diff options
Diffstat (limited to '29254.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | 29254.txt | 1533 |
1 files changed, 1533 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/29254.txt b/29254.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..c4c1e5e --- /dev/null +++ b/29254.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1533 @@ +Project Gutenberg's The Monkey That Would Not Kill, by Henry Drummond + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Monkey That Would Not Kill + +Author: Henry Drummond + +Illustrator: Louis Wain + +Release Date: June 27, 2009 [EBook #29254] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MONKEY THAT WOULD NOT KILL *** + + + + +Produced by David Edwards, Meredith Bach, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + + + + + + +[Transcriber's Note: + + Incorrect page numbers in the list of illustrations have been changed.] + + + +[Illustration: THE MONKEY THAT WOULD NOT KILL + +by Henry Drummond] + + + + +THE MONKEY THAT WOULD NOT KILL + + +[Illustration: WITH THE STONE IN HIS ARMS HE WALKED CALMLY +TOWARDS THE SHORE] + + + + THE MONKEY + THAT WOULD NOT KILL + + BY + HENRY DRUMMOND + + With Sixteen Full-page Illustrations + + BY + LOUIS WAIN + + NEW YORK + DODD, MEAD AND COMPANY + 1915 + + + + _Copyright, 1897,_ + By Dodd, Mead and Company. + + + + +PREFACE + + +A few years ago, the readers of "Wee Willie Winkie" detected a new vein +running through the Editorial Notes and announcements which prefaced the +monthly collection of juvenile literary efforts, which made up their +little Magazine. + +There was an originality and a humour which they had not noticed before, +and Competitions were suggested to them of a type for a repetition of +which they clamoured. + +And then presently a new serial story began, and the hairbreadth escapes +of that immortal Monkey which it recorded were breathlessly followed by +Wee Willie Winkie's army of bairns all over the world; and when it was +concluded, so numerous were the entreaties for a sequel, that compulsion +had to be resorted to in order to secure the revelation of the later +life of the hero under a new name. + +And now at last the Editors who were responsible for the periodical +referred to have to make a confession. + +Once upon a time they both, mother and daughter, forsook their office +and went away to Canada for several months in 1891, and during that time +their joint editorial chair was occupied by no other than Professor +Henry Drummond. + +And now our readers will understand to whom they are indebted for the +quaint sayings and funny stories and Competitions betokening someone who +"understood" boys--and girls too. And they will be grateful to a certain +contributor who failed to send his copy in time for the monthly issue on +one occasion, and so forced the then Editor to sit down and write +"something." It was the first time he had ever tried to write fiction, +and as the story grew under his pen, he began to realise the joy of +creation. And so it was that, in spite of his playful deprecation of +"such nonsense" being printed, the adventures of "the Monkey that would +not kill" came to be told, and we know that we can do our old friends +and readers no greater kindness than to dedicate these chronicles to +them in permanent form, in memory of one to whom "Wee Willie" and his +bairns were ever a subject of affectionate interest. + + + ISHBEL ABERDEEN, + MARJORIE A. H. GORDON, + _Editors of_ "_Wee Willie Winkie_." + + + Government House, Ottawa, + _November, 1897_. + + + + +CONTENTS + + + I + + PAGE + +THE MONKEY THAT WOULD NOT KILL 1 + + II + +GUM 57 + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + +WITH THE STONE IN HIS ARMS HE WALKED +CALMLY TOWARDS THE SHORE _Frontispiece_ + + PAGE + +TRICKY UPSET EVERYTHING 5 + +NEXT MORNING TRICKY WAS STILL THERE 13 + +IT WAS ONLY TRICKY SHAKING THE SALT-WATER OFF 17 + +HE BEGAN WITH THE PARROT 21 + +THE SHEPHERD BOLTED LIKE WILDFIRE 25 + +ALL WAS READY 33 + +HE TOOK MONKEY AND STONE AND HEAVED THEM OVER +THE CLIFF 43 + +TRICKY HELD BACK THE BABY 55 + +THE MONKEY'S RESCUE 63 + +A MONKEY PERFORMING GYMNASTIC EXERCISES 71 + +BURIED HIS TEETH IN THE CONDUCTOR'S WRIST 77 + +THE NUGGET OF GOLD 85 + +POINTING A LOADED REVOLVER AT HIS HEAD 89 + +THE CAN OF GUNPOWDER TIED TO HIS TAIL 103 + +THE MOST PRECIOUS OF ALL IS GUM 113 + + + + +CHAPTER I + + +There is no such thing as an immortal monkey, but this monkey was as +near it as possible. Talk of a cat's nine lives--this monkey had ninety! +A monkey's business in the world is usually to make everybody merry, but +the special mission of this one, I fear, was to make everybody as angry +as ever they could be. In wrath-producing power, in fact, this monkey +positively shone. + +How many escapes the monkey had before the run-away slave presented it +to the missionary--from whom I first heard of it--no one knows. It +certainly had not much hair on when it arrived, and there was an ominous +scar on its head, and its ears were not wholly symmetrical. But the +children were vastly delighted with it, and after much kind treatment +the creature was restored to rude health, and, I must confess, to quite +too rude spirits. The children wanted him baptized by the time-honoured +title of 'Jacko'; but by a series of exploits in which the monkey +distinguished himself at the expense of every member of the household in +turn, it became evident that only one name would fit a quadruped of his +peculiar disposition; and that was 'Tricky.' Tricky, therefore, he was +called, and as Tricky he lived and--did _not_ die. + +[Illustration: TRICKY UPSET EVERYTHING] + +There was no peace in the home after Tricky came. He ate everything, +upset everything, broke everything, stole everything, did everything +that the average monkey ought not to do. If they shut him up in a room, +Tricky got out by the chimney. If they put him out of the room, Tricky +came in by the chimney. What could you do with such a creature? He could +not be kept in, and he could not be kept out; so a court-martial was +held, and Tricky was sentenced to be given away. + +But by this time the whole place knew Tricky, and no one would have him. +Such an unusual refusal of a present was never known before. Even the +run-away slave smiled sweetly when his old friend was offered to him, +and protested that, to his deep regret, he was unable to buy nuts enough +to keep him. + +The idea of 'wandering' Tricky in the woods, of course, occurred to the +genius of the village, and a detachment of boys set off one Saturday to +carry it into effect. But you might as well have tried to wander a +carrier pigeon. Like Mary's little lamb, everywhere these boys went, +that monkey went. When they ran, it ran, when they doubled back, it +doubled back; and when they got home, dead tired, it was only to find +Tricky laughing at them from the church roof. + +That night the worst happened. When the people assembled for the weekly +meeting, there was not found in that church one whole hymn-book. Some +one, apparently, had been pelting the pulpit with them. The cushions +were torn; the blinds were a wreck; two stops in the harmonium were +pulled out bodily. After the service the missionary was solemnly waited +on by a deputation. They were closeted for an hour and a half, but no +one, except themselves, ever knew what was said or done. The only +circumstances that one could in any way connect with this mysterious +council was that about midnight a small boat was seen stealthily putting +out to sea. It contained two figures--one, who rowed, was the senior +elder; the other, who sat in the stern, looked like a very small boy. + + + + +CHAPTER II + + +The day was not yet broken when the 'watch' of the ship _Vulcan_, lying +becalmed off the ---- coast, was roused by a peculiar noise aft. Going +to the spot he was surprised to find a much-bedraggled monkey rubbing +itself on a pile of sail-cloth. The creature had evidently swum or +drifted a long distance, and was now endeavouring to restore +circulation. Jerry, being a humane man, got it some biscuit, and a +saucer of grog, and waited developments. These were not slow to show +themselves; within twenty-four hours the commander of the ship _Vulcan_, +740 tons register, was a monkey named Tricky. + +Time would fail me to tell of the life that monkey led them all on board +the _Vulcan_. After the first week only two things lay between him and +death at any moment. One was his inventiveness. Tricky's wickedness was +nothing, if not original. Every day he was at some new villainy; and +anything _new_ on board ship is sacred. There is no _Punch_ published on +board ship; but Tricky was all the comic papers rolled into one. But +that was not the main reason. There is a good deal of quiet quarrelling +on board ship. The mate spared Tricky because he thought he would some +day give the Captain a 'turn'; the Captain let him live, hoping he would +do something dreadful to the mate. Everybody waited to see Tricky do +something to somebody else. So he rose to the highest rank in the +merchant-marine, and was respected almost to idolatry by all on board +the _Vulcan_. + +One day Tricky was hanged--formally, deliberately, and judicially +hanged. What had he done? He had killed the ship cat. It was a +deliberate murder, with no extenuating circumstances, and a rope, with a +noose, was swung over the yard-arm, and Tricky run up in the presence of +all the crew. This happened about eight bells, and at dusk Tricky was +still hanging there, very quiet and motionless. Next morning Tricky was +still there--as live as you are. Tricky was not hanged, he was only +hanging; and, as everybody knows, monkeys rather like hanging. In fact, +though Tricky was still up there, he