dream days-第13章

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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　his　leave。　　But　at　last　he　and　his　crew　were

bundled　into　their　boats；　and　after　I　had　pressed　some　pirate

bullion　upon　themdelicately；　of　course；　but　in　a　pleasant

manner　that　admitted　of　no　denialthe　gallant　fellows　quite

broke　down；　and　we　parted；　our　bosoms　heaving　with　a　full　sense

of　each　other's　magnanimity　and　good…fellowship。



The　next　day；　which　was　nearly　all　taken　up　with　shifting　our

quarters　into　the　new　frigate；　so　honourably　and　easily　acquired；

was　a　very　pleasant　one；　as　everyone　who　has　gone　up　in　the　world

and　moved　into　a　larger　house　will　readily　understand。　　At　last　I

had　grim；　black　guns　all　along　each　side；　instead　of　a　rotten

brass　carronade；　at　last　I　had　a　square…rigged　ship；　with　real

yards；　and　a　proper　quarter…deck。　　In　fact；　now　that　I　had　soared

as　high　as　could　be　hoped　in　a　single　voyage；　it　seemed　about

time　to　go　home　and　cut　a　dash　and　show　off　a　bit。　　The　worst　of

this　ocean…theatre　was；　it　held　no　proper　audience。　　It　was

hard；　of　course；　to　relinquish　all　the　adventures　that　still　lay

untouched　in　these　Southern　seas。　　Whaling；　for　instance；　had　not

yet　been　entered　upon；　the　joys　of　exploration；　and　strange

inland　cities　innocent　of　the　white　man；　still　awaited　me；　and

the　book　of　wrecks　and　rescues　was　not　yet　even　opened。　　But　I

had　achieved　a　frigate　and　a　Princess；　and　that　was　not　so　bad

for　a　beginning；　and　more　than　enough　to　show　off　with　before

those　dull　unadventurous　folk　who　continued　on　their　mill…horse

round　at　home。



The　voyage　home　was　a　record　one；　so　far　as　mere　speed　was

concerned；　and　all　adventures　were　scornfully　left　behind；　as　we

rattled　along；　for　other　adventurers　who　had　still　their　laurels

to　win。　　Hardly　later　than　the　noon　of　next　day　we　dropped　anchor

in　Plymouth　Sound；　and　heard　the　intoxicating　clamour　of　bells；

the　roar　of　artillery；　and　the　hoarse　cheers　of　an　excited

populace　surging　down　to　the　quays；　that　told　us　we　were　being

appreciated　at　something　like　our　true　merits。　　The　Lord　Mayor

was　waiting　there　to　receive　us；　and　with　him　several　Admirals　of

the　Fleet；　as　we　walked　down　the　lane　of　pushing；　enthusiastic

Devonians；　the　Princess　and　I；　and　our　war…worn；　weather…beaten；

spoil…laden　crew。　　Everybody　was　very　nice　about　the　French

frigate；　and　the　pirate　booty；　and　the　scars　still　fresh　on　our

young　limbs；　yet　I　think　what　I　liked　best　of　all　was；　that　they

all　pronounced　the　Princess　to　be　a　duck；　and　a　peerless；　brown…

haired　darling；　and　a　true　mate　for　a　hero；　and　of　the　right

Princess…breed。



The　air　was　thick　with　invitations　and　with　the　smell　of　civic

banquets　in　a　forward　stage；　but　I　sternly　waved　all　festivities

aside。　　The　coaches…and…four　I　had　ordered　immediately　on

arriving　were　blocking　the　whole　of　the　High　Street；　the

champing　of　bits　and　the　pawing　of　gravel　summoned　us　to　take　our

seats　and　be　off；　to　where　the　real　performance　awaited　us；

compared　with　which　all　this　was　but　an　interlude。　　I　placed　the

Princess　in　the　most　highly　gilded　coach　of　the　lot；　and　mounted

to　my　place　at　her　side；　and　the　rest　of　the　crew　scrambled　on

board　of　the　others　as　best　they　might。　　The　whips　cracked　and

the　crowd　scattered　and　cheered　as　we　broke　into　a　gallop　for

home。　　The　noisy　bells　burst　into　a　farewell　peal



Yes；　that　was　undoubtedly　the　usual　bell　for　school…room　tea。　

