dream days-第17章

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most　private　and　particular　lockera　musical　box　with　a　glass

top　that　let　you　see　the　works；　and　a　railway　train　with

real　lines　and　a　real　tunnel；　and　a　tin　iron…clad　that　followed　a

magnet；　and　was　ever　so　much　handier　in　many　respects　than　the

real　full…sized　thing　that　still　lay　and　applauded　in　the　offing。



There　was　high　feasting　that　night　in　my　cabin。　　We　invited　the

captain　of　the　man…of…warone　could　hardly　do　less；　it　seemed　to

meand　the　Princess　took　one　end　of　the　table　and　I　took　the

other；　and　the　captain　was　very　kind　and　nice；　and　told　us　fairy…

stories；　and　asked　us　both　to　come　and　stay　with　him　next

Christmas；　and　promised　we　should　have　some　hunting；　on　real

ponies。　　When　he　left　I　gave　him　some　ingots　and　things；　and　saw

him　into　his　boat；　and　then　I　went　round　the　ship　and　addressed

the　crew　in　several　set　speeches；　which　moved　them　deeply；　and

with　my　own　hands　loaded　up　the　carronade　with　grape…shot　till　it

ran　over　at　the　mouth。　　This　done；　I　retired　into　the　cabin

with　the　Princess；　and　locked　the　door。　　And　first　we　started　the

musical　box；　taking　turns　to　wind　it　up；　and　then　we　made　toffee

in　the　cabin…stove；　and　then　we　ran　the　train　round　and　round　the

room；　and　through　and　through　the　tunnel；　and　lastly　we　swam　the

tin　ironclad　in　the　bath；　with　the　soap…dish　for　a　pirate。



Next　morning　the　air　was　rich　with　spices；　porpoises　rolled　and

gambolled　round　the　bows；　and　the　South　Sea　Islands　lay　full　in

view　（they　were　the　REAL　South　Sea　Islands；　of　coursenot　the

badly　furnished　journeymen…islands　that　are　to　be　perceived　on

the　map）。　　As　for　the　pirate　brigantine　and　the　man…of…war；　I

don't　really　know　what　became　of　them。　　They　had　played　their

part　very　well；　for　the　time；　but　I　wasn't　going　to　bother　to

account　for　them；　so　I　just　let　them　evaporate　quietly。　　The

islands　provided　plenty　of　fresh　occupation。　　For　here　were

little　bays　of　silvery　sand；　dotted　with　land…crabs；　groves

of　palm…trees　wherein　monkeys　frisked　and　pelted　each　other　with

cocoanuts；　and　caves；　and　sites　for　stockades；　and　hidden

treasures　significantly　indicated　by　skulls；　in　riotous　plenty；

while　birds　and　beasts　of　every　colour　and　all　latitudes　made

pleasing　noises　which　excited　the　sporting　instinct。



The　islands　lay　conveniently　close　together；　which　necessitated

careful　steering　as　we　threaded　the　devious　and　intricate

channels　that　separated　them。　　Of　course　no　one　else　could　be

trusted　at　the　wheel；　so　it　is　not　surprising　that　for　some　time

I　quite　forgot　that　there　was　such　a　thing　as　a　Princess　on

board。　　This　is　too　much　the　masculine　way；　whenever　there's　any

real　business　doing。　　However；　I　remembered　her　as　soon　as　the

anchor　was　dropped；　and　I　went　below　and　consoled　her；　and　we　had

breakfast　together；　and　she　was　allowed　to　〃pour　out；〃　which

quite　made　up　for　everything。　　When　breakfast　was　over　we　ordered

out　the　captain's　gig；　and　rowed　all　about　the　islands；　and

paddled；　and　explored；　and　hunted　bisons　and　beetles　and

butterflies；　and　found　everything　we　wanted。　　And　I　gave　her　pink

shells　and　tortoises　and　great　milky　pearls　and　little　green

lizards；　and　she　gave　me　guinea…pigs；　and　coral　to　make　into

waistcoat…buttons；　and　tame　sea…otters；　and　a　real　pirate's

powder…horn。　　It　was　a　prolific　day　and　a　long…lasting　one；　and

weary　were　we　with　all　our　hunting　and　our　getting　and　our

gathering；　when　at　last　we　clambered　into　the　captain's　gig　and

rowed　back　to　a　late　tea。



The　following　day　my　conscience　rose　up　and　accused　me。　　This　was

not　what　I　had　come　out　to　do。　　These　triflings　with　pearls　and

parrakeets；　these　al　fresco　luncheons　off　yams　and　bananas

there　was　no　〃making　of　history〃　about　them；　I　resolved　that

without　further　dallying　I　would　turn　to　and　capture　the　French

frigate；　according　to　the　original　programme。　　So　we　upped　anchor

with　the　morning　tide；　and　set　all　sail　for　San　Salvador。



