adventure-第8节

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　know　how　to　build　fires　in　the　driving　rain；　too；　out　of　wet　wood；　when　we　camped　out；　which　was　the　hardest　thing　of　allexcept　grammar；　I　do　believe。　　We　learned　more　from　Dad　and　Von　than　from　the　governesses；　Dad　taught　us　French　and　Von　German。　　We　learned　both　languages　passably　well；　and　we　learned　them　wholly　in　the　saddle　or　in　camp。

〃In　the　cool　season　the　girls　used　to　come　down　and　visit　me　in　Hilo；　where　Dad　had　two　houses；　one　at　the　beach；　or　the　three　of　us　used　to　go　down　to　our　place　in　Puna；　and　that　meant　canoes　and　boats　and　fishing　and　swimming。　　Then；　too；　Dad　belonged　to　the　Royal　Hawaiian　Yacht　Club；　and　took　us　racing　and　cruising。　　Dad　could　never　get　away　from　the　sea；　you　know。　　When　I　was　fourteen　I　was　Dad's　actual　housekeeper；　with　entire　power　over　the　servants；　and　I　am　very　proud　of　that　period　of　my　life。　　And　when　I　was　sixteen　we　three　girls　were　all　sent　up　to　California　to　Mills　Seminary；　which　was　quite　fashionable　and　stifling。　　How　we　used　to　long　for　home！　　We　didn't　chum　with　the　other　girls；　who　called　us　little　cannibals；　just　because　we　came　from　the　Sandwich　Islands；　and　who　made　invidious　remarks　about　our　ancestors　banqueting　on　Captain　Cookwhich　was　historically　untrue；　and；　besides；　our　ancestors　hadn't　lived　in　Hawaii。

〃I　was　three　years　at　Mills　Seminary；　with　trips　home；　of　course；　and　two　years　in　New　York；　and　then　Dad　went　smash　in　a　sugar　plantation　on　Maui。　　The　report　of　the　engineers　had　not　been　right。　　Then　Dad　had　built　a　railroad　that　was　called　'Lackland's　Folly；'it　will　pay　ultimately；　though。　　But　it　contributed　to　the　smash。　　The　Pelaulau　Ditch　was　the　finishing　blow。　　And　nothing　would　have　happened　anyway；　if　it　hadn't　been　for　that　big　money　panic　in　Wall　Street。　　Dear　good　Dad！　　He　never　let　me　know。　　But　I　read　about　the　crash　in　a　newspaper；　and　hurried　home。　　It　was　before　that；　though；　that　people　had　been　dinging　into　my　ears　that　marriage　was　all　any　woman　could　get　out　of　life；　and　good…bye　to　romance。　　Instead　of　which；　with　Dad's　failure；　I　fell　right　into　romance。〃

〃How　long　ago　was　that？〃　Sheldon　asked。

〃Last　yearthe　year　of　the　panic。〃

〃Let　me　see；〃　Sheldon　pondered　with　an　air　of　gravity。　　〃Sixteen　plus　five；　plus　one；　equals　twenty…two。　　You　were　born　in　1887？〃

〃Yes；　but　it　is　not　nice　of　you。〃

〃I　am　really　sorry；〃　he　said；　〃but　the　problem　was　so　obvious。〃

〃Can't　you　ever　say　nice　things？　　Or　is　it　the　way　you　English　have？〃　　There　was　a　snap　in　her　gray　eyes；　and　her　lips　quivered　suspiciously　for　a　moment。　　〃I　should　recommend；　Mr。　Sheldon；　that　you　read　Gertrude　Atherton's　'American　Wives　and　English　Husbands。'〃

〃Thank　you；　I　have。　　It's　over　there。〃　　He　pointed　at　the　generously　filled　bookshelves。　　〃But　I　am　afraid　it　is　rather　partisan。〃

〃Anything　un…English　is　bound　to　be；〃　she　retorted。　　〃I　never　have　liked　the　English　anyway。　　The　last　one　I　knew　was　an　overseer。　Dad　was　compelled　to　discharge　him。〃

〃One　swallow　doesn't　make　a　summer。〃

〃But　that　Englishman　made　lots　of　troublethere！　　And　now　please　don't　make　me　any　more　absurd　than　I　already　am。〃

