adventure(冒险)-第33节
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them。 She was certainly living up to her threat of rattling the dry bones
of the Solomons； and he was prepared for anything。 〃Miss Lackland sent
them；〃 said Welshmere； the missionary doctor； stepping ashore and
shaking hands with him。 〃There's also a box of saddles on board。 And
this letter from her。 And the skipper of the Flibberty…Gibbet。〃
The next moment； and before he could greet him； Oleson stepped from
the boat and began。
〃She's stolen the Flibberty； Mr。 Sheldon。 Run clean away with her。
She's a wild one。 She gave me the fever。 Brought it on by shock。 And
got me drunk； as wellrotten drunk。〃
Dr。 Welshmere laughed heartily。
〃Nevertheless； she is not an unmitigated evil； your Miss Lackland。
She's sworn three men off their drink； or； to the same purpose； shut off
their whisky。 You know themBrahms； Curtis； and Fowler。 She shipped
them on the Flibberty…Gibbet along with her。〃
〃She's the skipper of the Flibberty now；〃 Oleson broke in。 〃And
she'll wreck her as sure as God didn't make the Solomons。〃
Dr。 Welshmere tried to look shocked； but laughed again。
〃She has quite a way with her；〃 he said。 〃I tried to back out of
bringing the horses over。 Said I couldn't charge freight； that the Apostle
was under a yacht license； that I was going around by Savo and the upper
end of Guadalcanar。 But it was no use。 'Bother the charge；' said she。
'You take the horses like a good man； and when I float the Martha I'll
return the service some day。'〃
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〃And 'bother your orders；' said she to me；〃 Oleson cried。 〃'I'm your
boss now；' said she； 'and you take your orders from me。' 'Look at that load
of ivory nuts；' I said。 'Bother them；' said she； 'I'm playin' for something
bigger than ivory nuts。 We'll dump them overside as soon as we get
under way。'〃
Sheldon put his hands to his ears。
〃I don't know what has happened； and you are trying to tell me the tale
backwards。 Come up to the house and get in the shade and begin at the
beginning。〃
〃What I want to know；〃 Oleson began； when they were seated； 〃is IS
she your partner or ain't she？ That's what I want to know。〃
〃She is；〃 Sheldon assured him。
〃Well； who'd have believed it！〃 Oleson glanced appealingly at Dr。
Welshmere； and back again at Sheldon。 〃I've seen a few unlikely things
in these Solomonsrats two feet long； butterflies the Commissioner hunts
with a shot…gun； ear…ornaments that would shame the devil； and head…
hunting devils that make the devil look like an angel。 I've seen them and
got used to them； but this young woman of yours〃
〃Miss Lackland is my partner and part…owner of Berande；〃 Sheldon
interrupted。
〃So she said；〃 the irate skipper dashed on。 〃But she had no papers to
show for it。 How was I to know？ And then there was that load of ivory
nuts…eight tons of them。〃
〃For heaven's sake begin at the〃 Sheldon tried to interrupt。
〃And then she's hired them drunken loafers； three of the worst
scoundrels that ever disgraced the Solomonsfifteen quid a month each
what d'ye think of that？ And sailed away with them； too！ Phew！You
might give me a drink。 The missionary won't mind。 I've been on his
teetotal hooker four days now； and I'm perishing。〃
Dr。 Welshmere nodded in reply to Sheldon's look of inquiry； and
Viaburi was dispatched for the whisky and siphons。
〃It is evident； Captain Oleson；〃 Sheldon remarked to that refreshed
mariner； 〃that Miss Lackland has run away with your boat。 Now please
give a plain statement of what occurred。〃
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〃Right O； here goes。 I'd just come in on the Flibberty。 She was on
board before I dropped the hookin that whale…boat of hers with her gang
of Tahiti heathensthat big Adamu Adam and the rest。 'Don't drop the
anchor； Captain Oleson；' she sang out。 'I want you to get under way for
Poonga…Poonga。' I looked to see if she'd been drinking。 What was I to
think？ I was rounding up at the time； alongside the shoala ticklish
placeheadsails running down and losing way； so I says； 'Excuse me； Miss
Lackland；' and yells for'ard； 'Let go！'
〃'You might have listened to me and saved yourself trouble；' says she；
climbing over the rail and squinting along for'ard and seeing the first
shackle flip out and stop。 'There's fifteen fathom；' says she； 'you may as
well turn your men to and heave up。'
〃And then we had it out。 I didn't believe her。 I didn't think you'd
take her on as a partner； and I told her as much and wanted proof。 She
got high and mighty； and I told her I was old enough to be her grandfather
and that I wouldn't take gammon from a chit like her。 And then I ordered
her off the Flibberty。 'Captain Oleson；' she says； sweet as you please；
'I've a few minutes to spare on you； and I've got some good whisky over
on the Emily。 Come on along。 Besides； I want your advice about this
wrecking business。 Everybody says you're a crackerjack sailor…man'that's
what she said； 'crackerjack。' And I went； in her whale…boat； Adamu
Adam steering and looking as solemn as a funeral。
〃On the way she told me about the Martha； and how she'd bought her；
and was going to float her。 She said she'd chartered the Emily； and was
sailing as soon as I could get the Flibberty underway。 It struck me that
her gammon was reasonable enough； and I agreed to pull out for Berande
right O； and get your orders to go along to Poonga…Poonga。 But she said
there wasn't a second to be lost by any such foolishness； and that I was to
sail direct for Poonga… Poonga； and that if I couldn't take her word that she
was your partner； she'd get along without me and the Flibberty。 And right
there's where she fooled me。
〃Down in the Emily's cabin was them three soaksyou know them
Fowler and Curtis and that Brahms chap。 'Have a drink；' says she。 I
thought they looked surprised when she unlocked the whisky locker and
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sent a nigger for the glasses and water…monkey。 But she must have
tipped them off unbeknownst to me； and they knew just what to do。
'Excuse me；' she says； 'I'm going on deck a minute。' Now that minute
was half an hour。 I hadn't had a drink in ten days。 I'm an old man and
the fever has weakened me。 Then I took it on an empty stomach； too；
and there was them three soaks setting me an example； they arguing for
me to take the Flibberty to Poonga…Poonga； an' me pointing out my duty to
the contrary。 The trouble was； all the arguments were pointed with
drinks； and me not being a drinking man； so to say； and weak from
fever 。 。 。
〃Well； anyway； at the end of the half…hour down she came again and
took a good squint at me。 'That'll do nicely；' I remember her saying； and
with that she took the whisky bottles and hove them overside through the
companionway。 'That's the last； she said to the three soaks； 'till the
Martha floats and you're back in Guvutu。 It'll be a long time between
drinks。' And then she laughed。
〃She looked at me and saidnot to me； mind you； but to the soaks： 'It's
time this worthy man went ashore'me！ worthy man！ 'Fowler；' she said
you know； just like a straight order； and she didn't MISTER himit was
plain Fowler'Fowler；' she said； 'just tell Adamu Adam to man the whale…
boat； and while he's taking Captain Oleson ashore have your boat put me
on the Flibberty。 The three of you sail with me； so pack your dunnage。
And the one of you that shows up best will take the mate's billet。 Captain
