Charliehadneverfalleninlove，butwasanxioustodosoonthefirstopportunity；hebelievedinallthingsgoodandallthingshonorable，but，atthesametime，wascuriouslycarefultoletmeseethatheknewhiswayabouttheworldasbefittedabankclerkontwenty-fiveshillingsaweekHerhymed“dove“with“love“
and“moon“with“June。”anddevoutlybelievedthattheyhadneversobeenrhymedbeforeThelonglamegapsinhisplayshefilledupwithhastywordsofapologyanddescriptionandswepton，seeingallthatheintendedtodosoclearlythatheesteemeditalreadydone，andturnedtomeforapplause。
Ifancythathismotherdidnotencouragehisaspirations，andI
knowthathiswriting-tableathomewastheedgeofhiswashstand。
Thishetoldmealmostattheoutsetofouracquaintance；whenhewasravagingmybookshelves，andalittlebeforeIwasimploredtospeakthetruthastohischancesof“writingsomethingreallygreat，youknow。”MaybeIencouragedhimtoomuch，for，onenight，hecalledonme，hiseyesflamingwithexcitement，andsaidbreathlessly：
“Doyoumind-canyouletmestayhereandwriteallthisevening？
Iwon’tinterruptyou，Iwon’treallyThere’snoplaceformetowriteinatmymother’s。”
“What’sthetrouble？”Isaid，knowingwellwhatthattroublewas。
“I’veanotioninmyheadthatwouldmakethemostsplendidstorythatwaseverwrittenDoletmewriteitouthereIt’ssuckanotion！”
TherewasnoresistingtheappealIsethimatable；hehardlythankedme，butplungedintotheworkatonceForhalfanhourthepenscratchedwithoutstoppingThenCharliesighedandtuggedhishairThescratchinggrewslower，thereweremoreerasures，andatlastceasedThefineststoryintheworldwouldnotcomeforth。
“Itlookssuchawfulrotnow“hesaid，mournfully“AndyetitseemedsogoodwhenIwasthinkingaboutit~~hat’swrong？”
IcouldnotdisheartenhimbysayingthetruthSoIanswered：
“Perhapsyoudon’tfeelinthemoodforwriting。”
“YesIdo-exceptwhenIlookatthisstuffUgh！”
“Readmewhatyou’vedone。”IsaidHeread，anditwaswondrousbadandhepausedatallthespeciallyturgidsentences，expectingalittleapproval；forhewasproudofthosesentences，asIknewhewouldbe。
“Itneedscompression。”Isuggested，cautiously。
“IhatecuttingmythingsdownIdon’tthinkyoucouldalterawordherewithoutspoilingthesenseItreadsbetteraloudthanwhenIwaswritingit。”
“Charlie，you’resufferingfromanalarmingdiseaseafflictinganumerousclassPutthethingby，andtackleitagaininaweek。”
“IwanttodoitatonceWhatdoyouthinkofit？”
“HowcanIjudgefromahalf-writtentale？Tellmethestoryasitliesinyourhead。”
Charlietold，andinthetellingtherewaseverythingthathisignorancehadsocarefullypreventedfromescapingintothewrittenwordIlookedathim，andwonderingwhetheritwerepossible，thathedidnotknowtheoriginality，thepowerofthenotionthathadcomeinhisway？ItwasdistinctlyaNotionamongnotionsMenhadbeenpuffedupwithpridebynotionsnotatitheasexcellentandpracticableButCharliebabbledonserenely，interruptingthecurrentofpurefancywithsamplesofhorriblesentencesthathepurposedtouseIheardhimouttotheendItwouldbefollytoallowhisideatoremaininhisowninepthands，whenIcoulddosomuchwithitNotallthatcouldbedoneindeed；but，ohsomuch！
“Whatdoyouthink？”hesaid，atlast“IfancyIshallcallit’TheStoryofaShip。’“
“Ithinktheidea’sprettygood；butyouwon’theabletohandleitforeversolongNowI“-“Woulditbeofanyusetoyou？
Wouldyoucaretotakeit？Ishouldbeproud。”saidCharlie，promptly。
