III
THE DESPERADOES
Fane Court stands bowered in trees, with a wide stretch of the greenestof green lawns sloping down to the river stairs.
They are quaint old stairs, with a marble rail and carved balusters,worn and crumbling, yet whose decay is half hid by the kindly green oflichens and mosses; stairs indeed for an idle fellow to dream over on ahot summer's afternoon--and they were, moreover, a favourite haunt ofLisbeth. It was here that I had moored my boat, therefore, and now layback, pipe in mouth and with a cushion beneath my head, in thatblissful state between sleeping and waking.
Now, as I lay, from the blue wreaths of my pipe I wove me fair fancies:
And lo! the stairs were no longer deserted; there were fine gentlemen,patched and powdered, in silks and satins, with shoe-buckles thatflashed in the sun; there were dainty ladies in quilted petticoats andflowered gowns, with most wonderful coiffures; and there was Lisbeth,fairer and daintier than them all, and there, too, was I. And beholdhow demurely she courtesied and smiled behind her ivory fan! With whata grace I took a pinch of snuff! With what an air I ogled and bowedwith hand on heart! Then, somehow, it seemed we were alone, she on thetop stair, I on the lower. And standing thus I raised my arms to herwith an appealing gesture. Her eyes looked down into mine, the patchquivered at the corner of her scarlet mouth, and there beside it wasthe dimple. Beneath her petticoat I saw her foot in a little pinksatin shoe come slowly toward me and stop again. I watched scarcebreathing, for it seemed my fate hung in the balance. Would she comedown to Love and me, or--
"Ship ahoy!" cried a voice, and in that moment my dream vanished. Isighed, and looking round, beheld a head peering at me over thebalustrade; a head bound up in a bandanna handkerchief of large patternand vivid colouring.
"Why, Imp!" I exclaimed. But my surprise abated when he emerged intofull view.
About his waist was a broad-buckled belt, which supported a woodencutlass, two or three murderous wooden daggers and a brace of toypistols; while upon his legs were a pair of top-boots many sizes toolarge for him, so that walking required no little care. Yet on thewhole his appearance was decidedly effective. There could be nomistake--he was a bloodthirsty pirate!
The imp is an artist to his grimy finger tips.
"Avast, shipmate!" I cried. "How's the wind?"
"Oh," he exclaimed, failing over his boots with eagerness, "do take mein your boat, an' let's be pirates, will you, Uncle Dick?"
"Well, that depends. Where is your Auntie Lisbeth?"
"Mr. Selwyn is going to row her and Dorothy up the river."
"The deuce he is!"
"Yes, an' they won't take me."
"Why not, my Imp?"
"'Cause they're 'fraid I should upset the boat. So I thought I'd comeask you to be a pirate, you know. I'll lend you my best dagger an' oneof my pistols. Will you, Uncle Dick?"
"Come aboard, shipmate, if you are for Hispaniola, the Tortugas, andthe Spanish Main," said I, whereupon he scrambled in, losing a bootoverboard in his haste, which necessitated much intricate angling withthe boat-hook ere it was recovered.
"They're Peter's, you know," he explained as he emptied out the water.
"I took them out of the harness-room; a pirate must have boots, youknow, but I'm afraid Peter'll swear."
"Not a doubt of it when he sees them," I said as we pushed off.
"I wish," he began, looking round thoughtfully after a minute or so, "Iwish we could get a plank or a yardarm from somewhere."
"What for, my Imp?"
"Why, don't you remember, pirates always had a plank for people to'walk,' you know, an' used to 'swing them up to the yard-arm.'
"You seem to know all about it," I said as I pulled slowly down stream.
"Oh, yes, I read it all in Scarlet Sam, the Scourge of the South Seas.Scarlet Sam was fine. He used to stride up and down the quarterdeckan' flourish his cutlass, an' his eyes would roll, an' he'd foam at themouth, an--"
"Knock everybody into 'the lee scuppers,'" I put in.
