the story of a bad boy-第35节

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　he　got　〃aloft〃　he　intended　to　keep　his　〃weather　eye〃　on　them；　and　should　send　〃a　speritual　shot　across　their　bows〃　and　bring　them　to；　if　they　didn't　treat　the　Aged　Mariners　handsomely。

He　also　expressed　a　wish　to　have　his　body　stitched　up　in　a　shotted　hammock　and　dropped　into　the　harbor；　but　as　he　did　not　strenuously　insist　on　this；　and　as　it　was　not　in　accordance　with　my　grandfather's　preconceived　notions　of　Christian　burial；　the　Admiral　was　laid　to　rest　beside　Kitty；　in　the　Old　South　Burying　Ground；　with　an　anchor　that　would　have　delighted　him　neatly　carved　on　his　headstone。

I　am　sorry　the　fire　has　gone　out　in　the　old　ship's　stove　in　that　sky…blue　cottage　at　the　head　of　the　wharf；　I　am　sorry　they　have　taken　down　the　flag…staff　and　painted　over　the　funny　port…holes；　for　I　loved　the　old　cabin　as　it　was。　They　might　have　let　it　alone！

For　several　months　after　leaving　Rivermouth　I　carried　on　a　voluminous　correspondence　with　Pepper　Whitcomb；　but　it　gradually　dwindled　down　to　a　single　letter　a　month；　and　then　to　none　at　all。　But　while　he　remained　at　the　Temple　Grammar　School　he　kept　me　advised　of　the　current　gossip　of　the　town　and　the　doings　of　the　Centipedes。

As　one　by　one　the　boys　left　the　academy…Adams；　Harris；　Marden；　Blake；　and　Langdon…to　seek　their　fortunes　elsewhere；　there　was　less　to　interest　me　in　the　old　seaport；　and　when　Pepper　himself　went　to　Philadelphia　to　read　law；　I　had　no　one　to　give　me　an　inkling　of　what　was　going　on。

There　wasn't　much　to　go　on；　to　be　sure。　Great　events　no　longer　considered　it　worth　their　while　to　honor　so　quiet　a　place。

One　Fourth　of　July　the　Temple　Grammar　School　burnt　down…set　on　fire；　it　was　supposed；　by　an　eccentric　squib　that　was　seen　to　bolt　into　an　upper　window…and　Mr。　Grimshaw　retired　from　public　life；　married；　〃and　lived　happily　ever　after；〃　as　the　story…books　say。

The　Widow　Conway；　I　am　able　to　state；　did　not　succeed　in　enslaving　Mr。　Meeks；　the　apothecary；　who　united　himself　clandestinely　to　one　of　Miss　Dorothy　Gibbs's　young　ladies；　and　lost　the　patronage　of　Primrose　Hall　in　consequence。

Young　Conway　went　into　the　grocery　business　with　his　ancient　chum；　Rodgers…RODGERS　&　CONWAY！　I　read　the　sign　only　last　summer　when　I　was　down　in　Rivermouth；　and　had　half　a　mind　to　pop　into　the　shop　and　shake　hands　with　him；　and　ask　him　if　he　wanted　to　fight。　I　contented　myself；　however；　with　flattening　my　nose　against　his　dingy　shop…window；　and　beheld　Conway；　in　red　whiskers　and　blue　overalls；　weighing　out　sugar　for　a　customer…giving　him　short　weight；　I'll　bet　anything！

I　have　reserved　my　pleasantest　word　for　the　last。　It　is　touching　the　Captain。　The　Captain　is　still　hale　and　rosy；　and　if　he　doesn't　relate　his　exploit　in　the　War　of　1812　as　spiritedly　as　he　used　to；　he　makes　up　by　relating　it　more　frequently　and　telling　it　differently　every　time！　He　passes　his　winters　in　New　York　and　his　summers　in　the　Nutter　House；　which　threatens　to　prove　a　hard　nut　for　the　destructive　gentleman　with　the　scythe　and　the　hour…glass；　for　the　seaward　gable　has　not　yielded　a　clapboard　to　the　eastwind　these　twenty　years。　The　Captain　has　now　become　the　Oldest　Inhabitant　in　Rivermouth；　and　so　I　don't　laugh　at　the　Oldest　Inhabitant　any　more；　but　pray　in　my　heart　that　he　may　occupy　the　post　of　honor　for　half　a　century　to　come！

So　ends　the　Story　of　a　Bad　Boy…but　not　such　a　very　bad　boy；　as　I　told　you　to　begin　with。






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