adventure-第29节

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ing　in　the　bush；　and　signal…smokes　raising　everywhere。　'It's　all　up；'　says　Captain　Munster。〃

〃Yes；　that's　what　I　said；〃　declared　that　mariner。

〃Of　course　it　was　all　up。　　You　could　see　it　with　half　an　eye　and　hear　it　with　one　ear。〃

〃'Up　your　granny；'　she　says　to　him；〃　Sparrowhawk　went　on。　　〃'Why；　we　haven't　arrived　yet；　much　less　got　started。　　Wait　till　the　anchor's　down　before　you　get　afraid。'〃

〃That's　what　she　said　to　me；〃　Munster　proclaimed。　　〃And　of　course　it　made　me　mad　so　that　I　didn't　care　what　happened。　　We　tried　to　send　a　boat　ashore　for　a　pow…wow；　but　it　was　fired　upon。　　And　every　once　and　a　while　some　nigger'd　take　a　long　shot　at　us　out　of　the　mangroves。〃

〃They　was　only　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off；〃　Sparrowhawk　explained；　〃and　it　was　damned　nasty。　　'Don't　shoot　unless　they　try　to　board；'　was　Miss　Lackland's　orders；　but　the　dirty　niggers　wouldn't　board。　They　just　lay　off　in　the　bush　and　plugged　away。　　That　night　we　held　a　council　of　war　in　the　Flibberty's　cabin。　　'What　we　want；'　says　Miss　Lackland；　'is　a　hostage。'〃

〃'That's　what　they　do　in　books；'　I　said；　thinking　to　laugh　her　away　from　her　folly；〃　Munster　interrupted。　　〃'True；'　says　she；　'and　have　you　never　seen　the　books　come　true？'　　I　shook　my　head。　　'Then　you're　not　too　old　to　learn；'　says　she。　　'I'll　tell　you　one　thing　right　now；'　says　I；　'and　that　is　I'll　be　blowed　if　you　catch　me　ashore　in　the　night…time　stealing　niggers　in　a　place　like　this。'〃

〃You　didn't　say　blowed；〃　Sparrowhawk　corrected。　　〃You　said　you'd　be　damned。〃

〃That's　what　I　did；　and　I　meant　it；　too。〃

〃'Nobody　asked　you　to　go　ashore；'　says　she；　quick　as　lightning；〃　Sparrowhawk　grinned。　　〃And　she　said　more。　　She　said；　'And　if　I　catch　you　going　ashore　without　orders　there'll　be　trouble　understand；　Captain　Munster？'〃

〃Who　in　hell's　telling　this；　you　or　me？〃　the　skipper　demanded　wrathfully。

〃Well；　she　did；　didn't　she？〃　insisted　the　mate。

〃Yes；　she　did；　if　you　want　to　make　so　sure　of　it。　　And　while　you're　about　it；　you　might　as　well　repeat　what　she　said　to　you　when　you　said　you　wouldn't　recruit　on　the　Poonga…Poonga　coast　for　twice　your　screw。〃

Sparrowhawk's　sun…reddened　face　flamed　redder；　though　he　tried　to　pass　the　situation　off　by　divers　laughings　and　chucklings　and　face…　twistings。

〃Go　on；　go　on；〃　Sheldon　urged；　and　Munster　resumed　the　narrative。

〃'What　we　need；'　says　she；　'is　the　strong　hand。　　It's　the　only　way　to　handle　them；　and　we've　got　to　take　hold　firm　right　at　the　beginning。　　I'm　going　ashore　to…night　to　fetch　Kina…Kina　himself　on　board；　and　I'm　not　asking　who's　game　to　go　for　I've　got　every　man's　work　arranged　with　me　for　him。　　I'm　taking　my　sailors　with　me；　and　one　white　man。'　　'Of　course；　I'm　that　white　man；'　I　said；　for　by　that　time　I　was　mad　enough　to　go　to　hell　and　back　again。　　'Of　course　you're　not；'　says　she。　　'You'll　have　charge　of　the　covering　boat。　　Curtis　stands　by　the　landing　boat。　　Fowler　goes　with　me。　Brahms　takes　charge　of　the　Flibberty；　and　Sparrowhawk　of　the　Emily。　And　we　start　at　one　o'clock。'

