the story of a bad boy-第3部分

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Not　wishing　to　be　outdone　in　frankness；　I　disclosed　to　him　that　my　name　was　Tom　Bailey；　upon　which　he　said　be　was　very　glad　to　hear　it。

When　we　got　more　intimate；　I　discovered　that　Sailor　Ben；　as　he　wished　me　to　call　him；　was　a　perfect　walking　picturebook。　He　had　two　anchors；　a　star；　and　a　frigate　in　full　sail　on　his　right　arm；　a　pair　of　lovely　blue　hands　clasped　on　his　breast；　and　I've　no　doubt　that　other　parts　of　his　body　were　illustrated　in　the　same　agreeable　manner。　I　imagine　he　was　fond　of　drawings；　and　took　this　means　of　gratifying　his　artistic　taste。　It　was　certainly　very　ingenious　and　convenient。　A　portfolio　might　be　misplaced；　or　dropped　overboard；　but　Sailor　Ben　bad　his　pictures　wherever　he　went；　just　as　that　eminent　person　in　the　poem；



〃With　rings　on　her　fingers　and　bells　on　her　toes〃　…



was　accompanied　by　music　on　all　occasions。

The　two　bands　on　his　breast；　he　informed　me；　were　a　tribute　to　the　memory　of　a　dead　messmate　from　whom　he　had　parted　years　ago…and　surely　a　more　touching　tribute　was　never　engraved　on　a　tombstone。　This　caused　me　to　think　of　my　parting　with　old　Aunt　Chloe；　and　I　told　him　I　should　take　it　as　a　great　favor　indeed　if　he　would　paint　a　pink　hand　and　a　black　hand　on　my　chest。　He　said　the　colors　were　pricked　into　the　skin　with　needles；　and　that　the　operation　was　somewhat　painful。　I　assured　him；　in　an　off…hand　manner；　that　I　didn't　mind　pain；　and　begged　him　to　set　to　work　at　once。

The　simple…hearted　fellow；　who　was　probably　not　a　little　vain　of　his　skill；　took　me　into　the　forecastle；　and　was　on　the　point　of　complying　with　my　request；　when　my　father　happened　to　own　the　gangway…a　circumstance　that　rather　interfered　with　the　decorative　art。

I　didn't　have　another　opportunity　of　conferring　alone　with　Sailor　Ben；　for　the　next　morning；　bright　and　early；　we　came　in　sight　of　the　cupola　of　the　Boston　State　House。







Chapter　Four

Rivermouth



It　was　a　beautiful　May　morning　when　the　Typhoon　hauled　up　at　Long　Wharf。　Whether　the　Indians　were　not　early　risers；　or　whether　they　were　away　just　then　on　a　war…path；　I　couldn't　determine；　but　they　did　not　appear　in　any　great　force…in　fact；　did　not　appear　at　all。

In　the　remarkable　geography　which　I　never　hurt　myself　with　studying　at　New　Orleans；　was　a　picture　representing　the　landing　of　the　Pilgrim　Fathers　at　Plymouth。　The　Pilgrim　Fathers；　in　rather　odd　hats　and　coats；　are　seen　approaching　the　savages；　the　savages；　in　no　coats　or　hats　to　speak　of；　are　evidently　undecided　whether　to　shake　hands　with　the　Pilgrim　Fathers　or　to　make　one　grand　rush　and　scalp　the　entire　party。　Now　this　scene　had　so　stamped　itself　on　my　mind；　that；　in　spite　of　all　my　father　had　said；　I　was　prepared　for　some　such　greeting　from　the　aborigines。　Nevertheless；　I　was　not　sorry　to　have　my　expectations　unfulfilled。　By　the　way；　speaking　of　the　Pilgrim　Fathers；　I　often　used　to　wonder　why　there　was　no　mention　made　of　the　Pilgrim　Mothers。

While　our　trunks　were　being　hoisted　from　the　hold　of　the　ship；　I　mounted　on　the　roof　of　the　cabin；　and　took　a　critical　view　of　Boston。　As　we　came　up　the　harbor；　I　had　noticed　that　the　houses　were　huddled　together　on　an　immense　bill；　at　the　top　of　which　was　a　large　building；　the　State　House；　towering　proudly　above　the　rest；　like　an　amiable　mother…hen　surrounded　by　her　brood　of　many…colored　chickens。　A　closer　inspection　did　not　impress　me　very　favorably。　The　city　was　not　nearly　so　imposing　as　New　Orleans；　which　stretches　out　for　miles　and　miles；　in　the　shape　of　a　crescent；　along　the　banks　of　the　majestic　river。

