Captain Lingo
+would do as he had said, if he should fail a second time. His own life
+hung on a thread now.
+
+"Ay, ay, Captain," he said huskily, and led Mr. Hanlon back to the
+fallen log and made him kneel as before.
+
+As Mr. Hanlon's head lay across the log, he turned it round towards his
+friends, and gave them a long slow wink.
+
+Ketch's cutlass flashed as before. Round his head it swung twice, and
+down it came with a slashing stroke straight and true on the back of Mr.
+Hanlon's neck. Off rolled Mr. Hanlon's head upon the ground.
+
+Everyone watched breathlessly; and Ketch did not breathe at all.
+
+For a second Mr. Hanlon's body continued to kneel headless beside the
+log. Then the head on the ground popped like a flash to the neck it
+belonged to, and fastened itself accurately there in place. Ketch turned
+ghastly pale.
+
+Mr. Hanlon sprang up, opened his mouth wide in a soundless laugh, bowed
+to Captain Lingo, jumped lightly into the air, and clicked his heels
+together three times as he came down.
+
+Captain Lingo's face was a terrible sight to see. He gazed steadily at
+Ketch. The unfortunate Practitioner was shaking like a leaf. Captain
+Lingo slowly drew his knife, and held it behind him in his right hand.
+With the other hand he pointed to the ground before him.
+
+"Hither, dog," he said, in a quiet, even voice.
+
+Ketch hesitated, gave a wild look about him, and advanced slowly towards
+his captain. When he reached him, he fell on his knees and held up his
+shaking hands.
+
+"No! no! no! captain," he cried. "Don't do it! Oh, please don't do it! I
+done my duty always, and I ain't never failed before! Remember my poor
+old mother, captain! Give me one chance, captain, just one! Don't kill
+me! Captain! Captain!"
+
+The expression on Lingo's face did not change; but the glitter in his
+eye became even more murderous than before. He said not a word, but with
+his left hand snatched off the kerchief which bound Ketch's head, and
+seized him by the hair; and with his other hand he brought the knife
+swiftly around in front and lowered it to plunge it into Ketch's heart.
+
+At that moment Aunt Amanda, forgetting her lameness, struggled to her
+feet, hobbled to the kneeling man, and throwing her body between him
+and the knife, shrieked at Captain Lingo.
+
+"Stop! stop! you bloodthirsty villain! Ain't you got no shame? What are
+you going to murder him for? Ain't he done the best he could? You're a
+big bully, that's all you are! You ain't a man at all, you're a monster!
+Put up that knife, and take your hand out of his hair! Ain't you ashamed
+of yourself?"
+
+Captain Lingo was taken completely by surprise. His eyes opened wide and
+his jaw dropped; he was so astonished that he took his hand from Ketch's
+hair and put up his knife.
+
+"That's the idea," said Aunt Amanda. "You're more of a man than I
+thought. Mr. Ketch, you had better get up."
+
+"Madam," said Captain Lingo, making her a bow, "'tis a bold action and
+generous. I trust I am able to respond to it in kind. My duty to you,
+ma'am; your obedient humble servant. Ketch, thou white-livered dog, get
+up, and thank this lady for thy life."
+
+Ketch, still pale and trembling, stood up, and seizing one of Aunt
+Amanda's hands in both of his, made a low bow over it and kissed it
+fervently. By the look in his eyes it was plain to see that he was from
+that moment her devoted slave.
+
+"Madam and gentlemen," said Captain Lingo, "I am sorry to inform you
+that the ceremony is over, until I can obtain another Practitioner to
+take the place of Ketch. I blush with shame when I think how I boasted
+of his skill. I hope you will not think I meant to deceive you. I assure
+you I am more disappointed than you can possibly be. I am provoked and
+disgusted and irritated; I am annoyed; I can't deny it. There is nothing
+to do but to retire to our home in High Dudgeon."
+
+"What's that?" said Aunt Amanda. "Is it a place, or is it just the way
+you feel?"
+
+"Ask me no more," said Captain Lingo, turning away. "I must confer with
+my lads about our next step."
+
+"Are you going to take us with you?" asked Aunt Amanda.
+
+"We shall certainly give ourselves that pleasure, madam," said the
+captain, rather stiffly. "Lads, come with me."
+
+On a sign from the captain, one of the pirates cut the twine which bound
+Mr. Hanlon's hands, and the restored one joined his friends on the
+grass. The seven pirates moved away to a spot some score of yards apart,
+where they all sat down on the ground and engaged at once in animated
+talk.
+
+"I conclude," said the Churchwarden, "though I don't know as I'm right
+about it, and other people may have a different opinion, that we're a
+good deal better off--"
+
+"What I say is," said Toby, clapping Freddie on the shoulder, "what I
+say is, three cheers for Mr. Hanlon!"
+
+"Yes!" said Freddie. "That's just what I said that day after the
+theatre!"
+
+"I wonder," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, "I wonder
+if--er--ahem!--if Captain Lingo has--er--such a thing as a pinch of
+snuff about him."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVII
+
+HIGH DUDGEON AND LOW DUDGEON
+
+
+The pirate captain and his men rose from the ground, and Captain Lingo,
+in his politest manner, requested his captives to follow him. The entire
+party moved down the slope into the valley, and after a walk of some
+quarter of a mile entered a grove of trees. In this grove were tethered
+ten handsome mules, of which seven were saddled and three were laden
+with packs.
+
+One of the pack-mules was quickly unladen, a fire was built, and in ten
+minutes the hungry guests and their hosts were making a very good
+breakfast of bacon, fried by Mr. Leatherbread, as the captain called
+him, one of the pirates to whom the business of the frying-pan was left
+by general consent. When the bacon had been washed down with clear cold
+water from a spring near by, and the mule had been packed again, Freddie
+and Aunt Amanda were assisted into the saddles of the two smallest
+mules, and the captain mounted into the saddle of the largest.
+
+"Now look here, Captain Lingo," said Aunt Amanda, "I want to know where
+we are going and all about it. The idea of me sitting here a-straddle of
+a mule! And this bonnet simply ruined, and my dress just about fit to go
+to the rag-bone man, and my hair--Look here, Captain Lingo, I ain't
+going a step on this mule until you tell me what--"
+
+"Pardon me, my dear lady," said the captain, "but I must ask you to put
+up with my little whims a short while longer. I beg the pleasure of your
+society upon a little journey; nothing more. I assure you the country
+is very interesting. May I not promise myself the bliss of your
+approval?" He turned to the six pirates with a scowl. "Mount the rest of
+them, scoundrels!"
+
+Four of the captives were mounted by the pirates on the remaining mules,
+and the procession moved out of the grove into the open valley.
+
+Freddie had never ridden a mule before, and he was delighted. When they
+entered, as they soon did, the great forest which they had seen from the
+plateau, Freddie was more than ever delighted. After the blazing sun of
+the open country, the shade of the forest was delicious. The trees were
+huge, and while the trunks were far apart, their branches made a leafy
+roof overhead which was almost unbroken. Flowering plants grew
+everywhere; vines climbed the trees; little streams murmured here and
+there; and the only sound which disturbed the repose of the forest was
+the occasional screech of a parrot and the occasional chatter of
+monkeys. The first time Freddie heard the sudden scream of a parrot in
+the stillness he was thoroughly alarmed, but when he learned what it
+was, and saw the flash of the bird's plumage between the trees, he
+forgot all about his danger, and for the rest of the day he gave himself
+up to the pleasure of watching for parrots and monkeys among the
+branches.
+
+The Sly Old Codger turned in his saddle and said to Toby, who was riding
+behind, with Mr. Punch walking between:
+
+"A work of nature, my dear friend, a real work of nature. _So_
+beautiful! Parrots and monkeys flitting about overhead, the primeval
+forest stretching its bosky arms above us in all directions--_so_ bosky!
+What one might call a real work of nature; so very, very bosky."
+
+"Right you are," said Toby. "It puts our Druid Hill Park in the shade,
+that's a fact; makes it take a back seat and play second fiddle, as sure
+as you're born."
+
+"Hi beg your pardon," said Mr. Punch. "'Ow can a park sit down and play
+a fiddle?"
+
+All day long they moved onward, single file, further and further into
+the depths of the forest. At noon they halted for a luncheon of fried
+bacon, prepared by Mr. Leatherbread. The afternoon wore on, and the
+forest became gloomier and gloomier about them as they marched; the
+silence grew almost terrifying; and all the pleasure which Freddie had
+felt in the morning vanished. Night fell, and the procession entered a
+little clearing, and there the pirates made camp for the night.
+
+After a supper of fried bacon, prepared by Mr. Leatherbread, the whole
+party retired to rest, each on a mattress of green branches and leaves,
+covered with blankets. The night was mild, and when the last blanket had
+been made ready the moon rose and tinged the tops of the trees with
+silver; and while Freddie was watching the moon as it climbed higher, he
+fell asleep. Aunt Amanda did not go to sleep so soon.
+
+Ketch the Practitioner had devoted himself very specially to her in
+preparing her resting-place. While he was spreading the branches and
+blankets for her, she said to him:
+
+"Ketch, where are we going?"
+
+"Not so loud, ma'am," said he. "We are going to High Dudgeon."
+
+"High Dudgeon! What's that?"
+
+"S-sh! When we're disappointed, or disgusted, or vexed, we always go to
+our home in High Dudgeon."
+
+"Is that where you live?"
+
+"Part of the time, ma'am. Mostly we are away at sea or on the Island;
+but when anything goes wrong, and we're angry about it, we always go
+home and stay there, in High Dudgeon. Yes, ma'am."
+
+"And what are they going to do with us when they get us there?"
+
+"S-sh! You'll be in great danger there. If you can find any way to
+escape from there, I advise you--S-sh! Not another word. Captain Lingo
+is looking this way. I must go."
+
+Aunt Amanda did not sleep very well that night.
+
+In the morning, after a breakfast of fried bacon, prepared by Mr.
+Leatherbread, the company resumed its march.
+
+At noon, a halt was made beside a spring for rest and food, and here Mr.
+Leatherbread prepared a luncheon of fried bacon.
+
+In the evening, as the travellers were plodding onward, Ketch walked for
+a time at the head of Aunt Amanda's mule. Aunt Amanda leaned forward and
+said to him:
+
+"Ketch, are we going to have more bacon tonight?"
+
+"No, ma'am," said he, in a low voice. "We'll have supper in High
+Dudgeon. My old mother's the cook there. You heard me mention her
+yesterday morning. I've an idea there'll be pigeon pies for supper. And
+mark what I'm saying to you, ma'am." His voice sank to a whisper. "If
+you get a pigeon pie for supper, look careful to see what's inside of it
+before you eat it."
+
+"Mercy on us!" said Aunt Amanda. "Are they going to poison us?"
+
+But Ketch slipped away in the gathering darkness, and said no more.
+
+They had gone but a few hundred yards further, when, at the moment when
+the darkness of night was making ready to blot out everything, they
+suddenly emerged into a round grassy clearing enclosed by the forest,
+where the light was better, and over which a star or two could be seen
+glimmering in a pale blue sky. In the midst of this clearing rose a
+tower.
+
+It was a round tower, built of stone; its top came scarcely to the top
+of the surrounding trees, and it was in fact not more than two stories
+high; it appeared, with its wide girth, low and squat. Its sides were
+pierced here and there with deep and narrow slits, for windows, and on
+one side was a heavy oaken door, with great iron hinges and an iron
+lock. Through two or three of the upper slits in the wall glimmered a
+light from within. It was otherwise dark and forbidding.
+
+Aunt Amanda found Ketch at her mule's head again. She leaned forward and
+said to him:
+
+"Is that High Dudgeon?"
+
+"No, ma'am. That's Low Dudgeon."
+
+"Low Dudgeon? What do you mean by Low Dudgeon?"
+
+Ketch looked at the tower and shuddered. "I don't like to talk about it,
+ma'am. I don't like the place. It's the place where we used to live long
+ago, before we built High Dudgeon. There's none of us wants to live
+there now. We haven't lived there since--" Ketch paused, and shuddered
+again, and evidently decided not to go on.
+
+"There's a light up there," said Aunt Amanda. "Does anybody live there?"
+
+"No, ma'am," said Ketch. "Nobody _lives_ there."
+
+"But there's a light," said Aunt Amanda. "Surely there must be somebody
+there."
+
+"There is, ma'am; there is; thirteen of 'em."
+
+"Thirteen what?"
+
+But Ketch only shuddered again, and would say no more.
+
+Aunt Amanda noticed that instead of going straight onward past the door
+of Low Dudgeon, the pirates led the file in a wide course away from it,
+along the edge of the clearing, as if to avoid coming near to it; and
+when the procession had thus skirted the clearing and entered the forest
+again on the other side, leaving the low tower behind, a sigh, as if of
+relief, went up from Ketch and all the other pirates; except, however,
+from Captain Lingo himself, who appeared to be wholly indifferent.
+
+"How much further?" said Aunt Amanda to Ketch.
+
+"About a mile, ma'am," said he.
+
+The last mile of their journey was a long mile, and it was traversed in
+perfect darkness. The moon had not yet risen. Not a word was spoken, and
+there was no sound except the pad of the mules' feet and the breaking of
+twigs and branches as the travellers pushed their way through. The
+prisoners were in a state of greater nervousness and anxiety than
+before, and as they neared the place where their lives were to be
+disposed of in one way or another, their sense of uncertainty became
+almost unbearable. When it seemed that they must be close to the fateful
+place, the procession suddenly halted, and at the same instant the
+screech of a parrot startled the silence and made each of the prisoners
+jump.
+
+"It's only the captain," said Ketch. "It's a signal."
+
+Immediately, as if in response, there came from a distance in advance
+the note of a cuckoo, three times repeated. The procession moved
+forward.
+
+A moment or two later, the whole company came forth from the forest
+under the stars, and stood on the edge of a wide round clearing, grown
+high with grass and weeds. In the midst of this clearing rose a tower.
+
+"High Dudgeon," said Ketch over his shoulder.
+
+This also was a round tower, built of stone; but it was very tall, much
+taller than the highest trees, and from the top there must have been a
+view of all the surrounding country, even as far as the hill within
+which was the treasure cave; from the number of deep and narrow slits
+which served as windows it must have been six or seven stories high. The
+top of the tower was flat, with battlements around the rim. As a
+fortress, it seemed to be impregnable; as a dwelling-house, it was very
+dismal indeed. It was totally dark. The captives trembled at the thought
+of being imprisoned in such a place.
+
+The wayfarers proceeded in their single file directly to the great
+iron-bound oaken door of the tower, and those who were mounted got down.
+Ketch assisted Aunt Amanda and Freddie to alight, and having done so he
+took charge of the mules and led them away.
+
+Captain Lingo took from his breeches pocket a small key and unlocked the
+door.
+
+"Be so kind as to enter," he said, and made way for the captives and his
+men.
+
+When all were within, including Ketch, who had now returned, the captain
+locked the door on the inside and restored the key to his pocket.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XVIII
+
+THE SOCIETY FOR PIRATICAL RESEARCH
+
+
+They were in a dark and narrow passage-way. As they stood huddled there
+together, a candle glimmered at the end of the passage, held in a
+tremulous hand, and lighting up the face of a very old woman. She
+advanced towards the party by the door, and holding her candle high
+above her head inspected the strangers with little blinking watery eyes.
+She was short and bent; she hobbled as she came forward; her face was
+seamed with deep wrinkles, and the hand which held the candle was
+knotted and gnarled; wisps of dirty grey hair hung over her eyes.
+
+"Aha! Mother Ketch," said Captain Lingo. "I wager thou didst not expect
+us so soon. What's in the larder? We are famished."
+
+Old Mother Ketch looked at her son, the Practitioner, and nodded her
+head at him once or twice, blinking her eyes. Then she fixed her eyes on
+Aunt Amanda, and seemed to forget everybody else.
+
+"Well? well?" said Captain Lingo, impatiently. "Art going to keep us
+here all night? Come, woman! Speak up directly! What's for supper, eh?"
+
+Mother Ketch slowly removed her eyes from Aunt Amanda, and looked at the
+captain steadily.
+
+"There's nought but pigeons and mushrooms and--" said she.
+
+"Good!" said the captain. "Then we will have pigeon pies; one for each;
+and well filled, mind you. Now haste; be off."
+
+Mother Ketch turned and hobbled slowly down the passage, and the glimmer
+of her candle disappeared.
+
+"Follow me," said Captain Lingo.
+
+The six pirates vanished somewhere in the darkness, and the others
+followed Captain Lingo up a winding stair. At the top was a heavy door,
+which he unlocked with his key, and locked again on the inside after his
+guests had passed through. He then led them down a dark passage-way, and
+turning to the right unlocked a door with his key and threw it open.
+
+They were in a large dining-room, on the table of which were numerous
+candles, which the captain lighted. In one wall was an opening for a
+dumb-waiter for sending up food from the kitchen below. The party seated
+themselves at the table, and after a considerable time Ketch entered, a
+napkin on his arm, and at the same time the dumb-waiter rose from the
+kitchen, and the meal commenced.
+
+Ketch waited on the table. Besides pigeon pies there were mushrooms, a
+lettuce salad, hot biscuit, and excellent coffee. Ketch placed the first
+pigeon pie before the captain, and Aunt Amanda noticed that he examined
+the top of it carefully as he did so. She observed that he examined the
+top of each pie carefully before he placed it, until he had put one
+before herself, after which he put the others about without looking at
+them. She examined the top of her own pie herself, to see what Ketch
+could have been looking at. She saw in the center of it a tiny figure
+made of very brown dough, and as she looked closer it seemed to have the
+shape of a tiny key. She glanced at the other pies, and none of them
+bore any mark of this kind.
+
+Everyone set to with a good will, and Aunt Amanda opened her pie. She
+remembered Ketch's caution, and she prodded it secretly with her fork
+before taking a bite. At the bottom her fork touched something hard. She
+immediately began to put the contents of her pie on her plate, and she
+did so in such a way as to leave the hard object beneath the rest. In
+the course of the meal, she dropped a portion of the pie to the floor,
+and stooped to pick it up. As she did so, she managed to take the hard
+object from her plate and conceal it in her lap. It was a key.
+
+When the meal was over, the captain led his guests forth to their
+respective bedrooms, each carrying a lighted candle from the table. At
+the top of a stair was a closed door, which he unlocked with his key,
+and locked after the others had passed through. Along the passage which
+ran from this door were doors at intervals in the walls, and these he
+opened, one after another, showing one of his guests each time into a
+bedroom and leaving him there. On the stair, Aunt Amanda had whispered
+into Toby's ear the words, "Don't go to bed. Pass it along." And these
+words had been passed in a whisper from one to another of the captives.
