I looked up. Just at the bend, arrested now by hand anchorage to the
overhanging alders, lay a small boat, occupied by two boys, neither
of more than fourteen years, the younger seemingly not more than
twelve. It was the latter who was clinging with one hand to the
drooping bushes. His companion, apparently the leader in their present
enterprise, was half crouching in the bow of the boat and he,
evidently, was the one who had accosted me.
A second glance gave me even more surprise, for it showed that the
boat, though not precisely long, low and rakish of build, evidently
was of piratical intent. At least she was piratical in decoration. On
each side of her bow there was painted--and the evening sun, shining
through my larches, showed the paint still fresh--in more or less
accurate design in black, the emblem of a skull and cross-bones. Above
her, supported by a short staff, perhaps cut from my own willows, flew
a black flag, and whatever may have been her stern-chaser equipment,
her broadside batteries, or her deck carronades--none of which I could
well make out, as her hull lay half concealed among the alders--her
bow-chaser was certainly in commission and manned for action. The
pirate captain, himself, was at the lanyard; and I perceived that he
now rested an extraordinarily large six-shooter in the fork of a short
staff, which was fixed in the bow. Along this, with a three-cornered
gray eye, he now sighted at the lower button of my waistcoat, and in a
fashion that gave me goose-flesh underneath the button, in spite of
all my mingled emotions. Had I not "halted," as ordered, to the extent
of sitting on quietly as I was, he no doubt would have pulled the
lanyard, with consequences such as I do not care to contemplate, and
mayhap to the effect that this somewhat singular story would never
have been written.
"Halt, Sirrah!" began the pirate leader again, "or I will blow you out
of the water!"
I sat for a moment regarding him, my chin in my hand.
"No," said I at last; "I already am out of the water, my friend. But,
prithee, have a care of yonder lanyard, else, gadzooks! you may belike
blow me off the bank and into the water."
This speech of mine seemed as much to disconcert the pirate chieftain
as had his me. He stood erect, shifting his Long Tom, to the great
ease of my waistcoat button.
"Won't you heave to, and put off a small boat for a parley?" I
inquired.