the story of the treasure seekers-第23部分

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'Why；　this　is　Father's　screwdriver　and　his　gimlets；　and　all！　　Well；

I　do　call　it　jolly　cheek　to　pick　a　man's　locks　with　his　own　tools！'



'True；　true；'　said　the　robber。　　'It　is　cheek；　of　the　jolliest！　　But

you　see　I've　come　down　in　the　world。　　I　was　a　highway　robber　once；

but　horses　are　so　expensive　to　hire　…　five　shillings　an　hour；　you

know　…　and　I　couldn't　afford　to　keep　them。　　The　highwayman　business

isn't　what　it　was。'



'What　about　a　bike？'　said　H。　O。



But　the　robber　thought　cycles　were　low　…　and　besides　you　couldn't

go　across　country　with　them　when　occasion　arose；　as　you　could　with

a　trusty　steed。　　And　he　talked　of　highwaymen　as　if　he　knew　just　how

we　liked　hearing　it。



Then　he　told　us　how　he　had　been　a　pirate　captain　…　and　how　he　had

sailed　over　waves　mountains　high；　and　gained　rich　prizes　…　and　how

he　did　begin　to　think　that　here　he　had　found　a　profession　to　his

mind。



'I　don't　say　there　are　no　ups　and　downs　in　it；'　he　said；

'especially　in　stormy　weather。　　But　what　a　trade！　　And　a　sword　at

your　side；　and　the　Jolly　Roger　flying　at　the　peak；　and　a　prize　in

sight。　　And　all　the　black　mouths　of　your　guns　pointed　at　the　laden

trader　…　and　the　wind　in　your　favour；　and　your　trusty　crew　ready　to

live　and　die　for　you！　　Oh　…　but　it's　a　grand　life！'



I　did　feel　so　sorry　for　him。　　He　used　such　nice　words；　and　he　had

a　gentleman's　voice。



'I'm　sure　you　weren't　brought　up　to　be　a　pirate；'　said　Dora。　　She

had　dressed　even　to　her　collar　…　and　made　Noel　do　it　too　…　but　the

rest　of　us　were　in　blankets　with　just　a　few　odd　things　put　on

anyhow　underneath。



The　robber　frowned　and　sighed。



'No；'　he　said；　'I　was　brought　up　to　the　law。　　I　was　at　Balliol；

bless　your　hearts；　and　that's　true　anyway。'　　He　sighed　again；　and

looked　hard　at　the　fire。



'That　was　my　Father's　college；'　H。　O。　was　beginning；　but　Dicky　said

…　'Why　did　you　leave　off　being　a　pirate？'



'A　pirate？'　he　said；　as　if　he　had　not　been　thinking　of　such　things。



'Oh；　yes；　why　I　gave　it　up　because　…　because　I　could　not　get　over

the　dreadful　sea…sickness。'

'Nelson　was　sea…sick；'　said　Oswald。



'Ah；'　said　the　robber；　'but　I　hadn't　his　luck　or　his　pluck；　or

something。　　He　stuck　to　it　and　won　Trafalgar；　didn't　he？　　〃Kiss　me；

Hardy〃　…　and　all　that；　eh？　　I　couldn't　stick　to　it　…　I　had　to

resign。　　And　nobody　kissed　me。'



I　saw　by　his　understanding　about　Nelson　that　he　was　really　a　man

who　had　been　to　a　good　school　as　well　as　to　Balliol。



Then　we　asked　him；　'And　what　did　you　do　then？'



And　Alice　asked　if　he　was　ever　a　coiner；　and　we　told　him　how　we　had

thought　we'd　caught　the　desperate　gang　next　door；　and　he　was　very

much　interested　and　said　he　was　glad　he　had　never　taken　to　coining。



'Besides；　the　coins　are　so　ugly　nowadays；'　he　said；　'no　one　could

really　find　any　pleasure　in　making　them。　　And　it's　a

hole…and…corner　business　at　the　best；　isn't　it？　…　and　it　must　be　a

very　thirsty　one　…　with　the　hot　metal　and　furnaces　and　things。'



