drawing from the same inexhaustible receptacle certain squibs or
fireworks； he let them off and threw them into the opening。 There
they went off with a slight fizz and splutter； a momentary
glittering of small points in the darkness； and a strong smell of
gunpowder。 Polly gazed at the spectacle with undisguised awe and
fascination。 Hickory and Patsey breathed hard with satisfaction：
it was beyond their wildest dreams of mystery and romance。 Even
Wan Lee appeared transfigured into a superior being by the potency
of his own spells。 But an unaccountable disturbance of some kind
in the dim interior of the tunnel quickly drew the blood from their
blanched cheeks again。 It was a sound like coughing； followed by
something like an oath。
〃He's made the Evil Spirit orful sick；〃 said Hickory in a loud
whisper。
A slight laugh； that to the children seemed demoniacal； followed。
〃See！〃 said Wan Lee。 〃Evil Spillet he likee Chinee； try talkee
him。〃
The Pirates looked at Wan Lee； not without a certain envy of this
manifest favoritism。 A fearful desire to continue their awful
experiments； instead of pursuing their piratical avocations； was
taking possession of them； but Polly； with one of the swift
transitions of childhood； immediately began to extemporize a house
for the party at the mouth of the tunnel； and； with parental
foresight； gathered the fragments of the squibs to build a fire for
supper。 That frugal meal； consisting of half a ginger biscuit
divided into five small portions； each served on a chip of wood；
and having a deliciously mysterious flavor of gunpowder and smoke；
was soon over。 It was necessary after this that the pirates should
at once seek repose after a day of adventure； which they did for
the space of forty seconds in singularly impossible attitudes and
far too aggressive snoring。 Indeed； Master Hickory's almost
upright pose； with tightly folded arms and darkly frowning brows；
was felt to be dramatic； but impossible for a longer period。 The
brief interval enabled Polly to collect herself and to look around
her in her usual motherly fashion。 Suddenly she started and
uttered a cry。 In the excitement of the descent she had quite
overlooked her doll； and was now regarding it with round…eyed
horror。
〃Lady Mary's hair's gone！〃 she cried； convulsively grasping the
Pirate Hickory's legs。
Hickory at once recognized the battered doll under the aristocratic
title which Polly had long ago bestowed upon it。 He stared at the
bald and battered head。
〃Ha！ ha！〃 he said hoarsely； 〃skelped by Injins！〃
For an instant the delicious suggestion soothed the imaginative
Polly。 But it was quickly dispelled by Wan Lee。
〃Lady Maley's pigtail hangee top side hillee。 Catchee on big
quartz stone allee same Polly； me go fetchee。〃
〃No！〃 quickly shrieked the others。 The prospect of being left in
the proximity of Wan Lee's evil spirit； without Wan Lee's
exorcising power； was anything but reassuring。 〃No； don't go！〃
Even Polly （dropping a maternal tear on the bald head of Lady Mary）
protested against this breaking up of the little circle。 〃Go to
bed！〃 she said authoritatively； 〃and sleep till morning。〃
Thus admonished； the Pirates again retired。 This time effectively；
for； worn by actual fatigue or soothed by the delicious coolness of
the cave； they gradually； one by one； succumbed to real slumber。
Polly； withheld from joining them by official and maternal
responsibility； sat and blinked at them affectionately。
Gradually she； too； felt herself yielding to the fascination and
mystery of the place and the solitude that encompassed her。 Beyond
the pleasant shadows where she sat； she saw the great world of
mountain and valley through a dreamy haze that seemed to rise from
the depths below and occasionally hang before the cavern like a
veil。 Long waves of spicy heat rolling up the mountain from the
valley brought her the smell of pine…trees and bay； and made the
landscape swim before her eyes。 She could hear the far…off cry of
teamsters on some unseen road； she could see the far…off cloud of
dust following the mountain stagecoach； whose rattling wheels she
could not hear。 She felt very lonely； but was not quite afraid；
she felt very melancholy； but was not entirely sad； and she could
have easily awakened her sleeping companions if she wished。
No； she was a lone widow with nine children； six of whom were
already in the lone churchyard on the hill； and the others lying
ill with measles and scarlet fever beside her。 She had just walked
many weary miles that day； and had often begged from door to door
