The Stranger arose and hurried after the Pupil, whose long legs
carried him rapidly over the mountain-side. Reaching a large hole at
the bottom of a precipitous rock, the Pupil stopped, and exclaiming:
"Come in here and I will show you something that will amaze you!" he
immediately entered the hole.

The Stranger, who was very anxious to see what curiosity he had
found, followed him some distance along a narrow and winding
under-ground passage. The two suddenly emerged into a high and
spacious cavern, which was lighted by openings in the roof; on the
floor, in various places, were strongly fastened boxes, and packages
of many sorts, bales and bundles of silks and rich cloths, with
handsome caskets, and many other articles of value.

"What kind of a place is this?" exclaimed the Stranger, in great
surprise.

"Don't you know?" cried the Pupil, his eyes fairly sparkling with
delight. "It is a robber's den! Isn't it a great thing to find a
place like this?"

"A robber's den!" exclaimed the Stranger in alarm; "let us get out of
it as quickly as we can, or the robbers will return, and we shall be
cut to pieces."

"I don't believe they are coming back very soon," said the Pupil,
"and we ought to stop and take a look at some of these things."

"Fly, you foolish youth!" cried the Stranger; "you do not know what
danger you are in." And, so saying, he turned to hasten away from the
place.

But he was too late. At that moment the robber captain and his band
entered the cave. When these men perceived the Stranger and the
Hermit's Pupil, they drew their swords and were about to rush upon
them, when the Pupil sprang forward and, throwing up his long arms,
exclaimed:

"Stop! it is a mistake!"

At these words, the robber captain lowered his sword, and motioned to
his men to halt. "A mistake!" he said; "what do you mean by that?"

"I mean," said the Pupil, "that I was out looking for curiosities,
and wandered into this place by accident. We haven't taken a thing.
You may count your goods, and you will find nothing missing. We have
not even opened a box, although I very much wanted to see what was in
some of them."

"Are his statements correct?" said the Captain, turning to the
Stranger.

"Entirely so," was the answer.

"You have truthful features, and an honest expression," said the
Captain, "and I do not believe you would be so dishonorable as to
creep in here during our absence and steal our possessions. Your
lives shall be spared, but you will be obliged to remain with us; for
we cannot allow any one who knows our secret to leave us. You shall
be treated well, and shall accompany us in our expeditions; and if
your conduct merits it, you shall in time be made full members."

Bitterly the Stranger now regretted his unfortunate position. He
strode up and down one side of the cave, vowing inwardly that never
again would he allow himself to be led by a Hermit's Pupil. That
individual, however, was in a state of high delight. He ran about
from box to bale, looking at the rare treasures which some of the
robbers showed him.

The two captives were fed and lodged very well; and the next day the
Captain called them and the band together, and addressed them.

"We are now twenty-nine in number," he said; "twenty-seven full
members, and two on probation. To-night we are about to undertake a
very important expedition, in which we shall all join. We shall
fasten up the door of the cave, and at the proper time I shall tell
you to what place we are going."

An hour or two before midnight the band set out, accompanied by the
Stranger and the Hermit's Pupil; and when they had gone some miles
the Captain halted them to inform them of the object of the
expedition. "We are going," he said, "to rob the Queen's museum. It
is the most important business we have ever undertaken."

At these words the Stranger stepped forward and made a protest. "I
left the city yesterday," he said, "commissioned by the Queen to
obtain one or more objects of interest for her museum; and to return
now to rob an institution which I have promised to enrich will be
simply impossible."

"You are right," said the Captain, after a moment's reflection, "such
an action would be highly dishonorable on your part. If you will give
me your word of honor that you will remain by this stone until our
return, the expedition will proceed without you."

The Stranger gave his word, and having been left sitting upon the
stone, soon dropped asleep, and so remained until he was awakened by
the return of the band, a little before daylight. They came slowly
toiling along, each man carrying an enormous bundle upon his back.
Near the end of the line was the Hermit's Pupil, bearing a load as
heavy as any of the others. The Stranger offered to relieve him for a
time of his burden, but the Pupil would not allow it.

"I don't wish these men to think I can't do as much as they can," he
said. "You ought to have been along. We had a fine time! We swept
that museum clean, I tell you! We didn't leave a thing on a shelf or
in a case."

"What sort of things are they," asked the Stranger.

"I don't know," replied the Pupil, "we didn't have any light for fear
people would notice it, but the moon shone in bright enough for us to
see all the shelves and the cases; and our orders were not to try and
examine any thing, but to take all that was there. The cases had
great cloth covers on them, and we spread these on the floor and made
bundles of the curiosities. We are going to examine them carefully as
soon as we get to the den."

It was broad daylight when the robbers reached their cave. The
bundles were laid in a great circle on the floor, and, at a given
signal, they were opened. For a moment each robber gazed blankly at
the contents of his bundle, and then they all began to fumble and
search among the piles of articles upon the cloths; but after a few
minutes, they arose, looking blanker and more disappointed than
before.

"So far as I can see," said the Captain, "there is nothing in the
whole collection that I care for. I do not like a thing here!"

"Nor I!" "Nor I!" "Nor I!" cried each one of his band.

