are the funniest people I ever met, and you truly are. People generally
come to an agreement between themselves before they speak to the
clergyman.'
"'Mr. Twitty,' said the clergyman, 'I strongly advise you to give up
your present notions of immediate matrimony, and wait at least until all
parties agree upon time and place and upon the other circumstances of
this union for which you seem so impatient.'
"'Hello, Sam!' shouted Captain Abner from the water's edge, 'ain't you
comin' along?'
"Sam made no answer to any one. He walked silently down toward the boat.
Everything seemed to be breaking loose from him, and slipping away. His
old friend, who had so long wanted her, and who had prepared his house
for her, and had set out to look for her, had declined to take her when
he saw her; and he, Sam, who had so thoroughly understood the
opportunities which had been spread before the little party that
afternoon, and who knew what would happen if these opportunities were
allowed to slip out of sight, had been set aside by one woman, laughed
at by another, had been advised by a clergyman, and had been scolded by
Captain Abner. His soul resented all this, and he saw that the edge of
the sun was nearly touching the rim of the distant sea. With a great
slap upon his thigh, he sprang to the side of the boat, and turned and
faced the others, all of whom were now approaching him.
"'I am to sail this boat back to Thompsontown,' he cried. 'It's been
agreed I'm to do it, and I'm goin' to do it; but one thing I'll tell
you--the sun can go down, the night can come on, and you can all stay
here till mornin' if you like, but this boat don't leave this island
with me at the helm till I'm a married man!' With this he skipped on
board, sat down in the stern, and clapped his broad hands on the tiller.
"There was a burst of astonishment from the rest of the party as Sam
thus seated himself at bay. Even the girl of the buggy did not laugh.
"'But I must go home,' she cried, 'before it is any later. My friends
will be waiting supper for me.'
"'Don't matter,' said Sam. 'Supper can wait.'
"'Look a' here,' said Captain Abner.
"'I don't want to look a' here,' said Sam. 'I'm a-lookin' a different
way, and it's Mrs. Sickles I'm lookin' at. And you needn't none of you
look cross at me. I'm to steer this boat home, that's settled, and I
don't steer her an inch till I'm a married man.'
"The others gathered together on the beach and gazed with varied
emotions upon the determined figure of Sam as he sat in the stern, his
arm resting upon the tiller and one leg crossed leisurely over the
other, his protruding slipper lighted up by the rays of the setting sun.
"'What is the matter with him?' asked Mr. Rippledean. 'Is he crazy? Does
he really think of forcing us to remain here until he shall be married?
I never heard anything--'
"'So delightfully absurd,' interrupted Miss Denby.
"'There's nothin' crazy about Sam Twitty,' said Captain Abner. 'He's as
sound as a nut, body and soul. But when Sam makes up his mind he sticks
to it. Now sometimes when I make up my mind I don't stick to it. He's a
good man all around, and he's got enough to live on, though he never was
a cap'n; but you couldn't find a better fust mate than him, or a better
sailor, except perhaps somebody what's had a leetle more experience.
Sam made up his mind that we was all comin' out here for a weddin',
everything fallin' together exactly to suit, wind and tide and
everything else. But Sam ain't goin' to force nobody to do nothin'; he
ain't that kind. All he's goin' to do is to stay here till he's
married.'
"The girl of the buggy clapped her hands. 'Oh, that is fine!' she cried.
'It is like lifting you up on a horse and dashing away with you. Oh,
dear Mrs. Sickles, take pity on him and on all of us. If you do not, I
shall have to talk to him myself and see if I--'
"Mrs. Sickles was not inclined to give attention to any such idle words
as these, and she stepped up to Captain Abner.
"'You seem to think very well of Mr. Twitty, sir,' she said.
"'Indeed I do,' he answered. 'There ain't nobody I think more of, on
watch or below, in storm or fine weather, take him as you find him, than
I do of him.'
"Sam Twitty had not heard any of the remarks which had been made on
shore; he had been communing with himself: but now his active mind would
no longer permit him to sit still. Springing to his feet, he stepped
forward and stood up in the bow of the boat, and cast his eye over the
little party in front of him. Then he spoke:
"'Mrs. Sickles, I want to put a p'int to you that's been put to you
afore, but I want to put it a little different. If there was a gilded
idol and a king conch-shell that you knowed of, and you was asked which
of them you would like to have for your own, and you only could have
one--'
"'Oh, dear!' exclaimed Miss Denby, 'here is that delightful gilded idol
and conch-shell again! I wonder what they will do now!'
