captains courageous-第21部分

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cook　put　a　lighted　candle；　a　cake　of　flour　and　water；　and　a　pinch　of
salt　on　a　shingle；　and　floated　them　out　astern　to　keep　the
Frenchman　quiet　in　case　he　was　still　restless。　Dan　lit　the　candle
because　he　had　bought　the　belt；　and　the　cook　grunted　and　muttered
charms　as　long　as　be　could　see　the　ducking　point　of　flame。

Said　Harvey　to　Dan；　as　they　turned　in　after　watch：

〃How　about　progress　and　Catholic　superstitions？〃

〃Huh！　I　guess　I'm　as　enlightened　and　progressive　as　the　next　man；
but　when　it　comes　to　a　dead　St　Malo　deck…hand　scarin'　a　couple　o'
pore　boys　stiff　fer　the　sake　of　a　thirty…cent　knife；　why；　then；　the
cook　can　take　hold　fer　all　o'　me。　I　mistrust　furriners；　livin'　or
dead。〃

Next　morning　all；　except　the　cook；　were　rather　ashamed　of　the
ceremonies；　and　went　to　work　double　tides；　speaking　gruffly　to　one
another。

The　We're　Here　was　racing　neck　and　neck　for　her　last　few　loads
against　the　Parry　Norman；　and　so　close　was　the　struggle　that　the
Fleet　took　side　and　betted　tobacco。　All　hands　worked　at　the　lines
or　dressing…down　till　they　fell　asleep　where　they　stood…beginning
before　dawn　and　ending　when　it　was　too　dark　to　see。　They　even
used　the　cook　as　pitcher；　and　turned　Harvey　into　the　hold　to　pass
salt；　while　Dan　helped　to　dress　down。　　Luckily　a　Parry　Norman　man
sprained　his　ankle　falling　down　the　foc'sle；　and　the　We're　Heres
gained。　Harvey　could　not　see　how　one　more　fish　could　be
crammed　into　her；　but　Disko　and　Tom　Platt　stowed　and　stowed；　and
planked　the　mass　down　with　big　stones　from　the　ballast；　and　there
was　always　〃jest　another　day's　work。〃　Disko　did　not　tell　them　when
all　the　salt　was　wetted。　He　rolled　to　the　lazarette　aft　the　cabin　and
began　hauling　out　the　big　mainsail。　This　was　at　ten　in　the　morning。
The　riding…sail　was　down　and　the　main…　and　topsail　were　up　by
noon；　and　dories　came　alongside　with　letters　for　home；　envying
their　good　fortune。　At　last　she　cleared　decks；　hoisted　her　flag；…as　is
the　right　of　the　first　boat　off　the　Banks；…up~anchored；　and　began　to
move。　Disko　pretended　that　he　wished　to　accommodate　folk　who
had　not　sent　in　their　mail；　and　so　worked　her　gracefully　in　and　out
among　the　schooners。　In　reality；　that　was　his　little　triumphant
procession；　and　for　the　fifth　year　running　it　showed　what　kind　of
mariner　he　was。　Dan's　accordion　and　Tom　Platt's　fiddle　supplied
the　music　of　the　magic　verse　you　must　not　sing　till　all　the　salt　is
wet：

〃Hih！　Yih'。　Yoho！　Send　your　letters　raound！
All　our　salt　is　wetted；　an'　the　anchor's　off　the　graound！　　

Bend；　oh；　bend　your　mains'1；　we're　back　to　Yankeeland…
With　fifteen　hunder'　quintal；　
An'　fifteen　hunder'　quintal；　
'Teen　hunder'　toppin'　quintal；

'Twix'　old　'Queereau　an'　Grand。〃

　The　last　letters　pitched　on　deck　wrapped　round　pieces　of　coal；　and
the　Gloucester　men　shouted　messages　to　their　wives　and
womenfolks　and　owners；　while　the　We're　Here　finished　the
musical　ride　through　the　Fleet；　her　headsails　quivering　like　a　man's
hand　when　he　raises　it　to　say　good…by。

Harvey　very　soon　discovered　that　the　We're　Here；　with　her
riding…sail；　strolling　from　berth　to　berth；　and　the　We're　Here
headed　west　by　south　under　home　canvas；　were　two　very　different
boats。　There　was　a　bite　and　kick　to　the　wheel　even　in　〃boy's〃
weather；　he　could　feel　the　dead　weight　in　the　hold　flung　forward
mightily　across　the　surges；　and　the　streaming　line　of　bubbles
overside　made　his　eyes　dizzy。

