dream days-第16章

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had　opened　out　I　began　to　feel　that　it　would　be　rather　nice　to

take　tea　by　myself　in　my　own　cabin；　and　it　therefore　became

necessary　to　invent　a　comrade　or　two；　to　take　their　turn　at　the

wheel。



This　was　easy　enough。　　A　friend　or　two　of　my　own　age；　from　among

the　boys　I　knew；　a　friend　or　two　from　characters　in　the　books　I

knew；　and　a　friend　or　two　from　No…man's…land；　where　every

fellow's　a　born　sailor；　and　the　crew　was　complete。　　I　addressed

them　on　the　poop；　divided　them　into　watches；　gave　instructions　I

should　be　summoned　on　the　first　sign　of　pirates；　whales；　or

Frenchmen；　and　retired　below　to　a　well…earned　spell　of

relaxation。



That　was　the　right　sort　of　cabin　that　I　stepped　into；　shutting

the　door　behind　me　with　a　click。　　Of　course；　fire…arms　were　the

first　thing　I　looked　for；　and　there　they　were；　sure　enough；

in　their　racks；　dozens　of　'emdouble…barrelled　guns；　and

repeating…rifles；　and　long　pistols；　and　shiny　plated　revolvers。　

I　rang　up　the　steward　and　ordered　tea；　with　scones；　and　jam　in

its　native　potsnone　of　your　finicking　shallow　glass　dishes；

and；　when　properly　streaked　with　jam；　and　blown　out　with　tea；　I

went　through　the　armoury；　clicked　the　rifles　and　revolvers；

tested　the　edges　of　the　cutlasses　with　my　thumb；　and　filled　the

cartridge…belts　chock…full。　　Everything　was　there；　and　of　the

best　quality；　just　as　if　I　had　spent　a　whole　fortnight　knocking

about　Plymouth　and　ordering　things。　　Clearly；　if　this　cruise　came

to　grief；　it　would　not　be　for　want　of　equipment。



Just　as　I　was　beginning　on　the　lockers　and　the　drawers；　the　watch

reported　icebergs　on　both　bowsand；　what　was　more　to　the　point；

coveys　of　Polar　bears　on　the　icebergs。　　I　grasped　a　rifle　or　two；

and　hastened　on　deck。　　The　spectacle　was　indeed

magnificentit　generally　is；　with　icebergs　on　both　bows；　and

these　were　exceptionally　enormous　icebergs。　　But　I　hadn't　come

there　to　paint　Academy　pictures；　so　the　captain's　gig　was　in　the

water　and　manned　almost　ere　the　boatswain's　whistle　had　ceased

sounding；　and　we　were　pulling　hard　for　the　Polar　bearsmyself

and　the　rifles　in　the　stern…sheets。



I　have　rarely　enjoyed　better　shooting　than　I　got　during　that

afternoon's　tramp　over　the　icebergs。　　Perhaps　I　was　in　specially

good　form；　perhaps　the　bears　〃rose〃　well。　　Anyhow；　the　bag　was　a

portentous　one。　　In　later　days；　on　reading　of　the　growing

scarcity　of　Polar　bears；　my　conscience　has　pricked　me；　but　that

afternoon　I　experienced　no　compunction。　　Nevertheless；　when　the

huge　pile　of　skins　had　been　hoisted　on　board；　and　a　stiff　grog

had　been　served　out　to　the　crew　of　the　captain's　gig；　I

ordered　the　schooner's　head　to　be　set　due　south。　　For　icebergs

were　played　out；　for　the　moment；　and　it　was　getting　to　be　time

for　something　more　tropical。



Tropical　was　a　mild　expression　of　what　was　to　come；　as　was

shortly　proved。　　It　was　about　three　bells　in　the　next　day's

forenoon　watch　when　the　look…out　man　first　sighted　the　pirate

brigantine。　　I　disliked　the　looks　of　her　from　the　first；　and；

after　piping　all　hands　to　quarters；　had　the　brass　carronade　on

the　fore…deck　crammed　with　grape　to　the　muzzle。



This　proved　a　wise　precaution。　　For　the　flagitious　pirate　craft；

having　crept　up　to　us　under　the　colours　of　the　Swiss　Republic；　a

state　with　which　we　were　just　then　on　the　best　possible　terms；

suddenly　shook　out　the　skull…and…cross…bones　at　her　masthead；　and

let　fly　with　round…shot　at　close　quarters；　knocking　into　pieces

several　of　my　crew；　who　could　ill　be　spared。　　The　sight　of

their　disconnected　limbs　aroused　my　ire　to　its　utmost　height；　and

I　let　them　have　the　contents　of　the　brass　carronade；　with　ghastly

effect。　　Next　moment　the　hulls　of　the　two　ships　were　grinding

together；　the　cold　steel　flashed　from　its　scabbard；　and　the

death…grapple　had　begun。



In　spite　of　the　deadly　work　of　my　grape…gorged　carronade；　our　foe

still　outnumbered　us；　I　reckoned；　by　three　to　one。　　Honour

