the queen of the pirate isle-第3章
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to mock them！ Then two small heads appeared at the edge of the
slide； then a diminutive figure； whose feet were apparently held by
some invisible companion； was shoved over the brink and stretched
its tiny arms towards the girl。 But in vain； the distance was too
great。 Another laugh of intense youthful enjoyment followed the
failure； and a new insecurity was added to the situation by the
unsteady hands and shoulders of the relieving party； who were
apparently shaking with laughter。 Then the extended figure was
seen to detach what looked like a small black rope from its
shoulders and throw it to the girl。 There was another little
giggle。 The faces of the men below paled in terror。 Then Polly；
for it was she；hanging to the long pigtail of Wan Lee； was drawn
with fits of laughter back in safety to the slide。 Their childish
treble of appreciation was answered by a ringing cheer from below。
〃Darned ef I ever want to cut off a Chinaman's pigtail again；
boys；〃 said one of the tunnel…men as he went back to dinner。
Meantime the children had reached the goal and stood before the
opening of one of the tunnels。 Then these four heroes who had
looked with cheerful levity on the deadly peril of their descent
became suddenly frightened at the mysterious darkness of the cavern
and turned pale at its threshold。
〃Mebbee a wicked Joss backside holee； he catchee Pilats；〃 said Wan
Lee gravely。
Hickory began to whimper； Patsey drew back； Polly alone stood her
ground； albeit with a trembling lip。
〃Let's say our prayers and frighten it away；〃 she said stoutly。
〃No！ no！〃 said Wan Lee； with a sudden alarm。 〃No frighten
Spillits！ You waitee！ Chinee boy he talkee Spillit not to
frighten you。〃*
* The Chinese pray devoutly to the Evil Spirits NOT to injure them。
Tucking his hands under his blue blouse； Wan Lee suddenly produced
from some mysterious recess of his clothing a quantity of red paper
slips which he scattered at the entrance of the cavern。 Then
drawing from the same inexhaustible receptacle certain squibs or
fireworks； he let them off and threw them into the opening。 There
they went off with a slight fizz and splutter； a momentary
glittering of small points in the darkness； and a strong smell of
gunpowder。 Polly gazed at the spectacle with undisguised awe and
fascination。 Hickory and Patsey breathed hard with satisfaction：
it was beyond their wildest dreams of mystery and romance。 Even
Wan Lee appeared transfigured into a superior being by the potency
of his own spells。 But an unaccountable disturbance of some kind
in the dim interior of the tunnel quickly drew the blood from their
blanched cheeks again。 It was a sound like coughing； followed by
something like an oath。
〃He's made the Evil Spirit orful sick；〃 said Hickory in a loud
whisper。
A slight laugh； that to the children seemed demoniacal； followed。
〃See！〃 said Wan Lee。 〃Evil Spillet he likee Chinee； try talkee
him。〃
The Pirates looked at Wan Lee； not without a certain envy of this
manifest favoritism。 A fearful desire to continue their awful
experiments； instead of pursuing their piratical avocations； was
taking possession of them； but Polly； with one of the swift
transitions of childhood； immediately began to extemporize a house
for the party at the mouth of the tunnel； and； with parental
foresight； gathered the fragments of the squibs to build a fire for
supper。 That frugal meal； consisting of half a ginger biscuit
divided into five small portions； each served on a chip of wood；
and having a deliciously mysterious flavor of gunpowder and smoke；
was soon over。 It was necessary after this that the pirates should
at once seek repose after a day of adventure； which they did for
the space of forty seconds in singularly impossible attitudes and
far too aggressive snoring。 Indeed； Master Hickory's almost
upright pose； with tightly folded arms and darkly frowning brows；
was felt to be dramatic； but impossible for a longer period。 The
brief interval enabled Polly to collect herself and to look around
her in her usual motherly fashion。 Suddenly she started and
uttered a cry。 In the excitement of the descent she had quite
overlooked her doll； and was now regarding it with round…eyed
horror。
〃Lady Mary's hair's gone！〃 she cried； convulsively grasping the
Pirate Hickory's legs。
Hickory at once recognized the battered doll under the aristocratic
title which Polly had long ago bestowed upon it。 He stared at the
bald and battered head。
〃Ha！ ha！〃 he said hoarsely； 〃skelped by Injins！〃
For an instant the delicious suggestion soothed the imaginative
Polly。 But it was quickly dispelled by Wan Lee。
〃Lady Maley's pigtail hangee top side hillee。 Catchee on big
quartz stone allee same Polly； me go fetchee。〃
〃No！〃 quickly shrieked the others。 The prospect of being left in
the proximity of Wan Lee's evil spirit； without Wan Lee's
exorcising power； was anything but reassuring。 〃No； don't go！〃
Even Polly （dropping a maternal tear on the bald head of Lady Mary）
protested against this breaking up of the little circle。 〃Go to
bed！〃 she said authoritatively； 〃and sleep till morning。〃
Thus admonished； the Pirates again retired。 This time effectively；
for； worn by actual fatigue or soothed by the delicious coolness of
the cave； they gradually； one by one； succumbed to real slumber。
Polly； withheld from joining them by official and maternal
responsibility； sat and blinked at them affectionately。
Gradually she； too； felt herself yielding to the fascination and
mystery of the place and the solitude that encompassed her。 Beyond
the pleasant shadows where she sat； she saw the great world of
mountain and valley through a dreamy haze that seemed to rise from
the depths below and occasionally hang before the cavern like a
veil。 Long waves of spicy heat rolling up the mountain from the
valley brought her the smell of pine…trees and bay； and made the
landscape swim before her eyes。 She could hear the far…off cry of
teamsters on some unseen road； she could see the far…off cloud of
dust following the mountain stagecoach； whose rattling wheels she
could not hear。 She felt very lonely； but was not quite afraid；
she felt very melancholy； but was not entirely sad； and she could
have easily awakened her sleeping companions if she wished。
No； she was a lone widow with nine children； six of whom were
already in the lone churchyard on the hill； and the others lying
ill with measles and scarlet fever beside her。 She had just walked
many weary miles that day； and had often begged from door to door
for a slice of bread for the starving little ones。 It was of no
use nowthey would die！ They would never see their dear mother
again。 This was a favorite imaginative situation of Polly's； but
only indulged when her companions were asleep； partly because she
could not trust confederates with her more serious fancies； and
partly because they were at such times passive in her hands。 She
glanced timidly around。 Satisfied that no one could observe her；
she softly visited the bedside of each of her companions； and
administered from a purely fictitious bottle spoonfuls of invisible
medicine。 Physical correction in the form of slight taps； which
they always required； and in which Polly was strong； was only
withheld now from a sense of their weak condition。 But in vain；
they succumbed to the fell disease；they always died at this
juncture；and Polly was left alone。 She thought of the little
church where she had once seen a funeral； and remembered the nice
smell of the flowers； she dwelt with melancholy satisfaction of the
nine little tombstones in the graveyard； each with an inscription；
and looked forward with gentle anticipation to the long summer days
when； with Lady Mary in her lap； she would sit on those graves clad
in the deepest mourning。 The fact that the unhappy victims at
times moved as it were uneasily in their graves； or snored； did not
affect Polly's imaginative contemplation； nor withhold the tears
that gathered in her round eyes。
Presently； the lids of the round eyes began to droop； the landscape
beyond began to be more confused； a
