adventure-第13节

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　He　was　just　preparing　a　dynamite　stick　for　fish；　and　he　lighted　it　and　tossed　it　in　amongst　them。　　One　can't　get　him　to　talk　about　it；　but　the　fuse　was　short；　the　survivors　leaped　overboard；　while　he　slipped　his　anchor　and　got　away。　　They've　got　one　hundred　fathoms　of　shell　money　on　his　head　now；　which　is　worth　one　hundred　pounds　sterling。　　Yet　he　goes　into　Suu　regularly。　　He　was　there　a　short　time　ago；　returning　thirty　boys　from　Cape　Marshthat's　the　Fulcrum　Brothers'　plantation。〃

〃At　any　rate；　his　news　to…night　has　given　me　a　better　insight　into　the　life　down　here；〃　Joan　said。　　〃And　it　is　colourful　life；　to　say　the　least。　　The　Solomons　ought　to　be　printed　red　on　the　chartsand　yellow；　too；　for　the　diseases。〃

〃The　Solomons　are　not　always　like　this；〃　Sheldon　answered。　　〃Of　course；　Berande　is　the　worst　plantation；　and　everything　it　gets　is　the　worst。　　I　doubt　if　ever　there　was　a　worse　run　of　sickness　than　we　were　just　getting　over　when　you　arrived。　　Just　as　luck　would　have　it；　the　Jessie　caught　the　contagion　as　well。　　Berande　has　been　very　unfortunate。　　All　the　old…timers　shake　their　heads　at　it。　They　say　it　has　what　you　Americans　call　a　hoodoo　on　it。〃

〃Berande　will　succeed；〃　Joan　said　stoutly。　　〃I　like　to　laugh　at　superstition。　　You'll　pull　through　and　come　out　the　big　end　of　the　horn。　　The　ill　luck　can't　last　for　ever。　　I　am　afraid；　though；　the　Solomons　is　not　a　white　man's　climate。〃

〃It　will　be；　though。　　Give　us　fifty　years；　and　when　all　the　bush　is　cleared　off　back　to　the　mountains；　fever　will　be　stamped　out；　everything　will　be　far　healthier。　　There　will　be　cities　and　towns　here；　for　there's　an　immense　amount　of　good　land　going　to　waste。〃

〃But　it　will　never　become　a　white　man's　climate；　in　spite　of　all　that；〃　Joan　reiterated。　　〃The　white　man　will　always　be　unable　to　perform　the　manual　labour。〃

〃That　is　true。〃

〃It　will　mean　slavery；〃　she　dashed　on。

〃Yes；　like　all　the　tropics。　　The　black；　the　brown；　and　the　yellow　will　have　to　do　the　work；　managed　by　the　white　men。　　The　black　labour　is　too　wasteful；　however；　and　in　time　Chinese　or　Indian　coolies　will　be　imported。　　The　planters　are　already　considering　the　matter。　　I；　for　one；　am　heartily　sick　of　black　labour。〃

〃Then　the　blacks　will　die　off？〃

Sheldon　shrugged　his　shoulders；　and　retorted；　…

〃Yes；　like　the　North　American　Indian；　who　was　a　far　nobler　type　than　the　Melanesian。　　The　world　is　only　so　large；　you　know；　and　it　is　filling　up〃

〃And　the　unfit　must　perish？〃

〃Precisely　so。　　The　unfit　must　perish。〃

In　the　morning　Joan　was　roused　by　a　great　row　and　hullabaloo。　　Her　first　act　was　to　reach　for　her　revolver；　but　when　she　heard　Noa　Noah；　who　was　on　guard；　laughing　outside；　she　knew　there　was　no　danger；　and　went　out　to　see　the　fun。　　Captain　Young　had　landed　Satan　at　the　moment　when　the　bridge…building　gang　had　started　along　the　beach。　　Satan　was　big　and　black；　short…haired　and　muscular；　and　weighed　fully　seventy　pounds。　　He　did　not　love　the　blacks。　　Tommy　Jones　had　trained　him　well；　tying　him　up　daily　for　several　hours　and　telling　off　one　or　two　black　boys　at　a　time　to　tease　him。　　So　Satan　had　it　in　for　the　whole　black　race；　and　the　second　after　he　landed　on　the　beach　the　bridge…building　gang　was　stampeding　over　the　compound　fence　and　swarming　up　the　cocoanut　palms。