I　soon　grew　tired　of　looking　at　the　masses　of　houses；　rising　above　one　another　in　irregular　tiers；　and　was　glad　my　father　did　not　propose　to　remain　long　in　Boston。　As　I　leaned　over　the　rail　in　this　mood；　a　measly…looking　little　boy　with　no　shoes　said　that　if　I　would　come　down　on　the　wharf　he'd　lick　me　for　two　cents…not　an　exorbitant　price。　But　I　didn't　go　down。　I　climbed　into　the　rigging；　and　stared　at　him。　This；　as　I　was　rejoiced　to　observe；　so　exasperated　him　that　he　stood　on　his　head　on　a　pile　of　boards；　in　order　to　pacify　himself。

The　first　train　for　Rivermouth　left　at　noon。　After　a　late　breakfast　on　board　the　Typhoon；　our　trunks　were　piled　upon　a　baggage…wagon；　and　ourselves　stowed　away　in　a　coach；　which　must　have　turned　at　least　one　hundred　corners　before　it　set　us　down　at　the　railway　station。

In　less　time　than　it　takes　to　tell　it；　we　were　shooting　across　the　country　at　a　fearful　rate…now　clattering　over　a　bridge；　now　screaming　through　a　tunnel；　here　we　cut　a　flourishing　village　in　two；　like　a　knife；　and　here　we　dived　into　the　shadow　of　a　pine　forest。　Sometimes　we　glided　along　the　edge　of　the　ocean；　and　could　see　the　sails　of　ships　twinkling　like　bits　of　silver　against　the　horizon；　sometimes　we　dashed　across　rocky　pasture4ands　where　stupid…eyed　cattle　were　loafing。　It　was　fun　to　scare　lazy…looking　cows　that　lay　round　in　groups　under　the　newly　budded　trees　near　the　railroad　track。

We　did　not　pause　at　any　of　the　little　brown　stations　on　the　route　（they　looked　just　like　overgrown　black…walnut　clocks）；　though　at　every　one　of　them　a　man　popped　out　as　if　he　were　worked　by　machinery；　and　waved　a　red　flag；　and　appeared　as　though　he　would　like　to　have　us　stop。　But　we　were　an　express　train；　and　made　no　stoppages；　excepting　once　or　twice　to　give　the　engine　a　drink。　It　is　strange　how　the　memory　clings　to　some　things。　It　is　over　twenty　years　since　I　took　that　first　ride　to　Rivermouth；　and　yet；　oddly　enough；　I　remember　as　if　it　were　yesterday；　that；　as　we　passed　slowly　through　the　village　of　Hampton；　we　saw　two　boys　fighting　behind　a　red　barn。　There　was　also　a　shaggy　yellow　dog；　who　looked　as　if　he　had　commenced　to　unravel；　barking　himself　all　up　into　a　knot　with　excitement。　We　had　only　a　hurried　glimpse　of　the　battle…long　enough；　however；　to　see　that　the　combatants　were　equally　matched　and　very　much　in　earnest。　I　am　ashamed　to　say　how　many　times　since　I　have　speculated　as　to　which　boy　got　licked。　Maybe　both　the　small　rascals　are　dead　now　（not　in　consequence　of　the　set…to；　let　us　hope）；　or　maybe　they　are　married；　and　have　pugnacious　urchins　of　their　own；　yet　to　this　day　I　sometimes　find　myself　wondering　how　that　fight　turned　out。

We　had　been　riding　perhaps　two　hours　and　a　half；　when　we　shot　by　a　tall　factory　with　a　chimney　resembling　a　church　steeple；　then　the　locomotive　gave　a　scream；　the　engineer　rang　his　bell；　and　we　plunged　into　the　twilight　of　a　long　wooden　building；　open　at　both　ends。　Here　we　stopped；　and　the　conductor；　thrusting　his　head　in　at　the　car　door；　cried　out；　〃Passengers　for　Rivermouth！〃

