the pursuit of the house-boat-第19节

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〃Then；〃　moaned　Kidd；　〃it　is　as　I　suspected。　　We　were　the　victims　of　base　treachery　on　the　part　of　those　women。〃

〃Treachery？　　Well；　I　like　that。　　Call　it　reciprocity；〃　said　Hamlet；　dryly。

〃We　were　informed　by　the　ladies　that　there　was　nothing　for　supper　save　the　items　I　have　already　referred　to；〃　said　Kidd。　　〃I　see　it　all　now。　　We　had　tried　to　make　them　comfortable；　and　I　put　myself　to　some　considerable　personal　inconvenience　to　make　them　easy　in　their　minds；　but　they　were　ungrateful。〃

〃Whatever　induced　you　to　take　'em　along　with　you？〃　asked　Socrates。

〃We　didn't　want　them；〃　said　Kidd。

〃We　didn't　know　they　were　on　board　until　it　was　too　late　to　turn　back。　　They'd　broken　in；　and　were　having　the　club　all　to　themselves　in　your　absence。〃

〃It　served　you　good　and　right；〃　said　Socrates；　with　a　laugh。　　〃Next　time　you　try　to　take　things　that　don't　belong　to　you；　maybe　you'll　be　a　trifle　more　careful　as　to　whose　property　you　confiscate。〃

〃But　the　House…boatyou　haven't　told　us　how　you　lost　her；〃　put　in　Raleigh；　impatiently。

〃Well；　it　was　this　way；〃　said　Kidd。　　〃When；　in　response　to　our　polite　request　for　supper；　the　ladies　said　there　was　nothing　to　eat　on　board；　something　had　to　be　done；　for　we　were　all　as　hungry　as　bears；　and　we　decided　to　go　ashore　at　the　first　port　and　provision。　Unfortunately　the　crew　got　restive；　and　when　this　floating　frying…pan　loomed　into　view；　to　keep　them　good…natured　we　decided　to　land　and　see　if　we　could　beg；　borrow；　or　steal　some　supplies。　　We　had　to。　Observations　taken　with　the　sextant　showed　that　there　was　no　port　within　five　hundred　miles；　the　island　looked　as　if　it　might　be　inhabited　at　least　by　goats；　and　ashore　we　went；　every　man　of　us；　leaving　the　House…boat　safely　anchored　in　the　harbor。　　At　first　we　didn't　mind　the　heat；　and　we　hunted　and　hunted　and　hunted；　but　after　three　or　four　hours　I　began　to　notice　that　three　of　my　sailors　were　shrivelling　up；　and　Conrad　began　to　act　as　if　he　were　daft。　　Hawkins　burst　right　before　my　eyes。　　Then　Abeuchapeta　got　prismatic　around　the　eyes　and　began　to　fade；　and　I　noticed　a　slight　iridescence　about　myself；　and　as　for　Morgan；　he　had　the　misfortune　to　lie　down　to　take　a　nap　in　the　sun；　and　when　he　waked　up；　his　whole　right　side　had　evaporated。　　Then　we　saw　what　the　trouble　was。　　We'd　struck　this　lava　island；　and　were　gradually　succumbing　to　its　intense　heat。　　We　rushed　madly　back　to　the　harbor　to　embark；　and　our　ship；　gentlemen；　and　your　House…boat；　was　slowly　but　surely　disappearing　over　the　horizon；　and　flying　from　the　flag…staff　at　the　fore　were　signals　of　farewell；　with　an　unfeeling　P。S。　below　to　this　effect：　　'DON'T　WAIT　UP　FOR　US。　　WE　MAY　NOT　BE　BACK　UNTIL　LATE。'〃

There　was　a　pause；　during　which　Socrates　laughed　quietly　to　himself；　while　Abeuchapeta　and　the　one…sided　Morgan　wept　silently。

〃That；　gentlemen　of　the　Associated　Shades；　is　all　I　know　of　the　whereabouts　of　the　House…boat；〃　continued　Captain　Kidd。　　〃I　have　no　doubt　that　the　ladies　practised　a　deception；　to　our　discomfiture；　and　I　must　say　that　I　think　it　was　exceedingly　clevergranting　that　it　was　desirable　to　be　rid　of　us；　which　I　don't；　for　we　meant　well　by　them；　and　they　would　have　enjoyed　themselves。〃

