the story of the treasure seekers-第22部分

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a　boy　told　me；　unless　I　knew　him　to　be　a　man　of　honour；　and　perhaps

not　then　unless　he　gave　his　sacred　word。　　But　it　is　true；　all　the

same；　and　it　only　shows　that　the　days　of　romance　and　daring　deeds

are　not　yet　at　an　end。



Alice　was　just　asking　Noel　how　he　would　deal　with　the　robber　who

wouldn't　go　if　he　was　asked　politely　and　quietly；　when　we　heard　a

noise　downstairs　…　quite　a　plain　noise；　not　the　kind　of　noise　you

fancy　you　hear。　　It　was　like　somebody　moving　a　chair。　　We　held　our

breath　and　listened　and　then　came　another　noise；　like　some　one

poking　a　fire。　　Now；　you　remember　there　was　no　one　to　poke　a　fire

or　move　a　chair　downstairs；　because　Eliza　and　Father　were　both　out。



They　could　not　have　come　in　without　our　hearing　them；　because　the

front　door　is　as　hard　to　shut　as　the　back　one；　and　whichever　you　go

in　by　you　have　to　give　a　slam　that　you　can　hear　all　down　the

street。



H。　O。　and　Alice　and　Dora　caught　hold　of　each　other's　blankets　and

looked　at　Dicky　and　Oswald；　and　every　one　was　quite　pale。　　And　Noel

whispered　…



'It's　ghosts；　I　know　it　is'　…　and　then　we　listened　again；　but　there

was　no　more　noise。　　Presently　Dora　said　in　a　whisper　…



'Whatever　shall　we　do？　　Oh；　whatever　shall　we　do　…　what　shall　we

do？'

And　she　kept　on　saying　it　till　we　had　to　tell　her　to　shut　up。



O　reader；　have　you　ever　been　playing　Red　Indians　in　blankets　round

a　bedroom　fire　in　a　house　where　you　thought　there　was　no　one　but

you　…　and　then　suddenly　heard　a　noise　like　a　chair；　and　a　fire

being　poked；　downstairs？　　Unless　you　have　you　will　not　be　able　to

imagine　at　all　what　it　feels　like。　　It　was　not　like　in　books；　our

hair　did　not　stand　on　end　at　all；　and　we　never　said　'Hist！'　once；

but　our　feet　got　very　cold；　though　we　were　in　blankets　by　the　fire；

and　the　insides　of　Oswald's　hands　got　warm　and　wet；　and　his　nose

was　cold　like　a　dog's；　and　his　ears　were　burning　hot。



The　girls　said　afterwards　that　they　shivered　with　terror；　and　their

teeth　chattered；　but　we　did　not　see　or　hear　this　at　the　time。



'Shall　we　open　the　window　and　call　police？'　said　Dora；　and　then

Oswald　suddenly　thought　of　something；　and　he　breathed　more　freely

and　he　said　…



'I　know　it's　not　ghosts；　and　I　don't　believe　it's　robbers。　　I

expect　it's　a　stray　cat　got　in　when　the　coals　came　this　morning；

and　she's　been　hiding　in　the　cellar；　and　now　she's　moving　about。　

Let's　go　down　and　see。'



The　girls　wouldn't；　of　course；　but　I　could　see　that　they　breathed

more　freely　too。　　But　Dicky　said；　'All　right；　I　will　if　you　will。'