At　last　we　had　reached　our　journey's　end。　On　the　platform　my　father　shook　hands　with　a　straight；　brisk　old　gentleman　whose　face　was　very　serene　and　rosy。　He　had　on　a　white　hat　and　a　long　swallow…tailed　coat；　the　collar　of　which　came　clear　up　above　his　cars。　He　didn't　look　unlike　a　Pilgrim　Father。　This；　of　course；　was　Grandfather　Nutter；　at　whose　house　I　was　born。　My　mother　kissed　him　a　great　many　times；　and　I　was　glad　to　see　him　myself；　though　I　naturally　did　not　feel　very　intimate　with　a　person　whom　I　had　not　seen　since　I　was　eighteen　months　old。

While　we　were　getting　into　the　double…seated　wagon　which　Grandfather　Nutter　had　provided；　I　took　the　opportunity　of　asking　after　the　health　of　the　pony。　The　pony　had　arrived　all　right　ten　days　before；　and　was　in　the　stable　at　home；　quite　anxious　to　see　me。　20

As　we　drove　through　the　quiet　old　town；　I　thought　Rivermouth　the　prettiest　place　in　the　world；　and　I　think　so　still。　The　streets　are　long　and　wide；　shaded　by　gigantic　American　elms；　whose　drooping　branches；　interlacing　here　and　there；　span　the　avenues　with　arches　graceful　enough　to　be　the　handiwork　of　fairies。　Many　of　the　houses　have　small　flower…gardens　in　front；　gay　in　the　season　with　china…asters；　and　are　substantially　built；　with　massive　chimney…stacks　and　protruding　eaves。　A　beautiful　river　goes　rippling　by　the　town；　and；　after　turning　and　twisting　among　a　lot　of　tiny　islands；　empties　itself　into　the　sea。　20

The　harbor　is　so　fine　that　the　largest　ships　can　sail　directly　up　to　the　wharves　and　drop　anchor。　Only　they　don't。　Years　ago　it　was　a　famous　seaport。　Princely　fortunes　were　made　in　the　West　India　trade；　and　in　1812；　when　we　were　at　war　with　Great　Britain；　any　number　of　privateers　were　fitted　out　at　Rivermouth　to　prey　upon　the　merchant　vessels　of　the　enemy。　Certain　people　grew　suddenly　and　mysteriously　rich。　A　great　many　of　〃the　first　families〃　of　today　do　not　care　to　trace　their　pedigree　back　to　the　time　when　their　grandsires　owned　shares　in　the　Matilda　Jane；　twenty…four　guns。　Well；　well！

Few　ships　come　to　Rivermouth　now。　Commerce　drifted　into　other　ports。　The　phantom　fleet　sailed　off　one　day；　and　never　came　back　again。　The　crazy　old　warehouses　are　empty；　and　barnacles　and　eel…grass　cling　to　the　piles　of　the　crumbling　wharves；　where　the　sunshine　lies　lovingly；　bringing　out　the　faint　spicy　odor　that　haunts　the　place…the　ghost　of　the　old　dead　West　India　trade！　During　our　ride　from　the　station；　I　was　struck；　of　course；　only　by　the　general　neatness　of　the　houses　and　the　beauty　of　the　elm…trees　lining　the　streets。　I　describe　Rivermouth　now　as　I　came　to　know　it　afterwards。

Rivermouth　is　a　very　ancient　town。　In　my　day　there　existed　a　tradition　among　the　boys　that　it　was　here　Christopher　Columbus　made　his　first　landing　on　this　continent。　I　remember　having　the　exact　spot　pointed　out　to　me　by　Pepper　Whitcomb！　One　thing　is　certain；　Captain　John　Smith；　who　afterwards；　according　to　the　legend；　married　Pocahontas…whereby　he　got　Powhatan　for　a　father…in…law…explored　the　river　in　1614；　and　was　much　charmed　by　the　beauty　of　Rivermouth；　which　at　that　time　was　covered　with　wild　strawberry…vines。

Rivermouth　figures　prominently　in　all　the　colonial　histories。　Every　other　house　in　the　place　has　its　tradition　more　or　less　grim　and　entertaining。　If　ghosts　could　flourish　anywhere；　there　are　certain　streets　in　Rivermouth　that　would　be　full　of　them。　I　don't　know　of　a　town　with　so　many　old　houses。　Let　us　linger；　for　a　moment；　in　front　of　the　one　which　the　Oldest　Inhabitant　is　always　sure　to　point　out　to　the　curious　stranger。

It　is　a　square　wooden　edifice；　with　gambrel　roof　and　deep…set　window…frames。　Over　the　windows　and　do