adventure-第20节

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rpose；　you　know。〃

〃I　didn't　think　there　were　persons　in　the　Solomons　who　needed　such　books；〃　she　retaliated。　　〃But　you　are　certainly　oneyou　and　your　custodians　of　virtue。〃

He　winced；　but　Joan　rattled　on　with　the　platitudinous　originality　of　youth。

〃As　if　anything　good　were　worth　while　when　it　has　to　be　guarded　and　put　in　leg…irons　and　handcuffs　in　order　to　keep　it　good。　　Your　desire　for　a　chaperone　as　much　as　implies　that　I　am　that　sort　of　creature。　　I　prefer　to　be　good　because　it　is　good　to　be　good；　rather　than　because　I　can't　be　bad　because　some　argus…eyed　old　frump　won't　let　me　have　a　chance　to　be　bad。〃

〃But　itit　is　not　that；〃　he　put　in。　　〃It　is　what　others　will　think。〃

〃Let　them　think；　the　nasty…minded　wretches！　　It　is　because　men　like　you　are　afraid　of　the　nasty…minded　that　you　allow　their　opinions　to　rule　you。〃

〃I　am　afraid　you　are　a　female　Shelley；〃　he　replied；　〃and　as　such；　you　really　drive　me　to　become　your　partner　in　order　to　protect　you。〃

〃If　you　take　me　as　a　partner　in　order　to　protect　me　。　。　。　I　。　。　。　I　shan't　be　your　partner；　that's　all。　　You'll　drive　me　into　buying　Pari…Sulay　yet。〃

〃All　the　more　reason〃　he　attempted。

〃Do　you　know　what　I'll　do？〃　she　demanded。　　〃I'll　find　some　man　in　the　Solomons　who　won't　want　to　protect　me。〃

Sheldon　could　not　conceal　the　shock　her　words　gave　him。

〃You　don't　mean　that；　you　know；〃　he　pleaded。

〃I　do；　I　really　do。　　I　am　sick　and　tired　of　this　protection　dodge。　Don't　forget　for　a　moment　that　I　am　perfectly　able　to　take　care　of　myself。　　Besides；　I　have　eight　of　the　best　protectors　in　the　world…　…my　sailors。〃

〃You　should　have　lived　a　thousand　years　ago；〃　he　laughed；　〃or　a　thousand　years　hence。　　You　are　very　primitive；　and　equally　super…　modern。　　The　twentieth　century　is　no　place　for　you。〃

〃But　the　Solomon　Islands　are。　　You　were　living　like　a　savage　when　I　came　along　and　found　youeating　nothing　but　tinned　meat　and　scones　that　would　have　ruined　the　digestion　of　a　camel。　　Anyway；　I've　remedied　that；　and　since　we　are　to　be　partners；　it　will　stay　remedied。　　You　won't　die　of　malnutrition；　be　sure　of　that。〃

〃If　we　enter　into　partnership；〃　he　announced；　〃it　must　be　thoroughly　understood　that　you　are　not　allowed　to　run　the　schooner。　You　can　go　down　to　Sydney　and　buy　her；　but　a　skipper　we　must　have　〃

〃At　so　much　additional　expense；　and　most　likely　a　whisky…drinking；　irresponsible；　and　incapable　man　to　boot。　　Besides；　I'd　have　the　business　more　at　heart　than　any　man　we　could　hire。　　As　for　capability；　I　tell　you　I　can　sail　all　around　the　average　broken　captain　or　promoted　able　seaman　you　find　in　the　South　Seas。　　And　you　know　I　am　a　navigator。〃

〃But　being　my　partner；〃　he　said　coolly；　〃makes　you　none　the　less　a　lady。〃

〃Thank　you　for　telling　me　that　my　contemplated　conduct　is　unladylike。〃

She　arose；　tears　of　anger　and　mortification　in　her　eyes；　and　went　over　to　the　phonograph。