+
+Aunt Amanda, in her own room, now sat herself down to wait. She blew out
+her candle, and sat watching the shaft of moonlight which came through
+the slit that served for a window. She must have fallen asleep, for she
+came to herself with a start, and found the shaft of moonlight gone. She
+limped to the door, and found it locked. She took from her dress the
+pigeon-pie key and unlocked the door. The passage-way outside was silent
+and dark. She felt her way along the wall to the next door, and found it
+locked. She quietly unlocked it with her key. Toby was sitting within,
+waiting. He rose without a word, and followed her. They tiptoed from
+door to door, finding each one locked, and silently released each of the
+prisoners.
+
+The key fitted every lock on their way down stairs. They reached the
+ground floor without an accident, and there in the passage which they
+had first seen they stopped to listen. They heard the click of a latch
+at the rear; a door there opened quietly on a crack and a light shone
+through; every heart stopped beating for a moment. The door opened
+wider, and a lighted candle appeared, and over it the wrinkled face of
+an old woman; she peered out into the passage, shading the candle with a
+trembling hand; the party of quaking runaways stood as still as mice,
+and held their breath; the old woman blinked for a moment into the
+darkness, and blew out her candle. All was dark again, and the latch of
+the door clicked.
+
+The runaways lost no time. They crept silently but rapidly to the
+entrance door. Aunt Amanda unlocked and opened it, and they pressed out
+hurriedly. They were standing on the grass in a flood of moonlight.
+
+Aunt Amanda, whose lameness had been almost forgotten in her excitement,
+now leaned on Toby, who was holding Freddie's hand, and who led the way
+to the rim of the forest where the trail lay. There was some difficulty
+in finding the trail, but they did find it at last, and they filed into
+the forest. They had not gone more than twenty yards when Toby, who was
+in advance, saw a great black object directly across their path. He went
+forward cautiously, in spite of his alarm, and breathed a sigh of joy
+when he saw what it was: it was a mule, saddled and bridled, and tied to
+a bush. Further on were other mules, all tethered; there were ten in
+all, of which eight were saddled and two were laden with packs.
+
+"Blessings on that Ketch," whispered Aunt Amanda.
+
+In a moment the entire party were mounted. In another moment they were
+going along the trail at a fast walk. The mules knew the way, and there
+was now no danger of going astray in the forest. Only, where were they
+to go, after all? If the pirates should catch them, everything would
+soon be over. If they should manage to elude the pirates, they would
+still be lost in the wilderness of this unknown Island. What was to
+become of them not one could tell. The future seemed very dark indeed.
+
+Once or twice they paused, to listen for sounds of pursuit; but they
+heard nothing; not a sound disturbed the stillness; and the little
+moonlight which filtered here and there through the trees seemed to make
+the darkness more intense.
+
+They had gone about half a mile, and were plodding along in drowsy
+silence, when suddenly, out of the tall bushes beside the trail, seven
+dark figures sprang upon them and seized the bridles of their mules.
+
+"Ah!" cried Toby. "We are lost! The pirates!"
+
+The mules stood stock still.
+
+"It's no use," said Toby. "We can't escape. They are armed, and we are
+not. All right, Captain Lingo, don't strike; we surrender. We'll go back
+with you; don't strike."
+
+"I beg your pardon," said a voice which none of them had ever heard
+before. "Are you pirates?"
+
+"Ain't you pirates yourselves?" cried Aunt Amanda.
+
+"What?" said the voice. "Is there a lady here? In that case, you are
+probably not pirates. Perhaps we have been too hasty. I beg your
+pardon."
+
+"Who are you?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Do you admit that you are not pirates?" said the voice.
+
+"Admit it!" said Aunt Amanda. "We vow and declare it! The very idea!"
+
+"I am sorry to hear it," said the voice. "We are deeply disappointed. We
+of course cannot doubt the word of a lady, but we were almost sure we
+had found them. We have been searching for pirates for a long time, and
+we were advised that they lived somewhere near here. We must have missed
+our way. Could you perhaps direct us? It is a place called High
+Dudgeon."
+
+"You bet we could," said Toby, "but we won't. We are running away from
+there, and you had better run too."
+
+"Then perhaps you happen to know the whereabouts of a place called Low
+Dudgeon, where the pirates formerly lived?"
+
+"We do," said Toby. "You are about half-way now between High Dudgeon and
+Low Dudgeon; and you had better get out of this neighborhood as fast as
+you can."
+
+"This is very interesting," said the voice. "I feel that you will be
+able to give us some valuable information. If you have no objection, we
+will walk behind you until we come to a place where there is more light,
+when we will have a few minutes' conversation on this interesting
+subject."
+
+The seven dark figures stood aside, and the mules moved onward. The
+seven figures walked behind.
+
+In five minutes they reached a patch of ground where the moon shone
+brightly through the trees, and the riders drew in their animals, and
+turned to look at the figures who now marched sedately up beside them.
+These figures stood in a row facing the riders, and six of them turned
+their heads to the right, looking towards the first in the row, who was
+probably their leader.
+
+They were seven tall men, dressed in black frock coats and striped
+trousers, with pearl-gray spats; but instead of high silk hats each wore
+a small black skull-cap, as more convenient, no doubt, for their rough
+life in the forest. It could be seen that they were no ordinary men;
+they looked like professors at college; their faces were thoughtful and
+even intellectual; each one wore spectacles; they squinted as if from
+too much poring over books by lamplight. The one at the head of the row
+was fat, with mutton-chop whiskers, and his frock coat was buttoned
+tight over a round stomach. He spoke in the same voice which they had
+heard in the dark.
+
+"I beg your pardon," said he. "If you will be so kind as to direct us
+either to High Dudgeon or to Low Dudgeon, we will not fail to gratefully
+acknowledge--"
+
+"Aha!" said one of the others, in a playful tone. "A split infinitive,
+Professor!"
+
+"I beg your pardon. A slight inadvertence. To acknowledge gratefully
+your kind--"
+
+"There's no time to talk now," said Toby. "We are running away from
+these bloodthirsty cut-throats, and if they catch us we are dead, as
+sure as you're born. I'll tell you what we will do. We'll all keep on to
+Low Dudgeon, and we'll go in there, if we can get in, and decide there
+what we had better do. It looked like a strong tower, and we would
+certainly be as safe inside there as out of doors, if the pirates should
+come along."
+
+The Professor looked down the line of his companions. "What is the sense
+of the Committee on this proposal?" said he. "Ah. Very good. We are
+agreed. Proceed, my dear sir."
+
+"One minute," said Aunt Amanda. "Excuse my asking, but I should like to
+know who you are, anyway."
+
+The Professor waved a fat hand towards his companions, and looking at
+Aunt Amanda, said:
+
+"We belong, madam, to the Society for Piratical Research, under the
+patronage of his gracious Majesty, the King of this Island. You behold
+before you a committee of that Society; the Committee on Doubtful and
+Fabulous Tales, sometimes called for the sake of brevity, from the
+initials of its title, the Daft Committee. As Third Vice-President of
+the Society for Piratical Research, I have the honour to be Chairman of
+the Daft Committee. The seat of our Society is far from here, in the
+principal city of this kingdom, the famous City of Towers, blest as the
+residence of his gracious Majesty, the most learned and liberal of
+princes. Our camp, which we made only late this evening, lies at no
+great distance from this spot. We did not wish to delay our researches
+until morning, and so, as Third Vice-President of the Society for
+Piratical Research, and Chairman of the Daft Committee, I--"
+
+"Much obliged," said Toby. "We've no time to listen to any more. We must
+get on."
+
+The Daft Committee, led by the Third Vice-President, fell in behind the
+mules, and the whole party moved forward, as rapidly as the mules and
+the committee could walk.
+
+Aunt Amanda felt far from easy at the prospect of entering Low Dudgeon;
+but she had told Toby something of Ketch's strange words and manner
+regarding that place, and she was glad to leave the responsibility to
+him. Their dark and silent progress through the forest continued, and
+when they had gone what they thought must have been about half a mile,
+they knew they must be near their destination. Every eye was watchful
+and every ear was alert. A grunt from Toby in advance notified the
+others that they had arrived, and they filed out of the forest into the
+clearing, and saw before them the squat tower of Low Dudgeon in the
+moonlight.
+
+The same light as before appeared from within, through the upper slits
+in the side of the tower. As they drew in their mules at the edge of the
+clearing, the Daft Committee came up, and the Third Vice-President spoke
+in a low voice.
+
+"I presume," he said, "that this is Low Dudgeon. I have heard of it, but
+I have never seen it. It was formerly, some hundred years ago, the
+headquarters of the pirates. But something occurred here, I do not know
+what, which impelled the pirates to move. They accordingly built
+themselves a much better residence, known as High Dudgeon, where I
+understand they now live. I do not believe that Low Dudgeon has been
+occupied since. Gentlemen," he said, turning to his companions, "we are
+fortunate in having found this interesting place at last, after so much
+trouble. It is the very spot in which to begin our researches."
+
+A murmur of approval arose from the other members of the committee.
+
+"I don't know whether it's occupied or not," said Aunt Amanda. "Ketch
+told me that no one lives there, and that there's thirteen of 'em; and
+he seemed to be afraid of the place. And there's a light up there. I
+don't understand it."
+
+"Gentlemen," said the Third Vice-President, "is it the sense of the
+committee that we begin our researches in Low Dudgeon?"
+
+Every member of the Daft Committee murmured his assent.
+
+"If we go into the forest," said Toby, "we may be caught; if we go in
+here, we are safe for a while, anyway, and we can decide there what we
+had better do; maybe these gentlemen can send for help. Anyway, let's
+get in if we can."
+
+The riders dismounted from their mules and tied them to trees; in
+another moment the whole party were standing before the door of the
+tower.
+
+"Better knock," said Toby.
+
+They knocked, and knocked again; there was no answer.
+
+"Aunt Amanda," said Toby, "try your key."
+
+Aunt Amanda tried the key, and it fitted; she turned it, and the lock
+snapped back. Toby thrust open the door.
+
+The company entered, and Toby took the key and locked the door behind
+them. They were in a dark passage, near the foot of a winding stair.
+"We had better go up where the light is," said Toby, in a whisper.
+
+They went cautiously and noiselessly up the stair to the landing. There
+they found themselves in a hall, and at a little distance down the hall
+they saw a dim light shining under a closed door. "There it is," said
+Toby. "Come on."
+
+With the same breathless caution they tiptoed to the door. It had no
+lock, and Toby turned the knob and slowly pushed it open.
+
+"Ah!" said Toby, in a frightened gasp, and started back.
+
+The others crowded at his back and pushed him forward. The Third
+Vice-President of the Society for Piratical Research brushed past him
+into the room, and the other six members followed him. The party of
+fugitives moved slowly in after them.
+
+In the middle of the room was a large round table. In the center of this
+table stood some twenty wax tapers in silver candlesticks, burning
+brightly; and seated around the table were thirteen men.
+
+Not one of these men moved as the party came into the room. Not a limb
+nor muscle stirred. The Third Vice-President coughed aloud. Still none
+of the men moved so much as a finger. The whole party came forward to
+the table and stood close behind the thirteen men and examined them.
+They were dead.
+
+They were sitting in all positions. Food was before them, as if they
+were in the midst of a meal. Some were leaning across the table as if in
+conversation. Some were in the act of cutting meat on their plates, some
+in the act of putting forks to their mouths. Every face was ghastly
+white, and every eye was fixed in a vacant stare.
+
+"See!" said Toby, in a whisper, pointing to their backs.
+
+From the back of each was sticking the handle of a knife, the blade of
+which was buried in the flesh to the hilt.
+
+Aunt Amanda sank on Toby's shoulder for a moment, but she soon
+recovered. Freddie grasped Toby's hand.
+
+"Look," said Toby. "They must be pirates."
+
+Each head was bound with a bright-colored kerchief, and as the horrified
+company examined the dead men closer, it was seen that they all wore
+knee breeches. A long dagger was sticking upright in the table, just
+under the candles. Pinned by this dagger to the table was a large sheet
+of white paper, and there was evidently writing on it.
+
+The Third Vice-President had apparently little fear of thirteen dead
+men; he went directly to the table, and reaching across between two of
+the stiff figures drew the dagger from the table and took from the
+dagger's point the sheet of paper. He adjusted his spectacles, turned
+his back to the candles so as to obtain a good light on the paper, and
+read from it aloud:
+
+"Thus does Captain Lingo serve All Traitors."
+
+For a moment there was silence. Then Aunt Amanda spoke sharply.
+
+"The wicked villain!" said she. "Thirteen of his men dead at once, by
+his own hand! No wonder the six that are left are afraid of him! No
+wonder they don't like this place! Oh the wicked scoundrel! If I had him
+here, I declare I would--"
+
+She paused suddenly and listened. There was a stealthy creaking on the
+stairs. It grew more distinct; then it stopped, and there was silence.
+
+The thirteen in their chairs made no motion whatever; but the living
+turned with one accord towards the open doorway of the room. They waited
+with bated breath. In another moment Captain Lingo himself was standing
+in the doorway, a pistol in his right hand and a knife in his left.
+Without a word he advanced into the room, and behind him came his six
+men, shrinking obviously away from the sight of their thirteen murdered
+friends.
+
+As Captain Lingo came to a stand before his recent prisoners, his eyes
+blazed, and with his right thumb he cocked his pistol. Each of his men
+held a pistol in his right hand and a cutlass in his left, and each
+cocked his pistol with his thumb.
+
+The Third Vice-President of the Society for Piratical Research, who
+seemed in no wise disconcerted, stepped forward and addressed the
+pirate.
+
+"Captain Lingo, I presume?"
+
+"Ay, ay; be quick. I must finish this business quickly."
+
+"My committee and myself have been long anxious, sir, in the interest of
+science, to make your acquaintance. I rejoice at this opportunity."
+
+"Oh, indeed," said Captain Lingo, drily.
+
+"Yes, sir; I assure you I am delighted. I believe I have the pleasure of
+speaking to a subject of King James the Second."
+
+"Ay, ay," said Lingo, eyeing him suspiciously. "What then?"
+
+"Then the records of our Society are vindicated. They go back, my dear
+sir, some two hundred years; and they contain, from various sources, an
+unbroken account of Captain Lingo and his exploits from the time of
+James the Second to the present. But the sources of our information were
+not always reliable; some doubts were thrown upon our records by jealous
+persons outside the Society; and as it is the special business of the
+Committee on Doubtful and Fabulous Tales to look into such matters, the
+Committee is here before you at the present moment in the interest of
+truth. No member of our Society has ever seen Captain Lingo, and the
+jealous persons I have mentioned pretend that no such person has ever
+existed. The chief mission of our Committee is to vindicate our records
+by a sight of Captain Lingo himself. Thanks to you, sir, that has now
+been done. Our next mission is to determine for our Society this most
+important question: are you alive or dead?"
+
+At this, the captain's brows came together in a terrible frown; the scar
+across his cheek and chin turned very white; and he glared under his
+eyebrows dangerously at the complacent Third Vice-President. His lips
+parted, showing his white teeth clenched tight together. He started to
+speak through his clenched teeth, and leveled his pistol straight at the
+Third Vice-President's breast; but at that moment a cry from the
+Churchwarden startled everybody.
+
+"Bless my soul! Why didn't I never once think of this before? These men
+ain't real persons at all! How could they be, after two hundred years?
+They're no better than wicked spirits! That's what they are, wicked
+spirits! Why didn't we think of that before? Aha! my fine friends, I've
+got a little medicine here for you! Ha! ha!"
+
+He drew forth from his back pocket a little perfume bottle, and waved it
+over his head.
+
+"Hurrah!" he cried. "Hurrah for the Odour of Sanctity!" And with these
+words the Churchwarden uncorked the bottle and sprinkled a few drops of
+his perfume on the floor, directly at the feet of Captain Lingo.
+
+A sharp odour instantly filled the air; so sharp that it brought tears
+to the eyes of everyone. Captain Lingo and his men stepped quickly
+backward, but it was too late. A look of pained surprise crept over
+their faces, and remained fixed there. Their feet stood rooted to the
+floor, and the hands which held the cutlasses and pistols stiffened and
+became rigid. Not one of them could move an eye-lash. Their outlines
+began to waver; their faces began to be dim and vague, as if covered
+with close white veils; from their outsides inward they slowly faded,
+melted, dissolved; nothing remained of any of them but a wraith, a
+vapor, a puff of smoke, remotely in the shape of a human being; and then
+that also vanished; nothing remained; the place where they had been was
+empty.
+
+All eyes turned to the table where the thirteen murdered pirates had
+been sitting. They were gone. Their chairs were vacant.
+
+The Churchwarden calmly put the stopper in his bottle and restored it to
+his pocket.
+
+"Humph!" said he. "Nothing like Odour of Sanctity. Never knew it to
+fail. No harm to human persons, but no wicked spirit as ever lived can
+stand against it; and a blessed good thing the bottle didn't break as we
+came down the water-fall. No perfumery in this world like Odour of
+Sanctity!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XIX
+
+A KNOCK AT THE DOOR
+
+
+The Third Vice-President and his fellow-members of the Daft Committee
+seated themselves in the chairs just vacated by the thirteen murdered
+pirates. Nothing could have persuaded any of the others to sit in those
+dreadful seats; but no feeling of this sort appeared to disturb the
+Committee, and they evidently saw no reason why they should not be
+comfortable.
+
+The Third Vice-President drummed on the table with his fingers, and
+frowned to himself in silence. One of the Committee, taking his
+skull-cap from his head and smoothing it thoughtfully with his hand,
+glanced up at the Chairman and said:
+
+"I fear, Professor, that our hopes are dashed. It is nothing less than
+disastrous."
+
+"You are right, my dear sir," said the Chairman. "It is a terrible
+misfortune; terrible indeed. And just when we were on the point of--"
+
+"What!" exclaimed Toby in astonishment. "Do you mean to say you are
+sorry those rascally pirates are gone?"
+
+"My dear sir," said the Chairman, very patiently, "I am finding no
+fault. I do not wish to blame anyone. The loss of these pirates to
+science is one that can never be compensated. The Society for Piratical
+Research is now at an end. There are no other pirates on this island,
+and you must see for yourselves that without pirates our society must
+perish. It is a woful--"
+
+"Well, I never!" said Aunt Amanda. "Of all things! Do you dare to sit
+there and tell me you'd rather see us all murdered by pirates than--"
+
+"Be calm, my friends," said the Third Vice-President, placidly. "I have
+already said that I do not wish to find fault. I desire to be generous.
