captains courageous-第24部分

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eighty…seven　hours　and　thirty…five　minutes；　or　three　days；　fifteen
hours　and　one　half。　Harvey　was　waiting　for　them。

　Alter　violent　emotion　most　people　and　all　boys　demand　food。
They　feasted　the　returned　prodigal　behind　drawn　curtains；　cut　off
in　their　great　happiness；　while　the　trains　roared　in　and　out　around
them。　Harvey　ate；　drank；　and　enlarged　on　his　adventures　all　in　one
breath；　and　when　he　had　a　hand　free　his　mother　fondled　it。　His
voice　was　thickened　with　living　in　the　open；　salt　air；　his　palms
were　rough　and　hard；　his　wrists　dotted　with　marks　of　gurrysores；
and　a　fine　full　flavour　of　codfish　hung　round　rubber　boots　and　blue
jersey。　　

The　father；　well　used　to　judging　men；　looked　at　him　keenly。　He　did
not　know　what　enduring　harm　the　boy　might　have　taken。　Indeed；
he　caught　himself　thinking　that　he　knew　very　little　whatever　of　his
son；　but　he　distinctly　remembered　an　unsatisfied；　dough…faced
youth　who　took　delight　in　〃calling　down　the　old　man；〃　and
reducing　his　mother　to　tears…such　a　person　as　adds　to　the　gaiety　of
public　rooms　and　hotel　piazzas；　where　the　ingenuous　young　of　the
wealthy　play　with　or　revile　the　bell…boys。　But　this　well　set…up
fisher…youth　did　not　wriggle；　looked　at　him　with　eyes　steady；　clear；
and　unflinching；　and　spoke　in　a　tone　distinctly；　even　startlingly；
respectful。　There　was　that　in　his　voice；　too；　which　seemed　to
promise　that　the　change　might　be　permanent；　and　that　the　new
Harvey　had　come　to　stay。

〃Some　one's　been　coercing　him；〃　thought　Cheyne。　〃Now
Constance　would　never　have　allowed　that。　Don't　see　as　Europe
could　have　done　it　any　better。〃

〃But　why　didn't　you　tell　this　man；　Troop；　who　you　were？〃　the
mother　repeated；　when　Harvey　had　expanded　his　story　at　least
twice。

〃Disko　Troop；　dear。　The　best　man　that　ever　walked　a　deck。　I　don't
care　who　the　next　is。〃

〃Why　didn't　you　tell　him　to　put　you　ashore？　You　know　Papa　would
have　made　it　up　to　him　ten　times　over。〃

〃I　know　it；　but　he　thought　I　was　crazy。　I'm　afraid　I　called　him　a
thief　because　I　couldn't　find　the　bills　in　my　pocket。〃

〃A　sailor　found　them　by　the　flagstaff　that…that　night；〃　sobbed　Mrs。
Cheyne。

〃That　explains　it；　then。　I　don't　blame　Troop　any。　I　just　said　I
wouldn't　work…on　a　Banker；　tooand　of　course　he　hit　me　on　the
nose；　and　oh！　I　bled　like　a　stuck　hog。〃

〃My　poor　darling！　They　must　have　abused　you　horribly。〃

〃Dunno　quite。　Well；　after　that；　I　saw　a　light。〃

Cheyne　slapped　his　leg　and　chuckled。　This　was　going　to　be　a　boy
after　his　own　hungry　heart。　He　had　never　seen　precisely　that
twinkle　in　Harvey's　eye　before。

〃And　the　old　man　gave　me　ten　and　a　half　a　month；　he's　paid　me
half　now；　and　I　took　hold　with　Dan　and　pitched　right　in。　I　can't　do　
a　man's　work　yet。　But　I　can　handle　a　dory　'most　as　well　as　Dan；　
and　I　don't　get　rattled　in　a　fog…much；　and　I　can　take　my　trick　in　
light　winds…that's　steering；　dear…and　I　can　'most　bait　up　a　trawl；　
and　I　know　my　ropes；　of　course；　and　I　can　pitch　fish　till　the　cows　
come　home；　and　I'm　great　on　old　Josephus；　and　I'll　show　you　how　
I　can　clear　coffee　with　a　piece　of　fish…skin；　and…I　think　I'll　have　
another　cup；　please。　Say；　you've　no　notion　what　a　heap　of　work　
there　is　in　ten　and　a　half　a　month！〃　　　

〃I　began　with　eight　and　a　half；　my　son；〃　said　Cheyne。　　　

'That　so？　You　never　told　me；　sir。〃　　　

〃You　never　asked；　Harve。　I'll　tell　you　about　it　some　day；　if　you　care
to　listen。　Try　a　stuffed　olive。〃

