adventure-第15节

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The　first　drops　of　rain　were　driving　like　hail…stones；　the　tall　cocoanut　palms　were　bending　and　writhing　in　the　grip　of　the　wind；　while　the　thick　cloud…mass　of　the　squall　turned　the　brief　tropic　twilight　abruptly　to　night。

Quite　unconsciously　the　brooding　anxiety　of　the　afternoon　slipped　from　Sheldon；　and　he　felt　strangely　cheered　at　the　sight　of　her　running　up　the　steps　laughing；　face　flushed；　hair　flying；　her　breast　heaving　from　the　violence　of　her　late　exertions。

〃Lovely；　perfectly　lovelyPari…Sulay；〃　she　panted。　　〃I　shall　buy　it。　　I'll　write　to　the　Commissioner　to…night。　　And　the　site　for　the　bungalowI've　selected　it　alreadyis　wonderful。　　You　must　come　over　some　day　and　advise　me。　　You　won't　mind　my　staying　here　until　I　can　get　settled？　　Wasn't　that　squall　beautiful？　　And　I　suppose　I'm　late　for　dinner。　　I'll　run　and　get　clean；　and　be　with　you　in　a　minute。〃

And　in　the　brief　interval　of　her　absence　he　found　himself　walking　about　the　big　living…room　and　impatiently　and　with　anticipation　awaiting　her　coming。

〃Do　you　know；　I'm　never　going　to　squabble　with　you　again；〃　he　announced　when　they　were　seated。

〃Squabble！〃　was　the　retort。　　〃It's　such　a　sordid　word。　　It　sounds　cheap　and　nasty。　　I　think　it's　much　nicer　to　quarrel。〃

〃Call　it　what　you　please；　but　we　won't　do　it　any　more；　will　we？〃　He　cleared　his　throat　nervously；　for　her　eyes　advertised　the　immediate　beginning　of　hostilities。　　〃I　beg　your　pardon；〃　he　hurried　on。　　〃I　should　have　spoken　for　myself。　　What　I　mean　is　that　I　refuse　to　quarrel。　　You　have　the　most　horrible　way；　without　uttering　a　word；　of　making　me　play　the　fool。　　Why；　I　began　with　the　kindest　intentions；　and　here　I　am　now〃

〃Making　nasty　remarks；〃　she　completed　for　him。

〃It's　the　way　you　have　of　catching　me　up；〃　he　complained。

〃Why；　I　never　said　a　word。　　I　was　merely　sitting　here；　being　sweetly　lured　on　by　promises　of　peace　on　earth　and　all　the　rest　of　it；　when　suddenly　you　began　to　call　me　names。〃

〃Hardly　that；　I　am　sure。〃

〃Well；　you　said　I　was　horrible；　or　that　I　had　a　horrible　way　about　me；　which　is　the　same　thing。　　I　wish　my　bungalow　were　up。　　I'd　move　to…morrow。〃

But　her　twitching　lips　belied　her　words；　and　the　next　moment　the　man　was　more　uncomfortable　than　ever；　being　made　so　by　her　laughter。

〃I　was　only　teasing　you。　　Honest　Injun。　　And　if　you　don't　laugh　I'll　suspect　you　of　being　in　a　temper　with　me。　　That's　right；　laugh。　　But　don't〃　she　added　in　alarm；　〃don't　if　it　hurts　you。　You　look　as　though　you　had　a　toothache。　　There；　theredon't　say　it。　　You　know　you　promised　not　to　quarrel；　while　I　have　the　privilege　of　going　on　being　as　hateful　as　I　please。　　And　to　begin　with；　there's　the　Flibberty…Gibbet。　　I　didn't　know　she　was　so　large　a　cutter；　but　she's　in　disgraceful　condition。　　Her　rigging　is　something　queer；　and　the　next　sharp　squall　will　bring　her　head…gear　all　about　the　shop。　　I　watched　Noa　Noah's　face　as　we　sailed　past。　He　didn't　say　anything。　　He　just　sneered。　　And　I　don't　blame　him。〃