〃I　wonder　if　all　men　are　as　ridiculous　as　you？〃　she　said。

He　shrugged　his　shoulders　and　smiled。　　Discussion　was　uselesshe　had　learned　that；　and　he　was　resolved　to　keep　his　temper。　　And　before　the　day　was　out　she　capitulated。　　She　was　to　go　to　Sydney　on　the　first　steamer；　purchase　the　schooner；　and　sail　back　with　an　island　skipper　on　board。　　And　then　she　inveigled　Sheldon　into　agreeing　that　she　could　take　occasional　cruises　in　the　islands；　though　he　was　adamant　when　it　came　to　a　recruiting　trip　on　Malaita。　That　was　the　one　thing　barred。

And　after　it　was　all　over；　and　a　terse　and　business…like　agreement　（by　her　urging）　drawn　up　and　signed；　Sheldon　paced　up　and　down　for　a　full　hour；　meditating　upon　how　many　different　kinds　of　a　fool　he　had　made　of　himself。　　It　was　an　impossible　situation；　and　yet　no　more　impossible　than　the　previous　one；　and　no　more　impossible　than　the　one　that　would　have　obtained　had　she　gone　off　on　her　own　and　bought　Pari…Sulay。　　He　had　never　seen　a　more　independent　woman　who　stood　more　in　need　of　a　protector　than　this　boy…minded　girl　who　had　landed　on　his　beach　with　eight　picturesque　savages；　a　long…　barrelled　revolver；　a　bag　of　gold；　and　a　gaudy　merchandise　of　imagined　romance　and　adventure。

He　had　never　read　of　anything　to　compare　with　it。　　The　fictionists；　as　usual；　were　exceeded　by　fact。　　The　whole　thing　was　too　preposterous　to　be　true。　　He　gnawed　his　moustache　and　smoked　cigarette　after　cigarette。　　Satan；　back　from　a　prowl　around　the　compound；　ran　up　to　him　and　touched　his　hand　with　a　cold；　damp　nose。　　Sheldon　caressed　the　animal's　ears；　then　threw　himself　into　a　chair　and　laughed　heartily。　　What　would　the　Commissioner　of　the　Solomons　think？　　What　would　his　people　at　home　think？　　And　in　the　one　breath　he　was　glad　that　the　partnership　had　been　effected　and　sorry　that　Joan　Lackland　had　ever　come　to　the　Solomons。　　Then　he　went　inside　and　looked　at　himself　in　a　hand…mirror。　　He　studied　the　reflection　long　and　thoughtfully　and　wonderingly。



CHAPTER　XIVTHE　MARTHA



They　were　deep　in　a　game　of　billiards　the　next　morning；　after　the　eleven　o'clock　breakfast；　when　Viaburi　entered　and　announced；　…

〃Big　fella　schooner　close　up。〃

Even　as　he　spoke；　they　heard　the　rumble　of　chain　through　hawse…　pipe；　and　from　the　veranda　saw　a　big　black…painted　schooner；　swinging　to　her　just…caught　anchor。

〃It's　a　Yankee；〃　Joan　cried。　　〃See　that　bow！　　Look　at　that　elliptical　stern！　　Ah；　I　thought　so〃　as　the　Stars　and　Stripes　fluttered　to　the　mast…head。

Noa　Noah；　at　Sheldon's　direction；　ran　the　Union　Jack　up　the　flag…　staff。

〃Now　what　is　an　American　vessel　doing　down　here？〃　Joan　asked。　〃It's　not　a　yacht；　though　I'll　wager　she　can　sail。　　Look！　　Her　name！　　What　is　it？〃

〃Martha；　San　Francisco；〃　Sheldon　read；　looking　through　the　telescope。　　〃It's　the　first　Yankee　I　ever　heard　of　in　the　Solomons。　They　are　coming　ashore；　whoever　they　are。　　And；　by　Jove；　look　at　those　men　at　the　oars。　　It's　an　all…white　crew。　　Now　what　reason　brings　them　here？〃

〃They're　not　proper　sailors；〃　Joan　commented。　　〃I'd　be　ashamed　of　a　crew　of　black…boys　that　pulled　in　such　fashion。　　Look　at　that　fellow　in　the　bowthe　one　just　jumping　out；　he'd　be　more　at　home　on　a　cow…pony。〃

