captains courageous-第14部分

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rememberin'　Johns…town　next；〃　Salters　explained；　〃an'　what　would
happen　then？〃　so　they　compromised　on　his　reading　aloud　from　a
book　called　〃Josephus。〃　It　was　an　old　leather…bound　volume；
smelling　of　a　hundred　voyages；　very　solid　and　very　like　the　Bible；
but　enlivened　with　accounts　of　battles　and　sieges；　and　they　read　it
nearly　from　cover　to　cover。　Otherwise　Penn　was　a　silent　little
body。　He　would　not　utter　a　word　for　three　days　on　end　sometimes；
though　he　played　checkers；　listened　to　the　songs；　and　laughed　at
the　stories。　When　they　tried　to　stir　him　up；　he　would　answer：　〃I
don't　wish　to　seem　unneighbourly；　but　it　is　because　I　have　nothing
to　say。　My　head　feels　quite　empty。　I've　almost　forgotten　my　name。〃
He　would　turn　to　Uncle　Salters　with　an　expectant　smile。

〃Why；　Pennsylvania　Pratt；〃　Salters　would　shout　〃You'll　fergit　me
next！〃

〃No…never；〃　Penn　would　say；　shutting　his　lips　firmly。
〃Pennsylvania　Pratt；　of　course；〃　he　would　repeat　over　and　over。
Sometimes　it　was　Uncle　Salters　who　forgot；　and　told　him　he　was
Haskins　or　Rich　or　McVitty；　but　Penn　was　equally　content…till　next
time。

He　was　always　very　tender　with　Harvey；　whom　he　pitied　both　as　a
lost　child　and　as　a　lunatic；　and　when　Salters　saw　that　Penn　liked
the　boy；　he　relaxed；　too。　Salters　was　not　an　amiable　person　（He
esteemed　it　his　business　to　keep　the　boys　in　order）；　and　the　first
time　Harvey；　in　fear　and　trembling；　on　a　still　day；　managed　to　shin
up　to　the　main…truck　（'）an　was　behind　him　ready　to　help）；　he
esteemed　it　his　duty　to　hang　Salters's　big　sea…boots　up　there…a　sight
of　shame　and　derision　to　the　nearest　schooner。　With　Disko；　Harvey
took　no　liberties；　not　even　when　the　old　man　dropped　direct
orders；　and　treated　him；　like　the　rest　of　the　crew；　to　〃Don't　you
want　to　do　so　and　so？〃　and　〃Guess　you'd　better；〃　and　so　forth。
There　was　something　about　the　clean…shaven　lips　and　the　puckered
corners　of　the　eyes　that　was　mightily　sobering　to　young　blood。

Disko　showed　him　the　meaning　of　the　thumbed　and　pricked　chart；
which；　he　said；　laid　over　any　government　publication　whatsoever；
led　him；　pencil　in　hand；　from　berth　to　berth　over　the　whole　string
of　banks…Le　Have；　Western；　Banquereau；　St。　Pierre；　Green；　and
Grand　…talking　〃cod〃　meantime。　Taught　him；　too；　the　principle　on
which　the　〃hog…yoke〃　was　worked。

In　this　Harvey　excelled　Dan；　for　he　had　inherited　a　head　for
figures；　and　the　notion　of　stealing　information　from　one　glimpse　of
the　sullen　Bank　sun　appealed　to　all　his　keen　wits。　For　other
sea…matters　his　age　handicapped　him。　As　Disko　said；　he　should
have　begun　when　he　was　ten。　Dan　could　bait　up　trawl　or　lay　his
hand　on　any　rope　in　the　dark；　and　at　a　pinch；　when　Uncle　Salters
had　a　gurry…score　on　his　palm；　could　dress　down　by　sense　of　touch。
He　could　steer　in　anything　short　of　half　a　gale　from　the　feel　of　the
wind　on　his　face；　humouring　the　We're　Here　just　when　she　needed
it　These　things　he　did　as　automatically　as　he　skipped　about　the
rigging；　or　made　his　dory　a　part　of　his　own　will　and　body。　But　he
could　not　communicate　his　knowledge　to　Harvey。

