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that they knew all along it was only a trick。
The town watch boldly took possession of the ground； and the crowd
began to disperse。 Knots of gossips lingered here and there near the place；
indulging in vain surmises as to who the invisible gunners could be。
There was no more noise that night； but many a timid person lay
awake expecting a renewal of the mysterious cannonading。 The Oldest
Inhabitant refused to go to bed on any terms； but persisted in sitting up in a
rocking…chair； with his hat and mittens on； until daybreak。
I thought I should never get to sleep。 The moment I drifted off in a
doze I fell to laughing and woke myself up。 But towards morning slumber
overtook me； and I had a series of disagreeable dreams； in one of which I
was waited upon by the ghost of Silas Trefethen with an exorbitant bill for
the use of his guns。 In another； I was dragged before a court…martial and
sentenced by Sailor Ben； in a frizzled wig and three…cornered cocked hat；
to be shot to death by Bailey's Battery…a sentence which Sailor Ben was
about to execute with his own hand； when I suddenly opened my eyes and
found the sunshine lying pleasantly across my face。 I tell you I was glad！
That unaccountable fascination which leads the guilty to hover about
the spot where his crime was committed drew me down to the wharf as
soon as I was dressed。 Phil Adams； Jack Harris； and others of the
conspirators were already there； examining with a mingled feeling of
curiosity and apprehension the havoc accomplished by the battery。
The fence was badly shattered and the ground ploughed up for several
yards round the place where the guns formerly lay…formerly lay； for now
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they were scattered every which way。 There was scarcely a gun that hadn't
burst。 Here was one ripped open from muzzle to breech； and there was
another with its mouth blown into the shape of a trumpet。 Three of the
guns had disappeared bodily； but on looking over the edge of the wharf we
saw them standing on end in the tide…mud。 They had popped overboard in
their excitement。
〃I tell you what； fellows；〃 whispered Phil Adams； 〃it is lucky we didn't
try to touch 'em off with punk。 They'd have blown us all to finders。〃
The destruction of Bailey's Battery was not； unfortunately； the only
catastrophe。 A fragment of one of the cannon had earned away the
chimney of Sailor Ben's cabin。 He was very mad at first； but having
prepared the fuse himself he didn't dare complain openly。
〃I'd have taken a reef in the blessed stove…pipe；〃 said the Admiral；
gazing ruefully at the smashed chimney； 〃if I had known as how the
Flagship was agoin' to be under fire。〃
The next day he rigged out an iron funnel； which； being in sections；
could be detached and taken in at a moment's notice。 On the whole； I think
he was resigned to the demolition of his brick chimney。 The stove…pipe
was a great deal more shipshape。
The town was not so easily appeased。 The selectmen determined to
make an example of the guilty parties； and offered a reward for their arrest；
holding out a promise of pardon to anyone of the offenders who would
furnish information against the rest。 But there were no faint hearts among
the Centipedes。 Suspicion rested for a while on several persons…on the
soldiers at the fort； on a crazy fellow； known about town as 〃BottleNose〃；
and at last on Sailor Ben。
〃Shiver my timbers！〃 cries that deeply injured individual。 〃Do you
suppose； sir； as I have lived to sixty year； an' ain't got no more sense than
to go for to blaze away at my own upper riggin'？ It doesn't stand to
reason。〃
It certainly did not seem probable that Mr。 Watson would maliciously
knock over his own chimney； and Lawyer Hackett； who had the case in
hand； 'bowed himself out of the Admiral's cabin convinced that the right
man had not been discovered。
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People living by the sea are always more or less superstitious。 Stories
of spectre ships and mysterious beacons； that lure vessels out of their
course and wreck them on unknown reefs； were among the stock legends
of Rivermouth； and not a few people in the town were ready to attribute
the firing of those guns to some supernatural agency。 The Oldest
Inhabitant remembered that when he was a boy a dim…looking sort of
schooner hove to in the offing one foggy afternoon； fired off a single gun
that didn't make any report； and then crumbled to nothing； spar； mast； and
hulk； like a piece of burnt paper。
The authorities； however； were of the opinion that human hands had
something to do with the explosions； and they resorted to deep…laid
stratagems to get hold of the said hands。 One of their traps came very near
catching us。 They artfully caused an old brass fieldpiece to be left on a
wharf near the scene of our late operations。 Nothing in the world but the
lack of money to buy powder saved us from falling into the clutches of the
two watchmen who lay secreted for a week in a neighboring sail…loft。
It was many a day before the midnight bombardment ceased to be the
town…talk。 The trick was so audacious and on so grand a scale that nobody
thought for an instant of connecting us lads with it。 Suspicion at length
grew weary of lighting on the wrong person； and as conjecture…like the
physicians in the epitaph…was in vain； the Rivermouthians gave up the idea
of finding out who had astonished them。
They never did find out； and never will； unless they read this veracious
history。 If the selectmen are still disposed to punish the malefactors； I can
supply Lawyer Hackett with evidence enough to convict Pepper
Whitcomb； Phil Adams； Charley Marden； and the other honorable
members of the Centipede Club。 But really I don't think it would pay now。
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CHAPTER Eighteen
A Frog He Would A…Wooing Go
If the reader supposes that I lived all this while in Rivermouth without
falling a victim to one or more of the young ladies attending Miss Dorothy
Gibbs's Female Institute； why； then； all I have to say is the reader exhibits
his ignorance of human nature。
Miss Gibbs's seminary was located within a few minutes' walk of the
Temple Grammar School； and numbered about thirty…five pupils； the
majority of whom boarded at the Hall…Primrose Hall； as Miss Dorothy
prettily 20called it。 The Prim…roses； as we called them； ranged from seven
years of age to sweet seventeen； and a prettier group of sirens never got
together even in Rivermouth； for Rivermouth； you should know； is famous
for its pretty girls。
There were tall girls and short girls； rosy girls and pale girls； and girls
as brown as berries； girls like Amazons； slender girls； weird and winning
like Undine； girls with black tresses； girls with auburn ringlets； girls with
every tinge of golden hair。 To behold Miss Dorothy's young ladies of a
Sunday morning walking to church two by two； the smallest toddling at
the end of the procession； like the bobs at the tail of a kite； was a spectacle
to fill with tender emotion the least susceptible heart。 To see Miss Dorothy
marching grimly at the head of her light infantry； was to feel the
hopelessness of making an attack on any part of the column。
She was a perfect dragon of watchfulness。 The most unguarded lifting
of an eyelash in the fluttering battalion was sufficient to put her on the
lookout。 She had had experiences with the male sex； this Miss Dorothy so
prim and grim。 It was whispered that her heart was a tattered album
scrawled over with love…lines； but that she had shut up the volume long
ago。
There was a tradition that she had been crossed in love；