had got his hands well round the +rope, and was on the whole fairly at home. The rope round a neck like +Tricky's was a mere boa. + +[Illustration: NEXT MORNING TRICKY WAS STILL THERE] + +The executioners were rather ashamed of themselves when they saw how +matters stood; but instead of softening them, this dangling mockery of a +dead monkey still further roused their wrath, and the boatswain was told +off to end the drama by tossing Tricky into the sea. The boatswain was +up the shrouds in a moment, and loosening the rope with one hand, and +catching the monkey by the tail with the other, he swung poor Tricky a +good yard over the ship's side into the Atlantic. + +When the boatswain descended upon the deck he was greeted with a sudden +deluge of rain. It was only Tricky shaking the salt-water off. The +monkey had climbed up the stern rope, and reached the deck before him. +What would have happened next is hard to predict, but at this point the +Captain, attracted by the scream of laughter which greeted the drenching +of the boatswain, came up and was told the sequel to the hanging. Now +the Captain was a blunt, good-natured man, and he avowed that neither +man nor monkey who had ever been hanged on board his ship should ever be +put to death again. This was the law on shore, he said, and he would see +fair-play. So Tricky received another lease of life, and thus the ship +_Vulcan_ was kept in hot water for two months more. + +[Illustration: IT WAS ONLY TRICKY SHAKING THE SALT-WATER OFF] + +About the end of that period there came a crisis. The ship was nearing +port, and a heavy cleaning was in progress. Among other things the +ship's boats had to be painted. In an evil hour one of the men went +below to dinner, and left his paint-pot standing on the deck. If Tricky +had lost such a chance he would not have been a monkey at all. Needless +to say he rose to the occasion. That his supreme hour was come was quite +evident from the way he set to work at once. He began with the parrot, +which he painted vermilion; then he passed the brush gaily along the +newly varnished wood-work--daubed the masts and shrouds all over, +obliterated the name on the life-buoys, and wound up a somewhat +successful performance by emptying the pot over the Captain's best coat, +which was laid in the sun to get the creases out. + +I draw a veil over what happened on the _Vulcan_ during the next quarter +of an hour. There was never such a muster of the crew since they left +port: Everybody seemed to have business on deck. When the Captain came +up you could have heard a pin drop. I shall not repeat his language, nor +try to compare with anything earthly the voice with which he ordered +every man below. All I will record is--and it is to his everlasting +honour--that in that awful hour the Captain was true to his vow. 'Do you +see land?' he roared to the steersman. 'Aye, aye, sir,' said the man, +'land on the larboard bow.' 'Then,' said the Captain, 'put her head to +it.' + +[Illustration: HE BEGAN WITH THE PARROT] + +That night, late, the ship stood close in to a small island on the north +coast of Scotland, and a boat was solemnly sent ashore, and after that +Tricky was no more seen by any of the crew of the _Vulcan_. + + + + +CHAPTER III + + +The island on which the Captain of the _Vulcan_ exiled Tricky was marked +on the chart 'uninhabited.' But the chart was wrong. Ten years before, a +shepherd had come there, and now lived with his wife and family near the +top of the great sea-cliff. You may judge of the sensation when a real +live monkey appeared in the early morning in this remote and lonely +spot. The shepherd was watching his sheep when the apparition rose, as +it were, from the ground. He had never seen a monkey before, any more +than the sheep; and sheep and shepherd bolted like wildfire. Tricky, of +course, followed the biped, for he had always been accustomed to human +society; and, as the shepherd fled towards the hut, he saw the monkey +close at his heels. So he made a rush at the open door, and pulled it +after him with a bang which almost brought down the house. + +[Illustration: THE SHEPHERD BOLTED LIKE WILDFIRE] + +The fugitive had just got inside when, in a moment, he felt himself +seized from behind. It seemed as if a powerful hand was dragging him +backward, and he threw himself down on the ground, and roared with fear. +What had happened was that the flying end of his plaid had got jammed in +the door, but he felt sure the evil spirit was holding him in its +clutches, and it was some time before his startled wife could convince +him that there was nothing there. The good woman gathered him up, and +soothed him; and as soon as he could speak he told her in a shivering +voice about the awful monster which had come to slay them all. He had +scarcely got out the word 'monster,' when there was a scurrying in the +chimney, and the monster presented himself before them, and calmly sat +down on the meal-barrel. 'It's just a puggy!' cried the shepherd's wife +(she had been to Inverness), and began to stroke Tricky on the back. As +she did so, she noticed that the creature had a strand of an old ship's +rope round its neck, and to this was attached a small piece of paper. +She opened it and read four words, scrawled in a hasty hand:-- + + 'Won't Hang. + Won't Drown.' + +The shepherd seemed more frightened than ever at this revelation. 'Won't +hang, won't drown,' he muttered. 'Then, we'll see if it won't _shoot_,' +and he reached over the fireplace for the gun which he killed the +rabbits with. As he loaded it it seemed to the shepherd's wife as if all +the powder and shot in the house was being poured into the barrel. She +pleaded with her husband to spare Tricky's life, and it almost looked as +if she had succeeded, for the shepherd lowered the gun from his shoulder +and stood for a moment as if in doubt. But it was not because of his +wife he stopped. It was partly because he was quite too shaky to aim +straight; and partly because he was too much of a sportsman to shoot +offhand a thing which was sitting quiet and still on his own +meal-barrel; but the main reason was that he was afraid to shoot the +baby, whose crib was just beside it. So he gave the meal-barrel a kick +with his foot to dislodge the monkey. He thought it would make for the +door, and there, in the open air, he would shoot it fair and square. + +But the monkey had other views. What it wanted was something to eat; and +the children's porridge being handy, it put its paw in and began +breakfast. The shepherd was too much petrified to interfere, and it was +only when Tricky next spilt the milk-jug over the baby that he roused +himself to do his duty to his family. He raised the gun once more, and, +watching his chance when Tricky was exactly opposite the door, aimed +straight at its heart, and pulled the trigger. Now, the next moment that +monkey ought to have been scattered all over the hillside in +multitudinous fragments. On the contrary, it was up on the table, +imitating the click of the gun with a spoon. Not that the shepherd +missed. For the first time in its life the rusty lock had 'struck,' and +the dazed shepherd was more than ever confirmed in his belief that the +monkey was a witch. + +'Won't shoot,' he muttered to himself, 'won't hang, won't drown. I have +tried the first; I'll prove the next.' So, as he was too superstitious +to try to shoot it again, he went out to hang the monkey. + +But there was no tree on the island. All day the shepherd searched for a +place to hang Tricky, but in vain. That night he lay thinking, hour +after hour, where he would hang it, and in the early morning an +inspiration came to him--he would try the pump! So he rose softly and +fixed the handle of the pump high in the air, so that it stuck out like +a gallows, and tied a rope with a noose to the end of it. Then he got +Tricky to perch on the top of the pump, tied the rope round his neck, +and all was ready. The shepherd had heard that the object of hanging was +to break the neck of the criminal by a sudden 'drop,' but as he could +not give Tricky a long enough drop he determined to make up for it in +another way. So he gathered all his strength, and with a tremendous +sweep of his arms sent Tricky flying into space. Of course you know what +happened. The rope--it was quite rotten--broke, and Tricky landed on his +four paws, and stood grinning at his executioner, as if he would like it +all over again. + +[Illustration: ALL WAS READY] + +That whole day the sheep and lambs on the Island of ---- were neglected. +All day long you might have seen the shepherd sitting by the marsh-side +plaiting something with his fingers. Round him, the ground was strewn +with rushes, some loose, and some in bundles, but for every one the +workman chose he threw away a hundred, because it was not tough and +strong. And as he plaited, and twisted, and knotted, and tested, there +was fire in the shepherd's eye, and thunder all over his face. + +At daybreak next morning the shepherd and the monkey once more formed in +procession and wended their way to the old pump. The new rope could hang +an elephant. It was thick as a boa-constrictor, and the shepherd took a +full hour to adjust the noose and get the gallows into working order. +Then the fatal moment came. With a mightier shove than before the monkey +was launched into the air, and the rope stiffened and held like a ship's +hawser. But the executioner had not calculated everything. The rope and +the 'drop' were all right, but when the gallows felt the shock, the +pump-handle cracked off like a match, and the old moss-covered tube gave +two rocks and reeled from its moorings, and lay split in pieces on the +ground. Jagged and needlelike splinters at the same moment scraped and +pierced and gouged at the shepherd's shins, and tore his nether +garments, and made him dance with pain and rage. If anything could have +added more agony to the next few minutes it was the sight of Tricky. +That ever gay animal was careering down the hill straight towards the +feeding sheep. The pump-handle was still tied to its neck, and it +clattered over the stones with a noise weird enough to drive the whole +flock into the sea. The shepherd knew there must be a catastrophe, but +he was powerless to avert it. He was too sore to follow, so he slowly +limped towards the hut, to nurse his wrath and his wounds. