captains courageous-第2部分

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fro　beside　the　bunks。　The　place　was　packed　as　full　of　smells　as　a
bale　is　of　cotton。　The　oilskins　had　a　peculiarly　thick　flavor　of　their
own　which　made　a　sort　of　background　to　the　smells　of　fried　fish；
burnt　grease；　paint；　pepper；　and　stale　tobacco；　but　these；　again；
were　all　hooped　together　by　one　encircling　smell　of　ship　and　salt
water。　Harvey　saw　with　disgust　that　there　were　no　sheets　on　his
bed…place。　He　was　lying　on　a　piece　of　dingy　ticking　full　of　lumps
and　nubbles。　Then；　too；　the　boat's　motion　was　not　that　of　a
steamer。　She　was　neither　sliding　nor　rolling；　but　rather　wriggling
herself　about　in　a　silly；　aimless　way；　like　a　colt　at　the　end　of　a
halter。　Water…noises　ran　by　close　to　his　ear；　and　beams　creaked　and
whined　about　him。　All　these　things　made　him　grunt　despairingly
and　think　of　his　mother。

〃Feelin'　better？〃　said　the　boy；　with　a　grin。　〃。Hev　some　coffee？〃　He
brought　a　tin　cup　full　and　sweetened　it　with　molasses。

〃Isn't　there　milk？〃　said　Harvey；　looking　round　the　dark　double　tier
of　bunks　as　if　he　expected　to　find　a　cow　there。

〃Well；　no；〃　said　the　boy。　〃Ner　there　ain't　likely　to　be　till　'baout
mid…September。　'Tain't　bad　coffee。　I　made　it。'；

Harvey　drank　in　silence；　and　the　boy　handed　him　a　plate　full　of
pieces　of　crisp　fried　pork；　which　he　ate　ravenously。

〃I've　dried　your　clothes。　Guess　they've　shrunk　some；〃　said　the　boy。
〃They　ain't　our　style　much…none　of　'em。　Twist　round　an'　see　if
you're　hurt　any。〃

Harvey　stretched　himself　in　every　direction；　but　could　not　report
any　injuries。

〃That's　good；〃　the　boy　said　heartily。　〃Fix　yerself　an'　go　on　deck。
Dad　wants　to　see　you。　I'm　his　son；…Dan；　they　call　me；…an'　I'm　cook's
helper　an'　everything　else　aboard　that's　too　dirty　for　the　men。　There
ain't　no　boy　here　'cep'　me　sence　Otto　went　overboard…an'　he　was
only　a　Dutchy；　an'　twenty　year　old　at　that。　How　d'you　come　to　fall
off　in　a　dead　flat　ca'am？〃

〃'Twasn't　a　calm；〃　said　Harvey；　sulkily。　〃It　was　a　gale；　and　I　was
seasick。　Guess　I　must　have　rolled　over　the　rail。〃

〃There　was　a　little　common　swell　yes'day　an'　last　night；〃　said　the
boy。　〃But　ef　thet's　your　notion　of　a　gale〃　He　whistled。　〃You'll
know　more　'fore　you're　through。　Hurry！　Dad's　waitin'。〃

Like　many　other　unfortunate　young　people；　Harvey　had　never　in　all
his　life　received　a　direct　order…never；　at　least；　without　long；　and
sometimes　tearful；　explanations　of　the　advantages　of。　obedience
and　the　reasons　for　the　request。　Mrs。　Cheyne　lived　in　fear　of
breaking　his　spirit；　which；　perhaps；　was　the　reason　that　she　herself
walked　on　the　edge　of　nervous　prostration。　He　could　not　see　why
he　should　be　expected　to　hurry　for　any　man's　pleasure；　and　said　so。
〃Your　dad　can　come　down　here。　if　he's　so　anxious　to　talk　to　me。　I
want　him　to　take　me　to　New　York　right　away。　It'll　pay　him。〃

Dan　opened　his　eyes　as　the　size　and　beauty　of　this　joke　dawned　on
him。　〃Say；　Dad！〃　he　shouted　up　the　foc'sle　hatch；　〃he　says　you　kin
slip　down　an'　see　him　ef　you're　anxious　that　way。　'Hear；　Dad？〃

The　answer　came　back　in　the　deepest　voice　Harvey　had　ever　heard
from　a　human　chest：　〃Quit　foolin'；　Dan；　and　send　him　to　me。〃

