WILLIAM BOWEN
Reading edition
Though you believe it not, I care not much: but an honest man, and of good judgment, believeth still what is told him, and that which he finds written.—Rabelais.
New York THE MACMILLAN COMPANY 1921 All rights reserved PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
Copyright, 1921 BY THE MACMILLAN COMPANY
Set up and Electrotyped. Published October, 1921
FERRIS PRINTING COMPANY NEW YORK
To BILLY AND JOHN TWO LITTLE BOYS
PRINCIPAL PERSONS
Freddie Mr. Toby Aunt Amanda Mr. Punch The Churchwarden Mr. Hanlon The Sly Old Fox The Old Codger with the Wooden Leg Mr. Lemuel Mizzen The Cabin-Boy Marmaduke Captain Lingo Ketch the Practitioner The Third Vice-President Mr. Matthew Speak Shiraz the Rug-Merchant The King and Queen Robert, Jenny, and James Mr. Punch's Father
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
"Lord bless us!" cried the hunch back. "Look at that!" Frontispiece
"I'm Lemuel Mizzen, A.B., that's me!" 50
"L-l-Lem!" shrieked the parrot. "Who's your f-f-f-friends?" 86
Mr. Hanlon was standing on his feet by the log on which his head had been cut off 134
Shiraz the Rug-Merchant looked at his visitor with little beady black eyes 188
"Ah, yes," said Aunt Amanda, "there's no place like the Old Tobacco Shop after all" 235
CONTENTS
Mr. Punch and the Clock-Tower 1
Aunt Amanda and the Two Old Codgers 9
Introducing the Churchwarden 22
In which Mr. Hanlon makes a Great Impression 31
The Chinaman's Head 39
Lemuel Mizzen, A.B. 48
The Hands of the Clock come Together 54
Celluloid Cuffs and a Silk Hat 60
The Odour of Sanctity 65
Captain Higginson and the Spanish Main 69
A Mixed Company in search of Adventure 74
The Voyage of the Sieve 81
The Cabin-Boy's Revenge 93
The Cruise of the Mattresses 107
A Fall in the Dark 111
Captain Lingo and a Fine Piece of Head-Work 122
High Dudgeon and Low Dudgeon 139
The Society for Piratical Research 146
A Knock at the Door 160
The City of Towers 171
Shiraz the Rug-Merchant 178
Six Enchanted Souls 187
From the Fire Back to the Frying-Pan 196
Disenchantment Complete 200
The Old Man of the Mountain 209
The King's Tower 216
The Sorcerer's Den 222
The Old Tobacco Shop 231