"The toll-gate woman was paling and flushing, and these changes of
countenance, combined with her becoming summer dress and her straw hat,
made her very attractive to the eye. Without waiting for Sam to finish
his remarks, she spoke:
"'I am very sure, Mr. Twitty, that both the things you mention, from
what I have heard of them, would be very nice and pleasant; but you see,
Mr. Twitty, I don't--'
"Sam suddenly stepped upon the rail, steadying himself by the mast.
'Mrs. Sickles,' he cried, 'I'll put it plainer to you: supposing you
couldn't get the gilded idol?'
"Mrs. Sickles now saw very clearly that there was no more time for
hesitation. She stepped a little forward.
"'In that case,' she said, 'I'd take the conch-shell.'
"With a bound, Sam Twitty sprang from the shore, and the next moment he
had seized the blushing Mrs. Sickles by the hand. For a moment he gazed
proudly around, the sunset light casting a ruddy glow upon his
countenance which made it almost as rosy as that of his companion. Then
he tucked her under his arm and turned toward the minister.
"'Please step this way, Mr. Rippledean,' he said. 'That little bluff
there, with grass on it, is the place I've picked out for the ceremony.
And, Cap'n Abner, I'll ask you and that young woman to follow along
after us and stand up for witnesses.'
"Just as the upper edge of the sun disappeared beneath the glowing sea,
the name of Sickles departed from observation and recognition on that
line of longitude. But in the glow upon the faces of Mr. and Mrs. Twitty
there was nothing to remind one of a sunset sky. It might have been
supposed, rather, that they were gazing eastward, and that the morn was
glorious.
"Having gravely saluted his bride, Sam lifted up his voice. He was used
to that sort of thing, for he had been a boatswain. 'Cap'n Abner
Budlong,' he exclaimed, 'step aft and kiss the bride!'
"When this command had been obeyed with urbane alacrity, Sam called out
again, very much as if he were piping all hands to osculation:
'Rev. Mr. Rippledean, step aft and kiss the bride!'
"When the minister had retired from the performance of his duty, Sam
cast a speaking glance in the direction of Miss Denby. He looked as if
he would say that on this occasion it was a great pity that any one
should be left out. The girl of the buggy understood his glance, and
lifted up her voice in laughter.
"'Oh, no, Mr. Twitty,' said she, 'it is not the custom to kiss
witnesses.'
"'Oh, no,' answered Mrs. Twitty, in tones of approbation; and these
were the first words she spoke after she had ceased to be Sickles.
"As that boat of blissfulness sped across the bay, speeding along under
a strong breeze from the west, under a sky full of orange-colored
clouds, Sam Twitty's strong hand grasped the tiller with an energy which
would have been sufficient for the guidance of a ship of the line. As
the thin sheets of water curled over the lee scuppers of the boat, the
right hand which held Sam's left never trembled nor tightened its hold;
and when the clergyman, sitting by Miss Denby, asked her if she felt at
all afraid, she cheerily replied:
"'Not with the gilded idol and the king conch-shell both on board--no,
not I!'
* * * * *
"The honeymoon of Mr. and Mrs. Twitty was spent in Thompsontown, and
lasted three days; for at the end of that time the bride's brother
demanded to be released from the care of the toll-gate, having other
duties which were incumbent upon him. But when Sam and his wife spoke of
leaving the Spinnaker Boom, Captain Abner was perfectly willing to go
with them. His face bore an expression of contented resignation.
"'I will drive you two back, Sam,' said he. ''Tain't no more use for me
to stay here. I don't believe I'll find her, and I give it up.'
"On the way home the happy Mr. Twitty burst out laughing. 'It do seem
awful comical, Cap'n Abner,' said he, 'that, after all we said about
comin' home, that me and her should be a-settin' on the back seat and
you a-drivin' in front alone.' And when this remark was explained to
Mrs. Twitty she laughed very heartily indeed.
"Sam did not go directly back to Shamrick. His wife had a good house,
and could not, without due notice, give up her public office, and so he
determined to remain, for the present, in the very pleasant quarters
thus afforded him. But he vowed with considerable vehemence that
Mrs. Twitty should keep the toll-gate no more; this duty, so long as it
had to be performed, he would take upon himself, and he found it a most
congenial and interesting occupation.
"'Like it!' he exclaimed to his wife, after his first day's experience.
