drivers。
All that Tom saw； at first； was a dirty； coal…spattered shed with dim
recesses； for it was lighted on one side only； and its temperature was
somewhere below freezing。 Surely he could not be blamed for a tempered
enthusiasm！ But for me； all the dirt and cold and discomfort were
blotted out； and I beheld a gallant craft manned by sturdy seamen forging
her way across blue water in the South Seas。 Treasure Island； alas； was
as yet unwritten； but among my father's books were two old volumes in
which I had hitherto taken no interest； with crude engravings of palms
and coral reefs； of naked savages and tropical mountains covered with
jungle； the adventures； in brief； of one Captain Cook。 I also discovered
a book by a later traveller。 Spurred on by a mysterious motive power；
and to the great neglect of the pons asinorum and the staple products of
the Southern States； I gathered an amazing amount of information
concerning a remote portion of the globe； of head…hunters and poisoned
stakes； of typhoons； of queer war…craft that crept up on you while you
were dismantling galleons； when desperate hand…to…hand encounters ensued。
Little by little as I wove all this into personal adventures soon to be
realized； Tom forgot the snowballs and the maddened grocery…men who
chased him around the block； while Grits would occasionally stop sawing
and cry out：
〃Ah； s'y！〃 frequently adding that he would be Gdd。
The cold woodshed became a chantry on the New England coast； the alley
the wintry sea soon to embrace our ship； the saw…horseswhich stood
between a coal…bin on one side and unused stalls filled with rubbish and
kindling on the otherthe ways； the yard behind the lattice fence became
a backwater； the flapping clothes the sails of ships that took refuge
thereon Mondays and Tuesdays。 Even my father was symbolized with
unparalleled audacity as a watchful government which had； up to the
present； no inkling of our semi…piratical intentions！ The cook and the
housemaid； though remonstrating against the presence of Grits； were
friendly confederates； likewise old Cephas； the darkey who； from my
earliest memory； carried coal and wood and blacked the shoes； washed the
windows ；and scrubbed the steps。
One afternoon Tom went to work。。。。
The history of the building of the good ship Petrel is similar to that of
all created things； a story of trial and error and waste。 At last； one
March day she stood ready for launching。 She had even been caulked； for
Grits； from an unknown and unquestionably dubious source； had procured a
bucket of tar； which we heated over afire in the alley and smeared into
every crack。 It was natural that the news of such a feat as we were
accomplishing should have leaked out； that the 〃yard〃 should have been
visited from time to time by interested friends； some of whom came to
admire； some to scoff； and all to speculate。 Among the scoffers； of
course； was Ralph Hambleton； who stood with his hands in his pockets and
cheerfully predicted all sorts of dire calamities。 Ralph was always a
superior boy； tall and a trifle saturnine and cynical； with an amazing
self…confidence not wholly due to the wealth of his father； the iron…
master。 He was older than I。
〃She won't float five minutes； if you ever get her to the water；〃 was his
comment； and in this he was supported on general principles by Julia and
Russell Peters。 Ralph would have none of the Petrel； or of the South
Seas either； but he wanted；so he said；〃to be in at the death。〃 The
Hambletons were one of the few families who at that time went to the sea
for the summer； and from a practical knowledge of craft in general Ralph
was not slow to point out the defects of ours。 Tom and I defended her
passionately。
Ralph was not a romanticist。 He was a born leader； excelling at
organized games； exercising over boys the sort of fascination that comes
from doing everything better and more easily than others。 It was only
during the progress of such enterprises as this affair of the Petrel that
I succeeded in winning their allegiance； bit by bit； as Tom's had been
won； fanning their enthusiasm by impersonating at once Achilles and
Homer； recruiting while relating the Odyssey of the expedition in glowing
colours。 Ralph always scoffed； and when I had no scheme on foot they
went back to him。 Having surveyed the boat and predicted calamity； he
departed； leaving a circle of quaint and youthful figures around the
Petrel in the shed： Gene Hollister； romantically inclined； yet somewhat
hampered by a strict parental supervision； Ralph's cousin Ham Durrett；
who was even then a rather fat boy； good…natured but selfish； Don and
Harry Ewan； my second cousins； Mac and Nancy Willett and Sam and Sophy
McAlery。 Nancy was a tomboy； not to be denied； and Sophy her shadow。 We
held a council； the all…important question of which was how to get the
Petrel to the water； and what water to get her to。 The river was not to
be thought of； and Blackstone Lake some six miles from town。 Finally；
Logan's mill…pond was decided on；a muddy sheet on the outskirts of the
