the story of a bad boy-第24部分

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es！

〃What　could　we　have　been　thinking　of？〃　cried　Jack　Harris。　〃We'll　give　'em　a　broadside；　to　be　sure；　if　we　die　for　it！〃

We　turned　to　with　a　will；　and　before　nightfall　had　nearly　half　the　battery　overhauled　and　ready　for　service。　To　keep　the　artillery　dry　we　stuffed　wads　of　loose　hemp　into　the　muzzles；　and　fitted　wooden　pegs　to　the　touch…holes。

At　recess　the　next　noon　the　Centipedes　met　in　a　corner　of　the　school…yard　to　talk　over　the　proposed　lark。　The　original　projectors；　though　they　would　have　liked　to　keep　the　thing　secret；　were　obliged　to　make　a　club　matter　of　it；　inasmuch　as　funds　were　required　for　ammunition。　There　had　been　no　recent　drain　on　the　treasury；　and　the　society　could　well　afford　to　spend　a　few　dollars　in　so　notable　an　undertaking。

It　was　unanimously　agreed　that　the　plan　should　be　carried　out　in　the　handsomest　manner；　and　a　subscription　to　that　end　was　taken　on　the　spot。　Several　of　the　Centipedes　hadn't　a　cent；　excepting　the　one　strung　around　their　necks；　others；　however；　were　richer。　I　chanced　to　have　a　dollar；　and　it　went　into　the　cap　quicker　than　lightning。　When　the　club；　in　view　of　my　munificence；　voted　to　name　the　guns　Bailey's　Battery　I　was　prouder　than　I　have　ever　been　since　over　anything。

The　money　thus　raised；　added　to　that　already　in　the　treasury；　amounted　to　nine　dollars…a　fortune　in　those　days；　but　not　more　than　we　had　use　for。　This　sum　was　divided　into　twelve　parts；　for　it　would　not　do　for　one　boy　to　buy　all　the　powder；　nor　even　for　us　all　to　make　our　purchases　at　the　same　place。　That　would　excite　suspicion　at　any　time；　particularly　at　a　period　so　remote　from　the　Fourth　of　July。

There　were　only　three　stores　in　town　licensed　to　sell　powder；　that　gave　each　store　four　customers。　Not　to　run　the　slightest　risk　of　remark；　one　boy　bought　his　powder　on　Monday；　the　next　boy　on　Tuesday；　and　so　on　until　the　requisite　quantity　was　in　our　possession。　This　we　put　into　a　keg　and　carefully　hid　in　a　dry　spot　on　the　wharf。

Our　next　step　was　to　finish　cleaning　the　guns；　which　occupied　two　afternoons；　for　several　of　the　old　sogers　were　in　a　very　congested　state　indeed。　Having　completed　the　task；　we　came　upon　a　difficulty。　To　set　off　the　battery　by　daylight　was　out　of　the　question；　it　must　be　done　at　night；　it　must　be　done　with　fuses；　for　no　doubt　the　neighbors　would　turn　out　after　the　first　two　or　three　shots；　and　it　would　not　pay　to　be　caught　in　the　vicinity。

Who　knew　anything　about　fuses？　Who　could　arrange　it　so　the　guns　would　go　off　one　after　the　other；　with　an　interval　of　a　minute　or　so　between？

Theoretically　we　knew　that　a　minute　fuse　lasted　a　minute；　double　the　quantity；　two　minutes；　but　practically　we　were　at　a　stand…still。　There　was　but　one　person　who　could　help　us　in　this　extremity…Sailor　Ben。　To　me　was　assigned　the　duty　of　obtaining　what　information　I　could　from　the　ex…gunner；　it　being　left　to　my　discretion　whether　or　not　to　intrust　him　with　our　secret。

So　one　evening　I　dropped　into　the　cabin　and　artfully　turned　the　conversation　to　fuses　in　general；　and　then　to　particular　fuses；　but　without　getting　much　out　of　the　old　boy；　who　was　busy　making　a　twine　hammock。　Finally；　I　was　forced　to　divulge　the　whole　plot。

The　Admiral　had　a　sailor's　love　for　a　joke；　and　entered　at　once　and　heartily　into　our　scheme。　He　volunteered　to　prepare　the　fuses　himself；　and　I　left　the　labor　in　his　hands；　having　bound　him　by　several　extraordinary　oaths…such　as　〃Hope…Imay…die〃　and　〃Shiver…my…timbers〃…not　to　betray　us；　come　what　would。