Still　there　was　a　good　deal　of　general　information　flying　about　the
schooner　on　stormy　days；　when　they　lay　up　in　the　foc'sle　or　sat　on
the　cabin　lockers；　while　spare　eye…bolts；　leads；　and　rings　rolled　and
rattled　in　the　pauses　of　the　talk。　Disko　spoke　of　whaling　voyages　in
the　Fifties；　of　great　she…whales　slain　beside　their　young；　of　death
agonies　on　the　black　tossing　seas；　and　blood　that　spurted　forty　feet
in　the　air；　of　boats　smashed　to　splinters；　of　patent　rockets　that　went
off　wrong…end…first　and　bombarded　the　trembling　crews；　of
cutting…in　and　boiling…down；　and　that　terrible　〃nip〃　of　'71；　when
twelve　hundred　men　were　made　homeless　on　the　ice　in　three
days…wonderful　tales；　all　true。　But　more　wonderful　still　were　his
stories　of　the　cod；　and　how　they　argued　and　reasoned　on　their
private　businesses　deep　down　below　the　keel。

Long　Jack's　tastes　ran　more　to　the　supernatural。　He　held　them
silent　with　ghastly　stories　of　the　〃Yo…hoes〃　on　Monomoy　Beach；
that　mock　and　terrify　lonely　clam…diggers；　of　sand…walkers　and
dune…haunters　who　were　never　properly　buried；　of　hidden　treasure
on　Fire　Island　guarded　by　the　spirits　of　Kidd's　men；　of　ships　that
sailed　in　the　fog　straight　over　Truro　township；　of　that　harbor　in
Maine　where　no　one　but　a　stranger　will　lie　at　anchor　twice　in　a
certain　place　because　of　a　dead　crew　who　row　alongside　at
midnight　with　the　anchor　in　the　bow　of　their　old…fashioned　boat；
whistling…not　calling；　hut　whistling…for　the　soul　of　the　man　who
broke　their　regt。

Harvey　had　a　notion　that　the　east　coast　of　his　native　land；　from
Mount　Desert　south；　was　populated　chiefly　by　people　who　took
their　horses　there　in　the　summer　and　entertained　in　country…houses
with　hardwood　floors　and　Vantine　portires。　He　laughed　at　the
ghost…tales；…not　as　much　as　he　would　have　done　a　month
before；…but　ended　by　sifting　still　and　shuddering。

Tom　Platt　dealt　with　his　interminable　trip　round　the　Horn　on　the
old　Ohio　in　flogging　days；　with　a　navy　more　extinct　than　the
dodo…the　navy　that　passed　away　in　the　great　war。　He　told　them　how
red…hot　shot　are　dropped　into　a　cannon；　a　wad　of　wet　clay　between
them　and　the　cartridge；　how　they　sizzle　and　reek　when　they　strike
wood；　and　how　the　little　ship…boys　of　the　Miss　Jim　Buck　hove
water　over　them　and　shouted　to　the　fort　to　try　again。　And　he　told
tales　of　blockade…long　weeks　of　swaying　at　anchor；　varied　only　by
the　departure　and　return　of　steamers　that　had　used　up　their　coal
（there　was　no　chance　for　the　sailing…ships）；　of　gales　and　cold~ld
that　kept　two　hundred　men；　night　and　day；　pounding　and　chopping
at　the　ice　on　cable；　blocks；　and　rigging；　when　the　galley　was　as
red…hot　as　the　fort's　shot；　and　men　drank　cocoa　by　the　bucket　Tom
Platt　had　no　use　for　steam。　His　service　closed　when　that　thing　was
comparatively　new。　He　admitted　that　it　was　a　specious　invention　in
time　of　peace；　but　looked　hope…fully　for　the　day　when　sails　should
come　back　again　on　ten…thousand…ton　frigates　with
hundred…and…ninety…foot　booms。

Manuel's　talk　was　slow　and　gentle…all　about　pretty　girls　in　Madeira
washing　clothes　in　the　dry　beds　of　streams；　by　moonlight；　under
waving　bananas；　legends　of　saints；　and　tales　of　queer　dances　or
fights　away　in　the　cold　Newfoundland　baiting…ports　Salters　was
mainly　agricultural；　for；　though　he　read　〃Josephus〃　and　expounded
it；　his　mission　in　life　was　to　prove　the　value　of　green　manures；　and
specially　of　clover；　against　every　form　of　phosphate　whatsoever。
He　grew　libellous　about　phosphates；　he　dragged　greasy　〃Orange
Judd〃　books　from　his　bunk　and　intoned　them；　wagging　his　finger　at
Harvey；　to　whom　it　was　all　Greek。　Little　Penn　was　so　genuinely
pained　when　Harvey　made　fun　of　Salters's　lectures　that　the　boy
gave　it　up；　and　suffered　in　polite　silence。　That　was　very　good　for
Harvey。

