That it may have often
given a sanguinary tone to their fancies I have every reason to believe.
It was on this ridge that the three children gathered at ten o'clock
that morning. An earlier flight had been impossible on account of Wan
Lee being obliged to perform his regular duty of blacking the shoes
of Polly and Hickory before breakfast,--a menial act which in the pure
republic of childhood was never thought inconsistent with the loftiest
piratical ambition. On the ridge they met one "Patsey," the son of a
neighbor, sun-burned, broad-brimmed hatted, red-handed, like themselves.
As there were afterwards some doubts expressed whether he joined the
Pirates of his own free will, or was captured by them, I endeavor to
give the colloquy exactly as it occurred:--
Patsey: "Hallo, fellers."
The Pirates: "Hello!"
Patsey: "Goin' to hunt bars? Dad seed a lot o' tracks at sun-up."
The Pirates (hesitating): "No--o--"
Patsey: "I am; know where I kin get a six-shooter?"
The Pirates (almost ready to abandon piracy for bear-hunting, but
preserving their dignity): "Can't! We've runn'd away for real pirates."
Patsey: "Not for good!"
The Queen (interposing with sad dignity and real tears in her round
blue eyes): "Yes!" (slowly and shaking her head).
Pages:
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25