Boxen: Childhood Chronicles Before Narnia

Night was falling on the Bosphorus as the town guardsman sighted a small but tidy schooner tacking up to Fortressa. For’rad stood a young Tracity Chessary Pawn & at the tiller a sturdy thickset knight stolidly smoking his pipe. With a little deft maneouvering he brought her up a secluded rocky creek & dropt anchor about 200 yds. from the shingle. He called the assistance of the Pawn to lower his solitary boat, which soon was lying under the schooner’s counter, & several vigorous strokes sent him to the beach. Mooring the boat he stepped out & in the dusk descried two tall athletic figures walking along a short distance away.

‘Why! Your Majesties!’

They turned.

‘Macgoullah.’

‘At your service. What are you doing here?’

‘Oh,’ said the ’Jah, ‘Learning Turkish.’

‘Alone?’ inquired the knight.

‘No. Big’s here,’ answered Bunny.

‘At the inn?’

‘Yes.’

The three friends walked together to the postern gate, where the guard admitted them for a small fee. A few hundred yds. brought them to the inn. Through the door into the Inner room Macgoullah caught sight of a stout frog in evening dress.

‘I’ll stay in the Outer,’ he observed.

The boys walked into the Inner. It was a small room crowded to overflowing. Round the table sat Puddiphat, Goose, Quicksteppe, & the Little Master.

‘Boys where have you been?’ asked the Frog.

‘Oh nowhere special,’ returned the ’Jah with characteristic vagueness. Big gulped & continued bisecting a portion of cod. All present were Boxonians except one Prussian who sat in a far corner silent & morose, unoticed by all: true their was a cautious look in Quicksteppe’s grey eyes, but no one observed it. The company bent over their meal & conversation & quietly the Prussian slipt into a curtained cupboard. Big looked up.

‘Are we alone?’

‘Yes, my dear Little Master,’ said Goose.

‘Now Goose: tell your tale.’

‘Yes. Gentlemen I have just found that the whole Clique is threatened by Orring one of the members for “the aquarium” –’

‘Come, my good bird,’ cried Big, ‘what does that mean?’

‘For Piscia, my good Frog,’ – Big gulped – ‘has determined to throw all the present clique out of office: & is bribing right & left.’

‘It is impossible,’ cried the Frog, ‘the M.P.’s are incorruptable.’

Quicksteppe inquired ‘How, Goose, do you know this?’

‘Because friend Green –’

‘That parrot?’ gasped Big.

‘Yes Little Master. Because he overheard at the Murryman’s rest –’

‘That place?’ gasped the worried Frog.

‘Yes. He overheard Orring.’

Big rose. ‘Come boys. Its late,’ he said.

Quicksteppe, he, the boys, & Chutney went out. They passed through the Postern gate, & strolled along the shingle: Their house was in the outer town.

Presently Big removed his cigar and said, ‘Polonius Green overheard it? What would he wish to tell it to Goose for? He is no friend of mine.’

‘Its rather deep,’ said Quicksteppe.

‘Ah yes,’ said Bunny.

‘There’s some dirty work going on,’ asserted the Little Master.

A few more steps brought them to their house, & to bed. Long after the others had gone to sleep Quicksteppe lay thinking. What interest had that Parrot in the crisis? It might prove of the utmost importance. But how should he find out? Who, whom he could trust, moved in Green’s circles? He put the question to himself & next moment had the answer. Macgoullah!! Of course. The shrewd, honest master of the schooner Bosphorus was his man. True the Bosphorus was engaged in somewhat shady business but no one could deny that its captain was honest & patriotic. Of course he never thought for a moment that Green had told Goose through a disinterested motive. But having decided on a plan of campaign he turned over & slept.

II

‘The boys,’ the two sovereigns of Boxen, had come to Fortressa under the charge of the Little-Master to rub up their Turkish. But this onerous duty did not prevent some enjoyment. Turkey was ever dear to the boys: it was such a change. Turkey where all sorts of things like slavery, brigands, & bazaars still existed. On the morning after the night described above, the two kings rose early, dressed in flannels & taking towels stole out of the hired house, & down to the beach.

‘A ripping day ‘Jay,’ observed Benjamen.

‘Glorious. Hullo their’s a boat, new since last night,’ cried his companion eagerly, indicating a big untidy Turkish tramp.

‘Can you read her name?’ asked the Rabbit.

After a moment the Rajah spelt out ‘The Demetrie. I suppose she [is] a Hamman Liner.’

They now turned their attention to their matutinal bathe. This office performed they dressed & strolled back. Presently they encountered another. He was a short well-knit owl, gordiously attired in a morning-coat & white tall hat. He was smoking a huge cigar.

‘My dear Puddiphat.’

‘Good morning, Majesties.’

‘Up early for once, Puddles?’

‘As usual,’ retorted the Owl, & walked on with an elaboroute bow.

‘I’m very fond of him,’ remarked the Indian as soon as they were out of hearing.

‘So am I. Why does Big object to him?’

‘Oh he doesn’t really.’

‘Well I think its because of his owning those music-halls.’