threateningly before him a..."
"Snuffbox," said Jo, in a sepulchral tone, which convulsed the audience.
"'Thankee,' said the knight politely, as he took a pinch and sneezed seven times
so violently that his head fell off. 'Ha! Ha!' laughed the ghost, and having peeped
through the keyhole at the princesses spinning away for dear life, the evil spirit
picked up her victim and put him in a large tin box, where there were eleven
other knights packed together without their heads, like sardines, who all rose and
began to..."
"Dance a hornpipe," cut in Fred, as Jo paused for breath, "and, as they
danced, the rubbishy old castle turned to a man-of-war in full sail. 'Up with the
jib, reef the tops'l halliards, helm hard alee, and man the guns!' roared the
captain, as a Portuguese pirate hove in sight, with a flag black as ink flying from
her foremast. 'Go in and win, my hearties!' says the captain, and a tremendous
fight began. Of course the British beat—they always do."