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cruel to lose in a second a sea…voyage； an island； and a castle that was to
be practically your own； but cruellest and bitterest of all to know； in
addition to your loss； that the fingers of an angry aunt have you tight by
the scruff of your neck。 My beautiful book was gone tooravished from
my grasp by the dressy lady； who joined in the outburst of denunciation as
heartily as if she had been a relativeand naught was left me but to
blubber dismally； awakened of a sudden to the harshness of real things and
the unnumbered hostilities of the actual world。 I cared little for their
reproaches； their abuse； but I sorrowed heartily for my lost ship； my
vanished island； my uneaten dinner； and for the knowledge that； if I
wanted any angels to play with； I must henceforth put up with the anaemic；
night…gowned nonentities that hovered over the bed of the Sunday…school
child in the pages of the Sabbath Improver。
I was led ignominiously out of the house； in a pulpy； watery state；
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DREAM DAYS
while the butler handled his swing doors with a stony； impassive
countenance； intended for the deception of the very elect； though it did not
deceive me。 I knew well enough that next time he was off duty； and
strolled around our way； we should meet in our kitchen as man to man；
and I would punch him and ask him riddles； and he would teach me tricks
with corks and bits of string。 So his unsympathetic manner did not add
to my depression。
I maintained a diplomatic blubber long after we had been packed into
our pony…carriage and the lodge…gate had clicked behind us； because it
served as a sort of armour…plating against heckling and argument and
abuse； and I was thinking hard and wanted to be let alone。 And the
thoughts that I was thinking were two。
First I thought； 〃I've got ahead of Charlotte THIS time！〃
And next I thought； 〃When I've grown up big； and have money of my
own； and a full…sized walking…stick； I will set out early one morning； and
never stop till I get to that little walled town。〃 There ought to be no real
difficulty in the task。 It only meant asking here and asking there； and
people were very obliging； and I could describe every stick and stone of it。
As for the island which I had never even seen； that was not so easy。
Yet I felt confident that somehow； at some time； sooner or later； I was
destined to arrive。
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DREAM DAYS
A SAGA OF THE SEAS
It happened one day that some ladies came to call； who were not at all
the sort I was used to。 They suffered from a grievance； so far as I could
gather； and the burden of their plaint was ManMen in general and Man
in particular。 （Though the words were but spoken； I could clearly discern
the capital M in their acid utterance。）
Of course I was not present officially； so to speak。 Down below； in
my sub…world of chair…legs and hearthrugs and the undersides of sofas； I
was working out my own floor…problems； while they babbled on far above
my head； considering me as but a chair…leg； or even something lower in
the scale。 Yet I was listening hard all the time； with that respectful
consideration one gives to all grown…up people's remarks； so long as one
knows no better。
It seemed a serious indictment enough； as they rolled it out。 In tact；
considerateness； and right appreciation； as well as in taste and aesthetic
sensibilitieswe failed at every point； we breeched and bearded prentice…
jobs of Nature； and I began to feel like collapsing on the carpet from sheer
spiritual anaemia。 But when one of them； with a swing of her skirt；
prostrated a whole regiment of my brave tin soldiers； and never apologized
nor even offered her aid toward revivifying the battle…line； I could not help
feeling that in tactfulness and consideration for others she was still a little
to seek。 And I said as much； with some directness of language。
That was the end of me； from a society point of view。 Rudeness to
visitors was the unpardonable sin； and in two seconds I had my marching
orders； and was sullenly wending my way to the St。 Elelena of the nursery。
As I climbed the stair； my thoughts reverted somehow to a game we had
been playing that very morning。
It was the good old game of Rafts；a game that will be played till all
the oceans are dry and all the trees in the world are felledand after。 And
we were all crowded together on the precarious little platform； and Selina
occupied every bit as much room as I did； and Charlotte's legs didn't
dangle over any more than Harold's。 The pitiless sun overhead beat on us
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DREAM DAYS
all with tropic impartiality； and the hungry sharks； whose fins scored the
limitless Pacific stretching out on every side； were impelled by an appetite
that made no exceptions as to sex。 When we shared the ultimate biscuit
and circulated the last water…keg； the girls got an absolute fourth apiece；
and neither more nor less； and the only partiality shown was entirely in
favour of Charlotte； who was allowed to perceive and to hail the saviour…
sail on the horizon。 And this was only because it was her turn to do so；
not because she happened to be this or that。 Surely； the rules of the raft
were the rules of life； and in what； then； did these visitor…ladies' grievance
consist？
Puzzled and a little sulky； I pushed open the door of the deserted
nursery； where the raft that had rocked beneath so many hopes and fears
still occupied the ocean…floor。 To the dull eye； that merely tarries upon
the outsides of things； it might have appeared unromantic and even
unraftlike； consisting only as it did of a round sponge…bath on a bald deal
towel…horse placed flat on the floor。 Even to myself much of the recent
raft…glamour seemed to have departed as I half…mechanically stepped
inside and curled myself up in it for a solitary voyage。 Once I was in；
however； the old magic and mystery returned in full flood； when I
discovered that the inequalities of the towel…horse caused the bath to rock；
slightly； indeed； but easily and incessantly。 A few minutes of this
delightful motion； and one was fairly launched。 So those women below
didn't want us？ Well； there were other women； and other places； that did。
And this was going to be no scrambling raft…affair； but a full…blooded
voyage of the Man； equipped and purposeful； in search of what was his
rightful own。
Whither should I shape my course； and what sort of vessel should I
charter for the voyage？ The shipping of all England was mine to pick
from； and the far corners of the globe were my rightful inheritance。 A
frigate； of course； seemed the natural vehicle for a boy of spirit to set out
in。 And yet there was something rather 〃uppish〃 in commanding a
frigate at the very first set…off； and little spread was left for the ambition。
Frigates； too； could always be acquired later by sheer adventure； and your
real hero generally saved up a square…rigged ship for the final achievement
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and the rapt return。 No； it was a schooner that I was aboard ofa
schooner whose masts raked devilishly as the leaping seas hissed along
her low black gunwale。 Many hairbrained youths started out on a mere
cutter； but I was prudent； and besides I had some inkling of the serious
affairs that were ahead。
I have said I was already on board； and； indeed； on this occasion I was
too hungry for adventure to linger over what would have been a special
delight at a period o