Page:The land of enchantment (1907, Cassell).djvu/105

 “Ben!” exclaimed the boy, his eyes wide open with astonishment. “What were they? Oh, do tell!”

The ancient mariner lowered his voice to a hoarse whisper: “Salamanders!”

“Eh? What?” asked Charlie, almost speechless.

“Did you never hear tell of salamanders, Master Charles—creatures that live in the fire? Yes, there they were, salamanders and salamanderesses, and plenty of them.”

“Dear Ben, whatever were they like?”

“Well, Master Charles, I was somewhat dazed with the light, and so I won’t deceive you, but it seemed to me that they were yellow, and blue, and red, just the colours of the flames, and with tails like scorpions; they were dancing and prancing about like as if it were a free-and-easy. To tell the truth, I didn’t much care to linger, in case I should be seen and the pleasure of my company requested; so, clapping on all sail, I steered for the sandy beach. I didn’t stop there neither, but launched the boat and cruised along shore till I reached the opposite side of the island. I landed on the coral strand, and here I determined to lay by, as I thought ’twas too rocky a place for salamanders. If you'd like to know my opinion, Master Charles, as between man and man,” said Ben confidentially, “it’s this: though salamanders live chiefly in the fire they enjoy sometimes a bracing sea bath by way of a pick-me-up, and the sandy beach as I just told you of happened to be their bathing place. Anyway, I saw no more of those gentry, and, for the matter of that,~I didn’t want to.

“On this side of the island I discovered a pool of boiling water, which I found most handy for cooking the lobsters and turtles I caught. A little way up the mountain, where the earth was comfortably warm, I made me a little house of piled-up stones, and there I took my snoozes. I'd now a state-cabin all to myself, likewise could victual the ship handsome; I was governor over a whole island, and yet I wasn’t happy, but cast about how I might get away, the loneliness preyed so on my spirits. At last, one fine morning, I couldn’t stand it any longer, but made up my mind to skedaddle, so, filling my boat with cocoanuts and boiled lobster, I embarked upon the unknown ocean.”

“Oh, Ben, weren’t you afraid?” asked Charlie.

“No, Master Charles, for seafaring men mostly carry their lives in their hands. But Iwas in luck this time, for, two days after, I was