drift from two shores(漂流)-第22章
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on the second day out； to enable Miss Sniffen to procure that delicacy at
the nearest confectioner's； and match some zephyr worsteds at the first
fancy shop。 Fatal mistake。 She wentshe never returned！〃 In a
moment he resumed in a choking voice； 〃After a week's weary waiting； I
was obliged to put to sea again； bearing a broken heart and the broken
bank of her father。 I have never seen her since。〃
〃And you still love her？〃 asked the Amazon queen； excitedly。
〃Aye； forever！〃
〃Noble youth。 Here take the reward of thy fidelity； for know；
Bromley Chitterlings； that I am Eliza Jane。 Wearied with waiting； I
embarked on a Peruvian guano shipbut it's a long story； dear。〃
〃And altogether too thin；〃 said the Boy Avenger； fiercely； releasing
himself from her encircling arms。 〃Eliza Jane's age； a year ago； was only
thirteen； and you are forty； if a day。〃
〃True；〃 she returned； sadly； 〃but I have suffered much； and time passes
rapidly； and I've grown。 You would scarcely believe that this is my own
hair。〃
〃I know not；〃 he replied； in gloomy abstraction。
〃Forgive my deceit；〃 she returned。 〃If you are affianced to another；
let me at least bea mother to you。〃
The Pirate Prodigy started； and tears came to his eyes。 The scene was
affecting in the extreme。 Several of the oldest seamenmen who had
gone through scenes of suffering with tearless eyes and unblanched
cheeksnow retired to the spirit…room to conceal their emotion。 A few
went into caucus in the forecastle； and returned with the request that the
Amazonian queen should hereafter be known as the 〃Queen of the Pirates'
Isle。〃
〃Mother！〃 gasped the Pirate Prodigy。
〃My son！〃 screamed the Amazonian queen。
They embraced。 At the same moment a loud flop was heard on the
quarter…deck。 It was the forgotten mermaid； who； emerging from her
state…room and ascending the companion…way at that moment； had fainted
at the spectacle。 The Pirate Prodigy rushed to her side with a bottle of
smelling…salts。
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She recovered slowly。 〃Permit me；〃 she said； rising with dignity； 〃to
leave the ship。 I am unaccustomed to such conduct。〃
〃Hear meshe is my mother！〃
〃She certainly is old enough to be；〃 replied the mermaid； 〃and to speak
of that being her own hair！〃 she added with a scornful laugh； as she
rearranged her own luxuriant tresses with characteristic grace； a comb； and
a small hand…mirror。
〃If I couldn't afford any other clothes； I might wear a switch； too！〃
hissed the Amazonian queen。 〃I suppose you don't dye it on account of
the salt water。 But perhaps you prefer green； dear？〃
〃A little salt water might improve your own complexion； love。〃
〃Fishwoman！〃 screamed the Amazonian queen。
〃Bloomerite！〃 shrieked the mermaid。
In another instant they had seized each other。
〃Mutiny！ Overboard with them！〃 cried the Pirate Prodigy； rising to
the occasion； and casting aside all human affection in the peril of the
moment。
A plank was brought and two women placed upon it。
〃After you； dear；〃 said the mermaid； significantly； to the Amazonian
queen； 〃you're the oldest。〃
〃Thank you！〃 said the Amazonian queen； stepping back。 〃Fish is
always served first。〃
Stung by the insult； with a wild scream of rage； the mermaid grappled
her in her arms and leaped into the sea。
As the waters closed over them forever； the Pirate Prodigy sprang to
his feet。 〃Up with the black flag； and bear away for New London；〃 he
shouted in trumpet…like tones。 〃Ha； ha！ Once more the Rover is free！〃
Indeed it was too true。 In that fatal moment he had again loosed
himself from the trammels of human feeling； and was once more the Boy
Avenger。
CHAPTER III
Again I must ask my young friends to mount my hippogriff and hie
with me to the almost inaccessible heights of the Rocky Mountains。 There；
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for years； a band of wild and untamable savages； known as the 〃Pigeon
Feet；〃 had resisted the blankets and Bibles of civilization。 For years the
trails leading to their camp were marked by the bones of teamsters and
broken wagons； and the trees were decked with the drying scalp locks of
women and children。 The boldest of military leaders hesitated to attack
them in their fortresses； and prudently left the scalping knives； rifles；
powder； and shot； provided by a paternal government for their welfare；
