captains courageous-第10部分

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〃second　half。〃

It　came　out　of　its　bunks　as　the　others　had　entered　theirs；　with　a
shake　and　a　yawn。　It　ate　till　it　could　eat　no　more；　and　then　Manuel
filled　his　pipe　with　some　terrible　tobacco；　crotched　himself
between　the　pawl…post　and　a　forward　bunk；　cocked　his　feet　up　on
the　table；　and　smiled　tender　and　indolent　smiles　at　the　smoke。　Dan
lay　at　length　in　his　bunk；　wrestling　with　a　gaudy；　gilt…stopped
accordion；　whose　tunes　went　up　and　down　with　the　pitching　of　the
We're　Here。　The　cook；　his　shoulders　against　the　locker　where　he
kept　the　fried　pies　（＇）an　was　fond　of　fried　pies）；　peeled　potatoes；
with　one　eye　on　the　stove　in　event　of　too　much　water　finding　its
way　down　the　pipe；　and　the　general　smell　and　smother　were　past
all　description。

Harvey　considered　affairs；　wondered　that　he　was　not　deathly　sick；
and　crawled　into　his　bunk　again；　as　the　softest　and　safest　place；
while　Dan　struck　up；　〃I　don't　want　to　play　in　your　yard；〃　as
accurately　as　the　wild　jerks　allowed。

〃How　long　is　this　for？〃　Harvey　asked　of　Manuel。

〃Till　she　get　a　little　quiet；　and　we　can　row　to　trawl。　Perhaps
to…night。　Perhaps　two　days　more。　You　do　not　like？　Eh；　wha…at？〃

〃I　should　have　been　crazy　sick　a　week　ago；　but　it　doesn't　seem　to
upset　me　now…much。〃

〃That　is　because　we　make　you　fisherman；　these　days。　If　I　was　you；
when　I　come　to　Gloucester　I　would　give　two；　three　big　candles　for
my　good　luck。〃

〃Give　who？〃

〃To　be　sure…the　Virgin　of　our　Church　on　the　Hill。　She　is　very　good
to　fishermen　all　the　time。　That　is　why　so　few　of　us　Portugee　men
ever　are　drowned。〃

〃You're　a　Roman　Catholic；　then？〃

〃I　am　a　Madeira　man。　I　am　not　a　Porto　Pico　boy。　Shall　I　be　Baptist；
then？　Eh；　wha…at？　I　always　give　candles…two；　three　more　when　I
come　to　Gloucester。　The　good　Virgin　she　never　forgets　me；
Manuel。〃

〃I　don't　sense　it　that　way；〃　Tom　Platt　put　in　from　his　bunk；　his
scarred　face　lit　up　by　the　glare　of　a　match　as　he　sucked　at　his　pipe。
〃It　stands　to　reason　the　sea's　the　sea；　and　you'll　get　jest　about　what's
goin'；　candles　or　kerosene；　fer　that　matter。〃

〃'Tis　a　mighty　good　thing；〃　said　Long　Jack；　〃to　have　a　find　at
coort；　though。　I'm　o'　Manuel's　way　o'　thinkin'　About　tin　years　back
I　was　crew　to　a　Sou'　Boston　market…boat。　We　was　off　Minot's
Ledge　wid　a　northeaster；　butt　first；　atop　of　us；　thicker'n　burgoo。
The　ould　man　was　dhrunk；　his　chin　waggin'　on　the　tiller；　an'　I　sez
to　myself；　'If　iver　I　stick　my　boat…huk　into　T…wharf　again；　I'll　show
the　saints　fwhat　manner　o'　craft　they　saved　me　out　av。'　Now；　I'm
here；　as　ye　can　well　sec；　an'　the　model　of　the　dhirty　ould　Kathleen；
that　took　me　a　month　to　make；　I　gave　ut　to　the　priest；　an'　he　hung
ut　up　forninst　the　altar。　There's　more　sense　in　givin'　a　model　that's
by　way　o'　bein'　a　work　av　art　than　any　candle。　Ye　can　buy　candles
at　store；　but　a　model　shows　the　good　saints　ye've　tuk　trouble　an'　are
grateful。〃

〃D'you　believe　that；　Irish？〃　said　Tom　Platt；　turning　on　his　elbow。

〃Would　I　do　ut　if　I　did　not；　Ohio？〃

〃Wa…al；　Enoch　Fuller　he　made　a　model　o'　the　old　Ohio；　and　she's
to　Calem　museum　now。　Mighty　pretty　model；　too；　but　I　guess
Enoch　he　never　done　it　fer　no　sacrifice；　an'　the　way　I　take　it　is~〃

There　were　the　makings　of　an　hour…long　discussion　of　the　kind　that
fishermen　love；　where　the　talk　runs　in　shouting　circles　and　no　one
proves　anything　at　the　end；　had　not　Dan　struck　up　this　cheerful
rhyme：