And　high　time　too；　I　thought；　as　I　tumbled　out　of　the　bath；　which

was　beginning　to　feel　very　hard　to　the　projecting　portions　of　my

frame…work。　　As　I　trotted　downstairs；　hungrier　even　than　usual；

farewells　floated　up　from　the　front　door；　and　I　heard　the

departing　voices　of　our　angular　elderly　visitors　as　they　made

their　way　down　the　walk。　　Man　was　still　catching　it；　apparently

Man　was　getting　it　hot。　　And　much　Man　cared！　　The　seas　were　his；

and　their　islands；　he　had　his　frigates　for　the　taking；　his

pirates　and　their　hoards　for　an　unregarded　cutlass…stroke　or　two；

and　there　were　Princesses　in　plenty　waiting　for　him　somewhere

Princesses　of　the　right　sort。







THE　RELUCTANT　DRAGON



Footprints　in　the　snow　have　been　unfailing　provokers　of　sentiment

ever　since　snow　was　first　a　white　wonder　in　this　drab…coloured

world　of　ours。　　In　a　poetry…book　presented　to　one　of　us　by　an

aunt；　there　was　a　poem　by　one　Wordsworth　in　which　they　stood　out

stronglywith　a　picture　all　to　themselves；　toobut　we　didn't

think　very　highly　either　of　the　poem　or　the　sentiment。　

Footprints　in　the　sand；　now；　were　quite　another　matter；　and　we

grasped　Crusoe's　attitude　of　mind　much　more　easily　than

Wordsworth's。　　Excitement　and　mystery；　curiosity　and　suspense

these　were　the　only　sentiments　that　tracks；　whether　in　sand　or　in

snow；　were　able　to　arouse　in　us。



We　had　awakened　early　that　winter　morning；　puzzled　at　first　by

the　added　light　that　filled　the　room。　　Then；　when　the　truth　at

last　fully　dawned　on　us　and　we　knew　that　snow…balling　was　no

longer　a　wistful　dream；　but　a　solid　certainty　waiting　for　us

outside；　it　was　a　mere　brute　fight　for　the　necessary　clothes；　and

the　lacing　of　boots　seemed　a　clumsy　invention；　and　the　buttoning

of　coats　an　unduly　tedious　form　of　fastening；　with　all　that　snow

going　to　waste　at　our　very　door。



When　dinner…time　came　we　had　to　be　dragged　in　by　the　scruff　of

our　necks。　　The　short　armistice　over；　the　combat　was　resumed；　but

presently　Charlotte　and　I；　a　little　weary　of　contests　and　of

missiles　that　ran　shudderingly　down　inside　one's　clothes；　forsook

the　trampled　battle…field　of　the　lawn　and　went　exploring　the

blank　virgin　spaces　of　the　white　world　that　lay　beyond。　　It

stretched　away　unbroken　on　every　side　of　us；　this　mysterious

soft　garment　under　which　our　familiar　world　had　so　suddenly

hidden　itself。　　Faint　imprints　showed　where　a　casual　bird　had

alighted；　but　of　other　traffic　there　was　next　to　no　sign；　which

made　these　strange　tracks　all　the　more　puzzling。



We　came　across　them　first　at　the　corner　of　the　shrubbery；　and

pored　over　them　long；　our　hands　on　our　knees。　　Experienced

trappers　that　we　knew　ourselves　to　be；　it　was　annoying　to　be

brought　up　suddenly　by　a　beast　we　could　not　at　once　identify。



〃Don't　you　know？〃　said　Charlotte；　rather　scornfully。　　〃Thought

you　knew　all　the　beasts　that　ever　was。〃



This　put　me　on　my　mettle；　and　I　hastily　rattled　off　a　string　of

animal　names　embracing　both　the　arctic　and　the　tropic　zones；　but

without　much　real　confidence。



〃No；〃　said　Charlotte；　on　consideration；　〃they　won't　any　of

'em　quite　do。　　Seems　like　something　LIZARDY。　　Did　you　say　a

iguanodon？　　Might　be　that；　p'raps。　　But　that's　not　British；　and

we　want　a　real　British　beast。　　_I_　think　it's　a　dragon！〃



〃'T　isn't　half　big　enough；〃　I　objected。



〃Well；　all　dragons　must　be　small　to　begin　with；〃　said　Charlotte：

〃like　everything　else。　　P'raps　this　is　a　little　dragon　who's　got

lost。　　A　little　dragon　would　be　rather　nic