the night-born-第16部分
按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
wings。
。 。 。 。 。 。
When young Winn reefed down so suddenly； he received a
surprise。 It was his first trial of the new device； and while
he was prepared for increased speed he was not prepared for
such an astonishing increase。 It was better than he dreamed；
and； before he knew it； he was hard upon the pigeon。 That
little creature； frightened by this； the most monstrous hawk it
had ever seen； immediately darted upward； after the manner of
pigeons that strive always to rise above a hawk。
In great curves the monoplane followed upward； higher and
higher into the blue。 It was difficult； from underneath to see
the pigeon。 and young Winn dared not lose it from his sight。 He
even shook out his reefs in order to rise more quickly。 Up； up
they went； until the pigeon； true to its instinct； dropped and
struck at what it to be the back of its pursuing enemy。 Once
was enough； for； evidently finding no life in the smooth cloth
surface of the machine； it ceased soaring and straightened out
on its eastward course。
A carrier pigeon on a passage can achieve a high rate of speed；
and Winn reefed again。 And again； to his satisfaction； be found
that he was beating the pigeon。 But this time he quickly shook
out a portion of his reefed sustaining surface and slowed down
in time。 From then on he knew he had the chase safely in hand；
and from then on a chant rose to his lips which he continued to
sing at intervals； and unconsciously； for the rest of the
passage。 It was： 〃Going some； going some； what did I tell
you！going some。〃
Even so； it was not all plain sailing。 The air is an unstable
medium at best； and quite without warning； at an acute angle；
he entered an aerial tide which he recognized as the gulf
stream of wind that poured through the drafty…mouthed Golden
Gate。 His right wing caught it firsta sudden； sharp puff that
lifted and tilted the monoplane and threatened to capsize it。
But he rode with a sensitive 〃loose curb；〃 and quickly； but not
too quickly； he shifted the angles of his wing…tips； depressed
the front horizontal rudder； and swung over the rear vertical
rudder to meet the tilting thrust of the wind。 As the machine
came back to an even keel； and he knew that he was now wholly
in the invisible stream； he readjusted the wing…tips； rapidly
away from him during the several moments of his discomfiture。
The pigeon drove straight on for the Alameda County shore； and
it was near this shore that Winn had another experience。 He
fell into an air…hole。 He had fallen into air…holes before； in
previous flights； but this was a far larger one than he had
ever encountered。 With his eyes strained on the ribbon attached
to the pigeon； by that fluttering bit of color he marked his
fall。 Down he went； at the pit of his stomach that old sink
sensation which he had known as a boy he first negotiated
quick…starting elevators。 But Winn； among other secrets of
aviation； had learned that to go up it was sometimes necessary
first to go down。 The air had refused to hold him。 Instead of
struggling futilely and perilously against this lack of
sustension； he yielded to it。 With steady head and hand； he
depressed the forward horizontal rudderjust recklessly enough
and not a fraction moreand the monoplane dived head foremost
and sharply down the void。 It was falling with the keenness of
a knife…blade。 Every instant the speed accelerated frightfully。
Thus he accumulated the momentum that would save him。 But few
instants were required； when； abruptly shifting the double
horizontal rudders forward and astern； he shot upward on the
tense and straining plane and out of the pit。
At an altitude of five hundred feet； the pigeon drove on over
the town of Berkeley and lifted its flight to the Contra Costa
hills。 Young Winn noted the campus and buildings of the
University of Californiahis universityas he rose after the
pigeon。
Once more； on these Contra Costa hills； he early came to grief。
The pigeon was now flying low； and where a grove of eucalyptus
presented a solid front to the wind； the bird was suddenly sent
fluttering wildly upward for a distance of a hundred feet。 Winn
knew what it meant。 It had been caught in an air…surf that beat
upward hundreds of feet where the fresh west wind smote the
upstanding wall of the grove。 He reefed hastily to the
uttermost； and at the same time depressed the angle of his
flight to meet that upward surge。 Nevertheless； the monoplane
was tossed fully three hundred feet before the danger was left
astern。
Two or more ranges of hills the pigeon crossed； and then Winn
saw it dropping down to a landing where a small cabin stood in
a hillside clearing。 He blessed that clearing。 Not only was it
good for alighting； but； on account of the steepness of the
slope； it was just the thing for rising again into the air。