〃Troop　says　the　most　interesting　thing　in　the　world　is　to　find　out　how　the
next　man　gets　his　vittles。　It's　　great　to　have　a　trimmed…up　meal　again。　W
e　were　well　fed；　though。　But　mug　on　the　Banks。　Disko　fed　us　first…class。
He's　a　great　man。And　Dan…that's　his　son…Dan's　my　partner。　And
there's　Uncle　Salters　and　his　manures；　an'　he　reads　Josephus。　He's
sure　I'm　crazy　yet。　And　there's　poor　little　Penn；　and　he　is　crazy。
You　mustn't　talk　to　him　about　Johnstown；　because…

And；　oh；　you　must　know　Tom　Platt　and　Long　Jack　and　Manuel。
Manuel　saved　my　life。　I'm　sorry　he's　a　Portuguee。　He　can't　talk
much；　but　he's　an　everlasting　musk　ian。　He　found　me　struck　
adrift　and　drifting；　and　hauied　me　in。〃　　　

〃I　wonder　your　nervous　system　isn't　completely　wrecked；〃　said
Mrs。　Cheyne。　　　

〃What　for；　Mama？　I　worked　like　a　horse　and　I　ate　like　a　hog　and　I
slept　like　a　dead　man。〃　　　

That　was　too　much　for　Mrs。　Cheyne；　who　began　to　think　of　her
visions　of　a　corpse　rocking　on　the　salty　seas。　She　went　to　her
stateroom；　and　Harvey　curled　up　beside　his　father；　explaining　
his　indebteeiness。　　　

〃You　can　depend　upon　me　to　do　everything　I　can　for　the　crowd；
Harve。　They　seem　to　be　good　men　on　your　showing。〃　　　

〃Best　in　the　Fleet；　sir。　Ask　at　Gloucester；〃　said　Harvey。　〃But　Disko
believes　still　he's　cured　me　of　being　crazy。　Dan's　the　only　one　I've
let　on　to　about　you；　and　our　private　cars　and　all　the　rest　of　it；　and　
I'm　not　quite　sure　Dan　believes。　I　want　to　paralyze　'em　to…morrow。　
Say；　can't　they　run　the　'Constance'　over　to　Gloucester？　Mama　don't　
look　fit　to　be　moved；　anyway；　and　we're　bound　to　finish　cleaning　
out　by　tomorrow。　Wouverman　takes　our　fish。　You　see；　we're　the　
first　off　the　Banks　this　season；　and　it's　four　twenty…five　a　quintal。　
We　held　out　till　he　paid　it。　They　want　it　quick。〃

〃You　mean　you'll　have　to　work　to…morrow；　then？〃

〃I　told　Troop　I　would。　I'm　on　the　scales。　I've　brought　the　tallies
with　me。〃　He　looked　at　the　greasy　notebook　with　an　air　of
importance　that　made　his　father　choke。　〃There　isn't　but　three…
no…two　ninety…four　or　five　quintal　more　by　my　reckoning。〃

〃Hire　a　substitute；〃　suggested　Cheyne；　to　see　what　Harvey　would
say。

〃Can't；　sir。　I'm　tally…man　for　the　schooner。　Troop　says　I've　a　better
head　for　figures　than　Dan。　Troop's　a　mighty　just　man。〃

〃Well；　suppose　I　don't　move　the　'Constance'　to…night；　how'll　you　fix
it？〃

Harvey　looked　at　the　clock；　which　marked　twenty　past　eleven。

〃Then　I'll　sleep　here　till　three　and　catch　the　four　o'clock　freight。
They　let　us　men　from　the　Fleet　ride　free　as　a　rule。〃

〃That's　a　notion。　But　I　think　we　can　get　the　'Constance'　around
about　as　soon　as　your　men's　freight。　Better　go　to　bed　now。〃

Harvey　spread　himself　on　the　sofa；　kicked　off　his　boots；　and　was
asleep　before　his　father　could　shade　the　electrics。　Cheyne　sat
watching　the　young　face　under　the　shadow　of　the　arm　thrown　over
the　forehead；　and　among　many　things　that　occurred　to　him　was　the
notion　that　he　might　perhaps　have　been　neglectful　as　a　father。

〃One　never　knows　when　one's　taking　one's　biggest　risks；〃　he　said。
〃It　might　have　been　worse　than　drowning；　but　I　don't　think　it　has…I
don't　think　it　has。　If　it　hasn't；　I　haven't　enough　to　pay　Troop；　that's
all；　and　I　don't　think　it　has。〃

Morning　brought　a　fresh　sea　breeze　through　the　windows；　the
〃Constance〃　was　side…tracked　among　freight…cars　at　Gloucester；　
and　Harvey　had　gone　to　his　business。