'It's as interestin' as readin' the weekly paper. Everybody that comes
along seems ready for some different kind of chat. And when that young
woman with the buggy happens to be drivin' this way, she don't pay no
toll. I'll pay for her myself, every time, on account of her services as
witness.'
"'No, you don't, Sam Twitty,' remarked his consort; 'that young woman
pays her own toll, every time. While I'm here I don't want no changes in
the customs of this toll-gate.'
* * * * *
"It was about a fortnight after Sam Twitty's wedding that that
well-satisfied individual, being called to the gate by the sound of
wheels, beheld a buggy, and Miss Denby sitting therein. In answer to
Sam's cheerful greeting, she did not laugh, nor even smile.
"'I saw your friend Captain Abner about a week ago,' she said, 'as I
drove through Shamrick, and he looked dreadfully solemn. I think his
disappointment is wearing on him. It is a great pity that a man who can
sail a boat as he can should have a moment's sorrow on this earth. It
almost made me feel sorry he found out I wanted to learn to steer. I
think that was the only barrier between us. And he would have taken me
out sailing every fine day!'
"'Oh, no, no,' said Sam; 'that would never have done. You could never
have kept your hands off the tiller. If he had known what was good for
him he would have married her.' These words he spoke in a confidential
tone, and pointed with his thumb behind him. 'But he had the chance, and
he didn't take it, and now I don't wonder he's doleful.'
"'You ought to go and try to cheer him up,' said Miss Denby, gathering
up the reins. 'Do you expect to go on keeping this toll-gate,
Mr. Twitty?'
"'I'd like to,' said Sam, 'if you're goin' to keep on travellin' this
way.'
"'Oh!' said Miss Denby, with a reproving smile.
"'Yes, indeed,' said Sam; 'for it reminds me of such a happy day.'
"'Oh!' said Miss Denby, as she drove away with her nose in the air.
"A few days after this Sam did go to Shamrick, and walking on the street
he met Captain Abner; but, to his surprise, that individual did not look
at all doleful. There was a half-smile on his lips, and his step was
buoyant. The two old friends clasped hands with much heartiness.
"'You are as gay as a pot of red paint,' said Sam. 'You must be feelin'
well.'
"'I should say so,' said Abner; and then, after a portentous pause, he
added: 'I've got her.'
"'Got her!' exclaimed Sam, in amazement. 'Where did you get her?'
"'Got her here.'
"'And who is it you've got?'
"'Susan Shellbark.'
"'Susan Shellbark!' cried Sam. 'You don't mean to say that!'
"'It's Susan Shellbark, and I do mean to say that.'
"'Why, you've known her all your life,' said Sam.
"'All my life,' was the answer.
"'Then why didn't you take her afore?' asked his friend.
"'Because I hadn't been to Thompsontown to see what I could get there.
Of course I didn't want to take anybody here until I found out what
there was in Thompsontown. Now I know there ain't nothin' for me there.'
"'And so you take Susan Shellbark!' interrupted Sam.
"'And so I take Susan Shellbark.'
"Sam looked at his friend for a moment, and then burst out laughing.
'Give me your hand,' he cried. 'I'm mighty glad you've got Susan
Shellbark, and I'm mighty glad you went to Thompsontown.'
"'So am I,' said Captain Abner. 'If I hadn't gone to Thompsontown I'd
never have got Susan Shellbark.'
"'That's so,' cried Sam. 'And if you hadn't made up your mind to go to
Thompsontown, you and me'd never got stuck at the toll-gate with nothin'
but a five-dollar note. I'm mighty glad we was stuck, Cap'n Abner; I'm
mighty glad we was stuck!'
"Thereupon the two friends shook hands again.
"'But there is one thing I want to ask,' said Sam. 'What about the
gilded idol and the king conch-shell?'
"'Oh, that's all right,' said Captain Abner; 'they're both to go on to
the mantelpiece, one on one end, and t'other on the other. That's to be
the way with everything we've got. You've knowed Susan Shellbark as long
as I have, Sam, and you know she'll stick to that bargain.'
"'That's so,' said Sam; 'she'll stick to that bargain. Both of you'll be
on the mantelpiece, one on one end, and the other on t'other.'"
"And what became of the girl in the buggy?" asked the Mistress of the
House.
"Her later history is unknown to me," said the Master of the House.
"I have not made up my mind about that story, papa," said the Daughter
of the House. "It is not altogether satisfactory."
"But very much what usually happens," said John Gayther, in an
undertone.
