the woman-haters-第36节

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spoke　pleadingly。

〃Have　you　got　a　boat？〃　it　cried。　　〃We're　adrift　on　this　dreadful
thing　and　。　。　。　why；　SETH！〃

The　woman　was　Emeline　Bascom。

〃Why；　SETH！〃　she　said　again。　　Then　the　sounds　of　the　wind　and　waves
and　the　creaking　and　cracking　of　the　old　schooner　alone　broke　the
silence。

But　Bennie　D。；　even　under　the　shock　of　such　a　surprise　as　this；　did
not　remain　silent　long。　　His　precious　self　was　in　danger。

〃You　put　us　ashore！〃　he　shouted。　　〃You　put　us　ashore　right　off；　do
you　hear？　　Don't　stand　there　like　a　fool！　　Do　something。　　Do　you
want　us　to　drown？　　DO　something！〃

Seth　came　to　life。　　His　first　speech　was　sharp　and　businesslike。

〃Emeline；〃　he　said；　〃there's　a　lantern　hanging　up　in　the　cabin。　　Go
light　it　and　fetch　it　to　me。　　Hurry！〃

〃It's　upset；〃　was　the　frightened　answer。　　〃Bennie　found　it　when　we
first　came　aboard。　　When　wewhen　this　awful　boat　started；　it　upset
and　went　out。〃

〃Never　mind。　　Probably　there's　ile　enough　left　for　a　spell。　　Go
fetch　it。　　There's　matches　in　a　box　on　the　wall　just　underneath
where　'twas　hangin'。　　Don't　stop　to　talk！　　Move！〃

Mrs。　Bascom　moved。　　Seth　turned　to　the　〃inventor。〃

〃Come　for'ard　with　me；〃　he　ordered。　　〃Here！　this　way！　for'ard！
FOR'ARD！〃

He　seized　his　companion　by　the　arm　and　pulled　him　toward　the　bow。
The　frightened　genius　held　back。

〃What　in　time　is　the　matter　with　you？〃　snarled　the　lightkeeper。
〃Are　your　feet　asleep？　　Come！〃

Bennie　D。　came；　under　compulsion。　　Seth　half　led；　half　dragged　him
to　the　bow；　and；　bending　down；　uncoiled　a　rope　and　put　it　in　his
hands。

〃Them's　the　jib　halliards；〃　he　explained。　　〃Haul　on　'em　quick　and
hard　as　you　can。　　If　we　can　h'ist　the　jib　we　can　get　some　steerage
way　on　her；　maybe。　　Haul！　haul　till　you　can't　haul　no　more。　　Then
hang　on　till　I　come　back　and　make　fast。〃

He　rushed　back　to　the　wheel。　　The　tiller　ropes　were　new；　and　he
could　trust　them；　fortunately。　　From　the　cabin　hatchway　emerged　Mrs。
Bascom　bearing　the　lighted　lantern。

〃Good！〃　snapped　Seth。　　〃Now　we　can　see　what　we're　doin'　and；　if　we
show　a　glim；　maybe　we　won't　run　down　no　more　dories。　　You　go　for'ard
and　　No；　you　take　this　wheel　and　hold　it　just　as　'tis。　　JUST　as
'tis；　understand？　　I'll　be　back　in　a　jiffy。　　What　in　thunder's　the
matter　with　that　foolhead　at　the　jib？〃

He　seized　the　lantern　and　rushed　to　the　bow。　　Bennie　D。　had　dropped
the　halliard　and　was　leaning　over　the　rail　screaming　for　help。

Seth　hoisted　the　jib　himself；　made　it　fast；　and　then　turned　his
attention　to　the　mutinous　hand。

〃Shut　up！〃　he　bellowed；　catching　him　by　the　arm。　　〃Who　do　you
cal'late's　goin'　to　hear　you？　　Shut　up！　　You　come　with　me。　　I　want
you　to　pump。　　The　old　craft　would　do　well　enough　if　she　was　tight；
but　she's　more'n　likely　takin'　water　like　a　sieve。　　You　come　and
pump。〃

But　Bennie　had　no　notion　of　pumping。　　With　a　jerk　he　tore　loose　from
the　lightkeeper's　grasp　and　ran　to　the　stern；　where　he　continued　his
howls　for　help。

Seth　was　at　his　heels。

〃Stop　that；　I　tell　you；〃　he　commanded　angrily。　　〃It　don't　do　no
good。　　If　you　don't　want　to　go　to　the　bottom　you'll　work　that　pump。
Don't　be　such　a　clown。〃

