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otherwise lingered over his salute； but they were sternly
restrained by their leader。 When the solemn rite was concluded；
Step…and…Fetch…It paid his own courtesy with an extra squeeze of
the curly head； and deposited her again in the truck； a little
frightened； a little astonished； but with a considerable accession
to her dignity。 Hickory and Patsey looked on with stupefied
amazement。 Wan Lee alone remained stolid and unimpressed；
regarding the scene with calm and triangular eyes。
〃Will Your Majesty see the Red Rovers dance？〃
〃No； if you please；〃 said Polly； with gentle seriousness。
〃Will Your Majesty fire this barrel of gunpowder； or tap this
breaker of grog？〃
〃No； I thank you。〃
〃Is there no command Your Majesty would lay upon us？〃
〃No； please；〃 said Polly； in a failing voice。
〃Is there anything Your Majesty has lost？ Think again！ Will Your
Majesty deign to cast your royal eyes on this？〃
He drew from under his buffalo robe what seemed like a long tress
of blond hair； and held it aloft。 Polly instantly recognized the
missing scalp of her hapless doll。
〃If you please； sir； it's Lady Mary's。 She's lost it。〃
〃And lost itYour Majestyonly to find something more precious。
Would Your Majesty hear the story？〃
A little alarmed； a little curious； a little self…anxious； and a
little induced by the nudges and pinches of her companions； the
Queen blushingly signified her royal assent。
〃Enough。 Bring refreshments。 Will Your Majesty prefer wintergreen；
peppermint； rose； or acidulated drops？ Red or white？ Or perhaps
Your Majesty will let me recommend these bull's…eyes；〃 said the
leader； as a collection of sweets in a hat were suddenly produced
from the barrel labeled 〃Gunpowder〃 and handed to the children。
〃Listen；〃 he continued； in a silence broken only by the gentle
sucking of bull's…eyes。 〃Many years ago the old Red Rovers of
these parts locked up all their treasures in a secret cavern in
this mountain。 They used spells and magic to keep it from being
entered or found by anybody； for there was a certain mark upon it
made by a peculiar rock that stuck out of it； which signified what
there was below。 Long afterwards； other Red Rovers who had heard
of it came here and spent days and days trying to discover it；
digging holes and blasting tunnels like this； but of no use！
Sometimes they thought they discovered the magic marks in the
peculiar rock that stuck out of it； but when they dug there they
found no treasure。 And why？ Because there was a magic spell upon
it。 And what was that magic spell？ Why； this！ It could only be
discovered by a person who could not possibly know that he or she
had discovered it； who never could or would be able to enjoy it；
who could never see it； never feel it； never； in fact； know
anything at all about it！ It wasn't a dead man； it wasn't an
animal； it wasn't a baby！〃
〃Why；〃 said Polly； jumping up and clapping her hands； 〃it was a
Dolly。〃
〃Your Majesty's head is level！ Your Majesty has guessed it！〃 said
the leader； gravely。 〃It was Your Majesty's own dolly； Lady Mary；
who broke the spell！ When Your Majesty came down the slide； the
doll fell from your gracious hand when your foot slipped。 Your
Majesty recovered Lady Mary； but did not observe that her hair had
caught in a peculiar rock； called the 'Outcrop；' and remained
behind！ When； later on； while sitting with your attendants at the
mouth of the tunnel； Your Majesty discovered that Lady Mary's hair
was gone； I overheard Your Majesty； and dispatched the trusty Step…
and…Fetch…It to seek it at the mountain side。 He did so； and found
it clinging to the rock； and beneath itthe entrance to the Secret
Cave！〃
Patsey and Hickory； who； failing to understand a word of this
explanation； had given themselves up to the unconstrained enjoyment
of the sweets； began now to apprehend that some change was
impending； and prepared for the worst by hastily swallowing what
they had in their mouths； thus defying enchantment； and getting
ready for speech。 Polly； who had closely followed the story；
albeit with the embellishments of her own imagination； made her
eyes rounder than ever。 A bland smile broke on Wan Lee's face； as
to the children's amazement； he quietly disengaged himself from the
group and stepped before the leader。
〃Melican man plenty foolee Melican chillern。 No foolee China boy！
China boy knowee you。 YOU no Led Lofer。 YOU no Pilatyou allee
same tunnel…manyou Bob Johnson！ Me shabbee you！ You dressee up
allee same as Led Loferbut you Bob Johnsonallee same。 My fader
washee washee for you。 You no payee him。 You owee him folty
dolla！ Me blingee you billee。 You no payee billee！ You say；
'Chalkee up； John。' You say； 'Bimeby； John。' But me no catchee
folty dolla！〃
A roar of laughter followed； in which even the leader apparently
forgot himself enough to join。 But the next moment springing to
his feet he shouted； 〃Ho！ ho！ A traitor！ Away with him to the
deepest dungeon beneath the castle moat！〃
Hickory and Patsey began to whimper； but Polly； albeit with a
tremulous lip； stepped to the side of her little Pagan friend。
〃Don't you dare touch him；〃 she said with a shake of unexpected
determination in her little curly head； 〃if you do； I'll tell my
father； and he will slay you！ All of youthere！〃
〃Your father！ Then you are NOT the Queen！〃
It was a sore struggle to Polly to abdicate her royal position； it
was harder to do it with befitting dignity。 To evade the direct
question she was obliged to abandon her defiant attitude。 〃If you
please； sir；〃 she said hurriedly； with an increasing color and no
stops； 〃we're not always Pirates； you know； and Wan Lee is only our
boy what brushes my shoes in the morning； and runs of errands； and
he doesn't mean anything bad； sir； and we'd like to take him back
home with us。〃
〃Enough；〃 said the leader； changing his entire manner with the most
sudden and shameless inconsistency。 〃You shall go back together；
and woe betide the miscreant who would prevent it！ What say you；
brothers？ What shall be his fate who dares to separate our noble
Queen from her faithful Chinese henchman？〃
〃He shall die！〃 roared the others； with beaming cheerfulness。
〃And what say youshall we see them home？〃
〃We will！〃 roared the others。
Before the children could fairly comprehend what had passed； they
were again lifted into the truck and began to glide back into the
tunnel they had just quitted。 But not again in darkness and
silence； the entire band of Red rovers accompanied them；
illuminating the dark passage with the candles they had snatched
from the walls。 In a few moments they were at the entrance again。
The great world lay beyond them once more with rocks and valleys
suffused by the rosy light of the setting sun。 The past seemed
like a dream。
But were they really awake now？ They could not tell。 They
accepted everything with the confidence and credulity of all
children who have no experience to compare with their first
impressions and to whom the future contains nothing impossible。 It
was without surprise； therefore； that they felt themselves lifted
on the sho