〃I'm　trying　not　to。〃

〃Oh；　for　that　matter〃　　She　tossed　her　head；　opened　her　mouth　to　complete　the　retort；　then　changed　her　mind。　　〃I　shall　go　on　with　my　history。　　Dad　had　practically　nothing　left；　and　he　decided　to　return　to　the　sea。　　He'd　always　loved　it；　and　I　half　believe　that　he　was　glad　things　had　happened　as　they　did。　　He　was　like　a　boy　again；　busy　with　plans　and　preparations　from　morning　till　night。　He　used　to　sit　up　half　the　night　talking　things　over　with　me。　　That　was　after　I　had　shown　him　that　I　was　really　resolved　to　go　along。

〃He　had　made　his　start；　you　know；　in　the　South　Seaspearls　and　pearl　shelland　he　was　sure　that　more　fortunes；　in　trove　of　one　sort　and　another；　were　to　be　picked　up。　　Cocoanut…planting　was　his　particular　idea；　with　trading；　and　maybe　pearling；　along　with　other　things；　until　the　plantation　should　come　into　bearing。　　He　traded　off　his　yacht　for　a　schooner；　the　Miele；　and　away　we　went。　　I　took　care　of　him　and　studied　navigation。　　He　was　his　own　skipper。　　We　had　a　Danish　mate；　Mr。　Ericson；　and　a　mixed　crew　of　Japanese　and　Hawaiians。　　We　went　up　and　down　the　Line　Islands；　first；　until　Dad　was　heartsick。　　Everything　was　changed。　　They　had　been　annexed　and　divided　by　one　power　or　another；　while　big　companies　had　stepped　in　and　gobbled　land；　trading　rights；　fishing　rights；　everything。

〃Next　we　sailed　for　the　Marquesas。　　They　were　beautiful；　but　the　natives　were　nearly　extinct。　　Dad　was　cut　up　when　he　learned　that　the　French　charged　an　export　duty　on　coprahe　called　it　medieval　but　he　liked　the　land。　　There　was　a　valley　of　fifteen　thousand　acres　on　Nuka…hiva；　half　inclosing　a　perfect　anchorage；　which　he　fell　in　love　with　and　bought　for　twelve　hundred　Chili　dollars。　　But　the　French　taxation　was　outrageous　（that　was　why　the　land　was　so　cheap）；　and；　worst　of　all；　we　could　obtain　no　labour。　　What　kanakas　there　were　wouldn't　work；　and　the　officials　seemed　to　sit　up　nights　thinking　out　new　obstacles　to　put　in　our　way。

〃Six　months　was　enough　for　Dad。　　The　situation　was　hopeless。　'We'll　go　to　the　Solomons；'　he　said；　'and　get　a　whiff　of　English　rule。　　And　if　there　are　no　openings　there　we'll　go　on　to　the　Bismarck　Archipelago。　　I'll　wager　the　Admiraltys　are　not　yet　civilized。'　　All　preparations　were　made；　things　packed　on　board；　and　a　new　crew　of　Marquesans　and　Tahitians　shipped。　　We　were　just　ready　to　start　to　Tahiti；　where　a　lot　of　repairs　and　refitting　for　the　Miele　were　necessary；　when　poor　Dad　came　down　sick　and　died。〃

〃And　you　were　left　all　alone？〃

Joan　nodded。

〃Very　much　alone。　　I　had　no　brothers　nor　sisters；　and　all　Dad's　people　were　drowned　in　a　Kansas　cloud…burst。　　That　happened　when　he　was　a　little　boy。　　Of　course；　I　could　go　back　to　Von。　　There's　always　a　home　there　waiting　for　me。　　But　why　should　I　go？　　Besides；　there　were　Dad's　plans；　and　I　felt　that　it　devolved　upon　me　to　carry　them　out。　　It　seemed　a　fine　thing　to　do。　　Also；　I　wanted　to　carry　them　out。　　And　。　。　。　here　I　am。