city。 But how to get her to Logan's mill…pond？ Cephas was at length
consulted。 It turned out that he had a coloured friend who went by the
impressive name of Thomas Jefferson Taliaferro （pronounced Tolliver）； who
was in the express business； and who； after surveying the boat with some
misgivings；for she was ten feet long；finally consented to transport
her to 〃tide…water〃 for the sum of two dollars。 But it proved that our
combined resources only amounted to a dollar and seventy…five cents。 Ham
Durrett never contributed to anything。 On this sum Thomas Jefferson
compromised。
Saturday dawned clear； with a stiff March wind catching up the dust into
eddies and whirling it down the street。 No sooner was my father safely
on his way to his office than Thomas Jefferson was reported to be in the
alley； where we assembled； surveying with some misgivings Thomas
Jefferson's steed； whose ability to haul the Petrel two miles seemed
somewhat doubtful。 Other difficulties developed； the door in the back of
the shed proved to be too narrow for our ship's beam。 But men embarked
on a desperate enterprise are not to be stopped by such trifles； and the
problem was solved by sawing out two adjoining boards。 These were
afterwards replaced with skill by the ship's carpenter； Able Seaman Grits
Jarvis。 Then the Petrel by heroic efforts was got into the wagon； the
seat of which had been removed； old Thomas Jefferson perched himself
precariously in the bow and protestingly gathered up his rope…patched
reins。
〃Folks'll 'low I'se plum crazy； drivin' dis yere boat；〃 he declared；
observing with concern that some four feet of the stern projected over
the tail…board。 〃Ef she topples； I'll git to heaven quicker'n a bullet。〃
When one is shanghaied； however；in the hands of buccaneers；it is too
late to withdraw。 Six shoulders upheld the rear end of the Petrel；
others shoved； and Thomas Jefferson's rickety horse began to move forward
in spite of himself。 An expression of sheer terror might have been
observed on the old negro's crinkled face； but his voice was drowned； and
we swept out of the alley。 Scarcely had we travelled a block before we
began to be joined by all the boys along the line of march； marbles；
tops； and even incipient baseball games were abandoned that Saturday
morning； people ran out of their houses； teamsters halted their carts。
The breathless excitement； the exaltation I had felt on leaving the alley
were now tinged with other feelings； unanticipated； but not wholly
lacking in delectable quality；concern and awe at these unforeseen
forces I had raised； at this ever growing and enthusiastic body of
volunteers springing up like dragon's teeth in our path。 After all； was
not I the hero of this triumphal procession？ The thought was consoling；
exhilarating。 And here was Nancy marching at my side； a little subdued；
perhaps； but unquestionably admiring and realizing that it was I who had
created all this。 Nancy； who was the aptest of pupils； the most loyal of
followers； though I did not yet value her devotion at its real worth；
because she was a girl。 Her imagination kindled at my touch。 And on
this eventful occasion she carried in her arms a parcel； the contents of
which were unknown to all but ourselves。 At length we reached the muddy
shores of Logan's pond； where two score eager hands volunteered to assist
the Petrel into her native element。
Alas！ that the reality never attains to the vision。 I had beheld； in my
dreams； the Petrel about to take the water； and Nancy Willett standing
very straight making a little speech and crashing a bottle of wine across
the bows。 This was the content of the mysterious parcel； she had stolen
it from her father's cellar。 But the number of uninvited spectators；
which had not been foreseen； considerably modified the programme；as the
newspapers would have said。 They pushed and crowded around the ship； and
made frank and even brutal remarks as to her seaworthiness； even Nancy；
inured though she was to the masculine sex； had fled to the heights； and
it looked at this supreme moment as though we should have to fight for
the Petrel。 An attempt to muster her doughty buccaneers failed； the
gunner too had fled；Gene Hollister； Ham Durrett and the Ewanses were
nowhere to be seen； and a muster revealed only Tom； the fidus Achates；
and Grits Jarvis。
〃Ah； s'y！〃 he exclaimed in the teeth of the menacing hordes。 〃Stand
back； carn't yer？ I'll bash yer face in； Johnny。 Whose boat is this？〃
Shall it be whispered that I regretted his belligerency？ Here； in truth；
was the drama staged；my drama； had I only been able to realize it。 The
good ship beached； the headhunters hemming us in on all sides； the scene
prepared for one of those struggles against frightful odds which I had so
graphically related as an essential part of our adventures。
〃Let's roll the cuss in the fancy collar；〃 proposed one of the head…
hunters；meaning me。
〃I'll stove yer slats if yer touch him；〃 said Grits； and then resorted to
appeal。 〃I s'y； carn't yer stand back and let a chap 'ave a charnst？〃