michael, brother of jerry-第5节

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It　became　quite　a　custom　for　the　steward；　as　he　finished　his　sixth　bottle　before　turning　in；　to　call　upon　Kwaque　for　his　story。　　It　carried　him　back　to　his　boyhood　when　he　had　been　excited　by　tales　of　wild　cannibals　in　far　lands　and　dreamed　some　day　to　see　them　for　himself。　　And　here　he　was；　he　would　chuckle　to　himself；　with　a　real　true　cannibal　for　a　slave。

A　slave　Kwaque　was；　as　much　as　if　Daughtry　had　bought　him　on　the　auction…block。　　Whenever　the　steward　transferred　from　ship　to　ship　of　the　Burns　Philp　fleet；　he　always　stipulated　that　Kwaque　should　accompany　him　and　be　duly　rated　at　ten　shillings。　　Kwaque　had　no　say　in　the　matter。　　Even　had　he　desired　to　escape　in　Australian　ports；　there　was　no　need　for　Daughtry　to　watch　him。　　Australia；　with　her　〃all…white〃　policy；　attended　to　that。　　No　dark…skinned　human；　whether　Malay；　Japanese；　or　Polynesian；　could　land　on　her　shore　without　putting　into　the　Government's　hand　a　cash　security　of　one　hundred　pounds。

Nor　at　the　other　islands　visited　by　the　Makambo　had　Kwaque　any　desire　to　cut　and　run　for　it。　　King　William　Island；　which　was　the　only　land　he　had　ever　trod；　was　his　yard…stick　by　which　he　measured　all　other　islands。　　And　since　King　William　Island　was　cannibalistic；　he　could　only　conclude　that　the　other　islands　were　given　to　similar　dietary　practice。

As　for　King　William　Island；　the　Makambo；　on　the　former　run　of　the　Cockspur；　stopped　there　every　ten　weeks；　but　the　direst　threat　Daughtry　ever　held　over　him　was　the　putting　ashore　of　him　at　the　place　where　the　two　active　young　men　still　mourned　their　pig。　　In　fact；　it　was　their　regular　programme；　each　trip；　to　paddle　out　and　around　the　Makambo　and　make　ferocious　grimaces　up　at　Kwaque；　who　grimaced　back　at　them　from　over　the　rail。　　Daughtry　even　encouraged　this　exchange　of　facial　amenities　for　the　purpose　of　deterring　him　from　ever　hoping　to　win　ashore　to　the　village　of　his　birth。

For　that　matter；　Kwaque　had　little　desire　to　leave　his　master；　who；　after　all；　was　kindly　and　just；　and　never　lifted　a　hand　to　him。　　Having　survived　sea…sickness　at　the　first；　and　never　setting　foot　upon　the　land　so　that　he　never　again　knew　sea…sickness；　Kwaque　was　certain　he　lived　in　an　earthly　paradise。　　He　never　had　to　regret　his　inability　to　climb　trees；　because　danger　never　threatened　him。　　He　had　food　regularly；　and　all　he　wanted；　and　it　was　such　food！　　No　one　in　his　village　could　have　dreamed　of　any　delicacy　of　the　many　delicacies　which　he　consumed　all　the　time。　Because　of　these　matters　he　even　pulled　through　a　light　attack　of　home…sickness；　and　was　as　contented　a　human　as　ever　sailed　the　seas。

And　Kwaque　it　was　who　pulled　Michael　through　the　port…hole　into　Dag　Daughtry's　stateroom　and　waited　for　that　worthy　to　arrive　by　the　roundabout　way　of　the　door。　　After　a　quick　look　around　the　room　and　a　sniff　of　the　bunk　and　under　the　bunk　which　informed　him　that　Jerry　was　not　present；　Michael　turned　his　attention　to　Kwaque。

Kwaque　tried　to　be　friendly。　　He　uttered　a　clucking　noise　in　advertisement　of　his　friendliness；　and　Michael　snarled　at　this　black　who　had　dared　to　lay　hands　upon　hima　contamination；　according　to　Michael's　trainingand　who　now　dared　to　address　him　who　associated　only　with　white　gods。

