the night-born-第20节

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sheep　of　the　Maryland　Dettmars；　that　they　moved　heaven　and

earth　for　your　pardon；　that　your　prison　conduct　was　most

exemplary；　that　he　was　prosecuting　attorney　at　the　time　you

were　convicted；　that　after　you　had　served　seven　years　he

yielded　to　your　family's　plea　and　pardoned　you；　and　that　in　his

own　mind　existed　a　doubt　that　you　had　killed　McSweeny。〃



There　was　a　pause；　during　which　Duncan　went　on　studying　the

rising　squall；　while　Captain　Dettmar's　face　worked　terribly。



〃Well；　the　Governor　was　wrong；〃　he　announced；　with　a　short

laugh。　〃I　did　kill　McSweeny。　I　did　get　the　watchman　drunk　that

night。　I　beat　McSweeny　to　death　in　his　bunk。　I　used　the　iron

belaying　pin　that　appeared　in　the　evidence。　He　never　had　a

chance。　I　beat　him　to　a　jelly。　Do　you　want　the　details？〃



Duncan　looked　at　him　in　the　curious　way　one　looks　at　any

monstrosity；　but　made　no　reply。



〃Oh；　I'm　not　afraid　to　tell　you；〃　Captain　Dettmar　blustered　on。

〃There　are　no　witnesses。　Besides；　I　am　a　free　man　now。　I　am

pardoned；　and　by　God　they　can　never　put　me　back　in　that　hole

again。　I　broke　McSweeny's　jaw　with　the　first　blow。　He　was　lying

on　his　back　asleep。　He　said；　'My　God；　Jim！　My　God！'　It　was

funny　to　see　his　broken　jaw　wabble　as　he　said　it。　Then　I

smashed　him　。　。　。　I　say；　do　you　want　the　rest　of　the　details？〃



〃Is　that　all　you　have　to　say？〃　was　the　answer。



〃Isn't　it　enough？〃　Captain　Dettmar　retorted。



〃It　is　enough。〃



〃What　are　you　going　to　do　about　it？〃



〃Put　you　ashore　at　Attu…Attu。〃



〃And　in　the　meantime？〃



〃In　the　meantime　。　。　。〃　Duncan　paused。　An　increase　of　weight　in

the　wind　rippled　his　hair。　The　stars　overhead　vanished；　and　the

Samoset　swung　four　points　off　her　course　in　the　careless

steersman's　hands。　〃In　the　meantime　throw　your　halyards　down　on

deck　and　look　to　your　wheel。　I'll　call　the　men。〃



The　next　moment　the　squall　burst　upon　them。　Captain　Dettmar；

springing　aft；　lifted　the　coiled　mainsail　halyards　from　their

pins　and　threw　them；　ready　to　run；　on　the　deck。　The　three

islanders　swarmed　from　the　tiny　forecastle；　two　of　them　leaping

to　the　halyards　and　holding　by　a　single　turn；　while　the　third

fastened　down　the　engineroom；　companion　and　swung　the

ventilators　around。　Below；　Lee　Goom　and　Toyama　were　lowering

skylight　covers　and　screwing　up　deadeyes。　Duncan　pulled　shut

the　cover　of　the　companion　scuttle；　and　held　on；　waiting；　the

first　drops　of　rain　pelting　his　face；　while　the　Samoset　leaped

violently　ahead；　at　the　same　time　heeling　first　to　starboard

then　to　port　as　the　gusty　pressures　caught　her　winged…out

sails。



All　waited。　But　there　was　no　need　to　lower　away　on　the　run。　The

power　went　out　of　the　wind；　and　the　tropic　rain　poured　a　deluge

over　everything。　Then　it　was；　the　danger　past；　and　as　the

Kanakas　began　to　coil　the　halyards　back　on　the　pins；　that　Boyd

Duncan　went　below。



〃All　right；〃　he　called　in　cheerily　to　his　wife。　〃Only　a　puff。〃