+It is my wish. In fact, I forgive you freely. Whatever bitterness you
+may have caused us, we are willing to believe that it was not
+intentional. The Daft Committee forgives you; freely. Let us be
+peaceful. It only remains to decide what steps we shall take to meet the
+future. I submit to you this question: whether we shall first go to the
+pirates' home in High Dudgeon, or return at once to the City of Towers,
+to confess our failure and receive our--Hark! I thought I heard a
+knock."
+
+Everyone listened. There was indeed the sound of knocking, muffled but
+quite audible. The group standing about the table looked from one to
+another in silence. Was this some new danger? Were there other pirates
+to be reckoned with? The Churchwarden put his hand to his back pocket,
+to be ready with his bottle.
+
+"I think it comes from within this room," said the Third Vice-President.
+
+All eyes examined the room. The walls were unbroken, except by
+window-slits on one side, the open doorway on another, and on a third a
+closed door, which no one had before observed. Toby walked over to this
+closed door, and placed his ear against it. A muffled knock sounded from
+within.
+
+Toby nodded his head to the others, and tried the door. It was locked.
+"Lend me your key, Aunt Amanda," said he; and when she had given it to
+him he inserted it in the lock and turned it and threw wide the door.
+Inside was a dark closet hung with cloaks. On the floor sat a man.
+
+Toby stepped back in amazement. The man sat motionless, his legs
+crossed, gazing out into the lighted room. After a second or two he
+rose, and stood in the doorway, rubbing his eyes. He said not a word,
+but continued to rub his eyes until they evidently became used to the
+light, and gave two or three sniffs, as if he smelt an odour, and found
+it far from agreeable.
+
+He was a thickset man, dressed in sailor's clothes, in no way like the
+clothes the pirates had worn. His eyes were small and very close
+together; his nose was broken and flat; his lower jaw stuck out beyond
+his upper; an unpleasant fellow enough, if looks were anything. In his
+belt he carried a long knife. His sailor collar was cut low in front,
+and his chest was tattooed in red and blue ink.
+
+As he hesitated in the doorway, sniffing the air uneasily and blinking
+his eyes, the Chairman of the Daft Committee spoke in his calm voice.
+
+"Come in, my good sir," said he. "I should like to take the liberty of
+asking you a few questions."
+
+The sailorman walked slowly into the room and looked about him.
+
+"What's that there smell in the air?" said he.
+
+"Nothing only my Odour of Sanctity," said the Churchwarden.
+
+"I don't like it," said the sailorman.
+
+"I can't say that I like it much myself," said the Third Vice-President,
+"but it is too faint now to be disagreeable. Pray be seated, sir." One
+of the Committee rose and offered the sailorman his chair. The sailor
+sat down and gazed at the Third Vice-President, who went on with his
+speech. "You need have no fear, sir; if Captain Lingo causes you any
+uneasiness, I may tell you that he is gone, never to return; and all his
+men with him; even the thirteen dead men who were sitting in these
+chairs until a few minutes ago."
+
+"What!" said the sailor. "Has them thirteen men been a-sitting here all
+these years?"
+
+"My dear sir," said the Third Vice-President, "I assure you we saw them
+with our own eyes. But you will perhaps be kind enough to tell us who
+you are, and how you came to be locked up in that closet."
+
+"Humph!" said the sailor, hesitating. "I don't know who you are, nor
+what you're doing in this here place. However, if Lingo's gone, and--Oh
+well, I might as well tell you. By the looks of you, I ain't got much
+cause to be afraid."
+
+"Your courtesy under the circumstances will be much appreciated," said
+the Third Vice-President.
+
+"Courtesy be blowed," said the sailorman. "Well, here goes. I'm Matthew
+Speak, able-bodied seaman, of the brig Cotton Mather, out of New
+Bedford, Reuben Higginson, master."
+
+"What!" cried Aunt Amanda, almost shrieking. "Are you--? The Cotton
+Mather! Reuben Higginson! Did you know him? It ain't possible! I can't
+believe it!"
+
+"It ain't nothing to me whether you believes it or not. I shipped with
+Reuben Higginson at New Bedford and landed here with him and his crew on
+this same identical Island, all tight and safe; here on Correction
+Island, as the cap'n called it."
+
+"What!" cried Aunt Amanda again. "Is this Correction Island? Well, I
+never! Here we are on Correction Island after all, and we never knew it!
+Are you sure?"
+
+"That's what he called it, believe me or not. It ain't nothing to me,
+but I seen it on the map I sold to Mizzen, and the cap'n wrote it there
+in his own handwrite; that's all I know; but maybe if you'd hunt up this
+here Lemuel Mizzen, a sailor with a patch on one eye and--"
+
+"Well, of all things!" exclaimed Aunt Amanda.
+
+"By crackey," said Toby, "I wouldn't 'a' believed it. Lemuel Mizzen!"
+
+"Perhaps you will be so good as to tell us--" began the Third
+Vice-President.
+
+"Freddie," said Aunt Amanda, "have you got the map?"
+
+"Yes'm," said Freddie, and produced it from his pocket.
+
+Aunt Amanda took it from him and spread it open on the table before
+Matthew Speak. The sailorman glanced at it and nodded his head.
+
+"That's it," said he. "I don't know how you come by it, but that's it.
+Higginson was lost with the Cotton Mather in a storm on his way back to
+New Bedford, and a lucky chance for me I wasn't aboard. A good while
+afterwards a fisherman off of this here Island picked up the map at sea
+in a bottle, and I got it off'n him; he squealed a good bit when I stuck
+him, but I got it, right enough. And then along comes Mizzen, me being
+in hiding, and I sold it to him for a set of false whiskers and a
+tattoo-needle."
+
+"Yes, yes," said Freddie eagerly. "Mr. Mizzen told me about it."
+
+"When Higginson sailed away from here in the Cotton Mather, I didn't go
+with him. I ran away. Ay, a runaway sailor, that's what I am. I liked
+the Spanish Main, and I didn't like Higginson; nor yet he didn't like
+me, neither. But before he sailed, I left my mark on him, I did; four of
+his teeth out and a black eye; and I won't say but what he broke my nose
+for me too, right enough. For a Quaker, he hit pretty good. And I stole
+this bit of writing from him; probably it ain't no account, but
+Higginson he seemed to set great store by it, so I stole it, and here it
+is." He took from his pocket a sheet of folded paper and laid it on the
+table beside the map; it was much soiled, and was evidently very old. He
+sniffed the air once or twice, and frowned. "I don't like this here
+smell. It's no good. I say I don't like it. It makes me feel queer.
+Well, I guess the old man thought this here bit of writing was safe in
+his locker right up to the last; I expect he never missed it until he
+went to put it into the bottle with the map and throw it overboard." He
+shook the paper in his hand and dropped it again on the table. "And
+then," he went on, "I fell in with Lingo, and joined his crew."
+
+"Look here," said Toby, "how long ago was all this?"
+
+"How do I know?" said Speak. "I've been shut up in that there cupboard
+so long I ain't got no account of time. But I remember just before we
+sailed from New Bedford there was a lot of crazy people talkin' about
+getting up a fight with England and breakin' loose from her, and being
+free and independent and what not--a great pack of foolish nonsense--and
+something or other about some kind of a tea-party in Boston--I dunno. I
+ain't never heard what come of it. Most likely nothin' at all. I guess
+it must have been a good while ago. I dunno."
+
+The Churchwarden started, and put his hand to his back pocket. "Are you
+as old as that?" said he.
+
+"No older nor what you be, old fat-chaps," said Speak. "You attend to
+your own age, and I'll attend to mine."
+
+"Never mind," said the Third Vice-President, hastily. "Pray tell us how
+you came to be locked up in that closet."
+
+"Gimme a chanc't," said Speak. "I'd tell you if you'd gimme a chanc't. I
+joined Lingo. I served him true and faithful, and many a prize we've
+taken together, and watched many a smart lad walk the plank, that's a
+fact. Well, thirteen of his men laid a plan to go to his treasure-cave
+where all his treasure was hid, and make off with it; steal it; ay, ay;
+steal it, mind you; as bad as that. Now me, I ain't got no patience
+with dishonesty; I'm all for being honest, I am; so, being as I had
+learned about this here plan, I went and told the captain. He never
+winked an eye, not him, but off he sent his other six men, out of the
+way, and made a fine supper here for them thirteen and sat down with
+them to it; ay, that he did. But first he gets a little white powder out
+of a silver box and takes it to Mother Ketch and orders her to put it in
+their food; and she won't, not she, and nothing he can do can make her;
+so he comes to me, and being as I hates dishonesty, I puts the powder in
+their food, and they eats it. Only, being kind of nervous, as you might
+say, I spills about two-thirds of it on my way upstairs in the dark; and
+there ain't enough left to do the work complete. What was left I put in
+the food on the table, and at that minute up the stairs comes the whole
+thirteen with the captain at their head, and I whips into that there
+cupboard and shuts the door, a-trembling in my boots for fear of what
+the captain's going to do to me when he finds out the powder won't work
+only partly. I can hear 'em all set down to the table laughin' hearty,
+and the captain's voice a-crackin' jokes and makin' 'em feel at home;
+but after a bit I don't hear nobody's voice but only the captain's,
+because of the white powder actin' on the others as far as it could, and
+them probably a-settin' up stiff and tongue-tied in their chairs, unable
+to move a hand, because of the mite of powder, d'ye see, and me
+a-settin' quiet in the dark cupboard, a-quakin' all over and wonderin'
+what the captain was a-goin' to do to me. And after a bit I don't hear
+the captain's voice no more, and there ain't no sound at all. And I
+guess the party is over. And in another minute I hears a key turn in the
+lock of my cupboard door, very soft and easy, and there I am shut up and
+locked in as tight as pitch; and there I've been ever since."
+
+"And serve you jolly well right, too, hif you arsk me," said Mr. Punch,
+with great disgust.
+
+"It's the wickedest piece of business all round I ever heard of in my
+life," said Aunt Amanda, indignantly. "It's my opinion you're as bad as
+any of them."
+
+"Worse, if anything," said the Churchwarden, whose hand was still on his
+back pocket.
+
+"It's a pity the captain didn't knife you in the back with the rest of
+'em," said Toby, angrily.
+
+Speak's little eyes flashed fire. He drew his knife and held it out
+threateningly in his hand, and started to rise. But he did not rise. He
+remained fixed in his chair, though it was easy to see that he was
+trying to get up. He sniffed the air, and his head remained fixed in the
+act of sniffing. The hand which held the knife continued to hold it out,
+without moving. A look of alarm came into his eyes. It was evident that
+he had smelled the Odour of Sanctity, which yet lingered faintly in the
+room. His outline began to waver; his face became vague; his features
+ran together; he took on the appearance of vapor; and there in the chair
+by the table, in place of the thick and solid sailorman, was an almost
+transparent form of mist or smoke, remotely in the shape of a man.
+
+Everyone waited to see him vanish. The form still lingered; it did not
+disappear; it continued to sit in its chair with its hand extended,
+holding out a shadowy knife. The Odour of Sanctity had lost its full
+power, and what remained of it was insufficient to make him disappear.
+
+The Churchwarden pulled out his bottle, and commenced to uncork it.
+
+"Stay," said the Third Vice-President, holding up his hand. "I pray you
+stay. Do not spill any more of that deadly fluid. There has been enough
+destruction here tonight. I propose that we leave the late Matthew Speak
+as he is. He belongs to the Society for Piratical Research. He is the
+Last of the Pirates, and I beg leave to claim him for the Society. As an
+exhibit, he will be highly valued. We shall from time to time conduct
+hither parties of the learned or the curious to view the Last of the
+Pirates. Nothing could be better. Our Society is now revived. I am
+immensely gratified. Low Dudgeon shall be known as the only Museum in
+the world with but a single Exhibit. Let the late Matthew Speak repose
+here in his chair as a permanent relic of a bygone age; the sole Exhibit
+in a Museum all his own. The interest of such an Exhibit will doubtless
+warrant a small charge at the door."
+
+The Committee murmured an earnest approval. The Churchwarden looked at
+his companions, and put the bottle back into his pocket with a sigh.
+
+"I thank you," said the Third Vice-President. "We will now proceed to
+consider our next step."
+
+"I simply can't stay in this room," exclaimed Aunt Amanda, "with that
+thing sitting in that chair."
+
+"It is nothing, madam, I assure you," said the Third Vice-President.
+"See!"
+
+He leaned over and passed his hand directly through the body in the
+chair; in at the breast and out at the back.
+
+"Oh!" cried Aunt Amanda; and her friends all gasped; but the Committee
+only nodded their heads in token of their interest.
+
+"You see it is nothing," said the Third Vice-President. "We will now
+look at the paper which our departed friend has left."
+
+He picked up the paper from the table where Speak had left it, adjusted
+his spectacles, turned his back to the candles so as to get a good
+light, and read the paper through to himself. He then glanced at the
+company and read aloud:
+
+  "Shiraz the Rug-Merchant.
+
+  "Outside the Gate of Wanderers, six hundred Paces to the Right, along
+  the Wall.
+
+  "Thee shall know his Shop by certain Numbers, to wit: 3101310.
+
+  "If he Hide himself, say these words: Shagli Jamshid Shahriman.
+
+  "Thee shall buy of his Wares; not that which he shall offer First, nor
+  Second; but that which he shall offer Third, that thee shall Buy; and
+  for that thee shall Pay whatever he shall Demand.
+
+  "Thereafter thee shall do whatever he shall Direct.
+
+  "But enter not into the City but by the Shop of Shiraz the
+  Rug-Merchant."
+
+There was silence for a moment, then Aunt Amanda said:
+
+"That's the way we are to get those wonderful things the map speaks of.
+It doesn't seem to tell us much, though. Where do you suppose is this
+Gate of Wanderers?"
+
+"That, dear madam," said the Third Vice-President, "is one of the gates
+of our City of Towers. We know it very well, of course."
+
+"Then," said Aunt Amanda, "as captain of my party, my orders is that we
+go there at once."
+
+"Much good would that do," said Toby. "We've got to buy something of
+this here Shiraz, if that's his name, and pay anything he asks, too. And
+there ain't a penny amongst us. How could we buy anything?"
+
+"The pirates' treasure!" cried Freddie. "The pirates' treasure in the
+cave!"
+
+"By crackey!" said Toby. "I clean forgot all about it. Good for you,
+Freddie! Talk about money to buy things with! We'll buy out that old
+Shiraz's whole shop! The treasure belongs to us, as sure as you're born.
+By crickets, we're in luck."
+
+"If you will pardon me," said the Third Vice-President, "we know
+nothing of any treasure, and if you would be so good as to----"
+
+"I will," said Aunt Amanda, and she quickly explained the whole matter.
+The Daft Committee, including its Chairman, was much impressed.
+
+"We do not wish to intrude," said the Chairman, "but if we could be of
+any service----"
+
+"Of course!" cried Toby. "You've got to help us get the treasure out of
+the cave, and then help us to find the City of Towers. And if you'll
+help us, why what I say is, the Committee ought to have a share of the
+treasure. Is that right?"
+
+Toby's friends willingly agreed, and the Committee gladly consented to
+go with them to the Treasure Cave and then to the City of Towers.
+
+"The Society for Piratical Research," said the Third Vice-President, "is
+coming back to life! We now have a Museum with one Exhibit, and we are
+about to acquire a Fund of Money. Come, my friends, it is time to
+depart. If you will go out first, I will remain and blow out the
+candles. We must remember to close the door behind us, for a draught of
+air would probably blow the late Mr. Matthew Speak out of the window."
+
+In a few moments the whole party was standing in the moonlight on the
+grass before the deserted tower of Low Dudgeon. Not quite deserted,
+however; in every mind was a picture of a misty and vapory form,
+remotely in the shape of a man, sitting motionless in a chair beside a
+table in a dark and silent room.
+
+"All right," said Toby, "now for the Treasure Cave and the City of
+Towers."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XX
+
+THE CITY OF TOWERS
+
+
+At the Pirates' Cave, the task of getting out the treasure proved very
+difficult, but it was done at last.
+
+The Committee's camp in the forest had supplied abundance of provisions,
+and a great number of animals; the Committee traveled in luxury.
+
+On the level ground where Mr. Hanlon had given his exhibition of
+head-work, the toilers were now resting in the hot sun, and drying their
+garments, thoroughly soaked by their trips in and out of the cave, under
+the water-fall. They looked with intense delight on the boxes and bags
+which lay before them.
+
+"What I say is," said Toby, "let's divide the treasure now, so we won't
+have to bother about it when we get to the City of Towers."
+
+"How beautiful is nature!" said the Sly Old Codger. "Behold that wide
+expanse of field and forest resting so--so--expansively beneath the orb
+of day! A true, true work of nature! At such a moment as this, dear
+friends, a warm feeling invades my heart, a feeling of--of--Did I hear a
+suggestion to divide the treasure?"
+
+The division was carefully made, and when it was done, and each person
+had declared himself well satisfied, each share was packed separately,
+and the treasure loaded on the backs of the extra mules. It was a
+princely fortune.
+
+"Do you suppose," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, "that--er--I
+shall be able to obtain, in the City of Towers, such a thing as a
+pipeful--ahem!--a pipeful of tobacco?"
+
+"Never fear," said the Third Vice-President. "I fancy you will be able
+to buy there all the tobacco you can use."
+
+"Wery sorry I am to 'ear it," said Mr. Punch. "Hi regard the tobacco
+'abit as a wery reprehensible 'abit. Wery."
+
+"Oh, you do!" said Toby, glaring at him.
+
+"Wery reprehensible indeed," went on Mr. Punch, calmly. "My conscience
+'as troubled me for a long time by reason of my position in the tobacco
+trade. Being posted, as one may s'y, in a wery hadwantageous position
+for hobserwation, I 'ave seen too much, entirely too much, of the sad
+effects of the hobnoxious weed. Many a time 'ave I wept to myself, when
+the hobserver may 'ave thought it was only rain on me cheek, to see 'em,
+young and hold, going in and hout of Toby Littleback's shop, knowing
+what would come of it sooner or later, and me a-standing there
+hencouraging of 'em in, as one may s'y, with me packet of cigars in me
+'and. Hoften enough 'ave I wished to give it hup and embark in a
+hoccupation less reprehensible; many a time 'ave I said to myself, 'Ho,
+hif I could only be hinnocent once, just once.' And now Hi shall put
+be'ind me hall the d'ys of me sinful past, and with my share of the
+treasure Hi shall open a shop for the purveying of tripe."
