captains courageous-第17部分

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〃Good　evenin'；〃　said　Disko；　raising　his　head…gear；　〃an'　haow　does
your　garden　grow？〃

〃Go　to　Ohio　an'　hire　a　mule；〃　said　Uncle　Salters。　〃We　don't　want
no　farmers　here。〃　　　

〃Will　I　lend　YOU　my　dory…anchor？〃　cried　Long　Jack。

〃Unship　your　rudder　an'　stick　it　in　the　mud；〃　Bald　Tom　Platt。

〃Say！〃　Dan's　voice　rose　shrill　and　high；　as　he　stood　on　the
wheel…box。　〃Sa…ay！　Is　there　a　strike　in　the　o…ver…all　factory；　or　hev
they　hired　girls；　ye　Shackamaxons？〃

〃Veer　out　the　tiller…lines；〃　cried　Harvey；　〃and　nail　'em　to　the
bottom~'　That　was　a　salt…flavoured　jest　he　had　been　put　up　to　by
Tom　Platt。　Manuel　leaned　over　the　stern　and　yelled：　〃Johanna
Morgan　play　the　organ！　Ahaaaa！〃　He　flourished　his　broad　thumb
with　a　gesture　of　unspeakable　contempt　and　derision；　while　little
Penn　covered　himself　with　glory　by　piping　up：　〃Gee　a　little！　Hssh！
Come　here。　Haw！〃

They　rode　on　their　chain　for　the　rest　of　the　night；　a　short；　snappy；
uneasy　motion；　as　Harvey　found；　and　wasted　half　the　forenoon
recovering　the　cable。　But　the　boys　agreed　the　trouble　was　cheap　at
the　price　of　triumph　and　glory；　and　they　thought　with　grief　over　all
the　beautiful　things　that　they　might　have　said　to　the　discomfited
Carrie。

CHAPTER　VII

Next　day　they　fell　in　with　more　sails；　all　circling　slowly　from　the
east　northerly　towards　the　west。　But　just　when　they　expected　to
make　the　shoals　by　the　Virgin　the　fog　shut　down；　and　they
anchored；　surrounded　by　the　tinklings　of　invisible　bells。　There　was
not　much　fishing；　but　occasionally　dory　met　dory　in　the　fog　and
exchanged　news。

That　night；　a　little　before　dawn；　Dan　and　Harvey；　who　had　been
sleeping　most　of　the　day；　tumbled　out　to　〃hook〃　fried　pies。　There
was　no　reason　why　they　should　not　have　taken　them　openly；　but
they　tasted　better　so；　and　it　made　the　cook　angry。　The　heat　and
smell　below　drove　them　on　deck　with　their　plunder；　and　they
found　Disko　at　the　bell；　which　he　handed　over　to　Harvey。

〃Keep　her　goin'；〃　said　he。　〃I　mistrust　I　hear　somethin'。　Ef　it's
anything；　I'm　best　where　I　am　so's　to　get　at　things。〃　　

It　was　a　forlorn　little　jingle；　the　thick　air　seemed　to　pinch　it　off；
and　in　the　pauses　Harvey　heard　the　muffled　shriek　of　a　liner's
siren；　and　he　knew　enough　of　the　Banks　to　know　what　that　meant。　
It　came　to　him；　with　horrible　distinctness；　how　a　boy　in　a　
cherry…coloured　jersey…he　despised　fancy　blazers　now　with　all　a　
fisher…man's　contempt…how　an　ignorant；　rowdy　boy　had　once　
said　it　would　be　〃great〃　if　a　steamer　ran　down　a　fishing…boat。　
That　boy　had　a　stateroom　with　a　hot　and　cold　bath；　and　spent　
ten　minutes　each　morning　picking　over　a　gilt…edged　bill　of　fare。　
And　that　same　boy…no；　his　very　much　older　brother…　was　up　at　
four　of　the　dim　dawn　in　streaming；　crackling　oilskins；　hammering；　
literally　for　the　dear　life；　on　a　bell　smaller　than　the　steward's　
breakfast…bell；　while　somewhere　close　at　hand　a　thirty…foot　steel　
stem　was　storming　along　at　twenty　miles　an　hour！　The　bitterest　
thought　of　all　was　that　there　were　folks　asleep　in　dry；
upholstered　cabins　who　would　never　learn　that。　they　had
massacred　a　boat　before　breakfast。　So　Harvey　rang　the　bell。

〃Yes；　they　slow　daown　one　turn　o'　their　blame　propeller；〃　said
Dan；　applying　himself　to　Manuel's　conch；　〃fer　to　keep　inside　the
law；　an'　that's　consolin'　when　we're　all　at　the　bottom。　Hark　to　her！
She's　a　humper！〃　