〃And　Captain　Dettmar？〃　she　queried。



〃Has　been　drinking；　that　is　all。　I　shall　get　rid　of　him　at

Attu…Attu。〃



But　before　Duncan　climbed　into　his　bunk；　he　strapped　around

himself；　against　the　skin　and　under　his　pajama　coat；　a　heavy

automatic　pistol。



He　fell　asleep　almost　immediately；　for　his　was　the　gift　of

perfect　relaxation。　He　did　things　tensely；　in　the　way　savages

do；　but　the　instant　the　need　passed　he　relaxed；　mind　and　body。

So　it　was　that　he　slept；　while　the　rain　still　poured　on　deck

and　the　yacht　plunged　and　rolled　in　the　brief；　sharp　sea　caused

by　the　squall。



He　awoke　with　a　feeling　of　suffocation　and　heaviness。　The

electric　fans　had　stopped；　and　the　air　was　thick　and　stifling。

Mentally　cursing　all　Lorenzos　and　storage　batteries；　he　heard

his　wife　moving　in　the　adjoining　stateroom　and　pass　out　into

the　main　cabin。　Evidently　heading　for　the　fresher　air　on　deck；

he　thought；　and　decided　it　was　a　good　example　to　imitate。

Putting　on　his　slippers　and　tucking　a　pillow　and　a　blanket

under　his　arm；　he　followed　her。　As　he　was　about　to　emerge　from

the　companionway；　the　ship's　clock　in　the　cabin　began　to　strike

and　he　stopped　to　listen。　Four　bells　sounded。　It　was　two　in　the

morning。　From　without　came　the　creaking　of　the　gaff…jaw　against

the　mast。　The　Samoset　rolled　and　righted　on　a　sea；　and　in　the

light　breeze　her　canvas　gave　forth　a　hollow　thrum。



He　was　just　putting　his　foot　out　on　the　damp　deck　when　he　heard

his　wife　scream。　It　was　a　startled　frightened　scream　that　ended

in　a　splash　overside。　He　leaped　out　and　ran　aft。　In　the　dim

starlight　he　could　make　out　her　head　and　shoulders　disappearing

astern　in　the　lazy　wake。



〃What　was　it？〃　Captain　Dettmar；　who　was　at　the　wheel；　asked。



〃Mrs。　Duncan；〃　was　Duncan's　reply；　as　he　tore　the　life…buoy

from　its　hook　and　flung　it　aft。　〃Jibe　over　to　starboard　and

come　up　on　the　wind！〃　he　commanded。



And　then　Boyd　Duncan　made　a　mistake。　He　dived　overboard。



When　he　came　up；　he　glimpsed　the　blue…light　on　the　buoy；　which

had　ignited　automatically　when　it　struck　the　water。　He　swam　for

it；　and　found　Minnie　had　reached　it　first。



〃Hello；〃　he　said。　〃Just　trying　to　keep　cool？〃



〃Oh；　Boyd！〃　was　her　answer；　and　one　wet　hand　reached　out　and

touched　his。



The　blue　light；　through　deterioration　or　damage；　flickered　out。

As　they　lifted　on　the　smooth　crest　of　a　wave；　Duncan　turned　to

look　where　the　Samoset　made　a　vague　blur　in　the　darkness。　No

lights　showed；　but　there　was　noise　of　confusion。　He　could　hear

Captain　Dettmar's　shouting　above　the　cries　of　the　others。



〃I　must　say　he's　taking　his　time；〃　Duncan　grumbled。　〃Why

doesn't　he　jibe？　There　she　goes　now。〃



They　could　hear　the　rattle　of　the　boom　tackle　blocks　as　the

sail　was　eased　across。



〃That　was　the　mainsail；〃　he　muttered。　〃Jibed　to　port　when　I

told　him　starboard。〃



Again　they　lifted　on　a　wave；　and　again　and　again；　ere　they

could　make　out　the　distant　green　of　the　Samoset's　starboard

