the vision spendid(美景)-第37节
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you？ Not going to touch a rope？ Then； by thunder； you white…livered
beachcomber； a rope will touch you till you're flayed。 Get this in your
coconut。 You'll walk chalk； you lazy son of a sea cook； or I'll haze you till
you wish you'd never been born。〃 He punctuated his remarks with
vigorous kicks。 〃Bully Green runs this tub； strike me dead if he don't。 Now
you hump for'ard and clap a hand to them sheets。 Walk； you shanghaied
Dutchman！〃
The sailor crawled away； completely cowed。 For one day he had had
more than enough。 The captain watched him for a moment； his great jaw
thrust grimly out。 Then； as on a pivot； he whirled toward Jeff。
〃Come here； you！ Step lively； Sport！〃
Farnum wondered whether he was about to undergo an experience
similar to that of the sailor。 〃Do you want to know what kind of a ship this
is？〃
〃No； sir。 I'm perfectly satisfied about that；〃 smiled his victim。
〃Got no opinions you want to hand out free； son？〃
〃Think I'll keep them bottled。〃
〃Say 'sir；' Sport！〃
〃Yes； sir；〃 answered Farnum； his quiet eyes steady and unafraid。
〃When I give an order you expect to jump？〃
〃Jump isn't the word。〃
〃Sir！〃 thundered Green； and 〃Sir〃 the newspaper man corrected
himself。
〃Got no story to spiel about being shanghaied； son？〃
〃Would it do any good； sir？〃
〃Not unless you're aching to get what that son of a Dutchman got。 See
here； sport！ You walk the chalk line； and Bully Green and you'll get along
fine。 I'm a lamb； I am； when I'm not riled。 But get gayand you'll have a
hectic time。 I'll rough you till you're shark…food。 Get that through your
teeth？〃
〃Yes； sir。〃
〃Now you trot down to the fo'c'sle and dive into them slops you find
there。 You got just three minutes to do the dress…suit act。〃
Jeff； as he passed below； could hear the great bull voice roaring orders
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to the men。 〃Set y'r topsails！ Jam 'er down hard； Johnnie Dago！ Stand by；
you lubbers！ 。 。 。 Now then； easy does it 。 。 。 easy！〃
Within the allotted three minutes Farnum had climbed into the foul
oilskin coat and tarry breeches he found below and was ready for orders。
〃Clap on to that windlass； sport！ No loafing here。 。 。 。 Hump y'rself。
D'ye hear me？ Hump？〃
Jeff threw his one hundred and fifty pounds of bone and muscle
against the crank of the windlass。 Some men would have fought first as
long as they could stand and see。 Others would have begged； argued； or
threatened。 But Jeff had schooled himself to master impulses of rage。 He
knew when to fight and when to yield。 Nor did he give way sullenly or
passionately。 It was an outrage highhanded tyrannybut at the worst it
was a magnificent adventure。 As he flung his weight into the crank he
smiled。
PART 2
Before the trade winds the _Nancy Hanks_ foamed along day after day；
all sails set； making excellent time。 But for his anxiety as to the effect his
disappearance would have upon the political situation； Jeff would have
enjoyed immensely the wild rough life aboard the schooner。 But he could
not conceal from himself the interpretation of his absence the machine
agents would scatter broadcast。 He foresaw a reaction against his bill and
its probable defeat。
The issue was on the knees of chance。 The fact that could not be
obliterated was that he had been wiped from the slate until after the
legislature would adjourn。 For every hour was carrying him farther from
the scene of action。
His only hope was that the _Nancy Hanks_ might put in at the
Hawaiian Islands； from which place he might get a chance to write； or；
better still； to cable the reason of his absence。 Captain Green himself
wiped out this expectation。 He jocosely intimated to Farnum one afternoon
that he had no intention of calling the Islands。
〃When we get through this six months' cruise you'll be a first… rate
sailorman； son； and you'll get a sailorman's wages；〃 he added genially。
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The shanghaied man met his eye squarely。 〃I think I could arrange to
draw on Verden for a thousand dollars if you would drop me at the
Islands。〃
〃Not for twenty thousand。 You're going to stay with us till we get to
the Solomon Islands； and don't you forget it。〃
Bully Green had taken rather a fancy to this amiable young man who
had taken so sensible a view of the little misadventure that had befallen
him； but of course business was business。 He had been paid to keep him
out of the way and he intended to fulfil the contract。
〃Here I'm educatin' you； makin' an able…bodied seaman out of you； son。
You had ought to be grateful；〃 he grinned。
〃Oh； I am；〃 Jeff agreed with a twinkle。
But Captain Green had reckoned without the weather。 The _Nancy
Hanks_ drifted into three days of calm and sultry heat。 At the end of the
third day she began to rock gently beneath a murky sky。
〃Dirty weather；〃 predicted the mate； the same who had assisted at the
shanghaing。 〃When you see a satin sea turn indigo and that peculiar shade
in the sky you want to look out for squalls；〃 he explained to Jeff。
It came on them in a rush。 The sun went out of a black sky like a
blown candle and the sea began to whip itself to a froth。 The wind
quickened； boomed to a roar； and sent the schooner heeling to a squall
across the leaden waters。 The open sea closed in on them。 Before they
could get in sail and make secure the sheets ripped with a scream； braces
parted and the topmasts snapped off。 The _Nancy_ went pitching forward
into the yawning deeps with drunken plunges from which it seemed she
would never emerge。 Great combing seas toppled down and pounded the
decks； while the sailors clung to stays or whatever would give them a
hold。
The squall lasted scarce an hour； but it left the schooner dismantled。
Her sheets were in ribbons； her topmasts and bowsprit gone。 There was
nothing for it but a crippled beat toward the Islands。
Four days later she made an offing in the harbor at Honolulu just as a
liner was nosing her way out。
Bully Green ranged up beside Farnum and cast a speculative eye on
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him。
〃Sport； I had ought to iron you and keep you in the fo'c'sle until we
leave here。 It's the only square thing to do。〃
Jeff's gaze was on the advancing steamer。 She was scarce two hundred
yards away now and he could plainly read the name painted on her side。
She was the _Bellingham_ of Verden。
〃I don't see the necessity； sir；〃 he answered。
〃I reckon you do； son。 Samuel Green stands by his word to a finish。
Now I've promised to keep you safe； and you can bet your last dollar I'm
a…going to do it。〃
His prisoner turned from the rail against which he was leaning to the
captain。 Pinpoints of light were gleaming in the big eyes。
〃How much safer do you want me than this？〃
Green expectorated at a chip in the water and shifted his quid。 〃You've
got brains； son。 No telling what you might try to do。 But see here。 You're
no drunken beachcomber。 I know a gentleman when I see one。 Gimme
your word you'll not try to skip out or send a message back to the States
and I'll go easy on you。 I'm so dashed kindhearted； I am； that〃
Jeff leaped to the rail； stood poised an instant； and dived into the blue
Pacific。
〃Well； I'll be 〃 Bully Green interrupted himself to roar an order to
lower a boat。
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CHAPTER 16
A young man left his father's house to see the world。 Everywhere he
found busy human beings。 Cities were rising toward the skies； seas and
plains were being lined with traffic； school； mill and offi