The　boat's…crew　scattered　up　and　down　the　beach；　ranging　about　with　eager　curiosity；　while　the　two　men　who　had　sat　in　the　stern…sheets　opened　the　gate　and　came　up　the　path　to　the　bungalow。　　One　of　them；　a　tall　and　slender　man；　was　clad　in　white　ducks　that　fitted　him　like　a　semi…military　uniform。　　The　other　man；　in　nondescript　garments　that　were　both　of　the　sea　and　shore；　and　that　must　have　been　uncomfortably　hot；　slouched　and　shambled　like　an　overgrown　ape。　　To　complete　the　illusion；　his　face　seemed　to　sprout　in　all　directions　with　a　dense；　bushy　mass　of　red　whiskers；　while　his　eyes　were　small　and　sharp　and　restless。

Sheldon；　who　had　gone　to　the　head　of　the　steps；　introduced　them　to　Joan。　　The　bewhiskered　individual；　who　looked　like　a　Scotsman；　had　the　Teutonic　name　of　Von　Blix；　and　spoke　with　a　strong　American　accent。　　The　tall　man　in　the　well…fitting　ducks；　who　gave　the　English　name　of　TudorJohn　Tudortalked　purely…enunciated　English　such　as　any　cultured　American　would　talk；　save　for　the　fact　that　it　was　most　delicately　and　subtly　touched　by　a　faint　German　accent。　Joan　decided　that　she　had　been　helped　to　identify　the　accent　by　the　short　German…looking　moustache　that　did　not　conceal　the　mouth　and　its　full　red　lips；　which　would　have　formed　a　Cupid's　bow　but　for　some　harshness　or　severity　of　spirit　that　had　moulded　them　masculinely。

Von　Blix　was　rough　and　boorish；　but　Tudor　was　gracefully　easy　in　everything　he　did；　or　looked；　or　said。　　His　blue　eyes　sparkled　and　flashed；　his　clean…cut　mobile　features　were　an　index　to　his　slightest　shades　of　feeling　and　expression。　　He　bubbled　with　enthusiasms；　and　his　faintest　smile　or　lightest　laugh　seemed　spontaneous　and　genuine。　　But　it　was　only　occasionally　at　first　that　he　spoke；　for　Von　Blix　told　their　story　and　stated　their　errand。

They　were　on　a　gold…hunting　expedition。　　He　was　the　leader；　and　Tudor　was　his　lieutenant。　　All　handsand　there　were　twenty…eight　were　shareholders；　in　varying　proportions；　in　the　adventure。　Several　were　sailors；　but　the　large　majority　were　miners；　culled　from　all　the　camps　from　Mexico　to　the　Arctic　Ocean。　　It　was　the　old　and　ever…untiring　pursuit　of　gold；　and　they　had　come　to　the　Solomons　to　get　it。　　Part　of　them；　under　the　leadership　of　Tudor；　were　to　go　up　the　Balesuna　and　penetrate　the　mountainous　heart　of　Guadalcanar；　while　the　Martha；　under　Von　Blix；　sailed　away　for　Malaita　to　put　through　similar　exploration。

〃And　so；〃　said　Von　Blix；　〃for　Mr。　Tudor's　expedition　we　must　have　some　black…boys。　　Can　we　get　them　from　you？〃

〃Of　course　we　will　pay；〃　Tudor　broke　in。　　〃You　have　only　to　charge　what　you　consider　them　worth。　　You　pay　them　six　pounds　a　year；　don't　you？〃

〃In　the　first　place　we　can't　spare　them；〃　Sheldon　answered。　　〃We　are　short　of　them　on　the　plantation　as　it　is。〃

〃WE？〃　Tudor　asked　quickly。　　〃Then　you　are　a　firm　or　a　partnership？　I　understood　at　Guvutu　that　you　were　alone；　that　you　had　lost　your　partner。〃

Sheldon　inclined　his　head　toward　Joan；　and　as　he　spoke　she　felt　that　he　had　become　a　trifle　stiff。

〃Miss　Lackland　has　become　interested　in　the　plantation　since　then。　But　to　return　to　the　boys。　　We　can't　spare