captains courageous-第19部分

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below；　swimming　slowly　in　droves；　biting　as　steadily　as　they
swam。　Bank　law　strictly　forbids　more　than　one　hook　on　one　line
when　the　dories　are　on　the　Virgin　or　the　Eastern　Shoals；　but　so
close　lay　the　boats　that　even　single　hooks　snarled；　and　Harvey　
found　himself　in　hot　argument　with　a　genfle；　hairy　Newfoundlander　
on　one　side　and　a　howling　Portuguese　on　the　other。

Worse　than　any　tangle　of　fishing…lines　was　the　confusion　of　the
dory…rodings　below　water。　Each　man　had　anchored　where　it
seemed　good　to　him；　drifting　and　rowing　round　his　fixed　point　As
the　fish　struck　on　less　quickly；　each　man　wanted　to　haul　up　and　get
to　better　ground；　but　every　third　man　found　himself　intimately
connected　with　some　four　or　five　neighbours。　To　cut　another's
roding　is　crime　unspeakable　on　the　Banks；　yet　it　was　done；　and
done　without　detection；　three　or　four　times　that　day。　Tom　Platt
caught　a　Maine　man　in　the　black　act　and　knocked　him　over　the
gunwale　with　an　oar；　and　Manuel　served　a　fellow…　countryman　in
the　same　way。　But　Harvey's　anchor…line　was　cut；　and　so　was
Penn's；　and　they　were　turned　into　relief…boats　to　carry　fish　to　the
We're　Here　as　the　dories　filled。　The　caplin　schooled　once　more　at
twilight；　when　the　mad　clamour　was　repeated；　and　at　dusk　they
rowed　back　to　dress　down　by　the　light　of　kerosene…lamps　on　the
edge　of　the　pen。

It　was　a　huge　pile；　and　they　went　to　sleep　while　they　were　dressing。
Next　day　several　boats　fished　right　above　the　cap　of　the　Virgin；
and　Harvey；　with　them；　looked　down　on　the　very　weed　of　that
lonely　rock；　which　rises　to　within　twenty　feet　of　the　surface。　The
cod　were　there　in　legions；　marching　solemnly　over　the　leathery
kelp。　When　they　bit；　they　bit　all　together；　and　so　when　they
stopped。　There　was　a　slack　time　at　noon；　and　the　dories　began　to
search　for　amusement。　It　was　Dan　who　sighted　the　Hope　Of　Prague
just　coming　up；　and　as　her　boats　joined　the　company　they　were
greeted　with　the　question：　〃Who's　the　meanest　man　in　the　Fleet？〃

Three　hundred　voices　answered　cheerily：　〃Nick　Bra…ady。〃　It
sounded　like　an　organ　chant。

〃Who　stole　the　lam~wicks？〃　That　was　Dan's　contribution。

〃Nick　Bra…ady；〃　sang　the　boats。

〃Who　biled　the　salt　bait　fer　soup？〃　This　was　an　unknown　backbiter
a　quarter　of　a　mile　away。

Again　the　joyful　chorus。　Now；　Brady　was　not　especially　mean；　
but　he　had　that　reputation；　and　the　Fleet　made　the　most　of　it。
Then　they　discovered　a　man　from　a　Truro　boat　who；　six　years
before；　had　been　convicted　of　using　a　tackle　with　five　or　six
hooks…a　〃scrowger；〃　they　call　it~n　the　Shoals。　Naturally；　he　had
been　christened　〃Scrowger　Jim〃；　and　though　he　had　hidden
himself　on　the　Georges　ever　since；　he　found　his　honours　waiting　for
him　full　blown。　They　took　it　up　in　a　sort　of　firecracker　chorus：
〃Jim！　0　Jim！　Jim！　0　Jim！　Sssscrowger　Jim！〃　That　pleased
everybody。　And　when　a　poetical　Beverly　man…he　had　been　making
it　up　all　day；　and　talked　about　it　for　weeks…sang；　〃The　Carrie
Pitman's　anchor　doesn't　hold　her　for　a　cent〃　the　dories　felt　that　they
were　indeed　fortunate。　Then　they　had　to　ask　that　Beverly　man　how
he　was　off　for　beans；　because　even　poets　must　not　have　things　all
their　own　way。　Every　schooner　and　nearly　every　man　got　it　in　turn。
Was　there　a　careless　or　dirty　cook　anywhere？　The　dories　sang
about　him　and　his　food。　Was　a　schooner　badly　found？　The　Fleet
was　told　at　full　length。　Had　a　man　hooked　tobacco　from　a
mess…mate？　He　was　named　in　meeting；　the　name　tossed　from　roller
to　roller。　Disko's　infallible　judgments；　Long　Jack's　market…boat　that
he　had　sold　years　ago；　Dan's　sweetheart　（oh；　but　Dan　was　an　angry
boy！）；　Penn's　bad　luck　with　dory…anchors；　Salter's　views　on
manure；　Manuel's　little　slips　from　virtue　ashore；　and　Harvey's
ladylike　handling　of　the　oar…all　were　laid　before　the　public；　and　as
the　fog　fell　around　them　in　silvery　sheets　beneath　the　sun；　the
voices　sounded　like　a　bench　of　invisible　judges　pronouncing
sentence。