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +For three days after the monkey had been 'hanged' it did not come near +the shepherd or his house. A monkey has feelings. To be nearly hanged is +bad enough, but to have a boa-constrictor and a pump-handle tied to your +neck is more than any self-respecting animal would stand. So Tricky +devoted himself exclusively to the sheep. For the space of three days, +with the invaluable aid of the pump-handle, Tricky shepherded that +flock. Not a blade of grass was nibbled during this period; one +prolonged stampede was kept up night and day. The lambs dropped with +hunger. The old sheep tottered with fatigue. The whole flock was +demoralised. In fact, when the 'Reign of Terror' closed there was not a +pound of sound mutton left on the island. + +Why did not the shepherd interfere? Because, as we shall see, for these +three days he had more urgent work to do. When the shepherd's wife went +out to the pump that morning for water to make the porridge with, she +found it a heap of ruins. She came back and broke the tidings to the +shepherd, and said she believed it had been struck with lightning. The +shepherd discreetly said nothing, but presently stole sullenly out to +inspect the damage once more. It was worse than he thought. A pump must +hold in both air and water; this pump was rent and split in a dozen +places. There was no water either to drink or make the porridge with, +till the tube was mended. So all that day the shepherd was splicing, and +hammering, and gluing, and bandaging. All the next day he was doing the +same. He got nothing to eat or drink; nobody got anything to eat or +drink. The poor children were kept alive on a single bowlful, which +happened to be in the house, but this was now finished, and they were +crying out from want. Positively, if this drought and famine had been +kept up for a few days more the island would certainly have been +restored to the condition described on the chart--'uninhabited.' + +On the morning of the fourth day the pump stood erect, and wind and +water-tight once more. Only one thing was wanting--there was no handle. +The only thing left was to try to catch Tricky, for there was nothing +else on the island which would make a handle. But just then Tricky +required no catching. At that moment he was sitting on the doorstep +contemplating the group round the pump. Everybody being out, he had +seized the opportunity to have a good breakfast--consisting of every +particle of meal in the barrel--and was now enjoying a period of repose +before recommencing hostilities. The shepherd made a rush at him, but, +alas, what he wanted was no longer there. A piece of frayed rope dangled +on its neck, but the pump-handle was gone. + +It took two days more to find it. Every inch of the island was patiently +examined. Even the child next the baby had to join in the search. Night +and day they were all at it; and at last it was found by the shepherd's +wife--stuck in a rabbit-hole. All this time no one had leisure to kill +Tricky. But on the seventh day the shepherd rose with murder written on +his brow. The monkey would not shoot, and he would not hang; it remained +to try what drowning would do. So he tied a large stone round the +monkey's neck, and led him forth to the edge of the great sea-cliff. + +[Illustration: HE TOOK MONKEY AND STONE AND HEAVED THEM OVER THE CLIFF] + +A hundred feet below, the sea lay like a mirror; and the shepherd, as he +looked over for a deep place, saw the great fronds of the sea-weeds and +the jelly-fish and the anemones lying motionless in the crystal waters. +Then he took the monkey and the stone in his great hands, examined the +knots hastily, and, with one sudden swing, heaved them over the cliff. + +The shepherd would much rather at this point have retired from the +scene. But he dared not. He could not trust that monkey. An actual +certificate of death was due to himself and to his family. So he peered +over the cliff and saw the splash in the sea, and watched the ripples +clearing off till the sea-bottom stood out again with every shell +distinct. And there, sure enough, was Tricky, down among the star-fish, +safely moored to his gravestone, and the yard of good rope holding like +a chain-cable. The shepherd rose for the first time since that monkey +set foot upon the island and breathed freely. Then he slowly went back +to the house and told the tale of the end of Tricky. + +It was not till midnight that Tricky came back. Of course you knew +Tricky would come back. You knew the rope would slip over the stone, or +break, or be eaten through by a great fish, or something, and, though +none of these things happened, it is certainly true that that night at +midnight Tricky did turn up. Perhaps I should say turn down, for he came +in, as usual, by the chimney. But the exact way in which this singular +creature escaped from its watery grave must be reserved for another +chapter. + + + + +CHAPTER V + + +If the shepherd had stood looking over the cliff for one moment longer +he would have witnessed a curious scene. Every schoolboy knows that a +stone is lighter in water than in air. How the monkey knew this, or +whether he did or did not, it is impossible to say, but his actions were +certainly those of a philosopher. For, instead of resigning himself to +his fate, he bent down and grasped the stone which held him to his +watery grave, picked it up in his arms, and walked calmly along the +bottom towards the shore. With a supreme effort he next got the stone +edged on to a half-submerged ledge; but now that it was half out of the +water it was once more too heavy to lift, and Tricky lay in great +perplexity in the shallow water, wondering how ever he was to get out of +this fresh dilemma. There appeared nothing for it but to attack the rope +with his teeth, and for an hour Tricky worked at the tough strands, but +without almost any success. After another hour's work the monkey made an +appalling discovery. When he began work, the water was only up to his +knees; and to his consternation, it now covered him up to his middle. In +a short time more it came up to his neck, and it was clear to Tricky +that if the ledge went on sinking at this rate he was a dead monkey. +Tricky thought he knew all about the sea, but in the foreign sea, where +he had lived with the missionary, there were no tides, and this creeping +in of the water greatly disturbed his peace of mind. To his great joy, +however, he found that the stone, now wholly covered with water, was +once more light enough to lift, and he trundled it along the ledge till +the water became too shallow to move it further. Just above this point +was another ledge, high and dry above tide-mark, and the yard of rope +was just long enough to allow the monkey to take up his position there, +and shake himself dry in the sun. + +Now, this shaking process suggested an idea to Tricky--a very obvious +one to you or me, but a real inspiration to a monkey. Tricky noticed +that the very part of the rope where he had been gnawing rested against +the sharp edge of the rocky ledge, and that one frayed strand had +suddenly parted while he was shaking himself. The rock-edge, in fact, +was a regular knife, and after much and hard rubbing, and many rests, +Tricky found himself within three or four strands of freedom. It was all +but midnight when the last strand parted, and in a few minutes more the +gallant monkey crawled up the cliff and stood once more at the door of +his executioner's house. + +I am afraid you will be as much surprised as Tricky was at the startling +discovery he made when he got there. The cottage was on fire! For days, +you will remember, there had been no food in the shepherd's home. But +that day the family had celebrated the mending of the pump by a great +banquet and a washing. Such a fire was lit as had not blazed on the +hearth for years, and when it grew dark the red sparks flew into the air +and fell in dangerous showers upon the dry thatched roof. The wind, too, +rose about nightfall, and fanned one smouldering square of turf into +life; and when Tricky reached the spot at least half the roof was +already in a blaze. But Tricky was hungry after his day's adventures, +and the chimney end of the roof being still untouched by the fire, he +jumped on to the roof and down into the kitchen with a bound. The baby's +cradle lay, as usual, close to the side of the fire, and the monkey, in +passing, must have swished it with his tail, for the infant broke into a +sudden yell, which rang through the room, and woke the shepherd with a +start. The good man was awake not a moment too soon. Had the monkey +arrived five minutes later the whole family must have perished; the +smoke had already filled the other room, and was pouring in, in rolling +clouds, below the kitchen door. With one thunderstruck glare at the +night-watchman who had wakened him so opportunely--and who now occupied +his usual throne on the meal-barrel, violently sneezing out smoke, and +wondering whether it was not better to be drowned--the shepherd rushed +towards