whirligigs-第4部分

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One　afternoon　at　three　o'clock；　on　the　island　of　Ratona；

a　boy　raced　alongthe　beach　screaming；　〃Pajaro；　ahoy！〃



Thus　he　made　known　the　keenness　of　his　hearing　and

the　justice　of　his　discrimination　in　pitch。



He　who　first　heard　and　made　oral　proclamation　con…

cerning　the　toot　of　an　approaching　steamer's　whistle；　and

correctly　named　the　steamer；　was　a　small　hero　in　Ratona

…until　the'　next　steamer　came。　　Wherefore；　there　was

rivalry　among　the　barefoot　youth　of　Ratona；　and　many

fell　victims　to　the　softly　blown　conch　shells　of　sloops　which；

as　they　enter　harbour；　sound　surprisingly　like　a　distant

steamer's　signal。　　And　some　could　name　you　the　vessel

when　its　call；　in　your　duller　ears；　sounded　no　louder　than

the　sigh　of　the　wind　through　the　branches　of　the　cocoa…

nut　palms。



But　to…day　he　who　proclaimed　the　Pajaro　gained　his

honours。　　Ratona　bent　its　ear　to　listen；　and　soon　the

deep…tongued　blast　grew　louder　and　nearer；　and　at　length

Ratona　saw　above　the　line　of　palms　on　the　low　〃joint〃

the　two　black　funnels　of　the　fruiter　slowly　creeping　toward

the　mouth　of　the　harbour。



You　must　know　that　Ratona　is　an　island　twenty　miles

off　the　south　of　a　South　American　republic。　　It　is　a　port

of　that　republic；　and　it　sleeps　sweetly　in　a　smiling　sea；

toiling　not　nor　spinning；　fed　by　the　abundant　tropics

where　all　things　〃ripen；　cease　and　fall　toward　the　grave。〃



Eight　hundred　people　dream　life　away　in　a　green…

embowered　village　that　follows　the　horseshoe　curve　of

its　bijou　harbour。　　They　are　mostly　Spanish　and　Indian

mestizos；　with　a　shading　of　San　Domingo　Negroes；　a

lightening　of　pure…blood　Spanish　officials　and　a　slight

leavening　of　the　froth　of　three　or　four　pioneering　white

races。　　No　steamers　touch　at　Ratona　save　the　fruit　steamers

which　take　on　their　banana　inspectors　there　on　their　way

to　the　coast。　　They　leave　Sunday　newspapers；　ice；　quinine；

bacon；　watermelons　and　vaccine　matter　at　the　island　and

that　is　about　all　the　touch　Ratona　gets　with　the　world。



The　Pajaro　paused　at　the　mouth　of　the　harbour；　roll

ing　heavily　in　the　swell　that　sent　the　whitecaps　racing

beyond　the　smooth　water　inside。　　Already　two　dories

from　the　village　　one　conveying　fruit　inspectors；　the

other　going　for　what　it　could　get　　were　halfway　out　to

the　steamer。



The　inspectors'　dory　was　taken　on　board　with　them；

and　the　Pajaro　steamed　away　for　the　mainland　for　its

load　of　fruit。



The　other　boat　returned　to　Ratona　bearing　a　contri…

bution　from　the　Pajaro's　store　of　ice；　the　usual　roll　of

newspapers　and　one　passenger　　Taylor　Plunkett；　sheriff

of　Chatham　County；　Kentucky。



Bridger；　the　United　States　consul　at　Ratona；　was　clean…

ing　his　rifle　in　the　official　shanty　under　a　bread…fruit　tree

twenty　yards　from　the　water　of　the　harbour。　　The　consul

occupied　a　place　somewhat　near　the　tail　of　his　political

party's　procession。　　The　music　of　the　band　wagon

sounded　very　faintly　to　him　in　the　distance。　　The　plums

of　office　went　to　others。　　Bridger's　share　of　the　spoils　

the　consulship　at　Ratona　　was　little　more　than　a　prune

　a　dried　prune　from　the　boarding…house　department

of　the　public　crib。　　But　900　yearly　was　opulence　in

Ratona。　　Besides；　Bridger　had　contracted　a　passion　for

