the night-born-第17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！



Besides；　it's　my　pig。　That　old　chief　what…ever…his…name

distinctly　presented　it　to　me。　You　saw　him　yourself。　And　then

two　tins　of　bullamacow。　That's　their　dinner。　And　now　about　the

presents。　Shall　we　wait　until　tomorrow；　or　give　them　this

evening？〃



〃Christmas　Eve；　by　all　means；〃　was　the　man's　judgment。　〃We'll

call　all　hands　at　eight　bells；　I'll　give　them　a　tot　of　rum　all

around；　and　then　you　give　the　presents。　Come　on　up　on　deck。

It's　stifling　down　here。　I　hope　Lorenzo　has　better　luck　with

the　dynamo；　without　the　fans　there　won't　be　much　sleeping

to…night　if　we're　driven　below。〃



They　passed　through　the　small　main…cabin；　climbed　a　steep

companion　ladder；　and　emerged　on　deck。　The　sun　was　setting；　and

the　promise　was　for　a　clear　tropic　night。　The　Samoset；　with

fore…　and　main…sail　winged　out　on　either　side；　was　slipping　a

lazy　four…knots　through　the　smooth　sea。　Through　the　engine…room

skylight　came　a　sound　of　hammering。　They　strolled　aft　to　where

Captain　Dettmar；　one　foot　on　the　rail；　was　oiling　the　gear　of

the　patent　log。　At　the　wheel　stood　a　tall　South　Sea　Islander；

clad　in　white　undershirt　and　scarlet　hip…cloth。



Boyd　Duncan　was　an　original。　At　least　that　was　the　belief　of

his　friends。　Of　comfortable　fortune；　with　no　need　to　do

anything　but　take　his　comfort；　he　elected　to　travel　about　the

world　in　outlandish　and　most　uncomfortable　ways。　Incidentally；

he　had　ideas　about　coral…reefs；　disagreed　profoundly　with

Darwin　on　that　subject；　had　voiced　his　opinion　in　several

monographs　and　one　book；　and　was　now　back　at　his　hobby；

cruising　the　South　Seas　in　a　tiny；　thirty…ton　yacht　and

studying　reef…formations。



His　wife；　Minnie　Duncan；　was　also　declared　an　original；

inasmuch　as　she　joyfully　shared　his　vagabond　wanderings。　Among

other　things；　in　the　six　exciting　years　of　their　marriage　she

had　climbed　Chimborazo　with　him；　made　a　three…thousand…mile

winter　journey　with　dogs　and　sleds　in　Alaska；　ridden　a　horse

from　Canada　to　Mexico；　cruised　the　Mediterranean　in　a　ten…ton

yawl；　and　canoed　from　Germany　to　the　Black　Sea　across　the　heart

of　Europe。　They　were　a　royal　pair　of　wanderlusters；　he；　big　and

broad…shouldered；　she　a　small；　brunette；　and　happy　woman；　whose

one　hundred　and　fifteen　pounds　were　all　grit　and　endurance；　and

withal；　pleasing　to　look　upon。



The　Samoset　had　been　a　trading　schooner；　when　Duncan　bought　her

in　San　Francisco　and　made　alterations。　Her　interior　was　wholly

rebuilt；　so　that　the　hold　became　main…cabin　and　staterooms；

while　abaft　amidships　were　installed　engines；　a　dynamo；　an　ice

machine；　storage　batteries；　and；　far　in　the　stern；　gasoline

tanks。　Necessarily；　she　carried　a　small　crew。　Boyd；　Minnie；　and

Captain　Dettmar　were　the　only　whites　on　board；　though　Lorenzo；

the　small　and　greasy　engineer；　laid　a　part　claim　to　white；

being　a　Portuguese　half…caste。　A　Japanese　served　as　cook；　and　a

Chinese　as　cabin　boy。　Four　white　sailors　had　constituted　the

original　crew　for'ard；　but　one　by　one　they　had　yielded　to　the

charms　of　palm…waving　South　Sea　isles　and　been　replaced　by

islanders。　Thus；　one　of　the　dusky　sailors　hailed　from　Easter

Island；　a　second　from　the　Carolines；　a　third　from　the　Paumotus；

while　the　fourth　was　a　gigantic　Samoan。　At　sea；　Boyd　Duncan；

