adventure(冒险)-第42节
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The fact that the boxes yielded nothing excited Sheldon's suspicions； and
he gave orders to dig up the earthen floor。 Wrapped in matting； well
oiled； free from rust； and brand new； two Winchesters were first unearthed。
Sheldon did not recognize them。 They had not come from Berande；
neither had the forty flasks of black powder found under the corner…post of
the house； and while he could not be sure； he could remember no loss of
eight boxes of detonators。 A big Colt's revolver he recognized as Hughie
Drummond's； while Joan identified a thirty…two Ivor and Johnson as a loss
reported by Matapuu the first week he landed at Berande。 The absence
of any cartridges made Sheldon persist in the digging up of the floor； and a
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fifty…pound flour tin was his reward。 With glowering eyes Gogoomy
looked on while Sheldon took from the tin a hundred rounds each for the
two Winchesters and fully as many rounds more of nondescript cartridges
of all sorts and makes and calibres。
The contraband and stolen property was piled in assorted heaps on the
back veranda of the bungalow。 A few paces from the bottom of the steps
were grouped the forty…odd culprits； with behind them； in solid array； the
several hundred blacks of the plantation。 At the head of the steps Joan
and Sheldon were seated； while on the steps stood the gang…bosses。 One
by one the culprits were called up and examined。 Nothing definite could
be extracted from them。 They lied transparently； but persistently； and
when caught in one lie explained it away with half a dozen others。 One
boy complacently announced that he had found eleven sticks of dynamite
on the beach。 Matapuu's revolver； found in the box of one Kapu； was
explained away by that boy as having been given to him by Lervumie。
Lervumie； called forth to testify； said he had got it from Noni； Noni had
got it from Sulefatoi； Sulefatoi from Choka； Choka from Ngava； and
Ngava completed the circle by stating that it had been given to him by
Kapu。 Kapu； thus doubly damned； calmly gave full details of how it had
been given to him by Lervumie； and Lervumie； with equal wealth of detail；
told how he had received it from Noni； and from Noni to Sulefatoi it went
on around the circle again。
Divers articles were traced indubitably to the house…boys； each of
whom steadfastly proclaimed his own innocence and cast doubts on his
fellows。 The boy with the billiard ball said that he had never seen it in
his life before； and hazarded the suggestion that it had got into his box
through some mysterious and occultly evil agency。 So far as he was
concerned it might have dropped down from heaven for all he knew how it
got there。 To the cooks and boats'…crews of every vessel that had dropped
anchor off Berande in the past several years were ascribed the arrival of
scores of the stolen articles and of the major portion of the ammunition。
There was no tracing the truth in any of it； though it was without doubt
that the unidentified weapons and unfamiliar cartridges had come ashore
off visiting craft。
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〃Look at it；〃 Sheldon said to Joan。 〃We've been sleeping over a
volcano。 They ought to be whipped〃
〃No whip me；〃 Gogoomy cried out from below。 〃Father belong me
big fella chief。 Me whip； too much trouble along you； close up； my
word。〃
〃What name you fella Gogoomy！〃 Sheldon shouted。 〃I knock seven
bells out of you。 Here； you Kwaque； put 'm irons along that fella
Gogoomy。〃
Kwaque； a strapping gang…boss； plucked Gogoomy from out of his
following； and； helped by the other gang…bosses； twisted his arms behind
him and snapped on the heavy handcuffs。
〃Me finish along you； close up； you die altogether；〃 Gogoomy； with
wrath…distorted face； threatened the boss…boy。
〃Please； no whipping；〃 Joan said in a low voice。 〃If whipping IS
necessary； send them to Tulagi and let the Government do it。 Give them
their choice between a fine or an official whipping。〃
Sheldon nodded and stood up； facing the blacks。
〃Manonmie！〃 he called。
Manonmie stood forth and waited。
〃You fella boy bad fella too much；〃 Sheldon charged。 〃You steal 'm
plenty。 You steal 'm one fella towel； one fella cane…knife； two… ten fella
cartridge。 My word； plenty bad fella steal 'm you。 Me cross along you
too much。 S'pose you like 'm； me take 'm one fella pound along you in
big book。 S'pose you no like 'm me take 'm one fella pound； then me
send you fella along Tulagi catch 'm one strong fella government whipping。
Plenty New Georgia boys； plenty Ysabel boys stop along jail along Tulagi。
Them fella no like Malaita boys little bit。 My word； they give 'm you
strong fella whipping。 What you say？〃
〃You take 'm one fella pound along me；〃 was the answer。
And Manonmie； patently relieved； stepped back； while Sheldon
entered the fine in the plantation labour journal。
Boy after boy； he called the offenders out and gave them their choice；
and； boy by boy； each one elected to pay the fine imposed。 Some fines
were as low as several shillings； while in the more serious cases； such as
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thefts of guns and ammunition； the fines were correspondingly heavy。
Gogoomy and his five tribesmen were fined three pounds each； and at
Gogoomy's guttural command they refused to pay。
〃S'pose you go along Tulagi；〃 Sheldon warned him； 〃you catch 'm
strong fella whipping and you stop along jail three fella year。 Mr。 Burnett；
he look 'm along Winchester； look 'm along cartridge； look 'm along
revolver； look 'm along black powder； look 'm along dynamitemy word；
he cross too much； he give you three fella year along jail。 S'pose you no
like 'm pay three fella pound you stop along jail。 Savvee？〃
Gogoomy wavered。
〃It's truethat's what Burnett would give them；〃 Sheldon said in an
aside to Joan。
〃You take 'm three fella pound along me；〃 Gogoomy muttered； at the
same time scowling his hatred at Sheldon； and transferring half the scowl
to Joan and Kwaque。 〃Me finish along you； you catch 'm big fella
trouble； my word。 Father belong me big fella chief along Port Adams。〃
〃That will do；〃 Sheldon warned him。 〃You shut mouth belong you。〃
〃Me no fright；〃 the son of a chief retorted； by his insolence increasing
his stature in the eyes of his fellows。
〃Lock him up for to…night；〃 Sheldon said to Kwaque。 〃Sun he come
up put 'm that fella and five fella belong him along grass…cutting。 Savvee？〃
Kwaque grinned。
〃Me savvee；〃 he said。 〃Cut 'm grass； ngari…ngari ｛4｝ stop 'm along
grass。 My word！〃
〃There will be trouble with Gogoomy yet；〃 Sheldon said to Joan； as
the boss…boys marshalled their gangs and led them away to their work。
〃Keep an eye on him。 Be careful when you are riding alone on the
plantation。 The loss of those Winchesters and all that ammunition has hit
him harder than your cuffing did。 He is dead… ripe for mischief。〃
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CHAPTER XXIIGOGOOMY
FINISHES ALONG KWAQUE
ALTOGETHER
〃I wonder what has become of Tudor。 It's two months since he
disappeared into the bush； and not a word of him after he left Binu。〃
Joan Lackland was sitting astride her horse by the bank of the
Balesuna where the sweet corn had been planted； and Sheldon； who had
come across from the house on foot； was leaning against her horse's
shoulder。
〃Yes； it is
