cliff garden.

I laughed at that, though, as being absurd, and began to think directly
after that my father's sword and pistols that always used to hang over
the chimney-piece in the little parlour were not there now.

"Why, I daresay he has brought them down here," I said to myself; and I
looked round, half expecting to see them, but they were not visible, and
I came to the conclusion that they must be in the cupboard in the
corner.

My heart began to beat, and a curious feeling of excitement took
possession of me, as my imagination had a big flight. I began to see
myself armed with a sword helping my father, who, being a captain, would
be a splendid leader.

"But we ought to have plenty of swords and guns," I thought, and I
determined when my father began to speak to me again, to propose that he
should have a little armoury in the cupboard.

Then I began to think about old Jonas, and the possibility of his
getting a lot of men and coming and making an attack. There had been a
rumour that he and his people had once, many years ago, had a fight with
the king's men; but when Bob Chowne and I talked to him about it, Bigley
fired up and said it was all nonsense. But it occurred before he was
born.

It had never occurred to me before that this was a strange declaration.
For how could it be all nonsense and yet have occurred before he was
born?

It seemed now as if it was not all nonsense.

One thought brought up another, and I found myself thinking that, if I
was helping my father defend the treasure of silver here in the store,
and fighting bravely, as I felt sure I should, Bigley would be helping
his father to make the attack, and I saw myself having a terrific
cutlass combat with him somewhere out on the slope. Then I should have
had a great deal of training from my father, who was an accomplished
swordsman, and I should disarm old Big and take him prisoner, and then
when night came, for the sake of old school-days, I should unfasten his
hands and let him escape.

My thoughts ran very freely, and I was fully determined to grind the
sword that I had not seen, and which perhaps had not yet been made, as
sharp as a razor. It would be very easy, I thought, when I got it, to
make old Sam turn the grindstone at home, while I put on a tremendous
edge and tried it on the thin branches of some of the trees.

"What an exciting time it would be!" I thought, and I could not help
wishing that I should have to wear