The Voyage of the HoppergrassPearson, Edmund Lester
General
The Voyage of the Hoppergrass
Pearson, Edmund Lester
Boats and boating -- Juvenile fiction; Pirates -- Juvenile fiction
"That's right, and I'm going to fuge just as quick as I can. Come
out from under the tent, Lord Chief Justice, or you'll get a blow
on the cocoanut that will damage that legal mind of yours. These
are my friends and fellow-criminals, the alleged burglars. ... All
right there? Everything clear? ... I fear they are innocent,
however, just as I am guilty,--of banjo-playing."
"No, but listen a minute--"
At this moment the other man snatched down the tent pole and the
whole thing fell on the "Lord Chief Justice," leaving him
floundering under waves of canvas, and tangles of rope. "Never
mind him," said Sprague, "two of you hustle down and push off the
boat,--it will take us three trips to get the tent and everything
on board."
Jimmy Toppan and one of the other men (the second one to wake up,
--they called him "Pete") hurried down to the water's edge. The
"Lord Chief Justice" (whom they called "Chief," for short) crawled
out from under the canvas, and we began to fold up the tent. It
was a small one, and they had nothing in it except their blankets
and some cushions and pillows from the yacht.
The Chief, still muttering and complaining, was sent out on the
first trip, with Jimmy Toppan and Ed Mason. He and Jimmy were
commanded to get up the sails, while Ed brought back the boat.
This time he carried the tent, and then came back for the pillows,
blankets and cushions. All this took more or less time,--fifteen
or twenty minutes, perhaps. Mr. Daddles and Sprague kept their
eyes on the little street nearby, to make sure that we were not
observed.
Just as Mr. Daddles and I were getting into the boat, someone
spoke from the shadow of a building.
"Aha!" said a voice.
Then a man stepped out into the moonlight, and advanced a little
toward us.
"Leavin' kinder sudden, aint yer?"
It was Gregory the Gauger. He walked still nearer. Then he
recognized Mr. Daddles and me.
"What's this? What's this?" he snapped, "got out, didger? Thought
yer was escapin', didger? Consider yerselves under arrest. I
apprehend yer in the name of the Commonwealth. Stay right where
yer be. I'll go an' get Eb."
"No, you won't, either," said Mr. Daddles.
He and Sprague darted forward at the same moment. They grabbed the
little man, each by an arm, and commenced walking him rapidly
toward the boat.
"Here, here! Whatcher doin'? Lemme be! Lemme be! This is assault!
Lemme be, I tell yer!"
They led him, still chattering and protesting, right to the boat.
"We don't want you with us,--not a little bit. But you'll have to
come, if you don't keep quiet. Then you'll have a beautiful case
against us."
"Help! Help!" he squealed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account