I

THE ASSOCIATED SHADES TAKE ACTION


The House-boat of the Associated Shades, formerly located upon the River
Styx, as the reader may possibly remember, had been torn from its moorings
and navigated out into unknown seas by that vengeful pirate Captain Kidd,
aided and abetted by some of the most ruffianly inhabitants of Hades. Like
a thief in the night had they come, and for no better reason than that the
Captain had been unanimously voted a shade too shady to associate with
self-respecting spirits had they made off with the happy floating
club-house of their betters; and worst of all, with them, by force of
circumstances over which they had no control, had sailed also the fair
Queen Elizabeth, the spirited Xanthippe, and every other strong-minded and
beautiful woman of Erebean society, whereby the men thereof were rendered
desolate.

"I can't stand it!" cried Raleigh, desperately, as with his accustomed
grace he presided over a special meeting of the club, called on the bank
of the inky Stygian stream, at the point where the missing boat had been
moored. "Think of it, gentlemen, Elizabeth of England, Calpurnia of Rome,
Ophelia of Denmark, and every precious jewel in our social diadem gone,
vanished completely; and with whom? Kidd, of all men in the universe!
Kidd, the pirate, the ruffian--"