"Yes," cried the Imp in a tone of unfeigned surprise. "How did youknow that, Uncle Dick?"
"Once upon a time," I said, as I swung lazily at the sculls, "I was aboy myself, and read a lot about a gentleman named 'Beetle-browed Ben.'I tell you. Imp, he was a terror for foaming and stamping, if youlike, and used to kill three or four people every morning, just to getan appetite for breakfast." The Imp regarded me with round eyes.
"How fine!" he breathed, hugging himself in an ecstasy.
"It was," I nodded: "and then he was a very wonderful man in otherways. You see, he was always getting himself shot through the head, orrun through the body, but it never hurt Beetle-browed Ben--not a bitof it."
"An' did he 'swing people at the yard-arm--with a bitter smile'?"
"Lots of 'em!" I answered.
"An' make them 'walk the plank--with a horrid laugh'?"
"By the hundred!"
"An' 'maroon them on a desolate island--with a low chuckle'?"
"Many a time," I answered; "and generally with chuckle."
"Oh. I should like to read about him!" said the Imp with a deep sigh;"will you lend me your book about him, Uncle Dick?"
I shook my head. "Unfortunately, that, together with many other valuedpossessions, has been ravaged from me by the ruthless maw of Time," Ireplied sadly.
The Imp sat plunged in deep thought, trailing his fingers pensively inthe water.
"And so your Auntie Lisbeth is going for a row with Mr. Selwyn, isshe?" I said.
"Yes, an' I told her she could come an' be a pirate with me if sheliked--but she wouldn't."
"Strange!" I murmured.
"Uncle Dick, do you think Auntie Lisbeth is in love with Mr. Selwyn?"
"What?" I exclaimed, and stopped rowing.
"I mean, do you think Mr. Selwyn is in love with Auntie Lisbeth?"
"My Imp. I'm afraid he is. Why?"
"Cause cook says he is, an' so does Jane, an' they know all about love,you know. I've heard them read it out of a book lots an' lots oftimes. But I think love is awfull' silly, don't you, Uncle Dick?"
"Occasionally I greatly fear so," I sighed.
"You wouldn't go loving anybody, would you, Uncle Dick?"
"Not if I could help it," I answered, shaking my head; "but I do lovesome one, and that's the worst of it."
"Oh!" exclaimed the Imp, but in a tone more of sorrow than anger.
"Don't be too hard on me, Imp," I said; "your turn may come when youare older; you may love somebody one of these days."
The Imp frowned and shook his head. "No," he answered sternly; "when Igrow up big I shall keep ferrets. Ben, the gardener's boy, has onewith the littlest, teeniest pink nose you ever saw."
"Certainly a ferret has its advantages," I mused. "A ferret will notfrown upon one one minute and flash a dimple at one the next. Andthen, again, a ferret cannot be reasonably supposed to possess an aunt.There is something to be said for your idea after all, Imp."
"Why, then, let's be pirates, Uncle Dick," he said with an air offinality. "I think I'll be Scarlet Sam, 'cause I know all about him,an' you can be Timothy Bone, the boatswain."
"Aye, aye, sir," I responded promptly; "only I say, Imp, don't rollyour eyes so frightfully or you may roll yourself overboard."
Scorning reply, he drew his cutlass, and setting it between his teethin most approved pirate fashion, sat, pistol in hand, frowningterrifically at creation in general.
"Starboard your helm--starboard!" he cried, removing his weapon for thepurpose.
"Starboard it is!" I answered.
"Clear away for action!" growled the Imp. "Double-shot the cannonades,and bo'sun, pipe all hands to quarters."
