captains courageous-第12部分

快捷操作: 按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页 按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页 按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部! 如果本书没有阅读完，想下次继续接着阅读，可使用上方 "收藏到我的浏览器" 功能 和 "加入书签" 功能！


years；　he　hez。　'Gits　liquor　frum　the　Feecamp　boats　fer　makin'　spells
an'　selling　winds　an'　such　truck。　Crazy；　I　guess。〃

'Twon't　be　any　use　underrunnin'　the　trawl　to…night；〃　said　Tom　Platt；
with　quiet　despair。　〃He　come　alongside　special　to　cuss　us。　l'd　give
my　wage　an'　share　to　see　him　at　the　gangway　o'　the　old　Ohio　'fore
we　quit　fioggin'。　Jest　abaout　six　dozen；　an'　Sam　Mocatta　layin'　'em
on　criss…cross！〃

The　disheveled　〃heel…tapper〃　danced　drunkenly　down　wind；　and
all　eyes　followed　her。　Suddenly　the　cook　cried　in　his　phonograph
voice：　〃It　wass　his　own　death　made　him　speak　so！　He　iss　fey…fey；　I
tell　you！　Look！〃　She　sailed　into　a　patch　of　watery　sunshine　three　or
four　miles　distant。　The　patch　dulled　and　faded　out；　and　even　as　the
light　passed　so　did　the　schooner。　She　dropped　into　a　hollow
and…was　not。

〃Run　under；　by　the　Great　Hook…Block！〃　shouted　Disko；　jumping
aft。　〃Drunk　or　sober；　we've　got　to　help　'em。　Heave　short　and　break
her　out！　Smart！〃

Harvey　was　thrown　on　the　deck　by　the　shock　that　followed　the
setting　of　the　jib　and　foresail；　for　they　hove　short　on　the　cable；　and
to　save　time；　jerked　the　anchor　bodily　from　the　bottom；　heaving
in~as　they　moved　away。　This　is　a　bit　of　brute　force　seldom　resorted
to　except　in　matters　of　life　and　death；　and　the　little　We're　Here
complained　like　a　human。　They　ran　down　to　where　Abishal's　craft
had　vanished；　found　two　or　three　trawl…tubs；　a　gin…bottle；　and　a
stove…in　dory；　but　nothing　more。　〃Let　'em　go；〃　said　Disko；　though
no　one　had　hinted　at　picking　them　up。　〃I　wouldn't　hev　a　match　that
belonged　to　Abishai　aboard。　Guess　she　run　clear　under。　Must　ha'
been　spewin'　her　oakum　fer　a　week；　an'　they　never　thought　to　pump
her。　That's　one　more　boat　gone　along　o'　leavin'　port　all　hands
drunk。〃

〃Glory　be！〃　said　Long　Jack。　〃We'd　ha'　been　obliged　to　help　'em　if
they　was　top　o'　water。〃

〃'Thinkin'　o'　that　myself；〃　said　Tom　Platt。

〃Fey！　Fey！〃　said　the　cook；　rolling　his　eyes。　〃He　haas　taken　his　own
luck　with　him。〃

〃Ver'　good　thing；　I　think；　to　tell　the　Fleet　when　we　see。　Eh；
wha…at？〃　said　Manuel。　〃If　you　runna　that　way　before　the　'wind；　and
she　work　open　her　seams…〃　He　threw　out　his　hands　with　an
indescribable　gesture；　while　Penn　sat　down　on　the　house　and
sobbed　at　the　sheer　horror　and　pity　of　it　all。　Harvey　could　not
realize　that　he　had　seen　death　on　the　open　waters；　but　he　felt　very
sick。　p　Then　Dan　went　up　the　cross…trees；　and　Disko　steered　them
back　to　within　sight　of　their　own　trawl…buoys　just　before　the　fog
blanketed　the　sea　once　again。

〃We　go　mighty　quick　hereabouts　when　we　do　go；〃　was　all　he　said
to　Harvey。　〃You　think　on　that　fer　a　spell；　young　feller。　That　was
liquor。〃

〃After　dinner　it　was　calm　enough　to　fish　from　the　decks；…Penn　and
Uncle　Salters　were　very　zealous　this　time；…and　the　catch　was　large
and　large　fish。

〃Abishal　has　shorely　took　his　luck　with　him；〃　said　Salters。　〃The
wind　hain't　backed　ner　riz　ner　nothin'。　How　abaout　the　trawl？　I
despise　superstition；　anyway。〃

Tom　Platt　insisted　that　they　had　much　better　haul　the　thing　and
make　a　new　berth。　But　the　cook　said：　〃The　luck　iss　in　two　pieces。
You　will　find　it　so　when　you　look。　I　know。〃　This　so　tickied　Long
Jack　that　he　overbore　Tom　Platt　and　the　two　went　out　together。