Kwaque　passed　off　the　rebuff　with　a　silly　gibbering　laugh　and　started　to　step　nearer　the　door　to　be　in　readiness　to　open　it　at　his　master's　coming。　　But　at　first　lift　of　his　leg；　Michael　flew　at　it。　　Kwaque　immediately　put　it　down；　and　Michael　subsided；　though　he　kept　a　watchful　guard。　　What　did　he　know　of　this　strange　black；　save　that　he　was　a　black　and　that；　in　the　absence　of　a　white　master；　all　blacks　required　watching？　　Kwaque　tried　slowly　sliding　his　foot　along　the　floor；　but　Michael　knew　the　trick　and　with　bristle　and　growl　put　a　stop　to　it。

It　was　upon　this　tableau　that　Daughtry　entered；　and；　while　he　admired　Michael　much　under　the　bright　electric　light；　he　realized　the　situation。

〃Kwaque；　you　make　'm　walk　about　leg　belong　you；〃　he　commanded；　in　order　to　make　sure。

Kwaque's　glance　of　apprehension　at　Michael　was　convincing　enough；　but　the　steward　insisted。　　Kwaque　gingerly　obeyed；　but　scarcely　had　his　foot　moved　an　inch　when　Michael's　was　upon　him。　　The　foot　and　leg　petrified；　while　Michael　stiff…leggedly　drew　a　half…circle　of　intimidation　about　him。

〃Got　you　nailed　to　the　floor；　eh？〃　Daughtry　chuckled。　　〃Some　nigger…chaser；　my　word；　any　amount。〃

〃Hey；　you；　Kwaque；　go　fetch　'm　two　fella　bottle　of　beer　stop　'm　along　icey…chestis；〃　he　commanded　in　his　most　peremptory　manner。

Kwaque　looked　beseechingly；　but　did　not　stir。　　Nor　did　he　stir　at　a　harsher　repetition　of　the　order。

〃My　word！〃　the　steward　bullied。　　〃Suppose　'm　you　no　fetch　'm　beer　close　up；　I　knock　'm　eight　bells　'n　'a　dog…watch　onta　you。　Suppose　'm　you　no　fetch　'm　close　up；　me　make　'm　you　go　ashore　'n'　walk　about　along　King　William　Island。〃

〃No　can；〃　Kwaque　murmured　timidly。　　〃Eye　belong　dog　look　along　me　too　much。　　Me　no　like　'm　dog　kai…kai　along　me。〃

〃You　fright　along　dog？〃　his　master　demanded。

〃My　word；　me　fright　along　dog　any　amount。〃

Dag　Daughtry　was　delighted。　　Also；　he　was　thirsty　from　his　trip　ashore　and　did　not　prolong　the　situation。

〃Hey；　you；　dog；〃　he　addressed　Michael。　　〃This　fella　boy　he　all　right。　　Savvee？　　He　all　right。〃

Michael　bobbed　his　tail　and　flattened　his　ears　in　token　that　he　was　trying　to　understand。　　When　the　steward　patted　the　black　on　the　shoulder；　Michael　advanced　and　sniffed　both　the　legs　he　had　kept　nailed　to　the　floor。

〃Walk　about；〃　Daughtry　commanded。　　〃Walk　about　slow　fella；〃　he　cautioned；　though　there　was　little　need。

Michael　bristled；　but　permitted　the　first　timid　step。　　At　the　second　he　glanced　up　at　Daughtry　to　make　certain。

〃That's　right；〃　he　was　reassured。　　〃That　fella　boy　belong　me。　　He　all　right；　you　bet。〃

Michael　smiled　with　his　eyes　that　he　understood；　and　turned　casually　aside　to　investigate　an　open　box　on　the　floor　which　contained　plates　of　turtle…shell；　hack…saws；　and　emery　paper。