Whereupon I executed a lively imitation of a boatswain's whistle. Mostchildren are blessed with imagination, but the Imp in this respect isgifted beyond his years. For him there is no such thing as "pretence";he has but to close his eyes a moment to open them upon a new and ave
ry real world of his own--the golden world of Romance, wherein so fewof us are privileged to walk in these cold days of common-sense. Andyet it is a very fair world peopled with giants and fairies; wherecastles lift their grim, embattled towers; where magic woods andforests cast their shade, full of strange beasts; where knights rideforth with lance in rest and their armour shining in the sun. Andright well we know them. There is Roland, Sir William Wallace, andHereward the Wake; Ivanhoe, the Black Knight, and bold Robin Hood.There is Amyas Leigh, old Salvation Yeo, and that lovely rascal LongJohn Silver. And there, too, is King Arthur, with his Knights of theRound Table--but the throng is very great, and who could name them all?
So the Imp and I sailed away into this wonderful world of romanceaboard our gallant vessel, which, like any other pirate ship that everexisted--in books or out of them--"luffed, and filling upon anothertack, stood away in pursuit of the Spanish treasure galleon in theoffing."
What pen could justly describe the fight which followed--how gunsroared and pistols flashed, while the air was full of shouts and criesand the thundering din of battle; how Scarlet Sam foamed and stampedand flourished his cutlass; how Timothy Bone piped his whistle as abo'sun should? We had already sunk five great galleons and were hardat work with a sixth, which was evidently in a bad way, when ScarletSam ceased foaming and pointed over my shoulder with his dripping blade.
"Sail ho!" he cried.
"Where away?" I called back.
"Three points on the weather bow." As he spoke came the sound of oars,and turning my head, I saw a skiff approaching, sculled by a man inirreproachable flannels and straw hat.
"Why, it's--it's him!" cried the Imp suddenly. "Heave to, there!" hebellowed in the voice of Scarlet Sam. "Heave to, or I'll sink you witha 'murderous broadside!'" Almost with the words, and before I couldprevent him, he gave a sharp tug to the rudder lines; there was anangry exclamation behind me, a shock, a splintering of wood, and Ifound myself face to face with Mr. Selwyn, flushed and hatless.
"Damn!" said Mr. Selwyn, and proceeded to fish for his hat with theshaft of his broken oar.
The Imp sat for a moment half frightened at his handiwork, then rose tohis feet, cutlass in hand, but I punted him gently back into his seatwith my foot.
"Really," I began, "I'm awfully sorry, you know--er--"
"May I inquire," said Mr. Selwyn cuttingly, as he surveyed his drippinghat--"may I inquire how it all happened?"
"A most deplorable accident, I assure you. If I can tow you back Ishall be delighted, and as for the damage--"
"The damage is trifling, thanks," he returned icily; "it is the delaythat I find annoying."
"You have my very humblest apologies," I said meekly. "If I can be ofany service--" Mr. Selwyn stopped me with a wave of his hand.
"Thank you, I think I can manage," he said; "but I should rather liketo know how it happened. You are unused to rowing, I presume?"
"Sir," I answered, "it was chiefly owing to the hot-headedness ofScarlet Sam, the Scourge of the South Seas."
"I beg your pardon?" said Mr. Selwyn with raised brows.
"Sir," I went on, "at this moment you probably believe yourself to beMr. Selwyn of Selwyn Park. Allow me to dispel that illusion; you are,on the contrary, Don Pedro Vasquez da Silva, commanding the Esmeraldagalleasse, bound out of Santa Crux. In us you behold Scarlet Sam andTimothy Bone, of the good ship Black Death, with the 'skull andcross-bones' fluttering at our peak. If you don't see it, that is notour fault."
Mr. Selwyn stared at me in wide-eyed astonishment, then shrugging hisshoulders, turned his back upon me and paddled away as best he might."Well, Imp," I said, "you've done it this time!"
"'Fraid I have," he returned; "but oh! wasn't it grand--and all thatabout Don Pedro an' the treasure galleon! I do wish I knew as much asyou do, Uncle Dick. I'd be a real pirate then."
"Heaven forfend!" I exclaimed. So I presently turned and rowed backupstream, not a little perturbed in my mind as to the outcome of theadventure.