H。　O。　said；　'Do　you　think　it's　really　a　cat？'　　So　we　said　he　had

better　stay　with　the　girls。　　And　of　course　after　that　we　had　to　let

him　and　Alice　both　come。　　Dora　said　if　we　took　Noel　down　with　his

cold；　she　would　scream　'Fire！'　and　'Murder！'　and　she　didn't　mind　if

the　whole　street　heard。



So　Noel　agreed　to　be　getting　his　clothes　on；　and　the　rest　of　us

said　we　would　go　down　and　look　for　the　cat。



Now　Oswald　said　that　about　the　cat；　and　it　made　it　easier　to　go

down；　but　in　his　inside　he　did　not　feel　at　all　sure　that　it　might

not　be　robbers　after　all。　　Of　course；　we　had　often　talked　about

robbers　before；　but　it　is　very　different　when　you　sit　in　a　room　and

listen　and　listen　and　listen；　and　Oswald　felt　somehow　that　it　would

be　easier　to　go　down　and　see　what　it　was；　than　to　wait；　and　listen；

and　wait；　and　wait；　and　listen；　and　wait；　and　then　perhaps　to　hear

It；　whatever　it　was；　come　creeping　slowly　up　the　stairs　as　softly

as　It　could　with　Its　boots　off；　and　the　stairs　creaking；　towards

the　room　where　we　were　with　the　door　open　in　case　of　Eliza　coming

back　suddenly；　and　all　dark　on　the　landings。　　And　then　it　would

have　been　just　as　bad；　and　it　would　have　lasted　longer；　and　you

would　have　known　you　were　a　coward　besides。



Dicky　says　he　felt　all　these　same　things。　　Many　people　would　say　we

were　young　heroes　to　go　down　as　we　did；　so　I　have　tried　to　explain；

because　no　young　hero　wishes　to　have　more　credit　than　he　deserves。



The　landing　gas　was　turned　down　low　…　just　a　blue　bead　…　and　we

four　went　out　very　softly；　wrapped　in　our　blankets；　and　we　stood　on

the　top　of　the　stairs　a　good　long　time　before　we　began　to　go　down。　

And　we　listened　and　listened　till　our　ears　buzzed。



And　Oswald　whispered　to　Dicky；　and　Dicky　went　into　our　room　and

fetched　the　large　toy　pistol　that　is　a　foot　long；　and　that　has　the

trigger　broken；　and　I　took　it　because　I　am　the　eldest；　and　I　don't

think　either　of　us　thought　it　was　the　cat　now。　　But　Alice　and　H。　O。

did。　　Dicky　got　the　poker　out　of　Noel's　room；　and　told　Dora　it　was

to　settle　the　cat　with　when　we　caught　her。



Then　Oswald　whispered；　'Let's　play　at　burglars；　Dicky　and　I　are

armed　to　the　teeth；　we　will　go　first。　　You　keep　a　flight　behind　us；

and　be　a　reinforcement　if　we　are　attacked。　　Or　you　can　retreat　and

defend　the　women　and　children　in　the　fortress；　if　you'd　rather。'　

But　they　said　they　would　be　a　reinforcement。



Oswald's　teeth　chattered　a　little　when　he　spoke。　　It　was　not　with

anything　else　except　cold。



So　Dicky　and　Oswald　crept　down；　and　when　we　got　to　the　bottom　of

the　stairs；　we　saw　Father's　study　door　just　ajar；　and　the　crack　of

light。　　And　Oswald　was　so　pleased　to　see　the　light；　knowing　that

burglars　prefer　the　dark；　or　at　any　rate　the　dark　lantern；　that　he

felt　really　sure　it　was　the　cat　after　all；　and　then　he　thought　it

would　be　fun　to　make　the　others　upstairs　think　it　was　really　a

robber。　　So　he　cocked　the　pistol　…　you　can　cock　it；　but　it　doesn't

go　off　…　and　he　said；　'Come　on；　Dick！'　and　he　rushed　at　the　study

door　and　burst　into　the　room；　crying；　'Surrender！　you　are

discovered！　　Surrender；　or　I　fire！　　Throw　up　your　hands！'



And；　as　he　finished　saying　it；　he　saw　before　him；　standing　on　the

study　hearthrug；　a　Real　Robber。　　There　was　no　mistake　about　it。　

Oswald　was　sure　it　was　a　robber；　because　it　had　a　screwdriver　in

its　hands；　and　was　standing　near　the　cupboard　door　that　H。　O。　broke

the　lock　off；　and　there　were　gimlets　and　screws　and　things　on　the

floor。　　There　is　nothing　in　that　cupboard　but　old　ledgers　and

magazines　and　the　tool　chest；　but　of　course；　a　robber　could　not

know　that　beforehand。



When　Oswald　saw　that　there　really　was　a　robber；　and　that　he　was　so

heavily　armed　with　the　screwdriver；　he　did　not　feel　comfortable。　

But　he　kept　the　pistol　pointed　at　the　robber；　and　…　you　will　hardly

believe　it；　but　it　is　true　…　the　robber　threw　down　the　screwdriver

clattering　on　the　other　tools；　and　he　did　throw　up　his　hands；　and

said　…



'I　surrender；　don't　shoot　me！　　How　many　of　you　are　there？'



