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all down his back。 He showed me one day。〃
The Captain smiled proudly。
〃Tatooed！ Talk of tatooing！ I'll show yerand it isn't everybody
I'd do it for neither。 But I've taken a fancy to you； like my own
young nipper what died。〃
With an air of vast ceremony； as though he were throwing open the
door to all the universe； he slowly unwound from about his neck the
dark blue handkerchief； unbuttoned his coat； then a grimy shirt and
displayed a wall of deep brown chest。 This fine expanse had no hair
upon it； but was illuminated with a superb picture of a ship in full
sail against a setting sun； all worked in the most handsome of blue
tatoo。 Jeremy gasped。 He had never dreamed that such things could
be。 He ventured to touch the ship with his finger； and he could feel
the Captain's manly heart thumping like a muffled hammer beneath the
skin。
〃There's Queen Victoria on my right thigh and Nelson on my left； and
the battle of Trafalgar on the middle of my back。 P'raps I'll show
'em you one day。 It wouldn't be decent exactly 'eretoo public。 But
one day you come to my little place and I'll show 'em you。〃
〃Will you really？〃 said Jeremy。 〃Didn't it hurt terribly？〃
〃Hurt！〃 said the Captain。 〃I should just think it did。 I 'ad to put
cotton wool behind my teeth to prevent myself from screaming。 But
that's nothing。 What do you say to being tortured by the Caribbees
natives every day after breakfast for three 'ole months。 A tooth out
a day〃
〃But your teeth are all there；〃 said Jeremy。
〃False；〃 said the Captain。 〃Every one of 'em。 And the things they'll
do to your toenailsit 'ud make your 'air creep on your 'ead to
listen to the things I could tell you〃
〃Oh； it's awful！〃 said Jeremy。 〃And where is your ship now？〃
〃Ah； my ship！〃 the Captain replied； winking in the most mysterious
fashion； 〃it would be telling to say where that is。 I can trust you；
I know； I'm a great judge o' character； I am； but not even with my
own mother； gone to glory now twenty years and as holy a soul as
ever breathed； I wouldn't trust even 'er with the secret。〃
〃Why is it a secret？〃 asked Jeremy breathlessly。
〃Treasure；〃 said the Captain； dropping his voice。
〃Treasure； nothing less nor more。 Between you and me there's enough
gold on that there ship to satisfy the Prime Minister 'imself； to
say nothing of the jewelsrubies； pearls； diamonds。 My word； if
you could see them diamonds。 I'm looking about me now for an extra
man or two； and then I'm off againsilent come； silent go's my
motto〃
〃I suppose you don't happen to want a cabin…boy？〃 gasped Jeremy； his
voice choked in his throat。
〃Well； now； that's a funny thing；〃 said the Captain。 〃It's one of
the very things。 But I'm afraid you're a bit young。 Yet I don't
know。 We might〃
He broke off； suddenly lifted his finger to his lip； whispered：
〃Keep your eyes open。 I'll be round again；〃 and had vanished。
Directly after Jeremy heard Miss Jones's unwelcome voice： 〃Why；
Jeremy； we couldn't find you anywhere。 It's turning coldtea…time …
…〃
With a thump and a thud and a bang he fell back into the homely
world。
III
Jeremy was a perfectly normal little boy； and I defy anyone to have
discovered in him at this stage in his progress； those strange
morbidities and irregular instincts that were to be found in such
unhappy human beings as Dostoieffsky's young hero in 〃Podrostok；〃 or
the unpleasant son and heir of Jude and Sue。 Nevertheless； eight
years old is not too early for stranger impulses and wilder dreams
than most parents ever conceive of； and the fortnight that followed
Jeremy's meeting with the Sea…Captain was as peculiar and fantastic
a fortnight as he was ever； in all his later life； to know。
For he was hauntedreally haunted in the good old solid practical
meaning of the termhaunted with the haunting that pursued Sintram
and many another famous hero。 And he was haunted not only by the
Sea…Captain； but by a thousand things that attended in that hero's
company。 He was haunted by a picturewhence it had come to him he
did not knowof a dead…white high road； dropping over the hill into
shadow； the light fading around it； black； heavy hedges on every
side of it。 From below the hill came the pounding of the sea；
exactly as he had heard it so many many times on the hill above
Rafiel； and he knew； although his eyes could not catch it； that in
the valley round the head of the road was the fishing village with
the lights just coming in the windows； and beyond the village the
sloping shingly Cove。 But he could see only the dead… white road；
and upon this his eyes were always fixed as though he were expecting
someone。 And he could smell the sea…pinks and the grass damp with
evening dew； and the cold dust of the road； and the sea…smell in the
wind。 And he waited； knowing that the time would come when he would
be told to descend the hill； pass through the village； and step out；
under the heavy grey clouds； upon the little shingly beach。 He was
aware then that out at sea a dark； black ship was riding； slipping a
little with the tide； one light gleaming and swinging against the
pale glow of the dusky horizon。 The church clock struck four below
the hill； he was still on the high road waiting； his eyes straining
for figures。 。 。 He was prepared for some journey； because he had at
his feet a bundle。 And he knew that he ought not to be there。 He
knew that something awful was about to happen and that； when it had
occurred； he would be committed always to something or someone。 。 。
A little cold breeze then would rise in the hedges and against the
silence that followed the chiming of the clock he could hear first
the bleating of a sheep； then a sudden pounding of the sea as though
the breakers responded to the sudden rising of the wind； then the
hoofs of a horse； clear and hard； upon the road。 。 。 At that moment
the picture clouded and was dim。 Had this been a dream？ Was it
simply a confusion of summer visits to Rafiel； stories told him by
Mary； pictures in books （a fine illustrated edition of 〃Redgauntlet〃
had been a treasure to him since he was a baby）； the exciting figure
of the Captain； and the beginning of spring？ And yet the vision was
so vividly detailed that it was precisely like a remembered event。
He had always seen things in pictures； punishment meant standing in
the corner counting the ships on the wallpaper； summer holidays
meant the deep green meadows of Cow Farm； or a purple pool under an
afternoon sun； religion meant walking up the great wide aisle of the
Cathedral in creaking boots and clean underclothes； and so on。 It
was nothing new for him to make a picture； and to let that picture
stand for a whole complex phase of life。 But this？ What had it to do
with the Sea…Captain； aud why was it； as he knew in his heart that
it was； wicked and wrong and furtive？ For this had begun as a high
adventurous romance。 There had been nothing wrong in that first talk
in the Meads； when the Captain had shown him the tatooes。 The
wickedness of it had developed partly with his growing longing to
see the Captain again； partly with the meeting that actually
followed； and partly with the sense that grew an