〃My　word；　it　was　a　tough　job　lying　there　in　the　covering　boat。　　I　never　thought　doing　nothing　could　be　such　hard　work。　　We　stopped　about　fifty　fathoms　off；　and　watched　the　other　boat　go　in。　　It　was　so　dark　under　the　mangroves　we　couldn't　see　a　thing　of　it。　　D'ye　know　that　little；　monkey…looking　nigger；　Sheldon；　on　the　Flibberty…　…the　cook；　I　mean？　　Well；　he　was　cabin…boy　twenty　years　ago　on　the　Scottish　Chiefs；　and　after　she　was　cut　off　he　was　a　slave　there　at　Poonga…Poonga。　　And　Miss　Lackland　had　discovered　the　fact。　　So　he　was　the　guide。　　She　gave　him　half　a　case　of　tobacco　for　that　night's　work〃

〃And　scared　him　fit　to　die　before　she　could　get　him　to　come　along；〃　Sparrowhawk　observed。

〃Well；　I　never　saw　anything　so　black　as　the　mangroves。　　I　stared　at　them　till　my　eyes　were　ready　to　burst。　　And　then　I'd　look　at　the　stars；　and　listen　to　the　surf　sighing　along　the　reef。　　And　there　was　a　dog　that　barked。　　Remember　that　dog；　Sparrowhawk？　　The　brute　nearly　gave　me　heart…failure　when　he　first　began。　　After　a　while　he　stoppedwasn't　barking　at　the　landing　party　at　all；　and　then　the　silence　was　harder　than　ever；　and　the　mangroves　grew　blacker；　and　it　was　all　I　could　do　to　keep　from　calling　out　to　Curtis　in　there　in　the　landing　boat；　just　to　make　sure　that　I　wasn't　the　only　white　man　left　alive。

〃Of　course　there　was　a　row。　　It　had　to　come；　and　I　knew　it；　but　it　startled　me　just　the　same。　　I　never　heard　such　screeching　and　yelling　in　my　life。　　The　niggers　must　have　just　dived　for　the　bush　without　looking　to　see　what　was　up；　while　her　Tahitians　let　loose；　shooting　in　the　air　and　yelling　to　hurry　'em　on。　　And　then；　just　as　sudden；　came　the　silence　againall　except　for　some　small　kiddie　that　had　got　dropped　in　the　stampede　and　that　kept　crying　in　the　bush　for　its　mother。

〃And　then　I　heard　them　coming　through　the　mangroves；　and　an　oar　strike　on　a　gunwale；　and　Miss　Lackland　laugh；　and　I　knew　everything　was　all　right。　　We　pulled　on　board　without　a　shot　being　fired。　And；　by　God！　she　had　made　the　books　come　true；　for　there　was　old　Kina…Kina　himself　being　hoisted　over　the　rail；　shivering　and　chattering　like　an　ape。　　The　rest　was　easy。　　Kina…Kina's　word　was　law；　and　he　was　scared　to　death。　　And　we　kept　him　on　board　issuing　proclamations　all　the　time　we　were　in　Poonga…Poonga。

〃It　was　a　good　move；　too；　in　other　ways。　　She　made　Kina…Kina　order　his　people　to　return　all　the　gear　they'd　stripped　from　the　Martha。　And　back　it　came；　day　after　day；　steering　compasses；　blocks　and　tackles；　sails；　coils　of　rope；　medicine　chests；　ensigns；　signal　flagseverything；　in　fact；　except　the　trade　goods　and　supplies　which　had　already　been　kai…kai'd。　　Of　course；　she　gave　them　a　few　sticks　of　tobacco　to　keep　them　in　good　humour。〃

〃Sure　she　did；〃　Sparrowhawk　broke　forth。　　〃She　gave　the　beggars　five　fathoms　of　calico　for　the　big　mainsail；　two　sticks　of　tobacco　for　the　chronometer；　and　a　sheath…knife　worth　elevenpence　ha'penny　for　a　hundred　fathoms　of　brand　new　five…inch　manila。　　She　got　old　Kina…Kina　with　that　strong　hand　on　the　go　off；　and　she　kept　him　going　all　the　time。　　Shehere　she　comes　now。〃