This　was　Monday　evening。　On　Wednesday　the　fuses　were　ready。　That　night　we　were　to　unmuzzle　Bailey's　Battery。　Mr。　Grimshaw　saw　that　something　was　wrong　somewhere；　for　we　were　restless　and　absent…minded　in　the　classes；　and　the　best　of　us　came　to　grief　before　the　morning　session　was　over。　When　Mr。　Grimshaw　announced　〃Guy　Fawkes〃　as　the　subject　for　our　next　composition；　you　might　have　knocked　down　the　Mystic　Twelve　with　a　feather。

The　coincidence　was　certainly　curious；　but　when　a　man　has　committed；　or　is　about　to　commit　an　offence；　a　hundred　trifles；　which　would　pass　unnoticed　at　another　time；　seem　to　point　at　him　with　convicting　fingers。　No　doubt　Guy　Fawkes　himself　received　many　a　start　after　he　had　got　his　wicked　kegs　of　gunpowder　neatly　piled　up　under　the　House　of　Lords。

Wednesday；　as　I　have　mentioned；　was　a　half…holiday；　and　the　Centipedes　assembled　in　my　barn　to　decide　on　the　final　arrangements。　These　were　as　simple　as　could　be。　As　the　fuses　were　connected；　it　needed　but　one　person　to　fire　the　train。　Hereupon　arose　a　discussion　as　to　who　was　the　proper　person。　Some　argued　that　I　ought　to　apply　the　match；　the　battery　being　christened　after　me；　and　the　main　idea；　moreover；　being　mine。　Others　advocated　the　claim　of　Phil　Adams　as　the　oldest　boy。　At　last　we　drew　lots　for　the　post　of　honor。

Twelve　slips　of　folded　paper；　upon　one　of　which　was　written　〃Thou　art　the　man；〃　were　placed　in　a　quart　measure；　and　thoroughly　shaken；　then　each　member　stepped　up　and　lifted　out　his　destiny。　At　a　given　signal　we　opened　our　billets。　〃Thou　art　the　man；〃　said　the　slip　of　paper　trembling　in　my　fingers。　The　sweets　and　anxieties　of　a　leader　were　mine　the　rest　of　the　afternoon。

Directly　after　twilight　set　in　Phil　Adams　stole　down　to　the　wharf　and　fixed　the　fuses　to　the　guns；　laying　a　train　of　powder　from　the　principal　fuse　to　the　fence；　through　a　chink　of　which　I　was　to　drop　the　match　at　midnight。

At　ten　o'clock　Rivermouth　goes　to　bed。　At　eleven　o'clock　Rivermouth　is　as　quiet　as　a　country　churchyard。　At　twelve　o'clock　there　is　nothing　left　with　which　to　compare　the　stillness　that　broods　over　the　little　seaport。

In　the　midst　of　this　stillness　I　arose　and　glided　out　of　the　house　like　a　phantom　bent　on　an　evil　errand；　like　a　phantom。　I　flitted　through　the　silent　street；　hardly　drawing　breath　until　I　knelt　down　beside　the　fence　at　the　appointed　place。

Pausing　a　moment　for　my　heart　to　stop　thumping；　I　lighted　the　match　and　shielded　it　with　both　hands　until　it　was　well　under　way；　and　then　dropped　the　blazing　splinter　on　the　slender　thread　of　gunpowder。

A　noiseless　flash　instantly　followed；　and　all　was　dark　again。　I　peeped　through　the　crevice　in　the　fence；　and　saw　the　main　fuse　spitting　out　sparks　like　a　conjurer。　Assured　that　the　train　had　not　failed；　I　took　to　my　heels；　fearful　lest　the　fuse　might　burn　more　rapidly　than　we　calculated；　and　cause　an　explosion　before　I　could　get　home。　This；　luckily；　did　not　happen。　There's　a　special　Providence　that　watches　over　idiots；　drunken　men；　and　boys。

I　dodged　the　ceremony　of　undressing　by　plunging　into　bed；　jacket；　boots；　and　all。　I　am　not　sure　I　took　off　my　cap；　but　I　know　that　I　had　hardly　pulled　the　coverlid　over　me；　when　〃BOOM！〃　sounded　the　first　gun　of　Bailey's　Battery。