the door to save the two elder children who lay locked in +slumber in the burning room beyond. Seizing them in his arms, he bore +them safely to the open air, and then returned for his wife and the +other children. Tricky followed at their heels; and the next moment the +rescued family stood in a shivering group, helplessly watching the +flames. The roof soon fell in, and in the morning all that remained of +the shepherd's house was a few charred rafters. + + * * * * * + +On the spot where the shepherd's cottage was burned now stands a noble +lighthouse. It was put up a few months after the fire, and one of the +three lighthouse-keepers is the shepherd. The second is a man who is +fond of telling tales of the sea, and how he was once mate of a ship +called the _Vulcan_. The third keeper of the lighthouse is a quadruped +called Tricky. The affection between him and the ex-shepherd is +peculiar. Other people think there is some history connected with it, +but the shepherd never says much. When asked if it is really true that +the monkey cannot be killed, he always replies, 'Yes; but that is not +why it is alive.' Only on one occasion was the shepherd known to add +anything to that remark. It was one night when Tricky had held back the +baby--it had just learned to creep--from tumbling over the cliff. Then +the shepherd smiled as he threw Tricky a whole bagful of nuts, and said, +'That monkey won't kill--nor let anybody else kill.' + +[Illustration: TRICKY HELD BACK THE BABY] + + + + +GUM + + + + +CHAPTER I + + +I suppose you thought the monkey I told you about before was dead. But +my opinion is that he is still alive. At least, I am pretty sure it is +the same monkey that I have now to tell you about, though I cannot be +quite sure. In the first place this new monkey was very like Tricky, and +in the second place it was a monkey that _would not kill_. Now, I never +heard before of any monkey that would not kill except one, and that was +Tricky. + +Another thing that makes me think it is the same monkey, is that Tricky +disappeared from the island where we saw him last. No one knows how it +happened, but there was a coincidence about the time which I must +relate. One morning a boat's crew landed on the island where Tricky +lived with the lighthouse-keeper, to fill their water-kegs. The +lighthouse-keeper was kind to them, for they were foreigners, and showed +them all over the lighthouse, and when they got to the very top they +found the monkey dusting the lamps just like a human being. The sailors +were much astonished, and one of them, who could speak a little English, +wanted to buy Tricky for two pounds. When the lighthouse-keeper heard +this he was very angry, and ordered them all down the ladder. This made +the men angry in turn, for they did not know the reason why the +lighthouse-keeper loved the monkey, and they told him they would not +forget the way he had insulted them. Of course he had not insulted them +at all, but foreign sailors are sometimes quick-tempered, and these men +came from a country where slights are easily felt. The sailors spent the +whole day on shore, as the wind was unfavourable for getting out to sea, +but no one saw them enter the lighthouse again. Next morning, all that +the lighthouse-keeper saw of the sailors and their ship was the tips of +their top-gallants dipping over the horizon edge. And all that he saw of +the monkey that--would--not--kill, after searching night and day for a +week was--nothing. + + + + +CHAPTER II + + +Mr. Donald MacAlsh, gold-miner from Silver Creek, California, happening +to be in San Francisco, read one morning the following paragraph in the +_San Francisco Herald_:-- + + 'Curious Tale of The Sea.--Captain J. E. Dawkins of the _Mermaid_, + which has just arrived in this port from Liverpool, reports a + singular occurrence. About ten days' out from home the look-out + observed what he took to be a great sea-serpent, but which, on + further inspection, turned out to be a quantity of wreckage. On + approaching the spot the figure of a boy was distinctly observed + clinging to the broken portion of a mast, and obviously still alive. + A small boat was instantly lowered, the ship's crew meantime making + signals to the boy to inform him that he was being rescued. After a + suspense of some half-hour the boat returned with the extraordinary + intelligence that the figure seen was not that of a boy, but of a + monkey. Search among the wreckage for human remains proved + unavailing, and it is feared that a serious catastrophe has + occurred. The only clue to the nationality of the vessel, which, it + is only too plain, has met with a disastrous fate, are the letters + "vorni" on a portion of what had evidently formed the bow of one of + the life-boats. Possibly these letters are part of "Livorni," the + Italian word for Leghorn, and the list of recent sailings from that + port is now being scrutinised with some anxiety.' + +[Illustration: THE MONKEY'S RESCUE] + +Now what interested Donald--'Big Donald,' he was always called--in this +story was not the monkey, but the arrival of the _Mermaid_. For the +Captain was a friend of his, and was bringing him some tools from home +in this very ship. Though 'Big Donald' was now a gold-miner, he came out +from Scotland when quite a lad. His father was a small farmer in Skye, +and, dying early, the family emigrated to America. As it was to get +these tools that Donald came in to San Francisco he soon found his way +to the harbour, and, finding out the _Mermaid_, walked on board. No one +was visible on deck, so Donald sat down on a coil of rope to wait. He +had not been there three minutes when a matted head and two very +brilliant eyes suddenly shot up the companion, and a full-grown monkey +sprang in front of him and stared into his face. Donald, much startled +by this apparition, called out in a loud voice for the creature to go +away; but the moment the words were spoken the monkey sprang on his back +and clasped its long hairy arms about his neck. The miner shook it off +in terror and tried to run ashore, but the monkey followed, frisking and +gambolling round him, and chasing him all over the quay. Donald soon +discovered, however, that the monkey meant no harm, and a few days later +an explanation of this sudden outburst of interest in a stranger--the +Captain told Donald that the monkey had never been known to behave like +this before--broke in upon the miner's mind. He remembered that when he +suddenly spoke to the monkey he had called to it _in Gaelic_. Under the +impulse of a sudden fear, I suppose, the language of his boyhood had +started to his lips, and the words came out unconsciously '_Imich air +falbh_,' which means 'Go away.' What made Donald remember the +circumstance was this, that whenever afterwards he used the Highland +tongue the monkey manifested peculiar signs of joy. The only way the +miner could account for this singular fact was to suppose that somehow +or other this monkey had once belonged to some one who used the Gaelic +language--a suggestion, however, which people generally laughed at. The +miner always maintained, nevertheless, that the monkey really knew +Gaelic, and he seldom spoke to it in any other language. Of course, +people said this was simply to show off that he knew two languages. + +I do not know whether the miner bought the monkey, or whether the +Captain gave it to him, or whether it ran away, but it is certain that +from this hour it belonged to Donald. When he left the ship with his +tools, the monkey followed, trotting after him like a dog all the way +till he reached his lodgings. The miner then went into the house and +shut the door, leaving the monkey outside. In ten minutes it seemed as +if all the boys in San Francisco had gathered in that street. They +formed a crowd round the door which almost stopped the traffic; and when +the policeman shortly appeared he was rather disgusted to find that it +was only a monkey performing gymnastic exercises on a door-knocker. +Roughly ringing the bell, he ordered Donald to take in his monkey. +Donald replied meekly that he was not responsible for the monkey, but +the officer said he would be summoned for 'obstructing the thoroughfare +and causing a breach of the peace' if he did not take in his guest at +once. So Donald had to submit, for he saw there would be no rest in San +Francisco till this wayward creature had its will and was safe inside. +That night Donald had a serious talk with the monkey as it sat upright +in its chair at supper. He told it that if it would behave itself he +would take it up to the Rocky Mountains to the gold diggings. The monkey +seemed to understand, for it put down a lump of cheese it was about to +eat, skipped off its chair, and nestled against Big Donald's side. Only +one other thing happened that night: Donald gave the monkey its name. He +called it 'Gum'--because it stuck to him. + +[Illustration: A MONKEY PERFORMING GYMNASTIC EXERCISES] + + + + +CHAPTER III + + +Next morning Donald and Gum started from San Francisco by an early train +on their way to Silver Creek. The appearance of the monkey in the +railway carriage created much amusement among the passengers, and Donald +had to stand a running-fire of questions as to whether it belonged to +his great-grandfather or to a barrel-organ. The fun was stopped in a +little while by the entrance of the conductor, who demanded Gum's +ticket. Gum not having a ticket, an angry discussion arose on the +subject of fare; but Donald said he would only pay when the conductor +showed him the correct price for a monkey printed in black and white in +the official books. There being no special mention in these volumes of +monkeys on tour, Donald declined to pay a