himself　a　navigator；　stood　a　mate's　watch　with　Captain　Dettmar；

and　both　of　them　took　a　wheel　or　lookout　occasionally。　On　a

pinch；　Minnie　herself　could　take　a　wheel；　and　it　was　on　pinches

that　she　proved　herself　more　dependable　at　steering　than　did

the　native　sailors。



At　eight　bells；　all　hands　assembled　at　the　wheel；　and　Boyd

Duncan　appeared　with　a　black　bottle　and　a　mug。　The　rum　he

served　out　himself；　half　a　mug　of　it　to　each　man。　They　gulped

the　stuff　down　with　many　facial　expressions　of　delight；

followed　by　loud　lip…smackings　of　approval；　though　the　liquor

was　raw　enough　and　corrosive　enough　to　burn　their　mucous

membranes。　All　drank　except　Lee　Goom；　the　abstemious　cabin　boy。

This　rite　accomplished；　they　waited　for　the　next；　the

present…giving。　Generously　molded　on　Polynesian　lines；

huge…bodied　and　heavy…muscled；　they　were　nevertheless　like　so

many　children；　laughing　merrily　at　little　things；　their　eager

black　eyes　flashing　in　the　lantern　light　as　their　big　bodies

swayed　to　the　heave　and　roll　of　the　ship。



Calling　each　by　name；　Minnie　gave　the　presents　out；

accompanying　each　presentation　with　some　happy　remark　that

added　to　the　glee。　There　were　trade　watches；　clasp　knives；

amazing　assortments　of　fish…hooks　in　packages；　plug　tobacco；

matches；　and　gorgeous　strips　of　cotton　for　loincloths　all

around。　That　Boyd　Duncan　was　liked　by　them　was　evidenced　by　the

roars　of　laughter　with　which　they　greeted　his　slightest　joking

allusion。



Captain　Dettmar；　white…faced；　smiling　only　when　his　employer

chanced　to　glance　at　him；　leaned　against　the　wheel…box；　looking

on。　Twice；　he　left　the　group　and　went　below；　remaining　there

but　a　minute　each　time。　Later；　in　the　main　cabin；　when　Lorenzo；

Lee　Goom　and　Toyama　received　their　presents；　he　disappeared

into　his　stateroom　twice　again。　For　of　all　times；　the　devil

that　slumbered　in　Captain　Dettmar's　soul　chose　this　particular

time　of　good　cheer　to　awaken。　Perhaps　it　was　not　entirely　the

devil's　fault；　for　Captain　Dettmar；　privily　cherishing　a　quart

of　whisky　for　many　weeks；　had　selected　Christmas　Eve　for

broaching　it。



It　was　still　early　in　the　eveningtwo　bells　had　just

gonewhen　Duncan　and　his　wife　stood　by　the　cabin　companionway；

gazing　to　windward　and　canvassing　the　possibility　of　spreading

their　beds　on　deck。　A　small；　dark　blot　of　cloud；　slowly　forming

on　the　horizon；　carried　the　threat　of　a　rain…squall；　and　it　was

this　they　were　discussing　when　Captain　Dettmar；　coming　from　aft

and　about　to　go　below；　glanced　at　them　with　sudden　suspicion。

He　paused；　his　face　working　spasmodically。　Then　he　spoke：



〃You　are　talking　about　me。〃



His　voice　was　hoarse；　and　there　was　an　excited　vibration　in　it。

Minnie　Duncan　started；　then　glanced　at　her　husband's　immobile

face；　took　the　cue；　and　remained　silent。



〃I　say　you　were　talking　about　me；〃　Captain　Dettmar　repeated；

this　time　with　almost　a　snarl。



He　did　not　lurch　nor　betray　the　liquor　on　him　in　any　way　save

by　the　convulsive　working　of　his　face。



〃Minnie；　you'd　better　go　down；〃　Duncan　said　gently。　〃Tell　Lee

Goom　we'll　sleep　below。　It　won't　be　long　before　that　squall　is

drenching　things。〃



She　took　the　hint　and　left；　delaying　just　long　enough　to　give

one　anxious　glance　at　the　dim　faces　of　the　two　men。