"Not a word, mind!" I cautioned as I caught sight of a certain daintyfigure watching our approach from the shade of her parasol. The Impnodded, sighed, and sheathed his cutlass.
"Well!" said Lisbeth as we glided up to the water-stairs; "I wonderwhat mischief you have been after together?"
"We have been floating upon a river of dreams," I answered, rising andlifting my hat; "we have likewise discoursed of many things. In thewords of the immortal Carroll:
"'Of shoes, and ships, and sealing wax, and cabbages, and--'"
"Pirates!" burst out the Imp.
"This dream river of ours," I went on, quelling him with a glance, "hascarried us to you, which is very right and proper. Dream rivers alwaysshould, more especially when you sit ''Mid sunshine throned, and allalone.'"
"But I'm not all alone, Dick."
"No; I'm here," said a voice, and Dorothy appeared with her small andfluffy kitten under her arm as usual. "We are waiting for Mr. Selwyn,you know. We've waited, oh! a long, long time, but he hasn't come, andAuntie says he's a beast, and--"
"Dorothy!" exclaimed Lisbeth, frowning.
"Yes, you did, Auntie," sad Dorothy, nodding her head. "I heard youwhen Louise ran up a tree and I had to coax her back; and I have aclean frock on, too, and Louise will be oh so disappointed!" Here shekissed the fluffy kitten on the nose. "So he is a beast; don't youthink so, Uncle Dick?"
"Such delay is highly reprehensible," I nodded.
"I'm glad you've come, Uncle Dick, and so is Auntie. She was hoping--"
"That will do, Dorothy!" Lisbeth interrupted.
"I wonder what she was hoping?" I sighed.
"If you say another word, Dorothy, I won't tell you any more about theFairy Prince," said Lisbeth.
"Why, then," I continued, seeing the threat had the desired effect,"since Mr. Selwyn hasn't turned up, perhaps you would care to--"
"Be a pirate?" put in the Imp. "To come for a row with us?" Icorrected.
"Aboard the good ship Black Death," he went on, "'with the skull an'cross-bones at our peak."
"Thanks," said Lisbeth, "but really, I don't think I should. What ahorrible name!"
"What's in a name? a boat by any other--" I misquoted. "If you like,we'll call it the Joyful Hope, bound for the Land of Heart's Delight."
Lisbeth shook her head, but I fancied the dimple peeped at me for amoment.
"It would be a pity to disappoint Louise," I said, reaching up tostroke the fluffy kitten.
"Yes," cried Dorothy, "do let's go, Auntie."
"For the sake of Louise," I urged, and held out my arms to her. Lisbethwas standing on the top stair and I on the lower, in exactly the sameattitudes as I had beheld in my vision. I saw her foot come slowlytoward me and stop again; her red lips quivered into a smile, and lo,there was the dimple! Dorothy saw it, too--children are wonderfullyquick in such matters--and next moment was ensconced in the boat,Louise in her lap, and there was nothing left for Lisbeth but to follow.
The Imp went forward to keep a "lookout," and finding a length offishing line, announced his intention of "heaving the lead."
I have upon several occasions ridden with Lisbeth--she is a goodhorsewoman--frequently danced with her, but never before had I beenwith her in a boat. The novelty of it was therefore decidedlypleasing, the more so as she sat so close that by furtively reachingout a foot I could just touch the hem of her dress.
"Uncle Dick," said Dorothy, looking up at me with her big grey eyes,"where is the Land of Heart's Delight?"
"It lies beyond the River of Dreams," I answered.
"Is it far away?"
"I afraid it is, Dorothy."
"Oh!--and hard to get to?"
"Yes though it depends altogether upon who is at the helm."
Lisbeth very slowly began to tie a knot in the rudder-line.
"Well, Auntie's steering now. Could she get us there?"
"Yes, she could get us there, if she would."