cent, and the conductor +departed, vowing he would put Gum out of the train at the next station. +When the next station came, however, Donald and the monkey were +entrenched in a corner, the latter tightly grasped in the miner's great +arms, and the conductor, after a glance at the situation, decided to +wait for a more convenient season. In America the conductor, instead of +entering the carriages only when the train stops, moves about all the +time from one carriage to another, so that as the station for Silver +Creek was still eleven hours' distant, he had little doubt his chance +would come. + +[Illustration: BURIED HIS TEETH IN THE CONDUCTOR'S WRIST] + +And come it did. It was a piping hot day, even for California, and late +in the afternoon Donald fell asleep. His arms were still clasped round +the monkey, and the conductor would never have succeeded in his object +but for an accident. It happened that about that time the train was +approaching an important junction, and part of every ticket had to be +given up at that point. In America a railway ticket is sometimes half a +yard in length, and pieces have to be torn off from point to point. To +avoid the disturbance caused by this operation, miners, cowboys, and +others are in the habit of wearing their tickets slipped into the band +of their great wide-awake hats, and Donald was in this inviting position +when the conductor came round. He snatched it out of the hat to tear off +the necessary piece, when the monkey, thinking a theft was meant, sprang +at the man and buried his teeth in his wrist. Roaring with pain, the +conductor seized his assailant by the throat, and, before Donald could +come to the rescue, tossed him out of the window. The train was dashing +round a curve at thirty miles an hour, and when Donald stretched out his +neck to find out whether Gum was killed, it was with small hope of ever +seeing him more. For two minutes the miner gazed at the receding +distance, then, without uttering a word, turned round and felled the +conductor to the floor. + + + + +CHAPTER IV + + +When the train rolled into the junction, about an hour after, Donald +went into the refreshment room to quiet his nerves with a cup of cocoa. +He was about to take his seat again in the carriage when he observed a +crowd on the platform opposite the brake-van at the rear end of the +train. Making his way to the spot and looking over the heads of the +crowd, what was his amazement to see Gum seated on the coupling +apparatus, and looking about him with perfect serenity. One hand held an +iron rod, and with the other he scratched his head; and, but for a great +splash of brown earth on one side, the monkey seemed wholly untouched by +his adventure. A single word in Gaelic from Donald made the monkey +spring from its perch, and over the heads of the people into his arms, +and in a few minutes the strange friends were pursuing their journey +again, as if nothing had happened. A new conductor was now on the train, +and Donald made friends with him by reciting the whole adventure, so +that they were allowed to end the day in peace. About midnight the two +got out at a roadside station, where they spent the night, and in the +grey of the morning set out by coach for Silver Creek. From Silver Creek +Donald's cabin was still thirty miles' walk over the mountains, and +after another day's hard toiling they reached the spot. + + + + +CHAPTER V + + +After a long journey over the mountains Donald reached his log cabin on +the Silver Creek. The monkey, however, did not find quite so immediate a +welcome as himself from Donald's wife. The only pet her children had +ever seen before was a baby puma, which the miner had picked out of the +stream one day in a half-drowned state. Donald had mistaken it for a +kitten of some new brand, and it was not until some weeks later, when it +sprang upon his little girl and buried his claws in her neck, that he +realised what sort of plaything--the puma is the lion of the Rocky +Mountains--he had introduced into his family. So Donald's wife was +suspicious of pets, and when she saw the monkey she was sure it was +another lion, and would not allow it to enter the door. But Gum had +other ways of entering houses than by doors, and finally he was received +as a lawful member of the family, for the simple reason that he could +not be kept out. The new guest gave little trouble. Most of the day the +monkey spent with Donald at the mine. He went off with him when he went +to work in the morning, and gambolled round him till he came home for +supper. And very soon an incident happened which more than reconciled +Donald's wife to her strange visitor. Donald's gold-mine was a poor one. +He had to work very hard to get enough of the precious dust to keep his +family in food, but his spirits were kept up by the constant hope that +he would strike a richer bed and make his fortune. The way he got the +gold was to take the sand and gravel from the banks of the river and +wash it about in a pan till all the lighter particles passed off with +the water, leaving the little spangles of gold at the bottom. Sometimes +a week would pass without the miner getting more than a thimbleful, but +occasionally he would find a few lumps as big as a pea. One day, +however, just as Donald was getting discouraged, a piece of great +good-luck befell him. He had been particularly depressed that day, for +no gold at all had rewarded his search for a week, and the family were +already in debt for flour and clothes. But, thanks to the monkey, he was +able to go home to his wife with the largest gold nugget that had been +seen in that valley for many years. Gum had been skirmishing about as +usual on the gravel heaps, when some loose pebbles were dislodged by his +paws, and, as they rolled down, he must have been attracted by the +yellow glitter in one large lump, for the next moment he had picked up +the nugget and laid it, with a wag of his tail, at Donald's feet. The +miner almost wept for gladness, and, taking Gum up in his arms as if he +were a child, hurried home to proclaim his fortune. That night the +family had a great feast, and Gum's health was drunk in the strongest +tea the mining camp could furnish. Perhaps if they had known what was +shortly to happen they would not have slept quite so soundly. + +[Illustration: THE NUGGET OF GOLD] + + + + +CHAPTER VI + + +Two nights after the wheel of fortune gave an unlooked-for turn. +Donald's wife was so proud of the nugget that she could not keep the +news to herself, and, next morning, although Donald had carefully told +her to keep it quiet, confided his good-luck to another miner's wife, +who lived a few hundred yards off. This worthy woman told another, and +in twenty-four hours the fame of Donald's nugget was spread from end to +end of the valley. This would not have mattered in most places, but +mining districts are peopled by criminals and adventurers of all kinds, +and among these were some lawless characters whose chief business was to +get gold in some other way than by working for it. Two of these men, +brothers, who lived with their families at the lower end of the valley, +determined that they should possess themselves of Donald's nugget. +Covering their faces with black masks, and armed with revolvers, they +set off about midnight for the miner's cabin. The family were fast +asleep, and the robbers noiselessly pushed up the window, and entered +the room where Donald slept. Pointing a loaded revolver at his head, one +of the men roughly awoke him, and told him if he moved or cried out he +would blow out his brains and murder every one in the house. Donald was +too familiar with stories of camp crime to resist an attack so sudden, +and, though a loaded revolver was under his own pillow, he saw his +disadvantage and, for the sake of his wife and children, controlled +himself with a great effort. + +[Illustration: POINTING A LOADED REVOLVER AT HIS HEAD] + +'I want that little bit of metal of yours,' said the robber. Donald lay +perfectly quiet. 'Do you hear!' exclaimed the man, 'I want that gold.' + +'Then you won't get it,' said Donald quietly. + +'I believe he has sent it to the bank,' whispered the other man. 'Kill +him if he has.' + +'Look here!' thundered the first, 'do you mean to say that nugget is +gone?' + +Donald made no reply. If he said it was gone, the robbers would have +simply sneaked home, for Donald was known in these parts as a man who +never told a lie. Once more the robber asked him, but Donald remained +silent. This was enough. If it had really been gone Donald would have +certainly said so. So, while the first man stood with a revolver at his +ear, the second proceeded to search the house. Drawers, boxes, and +cupboards were opened and ransacked in quick succession; every corner of +the two rooms was examined; the very dishes on the shelf were turned +upside down, and the sugar-basin smashed to pieces with a blow, in case +it should have been hidden there. + +'Let me try,' said the man with the revolver; 'you watch the old bear, +and see if I can't find it.' + +Once more the house was ransacked from top to bottom, and the robber was +about to abandon the search, when a sudden thought occurred to him. On +the mantel-piece ticked a wooden American clock, about two feet high. +The man opened the door in the case, and fumbled about with his finger. +Next moment he had drawn out the nugget. He bent over the fire to get a +better look at it, and then proceeded to weigh it in the palm of his +hand, to see how much it was worth. The other robber, unable to restrain +his curiosity, moved likewise toward the fire, when the first checked +him with an angry cry, and sent him back to his victim's side to +continue his