captains courageous-第25部分

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that　morning；　was　executing　a　war…dance　on　deck。　〃Tom；　Tom！〃　he
whispered　down　the　hatch。　〃His　folks　has　come；　an'　Dad　hain't
caught　on　yet；　an'　they're　pow…wowin'　in　the　cabin。　She's　a　daisy；
an'　he's　all　Harve　claimed　he　was；　by　the　looks　of　him。〃

〃Howly　Smoke！〃　said　Long　Jack；　climbing　out　covered　with　salt
and　fish…skin。　〃D'ye　belave　his　tale　av　the　kid　an'　the　little
four…horse　rig　was　thrue？〃

〃I　knew　it　all　along；〃　said　Dan。　〃Come　an'　see　Dad　mistook　in　his
judgments。〃

They　came　delightedly；　just　in　time　to　hear　Cheyne　say：　〃I'm　glad　he　
has　a　good　character；　because…he's　my　son。〃

Disko's　jaw　fell；…Long　Jack　always　vowed　that　he　heard　the　click
of　it；…and　he　stared　alternately　at　the　man　and　the　woman。

〃I　got　his　telegram　in　San　Diego　four　days　ago；　and　we　came　over。〃

〃In　a　private　car？〃　said　Dan。　〃He　said　ye　might。〃

〃In　a　private　car；　of　course。〃

Dan　looked　at　his　father　with　a　hurricane　of　irreverent　winks。

〃There　was　a　tale　he　told　us　av　drivin'　four　little　ponies　in　a　rig　av
his　own；〃　said　Long　Jack。　〃Was　that　thrue　now？〃

〃Very　likely；〃　said　Cheyne。　〃Was　it；　Mama？〃

〃He　had　a　little　drag　when　we　were　in　Toledo；　I　think；〃　said　the
mother。

Long　Jack　whistled。　〃Oh；　Disko！〃　said　he；　and　that　was　all。

〃I　wuz…I　am　mistook　in　my　jedgments…worse'n　the　men　o'
Marblehead；〃　said　Disko；　as　though　the　words　were　being
windlassed　out　of　him。　〃I　don't　mind　ownin'　to　you；　Mr。　Cheyne；　as
I　mistrusted　the　boy　to　he　crary。　He　talked　kinder　odd　about
money。〃

〃So　he　told　me。〃

〃Did　he　tell　ye　anything　else？　'Cause　I　pounded　him　once。〃　This
with　a　somewhat　anxious　glance　at　Mrs。　Cheyne。

〃Oh；　yes；〃　Cheyne　replied。　〃I　should　say　it　probably　did　him　more
good　than　anything　else　in　the　world。〃

〃I　jedged　'twuz　necessary；　er　I　wouldn't　ha'　done　it。　I　don't　want　you
to　think　we　abuse　our　boys　any　on　this　packet。〃

〃I　don't　think　you　do；　Mr。　Troop。〃

Mrs。　Cheyne　had　been　looking　at　the　faces…Disko's　ivory…yellow；
hairless；　iron　countenance；　Uncle　Salters's；　with　its　rim　of
agricultural　hair；　Penn's　bewildered　simplicity；　Manuel's　quiet
smile；　Long　Jack's　grin　of　delight；　and　Tom　Platt's　scar。　Rough；　by
her　standards；　they　certainly　were；　but　she　had　a　mother's　wits　in
her　eyes；　and　she　rose　with　out…stretched　hands。　　

〃Oh；　tell　me；　which　is　who？〃　said　she；　half　sobbing。　〃I　want　to
thank　you　and　bless　you…all　of　you。〃

〃Faith；　that　pays　me　a　hunder　time；〃　said　Long　Jack。

Disko　introduced　them　all　in　due　form。　The　captain　of　an　old…time
Chinaman　could　have　done　no　better；　and　Mrs。　Cheyne　babbled
incoherently。　She　nearly　threw　herself　into　Manuel's　arms　when
she　understood　that　he　had　first　found　Harvey。

〃But　how　shall　I　leave　him　dreeft？〃　said　poor　Manuel。　〃What　do
you　yourself　if　you　find　him　so？　Eh；　wha…at？　We　are　in　one　good
boy；　and　I　am　ever　so　pleased　he　come　to　be　your　son。〃

〃And　he　told　me　Dan　was　his　partner！〃　she　cried。　Dan　was　already
sufficiently　pink；　but　he　turned　a　rich　crimson　when　Mrs。　Cheyne
kissed　him　on　both　cheeks　before　the　assembly。　Then　they　led　her
forward　to　show　her　the　foc'sle；　at　which　she　wept　again；　and　must
needs　go　down　to　see　Harvey's　identical　bunk；　and　there　she　found
the　nigger　cook　cleaning　up　the　stove；　and　he　nodded　as　though
she　were　some　one　he　had　expected　to　meet　for　years。　They　tried；
two　at　a　time；　to　explain　the　boat's　daily　life　to　her；　and　she　sat　by
the　pawl…post；　her　gloved　hands　on　the　greasy　table；　laughing　with
trembling　lips　and　crying　with　dancing　eyes。