"Oh!" cried Dorothy,
"do--do steer for the Land of Heart's Delight,Auntie Lisbeth; it sounds so pretty, and I'm sure Louise would like itever so much."
But Lisbeth only laughed, and tied another knot in the rudder-line.
"The Land of Heart's Delight!" repeated Dorothy. "It sounds ratherlike Auntie's tale of the Fairy Prince. His name was Trueheart."
"And what was Prince Trueheart like?" I inquired.
"Fine!" broke in the Imp. "He used to fight dragons, you know."
"And he lived in a palace of crystal," continued Dorothy, "and he wasso good and kind that the birds used to make friends with him!"
"An' he wore gold armour, an' a big feather in his helmet!"supplemented the Imp.
"And of course he loved the beautiful princess," I ended.
"Yes," nodded Dorothy; "but how did you know there was a beautifulprincess?"
"Uncle Dick knows everything, of course," returned the Impsententiously.
"Do you think the beautiful princess loved the prince, Dorothy?" Iasked, glancing at Lisbeth's averted face.
"Well," answered Dorothy, pursing her mouth thoughtfully, "I don'tknow, Uncle Dick; you see, Auntie hasn't got to that yet, but everybodyloves somebody sometime, you know. Betty--she's our cook, youknow--Betty says all nice tales end up in marrying and living happyever after."
"Not a doubt of it," said I, resting on my oars. "What do you think,Lisbeth?" She leaned back and regarded me demurely beneath her longlashes for a moment.
"I think," she answered, "that it would be much nicer if you would goon rowing."
"One more question," I said. "Tell me, has this Prince Trueheart got amoustache?"
"Like Mr. Selwyn?" cried the Imp; "should think not. The prince was afine chap, an' used to kill dragons, you know."
"Ah! I'm glad of that," I murmured, passing my fingers across myshaven upper lip; "very glad indeed." Lisbeth laughed, but I saw hercolour deepen and she looked away.
"Oh, it must be lovely to kill a dragon!" sighed the Imp.
Now, as he spoke, chancing to look round, I saw in the distance a manin a boat, who rowed most lustily--and the man wore a Panama.
Hereupon, taking a fresh grip upon my long sculls, I began to row--torow, indeed, as I had not done for many a year, with a long, steadystroke that made the skiff fairly leap. Who does not know that feelingof exhilaration as the blades grip the water and the gentle lapping atthe bow swells into a gurgling song?
The memorable time when I had "stroked" Cambridge to victory wasnothing to this. Then it was but empty glory that hung in the balance,while now I settled my feet more firmly, and lengthening my stroke,pulled with a will. Lisbeth sat up, and I saw her fingers tighten uponthe rudder-lines.
"You asked me to row, you know," I said in response to her look.
"Yo ho!" roared Scarlet Sam in the gruffest of nautical tones. "By thedeep nine, an' the wind's a-lee, so heave, my mariners all--O!"
At first we began to gain considerably upon our pursuer, but presentlyI saw him turn his head, saw the Panama tossed aside as Mr. Selwynsettled down to real business--and the struggle began.
Very soon, probably owing to the fixedness of my gaze, or myunremitting exertion, or both, Lisbeth seemed to become aware of thesituation, and turned to look over her shoulder. I set my teeth as Iwaited to meet her indignant look, for I had determined to continue thestruggle, come what might. But when at last she did confront me hereyes were shining, her cheeks were flushed and there actually was--thedimple.
"Sit still, children," she said, and that was all; but for one momenther eyes looked into mine.
The old river has witnessed many a hard-fought race in its time, butnever was there one more hotly contested than this. Never was the songof the water more pleasant to my ear, never was the spring and bend ofthe long sculls more grateful, as the banks swept by faster and faster.No pirate straining every inch of canvas to escape well-meritedcapture, no smuggler fleeing for some sheltered cove, with the revenuecutter close astern, ever experienced a keener excitement than did we.
