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第19节

the night-born-第19节

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from Canada to Mexico; cruised the Mediterranean in a ten…ton

yawl; and canoed from Germany to the Black Sea across the heart

of Europe。 They were a royal pair of wanderlusters; he; big and

broad…shouldered; she a small; brunette; and happy woman; whose

one hundred and fifteen pounds were all grit and endurance; and

withal; pleasing to look upon。



The Samoset had been a trading schooner; when Duncan bought her

in San Francisco and made alterations。 Her interior was wholly

rebuilt; so that the hold became main…cabin and staterooms;

while abaft amidships were installed engines; a dynamo; an ice

machine; storage batteries; and; far in the stern; gasoline

tanks。 Necessarily; she carried a small crew。 Boyd; Minnie; and

Captain Dettmar were the only whites on board; though Lorenzo;

the small and greasy engineer; laid a part claim to white;

being a Portuguese half…caste。 A Japanese served as cook; and a

Chinese as cabin boy。 Four white sailors had constituted the

original crew for'ard; but one by one they had yielded to the

charms of palm…waving South Sea isles and been replaced by

islanders。 Thus; one of the dusky sailors hailed from Easter

Island; a second from the Carolines; a third from the Paumotus;

while the fourth was a gigantic Samoan。 At sea; Boyd Duncan;

himself a navigator; stood a mate's watch with Captain Dettmar;

and both of them took a wheel or lookout occasionally。 On a

pinch; Minnie herself could take a wheel; and it was on pinches

that she proved herself more dependable at steering than did

the native sailors。



At eight bells; all hands assembled at the wheel; and Boyd

Duncan appeared with a black bottle and a mug。 The rum he

served out himself; half a mug of it to each man。 They gulped

the stuff down with many facial expressions of delight;

followed by loud lip…smackings of approval; though the liquor

was raw enough and corrosive enough to burn their mucous

membranes。 All drank except Lee Goom; the abstemious cabin boy。

This rite accomplished; they waited for the next; the

present…giving。 Generously molded on Polynesian lines;

huge…bodied and heavy…muscled; they were nevertheless like so

many children; laughing merrily at little things; their eager

black eyes flashing in the lantern light as their big bodies

swayed to the heave and roll of the ship。



Calling each by name; Minnie gave the presents out;

accompanying each presentation with some happy remark that

added to the glee。 There were trade watches; clasp knives;

amazing assortments of fish…hooks in packages; plug tobacco;

matches; and gorgeous strips of cotton for loincloths all

around。 That Boyd Duncan was liked by them was evidenced by the

roars of laughter with which they greeted his slightest joking

allusion。



Captain Dettmar; white…faced; smiling only when his employer

chanced to glance at him; leaned against the wheel…box; looking

on。 Twice; he left the group and went below; remaining there

but a minute each time。 Later; in the main cabin; when Lorenzo;

Lee Goom and Toyama received their presents; he disappeared

into his stateroom twice again。 For of all times; the devil

that slumbered in Captain Dettmar's soul chose this particular

time of good cheer to awaken。 Perhaps it was not entirely the

devil's fault; for Captain Dettmar; privily cherishing a quart

of whisky for many weeks; had selected Christmas Eve for

broaching it。



It was still early in the eveningtwo bells had just

gonewhen Duncan and his wife stood by the cabin companionway;

gazing to windward and canvassing the possibility of spreading

their beds on deck。 A small; dark blot of cloud; slowly forming

on the horizon; carried the threat of a rain…squall; and it was

this they were discussing when Captain Dettmar; coming from aft

and about to go below; glanced at them with sudden suspicion。

He paused; his face working spasmodically。 Then he spoke:



〃You are talking about me。〃



His voice was hoarse; and there was an excited vibration in it。

Minnie Duncan started; then glanced at her husband's immobile

face; took the cue; and remained silent。



〃I say you were talking about me;〃 Captain Dettmar repeated;

this time with almost a snarl。



He did not lurch nor betray the liquor on him in any way save

by the convulsive working of his face。



〃Minnie; you'd better go down;〃 Duncan said gently。 〃Tell Lee

Goom we'll sleep below。 It won't be long before that squall is

drenching things。〃



She took the hint and left; delaying just long enough to give

one anxious glance at the dim faces of the two men。



Duncan puffed at his cigar and waited till his wife's voice; in

talk with the cabin…boy; came up through the open skylight。



〃Well?〃 Duncan demanded in a low voice; but sharply。



〃I said you were talking about me。 I say it again。 Oh; I

haven't been blind。 Day after day I've seen the two of you

talking about me。 Why don't you come out and say it to my face!

