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第11节

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yourself。〃

〃Hold on there!  Where you goin'?〃

〃Back to the lights。  And you may go to the devil; or anywhere else
that suits your convenience; and take your confounded menagerie with
you。〃

〃My menag  What on earth?  Say; hold on!  Mercy on us; what's
that?〃

From the top of the bluff came a crashing and a series of yelps。
Through the thicket of beachplum bushes was thrust a yellow head;
fringed with torn fragments of fly paper。

〃What's that?〃 demanded the astonished lightkeeper。

Brown looked at the whining apparition in the bushes and smiled
maliciously。

〃That;〃 he observed; 〃is Job。〃

〃JOB?〃

〃Yes。〃  From somewhere in the grove came a thrashing of branches and
a frightened neigh。  〃And that;〃 he continued; 〃is Joshua; I
presume。  If there are more Old Testament patriarchs in the
vicinity; I don't know where they are; and I don't care。  You may
hunt for them yourself。  I'm going to follow your advice and mind my
own business。  Good by。〃

He strode off up the beach。  Job; at the top of the bank; started to
follow; but a well…aimed pebble caused him to dodge back。

〃Hold on!〃 roared the lightkeeper。  〃Maybe I made a mistake。
Perhaps you wa'n't spyin' on me。  Don't go off mad。  I 。 。 。  Wait!〃

But John Brown did not wait。  He strode rapidly away up the beach。
Seth stared after him。  From the grove; where his halter had caught
firmly in the fork of a young pine; Joshua thrashed and neighed。

〃Aa…oo…ow!〃 howled Job; from the bushes。


An hour later Atkins; leading the weary and homesick Joshua by the
bridle; trudged in at the lighthouse yard。  Job; still ornamented
with remnants of the fly paper; slunk at his heels。  Seth stabled
the horse and; after some manoeuvering; managed to decoy the dog
down the slope to the boathouse; where he closed the door upon him
and his whines。  Then he climbed back to the kitchen。

The table was set for one; and in the wash boiler on the range the
giant lobster was cooking。  Of the substitute assistant keeper there
was no sign; but; after searching; Seth found him in his room。

〃Well?〃 observed Atkins; gruffly; 〃we might 's well have supper;
hadn't we?〃

Brown did not seem interested。  〃Your supper is ready; I think;〃 he
answered。  〃I tried not to forget anything。〃

〃I guess 'tis; seems to be。  Come on; and we'll eat。〃

〃I have eaten; thank you。〃

〃You have?  Alone?〃

〃Yes。  That; too;〃 with emphasis; 〃is a part of my business。〃

The lightkeeper stared; grunted; and then went out of the room。  He
ate a lonely meal; not of the lobsterhe kept that for another
occasionbut one made up of cold scraps from the pantry。  He
wandered uneasily about the premises; quieted Job's wails for the
time by a gift of eatable odds and ends tossed into the boathouse;
smoked; tried to read; and; when it grew dusk; lit the lamps in the
towers。  At last he walked to the closed door of his helper's room
and rapped。

〃Well?〃 was the ungracious response。

〃It's me; Atkins;〃 he announced; hesitatingly。  〃I'd like to speak
to you; if you don't mind。〃

〃On business?〃

〃Well; nonot exactly。  Say; Brown; I guess likely I'd ought to beg
your pardon again。  I cal'late I've made another mistake。  I jedge
you wa'n't spyin' on me when you dove down that bankin'。〃

〃Your judgment is good this time。  I was not。〃

〃No; I'm sartin you wa'n't。  I apologize and take it all back。  Now
can I come in?〃

The door was thrown open。  Seth entered; looking sheepish; and sat
down in the little cane…seated rocker。

〃Say;〃 he began; after a moment of uncomfortable silence; 〃would you
mindnow that I've begged your pardon and alltellin' me what did
happen while I was away。  I imagine; judgin' by the looks of things
in the kitchen; that there waserwell; consider'ble doin'; as the
boys say。〃

He grinned。  Brown tried to be serious; but was obliged to smile in
return。

〃I'll tell you;〃 he said。  〃Of course you know where thater
remarkable dog came from?〃

〃I can guess;〃 drily。  〃Henry G。's present; ain't he?  Humph!  Well;
I'd ought to have known that anything Henry would GIVE away was
likely to be remarkable in all sorts of ways。  All right! that's one
Henry's got on me。  Tomorrow afternoon me and Job take a trip back
to Eastboro; and one of us stays there。  It may be me; but I have my
doubts。  I agreed to take a DOG on trial; not a yeller…jaundiced cow
with a church organ inside of it。  Hear the critter whoopin' down
there in the boathouse!  And he's eat everything that's chewable on
the reservation already。  He's a famine on legs; that pup。  But
never mind him。  He's been triedand found guilty。  Tell me what
happened。〃