+
+"There's a deal more harm been done by tripe than ever there was by
+tobacco," said Toby.
+
+"There is a total absence of nicotine in tripe," said Mr. Punch,
+loftily. "At least, such is my hinformation. And I carn't 'elp 'oping
+that my friend Littleback will reform hisself, now that 'e can afford
+it, and engage in some pursuit less 'armful to the young. Hif I was
+arsked, I would suggest pinking and pleating."
+
+"You ain't been asked," said Toby. "I can see myself pinking and
+pleating. When I want advice what to do with my money, I'll ask you.
+Tobacco is my line, and tobacco is going to be my line to the end of the
+chapter, and that's flat. Pinking and pleating! Humph."
+
+"It's my belief," said the Churchwarden, "after listening to what's been
+said, pro and con, backwards and forwards, up and down, that if we don't
+start for the City of Towers, we'll never get there."
+
+"And what's more," said Toby, "when I get back I'm going to have an
+_Indian_ outside my door, instead of a tripe-seller."
+
+"Excuse me," said the Third Vice-President. "I am sorry to interrupt
+this interesting discussion, but we really ought to be going.
+Gentlemen," to the Committee, "our steeds are waiting. To the City of
+Towers!"
+
+The journey which now commenced proved to be a very long one. Day after
+day the pilgrims plodded through a wilderness of forest and field, over
+streams, across mountains, down into deep valleys and up again, camping
+at night wherever they happened to find water and wood, and sleeping
+under the stars in blankets on beds of boughs. The moon was gone before
+their journey was over.
+
+One morning the trail brought them down on a mountain-side to a
+well-paved road. This road they followed for some hours, and it brought
+them finally to the top of a gentle hill, covered with trees. From the
+top of this hill they saw a striking scene.
+
+Stretching away from the foot of the hill lay a great rolling valley, up
+which the road ran as straight as a ribbon. Far away, at the end of the
+road, against a dark wooded mountain, stood a great city, walled around
+with a high wall, and shining in the sun with white and gold domes and
+turrets and towers. The rear of the city rose along the lower slope of
+the mountain, and on the top of the mountain, concealing its peak, lay
+a cloud; black below, and glittering with sunlight at the edges. It hung
+there motionless during the time when the watchers sat watching the
+scene. Directly under the cloud, on the slope where the farthest portion
+of the city lay, was an open space among the buildings, like a great
+garden or park, and in the midst of it a vast white building with a flat
+roof, great enough for the palace of a king. That which struck the
+strangers most, at their first look, was the great number of towers
+which rose at all points in the city; surely so many towers had never
+been gotten together in one place before; and the most remarkable one of
+them was the tower which rose from just behind the great white building
+in the park. It was dull in colour, and doubtless of brick; it was round
+in shape, tapering gradually upwards. It rose to a height which none of
+the strangers would have thought possible, had they not seen it with
+their own eyes; it rose straight to the cloud which hung motionless upon
+the mountain; it pierced the cloud, and its top was lost to view in the
+cloud or above it.
+
+"The City of Towers!" said the Third Vice-President, waving his arm in
+that direction. "The Gate of Wanderers is before us, at the end of the
+road."
+
+The party urged their animals forward down the hill-side, and pressed on
+until noon, when they halted for rest and refreshment in a wood beside
+the road. There they sat at their ease on the grass, and the Third
+Vice-President looked from one to another, and spoke as follows:
+
+"My friends, I must tell you the story of the Towers. Our King, you must
+know, is a handsome and amiable man, in appearance about thirty years of
+age. When I tell you that he has been our king for more than forty
+years, you will be surprised. His wife was a princess of some few years
+less than his own, and of a beauty unequalled in the kingdom. Her
+wedding ring, the gift of her husband, was a single ruby in a plain gold
+band, and this ring she was never known to remove from her
+wedding-finger for a single moment. She was blessed with three beautiful
+children, two boys and a girl, the oldest of whom was nearly nine years
+of age.
+
+"When the prince, our present King, was thirty years old, his father the
+King, who was then alive, gave a great ball at the palace, and at this
+ball the old King declared to the assembled court that he desired to
+build a tower; a mighty tower, higher than any other in the world, where
+he might seek repose from time to time; a tower so tall that it would
+reach the cloud that hangs perpetually on the mountain. To him who
+should build such a tower in the shortest time the King would give any
+reward which the fortunate bidder might ask. The old King laughed as he
+made his offer, and it was plain that he was only half serious; but many
+of the richest of his nobility desired the prize, and contended for it
+earnestly. One proposed to erect the tower in ten years, another in
+eight, and one was found who was willing to promise it in six years and
+a half; but these terms were all too long. The King was old, and he
+would not wait so long.
+
+"'Is there no one,' said the old King at last, 'who will build me my
+tower in less than six years and a half?'
+
+"'I will build it in one night,' said a voice from the rear of the
+ball-room.
+
+"An old man came forward and stood before the King; an old man, dressed
+in a short gown tied in with a cord about the middle, with sandals on
+his feet, a lantern with a lighted candle in one hand, and a staff in
+the other. No one in that place had ever seen him before, and no one
+knew how he had gotten in amongst that glittering company.
+
+"'I will build your tower in one night,' said the old man.
+
+"The old King laughed outright, but he accepted the offer then and
+there. 'In the morning,' said he, 'if we find the tower finished, you
+shall have any gift which may be in my power to give.'
+
+"The old man bowed, and made his way slowly out of the palace. A great
+shout of laughter went up from the company, and in this the King himself
+joined heartily; but the joke was, as I must tell you, my friends, that
+in the morning when the King rose, there stood the tower in fact, behind
+the palace, so tall that its top could not be seen in the cloud that
+hung upon the mountain; and there, my friends, the tower stands to this
+day.
+
+"That evening the old man returned for his reward. He stood before the
+King, and on the King's right and left stood the prince and the prince's
+wife and children. The King asked the old man what reward he desired.
+
+"'I ask nothing,' replied the other, with a sly smile, 'except the ruby
+ring upon the finger of the Princess.'
+
+"The Princess turned pale, and hid her hand behind her. She would not
+give up her wedding-ring; nothing the King could say could move her. He
+offered the old man anything else he might demand; a dozen ruby rings; a
+box of ruby rings; anything; but the old man would have nothing but the
+ring upon the Princess's finger. The Princess grew paler still, as if
+with fear; but she would not give up the ring. The old man smiled his
+sly smile again, and went away.
+
+"The next morning the Princess and her three children were gone. Search
+was made everywhere, but they were not to be found. The King and the
+Prince, mounting the winding stair of the tower, stopped at last when
+they were all but exhausted, and at that moment heard a sound of weeping
+from above. They climbed higher, and on the stair they found the
+children sitting, huddled together and weeping bitterly. Their mother
+was gone, they knew not where; and they did not know how they came to be
+in the tower. The strongest climbers in the city mounted as far as they
+could ascend, but the top of the tower was far beyond their reach; they
+found no Princess. She has never been seen from that day.
+
+"Soon after, the old King died, and his son came to the throne. As for
+him, our present King, and his three children, time stopped for them
+from the day on which the Princess disappeared. They are no older now
+than when she left them. It is supposed that they are awaiting her
+return unchanged, in order that she may not find them old on her return,
+if she should still be young. There are those who say that she has lived
+all these years, and still lives, somewhere, in some strange form,
+perhaps far from here, bewitched by the old man, and waiting for release
+from her enchantment. I do not know."
+
+"And what was her name?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"She was named," said the Third Vice-President, "the Princess Miranda."
+
+"And what are all those other towers in the city?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"It was the fashion, after the King's Tower was built, to build towers.
+The King, as you may suppose, sets the fashion in all things. But no
+more pleasure-towers are built nowadays; the thing had its day, and died
+out. There is a fashion now in pleasure-domes. They are modeled after
+the pleasure-dome built by Kubla Khan in Xanadu."
+
+"Well," said Toby, "I don't see what we've got to do with all this. The
+party I want to see is Shiraz the Rug-Merchant."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXI
+
+SHIRAZ THE RUG-MERCHANT
+
+
+The wayfarers came to a halt before the Wanderers' Gate. The wall of the
+city stood before them, and stretched away to a great distance on either
+hand. People were going in and out at the gate; some on foot, driving
+donkeys before them, some on horseback, some in wagons, and all brisk
+and talkative. The Third Vice-President received a respectful greeting
+from several of those on horseback. He turned to his companions with a
+wave of the hand, and said:
+
+"The Wanderers' Bazaar!"
+
+On each side of the open gate, at the foot of the high thick wall, was
+what appeared to be a fair. As far as the eye could see, the base of the
+wall was lined with booths, each with an awning over it from the wall
+behind, gaily striped in orange and blue and yellow and brown. In these
+booths was spread out in disorderly profusion a mass of merchandise of
+all kinds; gold and silver ornaments, brass and copper vessels, rugs and
+carpets, spectacles and clocks, toys and games, herbs and ointments,
+fish-nets and sailors' instruments, canes and crutches, ribbons and
+laces, perfumery, precious stones--things innumerable; even parrots and
+monkeys, in cages; in one booth was a potter, twirling his potter's
+wheel; in another a fortune-teller, laying little sticks down in curious
+patterns on his table; in another a man pasting on cards bits of
+coloured feathers, in the form of tiny birds and fowls, most life-like;
+in another a glass-blower, delicately twining a thread of spun glass for
+the rigging of a ship; in another a man sitting on a rug with a snake
+before him, whose flat head stood stiffly up from his coil, and waved a
+little to the motion of his master's finger; in another, a man was
+bending over a flower-pot with a wand in his hand, and as he moved the
+wand a stalk grew from the pot and at its end a bud appeared and
+unfolded into a flower before the very eyes of his audience; in another
+a great ape was marking down figures with chalk as his master called
+them; in another a shuttle was weaving back and forth in a loom; there
+seemed to be no end to the curious and diverting things to be seen in
+those booths. The people in them were apparently of all the nations of
+the earth; there were brown men and yellow men and black men, as well as
+white; men with slant eyes, with round eyes, with flat noses, with
+beak-noses, with wooly hair, with straight hair; there were turbans, and
+fezzes, and hoods, and white gowns, and coloured robes, and velvet
+jackets, and cotton blouses; and from all the venders rose such a hubbub
+as Freddie had never in his life heard before, except once in the Gaunt
+Street Theatre at home. A lively crowd chaffered with the venders and
+walked in the paved street before their booths. It was a scene full of
+life and colour, and Freddie was transported with delight.
+
+"Oh!" he said, "can't we get down here and see all those sights? I
+should like to spend the whole day here!"
+
+"We've got other fish to fry just now, Freddie," said Toby. "We'll have
+to see this some other time."
+
+"It is a precious thought," said the Sly Old Fox, "that we have here
+with us on our mules enough treasure to buy this whole bazaar, if we
+wished to do it. It is a beautiful thought."
+
+"Six 'undred paces to the right!" said Mr. Punch.
+
+"Shiraz the Rug-Merchant!" said Toby. "By the looks of it, there must be
+about five hundred rug-merchants along there."
+
+"What was the number we were to find him by?" said Aunt Amanda.
+
+"It's 3103101," said Toby.
+
+"You are quite mistaken," said Mr. Punch. "Hit's 3013101."
+
+"That's exactly what I said," said Toby.
+
+"Excuse me," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, "it seems to me
+that it is--er--3101301."
+
+"My recollection is," said the Churchwarden, "that it is 3031010."
+
+"I am sorry to differ," said the Sly Old Codger, "but I am perfectly
+sure it is 3013010."
+
+"Why don't you look at the paper?" said Aunt Amanda, in an exasperated
+tone.
+
+Everyone looked at everyone else to produce the paper, but no one
+produced it.
+
+"I regret to confess it," said the Third Vice-President, placidly, "but
+I have a distinct recollection of having left it on the table at Low
+Dudgeon. Never mind, it is perfectly safe."
+
+"Well!" said Aunt Amanda. "Isn't that a perfect shame! Whatever are we
+going to do? And where's the map? Freddie, have you got the map?"
+
+Freddie looked in all his pockets. "No'm," said he. "It isn't here."
+
+"I recall distinctly," said the Third Vice-President, without any sign
+of worry, "that the map was left on the table at Low Dudgeon with the
+other paper."
+
+"Merciful fathers!" exclaimed Aunt Amanda. "And you've left the map
+behind too! I never yet see a man that had a head on him worth a--Now
+listen to me; is there anyone that remembers the words the paper said we
+had to say to the----"
+
+"Ah! madam," said the Third Vice-President. "There I can be of
+assistance, I fancy. The words are derived from the Persian, and I am
+accordingly familiar with them. 'Shagli Jamshid Shahriman.' Am I right,
+gentlemen?"
+
+The Daft Committee nodded their heads in assent.
+
+"Then I see no reason," said the Third Vice-President, "why we should
+not proceed."
+
+"Come on then," said Toby. "I'll get down and pace off the six hundred
+steps, and see where we come to."
+
+The party moved slowly through the crowd, along the booths, while Toby
+walked beside them, carefully counting his steps.
+
+"Five hundred and eighty," said he. "Five hundred and ninety.
+Ninety-five. Six hundred"; and stopped. The procession stopped also, and
+all of the riders got down from their mules. Many of the passers-by
+gazed curiously at them, and some paused for a moment before going on;
+but no one seemed to take more than a passing interest. One of the
+Committee led the mules to the open side of the street, where they would
+be out of the way, and stood guard over them. The others joined Toby in
+front of the booth at which he was now standing.
+
+It was not the kind of booth they were seeking at all. There were no
+rugs nor carpets of any kind; only clocks and watches, a great number of
+them, and a few sundials and hour-glasses. Behind the counter stood a
+lad of about twenty, very dark of skin, with snapping black eyes and
+shining white teeth which showed as he now bowed and smiled; a white
+turban on his head, and a loose white robe hanging from his shoulders.
+He was slim and sleek, and his fingers were very long and delicate. He
+rubbed his hands together as the riders dismounted, and commenced to
+chatter to them in an unknown tongue, bowing and smiling the while. His
+wares were displayed about him on shelves and boxes and tables, as well
+as on the counter, and the clocks and watches, as usual in such places,
+showed all hours of the twelve. A striped awning of orange and blue,
+fastened at the rear to the side of the city wall, shielded him and his
+booth from the sun. Behind him in the wall was a closed iron door.
+
+"We're in the wrong shop," said Toby to his companions. "Some mistake.
+Anyway, here goes." And addressing the young man behind the counter, he
+said: "Good-afternoon. We are looking for Mr. Shiraz the Rug-Merchant.
+This don't look much like a rug shop, but maybe you can tell us. Shiraz;
+that's his name."
+
+"No understand," said the young man, rubbing his hands and bowing
+pleasantly.
+
+"Shiraz," said Toby. "Think. Shiraz. Easy word, Shiraz. You understand?"
+
+"Clocks and watches," said the young man. "Sundials. You buy?"
+
+"No, no," said Toby. "We no buy. Want Shiraz. Confound it, that's an
+easy word, ain't it? Shiraz! Can't you understand that?"
+
+"No sell Shiraz," said the young man. "Clocks and watches."
+
+"Look here," said Toby, "what's the number of this place?"
+
+"No number," said the young man, looking puzzled and shaking his head.
+"Clocks and watches."
+
+"By crackey," said Toby, "we're in the wrong place sure enough."
+
+Now while this talk was going on, Freddie had made a discovery. He had
+noticed, on a box at the rear, against the wall, a row of seven old
+clocks. They were battered and broken, and were evidently long since out
+of repair; two of them had no hands. Like most of the clocks in the
+place, they were stopped, and had probably, from the looks of them,
+ceased many years before to keep time. He noted idly the time shown by
+each of these clocks, and started in surprise. The hour shown by the
+first clock at the left was three o'clock. That shown by the next was
+one o'clock. The next had no hands, and showed no time at all. The next
+showed one o'clock, the next three o'clock, the next one o'clock, and
+the seventh had no hands. He ran his eye over them again, and the
+numbers which resulted were 3101310.
+
+"Come along," said Toby. "We might as well ask at some of these other
+shops. There ain't no use wasting time here."
+
+He moved away, and the others followed him towards the adjoining booth.
+The teeth of the dark young man shone white, and he bowed politely to
+the departing strangers.
+
+Freddie pulled at Toby's coat, and whispered in his ear. Toby listened,
+and without a word led the party back to the booth.
+
+"Now see here, young feller," said he, "I've got your number, and I
+don't want no nonsense. I reckon you can understand numbers, if you
+can't understand anything else." He fixed his eyes on the row of old
+clocks at the rear. "Listen to this, my young friend: 3-1-0-1-3-1-0."
+
+The smile left the young man's face. He seemed a trifle uneasy. His long
+fingers rested on the counter, and he leaned forward intently.
+
+"No understand," said he.
+
+"By crackey," said Toby, "this beats all. Where's Shiraz? We're in the
+right place, and we want Shiraz. Out with him!"
+
+"Clocks and watches," said the young man, but this time somewhat
+nervously. "You buy?"
+
+"Buy nothing!" cried Toby. "We want to see Shiraz the Rug-Merchant.
+Professor," said he, turning round, "what's the words to bring out
+Shiraz the Rug-Merchant?"
+
+"Shagli Jamshid Shahriman!" said the Third Vice-President, in a loud
+voice.
+
+Instantly the manner of the young man changed. Crossing his arms upon
+his breast, he made a low salaam, and spoke with the utmost deference.
+
+"I trust you will pardon," said he, "my seeming lack of courtesy. It is
+necessary to exercise a certain caution. There are wicked spirits,
+assuming from time to time the most unlikely forms, who seek to gain
+access to my great-great-grandfather. His life is continually in danger,
+for he possesses secrets which enable him constantly to interfere with
+their designs. By reason of this danger, he was obliged many years ago
+to retire from the rug business, and he has lived ever since in deep
+seclusion. It is your wish to see Shiraz the Persian?"
+
+"You seem to speak English pretty good," said Toby.
+
+"Perfectly, my lord. And twelve other tongues as well. You desire to see
+my great-great-grandfather?"
+
+"That's the exact idea," said Toby.
+
+"Then I will beg your indulgence for a few moments."
+
+The young man bowed again, and disappeared through the doorway in the
+wall, closing the door behind him. After a considerable absence he
+returned.
