Willis the Pilot : A Sequel to the Swiss Family Robinson

by Adrien Paul

  CHAPTER V.

  ALLOTMENT OF QUARTERS--A HORSE MARINE--TRAVELLING PLANTS--CHANGE OFDYNASTY IN ENGLAND--A WOMAN'S KINGDOM--SHEEP CONVERTED INTOCHOPS--RESURRECTION OF THE FRIED FISH--A SECRET.

  After some days more of anxious but fruitless expectation, it wasfinally concluded that either the _Nelson_ had sailed for the Cape,or, as Willis would have it, she had gone to that unexplored and dreadland where there were neither poles nor equator, and whence no marinerwas ever known to return. It was necessary, therefore, to makearrangements for the surplus population of the colony--whether for atime or for ever, it was then impossible to say. At first sight, itmight appear easy enough to provide accommodation for the elevenindividuals that constituted the colony of New Switzerland. It is truethat land might have been marked off, and each person made sovereignover a territory as large as some European kingdoms; but thesesovereignties would have resembled the republic of St. Martin--therewould have been no subjects. What, then, would they have governed? itmay be asked. Themselves, might be answered; and it is said to be afar more difficult task to govern ourselves than to rule others.

  Though space was ample enough as regards the colony in general, it wassomewhat limited as regards detail. To live _pele-mele_ in Rockhousewas entirely out of the question. Independently of accommodation, athousand reasons of propriety opposed such an arrangement. Whether ornot there might be another cave in the neighborhood, hollowed out byNature, was not known; if there were, it had still to be discovered.Chance would not be chance, if it were undeviating and certain in itsoperations. To consign the Wolstons to Falcon's Nest or ProspectHill, and leave them there alone, even though under the protection ofWillis, could not be thought of; they knew nothing of the dangers thatwould surround them, and as yet they were ignorant of the topographyof the island. It was, therefore, requisite that both families shouldcontinue in proximity, so as to aid each other in moments of peril,but without, at the same time, outraging propriety, or shacklingindividual freedom of action. Under ordinary circumstances, thesedifficulties might have been solved by taking apartments on theopposite side of the street, or renting a house next door. But, alas!the blessings of landlords and poor-rates had not yet been bestowed onthe island.

  One day after dinner, when these points were under consideration,Willis, who was accustomed to disappear after each meal, no one knewwhy or whereto, came and took his place amongst them under thegallery.

  "As for myself," said the Pilot, "I do not wish to live anywhere.Since I am in your house, Mr. Becker, and cannot get away honestly fora quarter of an hour, I must of course remain; but as for becoming amere dependant on your bounty, that I will not suffer."

  "What you say there is not very complimentary to me," said Mr.Wolston.

  "Your position, Mr. Wolston, is a very different thing: besides, youare an invalid and require attention, whilst I am strong and healthy,for which I ought to be thankful."

  "You are not in my house," replied Becker "any more than I am inyours; the place we are in is a shelter provided by Providence for usall, and I venture to suppose that such a host is rich enough tosupply all our wants. I am only the humble instrument distributing thegifts that have been so lavishly bestowed on this island."

  "What you say is very kind and very generous," added Willis, "but Imean to provide for myself--that is my idea."

  "And not a bad one either," continued Becker; "but how? You arewelcome here to do the work for four--if you like; and then, supposingyou eat for two, I will be your debtor, not you mine."

  "Work! and at what? walking about with a rifle on my shoulder; airingmyself, as I am doing now under your gallery, in the midst of flowers,on the banks of a river: or opening my mouth for quails to jump downmy throat ready roasted--would you call that work?"

  "Look there, Willis--what do you see?"

  "A bear-skin."

  "Well, suppose, by way of a beginning, I were to introduce you to afine live bear, with claws and tusks to match, ready to spring on you,having as much right to your skin as you have to his--now, were I tosay to you, I want that animal's skin, to make a soft couch similar tothe one you see yonder, would you call that work?"

  "Certainly, Mr. Becker."

