The Old Tobacco Shop Part 27

"I simply can't stay in this room," exclaimed Aunt Amanda, "with that thing sitting in that chair."

"It is nothing, madam, I a.s.sure you," said the Third Vice-President.

"See!"

He leaned over and pa.s.sed his hand directly through the body in the chair; in at the breast and out at the back.

"Oh!" cried Aunt Amanda; and her friends all gasped; but the Committee only nodded their heads in token of their interest.

"You see it is nothing," said the Third Vice-President. "We will now look at the paper which our departed friend has left."

He picked up the paper from the table where Speak had left it, adjusted his spectacles, turned his back to the candles so as to get a good light, and read the paper through to himself. He then glanced at the company and read aloud:

"Shiraz the Rug-Merchant.

"Outside the Gate of Wanderers, six hundred Paces to the Right, along the Wall.

"Thee shall know his Shop by certain Numbers, to wit: 3101310.

"If he Hide himself, say these words: s.h.a.gli Jamshid Shahriman.

"Thee shall buy of his Wares; not that which he shall offer First, nor Second; but that which he shall offer Third, that thee shall Buy; and for that thee shall Pay whatever he shall Demand.

"Thereafter thee shall do whatever he shall Direct.

"But enter not into the City but by the Shop of Shiraz the Rug-Merchant."

There was silence for a moment, then Aunt Amanda said:

"That's the way we are to get those wonderful things the map speaks of.

It doesn't seem to tell us much, though. Where do you suppose is this Gate of Wanderers?"

"That, dear madam," said the Third Vice-President, "is one of the gates of our City of Towers. We know it very well, of course."

"Then," said Aunt Amanda, "as captain of my party, my orders is that we go there at once."

"Much good would that do," said Toby. "We've got to buy something of this here Shiraz, if that's his name, and pay anything he asks, too. And there ain't a penny amongst us. How could we buy anything?"

"The pirates' treasure!" cried Freddie. "The pirates' treasure in the cave!"

"By crackey!" said Toby. "I clean forgot all about it. Good for you, Freddie! Talk about money to buy things with! We'll buy out that old Shiraz's whole shop! The treasure belongs to us, as sure as you're born.

By crickets, we're in luck."

"If you will pardon me," said the Third Vice-President, "we know nothing of any treasure, and if you would be so good as to----"

"I will," said Aunt Amanda, and she quickly explained the whole matter.

The Daft Committee, including its Chairman, was much impressed.

"We do not wish to intrude," said the Chairman, "but if we could be of any service----"

"Of course!" cried Toby. "You've got to help us get the treasure out of the cave, and then help us to find the City of Towers. And if you'll help us, why what I say is, the Committee ought to have a share of the treasure. Is that right?"

Toby's friends willingly agreed, and the Committee gladly consented to go with them to the Treasure Cave and then to the City of Towers.

"The Society for Piratical Research," said the Third Vice-President, "is coming back to life! We now have a Museum with one Exhibit, and we are about to acquire a Fund of Money. Come, my friends, it is time to depart. If you will go out first, I will remain and blow out the candles. We must remember to close the door behind us, for a draught of air would probably blow the late Mr. Matthew Speak out of the window."

In a few moments the whole party was standing in the moonlight on the gra.s.s before the deserted tower of Low Dudgeon. Not quite deserted, however; in every mind was a picture of a misty and vapory form, remotely in the shape of a man, sitting motionless in a chair beside a table in a dark and silent room.

"All right," said Toby, "now for the Treasure Cave and the City of Towers."

CHAPTER XX

THE CITY OF TOWERS

At the Pirates' Cave, the task of getting out the treasure proved very difficult, but it was done at last.

The Committee's camp in the forest had supplied abundance of provisions, and a great number of animals; the Committee traveled in luxury.

On the level ground where Mr. Hanlon had given his exhibition of head-work, the toilers were now resting in the hot sun, and drying their garments, thoroughly soaked by their trips in and out of the cave, under the water-fall. They looked with intense delight on the boxes and bags which lay before them.

"What I say is," said Toby, "let's divide the treasure now, so we won't have to bother about it when we get to the City of Towers."

"How beautiful is nature!" said the Sly Old Codger. "Behold that wide expanse of field and forest resting so--so--expansively beneath the orb of day! A true, true work of nature! At such a moment as this, dear friends, a warm feeling invades my heart, a feeling of--of--Did I hear a suggestion to divide the treasure?"

The division was carefully made, and when it was done, and each person had declared himself well satisfied, each share was packed separately, and the treasure loaded on the backs of the extra mules. It was a princely fortune.

"Do you suppose," said the Old Codger with the Wooden Leg, "that--er--I shall be able to obtain, in the City of Towers, such a thing as a pipeful--ahem!--a pipeful of tobacco?"

"Never fear," said the Third Vice-President. "I fancy you will be able to buy there all the tobacco you can use."

"Wery sorry I am to 'ear it," said Mr. Punch. "Hi regard the tobacco 'abit as a wery reprehensible 'abit. Wery."

"Oh, you do!" said Toby, glaring at him.

"Wery reprehensible indeed," went on Mr. Punch, calmly. "My conscience 'as troubled me for a long time by reason of my position in the tobacco trade. Being posted, as one may s'y, in a wery hadwantageous position for hobserwation, I 'ave seen too much, entirely too much, of the sad effects of the hobnoxious weed. Many a time 'ave I wept to myself, when the hobserver may 'ave thought it was only rain on me cheek, to see 'em, young and hold, going in and hout of Toby Littleback's shop, knowing what would come of it sooner or later, and me a-standing there hencouraging of 'em in, as one may s'y, with me packet of cigars in me 'and. Hoften enough 'ave I wished to give it hup and embark in a hoccupation less reprehensible; many a time 'ave I said to myself, 'Ho, hif I could only be hinnocent once, just once.' And now Hi shall put be'ind me hall the d'ys of me sinful past, and with my share of the treasure Hi shall open a shop for the purveying of tripe."

"There's a deal more harm been done by tripe than ever there was by tobacco," said Toby.

"There is a total absence of nicotine in tripe," said Mr. Punch, loftily. "At least, such is my hinformation. And I carn't 'elp 'oping that my friend Littleback will reform hisself, now that 'e can afford it, and engage in some pursuit less 'armful to the young. Hif I was arsked, I would suggest pinking and pleating."

"You ain't been asked," said Toby. "I can see myself pinking and pleating. When I want advice what to do with my money, I'll ask you.

Tobacco is my line, and tobacco is going to be my line to the end of the chapter, and that's flat. Pinking and pleating! Humph."

"It's my belief," said the Churchwarden, "after listening to what's been said, pro and con, backwards and forwards, up and down, that if we don't start for the City of Towers, we'll never get there."