"I suppose," said the Captain, after musing for a moment, "that as
these things are of no use to us, we are bound in honor to take them
back."

"Hold!" said the Stranger, stepping forward; "do not be in too great
a hurry to do that." He then told the Captain of the state of affairs
in the city, and explained in full the nature of the expedition he
had undertaken for the Queen. "I think it would be better," he said,
"if these things were not taken back for the present. If you have a
safe place where you can put them, I will in due time tell the Queen
where they are, and if she chooses she can send for them."

"Good!" said the Captain, "it is but right that she should bear part
of the labor of transportation. There is a disused cave, a mile or so
away, and we will tie up these bundles and carry them there; and then
we shall leave the matter to you. We take no further interest in it.
And if you have given your parole to the Queen to return in a week,"
the Captain further continued, "of course you'll have to keep it. Did
you give your parole also?" he asked, turning to the Pupil.

"Oh, no!" cried that youth; "there was no time fixed for my return.
And I am sure that I like a robber's life much better than that of a
hermit. There is ever so much more spice and dash in it."

"The Stranger was then told that if he would promise not to betray
the robbers he might depart. He gave the promise; but added sadly
that he had lost so much time that he was afraid he would not now be
able to attain the object of his search and return within the week.

"If that is the case," said the Captain, "we will gladly assist you."
"Comrades!" he cried, addressing his band, "after stowing this
useless booty in the disused cave, and taking some rest and
refreshment, we will set out again, and the object of our expedition
shall be to obtain something for the Queen's museum which will
interest every one."

Shortly after midnight the robbers set out, accompanied by the
Stranger and the Pupil. When they had walked about an hour, the
Captain, as was his custom, brought them to a halt that he might tell
them where they were going. "I have concluded," said he, "that no
place is so likely to contain what we are looking for as the castle
of the great magician, Alfrarmedj. We will, therefore, proceed
thither, and sack the castle."

"Will there not be great danger in attacking the castle of a
magician?" asked the Stranger in somewhat anxious tones.

"Of course there will be," said the Captain, "but we are not such
cowards as to hesitate on account of danger. Forward, my men!" And on
they all marched.

When they reached the magician's castle, the order was given to scale
the outer wall. This the robbers did with great agility, and the
Hermit's Pupil was among the first to surmount it. But the Stranger
was not used to climbing, and he had to be assisted over the wall.
Inside the great court-yard they perceived numbers of Weirds--strange
shadowy creatures who gathered silently around them; but not in the
least appalled, the robbers formed into a body, and marched into the
castle, the door of which stood open. They now entered a great hall,
having at one end a doorway before which hung a curtain. Following
their Captain, the robbers approached this curtain, and pushing it
aside, entered the room beyond. There, behind a large table, sat the
great magician, Alfrarmedj, busy over his mystic studies, which he
generally pursued in the dead hours of the night. Drawing their
swords, the robbers rushed upon him.

"Surrender!" cried the Captain, "and deliver to us the treasures of
your castle."

The old magician raised his head from his book, and, pushing up his
spectacles from his forehead, looked at them mildly, and said:

"Freeze!"

Instantly, they all froze as hard as ice, each man remaining in the
position in which he was when the magical word was uttered. With
uplifted swords and glaring eyes they stood, rigid and stiff, before
the magician. After calmly surveying the group, the old man said:

"I see among you one who has an intelligent brow and truthful
expression. His head may thaw sufficiently for him to tell me what
means this untimely intrusion upon my studies."

The Stranger now felt his head begin to thaw, and in a few moments he
was able to speak. He then told the magician about the Queen's
museum, and how it had happened that he had come there with the
robbers.

"Your motive is a good one," said the magician, "though your actions
are somewhat erratic; and I do not mind helping you to find what you
wish. In what class of objects do the people of the city take the
most interest?"

"Truly I do not know," said the Stranger.

"This is indeed surprising!" exclaimed Alfrarmedj. "How can you
expect to obtain that which will interest every one, when you do not
know what it is in which every one takes an interest? Go, find out
this, and then return to me, and I will see what can be done."

The magician then summoned his Weirds and ordered them to carry the
frozen visitors outside the castle walls. Each one of the rigid
figures was taken up by two Weirds, who carried him out and stood him
up in the road outside the castle. When all had been properly set up,
with the captain at their head, the gates were shut, and the magician
still sitting at his table, uttered the word, "Thaw!"

Instantly, the whole band thawed and marched away. At daybreak they
halted, and considered how they should find out what all the people
in the city took an interest in.

"One thing is certain," cried the Hermit's Pupil, "whatever it is, it
isn't the same thing."

"Your remark is not well put together," said the Stranger, "but I see
the force of it. It is true that different people like different
things. But how shall we find out what the different people like?"

"By asking them," said the Pupil.

"Good!" cried the Captain, who preferred action to words. "This night
we will ask them." He then drew upon the sand a plan of the
city,--(with which he was quite familiar, having carefully robbed it
for many years,)--and divided it into twenty-eight sections, each one
of which was assigned to a man. "I omit you," the Captain said to the
Stranger, "because I find that you are not expert at climbing." He
then announced that at night the band would visit the city, and that
each man should enter the houses in his district, and ask the people
what it was in which they took the greatest interest.