  "Very good, then; it is in the midst of such labors that we pass ourlives. Before we fell comfortably asleep on feather beds, thoseformidable bones which you see in our museum were flying in the air;the cup which I now hold in my hand was a portion of the clay on whichyou sit; the canoe with which you ran away the other day was a liveseal; the hats that we wear, were running about the fields in the formof angola rabbits. So with everything you see about you; for fifteenyears, excepting the Sabbath, which is our day of rest and recreationas well as prayer, we have never relapsed from labor, and you are atliberty to adopt a similar course, if you feel so disposed."

  "No want of variety," said Jack; "if you do not like the saw-pit, youcan have the tannery."

  "Neither are very much in my line," replied Willis.

  "What then do you say to pottery?"

  "I have broken a good deal in my day."

  "Yes, but there is a difference between breaking it and making it."

  "What appears most needful," remarked Fritz, "is, three or four acresof fresh land, to double our agricultural produce."

  "Is land dear in these parts?" inquired Mrs. Wolston, smiling.

  "It is not to be had for nothing, madam; there is the trouble ofselecting it."

  "And the labor of rendering it productive," added Ernest.

  "But how do you manage for a lawyer to convey it?"

  "I was advising Ernest to adopt that profession," said Mrs. Becker;"wills and contracts would be in harmony with his studioustemperament."

  "At present, the question before us," said Becker, "is the allotmentof quarters; in the meantime, Mr. and Mrs. Wolston, with the youngladies, will continue to occupy our room."

  "No, no," said Wolston "that would be downright expropriation."

  "In that case the matter comes within the sphere of our lawyer, and Itherefore request his advice."

  To this Ernest replied, by slowly examining his pockets; after thisoperation was deliberately performed, he said, in a _nisi prius_ tone,"That he had forgotten his spectacles, and consequently that it wasimpossible for him to look into the case in the way its importancedemanded, otherwise he was quite of the same opinion as his learnedbrother--his father, he meant."

  "And what if we refuse?" said Mrs. Wolston.

  "If you refuse, Mrs. Wolston, there is only one other course toadopt."

  "And what is that, Master Frank?"

  "Why, simply this," and rising, he cried out lustily, "John, call Mrs.Wolston's carriage."

  "Ah, to such an argument as that, there can be no reply; so I see youmust be permitted to do what you like with us."

  "Very good," continued Becker; "then there is one point decided: mywife and I will occupy the children's apartment."

  "And the children," said Jack, "will occupy the open air. For my ownpart, I have no objection: that is a bedroom exactly to my taste."

  "Spacious," remarked Ernest.

  "Well-aired," suggested Fritz.

  "Hangings of blue, inlaid with stars of gold," observed Frank.

  "Any thing else?" inquired Becker.

  "No, father, I believe the extent of accommodation does not go beyondthat."

  "Therefore I have decided upon something less vast, but morecomfortable for you; you will go every night to our _villa_ ofFalcon's Nest."

  "On foot?"

  "On horseback, if you like and under the direction of Willis, whom Iname commander-in-chief of the cavalry."

  "Of the cavalry!" cried the sailor; "what! a pilot on horseback?"

  "Do not be uneasy, Willis," replied Jack, "we have no horses."

  "Ah, well, that alters the case."

  "But then we have zebras and ostriches."

  "Ostriches! worse and worse."

  "Say not so, good Willis; when once you have tried Lightfoot orF
lyaway, you would never wish to travel otherwise: they run so fastthat the wind is fairly distanced, and scarcely give us time tobreathe--it is delightful."

  "Thank you, but I would rather try and get the canoe to travel onland."

  "Ah, Willis," said Fritz, "that would be an achievement that would doyou infinite credit--if you only succeed."

  "Will you allow me to make a request, Mrs. Becker?"

  "Listen to Willis," said Jack, "he has an idea."

  "The request I have to urge is, that you will permit me to encamp onShark's Island, and there establish a lighthouse for the guidance ofthe _Nelson_, in case she should return."

  "What! the commander-in-chief of cavalry on an island?"

  "No, not of the cavalry, but of the fleet; it is only necessary forMr. Becker to change my position into that of an admiral, which willnot give him much extra trouble."

  "I shall do so with pleasure, Willis."

