captains courageous-第22部分

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was　breaking；　and　until　the　telegraph　office　was　open　and　he　could
wire　his　folk；　Harvey　Cheyne　was　perhaps　the　loneliest　boy　in　all
America。　But　the　curious　thing　was　that　Disko　and　Dan　seemed　to
think　none　the　worse　of　him　for　crying。

Wouverman　was　not　ready　for　Disko's　prices　till　Disko；　sure　that
the　We're　Here　was　at　least　a　week　ahead　of　any　other　Gloucester
boat；　had　given　him　a　few　days　to　swallow　them；　so　all　hands
played　about　the　streets；　and　Long　Jack　stopped　the　Rocky　Neck
trolley；　on　principle；　as　be　said；　till　the　conductor　let　him　ride　free。
But　Dan　went　about　with　his　freckled　nose　in　the　air；　bung…full　of
mystery　and　most　haughty　to　his　family。

〃Dan；　I'll　hev　to　lay　inter　you　ef　you　act　this　way；〃　said　Troop；
pensively。　〃Sence　we've　come　ashore　this　time　you've　bin　a　heap
too　fresh。〃

〃I'd　lay　into　him　naow　ef　he　was　mine；〃　said　Uncle　Salters；　sourly。
He　and　Penn　boarded　with　the　Troops。

〃Oho！〃　said　Dan；　shuffling　with　the　accordion　round　the　backyard；
ready　to　leap　the　fence　if　the　enemy　advanced。　〃Dan；　you're　
welcome　to　your　own　judgment；　but　remember　I've　warned　ye。　
Your　own　flesh　an'　blood　ha'　warned　ye！　'Tain't　any　o'　my　fault　
ef　you're　mistook；　but　I'll　be　on　deck　to　watch　ye　An'　ez　fer　yeou；　
Uncle　Salters；　Pharaoh's　chief　butler　ain't　in　it　'longside　o'　you！　
You　watch　aout　an'　wak。　You'll　be　plowed　under　like　your　own　
blamed　clover；　but　me…Dan　Troop…I'll　flourish
like　a　green　bay…tree　because　I　warn't　stuck　on　my　own　opinion。〃

Disko　was　smoking　in　all　his　shore　dignity　and　a　pair　of　beautiful
carpet…slippers。　〃You're　gettin'　ez　crazy　as　poor　Harve。　You　two　go
araound　gigglin'　an'　squinchin'　an'　kickin'　each　other　under　the
table　till　there's　no　peace　in　the　haouse；〃　said　he。

〃There's　goin'　to　be　a　heap　less…fer　some　folks；〃　Dan　replied。　〃You
wait　an'　see。〃

He　and　Harvey　went　out　on　the　trolley　to　East　Gloucester；　where
they　tramped　through　the　bayberry　bushes　to　the　lighthouse；　and
lay　down　on　the　big　red　boulders　and　laughed　themselves　hungry。
Harvey　had　shown　Dan　a　telegram；　and　the　two　swore　to　keep
silence　till　the　shell　burst

〃Harve's　folk？〃　said　Dan；　with　an　unruffled　face　after　supper。
〃Well；　I　guess　they　don't　amount　to　much　of　anything；　or　we'd　ha'
heard　from　'em　by　naow。　His　pop　keeps　a　kind　o'　store　out　West。
Maybe　he'll　give　you　's　much　as　five　dollars；　Dad。〃

〃What　did　I　tell　ye？〃　said　Salters。　〃Don't　sputter　over　your　vittles；
Dan。〃　　　　

CHAPTER　IX

Whatever　his　private　sorrows　may　be；　a　multimillionaire；　like　any
other　workingman；　should　keep　abreast　of　his　business。　Harvey
Cheyne；　senior；　had　gone　East　late　in　June　to　meet　a　woman
broken　down；　hall　mad；　who　dreamed　day　and　night　of　her　son
drowning　in　the　gray　seas。　He　had　surrounded　her　'with　doctors；
trained　nurses；　massage…women；　and　even　faith…cure　companions；
but　they　were　useless。　Mrs。　Cheyne　lay　still　and　moaned；　or　talked
of　her　boy　by　the　hour　together　to　any　one　who　would　listen。　Hope
she　had　none；　and　who　could　offer　it？　All　she　needed　was
assurance　that　drowning　did　not　hurt；　and　her　husband　watched　to
guard　lest　she　should　make　the　experiment。　Of　his　own　sorrow　he
spoke　little…hardly　realized　the　depth　of　it　till　he　caught　himself
ask'ng　the　calendar　on　his　writing…desk；　〃What's　the　use　of　going
on？〃