light。　But　instead　of　remaining　stationary；　in　token　that　the

yacht　was　coming　toward　them；　it　began　moving　across　their

field　of　vision。　Duncan　swore。



〃What's　the　lubber　holding　over　there　for！〃　he　demanded。　〃He's

got　his　compass。　He　knows　our　bearing。〃



But　the　green　light；　which　was　all　they　could　see；　and　which

they　could　see　only　when　they　were　on　top　of　a　wave；　moved

steadily　away　from　them；　withal　it　was　working　up　to　windward；

and　grew　dim　and　dimmer。　Duncan　called　out　loudly　and

repeatedly；　and　each　time；　in　the　intervals；　they　could　hear；

very　faintly；　the　voice　of　Captain　Dettmar　shouting　orders。



〃How　can　he　hear　me　with　such　a　racket？〃　Duncan　complained。



〃He's　doing　it　so　the　crew　won't　hear　you；〃　was　Minnie's

answer。



There　was　something　in　the　quiet　way　she　said　it　that　caught

her　husband's　attention。



〃What　do　you　mean？〃



〃I　mean　that　he　is　not　trying　to　pick　us　up；〃　she　went　on　in

the　same　composed　voice。　〃He　threw　me　overboard。〃



〃You　are　not　making　a　mistake？〃



〃How　could　I？　I　was　at　the　main　rigging；　looking　to　see　if　any

more　rain　threatened。　He　must　have　left　the　wheel　and　crept

behind　me。　I　was　holding　on　to　a　stay　with　one　hand。　He　gripped

my　hand　free　from　behind　and　threw　me　over。　It's　too　bad　you

didn't　know；　or　else　you　would　have　staid　aboard。〃



Duncan　groaned；　but　said　nothing　for　several　minutes。　The　green

light　changed　the　direction　of　its　course。



〃She's　gone　about；〃　he　announced。　〃You　are　right。　He's

deliberately　working　around　us　and　to　windward。　Up　wind　they

can　never　hear　me。　But　here　goes。〃



He　called　at　minute　intervals　for　a　long　time。　The　green　light

disappeared；　being　replaced　by　the　red；　showing　that　the　yacht

had　gone　about　again。



〃Minnie；〃　he　said　finally；　〃it　pains　me　to　tell　you；　but　you

married　a　fool。　Only　a　fool　would　have　gone　overboard　as　I

did。〃



〃What　chance　have　we　of　being　picked　up　。　。　。　by　some　other

vessel；　I　mean？〃　she　asked。



〃About　one　in　ten　thousand；　or　ten　thousand　million。　Not　a

steamer　route　nor　trade　route　crosses　this　stretch　of　ocean。

And　there　aren't　any　whalers　knocking　about　the　South　Seas。

There　might　be　a　stray　trading　schooner　running　across　from

Tutuwanga。　But　I　happen　to　know　that　island　is　visited　only

once　a　year。　A　chance　in　a　million　is　ours。〃



〃And　we'll　play　that　chance；〃　she　rejoined　stoutly。



〃You　ARE　a　joy！〃　His　hand　lifted　hers　to　his　lips。　〃And　Aunt

Elizabeth　always　wondered　what　I　saw　in　you。　Of　course　we'll

play　that　chance。　And　we'll　win　it；　too。　To　happen　otherwise

would　be　unthinkable。　Here　goes。〃



He　slipped　the　heavy　pistol　from　his　belt　and　let　it　sink　into

the　sea。　The　belt；　however；　he　retained。



〃Now　you　get　inside　the　buoy　and　get　some　sleep。　Duck　under。〃



She　ducked　obediently；　and　came　up　inside　the　floating　circle。

He　fastened　the　straps　for　her；　then；　with　the　pistol　belt；

buckled　himself　across　one　shoulder　to　the　outside　of　the　buoy。



〃We're