the queen of the pirate isle-第3节

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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；　and　sometimes　to　disappear
entirely　and　reappear　again　with　startling　distinctness。　　Then　a
sound　of　rippling　water　from　the　little　stream　that　flowed　from　the
mouth　of　the　tunnel　soothed　her　and　seemed　to　carry　her　away　with
it；　and　then　everything　was　dark。

The　next　thing　that　she　remembered　was　that　she　was　apparently
being　carried　along　on　some　gliding　object　to　the　sound　of　rippling
water。　　She　was　not　alone；　for　her　three　companions　were　lying
beside　her；　rather　tightly　packed　and　squeezed　in　the　same
mysterious　vehicle。　　Even　in　the　profound　darkness　that　surrounded
her；　Polly　could　feel　and　hear　that　they　were　accompanied；　and　once
or　twice　a　faint　streak　of　light　from　the　side　of　the　tunnel　showed
her　gigantic　shadows　walking　slowly　on　either　side　of　the　gliding
car。　　She　felt　the　little　hands　of　her　associates　seeking　hers；　and
knew　they　were　awake　and　conscious；　and　she　returned　to　each　a
reassuring　pressure　from　the　large　protecting　instinct　of　her
maternal　little　heart。　　Presently　the　car　glided　into　an　open　space
of　bright　light；　and　stopped。　　The　transition　from　the　darkness　of
the　tunnel　at　first　dazzled　their　eyes。　　It　was　like　a　dream。

They　were　in　a　circular　cavern　from　which　three　other　tunnels；　like
the　one　they　had　passed　through；　diverged。　　The　walls；　lit　up　by
fifty　or　sixty　candles　stuck　at　irregular　intervals　in　crevices　of
the　rock；　were　of　glittering　quartz　and　mica。　　But　more　remarkable
than　all　were　the　inmates　of　the　cavern；　who　were　ranged　round　the
walls；men　who；　like　their　attendants；　seemed　to　be　of　extra
stature；　who　had　blackened　faces；　wore　red　bandana　handkerchiefs
round　their　heads　and　their　waists；　and　carried　enormous　knives　and
pistols　stuck　in　their　belts。　　On　a　raised　platform　made　of　a
packing…box　on　which　was　rudely　painted　a　skull　and　cross…bones；
sat　the　chief　or　leader　of　the　band　covered　with　a　buffalo　robe；　on
either　side　of　him　were　two　small　barrels　marked　〃Grog〃　and
〃Gunpowder。〃　　The　children　stared　and　clung　closer　to　Polly。　　Yet；
in　spite　of　these　desperate　and　warlike　accessories；　the　strangers
bore　a　singular　resemblance　to　〃Christy　Minstrels〃　in　their
blackened　faces　and　attitudes　that　somehow　made　them　seem　less
awful。　　In　particular；　Polly　was　impressed　with　the　fact　that　even
the　most　ferocious　had　a　certain　kindliness　of　eye；　and　showed
their　teeth　almost　idiotically。

〃Welcome！〃　said　the　leader；〃welcome　to　the　Pirates'　Cave！　　The
Red　Rover　of　the　North　Fork　of　the　Stanislaus　River　salutes　the
Queen　of　the　Pirate　Isle！〃　　He　rose　up　and　made　an　extraordinary
bow。　　It　was　repeated　by　the　others　with　more　or　less　exaggeration；
to　the　point　of　one　humorist　losing　his　balance！

〃Oh；　thank　you　very　much；〃　said　Polly　timidly；　but　drawing　her
little　flock　closer　to　her　with　a　small　protecting　arm；　〃but　could
youwould　youpleasetell　uswhat　time　it　is？〃

〃We　are　approaching　the　middle　of　Next　Week；〃　said　the　leader
gravely；　〃but　what　of　that？　　Time　is　made　for　slaves！　　The　Red
Rover　seeks