+
+"If you will follow me," said he, "I will conduct you to my
+great-great-grandfather."
+
+"We will await your return here," said the Third Vice-President to Toby
+and his companions. "It is unnecessary for us to pursue this adventure
+further."
+
+The Third Vice-President and his friends returned to the mules, and the
+others followed the young man to the door behind him in the wall. The
+door was closed and locked behind them, and they found themselves in
+darkness. "If you will come to me here," said the voice of the young
+man, a little in advance, "I will show you the way down." When they felt
+themselves near him, they heard his voice again. "Be good enough to step
+carefully forward, until you feel the first step of a descending stair.
+Then descend cautiously, if you please." Each one put out a foot, and in
+a moment they were all going down a stairway, of which the treads were
+evidently of stone, much worn.
+
+When they had gone down some thirty steps, they were aware that the
+stair had ended, and that they were on a landing. "You will now cross
+the bridge, one by one, holding on to the railing," said the voice of
+the young man. One by one the party stepped forward, feeling the way
+cautiously, and as each in turn found with his hand a slight wooden
+railing, a breath of fresh air blew upon his face and the sound of
+rushing water came from below. Instead of the firm stone they had just
+been treading, they were conscious of wooden planking under their feet,
+and it gave beneath their pressure most uneasily. The bridge was a long
+one, and the sound of rushing water followed them its entire length.
+They walked again, however, on firm ground, and heard the young man's
+voice before them. "Be good enough to follow the right hand wall," it
+said, "and turn with the wall."
+
+Each right hand touched the surface of a wall, and in a moment the wall
+made a turning to the right. In another moment their progress was barred
+by a wall in advance, and the voice of the young man spoke from their
+midst. "You will kindly stoop as you go in," said he, and at the same
+moment a round opening appeared before them, dimly lit from within. It
+was only large enough to admit a single person, stooping. The young man
+entered first, and the others followed, one by one. When they were all
+on the other side of the door, the young man swung it noiselessly to,
+on its hinges, and it was seen that it fitted accurately, so that it was
+impossible to distinguish it from the wall.
+
+They were in a small room, unfurnished except for a table in the center,
+on which burned an oil lamp of silver, in shape like a boat; the walls
+were bare, except for certain shelves containing bottles of coloured
+liquids, other bottles of coloured powders, mortars, retorts,
+gas-burners, and huge dusty books. There appeared to be no outlet from
+the room, but the young man pressed his finger on a spot behind one of
+the bottles on a shelf, and a circular door, like the one by which they
+had entered, swung slowly open in the opposite wall.
+
+"We have arrived," said the young man. "Please to follow."
+
+He stooped and entered the circular doorway, and the others, one by one,
+followed. They found themselves in a rich and luxurious apartment,
+softly lighted by a hanging lamp; in the center was a table, littered
+with open books and scrolls of paper, and bearing notably a great round
+globe of solid crystal.
+
+Beside the table, on a divan, reclined what appeared to be a dry and
+shriveled mummy.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXII
+
+SIX ENCHANTED SOULS
+
+
+"This is my great-great-grandfather," said the young man.
+
+The room in which they stood was hung about on all the walls with rare
+and beautiful rugs, and similar rugs covered the floor. Richly
+embroidered cushions and delicate silk and cashmere shawls lay on the
+few easy chairs that were disposed about the room. The bowl of the
+hanging lamp, above the table, was of bits of amber and orange and ruby
+glass, through which shone a subdued and mellow light. Near the ceiling
+were three or four small openings, covered with iron gratings, and the
+air in the apartment was pure, except for the odour of tobacco. The
+figure on the divan was smoking a pipe; a water-pipe, whose long
+flexible stem reached to the floor, where its bowl rested.
+
+Shiraz the Rug-Merchant looked at his visitors with little beady black
+eyes. His skin was very dark, and shriveled and wrinkled like the skin
+of a dried apple. His cheek-bones seemed as if about to break through
+his cheeks, and his lips were stretched back from his teeth, which were
+black and broken. His hands were like the claws of a bird. Thin white
+hair straggled over his tight dark scalp. He wore a robe of some soft
+material, harmoniously mottled upon a ground of maroon, and on his feet
+were slippers of red morocco, pointed upwards at the toes. His turban
+lay upon the table beside him.
+
+[Illustration: Shiraz the Rug-Merchant looked at his visitors with
+little beady black eyes.]
+
+He was the smallest man the strangers had ever seen. After a searching
+look at them with his beady eyes, he rose from the divan, laid down the
+stem of his pipe, and stood up. He was not taller than Freddie. As he
+stood by the divan, looking up at his visitors, he seemed indeed a mere
+mummy of a man, likely to fall to pieces at a breath of air.
+
+"You are welcome," he said, in a voice surprisingly strong. "I perceive
+that you have come from a great distance. Permit me to inquire what
+errand has brought you to your servant's poor habitation."
+
+"I reckon we want to buy something," said Toby. "I don't know what,
+exactly, but a chap by the name of Higginson, Captain Reuben Higginson,
+he give us the direction, as you might say."
+
+"Ah, yes," said Shiraz the Persian. "I remember him very well. I was
+sorry to learn of his misfortune. An excellent man; a member of some
+strange sect----"
+
+"A Quaker," said Toby. "The paper he left said we might buy something
+here, and here we are, ready to buy."
+
+"I have long since retired from the rug business," said Shiraz, "but I
+have brought with me here, as you may see, some of my choicest
+treasures, as a slight solace in my seclusion." He glanced towards the
+rugs on the walls. "I am reluctant to part with any of them, but I am
+willing to make an exception, in view of your having made so long a
+journey to see me. My son," said he to the young man, "bring hither the
+Omar prayer-rug."
+
+The young man took from one of the walls a small rug, and laid it at the
+feet of Shiraz.
+
+"You will immediately perceive," said the Persian, "the extreme beauty
+of this rug. It is one of my rarest treasures. It is a prayer-rug from
+the mosque of Omar at Isfahan; a Kalicheh of cut-pile fabric, with the
+Sehna knot, as I need not tell you; made in Kurdistan three hundred
+years ago; observe, if you please, the delicacy of the design and the
+harmony of the colouring. Its possession is as a spring of water to the
+desert Bedouin; as a palm with dates on the road to Mecca; as a word to
+the believer from the mouth of the Prophet. Its price, to those who have
+journeyed across the sea to buy it, is twelve copper pennies."
+
+The Sly Old Fox stooped down and examined it. His eyes lit up with
+pleasure. "Beautiful!" said he. "I have never seen a rug more beautiful;
+it is a real work of--of--I will take it. At twelve pennies. It is
+mine."
+
+"No, no!" said Aunt Amanda. "You'll do nothing of the kind. It is
+certainly the finest piece of carpet I have ever seen, and the price is
+low enough, in all conscience. But we are not going to buy it. I am
+sorry, sir, but we can't buy your rug. Show us something else."
+
+Shiraz displayed his teeth more plainly than ever in a sly smile.
+
+"Your servant is desolated," he replied. "I crave your pardon for
+showing a trifle so far beneath your notice. My son, take it away. If
+your excellencies will deign to overlook my error, I will produce an
+article more worthy of your attention. This time I promise myself the
+ecstasy of your approval."
+
+"Pretty good line of talk," whispered Toby in Mr. Punch's ear.
+
+"My son," continued Shiraz, "bring hither the Wishing Rug."
+
+The young man took away the prayer-rug, and brought another from the
+wall; a much larger one, large enough, indeed, for twenty people to
+stand on. It was dingy and frayed, and in no way beautiful like the
+other.
+
+"A rug of the Tomb of Rustam," said Shiraz, "gained by the hero in
+battle from the genie Akhnavid. It is the last of the Wishing Rugs. Its
+property is, that it will transport to the farthest regions of the
+earth, in the twinkling of an eye, those who sit upon it and but name
+aloud the place of their desire. Excellencies," he said, addressing his
+visitors very earnestly, "if it is your wish to return home, the moment
+has arrived; you have only to sit upon this rug and wish yourselves at
+home, and you will find yourselves there, safe and sound, before the
+words shall have well left your lips. And the price is only twenty
+pennies."
+
+Every one of the party hesitated. A vision of the Old Tobacco Shop
+entered each mind. It had never seemed so cozy, so quiet, so secure as
+at that moment. How or when they would ever get there, in the natural
+course of events, no one knew. If they did not seize this opportunity,
+they might be lost forever. It was a chance such as they could scarcely
+have hoped for.
+
+"Could we take our belongings with us?" said the Sly Old Fox.
+
+"All that can be piled on the rug," said Shiraz.
+
+"Then I will buy it," said the Sly Old Codger. "I do not consider twenty
+pennies too much for such a rug. The rug is mine."
+
+"It's nothing of the sort," said Aunt Amanda, waking from deep thought.
+"Nobody's going to buy the rug. I'm captain of this expedition, and my
+orders is, to wait and see what's going to happen next. I'm sorry, sir,
+but the rug ain't exactly what we want. You must show us something
+else."
+
+The Rug-Merchant appeared greatly mortified. "I do not know how I could
+have made such a mistake," he said. "I should have known that these
+little trifles could not interest you. I trust you will believe that I
+meant no offense. I fear there is nothing in my poor collection which
+merits your notice. Permit me to wish you a safe journey. Do you intend
+to remain long in the City of Towers?"
+
+"That won't do," said Toby. "You must show us something else."
+
+The Rug-Merchant looked intently at Aunt Amanda. "You command it?" said
+he.
+
+"I do," said she.
+
+"To hear is to obey," said Shiraz. "I tremble to think how contemptible
+are the baubles I shall now offer you, but I trust you will not be angry
+with your servant." He turned to the young man, and spoke to him in an
+unknown tongue. "Be not offended, excellencies," he went on, "by your
+poor servant's ignorance in the art of pleasing."
+
+The young man disappeared behind one of the hanging rugs, and in a
+moment returned with certain small objects, which he stood upon the
+table in a row. They were eight hour-glasses, of a very ordinary kind,
+much like those already seen in the booth outside. The sand in each one
+was wholly in the upper glass, and was just beginning to trickle down
+into the lower. The strangers were obviously disappointed.
+
+"I fear your displeasure," said Shiraz, "but apart from my trifling
+rugs, these are all I have to offer."
+
+"And what," said the Sly Old Fox, "what may be the price of these
+interesting objects?"
+
+"The price," said Shiraz, fixing his beady eyes on Aunt Amanda, "the
+price is this and nothing less: your treasure on the mules outside; your
+share of the treasure on the mules."
+
+Everyone gasped. The treasure which they had gone through so many perils
+to secure, for these indifferent trinkets! A life of ease and plenty for
+an hour-glass!
+
+"Ahem!" said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg. "Excuse me for saying
+it, but the--er--price appears to be a little bit high."
+
+"It is too high for me," said the Sly Old Fox, positively. "I regret to
+say it, but I am compelled to withdraw; I cannot go on at such a
+figure. Please consider me out of it."
+
+"And--er--me too," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg.
+
+"Well," said Toby, doubtfully, "it's a blamed hard thing to give up all
+that treasure for one of these here little toys. I don't see my way
+clear to doing it. What do you say, Aunt Amanda?"
+
+"I'll do it," said Aunt Amanda, looking at Shiraz, whose eyes were still
+on her. "I've come all this way to do it, and I'll do it. I ain't going
+to back out now at the last minute. My mind's made up. Mr. Shiraz, I'll
+buy an hour-glass."
+
+"By crackey," said Toby, "then I will too. What about you, Freddie?"
+
+"Oh, yes, indeed," said Freddie.
+
+"Hi'll 'ave one myself," said Mr. Punch.
+
+"After due consideration," said the Churchwarden, "I think I will buy
+one also."
+
+Mr. Hanlon nodded a vigorous assent.
+
+The two Old Codgers, however, were firm in their refusal. They could not
+be persuaded. They retired from the enterprise then and there.
+
+Under the conduct of the young man, the two Old Codgers left the room,
+and returned to the Committee who were waiting with the mules outside;
+and with them went Toby and Mr. Punch and Mr. Hanlon, to bring back that
+portion of the treasure which was to pay for the six hour-glasses.
+
+This was a work of much difficulty, and occupied a great deal of time.
+While it was going on, the Rug-Merchant, having first asked permission,
+reclined again on the divan and resumed his pipe, while Aunt Amanda,
+Freddie, and the Churchwarden seated themselves, at his invitation, and
+watched him in silence.
+
+The treasure was at length piled, complete, in a corner of the room.
+Toby, Mr. Punch, and Mr. Hanlon returned for the last time, and without
+the great-great-grandson of the Rug-Merchant.
+
+"The others will wait outside for an hour," said Toby. "If we don't come
+back by that time, they'll go on into the city without us."
+
+Shiraz the Rug-Merchant laid down the stem of his pipe, and rising bowed
+to Aunt Amanda with great deference.
+
+"Permit me, most gracious lady," said he, "to see the fingers of your
+left hand."
+
+He took in his own right hand the third finger of Aunt Amanda's left,
+and bent his eyes close over it. He straightened himself up with a long
+breath, and crossing his arms upon his breast, made a low salaam.
+
+"It is as I thought," said he. "The mark is here, on the third finger of
+the left hand. Highness," said he, bowing lower, "I pray you accept your
+servant's salutation on your return." And raising her hand to his lips,
+he kissed it in a very courtly manner.
+
+"Goodness alive!" said Aunt Amanda, turning as red as a rose, "you make
+me feel too foolish for anything."
+
+"You have been away a long time," said Shiraz, "but you have returned.
+Happy am I to be the first to greet you on your return. You and the
+others have all been enchanted. You are six enchanted souls, and in your
+present shapes not one of you is himself. I suppose you do not know that
+you are enchanted; you think that you are yourselves; is it not so? I
+assure you it is a mistake; but I can put you in the way of correcting
+your errors, and restoring yourselves to your true shapes, if you desire
+it. Madam," said he, bowing again to Aunt Amanda, "I await your
+commands."
+
+"I reckon we all want to be corrected," said Aunt Amanda. "It's what
+we've come here for. We've come a long way to this island, and for
+nothing on earth but to be corrected, if there's any way to do it. If
+you can do it, go ahead."
+
+"Hearing is obedience," said Shiraz. "Please to take the hour-glasses."
+
+Each one took up an hour-glass from the table and held it in his hand.
+
+"It is necessary," said Shiraz, "to destroy the sands in the glasses. If
+they can be destroyed, the enchantment will be over. There is no power
+on earth which can destroy the sands but one, and that is the White Fire
+of the Preserver. Will you risk the fire?"
+
+"I will," said Aunt Amanda, now somewhat pale; and the others nodded
+assent.
+
+"Then I will give you the White Robes," said Shiraz. "Without them you
+can not withstand the Fire."
+
+He went to a wall and drew from behind the hangings a box, which he
+opened on the table. From this box he took six white linen gowns, and at
+his direction each put on one of the gowns. Freddie's was much too long,
+and he was obliged to hold it up.
+
+"Well," said Toby, "I always did look ridiculous in a night-gown, but
+this beats--"
+
+"Peace," said Shiraz. "The Fire will not harm you now. Two things only
+are necessary: to fear nothing, and to hold tight to the hour-glasses."
+
+With these words he clapped his hands, and from behind the hangings on
+the rear wall stepped a black man, clad in a robe similar to the others.
+To this man the Persian spoke in some strange tongue, and the man bowed.
+
+"Now," said Shiraz, "you will follow my servant. Farewell, and peace be
+with you."
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIII
+
+FROM THE FIRE BACK TO THE FRYING PAN
+
+
+The white-robed figures, having left the room by a small circular door
+behind the hangings, followed the black servant along a pitch-dark
+passage, and in a few moments came to a bridge, similar to the one they
+had crossed before. As they felt their way over it cautiously one by
+one, the sound of rushing water came to them from below, and a cold
+breeze fanned their cheeks. A little further on they touched the first
+step of a stair, and began to ascend its worn stone treads. They mounted
+some thirty steps, and touching the wall with their hands, moved onward
+along a passage. This passage made an abrupt turn to the left, and when
+they had cleared the corner they saw in its sides before them a gleam of
+light here and there.
+
+"The Master's work-rooms," said the black servant. "Please to follow."
+
+They passed now and then beneath a lighted window, too high to be seen
+through, and at the end of the passage the servant paused before a
+closed iron door. He opened this door with a key, and led them forth.
+
+Before them was a garden, the most beautiful that any of them had ever
+seen. High over it was a dome of pale green and amber glass, through
+which the sunlight streamed in mild and parti-coloured rays. The walls
+which supported the dome were so high that it was impossible to see
+beyond. In the center was a fountain, dropping in a sparkling shower
+into a marble basin; around it spread a well-ordered carpet of flowers,
+of all the colours, as it seemed, of the rainbow; along the walls were
+cocoa palms, banana trees, and the feathery bamboo; white cockatoos
+sailed across from palm to palm; the air was heavy with a warm odour of
+moist earth and blossoms. The whole party drew a deep breath of
+pleasure. The dark place from which they had come seemed to fade away
+like a dream before the soft beauty of the garden.
+
+The servant led them to the opposite side, and unlocked a door in the
+wall, making way for them to pass in before him. They entered, and heard
+the door locked behind them; the servant was no longer with them; they
+were alone in a small square room, of stone walls and an earthen floor;
+there was no opening, but in the opposite wall was a closed door. A pale
+light pervaded the place, from what source they could not discover. In
+the earthen floor from wall to wall grew a thicket of stiff stalks,
+higher than Freddie's head, and clustered closely around each stalk from
+bottom to top were flowers of a waxen whiteness.
+
+"It seems a real pity," said Aunt Amanda, "to break those pretty plants,
+but I reckon we've got to wade into them. I'm mighty curious to see
+what's on the other side of that door. Probably the fire the old man was
+talking about. Oh, dear, I don't like fire. But we've got to get to that
+door, so come along."
+
+The whole party moved in a body into the thicket of waxen stalks.
+
+As they stepped in, the stalks broke around them with sharp reports.
+They moved on again, and the reports, as the stalks broke, became louder
+and louder; and now each one felt the hour-glass in his hand being
+tugged at, and found that wherever his hand touched a flower, the petals
+flattened themselves on the hand and the glass, and clung so tight that
+it took a hard jerk to get them loose. There was danger of losing the
+glasses, and with one accord they held the glasses high above their
+heads. The moment they did so, the conduct of the stalks became
+terrifying indeed.