〃Take　my　advice　and　never　go　to　Tahiti。　　It　is　a　lovely　place；　and　so　are　the　natives。　　But　the　white　people！　　Now　Barabbas　lived　in　Tahiti。　　Thieves；　robbers；　and　lairsthat　is　what　they　are。　　The　honest　men　wouldn't　require　the　fingers　of　one　hand　to　count。　　The　fact　that　I　was　a　woman　only　simplified　matters　with　them。　　They　robbed　me　on　every　pretext；　and　they　lied　without　pretext　or　need。　Poor　Mr。　Ericson　was　corrupted。　　He　joined　the　robbers；　and　O。K。'd　all　their　demands　even　up　to　a　thousand　per　cent。　　If　they　robbed　me　of　ten　francs；　his　share　was　three。　　One　bill　of　fifteen　hundred　francs　I　paid；　netted　him　five　hundred　francs。　　All　this；　of　course；　I　learned　afterward。　　But　the　Miele　was　old；　the　repairs　had　to　be　made；　and　I　was　charged；　not　three　prices；　but　seven　prices。

〃I　never　shall　know　how　much　Ericson　got　out　of　it。　　He　lived　ashore　in　a　nicely　furnished　house。　　The　shipwrights　were　giving　it　to　him　rent…free。　　Fruit；　vegetables；　fish；　meat；　and　ice　came　to　this　house　every　day；　and　he　paid　for　none　of　it。　　It　was　part　of　his　graft　from　the　various　merchants。　　And　all　the　while；　with　tears　in　his　eyes；　he　bemoaned　the　vile　treatment　I　was　receiving　from　the　gang。　　No；　I　did　not　fall　among　thieves。　　I　went　to　Tahiti。

〃But　when　the　robbers　fell　to　cheating　one　another；　I　got　my　first　clues　to　the　state　of　affairs。　　One　of　the　robbed　robbers　came　to　me　after　dark；　with　facts；　figures；　and　assertions。　　I　knew　I　was　ruined　if　I　went　to　law。　　The　judges　were　corrupt　like　everything　else。　　But　I　did　do　one　thing。　　In　the　dead　of　night　I　went　to　Ericson's　house。　　I　had　the　same　revolver　I've　got　now；　and　I　made　him　stay　in　bed　while　I　overhauled　things。　　Nineteen　hundred　and　odd　francs　was　what　I　carried　away　with　me。　　He　never　complained　to　the　police；　and　he　never　came　back　on　board。　　As　for　the　rest　of　the　gang；　they　laughed　and　snapped　their　fingers　at　me。　　There　were　two　Americans　in　the　place；　and　they　warned　me　to　leave　the　law　alone　unless　I　wanted　to　leave　the　Miele　behind　as　well。

〃Then　I　sent　to　New　Zealand　and　got　a　German　mate。　　He　had　a　master's　certificate；　and　was　on　the　ship's　papers　as　captain；　but　I　was　a　better　navigator　than　he；　and　I　was　really　captain　myself。　I　lost　her；　too；　but　it's　no　reflection　on　my　seamanship。　　We　were　drifting　four　days　outside　there　in　dead　calms。　　Then　the　nor'wester　caught　us　and　drove　us　on　the　lee　shore。　　We　made　sail　and　tried　to　clew　off；　when　the　rotten　work　of　the　Tahiti　shipwrights　became　manifest。　　Our　jib…boom　and　all　our　head…stays　carried　away。　　Our　only　chance　was　to　turn　and　run　through　the　passage　between　Florida　and　Ysabel。　　And　when　we　were　safely　through；　in　the　twilight；　where　the　chart　shows　fourteen　fathoms　as　the　shoalest　water；　we　smashed　on　a　coral　patch。　　The　poor　old　Miele　struck　only　once；　and　then　went　clear；　but　it　was　too　much　for　her；　and　we　just　had　time　to　clear　away　in　the　boat　when　she　went　down。　　The　German　mate　was　drowned。　　We　lay　all　night　to　a　sea…drag；　and　next　morning　sighted　your　place　here。〃

〃I　suppose　you　will　go　back　to　Von；　now？〃　Sheldon　queried。

〃Nothing　of　the　sort。　　Dad　planned　to　go　to　the　Solomons。　　I　shall　look　abo