〃Her　skipper's　rotten　bad　with　fever；〃　Sheldon　explained。　　〃And　he　had　to　drop　his　mate　off　to　take　hold　of　things　at　Ugithat's　where　I　lost　Oscar；　my　trader。　　And　you　know　what　sort　of　sailors　the　niggers　are。〃

She　nodded　her　head　judicially；　and　while　she　seemed　to　debate　a　weighty　judgment　he　asked　for　a　second　helping　of　tinned　beefnot　because　he　was　hungry；　but　because　he　wanted　to　watch　her　slim；　firm　fingers；　naked　of　jewels　and　banded　metals；　while　his　eyes　pleasured　in　the　swell　of　the　forearm；　appearing　from　under　the　sleeve　and　losing　identity　in　the　smooth；　round　wrist　undisfigured　by　the　netted　veins　that　come　to　youth　when　youth　is　gone。　　The　fingers　were　brown　with　tan　and　looked　exceedingly　boyish。　　Then；　and　without　effort；　the　concept　came　to　him。　　Yes；　that　was　it。　　He　had　stumbled　upon　the　clue　to　her　tantalizing　personality。　　Her　fingers；　sunburned　and　boyish；　told　the　story。　　No　wonder　she　had　exasperated　him　so　frequently。　　He　had　tried　to　treat　with　her　as　a　woman；　when　she　was　not　a　woman。　　She　was　a　mere　girland　a　boyish　girl　at　thatwith　sunburned　fingers　that　delighted　in　doing　what　boys'　fingers　did；　with　a　body　and　muscles　that　liked　swimming　and　violent　endeavour　of　all　sorts；　with　a　mind　that　was　daring；　but　that　dared　no　farther　than　boys'　adventures；　and　that　delighted　in　rifles　and　revolvers；　Stetson　hats；　and　a　sexless　camaraderie　with　men。

Somehow；　as　he　pondered　and　watched　her；　it　seemed　as　if　he　sat　in　church　at　home　listening　to　the　choir…boys　chanting。　　She　reminded　him　of　those　boys；　or　their　voices；　rather。　　The　same　sexless　quality　was　there。　　In　the　body　of　her　she　was　woman；　in　the　mind　of　her　she　had　not　grown　up。　　She　had　not　been　exposed　to　ripening　influences　of　that　sort。　　She　had　had　no　mother。　　Von；　her　father；　native　servants；　and　rough　island　life　had　constituted　her　training。　　Horses　and　rifles　had　been　her　toys；　camp　and　trail　her　nursery。　　From　what　she　had　told　him；　her　seminary　days　had　been　an　exile；　devoted　to　study　and　to　ceaseless　longing　for　the　wild　riding　and　swimming　of　Hawaii。　　A　boy's　training；　and　a　boy's　point　of　view！　　That　explained　her　chafe　at　petticoats；　her　revolt　at　what　was　only　decently　conventional。　　Some　day　she　would　grow　up；　but　as　yet　she　was　only　in　the　process。

Well；　there　was　only　one　thing　for　him　to　do。　　He　must　meet　her　on　her　own　basis　of　boyhood；　and　not　make　the　mistake　of　treating　her　as　a　woman。　　He　wondered　if　he　could　love　the　woman　she　would　be　when　her　nature　awoke；　and　he　wondered　if　he　could　love　her　just　as　she　was　and　himself　wake　her　up。　　After　all；　whatever　it　was；　she　had　come　to　fill　quite　a　large　place　in　his　life；　as　he　had　discovered　that　afternoon　while　scanning　the　sea　between　the　squalls。　　Then　he　remembered　the　accounts　of　Berande；　and　the　cropper　that　was　coming；　and　scowled。

He　became　aware　that　she　was　speaking。

〃I　beg　pardon；〃　he　said。　　〃What's　that　you　were　saying？〃

〃You　weren't　listening　to　a　wordI　knew　it；〃　she　chided。　　〃I　was　saying　that　the　condition　of　the　Flibberty…Gibbet　was　disgraceful；　and　that　to…morrow；　when　you've　told　the　skipper　and　not　hurt　his　feelings；　I　am　going　to　take　my　men　out　and　give　her　an　overhauling。　　We'll　scrub　her　bottom；　too。　　Why；　there's　whiskers　on　her　copper　four　inches　long。　　I　saw　it　when　she　rolled。　　Don't　forget；　I'm　going　cruising　on　the　Flibberty　some　day；　even　if　I　have　to　run　away　with　her。〃