They then proceeded to the cave for rest and refreshment; and a
little before midnight they entered the city, and each member of the
band, including the Hermit's Pupil, proceeded to attend to the
business assigned to him. It was ordered that no one should disturb
the Queen, for they knew that what she took most interest in was the
museum. During the night nearly every person in the town was aroused
by a black-bearded robber, who had climbed into one of the windows of
the house, and who, instead of demanding money and jewels, simply
asked what it was in which that person took the greatest interest.
Upon receiving an answer, the robber repeated it until he had learned
it by heart, and then went to the next house. As so many of the
citizens were confined in prisons, which the robbers easily entered,
they transacted the business in much less time than they would
otherwise have required.

The Hermit's Pupil was very active, climbing into and out of houses
with great agility. He obtained his answers quite as easily as did
the others, but whenever he left a house there was a shade of
disappointment upon his features. Among the last places that he
visited was a room in which two boys were sleeping. He awoke them and
asked the usual question. While they were trembling in their bed, not
knowing what to answer, the Pupil drew his sword and exclaimed:
"Come, now, no prevarication; you know it's fishing-tackle. Speak
out!" Each of the boys then promptly declared it was fishing-tackle,
and the pupil left, greatly gratified. "I was very much afraid," he
said to himself, "that not a person in my district would say
fishing-tackle; and I am glad to think that there were two boys who
had sense enough to like something that is really interesting."

It was nearly daylight when the work was finished; and then the band
gathered together in an appointed place on the outside of the city,
where the Stranger awaited them. Each of the men had an excellent
memory, which was necessary in their profession, and they repeated to
the Stranger all the objects and subjects that had been mentioned to
them, and he wrote them down upon tablets.

The next night, accompanied by the band, he proceeded to the castle
of the magician, the great gate of which was silently opened for them
by the Weirds. When they were ushered into the magician's room,
Alfrarmedj took the tablets from the Stranger and examined them
carefully.

"All these things should make a very complete collection," he said,
"and I think I have specimens of the various objects in my
interminable vaults." He then called his Weirds and, giving one of
them the tablets, told him to go with his companions into the vaults
and gather enough of the things therein mentioned to fill a large
museum. In half an hour the Weirds returned and announced that the
articles were ready in the great court-yard.

"Go, then," said the magician, "and assist these men to carry them to
the Queen's museum."

The Stranger then heartily thanked Alfrarmedj for the assistance he
had given; and the band, accompanied by a number of Weirds, proceeded
to carry the objects of interest to the Queen's museum. It was a
strange procession. Half a dozen Weirds carried a stuffed mammoth,
followed by others bearing the skeleton of a whale, while the robbers
and the rest of their queer helpers were loaded with every thing
relating to history, science, and art which ought to be in a really
good museum. When the whole collection had been put in place upon the
floors, the shelves, and in the cases, it was nearly morning. The
robbers, with the Hermit's Pupil, retired to the cave; the Weirds
disappeared; while the Stranger betook himself to the Queen's palace,
where, as soon as the proper hour arrived, he requested an audience.

When he saw the Queen, he perceived that she was very pale and that
her cheeks bore traces of recent tears. "You are back in good time,"
she said to him, "but it makes very little difference whether you
have succeeded in your mission or not. There is no longer any museum.
There has been a great robbery, and the thieves have carried off the
whole of the vast and valuable collection which I have been so long
in making."

"I know of that affair," said the Stranger, "and I have already
placed in your museum-building the collection which I have obtained.
If your Majesty pleases, I shall be glad to have you look at it. It
may, in some degree, compensate for that which has been stolen."

"Compensate!" cried the Queen. "Nothing can compensate for it; I do
not even wish to see what you have brought."

"Be that as your Majesty pleases," said the Stranger; "but I will be
so bold as to say that I have great hopes that the collection which I
have obtained will interest the people. Will your Majesty graciously
allow them to see it?"

"I have no objection to that," said the Queen; "and indeed I shall be
very glad if they can be made to be interested in the museum. I will
give orders that the prisons be opened, so that everybody can go to
see what you have brought; and those who shall be interested in it
may return to their homes. I did not release my obstinate subjects
when the museum was robbed, because their fault then was just as
great as it was before; and it would not be right that they should
profit by my loss."

The Queen's proclamation was made, and for several days the museum
was crowded with people moving from morning till night through the
vast collection of stuffed animals, birds, and fishes; rare and
brilliant insects; mineral and vegetable curiosities; beautiful works
of art; and all the strange, valuable, and instructive objects which
had been brought from the interminable vaults of the magician
Alfrarmedj. The Queen's officers, who had been sent to observe
whether or not the people were interested, were in no doubt upon this
point. Every eye sparkled with delight, for every one found something
which was the very thing he wished to see; and in the throng was the
Hermit's Pupil, standing in rapt ecstasy before a large case
containing all sorts of fishing-tackle, from the smallest hooks for
little minnows to the great irons and spears used in capturing
whales.