Disko　kept　them　busy　fiddling　with　the　sails；　and　when　those　were
flattened　like　a　racing　yacht's；　Dan　had　to　wait　on　the　big　topsail；
which　was　put　over　by　hand　every　time　she　went　about。　In　spare
moments　they　pumped；　for　the　packed　fish　dripped　brine；　which
does　not　improve　a　cargo。　But　since　there　was　no　fishing；　Harvey
had　time　to　look　at　the　sea　from　another　point　of　view。　The；
low…sided　schooner　was　naturally　on　most　intimate　terms　with　her
surroundings。　They　saw　little　of　the　horizon　save　when　she　topped
a　swell；　and　usually　she　was　elbowing；　fidgeting；　and　coa'ing　
her　steadfast　way　through　gray；　gray…blue；　or　black　hollows　l
aced　across　and　across　with　streaks　of　shivering　foam；　or　
rubbing　herself　caressingly　along　the　flank　of　some　bigger　
water…hill。　It　was　as　if　she　said：　〃You　wouldn't　hurt　me；　surely？　
I'm　ouly　the　little　We're　Here。〃　Then　she　would　slide　away　
chuckling　softly　to　herself　till　she　was　brought　up　by　some
fresh　obstacle。　The　dullest　of　folk　cannot　see　this　kind　of　thing
hour　after　hour　through　long　days　without　noticing　it；　and　Harvey；
being　anything　but　dull；　began　to　comprehend　and　enjoy　the　dry
chorus　of　wave…tops　turning　over　with　a　sound　of　incessant





　CAPTAINS　COURAGEOUS　

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tearing；　the　hurry　of　the　winds　working　across　open　spaces　and
herding　the　purple…blue　cloud…shadows；　the　splendid　upheaval　of
the　red　sunrise；　the　folding　and　packing　away　of　the　morning
mists；　wall　after　wall　withdrawn　across　the　white　floors；　the　salty
glare　and　blaze　of　noon；　the　kiss　of　rain　falling　over　thousands　of
dead；　flat　square　miles；　the　chilly　blackening　of　everything　at　the
day's　end；　and　the　million　wrinkles　of　the　sea　under　the　moonlight；
when　the　jib…boom　solemnly　poked　at　the　low　stars；　and　Harvey
went　down　to　get　a　doughnut　from　the　cook。

But　the　best　fun　was　when　the　boys　were　put　on　the　wheel
together；　Tom　Platt　within　hail；　and　she　cuddled　her　lee…rail　down
to　the　crashing　blue；　and　kept　a　little　home…made　rainbow　arching
unbroken　over　her　windlass。　Then　the　jaws　of　the　booms　whined
against　the　masts；　and　the　sheets　creaked；　and　the　sails　filled　with
roaring；　and　when　she　slid　into　a　hollow　she　trampled　like　a
woman　tripped　in　her　own　silk　dress；　and　came　out；　her　jib　wet
half…way　up；　yearning　and　peering　for　the　tall　twin…lights　of
Thatcher's　Island。

They　left　the　cold　gray　of　the　Bank　sea；　saw　the　lumber…ships
making　for　Quebec　by　the　Straits　of　St。　Lawrence；　with　the　Jersey
salt…brigs　from　Spain　and　Sicily；　found　a　friendly　northeaster　off
Artimon　Bank　that　drove　them　within　view　of　the　East　light　of
Sable　Island；…a　sight　Disko　did　not　linger　over；…and　stayed　with
them　past　Western　and　Le　Have；　to　the　northern　fringe　of　George's。
From　there　they　picked　up　the　deeper　water；　and　let　her　go　merrily。

〃Hattie's　pulling　on　the　string；〃　Dan　confided　to　Harvey。　〃Hattie　an'
Ma。　Next　Sunday　you'll　be　hirin'　a　boy　to　throw　water　on　the
windows　to　make　ye　go　to　sleep。　'Guess　you'll　keep　with　us　till
your　folks　come。　Do　you　know　the　best　of　gettin'　ashore　again？〃

〃Hot　bath？〃　said　Harvey。　His　eyebrows　were　all　white　with　dried
spray。

〃That's　good；　but　a　night…shirt's　better。　I've　been　dreamin'　o'
night…shirts　ever　since　we　bent　our　mainsail。　Ye　can　wiggle　your
toes　then。　Ma'll　hev　a　new　one　fer　me；　all　washed　soft。　It's　home；
Harve。　It's　home！　Ye　can　sense　it　in　the　air。　We're　riurnin'　into　the
aidge　of　　a　hot　wave　naow；　an'　I　can　smell　the　bayberries。　Wonder　
if　we'll　get　in　fer　supper。　Port　a　trifle。〃