guard. Another moment, and Donald would have had his +revolver out, and the nugget would have been saved. But there was +another spectator of this scene on whom the thieves had scarcely +reckoned. In his usual berth, crouched at the side of the fireplace, sat +Gum. The robber was weighing the gold in his hand, turning it round and +round, and gloating over it, when the glitter from the precious metal +attracted the monkey's eye. It seemed to feel some sense of property in +this gold, for, quick as lightning, one hairy paw brushed the robber's +hand, and the next moment the nugget was gone. With a great oath the +robber turned on Gum, and dealt it a blow on the head which knocked it +senseless to the other side of the room. But, before that blow fell, two +things happened. With one hand held out to protect itself against this +sudden onslaught, the monkey made a grab at its assailant's face, and +tore off the black mask, so that Donald instantly recognised the man, in +the glow of the firelight; with the other hand, which held the gold, the +monkey swiftly transferred the nugget to its mouth. + +The robber's eye followed this last movement, however, and he picked up +Gum roughly, and proceeded to wrench open its jaws. He felt all round +his mouth, but the nugget was not there. He held the senseless body up +by the tail and shook it, but no gold appeared. He took his head between +his knees, and sounded all over its throat, but the nugget was not to be +found. As a matter of fact it was not there. The blow which had fallen +upon the monkey's head had knocked it down its throat. Gum had swallowed +the nugget! + +What was to be done now? If the robber had had a knife in his pocket, +Gum would have been a dead monkey in two seconds. But while he was +unsuccessfully feeling for his knife, Gum suddenly came to, and with one +violent wriggle shook itself free, and sprang on the highest shelf. The +robber gave chase; then followed the most comical hunt you ever saw. The +robber's face being now exposed (he had no idea that Donald had already +recognised him), he was afraid to turn round, and he had to keep up the +hunt without once facing in the direction where Donald lay, with the +result that he was fairly baffled, and after a quarter of an hour's hard +work, gave up the chase. All that remained now was to blind Donald. +Roughly approaching the bed, the robber drew the blankets over Donald's +face, and told him he would shoot him if he dared to stir. As an extra +precaution, the miner's revolver was taken out of reach, and then both +men started, with a piece of rope, to secure the monkey. Clever as Gum +was, he was scarcely a match for two men, who, as noted horse-thieves, +were experts in the use of the lasso, and in a short time the monkey was +ignominiously driven from his perch on a rafter, tied up in Donald's +pillow-case, and swung over the shoulder of one of the men. Then the +robbers wished Donald a grim good-night, and marched off with their +'purse.' As they were going out of the door Donald called after them, +'Good-night, ye blackguards, and mark my words, if ye lay a hand on that +monkey ye'll regret it as long as ye live!' This made the men a little +frightened, for although they did not like to confess it to one another, +there was something about Gum that was 'not canny.' Anyhow, whether it +was fear of the monkey, or of their own consciences, instead of killing +Gum as soon as they left the house they carried it all the way home with +them, discussing which of them was to kill it, and how it was to be +done. + + + + +CHAPTER VII + + +When the thieves reached home, after a hasty breakfast, they continued +the discussion as to how the purse was to be opened and the nugget +secured. Unfortunately for them the monkey had struggled out of the +pillow-case, as soon as it reached the house, and the robbers' children +at once seized upon it, and claimed it as their pet. When they were told +it would have to be killed, the youngest child, a little girl so lovely +that even a bad father could not help loving her, burst into tears, and, +putting her arms round the robber's neck, prayed and entreated him to +spare its life, and let her play with it. Now, wicked as this man was, +this child had a mysterious influence over him, and though he was +resolved to kill Gum, and that immediately, he determined that she +should not see it done, nor even know that he had done it. Besides this, +it would never do to let the people in the valley know that they had +killed the monkey, for Donald would surely go in search of it; so after +consulting together for some time, the robbers decided on a plan for +killing Gum without anybody being any the wiser. They knew that if they +shot it, or drowned it, or slew it with a knife, the children would be +angry, and the story would certainly be told to their playmates and +passed on in time to Donald's family. So a very diabolical scheme was +hatched. The only way they could think of for killing Gum without any +one seeing, or without either of them being actually present at the +death, was to _blow it up with gunpowder_. This method had another +advantage, which neither of the men liked to confess weighed with them, +but in reality it was this more than anything else that made them think +of the gunpowder. At the bottom of their hearts these men were cowards, +and after the strange threat which Donald had uttered as they were +leaving his house, they were secretly afraid 'to lay a hand' upon Gum. A +monkey was a very mysterious creature. They had never had anything to do +with one before. Gum's face had a curious human look, and to murder it +in cold blood was almost like murdering a man. So the gunpowder idea +seemed the very solution that was needed, and they set about their +preparations at once. While one of the men remained at the kitchen fire +with the family to allay suspicion, the other, after pocketing a little +can of miners' blasting-powder, a couple of feet of fuse, and a piece of +string, strolled out to the wood behind the cabin on the pretence of +giving the monkey a walk. As soon as a low thicket screened the pair +from view, the robber tied the monkey to the trunk of a tree. Then he +lashed the can of gunpowder tightly to the monkey's tail, passed one end +of the fuse into it through a small hole, struck a match, and lighted +the other end. As soon as he saw the fuse was fairly lit, and the red +fire slowly creeping upwards, he ran back as fast as he could to the +house. Meantime the other man had got a concertina from the shelf, and +was playing with all his might to drown the sound of the explosion. When +the executioner arrived, out of breath though he was, he joined noisily +in the dance which the children had set up the moment the concertina +began to play, and presently such a stamping and shouting was going on +in the cottage that the sound of an earthquake would have been quenched. +Suddenly an awful interruption occurred. Through the open door the +monkey bounded in, and taking up its place in the midst of the circle +joined in the dance. From its neck dangled a piece of string, burnt at +the point; but what made the children shriek with laughter was a small +tin can tied to its tail, which clattered about with every turn of the +body, and strange to say, had a sort of little tail of its own which +appeared to be on fire, for little puffs of smoke were coming from it, +and a red colour glowed at the tip. The moment the robbers caught sight +of this apparition there was a yell of fear which paralysed the children +into rigid statues. The men's faces were livid with terror, and some +seconds passed before either had recovered his senses sufficiently to +act. Then one man, with a great sweep of his arms, caught up all the +children into one tumble bunch, and flung them screaming with pain and +surprise under the bed of the adjoining room. The other, who was +directly responsible for the mischief, seeing that the only chance to +save his house and himself was to get Gum outside, clutched the smoking +monkey in his arms and rushed to the door. Quick as the movement was, it +was not quick enough. Those inside heard a deafening report; the house +was filled with smoke; the doorway became a heap of fallen timber, and +the blackened body of a man lay groaning among the charred ruins. One of +the robbers, their wives, and all the children were safe. But when the +smoke cleared away, and the body by the door was examined, life was all +but extinct. For weeks the robber hung between life and death. It forms +no part of this story to tell what pains he suffered, or what agonies of +mind he passed through, or how, when months after he was able to crawl +from his bed and go out into the air it was to see never more the +sunlight or the flowers with his sightless eyes. Certainly Donald's +words had come true. When the miner heard that evening what had +happened, although he had already sent off word to the nearest +police-station with the names of the guilty men, he took no further +action in the matter. God's punishment was quicker than man's. + +[Illustration: THE CAN OF GUNPOWDER TIED TO HIS TAIL] + + + + +CHAPTER VIII + + +Late that afternoon the monkey turned up at his old home. Donald found +him lying at the door, an almost unrecognisable object. Thanks to the +way the robber had carried him, one half of his body was untouched, but +the other half was a pitiable spectacle, and the long curly tail, Gum's +great ornament and plaything, was blown off by the root. The poor +creature had swooned, but that he had lain there an hour or two in great +pain was plain from the way the gravel was tossed about in all +directions round him. Donald was greatly touched, and lifting him up in +his