The　dories　roved　and　fished　and　squabbled　till　a　swell　underran　the
sea。　Then　they　drew　more　apart　to　save　their　sides；　and　some　one
called　that　if　the　swell　continued　the　Virgin　would　break。　A
reckless　Galway　man　with　his　nephew　denied　this；　hauled　up
anchor；　and　rowed　over　the　very　rock　itself。　Many　voices　called
them　to　come　away；　while　others　dared　them　to　hold　on。　As　the
smooth…backed　rollers　passed　to　the　southward；　they　hove　the　dory
high　and　high　into　the　mist；　and　dropped　her　in　ugly；　sucking；
dimpled　water；　where　she　spun　round　her　anchor；　within　a　foot　or
two　of　the　hidden　rock。　It　was　playing　with　death　for　mere
bravado；　and　the　boats　looked　on　in　uneasy　silence　till　Long　
Jack　rowed　up　behind　his　countrymen　and　quietly　cut　their　roding。

〃Can't　ye　hear　ut　knockin'？〃　he　cried。　〃Pull　for　you　miserable
lives！　Pull！〃

The　men　swore　and　tried　to　argue　as　the　boat　drifted；　but　the　next
swell　checked　a　little；　like　a　man　tripping　on　a　carpet。　There　was　a
deep　sob　and　a　gathering　roar；　and　the　Virgin　flung　up　a　couple　of
acres　of　foaming　water；　white；　furious；　and　ghastly　over　the　shoal
sea。　Then　all　the　boats　greatly　applauded　Long　Jack；　and　the
Galway　men　held　their　tongue。

〃Ain't　it　elegant？〃　said　Dan；　bobbing　like　a　young　seal　at　home。
〃She'll　break　about　once　every　ha'af　hour　now；　'les　the　swell　piles
up　good。　What's　her　reg'lar　time　when　she's　at　work；　Tom　Platt？〃

〃Once　ivry　fifteen　minutes；　to　the　tick。　Harve；　you've　seen　the
greatest　thing　on　the　Banks；　an'　but　for　Long　Jack　you'd　seen　some
dead　men　too。〃

There　came　a　sound　of　merriment　where　the　fog　lay　thicker　and
the　schooners　were　ringing　their　bells。　A　big　bark　nosed　cautiously
out　of　the　mist；　and　was　received　with　shouts　and　cries　of；　〃Come
along；　darlin'；〃　from　the　Irishry。

〃Another　Frenchman？〃　said　Harvey。

〃Hain't　you　eyes？　She's　a　Baltimore　boat；　goin'　in　fear　an'
tremblin'；〃　said　Dan。　〃We'll　guy　the　very　sticks　out　of　her。　Guess
it's　the　fust　time　her　skipper　ever　met　up　with　the　Fleet　this　way。〃

She　was　a　black；　buxom；　eight…hundred…ton　craft。　Her　mainsail　was
looped　up；　and　her　topsail　flapped　undecidedly　in　what　little　wind
was　moving。　Now　a　bark　is　feminine　beyond　all　other　daughters　of
the　sea；　and　this　tall；　hesitating　creature；　with　her　white　and　gilt
figurehead；　looked　just　like　a　bewildered　woman　half　lifting　her
skirts　to　cross　a　muddy　street　under　the　jeers　of　bad　little　boys。
That　was　very　much　her　situation。　She　knew　she　was　somewhere
in　the　neighbourhood　of　the　Virgin；　had　caught　the　roar　of　it；　and
was；　therefore；　asking　her　way。　This　is　a　small　part　of　what　she
heard　from　the　dancing　dories：

〃The　Virgin？　Fwhat　are　you　talkin'　of？　'This　is　Le
　

104　　Rudyard　Kipling

Have　on　a　Sunday　mornin'。　Go　home　an'　sober　up。〃

〃Go　home；　ye　tarrapin！　Go　home　an'　tell　'em　we're　comm。

Half　a　dozen　voices　together；　in　a　most　tuneful　chorus；　as　her　stern
went　down　with　a　roll　and　a　bubble　into　the　troughs：
〃Thay…aah…she…strikes！〃