It　was　with　a　shock　of　surprise　that　Sheldon　greeted　her　appearance。　　All　the　time；　while　the　tale　of　happening　at　Poonga…　Poonga　had　been　going　on；　he　had　pictured　her　as　the　woman　he　had　always　known；　clad　roughly；　skirt　made　out　of　window…curtain　stuff；　an　undersized　man's　shirt　for　a　blouse；　straw　sandals　for　foot　covering；　with　the　Stetson　hat　and　the　eternal　revolver　completing　her　costume。　　The　ready…made　clothes　from　Sydney　had　transformed　her。　　A　simple　skirt　and　shirt…waist　of　some　sort　of　wash…goods　set　off　her　trim　figure　with　a　hint　of　elegant　womanhood　that　was　new　to　him。　　Brown　slippers　peeped　out　as　she　crossed　the　compound；　and　he　once　caught　a　glimpse　to　the　ankle　of　brown　open…work　stockings。　Somehow；　she　had　been　made　many　times　the　woman　by　these　mere　extraneous　trappings；　and　in　his　mind　these　wild　Arabian　Nights　adventures　of　hers　seemed　thrice　as　wonderful。

As　they　went　in　to　breakfast　he　became　aware　that　Munster　and　Sparrowhawk　had　received　a　similar　shock。　　All　their　air　of　camaraderie　was　dissipated；　and　they　had　become　abruptly　and　immensely　respectful。

〃I've　opened　up　a　new　field；〃　she　said；　as　she　began　pouring　the　coffee。　　〃Old　Kina…Kina　will　never　forget　me；　I'm　sure；　and　I　can　recruit　there　whenever　I　want。　　I　saw　Morgan　at　Guvutu。　　He's　willing　to　contract　for　a　thousand　boys　at　forty　shillings　per　head。　　Did　I　tell　you　that　I'd　taken　out　a　recruiting　license　for　the　Martha？　　I　did；　and　the　Martha　can　sign　eighty　boys　every　trip。

Sheldon　smiled　a　trifle　bitterly　to　himself。　　The　wonderful　woman　who　had　tripped　across　the　compound　in　her　Sydney　clothes　was　gone；　and　he　was　listening　to　the　boy　come　back　again。



CHAPTER　XIXTHE　LOST　TOY



〃Well；〃　Joan　said　with　a　sigh；　〃I've　shown　you　hustling　American　methods　that　succeed　and　get　somewhere；　and　here　you　are　beginning　your　muddling　again。〃

Five　days　had　passed；　and　she　and　Sheldon　were　standing　on　the　veranda　watching　the　Martha；　close…hauled　on　the　wind；　laying　a　tack　off　shore。　　During　those　five　days　Joan　had　never　once　broached　the　desire　of　her　heart；　though　Sheldon；　in　this　particular　instance　reading　her　like　a　book；　had　watched　her　lead　up　to　the　question　a　score　of　times　in　the　hope　that　he　would　himself　suggest　her　taking　charge　of　the　Martha。　　She　had　wanted　him　to　say　the　word；　and　she　had　steeled　herself　not　to　say　it　herself。　　The　matter　of　finding　a　skipper　had　been　a　hard　one。　　She　was　jealous　of　the　Martha；　and　no　suggested　man　had　satisfied　her。

〃Oleson？〃　she　had　demanded。　　〃He　does　very　well　on　the　Flibberty；　with　me　and　my　men　to　overhaul　her　whenever　she's　ready　to　fall　to　pieces　through　his　slackness。　　But　skipper　of　the　Martha？　Impossible！〃

〃Munster？　　Yes；　he's　the　only　man　I　know　in　the　Solomons　I'd　care　to　see　in　charge。　　And　yet；　there's　his　record。　　He　lost　the　Umbawaone　hundred　and　forty　drowned。　　He　was　first　officer　on　the　bridge。　　Deliberate　disobedience　to　instructions。　　No　wonder　they　broke　him。

〃Christian　Young　has　never　had　any　experience　with　large　boats。　Besides；　we　can't　afford　to　pay　him　what　he's　clearing　on　the　Minerva。　　Sparrowhawk　i