The Last of the Huggermuggers Read online

  "Well," answered Zebedee, "I guess, arter all, Jackie, you may beright. You've seen the big varmint, and feel a kind of o' acquaintedwith him, so you see I won't insist on my plan, if you've any better.Now, what I want to know is, what's your idee of comin' it over thecritter?"

  "You leave that to me," said Little Jacket; "if talking and makingfriends with him can do any thing, I think I can do it. We may coaxhim away; tell him stories about our country, and what fun he'd haveamong the people so much smaller than himself, and how they'd all lookup to him as the greatest man they ever had, which will be true, youknow: and that perhaps the Americans will make him GeneralHuggermugger, or His Excellency President Huggermugger; and you add aword about our nice oysters, and clam-chowders.

  "I think there'd be room for him in your big ship. It's warm weather,and he could lie on deck, you know; and we could cover him up at nightwith matting and old sails; and he'd be so tickled at the idea ofgoing to sea, and seeing strange countries, and we'd show him suchwhales and porpoises, and tell him such good stories, that I thinkhe'd keep pretty quiet till we reached America. To be sure, it's along voyage, and we'd have to lay in an awful sight of provisions, forhe's a great feeder; but we can touch at different ports as we goalong, and replenish our stock.

  "One difficulty will be, how to persuade him to leave his wife--forthere wouldn't be room for two of them. We must think the matter over,and it will be time enough to decide what to do when we get there.Even if we find it impossible to get him to go with us, we'll getsomebody to write his history, and an account of our adventures, andmake a book that will sell."

  CHAPTER ELEVEN.

  THEY SAIL FOR HUGGERMUGGER'S ISLAND.

  So Little Jacket sailed with Mr. Zebedee Nabbum, in search of thegiant's island. They took along a good crew, several boldelephant-hunters, an author to write their adventures, an artist tosketch the Huggermuggers, Little Jacket's six comrades,grappling-irons, nets, ropes, harpoons, cutlasses, pistols, guns, thetwo young elephants, the lion, the giraffe, the monkeys, and theparrots.

  They had some difficulty in finding the island, but by taking repeatedobservations, they at last discovered land that they thought must beit. They came near, and were satisfied that they were not deceived.There were the huge black cliffs--there were the rocky promontory--thebeach. It was growing dusk, however, and they determined to castanchor, and wait till morning before they sent ashore a boat.

  Was it fancy or not, that Little Jacket thought he could see in thegathering darkness, a dim, towering shape, moving along like a pillarof cloud, now and then stooping to pick up something on theshore--till it stopped, and seemed looking in the direction of theship, and then suddenly darted off towards the cliffs, and disappearedin the dark woods.

  CHAPTER TWELVE.

  THE HUGGERMUGGERS IN A NEW LIGHT.

  I think the giant must have seen the ship, and ran home at full speedto tell his wife about it. For in the morning early, as Little Jacketand Nabbum and several others of the boldest of the crew had justlanded their boat, and were walking on the beach, whom should they seebut Huggermugger and his wife hastening towards them with rapidstrides. Their first impulse was to rush and hide themselves, but theHuggermuggers came too fast towards them to allow them to do so. Therewas nothing else to do but face the danger, if danger there was. Whatwas their surprise to find that the giant and giantess wore the mostbeaming smiles on their broad faces. They stooped down and pattedtheir heads with their huge hands, and called them, in broken English,"pretty little dolls and dears, and where did they come from, and howlong it was since they had seen any little men like them--and wouldn'tthey go home and see them in their big house under the cliffs?" Mrs.Huggermugger, especially, was charmed with them, and would have takenthem home in her arms--"she had no children of her own, and theyshould live with her and be her little babies." The sailors did notexactly like the idea of being treated like babies, but they were soastonished and delighted to find the giants in such good humor, thatthey were ready to submit to all the good woman's caresses.

