The enterprise. [volume] (Harlem, Mont.) 1899-1926, 1915-08-26
be village Of Pausaukee Il Judged they

could have come no greater distance,
some twelve or fifteen miles,, but they
do not serve for so long journey as
lies between PausAukee and the Span
/ ish main.
They rose as did, and we passed
beyond the clump Of tall birches. Thus
presently we saw the blue smoke ris.
ing above my lodge. betokening to me
that my Japanese factotum, Hiroshimi,
now had my dinner under way. Hiro-
shimi opened the screen door before us,
showing no surprise or interest In my
strange companions. Thus we made
easy conquest Of our castle.
My pfrate companions, suddenly
grown shy, stood silent for a moment.
for the time rather at loss to carry
On the play which had been easier in
the open. heard Jimmy draw long
breath. He was first to remove his
hat But his companion was quicker
to regain his poise, although for a mo-
ment he forgot his pirate speech.
"Gee!' said he. "Ain't this greatr
doubt II any praise ever heard in
my life pleased me more than this
frank comment, for this that lay about
me was what had chosen for my life
today. had preferred this to the
career into which my fathers restless
ambition had plunged me almost as
soon as l had emerged from my college
aud my law school-a career which my
own restless ambition had found suffi.
cient until that fnal break with Helena
Emory, which occurred soon after the
time when my father died. when the
news went out that I. his heir. was
left with but shrunken fortune and
with many debts to pay. news which
myself had promulgated for reasons Of
my own. After that I had retired to
this lodge in the wilderness. Here
grown suddenly resentful Of q life
hitherto wasted in money getting alone,
l had resolved to spend the remainder
o: my days as beseemed student and
a philosopher. Having read Weininger
and other philosophers. was convinc.
ed that woman was the lowest and
most unworthy thing In the scale Of
created things, thing quite beneath
the attention of a thinking man.
have said that was scarce beyond
thirty years Of age. Even SO found
myself already old, and, like any true
philosopher. resolved to make myself
young. As hitherto had had no boy.
hood, l determined to achieve boy.
hood for myself. Studying myself,
discovered that had rarely smiled, SO
l resolved to find somewhat to make
me smile.
A boy l had never been-nay, nor
even youth. had always been old
True, like others of my station. had
owned my auto cars, my matched
Transformed them now. indeed-but
had never owned dog. So when l
came hither with ample leisure per-
haps my chief ambition was deliber.
ate purpose to encompass my deferred
| boyhood Thus l had built this house
| of logs which now-with a surprised
and gratifying throb Of my heart !
learned it--appealed to the souls of
real boys. 1t was the castle where
dreamed, and now it was the palace of
their dreams also. felt ut least that
had succeeded. My heart throbbed
in n new way. very foolish, yet for
some reason suddenly enjoyable.
Many men had called my father,
stern and masterful man that he was,
robber, thief, pirate, in great
part, | suspect, in envy that they
themselves had not attained a like
stature in similar achievements. But
no one had ever called his son pirate
until now! 1t made me oddly happy.
1t is difficult to be boy when one
starts at thirty, especially difficult if
one has always been rather old and
staid
tell all these things to explain that
keen pleasure. that swift exultation,
that rush Of the blood to my cheeks,
which felt when saw that my house
and my way of life met the approval
of real boys-pirates too!
Swift, therefore, fell once more the
magic curtain of romance. l heard
strange voice, my own voice. saying.
ENTER then. my bold mates, and let us
explore this castle which we have con-
Quered.''
"Prisoner." began L'Olonnois sternly
he was usually spokesman, IL not al
ways leader-"prisoner. your life is
spared for the time. Lead on. At
tempt to play us false and your blood
shall be spilled upon the deck"
ut shall be So" answered, land If
| do not give you the best meal you
have had today then indeed let my
lifes blood stain the deck"
So saying nodded to Hiroshimi to
serve the dinner