The Imp was in a perfect ecstasy of delight; even Dorothy forgot herbeloved Louise for the time, while Lisbeth leaner toward me, thetiller-lines over her shoulders, her lips parted and a light in hereyes I had never seen there before. And yet Selwyn hung fast in ourrear. If he was deficient in a sense of humour, he could certainly row.
"He was an Oxford Blue," said Lisbeth, speaking almost in a whisper,"and he has an empty boat!"
I longed to kiss the point of her little tan shoe or the hem of herdress for those impulsive words, and tried to tell her so with myeyes--breath was too precious just then. Whether she understood or notI won't be sure, but I fancy she did from the way her lashes drooped.
"Oh, my eyes!" bellowed Scarlet Sam; "keep her to it, quartermaster,an' take a turn at the mizzen-shrouds!"
When I again glanced at our pursuer I saw that he was gaining. Yes,there could be no mistake; slowly but surely, try as I would, thedistance between us lessened and lessened, until he was so near that Icould discern the very parting of his back hair. So, perforce, bowingto the inevitable, I ceased my exertions, contenting myself with along, easy stroke. Thus by the time he was alongside I had in somemeasure recovered my breath.
"Miss--Eliz--beth," he panted, very hot of face and moist of brow,"must beg--the--favour--of few words with you."
"With pleasure, Mr. Selwyn," answered Lisbeth, radiant with smiles; "asmany as you wish." Forthwith Mr. Selwyn panted out his indictmentagainst the desperadoes of the Black Death, while the Imp glancedapprehensively from him to Lisbeth and stole his hand furtively intomine.
"I should not have troubled you with this, Miss Elizabeth," Selwynended, "but that I would not have you think me neglectful of anappointment, especially with you."
"Indeed, Mr. Selwyn, I am very grateful to you for opening my eyes tosuch a--a--"
"Very deplorable accident," I put in.
"I--I was perfectly certain," she continued, without so much asglancing in my direction, "that you would never have kept me waitingwithout sufficient reason. And now, Mr. Brent, if you will be soobliging as to take us to the bank, Mr. Selwyn shall row us back--if hewill."
"Delighted!" he murmured.
"I ordered tea served in the orchard at five o'clock," smiled Lizbeth,"and it is only jest four, so--"
"Which bank would you prefer," I inquired--"The right or the left?"
"The nearest," said Lisbeth.
"Which should you think was the nearest, Mr. Selwyn?" I queried.Disdaining any reply, Selwyn ran his skiff ashore, and I obedientlyfollowed. Without waiting for my assistance, Lisbeth deftly made theexchange from one boat to the other, followed more slowly by Dorothy.
"Come, Reginald," she said, as Selwyn made ready to push off; "we'rewaiting for you!" The Imp squatted closer to me.
"Reginald Augustus!" said Lisbeth. The Imp shuffled uneasily. "Areyou coming?" inquired Lisbeth.
"I--I'd rather be a pirate with Uncle Dick, please, Auntie Lisbeth," hesaid at last.
"Very well," nodded Lisbeth with an air of finality; "then of course Imust punish you." But her tone was strangely gentle, and as she turnedaway I'll swear I saw the ghost of that dimple--yes, I'll swear it. Sowe sat very lonely and dejected, the Imp and I, desperadoes though wewere, as we watched Selwyn's boat grow smaller and smaller until it waslost round a bend in the river.
"'Spect I shall get sent to bed for this," said the Imp after a longpause.
"I think it more than probable, my Imp."
"But then, it was a very fine race--oh, beautiful!" he sighed; "an' Icouldn't desert my ship an' Timothy Bone, an' leave you here all byyour self--now could I, Uncle Dick?"
"Of course not, Imp."
"What are you thinking about, Uncle Dick?" he inquired as I stared,chin in hand, at nothing in particular.
"I was wondering, Imp, where the River of Dreams was going to lead me,after all."
"To the Land of Heart's Delight, of course," he answered promptly;
"yousaid so, you know, an' you never tell lies, Uncle Dick--never."