Dan　sniggered；　and　threw　Harvey　his　warped　bicycle　shoes。　There
was　something　in　the　tones　on　the　deck　that　made　the　boy
dissemble　his　extreme　rage　and　console　himself　with　the　thought
of　gradually　unfolding　the　tale　of　his　own　and　his　father's　wealth
on　the　voyage　home。　This　rescue　would　certainly　make　him　a　hero
among　his　friends　for　life。　He　hoisted　himself　on　deck　up　a
perpendicular　ladder；　and　stumbled　aft；　over　a　score　of
obstructions；　to　where　a　small；　thick…set；　clean…shaven　man　with
gray　eyebrows　sat　on　a　step　that　led　up　to　the　quarter…deck。　The
swell　had　passed　in　the　night；　leaving　a　long；　oily　sea；　dotted　round
the　horizon　with　the　sails　of　a　dozen　fishing…boats。　Between　them
lay　little　black　specks；　showing　where　the　dories　were　out　fishing。
The　schooner；　with　a　triangular　riding…sail　on　the　mainmast；　played
easily　at　anchor；　and　except　for　the　man　by　the　cabin…roof　…〃house〃
they　call。　it…she　was　deserted。

〃Mornin'Good　afternoon；　I　should　say。　You've　nigh　slep'　the
clock　round；　young　feller；〃　was　the　greeting。

〃Mornin'；〃　said　Harvey。　He　did　not　like　being　called　〃young　feller〃；
and；　as　one　rescued　from　drowning；　expected　sympathy。　His
mother　suffered　agonies　whenever　he　got　his　feet　wet；　but　this
mariner　did　not　seem　excited。

〃Naow　let's　hear　all　abaout　it。　It's　quite　providential；　first　an'　last；
fer　all　concerned。　What　might　be　your　name？　Where　from　（we
mistrust　it's　Noo　York）；　an'　where　baound　（we　mistrust　it's
Europe）？〃

Harvey　gave　his　name；　the　name　of　the　steamer；　and　a　short　history
of　the　accident；　winding　up　with　a　demand　to　be　taken　back
immediately　to　New　York；　where　his　father　would　pay　anything
any　one　chose　to　name。

〃H'm；〃　said　the　shaven　man；　quite　unmoved　by　the　end　of　Harvey's
speech。　〃I　can't　say　we　think　special　of　any　man；　or　boy　even；　that
falls　overboard　from　that　kind　o'　packet　in　a　flat　ca'am。　Least　of　all
when　his　excuse　is　that　he's　seasick。〃

〃Excuse！〃　cried　Harvey。　〃D'you　suppose　I'd　fall　overboard　into
your　dirty　little　boat　for　fun？〃

〃Not　knowin'　what　your　notions　o'　fun　may　be；　I　can't　rightly　say；
young　feller。　But　if　I　was　you；　I　wouldn't　call　the　boat　which；　under
Providence；　was　the　means　o'　savin'　ye；　names。　In　the　first　place；
it's　blame　irreligious。　In　the　second；　it's　annoyin'　to　my　feelin's…an'
I'm　Disko　Troop　o'　the　We're　Here　o'　Gloucester；　which　you　don't
seem　rightly　to　know。〃

〃I　don't　know　and　I　don't　care；〃　said　Harvey。　〃I'm　grateful　enough
for　being　saved　and　all　that；　of　course！　but　I　want　you　to
understand　that　the　sooner　you　take　me　back　to　New　York　the
better　it'll　pay　you。〃

〃Meanin'…haow？〃　Troop　raised　one　shaggy　eyebrow　over　a
suspiciously　mild　blue　eye。

〃Dollars　and　cents；〃　said　Harvey；　delighted　to　think　that　he　was
making　an　impression。　〃Cold　dollars　and　cents。〃　He　thrust　a　hand
into　a　pocket；　and　threw　out　his　stomach　a　little；　which　was　his
way　of　being　grand。　〃You've　done　the　best　day's　work　you　ever　did
in　your　life　when　you　pulled　me　in。　I'm　all　the　son　Harvey　Cheyne
has。〃

〃He's　bin　favoured；〃　said　Disko；　dryly。

〃And　if　you　don't　know　who　Harvey　Cheyne　is；　you　don't　know
much…that's　all。　Now　turn　her　around　and　let's　hurry。〃

Harvey　had　a　notion　that　the　greater　part　of　America　was　filled
with　people　discussing　and　envying　his　father's　dollars。

〃Mebbe　I　do；　an'　mebbe　I　don't。　Take　a　reef　in　your　stummick；
young　feller。　It's　full　o'　my　vittles。〃

Harvey　heard　a　chuckle　from　Dan；　who　was　pretending　to　be　busy
by　the　stump…foremast；　and　blood　rushed　to　his　face。　〃We'll　pay　for
that　too；〃　he　said。　〃When　do　you　suppose　we　shall　get　to　New
York？〃

〃I　don't　use　Noo　York　any。　Ner　Boston。　We　may　see　Eastern　Point
about　September；　an'　your　pa…I'm　real　sorry　I　hain't　heerd　tell　of
him…may　give　me　ten　dollars　efter　all　your　talk。　Then　o'　course　he
mayn't。〃