The　frantic　genius　paid　no　attention。　　His　sister…in…law　left　the
wheel　and　put　her　hand　on　his　shoulder。　　〃Please；　Bennie；〃　she
pleaded。　　〃Please　do　as　he　says。　　He　knows；　and〃

Bennie　D。　pushed　her　backward　with　savage　force。　　〃Mind　your　own
business；〃　he　yelled　with　an　oath。　　〃'Twas　your　foolishness　got　me
into　this。〃　　Then；　leaning　over　the　rail；　he　called　shrilly；
〃Help！　　I'm　drowning！　　Help！〃

Mrs。　Bascom　staggered　back　against　the　wheel；　which　Seth　had　seized
the　instant　she　deserted　it。　　〃Oh！〃　she　said；　〃you　hurt　me。〃

Her　husband　freed　an　arm　and　put　it　about　her。　　〃Are　you　much　hurt；
Emeline？〃　he　asked　sharply。

〃Noo。　　No；　Seth。　　II　guess　I　ain't　really　hurt　at　all。〃

〃Good！　　Then　you　take　this　wheel　and　hold　her　just　so。　　That's　it。
AND　DON'T　YOU　DROP　IT　AGAIN。　　I'll　attend　to　this　feller。〃

His　wiry　fingers　locked　themselves　in　Bennie　D。's　shirt　collar。

〃I　ordered　you　to　pump；〃　said　Seth。　　〃Now　then；　you　come　and　pump！〃

〃Let　go！〃　screamed　his　captive。　　〃Take　your　hands　off　me；　or〃

The　back　of　his　head　striking　the　deck　put　a　period　in　the　middle　of
his　sentence。　　The　next　moment　he　was　being　dragged　by　the　collar　to
the　little　hand　pump　amidships。

〃Pump！〃　roared　the　lightkeeper。　　〃Pump！　or　I'll　break　your
everlastin'　neck。　　Lively　now！〃

The　dazed　genius　rose　to　his　knees。　　〃What〃　he　stammered。
〃Where〃

〃Right　there　in　front　of　you。　　Lively；　you　lubber！〃

A　well…directed　kick　helped　to　facilitate　liveliness。

〃What　shall　I　do？〃　wailed　Bennie　D。；　fumbling　the　pump　brake。　　〃How
does　it　go？〃

〃Up　and　downso。〃　　Seth　jerked　his　victim's　head　up　and　down；　by
way　of　illustration。　　〃Now；　then；〃　he　continued；　〃you　pump　till　I
say　quit；　or　I'llI　swan　to　man　I'll　make　a　spare　tops'l　out　of
your　hide！〃

He　left　the　inventor　working　as　he　had　not　worked　in　the　memory　of
man；　and　strode　back　to　the　wheel。　　Mrs。　Bascom　was　clinging　to　the
spokes　for　dear　life。

〃II　ain't　dropped　it；　Seth；〃　she　declared。　　〃Truly　I　ain't。〃

〃All　right。　　You　can　drop　it　now。　　I'll　take　it　myself。　　You　set
down　and　rest。〃

He　took　the　wheel　and　she　collapsed；　breathless；　against　the　rail。
After　a　time　she　ventured　to　ask　a　question。

〃Seth！〃　she　said；　〃how　do　you　know　which　way　to　steer？〃

〃I　don't；〃　was　the　reply。　　〃All　I'm　tryin'　to　do　is　keep　her　afore
it。　　If　this　no'theast　wind　would　hold；　we'd　be　all　right；　but　it's
dyin'　fast。　　And　the　tide　must　be　at　flood；　if　not　startin'　to　go
out。　　With　no　wind；　and　no　anchor；　and　the　kind　of　ebb　tide　there'll
be　pretty　soonwell；　if　we　don't　drift　out　to　sea　we'll　be
lucky。　。　。　。　　Pump！　pump！　you　son　of　a　roustabout。　　If　I　hear　you
stoppin'　for　a　second　I'll　come　for'ard　and　murder　you。〃

Bennie　D。；　who　had　ventured　to　rest　for　a　moment；　bent　his　aching
back　to　the　task。　　Was　this　man…slaughtering　tyrant　his　mild…
mannered；　meek　brother…in…law；　the　creature　whom　he　had　brow…beaten
so　often　and　managed　so　effectively？　　He　could　not　understandbut
he　pumped。