No one went back to prison, and the city was full of re-united
households and happy homes. On the morning of the fourth day, a grand
procession of citizens came to the palace to express to the Queen
their delight and appreciation of her museum. The great happiness of
her subjects could but please the Queen. She called the Stranger to
her, and said to him:

"Tell me how you came to know what it was that would interest my
people."

"I asked them," said the Stranger. "That is to say, I arranged that
they should be asked."

"That was well done," said the Queen; "but it is a great pity that my
long labors in their behalf should have been lost. For many years I
have been a collector of button-holes; and there was nothing valuable
or rare in the line of my studies of which I had not an original
specimen or a facsimile. My agents brought me from foreign lands,
even from the most distant islands of the sea, button-holes of every
kind; in silk, in wool, in cloth of gold, in every imaginable
material, and of those which could not be obtained careful copies
were made. There was not a duplicate specimen in the whole
collection; only one of each kind; nothing repeated. Never before was
there such a museum. With all my power I strove to educate my people
up to an appreciation of button-holes; but, with the exception of a
few tailors and seamstresses, nobody took the slightest interest in
what I had provided for their benefit. I am glad that my people are
happy, but I cannot restrain a sigh for the failure of my efforts."

"The longer your Majesty lives," said the Stranger, "the better you
will understand that we cannot make other people like a thing simply
because we like it ourselves."

"Stranger," said the Queen, gazing upon him with admiration, "are you
a king in disguise?"

"I am," he replied.

"I thought I perceived it," said the Queen, "and I wish to add that I
believe you are far better able to govern this kingdom than I am. If
you choose I will resign it to you."

"Not so, your majesty," said the other; "I would not deprive you of
your royal position, but I should be happy to share it with you."

"That will answer very well," said the Queen. And turning to an
attendant, she gave orders that preparations should be made for their
marriage on the following day.

After the royal wedding, which was celebrated with great pomp and
grandeur, the Queen paid a visit to the museum, and, much to her
surprise, was greatly delighted and interested. The King then
informed her that he happened to know where the robbers had stored
her collection, which they could not sell or make use of, and if she
wished, he would regain the collection and erect a building for its
reception.

"We will not do that at present," said the Queen. "When I shall have
thoroughly examined and studied all these objects, most of which are
entirely new to me, we will decide about the button-holes."

The Hermit's Pupil did not return to his cave. He was greatly
delighted with the spice and dash of a robber's life, so different
from that of a hermit; and he determined, if possible, to change his
business and enter the band. He had a conversation with the Captain
on the subject, and that individual encouraged him in his purpose.

"I am tired," the Captain said, "of a robber's life. I have stolen so
much, that I cannot use what I have. I take no further interest in
accumulating spoils. The quiet of a hermit's life attracts me; and,
if you like we will change places. I will become the pupil of your
old master, and you shall be the captain of my band."

The change was made. The Captain retired to the cave of the Hermit's
Pupil, while the latter, with the hearty consent of all the men, took
command of the band of robbers.

When the King heard of this change, he was not at all pleased, and he
sent for the ex-pupil.

"I am willing to reward you," he said, "for assisting me in my recent
undertaking; but I cannot allow you to lead a band of robbers in my
dominions."

A dark shade of disappointment passed over the ex-pupil's features,
and his face lengthened visibly.

"It is too bad," he said, "to be thus cut short at the very outset of
a brilliant career. I'll tell you what I'll do," he added suddenly,
his face brightening, "if you'll let me keep on in my new profession,
I'll promise to do nothing but rob robbers."

"Very well," said the King, "if you will confine yourself to that,
you may retain your position."

The members of the band were perfectly willing to rob in the new way,
for it seemed quite novel and exciting to them. The first place they
robbed was their own cave, and as they all had excellent memories,
they knew from whom the various goods had been stolen, and every
thing was returned to its proper owner. The ex-pupil then led his
band against the other dens of robbers in the kingdom, and his
movements were conducted with such dash and vigor that the various
hordes scattered in every direction, while the treasures in their
dens were returned to the owners, or, if these could not be found,
were given to the poor. In a short time every robber, except those
led by the ex-pupil, had gone into some other business; and the
victorious youth led his band into other kingdoms to continue the
great work of robbing robbers.

The Queen never sent for the collection of curiosities which the
robbers had stolen from her. She was so much interested in the new
museum that she continually postponed the re-establishment of her old
one; and, as far as can be known, the button-holes are still in the
cave where the robbers shut them up.





 CHRISTMAS BEFORE LAST;

OR, THE FRUIT OF THE FRAGILE PALM.

       *       *       *       *       *

The "Horn o' Plenty" was a fine, big, old-fashioned ship, very high
in the bow, very high in the stern, with a quarter-deck always
carpeted in fine weather, because her captain could not see why one
should not make himself comfortable at sea as well as on land.
Covajos Maroots was her captain, and a fine, jolly, old-fashioned,
elderly sailor he was. The "Horn o' Plenty" always sailed upon one
sea, and always between two ports, one on the west side of the sea,
and one on the east. The port on the west was quite a large city, in
which Captain Covajos had a married son, and the port on the east was
another city in which he had a married daughter. In each family he
had several grandchildren; and, consequently, it was a great joy to
the jolly old sailor to arrive at either port. The Captain was very
particular about his cargo, and the "Horn o' Plenty" was generally
laden with good things to eat, or sweet things to smell, or fine
things to wear, or beautiful things to look at. Once a merchant
brought to him some boxes of bitter aloes, and mustard plasters, but
Captain Covajos refused to take them into his ship.

