but it was not long before the chase began again. Now the ships had no
thought of anything but of how they should escape: and whether it was
better to go back or forward they didn’t know. The darkness grew blacker
and blacker, and they flew wildly back and forth—until they had no idea
where they were, nor where the entrance lay, and could only guess where
Torquillon was by the shrieking of the wild winds.
“Once he passed so close to the Reindeer that he nipped off her
flying-jib-boom. But the flying jib was not set, of course, in that
weather, so it didn’t much matter; and he carried a trysail on the Jane
Ellen out of the gaskets with a crack like a cannon. Still they were
managing to escape him, when, as the ships happened to be close
together, and Torquillon was raging down the channel some distance away,
trying to find them in the darkness, Taffy heard a sound—different from
the screeching of the winds in the rigging—and it seemed to come from
the foremast of the Jane Ellen.
“As he listened to the sound, like music, he looked up at the place from
whence it came, and above the ends of the topsail yards were two glowing
flames of pure white fire that threw a faint light on the deck, and the
music grew clearer to his ears.
“And in a moment, all the men on both ships were looking and listening.
But some could hear only the wind in the rigging and see two little
lights hovering about the mast. Some could see and hear a little more;
and Taffy,—because he was a Welshman and had a young heart,—more plainly
than all, saw, standing lightly on the yards, high, high in the air, the
twin brothers, Castor and Pollux! Young and strong, and with star-tipped
spears in their hands and helmets on their heads with the white, flaming
star streaming from the top like a plume.
“The Captain, who had a young heart, heard the music of their singing,
though he couldn’t tell the words, but he looked at Taffy—and his eyes
were shining, so the Captain knew he understood, and that the beautiful
Star People wanted to save them, and that Taffy was the one
[Illustration:
STANDING LIGHTLY ON THE YARDS, HIGH, HIGH IN THE AIR, THE TWIN
BROTHERS CASTOR AND POLLUX
]
to help them do it. So he said softly, ‘Mr. Morganwg, you may take
command.’
“Taffy only nodded, he was watching and listening so intently. And the
Shining Brothers were singing:—
“Follow through the darkness
Where the Lion roars,
Where the Rock Man, scowling,
Marks Torquillon’s shores;
“Through the Gateway flying,
From his fury free,—
Follow, Taffy, follow
To the open sea!
“They pointed their star-tipped spears and Taffy gave his orders: and
fast and faster sped the Jane Ellen through the black waters, the
Reindeer following, led by the gleaming flames on her topsail
yards—though the Skipper couldn’t hear a sound of the music nor see
anything more than the little lights, because he wasn’t a Welshman, and
if he had a young heart, he was too impatient to listen to what it said.
“Torquillon, too, saw the little flames of fire, and saw how fast they
flew, and he knew the ships were escaping. And with the winds howling
and shrieking (they were hoarse by this time, you may believe, for they
had had no rest for two hours), and the waves snapping at his heels, he
came tearing once more up the channel—after the Jane Ellen and the
Reindeer, that were flying for their lives!
“And when they reached the Gateway and slipped by the roaring Lion’s
jaws, Torquillon was so close he couldn’t stop himself, and dashed his
whole height against the towering rock!
“It was like the crash of a hundred great breakers at once on a rocky
beach; and he slipped and splashed down the streaming rock, into the sea
at the foot of it, while the Jane Ellen and the Reindeer passed safely
out, to the singing of the Star Brothers:—
“Follow, follow safely,
To the open sea!
“Then the two flames were gone from the topsail yards, and the ships
dropped anchor to wait for morning.
“But don’t you think the Star People were interested when Castor and
Pollux came back to their House in the Zodiac?
“They were all waiting for them, and they listened, quiet as mice, while
Pollux told them (with Castor correcting him when he didn’t tell it
straight) how they had saved the ships and escaped from Torquillon; and
what a smash and tumble he had had at the end.
“‘And that’s the end of _him_’, said Cassiopeia.
“‘Bless you, no, it isn’t!’ said Castor. ‘He doesn’t mind a spill like
that. Of course it shakes him up, but he’ll come up like a
jack-in-the-box.’
“‘Uglier than ever,’ remarked Orion.
“‘Then he ought to be ashamed of himself,’ said Cassiopeia.
“‘I don’t thuppoth he had any bringing up,’ said Draco. ‘He doethn’t
theem to have any mannerth.’
“‘Not a manner,’ said Pollux. ‘And he’s too old to learn.’
“‘But he can’t be allowed to be rude and selfish where polite ships want
to sail,’ said Castor. ‘Taffy will wait, and we are going back to-morrow
night to teach him that.’