THIS STORY IS TOLD BY
THE FRENCHMAN
AND IS CALLED
MY BALLOON HUNT
VI
MY BALLOON HUNT
The next morning, after breakfast, the Mistress of the House and John
Gayther were walking through the garden together, for her quick eye had
detected much that needed attention. Some things she had already decided
upon, but there were others in which she thought it best to ask John's
advice. They did not always agree; in fact, they were seldom in exact
accord: but both were sensible, and he reasoned that, as mistress, she
ought to do as she pleased; and she reasoned that, as he had learned the
business and she had not, it was just to him and to herself that he
should, on many points, be allowed his own way.
The orchard was really a continuation of the lower terrace of the
garden, but the Mistress had not been there for some time. "A great many
pears, John," she commented as they strolled under the trees; "a fair
show of apples: but there are no plums at all."
"Plums have their seasons," said John, sententiously. "They are not
always falling in one's way; and these are choice plums and don't come
promiscuous--sorter scattered like."
"I wonder if John means that for philosophy," thought the Mistress.
Then aloud: "My daughter brought me a luscious one yesterday, and,
really, it looks as if she had gathered the only one."
"Bless her heart!" said John, fervently, "I hope she's goin' to pick
them up all along the way she goes."
"That is too much to hope for any one, John," said the Mistress, as they
turned to go up into the garden; but in her heart she had the very same
hope.
They walked through two terraces filled with luxuriant vegetables and
bordered by small fruits, now out of season; then on to the third
terrace, bordered by currant-bushes, beautiful now to look upon, hung as
they were with a profusion of red tassels. And here there came to them
an almost overpowering fragrance; for on the terrace above were great
beds of lilies, now in their glory--lilies from many climes, lilies of
many hues: great white spikes, small pink clusters, spotted, striped,
variegated, white with borders of all colors, even black (or purple so
dark it looked black), all standing proudly in the sunshine, and sending
to heaven their incense of gratitude.
It was a gorgeous sight, and the two looked at it with delight and a
good deal of pride, for it was the design and the handiwork of both.
Then they saw, behind all this glory, a group of people disposed in
various comfortable positions about the little summer-house on the upper
terrace, where the view was finest.
There was the Master of the House in the big garden-chair; there was the
Frenchman, seated on a low grassy knoll; there was the Daughter of the
House on the bench she liked; and beside her was the Next Neighbor, who
was an intimate friend of the Daughter of the House, and, therefore, a
frequent visitor. The nearest house was not in sight, but it could be
reached in a moderate walk. Its mistress was a young married woman, very
pretty to look at and of a lively turn of mind. She waved her hand to
the Mistress, while the Master called out: "Come up here, you two! We
are waiting for you." When the two complied with the command, the Master
continued: "Now make yourselves comfortable and listen to a story our
guest has promised us."
The Mistress of the House willingly took the rustic chair the Frenchman
brought forward, but John Gayther had no wish to hear the Frenchman's
story. He had no fancy for the man, and he did not believe he would
fancy his story. "Excuse me," he said to the Master of the House, "but I
see that boy Jacob coming through the gate, and I must go with him to
weed the melon-bed."
"You will do nothing of the kind," said the Master of the House; "let
the boy weed it alone."
"Never!" cried John, in horror. "He will trample on all the vines!"
"Then tell him to do something else." And, without waiting for John to
give the order, he called out: "Ahoy, there, boy! Clear out of this
garden!"
The boy vanished with celerity, and John Gayther sank upon his stool
with an air of resignation. But no sooner had the Frenchman uttered a
few sentences than he brightened up, and not only listened attentively
but put aside the disagreeable feeling he had had for him. The beginning
of the narrative lifted a load from his mind.
The Frenchman, having again betaken himself to the grassy mound, began
in an easy, airy way:
"I am a sportsman as well as a Frenchman. It seems hardly necessary to
mention both of these things at once, for in my mind they naturally go
together. I am expert in many kinds of sports, and it pleases me much,
when engaged in such recreations, to employ my mind as well as my body,
and in so doing I frequently devise methods of pursuing my favorite
sports which are never made use of by ordinary and unimaginative
persons.
"My Irene--she is my wife--is also addicted to sport. It was partly for
this reason that I married her. It is not always by sharing my dangers
and my glories that my dear Irene shows her passion for the outdoor
sports which are so fascinating to me; it is often that she does this
merely by sympathy. She can remain at home and think of me in the field
or on the stream, and be happy. When I return she welcomes, she
appreciates. If I overstay my time I do not give myself worry--I know
that she will understand that there are contingencies. When she greets
me there are no reproaches. She is the wife for a sportsman!