  "In that case, since I am an admiral, the first thing I shall do, isto pardon myself for the faults I committed whilst I was a pilot."

  "Capital!" said Ernest, "that puts me in mind of Louis XII., who, onascending the throne, said that it was not for the King of France torevenge the wrongs of the Duke of Orleans."

  "What, then, is to become of the boys? I intended to make you theircompass--on land, of course."

  "The boys," cried the latter, "are willing to enlist as seamen, andaccompany the admiral on his cruise."

  "You will spin yarns for us, Willis, will you not?"

  "Well, my lads, if you want a sleeping dose, I will undertake to dothat."

  "But there are objections to this arrangement," Mrs. Becker hastilyadded.

  "What are they, mother?"

  "In the first place, a storm might arise some fine night--one of thosedreadful hurricanes that continue several days, like the one thatterrified us so much lately--and then all communication would be cutoff between us."

  "You could always see one another."

  "How so, Willis?"

  "From a distance--with the telescope."

  "Then," continued Mrs. Becker, "you would be a prey to famine, forthough the telescope, good Master Willis, might enable you to see ourdinner--from a distance--I doubt whether that would prevent you dyingof starvation."

  "We might easily guard against that, by taking over a sufficientquantity of provisions with us every night, and bringing them backnext morning."

  "But could you carry over my kisses, Willis, and distribute themamongst my children every morning and evening, like rations of rice?"

  "If the arrangement will really make you uneasy, Mrs. Becker, I giveit up," said Willis, polishing with his arm the surface of hisoil-skin sou'-wester.

  "Not at all, Willis. It is for me to give up my objections. Besides, Iobserve Miss Sophia staring at me with her great eyes; she will neverforgive me for tormenting her sweetheart."

  "Ah! since I have been staring at you, I have only now to eat you uplike the wolf in Little Red Ridinghood," and in a moment her slenderarms were clasped round Mrs. Becker's neck.

  "Good," said Becker, "there is another point settled--temporarily."

  "In Europe," observed Wolston, "there is nothing so durable as thetemporary."

  "In Europe, yes, but not here. To-morrow morning we shall select atree near Falcon's Nest, and in eight days you shall be permanentlyhoused in an aerial tenement close to ours, so that we may chat toeach other from our respective balconies."

  "That will be a castle in the air a little more real than those I havebuilt in Spain."

  "Then you have been in Spain, papa?"

  "Every one has been less or more in the Spain I refer to. Sophy--it isthe land of dreams."

  "And of castanets," remarked Jack.

  "Then my sweetheart will be alone on his island, like an exile?"

  "No, Miss Sophia, we are incapable of such ingratitude. After enjoyingthe hospitality of Willis in Shark's Island, he will surely deign toaccept ours at Falcon's Nest; so, whether here or there, he shallalways have four devoted followers to keep him company."

  The Pilot shook Fritz by the hand, at the same time nearly dislocatinghis arm.

  "I wonder why God, who is so good, has not made houses grow ofthemselves, like pumpkins and melons?" said Ernest.

  "Rather a lazy idea that," said his father; "our great Parent hasclearly designed that we should do something for ourselves; he hasgiven us the acorn whence we may obtain the oak."

  "Nevertheless, there are uninhabited countries which are gorged withvegetation--the territory we are in, for example."

  "True; but still no plant has ever sprung up anywhere without a seedhas been planted, either by the will of God or by the hands of man.With regard, however, to the distribution of vegetation in a naturalstate, that depends more upon the soil and climate than anything else;wherever there is a fertile soil and moist air, there seeds will findtheir way."

  "But how?"

  "The seeds of a great many plants are furnished with downy filaments,which act as wings; these are taken up by the wind and carried immensedistances; others are inclosed in an elastic shell, from which, whenripe, they are ejected with considerable force."

  "The propagation of plants that have wings or elastic shells may, inthat way, be accounted for; but there are some seeds that fall, bytheir own weight, exactly at the foot of the vegetable kingdom thatproduces them."

  "It is often these that make the longest voyages."

  "By what conveyance, then?"

  "Well, my son, for a philosopher, I cannot say that your knowledge isvery profound; seeds that have no wings borrow them."