“‘How?’ asked Perseus.
“‘We want to talk with you about that,’ answered Castor.
“So they talked and they talked, and I’m not going to tell you what they
said; but this is what happened after they had finished talking.
“Orion went striding away on his long legs, with his sword jingling at
his side and the two dogs capering before him, until he said, ‘Come to
heel, Sirius! Heel, Procyon!’ So they came to heel and the three walked
fast along the Milky Way, through the star daisies, and at last they
came to the edge of a great dark hole. It might have been a small lake,
but there was no water in it, or, if there was, it was so deep down that
it could not be seen. It seemed bottomless. No star-flowers grew around
the bleak margin; and you wouldn’t wonder if you had been with Orion and
felt the cold that came from the black emptiness which he looked into.
“He didn’t spend any time looking, but he knelt by the edge, with Sirius
and Procyon watching every motion from either side, where they stood
almost tumbling in. And they saw that Orion held in his hand two small,
curious-shaped flasks. He took from his pocket a ball of moonbeam cord,
and made a slip-noose in the end of it and put it around the neck of one
of the flasks. Then he lowered it into the depths beneath him, and he
and the dogs watched it go down—down—until it was swallowed up in the
dark: but still he lowered the fine shining cord that was like a thin
shaft of light. After a time he began to draw it up again. And when he
had the flask in his hand, it was full of liquid, clear as crystal.
“He put in the stopper—quick—and lowered the other. When that was filled
he wound up the cord, and he and the dogs came striding and capering
back to the Gemini’s House. They were looking for him, and Orion handed
them the flasks.”
“They couldn’t go themselves unless Sol told them, could they?” asked
Pat.
“Of course not, the Zodiac People,” said Phyllisy. “I’m perfectly wild
to know what’s in those flasks, but I don’t want you to tell, Dearie.”
“She will,” said Pat.
“Of course, at the right time. Please go on, Dearie.”
Then the Princess went on:—
“Very early the next morning Captain Gryller came aboard the Jane Ellen;
and you never would have guessed, to see him, that it was his plan that
had been such a failure, and that they had come so near losing the ships
and their own lives because he had insisted on going in so late. When he
stepped on deck he looked about him, and was surprised to see that they
were not making ready to sail.
“‘I’ve just come to say good-by,’ he said to the Captain. ‘We had a
narrow escape last night, didn’t we?’
“‘Yes, we did,’ said the Captain.
“‘Well—we’ll have to go around the islands after all. I’ve wasted too
much time already, and I must be off.’
“‘Not yet,’ said the Captain. ‘We’ve only half done our work—not even
that—and I’m not going to leave until that channel is clear.’
“‘But what’s the use?’ said the Skipper. ‘We’ll just risk our ships for
nothing. You saw how we failed last night!’
“‘That’s because we didn’t do it right,’ said the Captain. ‘Who helped
us last night?’
“‘The Star People.’
“‘Exactly. And they’ll help us again. And the Jane Ellen is going to
stay here to do it!’
“‘Then the Reindeer will stay, too,’ said the Skipper.
“That day the sailors and every one had a good rest, for it was very hot
and the fight with Torquillon had been hard work, and they wanted to be
fresh to begin again. So all they did was to make the Jane Ellen and the
Reindeer ship-shape, and wait for night and the Star Twins.
“When twilight came, the captain of the Reindeer saw the little flag
fluttering from the peak of the Jane Ellen that said it was time to
sail; and the two ships moved forward side by side, like soft gray birds
in the gathering darkness.
“When they reached the Lion and passed into the shadow of the clouds
that hung low and black over Torquillon’s Lair, it looked as if they
were about to enter an enormous cavern, and night fell all at once, but
not quite dark. For far as eye could see, the water was covered with a
pale greenish glow—like phantom light. The crests of the little waves
crinkled and crisped up in faint flames, and the smoke of the Sea-fire
rose where the forefoot of the ship cut through the black water and
turned it back in ripples and streams of light.
“All sailors know the phosphorescence, and Taffy had seen it often, but
never so much nor so beautiful. And over this lake of pale, floating
light the two ships sailed side by side, and the Mate of the Jane Ellen
was in command.
“As they passed fairly between the Lion and the Frowning Man, the Wind
from the Lion’s side cried: ‘Mmmmmmm-whooooo-uuuuu-eeeeEEE—!’ and rushed
out upon them. Then all the other winds awoke and soon were screaming
about them; and with their voices Taffy heard the sound of music—and
there on the topsail yard, poised light as two dragonflies, stood the
lovely Star Brothers with the streaming white flame-feathers in their
helmets.