"But it is not always that I rely simply upon the sympathy of my Irene.
It was not so when I went in a balloon to hunt tigers. She was then at
my side, for there was no other place where she would have been
satisfied, or where I would have had her. There are vicissitudes which
should be faced together by those who love.
"I had long wished to hunt tigers, and it had come into my head that
it would be a grand and novel idea, and also extremely practicable,
to shoot at these savage creatures from a balloon. This would be an
exhilarating sensation, and it would be safe. In no other way would I
take my Irene with me when tiger-hunting; and in no other way, I freely
admit, would I be very desirous of going myself.
"I have heard that one of my countrymen had himself shut up in a stout
cage and conveyed to a region infested by tigers. There, with his rifle,
he sat comfortably in a chair, with a lantern on a table near by. When,
at night, the tigers crowded round his cage, he shot them. But this
would not have suited me. Suppose a bar of the cage should have been
broken!
"But in a balloon it would be different. Poised in the air a moderate
distance above the ground, I could shoot at tigers beneath me and laugh
at their efforts to reach my height. Therefore it was that I determined
to hunt my tigers in a balloon. Irene screamed when I mentioned this
plan, but she did not refuse to go with me. She had been in balloons,
but she had never seen an unrestricted tiger. Now she could enjoy these
two pleasures at once, and be with me.
"This happened in French Tonkin. We were in a little outlying town where
there was a garrison, and some engineers who made military observations
in a balloon. This was a captive balloon not employed for independent
ascensions, and from some of the officers, who were my friends, I
procured it for my projected tiger hunt. They were all much interested
in my expedition, for if it succeeded there would be a new variety of
sport in this monotonous region.
"The balloon was supplied with gas sufficient to carry myself and my
Irene, with rifles, provisions, and various necessities, and its lifting
power was so proportioned to the weight it carried as to keep it at the
height of an ordinary church steeple above the earth.
"About ten miles from the town there was a long stretch of desert and
barren land, extending for about a quarter of a mile from a jungle and
forest to a river; and here, I was told, tigers were often to be found,
sometimes crossing the open country to slake their thirst at the stream,
but more frequently to prevent antelopes and other tender animals from
slaking their thirst. There could be no better spot than this for my
experiment.
"Our journey to the hunting-ground was most delightful. Seating
ourselves in the commodious car which hung beneath the balloon, we rose
to the height of the rope which restrained its ascent. The lower end of
this rope was then seized by natives, active and strong, who ran along,
pulling the balloon above them. It was the most comfortable method of
progression that I had ever known. There were no jars, scarcely any
sense of motion. The great overhanging balloon sheltered us from the
sun; we leaned over the side of the car, surveyed the landscape, and
breathed the fresh morning air. Then we breakfasted and smoked our
cigarettes. I was happy; my Irene was happy. We could have journeyed
thus for days.
"But when we came to the appointed place we prepared for business. We
had with us a machine for anchoring the balloon, and the natives
immediately went to work to drive this deeply into the soil, about
half-way between the water and the jungle, so that we might be moored
at a proper distance above the ground. There was no wind; the balloon
hung almost motionless. It had been arranged that when it should be
properly attached the natives should leave us, and return in the evening
to pull us back to the town, and to carry away the skins of the tigers
we had killed.
"It was truly luxurious hunting! The rifle of my Irene was light and
suitable for a lady; mine was of the most improved pattern. We had
another one in case of emergencies. We sat and looked down upon the men,
urging them to hasten their work and be gone; we were longing for our
sport.
"Suddenly there was a cry from one of the natives. Gazing toward the
jungle, he yelled: 'A tiger! a tiger!' Instantly our hearts stopped
beating and our eyes were turned toward the jungle. There, against the
matted leaves and stalks, was a mass of yellow and black--half a tiger.
In the bright sunlight we could see it plainly. It had been roused by
the noise of the pounding, and was gazing out to see what was the
matter. With one united scream, the natives shot away. They scattered;
they disappeared utterly and at once. Where they went I know not. We
never saw them again. We did not even think of them. Our eyes were set
fast upon the black and yellow stripes and the great head. Without
volition I grasped my rifle. Irene put her hand upon her weapon, but I
whispered to her not to move.