I know you know。 And I know your mind's made up to discharge me

at Attu…Attu。〃



〃I am sorry you are making such a mess of everything;〃 was

Duncan's quiet reply。



But Captain Dettmar's mind was set on trouble。



〃You know you are going to discharge me。 You think you are too

good to associate with the likes of meyou and your wife。〃



〃Kindly keep her out of this;〃 Duncan warned。 〃What do you

want?〃



〃I want to know what you are going to do!〃



〃Discharge you; after this; at Attu…Attu。〃



〃You intended to; all along。〃



〃On the contrary。 It is your present conduct that compels me。〃



〃You can't give me that sort of talk。〃



〃I can't retain a captain who calls me a liar。〃



Captain Dettmar for the moment was taken aback。 His face and

lips worked; but he could say nothing。 Duncan coolly pulled at

his cigar and glanced aft at the rising cloud of squall。



〃Lee Goom brought the mail aboard at Tahiti;〃 Captain Dettmar

began。



〃We were hove short then and leaving。 You didn't look at your

letters until we were outside; and then it was too late。 That's

why you didn't discharge me at Tahiti。 Oh; I know。 I saw the

long envelope when Lee Goom came over the side。 It was from the

Governor of California; printed on the corner for any one to

see。 You'd been working behind my back。 Some beachcomber in

Honolulu had whispered to you; and you'd written to the

Governor to find out。 And that was his answer Lee Goom carried

out to you。 Why didn't you come to me like a man! No; you must

play underhand with me; knowing that this billet was the one

chance for me to get on my feet again。 And as soon as you read

the Governor's letter your mind was made up to get rid of me。

I've seen it on your face ever since for all these months。。

I've seen the two of you; polite as hell to me all the time;

and getting away in corners and talking about me and that

affair in 'Frisco。〃



〃Are you done?〃 Duncan asked; his voice low; and tense。 〃Quite

done?〃



Captain Dettmar made no answer。



〃Then I'll tell you a few things。 It was precisely because of

that affair in 'Frisco that I did not discharge you in Tahiti。

God knows you gave me sufficient provocation。 I thought that if

ever a man needed a chance to rehabilitate himself; you were

that man。 Had there been no black mark against you; I would

have discharged you when I learned how you were robbing me。〃



Captain Dettmar showed surprise; started to interrupt; then

changed his mind。



〃There was that matter of the deck…calking; the bronze

rudder…irons; the overhauling of the engine; the new spinnaker

boom; the new davits; and the repairs to the whale…boat。 You

0Kd the shipyard bill。 It was four thousand one hundred and

twenty…two francs。 By the regular shipyard charges it ought not

to have been a centime over twenty…five hundred francs…〃



〃If you take the word of those alongshore sharks against

mine' the other began thickly。



〃Save yourself the trouble of further lying;〃 Duncan went on

coldly。 〃I looked it up。 I got Flaubin before the Governor

himself; and the old rascal confessed to sixteen hundred

overcharge。 Said you'd stuck him up for it。 Twelve hundred went

to you; and his share was four hundred and the job。 Don't

interrupt。 I've got his affidavit below。 Then was when I would

have put you ashore; except for the cloud you were under。 You

had to have this one chance or go clean to hell。 I gave you the

chance。 And what have you got to say about it?〃



〃What did the Governor say?〃 Captain Dettmar demanded

truculently。



〃Which governor?〃



〃Of California。 Did he lie to you like all the rest?〃



〃I'll tell you what he said。 He said that you had been

convicted on circumstantial evidence; that was why you had got

life imprisonment instead of hanging; that you had always

stoutly maintained your innocence; that you were the black

sheep of the Maryland Dettmars; that they moved heaven and

earth for your pardon; t

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