While　at　their　coffee　on　the　veranda；　Satan　raised　a　commotion　in　the　compound　near　the　beach　gate；　and　Sheldon　finally　rescued　a　mauled　and　frightened　black　and　dragged　him　on　the　porch　for　interrogation。

〃What　fella　marster　you　belong？〃　he　demanded。　　〃What　name　you　come　along　this　fella　place　sun　he　go　down？〃

〃Me　b'long　Boucher。　　Too　many　boy　belong　along　Port　Adams　stop　along　my　fella　marster。　　Too　much　walk　about。〃

The　black　drew　a　scrap　of　notepaper　from　under　his　belt　and　passed　it　over。　　Sheldon　scanned　it　hurriedly。

〃It's　from　Boucher；〃　he　explained；　〃the　fellow　who　took　Packard's　place。　　Packard　was　the　one　I　told　you　about　who　was　killed　by　his　boat's…crew。　　He　says　the　Port　Adams　crowd　is　outfifty　of　them；　in　big　canoesand　camping　on　his　beach。　　They've　killed　half　a　dozen　of　his　pigs　already；　and　seem　to　be　looking　for　trouble。　　And　he's　afraid　they　may　connect　with　the　fifteen　runaways　from　Lunga。〃

〃In　which　case？〃　she　queried。

〃In　which　case　Billy　Pape　will　be　compelled　to　send　Boucher's　successor。　　It's　Pape's　station；　you　know。　　I　wish　I　knew　what　to　do。　　I　don't　like　to　leave　you　here　alone。〃

〃Take　me　along　then。〃

He　smiled　and　shook　his　head。

〃Then　you'd　better　take　my　men　along；〃　she　advised。　　〃They're　good　shots；　and　they're　not　afraid　of　anythingexcept　Utami；　and　he's　afraid　of　ghosts。〃

The　big　bell　was　rung；　and　fifty　black　boys　carried　the　whale…boat　down　to　the　water。　　The　regular　boat's…crew　manned　her；　and　Matauare　and　three　other　Tahitians；　belted　with　cartridges　and　armed　with　rifles；　sat　in　the　stern…sheets　where　Sheldon　stood　at　the　steering…oar。

〃My；　I　wish　I　could　go　with　you；〃　Joan　said　wistfully；　as　the　boat　shoved　off。

Sheldon　shook　his　head。

〃I'm　as　good　as　a　man；〃　she　urged。

〃You　really　are　needed　here；〃　he　replied。

〃There's　that　Lunga　crowd；　they　might　reach　the　coast　right　here；　and　with　both　of　us　absent　rush　the　plantation。　　Good…bye。　　We'll　get　back　in　the　morning　some　time。　　It's　only　twelve　miles。〃

When　Joan　started　to　return　to　the　house；　she　was　compelled　to　pass　among　the　boat…carriers；　who　lingered　on　the　beach　to　chatter　in　queer；　ape…like　fashion　about　the　events　of　the　night。　　They　made　way　for　her；　but　there　came　to　her；　as　she　was　in　the　midst　of　them；　a　feeling　of　her　own　helplessness。　　There　were　so　many　of　them。　　What　was　to　prevent　them　from　dragging　her　down　if　they　so　willed？　　Then　she　remembered　that　one　cry　of　hers　would　fetch　Noa　Noah　and　her　remaining　sailors；　each　one　of　whom　was　worth　a　dozen　blacks　in　a　struggle。　　As　she　opened　the　gate；　one　of　the　boys　stepped　up　to　her。　　In　the　darkness　she　could　not　make　him　out。

〃What　name？〃　she　asked　sharply。　　〃What　name　belong　you？〃

〃Me　Aroa；〃　he　said。

She　remembered　him　as　one　of　the　two　sick　boys　she　had　nursed　at　the　hospital。　　The　other　one　had　died。

〃Me　take