Underrunning　a　trawl　means　pulling　it　in　on　one　side　of　the　dory；
picking　off　the　fish；　rebaiting　the　hooks；　and　passing　them　back　to
the　sea　again…something　like　pinning　and　unpinning　linen　on　a
wash…line。　It　is　a　lengthy　business　and　rather　dangerous；　for　the
long；　sagging　line　may　twitch　a　boat　under　in　a　flash。　But　when
they　heard；　〃And　naow　to　thee；　0　Capting；〃　booming　out　of　the　fog；
the　crew　of　the　We're　Here　took　heart。　The　dory　swirled　alongside
well　loaded；　Tom　Platt　yelling　for　Manuel　to　act　as　relief…boat。

〃The　luck's　cut　square　in　two　pieces；〃　said　long　Jack；　forking　in　the
fish；　while　Harvey　stood　open…mouthed　at　the　skill　with　which　the
plunging　dory　was　saved　from　destruction。　〃One　half　was　jest
punkins。　Tom　Platt　wanted　to　haul　her　an'　ha'　done　wid　Ut；　but　I
said；　〃I'll　back　the　doctor　that　has　the　second　sight；　an'　the　other
half　come　up　sagging　full　o'　big　uns。　Hurry；　Man'nle；　an'　bring's　a
tub　o'　bait。　There's　luck　afloat　to…night。〃

The　fish　bit　at　the　newly　baited　hooks　from　which　their　brethren
had　just　been　taken；　and　Tom　Platt　and　Long　Jack　moved
methodically　up　and　down　the　length　of　the　trawl；　the　boat's　nose
surging　under　the　wet　line　of　hooks；　stripping　the　sea…cucumbers
that　they　called　pumpkins；　slatting　off　the　fresh…caught　cod　against
the　gunwale；　rebaiting；　and　loading　Manuel's　dory　till　dusk。

〃I'll　take　no　risks；〃　said　Disko　then…〃not　with　him　floatin'　around　so
near。　Abishal　won't　sink　fer　a　week。　Heave　in　the　dories　an'　we'll
dress　daown　after　supper。〃

That　was　a　mighty　dressing…down；　attended　by　three　or　four
blowing　grampuses。　It　lasted　till　nine　o'clock；　and　Disko　was　thrice
heard　to　chuckle　as　Harvey　pitched　the　split　fish　into　the　hold。

〃Say；　you're　haulin'　ahead　dretful　fast；〃　said　Dan；　when　they
ground　the　knives　after　the　men　had　turned　m。　〃There's　somethin'
of　a　sea　to…night；　an'　I　hain't　heard　you　make　no　remarks　on　it。〃

〃Too　busy；〃　Harvey　replied；　testing　a　blade's　edge。　〃Come　to　think
of　it；　she　is　a　high…kicker。〃

The　little　schooner　was　gambolling　all　around　her　anchor　among
the　silver…tipped　waves。　Backing　with　a　start　of　affected　surprise　at
the　sight　of　the　strained　cable；　she　pounced　on　it　like　a　kitten；
while　the　spray　of　her　descent　burst　through　the　hawse…holes　with
the　report　of　a　gun。　Shaking　her　head；　she　would　say：　〃Well；　I'm
sorry　I　can't　stay　any　longer　with　you。　I'm　going　North；〃　and　would
sidle　off；　halting　suddenly　with　a　dramatic　rattle　of　her　rigging。
〃As　I　was　just　going　to　observe；〃　she　would　begin；　as　gravely　as　a
drunken　man　addressing　a　lamp…post。　The　rest　of　the　sentence　（she
acted　her　words　in　dumb…show；　of　course）　was　lost　in　a　fit　of　the
fidgets；　when　she　behaved　like　a　puppy　chewing　a　string；　a　clumsy
woman　in　a　side…saddle；　a　hen　with　her　head　cut　off；　or　a　cow　stung
by　a　hornet；　exactly　as　the　whims　of　the　sea　took　her。

〃See　her　sayin'　her　piece。　She's　Patrick　Henry　naow；〃　said　Dan。

She　swung　sideways　on　a　roller；　and　gesticulated　with　her
jib~boom　from　port　to　starboard。

〃But…ez…fer　me；　give　me　liberty…er　give　me…death！〃

Wop！　She　sat　down　in　the　moon…path　on　the　water；　courtesying
with　a　flourish　of　pride　impressive　enough　had　not　the　wheel…gear
sniggered　mockingly　in　its　box。