arms as tenderly as if he were a child, placed him in his own bed +and dressed his burns. After a long sleep it awoke, and Donald, who had +sat silently by his side, bent over to allow it to lick his face. The +moment it opened its mouth the miner sprang from his chair as if he had +been shot. For there between his teeth the monkey held the nugget! + + * * * * * + +Five years have passed. Donald is the richest man in Silver Creek +County, and his great mines are worked by hundreds of men. He lives in a +great house, sumptuously furnished and full of precious things, which he +delights to show to the many visitors who flock to see his mine. But of +all these precious things, by far the most precious is Gum, the monkey +without a tail, 'the finder of his first nugget, and the founder of his +fortunes,' as he says to everybody. Then he tells how Gum found the +nugget, and how it was stolen and once more brought back; and how when +Gum got better, the two went back to the spot where the big lump was +found, and searched and searched, and found lump after lump and nugget +after nugget, until, in a few months, more gold was hidden below +Donald's bed than had come from all the mines put together since they +first were opened. Then the good man calls out a word in Gaelic, and the +monkey without a tail jumps into his arms to be caressed, and Donald +asks his guests to read the inscription on the golden collar round its +neck:-- + + + TO + FAITHFUL GUM + FROM + HIS GRATEFUL MASTER. + +Made out of the first nugget--August 2nd, 1888. + +[Illustration: THE MOST PRECIOUS OF ALL IS GUM] + + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Monkey That Would Not Kill, by Henry Drummond + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE MONKEY THAT WOULD NOT KILL *** + +***** This file should be named 29254.txt or 29254.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/2/9/2/5/29254/ + +Produced by David Edwards, Meredith Bach, and the Online +Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This +file was produced from images generously made available +by The Internet Archive) + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. Special rules, +set forth in the General Terms of Use part of this license, apply to +copying and distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works to +protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm concept and trademark. Project +Gutenberg is a registered trademark, and may not be used if you +charge for the eBooks, unless you receive specific permission. If you +do not charge anything for copies of this eBook, complying with the +rules is very easy. You may use this eBook for nearly any purpose +such as creation of derivative works, reports, performances and +research. They may be modified and printed and given away--you may do +practically ANYTHING with public domain eBooks. Redistribution is +subject to the trademark license, especially commercial +redistribution. + + + +*** START: FULL LICENSE *** + +THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE +PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK + +To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free +distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work +(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project +Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full Project +Gutenberg-tm License (available with this file or online at +https://gutenberg.org/license). + + +Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic works + +1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to +and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property +(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all +the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or destroy +all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your possession. +If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound by the +terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the person or +entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph 1.E.8. + +1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be +used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who +agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few +things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works +even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See +paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this agreement +and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. See paragraph 1.E below. + +1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the Foundation" +or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection of Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual works in the +collection are in the public domain in the United States. If an +individual work is in the public domain in the United States and you are +located in the United States, we do not claim a right to prevent you from +copying, distributing, performing, displaying or creating derivative +works based on the work as long as all references to Project Gutenberg +are removed. Of course, we hope that you will support the Project +Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting free access to electronic works by +freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm works in compliance with the terms of +this agreement for keeping the Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with +the work. You can easily comply with the terms of this agreement by +keeping this work in the same format with its attached full Project +Gutenberg-tm License when you share it without charge with others. + +1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern +what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are in +a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, check +the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this agreement +before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, distributing or +creating derivative works based on this work or any other Project +Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no representations concerning +the copyright status of any work in any country outside the United +States. + +1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: + +1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other immediate +access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear prominently +whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work on which the +phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the phrase "Project +Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, performed, viewed, +copied or distributed: + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + +1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is derived +from the public domain (does not contain a notice indicating that it is +posted with permission of the copyright holder), the work can be copied +and distributed to anyone in the United States without paying any fees +or charges. If you are redistributing or providing access to a work +with the phrase "Project Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the +work, you must comply either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 +through 1.E.7 or obtain permission for the use of the work and the +Project Gutenberg-tm trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or +1.E.9. + +1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted +with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution +must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any additional +terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms will be linked +to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works posted with the +permission of the copyright holder found at the beginning of this work. + +1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this +work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. + +1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this +electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without +prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with +active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project +Gutenberg-tm License. + +1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, +compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including any +word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access to or +distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format other than +"Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official version +posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site (www.gutenberg.org), +you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense to the user, provide a +copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means of obtaining a copy upon +request, of the work in its original "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other +form. Any alternate format must include the full Project Gutenberg-tm +License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. + +1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, +performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works +unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. + +1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing +access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works provided +that + +- You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from + the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method + you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is + owed to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he + has agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the + Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments + must be paid within 