the crusade of the excelsior-第2节

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accident　of　hospitality；　and　keeps　his　state…room。　　The　captain　is

a　good　fellow；〃　continued　Perkins；　with　gentle　enthusiasm；　〃a　good

sailor　and　careful　navigator；　and　exceedingly　attentive　to　his

passengers。　　I　shall　certainly　propose　getting　up　some　testimonial

for　him。〃



〃But　if　he's　shut　up　in　his　state…room；　who's　giving　the　orders？〃

began　Banks　angrily。



Senor　Perkins　put　up　a　small；　well…kept　hand　deprecatingly。



〃Really；　my　dear　boy；　I　suppose　the　captain　cannot　be　omnipresent。

Some　discretion　must　be　left　to　the　other　officers。　　They　probably

know　his　ideas　and　what　is　to　be　done　better　than　we　do。　　You

business　men　trouble　yourselves　too　much　about　these　things。　　You

should　take　them　more　philosophically。　　For　my　part　I　always

confide　myself　trustingly　to　these　people。　　I　enter　a　ship　or

railroad　car　with　perfect　faith。　　I　say　to　myself；　'This　captain；

or　this　conductor；　is　a　responsible　man；　selected　with　a　view　to　my

safety　and　comfort；　he　understands　how　to　procure　that　safety　and

that　comfort　better　than　I　do。　　He　worries　himself；　he　spends　hours

and　nights　of　vigil　to　look　after　me　and　carry　me　to　my

destination。　　Why　should　I　worry　myself；　who　can　only　assist　him　by

passive　obedience？　　Why'〃　　But　here　he　was　interrupted　by　a

headlong　plunge　of　the　Excelsior；　a　feminine　shriek　that　was　half　a

laugh；　the　rapid　patter　of　small　feet　and　sweep　of　flying　skirts

down　the　slanting　deck；　and　the　sudden　and　violent　contact　of　a

pretty　figure。



The　next　moment　he　had　forgotten　his　philosophy；　and　his　companion

his　business。　　Both　flew　to　the　assistance　of　the　fair　intruder；

who；　albeit　the　least　injured　of　the　trio；　clung　breathlessly　to

the　bulwarks。



〃Miss　Keene！〃　ejaculated　both　gentlemen。



〃Oh　dear！　　I　beg　your　pardon；〃　said　the　young　lady；　reddening；　with

a　naive　mingling　of　hilarity　and　embarrassment。　　〃But　it　seemed　so

stuffy　in　the　cabin；　and　it　seemed　so　easy　to　get　out　on　deck　and

pull　myself　up　by　the　railings；　and　just　as　I　got　up　here；　I

suddenly　seemed　to　be　sliding　down　the　roof　of　a　house。〃



〃And　now　that　you're　here；　your　courage　should　be　rewarded；〃　said

the　Senor；　gallantly　assisting　her　to　a　settee；　which　he　lashed

securely。　　〃You　are　perfectly　safe　now；〃　he　added；　holding　the　end

of　the　rope　in　his　hand　to　allow　a　slight　sliding　movement　of　the

seat　as　the　vessel　rolled。　　〃And　here　is　a　glorious　spectacle　for

you。　　Look！　the　sun　is　just　rising。〃



The　young　girl　glanced　over　the　vast　expanse　before　her　with

sparkling　eyes　and　a　suddenly　awakened　fancy　that　checked　her

embarrassed　smile；　and　fixed　her　pretty；　parted　lips　with　wonder。

The　level　rays　of　the　rising　sun　striking　the　white　crests　of　the

lifted　waves　had　suffused　the　whole　ocean　with　a　pinkish　opal

color：　the　darker　parts　of　each　wave　seemed　broken　into　facets

instead　of　curves；　and　glittered　sharply。　　The　sea　seemed　to　have

lost　its　fluidity；　and　become　vitreous；　so　much　so；　that　it　was

difficult　to　believe　that　the　waves　which　splintered　across　the

Excelsior's　bow　did　not　fall　upon　her　deck　with　the　ring　of

shattered　glass。



〃Sindbad's　Valley　of　Diamonds！〃　said　the　young　girl；　in　an　awed

whisper。



〃It's　a　cross　sea　in　the　Gulf　of　California；　so　the　mate　says；〃

said　Banks　practically；　〃but　I　don't　see　why　we〃　。　。　。



〃The　Gulf　of　California？〃　repeated　the　young　girl；　while　a　slight

shade　of　disappointment　passed　over　her　bright　face；　〃are　we　then

so　near〃



〃Not　the　California　you　mean；　my　dear　young　lady；〃　broke　in　Senor

Perkins；　〃but　the　old　peninsula　of　California；　which　is　still　a

part　of　Mexico。　　It　terminates　in　Cape　St。　Lucas；　a　hundred　miles

from　here；　but　it's　still　a　far　cry　to　San　Francisco；　which　is　in

Upper　California。　　But　I　fancy　you　don't　seem　as　anxious　as　our

friend　Mr。　Banks　to　get　to　your　journey's　end；〃　he　added；　with

paternal　blandness。



The　look　of　relief　which　had　passed　over　Miss　Keene's　truthful　face

gave　way　to　one　of　slight　embarrassment。



〃It　hasn't　seemed　long；〃　she　said　hastily；　and　then　added；　as　if　to

turn　the　conversation；　〃What　is　this　peninsula？　　I　remember　it　on

our　map　at　school。〃



〃It's　not　of　much　account；〃　interrupted　Banks　positively。　　〃There

ain't　a　place　on　it　you　ever　heard　of。　　It's　a　kind　of　wilderness。〃



〃I　differ　from　you；〃　said　Senor　Perkins　gravely。　　〃There　are；　I

have　been　told；　some　old　Mexican　settlements　along　the　coast；　and

