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第20节

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 

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