rs.undertheandes-第37部分

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　Chapter　XIX。
　AFLOAT。
　
　As　we　ran　swiftly；　following　the　edge　of　the　stream；　the　cries　continued；　filling　the　cavern　with　racing　echoes。　They　could　not　quicken　our　step；　we　were　already　straining　every　muscle　as　we　bounded　over　the　rock。　Luckily；　the　way　was　clear；　for　in　the　darkness　we　could　see　but　a　few　feet　ahead。　Desiree's　voice　was　sufficient　guide　for　us。
　Finally　we　reached　her。　I　don't　know　what　I　expected　to　see；　but　certainly　not　that　which　met　our　eyes。
　〃Your　spear！〃　cried　Harry；　dashing　off　to　the　right；　away　from　the　stream。
　My　spear　was　ready。　I　followed。
　Desiree　was　standing　exactly　in　the　spot　where　we　had　left　her；　screaming　at　the　top　of　her　voice。
　Around　her；　on　every　side；　was　a　struggling；　pushing　mass　of　the　animals　we　had　frightened　away　from　the　carcass　of　the　reptile。
　There　were　hundreds　of　them　packed　tightly　together；　crowding　toward　her；　some　leaping　on　the　backs　of　others；　some　trampled　to　the　ground　beneath　the　feet　of　their　fellows。　They　did　not　appear　to　be　actually　attacking　her；　but　we　could　not　see　distinctly。
　This　we　saw　in　a　flash　and　an　instant　later　had　dashed　forward　into　the　mass　with　whirling　spears。　It　was　a　farce；　rather　than　a　fight。
　We　brought　our　spears　down　on　the　swarm　of　heads　and　backs　without　even　troubling　to　take　aim。　They　pressed　against　our　legs；　we　waded　through　as　though　it　were　a　current　of　water。　Those　we　hit　either　fell　or　ran；　they　waited　for　no　second　blow。
　Desiree　had　ceased　her　cries。
　〃They　won't　hurt　you！〃　Harry　had　shouted。　〃Where's　your　spear？〃
　〃Gone。　They　came　on　me　before　I　had　time　to　get　it。〃
　〃Then　kick　'em；　push　'em…anything。　They're　nothing　but　pigs。〃
　They　had　the　senseless　stubbornness　of　pigs；　at　least。　They　seemed　absolutely　unable　to　realize　that　their　presence　was　not　desired　till　they　actually　felt　the　spear…utterly　devoid　even　of　instinct。
　〃So　this　is　what　you　captured　for　us　at　the　risk　of　your　life！〃　I　shouted　to　Harry　in　disgust。　〃They　haven't　even　sense　enough　to　squeal。〃
　We　finally　reached　Desiree's　side　and　cleared　a　space　round　her。　But　it　took　us　another　fifteen　minutes　of　pushing　and　thrusting　and　indiscriminate　massacre　before　we　routed　the　brutes。
　When　they　did　decide　to　go　they　lost　no　time；　but　scampered　away　toward　the　water　with　a　sliding；　tumbling　rush。
　〃Gad！〃　exclaimed　Harry；　resting　on　his　spear。　〃And　here's　a　pretty　job。　Look　at　that！　I　wish　they'd　carry　off　the　dead　ones。〃
　〃Ugh！　The　nasty　brutes！　I　was　never　so　frightened　in　my　life；〃　said　Desiree。
　〃You　frightened　us；　all　right；〃　Harry　retorted。　〃Utterly　fungoed。　I　never　ran　so　fast　in　my　life。　And　all　you　had　to　do　was　shake　your　spear　at　'em　and　say　boo！　I　thought　it　was　the　roommate　of　our　friend　with　the　eyes。〃
　〃Have　I　been　eating　those　things？〃　Desiree　demanded。
　Harry　grinned。
　〃Yes；　and　that　isn't　all。　You'll　continue　to　eat　'em　as　long　as　I'm　the　cook。　e　on；　Paul；　it's　a　day's　work。〃
　We　dragged　the　bodies　down　to　the　edge　of　the　stream　and　tossed　them　into　the　current；　saving　three　or　four　for　the　replenishment　of　the　larder。
　I　then　first　tried　my　hand　at　the　task　of　skinning　and　cleaning　them；　and　by　the　time　I　had　finished　was　thoroughly　disgusted　with　it　and　myself。　Harry　had　bee　hardened　to　it；　he　whistled　over　the　job　as　though　he　had　been　born　in　a　butcher's　shop。