〃Aooo…whoo…whupp！〃　went　the　siren。　〃Wingle…tingle…tink；〃　went　
the　belL　〃Graaa…ouch！〃　went　the　conch；　while　sea　and　
sky　were　all　mrned　up　in　milky　fog。　Then　Harvey　fek　that　
he　was　near　a　moving　body；　and　found　himself　looking　up
and　up　at　the　wet　edge　of　a　cliff…like　bow；　leaping；　it　seemed；
directly　over　the　schooner。　A　jaunty　little　feather　of　water　curled　in
front　of　it；　and　as　it　lifted　it　showed　a　long　ladder　of　Roman
numerals…XV。；　XVI。；　XVII。；　XVIII。；　and　sd　forth…on　a
salmon…coloured　gleaming　side。　It　tilted　forward　and　downward
with　a　heart…stilling　〃Ssssooo〃；　the　ladder　disappeared；　a　line　of
brass…rimmed　port…holes　flashed　past；　a　jet　of　steam　puffed　in
Harvey's　helplessly　uplifted　hands；　a　spout　of　hot　water　roared
along　the　rail　of　the　We're　Here；　and　the　little　schooner　staggered
and　shook　in　a　rush　of　screw…torn　water；　as　a　liner's　stern　vanished
in　the　fog。　Harvey　got　ready　to　faint　or　be　sick；　or　both；　when　he
heard　a　crack　like　a　trunk　thrown　on　a　sidewalk；　and；　all　small　in
his　ear；　a　far…away　telephone　voice　drawling：　〃Heave　to！　You've
sunk　us！〃

〃Is　it　us？〃　he　gasped。

〃No！　Boat　out　yonder。　Ring！　We're　goin'　to　look；〃　said　Dan；
running　out　a　dory。

In　half　a　minute　all　except　Harvey；　Penn；　and　the　cook　were
overside　and　away。　Presently　a　schooner's　stump…foremast；　snapped
clean　across；　drifted　past　the　bows。　Then　an　empty　green　dory
came　by；　knocking　on　the　We're　Here's　side；　as　though　she　wished
to　be　taken　in。　Then　followed　something；　face　down；　in　a　blue
jersey；　but…it　was　not　the　whole　of　a　man。　Penn　changed　colour　and
caught　his　breath　with　a　click。　Harvey　pounded　despairingly　at　the
bell；　for　he　feared　they　　　



　CAPTAINS　COURAGEOUS　　　









　93　might　be　sunk　at　any　minute；　and　he　jumped　at　Dan's　hail　as
the　crew　came　back。

〃The　Jennie　Cushman；〃　said　Dan；　hysterically；　〃cut　clean　in
half…graound　up　an'　trompled　on　at　that！　Not　a　quarter　of　a　mile
away。　Dad's　got　the　old　man。　There　ain't　any　one　else；　and…there
was　his　son；　too。　Oh；　Harve；　Harve；　I　can't　stand　it！　I've　seen…〃　He
dropped　his　head　on　his　arms　and　sobbed　while　the　others　dragged
a　gray…headed　man　aboard。

〃What　did　you　pick　me　up　for？〃　the　stranger　groaned。　〃Disko；　what
did　you　pick　me　up　for？〃

Disko　dropped　a　heavy　hand　on　his　shoulder；　for　the　man's　eyes
were　wild　and　his　lips　trembled　as　he　stared　at　the　silent　crew。
Then　up　and　spoke　Pennsylvania　Pratt；　who　was　also　Haskins　or
Rich　or　MeVitty　when　Uncle　Salters　forgot；　and　his　face　was
changed　on　him　from　the　face　of　a　fool　to　the　countenance　of　an
old；　wise　man；　and　he　said　in　a　strong　voice：　〃The　Lord　gave；　and
the　Lord　hath　taken　away；　blessed　be　the　name　of　the　Lord！　I　was…I
am　a　minister　of　the　Gospel。　Leave　him　to　me。〃

〃Oh；　you　be；　be　you？〃　said　the　man。　〃Then　pray　my　son　back　to
me！　Pray　back　a　nine…thousand…dollar　boat　an'　a　thousand　quintal　of
fish。　If　you'd　left　me　alone　my　widow　could　ha'　gone　on　to　the
Provident　an'　worked　fer　her　board；　an'　never　known…an'　never
known。　Now　I'll　hev　to　tell　her。〃

〃There　ain't　notbin'　to　say；〃　said　Disko。　〃Better　lie　down　a　piece；
Jason　Olley。〃

When　a　man　has　lost　his　only　son；　his　summer's　work；　and　his
means　of　livelihood；　in　thirty　counted　seconds；　it　is　hard　to　give
consolation。

〃All　Gloucester　men；　wasn't　they？〃　said　Tom　Platt；　fiddling
helplessly　with　a　dory…becket。