shooting　alligators　in　the　lagoons　near　his　consulate；　and

was　not　unhappy。



He　looked　up　from　a　careful　inspection　of　his　rifle　lock

a　broad　man　filling　his　doorway。　　A　broad；

noiseless；　slow…moving　man；　sunburned　almost　to　the

Vandyke。　　A　man　of　forty…five；　neatly　clothed　in

homespun；　with　scanty　light　hair；　a　close…clipped　brown…

and…gray　beard　and　pale…blue　eyes　expressing　mildness

implicity。



〃You　are　Mr。　Bridger；　the　consul；〃　said　the　broad

man。　　〃They　directed　me　here。　　Can　you　tell　me　what

those　big　bunches　of　things　like　gourds　are　in　those　trees

that　look　like　feather　dusters　along　the　edge　of　the　water？〃



〃Take　that　chair；〃　said　the　consul；　reoiling　his　clean…

ing　rag。　　〃No；　the　other　one　　that　bamboo　thing　won't

hold　you。　　Why；　they're　cocoanuts　　green　cocoanuts。

The　shell　of　'em　is　always　a　light　green　before　they're

ripe。〃



〃Much　obliged；〃　said　the　other　man；　sitting　down

carefully。　　〃I　didn't　quite　like　to　tell　the　folks　at　home

they　were　olives　unless　I　was　sure　about　it。　　My　name

is　Plunkett。　　I'm　sheriff　of　Chatham　County；　Kentucky。

I've　got　extradition　papers　in　my　pocket　authorizing　the

arrest　of　a　man　on　this　island。　　They've　been　signed　by

the　President　of　this　country；　and　they're　in　correct　shape。

The　man's　name　is　Wade　Williams。　　He's　in　the　cocoa…

nut　raising　business。　　What　he's　wanted　for　is　the　murder

of　his　wife　two　years　ago。　　Where　can　I　find　him？〃



The　consul　squinted　an　eye　and　looked　through　his

rifle　barrel。



〃There's　nobody　on　the　island　who　calls　himself　'Wil…

liams；'〃　he　remarked。



〃Didn't　suppose　there　was；〃　said　Plunkett　mildly。

〃He'll　do　by　any　other　name。〃



〃Besides　myself；〃　said　Bridger；　〃there　are　only

two　Americans　on　Ratona　　Bob　Reeves　and　Henry

Morgan。〃



〃The　man　I　want　sells　cocoanuts；〃　suggested　Plunkett。



〃You　see　that　cocoanut　walk　extending　up　to　the

point？〃　　said　the　consul；　waving　his　hand　toward　the　open

door。　　〃That　belongs　to　Bob　Reeves。　　Henry　Morgan

owns　half　the　trees　to　loo'ard　on　the　island。〃



〃One；　month　ago；〃　said　the　sheriff；　〃Wade　Williams

wrote　a　confidential　letter　to　a　man　in　Chatham　county；

telling　him　where　he　was　and　how　he　was　getting　along。

The　letter　was　lost；　and　the　person　that　found　it　gave　it

away。　　They　sent　me　after　him；　and　I've　got　the　papers。

I　reckon　he's　one　of　your　cocoanut　men　for　certain。〃



〃You've　got　his　picture；　of　course；〃　said　Bridger。

〃It　might　be　Reeves　or　Morgan；　but　I'd　hate　to　think　it。

They're　both　as　fine　fellows　as　you'd　meet　in　an　all…day

auto　ride。〃



〃No；〃　doubtfully　answered　Plunkett；　〃there　wasn't

any　picture　of　Williams　to　be　had。　　And　I　never　saw　him

myself。　　I've　been　sheriff　only　a　year。　　But　I've　got　a

pretty　accurate　description　of　him。　　About　5　feet　11；

dark…hair　and　eyes；　nose　inclined　to　be　Roman；　heavy

about　the　shoulders；　strong；　white　teeth；　with　none　miss…

ing；　laughs　a　good　deal；　talkative；　drinks　considerably

but　never　to　intoxication；　looks　you　square　in　the　eye

when　talking；　age　thirty…five。　　Which　one　of　your　men

does　that　description　fit？〃



The　consul　grinned　broadly。



〃I'll　tell　you　what　you　do；〃　he　said；　laying　down　his

rifle　and　slipping　on　his　dingy　black　alpaca　coat。　　〃You

come　along；　Mr。　Plunkett；　　and　I'll　take　you　up　to　see