〃Then　he'll　fall　overboard　again　and　he　drowned；〃　the　mother　said
bitterly。

〃We'll　go　and　look；　ready　to　throw　him　a　rope　m　case。　You've
never　seen　him　working　for　his　bread；〃　said　the　father。

〃What　nonsense！　As　if　any　one　expected

〃Well；　the　man　that　hired　him　did。　He's　about　right；　too。〃

They　went　down　between　the　stores　full　of　fishermen's　oilskins　to
Wouverman's　wharf　where　the　We're　Here　rode　high；　her　Bank　flag
still　flying；　all　hands　busy　as　beavers　in　the　glorious　morning　light。
Disko　stood　by　the　main　hatch　superintending　Manuel；　Penn；　and
Uncle　Salters　at　the　tackle。　Dan　was　swinging　the　loaded　baskets
inboard　as　Long　Jack　and　Tom　Platt　filled　them；　and　Harvey；　with
a　notebook；　represented　the　skipper's　interests　before　the　clerk　of
the　scales　on　the　salt…sprinkled　wharf…edge。

〃Ready！〃　cried　the　voices　below。　〃Haul！〃　cried　Disko。　〃Hi！〃　said
Manuel。　〃Here！〃　said　Dan；　swinging　the　basket。　Then　they　heard
Harvey's　voice；　clear　and　fresh；　checking　the　weights。

The　last　of　the　fish　had　been　whipped　out；　and　Harvey　leaped　from
the　string…piece　six　feet　to　a　ratline；　as　the　shortest　way　to　hand
Disko　the　tally；　shouting；　〃Two　ninety…seven；　and　an　empty　hold！〃

〃What's　the　total；　Harve？〃　said　Disko。

〃Eight　sixty…five。　Three　thousand　six　hundred　and　seventy…six
dollars　and　a　quarter。　'Wish　I'd　share　as　well　as　wage。〃

〃Well；　I　won't　go　so　far　as　to　say　you　hevn't　deserved　it；　Harve。
Don't　you　want　to　slip　up　to　Wouverman's　office　and　take　him　our
tallies？〃

〃Who's　that　boy？〃　said　Cheyne　to　Dan；　well　used　to　all　manner　of
questions　from　those　idle　imbeciles　called　summer　boarders。

〃Well；　he's　kind　o'　supercargo；〃　was　the　answer。　〃We　picked　him
up　struck　adrift　on　the　Banks。　Fell　overboard　from　a　liner；　he　sez。
He　was　a　passenger。　He's　by　way　o'　hem'　a　fisherman　now。〃

〃Is　he　worth　his　keep？〃　　

〃Ye…ep。　Dad；　this　man　wants　to　know　ef　Harve's　worth　his　keep。
Say；　would　you　like　to　go　aboard？　We'll　fix　up　a　ladder　for　her。〃

〃I　should　very　much；　indeed。　'Twon't　hurt　you；　Mama；　and　you'll　be
able　to　see　for　yourself。〃

The　woman　who　could　not　lift　her　head　a　week　ago　scrambled
down　the　ladder；　and　stood　aghast　amid　the　mess　and　tangle　aft。

〃Be　you　anyways　interested　in　Harve？〃　said　Disko。

〃Well；　ye…es。〃

〃He's　a　good　boy；　an'　ketches　right　hold　jest　as　he's　bid。　You've
heard　haow　we　found　him？　He　was　sufferin'　from　nervous
prostration；　I　guess；　'r　else　his　head　had　hit　somethin'；　when　we
hauled　him　aboard。　He's　all　over　that　naow。　Yes；　this　is　the　cabin。
'Tain't　in　order；　but　you're　quite　welcome　to　look　araound。　Those
are　his　figures　on　the　stove…pipe；　where　we　keep　the　reckonin'　
mosdy。〃

〃Did　he　sleep　here？〃　said　Mrs。　Cheyne；　sitting　on　a　yellow　locker
and　surveying　the　disorderly　bunks。

〃No。　He　berthed　forward；　madam；　an'　only　fer　him　an'　my　boy
hookin'　fried　pies　an　muggin'　up　when　they　ought　to　ha'　been
asleep；　I　dunno　as　I've　any　special　fault　to　find　with　him。〃

〃There　weren't　nothin'　wrong　with　Harve；〃　said　Uncle　Salters；
descending　the　steps。　〃He　hung　my　boots　on　the　main…truck；　and　he
ain't　over　an'　above　respectful　to　such　as　knows　more'n　he　do；
specially　about　farmin'；　but　he　were　mostly　misled　by　Dan。〃

Dan　in　the　meantime；　profiting　by　dark　hints　from　Harvey　early
that　morning；　was　executing　a　war…dance　on　deck。　〃Tom；　Tom！〃　he
whispered　down　the