Therearefewthingssweeterinthisworldthantheguileless，hot-headed，intemperate，openadmirationofajuniorEvenawomaninherblindestdevotiondoesnotfallintothegaitofthemansheadores，tiltherbonnettotheangleatwhichhewearshishat，orinterlardherspeechwithhispetoathsAndCharliedidallthesethingsStillitwasnecessarytosalvemyconsciencebeforeI
possessedmyselfofCharlie’sthoughts。
“Let’smakeabargainI’llgiveyouafiverforthenotion。”Isaid。
Charliebecameabank-clerkatonce。
“Oh，that’simpossibleBetweentwopals，youknow，ifImaycallyouso，andspeakingasamanoftheworld，Icouldn’tTakethenotionifit’sanyusetoyouI’veheapsmore。”
Hehad-noneknewthisbetterthanI-
buttheywerethenotionsofothermen。
“Lookatitasamatterofbusiness-betweenmenoftheworld。”I
returned“Fivepoundswillbuyyouanynumberofpoetry-books。
Businessisbusiness，andyoumaybesureIshouldn’tgivethatpriceunless“-“Oh，ifyouputitthatway。”saidCharlie，visiblymovedbythethoughtofthebooksThebargainwasclinchedwithanagreementthatheshouldatun>statedintervalscometomewithallthenotionsthathepossessed，shouldhaveatableofhisowntowriteat，andunquestionedrighttoinflictuponmeallhispoemsandfragmentsofpoemsThenIsaid，“Nowtellmehowyoucamebythisidea。”
“Itcamebyitself。”Charlie’seyesopenedalittle。
“Yes，butyoutoldmeagreatdealabouttheherothatyoumusthavereadbeforesomewhere。”
“Ihaven’tanytimeforreading，exceptwhenyouletmesithere，andonSundaysI’monmybicycleordowntheriverallday。
There’snothingwrongaboutthehero，isthere？”
“TellmeagainandIshallunderstandclearlyYousaythatyourherowentpiratingHowdidhelive？”
“Hewasonthelowerdeckofthisship-thingthatIwastellingyouabout。”
“Whatsortofship？”
“Itwasthekindrowedwithoars，andtheseaspurtsthroughtheoar-holesandthemenrowsittinguptotheirkneesinwaterThenthere’sabenchrunningdownbetweenthetwolinesofoarsandanoverseerwithawhipwalksupanddownthebenchtomakethemenwork。”
“Howdoyouknowthat？”
“It’sinthetableThere’saroperunningoverhead，loopedtotheupperdeck，fortheoverseertocatchholdofwhentheshiprolls。
Whentheoverseermissestheropeonceandfallsamongtherowers，remembertheherolaughsathimandgetslickedforit。
He’schainedtohisoarofcourse-thehero。”
’~Howishechained？”
“Withanironbandroundhiswaistfixedtothebenchhesitson，andasortofhandcuffonhisleftwristchaininghimtotheoar。
He’sonthelowerdeckwheretheworstmenareent，andtheonlylightcomesfromthehatchwaysandthroughtheoar-holesCan’tyouimaginethesunlightjustsqueezingthroughbetweenthehandleandtheholeandwobblingaboutastheshipmoves？”
“Ican，butIcan’timagineyourimaginingit。”
“Howcoulditbeanyotherway？NowyoulistentomeThelongoarsontheupperdeckaremanagedbyfourmentoeachbench，theloweronesbythree，andthelowestofallbytwoRememberit’squitedarkonthelowestdeckandallthementheregomad。
Whenamandiesathisoaronthatdeckheisn’tthrownoverboard，butcutupinhischainsandstuffedthroughtheoar-holeinlittlepieces。”
“Why？”Idemanded，amazed，notsomuchattheinformationasthetoneofcommandinwhichitwasflungout。
“TosavetroubleandtofrightentheothersItneedstwooverseerstodragaman’sbodyuptothetopdeck；andifthemenatthelowerdeckoarswereleftalone，ofcoursethey’dstoprowingandtrytopullupthebenchesbyallstandinguptogetherintheirchains。”
