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THE VOYAGE OF THE HOPPERGRASS
BY EDMUND LESTER PEARSON
AUTHOR OF "THE BELIEVING YEARS"
TO PHILIP RICHARDSON PEARSON
Dear Philip,—
This is the book you have asked me about,—once or twice. Youremember "The Believing Years," don't you? That was a book aboutsome boys I knew, and although it was written for grown-upreaders, there were boys—yourself amongst them—who claimed tohave read it.
This story is about boys and men. There are two kinds of piratesin it. One kind is for readers from about eight years old to, say,sixteen. The other kind is recommended from sixteen up to ninety-seven, or eight. There are other things beside the pirates, ofcourse.
It would do no harm, I think, after you have read the book, to letyour Father try it. And if Elizabeth and Katharine think theywould like it, why, give them 'a chance to find out. That is anadvantage girls have over us,—they usually like our books, whilewe seldom care very much for theirs. I have sent Constance a copy,so you will not have to lend this one to her.
Your uncle,
EDMUND LESTER PEARSON
July 28, 1913
(The anniversary of the sailing of the "Hoppergrass.")
CONTENTS
I. THE BEGINNING OF THE VOYAGE II. A MAN ON A DESERT ISLAND III. THE LAST OF THE PIRATES IV. WELL BURIED TREASURE V. MIDNIGHT BURGLARS VI. WE ARE OFFERED LODGINGS VII. BUT WE DECIDE TO GOVIII. HUNTING THE HOPPERGRASS IX. THE GOLD COMPANY X. MR. SNIDER XI. PIRATES IN TROUBLE XII. THE VOYAGE BEGINS AGAIN
THE VOYAGE OF THE HOPPERGRASS
CHAPTER I
THE BEGINNING OF THE VOYAGE
It was a lucky thing that the "Hoppergrass" was a large boat. Whenwe started there were only four of us,—counting CaptainBannister. But we kept picking up passengers—unexpected ones—until the Captain said "we'd have the whole County on board." Itwas not as bad as that, but we were glad before we came homeagain, that we had a comfortable cabin, with plenty of sleepingroom.
She was a big, white cat-boat, with her name in gilt letters onthe stern. On the day when our voyage began she lay quietly atanchor, well out toward the middle of the river. It was stillearly,—shortly after five of a morning in July. The river wasquiet, with only one or two boats moving,—as quiet as the streetsof the town through which we had walked on our way to the wharf.There had been a shower just before daylight, and this haddiscouraged us a little, but now the sun was coming through theclouds, and there were white spirals of mist rising from thewater. Across the river, on Fisher's Island, two or three men weremoving about their dories, and smoke poured steadily from thechimneys of the houses. A man's head looked out of the cabin ofthe "Hoppergrass."
"There's someone on board her," said Jimmy Toppan.
"Yes," replied Captain Bannister, "it's Clarence. He's havin' somebreakfast, I guess. He helped me bring her up river last night,and he slept on board. He aint goin' with us, but he'll help uswith this stuff."
Then he shouted: "Hey! Clarence!"
The "Hoppergrass" was Captain Bannister's boat,—he had justbought her. He did