〃Hard　up！　Hard　up　fer　your　life！　You're　on　top　of　her　now。〃

〃Daown！　Hard　daown！　Let　go　everything！〃

〃All　hands　to　the　pumps！〃

〃Daown　jib　an'　pole　her！〃

Here　the　skipper　lost　his　temper　and　said　things。　instantly　fishing
was　suspended　to　answer　him；　and　he　heard　many　curious　facts
about　his　boat　and　her　next　port　of　call。　They　asked　him　if　he　were
insured；　and　whence　he　had　stolen　his　anchor；　because；　they　said'　it
belonged　to　the　Carrie　Pitman；　they　called　his　boat　a　mud…scow；
and　accused　him　of　dumping　garbage　to　frighten　the　fish；　they
offered　to　tow　him　and　charge　it　to　his　wife；　and　one　audacious
youth　slipped　up　almost　under　the　counter；　smacked　it　with　his
open　palm；　and　yelled：　〃Gid　up；　Buck！〃

The　cook　emptied　a　pan　of　ashes　on　him；　and　he　replied　with
cod…heads。　The　bark's　crew　fired　small　coal　from　the　galley；　and
the　dories　threatened　to　come　aboard　and　〃razee〃　her。　They　would
have　warned　her　at　once　had　she　been　in　real　peril；　but；　seeing　her
well　clear　of　the　Virgin；　they　made　the　most　of　their　chances。　The
fun　was　spoilt　when　the　rock　spoke　again；　a　half…mile　to　windward；
and　the　tormented　bark　set　everything　that　would　draw　and　went
her　ways；　but　the　dories　felt　that　the　honours　lay　with　them。

All　that　night　the　Virgin　roared　hoarsely；　and　next　morning；　over
an　angry；　white…headed　sea；　Harvey　saw　the　Fleet　with　flickering
masts　waiting　for　a　lead。　Not　a　dory　was　hove　out　till　ten　o'clock；
when　the　two　Jeraulds　of　the　Day's　Eye；　imagining　a　lull　which　did
not　exist；　set　the　example。　In　a　minute　half　the　boats　were　out　and
bobbing　in　the　cockly　swells；　but　Troop　kept　the　We're　Heres　at
work　dressing　down。　He　saw　no　sense　in　〃dares〃；　and　as　the　storm
grew　that　evening　they　had　the　pleasure　of　receiving　wet　strangers
only　too　glad　to　make　any　refuge　in　the　gale。　The　boys　stood　by　the
dory…tackles　with　lanterns；　the　men　ready　to　haul；　one　eye　cocked
for　the　sweeping　wave　that　would　make　them　drop　everything　and
hold　on　for　dear　life。　Out　of　the　dark　would　come　a　yell　of　〃Dory；
dory！〃　They　would　hook　up　and　haul　in　a　drenched　man　and　a
half…sunk　boat；　till　their　decks　were　littered　down　with　nests　of
dories　and　the　bunks　were　full。　Five　times　in　their　watch　did
Harvey；　with　Dan；　jump　at　the　foregaff　where　it　lay　lashed　on　the
boom；　and　cling　with　arms；　legs；　and　teeth　to　rope　and　spar　and
sodden　canvas　as　a　big　wave　filled　the　decks。　One　dory　was
smashed　to　pieces；　and　the　sea　pitched　the　man　head　first　on　to　the
decks；　cutting　his　forehead　open；　and　about　dawn；　when　the　racing
seas　glimmered　white　all　along　their　cold　edges；　another　man；　blue
and　ghastly；　crawled　in　with　a　broken　hand；　asking　news　of　his
brother。　Seven　extra　mouths　sat　down　to　breakfast：　A　Swede；　a
Chatham　skipper；　a　boy　from　Hancock；　Maine；　one　Duxbury；　and
three　Provincetown　men。

There　was　a　general　sorting　out　among　the　Fleet　next　day；　and
though　no　one　said　anything；　all　ate　with　better　appetites　when
boat　after　boat　reported　full　crews　aboard。　Only　a　couple　of
Portuguese　and　an　old　man　from　Gloucester　were　drowned；　but
many　were　cut　or　bruised；　and　two　schooners　had　parted　their
tackle　and　been　blown　to　the　southward；　three　days'　sail。　A　man
died　on　a　Frenchman…it　was　the　same　bark　that　had　traded　tobacco
with　the　We're