there　is　no　reason　why　the　country　shouldn't　be　fruitful。　　But　you

may　have　a　chance　to　judge　for　yourself；〃　he　continued　beamingly。

Since　we　are　not　going　into　Mazatlan；　we　may　drop　in　at　some　of

those　places　for　water。　　It's　all　on　our　way；　and　we　shall　save　the

three　days　we　would　have　lost　had　we　touched　Mazatlan。　　That；〃　he

added；　answering　an　impatient　interrogation　in　Banks'　eye；　〃at

least；　is　the　captain's　idea；　I　reckon。〃　　He　laughed；　and　went　on

still　gayly；〃But　what's　the　use　of　anticipating？　　Why　should　we

spoil　any　little　surprise　that　our　gallant　captain　may　have　in

store　for　us？　　I've　been　trying　to　convert　this　business　man　to　my

easy　philosophy；　Miss　Keene；　but　he　is　incorrigible；　he　is　actually

lamenting　his　lost　chance　of　hearing　the　latest　news　at　Mazatlan；

and　getting　the　latest　market　quotations；　instead　of　offering　a

thanksgiving　for　another　uninterrupted　day　of　freedom　in　this

glorious　air。〃



With　a　half　humorous　extravagance　he　unloosed　his　already　loose

necktie；　turned　his　Byron　collar　still　lower；　and　squared　his

shoulders　ostentatiously　to　the　sea　breeze。　　Accustomed　as　his　two

companions　were　to　his　habitually　extravagant　speech；　it　did　not　at

that　moment　seem　inconsistent　with　the　intoxicating　morning　air　and

the　exhilaration　of　sky　and　wave。　　A　breath　of　awakening　and

resurrection　moved　over　the　face　of　the　waters；　recreation　and　new…

born　life　sparkled　everywhere；　the　past　night　seemed　forever　buried

in　the　vast　and　exundating　sea。　　The　reefs　had　been　shaken　out；　and

every　sail　set　to　catch　the　steadier　breeze　of　the　day；　and　as　the

quickening　sun　shone　upon　the　dazzling　canvas　that　seemed　to

envelop　them；　they　felt　as　if　wrapped　in　the　purity　of　a　baptismal

robe。



Nevertheless；　Miss　Keene's　eyes　occasionally　wandered　from　the

charming　prospect　towards　the　companion…ladder。　　Presently　she

became　ominously　and　ostentatiously　interested　in　the　view　again；

and　at　the　same　moment　a　young　man's　head　and　shoulders　appeared

above　the　companionway。　　With　a　bound　he　was　on　the　slanting　deck；

moving　with　the　agility　and　adaptability　of　youth；　and　approached

the　group。　　He　was　quite　surprised　to　find　Miss　Keene　there　so

early；　and　Miss　Keene　was　equally　surprised　at　his　appearance；

notwithstanding　the　phenomenon　had　occurred　with　singular

regularity　for　the　last　three　weeks。　　The　two　spectators　of　this

gentle　comedy　received　it　as　they　had　often　received　it　before；

with　a　mixture　of　apparent　astonishment　and　patronizing

unconsciousness；　and；　after　a　decent　interval；　moved　away　together；

leaving　the　young　people　alone。



The　hesitancy　and　awkwardness　which　usually　followed　the　first

moments　of　their　charming　isolation　were　this　morning　more　than

usually　prolonged。



〃It　seems　we　are　not　going　into　Mazatlan；　after　all；〃　said　Miss

Keene　at　last；　without　lifting　her　conscious　eyes　from　the　sea。



〃No；〃　returned　the　young　fellow　quickly。　　〃I　heard　all　about　it

down　below；　and　we　had　quite　an　indignation　meeting　over　it。　　I

believe　Mrs。　Markham　wanted　to　head　a　deputation　to　wait　upon　the

captain　in　his　berth。　　It　seems　that　the　first　officer；　or

whosoever　is　running　the　ship；　has　concluded　we've　lost　too　much

time　already；　and　we're　going　to　strike　a　bee…line　for　Cape　St。

Lucas；　and　give　Mazatlan　the　go…by。　　We'll　save　four　days　by　it。　　I

suppose　it　don't　make　any　difference　to　you；　Miss　Keene；　does　it？〃



〃I？　　Oh；　no！〃　said　the　girl　hastily。



〃I'M　rather　sorry；〃　he　said　hesitatingly。



〃Indeed。　　Are　you　tired　of　the　ship？〃　she　asked　saucily。



〃No；〃　he　replied　bluntly；　〃but　it　would　have　given　us　four　more

days　togetherfour　more　days　before　we　separated。〃



He　stopped；　with　a　heightened　color。　　There　was　a　moment　of

silence；　and　the　voices　of　Senor　Perkins　and　Mr。　Banks　in　political

discussion　on　the　other　side　of　the　deck　came　faintly。　　Miss　Keene

laughed。



〃We　are　a　long　way　from　San　Francisco　yet；　and　you　may　think

differently。〃



〃Never！〃　he　said；　impulsively。



He　had　drawn　closer　to　her；　as　if　to　emphasize　his　speech。　　She

cast　a　quick　glance　across　the　deck　towards　the　two　disputants；　and

drew　herself　gently　away。



〃Do　you　know；〃　she　said　suddenly；　with　a　charming　smile　which

robbed　the　act　of　its　sting；　〃I　sometimes　wonder　if　I　am　REALLY

going　to　San　Francisco。　　I　don't　know　how　it　is；　but；　somehow；　I

never　can　SEE　myself　there。〃



〃I　wish　you　did；　for　I'M　going　there；〃　he　replied　boldly。



Without　appearing　to　notice　the　signifi