The　cook　naturally　did　not　loin　in　these　conversations。　As　a　rule；
he　spoke　only　when　it　was　absolutely　necessary；　but　at　times　a
queer　gift　of　speech　descended　on　him；　and　he　held　forth；　half　in
Gaelic；　half　in　broken　English；　an　hour　at　a　time。　He　was
especially　communicative　with　the　boys；　and　he　never　withdrew
his　prophecy　that　one　day　Harvey　would　be　Dan's　master；　and　that
he　would　see　it。　He　told　them　of　mall…carrying　in　the　'winter　up
Cape　Breton　way；　of　the　dog…train　that　goes　to　Coudray；　and　of　the
ram…steamer　Arctic；　that　breaks　the　ice　between　the　mainland　and
Prince　Edward　Island。　Then　he　told　them　stories　that　his　mother
had　told　him；　of　life　far　to　the　southward；　where　water　never　froze；
and　he　said　that　when　he　died　his　soul　would　go　to　lie　down　on　a
warm　white　beach　of　sand　with　palm…trees　waving　above。　That
seemed　to　the　boys　a　very　odd　idea　for　a　man　who　had　never　seen　a
palm　in　his　life。　Then；　too；　regularly　at　each　meal；　he　would　ask
Harvey；　and　Harvey　alone；　whether　the　cooking　was　to　his　taste；
and　this　always　made　the　〃second　half'　laugh。　Yet　they　had　a　great
respect　for　the　cook's　judgment；　and　in　their　hearts　considered
Harvey　something　of　a　mascot　by　consequence。

And　while　Harvey　was　taking　in　knowledge　of　new　things　at　each
pore　and　hard　health　with　every　gulp　of　the　good　air；　the　We're
Here　went　her　ways　and　did　her　business　on　the　Bank；　and　the
silvery…gray　kenches　of　well…pressed　fish　mounted　higher　and
higher　in　the　hold。　No　one　day's　work　was　out　of　common；　but　the
average　days　were　many　and　close　together。

Naturally；　a　man　of　Disko's　reputation　was　closely
watched…〃scrowged　upon；〃　Dan　called　it…by　his　neighbours；　but　he
had　a　very　pretty　knack　of　giving　them　the　slip　through　the
curdling；　glidy　fog…banks。　Disko　avoided　company　for　two　reasons。
He　wished　to　make　his　own　experirnents；　in　the　first　place；　and　in
the　second；　he　objected　to　the　mixed　gatherings　of　a　fleet　of　all
nations。　The　bulk　of　them　were　mamly　Gloucester　boats；
with　a　scattering　from　Provincetown；　Harwich；　Chatham；　and
some　of　the　Maine　ports；　but　the　crews　drew　from　goodness　knows
where。　Risk　breeds　recklessness；　and　when　greed　is　added　there
are　fine　chances　for　every　kind　of　accident　in　the　crowded　fleet；
which；　like　a　mob　of　sheep；　is　huddled　round　some　unrecognized
leader。　〃Let　the　two　Jeraulds　lead　'em；〃　said　Disko。　〃We're　baound
to　lay　among　'em　for　a　spell　on　the　Eastern　Shoals；　though　ef　luck
holds；　we　won't　hev　to　lay　long。　Where　we　are　naow；　Harve；　ain't
considered　noways　good　graound。〃

〃Ain't　it？〃　said　Harvey；　who　was　drawing　water　（he　had　learned
just　how　to　wiggle　the　bucket）；　after　an　unusually　long
dressing…down。　〃Shouldn't　mind　striking　some　poor　ground　for　a
change；　then。〃

〃All　the　graound　I　want　to　see…don't　want　to　strike　her…is　Eastern
Point；〃　said　Dan。　〃Say；　Dad；　it　looks's　if　we　wouldn't　hev　to　lay
more'n　two　weeks　on　the　Shoals。　You'll　meet　all　the　comp'ny　you
want　then；　Harve。　That's　the　time　we　begin　to　work。　No　reg'lar
meals　fer　no　one　then。　'Mug…up　when　ye're　hungry；　an'　sleep　when
ye　can't　keep　awake。　Good　job　you　wasn't　picked　up　a　month　later
than　you　was；　or　we'd　never　ha'　had　you　dressed　in　shape　fer　the
Old　Virgin。〃

Harvey　understood　from　the　Eldridge　chart　that　the　Old　Virgin　and
a　nest　of　curiously　named　shoals　were　the　turning…poi