〃Oh；　that　don't　make　no　odds；〃　said　Jason；　wringing　the　wet　from
his　beard。　〃I'll　be　rowin'　summer　boarders　araound　East　Gloucester
this　fall。〃　He　rolled　heavily　to　the　rail；　singing：

〃Happy　birds　that　sing　and　fly
Round　thine　altars；　0　Most　High！〃

〃Come　with　me。　Come　below！〃　said　Penn；　as　though　he　had　a　right　
to　give　orders。　Their　eyes　met　and　fought　for　a　quarter　of　
a　minute。

〃I　dunno　who　you　be；　but　I'll　come；〃　said　Jason　submissively。
〃Mebbe　I'll　get　back　some　o'　the…some　o'　the…nine　thousand
dollars。〃　Penn　led　him　into　the　cabin　and　slid　the　door　behind。

〃That　ain't　Penn；〃　cried　Uncle　Salters。　〃It's　Jacob　Boiler；　an'…he's
remembered　Johnstown！　I　never　seed　stich　eyes　in　any　livin'　man's
head。　What's　to　do　naow？　What'll　I　do　naow？〃

They　could　hear　Penn's　voice　and　Jason's　together。　Then　Penn's
went　on　alone；　and　Salters　slipped　off　his　hat；　for　Penn　was
praying。　Presently　the　little　man　came　up　the　steps；　huge　drops　of
sweat　on　his　face；　and　looked　at　the　crew。　Dan　was　still　sobbing　by
the　wheel。

〃He　don't　know　us；〃　Salters　groaned。　〃It's　all　to　do　over　again；
checkers　and　everything…an'　what'll　he　say　to　me？〃

Penn　spoke；　they　could　hear　that　it　was　to　strangers。　〃I　have
prayed；〃　said　he。　〃Our　people　believe　in　prayer。　I　have　prayed　for
the　life　of　this　ma~'s　son。　Mine　were　drowned　before　my　eyes…she
and　my　eldest　and…the　others。　Shall　a　man　be　more　wise　than　his
Maker？　I　prayed　never　for　their　lives；　but　I　have　prayed　for　this
man's　son；　and　he　will　surely　be　sent　him。

Salters　looked　pleadingly　at　Penn　to　see　if　he　remembered。

〃How　long　have　I　been　mad？〃　Penn　asked　suddenly。　His　mouth
was　twitching。

〃Pshaw；　Penn！　You　weren't　never　mad；〃　Salters　began　〃Only　a
little　distracted　like。〃

〃I　saw　the　houses　strike　the　bridge　before　the　fires　broke　out。　I　do
not　remember　any　more。　How　long　ago　is　that？〃

〃I　can't　stand　it！　I　can't　stand　it！〃　cried　Dan；　and　Harvey　whimpered
in　sympathy。

〃Abaout　five　year；〃　said　Disko；　in　a　shaking　voice。

〃Then　I　have　been　a　charge　on　some　one　for　every　day　of　that　time。
Who　was　the　man？〃

Disko　pointed　to　Salters。

〃Ye　hain't…ye　hain't！〃　cried　the　sea…farmer；　twisting　his　hands　
together。　〃Ye've　more'n　earned　your　keep　twice…told；　an'　there's　
money　owm'　you；　Penn；　besides　ha'af　o'　my　quarter…share　in
the　boat；　which　is　yours　fer　value　received。〃

〃You　are　good　men。　I　can　see　that　in　your　faces。　But〃

〃Mother　av　Mercy；〃　whispered　Long　Jack；　〃an'　he's　been　wid
us~all　these　trips！　He's　clean　bewitched。〃

A　schooner's　bell　struck　up　alongside；　and　a　voice　hailed　through
the　fog：　〃0　Disko！　'Heard　abaout　the　Jennie　Cushman？〃

〃They　have　found　his　son；〃　cried　Penn。　〃Stand　you　still　and　see　the
salvation　of　the　Lord！〃

〃Got　Jason　aboard　here；〃　Disko　answered；　but　his　voice　quavered。
〃There…warn't　any　one　else？〃

〃We've　fund　one；　though。　'Run　acrost　him　snarled　up　in　a　mess　o'
lumber　thet　might　ha'　bin　a　foc'sle。　His　head's　cut　some。〃

〃Who　is　he？〃

The　We're　Here's　heart…beats　answered　one　another。

〃Guess　it's　young　Olley；〃　the　voice　drawled。

Penn　raised　his　hands　and　said　something　in　German。　Harvey
could　have　sworn　that　a　bright　sun　was　shining　upon　his　lifted
face；　but　the　drawl　went　on：　〃Sa…ay！　You　fellers　guyed　us
consid'rable　t'other　night。〃

〃We　don't　feel　like　guyin'　any　now；〃　said　Disko。

〃I　know　it；　but　to　tell　the　honest　truth　we　was　kinder…kinder　driftin'
when　we　run　agin　young　Olley。〃

It　was　the　irrepressi