There　had　always　lain　a　pleasant　notion　at　the　back　of　his　head
that；　some　day；　when　he　had　rounded　off　everything　and　the　boy
had　left　college；　he　would　take　his　son　to　his　heart　and　lead　him
into　his　possessions。　Then　that　boy；　he　argued；　as　busy　fathers　do；
would　instantly　become　his　companion；　partner；　and　ally；　and　there
would　follow　splendid　years　of　great　works　carried　out
together…the　old　head　backing　the　young　fire。　Now　his　boy　was
dead…lost　at　sea；　as　it　might　have　been　a　Swede　sailor　from　one　of
Cheyne's　big　teaships；　the　wife　dying；　or　worse；　he　himself　was
trodden　down　by　platoons　of　women　and　doctors　and　maids　and
attendants；　worried　almost　beyond　endurance　by　the　shift　and
change　of　her　poor　restless　whims；　hopeless；　with　no　heart　to　meet
his　many　enemies。

He　had　taken　the　wife　to　his　raw　new　palace　in　San　Diego；　where　
she　and　her　people　occupied　a　wing　of　great　price；
and　Cheyne；　in　a　veranda…room；　between　a　secretary　and　a
typewriter；　who　was　also　a　telegraphist；　toiled　along　wearily　from
day　to　day。　There　was　a　war　of　rates　among　four　Western　railroads
in　which　he　was　supposed　to　be　interested；　a　devastating　strike　had
developed　in　his　lumber　camps　in　Oregon；　and　the　legislature　of
the　State　of　California；　which　has　no　love　for　its　makers；　was
preparing　open　war　against　him。

Ordinarily　he　would　have　accepted　battle　ere　it　was　offered；　and
have　waged　a　pleasant　and　unscrupulous　campaign。　But　now　he　sat
limply；　his　soft　black　hat　pushed　forward　on　to　his　nose；　his　big
body　shrunk　inside　his　loose　clothes；　staring　at　his　boots　or　the
Chinese　junks　in　the　bay；　and　assenting　absently　to　the　secretary's
questions　as　he　opened　the　Saturday　mail。

Cheyne　was　wondering　how　much　it　would　cost　to　drop　everything
and　pull　out。　He　carried　huge　insurances；　could　buy　himself　royal
annuities；　and　between　one　of　his　places　in　Colorado　and　a　little
society　（that　would　do　the　wife　good）；　say　in　Washington　and　the
South　Carolina　islands；　a　man　might　forget　plans　that　had　come　to
nothing。　On　the　other　hand

The　click　of　the　typewriter　stopped；　the　girl　was　looking　at　the
secretary；　who　had　turned　white。

He　passed　Cheyne　a　telegram　repeated　from　San　Francisco：

　Picked　up　by　fishing　schooner　We're　Here　having　fallen　off　boat
great　times　on　Banks　fishing　all　well　waiting　Gloucester　Mass　care
Disko　Troop　for　money　or　orders　wire　what　shall　do　and　how　is
Mama　Harvey　N。　Cheyne。

　The　father　let　it　fall；　laid　his　head　down　on　the　roller…top　of　the
shut　desk；　and　breathed　heavily。　The　secretary　ran　for　Mrs。
Cheyne's　doctor　who　found　Cheyne　pacing　to　and　fro。

'~What…what　d'　you　think　of　it？　Is　it　possible？　Is　there　any　meaning
to　it？　I　can't　quite　make　it　out；〃　he　cried。

〃I　can；〃　said　the　doctor。　〃I　lose　seven　thousand　a　year…that's　all。〃　He　
thought　of　the　struggling　New　York　practice　he　had　dropped　at　
Cheyne's　imperious　bidding；　and　returned　the　telegram　with　a　sigh。

〃You　mean　you'd　tell　her？　'May　be　a　fraud？〃

〃What's　the　motive？〃　said　the　doctor；　coolly。　〃Detection's　too
certain。　It's　the　boy　sure　enough。〃

Enter　a　French　maid；　impudently；　as　an　indispensable　one　who　is
kept　on　only　by　large　wages。

〃Mrs。　Cheyne　she　say　you　must　come　at　once。　She　think　you　are
seek。〃

The　master　of　thirty　millions　bowed　his　head　meekly　and　followed
Suzanne；　and　a　thin；　high　voice　on　the　upper　landing　of　the　great
white…wood　square　staircase　cried：　〃What　is　it？　What　has
happened？〃

No　doors　could　keep　out　the　shriek　that　rang　through　the　echoing
house　a　moment　later；　when　her　husband　blurted　out　the　news。