〃And　who's　ever　to　use　the　We're　Here　after　this？〃　said　Long　Jack
to　Tom　Platt。　〃I　feel　as　if　she'd　made　a　cathedral　av　ut　all。〃

〃Cathedral！〃　sneered　Tom　Platt。　〃Oh；　if　it　had　bin　even　the　Fish
C'mmission　boat　instid　of　this　bally…hoo　o'　blazes。　If　we　only　hed
some　decency　an'　order　an'　side…boys　when　she　goes　over！　She'll
have　to　climb　that　ladder　like　a　hen；　an'　we…we　ought　to　be　mannin'
the　yards！〃

〃Then　Harvey　was　not　mad；〃　said　Penn；　slowly；　to　Cheyne。

〃No；　indeed…thank　God；〃　the　big　millionaire　replied；　stooping
down　tenderly。

〃It　must　be　terrible　to　be　mad。　Except　to　lose　your　child；　I　do　not
know　anything　more　terrible。　But　your　child　has　come　back？　Let　us
thank　God　for　that。〃

〃Hello！〃　cried　Harvey；　looking　down　upon　them　benignly　from　the
wharf。

〃I　wuz　mistook；　Harve。　I　wuz　mistook；〃　said　Disko；　swiftly；
holding　up　a　hand。　〃I　wuz　mistook　in　my　jedgments。　Ye　needn't
rub　in　any　more。〃

〃Guess　I'll　take　care　o'　that；〃　said　Dan；　under　his　breath。

〃You'll　be　goin'　off　naow；　won't　ye？〃

〃Well；　not　without　the　balance　of　my　wages；　'less　you　want　to　have
the　We're　Here　attached。〃

〃Thet's　so；　I'd　clean　forgot〃；　and　he　counted　out　the　remaining
dollars。　〃You　done　all　you　contracted　to　do；　Harve；　and　you　done　it
'baout's　well　as　if　you'd　been　brought　up…〃　Here　Disko　brought
himself　up。　He　did　not　quite　see　where　the　sentence　was　going　to
end。

〃Outside　of　a　private　car？〃　suggested　Dan；　wickedly。

〃Come　on；　and　I'll　show　her　to　you；〃　said　Harvey。

Cheyne　stayed　to　talk　with　Disko；　but　the　others　made　a
procession　to　the　depot；　with　Mrs。　Cheyne　at　the　head。　The　French
maid　shrieked　at　the　invasion；　and　Harvey　laid　the　glories　of　the
〃Constance〃　before　them　without　a　word。　They　took　them　in　in
equal　silence…stamped　leather；　silver　door…handles　and　rails；　cut
velvet；　plate…glass；　nickel；　bronze；　hammered　iron；　and　the　rare
woods　of　the　continent　inlaid。

〃I　told　you；〃　said　Harvey；　〃I　told　you。〃　This　was　his　crowning
revenge；　and　a　most　ample　one。

Mrs。　Cheyne　decreed　a　meal；　and　that　nothing　might　be　lacking　to
the　tale　Long　Jack　told　afterwards　in　his　boarding…house；　she
waited　on　them　herself。　Men　who　are　accustomed　to　eat　at　tiny
tables　in　howling　gales　have　curiously　neat　and　finished　manners；
but　Mrs。　Cheyne；　who　did　not　know　this；　was　surprised。　She
longed　to　have　Manuel　for　a　butler；　so　silently　and　easily　did　he
comport　himself　among　the　frail　glassware　and　dainty　silver。　Tom
Platt　remembered　the　great　days　on　the　Ohio　and　the　manners　of
foreign　potentates　who　dined　with　the　officers；　and　Long　Jack；
being　Irish；　supplied　the　small　talk　till　all　were　at　their　ease。

In　the　We're　Here's　cabin　the　fathers　took　stock　of　each　other
behind　their　cigars。　Cheyne　knew　well　enough　when　he　dealt　with
a　man　to　whom　he　could　not　offer　money；　equally　well　he　knew
that　no　money　could　pay　for　what　Disko　had　done。　He　kept　his　
own　counsel　and　waited　for　an　opening。

〃I　hevn't　done　anything　to　your　boy　or　fer　your　boy　excep'　make
him　work　a　piece　an'　learn　him　how　to　handle　the　hog…yoke；〃　said
Disko。　〃He　has　twice　my　boy's　head　for　figgers。〃

〃By　the　way；〃　Cheyne　answered　casually；　〃what　d'you　calculate　to
make　of　your　boy？〃