“They pointed straight ahead with their star-tipped spears and sang
their brave song:—
“Onward, and onward, fly fast o’er the foaming wave,
Onward, still onward, with never a fear;
Meet the foe boldly, heed not though the wild winds rave;
Over the Sea-fire points on the bright spear.
“Onward, still onward! Torquillon in all his might
Whirling comes, swirling, hot rage in his heart!
Vainly they fight, who ’gainst Right and the Stars fight,—
Cold shall he be ere his rage will depart.
“Onward, then, onward—press forward to meet him;
Torquillon comes raging!—and coldly we’ll greet him!
“The straining ropes of the rigging hummed and sang with them as if the
ships were mighty harps; and they held their way steadily down the
channel in spite of the frantic winds, to meet Torquillon; and what they
were to do with him, they hadn’t an idea, but they were sure Castor and
Pollux would show them when the time came.
“That was a tremendous spill Torquillon had, just as he thought he had
the two ships that had defied him, where he could crush them the next
minute. So he was furiously angry when he gathered himself together at
the foot of the rock; but at least he had taught them he was not to be
trifled with! He took himself off, far down the channel; and there he
sulked and made himself perfectly miserable because he couldn’t decide
whether he would rather have the ships come back, so that he could crush
them, or have them so frightened they never would try it again, nor let
any one else.
“He had fallen into a sulky sleep when the watching winds cried,
‘WhiiiissssssshhhhhhooooouuuueeeEEE—!’ and he wakened and raised his
head as the winds from beyond him rushed by to meet the two ships.
“He gave a scream of mingled rage and joy that called the winds to him,
and, springing up, caught the floating banner that hung, always ready,
over his head, and came whirling down the channel, black and furious and
terrible to see! And the two ships came on steadily, never swerving.
“The Sea-fire ran up and down, in and out of the folds of his trailing
robes in streaks of pale light, and curled on the edges of the waves
that foamed about his feet. So they came nearer and nearer—and then they
were so close he towered above them, higher than the tops of the
masts—and the next instant it would have been too late—when Castor
darted like a dragonfly to the fore-royal yard of the Reindeer, and
pointed to the left with his spear, and at the same moment Pollux
mounted to the fore-royal yard of the Jane Ellen, and pointed to the
right with his spear, and the two ships turned to the right and the
left, and Torquillon went straight on to pass between them before he
could stop or turn himself.
“And as they swept by, the Twins raised their arms; and each held in his
hand a curious-shaped flask, filled with a liquid, clear as crystal.
“They flung it out, over Torquillon! and as it came from the mouth of
the flask, it spread and pushed and billowed, on and on, pulsing and
crowding in clouds of vapor; and the air grew cold—cold—so chill it
seemed no living thing could stand against it.
“The winds cried: ‘Ughhhhhoooouuuuughhhhhh-h—’ and fled back to their
caves. But they carried some of the cold with them, and the monkeys and
cockatoos shivered and sneezed in the trees as the frost-needles pricked
them. And some of them had bad colds the next morning.
“And as the ships swept by, almost within reach, and the vapor poured
over him, Torquillon shrieked with rage and loosed his hands from his
banner, to catch them. It floated off; and Taffy, looking back from the
Jane Ellen, and every one on the two ships saw their enemy stand, his
hands still lifted above his head, and the drapery of his robes hanging
stiff about him—shining and glittering in the calm moonlight like
diamonds and emeralds and sapphires—no longer a terrible Waterspout, but
a glorious Iceberg, frozen to his hot, angry heart!
“And all the air was full of finest diamond
frost-needles—drifting—floating—slowly settling about him and over the
two ships—until every spar and rope was coated with hoar-frost, and the
sails and decks shone like silver; but the Star Twins were gone.
“Then all the clouds drifted away, and the dark blue sky of the tropic
night arched over Torquillon’s Lair, with the throbbing stars looking
down; and the most beautiful thing they saw was that wonderful
Iceberg—all his rage gone—calm and shining in the tranquil sea.”
The Princess’s voice ceased. There was no sound, only a long-drawn
breath through the room, as if great music had just come softly to a
close.
She began again in a different voice—talking: “But the Captain knew it
never would do to leave him there; for he would melt in the hot sun and
be as bad as ever; though he was frozen harder than any ice he ever had
seen. So they didn’t wait even for morning, but fastened ropes around
him and set off to tow him North. They didn’t mind if it took a month—it
was such a good thing to do. They carried him far up toward the North
Pole, and left him frozen fast in the ice. And he will never get away!