the　boys。　　If　you　can　tell　which　one　of　'em　your　descrip…

tion　fits　better　than　it　does　the　other　you　have　the　advan…

tage　of　me。〃



Bridger　conducted　the　sheriff　out　and　along　the　hard

beach　close　to　which　the　tiny　houses　of　the　village　were

distributed。　　Immediately　back　of　the　town　rose　sudden；

small；　thickly　wooded　hills。　　Up　one　of　these；　by　means

of　steps　cut　in　the　hard　clay；　the　consul　led　Plunkett。

the　very　verge　of　an　eminence　was　perched；　a　two…

room　wooden　cottage　with　a　thatched　roof。　　A　Carib

woman　was　washing　clothes　outside。　　The　consul

ushered　the　sheriff　to　the　door　of　the　room　that　over…

looked　the　harbour。



Two　men　were　in　the　room；　about　to　sit　down；　in　their

shirt　sleeves；　to　a　table　spread　for　dinner。　　They　bore

little　resemblance　one　to　the　other　in　detail；　but　the

general　description　given　by　Plunkett　could　have　been

justly　applied　to　either。　　In　height；　colour　of　hair；　shape

of　nose；　build　and　manners　each　of　them　tallied　with　it。

They　were　fair　types　of　jovial；　ready…witted；　broad…

gauged　Americans　who　had　gravitated　together　for　com…

panionship　in　an　alien　land。



〃Hello；　Bridger〃　they　called　in　unison　at　sight　Of

the　consul。　　〃Come　and　have　dinner　with　us！〃　　And

then　they　noticed　Plunkett　at　his　heels；　and　came　forward

with　hospitable　curiosity。



〃Gentlemen；〃　said　the　consul；　his　voice　taking　on

unaccustomed　formality；　〃this　is　Mr。　Plunkett。　　Mr。

Plunkett　　Mr。　Reeves　and　Mr。　Morgan。〃



The　cocoanut　barons　greeted　the　newcomer　joyously。

Reeves　seemed　about　an　inch　taller　than　Morgan；　but

his　laugh　was　not　quite　as　loud。　　Morgan's　eyes　were…

deep　brown；　Reeves's　were　black。　　Reeves　was　the　host

and　busied　himself　with　fetching　other　chairs　and　calling

to　the　Carib　woman　for　supplemental　table　ware。　　It

was　explained　that　Morgan　lived　in　a　bamboo　shack　to。

loo'ard；　but　that　every　day　the　two　friends　dined

together。　　Plunkett　stood　still　during　the　preparations；

looking　about　mildly　with　his　pale…blue　eyes。　　Bridger

looked　apologetic　and　uneasy。



At　length　two　other　covers　were　laid　and　the　company…

was　assigned　to　places。　　Reeves　and　Morgan　stood　side

by　side　across　the　table　from　the　visitors。　　Reeves　nodded

genially　as　a　signal　for　all　to　seat　themselves。　　And　then

suddenly　Plunkett　raised　his　hand　with　a　gesture　of

authority。　　He　was　looking　straight　between　Reeves

and　Morgan。



〃Wade　Williams；〃　he　said　quietly；　〃you　are　under

arrest　for　murder。〃



Reeves　and　Morgan　instantly　exchanged　a　quick；

bright　glance；　the　quality　of　which　was　interrogation；

with　a　seasoning　of　surprise。　　Then；　simultaneously

they　turned　to　the　speaker　with　a　puzzled　and　frank　depre…

cation　in　their　gaze。



〃Can't　say　that　we　understand　you；　Mr。　Plunkett；〃

said　Morgan；　cheerfully。　　〃Did　you　say　'Williams'？〃



〃What's　the　joke；　Bridgy？〃　　asked　Reeves；　turning；

to　the　consul　with　a　smile。



Before　Bridger　could　answer　Plunkett　spoke　again。



〃I'll　explain；〃　he　said；　quietly。　　〃One　of　you　don't

need　any　explanation；　but　this　is　for　the　other　one。　　One

of　you　is　Wade　Williams　of　Chatham　County；　Kentucky。

You　murdered　your　wife　on　May　5；　two　years　ago；　after

ill…treating　and　abusing　her　continually　for　five　years。　　I

have　the　proper　papers　in　my　pocket　for　taking　you　back

with　me；　and　you　are　going。　　We　will