Disko　removed　his　cigar　and　waved　it　comprehensively　round　the
cabin。　〃Dan's　jest　plain　boy；　an'　he　don't　allow　me　to　do　any　of　his
thinkin'。　He'll　hev　this　able　little　packet　when　I'm　laid　by。　He　ain't
noways　anxious　to　quit　the　business。　I　know　that。〃

〃Mmm！　'Ever　been　West；　Mr。　Troop？〃

'Bin's　fer　ez　Noo　York　once　in　a　boat。　I've　no　use　for　railroads。　No
more　hez　Dan。　Salt　water's　good　enough　fer　the　Troops。　I've　been
'most　everywhere…in　the　nat'ral　way；　o'　course。〃

〃I　can　give　him　all　the　salt　water　he's　likely　to　need…till　he's　a
skipper。〃

〃Haow's　that？　I　thought　you　wuz　a　kinder　railroad　king。　Harve　told
me　so　when…I　was　mistook　in　my　jedgments。〃

〃We're　all　apt　to　be　mistaken。　I　fancied　perhaps　you　might　know　I
own　a　line　of　tea…clippers~an　Francisco　to　Yokohama…six　of
'em…iron…built；　about　seventeen　hundred　and　eighty　tons　apiece。

〃Blame　that　boy！　He　never　told。　I'd　ha'　listened　to　that；　instid　o'　his
truck　abaout　railroads　an'　ponycarriages。〃

〃He　dldn't　know。〃

〃'Little　thing　like　that　slipped　his　mind；　I　guess。〃

〃No；　I　only　capt…took　hold　of　the　'Blue　M。'　freighters　…Morgan　
and　McQuade's　old　lin~this　summer。〃　Disko　collapsed　where　he　
sat；　beside　the　stove。

〃Great　Caesar　Almighty！　I　mistrust　I've　been　fooled　from　one　end
to　the　other。　Why；　Phil　Airheart　he　went　from　this　very　town　six
year　back…no；　seven…an'　he's　mate　on　the　San　Jose　now…twenty…six
days　was　her　time　out。　His　sister　she's　livin'　here　yet；　an'　she　reads
his　letters　to　my　woman。　An'　you　own　the　'Blue　M。'　freighters？〃

　Cheyne　nodded。

〃If　I'd　known　that　I'd　ha'　jerked　the　We're　Here　back　to　port　all
standin'；　on　the　word。〃

〃Perhaps　that　wouldn't　have　been　so　good　for　Harvey。〃

〃If　I'd　only　known！　If　he'd　only　said　about　the　cussed　Line；　I'd　ha'
understood！　I'll　never　stand　on　my　own　jedgments　again…never。
They're　well…found　packets。　Phil　Airheart　he　says　so。〃

〃I'm　glad　to　have　a　recommend　from　that　quarter。　Airheart's
skipper　of　the　San　Jose　now。　What　I　was　getting　at　is　to　know
whether　you'd　lend　me　Dan　for　a　year　or　two；　and　we'll　see　if　we
can't　make　a　mate　of　him。　Would　you　trust　him　to　Airheart？〃

〃It's　a　resk　taking　a　raw　boy〃

〃I　know　a　man　who　did　more　for　me。〃

〃That's　diff'runt。　Look　at　here　naow；　I　ain't　recommendin'　Dan
special　because　he's　my　own　flesh　an'　blood。　I　know　Bank　ways
ain't　clipper　ways；　but　he　hain't　much　to　learn。　Steer　he　can…no　boy
better；　if　I　say　it…an'　the　rest's　in　our　blood　an'　get；　but　I　could　wish
he　warn't　so　cussed　weak　on　navigation。〃

〃Airheart　will　attend　to　that。　He'll　ship　as　boy　for　a　voyage　or　two；
and　then　we　can　put　him　in　the　way　of　doing　better。　Suppose　you
take　him　in　hand　this　winter；　and　I'll　send　for　him　early　in　the
spring。　I　know　the　Pacific's　a　long　ways　off

〃Pshaw！　We　Troops；　livin'　an'　dead；　are　all　around　the　earth　an'　the
seas　thereof。〃

〃But　I　want　you　to　understand…and　I　mean　this…any　time　you　think
you'd　like　to　see　him；　tell　me；　and　I'll　attend　to　the　transportation。
'Twon't　cost　you　a　cent。〃

〃If　you'll　walk　a　piece　with　me；　we'll　go　to　my　house　an'　talk　this
to　my　woman。　I've　bin　so　crazy　mistook　in　all　my　jedgments；　it
don't　seem　to　me　this　was　like　to　be　real。〃

They　went　blue…trimmed　of　nasturtiums　over　to　Troop's
eighteen…hundred…dollar；　white　house；　with　a　retired　dory　full　in
the　front　yard　and　a　shuttered　parlour　which　was　a　museum　of
oversea　plunder。　There　sat　a　large　woman；　silent　and　grave；　with
the　dim　eyes　of　those　who　look