“Now ships pass freely through the wide channel that was Torquillon’s
Lair; and since he has gone the clouds have left too, and the Rock Man
has forgotten to frown, and if the Lion roars, it is a roar of welcome.
The little winds caper and frisk around the ships until the channel
seems the pleasantest spot in the ocean, and they are sorry to leave
it.”
The Kitten had her foot already off the edge of the couch, but she
stopped, because the Princess leaned forward, with her finger up, to say
one more word, and mischief began to dance in her eyes. “And,”—said the
Princess, “if any one asks Taffy if he ever saw a Waterspout, his eyes
shine and his white teeth, and he says, ‘_Sure!_’”
Then she opened her arms and the Kitten ran into them.
“I’ll ask him,” she said. “Will he tell me? Will he come soon?” She
asked it so quickly, it was all one question, and her arm around the
Princess’s neck pulled her head forward where the glow from the
burned-down fire was on her face. It grew suddenly like a rose.
“I shouldn’t be one bit surprised if he did,” she answered.
“But, Dearie-_Dearest_,” said Phyllisy, perched on the arm of the chair
and playing with the Princess’s fingers, “I wish you’d just explain
this: You said it was so long ago—Taffy and all—nobody can remember
when. I thought it was—not exactly ‘Ancient,’ you know, but ‘Once upon a
time’?”
“That is perfectly true,” said the Princess, soberly. “But you know—”
“Yes?” prompted Miss Phyllisy.
“You know, Taffy had a young heart? It seems to me, he must have been
always.”
That kept everybody silent for a moment, thinking about it. Then Pat’s
voice came from among the pillows in the dusky corner of the couch:
“Well—I hope to goodness he’ll like us!”
“I don’t see how he could help it,” said the Princess.
EPILOGUE
_Come back, Little Katharines, still for a time to our glamour-world,
Ere our ship’s prow touches the daylight shore,
And her sails are furled.
The sun has gone on his way o’er the mountain’s rim;
The mighty Earth-shadow creeps slowly up from the East,
And the heavens grow dim.
See, in the soft gloaming the stars steal forth into sight,
Till over the dun Earth-plain broods the deep blue vault
Of the jeweled night.
They are there, dear hearts; each one of our Star Folk blest
Faithful and motionless stands, borne on by the firmament’s
Ceaseless roll to the West.
They listen, they wait, expectant. For what? In the vast,
Deep hush of the night their heart-beats throb in the stars.
At last,—
In the Northern heavens a gleam of wavering light
Floats upward—dies. Then again—pulsing up, ever stronger,
More bright._
_With the first, faint gleam, a shadow of sound—a sigh
As a breath over harp-strings—sets trembling the stars
As it passes through Earth and Sky.
(Too fine for our bodily ears, little sisters, but clear
To the blessed to whom all beauty is one. Only look;
You shall hear!)
Fuller toned now, and deeper, as broadening pennons of light
Uprush from below the horizon; the heavens are alive—
Filled with splendor the night!_
_What do the Star People see that is hid from our eyes,
Where the ramparts of hills rise black in the North
’Gainst the flame of the skies?
Ranks beyond ranks of radiant Spirits! They stand
In dazzling circles;—a golden censer swinging
From each one’s hand.
From the Shining Ones’ censers, soft swinging, there float and ascend
Streams of pure radiance; and one with their rhythm, the deep
Swelling harmonies blend.
Like music heard faintly in dreams—first afar—it draws near,
Till the triumphant chant sweeps into the Star People’s hearts;
Then, joyous and clear:—
“The Heavens declare the glory—” There follows a gush,
A bursting in spray of the sound, as it pours like a wave
In its o’erwhelming rush!
The splendor ineffable blinds them; their hearts fill with awe
And reverence—they know not for what; all the Power that they know
Is their Law.
Yet Law is obedient to this Nameless One,
Whose glory all Creation sings; and shall be
While the Ages run!
“Might, Power, Dominion—” Still the censers swing;
The Heavens declare, in light upsurging still,
The glory of the King._
_May not the Star Folk, little sisters mine,
Faint shadows though they be—and still obedient
To Law divine—
Declare His glory, Whom they may not know;
And in the Northern Lights His worship see,
As we below?_
=The Riverside Press=
CAMBRIDGE . MASSACHUSETTS
U . S . A
------------------------------------------------------------------------
TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES
1. P. 230, added EPILOGUE heading.
2. Silently corrected typographical errors and variations in spelling.
3. Retained anachronistic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as
printed.
4. Enclosed italics font in _underscores_.
5. Enclosed blackletter font in =equals=.