+
+As if in anger, the broken stalks spouted forth, with a hiss and a rush,
+blinding jets of liquid white fire, which tore at the ceiling angrily
+and roared and crackled. From the broken stalks it spread to the others,
+and in a moment jets of liquid white fire were blazing and crackling
+upward from all the stalks in the room, and the terrified captives were
+in the very midst of it.
+
+It ran up their robes and showered on them from the ceiling; it became
+denser and angrier; it was all but unbearable, though they felt it in
+only a tiny fraction of its real strength; in another instant the frail
+white gowns must surely be consumed. But in some strange way the gowns
+shed off the liquid fire, and remained unscorched.
+
+For a moment the sufferers were stupefied. They were unable to move.
+Freddie tried to scream, but he could make no sound; he almost fainted
+away; but he felt, through it all, the sturdy arm of Mr. Toby tight
+about him.
+
+They pushed on in a close body and passed the center of the room; the
+white glare became more blinding, the roar and crackle more deafening;
+they were surrounded, cut off, in the midst of destruction; they were
+bewildered; they stopped again; there was no use in going back; they
+must get forward through the furnace at any cost; they made a new start;
+and in a frenzy of terror, their hands before their eyes, with a rush
+they gained the door. They crowded against it; they pushed and beat upon
+it; it gave way before them; they rushed through, and it closed behind
+them of its own accord.
+
+They were standing in broad daylight on the sidewalk of a city street,
+under a high blank wall, with shops on the opposite side; each with an
+hour-glass, empty of sand, in his right hand, and each clad only in a
+long white night-gown.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXIV
+
+DISENCHANTMENT COMPLETE
+
+
+They looked behind them. A high stone wall rose at their backs, and in
+it was no sign of a door.
+
+They looked across the street. It was a narrow street, paved with
+cobble-stones; on the opposite side, where a row of little low shops
+stretched away on either hand, a few people were going in and out at the
+doors, and a few others were walking at some distance, before the
+shop-windows. An ox-cart was coming slowly down the street.
+
+Freddie had sometimes dreamed of being out among people in broad
+daylight in his night-gown, and he now felt the same terror he had felt
+in those dreams; he looked anxiously at the shops for a place in which
+to hide. No one appeared to observe them yet, but they would soon be
+seen, and it would be dreadful, unless they could find shelter without a
+moment's delay.
+
+"We had better run into one of those shops," said he, breathlessly, "and
+ask them to hide us until we can get some clothes."
+
+"Ah, no," said a soft voice beside him, at his right. "It is not a shop
+that I must go to now. I must hurry home."
+
+Freddie looked around at his right for Aunt Amanda. There was no Aunt
+Amanda. In her place, holding an empty hour-glass in her right hand, was
+a lady, the fairest whom Freddie had ever seen. She was young; her eyes
+were of the blue of summer skies; her hair was golden yellow; on her
+soft white cheek was a tinge of pink; two heavy braids of hair hung
+almost to her knees; her eyes were sparkling with happiness, and a
+tender and wistful smile curved her lips. As Freddie gazed at her, he
+thought that there could not be in the world another so radiantly
+beautiful. She looked about her as one who sees familiar things after a
+long absence.
+
+Freddie's eyes fell to the hand which was nearest him, her left. On the
+third finger of her left hand was a ruby ring.
+
+"Are you," he faltered, "are you--Aunt Amanda?"
+
+"I think," she said, smiling on him, "I think I was, once. I think I can
+remember that name. And you are--let me see; what was your name? Ah,
+yes, your name was Freddie. But we must hurry; we must not keep them
+waiting."
+
+Freddie turned, and saw beside him four strange men, all gazing at the
+beautiful lady in amazement. In the right hand of each was an empty
+hour-glass.
+
+Freddie looked down on the two men who stood nearest him; he looked
+_down_ on them; he was suddenly aware that he was not looking up. They
+were short, for full-grown men, and of precisely the same height; their
+faces were square, their cheek-bones prominent, and their noses hooked;
+the head of one was bald, and the hair of the other's head lay flat down
+on his forehead where it curved back like a hairpin; except for their
+heads, they were in all respects twins. There was no hump on the back of
+either of them.
+
+"Mr. Punch and Mr. Toby!" said Freddie.
+
+"The wery same," said the bald-headed one.
+
+"That's me," said the other.
+
+Behind Mr. Toby stood a lean man in spectacles. His night-gown hung upon
+him very loosely, and he was very spare indeed. His smooth-shaven cheeks
+were somewhat hollow; his eyes behind his glasses were deep and solemn;
+his frame was the frame of one who subdues the flesh by fasting;
+snow-white hair, curling inward at the back of his neck, made a kind of
+aureole around his thin face; he looked for all the world as he stood
+barefoot in his long white gown, like one of those saints you see in
+painted glass windows in a church.
+
+"Is it," said Freddie, hesitating, "is it--the Churchwarden?"
+
+"I have reason to believe," said the saintly looking man, "that I have
+been known by that name. But I am in reality, and always have been, in
+reality, something far more lowly than a churchwarden; I am, and always
+have been, at heart, a meek and humble follower of the holy Thomas a
+Kempis, whose life of serene and cloistered sanctity I have always
+wished to imitate. Now that I am myself, it is my ambition to be known,
+if it is not too presumptuous to say so, as Thomas the Inferior. Pax
+vobiscum."
+
+"I ain't got the least idea what that means," said Toby, "but anyway
+it's the Churchwarden's voice, whether he calls himself Thomas the
+Inferior or Daniel the Deleterious. You're heartily welcome, Warden, and
+I hope you won't mind my saying that a good meal wouldn't do you any
+harm, from the looks of you. I'm pretty near starved to death myself.
+Mr. Punch, we've got rid of our humps, as sure as you're born. We're as
+straight in our bodies as we've always been in our minds, and that's as
+straight as a string. By crackey, I never felt so fine in my life;
+blamed if I couldn't lick my weight in wildcats."
+
+"Hi 'ave no wish to do so," said Mr. Punch. "Hi do not desire to engage
+in any conflict whatever; Hi should regard such conduct as wery
+reprehensible; wery. But one cannot but admit, harfter one's back 'as
+been so long out of correct proportion, as one may s'y, that one enjoys
+a wery pronounced satisfaction when one feels one's self restored to
+one's rightful position as a hupright person, in common with one's
+fellow--"
+
+"What about Mr. Hanlon?" said Toby, turning around.
+
+"Michael Hanlon, prisent!" said a cheerful voice.
+
+Behind the Inferior Thomas stood a tall and handsome man, the picture of
+an athlete in the prime of condition. Short curling black hair clustered
+on his head; his eyes were of a humorous dark blue; his cheeks were like
+red apples; his shoulders were muscular, his back was straight, his
+figure slim; and he wore his night-gown as a Greek runner in ancient
+times might have worn his robe after the games.
+
+"What!" said Freddie. "Can you talk?"
+
+"Faith," said Mr. Hanlon, "I've a tongue in me head that can wag with
+anny that iver come off the blarney stone, and it's no lies I'm tellin'
+ye. For an Irish gintleman to have to listen and listen, and kape his
+tongue still in his head and say niver a worrd at all, at all, 'tis a
+hard life, me frinds, a hard life, and it's plaised I am to be mesilf at
+last, and the nate bit of tongue doin' his duty like a thrue son of
+Erin--I could tell ye a swate little shtory that comes to me mind, of a
+dumb Irishman that could not spake at all, at all, and the deaf wife of
+him that could not hear, and their twelve pigs all lyin' down in the mud
+with wan of thim standing up and crying out that the wolf was comin' in
+through the gate, and the good wife unable to hear and the good man
+unable to spake--"
+
+"I reckon you've got your tongue, all right," said Toby. "I wish we had
+time to hear that story, but we haven't. Now, Freddie, what do you think
+we'd better--Why, Freddie! What's that you've got on your lip?"
+
+Freddie put his hand to his upper lip. What he felt there was a tiny
+silken mustache. He blushed.
+
+"And 'e's taller than any of us except Mr. 'Anlon!" exclaimed Mr. Punch.
+"My word!"
+
+Freddie looked down at Mr. Punch, and realized his own height. He looked
+at his hands, and they were almost as large as Mr. Hanlon's. His
+night-gown came to his ankles, and he realized that he was no longer
+holding it up.
+
+"Why," he said, "I must be grown up!"
+
+"Grown up is the word," said Toby, "but I'd 'a' known you anywhere.
+Twenty-one years old, I should say."
+
+"Twenty-two," said Mr. Punch.
+
+Everyone now fell silent. The young and lovely lady, who had said
+nothing during their talk, was smiling from one to another. She seemed
+to feel no embarrassment nor concern, nor anything indeed but happiness.
+She looked at Toby with a smile, and all the men looked at her.
+
+"Do you know me?" she said to Toby.
+
+"You are changed," said he, "that's a fact. But I always knew that Aunt
+Amanda was like that, down deep inside of her. If she could only have
+looked like what she was, that's the way she would have looked, and I
+always knew it. I'm glad you've come to look like yourself at last."
+
+"Ah!" said the beautiful lady. "I am glad you don't feel that I am
+strange to you. I know you all now, better than I have ever known you.
+You have been with me a long while, under disguise. I don't seem to
+remember very well what your disguises were, for I seem to have known
+you always as you are: my loyal knight," (turning to Freddie), "my
+body-guard," (turning to Mr. Toby and Mr. Punch), "my confessor,"
+(turning to Thomas the Inferior), "and my courier," (turning to Mr.
+Hanlon). "In my exile you have been with me, and in my homecoming you
+shall be with me still."
+
+"We hope to be with you always," said the tall young knight who used to
+be Freddie. "But we are beginning to be noticed. I have seen one or two
+people stare from the shop windows. We had better hurry to one of those
+shops and seek refuge until we can find proper clothes."
+
+"Ah, no!" said the lady, with a radiant smile. "I must hasten home. They
+have been waiting a long time, and I must not lose a moment. I know the
+way! This street is changed since I was here, but I know it! I know the
+way! Come with me! I am going home!"
+
+She placed her empty hour-glass in Freddie's hand, and led the way up
+the street. Her bare feet trod the pavement swiftly; she walked as if
+she had never known what it was to be lame; she went swimmingly, with a
+motion of infinite grace. The others looked about them, uneasily, as
+they followed, but she seemed to care nothing for the eyes of the
+people. The ox-cart stopped as it came to them, and the driver who was
+walking beside it stopped also, and gazed at them with his mouth open.
+Faces appeared at shop-windows as they went by, and figures appeared at
+shop-doors. Two or three foot-passengers passed them, and after they had
+gone, went to the nearest shop-door and stood there for a moment in talk
+with the shop-keeper. They then began to follow the strange white-clad
+group up the street. In a few moments others joined them. Freddie looked
+behind, and wished to run; but the lady who was leading paid no
+attention.
+
+A little further on she turned a corner, and the party found themselves
+in a much busier street. The sidewalks were alive with people. In a
+moment there was a great silence. When the six figures first appeared,
+some of the people began to laugh. Then they looked at the face of the
+lady who swept along in advance of her attendants, and they laughed no
+more. They began to whisper one to another. They fell apart, and made
+way for her and her attendants. They stopped; they forgot their own
+affairs; some ran into the shops and called out the persons who were
+within; they gaped, and whispered, and nodded, and held up their hands,
+and with one accord began to follow.
+
+Further on, heads appeared from the windows of pleasure-towers and
+pleasure-domes; doors opened; all who could walk joined themselves to
+the crowd which was following the wondrous lady and her five strange
+companions.
+
+Deeper and deeper into the city; on past the region of shops into the
+region of gardens and mansions; up by a gradual ascent to the place of
+the largest and tallest towers and domes; on they went, the six
+white-gowned and bare-footed figures before, and the crowd behind; and
+the further they went, the greater became the crowd; and still there was
+no sound from the people, except the sound of an awestruck whispering.
+
+The dark cloud on the mountain-top was now plainly in view before them
+between the towers and domes, and they could see the great mass of the
+King's Tower where it rose to the cloud and lost itself within it. At
+the end of the street which they were now following a majestic gateway
+could be seen, and beyond it a park.
+
+Behind them the street was choked from wall to wall with a vast
+multitude. From every house, as the multitude passed, its people poured
+forth and joined the throng; business was forgotten; shops and houses
+were deserted; it seemed as if the whole city was in the street,
+following the lady and her five attendants. She looked not behind her
+once. She seemed to be unaware of anything in the world about her; her
+eyes shone like stars; she had forgotten even her companions; she spoke
+not a word, but looked forward to the stately gateway and the park
+beyond. Still no sound came from the multitude, except a sound of
+whispering.
+
+They reached the gateway. On each side was a great stone pillar,
+supporting a gate of massive bronze. The gates were open. Without an
+instant's hesitation she led the way within, and as she did so placed
+her left hand on her heart. The throng seemed to waver a moment, and
+then as the six barefoot and white-gowned figures moved swiftly up the
+driveway into the park, it flowed in silently between the gates, and
+followed at a respectful distance.
+
+Before them, at a distance, on a knoll from which terraces of velvet
+grass descended, stood the palace of the King; white and broad and
+flat-roofed.
+
+Passing a grove of trees, the lady left the roadway and stepped into the
+smooth grass of a lawn, and sped across it directly towards the terraces
+before the palace of the King. She mounted the gentle slope, her five
+friends following her; and the vast throng, filling the park to the
+gates, came on behind. She reached the first terrace; her hand was still
+on her heart. A dog barked.
+
+Windows in the palace front began to go up, and faces to appear. From an
+archway sprang a pack of beautiful tall white curly-haired dogs, and
+rushed on the lady, barking. Freddie made as if to protect her, but she
+waved him back with a smile. The dogs sprang up as if to devour her, but
+they did no harm; they barked as if their throats would burst; they
+leaped and gambolled about her; they thrust their noses into her hand;
+they almost spoke; and in the midst of it there appeared upon the wide
+steps before the palace door a noble-looking man, and beside him three
+children.
+
+At sight of this man and the children, the lady covered her eyes for an
+instant with her hands, and gave a sob; but she quickly looked up, and
+sped on more swiftly than before, her hands hanging beside her, and a
+bright misty look in her eyes.
+
+The man upon the palace steps shaded his eyes with his hands, and gazed
+upon her and the multitude spread out across the park behind her. One of
+the children, a tiny boy, he took by the hand, and another, a girl a
+little older, he grasped with his other hand; and with the third, a boy
+of something over nine, beside them, they all four came down the steps
+and crossed the terrace to meet the radiant lady.
+
+On the next terrace they met. He dropped his children's hands, and
+stopped. He was a man of some thirty years, richly clad, and handsome
+beyond measure. As he stopped, the multitude found its voice. A mighty
+shout went up.
+
+"Long live the King! Long live the King!"
+
+He paid no attention. His eyes were on the fair lady before him. A cry
+from the oldest boy rang out clear and sharp in the silence.
+
+"Mother!"
+
+The King held out his arms.
+
+"My darling!" he cried. "At last! At last!"
+
+"Beloved!" she cried, and rushed into his arms, and buried her face in
+his shoulder.
+
+The children clung to her, weeping, and with one arm she pressed them
+close against her side.
+
+The multitude found its voice again.
+
+"Long live Queen Miranda! Long live Queen Miranda!"
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXV
+
+THE OLD MAN OF THE MOUNTAIN
+
+
+"There's an Old Man," said Robert to Freddie. "He lives on the mountain.
+I saw him once."
+
+They were sitting on the palace lawn, looking up at the mountain which
+rose behind the King's tower. The sun was directly overhead, and was
+accordingly hidden by the cloud. The lower slopes of the mountain were
+easy and gradual, but they grew steeper as they ascended, and at the
+point where the mountain entered the cloud it was a straight and smooth
+wall of granite, plainly impossible to climb. The King's eldest child
+fixed his big eyes on the tall young man beside him.
+
+"I like you," said he. "I wish you would take me up the mountain some
+time for blackberries. Will you?"
+
+"If the Queen permits," said Freddie, "we will go tomorrow."
+
+A long time had passed since the Queen's return; a happy time, during
+which the five who had come with the Queen were made to feel as if they
+had lived all their lives in a palace. The two Old Codgers were found by
+Toby, comfortably established in a double shop of their own, on one side
+of which the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg sold tobacco, and on the
+other side of which the Sly Old Fox sold jewelry; each of them entirely
+contented with his fortune, and settled down for life. The Third
+Vice-President had paid his respects at the palace, and was unable to
+talk of anything but his Museum, for which he was devising many plans,
+including a method whereby the late Mr. Matthew Speak might be assured
+against ever being blown out of the window.
+
+The saintly person who had once been the Churchwarden was occupied
+nowadays, in a little room in the basement of the palace, in copying in
+beautiful letters an ancient book belonging to the King.
+
+Mr. Punch and Mr. Toby spent their time in exploring the city, arm in
+arm, very inquisitive, very talkative, and making friends with
+everybody.
+
+Mr. Hanlon's work in life was, it appeared, the climbing of the King's
+Tower. Every day he disappeared within, and every day he declared that
+he would mount to the top before he finished; but he had not yet got to
+the top, and there did not seem much prospect of his ever doing so.
+
+As for Freddie,--not that he was called Freddie now; the King had given
+him a high-sounding name,--the Chevalier Frederick; and by that name he
+was spoken of by everybody, except that Toby sometimes forgot and called
+him the Chandelier. As for the Chevalier Frederick, his interest was
+mainly in the Queen's three children, Robert, Genevieve, and James; and
+at the present moment the oldest, Robert, was sitting with the Chevalier
+on the palace lawn, gossiping.
+
+"We will go tomorrow," the Chevalier was saying, and then the little boy
+Robert went on about the old man he had seen on the mountain.
+
+"I saw him once," said Robert. "Just before Mother went away. I ran away
+from home, I did, and I was gone all day. Mother was terribly worried. I
+ran away to the mountain, and I was muddy all over when I got back, and
+it was dark, too! Mother was terribly worried. I was gone all day, I
+was; and I didn't get back until after dark, I didn't; and I was muddy
+all over. Oh, but it was dark. Mother, she was terribly worried." He
+stopped to think it over, and then went on again. "There wasn't any
+Tower then. It was just before the old chap came and built the Tower in
+a night; you know about that, don't you? I ran away and didn't come home
+until after dark, I didn't; Mother was worried; and Jenny--I never call
+her Genevieve, because Jenny's shorter--and Jenny wouldn't go because
+she was afraid, and James was too little, so I went all by myself; and
+it was getting pretty dark, and I was starting home down the mountain,
+because I knew Mother would be worried, and I saw the Old Man coming
+down the mountain, and he didn't see me, and he had a pack on his back
+and a long stick in his hand, and a gown belted in about the middle, and
+he was kind of fat and bald-headed; and he didn't see me but I saw him,
+and pretty soon he went down into a gully and I didn't see him any more,
+and I came on home, because it was getting dark, and I knew Mother would
+be worried."