for a slice of bread for the starving little ones。 It was of no
use nowthey would die！ They would never see their dear mother
again。 This was a favorite imaginative situation of Polly's； but
only indulged when her companions were asleep； partly because she
could not trust confederates with her more serious fancies； and
partly because they were at such times passive in her hands。 She
glanced timidly around。 Satisfied that no one could observe her；
she softly visited the bedside of each of her companions； and
administered from a purely fictitious bottle spoonfuls of invisible
medicine。 Physical correction in the form of slight taps； which
they always required； and in which Polly was strong； was only
withheld now from a sense of their weak condition。 But in vain；
they succumbed to the fell disease；they always died at this
juncture；and Polly was left alone。 She thought of the little
church where she had once seen a funeral； and remembered the nice
smell of the flowers； she dwelt with melancholy satisfaction of the
nine little tombstones in the graveyard； each with an inscription；
and looked forward with gentle anticipation to the long summer days
when； with Lady Mary in her lap； she would sit on those graves clad
in the deepest mourning。 The fact that the unhappy victims at
times moved as it were uneasily in their graves； or snored； did not
affect Polly's imaginative contemplation； nor withhold the tears
that gathered in her round eyes。
Presently； the lids of the round eyes began to droop； the landscape
beyond began to be more confused； and sometimes to disappear
entirely and reappear again with startling distinctness。 Then a
sound of rippling water from the little stream that flowed from the
mouth of the tunnel soothed her and seemed to carry her away with
it； and then everything was dark。
The next thing that she remembered was that she was apparently
being carried along on some gliding object to the sound of rippling
water。 She was not alone； for her three companions were lying
beside her； rather tightly packed and squeezed in the same
mysterious vehicle。 Even in the profound darkness that surrounded
her； Polly could feel and hear that they were accompanied； and once
or twice a faint streak of light from the side of the tunnel showed
her gigantic shadows walking slowly on either side of the gliding
car。 She felt the little hands of her associates seeking hers； and
knew they were awake and conscious； and she returned to each a
reassuring pressure from the large protecting instinct of her
maternal little heart。 Presently the car glided into an open space
of bright light； and stopped。 The transition from the darkness of
the tunnel at first dazzled their eyes。 It was like a dream。
They were in a circular cavern from which three other tunnels； like
the one they had passed through； diverged。 The walls； lit up by
fifty or sixty candles stuck at irregular intervals in crevices of
the rock； were of glittering quartz and mica。 But more remarkable
than all were the inmates of the cavern； who were ranged round the
walls；men who； like their attendants； seemed to be of extra
stature； who had blackened faces； wore red bandana handkerchiefs
round their heads and their waists； and carried enormous knives and
pistols stuck in their belts。 On a raised platform made of a
packing…box on which was rudely painted a skull and cross…bones；
sat the chief or leader of the band covered with a buffalo robe； on
either side of him were two small barrels marked 〃Grog〃 and
〃Gunpowder。〃 The children stared and clung closer to Polly。 Yet；
in spite of these desperate and warlike accessories； the strangers
bore a singular resemblance to 〃Christy Minstrels〃 in their
blackened faces and attitudes that somehow made them seem less
awful。 In particular； Polly was impressed with the fact that even
the most ferocious had a certain kindliness of eye； and showed
their teeth almost idiotically。
〃Welcome！〃 said the leader；〃welcome to the Pirates' Cave！ The
Red Rover of the North Fork of the Stanislaus River salutes the
Queen of the Pirate Isle！〃 He rose up and made an extraordinary
bow。 It was repeated by the others with more or less exaggeration；
to the point of one humorist losing his balance！
〃Oh； thank you very much；〃 said Polly timidly； but drawing her
little flock closer to her with a small protecting arm； 〃but could
youwould youpleasetell uswhat time it is？〃
〃We are approaching the middle of Next Week；〃 said the leader
gravely； 〃but what of that？ Time is made for slaves！ The Red
Rover seeks