The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny Longfoot, The Shoe King's Son, Catherine Besterman [ebooks children's books free txt] 📗

out right for him, although he's a naughty boy who has hurt his uncle in many ways. I wish there were some way he could be severely punished.

Evidently the gloomy, wild sea winds wanted to fulfill this wish. While Johnny was still working on the whale, the sky suddenly became very dark. A deep roar was the signal of an approaching storm. A terrifically strong wind suddenly struck the barge with tremendous force, whirled her around like a nutshell, and pushed her ahead with enormous speed.

"Have you finished your job?" asked the whale impatiently. "I just hate these winds. I want to dive and hide myself under water. Why are you so slow?"

Johnny's situation was desperate. His boat had left him, and here he was on a whale's back. And now the capricious creature wanted to dive deep into the sea. What could he do?

Holding on tight, and trying to shout louder than the winds, Johnny cried to the whale, "It's really a shame you want to dive right now. I intended to fix you a new type of skin, completely unknown among seafolk. A skin as shiny and colorful as a rainbow. You would be much more handsome than any other whale in the world. But such a job would take time, of course."

"I saw the sharks' skins," answered the whale. "There's no doubt you know how to do a good job. But really, I don't feel comfortable here. I could easily catch cold from all this wind. I already feel all my whalebones getting stiff. I think the best thing to do would be to go as quickly as possible to the nearest island. I know a quiet bay there, protected by high cliffs. We could stay there until you fix this extraordinary skin for me."

I'm not yet lost, thought Johnny, hanging onto the whale's back. The most important thing is to feel solid ground under my feet again. Although the shark promised me a Sea Passport, I don't think I was made to swim and dive all the time. I hope I'll be able to find the barge. I can figure a way to find it when I get to the quiet bay. Captain Cat is an old sailor and I'm sure he saved our ship somehow from destruction.

With no effort at all, the whale swam through the high seas. The storm raged. The sky looked like a plate full of ink, except for great streaks of lightning which struck the waves and filled the darkness with white light.

"One hundred and forty more tail movements," said the whale, "and we'll be there."

Soon he slowed down, made one turn, blew big streams of water through his nose twice, and swam into the bay.

Inside, all was calm. The water rolled softly and slowly over the sandy shore at the foot of great granite cliffs which formed a wall back of a narrow sandy beach.

"Mr. Whale," said Johnny, "I'm tired, hungry and wet. I couldn't work now because my hands are shaking from holding on so tightly. I couldn't make even one stitch. Let me go on shore where I may find something to eat, and dry myself properly. Later I'll work on you."

"I have plenty of time," said the whale. "I think I'll take a nap for the next two or three days. I still don't understand how a little bit of water can bother you so much. But men are just different from whales, I guess. For all I care you can get as dry as a dry piece of toast. That's up to you."

"Is the coral island far from here?" asked Johnny, while climbing up the cliff, his red leather box under his arm.

"I can't give you any information about that," answered the whale. "That's a big sea secret. All the seafolk have to keep it."

Keep it, then, thought Johnny, as he jumped from one rock to another. First I have to eat and rest. Then I'll figure out a way to find the coral island and my friends.

But in the meantime, here he was on a desert island. To his great surprise there were many pineapple, coconut and banana trees, so he had an excellent meal. After a while a strong wind blew away the clouds. The kindly sun looked through and his rays warmed the boy's chilled body. Johnny picked out a comfortable spot on the clean sand, covered himself with huge coconut leaves and, completely exhausted, fell asleep instantly.

In the bay, meanwhile, the baby whale slept too, and dreamed of his new rainbow skin.

Chapter 8

 

WHILE JOHNNY was traveling on the whale's back and arriving with such good luck at the bay, his friends on the barge were facing great danger. Strong winds tossed the barge as if it were a toy, throwing it from one side to the other. High waves crashed on the deck, one after another. At every moment their end seemed nearer.

Captain Cat, his hair bristling like needles, gave orders from the bridge. The dogs, the cats and Fuzzy worked valiantly, not wasting a minute. They still hoped for a happy outcome. Only Uncle Lucas, of course, gripping the mast tightly and trembling with fear, talked, talked, talked all the time.

"I am lost! I am ruined! My sails are drenched by rain and torn by wind! My sackcloth suit is ruined. I am poor, tired, blown to pieces by the wind!"

Nobody paid any attention to him. Nobody even listened to him.

"A little more patience! A little more effort! The wind is slackening and we'll pull through," miaowed Captain Cat.