  Little Jacket then told them where they came from, and related hiswhole story of having been shipwrecked there, and all his otheradventures. As he told them how Huggermugger had carried home the bigshell with him in it, sound asleep; how he had let himself down fromthe mantel-piece, and had tried to escape by cutting at the door; andhow, when he heard Huggermugger coming, he had rushed into the boot,and how he had pricked the giant's toe when he attempted to draw hisboot on, and how the boot and he were taken to the cobbler's--thenHuggermugger and his wife could contain themselves no longer, butburst into such peals of laughter, that the people in the ship, whowere watching their movements on shore through their spy-glasses, andexpected every moment to see their companions all eaten alive orcarried off to be killed, knew not what to make of it. Huggermuggerand his wife laughed till the tears ran down their faces, and madesuch a noise in their merriment, that the sailors wished they werefurther off. They, however, were in as great glee as the giant andgiantess, and began to entertain such a good opinion of them, thatthey were ready to assent to anything the Huggermuggers proposed. Infact, except in matter of size, they could see very little differencebetween the giants and themselves. All Zebedee Nabbum's warlike andelephant-trapping schemes melted away entirely, and he even began tohave a sort of conscientious scruple against enticing away the bigfellow who proved to be such a jolly good-humored giant. He wasprepared for resistance. He would have even liked the fun of throwinga noose over his head, and pulling him down and harpooning him, butthis good-humored, merry laughter, this motherly caressing, was toomuch for Zebedee. He was overcome. Even Little Jacket was astonished.The once dreaded giant was in all respects like them--only O, so muchbigger!

  So, after a good deal of friendly talk, Huggermugger invited the wholeboat's crew to go home with him to dinner, and even to spend some dayswith him, if they would. Little Jacket liked the proposal, but Zebedeesaid they must first send back a message to the ship, to say wherethey were going. Huggermugger send his card by the boat, to the restof the ship's company--it was a huge piece of pasteboard, as big as adining-table--saying, that he and Mrs. H. would be happy, some otherday, to see all who would do him the honor of a visit. He would comehimself and fetch them in his fish-basket, as the road was rough, anddifficult for such little folks to travel.

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN.

  HUGGERMUGGER HALL.

  The next morning Huggermugger appeared on the beach with his bigbasket, and took away about half a dozen of the sailors. Zebedee andLittle Jacket went with them. It was a curious journey, jogging alongin his basket, and hanging at such a height from the ground. Zebedeecould not help thinking what a capital thing it would be in America tohave a few big men like him to lift heavy stones for building, or tocarry the mail bags from city to city, at a railroad speed. But, as totravelling in his fish-basket, he certainly preferred ourold-fashioned railroad cars.

  A NEW MODE OF CONVEYANCE.]

  They were all entertained very hospitably at Huggermugger Hall. Theyhad a good dinner of fish, frogs, fruit, and vegetables, and drank akind of beer, made of berries, out of Mrs. Huggermugger's thimble,much to the amusement of all. Mrs. Huggermugger showed them herbeautiful shell, and made Little Jacket tell how he had crept out ofit, and let himself down by the fishing-line. And Huggermugger madehim act over again the scene of hiding in the boot. At which alllaughed again. The little people declined their hosts' pressinginvitation to stay all night, so Huggermugger took them all back totheir boat. They had enough to tell on board ship about their visit.The next day, and the day after, others of the crew were entertainedin the same way at Huggermugger Hall, till all had satisfied theircuriosity. The giant and his wife being alone in the island, they feltthat it was pleasant to have their solitude broken by the arrival ofthe little men. There were several dwarfs living here and there in theisland, who worked for the giants, of whom Kobboltozo was one; butthere were no other giants. The Huggermuggers were the last of theirrace. Their
history, however, was a secret they kept to themselves.Whether they or their ancestors came from Brobdignag, or whether theywere descended from Gog and Magog, or Goliath of Gath, they neverwould declare.

  Mr. Scrawler, the author, who accompanied the ship, was very curiousto know something of their history and origin. He ascertained thatthey learned English of a party of adventurers who once landed ontheir shore, many years before, and that the Huggermugger race hadlong inhabited the island. But he could learn nothing of their origin.They looked very serious whenever this subject was mentioned. Therewas evidently a mystery about them, which they had particular reasonsnever to unfold. On all other subjects they were free andcommunicative. On this, they kept the strictest and most guardedsilence.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN.