+
+"Then perhaps we had better not go up there," said Freddie.
+
+"Oh no," said Robert. "It's a grand place to climb and gather berries
+and flowers. And I'd like to see the Old Man again. Will you take me
+there today?"
+
+"Tomorrow," said Freddie, "if the Queen will permit."
+
+At this moment Mr. Hanlon appeared, somewhat out of breath, and he and
+Freddie went into the palace together. He was quite jubilant.
+
+"Faith," said he, "'tis a tower indade, that tower, and a swate little
+bit of a journey to the top of it, if there's iver a top at all. But
+it's Michael Hanlon will do it, by the bones of St. Patrick, and don't
+ye forget what I'm tellin' ye, me b'y. I've been up there this day, so
+high, so high--! I'll niver tell ye how high. It's comin' better; me
+wind and me legs are better; in a wake, or two wakes, 'tis meself will
+be fit for the grand ascent, and then there'll be news from the top, and
+a proud look in the eye of Michael Hanlon, Esquire! Wait and see, me
+b'y!"
+
+The next morning, Queen Miranda having given her consent, Freddie and
+Robert left the palace for their day on the mountain. All day they
+wandered up the trails, and in the afternoon, when their luncheon was
+all gone and they were tired, they began to descend. It was growing
+dark; they had had a glorious day, and they were sorry it would soon be
+over. They stretched themselves on the ground beneath a mountain oak,
+and looked below them, past the Tower, across the roof of the palace to
+the city. There was no living thing in sight, except a bird which sailed
+across their view and disappeared. "Well, Robert," said Freddie, "I
+suppose the Old Man who used to be here is gone. Come; we must go; your
+mother will be worried."
+
+They got to their feet. As they did so, a kind of groan startled them.
+They listened. It came again, from some point near by. Freddie thought
+he could make out a weak human voice, trying to call for help. Drawing
+Robert after him, he climbed over a number of boulders and mounted to
+the top of a rise in the ground, and looked down into a deep gully,
+covered on its sides with rocks and bushes. What he saw there gave him a
+start of alarm.
+
+At the bottom was an old man, lying on his back, with one leg doubled
+under him, his face up to the sky. From his lips came a groan, followed
+by a faint cry for help. His head was bald, he was rather stout, he wore
+a long white beard, and he was clad in a short dark gown, belted about
+the middle. His legs were bare, and on the foot which was visible he
+wore a sandal.
+
+Robert looked over Freddie's shoulder, and whispered in his ear.
+"That's him! He's fallen down and hurt himself."
+
+It was true. The old man had evidently fallen, and he was plainly
+suffering. Freddie clambered down to him, and knelt beside him. The old
+man looked into the young man's eyes, and said, in a feeble whisper:
+
+"My leg. Broken. Help me home."
+
+Freddie assisted him into a sitting position, and then lifted him up and
+held him.
+
+"I cannot walk," said the old man. "Unless you can carry me, I must die
+here."
+
+Freddie was properly proud of his new strength, and he believed that he
+could carry the old man.
+
+"Where do you live?" said he.
+
+"Up the mountain. I will show you. I beg you to carry me home."
+
+"I will do my best," said Freddie.
+
+He turned his back to the old man, and supporting him at the same time
+put the old man's arms about his neck, and by a great effort got the
+poor creature on his back. Carrying him thus, he began to go haltingly
+up the side of the gully. The little boy watched them wonderingly.
+
+It was a terrible journey. The old man directed Freddie from moment to
+moment, and the way led steadily up the mountain, by a course which
+Freddie had not seen that day. The burden on Freddie's back became
+heavier and heavier; he panted harder and harder under it; he stumbled
+from time to time, and every instant told himself that he could go no
+further. The old man seemed to think of nothing but of getting home. The
+little boy followed, staring with big eyes.
+
+Freddie had gone but a short way up the mountain-side when he felt
+through all his back, where it touched the old man, a chill; his
+shoulders and throat, where the arms of the old man touched them,
+became cold; as he struggled on, the chill increased; he felt as if he
+were hugging to his back a burden of ice.
+
+"Are we nearly there?" he asked, trying to wipe a cold perspiration from
+his forehead.
+
+"No, no," said the old man. "Go on. A long way yet. You can't be tired
+so soon."
+
+The cold upon Freddie's back and shoulders and throat became a dead
+numbness; he was too cold to shiver; his arms too were now becoming
+numb, and he felt that he could hold his burden no longer. He stopped.
+
+"I must put you down," he said. "I must rest a moment. I don't know what
+makes me so cold."
+
+"No, no," said the old man. "Too soon! too soon! Keep on!"
+
+"I cannot," said Freddie. "I am freezing. My strength is gone. I must
+rest."
+
+With these words he let the old man carefully down, and laid him on the
+ground. He stood there panting and rubbing his frozen hands together.
+
+"Stupid weakling," said the old man, staring up at him, "go and search
+upon the mountain-side and bring me hither seeds of the fennel which you
+will there find, and be quick; for I perish."
+
+Freddie and the little boy hastened away together, and at a distance on
+the mountain-side found, after a long search, a few plants of the
+fennel, with which they hurried back to the old man.
+
+He was gone.
+
+They looked far and near; they examined every nook and cranny; the
+mountain was steep at this point, and difficult for any sound man; for
+an old man, crippled, it seemed impossible, but he was nowhere to be
+found; he was gone.
+
+Freddie and Robert turned homeward, and made hard work of it. The little
+boy became extremely heated with his labor; but Freddie remained as
+cold as ever. It is true that he perspired, but the beads upon his
+forehead were like the beads upon ice-cold glass. His hands were so numb
+that when he cut them slightly on a rock he felt no pain. His back,
+where the old man had clung to it with his body, was coldest of all; he
+was so stiff that he could scarcely bend his arms or body; many times
+the little boy had to help him down; the chill spread; at the foot of
+the mountain his legs were nearly as cold as his arms; when they passed
+the Tower, his knees were as if frozen, and would not bend; the little
+boy put his arm about him and tried to help him walk; he began to lose
+knowledge of his whereabouts; he held out a stiff arm before him, like a
+blind man, and dragged one foot after the other like a man whose legs
+are made of stone. The little boy, weeping to himself, took his icy
+outstretched hand, and led him home.
+
+The palace door was thrown open. The little boy rushed in with a cry,
+and turned around to his companion. The white-faced rigid creature which
+was Freddie stood in the doorway, staring vacantly, and fell slowly
+forward on its face upon the floor.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVI
+
+THE KING'S TOWER
+
+
+Freddie was very ill. He was so ill that after a week the King gave up
+all hope, and believed he would die. The Queen wept bitterly; she
+scarcely left his side; at night she did not sleep for weeping, and by
+day she sat by his bed and watched his cold white face. His friends were
+not allowed to see him, and of these it appeared that Mr. Hanlon had
+been gone for some days up the Tower.
+
+All that the best doctors in the city could do had been done, but the
+Chevalier was no better. He lay under the blankets, cold as ice and
+motionless as stone; and his eyes, big round eyes like the eyes of a
+child, stared up strangely out of deep sockets. They looked up at the
+King, who was bending down over the bed and smiling encouragingly. The
+Queen and her three children, Robert, Genevieve, and James, were
+standing close by, but they could not smile.
+
+"Come, Chevalier," said the King, "you will be well soon, I am sure."
+
+A faint voice came from the pale lips; not the voice of a grown man, but
+the voice of a child.
+
+"That isn't my name," it said, "my name is--Fweddie."
+
+The King went away, and took his children with him; and after they had
+gone the Queen heard the childish voice again from the bed.
+
+"I want to see Aunt Amanda."
+
+The Queen went to him, and stood beside the bed. He looked up at her.
+
+"You aren't Aunt Amanda," he said. "I want to see Aunt Amanda."
+
+"I think that was my name once," said the Queen. "Will you talk to me?"
+
+He looked at her again, and she saw that he did not know her.
+
+"My farver sent me," he said. "Mr. Toby has gone to the barber-shop, and
+my farver he wants a pound of Cage-Roach Mitchner."
+
+"Mr. Toby is here in the palace now, and I'm sure he--"
+
+"I don't know about any palace. I can't wait long. My farver told me to
+hurry."
+
+The Queen said no more, and Freddie appeared to go to sleep. The night
+came on, and the Queen still sat by his side. It grew very late; her
+children had long since gone to bed, and even the King was asleep in his
+own apartments. The palace was silent, and there was scarcely a light
+anywhere in the great place except the light of a taper on a table in
+Freddie's room. The Queen was bending forward, watching the face on the
+pillow. The eyes were closed, the lips were together, and there was no
+sign of breathing. She knew that it could not be much longer; she buried
+her face in her hands and wept bitterly.
+
+A gentle tap upon the door aroused her. She rose and admitted Mr. Toby
+and Mr. Punch, Thomas the Inferior, and Mr. Hanlon.
+
+"Quick, ma'am," said Mr. Hanlon. "There's not a minute to be lost. If
+you plase, I'll ask ye to put on yer bonnet in a hurry, ma'am. We're off
+on a journey, and the poor sick young lad's coming along with us. If
+you'll just be in a hurry with the bonnet, ma'am!"
+
+The Queen, scarcely realizing what she was doing, left the room, and
+went first to the nursery, where she bent over her three sleeping
+children and kissed them each, and murmured a loving good-bye above
+them, as if she were going to leave them; and for a long, long time she
+gazed at each rosy face, as if to fix it in her memory forever.
+
+When she returned to the room, wearing a shawl over her head and
+shoulders, she was startled to see that the sick youth was sitting
+upright in a chair, thickly wrapped in blankets. His round childlike
+eyes were wide open, and to her surprise a faint smile seemed to hover
+about his lips.
+
+She looked at the others. Each held, in his hand an empty hour-glass.
+
+"Plase to get your hour-glass, ma'am," said Mr. Hanlon, "and Freddie's
+too."
+
+Freddie's hour-glass was soon found in a drawer in the same room; the
+Queen's she brought in a moment from another room.
+
+Mr. Hanlon picked up from the floor, where he had previously laid it, a
+small canvas bag, and placed it on the table under the candle. All of
+the empty hour-glasses he placed upon the table, and unscrewed the part
+of each by which it was designed to receive its load of sand. He lifted
+his bag, and out of it poured into each glass a quantity of fine white
+sand. "A little more or less won't matter a mite," said he, when he had
+filled them all. "A foine time I've had getting the sand, 'tis sure, but
+it's the true article, straight from the hand of the old crayture
+himself, and 'tis him we're going to this very minute, and the young lad
+with us. By the sand in the hour-glasses we'll get back to the old
+crayture in one-tinth the time it took me to find him without it, and by
+the same we'll get him to save for us the poor lad's life, or me name's
+not Michael."
+
+Each now took his hour-glass in his hand. They were the same
+hour-glasses they had bought of Shiraz the Persian, and the sand which
+was now in them was the same sort of fine white sand which had been in
+them before their ordeal in the fire.
+
+Mr. Punch and Mr. Toby lifted the sick youth from his chair, and carried
+him between them, in a sitting position, towards the door. Mr. Hanlon
+looked at him anxiously, and commanded haste.
+
+In a moment the whole party were in the hall, and in a few moments more
+they were crossing the lawn towards King's Tower. It was a clear night,
+and the sky was spangled with stars.
+
+Mr. Hanlon opened the door of the Tower, and when they were all within
+closed it again.
+
+"Madam and gintlemen," said he, "we are going to the top of the Tower. I
+have been there meself; and there's wan at the top who can bring back
+our young frind to life, if he's a mind to do it."
+
+"Oh!" gasped the Queen in terror. "I must not go to the top of this
+tower. Ah!" she stopped suddenly and went on in a determined voice. "I
+will, though. If it is to be, then it must be. Our young Chevalier came
+here for me, and I will go with him! If my strength holds out, I will go
+even to the top of the Tower, whatever evil may befall me there!"
+
+"'Tis not strength that's needed, madam," said Mr. Hanlon, "for the old
+crayture that give me the sand was willing to help us up to him, and the
+sand will make the travellin' easy, or else the old haythen has much
+desayved me. 'Twas all I could do to get to the top, belave me, and ye'd
+niver do it without the sand in the glasses, let alone carry up the
+young lad in your arms besides. Now we'll be going up the stairs, and if
+the old crayture didn't desayve me, you're to hold your hour-glasses in
+your hands, and see what happens."
+
+Mr. Hanlon went up first; then came the Queen, and after her Mr. Punch
+and Mr. Toby, bearing between them in an upright position the stiff cold
+form of the young Chevalier; and last of all came Thomas the Inferior,
+in his long brown gown and sandals.
+
+Each climbed slowly, but the steps appeared to flow downward under their
+feet with great rapidity. They were not conscious of selecting any
+particular tread to step on; but while a foot was rising from one step
+to the next, it seemed as if a thousand steps were passing downward,
+until the foot came down and found itself on a perfectly motionless
+tread. Undoubtedly they were mounting, without unusual exertion, a
+thousand steps at a time.
+
+Even at that rate of progress, the journey upward seemed an endless one.
+They paused sometimes to go into one of the rooms on a landing for a
+moment's rest, and at those times they looked out of a window. It was
+not long before they were so high that on looking out, the City's lights
+were no more than a glowing blur. At the last window on their upward
+progress they looked up at the cloud; it was immediately above their
+heads. After that there were no more windows. They went on upward in
+silence, aware in the darkness of the swift flow of steps downward under
+them as they raised their feet. Each observed that as he raised his foot
+the sand in his hour-glass flowed downward a thousand times more
+rapidly, as if time were suddenly running faster than it was used to
+running.
+
+The walls of the tower were by this time coming closer together, and the
+stair was even steeper than before. They were panting for breath, and
+Mr. Punch and Mr. Toby seemed to be all but exhausted. "We are almost at
+the top," said Mr. Hanlon. "Keep on. Don't give up."
+
+It was now, because there were no more rooms nor windows, completely
+dark. The face of the sick youth could not be seen, and no one knew
+whether he was still living. Even the sand in their hour-glasses they
+were now unable to see.
+
+"We are almost there," said Mr. Hanlon. "Only another minute or two.
+'Tis easy work to what I had in coming up alone."
+
+Mr. Punch gave a groan. "Hi carn't go another step," said he. "Hi'm
+completely--"
+
+At this moment Mr. Hanlon stopped upon a landing. It had been a long
+while since there had been a landing, and they were all glad to rest
+upon it. They crowded about Mr. Hanlon in the dark.
+
+"The door is over there," said he. "Keep close to me."
+
+He walked a few feet forward across the level floor, and came to a stop
+again.
+
+"'Tis the top of the tower," said he. "I hope we're not too late to save
+the young lad's life. Stand close behind me."
+
+He moved forward again, and stopped; he was evidently feeling a wall
+with his hands.
+
+"Ah!" said he. "'Tis the door itself. Now, thin, we'll see!"
+
+He knocked upon the door with his knuckles.
+
+There was no response.
+
+He knocked again.
+
+There was a sound upon the other side of the door, as of the rattling of
+a chain and the sliding of a bolt.
+
+A slit of light appeared up and down in the dark wall; it became wider;
+it was apparent that the door was opening; and in another moment the
+door was flung wide, and in the doorway stood an Old Man, holding up in
+his right hand a lantern in which glimmered a candle.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVII
+
+THE SORCERER'S DEN
+
+
+He was an old man, rather stout, dressed in a short gown tied in with a
+cord about the middle, and wearing sandals on his feet. He stooped
+somewhat; a white beard hung to his waist; his head was bald, except for
+a forelock of white hair which drooped over his forehead towards his
+eyes. There was a humorous twinkle in his eye, and a smile overspread
+his broad round face.
+
+"'Tis the old parrty who will cure the Chivalier," said Mr. Hanlon,
+behind his hand.
+
+"It's the Old Man of the Mountain," whispered Toby.
+
+"It's the Magician who built the Tower," whispered Queen Miranda, in
+alarm.
+
+"Hit's me own father, as ever was!" cried Mr. Punch, aloud. "Greetings,
+old dear! 'Ere's a surprise, what? 'Owever did you come 'ere? Hi'm no
+end glad to see you, and the larst person Hi should 'ave thought to see
+in this--My word, what a lark!"
+
+"Come in, Punch," said the old gentleman, affably, "and your friends
+too. I'm very glad to see you, my boy. I've had some trouble in getting
+you here, but here you are at last, thanks to my good friend Hanlon, and
+you are now well out of the hands of Shiraz. Put the Little Boy down in
+that chair, and we'll see what we can do for him!"
+
+To speak of a grown-up youth with a mustache as a Little Boy seemed
+hardly respectful, but Freddie did not seem to mind it; indeed, his big
+round childlike eyes dwelt fondly on the old man, and there was
+something like a smile about his lips. He was seated gently in a chair
+within the room, and while Mr. Punch's father set down his lantern on a
+table, the others looked about them.
+
+They were in a small square room with a low ceiling. By the dim light of
+the candle they could see that it was bare and dusty; cobwebs hung in
+all the corners; there seemed to be no windows, but set upright in one
+wall was what looked like the back of a clock, as tall as a man.
+Opposite the door by which they had entered was another door. Around the
+walls were shelves, from floor to ceiling, crowded with hour-glasses of
+all sizes.
+
+The old gentleman observed the look which Toby cast at the shelves.
+
+"One of my store-rooms," said he. "I've got a good many of 'em, all
+told, and in fact you'll find a store-room of mine in the top of nearly
+every clock-tower in the world. It takes a deal of space to keep all the
+hour-glasses in, I can tell you. If you'll give me yours, I'll put 'em
+away for you. Shiraz got 'em away from me once, but he won't do it
+again. He manages to steal one now and then, when I'm away, but I
+usually get 'em back, sooner or later."
+
+He collected the hour-glasses from his visitors, and put them away on a
+shelf.
+
+"Look 'ere, parent," said Mr. Punch, "hif I didn't know better, I'd s'y
+as I'd seen this room before. There's the back of the clock, and the
+door over there looks like--"
+
+"You've a sharp eye, Punch, my boy," said the old gentleman. "Quite a
+detective you are, my son. Now, then, we'd better get busy. Aunt Amanda,
+do you want me to cast off your enchantment?"