They all went on working. They bailed out the water that kept pouring into the boat, and they stuffed rugs into the spreading seams.

Suddenly from the lookout a voice boomed out: "Ahoy! Land to starboard!"

"Land!" miaowed the cats.

"Land!" barked the dogs.

"Land!" growled Fuzzy.

Captain Cat blinked his eyes. He looked carefully at the island they were approaching, and miaowed, deeply moved: "Coral Island! Coral Island! The home of the seven-league boots!"

Then, pressing his forehead with both front paws, he exclaimed in despair, "But Johnny! What has happened to Johnny? Johnny the shoemaker. The poor boy must have perished in the terrible storm. What will Barnac say? He will blame me because he put the boy under my protection. There is nothing for me to do but commit hara-kiri and die."

I never wanted Johnny to perish, thought Uncle Lucas Longfoot. But evidently Heaven has punished him for all the harm he did me. Now I'm his heir and therefore in charge of the boots and treasures on Coral Island.

"If Johnny's dead," he said, "I'll take over command. I was born to command. Everyone will have to obey me implicitly."

This idea displeased Johnny's friends so intensely that each attacked Uncle Lucas in his own way. The dogs nipped at him; the cats clawed at his suit; Fuzzy slapped him several times with his heavy paw.

Captain Cat said severely: "You miser! You selfish man! People like you can't command because no one would listen to you. No one respects you. However, because of dear Johnny's memory, I won't let you be harmed. Only remember, I don't even want to hear your voice again. Be silent, and happy that you're alive, and that we treat you so generously."

So Uncle Lucas had to leave the group. He went to the other end of the barge and looked around gloomily.

Just wait, he threatened them in his thoughts. Wait and you'll be sorry. You'll see what Lucas Longfoot is going to do to you.

The travelers made one last effort and landed the boat on the shore safely. They had to fight the waves to the last. Completely exhausted, they fell on the red coral shore.

The storm ceased after a while and the bright sun shone again. Sitting on the sand, they all rested and ate until they could eat no more.

Then Captain Cat said, "There is no doubt that dear Johnny perished. The wind was terrible and the waves must certainly have snatched the poor child. He must have drowned. As for us, I really don't know what to do now. Barnac will hang us all if we come back without Johnny. He warned me before I left that I would have to pay with my head if anything happened to the boy. Therefore I'm afraid to go back. I think I'll make this island my home. I might travel on the barge and take up my sailor's life again. What happened wasn't my fault and I don't want to be hanged. Once when I was a kitten a bad girl hung me on a doorknob and I was saved only by a miracle. I have very unpleasant memories of that incident. I wouldn't like to have it happen again."

"We will stay with you!" exclaimed the other cats. "Our tribe will be known as the Coral Island Cats."

"I will stay too," said Fuzzy. "I love Johnny so much that I can never be happy again without him. I'll never dance again, although Johnny taught me how. I will simply sit here on the shore, look at the wicked sea, and cry for my clever prince who lies in the cold depths."

"We will howl every night," cried the dogs. "We don't care if we change into sea dogs. We'll never forget our dear Johnny."

Uncle Lucas was silent. Why do they like Johnny so much? he wondered. Johnny was a bad boy, with no respect for his old uncle. It seems that the bear and the dogs have forgotten they belong to me. And everything on this island should belong to me, too. I am the only member of the human race here. And all the animals should obey my orders.

He approached his companions again. "I want to tell you something," he said to Captain Cat.

"All right, go ahead," grumbled the cat in disgust.

"I want to tell you something," repeated Uncle Lucas. "But you have to promise not to do me any harm, even if you dislike what I'm going to say."

The cat hissed and spread his paws so the nails showed. "I presume you want to tell us that you intend to go home, that the barge is yours, that the treasures are yours, and that you want to take everything with you and be our leader."

Uncle Lucas nodded.

"Now listen, you bad man," continued the cat, in a threatening voice. "People like you should stay away from all living creatures, because your heart is as hard as a rock. All of us who will stay on this island intend to live together in peace. Therefore, you can go home with our blessing. You will get ten gold coins, the real value of the linen, tools and nails you sold us. Fuzzy and the dogs will help you build a raft. We'll give you food for your journey. And go! Go as soon as possible!"

It may be better for me to go, thought Uncle Lucas. Nobody likes me and, anyway, I'll get ten gold coins.

"I've been cheated as usual," he said, very offended. "Of course I'll go, because your ingratitude hurts me deeply. But before I go, I'd like to look at the famous treasures. Let my poor old eyes feast on the sight of gold and precious