  "Not from the ant, I presume?"

  "No, not exactly; but from the quail, the woodcock, the swallow, and athousand others, that are apparently more generous than the poor ant,to which AEsop has given a reputation for avarice that it will havesome trouble to shake off. The birds swallow the seeds, many of whichare covered with a hard, horny skin, that often resists digestion;these are carried by the inhabitants of the air across rivers, seas,and lakes, and are deposited by them in the neighborhood of theirnests--it may be on the top of a mountain, or in the crevice of arock."

  "True, I never thought of that."

  "There are a great many philosophers who know more about the motionsof stars than these humbler operations of Nature."

  "You are caught there," said Jack.

  "There are philosophers, too, who can do nothing but ridicule theknowledge of others."

  "Caught you there," retaliated Ernest.

  "It was in this way that a bird of the Moluccas has restored the clovetree to the islands of this archipelago, in spite of the Dutch, whodestroyed them everywhere, in order that they might enjoy the monopolyof the trade."

  "Still, I must fall back upon my original idea; by sowing a brick, weought to reap a wall."

  "And if a wall, a house," suggested another of the young men.

  "Or if a turret, a castle," proposed a third.

  "Or a hall to produce a palace," remarked the fourth.

  "There are four wishes worthy of the four heads that produced them!What do you think of those four great boys, Mrs. Wolston?"

  "Well, madam, as they are wishing, at any rate they may as well wishthat chinchillas and marmots wore their fur in the form of boas andmuffs, that turkeys produced perigord pies, and that the fish weredrawn out of the sea ready roasted or boiled."

  "Or that the sheep walked about in the form of nicely grilled chops,"suggested Becker.

  "And you, young ladies, what would you wish?"

  Mary, who was now beyond the age of dolls, and was fast approachingthe period of young womanhood, felt that it was a duty incumbent uponher to be more reserved than her sister, and rarely took part in theconversation, unless she was directly addressed, ceased plying herneedle, and replied, smiling,

  "I wish I could make some potent elixir in the same way as gooseberrywine, that would restore sick people to health, then I would give afew drops to my father, and
make him strong and well, as he used tobe."

  "Thank you for the intention, my dear child."

  "And you, Miss Sophia? It is your turn."

  "I wish that all the little children were collected together, and thatevery papa and mamma could pick out their own from amongst them."

  Here Willis took out his pocket-handkerchief and appeared to beblowing his nose, it being an idea of his that a sailor ought not tobe caught with a tear in his eye.

  "Now then, Willis, we must have a wish from you."

  "I wish three things: that there had not been a hurricane lately, thatcanoes could be converted into three masters, and that Miss Sophia maybe Queen of England."

  "Granted," cried Jack.

  And laying hold of a wreath of violets that the young girl had beenbraiding, he solemnly placed it on her head.

  "You will make her too vain," said Mrs. Wolston.

  "Ah mamma, do not scold," and gracefully taking the crown from her ownfair curls, she placed it on the silvery locks of her mother; "Iabdicate in your favor, and, sweetheart, I thank you for placing ourdynasty on the throne. Mary, you are a princess."

  "Yes," she replied, "and here is my sceptre," holding up her spindle.

  "Well answered, my daughter, that is a woman's best sceptre, and herkingdom is her house."

  "Our conversation," said Becker, "is like those small threads of waterwhich, flowing humbly from the hollow of a rock, swell into brooks,then become rivers, and, finally, lose themselves in the ocean."

  "It was Ernest that led us on."

  "Well, it is time now to get back to your starting-point again. Godhas said that we shall earn our bread by the sweat of our brow, andconsequently that our enjoyments should be the result of our ownindustry; that is the reason that venison is given to us in the formof the swift stag, and palaces in the form of clay; man is endowedwith reason, and may, by labor, convert all these blessings to hisuse."

  "Your notion," said Mr. Wolston, "of drawing the fish out of the seaready cooked, puts me in mind of an incident of college life which,with your permission, I will relate."

  "Oh yes, papa, a story!"