"I know," said he, "that such things are very useful and necessary at
times, but you would better send them over in some other vessel. The
'Horn o' Plenty' has never carried any thing that to look at, to
taste, or to smell, did not delight the souls of old and young. I am
sure you cannot say that of these commodities. If I were to put such
things on board my ship, it would break the spell which more than
fifty savory voyages have thrown around it."

There were sailors who sailed upon that sea who used to say that
sometimes, when the weather was hazy and they could not see far, they
would know they were about to meet the "Horn o' Plenty" before she
came in sight; her planks and timbers, and even her sails and masts,
had gradually become so filled with the odor of good things that the
winds that blew over her were filled with an agreeable fragrance.

There was another thing about which Captain Covajos was very
particular; he always liked to arrive at one of his ports a few days
before Christmas. Never, in the course of his long life, had the old
sailor spent a Christmas at sea; and now that he had his fine
grandchildren to help make the holidays merry, it would have grieved
him very much if he had been unable to reach one or the other of his
ports in good season. His jolly old vessel was generally heavily
laden, and very slow, and there were many days of calms on that sea
when she did not sail at all, so that her voyages were usually very,
very long. But the Captain fixed the days of sailing so as to give
himself plenty of time to get to the other end of his course before
Christmas came around.

One spring, however, he started too late, and when he was about the
middle of his voyage, he called to him Baragat Bean, his old
boatswain. This venerable sailor had been with the Captain ever since
he had commanded the "Horn o' Plenty," and on important occasions he
was always consulted in preference to the other officers, none of
whom had served under Captain Covajos more then fifteen or twenty
years.

"Baragat," said the Captain, "we have just passed the Isle of
Guinea-Hens. You can see its one mountain standing up against the sky
to the north."

"Aye, aye, sir," said old Baragat; "there she stands, the same as
usual."

"That makes it plain," said the Captain, "that we are not yet
half-way across, and I am very much afraid that I shall not be able
to reach my dear daughter's house before Christmas."

"That would be doleful, indeed," said Baragat; "but I've feared
something of the kind, for we've had calms nearly every other day,
and sometimes, when the wind did blow, it came from the wrong
direction, and it's my belief that the ship sailed backward."

"That was very bad management," said the Captain. "The chief mate
should have seen to it that the sails were turned in such a manner
that the ship could not go backward. If that sort of thing happened
often, it would become quite a serious affair."

"But what is done can't be helped," said the boatswain, "and I don't
see how you are going to get into port before Christmas."

"Nor do I," said the Captain, gazing out over the sea.

"It would give me a sad turn, sir," said Baragat, "to see you spend
Christmas at sea; a thing you never did before, nor ever shall do, if
I can help it. If you'll take my advice, sir, you'll turn around, and
go back. It's a shorter distance to the port we started from than to
the one we are going to, and if we turn back now, I am sure we all
shall be on shore before the holidays."

"Go back to my son's house!" exclaimed Captain Covajos, "where I was
last winter! Why, that would be like spending last Christmas over
again!"

"But that would be better than having none at all, sir," said the
boatswain, "and a Christmas at sea would be about equal to none."

"Good!" exclaimed the Captain. "I will give up the coming Christmas
with my daughter and her children, and go back and spend last
Christmas over again with my son and his dear boys and girls. Have
the ship turned around immediately, Baragat, and tell the chief mate
I do not wish to sail backward if it can possibly be avoided."

For a week or more the "Horn o' Plenty" sailed back upon her track
towards the city where dwelt the Captain's son. The weather was fine,
the carpet was never taken up from the quarter-deck, and every thing
was going on very well, when a man, who happened to have an errand at
one of the topmasts, came down, and reported that, far away to the
north, he had seen a little open boat with some people in it.

"Ah me!" said Captain Covajos, "it must be some poor fellows who are
shipwrecked. It will take us out of our course, but we must not leave
them to their fate. Have the ship turned about, so that it will sail
northward."

It was not very long before they came up with the boat; and, much to
the Captain's surprise, he saw that it was filled with boys.

"Who are you?" he cried as soon as he was near enough. "And where do
you come from?"

"We are the First Class in Long Division," said the oldest boy, "and
we are cast away. Have you any thing to eat that you can spare us? We
are almost famished."

"We have plenty of every thing," said the Captain. "Come on board
instantly, and all your wants shall be supplied."

"How long have you been without food?" he asked, when the boys were
on the deck of the vessel.

"We have had nothing to eat since breakfast," said one of them; "and
it is now late in the afternoon. Some of us are nearly dead from
starvation."

"It is very hard for boys to go so long without eating," said the
good Captain. And leading them below, he soon set them to work upon a
bountiful meal.

Not until their hunger was fully satisfied did he ask them how they
came to be cast away.