  KOBBLETOZO ASTONISHES MR. SCRAWLER.

  Now it chanced that some of the dwarfs I have spoken of, were not onthe best of terms with the Huggermuggers. Kobboltozo was one of these.And the only reason why he disliked them, as far as could bediscovered, was that they were giants, and he (though a good deallarger than an ordinary sized man) was but a dwarf. He could never beas big as they were. He was like the frog that envied the ox, and hisenvy and hatred sometimes swelled him almost to bursting. All thefavors that the Huggermuggers heaped upon him, had no effect insoftening him. He would have been glad at almost any misfortune thatcould happen to them.

  Now Kobboltozo was at the giant's house one day when Mr. Scrawler wasasking questions of Huggermugger about his origin, and observed hisdisappointment at not being furnished with all the information he wasso eager to obtain; for Mr. Scrawler calculated to make a book aboutthe Huggermuggers and all their ancestors, which would sell. So whileMr. Scrawler was taking a stroll in the garden, Kobboltozo came up tohim and told him he had something important to communicate to him.They then retired behind some shrubbery, where Kobboltozo, taking aseat under the shade of a cabbage, and requesting Mr. Scrawler to dothe same, looked around cautiously, and spoke as follows:--

  "I perceive that you all are very eager to know something about theHuggermugger's origin and history. I think that I am almost the onlyone in this island besides them, who can gratify your curiosity inthis matter. But you must solemnly promise to tell no one, least ofall the giants, in what way you came to know what I am going to tellyou, unless it be after you have left the island, for I dreadHuggermugger's vengeance if he knows the story came from me."

  "I promise," said Scrawler.

  "Know then," said Kobboltozo, "that the ancestors of theHuggermuggers--the Huggers on the male side, and the Muggers on thefemale--were men smaller than me, the poor dwarf. Hundred of years agothey came to this island, directed hither by an old woman, a sort ofwitch, who told them that if they and their children, and theirchildren's children, ate constantly of a particular kind ofshell-fish, which was found in great abundance here, they wouldcontinue to increase in size, with each successive generation, untilthey became proportioned to all other growth on the island--till theybecame giants--such giants as the Huggermuggers. But that the lastsurvivors of the race would meet with some great misfortune, if thissecret should ever be told to more than one person out of theHuggermugger family. I have reasons for believing that Huggermuggerand his wife are the last of their race; for all their ancestors andrelations are dead, and they have no children, and are likely to havenone. _Now there are two persons who have been told the secret. Itwas told to me, and I tell it to you_!"

  As Kobboltozo ended, his face wore an almost fiendish expression ofsavage triumph, as if he had now settled the giants' fate forever.

  "But," said Scrawler, "how came _you_ into possession of thistremendous secret; and, if true, why do you wish any harm to happen tothe good Huggermuggers?"

  "I hate them!" said the dwarf. "They are rich--I am poor. They are bigand well-formed--I am little and crooked. Why should not my race growto be as shapely and as large as they; for _my_ ancestors were asgood as theirs, and I have heard that they possessed the island beforethe Huggermuggers came into it? No! I am weary of the Huggermuggers. Ihave more right to the island than they. But they have grown byenchantment, while my race only grew to a certain size, and then westopped and grew crooked. But the Huggermuggers, if there should beany more of them, will grow till they are like the trees of theforest.

  "Then as to the way I discovered their mystery. I was taking home apair of shoes for the giantess, and was just about to knock at thedoor, when I heard the giant and his wife talking. I crept softly upand listened. They have great voices--not difficult to hear_them_. They were talking about a secret door in the wall, and ofsomething precious which was locked up within a little closet. As soonas their voices ceased, I knocked, and was let in. I assumed anappearance as if I had heard nothing, and they did not suspect me. Iwent and told Hammawhaxo, the carpenter--a friend of mine, and a dwarflike me. I knew he didn't like Huggermugger much. Hammawhaxo wasemployed at the time to repair the bottom of a door in the giant'shouse, where the rats had been gnawing. So he went one morning beforethe giants were up, and tapped all around the wainscoting of the wallswith his hammer, till he found a hollow place, and a sliding panel,and inside the wall he discovered an old manuscript in the ancientHugger language, in which was written the secret I have told you. Andnow we will see if the old fortune-teller's prophecy is to come trueor not."