　〃I'd　rather　go　hungry；〃　I　declared；　washing　my　hands　and　arms　in　the　cool　water。
　〃Oh；　sure；〃　said　Harry；　〃my　efforts　are　never　appreciated。
　I've　fed　you　up　till　you've　finally　graduated　from　the　skeleton　class；　and　you　immediately　begin　to　criticize　the　table。　I　know　now　what　it　means　to　run　a　boarding…house。　Why　don't　you　change　your　hotel？〃
　By　the　time　we　had　finished　we　were　pretty　well　tired　out；　but　Harry　wouldn't　hear　of　rest。　I　was　eager　myself　for　another　look　at　the　exit　of　that　stream。　So；　again　taking　up　our　spears；　we　set　out　across　the　cavern；　this　time　with　Desiree　between　us。　She　swallowed　Harry's　ridicule　of　her　fear　and　refused　to　stay　behind。
　Again　we　stood　at　the　point　where　the　stream　left　the　cavern　through　the　broad　arch　of　a　tunnel。
　〃There's　a　chance　there；〃　said　Harry；　turning　to　me。　〃It　looks　good。〃
　〃Yes；　if　we　had　a　boat；〃　I　agreed。　〃But　that's　a　ten…mile　current；　and　probably　deep。〃
　I　waded　out　some　twenty　feet　and　was　nearly　swept　beneath　the　surface　as　the　water　circled　about　my　shoulders。
　〃We　couldn't　follow　that　on　our　feet；〃　I　declared；　returning　to　the　shore。　〃But　it　does　look　promising。　At　ten　miles　an　hour　we'd　reach　the　western　slope　in　four　hours。　Four　hours　to　sunshine…but　it　might　as　well　be　four　hundred。　It's　impossible。〃
　We　turned　then　and　retraced　our　steps　to　our　camp；　if　I　may　give　it　so　dignified　a　title。　I　hated　to　give　up　the　idea　of　following　the　bed　of　the　stream；　for　it　was　certain　that　somewhere　it　found　the　surface　of　the　earth；　and　I　revolved　in　my　brain　every　conceivable　means　to　do　so。　The　same　thought　was　in　Harry's　mind；　for　he　turned　to　me　suddenly：
　〃If　we　only　had　something　for　stringers；　I　could　make　a　raft　that　would　carry　us　to　the　Pacific　and　across　it。　The　hide　of　that　thing　over　yonder　would　be　just　the　stuff；　and　we　could　get　a　piece　as　big　as　we　wanted。〃
　I　shook　my　head。
　〃I　thought　of　that。　But　we　have　absolutely　nothing　to　hold　it。　There　wasn't　a　bone　in　his　body；　you　know　that。〃
　But　the　idea　was　peculiarly　tempting；　and　we　spent　an　hour　discussing　it。　Desiree　was　asleep　on　her　pile　of　skins。　We　sat　side　by　side　on　the　ground　some　distance　away；　talking　in　low　tones。
　Suddenly　there　was　a　loud　splash　in　the　stream；　which　was　quite　close　to　us。
　〃By　gad！〃　exclaimed　Harry；　springing　to　his　feet。　〃Did　you　hear　that？　It　sounded　like…remember　the　fish　we　pulled　in　from　the　Inca's　raft？〃
　〃Which　has　nothing　to　do　with　this；〃　I　answered。　〃It's　nothing　but　the　water…pigs。　I've　heard　'em　a　thousand　times　in　the　last　few　days。　And　the　Lord　knows　we　have　enough　of　them。〃
　But　Harry　protested　that　the　splash　was　much　too　loud　to　have　been　caused　by　any　water…pig　and　waded　into　the　stream　to　investigate。　I　rose　to　my　feet　and　followed　him　leisurely；　for　no　reason　in　particular；　but　was　suddenly　startled　by　an　excited　cry　from　his　lips：
　〃Paul…the　spear！　Quick！　It's　a　whale！〃
　I　ran　as　swiftly　as　I　could　to　the　shore　and　returned　with　our　spears；　but　when　I　reached　Harry　he　greeted　me　with　an　oath　of　disappointment　and　the　information　that　the　〃whale〃　had　disappeared。　He　was　greatly　excited。
　〃I　tell　you　he　was　twenty　feet　long！　A　big　black　devil；　with　a　head　like　a　cow。〃
　〃You're　sure　it　wasn't　like　a　pig？〃　I　asked　skeptically。
　Harry　looked　at　me。
　〃I　have　drunk　nothing　but　water　for　a　month；〃　he　said　dryly。
　〃It　was　a　fish；　and　some　fish。〃
　〃Well；　there's　probably　more　like　him；〃　I　observed。　〃But　they　can　wait。　e　on　and　get　some　sleep；　and　then…we'll　see。〃