60 days following each date on which you + prepare (or are legally required to prepare) your periodic tax + returns. Royalty payments should be clearly marked as such and + sent to the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the + address specified in Section 4, "Information about donations to + the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation." + +- You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies + you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he + does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm + License. You must require such a user to return or + destroy all copies of the works possessed in a physical medium + and discontinue all use of and all access to other copies of + Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +- You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of any + money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the + electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days + of receipt of the work. + +- You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free + distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. + +1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project Gutenberg-tm +electronic work or group of works on different terms than are set +forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing from +both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and Michael +Hart, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark. Contact the +Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. + +1.F. + +1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable +effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread +public domain works in creating the Project Gutenberg-tm +collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may contain +"Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate or +corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other intellectual +property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or other medium, a +computer virus, or computer codes that damage or cannot be read by +your equipment. + +1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right +of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project +Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project +Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all +liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal +fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT +LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE +PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH F3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE +TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE +LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR +INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH +DAMAGE. + +1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a +defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can +receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a +written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you +received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium with +your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you with +the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in lieu of a +refund. If you received the work electronically, the person or entity +providing it to you may choose to give you a second opportunity to +receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If the second copy +is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing without further +opportunities to fix the problem. + +1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth +in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS' WITH NO OTHER +WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO +WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTIBILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. + +1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied +warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of damages. +If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement violates the +law of the state applicable to this agreement, the agreement shall be +interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or limitation permitted by +the applicable state law. The invalidity or unenforceability of any +provision of this agreement shall not void the remaining provisions. + +1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the +trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone +providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in accordance +with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the production, +promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works, +harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, including legal fees, +that arise directly or indirectly from any of the following which you do +or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this or any Project Gutenberg-tm +work, (b) alteration, modification, or additions or deletions to any +Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any Defect you cause. + + +Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm + +Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of +electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of computers +including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It exists +because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations from +people in all walks of life. + +Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the +assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's +goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will +remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project +Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure +and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future generations. +To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation +and how your efforts and donations can help, see Sections 3 and 4 +and the Foundation web page at https://www.pglaf.org. + + +Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive +Foundation + +The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit +501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the +state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal +Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification +number is 64-6221541. Its 501(c)(3) letter is posted at +https://pglaf.org/fundraising. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent +permitted by U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. + +The Foundation's principal office is located at 4557 Melan Dr. S. +Fairbanks, AK, 99712., but its volunteers and employees are scattered +throughout numerous locations. Its business office is located at +809 North 1500 West, Salt Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887, email +business@pglaf.org. Email contact links and up to date contact +information can be found at the Foundation's web site and official +page at https://pglaf.org + +For additional contact information: + Dr. Gregory B. Newby + Chief Executive and Director + gbnewby@pglaf.org + + +Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg +Literary Archive Foundation + +Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide +spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of +increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be +freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest +array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations +($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt +status with the IRS. + +The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating +charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United +States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a +considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up +with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations +where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To +SEND DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any +particular state visit https://pglaf.org + +While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we +have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition +against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who +approach us with offers to donate. + +International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make +any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from +outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. + +Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation +methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other +ways including including checks, online payments and credit card +donations. To donate, please visit: https://pglaf.org/donate + + +Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic +works. + +Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project Gutenberg-tm +concept of a library of electronic works that could be freely shared +with anyone. For thirty years, he produced and distributed Project +Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of volunteer support. + + +Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed +editions, all of which are confirmed as Public Domain in the U.S. +unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not necessarily +keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper edition. + + +Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search facility: + + https://www.gutenberg.org + +This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, +including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary +Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to +subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. |