  "There was at Cambridge, when I was there, a young man, who, insteadof study and sleep, spent his days and nights in pistol practice andplaying on the French horn, much to the annoyance of an elderly maidenlady, who occupied the apartments that were immediately under hisown."

  "These are inconveniences that need not be dreaded here."

  "Our police are too strict."

  "And our young men too well-bred," added Mrs. Wolston.

  "Not only that," continued Mr. Wolston, "this young student, who neverthought of study, had a huge, shaggy Newfoundland dog, and the oldlady possessed a chubby little pug, which she was intensely fond of;now, when these two brutes happened to meet on the stairs, the largeone, by some accident or other, invariably sent the little one rollinghead over heels to the bottom; and, much to the horror of the oldlady, her favorite, that commenced its journey down stairs with fourlegs, had sometimes to make its way up again with three."

  "I always understood that dogs were generous animals, and would nottake advantage of an animal weaker than themselves; our dogs would nothave acted so."

  "Well, perhaps the dog was not quite so much to blame in these affairsas its master; besides, in making advances to its little friend, itmight not have calculated its own force."

  "Yes, and perhaps might have been sorry afterwards for the mischief ithad done."

  "Very likely; still the point was never clearly explained, and,whether or no, the elderly lady could not put up with this sort ofthing any longer; she complained so often and so vigorously, that hertroublesome neighbor was served in due form with a notice to quit. Theyoung scapegrace was determined to be revenged in some way on theparty who was the cause of his being so summarily ejected from hisquarters. Now, right under his window there was a globe belonging tothe old lady, well filled with good-sized gold fish. His eye by chancehaving fallen upon this, and spying at the same time his fishing-rodin a corner, the coincidence of vision was fatal to the gold-fish;they were very soon hooked up, rolled in flour, fried, and gently letdown again one by one into the globe."

  "I should like to have seen the old lady when she first became awareof this transformation!"

  "Well, one of the fish had escaped, and was floating about, evidentlylamenting the fate of its finny companions."

  "It was very cruel," observed Mary.

  "Elderly ladies who have no family and live alone are very apt tobestow upon animals the love and affection that is inherent in usall."

  "Which is very much to be deprecated."

  "Why so, Master Frank?"

  "Are there not always plenty of poor and helpless human beings uponwhom to bestow their love? are there not orphans and homelesscreatures whom they might adopt?"

  "There are; but it requires wealth for such benevolences, and thegoddess Fortune is very capricious; whilst one must be very poorindeed that cannot spare a few crumbs of bread once a day. Besides,admitting that this mania is blamable when carried to excess, still itmust be respected, for it behoves us to reverence age even in itsfoibles."

  Frank, whose nature was so very susceptible, that a single grain ofgood seed soon ripened into a complete virtue, bent his head in tokenof acquiescence.

  "Now the old lady loved these gold-fish as the apples of her eyes, andher astonishment and grief, in beholding the state they were in, wasindescribable."

  "And yet it was a loss that might have been easily repaired."

  "Ah, you think so, Jack, do you? If you were to lose Knips, would thefirst monkey that came in your way replace him in your affections?"

  "That is a very different thing--I brought Knips up."

  "No; it is precisely the same thing. She had the fish when they werevery small, had seen them grow, spoke to them, gave each of them aname, and believed them to be endowed with a supernaturalintelligence."

  "Therefore, I contend the student was a savage."

  "Not he, my friend, he was one of the best-hearted fellows in theworld: hasty, ardent, inconsiderate, he resisted commands and threats,but yielded readily to a tear or a prayer. As soon as he saw thesorrowful look of the old woman, he regretted what he had done, andundertook to restore the inhabitants of the globe to life."

  "With what sort of magic wand did he propose to do that?"

  "All the inhabitants of the house had collected round the old lady andher globe, endeavoring to console her, and at the same time trying toaccount for the phenomenon; some ascribed the transformation tolightning, others went so far as to suggest witchcraft. Our scapegracenow joined the throng, took the globe in his hands, gravely examinedhis victims, and declared, with the utmost coolness that they were notdead. 'Not dead, sir! are you sure?' 'Confident, madam; it is only alethargy, a kind of coma or temporary transformation, that will begradually shaken off; I have seen many cases of the same kind, and, ifproper care be taken as to air, repose, and diet, particularly asregards the latter, your fish will be quite well again to-morrow.'"