〃Up　jumped　the　mackerel　with　his　stripe'd　back。
Reef　in　the　mainsail；　and　haul　on　the　tack；　For　it's　windy
weather〃

　Here　Long　Jack　joined　in：

　And　it's　blowy　weather；
When　the　winds　begin　to　blow；　pipe　all　hands　together！〃

　Dan　went　on；　with　a　cautious　look　at　Tom　Platt；　holding　the
accordion　low　in　the　bunk：

〃Up　jumped　the　cod　with　his　chuckle…head；　
Went　to　the　main…chains　to　heave　at　the　lead；
For　it's　windy　weather；〃　etc。

Tom　Platt　seemed　to　be　hunting　for　sometliing。　Dan　crouched
lower；　but　sang　louder：

〃Up　jumped　the　flounder　that　swims　to　the　ground。
Chuckle…head！　Chuckle…head！　Mind　where　ye　sound！〃

Tom　Platt's　huge　rubber　boot　whirled　across　the　foc'sle　and　caught
Dan's　uplifted　arm。　There　was　war　between　the　man　and　the　boy
ever　since　Dan　had　discovered　that　the　mere　whistling　of　that　tune
would　make　him　angry　as　he　heaved　the　lead。

〃Thought　I'd　fetch　yer；〃　said　Dan；　returning　the　gift　with　precision。
〃Ef　you　don't　like　my　music；　git　out　your　fiddle。　I　ain't　goin'　to　lie
here　all　day　an'　listen　to　you　an'　Long　Jack　arguin'　'baout　candles。
Fiddle；　Tom　Platt；　or　I'll　learn　Harve　here　the　tune！〃

Tom　Platt　leaned　down　to　a　locker　and　brought　up　an　old　white
fiddle。　Manuel's　eye　glistened；　and　from　somewhere　behind　the
pawl…post　he　drew　out　a　tiny；　guitar…like　thing　with　wire　strings；
which　he　called　a　machette。

'Tis　a　concert；〃　said　Long　Jack；　beaming　through　the　smoke。　〃A
reg'lar　Boston　concert。〃

There　was　a　burst　of　spray　as　the　hatch　opened；　and　Disko；　in
yellow　oilskins；　descended。

〃Ye're　just　in　time；　Disko。　Fwhat's　she　doin'　outside？〃

〃Jest　this！〃　He　dropped　on　to　the　lockers　with　the　push　and　heave
of　the　We're　Here。

〃We're　singin'　to　kape　our　breakfasts　down。　Ye'll　lead；　av　course；
Disko；〃　said　Long　Jack。

〃Guess　there　ain't　more'n　'baout　two　old　songs　I　know；　an'　ye've
heerd　them　both。〃

His　excuses　were　cut　short　by　Tom　Platt　launching　into　a　most
dolorous　tune；　like　unto　the　moaning　of　winds　and　the　creaking　of
masts。　With　his　eyes　fixed　on　the　beams　above；　Disko　began　this
ancient；　ancient　ditty；　Tom　Platt　flourishing　all　round　him　to　make
the　tune　and　words　fit　a　little：

〃There　is　a　crack　packet…crack　packet　o'　fame；　
She　hails　from　Noo　York；　an'　the　Dreadnought's　her　
name。

Youmay　talk　o'　your　fliers…Swallowtail　and　Black　
Ball…
But　the　Dreadnought's　the　packet　that　can　beat　them　
all。

〃Now　the　Dreadnought　she　lies　in　the　River　Mersey；　Because　of
the　tug…boat　to　take　her　to　sea；

But　when　she's　off　soundings　you　shortly　will　know

（Chorus。）

She's　the　Liverpool　packet~　Lord；　let　her　go！

〃Now　the　Dreadnought　she's　howlin'　crost　the　Banks　o'
Newfoundland；

Where　the　water's　all　shallow　and　the　bottom's　all　sand。　
Sez　all　the　little　fishes　that　swim　to　and　fro：

（Chorus。）

'She's　the　Liverpool　packet…　Lord；　let　her　go！''；

There　were　scores　of　verses；　for　he　worked　the　Dreadnought　every
mile　of　the　way　between　Liverpool　and　New　York　as
conscientiously　as　though　he　were　on　her　deck；　and　the　accordion
pumped　and　the　fiddle　squeaked　beside　him。　Tom　Platt　followed
with　something　about　〃the　rough　and　tough　McGinn；　who　would
pilot　the　vessel　in。〃　Then　they　called　on　Harvey；　who　felt　very
flattered；　to　contribute　to　the　entertainment；　but　all　that　he　could
remember　were　some　pieces　of　〃Skipper　Ireson's　Ride〃　that　he　had
been　taught　at　the　camp…school　in　the　Adirondacks。　It　seemed　that
they　might　be　appropriate　to　the　time　and　place；　but　he　had　no
more　than　mentioned　the　title　when　Disko　brought　down　one　foot
with　a　bang；　and　cried；　〃Don't　go　on；　young　feller。　That's　a
mistaken　jedgment…one　o'　the　worst　kind；　too；　becaze　it's　catchin'　to
the　ear。〃