I　lay　as　still　as　a　mouse。　In　less　than　two　minutes　there　was　another　burst　of　thunder；　and　then　another。　The　third　gun　was　a　tremendous　fellow　and　fairly　shook　the　house。

The　town　was　waking　up。　Windows　were　thrown　open　here　and　there　and　people　called　to　each　other　across　the　streets　asking　what　that　firing　was　for。

〃BOOM！〃　went　gun　number　four。

I　sprung　out　of　bed　and　tore　off　my　jacket；　for　I　heard　the　Captain　feeling　his　way　along　the　wall　to　my　chamber。　I　was　half　undressed　by　the　time　he　found　the　knob　of　the　door。

〃I　say；　sir；〃　I　cried；　〃do　you　hear　those　guns？〃

〃Not　being　deaf；　I　do；〃　said　the　Captain；　a　little　tartly…any　reflection　on　his　hearing　always　nettled　him；　〃but　what　on　earth　they　are　for　I　can't　conceive。　You　had　better　get　up　and　dress　yourself。〃　〃I'm　nearly　dressed；　sir。〃

〃BOOM！　BOOM！〃…two　of　the　guns　had　gone　off　together。

The　door　of　Miss　Abigail's　bedroom　opened　hastily；　and　that　pink　of　maidenly　propriety　stepped　out　into　the　hail　in　her　night…gown…the　only　indecorous　thing　I　ever　knew　her　to　do。　She　held　a　lighted　candle　in　her　hand　and　looked　like　a　very　aged　Lady　Macbeth。

〃O　Dan'el；　this　is　dreadful！　What　do　you　suppose　it　means？〃

〃I　really　can't　suppose；〃　said　the　Captain；　rubbing　his　ear；　〃but　I　guess　it's　over　now。〃

〃BOOM！〃　said　Bailey's　Battery。

Rivermouth　was　wide　awake　now；　and　half　the　male　population　were　in　the　streets；　running　different　ways；　for　the　firing　seemed　to　proceed　from　opposite　points　of　the　town。　Everybody　waylaid　everybody　else　with　questions；　but　as　no　one　knew　what　was　the　occasion　of　the　tumult；　people　who　were　not　usually　nervous　began　to　be　oppressed　by　the　mystery。

Some　thought　the　town　was　being　bombarded；　some　thought　the　world　was　coming　to　an　end；　as　the　pious　and　ingenious　Mr。　Miller　had　predicted　it　would；　but　those　who　couldn't　form　any　theory　whatever　were　the　most　perplexed。

In　the　meanwhile　Bailey's　Battery　bellowed　away　at　regular　intervals。　The　greatest　confusion　reigned　everywhere　by　this　time。　People　with　lanterns　rushed　hither　and　thither。　The　town　watch　had　turned　out　to　a　man；　and　marched　off；　in　admirable　order；　in　the　wrong　direction。　Discovering　their　mistake；　they　retraced　their　steps；　and　got　down　to　the　wharf　just　as　the　last　cannon　belched　forth　its　lightning。

A　dense　cloud　of　sulphurous　smoke　floated　over　Anchor　Lane；　obscuring　the　starlight。　Two　or　three　hundred　people；　in　various　stages　of　excitement；　crowded　about　the　upper　end　of　the　wharf；　not　liking　to　advance　farther　until　they　were　satisfied　that　the　explosions　were　over。　A　board　was　here　and　there　blown　from　the　fence；　and　through　the　openings　thus　afforded　a　few　of　the　more　daring　spirits　at　length　ventured　to　crawl。

The　cause　of　the　racket　soon　transpired。　A　suspicion　that　they　had　been　sold　gradually　dawned　on　the　Rivermouthians。　Many　were　exceedingly　indignant；　and　declared　that　no　penalty　was　severe　enough　for　those　concerned　in　such　a　prank；　others…and　these　were　the　very　people　who　had　been　terrified　nearly　out　of　their　wits…had　the　assurance　to　laugh；　saying　that　they　knew　all　along　it　was　only　a　trick。

The　town　watch　boldly　took　possession　of　the　ground；　and　the　crowd　began　to　disperse。　Knots　of　gossips　lingered　here　and　there　near　the　place；　indulging　in　vain　surmises　as　to　who　the　invisible　gunners　could　be。

There　was　no　more　noise　that　night；　but　many　a　timid　person　lay　awake　expecting　a　renewal　of　the　mysterious　cannonading。　The　Oldest　Inhabitant　refused　to　go　to　bed　on　any