"You see, sir," said the oldest boy, "that we and the Multiplication
Class had a holiday to-day, and each class took a boat and determined
to have a race, so as to settle, once for all, which was the highest
branch of arithmetic, multiplication or long division. Our class
rowed so hard that we entirely lost sight of the Multiplicationers,
and found indeed that we were out of sight of every thing; so that,
at last, we did not know which was the way back, and thus we became
castaways."

"Where is your school?" asked the Captain.

"It is on Apple Island," said the boy; "and, although it is a long
way off for a small boat with only four oars for nine boys, it can't
be very far for a ship."

"That is quite likely," said the Captain, "and we shall take you
home. Baragat, tell the chief mate to have the vessel turned toward
Apple Island, that we may restore these boys to their parents and
guardians."

Now, the chief mate had not the least idea in the world where Apple
Island was, but he did not like to ask, because that would be
confessing his ignorance; so he steered his vessel toward a point
where he believed he had once seen an island, which, probably, was
the one in question. The "Horn o' Plenty" sailed in this direction
all night, and when day broke, and there was no island in sight, she
took another course; and so sailed this way and that for six or seven
days, without ever seeing a sign of land. All this time, the First
Class in Long Division was as happy as it could be, for it was having
a perfect holiday; fishing off the sides of the vessel, climbing up
the ladders and ropes, and helping the sailors whistle for wind. But
the Captain now began to grow a little impatient, for he felt he was
losing time; so he sent for the chief mate, and said to him mildly
but firmly:

"I know it is out of the line of your duty to search for island
schools, but, if you really think that you do not know where Apple
Island lies, I wish you to say so, frankly and openly."

"Frankly and openly," answered the mate, "I don't think I do."

"Very well," said the Captain. "Now, that is a basis to work upon,
and we know where we stand. You can take a little rest, and let the
second mate find the island. But I can only give him three days in
which to do it. We really have no time to spare."

The second mate was very proud of the responsibility placed upon him,
and immediately ordered the vessel to be steered due south.

"One is just as likely," he said, "to find a totally unknown place by
going straight ahead in a certain direction, as by sailing here,
there, and everywhere. In this way, you really get over more water,
and there is less wear and tear of the ship and rigging."

So he sailed due south for two days, and at the end of that time they
came in sight of land. This was quite a large island, and when they
approached near enough, they saw upon its shores a very handsome
city.

"Is this Apple Island?" said Captain Covajos to the oldest boy.

"Well, sir," answered the youth, "I am not sure I can say with
certainty that I truly believe that it is; but, I think, if we were
to go on shore, the people there would be able to tell us how to go
to Apple Island."

"Very likely," said the good Captain; "and we will go on shore and
make inquiries.--And it has struck me, Baragat," he said, "that
perhaps the merchants in the city where my son lives may be somewhat
annoyed when the 'Horn o' Plenty' comes back with all their goods on
board, and not disposed of. Not understanding my motives, they may be
disposed to think ill of me. Consequently the idea has come into my
head, that it might be a good thing to stop here for a time, and try
to dispose of some of our merchandise. The city seems to be quite
prosperous, and I have no doubt there are a number of merchants
here."

So the "Horn o' Plenty" was soon anchored in the harbor, and as many
of the officers and crew as could be spared went on shore to make
inquiries. Of course the First Class in Long Division was not left
behind; and, indeed, they were ashore as soon as anybody. The Captain
and his companions were cordially welcomed by some of the dignitaries
of the city who had come down to the harbor to see the strange
vessel; but no one could give any information in regard to Apple
Island, the name of which had never been heard on those shores. The
Captain was naturally desirous of knowing at what place he had
landed, and was informed that this was the Island of the Fragile
Palm.

"That is rather an odd name," said the old Captain. "Why is it so
called?"

"The reason is this," said his informant. "Near the centre of the
island stands a tall and very slender palm-tree, which has been
growing there for hundreds of years. It bears large and handsome
fruit which is something like the cocoanut; and, in its perfection,
is said to be a transcendently delicious fruit."

"Said to be!" exclaimed the Captain; "are you not positive about it?"

"No," said the other; "no one living has ever tasted the fruit in its
perfection. When it becomes overripe, it drops to the ground, and,
even then, it is considered royal property, and is taken to the
palace for the King's table. But on fГЄte-days and grand occasions
small bits of it are distributed to the populace."

"Why don't you pick the fruit," asked Captain Covajos, "when it is in
its best condition to eat?"

"It would be impossible," said the citizen, "for any one to climb up
that tree, the trunk of which is so extremely delicate and fragile
that the weight of a man would probably snap it; and, of course, a
ladder placed against it would produce the same result. Many attempts
have been made to secure this fruit at the proper season, but all of
them have failed. Another palm-tree of a more robust sort was once
planted near this one in the hope that when it grew high enough, men
could climb up the stronger tree and get the fruit from the other.
But, although we waited many years the second tree never attained
sufficient height, and it was cut down."

"It is a great pity," said the Captain; "but I suppose it cannot be
helped." And then he began to make inquiries about the merchants in
the place, and what probability there was of his doing a little trade
here. The Captain soon discovered that the cargo of his ship was made
up of goods which were greatly desired by the citizens of this place;
and for several days he was very busy in selling the good things to
eat, the sweet things to smell, the fine things to wear, and the
beautiful things to look at, with which the hold of the "Horn o'
Plenty" was crowded.