  "Did she believe that?"

  "One readily believes what one wishes to be true; besides, intwenty-four hours, all doubt on the subject would be at an end; addedto which, the young man was ostensibly a student of medicine, and hadthe credit in the house of having cured the washerwoman's canary of asore throat."

  "Well, how did he manage about the fish?"

  "Very simply; he went and bought some exactly the same size that werenot in a lethargy; he then, at the risk of breaking his neck or beingtaken for a burglar, scaled the balcony, and substituted them for thedefunct. Next morning, when he called to inquire after his patients,he found the old lady quite joyful."

  "Had she no doubts as to their identity?"

  "Well, one was a little paler and another was a trifle thinner, butshe was easily persuaded that this difference might arise from theirconvalescence. The young man immediately became a great favorite; andthe old lady would rather have
shared her own apartments with him,than allow him to quit the house; he consequently remained."

  "What, then, became of the pistols and the French horn?" inquiredJack.

  "From that time on there sprung up a close friendship between the two;he was induced by her to convert his weapons of war intopharmacopoeas. Always, when she made some nice compound of jelly andcream, he had a share of it; he, on his side, scarcely ever passed herdoor without softening his tread; and both himself and his dogmanaged, eventually, to acquire the favor of the old lady's pug."

  "He appears to have been one of those medical gentlemen WHO profess tocure every conceivable disease by one kind of medicine."

  "And who generally contrive to remove both the disease and the patientat the same time."

  "You mistake the individual altogether; he is now one of the mostesteemed physicians in London, remarkable alike for his skill andbenevolence. It is even strongly suspected by his friends that he isnot a little indebted for his present eminent position to his firstpatients--the canary and the gold-fish."

  It was now the usual hour for retiring to rest. After the eveningprayer, which Mary and Sophia said alternately aloud, Willis and thefour brothers prepared to start for Shark's Island, to pass theirfirst night in the store-room and cattle-shed that had been erectedthere. Of course they could not expect to be so comfortable in suchquarters as at Rockhouse or Falcon's Nest; but then novelty is toyoung people what ease is to the aged. Black bread appears deliciousto those who habitually eat white; and we ourselves have seenhigh-bred ladies delighted when they found themselves compelled todine in a wretched hovel of the Tyrol--true, they were certain of aluxurious supper at Inspruck. So grief breaks the monotony of joy,just as a rock gives repose to level plain.

  Whilst the pinnace was gradually leaving the shore, loaded withmattresses and other movables adapted for a temporary encampment,Jack signalled a parting adieu to Sophia, and, putting his fingers tohis lips, seemed to enjoin silence.

  "All right, Master Jack," cried she.

  "What is all this signalling about?" inquired Mrs. Wolston.

  "A secret," said the young girl, leaping with joy; "I have a secret!"

  "And with a young man? that is very naughty, miss."

  "Oh, mamma, you will know it to-morrow."

  "What if I wanted to know it to-night?"

  "Then, mamma, if you insisted--that is--absolutely--"

  "No, no, child, I shall wait till to-morrow; keep it till then--if youcan."

  "Sophia dear," said Mary to her sister, when their two heads,enveloped in snowy caps with an embroidered fringe, were recliningtogether on the same pillow, "you know I have always shared my_bon-bons_ with you."

  "Yes, sister."

  "In that case, make me a partner in your secret."

  "Will you promise not to speak of it?"

  "Yes, I promise."

  "To no one?"

  "To no one."

  "Not even to the paroquette Fritz gave you?"

  "No, not even to my paroquette."

  "Well, it is very likely I shall speak about it in my dreams--youlisten and find it out."

  "Slyboots!"

  "Curiosity!"

  Like those delicate flowers that shrink when they are touched, eachthen turned to her own side; but it would have cost both too much notto have fallen asleep as usual, with their arms round each other'snecks;--consequently this tiff soon blew over, and, after a prolongedchat, their lips finally joined in the concluding "Good-night."