A man； reading a newspaper； had just started up at the sight of
the returning pigeon； when be heard the burr of Winn's engine
and saw the huge monoplane； with all surfaces set； drop down
upon him； stop suddenly on an air…cushion manufactured on the
spur of the moment by a shift of the horizontal rudders； glide
a few yards； strike ground； and come to rest not a score of
feet away from him。 But when he saw a young man； calmly sitting
in the machine and leveling a pistol at him； the man turned to
run。 Before he could make the comer of the cabin； a bullet
through the leg brought him down in a sprawling fall。
〃What do you want！〃 he demanded sullenly； as the other stood
over him。
〃I want to take you for a ride in my new machine；〃 Winn
answered。 〃Believe me； she is a loo…loo。〃
The man did not argue long； for this strange visitor had most
convincing ways。 Under Winn's instructions； covered all the
time by the pistol； the man improvised a tourniquet and applied
it to his wounded leg。 Winn helped him to a seat in the
machine； then went to the pigeon…loft and took possession of
the bird with the ribbon still fast to its leg。
A very tractable prisoner； the man proved。 Once up in the air；
he sat close； in an ecstasy of fear。 An adept at winged
blackmail； he had no aptitude for wings himself； and when he
gazed down at the flying land and water far beneath him； he did
not feel moved to attack his captor； now defenseless； both
hands occupied with flight。
Instead； the only way the man felt moved was to sit closer。
。 。 。 。 。 。
Peter Winn； Senior； scanning the heavens with powerful glasses；
saw the monoplane leap into view and grow large over the rugged
backbone of Angel Island。 Several minutes later he cried out to
the waiting detectives that the machine carried a passenger。
Dropping swiftly and piling up an abrupt air…cushion； the
monoplane landed。
〃That reefing device is a winner！〃 young Winn cried； as he
climbed out。 〃Did you see me at the start？ I almost ran over
the pigeon。 Going some； dad！ Going some！ What did I tell you？
Going some！〃
〃But who is that with you？〃 his father demanded。
The young man looked back at his prisoner and remembered。
〃Why； that's the pigeon…fancier；〃 he said。 〃I guess the
officers can take care of him。〃
Peter Winn gripped his son's hand in grim silence； and fondled
the pigeon which his son had passed to him。 Again he fondled
the pretty creature。 Then he spoke。
〃Exhibit A； for the People；〃 he said。
BUNCHES OF KNUCKLES
ARRANGEMENTS quite extensive had been made for the celebration
of Christmas on the yacht Samoset。 Not having been in any
civilized port for months； the stock of provisions boasted few
delicacies； yet Minnie Duncan had managed to devise real feasts
for cabin and forecastle。
〃Listen； Boyd； she told her husband。 〃Here are the menus。 For
the cabin； raw bonita native style； turtle soup； omelette a la
Samoset〃
〃What the dickens？〃 Boyd Duncan interrupted。
〃Well； if you must know； I found a tin of mushrooms and a
package of egg…powder which had fallen down behind the locker；
and there are other things as well that will go into it。 But
don't interrupt。 Boiled yam； fried taro； alligator pear
saladthere； you've got me all mixed； Then I found a last
delectable half…pound of dried squid。 There will be baked beans
Mexican； if I can hammer it into Toyama's head； also； baked
papaia with Marquesan honey； and； lastly； a wonderful pie the
secret of which Toyama refuses to divulge。〃
〃I wonder if it is possible to concoct a punch or a cocktail
out of trade rum？〃 Duncan muttered gloomily。
〃Oh！ I forgot！ Come with me。〃
His wife caught his hand and led him through the small
connecting door to her tiny stateroom。 Still holding his hand；
she fished in the depths of a hat…locker and brought forth a
pint bottle of champagne。
〃The dinner is complete！〃 he cried。
〃Wait。〃
She fished again； and was rewarded with a silver…mounted whisky
flask。 She held it to the light of a port…hole； and the liquor
showed a quarter of the distance from the bottom。
〃I've been saving it for weeks；〃 she explained。 〃And there's
enough for you and Captain Dettmar。〃
〃Two mighty small drinks；〃 Duncan complained。
〃There would have been more； but I gave a drink to Lorenzo when
he was sick。〃
Duncan growled； 〃Might have given him rum；〃 facetiously。
〃The nasty stuff！ For a sick man？ Don't be greedy； Boyd。 And
I'm glad there isn't any more； for Captain Dettmar's sake。
Drinking always makes him irritable。 And now for the men's
dinner。 Soda crackers； sweet cakes； candy〃
〃Substantial； I must say。〃
〃Do hush。 Rice； and curry； yam； taro； bonita； of course； a big
cake Toyama is making； young pig〃
〃Oh； I say；〃 he protested。
〃It is all right； Boyd。 We'll be in Attu…Attu in three days。
Besides； it's my pig。 That old chief what…ever…his…name
distinctly presented it to me。 You saw him yourself。 And