Of　course　I　had　no　idea　where　San　Salvador　really　was。　　I　haven't

now；　for　that　matter。　　But　it　seemed　a　right…sounding　sort　of

name　for　a　place　that　was　to　have　a　bay　that　was　to　hold　a　French

frigate　that　was　to　be　cut　out；　so；　as　I　said；　we　sailed　for　San

Salvador；　and　made　the　bay　about　eight　bells　that　evening；　and

saw　the　topmasts　of　the　frigate　over　the　headland　that　sheltered

her。　　And　forthwith　there　was　summoned　a　Council　of　War。



It　is　a　very　serious　matter；　a　Council　of　War。　　We　had　not　held

one　hitherto；　pirates　and　truck　of　that　sort　not　calling　for　such

solemn　treatment。　　But　in　an　affair　that　might　almost　be

called　international；　it　seemed　well　to　proceed　gravely　and　by

regular　steps。　　So　we　met　in　my　cabinthe　Princess；　and　the

bo'sun；　and　a　boy　from　the　real…life　lot；　and　a　man　from　among

the　book…men；　and　a　fellow　from　No…man's…land；　and　myself　in　the

chair。



The　bo'sun　had　taken　part　in　so　many　cuttings…out　during　his　past

career　that　practically　he　did　all　the　talking；　and　was　the

Council　of　War　himself。　　It　was　to　be　an　affair　of　boats；　he

explained。　　A　boat's…crew　would　be　told　off　to　cut　the　cables；

and　two　boats'…crews　to　climb　stealthily　on　board　and　overpower

the　sleeping　Frenchmen；　and　two　more　boats'　crews　to　haul　the

doomed　vessel　out　of　the　bay。　　This　made　rather　a　demand　on　my

limited　resources　as　to　crews；　but　I　was　prepared　to　stretch　a

point　in　a　case　like　this；　and　I　speedily　brought　my　numbers　up

to　the　requisite　efficiency。



The　night　was　both　moonless　and　star…lessI　had　arranged　all

thatwhen　the　boats　pushed　off　from　the　side　of　our　vessel；　and

made　their　way　toward　the　ship　that；　unfortunately　for　itself；

had　been　singled　out　by　Fate　to　carry　me　home　in　triumph。　　I　was

in　excellent　spirits；　and；　indeed；　as　I　stepped　over　the　side；　a

lawless　idea　crossed　my　mind；　of　discovering　another　Princess　on

board　the　frigatea　French　one　this　time；　I　had　heard　that　that

sort　was　rather　nice。　　But　I　abandoned　the　notion　at　once；

recollecting　that　the　heroes　of　all　history　had　always　been　noted

for　their　unswerving　constancy。



The　French　captain　was　snug　in　bed　when　I　clambered　in　through

his　cabin　window　and　held　a　naked　cutlass　to　his　throat。　

Naturally　he　was　surprised　and　considerably　alarmed；　till　I

discharged　one　of　my　set　speeches　at　him；　pointing　out　that　my

men　already　had　his　crew　under　hatchways；　that　his　vessel

was　even　then　being　towed　out　of　harbour；　and　that；　on　his

accepting　the　situation　with　a　good　grace；　his　person　and　private

property　would　be　treated　with　all　the　respect　due　to　the

representative　of　a　great　nation　for　which　I　entertained　feelings

of　the　profoundest　admiration　and　regard　and　all　that　sort　of

thing。　　It　was　a　beautiful　speech。　　The　Frenchman　at　once

presented　me　with　his　parole；　in　the　usual　way；　and；　in　a　reply

of　some　power　and　pathos；　only　begged　that　I　would　retire　a

moment　while　he　put　on　his　trousers。　　This　I　gracefully　consented

to　do；　and　the　incident　ended。



Two　of　my　boats　were　sunk　by　the　fire　from　the　forts　on　the

shore；　and　several　brave　fellows　were　severely　wounded　in　the

hand…to…hand　struggle　with　the　French　crew　for　the　possession　of

the　frigate。　　But　the　bo'sun's　admirable　strategy；　and　my

own　reckless　gallantry　in　securing　the　French　captain　at　the

outset；　had　the　fortunate　result　of　keeping　down　the　death…rate。　

It　was　all　for　the　sake　of　the　Princess　that　I　had　arranged　so

comparatively　tame　a　victory。　　For　myself；　I　rather　liked　a　fair

amount　of　blood…letting；　red…hot　shot；　and　flying　splinters。　　But

when　you　have　girls　about　the　place；　they　have　got　to　be

considered　to　a　certain　extent。



There　was　another　supper…party　that　night；　in　my　cabin；　as　soon

as　we　had　got　well　out　to　sea；　and　the　French　captain；　who　was

the　guest　of　the　evening；　was　in　the　greatest　possible　form。　　We

became　sworn　friends；　and　exchanged　invitations　to　come　and　stay

at　each　other's　homes；　and　really　it　was　quite　difficult　to

induce　him　to　take