〃Ten　dollars！　Why；　see　here；　I…〃　Harvey　dived　into　his　pocket　for
the　wad　of　bills。　All　he　brought　up　was　a　soggy　packet　of
cigarettes。

〃Not　lawful　currency；　an'　bad　for　the　lungs。　Heave　'em　overboard；
young　feller；　and　try　agin。〃

〃It's　been　stolen！〃　cried　Harvey；　hotly。

〃You'll　hev　to　wait　till　you　see　your　pa　to　reward　me；　then？〃

〃A　hundred　and　thirty…four　dollars…all　stolen；〃　said　Harvey；　hunting
wildly　through　his　pockets。　〃Give　them　back。〃

A　curious　change　flitted　across　old　Troop's　hard　face。　〃What　might
you　have　been　doin'　at　your　time　o'　life　with　one　hundred　an'　thirty…
four　dollars；　young　feller？〃

〃It　was　part　of　my　pocket…money…for　a　month。〃　This　Harvey
thought　would　be　a　knock…down　blow；　and　it　wasindirectly。

〃Oh！　One　hundred　and　thirty…four　dollars　is　only　part　of　his　pocket…
moneyfor　one　month　only！　You　don't　remember　hittin'　anything
when　you　fell　over；　do　you？　Crack　agin　a　stanchion；　le's　say。　Old
man　Hasken　o'　the　East　Wind〃Troop　seemed　to　be　talking　to
himself〃he　tripped　on　a　hatch　an'　butted　the　mainmast　with　his
headhardish。　'Baout　three　weeks　afterwards；　old　man　Hasken　he
would　hev　it　that　the　East　Wind　was　a　commerce…destroyin'　man…
o'…war；　　　an'　so　he　declared　war　on　Sable　Island　because　it　was
Bridish；　an'　the　shoals　run　aout　too　far。　They　sewed　him　up　in　a
bed…bag；　his　head　an'　feet　appearin'；　fer　the　rest　o'　the　trip；　an；　now
he's　to　home　in　Essex　playin'　with　little　rag　dolls。〃

Harvey　choked　with　rage；　but　Troop　went　on　consolingly：　〃We're
sorry　fer　you。　We're　very　sorry　fer　you…an'　so　young。　We　won't　say
no　more　abaout　the　money；　I　guess。〃

〃'Course　you　won't。　You　stole　it。〃

〃Suit　yourself。　We　stole　it　ef　it's　any　comfort　to　you。　Naow；　abaout
goin'　back。　Allowin'　we　could　do　it；　which　we　can't；　you　ain't　in　no
fit　state　to　go　back　to　your　home；　an'　we've　jest　come　on　to　the
Banks；　workin'　fer　our　bread。　We　don't　see　the　ha'af　of　a　hundred
dollars　a　month；　let　alone　pocket…money；　an'　with　good　luck　we'll
be　ashore　again　somewheres　abaout　the　first　weeks　o'　September。〃

〃But…but　it's　May　now；　and　I　can't　stay　here　doin'　nothing　just
because　you　want　to　fish。　I　can't；　I　tell　you！〃

〃Right　an'　jest；　jest　an'　right。　No　one　asks　you　to　do　nothin'。　There's
a　heap　as　you　can　do；　for　Otto　he　went　overboard　on　Le　Have。　I
mistrust　he　lost　his　grip　in　a　gale　we　fund　there。　Anyways；　he　never
come　back　to　deny　it。　You've　turned　up；　plain；　plumb　providential
for　all　concerned。　I　mistrust；　though；　there's　ruther　few　things　you
kin　do。　Ain't　thet　so？〃

〃I　can　make　it　lively　for　you　and　your　crowd　when　we　get　ashore；〃
said　Harvey；　with　a　vicious　nod；　murmuring　vague　threats　about
〃piracy；〃　at　which　Troop　almost　…not　quitsmiled。

〃Excep'　talk。　I'd　forgot　that。　You　ain't　asked　to　talk　more'n　you've　a
mind　to　aboard　the　We're　Here。　Keep　your　eyes　open；　an'　help　Dan
to　do　ez　he's　bid；　an'　sechlike；　an'　I'll　give　you…you　ain't　wuth　it；　but
I'll　giveten　an'　a　ha'af　a　month；　say　thirty…five　at　the　end　o'　the
trip。　A　little　work　will　ease　up　your　head；　and　you　kin　tell　us　all
abaout　your　dad　an'　your　ma　an'　your　money　afterwards。〃

〃She's　on　the　steamer；〃　said　Harvey；　his　eyes　flling　with　tears。
〃Take　me　to　New　York　at　once。〃

〃Poor　womanpoor　woman