Duncan　puffed　at　his　cigar　and　waited　till　his　wife's　voice；　in

talk　with　the　cabin…boy；　came　up　through　the　open　skylight。



〃Well？〃　Duncan　demanded　in　a　low　voice；　but　sharply。



〃I　said　you　were　talking　about　me。　I　say　it　again。　Oh；　I

haven't　been　blind。　Day　after　day　I've　seen　the　two　of　you

talking　about　me。　Why　don't　you　come　out　and　say　it　to　my　face！

I　know　you　know。　And　I　know　your　mind's　made　up　to　discharge　me

at　Attu…Attu。〃



〃I　am　sorry　you　are　making　such　a　mess　of　everything；〃　was

Duncan's　quiet　reply。



But　Captain　Dettmar's　mind　was　set　on　trouble。



〃You　know　you　are　going　to　discharge　me。　You　think　you　are　too

good　to　associate　with　the　likes　of　meyou　and　your　wife。〃



〃Kindly　keep　her　out　of　this；〃　Duncan　warned。　〃What　do　you

want？〃



〃I　want　to　know　what　you　are　going　to　do！〃



〃Discharge　you；　after　this；　at　Attu…Attu。〃



〃You　intended　to；　all　along。〃



〃On　the　contrary。　It　is　your　present　conduct　that　compels　me。〃



〃You　can't　give　me　that　sort　of　talk。〃



〃I　can't　retain　a　captain　who　calls　me　a　liar。〃



Captain　Dettmar　for　the　moment　was　taken　aback。　His　face　and

lips　worked；　but　he　could　say　nothing。　Duncan　coolly　pulled　at

his　cigar　and　glanced　aft　at　the　rising　cloud　of　squall。



〃Lee　Goom　brought　the　mail　aboard　at　Tahiti；〃　Captain　Dettmar

began。



〃We　were　hove　short　then　and　leaving。　You　didn't　look　at　your

letters　until　we　were　outside；　and　then　it　was　too　late。　That's

why　you　didn't　discharge　me　at　Tahiti。　Oh；　I　know。　I　saw　the

long　envelope　when　Lee　Goom　came　over　the　side。　It　was　from　the

Governor　of　California；　printed　on　the　corner　for　any　one　to

see。　You'd　been　working　behind　my　back。　Some　beachcomber　in

Honolulu　had　whispered　to　you；　and　you'd　written　to　the

Governor　to　find　out。　And　that　was　his　answer　Lee　Goom　carried

out　to　you。　Why　didn't　you　come　to　me　like　a　man！　No；　you　must

play　underhand　with　me；　knowing　that　this　billet　was　the　one

chance　for　me　to　get　on　my　feet　again。　And　as　soon　as　you　read

the　Governor's　letter　your　mind　was　made　up　to　get　rid　of　me。

I've　seen　it　on　your　face　ever　since　for　all　these　months。。

I've　seen　the　two　of　you；　polite　as　hell　to　me　all　the　time；

and　getting　away　in　corners　and　talking　about　me　and　that

affair　in　'Frisco。〃



〃Are　you　done？〃　Duncan　asked；　his　voice　low；　and　tense。　〃Quite

done？〃



Captain　Dettmar　made　no　answer。



〃Then　I'll　tell　you　a　few　things。　It　was　precisely　because　of

that　affair　in　'Frisco　that　I　did　not　discharge　you　in　Tahiti。

God　knows　you　gave　me　sufficient　provocation。　I　thought　that　if

ever　a　man　needed　a　chance　to　rehabilitate　himself；　you　were

that　man。　Had　there　been　no　black　mark　against　you；　I　would

have　discharged　you　when　I　learned　how　you　were　robbing　me。〃



Captain　Dettmar　showed　surprise；　started　to　interrupt；　then

changed　his　mind。



〃There　was　that　matter　of　the　deck…calking；　the　bronze

rudder…irons；　the　overhauling　of　the　engine；　the　new　spinnaker

boom；　the　new　davits；　and　the　repairs　to　the　whale…boat。　You

0Kd　the　shipyard　bill。　It　was　four　thousand　one　hundred　and

twenty…two　francs。　By　the　regular　shipyard　charges　it　ought　not

to　have　been　a　centime　over　twenty…five　hundred　francs…〃



〃If　you　take　the　word　of　those　alongshore　sharks　against

mine'　the　other　began　thickly。



〃Save　yourself　the　trouble　of　further　lyin