“You’veamostprovidentimaginationWherehaveyoubeenreadingaboutgalleysandgalley-slaves？”
“NowherethatIrememberIrowalittlewhenIgetthechance。
But，perhaps，ifyousayso，Imayhavereadsomething。”
Hewentawayshortlyafterwardtodealwithbooksellers，andI
wonderedhowabankclerkagedtwentycouldputintomyhandswithaprofligateabundanceofdetail，allgivenwithabsoluteassurance，thestoryofextravagantandbloodthirstyadventure，riot，piracy，anddeathinunnamedseasHehadledhisheroadesperatedancethroughrevoltagainsttheoverseas，tocommandofashipofhisown，andultimateestablishmentofakingdomonanisland“somewhereinthesea，youknow“；and，delightedwithmypaltryfivepounds，hadgoneouttobuythenotionsofothermen，thatthesemightteachhimhowtowriteIhadtheconsolationofknowingthatthisnotionwasminebyrightofpurchase，andIthoughtthatIcouldmakesomethingofit。
Whennexthecametomehewasdrunk-royallydrunkonmanypoetsforthefirsttimerevealedtohimHispupilsweredilated，hiswordstumbledovereachother，andhewrappedhimselfinquotationsMostofallwashedrunkwithLongfellow。
“Isn’titsplendid？Isn’titsuperb？”hecried，afterhastygreetings。
“Listentothis-
“’Would~tthou，’sothehelmsmananswered，’Knowthesecretofthesea？
OnlythosewhobraveitsdangersComprehenditsmystery。’
Bygum！
“’OnlythosewhobraveitsdangersComprehenditsmystery。’“
berepeatedtwentytimes，walkingupanddowntheroomandforgettingme“ButIcanunderstandittoo。”hesaidtohimself“I
don’tknowhowtothankyouforthatfiverAndthis；listen-
“’IremembertheblackwharvesandtheshipsAndthesea-tidestossingfree，AndtheSpanishsailorswithbeardedlips，Andthebeautyandmysteryoftheships，Andthemagicofthesea。’
Ihaven’tbravedanydangers，butIfeelasifIknewallaboutit。”
“YoucertainlyseemtohaveagripoftheseaHaveyoueverseenit？”
“WhenIwasalittlechapIwenttoBrightononce；weusedtoliveinCoventry，though，beforewecametoLondonIneversawit，’WhendescendsontheAtlanticThegiganticStorm-windoftheEquinox。’“
Heshookmebytheshouldertomakemeunderstandthepassionthatwasshakinghimself。
“Whenthatstormcomes。”hecontinued，“IthinkthatalltheoarsintheshipthatIwastalkingaboutgetbroken，andtherowershavetheirchestssmashedinbythebuckingoar-headsBytheway，haveyoudoneanythingwiththatnotionofmineyet？”
“NoIwaswaitingtohearmoreofitfromyouTellmehowintheworldyouresocertainaboutthefittingsoftheshipYouknownothingofships。”
“Idon’tknowIt’sasrealasanythingtomeuntilItrytowriteitdownIwasthinkingaboutitonlylastnightinbed，afteryouhadloanedme’TreasureIsland’；andImadeupaawholelotofnewthingstogointothestory。”
“Whatsortofthings？”
“Aboutthefoodthemenate；rottenfigsandblackbeansandwineinaskinbag，passedfrombenchtobench。”
“Wastheshipbuiltsolongagoasthat？”
“Aswhat？Idon’tknowwhetheritwaslongagoornotIt’sonlyanotion，butsometimesitseemsjustasrealasifitwastrueDoI
botheryouwithtalkingaboutit？”
“NotintheleastDidyoumakeupanythingelse？”
“Yes，butit’snonsense。”Charlieflushedalittle。
“Nevermind；let’shearaboutit。”
“Well，Iwasthinkingoverthestory，andafterawhileIgotoutofbedandwrotedownonapieceofpaperthesortofstuffthemenmightbesupposedtoscratchontheiroarswiththeedgesoftheirhandcuffsItseemedtomakethethingmorelifelikeItissorealtome，y’know。”
“Haveyouthepaperonyou？”