the woman-haters-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