And　again　he　looked　at　the　fire。



Oswald　forgot　for　a　minute　that　the　interesting　stranger　was　a

robber；　and　asked　him　if　he　wouldn't　have　a　drink。　　Oswald　has

heard　Father　do　this　to　his　friends；　so　he　knows　it　is　the　right

thing。　　The　robber　said　he　didn't　mind　if　he　did。　　And　that　is

right；　too。



And　Dora　went　and　got　a　bottle　of　Father's　ale　…　the　Light

Sparkling　Family　…　and　a　glass；　and　we　gave　it　to　the　robber。　　Dora

said　she　would　be　responsible。



Then　when　he　had　had　a　drink　he　told　us　about　bandits；　but　he　said

it　was　so　bad　in　wet　weather。　　Bandits'　caves　were　hardly　ever

properly　weathertight。　　And　bush…ranging　was　the　same。



'As　a　matter　of　fact；'　he　said；　'I　was　bush…ranging　this　afternoon；

among　the　furze…bushes　on　the　Heath；　but　I　had　no　luck。　　I　stopped

the　Lord　Mayor　in　his　gilt　coach；　with　all　his　footmen　in　plush　and

gold　lace；　smart　as　cockatoos。　　But　it　was　no　go。　　The　Lord　Mayor

hadn't　a　stiver　in　his　pockets。　　One　of　the　footmen　had　six　new

pennies：　the　Lord　Mayor　always　pays　his　servants'　wages　in　new

pennies。　　I　spent　fourpence　of　that　in　bread　and　cheese；　that　on

the　table's　the　tuppence。　　Ah；　it's　a　poor　trade！'　　And　then　he

filled　his　pipe　again。



We　had　turned　out　the　gas；　so　that　Father　should　have　a　jolly　good

surprise　when　he　did　come　home；　and　we　sat　and　talked　as　pleasant

as　could　be。　　I　never　liked　a　new　man　better　than　I　liked　that

robber。　　And　I　felt　so　sorry　for　him。　　He　told　us　he　had　been　a

war…correspondent　and　an　editor；　in　happier　days；　as　well　as　a

horse…stealer　and　a　colonel　of　dragoons。



And　quite　suddenly；　just　as　we　were　telling　him　about　Lord

Tottenham　and　our　being　highwaymen　ourselves；　he　put　up　his　hand

and　said　'Shish！'　and　we　were　quiet　and　listened。



There　was　a　scrape；　scrape；　scraping　noise；　it　came　from

downstairs。



'They're　filing　something；'　whispered　the　robber；　'here　…　shut　up；

give　me　that　pistol；　and　the　poker。　　There　is　a　burglar　now；　and　no

mistake。'

'It's　only　a　toy　one　and　it　won't　go　off；'　I　said；　'but　you　can

cock　it。'



Then　we　heard　a　snap。　　'There　goes　the　window　bar；'　said　the　robber

softly。　　'Jove！　what　an　adventure！　　You　kids　stay　here；　I'll　tackle

it。'



But　Dicky　and　I　said　we　should　come。　　So　he　let　us　go　as　far　as　the

bottom　of　the　kitchen　stairs；　and　we　took　the　tongs　and　shovel　with

us。　　There　was　a　light　in　the　kitchen；　a　very　little　light。　　It　is

curious　we　never　thought；　any　of　us；　that　this　might　be　a　plant　of

our　robber's　to　get　away。　　We　never　thought　of　doubting　his　word　of

honour。　　And　we　were　right。



That　noble　robber　dashed　the　kitchen　door　open；　and　rushed　in　with

the　big　toy　pistol　in　one　hand　and　the　poker　in　the　other；　shouting

out　just　like　Oswald　had　done　…



'Surrender！　　You　are　discovered！　　Surrender；　or　I'll　fire！　　Throw

up　your　hands！'　　And　Dicky　and　I　rattled　the　tongs　and　shovel　so

that　he　might　know　there　were　more　of　us；　all　bristling　with

weapons。



And　we　heard　a　husky　voice　in　the　kitchen　saying　…



'All　right；　governor！　　Stow　that　scent　sprinkler。　　I'll　give　in。　

Blowed　if　I　ain't　pretty　well　sick　of　the　job；　anyway。'



Then　we　went　in。　　Our　robber　was　standing　in　the　grandest　manner

with　his　legs　very　wide　apart；　and　the　pistol　pointing　at　the

cowering　burglar。　　The　burglar　was　a　large　man　who　did　not　mean　to

have　a　beard；　I　think；　but　he　had　got　some　of　one；　and　a　red

comforter；　and　a　fur　cap；　and　his　face　was　red　and　his　voice　was

thick。　　How　different　from　our　own　robber！　　The　burglar　had　a　dark

lantern；　and　he　was　standing　by　the　plate…basket。　　When　we　had　lit

the　gas　we　all　thought　he　was　very　like　what　a　burglar　ought　to　be。



He　did　not　look　as　if　he　could　ever　have　been　a　pirate　or　a

highwayman；　or　anything　really　dashing　or　noble；　and　he　scowled　and

shuffled　his　feet　and　said：　'Well；　go　on：　why　don't　yer　fetch　the

pleece？'