During this time the First Class in Long Division roamed, in delight,
over the city. The busy streets, the shops, the handsome buildings,
and the queer sights which they occasionally met, interested and
amused them greatly. But still the boys were not satisfied. They had
heard of the Fragile Palm, and they made up their minds to go and
have a look at it. Therefore, taking a guide, they tramped out into
the country, and in about an hour they came in sight of the beautiful
tree standing in the centre of the plain. The trunk was, indeed,
exceedingly slender, and, as the guide informed them, the wood was of
so very brittle a nature that if the tree had not been protected from
the winds by the high hills which encircled it, it would have been
snapped off ages ago. Under the broad tuft of leaves that formed its
top, the boys saw hanging large clusters of the precious fruit; great
nuts as big as their heads.

"At what time of the year," asked the oldest boy, "is that fruit just
ripe enough to eat?"

"Now," answered the guide. "This is the season when it is in the most
perfect condition. In about a month it will become entirely too ripe
and soft, and will drop. But, even then, the King and all the rest of
us are glad enough to get a taste of it."

"I should think the King would be exceedingly eager to get some of
it, just as it is," said the boy.

"Indeed he is!" replied the guide. "He and his father, and I don't
know how many grandfathers back, have offered large rewards to any
one who would procure them this fruit in its best condition. But
nobody has ever been able to get any yet."

"The reward still holds good, I suppose," said the head boy.

"Oh, yes," answered the guide; "there never was a King who so much
desired to taste the fruit as our present monarch."

The oldest boy looked up at the top of the tree, shut one eye, and
gave his head a little wag. Whereupon every boy in the class looked
up, shut one eye, and slightly wagged his head. After which the
oldest boy said that he thought it was about time for them to go back
to the ship.

As soon as they reached the vessel, and could talk together freely,
the boys had an animated discussion. It was unanimously agreed that
they would make an attempt to get some of the precious fruit from the
Fragile Palm, and the only difference of opinion among them was as to
how it should be done. Most of them were in favor of some method of
climbing the tree and trusting to its not breaking. But this the
oldest boy would not listen to; the trunk might snap, and then
somebody would be hurt, and he felt, in a measure, responsible for
the rest of the class. At length a good plan was proposed by a boy
who had studied mechanics.

"What we ought to do with that tree," said he, "is to put a hinge
into her. Then we could let her down gently, pick off the fruit, and
set her up again.

"But how are you going to do it?" asked the others.

"This is the way," said the boy who had studied mechanics. "You take
a saw, and then, about two feet from the ground, you begin and saw
down diagonally, for a foot and a half, to the centre of the trunk.
Then you go on the other side, and saw down in the same way, the two
outs meeting each other. Now you have the upper part of the trunk
ending in a wedge, which fits into a cleft in the lower part of the
trunk. Then, about nine inches below the place where you first began
to saw, you bore a hole straight through both sides of the cleft and
the wedge between them. Then you put an iron bolt through this hole,
and you have your tree on a hinge, only she wont be apt to move
because she fits in so snug and tight. Then you get a long rope, and
put one end in a slipknot loosely around the trunk. Then you get a
lot of poles, and tie them end to end, and push this slip-knot up
until it is somewhere near the top, when you pull it tight. Then you
take another rope with a slip-knot, and push this a little more than
half-way up the trunk. By having two ropes, that way, you prevent too
much strain coming on any one part of the trunk. Then, after that,
you take a mallet and chisel and round off the lower corners of the
wedge, so that it will turn easily in the cleft. Then we take hold of
the ropes, let her down gently, pick off the fruit, and haul her up
again. That will all be easy enough."

This plan delighted the boys, and they all pronounced in its favor;
but the oldest one suggested that it would be better to fasten the
ropes to the trunk before they began to saw upon it, and another boy
asked how they were going to keep the tree standing when they hauled
her up again.

"Oh, that is easy," said the one who had studied mechanics; "you just
bore another hole about six inches above the first one, and put in
another bolt. Then, of course, she can't move."

This settled all the difficulties, and it was agreed to start out
early the next morning, gather the fruit, and claim the reward the
King had offered. They accordingly went to the Captain and asked him
for a sharp saw, a mallet and chisel, an auger, two iron bolts, and
two very long ropes. These, having been cheerfully given to them,
were put away in readiness for the work to be attempted.

Very early on the next morning, the First Class in Long Division set
out for the Fragile Palm, carrying their tools and ropes. Few people
were awake as they passed through the city, and, without being
observed, they reached the little plain on which the tree stood. The
ropes were attached at the proper places, the tree was sawn,
diagonally, according to the plan; the bolt was put in, and the
corners of the wedge were rounded off. Then the eldest boy produced a
pound of butter, whereupon his comrades, who had seized the ropes,
paused in surprise and asked him why he had brought the butter.

"I thought it well," was the reply, "to bring along some butter,
because, when the tree is down, we can grease the hinge, and then it
will not be so hard to pull it up again."