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

  MRS. HUGGERMUGGER GROWS THIN AND FADES AWAY.

  Scrawler, though delighted to get hold of such a story to put into hisbook, could not help feeling a superstitious fear that the predictionmight be verified, and some misfortune before the good Huggermuggers.It could not come from him or any of his friends, he was sure; forZebedee Nabbum's first idea of entrapping the giant was long sinceabandoned. If he was ever to be taken away from the island, it couldonly be by the force of persuasion, and he was sure that Huggermuggerwould not voluntarily leave his wife.

  Scrawler only hinted then to Huggermugger, that he feared Kobboltozowas his enemy. But Huggermugger laughed, and said he knew the dwarfwas crabbed and spiteful, but that he did not fear him. Huggermuggerwas not suspicious by nature, and it never came into his thoughts thatKobboltozo, or any other dwarf could have the least idea of his greatsecret.

  Little Jacket came now frequently to the giant's house, where hebecame a great favorite. He had observed, for some days, that Mrs.Huggermugger's spirits were not so buoyant as usual. She seldomlaughed--she sometimes sat alone and sighed, and even wept. She atevery little of shell-fish--even her favorite frog had lost its relish.She was growing thin--the once large, plump woman. Her husband, whoreally loved her, though his manner towards her was sometimes rough,was much concerned. He could not enjoy his lonely supper--he scarcelycared for his pipe. To divert his mind, he would sometimes linger onthe shore, talking to the little men, as he called them. He wouldstrip off this long boots and his clothes, and wade out into the seato get a nearer view of the ship. He could get near enough to talk tothem on board. "How should you like to go with us," said the littlemen, one day, "and sail away to see new countries? We can show you agreat deal that you haven't seen. If you went to America with us, youwould be the greatest man there."

  Huggermugger laughed, but not one of his hearty laughs--his mind wasill at ease about his wife. But the idea was a new one, of going awayfrom giant-land to a country of pygmies. Could he ever go? Notcertainly without his wife--and she would never leave the island. Whyshould he wish to go away? "To be sure." he said, "it is rather lonelyhere--all our kindred dead--nobody to be seen but little ugly dwarfs.And I really like these little sailors, and shall be sorry to partwith them. No, here I shall remain, wife and I, and here we shall endour days. We are the last of the giants--let us not desert our nativesoil."

  Mrs. Huggermugger grew worse and worse. It seemed to be a rapidconsumption. No cause could be discovered for her sickness. A dwarfdoctor was called in, but he shook his head--he feared he could donothing. Little Jacket came with the ship's doctor, and brought somemedicines. She t
ook them, but they had no effect. She could not nowrise from her bed. Her husband sat by her side all the time. Thegood-hearted sailors did all they could for her, which was not much.Even Zebedee Nabbum's feelings were touched. He told her Yankeestories, and tales of wild beasts--of elephants, not bigger than oneof her pigs--of lions and bears as small as lapdogs--of birds notlarger than one of their flies. All did what they could to lessen hersufferings. "To think," said Zebedee, "aint it curious--who'd athought that great powerful critter could ever get sick and waste awaylike this!"

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN.

  THE SORROWS OF HUGGERMUGGER.

  At last, one morning while the sailors were lounging about on thebeach, they saw the great Huggermugger coming along, his head bentlow, and the great tears streaming down his face. They all ran up tohim. He sat, or rather threw himself down on the ground. "My dearlittle friends," said he, "it's all over. I never shall see my poorwife again--never again--never again--I am the last of theHuggermuggers. She is gone. And as for me--I care not now whither Igo. I can never stay here--not here--it will be too lonely. Let me goand bury my poor wife, and then farewell to giant-land! I will go withyou, if you will take me!"