adventure(冒险)-第15部分
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therea rough crowd。 They planned to get his head。 The son of their
chief； old One…Eyed Billy； had recruited on Lunga and died of dysentery。
That meant that a white man's head was owing to Suuany white man； it
didn't matter who so long as they got the head。 And Young was only a
lad； and they made sure to get his easily。 They decoyed his whale…boat
ashore with a promise of recruits； and killed all hands。 At the same
instant； the Suu gang that was on board the Minerva jumped Young。 He
was just preparing a dynamite stick for fish； and he lighted it and tossed it
in amongst them。 One can't get him to talk about it； but the fuse was
short； the survivors leaped overboard； while he slipped his anchor and got
away。 They've got one hundred fathoms of shell money on his head now；
which is worth one hundred pounds sterling。 Yet he goes into Suu
regularly。 He was there a short time ago； returning thirty boys from Cape
Marshthat's the Fulcrum Brothers' plantation。〃
〃At any rate； his news to…night has given me a better insight into the
life down here；〃 Joan said。 〃And it is colourful life； to say the least。
The Solomons ought to be printed red on the chartsand yellow； too； for
the diseases。〃
〃The Solomons are not always like this；〃 Sheldon answered。 〃Of
course； Berande is the worst plantation； and everything it gets is the worst。
I doubt if ever there was a worse run of sickness than we were just getting
over when you arrived。 Just as luck would have it； the Jessie caught the
contagion as well。 Berande has been very unfortunate。 All the old…
timers shake their heads at it。 They say it has what you Americans call a
hoodoo on it。〃
〃Berande will succeed；〃 Joan said stoutly。 〃I like to laugh at
superstition。 You'll pull through and come out the big end of the horn。
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The ill luck can't last for ever。 I am afraid； though； the Solomons is not a
white man's climate。〃
〃It will be； though。 Give us fifty years； and when all the bush is
cleared off back to the mountains； fever will be stamped out； everything
will be far healthier。 There will be cities and towns here； for there's an
immense amount of good land going to waste。〃
〃But it will never become a white man's climate； in spite of all that；〃
Joan reiterated。 〃The white man will always be unable to perform the
manual labour。〃
〃That is true。〃
〃It will mean slavery；〃 she dashed on。
〃Yes； like all the tropics。 The black； the brown； and the yellow will
have to do the work； managed by the white men。 The black labour is too
wasteful； however； and in time Chinese or Indian coolies will be imported。
The planters are already considering the matter。 I； for one； am heartily
sick of black labour。〃
〃Then the blacks will die off？〃
Sheldon shrugged his shoulders； and retorted； …
〃Yes； like the North American Indian； who was a far nobler type than
the Melanesian。 The world is only so large； you know； and it is filling
up〃
〃And the unfit must perish？〃
〃Precisely so。 The unfit must perish。〃
In the morning Joan was roused by a great row and hullabaloo。 Her
first act was to reach for her revolver； but when she heard Noa Noah； who
was on guard； laughing outside； she knew there was no danger； and went
out to see the fun。 Captain Young had landed Satan at the moment when
the bridge…building gang had started along the beach。 Satan was big and
black； short…haired and muscular； and weighed fully seventy pounds。 He
did not love the blacks。 Tommy Jones had trained him well； tying him up
daily for several hours and telling off one or two black boys at a time to
tease him。 So Satan had it in for the whole black race； and the second
after he landed on the beach the bridge…building gang was stampeding
over the compound fence and swarming up the cocoanut palms。
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〃Good morning；〃 Sheldon called from the veranda。 〃And what do
you think of the nigger…chaser？〃
〃I'm thinking we have a task before us to train him in to the house…
boys；〃 she called back。
〃And to your Tahitians； too。 Look out； Noah！ Run for it！〃
Satan； having satisfied himself that the tree…perches were unassailable；
was charging straight for the big Tahitian。
But Noah stood his ground； though somewhat irresolutely； and Satan；
to every one's surprise； danced and frisked about him with laughing eyes
and wagging tail。
〃Now； that is what I might call a proper dog；〃 was Joan's comment。
〃He is at least wiser than you； Mr。 Sheldon。 He didn't require any
teaching to recognize the difference between a Tahitian and a black boy。
What do you think； Noah？ Why don't he bite you？ He savvee you
Tahitian eh？〃
Noa Noah shook his head and grinned。
〃He no savvee me Tahitian；〃 he explained。 〃He savvee me wear
pants all the same white man。〃
〃You'll have to give him a course in 'Sartor Resartus；'〃 Sheldon
laughed； as he came down and began to make friends with Satan。
It chanced just then that Adamu Adam and Matauare； two of Joan's
sailors； entered the compound from the far side…gate。 They had been
down to the Balesuna making an alligator trap； and； instead of trousers；
were clad in lava…lavas that flapped gracefully about their stalwart limbs。
Satan saw them； and advertised his find by breaking away from Sheldon's
hands and charging。
〃No got pants；〃 Noah announced with a grin that broadened as Adamu
Adam took to flight。
He climbed up the platform that supported the galvanized iron tanks
which held the water collected from the roof。 Foiled here； Satan turned
and charged back on Matauare。
〃Run； Matauare！ Run！〃 Joan called。
But he held his ground and waited the dog。
〃He is the Fearless Onethat is what his name means；〃 Joan explained
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to Sheldon。
The Tahitian watched Satan coolly； and when that sanguine…mouthed
creature lifted into the air in the final leap； the man's hand shot out。 It
was a fair grip on the lower jaw； and Satan described a half circle and was
flung to the rear； turning over in the air and falling heavily on his back。
Three times he leaped； and three times that grip on his jaw flung him to
defeat。 Then he contented himself with trotting at Matauare's heels；
eyeing him and sniffing him suspiciously。
〃It's all right； Satan； it's all right；〃 Sheldon assured him。 〃That good
fella belong along me。〃
But Satan dogged the Tahitian's movements for a full hour before he
made up his mind that the man was an appurtenance of the place。 Then he
turned his attention to the three house…boys； cornering Ornfiri in the
kitchen and rushing him against the hot stove； stripping the lava…lava from
Lalaperu when that excited youth climbed a veranda…post； and following
Viaburi on top the billiard… table； where the battle raged until Joan
managed a rescue。
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CHAPTER IXAS BETWEEN A
MAN AND A WOMAN
It was Satan's inexhaustible energy and good spirits that most
impressed them。 His teeth seemed perpetually to ache with desire； and in
lieu of black legs he husked the cocoanuts that fell from the trees in the
compound； kept the enclosure clear of intruding hens； and made a hostile
acquaintance with every boss…boy who came to report。 He was unable to
forget the torment of his puppyhood； wherein everlasting hatred of the
black had been woven into the fibres of consciousness； and such a terror
did he make himself that Sheldon was forced to shut him up in the living
room when； for any reason； strange natives were permitted in the
compound。 This always hurt Satan's feelings and fanned his wrath； so
that even the house…boys had to watch out for him when he was first
released。
Christian Young sailed away in the Minerva； carrying an invitation
（that would be delivered nobody knew when） to Tommy Jones to drop in
at Berande the next time he was passing。
〃What are your plans when you get to Sydney？〃 Sheldon asked； that
night； at dinner。
〃First I've heard that I'm going to Sydney；〃 Joan retorted。 〃I suppose
you've received information； by bush…telegraph； that that third assistant
understrapper and ex…sailorman at Tulagi is going to deport me as an
undesirable immigrant。〃
〃Oh； no； nothing of the sort； I assure you；〃 Sheldon began with
awkward haste； fearf
