the pursuit of the house-boat-第20章

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；　as　Artemus　Ward　put　it；　〃with　the　second　joints　reversed。〃　　It　was　in　very　truth　a　signal　of　distress。

〃I　make　it　a　point　never　to　be　surprised；〃　observed　Holmes；　as　he　peered　through　the　glass；　〃but　this　beats　me。　　I　didn't　know　there　was　an　island　of　this　nature　in　these　latitudes。　　Blackstone；　go　below　and　pipe　Captain　Cook　on　deck。　　Perhaps　he　knows　what　island　that　is。〃

〃You'll　have　to　excuse　me；　Captain　Holmes；〃　replied　the　Judge。　　〃I　didn't　ship　on　this　voyage　as　a　cabin…boy　or　a　messenger…boy。　Therefore　I〃

〃Bonaparte；　put　the　Judge　in　irons；〃　interrupted　Holmes；　sternly。　　〃I　expect　to　be　obeyed；　Judge　Blackstone；　whether　you　shipped　as　a　Lord　Chief…Justice　or　a　state…room　steward。　　When　I　issue　an　order　it　must　be　obeyed。　　Step　lively　there；　Bonaparte。　　Get　his　honor　ironed　and　summon　your　marines。　　We　may　have　work　to　do　before　night。　　Hamlet；　pipe　Captain　Cook　on　deck。〃

〃Aye；　aye；　sir；〃　replied　Hamlet；　with　alacrity；　as　he　made　off。

〃That's　the　way　to　obey　orders；〃　said　Holmes；　with　a　scornful　glance　at　Blackstone。

〃I　was　only　jesting；　Captain；〃　said　the　latter；　paling　somewhat。

〃That's　all　right；〃　said　Holmes；　taking　up　his　glass　again。　　〃So　was　I　when　I　ordered　you　in　irons；　and　in　order　that　you　may　appreciate　the　full　force　of　the　joke　I　repeat　it。　　Bonaparte；　do　your　duty。〃

In　an　instant　the　order　was　obeyed；　and　the　unhappy　Judge　shortly　found　himself　manacled　and　alone　in　the　forecastle。　　Meanwhile　Captain　Cook；　in　response　to　the　commander's　order；　repaired　to　the　deck　and　scanned　the　distant　coast。

〃I　can't　place　it；〃　he　said。　　〃It　can't　be　Monte　Cristo；　can　it？〃

〃No；　it　can't；〃　said　the　Count；　who　stood　hard　by。　　〃My　island　was　in　the　Mediterranean；　and　even　if　it　dragged　anchor　it　couldn't　have　got　out　through　the　Strait　of　Gibraltar。〃

〃Perhaps　it's　Robinson　Crusoe's　island；〃　suggested　Doctor　Johnson。

〃Not　it；〃　observed　De　Foe。　　〃If　it　is；　the　rest　of　you　will　please　keep　off。　　It's　mine；　and　I　may　want　to　use　it　again。　　I've　been　having　a　number　of　interviews　with　Crusoe　latterly；　and　he's　given　me　a　lot　of　new　points；　which　I　intend　incorporating　in　a　sequel　for　the　Cimmerian　Magazine。〃

〃Well；　in　the　name　of　Atlas；　what　island　is　it；　then？〃　roared　Holmes；　angrily。　　〃What　is　the　matter　with　all　you　learned　lubbers　that　I　have　brought　along　on　this　trip？　　Do　you　suppose　I've　brought　you　to　whistle　up　favorable　winds？　　Not　by　the　beard　of　the　Prophet！　　I　brought　you　to　give　me　information；　and　now　when　I　ask　for　the　name　of　a　simple　little　island　like　that　in　plain　sight　there's　not　one　of　you　able　so　much　as　to　guess　at　it　reasonably。　　The　next　man　I　ask　for　information　goes　into　irons　with　Judge　Blackstone　if　he　doesn't　answer　me　instantly　with　the　information　I　want。　　Munchausen；　what　island　is　that？〃

〃Ahem！　that？〃　replied　Munchausen；　trembling；　as　he　reflected　upon　the　Captain's　threat。　　〃What？　　Nobody　knows　what　island　that　is？　　Why；　you　surprise　me　…

〃See　here；　Baron；〃　retorted　Holmes；　menacingly；　〃I　ask　you　a　plain　question；　and　I　want　a　plain　answer；　with　no　evasions　to　gain　time。　Now　it's　irons　or　an　answer。　　What　island　is　that？〃

〃It's　an　island　that　doesn't　appear　on　any　chart；　Captain；〃　Munchausen　responded　instantly；　pulling　himself　together　for　a　mighty　effort；　〃and　it　has　never　been　given　a　name；　but　as　you　insist　upon　having　one；　we'll　call　it　Holmes　Island；　in　your　honor。　　It　is　not　stationary。　　It　is　a　floating　island　of　lava　formation；　and　is　a　menace　to　every　craft　that　goes　to　sea。　　I　spent　a　year　of　my　life　upon　it　once；　and　it　is　more　barren　than　the　desert　of　Sahara；　because　you　cannot　raise　even　sand　upon　it；　and　it　is　devoid　of　water　of　any　sort；　salt　or　fresh。〃