〃Good　morning；〃　Sheldon　called　from　the　veranda。　　〃And　what　do　you　think　of　the　nigger…chaser？〃

〃I'm　thinking　we　have　a　task　before　us　to　train　him　in　to　the　house…boys；〃　she　called　back。

〃And　to　your　Tahitians；　too。　　Look　out；　Noah！　　Run　for　it！〃

Satan；　having　satisfied　himself　that　the　tree…perches　were　unassailable；　was　charging　straight　for　the　big　Tahitian。

But　Noah　stood　his　ground；　though　somewhat　irresolutely；　and　Satan；　to　every　one's　surprise；　danced　and　frisked　about　him　with　laughing　eyes　and　wagging　tail。

〃Now；　that　is　what　I　might　call　a　proper　dog；〃　was　Joan's　comment。　〃He　is　at　least　wiser　than　you；　Mr。　Sheldon。　　He　didn't　require　any　teaching　to　recognize　the　difference　between　a　Tahitian　and　a　black　boy。　　What　do　you　think；　Noah？　　Why　don't　he　bite　you？　　He　savvee　you　Tahitian　eh？〃

Noa　Noah　shook　his　head　and　grinned。

〃He　no　savvee　me　Tahitian；〃　he　explained。　　〃He　savvee　me　wear　pants　all　the　same　white　man。〃

〃You'll　have　to　give　him　a　course　in　'Sartor　Resartus；'〃　Sheldon　laughed；　as　he　came　down　and　began　to　make　friends　with　Satan。

It　chanced　just　then　that　Adamu　Adam　and　Matauare；　two　of　Joan's　sailors；　entered　the　compound　from　the　far　side…gate。　　They　had　been　down　to　the　Balesuna　making　an　alligator　trap；　and；　instead　of　trousers；　were　clad　in　lava…lavas　that　flapped　gracefully　about　their　stalwart　limbs。　　Satan　saw　them；　and　advertised　his　find　by　breaking　away　from　Sheldon's　hands　and　charging。

〃No　got　pants；〃　Noah　announced　with　a　grin　that　broadened　as　Adamu　Adam　took　to　flight。

He　climbed　up　the　platform　that　supported　the　galvanized　iron　tanks　which　held　the　water　collected　from　the　roof。　　Foiled　here；　Satan　turned　and　charged　back　on　Matauare。

〃Run；　Matauare！　　Run！〃　Joan　called。

But　he　held　his　ground　and　waited　the　dog。

〃He　is　the　Fearless　Onethat　is　what　his　name　means；〃　Joan　explained　to　Sheldon。

The　Tahitian　watched　Satan　coolly；　and　when　that　sanguine…mouthed　creature　lifted　into　the　air　in　the　final　leap；　the　man's　hand　shot　out。　　It　was　a　fair　grip　on　the　lower　jaw；　and　Satan　described　a　half　circle　and　was　flung　to　the　rear；　turning　over　in　the　air　and　falling　heavily　on　his　back。　　Three　times　he　leaped；　and　three　times　that　grip　on　his　jaw　flung　him　to　defeat。　　Then　he　contented　himself　with　trotting　at　Matauare's　heels；　eyeing　him　and　sniffing　him　suspiciously。

〃It's　all　right；　Satan；　it's　all　right；〃　Sheldon　assured　him。　〃That　good　fella　belong　along　me。〃

But　Satan　dogged　the　Tahitian's　movements　for　a　full　hour　before　he　made　up　his　mind　that　the　man　was　an　appurtenance　of　the　place。　Then　he　turned　his　attention　to　the　three　house…boys；　cornering　Ornfiri　in　the　kitchen　and　rushing　him　against　the　hot　stove；　stripping　the　lava…lava　from　Lalaperu　when　that　excited　youth　climbed　a　veranda…post；　and　following　Viaburi　on　top　the　billiard…　table；　where　the　battle　raged　until　Joan　managed　a　rescue。



