adventure(冒险)-第20部分
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〃They're gone up the Balesuna； shooting fish；〃 he explained。 〃But
there comes Oleson with his boat's…crew。 He's an old war…horse when he
gets started。 See him banging the boys。 They don't pull fast enough for
him。〃
〃And now what's to be done？〃 she asked。 〃You've treed your game；
but you can't keep it treed。〃
〃No； but I can teach them a lesson。〃
Sheldon walked over to the big bell。
〃It is all right；〃 he replied to her gesture of protest。 〃My boys are
practically all bushmen； while these chaps are salt…water men； and there's
no love lost between them。 You watch the fun。〃
He rang a general call； and by the time the two hundred labourers
trooped into the compound Satan was once more penned in the living…
room； complaining to high heaven at his abominable treatment。 The
plantation hands were dancing war…dances around the base of every tree
and filling the air with abuse and vituperation of their hereditary enemies。
The skipper of the Flibberty…Gibbet arrived in the thick of it； in the first
throes of oncoming fever； staggering as he walked； and shivering so
severely that he could scarcely hold the rifle he carried。 His face was
ghastly blue； his teeth clicked and chattered； and the violent sunshine
through which he walked could not warm him。
〃I'll s…s…sit down； and k…k…keep a guard on 'em；〃 he chattered。 〃D…d…
dash it all； I always g…get f…fever when there's any excitement。 W…w…wh…
what are you going to do？〃
〃Gather up the guns first of all。〃
Under Sheldon's direction the house…boys and gang…bosses collected
the scattered arms and piled them in a heap on the veranda。 The modern
rifles； stolen from Lunga； Sheldon set aside； the Sniders he smashed into
fragments； the pile of spears； clubs； and tomahawks he presented to Joan。
〃A really unique addition to your collection；〃 he smiled； 〃picked up
right on the battlefield。〃
Down on the beach he built a bonfire out of the contents of the canoes；
his blacks smashing； breaking； and looting everything they laid hands on。
The canoes themselves； splintered and broken； filled with sand and coral…
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boulders； were towed out to ten fathoms of water and sunk。
〃Ten fathoms will be deep enough for them to work in；〃 Sheldon said；
as they walked back to the compound。
Here a Saturnalia had broken loose。 The war…songs and dances were
more unrestrained； and； from abuse； the plantation blacks had turned to
pelting their helpless foes with pieces of wood； handfuls of pebbles； and
chunks of coral…rock。 And the seventy…five lusty cannibals clung
stoically to their tree…perches； enduring the rain of missiles and snarling
down promises of vengeance。
〃There'll be wars for forty years on Malaita on account of this；〃
Sheldon laughed。 〃But I always fancy old Telepasse will never again
attempt to rush a plantation。〃
〃Eh； you old scoundrel；〃 he added； turning to the old chief； who sat
gibbering in impotent rage at the foot of the steps。 〃Now head belong
you bang 'm too。 Come on； Miss Lackland； bang 'm just once。 It will be
the crowning indignity。〃
〃Ugh； he's too dirty。 I'd rather give him a bath。 Here； you； Adamu
Adam； give this devil…devil a wash。 Soap and water！ Fill that wash…tub。
Ornfiri； run and fetch 'm scrub…brush。〃
The Tahitians； back from their fishing and grinning at the bedlam of
the compound； entered into the joke。
〃Tambo！ Tambo！〃 shrieked the cannibals from the trees； appalled at
so awful a desecration； as they saw their chief tumbled into the tub and the
sacred dirt rubbed and soused from his body。
Joan； who had gone into the bungalow； tossed down a strip of white
calico； in which old Telepasse was promptly wrapped； and he stood forth；
resplendent and purified； withal he still spat and strangled from the soap…
suds with which Noa Noah had gargled his throat。
The house…boys were directed to fetch handcuffs； and； one by one； the
Lunga runaways were haled down out of their trees and made fast。
Sheldon ironed them in pairs； and ran a steel chain through the links of the
irons。 Gogoomy was given a lecture for his mutinous conduct and
locked up for the afternoon。 Then Sheldon rewarded the plantation hands
with an afternoon's holiday； and； when they had withdrawn from the
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compound； permitted the Port Adams men to descend from the trees。
And all afternoon he and Joan loafed in the cool of the veranda and
watched them diving down and emptying their sunken canoes of the sand
and rocks。 It was twilight when they embarked and paddled away with a
few broken paddles。 A breeze had sprung up； and the Flibberty…Gibbet
had already sailed for Lunga to return the runaways。
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CHAPTER XIIMR。 MORGAN
AND MR。 RAFF
Sheldon was back in the plantation superintending the building of a
bridge； when the schooner Malakula ran in close and dropped anchor。 Joan
watched the taking in of sail and the swinging out of the boat with a
sailor's interest； and herself met the two men who came ashore。 While
one of the house…boys ran to fetch Sheldon； she had the visitors served
with whisky and soda； and sat and talked with them。
They seemed awkward and constrained in her presence； and she
caught first one and then the other looking at her with secret curiosity。 She
felt that they were weighing her； appraising her； and for the first time the
anomalous position she occupied on Berande sank sharply home to her。
On the other hand； they puzzled her。 They were neither traders nor
sailors of any type she had known。 Nor did they talk like gentlemen；
despite the fact that there was nothing offensive in their bearing and that
the veneer of ordinary social nicety was theirs。 Undoubtedly； they were
men of affairs business men of a sort； but what affairs should they have
in the Solomons； and what business on Berande？ The elder one； Morgan；
was a huge man； bronzed and moustached； with a deep bass voice and an
almost guttural speech； and the other； Raff； was slight and effeminate； with
nervous hands and watery； washed…out gray eyes； who spoke with a faint
indefinable accent that was hauntingly reminiscent of the Cockney； and
that was yet not Cockney of any brand she had ever encountered。
Whatever they were； they were self…made men； she concluded； and she felt
the impulse to shudder at thought of falling into their hands in a business
way。 There； they would be merciless。
She watched Sheldon closely when he arrived； and divined that he was
not particularly delighted to see them。 But see them he must； and so
pressing was the need that； after a little perfunctory general conversation；
he led the two men into the stuffy office。 Later in the afternoon； she asked
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Lalaperu where they had gone。
〃My word；〃 quoth Lalaperu； 〃plenty walk about； plenty look 'm。 Look
'm tree； look 'm ground belong tree； look 'm all fella bridge； look 'm copra…
house； look 'm grass…land； look 'm river； look 'm whale…boatmy word；
plenty big fella look 'm too much。〃
〃What fella man them two fella？〃 she queried。
〃Big fella marster along white man；〃 was the extent of his description。
But Joan decided that they were men of importance in the Solomons；
and that their examination of the plantation and of its accounts was of
sinister significance。
At dinner no word was dropped that gave a hint of their errand。 The
conversation was on general topics； but Joan could not help noticing the
troubled； absent expression that occasionally came into Sheldon's eyes。
After coffee； she left them； and at midnight； from across the compound；
she could hear the low murmur of their voices and see glowing the fiery
ends of their cigars。 Up early herself； she found they had already
departed on another tramp over the plantation。
〃What you think？〃 she asked Viaburi。
〃Sheldon marster he go along finish short time little bit；〃 was the
answer。
〃What you think？〃 she asked Ornfiri。
〃Sheldon marster big fella walk about along Sydney。 Yes； me t'ink so。
He finish along Berande。〃
All day the examination of the plantation and the discussion went on；
and