Harvey　laughed　aloud。　〃Why；　it's　just　as　if　she　was　alive；〃　he　said。

〃She's　as　stiddy　as　a　haouse　an'　as　dry　as　a　herrin'；〃　said　Dan
enthusiastically；　as　he　was　slung　across　the　deck　in　a　batter　of
spray。　〃Fends　'em　off　an'　fends　'em　off；　an'　'Don't　ye　come　anigh
me；'　she　sez。　Look　at　her…jest　look　at　her！　Sakes！　You　should　see
one　o'　them　toothpicks　histin'　up　her　anchor　on　her　spike　outer
fifteen…fathom　water。〃

〃What's　a　toothpick；　Dan？〃

〃Them　new　haddockers　an'　herrin'…boats。　Fine's　a　yacht　forward；
with　yacht　sterns　to　'em；　an'　spike　bowsprits；　an'　a　haouse　that　'u'd
take　our　hold。　I've　heard　that　Burgess　himself　he　made　the　models
fer　three　or　four　of　'em。　Dad's　sot　agin　'em　on　account　o'　their
pitchin'　an'　joltin'；　but　there's　heaps　o'　money　in　'em。　Dad　can　find
fish；　but　he　ain't　no　ways　progressive…he　don't　go　with　the　march
o'　the　times。　They're　chock…full　o'　labour…savin'　　'　ech　all。　'Ever
seed　the　Elector　o'　Gloucester？　She's　a　daisy；　ef　she　is　a
toothpick。〃

〃What　do　they　cost；　Dan？〃

〃Hills　o'　dollars。　Fifteen　thousand；　p'haps；　more；　mebbe。　There's
gold…leaf　an'　everything　you　kin　think　of。〃　Then　to　himself；　half
under　his　breath；　〃Guess　I'd　call　her　Hattie　S。；　too。〃

CHAPTER　V

That　was　the　first　of　many　talks　with　Dan；　who　told　Harvey　why　he
would　transfer　his　dory's　name　to　the　imaginary　Burgess…modelled
haddocker。　Harvey　heard　a　good　deal　about　the　real　Hattie　at
Gloucester；　saw　a　lock　of　her　hair…which　Dan；　finding　fair　words
of　no　avail；　had　〃hooked〃　as　she　sat　in　front　of　him　at　school　that
winter…and　a　photograph。　Hattie　was　about　fourteen　years　old；　with
an　awful　contempt　for　boys；　and　had　been　trampling　on　Dan's　heart
through　the　winter。　All　this　was　revealed　under　oath　of　solemn
secrecy　on　moonlit　decks；　in　the　dead　dark；　or　in　choking　fog；　the
whining　wheel　behind　them；　the　climbing　deck　before；　and
without；　the　unresting；　clamorous　sea。　Once；　of　course；　as　the　boys
came　to　know　each　other；　there　was　a　fight；　which　raged　from　bow
to　stern　till　Penn　came　up　and　separated　them；　but　promised　not　to
tell　Disko；　who　thought　fighting　on　watch　rather　worse　than
sleeping。　Harvey　was　no　match　for　Dan　physically；　but　it　says　a
great　deal　for　his　new　training　that　he　took　his　defeat　and　did　not
try　to　get　even　with　his　conqueror　by　underhand　methods。

That　was　after　he　had　been　cured　of　a　string　of　boils　between　his
elbows　and　wrists；　where　the　wet　jersey　and　oilskins　cut　into　the
flesh。　The　salt　water　stung　them　unpleasantly；　but　when　they　were
ripe　Dan　treated　them　with　Disko's　razor；　and　assured　Harvey　that
now　he　was　a　〃blooded　Banker〃；　the　affliction　of　gurry…sores　being
the　mark　of　the　caste　that　claimed　him。

Since　he　was　a　boy　and　very　busy；　he　did　not　bother　his　head　with
too　much　thinking。　He　was　exceedingly　sorry　for　his　mother；　and
often　longed　to　see　her　and　above　all　to　tell　her　of　this　wonderful
new　life；　and　how　brilliantly　he　was　acquitting　himself　in　it。
Otherwise　he　preferred　not　to　wonder　too　much　how　she　was
bearing　the　shock　of　his　supposed　death。　But　one　day；　as　he　stood
on　the　foc'sle　ladder；　guying　the　cook；　who　had　accused　him　and
Dan　of　hooking　fried　pies；　it　occurred　to　him　that　this　was　a　vast
improvement　on　being　snubbed　by　strangers　in　the　smoking…room
of　a　hired　liner。

He　was　a　recognized　part　of　the　scheme　of　things　on　the　We're
Here；　had　his　place　at　the　table　and　among　the　bunks；　and　could
hold　his　own　in　the　long　talks　on　stormy　days；　when　the　others
were　always　ready　to　listen　to　what　they　called　his　〃fairy…tales〃　of
his　life　ashore。　It　did　not　take　him　more　than　two　days　and　a
quarter　to　feel　that　if　he　spoke　of　his　own　life…it　seemed　very　far
away…no　one　except