CHAPTER　IXAS　BETWEEN　A　MAN　AND　A　WOMAN



It　was　Satan's　inexhaustible　energy　and　good　spirits　that　most　impressed　them。　　His　teeth　seemed　perpetually　to　ache　with　desire；　and　in　lieu　of　black　legs　he　husked　the　cocoanuts　that　fell　from　the　trees　in　the　compound；　kept　the　enclosure　clear　of　intruding　hens；　and　made　a　hostile　acquaintance　with　every　boss…boy　who　came　to　report。　　He　was　unable　to　forget　the　torment　of　his　puppyhood；　wherein　everlasting　hatred　of　the　black　had　been　woven　into　the　fibres　of　consciousness；　and　such　a　terror　did　he　make　himself　that　Sheldon　was　forced　to　shut　him　up　in　the　living　room　when；　for　any　reason；　strange　natives　were　permitted　in　the　compound。　　This　always　hurt　Satan's　feelings　and　fanned　his　wrath；　so　that　even　the　house…boys　had　to　watch　out　for　him　when　he　was　first　released。

Christian　Young　sailed　away　in　the　Minerva；　carrying　an　invitation　（that　would　be　delivered　nobody　knew　when）　to　Tommy　Jones　to　drop　in　at　Berande　the　next　time　he　was　passing。

〃What　are　your　plans　when　you　get　to　Sydney？〃　Sheldon　asked；　that　night；　at　dinner。

〃First　I've　heard　that　I'm　going　to　Sydney；〃　Joan　retorted。　　〃I　suppose　you've　received　information；　by　bush…telegraph；　that　that　third　assistant　understrapper　and　ex…sailorman　at　Tulagi　is　going　to　deport　me　as　an　undesirable　immigrant。〃

〃Oh；　no；　nothing　of　the　sort；　I　assure　you；〃　Sheldon　began　with　awkward　haste；　fearful　of　having　offended；　though　he　knew　not　how。　〃I　was　just　wondering；　that　was　all。　　You　see；　with　the　loss　of　the　schooner　and　。　。　and　all　the　rest　。　。　。　you　understand　。　。　I　was　thinking　that　ifaifhang　it　all；　until　you　could　communicate　with　your　friends；　my　agents　at　Sydney　could　advance　you　a　loan；　temporary　you　see；　why　I'd　be　only　too　glad　and　all　the　rest；　you　know。　　The　proper〃

But　his　jaw　dropped　and　he　regarded　her　irritably　and　with　apprehension。

〃What　IS　the　matter？〃　he　demanded；　with　a　show　of　heat。　　〃What　HAVE　I　done　now？〃

Joan's　eyes　were　bright　with　battle；　the　curve　of　her　lips　sharp　with　mockery。

〃Certainly　not　the　unexpected；〃　she　said　quietly。　　〃Merely　ignored　me　in　your　ordinary；　every…day；　man…god；　superior　fashion。　Naturally　it　counted　for　nothing；　my　telling　you　that　I　had　no　idea　of　going　to　Sydney。　　Go　to　Sydney　I　must；　because　you；　in　your　superior　wisdom；　have　so　decreed。〃

She　paused　and　looked　at　him　curiously；　as　though　he　were　some　strange　breed　of　animal。

〃Of　course　I　am　grateful　for　your　offer　of　assistance；　but　even　that　is　no　salve　to　wounded　pride。　　For　that　matter；　it　is　no　more　than　one　white　man　should　expect　from　another。　　Shipwrecked　mariners　are　always　helped　along　their　way。　　Only　this　particular　mariner　doesn't　need　any　help。　　Furthermore；　this　mariner　is　not　going　to　Sydney；　thank　you。〃

〃But　what　do　you　intend　to　do？〃

〃Find　some　spot　where　I　shall　escape　the　indignity　of　being　patronized　and　bossed　by　the　superior　sex。〃

〃Come　now；　that　is　putting　it　a　bit　too　strongly。〃　　Sheldon　laughed；　but　the　strain　in　his　voice　destroyed　the