〃And　that's　all　right；〃　said　the　doctor；　serenely；　to　the　typewriter。
〃About　the　only　medical　statement　in　novels　with　any　truth　to　it　is
that　joy　don't　kill；　Miss　Kinzey。〃

〃I　know　it；　but　we've　a　heap　to　do　first。〃　Miss　Kinzey　was　from
Milwaukee；　somewhat　direct　of　speech；　and　as　her　fancy　leaned
towards　the　secretary；　she　divined　there　was　work　in　hand。　He　was
looking　earnestly　at　the　vast　roller…map　of　America　on　the　wall。

〃Milsom；　we're　going　right　across。　Private　car…straight
through…Boston。　Fix　the　connections；〃　shouted　Cheyne　down　the
staircase。

〃I　thought　so。〃

The　secretary　turned　to　the　typewriter；　and　their　eyes　met　（out　of
that　was　born　a　story…nothing　to　do　with　this　story）。　She　looked
inquiringly；　doubtful　of　his　resources。　He　signed　to　her　to　move　to
the　Morse　as　a　general　brings　brigades　into　action。　Then　he　swept
his　hand　musician…wise　through　his　hair；　regarded　the　ceiling；　and
set　to　work；　while　Miss　Kinzey's　white　fingers　called　up　the
Continent　of　America。

〃K。　H。　Wade；　Los　Angeles　The　'Constance'　is　at　Los　Angeles；　isn't
she；　Miss　Kinzey？〃

〃Yep。〃　Miss　Kinzey　nodded　between　clicks　as　the　secretary　looked
at　his　watch。　　

〃Ready？　Send　'Constance；'　private　car；　here；　and　arrange　for
special　to　leave　here　Sunday　in　time　to　connect　with　New　York
Limited　at　Sixteenth　Street；　Chicago；　Tuesday　next。〃

Click~lick~lick！　〃Couldn't　you　better　that？〃

〃Not　on　those　grades。　That　gives　'em　sixty　hours　from　here　to
Chicago。　They　won't　gain　anything　by　taking　a　special　east　of　that。
Ready？　Also　arrange　with　Lake　Shore　and　Michigan　Southern　to
take　'Constance'　on　New　York　Central　and　Hudson　River　Buffalo
to　Albany；　and　B。　and　A。　the　same　Albany　to　Boston。　Indispensable
I　should　reach　Boston　Wednesday　evening。　Be　sure　nothing
prevents。　Have　also　wired　Canniff；　Toucey；　and　Barnes。　Sign；
Cheyne。〃

Miss　Kinzey　nodded；　and　the　secretary　went　on。

〃Now　then。　Canniff；　Toucey；　and　Barnes；　of　course。　Ready？
Canniff；　Chicago。　Please　take　my　private　car　'Constance'　from
Santa　Fe'　at　Sixteenth　Street　next　Tuesday　p。　m。　on　N。　Y。　Limited
through　to　Buffalo　and　deliver　N。　Y。　C。　for　Albany。…Ever　bin　to　N'
York；　Miss　Kinzey？　We'll　go　some　day。…Ready？　Take　car　Buffalo
to　Albany　on　Limited　Tuesday　p。　m。　That's　for　Toucey。〃

〃Haven't　bin　to　Noo　York；　but　I　know　that！〃　with　a　toss　of　the
head。

〃Beg　pardon。　Now；　Boston　and　Albany；　Barnes；　same　instructions
from　Albany　through　to　Boston。　Leave　three…five　P。　M。　（you
needn't　wire　that）；　arrive　nine…five　P。　M。　Wednesday。　That　covers
everything　Wade　will　do；　but　it　pays　to　shake　up　the　managers。〃

〃It's　great；〃　said　Miss　Kinzey；　with　a　look　of　admiration。　This　was
the　kind　of　man　she　understood　and　appreciated。

'Tisn't　bad；〃　said　Milsom；　modestly。　〃Now；　any　one　but　me　would
have　lost　thirty　hours　and　spent　a　week　working　out　the　run；
instead　of　handing　him　over　to　the　Santa　Fe'　straight　through　to
Chicago。〃

〃But　see　here；　about　that　Noo　York　Limited。　Chauncey　Depew
himself　couldn't　hitch　his　car　to　her；〃　Miss　Kinzey　suggested；
recovering　herself。

〃Yes；　but　this　isn't　Chauncey。　It's　Cheynelightiiing。　It　goes。〃

　〃Even　so。　Guess　we'd　better　wire　the　boy。　You've　forgotten　that；
anyhow。〃

〃I'll　ask。〃

When　he　returned　with　the　father's　message　bidding　Harvey　meet
them　in　Boston　at　an　appoi