〃I　orter　ha'　warned　you；〃　said　Dan。　〃Thet　allus　fetches　Dad。〃

〃What's　wrong？〃　said　Harvey；　surprised　and　a　little　angry。

〃All　you're　goin'　to　say；〃　said　Disko。　〃All　dead　wrong　from　start　to
finish；　an'　Whittier　he's　to　blame。　I　have　no　special　call　to　right　any
Marblehead　man；　but　'tweren't　no　fault　o'　Ireson's。　My　father　he
told　me　the　tale　time　an'　again；　an'　this　is　the　way　'twuz。〃

〃For　the　wan　hundredth　time；〃　put　in　Long　Jack　under　his　breath

〃Ben　Ireson　he　was　skipper　o'　the　Betty；　young　feller；　comin'　home
frum　the　Banks…that　was　before　the　war　of　1812；　but　jestice　is
jestice　at　all　times。　They　fund　the　Active　o'　Portland；　an'　Gibbons
o'　that　town　he　was　her　skipper；　they　fund　her　leakin'　off　Cape　Cod
Light。　There　was　a　terr'ble　gale　on；　an'　they　was　gettin'　the　Betty
home's　fast　as　they　could　craowd　her。　Well；　Ireson　he　said　there
warn't　any　sense　to　reskin'　a　boat　in　that　sea；　the　men　they　wouldn't
hev　it；　and　he　laid　it　before　them　to　stay　by　the　Active　till　the　sea
run　daown　a　piece。　They　wouldn't　hev　that　either；　hangin'　aracund
the　Cape　in　any　sech　weather；　leak　or　no　leak。　They　jest　up　stays'l
an'　quit；　nat'rally　takin'　Ireson　with　'em。　Folks　to　Marblehead　was
mad　at　him　not　runnin'　the　risk；　and　becaze　nex'　day；　when　the　sea
was　ca'am　（they　never　stopped　to　think　o'　that）；　some　of　the
Active's　folks　was　took　off　by　a　Truro　man。　They　come　into
Marblehead　with　their　own　tale　to　tell；　sayin'　how　Ireson　had
shamed　his　town；　an'　so　forth　an'　so　on；　an'　Ireson's　men　they　was
scared；　seein'　public　feelin'　agin'　'em；　an'　they　went　back　on　Ireson；
an'　swore　he　was　respons'ble　for　the　hull　act。　'Tweren't　the　women
neither　that　tarred　and　feathered　him…Marblehead　women　don't　act
that　way…'twas　a　passel　o'　men　an'　boys；　an'　they　carted　him
aranund　town　in　an　old　dory　till　the　bottom　fell　aout；　and　Ireson　he
told　'em　they'd　be　sorry　for　it　some　day。　Well；　the　facts　come　aout
later；　same's　they　usually　do；　too　late　to　be　any　ways　useful　to　an
honest　man；　an'　Whittier　he　come　along　an'　picked　up　the　slack
eend　of　a　lyin'　tale；　an'　tarred　and　feathered　Ben　Ireson　all　over
onct　more　after　he　was　dead。　'Twas　the　only　tune　Whittier　ever
slipped　up；　an'　'tweren't　fair。　I　whaled　Dan　good　when　he　brought
that　piece　back　from　school。　You　don't　know　no　better；　o'　course；
but　I've　give　you　the　facts；　hereafter　an'　evermore　to　be
remembered。　Ben　Ireson　weren't　no　sech　kind　o'　man　as　Whittier
makes　aout；　my　father　he　knew　him　well；　before　an'　after　that
business；　an'　you　beware　o'　hasty　jedgments；　young　feller。　Next！〃

Harvey　had　never　heard　Disko　talk　so　long；　and　collapsed　with
burning　cheeks；　but；　as　Dan　said　promptly；　a　boy　could　ouly　learn
what　he　was　taught　at　school；　and　life　was　too　short　to　keep　track
of　every　lie　along　the　coast。

Then　Manuel　touched　the　jangling；　jarring　little　machette　to　a
queer　tune；　and　sang　something　in　Portuguese　about　〃Nina；
innocente！〃　ending　with　a　full…handed　sweep　that　brought　the　song
up　with　a　jerk。　Then　Disko　obliged　with　his　second　song；　to　an
old…fashioned　creaky　tune；　and　all　joined　in　the　chorus。　This　is　one