+
+"Why do you call me that?" asked Queen Miranda.
+
+"Because that's your name. Don't you know who you are?"
+
+"I know I was enchanted once, under the name of Aunt Amanda."
+
+"No, no. You're enchanted _now_, under the name of Queen Miranda."
+
+"But Shiraz the Persian told us he would disenchant us, and he did."
+
+"No, no. You were yourselves before, and _now_ you are enchanted."
+
+"My brain is in a whirl," said Queen Miranda. "Are we ourselves now, or
+were we ourselves before?"
+
+"By crackey," said Toby, "it's too much for me, and I give it up.
+Anyway, what we want to know is, can you cure the Chevalier?"
+
+"I can, and I will," said the old man. "There's nothing the matter with
+him, except that he isn't himself. As soon as he's himself again, he'll
+be well. He was given the chance once before, but he didn't know how to
+use it; he made a great mistake."
+
+"What mistake?" said Toby.
+
+"He made the mistake of carrying the Old Man of the Mountain on his
+back. If he had only lifted him up in his arms before him, the Old Man
+would have been as light as a feather, and Freddie would have been
+himself again in a flash. But of course he didn't know. We've got to
+correct his mistake."
+
+"Well, by crickets," said Toby, "this is Correction Island, right
+enough. Blamed if I know which is the mistake and which is the
+correction. It looks to me as if it was a mistake to be corrected, and
+we've got to correct the correction back again."
+
+"Something like that," said the old man, smiling. "I'm going to undo the
+correction of each one of you, and then you'll all be yourselves once
+more, instead of these false things you now are."
+
+Queen Miranda looked at the ruby ring on her finger, and wept quietly to
+herself. As for Freddie, his eyes never left the face of the old man.
+
+The old man stooped over Freddie, and laid his cheek against the young
+Chevalier's pale forehead, and then against the young man's cheeks; he
+then threw aside the blankets and sat himself down on Freddie's knees.
+His body pressed the young man's breast, and his cheek touched the young
+man's cheeks one after the other. It was some moments before there was
+any change. The others watched anxiously. A red glow began to appear in
+Freddie's cheeks, and his eyes became brighter. He raised his hands; he
+moved his head; he looked about him; he smiled into the face of the old
+man.
+
+"You are better?" said the old man.
+
+"I'm very well," said Freddie, in a clear voice. "But I think I must
+have been sick. Have I been sick?"
+
+"Rather," said the old man. "But you are going to be yourself again in
+another minute. Now, then; put your arms around me and lift me off. Can
+you do that?"
+
+"Easily," said Freddie, and he lifted the old man in his arms, and
+rising to his feet at the same time, tossed the old man off with an easy
+gesture.
+
+As the old man touched the floor, there was no longer any Chevalier.
+Freddie was standing before the chair in his own person; the Little Boy
+once more, with sparkling eyes and rosy cheeks. He looked around in
+surprise.
+
+"Where are Aunt Amanda and the others?" said the Little Boy.
+
+"Wait just a minute, Freddie," said the old man. "Now, madam," he said
+to Queen Miranda, "if you will be kind enough to lift me up and toss me
+away--"
+
+Queen Miranda looked at him doubtfully. He was a solid-looking person,
+and it seemed absurd to think of lifting him. But she did as he
+directed, and placing her hands under his arms she found that he weighed
+no more than a baby. She held him up off the floor.
+
+"Now cast me off," said he.
+
+She tossed him away with an easy gesture, and he alighted on his feet
+with a bound.
+
+"Aunt Amanda!" cried Freddie, and rushed into her arms.
+
+"Land sakes!" said she. "I thought you were never coming. Where are all
+the others? I'm glad there's nobody but this old man to see me in this
+bedraggled bonnet. Why don't that Toby Littleback come? Now ain't it
+like him to keep me waiting here all night? I never see such an
+exasperatin'--"
+
+"Wait just one moment, Aunt Amanda," said the old man. "I'll have him
+here immediately."
+
+He stood before Toby, and directed him what to do. Toby seized him in
+his strong hands and lifted him up over his head like a feather pillow;
+and such a toss did Toby give him as sent him flying across the room
+almost to the wall. The old man came down on his feet with a bound.
+
+"You Toby Littleback!" said Aunt Amanda. "Ain't it just like you to keep
+me and Freddie waiting here all night, while--And where's Mr. Punch and
+all the rest of 'em?"
+
+Toby stood before her, with his hands in his pockets. His hump was on
+his back in its rightful place, and he looked exactly as he had looked
+the first time Freddie had seen him, standing in the doorway of the Old
+Tobacco Shop.
+
+"I ain't been nowhere, Aunt Amanda," said Toby. "And I don't know where
+Mr. Punch is, neither. I ain't his guardian, anyway. The last I seen of
+him, as far as I remember, was in Shiraz's garden, lookin' round at the
+flowers. By crackey, if he can't take care of himself, I ain't a-going
+to do it for him. Maybe the old gentleman here can tell you, if you want
+to know."
+
+"Wait just a moment," said the old man. "I'll have him here
+immediately."
+
+Mr. Punch laughed immoderately as he picked up his own father and tossed
+him in the air and hurled him across the room. The old man did not seem
+to mind it a bit, but joined in the laugh as he came down on his feet
+with a bounce. Mr. Punch was immediately himself again; his hump was on
+his back, his breast stuck out, his long-tailed coat and knee breeches
+were as before, and he looked as if he might just have stepped down from
+his wooden box beside the Tobacco Shop's door.
+
+"Wery glad," said he, "to myke you acquainted with me old parent; and a
+wery good parent too, hif----"
+
+"That's enough, Punch," said his father. "Now we'll bring on the
+Churchwarden."
+
+In another moment the thin and saintly-looking Thomas the Inferior was
+gone, and in his place was the fat and comfortable Churchwarden,
+blinking at his friends through his round spectacles.
+
+"I have been considering," said he, "that it would be highly desirable,
+after all I have passed through lately, to sit in my chair on the
+pavement against the wall of my church with a pipe and a newspaper; and
+I have concluded that----"
+
+"We will now call Mr. Hanlon," said the old man.
+
+From the time Mr. Hanlon placed his hands under the old man's arms his
+tongue was rattling on at a prodigious speed; and as he tossed the old
+man lightly away like a doll he was saying, "And niver once did the
+spacheless man and the deaf wife have anny worrds except once; and 'twas
+then that----." But he spoke no more. He was himself again. He was
+dumb. Toby greeted him warmly, but he only nodded his head vigorously,
+and smiled his old-time cheerful smile.
+
+"That's all," said the old man.
+
+"But the two Old Codgers----" began Toby.
+
+"They will not be here," said the old man. "No use waiting. They made
+their choice some time ago. They are as much themselves now as they ever
+were, and they will remain where they are in perfect contentment. No
+need to bother about them. All that remains now is to bid you farewell,
+and wish you a pleasant journey."
+
+"Have we far to go?" said Toby.
+
+"You'll see," said the old gentleman, going to the door, that was
+opposite the one by which they had entered, and throwing it open.
+
+He stood aside as they passed, and smiled upon each with a kind and
+fatherly smile. He placed his hand on Freddie's head, and turned the
+Little Boy's face up so that he could look down into his eyes.
+
+"Remember!" he said. "Never carry the Old Man of the Mountain on your
+back. Carry him before you in your hands, and he will be as light as a
+feather. Now farewell."
+
+He gently pushed them out and closed the door behind them, and they went
+slowly down a dark stair. Toby held Freddie's hand, and Mr. Punch helped
+Aunt Amanda. They could see very little, and they knew very little where
+they were, until they found themselves after a time on a level floor,
+and feeling the wall with their hands came to a pair of swinging doors.
+Through these doors they passed, and Toby knocked his knee against
+something in the dark.
+
+"It's a long bench!" said Toby. "And here's a sight of other long
+benches! Blamed if they don't seem like pews in a church!"
+
+A dim light as of tall windows was visible at some distance on their
+left.
+
+The Churchwarden pushed forward and walked swiftly here and there with
+the step of one who knows the way. In a moment he returned.
+
+"It's a church," he said, calmly. "It's _my_ church. This way, madam and
+gentlemen."
+
+He led the way to the left. Under a great round window which could be
+dimly seen in the wall was a wide door, before which they all paused.
+
+"As captain of this party," said Aunt Amanda, "my orders is that we open
+the door and see what will happen next."
+
+"Ay, ay, ma'am," said the Churchwarden, and opened the door.
+
+In a moment they were standing under the stars on a brick pavement
+before a church, and on the pavement against the church wall was an
+empty chair.
+
+"Ah!" said the Churchwarden, and sat down in the chair.
+
+"Mercy on us!" cried Aunt Amanda. "We're _home_!"
+
+"Blamed if we ain't!" said Toby. "It's our own street, and I can almost
+see the Tobacco Shop from here!"
+
+"Harfter a life of adventure," said Mr. Punch, "one will find it wery
+pleasant to stand quietly on one's little perch and rest one's legs and
+see one's old friends go in and hout at the Old Tobacco Shop once more,
+watching for the 'ands of the clock to come together for a bit of
+relaxation with one's----"
+
+"All right, young feller!" cried Toby to Freddie. "Come with me. Mr.
+Punch, take Aunt Amanda home. I'll be with you as soon as I've got
+Freddie safe."
+
+Aunt Amanda and Mr. Punch went off together towards the Old Tobacco
+Shop. Mr. Hanlon, after shaking hands all round, departed for the Gaunt
+Street Theatre, where he would be no longer troubled by the imps, who
+had long since been destroyed by the Odour of Sanctity. The
+Churchwarden preferred to enjoy for awhile the comfort of his old chair
+by the Church wall, and Toby and Freddie left him there, his hands
+folded placidly across his stomach.
+
+Freddie and Toby crossed the street-car track, hand in hand together.
+The horse had gone to bed for the night, and there was no danger. All
+the houses were dark. It was very late. No light was to be seen
+anywhere, except a gas-lamp at the next corner. The streets were silent
+and deserted. Freddie yawned.
+
+Freddie's house was dark, like all the rest. A narrow brick passage-way
+followed a fence to the rear, between this house and the next, and a
+gate opened from the sidewalk into this passage. Freddie and Toby went
+through this gate and crept quietly to the backyard of Freddie's house.
+The kitchen-door was locked, but Toby found a window which was
+unfastened. He raised it noiselessly, and helped Freddie to climb in.
+With a whispered good-night the Little Boy left his friend and tiptoed
+into the house and up the back stairs in the dark to his own room.
+
+His bed was there in its old place, and the covers were turned down. He
+did not stop to say his prayers. He yawned and stretched his arms. He
+wanted nothing now but to lie snug and safe under the cool sheets. He
+threw off his clothes and left them on the floor. He knew where his
+night-gown was. He crept into bed; he pulled the covers up to his ears;
+he nestled his head into the pillow, and breathed a deep sigh.
+
+
+
+
+CHAPTER XXVIII
+
+THE OLD TOBACCO SHOP
+
+
+The next morning, when Freddie awoke, his mother and father were
+standing over his bed.
+
+"I think he had better not go there anymore," his father was saying.
+
+"Oh, I don't think it will do him any harm now," said his mother.
+
+"It all comes of his staying away so long," said his father. "I always
+told him to hurry back, and just see how long he stayed this time. If he
+can't come back in less than six months or six years or heaven knows how
+long, he'd better not go at all."
+
+"Oh," said his mother, "I'm sure he'll come back promptly after this."
+
+"I couldn't," said Freddie. "It took such a long time to get to the
+Island, and there was all the trouble with the pirates, and it was a
+terrible long journey before we got to the palace, and of course we
+couldn't run away from the queen after we'd gone all that long way with
+her, and the queen's children didn't want me to go anyway, and there
+wasn't any way to get back, except for finding out how to get to the top
+of the tower, and maybe I wouldn't have got back at all if I hadn't met
+the Old Man of the Mountain, and got sick and cured again by Mr. Punch's
+father, and I might have got drowned when the ship disappeared, or I
+might have had my head cut off by the pirates, and then you wouldn't
+have seen me any more, and you'd have been sorry."
+
+His father looked at his mother, and nodded his head.
+
+"He'd better stay in bed today," said he. "We won't talk to him about it
+until tomorrow."
+
+"Yes," said his mother, "that will be much better. Poor little Freddie!"
+
+Freddie did not know why he should be called poor, but he was still
+tired from the adventurous life he had recently lived, and he was very
+glad to remain in bed all day.
+
+The next morning, after his father had said good-bye for the day, his
+mother allowed him to get up, and a little later to go out into the
+sunshine. He strolled down the street, enjoying the familiar sights
+after his long absence. He found his legs a little weak; he must have
+been very ill indeed at the King's palace, and he could not expect to
+get over it in one day. He crossed the street-car track, and on the
+pavement before the church he saw a well-known figure.
+
+The Churchwarden was sitting in his chair tilted back against the wall,
+smoking a long pipe and reading a newspaper. As Freddie approached he
+put down his paper and looked at him over his spectacles.
+
+"Good morning," said he. "I'm glad to see you back again. I hear you've
+been away." And he winked his eye at Freddie in a very knowing manner.
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie. "I guess I must have been pretty sick."
+
+"No doubt about it, my son. But of course I knew all the time you'd pull
+through."
+
+Freddie did not believe it for a moment; obviously the Churchwarden was
+bragging.
+
+"The street looks pretty good," said Freddie, "after being away so long.
+Would you rather sit here on the pavement than do anything else?"
+
+"I believe you, son. I'd rather sit here on a sunny day with a pipe and
+a newspaper than have all the treasure of the Incas."
+
+Freddie was glad to hear that the Churchwarden did not regret the loss
+of his share of the treasure, though whether Captain Lingo belonged to
+the Incas he did not know.
+
+"I don't care anything about the treasure myself," said he. "I'm too
+glad to be well again and back in our own street."
+
+"I'm glad I'm here myself, son. And if you happen to see Toby Littleback
+this morning, tell him I'm alive and resting well, considering."
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie, and continued his stroll.
+
+The Old Tobacco Shop, when he arrived, looked as it had looked on the
+fateful day when he had last seen it. He paused before the door, and
+gazed at Mr. Punch. He half expected the little man to step down and
+shake hands with him; but Mr. Punch did not move a muscle; he did not
+even look at Freddie; he held out in one hand a packet of black cigars,
+and his wooden face, if it expressed anything at all, showed the great
+calm which he must have felt when he got back to his little perch.
+Freddie looked up at the clock in the tower, with some thought that the
+hands might be together; but it was a quarter past ten, and anyway Mr.
+Punch's father was probably by this time far away in some other of his
+store-rooms about the world.
+
+Freddie entered the shop. Mr. Toby was behind the counter, opening a
+package of tobacco.
+
+"Aha! young feller!" he cried. "Back again, sure enough! Blamed if it
+don't seem as if you'd been away from here for a year. And a mighty sick
+chap you were, that's a fact. I reckon we all thought you were going to
+die, maybe; by crackey, I never seen anyone so pale in my life. Are you
+all right now?"
+
+"Yes, sir," said Freddie. "And I'm glad to be back. Are you glad to be
+here in the shop, the same as ever?"
+
+"Me? You bet I am. You couldn't buy me to leave this shop, not if you
+offered me all the money that Captain Kidd ever buried. No, sir. And
+look here, young man; I reckon you ain't surprised to see that the
+Chinaman's head is gone; eh?"
+
+Freddie looked at the shelf behind Toby, and sure enough, the Chinaman's
+head was gone. He knew, of course, that it was lying at the bottom of
+the ocean.
+
+"I kind of lost it one day," said Toby, winking his eye. "Mislaid it,
+you know, or lost it, one or the other, I don't know which,--but,
+anyway, I reckon it won't never be found. It's gone. I hope you don't
+mind it now, do you?"
+
+"No, sir," said Freddie. He was glad to know that Mr. Toby was not still
+feeling disturbed because he had left it on board The Sieve.
+
+"All right, then," said Toby. "You'd better go in and see Aunt Amanda."
+
+Freddie opened the door at the rear of the shop and went into the back
+room. Aunt Amanda was sitting by the table, sewing.
+
+On the table were the wax flowers and the album and the double glasses
+through which you looked at the twin pictures. The room was just as if
+they had never left it.
+
+"Eshyereerilart," said Aunt Amanda, taking a handful of pins from her
+mouth. "Bless your dear little heart, I'm glad you're back again. Are
+you well? Sit down on the hassock."
+
+Freddie took his customary place on the hassock at her feet. He looked
+up at her and wondered if she were sorry she had been a queen once and
+was a queen no more.
+
+"Yes'm," said he. "I'm all well now."
+
+"And glad to be back here in the shop again?"
+
+"Yes'm; I cert'n'y am."
+
+[Illustration: "Ah, yes," said Aunt Amanda, "there's no place like the
+Old Tobacco Shop, after all."]
+
+"Ah, yes," said Aunt Amanda, "there's no place like the Old Tobacco
+Shop, after all. I wouldn't exchange it for a palace if you'd give it to
+me."
+
+"Wouldn't you?" said Freddie, a little surprised at this.
+
+"I should say not. I wouldn't be myself in a palace. I'm pretty well
+satisfied here."
+
+"But what about the children?" said Freddie.
+
+"The children?" asked Aunt Amanda.
+
+"Yes. Robert and Jenny and James. _You_ know."
+
+Aunt Amanda looked at him for a moment, and then nodded her head and
+sighed.
+
+"Yes," she said. "You know about them, don't you? I forgot that you
+knew. Yes, I miss them a good deal, and I suppose I even cry sometimes
+because I haven't got them. But I love to think about them. I'm happy
+thinking about them, even if I can't have them."
+
+"James was the littlest," said Freddie.
+
+"Yes," said Aunt Amanda, nodding her head to herself as if at a gentle
+memory.
+
+"He was too little to go out much with the others," said Freddie.
+
+"Yes," said Aunt Amanda, "he was too little."
+
+"And Jenny," said Freddie, "she wouldn't go with Robert the day he ran
+away. He wanted her to, but she wouldn't."
+
+"No," said Aunt Amanda, "she wouldn't."
+
+"He was gone all day," said Freddie.
+
+"Yes," said Aunt Amanda, "he was gone all day, and he didn't get back
+until after dark. I didn't know where he was. When he got back it was
+dark, and he was muddy all over. I was terribly worried."
+
+THE END.
+
+
+
+
+
+End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Old Tobacco Shop, by William Bowen
+
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