Chapter 12 JEREMIAH'S TALE
'Now when I was a boy,' began the old man, 'a boy not much older than this here youngster,' and hepoked Tinker with his horny forefinger¹, 'there wasn't no light-house out there - but there was alwaysthem wicked rocks! And many's the time in a stormy season when ships have been caught by theirteeth, a - glittering there, waiting. You know what they're called, don't you?'
'Yes. Demon's Rocks,' said Tinker.
'Well, up on that high cliff there, lived a wicked old man,' said Jeremiah. 'And he had a son as bad ashimself, and a nephew too. The Three Wreckers, they were called, and I'll tell you how they came bytheir name.'
'Did you know them?' asked Dick.
'That I did! And if I was hidden behind a bush when they came marching by, I'd send a stoneskedaddling after them!' said the old man. 'Mean and cruel and wicked they were. And everyone wasskeered of them, right down afraid! There was One-Ear, the old man. They say his left ear waschewed off by a monkey, but do I blame that monkey? No, I do not, no more than I'd blame yourmonkey for chewing off the ear of somebody else I know - but I won't mention no names, 45he might hear me.'
The old fellow looked over his shoulder as if the man he was thinking of might be about.
'Well - there was One-Ear, the old man - and there was Nosey, the son - and Bart his nephew -and not a pin to choose between them for meanness. There was only one thing they were after -and that was money! And a mighty³ wicked way they chose to get it.' The old man stopped and spat⁴ indisgust on the pavement.
'Pah! I'll tell you how they got rich, oh yes, I'll tell you. And I'll tell you what happened to them in theend too. Be a lesson to you and to everyone! Well now, you see that high cliff away down the coastthere - the one with the flag-post and the flag a - waving in the wind?'
'Yes,' said everyone, looking at the waving flag.
'Now ships mustn't hug the coast beyond that point!' said grandad. 'If they do, they'll be forced inlandby the current, and thrown on them rocks down there - Demon's Rocks. And that's the end of them.
No ship has ever been able to escape the sharp teeth of them wicked rocks, once she's caught in thatcurrent. Well now, to stop the ships going near to the cliff in those days, they flew a flag in the day-time - and lighted a lamp up there at night. And both said as plain as could be ''BEWARE! KEEPOUT! DANGER!'''
'Of course, all sailors knew the flag and the lamp too, and many a one blessed them, and took theirships out to sea, away from Demon's Rocks. But that didn't suit old One-Ear Bill. He didn't mind awreck or two! He'd be down on the beach picking up what he could, if a ship came smashing downon the rocks. And would he save a single soul - not he! There was some people said he was theDemon of Demon's Rocks himself!'

分享到：