Brown began the tale of the afternoon's performances; beginning with
his experience as a lobster catcher。  Seth smiled; then chuckled;
and finally burst into roars of laughter; in which the narrator
joined。

〃Jiminy crimps!〃 exclaimed Seth; when the story was finished。  〃Oh;
by jiminy crimps! that beats the Dutch; and everybody's been told
what the Dutch beat。  Ha; ha! ho; ho!  Brown; I apologize all over
again。  I don't wonder you was put out when I accused you of spyin'。
Wonder you hadn't riz up off that sand and butchered me where I
stood。  Cal'late that's what I'd have done in your place。  Well; I
hope there's no hard feelin's now。〃

〃No。  Your apology; is accepted。〃

〃That's good。  Erersay; youyou must have been sort of
surprised to see me paintin' the Daisy M。〃

〃The which?〃

〃The Daisy M。  That's the name of that old schooner I was to work
on。〃

〃Indeed。 。 。 。  How is the weather tonight; clear?〃

〃Yes; it's fair now; but looks sort of thick to the east'ard。  I say
you must have been surprised to see me paintin' the Daisy M。  I've
been tinkerin' on that old boat; off and on; ever since last fall。
Bought her for eight dollars of the feller that owned her; and she
was a hulk for sartin then。  I've caulked her up and rigged her;
after a fashion。  Now she might float; if she had a chance。  Every
afternoon; pretty nigh; I've been at her。  Don't know exactly why I
do it; neither。  And yet I do; too。  Prob'ly you've wondered where I
was takin〃 all that old canvas and stuff。  I〃

〃Excuse me; Atkins。  I mind my own business; you know。  I ask no
questions; and you are under no obligation to tell me anything。〃

〃I know; I know。〃  The lightkeeper nodded solemnly。  He clasped his
knee with his hands and rocked back and forth in his chair。  〃I
know;〃 he went on; an absent; wistful look in his eye; 〃but you must
have wondered; just the same。  I bought that craft becausewell;
because she reminded me of old times; I cal'late。  I used to command
a schooner like her once; bigger and lots more able; of course; but
a fishin' schooner; same as she used to be。  And I was a good
skipper; if I do say it。  My crews jumped when I said the word; now
I tell you。  That's where I belongon the deck of a vessel。  I'm a
man therea man。〃

He paused。  Brown made no comment。  Seth continued to rock and to
talk; he seemed to be thinking aloud。

〃Yes; sir;〃 he declared; with a sigh; 〃when I was afloat I was a
man; and folks respected me。  I just do love salt water and sailin'
craft。  That's why I bought the Daisy M。  I've been riggin' her and
caulkin' her just for the fun of doin' it。  She'll never float
again。  It would take a tide like a flood to get her off them flats。
But when I'm aboard or putterin' around her; I'm happyhappier; I
mean。  It makes me forget I'm a good…for…nothin' derelict; stranded
in an old woman's job of lightkeepin'。  Ah; hum…a…day; young feller;
you don't know what it is to have been somebody; and then; because
you was a fool and did a fool thing; to be nothin'nothin'!  You
don't know what that is。〃

John Brown caught his breath。  His fist descended upon the window
ledge beside him。

〃Don't I!〃 he groaned。  〃By George; don't I!  Do you suppose〃

He stopped short。  Atkins started and came out of his dream。

〃Whywhy; yes;〃 he said; hastily; 〃I s'pose likely you do。 。 。 。
Well; good night。  I've got to go on watch。  See you in the
mornin'。〃


CHAPTER VI

THE PICNIC


Seth was true to his promise concerning Job。  The next afternoon
that remarkable canine was decoyed; by the usual bone; into the box
in which he had arrived。  Being in; the cover was securely renailed
above him。  Brown and the light…keeper lifted the box into the back
part of the 〃open wagon;〃 and Atkins drove triumphantly away; the
pup's agonized protests against the journey serving as spurs to urge
Joshua faster along the road to the village。  When; about six
o'clock; Seth reentered the yard; he was grinning broadly。

〃Well;〃 inquired Brown; 〃did he take him back willingly?〃

〃Who?  Henry G。?  I don't know about the willin' part; but he'll
take him back。  I attended to that。〃

〃What did he say?  Did he think you ungrateful for refusing to
accept his present?〃

Atkins laughed aloud。  〃He didn't say nothin';〃 he declared。  〃He
didn't know it when I left Eastboro。  I wa'n't such a fool as to
cart that critter to the store; where all the gang 'round the store
could holler and make fun。  Not much!  I drove way round the other
way; up the back road; and unloaded him at Henry's

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