〃But；〃　cried　Hamlet；　〃may　they　not　now　be　in　peril？　　They　cannot　navigate　that　ship。〃

〃They　got　her　out　of　the　harbor　all　right；〃　said　Kidd。　　〃And　I　judged　from　the　figure　at　the　helm　that　Mrs。　Noah　had　taken　charge。　　What　kind　of　a　seaman　she　is　I　don't　know。〃

〃Almighty　bad；〃　ejaculated　Shem；　turning　pale。　　〃It　was　she　who　ran　us　ashore　on　Ararat。〃

〃Well；　wasn't　that　what　you　wanted？〃　queried　Munchausen。

〃What　we　wanted！〃　cried　Shem。　　〃Well；　I　guess　not。　　You　don't　want　your　yacht　stranded　on　a　mountain…top；　do　you？　　She　was　a　dead　loss　there；　whereas　if　mother　hadn't　been　in　such　a　hurry　to　get　ashore；　we　could　have　waited　a　month　and　landed　on　the　seaboard。〃

〃You　might　have　turned　her　into　a　summer　hotel；〃　suggested　Munchausen。

〃Well；　we　must　up　anchor　and　away；〃　said　Holmes。　　〃Our　pursuit　has　merely　begun；　apparently。　　We　must　overtake　this　vessel；　and　the　question　to　be　answered　iswhere？〃

〃That's　easy；〃　said　Artemus　Ward。　　〃From　what　Shem　says；　I　think　we'd　better　look　for　her　in　the　Himalayas。〃

〃And；　meanwhile；　what　shall　be　done　with　Kidd？〃　asked　Holmes。

〃He　ought　to　be　expelled　from　the　club；〃　said　Johnson。

〃We　can't　expel　him；　because　he's　not　a　member；〃　replied　Raleigh。

〃Then　elect　him；〃　suggested　Ward。

〃What　on　earth　for？〃　growled　Johnson。

〃So　that　we　can　expel　him；〃　said　Ward。　　And　while　Boswell's　hero　was　trying　to　get　the　value　of　this　notion　through　his　head；　the　others　repaired　to　the　deck；　and　the　Gehenna　was　soon　under　way　once　more。　Meanwhile　Captain　Kidd　and　his　fellows　were　put　in　irons　and　stowed　away　in　the　forecastle；　alongside　of　the　water…cask　in　which　Shylock　lay　in　hiding。



CHAPTER　XII：　　THE　ESCAPE　AND　THE　END



If　there　was　anxiety　on　board　of　the　Gehenna　as　to　the　condition　and　whereabouts　of　the　House…boat；　there　was　by　no　means　less　uneasiness　upon　that　vessel　itself。　　Cleopatra's　scheme　for　ridding　herself　and　her　abducted　sisters　of　the　pirates　had　worked　to　a　charm；　but；　having　worked　thus；　a　new　and　hitherto　undreamed…of　problem；　full　of　perplexities　bearing　upon　their　immediate　safety；　now　confronted　them。　　The　sole　representative　of　a　seafaring　family　on　board　was　Mrs。　Noah；　and　it　did　not　require　much　time　to　see　that　her　knowledge　as　to　navigation　was　of　an　extremely　primitive　order；　limited　indeed　to　the　science　of　floating。

When　the　last　pirate　had　disappeared　behind　the　rocks　of　Holmes　Island；　and　all　was　in　readiness　for　action；　the　good　old　lady；　who　had　hitherto　been　as　calm　and　unruffled　as　a　child；　began　to　get　red　in　the　face　and　to　bustle　about　in　a　manner　which　betrayed　considerable　perturbation　of　spirit。

〃Now；　Mrs。　Noah；〃　said　Cleopatra；　as；　peeping　out　from　the　billiard…　room　window；　she　saw　Morgan　disappearing　in　the　distance；　〃the　coast　is　clear；　and　I　resign　my　position　of　chairman　to　you。　　We　place　the　vessel　in　your　hands；　and　ourselves　subject　to　your　orders。　　You　are　in　command。　　What　do　you　wish　us　to　do？〃