〃What　did　you　live　on　during　that　year？〃　asked　Holmes；　eying　him　narrowly。

〃Canned　food　from　wrecks；〃　replied　the　Baron；　feeling　much　easier　now　that　he　had　got　a　fair　start〃canned　food　from　wrecks；　commander。　There　is　a　magnetic　property　in　the　upper　stratum　of　this　piece　of　derelict　real　estate；　sir；　which　attracts　to　it　every　bit　of　canned　substance　that　is　lost　overboard　in　all　parts　of　the　world。　　A　ship　is　wrecked；　say；　in　the　Pacific　Ocean；　and　ultimately　all　the　loose　metal　upon　her　will　succumb　to　the　irresistible　attraction　of　this　magnetic　upper　stratum；　and　will　find　its　way　to　its　shores。　　So　in　any　other　part　of　the　earth。　　Everything　metallic　turns　up　here　sooner　or　later；　and　when　you　consider　that　thousands　of　vessels　go　down　every　year；　vessels　which　are　provisioned　with　tinned　foods　only；　you　will　begin　to　comprehend　how　many　millions　of　pounds　of　preserved　salmon；　sardines；　pate　de　foie　gras；　peaches；　and　so　on；　can　be　found　strewn　along　its　coast。〃

〃Munchausen；〃　said　Holmes；　smiling；　〃by　the　blush　upon　your　cheek；　coupled　with　an　occasional　uneasy　glance　of　the　eye；　I　know　that　for　once　you　are　standing　upon　the；　to　you；　unfamiliar　ground　of　truth；　and　I　admire　you　for　it。　　There　is　nothing　to　be　ashamed　of　in　telling　the　truth　occasionally。　　You　are　a　man　after　my　own　heart。　Come　below　and　have　a　cocktail。　　Captain　Cook；　take　command　of　the　Gehenna　during　my　absence；　head　her　straight　for　Holmes　Island；　and　when　you　discover　anything　new　let　me　know。　　Bonaparte；　in　honor　of　Munchausen's　remarkable　genius；　I　proclaim　general　amnesty　to　our　prisoners；　and　you　may　release　Blackstone　from　his　dilemma；　and　if　you　have　any　tin　soldiers　among　your　marines；　see　that　they　are　lashed　to　the　rigging。　　I　don't　want　this　electric　island　of　the　Baron's　to　get　a　grip　upon　my　military　force　at　this　juncture。〃

With　this　Holmes；　followed　by　Munchausen；　went　below；　and　the　two　worthies　were　soon　deep　in　the　mysteries　of　a　phantom　cocktail；　while　Doctor　Johnson　and　De　Foe　gazed　mournfully　out　over　the　ocean　at　the　floating　island。

〃De　Foe；〃　said　Johnson　〃that　ought　to　be　a　lesson　to　you。　　This　realism　that　you　tie　up　to　is　all　right　when　you　are　alone　with　your　conscience；　but　when　there　are　great　things　afoot；　an　imagination　and　a　broad　view　as　to　the　limitations　of　truth　aren't　at　all　bad。　　You　or　I　might　now　be　drinking　that　cocktail　with　Holmes　if　we'd　only　risen　to　the　opportunity　the　way　Munchausen　did。〃

〃That　is　true；〃　said　De　Foe；　sadly。　　〃But　I　didn't　suppose　he　wanted　that　kind　of　information。　　I　could　have　spun　a　better　yarn　than　that　of　Munchausen's　with　my　eyes　shut。　　I　supposed　he　wanted　truth；　and　I　gave　it。〃

〃I'd　like　to　know　what　has　become　of　the　House…boat；〃　said　Raleigh；　anxiously　gazing　through　the　glass　at　the　island。　　〃I　can　see　old　Henry　Morgan　sitting　down　there　on　the　rocks　with　his　elbows　on　his　knees　and　his　chin　in　his　hands；　and　Kidd　and　Abeuchapeta　are　standing　back　of　him；　yelling　like　mad；　but　there　isn't　a　boat　in　sight。〃

〃Who　is　that　man；　off　to　the　right；　dancing　a　fandango？〃　asked　Johnson。

〃It　looks　like　Conrad；　but　I　can't　tell。　　He　appears　to　have　gone　crazy。　　He's　got　that　wild　look　on　his　face　which　betokens　insanity。　We'll　have　to　be　careful　in　our　parleyings　with　these　people；〃　said　Raleigh。

〃Anything　new？〃　asked　Holmes；　returning　to　the　deck；　smacking　his　lips　in　enjoyment　of　the　cocktail。

〃Noexcept　that　we　are　almost　within　hailing　distance；〃　said　Cook。

〃Then　give　orders　to　cast　anchor；〃　observed　Holmes。　　〃Bonaparte；　take　a　crew　of　picked　men　ashore　and　bring　those　pirates　aboard。　　Take　the　three　musketeers　with　you；　and　don't　let　Kidd　or　Morgan　give　you　any　back　talk。　　If　they　try　any　funny　business；　exorcise　them。〃

〃Aye；　aye；　sir；〃　replied　Bonaparte；　and　in　a　moment　a　boat　had　been　lowered　and　a　sturdy　crew　of　sailors　were　pulling　for　the　shore。　　As　they　came　within　ten　feet　of　it　the　pirates　made　a　mad　dash　down　the　rough；　rocky　hillside　and　clamored　to　be　saved。

〃What's　happened　to　you？〃　cried　Bonaparte；　ordering　the　sailors　to　back　water　lest　the　pirates　should　too　hastily　board　the　boat　and　swamp　her。

〃We　are　marooned；〃　replied　Kidd；　〃and　on　an　island　of　a　volcanic　nature。　　There　isn't　a　square　inch　of　it　that　isn't　heated　up　to　125　degrees；　and　seventeen　of　us　have　already　evaporated。　　Conrad　has　lost　his　reason；　Abeuchapeta　has　become　so　tenuous　that　a　child　can　see　through　him。　　As　for　myself；　I　am　growing　iridescent　with　anxiety；　and　unless　I　get　off　this　infernal　furnace　I'll　disap