'Upon　my　word；　I　don't　know；'　said　our　robber；　rubbing　his　chin。　

'Oswald；　why　don't　we　fetch　the　police？'



It　is　not　every　robber　that　I　would　stand　Christian　names　from；　I

can　tell　you　but　just　then　I　didn't　think　of　that。　　I　just　said　…

'Do　you　mean　I'm　to　fetch　one？'



Our　robber　looked　at　the　burglar　and　said　nothing。



Then　the　burglar　began　to　speak　very　fast；　and　to　look　different

ways　with　his　hard；　shiny　little　eyes。



'Lookee　'ere；　governor；'　he　said；　'I　was　stony　broke；　so　help　me；

I　was。　　And　blessed　if　I've　nicked　a　haporth　of　your　little　lot。　

You　know　yourself　there　ain't　much　to　tempt　a　bloke；'　he　shook　the

plate…basket　as　if　he　was　angry　with　it；　and　the　yellowy　spoons　and

forks　rattled。　　'I　was　just　a…looking　through　this　'ere

Bank…ollerday　show；　when　you　come。　　Let　me　off；　sir。　　Come　now；

I've　got　kids　of　my　own　at　home；　strike　me　if　I　ain't　…　same　as

yours　…　I've　got　a　nipper　just　about　'is　size；　and　what'll　come　of

them　if　I'm　lagged？　　I　ain't　been　in　it　long；　sir；　and　I　ain't

'andy　at　it。'



'No；'　said　our　robber；　'you　certainly　are　not。'　　Alice　and　the

others　had　come　down　by　now　to　see　what　was　happening。　　Alice　told

me　afterwards　they　thought　it　really　was　the　cat　this　time。



'No；　I　ain't　'andy；　as　you　say；　sir；　and　if　you　let　me　off　this

once　I'll　chuck　the　whole　blooming　bizz；　rake　my　civvy；　I　will。　

Don't　be　hard　on　a　cove；　mister；　think　of　the　missis　and　the　kids。　

I've　got　one　just　the　cut　of　little　missy　there　bless　'er　pretty

'eart。'



'Your　family　certainly　fits　your　circumstances　very　nicely；'　said

our　robber。　　Then　Alice　said　…



'Oh；　do　let　him　go！　　If　he's　got　a　little　girl　like　me；　whatever

will　she　do？　　Suppose　it　was　Father！'



'I　don't　think　he's　got　a　little　girl　like　you；　my　dear；'　said　our

robber；　'and　I　think　he'll　be　safer　under　lock　and　key。'



'You　ask　yer　Father　to　let　me　go；　miss；'　said　the　burglar；　〃e　won't

'ave　the　'art　to　refuse　you。'



'If　I　do；'　said　Alice；　'will　you　promise　never　to　come　back？'



'Not　me；　miss；'　the　burglar　said　very　earnestly；　and　he　looked　at

the　plate…basket　again；　as　if　that　alone　would　be　enough　to　keep

him　away；　our　robber　said　afterwards。



'And　will　you　be　good　and　not　rob　any　more？'　said　Alice。



'I'll　turn　over　a　noo　leaf；　miss；　so　help　me。'



Then　Alice　said　…　'Oh；　do　let　him　go！　　I'm　sure　he'll　be　good。'



But　our　robber　said　no；　it　wouldn't　be　right；　we　must　wait　till

Father　came　home。　　Then　H。　O。　said；　very　suddenly　and　plainly：



'I　don't　think　it's　at　all　fair；　when　you're　a　robber　yourself。'



The　minute　he'd　said　it　the　burglar　said；　'Kidded；　by　gum！'　…　and

then　our　robber　made　a　step　towards　him　to　catch　hold　of　him；　and

before　you　had　time　to　think　'Hullo！'　the　burglar　knocked　the

pistol　up　with　one　hand　and　knocked　our　robber　down　with　the　other；

and　was　off　out　of　the　window　like　a　shot；　though　Oswald　and　Dicky

did　try　to　stop　him　by　holding　on　to　his　legs。



And　that　burglar　had　the　cheek　to　put　his　head　in　at　the　wi