〃Very　well；〃　replied　Mrs。　Noah；　putting　down　her　knitting　and　starting　for　the　deck。　　〃I'm　not　certain；　but　I　think　the　first　thing　to　do　is　to　get　her　moving。　　Do　you　know；　I've　never　discovered　whether　this　boat　was　a　steamboat　or　a　sailing…vessel？　　Does　anybody　know？〃

〃I　think　it　has　a　naphtha　tank　and　a　propeller；〃　said　Elizabeth；　〃although　I　don't　know。　　It　seems　to　me　my　brother　Raleigh　told　me　they'd　had　a　naphtha　engine　put　in　last　winter　after　the　freshet；　when　the　House…boat　was　carried　ten　miles　down　the　river；　and　had　to　be　towed　back　at　enormous　expense。　　They　put　it　in　so　that　if　she　were　carried　away　again　she　could　get　back　of　her　own　power。〃

〃That's　unfortunate；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　〃because　I　don't　know　anything　about　these　new　fangled　notions。　　If　there's　any　one　here　who　knows　anything　about　naphtha　engines；　I　wish　they'd　speak。〃

〃I'm　of　the　opinion；〃　said　Portia；　〃that　I　can　study　out　the　theory　of　it　in　a　short　while。〃

〃Very　well；　then；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　〃you　can　do　it。　　I'll　appoint　you　engineer；　and　give　you　all　your　orders　now；　right　away；　in　advance。　Set　her　going　and　keep　her　going；　and　don't　stop　without　a　written　order　signed　by　me。　　We　might　as　well　be　very　careful；　and　have　everything　done　properly；　and　it　might　happen　that　in　the　excitement　of　our　trip　you　would　misunderstand　my　spoken　orders　and　make　a　fatal　error。　　Therefore；　pay　no　attention　to　unwritten　orders。　　That　will　do　for　you　for　the　present。　　Xanthippe；　you　may　take　Ophelia　and　Madame　Recamier；　and　ten　other　ladies；　and；　every　morning　before　breakfast；　swab　the　larboard　deck。　　Cassandra；　Tuesdays　you　will　devote　to　polishing　the　brasses　in　the　dining…room；　and　the　balance　of　your　time　I　wish　you　to　expend　in　dusting　the　bric…a…brac。　　Dido；　you　always　were　strong　at　building　fires。　　I'll　make　you　chief　stoker。　　You　will　also　assist　Lucretia　Borgia　in　the　kitchen。　Inasmuch　as　the　latter's　maid　has　neglected　to　supply　her　with　the　usual　line　of　poisons；　I　think　we　can　safely　entrust　to　Lucretia's　hands　the　responsibilities　of　the　culinary　department。〃

〃I'm　perfectly　willing　to　do　anything　I　can；〃　said　Lucretia；　〃but　I　must　confess　that　I　don't　approve　of　your　methods　of　commanding　a　ship。　　A　ship's　captain　isn't　a　domestic　martinet；　as　you　are　setting　out　to　be。　　We　didn't　appoint　you　housekeeper。〃

〃Now；　my　child；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　firmly；　〃I　do　not　wish　any　words。　If　I　hear　any　more　impudence　from　you；　I'll　put　you　ashore　without　a　reference；　and　the　rest　of　you　I　would　warn　in　all　kindness　that　I　will　not　tolerate　insubordination。　　You　may；　all　of　you；　have　one　night　of　the　week　and　alternate　Sundays　off；　but　your　work　must　be　done。　　The　regimen　I　am　adopting　is　precisely　that　in　vogue　on　the　Ark；　only　I　didn't　have　the　help　I　have　now；　and　things　got　into　very　bad　shape。　　We　were　out　forty　days；　and；　while　the　food　was　poor　and　the　service　execrable；　we　never　lost　a　life。〃

The　boat　gave　a　slight　tremor。

〃Hurrah！〃　cried　Elizabeth；　clapping　her　hands　with　glee；　〃we　are　off！〃

〃I　will　repair　to　the　deck　and　get　our　bearings；〃　said　Mrs。　Noah；　putting