〃And　now；〃　Dag　Daughtry　muttered　weightily　aloud；　as；　bottle　in　hand；　he　leaned　back　in　his　arm…chair　while　Kwaque　knelt　at　his　feet　to　unlace　his　shoes；　〃now　to　consider　a　name　for　you；　Mister　Dog；　that　will　be　just　to　your　breeding　and　fair　to　my　powers　of　invention。〃



CHAPTER　IV



Irish　terriers；　when　they　have　gained　maturity；　are　notable；　not　alone　for　their　courage；　fidelity；　and　capacity　for　love；　but　for　their　cool…headedness　and　power　of　self…control　and　restraint。　They　are　less　easily　excited　off　their　balance；　they　can　recognize　and　obey　their　master's　voice　in　the　scuffle　and　rage　of　battle；　and　they　never　fly　into　nervous　hysterics　such　as　are　common；　say；　with　fox…terriers。

Michael　possessed　no　trace　of　hysteria；　though　he　was　more　temperamentally　excitable　and　explosive　than　his　blood…brother　Jerry；　while　his　father　and　mother　were　a　sedate　old　couple　indeed　compared　with　him。　　Far　more　than　mature　Jerry；　was　mature　Michael　playful　and　rowdyish。　　His　ebullient　spirits　were　always　on　tap　to　spill　over　on　the　slightest　provocation；　and；　as　he　was　afterwards　to　demonstrate；　he　could　weary　a　puppy　with　play。　　In　short；　Michael　was　a　merry　soul。

〃Soul〃　is　used　advisedly。　　Whatever　the　human　soul　may　be　informing　spirit；　identity；　personality；　consciousnessthat　intangible　thing　Michael　certainly　possessed。　　His　soul；　differing　only　in　degree；　partook　of　the　same　attributes　as　the　human　soul。　He　knew　love；　sorrow；　joy；　wrath；　pride；　self…consciousness；　humour。　　Three　cardinal　attributes　of　the　human　soul　are　memory；　will；　and　understanding；　and　memory；　will；　and　understanding　were　Michael's。

Just　like　a　human；　with　his　five　senses　he　contacted　with　the　world　exterior　to　him。　　Just　like　a　human；　the　results　to　him　of　these　contacts　were　sensations。　　Just　like　a　human；　these　sensations　on　occasion　culminated　in　emotions。　　Still　further；　like　a　human；　he　could　and　did　perceive；　and　such　perceptions　did　flower　in　his　brain　as　concepts；　certainly　not　so　wide　and　deep　and　recondite　as　those　of　humans；　but　concepts　nevertheless。

Perhaps；　to　let　the　human　down　a　trifle　from　such　disgraceful　identity　of　the　highest　life…attributes；　it　would　be　well　to　admit　that　Michael's　sensations　were　not　quite　so　poignant；　say　in　the　matter　of　a　needle…thrust　through　his　foot　as　compared　with　a　needle…thrust　through　the　palm　of　a　hand。　　Also；　it　is　admitted；　when　consciousness　suffused　his　brain　with　a　thought；　that　the　thought　was　dimmer；　vaguer　than　a　similar　thought　in　a　human　brain。　　Furthermore；　it　is　admitted　that　never；　never；　in　a　million　lifetimes；　could　Michael　have　demonstrated　a　proposition　in　Euclid　or　solved　a　quadratic　equation。　　Yet　he　was　capable　of　knowing　beyond　all　peradventure　of　a　doubt　that　three　bones　are　more　than　two　bones；　and　that　ten　dogs　compose　a　more　redoubtable　host　than　do　two　dogs。

One　admission；　however；　will　not　be　made；　namely；　that　Michael　could　not　love　as　devotedly；　as　wholeheartedly；　unselfishly；　madly；　self…sacrificingly　as　a　human。　　He　did　so　lovenot　because　he　was　Michael；　but　because　he　was　a　dog。

Michael　had　loved　Captain　Kellar　more　than　he　loved　his　own　life。　No　more　than　Jerry　for　Skipper；　would　he　have　hesitated　to　risk　his　life　for　Captain　Kella