So　Dicky　said；　'You　are　outnumbered。　　Are　you　armed？'



And　the　robber　said；　'No；　not　in　the　least。'



And　Oswald　said；　still　pointing　the　pistol；　and　feeling　very　strong

and　brave　and　as　if　he　was　in　a　book；　'Turn　out　your　pockets。'



The　robber　did：　and　while　he　turned　them　Out；　we　looked　at　him。　　He

was　of　the　middle　height；　and　clad　in　a　black　frock…coat　and　grey

trousers。　　His　boots　were　a　little　gone　at　the　sides；　and　his

shirt…cuffs　were　a　bit　frayed；　but　otherwise　he　was　of　gentlemanly

demeanour。　　He　had　a　thin；　wrinkled　face；　with　big；　light　eyes　that

sparkled；　and　then　looked　soft　very　queerly；　and　a　short　beard。　　In

his　youth　it　must　have　been　of　a　fair　golden　colour；　but　now　it　was

tinged　with　grey。　　Oswald　was　sorry　for　him；　especially　when　he　saw

that　one　of　his　pockets　had　a　large　hole　in　it；　and　that　he　had

nothing　in　his　pockets　but　letters　and　string　and　three　boxes　of

matches；　and　a　pipe　and　a　handkerchief　and　a　thin　tobacco　pouch　and

two　pennies。　　We　made　him　put　all　the　things　on　the　table；　and　then

he　said　…



'Well；　you've　caught　me；　what　are　you　going　to　do　with　me？　

Police？'



Alice　and　H。　O。　had　come　down　to　be　reinforcements；　when　they　heard

a　shout；　and　when　Alice　saw　that　it　was　a　Real　Robber；　and　that　he

had　surrendered；　she　clapped　her　hands　and　said；　'Bravo；　boys！'　and

so　did　H。　O。　And　now　she　said；　'If　he　gives　his　word　of　honour　not

to　escape；　I　shouldn't　call　the　police：　it　seems　a　pity。　　Wait　till

Father　comes　home。'



The　robber　agreed　to　this；　and　gave　his　word　of　honour；　and　asked

if　he　might　put　on　a　pipe；　and　we　said　'Yes；'　and　he　sat　in

Father's　armchair　and　warmed　his　boots；　which　steamed；　and　I　sent

H。　O。　and　Alice　to　put　on　some　clothes　and　tell　the　others；　and

bring　down　Dicky's　and　my　knickerbockers；　and　the　rest　of　the

chestnuts。



And　they　all　came；　and　we　sat　round　the　fire；　and　it　was　jolly。　

The　robber　was　very　friendly；　and　talked　to　us　a　great　deal。



'I　wasn't　always　in　this　low　way　of　business；'　he　said；　when　Noel

said　something　about　the　things　he　had　turned　out　of　his　pockets。　

'It's　a　great　come…down　to　a　man　like　me。　　But；　if　I　must　be

caught；　it's　something　to　be　caught　by　brave　young　heroes　like　you。



My　stars！　　How　you　did　bolt　into　the　room；　…　〃Surrender；　and　up

with　your　hands！〃　You　might　have　been　born　and　bred　to　the

thief…catching。'



Oswald　is　sorry　if　it　was　mean；　but　he　could　not　own　up　just　then

that　he　did　not　think　there　was　any　one　in　the　study　when　he　did

that　brave　if　rash　act。　　He　has　told　since。



'And　what　made　you　think　there　was　any　one　in　the　house？'　the

robber　asked；　when　he　had　thrown　his　head　back；　and　laughed　for

quite　half　a　minute。　　So　we　told　him。　　And　he　applauded　our　valour；

and　Alice　and　H。　O。　explained　that　they　would　have　said

'Surrender；'　too；　only　they　were　reinforcements。

The　robber　ate　some　of　the　chestnuts　…　and　we　sat　and　wondered　when

Father　would　come　home；　and　what　he　would　say　to　us　for　our

intrepid　conduct。　　And　the　robber　told　us　of　all　the　things　he　had

done　before　he　began　to　break　into　houses。　　Dicky　picked　up　the

tools　from　the　floor；　and　suddenly　he　said　…



'Why；　this　is　Father's　screwdriver　and　his　gimlets；　and　all！　　Well；

I　do　call　it　jolly　cheek　to　pick　a　man's　locks　with　his　own　tool