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Page 40
"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."
[Illustration: "'THAT OUGHT TO BE A LESSON TO YOU'"]
"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.
"No--except 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.
[Illustration: "THE PIRATES MADE A MAD DASH DOWN THE ROUGH, ROCKY
HILL-SIDE"]
"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 disappear like a soap-bubble. For Heaven's sake,
then, General, take us off, on your own terms. We'll accept anything."
As if in confirmation of Kidd's words, six of the pirate crew collapsed
and disappeared into thin air, and a glance at Abeuchapeta was proof
enough of his condition. He had become as clear as crystal, and had it not
been for his rugged outlines he would hardly have been visible even to his
fellow-spirits. As for Kidd, he had taken on the aspect of a rainbow, and
it was patent that his fears for himself were all too well founded.
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