forbade　my　fixing　it　at　a　lower　figurethis　was　the　minimum　rate

at　which　one　dared　to　do　business　with　pirates。　　They　were　stark

veterans；　too；　every　man　seamed　with　ancient　sabre…cuts；　whereas

my　crew　had　many　of　them　hardly　attained　the　maturity　which　is

the　gift　of　ten　long　summersand　the　whole　thing　was　so　sudden

that　I　had　no　time　to　invent　a　reinforcement　of　riper　years。　　It

was　not　surprising；　therefore；　that　my　dauntless　boarding…

party；　axe　in　hand　and　cutlass　between　teeth；　fought　their　way　to

the　pirates'　deck　only　to　be　repulsed　again　and　yet　again；　and

that　our　planks　were　soon　slippery　with　our　own　ungrudged　and

inexhaustible　blood。　　At　this　critical　point　in　the　conflict；　the

bo'sun；　grasping　me　by　the　arm；　drew　my　attention　to　a

magnificent　British　man…of…war；　just　hove　to　in　the　offing；　while

the　signalman；　his　glass　at　his　eye；　reported　that　she　was

inquiring　whether　we　wanted　any　assistance　or　preferred　to　go

through　with　the　little　job　ourselves。



This　veiled　attempt　to　share　our　laurels　with　us；　courteously　as

it　was　worded；　put　me　on　my　mettle。　　Wiping　the　blood　out　of　my

eyes；　I　ordered　the　signalman　to　reply　instantly；　with　the　half…

dozen　or　so　of　flags　that　he　had　at　his　disposal；　that　much　as　we

appreciated　the　valour　of　the　regular　service；　and　the　delicacy

of　spirit　that　animated　its　commanders；　still　this　was　an

orthodox　case　of　the　young　gentleman…adventurer　versus　the

unshaved　pirate；　and　Her　Majesty's　Marine　had　nothing　to　do　but

to　form　the　usual　admiring　and　applauding　background。　　Then；

rallying　round　me　the　remnant　of　my　faithful　crew；　I　selected　a

fresh　cutlass　（I　had　worn　out　three　already）　and　plunged　once

more　into　the　pleasing　carnage。



The　result　was　not　long　doubtful。　　Indeed；　I　could　not　allow　it

to　be；　as　I　was　already　getting　somewhat　bored　with　the　pirate

business；　and　was　wanting　to　get　on　to　something　more　southern

and　sensuous。　　All　serious　resistance　came　to　an　end　as　soon　as　I

had　reached　the　quarter…deck　and　cut　down　the　pirate　chiefa

fine　black…bearded　fellow　in　his　way；　but　hardly　up　to　date　in

his　parry…and…thrust　business。　　Those　whom　our　cutlasses　had

spared　were　marched　out　along　their　own　plank；　in　the

approved　old　fashion；　and　in　time　the　scuppers　relieved　the　decks

of　the　blood　that　made　traffic　temporarily　impossible。　　And　all

the　time　the　British…man…of…war　admired　and　applauded　in　the

offing。



As　soon　as　we　had　got　through　with　the　necessary　throat…cutting

and　swabbing…up　all　hands　set　to　work　to　discover　treasure；　and

soon　the　deck　shone　bravely　with　ingots　and　Mexican　dollars　and

church　plate。　　There　were　ropes　of　pearls；　too；　and　big　stacks　of

nougat；　and　rubies；　and　gold　watches；　and　Turkish　Delight　in

tubs。　　But　I　left　these　trifles　to　my　crew；　and　continued　the

search　alone。　　For　by　this　time　I　had　determined　that　there

should　be　a　Princess　on　board；　carried　off　to　be　sold　in

captivity　to　the　bold　bad　Moors；　and　now　with　beating　heart

awaiting　her　rescue　by　me；　the　Perseus　of　her　dreams。



I　came　upon　her　at　last　in　the　big　state…cabin　in　the　stern；　and

she　wore　a　holland　pinafore　over　her　Princess…clothes；　and

she　had　brown　wavy　hair；　hanging　down　her　back；　just　likewell；

never　mind；　she　had　brown　wavy　hair。　　When　gentle…folk　meet；

courtesies　pass；　and　I　will　not　weary　other　people　with　relating

all　the　compliments　and　counter…compliments　that　we　exchanged；

all　in　the　most　approved　manner。　　Occasions　like　this；　when

tongues　wagged　smoothly　and　speech　flowed　free；　were　always

especially　pleasing　to　me；　who　am　naturally　inclined　to　be

tongue…tied　with　women。　　But　at　last　ceremony　was　over；　and　we

sat　on　the　table　and　swung　our　legs　and　agreed　to　be　fast

friends。　　And　I　showed　her　my　latest　knifeone…bladed；　horn…

handled；　terrific；　hung　round　my　neck　with　string；　and　she　showed

me　the　chiefest　treasures　the　ship　contained；　hidden　away　in　a

most　private　and　particular　lockera　musical　box　with　a　glass

top　that　let　you　see　the　works；　and　a