Perhaps　Seth　did　not　understand；　either；　perhaps　he　did　not　try　to。
Yet　the　explanation　was　simple　and　natural。　　The　sea；　the　emergency；
the　danger；　his　own　deck　beneath　his　feetthese　were　like　old
times；　here　was　a　situation　he　knew　how　to　handle。　　He　forgot　that
he　was　a　lightkeeper　absent　from　duty；　forgot　that　one　of　his
passengers　was　the　wife　he　had　run　away　from；　and　the　other　his
bugbear；　the　dreaded　and　formidable　Bennie　D。　　He　forgot　all　this
and　was　again　the　able　seaman；　the　Tartar　skipper　who；　in　former
days；　made　his　crews　fear；　respect；　and　swear　by　him。

And　he　reveled　in　his　authority。　　Once　Mrs。　Bascom　rose　to　peer　over
the　rail。

〃Emeline；〃　he　snapped；　〃didn't　I　tell　you　to　set　down　and　set　still？
Must　I　give　orders　twice？　　SET　DOWN！〃

Emeline　〃set。〃

The　wind　died　to　fitful　gusts。　　The　schooner　barely　moved。　　The　fog
was　as　thick　as　ever。　　Still　Seth　did　not　lose　courage。　　When　the
housekeeper　ventured　to　murmur　that　she　was　certain　they　would
drown；　he　reassured　her。

〃Keep　your　pennant　mast…high；　Emeline；〃　he　said　cheerfully。　　〃We
ain't　out　at　sea；　that's　sure　and　sartin。　　And；　until　we　get　in　the
breakers；　we're　safe　enough。　　The　old　gal　leaks　some；　she　ain't　as
dry　as　a　Good…Templar　prayer　meetin'；　but　she's　afloat。　　And　when
I'm　afloat　I　ain't　afraid；　and　you　needn't　be。〃

Some　time　after　that　he　asked　a　question　in　his　turn。

〃Emeline；〃　he　said；　〃what　in　the　world　are　you　doin'　here；　on　my
schooner？〃

〃Your　schooner；　Seth？　　Yours？　　Is　this　dreadfulis　this　boat
yours？〃

〃Yup。　　She's　mine。　　I　bought　her　just　for　fun　a　long　spell　ago；　and
I've　been　fussin'　with　her　ever　since。　　But　I　did　it　FOR　fun；　I
never　s'posed　she'd　take　a　cruiselike　this。　　And　what　are　you　and
himdoin'　on　her？〃

Mrs。　Bascom　hesitated。　　〃It　was　all　an　accident；　Seth；〃　she
explained。　　〃This　has　been　an　awful　nightand　day。　　Bennie　and　I
was　out　ridin'　together；　and　we　took　the　wrong　road。　　We　got　lost；
and　the　rain　was　awful。　　We　got　out　of　the　buggy　to　stand　under　some
trees　where　'twas　drier。　　The　horse　got　scared　at　some　limbs　fallin'
and　run　off。　　Then　it　was　most　dark；　and　we　got　down　to　the　shore
and　saw　this　boat。　　There　wa'n't　any　water　round　her　then。　　Bennie；
he　climbed　aboard　and　said　the　cabin　was　dry；　so　we　went　into　it　to
wait　for　the　storm　to　let　up。　　But　it　kept　gettin'　worse。　　When　we
came　out　of　the　cabin　it　was　all　fog　like　this　and　water　everywhere。
Bennie　was　afraid　to　wade；　for　we　couldn't　see　the　shore；　so　we　went
back　into　the　cabin　again。　　And　then；　all　at　once；　there　was　a　bump
that　knocked　us　both　sprawlin'。　　The　lantern　went　out；　and　when　we
come　on　deck　we　were　afloat。　　It　was　terrible。　　And　thenand　then
you　came；　Seth；　and　saved　our　lives。〃

〃Humph！　　Maybe　they　ain't　saved　yet。　。　。　。　　Emeline；　where　was　you
drivin'　to？〃

〃Why；　we　was　drivin'　home；　or　thought　we　was。〃

〃Home？〃

〃Yes；　homeback　to　the　bungalow。〃

〃You　was？〃

〃Yes。〃

A　pause。　　Then：　〃Emeline；　there's　no　use　your　tellin'　me　what　ain't
so。　　I　know　more　than　you　think　I　do；　maybe。　　If　you　was　drivin'
home　why　did　you