The　hesitating　sails　flapped　and　lurched　in　the　close　air　as　the　deep
smoothed　out；　blue　and　oily；　round　them。　When　they　whistled　for　a
wind　only　the　rain　came　in　spiky　rods；　bubbling　and　drumming；
and　behind　the　rain　the　thunder　and　the　lightning　of　mid…August。
They　lay　on　the　deck　with　bare　feet　and　arms；　telling　one　another
what　they　would　order　at　their　first　meal　ashore；　for　now　the　land
was　in　plain　sight。　A　Gloucester　swordfish…boat　drifted　alongside；
a　man　in　the　little　pulpit　on　the　bowsprit　flourished　his　harpoon；
his　bare　head　plastered　down　with　the　wet。　〃And　all's　well！〃　he
sang　cheerily；　as　though　he　were　watch　on　a　big　liner。
〃Wouverman's　waiting　fer　you；　Disko。　What's　the　news　o'　the
Fleet？〃

Disko　shouted　it　and　passed　on；　while　the　wild　summer　storm
pounded　overhead　and　the　lightning　flickered　along　the　capes　from
four　different　quarters　at　once。　It　gave　the　low　circle　of　hills　round
Gloucester　Harbor；　Ten　Pound　Island；　the　fish…sheds；　with　the
broken　line　of　house…roofs；　and　each　spar　and　buoy　on　the　water；　in
blinding　photographs　that　came　and　went　a　dozen　times　to　the
minute　as　the　We're　Here　crawled　in　on　half…flood；　and　the
whistling…buoy　moaned　and　mourned　behind　her。　Then　the　storm
died　out　in　long；　separated；　vicious　dags　of　blue…white　flame；
followed　by　a　single　roar　like　the　roar　of　a　mortar…battery；　and　the
shaken　air　tingled　under　the　stars　as　it　got　back　to　silence。

〃The　flag；　the　flag！〃　said　Disko；　suddenly；　pointing　upward。

〃What　is　Ut？〃　said　Long　Jack。

〃Otto！　Ha'af　mast。　They　can　see　us　frum　shore　now。〃

〃I'd　clean　forgot　He's　no　folk　to　Gloucester；　has　he？〃

〃Girl　he　was　goin'　to　be　married　to　this　fall。〃

〃Mary　pity　her！〃　said　Long　Jack；　and　lowered　the　little　flag
half…mast　for　the　sake　of　Otto；　swept　overboard　in　a　gale　off　Le
Have　three　months　before。

Disko　wiped　the　wet　from　his　eyes　and　led　the　We're　Here　to
Wouverman's　wharf；　giving　his　orders　in　whispers；　while　she
swung　round　moored　tugs　and　night…watchmen　hailed　her　from　the
ends　of　inky…black　piers。　Over　and　above　the　darkness　and　the　
mystery　of　the　procession；　Harvey　could　feel　the　land　close　round　
him　once　more；　with　all　its　thousands　of　people　asleep；　and　the　
smell　of　earth　after　rain；　and　the　familiar　noise　of　a　switching…engine　
coughing　to　herself　in　a　freight…yard；　and　all　those　things　made　his　
heart　beat　and　his　throat　dry　up　as　he　stood　by　the　foresheet。　They　
heard　the　anchor…watch　snoring　on　a　lighthouse…tug；　nosed　into　a　
pocket　of　darkness　where　a　lantern　glimmered　on　either　side；　
somebody　waked　with　a　grunt；　threw　them　a　rope；　and　they　made　
fast　to　a　silent　wharf　flanked　with　great　iron…roofed　sheds　fall　of　
warm　emptiness；　and　lay　there　without　a　sound。

Then　Harvey　sat　down　by　the　wheel；　and　sobbed　and　sobbed　as
though　his　heart　would　break；　and　a　tall　woman　who　had　been
sitting　on　a　weigh…scale　dropped　down　into　the　schooner　and
kissed　Dan　once　on　the　cheek；　for　she　was　his　mother；　and　she　had
seen　the　We~re　Here　by　the　lightning　flashes。　She　took　no　notice
of　Harvey　till　he　had　recovered　himself　a　little　and　Disko　had　told
her　his　story。　Then　they　went　to　Disko's　house　together　as　the　dawn
was　breaking；　and　until　the　telegraph　office　was　open　and　he　could
wire　his　folk