When all was ready, eight of the boys took hold of the long ropes,
while another one with a pole pushed against the trunk of the Fragile
Palm. When it began to lean over a little, he dropped his pole and
ran to help the others with the ropes. Slowly the tree moved on its
hinge, descending at first very gradually; but it soon began to move
with greater rapidity, although the boys held it back with all their
strength; and, in spite of their most desperate efforts, the top came
to the ground at last with a great thump. And then they all dropped
their ropes, and ran for the fruit. Fortunately the great nuts
incased in their strong husks were not in the least injured, and the
boys soon pulled them off, about forty in all. Some of the boys were
in favor of cracking open a few of the nuts and eating them, but this
the eldest boy positively forbade.

"This fruit," he said, "is looked upon as almost sacred, and if we
were to eat any of it, it is probable that we should be put to death,
which would be extremely awkward for fellows who have gone to all the
trouble we have had. We must set up the tree and carry the fruit to
the King."

According to this advice, they thoroughly greased the hinge in the
tree with the butter, and then set themselves to work to haul up the
trunk. This, however, was much more difficult than letting it down;
and they had to lift up the head of it, and prop it up on poles,
before they could pull upon it with advantage. The tree, although
tall, was indeed a very slender one, with a small top, and, if it had
been as fragile as it was supposed to be, the boys' efforts would
surely have broken it. At last, after much tugging and warm work,
they pulled it into an upright position, and put in the second bolt.
They left the ropes on the tree because, as some of them had
suggested, the people might want to let the tree down again the next
year. It would have been difficult for the boys to carry in their
arms the great pile of fruit they had gathered; but, having noticed a
basket-maker's cottage on their way to the tree, two of them were
sent to buy one of his largest baskets or hampers. This was attached
to two long poles, and, having been filled with the nuts, the boys
took the poles on their shoulders, and marched into the city.

On their way to the palace they attracted a great crowd, and when
they were ushered into the presence of the King, his surprise and
delight knew no bounds. At first he could scarcely believe his eyes;
but he had seen the fruit so often that there could be no mistake
about it.

"I shall not ask you," he said to the boys, "how you procured this
fruit, and thus accomplished a deed which has been the object of the
ambition of myself and my forefathers. All I ask is, did you leave
the tree standing?"

"We did," said the boys.

"Then all that remains to be done," said His Majesty, "is to give you
the reward you have so nobly earned. Treasurer, measure out to each
of them a quart of gold coin. And pray be quick about it, for I am
wild with desire to have a table spread, and one of these nuts
cracked, that I may taste of its luscious contents."

The boys, however, appeared a little dissatisfied. Huddling together,
they consulted in a low tone, and then the eldest boy addressed the
King.

"May it please your Majesty," he said; "we should very much prefer to
have you give each of us one of those nuts instead of a quart of
gold."

The King looked grave. "This is a much greater reward," he said,
"than I had ever expected to pay; but, since you ask it, you must
have it. You have done something which none of my subjects has ever
been able to accomplish, and it is right, therefore, that you should
be fully satisfied."

So he gave them each a nut, with which they departed in triumph to
the ship.

By the afternoon of the next day, the Captain had sold all his cargo
at very good prices; and when the money was safely stored away in the
"Horn o' Plenty," he made ready to sail, for he declared he had
really no time to spare. "I must now make all possible haste," he
said to old Baragat, "to find Apple Island, put these boys ashore,
and then speed away to the city where lives my son. We must not fail
to get there in time to spend last Christmas over again."

On the second day, after the "Horn o' Plenty" had left the Island of
the Fragile Palm, one of the sailors who happened to be aloft noticed
a low, black, and exceedingly unpleasant-looking vessel rapidly
approaching. This soon proved to be the ship of a band of corsairs,
who, having heard of the large amount of money on the "Horn o'
Plenty," had determined to pursue her and capture the rich prize. All
sails were set upon the "Horn o' Plenty," but it soon became plain
that she could never outsail the corsair vessel.

"What our ship can do better than any thing else," said Baragat to
the Captain, "is to stop short. Stop her short, and let the other one
go by."

This manoeuvre was executed, but, although the corsair passed rapidly
by, not being able to stop so suddenly, it soon turned around and
came back, its decks swarming with savage men armed to the teeth.

"They are going to board us," cried Baragat. "They are getting out
their grappling-irons, and they will fasten the two ships together."

"Let all assemble on the quarter-deck," said the Captain. "It is
higher there, and we shall not be so much exposed to accidents."

The corsair ship soon ran alongside the "Horn o' Plenty," and in a
moment the two vessels were fastened together; and then the corsairs,
every man of them, each with cutlass in hand and a belt full of dirks
and knives, swarmed up the side of the "Horn o' Plenty," and sprang
upon its central deck. Some of the ferocious fellows, seeing the
officers and crew all huddled together upon the quarter-deck, made a
movement in that direction. This so frightened the chief mate that he
sprang down upon the deck of the corsair ship. A panic now arose, and
he was immediately followed by the officers and crew. The boys, of
course, were not to be left behind; and the Captain and Baragat felt
themselves bound not to desert the crew, and so they jumped also.
None of the corsairs interfered with this proceeding, for each one of
them was anxious to find the money at once. When the passengers and
crew of the "Horn o' Plenty" were all on board the corsair ship,
Baragat came to the Captain, and said: