the queen of the pirate isle-第4节

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gravely；　〃but　what　of　that？　　Time　is　made　for　slaves！　　The　Red
Rover　seeks　it　not！　　Why　should　the　Queen？〃

〃I　think　we　must　be　going；〃　hesitated　Polly；　yet　by　no　means
displeased　with　the　recognition　of　her　rank。

〃Not　until　we　have　paid　homage　to　Your　Majesty；〃　returned　the
leader。　　〃What　ho！　there！　　Let　Brother　Step…and…Fetch…It　pass　the
Queen　around　that　we　may　do　her　honor。〃　　Observing　that　Polly
shrank　slightly　back；　he　added：　〃Fear　nothing；　the　man　who　hurts　a
hair　of　Her　Majesty's　head　dies　by　this　hand。　　Ah！　ha！〃

The　others　all　said　ha！　ha！　and　danced　alternately　on　one　leg　and
then　on　the　other；　but　always　with　the　same　dark　resemblance　to
Christy　Minstrels。　　Brother　Step…and…Fetch…It；　whose　very　long
beard　had　a　confusing　suggestion　of　being　a　part　of　the　leader's
buffalo　robe；　lifted　her　gently　in　his　arms　and　carried　her　to　the
Red　Rovers　in　turn。　　Each　one　bestowed　a　kiss　upon　her　cheek　or
forehead；　and　would　have　taken　her　in　his　arms；　or　on　his　knees；　or
otherwise　lingered　over　his　salute；　but　they　were　sternly
restrained　by　their　leader。　　When　the　solemn　rite　was　concluded；
Step…and…Fetch…It　paid　his　own　courtesy　with　an　extra　squeeze　of
the　curly　head；　and　deposited　her　again　in　the　truck；　a　little
frightened；　a　little　astonished；　but　with　a　considerable　accession
to　her　dignity。　　Hickory　and　Patsey　looked　on　with　stupefied
amazement。　　Wan　Lee　alone　remained　stolid　and　unimpressed；
regarding　the　scene　with　calm　and　triangular　eyes。

〃Will　Your　Majesty　see　the　Red　Rovers　dance？〃

〃No；　if　you　please；〃　said　Polly；　with　gentle　seriousness。

〃Will　Your　Majesty　fire　this　barrel　of　gunpowder；　or　tap　this
breaker　of　grog？〃

〃No；　I　thank　you。〃

〃Is　there　no　command　Your　Majesty　would　lay　upon　us？〃

〃No；　please；〃　said　Polly；　in　a　failing　voice。

〃Is　there　anything　Your　Majesty　has　lost？　　Think　again！　　Will　Your
Majesty　deign　to　cast　your　royal　eyes　on　this？〃

He　drew　from　under　his　buffalo　robe　what　seemed　like　a　long　tress
of　blond　hair；　and　held　it　aloft。　　Polly　instantly　recognized　the
missing　scalp　of　her　hapless　doll。

〃If　you　please；　sir；　it's　Lady　Mary's。　　She's　lost　it。〃

〃And　lost　itYour　Majestyonly　to　find　something　more　precious。
Would　Your　Majesty　hear　the　story？〃

A　little　alarmed；　a　little　curious；　a　little　self…anxious；　and　a
little　induced　by　the　nudges　and　pinches　of　her　companions；　the
Queen　blushingly　signified　her　royal　assent。

〃Enough。　　Bring　refreshments。　　Will　Your　Majesty　prefer　wintergreen；
peppermint；　rose；　or　acidulated　drops？　　Red　or　white？　　Or　perhaps
Your　Majesty　will　let　me　recommend　these　bull's…eyes；〃　said　the
leader；　as　a　collection　of　sweets　in　a　hat　were　suddenly　produced
from　the　barrel　labeled　〃Gunpowder〃　and　handed　to　the　children。

〃Listen；〃　he　continued；　in　a　silence　broken　only　by　the　gentle
sucking　of　bull's…eyes。　　〃Many　years　ago　the　old　Red　Rovers　of
these　parts　locked　up　all　their　treasures　in　a　secret　cavern　in
this　mountain。　　They　used　spells　and　magic　to　keep　it　from　being
entered　or　found　by　anybody；　for　there　was　a　certain　mark　upon　it
made　by　a　peculiar　rock　that　stuck　out　of　it；　which　signified　what
there　was　below。　　Long　afterwards；　other　Red　Rovers　who　had　heard
of　it　came　here　and　spent　days　and　days　trying　to　discover　it；
digging　holes　and　blasting　tunnels　like　this；　but　of　no　use！
Sometimes　they　thought　they　discovered　the　magic　marks　in　the
peculiar　rock　that　stuck　out　of　it；　but　when　they　dug　there　they
found　no　treasure。　　And　why？　　Because　there　was　a　magic　spell　upon
it。　　And　what　was　that　magic　spell？　　Why；　this！　　It　could　only　be
discovered　by　a　person　who　could　not　possibly　know　that　he　or　she
had　discovered　it；　who　never　could　or　would　be　able　to　enjoy　it；
who　could　never　see　it；　never　feel　it；　never；　in　fact；　know
anything　at　all　about　it！　　It　wasn't　a　dead　man；　it　wasn't　an
animal；　it　wasn't　a　baby！〃

〃Why；〃　said　Polly；　jumping　up　and　clapping　her　hands；　〃it　was　a
Dolly。〃

〃Your　Majesty's　head　is　level！　　Your　Majesty　has　guessed　it！〃　said
the　leader；　gravely。　　〃It　was　Your　Majesty's　own　dolly；　Lady　Mary；
who　broke　the　spell！　　When　Your　Majesty　came　down　the　slide；　the
doll　fell　from　your　gracious　hand　when　your　foot　slipped。　　Your
Majesty　recovered　Lady　Mary；　but　did　not　observe　that　her　hair　had
caught　in　a　peculiar　rock；　called　the　'Outcrop；'　and　remained
behind！　　When；　later　on；　while　sitting　with　your　attendants　at　the
mouth　of　the　tunnel；　Your　Majesty　discovered　that　Lady　Mary's　hair
was　gone；　I　overheard　Your　Majesty；　and　dispatched　the　trusty　Step…
and…Fetch…It　to　seek　it　at　the　mountain　side。　　He　did　so；　and　found
it　clinging　to　the　rock；　and　beneath　itthe　entrance　to　the　Secret
Cave！〃

Patsey　and　Hickory；　who；　failing　to　understand　a　word　of　this
explanation；　had　given　themselves　up　to　the　unconstrained　enjoyment
of　the　sweets；　began　now　to　apprehend　that　some　change　was
impending；　and　prepared　for　the　worst　by　hastily　swallowing　what
they　had　in　their　mouths；　thus　defying　enchantment；　and　getting
ready　for　speech。　　Polly；　who　had　closely　followed　the　story；
albeit　with　the　embellishments　of　her　own　imagination；　made　her
eyes　rounder　than　ever。　　A　bland　smile　broke　on　Wan　Lee's　face；　as
to　the　children's　amazement；　he　quietly　disengaged　himself　from　the
group　and　stepped　before　the　leader。

〃Melican　man　plenty　foolee　Melican　chillern。　　No　foolee　China　boy！
China　boy　knowee　you。　　YOU　no　Led　Lofer。　　YOU　no　Pilatyou　allee
same　tunnel…manyou　Bob　Johnson！　　Me　shabbee　you！　　You　dressee　up
allee　same　as　Led　Loferbut　you　Bob　Johnsonallee　same。　　My　fader
washee　washee　for　you。　　You　no　payee　him。　　You　owee　him　folty
dolla！　　Me　blingee　you　billee。　　You　no　payee　billee！　　You　say；
'Chalkee　up；　John。'　　You　say；　'Bimeby；　John。'　　But　me　no　catchee
folty　dolla！〃

A　roar　of　laughter　followed；　in　which　even　the　leader　apparently
forgot　himself　enough　to　join。　　But　the　next　moment　springing　to
his　feet　he　shouted；　〃Ho！　ho！　　A　traitor！　　Away　with　him　to　the
deepest　dungeon　beneath　the　castle　moat！〃

Hickory　and　Patsey　began　to　whimper；　but　Polly；　albeit　with　a
tremulous　lip；　stepped　to　the　side　of　her　little　Pagan　friend。
〃Don't　you　dare　touch　him；〃　she　said　with　a　shake　of　unexpected
determination　in　her　little　curly　head；　〃if　you　do；　I'll　tell　my
father；　and　he　will　slay　you！　　All　of　youthere！〃

〃Your　father！　　Then　you　are　NOT　the　Queen！〃

It　was　a　sore　struggle　to　Polly　to　abdicate　her　royal　position；　it
was　harder　to　do　it　with　befitting　dignity。　　To　evade　the　direct
question　she　was　obliged　to　abandon　her　defiant　attitude。　　〃If　you
please；　sir；〃　she　said　hurriedly；　with　an　increasing　color　and　no
stops；　〃we're　not　always　Pirates；　you　know；　and　Wan　Lee　is　only　our
boy　what　brushes　my　shoes　in　the　morning；　and　runs　of　errands；　and
he　doesn't　mean　anything　bad；　sir；　and　we'd　like　to　take　him　back
home　with　us。〃

〃Enough；〃　said　the　leader；　changing　his　entire　manner　with　the　most
sudden　and　shameless　inconsistency。　　〃You　shall　go　back　together；
and　woe　betide　the　miscreant　who　would　prevent　it！　　What　say　you；
brothers？　　What　shall　be　his　fate　who　dares　to　separate　our　noble
Queen　from　her　faithful　Chinese　henchman？〃

〃He　shall　die！〃　roared　the　others；　with　beaming　cheerfulness。

〃And　what　say　youshall　we　see　them　home？〃

〃We　will！〃　roared　the　others。

Before　the　children　could　fairly　comprehend　what　had　passed；　they
were　again　lifted　into　the　truck　and　began　to　glide　back　into　the
tunnel　they　had　just　quitted。　　But　not　again　in　darkness　and
silence；　the　entire　band　of　Red　rovers　accompanied　them；
illuminating　the　dark　passage　with　the　candles　they　had　snatched
from　the　walls。　　In　a　few　moments　they　were　at　the　entrance　again。
The　great　world　lay　beyond　them　once　more　with　rocks　and　valleys
suffused　by　the　rosy　light　of　the　setting　sun。　　The　past　seemed
like　a　dream。

But　were　they　really　awake　now？　　They　could　not　tell。　　They
accepted　everything　with　the　confidence　and　credulity　of　all
children　who　have　no　experience　to　compare　with　their　first
impressions　and　to　whom　the　future　contains　nothing　impossible。　　It
was　without　surprise；　therefore；　that　they　felt　themselves　lifted
on　the　shoulders　of　the　men　who　were　making　quite　a　procession
along　the　steep　trail　towards　the　settlement　again。　　Polly　noticed
that　at　the　mouth　of　the　other　tunnels　they　were　greeted　by　men　as
if　they　were　carrying　tidings　of　great　joy；　that　they　stopped　to
rejoice　together；　and　that　in　some　mysterious　manner　their
conductors　had　got　their　faces　washed；　and　had　become　more　like
beings　of　the　outer　world。　　When　they　neared　the　settlement　the
excitement　seemed　to　have　become　greater；　people　rushed　out　to
shake　hands　with　the　men　who　were　carrying　them；　and　overpowered
even　the　children　with　questions　they　could　not　understand。　　Only
one　sentence　Polly　could　clearly　remember　as　being　the　burden　of
all　congratulations。　　〃Struck　the　old　lead　at　last！〃　　With　a　faint
consciousness　that　she　knew　something　about　it；　she　tried　to　assume
a　dignified　attitude　on　the　leader's　shoulders；　even　while　she　was
beginning　to　be　heavy　with　sleep。

And　then　she　remembered　a　crowd　near　her　father's　house；　out　of
which　her　father　came　smili