Page:St. Nicholas, vol. 40.1 (1912-1913).djvu/262

170 “Who are you, Man?”

“I am a Mining Mariner,” said the man. “I came hither in my good ship for gold. And gold I found in plenty. But the Pirates found me. They have stolen my gold, and even now are loading their ship and mine with the gold; and when that is done, they will sail away and leave me here to die.”

“Not so,” said Billy. “We will take a look at these Pirates.”

The man laughed again with a noise like thunder.

Then Billy commanded the Rat to gnaw off the rope that bound the man; and the Rat, who now feared Billy, began to gnaw.

“Gnaw faster,” commanded Billy. And the Rat gnawed with might and main till the man was free.

Then Billy dismounted, leaving Peter still on the Rat’s back.

“Go back to the ship, Peter,” said Billy, “and wait for me. Here are my spurs. With these you can ride anything that runs on four legs.”

So Peter, riding the Rat, started back to the ship, and soon was lost to sight.

When Peter and the Rat had gone, Billy took the stick from his belt and struck the ground to give himself the strength and stature of a giant. At each stroke he gained six feet in height, and after a dozen strokes, he was a giant more than seventy feet tall, with the strength of a hundred lions.

When the Mining Mariner saw this marvel, he turned as if to run away.

“This island,” said he, “is no place for a civilized man.”

“Nonsense,” said Billy; “you are not afraid of me, are you? This is only a part of my adventure. I am now ready to take a look at the Pirates.”

So Billy and the Mining Mariner went down to the edge of the cliff and peered over at the Pirates. Some were walking along the narrow path that runs down over the face of the cliff to the sea; some were on the sandy beach, farther on, loading the sacks of gold into the boats.

“See me catch one,” said Billy.

Then Billy lay flat on his stomach and reached down over the edge of the cliff with his great arm and hand; and with his thumb and finger, he caught one of the Pirates under the arms, and lifted him, as you would a beetle; and he raised him high over the edge of the cliff and gave him to the Mining Mariner to bind hand and foot.

When the other Pirates saw their companion lifted high in air over their heads by a great hand and arm that reached down from the top of the cliff, they were much afraid; and they ran this way and that, trying to escape or to hide themselves. And when they found that they could neither escape nor hide themselves, but that the great hand would overtake them and catch them, they banded themselves together and drew their swords and cutlasses to fight the great hand; and they stabbed and slashed most furiously.

“What wasps we have here!” said Billy; “if wishing could tip their blades with poison, I should feel something as bad as wasps’ stings.”

Nevertheless, he caught them, one by one. And the Mining Mariner bound them hand and foot, and laid them beside their fellows on the cliff.

“Now,” said Billy, when all were caught and bound, “what fit punishment shall I devise for