lying on the ground a few miles from their encampment； with the request
that they were not to be used until the military had safely retired。
Hitherto； save an occasional incursion into the territory of the 〃Knock…
knees；〃 a rival tribe； they had limited their depredations to the vicinity。
But lately a baleful change had come over them。 Acting under some
evil influence； they now pushed their warfare into the white settlements；
carrying fire and destruction with them。 Again and again had the
government offered them a free pass to Washington and the privilege of
being photographed； but under the same evil guidance they refused。
There was a singular mystery in their mode of aggression。 School…
houses were always burned； the schoolmasters taken into captivity； and
never again heard from。 A palace car on the Union Pacific Railway；
containing an excursion party of teachers en route to San Francisco； was
surrounded； its inmates captured； andtheir vacancies in the school
catalogue never again filled。 Even a Board of Educational Examiners；
proceeding to Cheyenne； were taken prisoners； and obliged to answer
questions they themselves had proposed； amidst horrible tortures。 By
degrees these atrocities were traced to the malign influence of a new chief
of the tribe。 As yet little was known of him but through his baleful
appellations； 〃Young Man who Goes for his Teacher；〃 and 〃He Lifts the
Hair of the School Marm。〃 He was said to be small and exceedingly
youthful in appearance。 Indeed； his earlier appellative； 〃He Wipes his
Nose on his Sleeve；〃 was said to have been given to him to indicate his
still boy…like habits。
It was night in the encampment and among the lodges of the 〃Pigeon
Toes。〃 Dusky maidens flitted in and out among the camp…fires like
brown moths； cooking the toothsome buffalo hump； frying the fragrant
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bear's meat； and stewing the esculent bean for the braves。 For a few
favored ones spitted grasshoppers were reserved as a rare delicacy；
although the proud Spartan soul of their chief scorned all such luxuries。
He was seated alone in his wigwam； attended only by the gentle
Mushymush； fairest of the 〃Pigeon Feet〃 maidens。 Nowhere were the
characteristics of her great tribe more plainly shown than in the little feet
that lapped over each other in walking。 A single glance at the chief was
sufficient to show the truth of the wild rumors respecting his youth。 He
was scarcely twelve； of proud and lofty bearing； and clad completely in
wrappings of various…colored scalloped cloths； which gave him the
appearance of a somewhat extra…sized pen…wiper。 An enormous eagle's
feather； torn from the wing of a bald eagle who once attempted to carry
him away； completed his attire。 It was also the memento of one of his
most superhuman feats of courage。 He would undoubtedly have scalped
the eagle but that nature had anticipated him。
〃Why is the Great Chief sad？〃 asked Mushymush； softly。 〃Does his
soul still yearn for the blood of the pale…faced teachers？ Did not the
scalping of two professors of geology in the Yale exploring party satisfy
his warrior's heart yesterday？ Has he forgotten that Hayden and Clarence
King are still to follow？ Shall his own Mushymush bring him a botanist
to…morrow？ Speak； for the silence of my brother lies on my heart like the
snow on the mountain； and checks the flow of my speech。〃
Still the proud Boy Chief sat silent。 Suddenly he said： 〃Hist！〃 and
rose to his feet。 Taking a long rifle from the ground he adjusted its sight。
Exactly seven miles away on the slope of the mountain the figure of a man
was seen walking。 The Boy Chief raised the rifle to his unerring eye and
fired。 The man fell。
A scout was dispatched to scalp and search the body。 He presently
returned。
〃Who was the pale face？〃 eagerly asked the chief。
〃A life insurance agent。〃
A dark scowl settled on the face of the chief。
〃I thought it was a book…peddler。〃
〃Why is my brother's heart sore against the book…peddler？〃 asked
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Mushymush。
〃Because；〃 said the Boy Chief； fiercely； 〃I am again without my
regular dime novel； and I thought he might have one in his pack。 Hear me；
Mushymush； the United States mails no longer bring me my 'Young
America；' or my 'Boys' and Girls' Weekly。' I find it impossible； even with