　Some　hours　afterward；　having　filled　ourselves　with　sleep　and　food　（I　had　decided；　after　mature　deliberation；　not　to　change　my　hotel）；　we　started　out；　armed　with　our　spears。　Desiree　acpanied　us。　Harry　told　her　bluntly　that　she　would　be　in　the　way；　but　she　refused　to　stay　behind。
　We　turned　upstream；　thinking　our　chances　better　in　that　direction　than　toward　the　swifter　current；　and　were　surprised　to　find　that　the　cavern　was　much　larger　than　any　we　had　before　seen。
　In　something　over　a　mile　we　had　not　yet　reached　the　farther　wall；　for　we　walked　at　a　brisk　pace　for　a　quarter　of　an　hour　or　more。
　At　this　point　the　stream　was　considerably　wider　than　it　was　below；　and　there　was　very　little　current。　Desiree　stood　on　the　bank　while　Harry　and　I　waded　out　above　our　waists。
　There　was　a　long　and　weary　wait　before　anything　occurred。　The　water　was　cold；　and　my　limbs　became　stiff　and　numb；　I　called　to　Harry　that　it　was　useless　to　wait　longer；　and　was　turning　toward　the　shore　when　there　was　a　sudden　motion　in　the　water　not　far　from　where　he　stood。
　I　turned　and　saw　Harry　plunge　forward　with　his　spear。
　〃I've　got　him！〃　he　yelled。　〃e　on！〃
　I　went。　But　I　soon　saw　that　Harry　didn't　have　him。　He　had　Harry。　They　were　all　of　ten　yards　away　from　me；　and　by　the　time　I　reached　the　spot　there　was　nothing　to　be　seen　but　flying　water　thrashed　into　foam　and　fury。
　I　caught　a　glimpse　of　Harry　being　jerked　through　the　air；　he　was　holding　on　for　dear　life　with　both　hands　to　the　shaft　of　his　spear。　The　water　was　over　my　head　there；　I　was　swimming　with　all　the　strength　I　had。
　〃I've　got　him…through　the　belly；〃　Harry　gasped　as　I　fought　my　way　through　the　spray　to　his　side。　〃His　head！　Find　his　head！〃
　I　finally　succeeded　in　getting　my　hand　on　Harry's　spear…shaft　near　where　it　entered　the　body　of　the　fish；　but　the　next　instant　it　was　jerked　from　me；　dragging　me　beneath　the　surface。　I　came　up　puffing　and　made　another　try；　but　missed　it　by　several　feet。
　Harry　kept　shouting：　〃His　head！　Get　him　in　the　head！〃
　For　that　I　was　saving　my　spear。　But　I　could　make　nothing　of　either　head　or　tail　as　the　immense　fish　leaped　furiously　about　in　the　water；　first　this　way；　then　that。
　Once　he　came　down　exactly　on　top　of　me　and　carried　me　far　under；　I　felt　his　slippery；　smooth　body　glide　over　me；　and　the　tail　struck　me　a　heavy　blow　in　the　face　as　it　passed。　Blinded　and　half　choked；　I　fought　my　way　back　to　the　surface　and　saw　that　they　had　got　fifty　feet　away。
　I　swam　to　them；　breathing　hard　and　nearly　exhausted。　The　water　foamed　less　furiously　about　them　now。　As　I　came　near　the　fish　leaped　half　out　of　the　water　and　came　down　flat　on　his　side；　I　saw　his　ugly　black　head　pointed　directly　toward　me。
　〃He's　about　gone！〃　Harry　gasped。
　He　was　still　clinging　to　the　spear。
　I　set　myself　firmly　against　the　water　and　waited。　Soon　it　parted　violently　not　ten　feet　in　front　of　me；　and　again　the　head　appeared；　he　was　ing　straight　for　me。　I　could　see　the　dull　beady　eyes　on　either　side；　and　I　let　him　have　the　spear　right　between　them。
　There　was　little　force　to　the　blow；　but　the　fish　himself　furnished　that；　he　was　ing　like　lightning。　I　hurled　my　body　aside　with　a　great　effort　and　felt　him　sweep　past　me。
　I　turned　to　swim　after　them　and　heard　Harry's　great　shout：　〃You　got　him！〃
　By　the　time　I　reached　him　the　fish　had　turned　over　on　his　back　and　was　floating　on　the　surface；　motionless。
　We　had