stories by modern american authors-第42节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



of　Sam　just　above　them；　his　white　eyes　strained　half　out　of　their

orbits；　his　white　teeth　chattering；　and　his　whole　visage　shining

with　cold　perspiration。



〃We're　discovered！〃　cried　one。



〃Down　with　him！〃　cried　another。



Sam　heard　the　cocking　of　a　pistol；　but　did　not　pause　for　the

report。　　He　scrambled　over　rock　and　stone；　through　brush　and　brier；

rolled　down　banks　like　a　hedgehog；　scrambled　up　others　like　a

catamount。　　In　every　direction　he　heard　some　one　or　other　of　the

gang　hemming　him　in。　　At　length　he　reached　the　rocky　ridge　along

the　river；　one　of　the　red…caps　was　hard　behind　him。　　A　steep　rock

like　a　wall　rose　directly　in　his　way；　it　seemed　to　cut　off　all

retreat；　when　fortunately　he　espied　the　strong；　cord…like　branch　of

a　grapevine　reaching　half　way　down　it。　　He　sprang　at　it　with　the

force　of　a　desperate　man；　seized　it　with　both　hands；　and；　being

young　and　agile；　succeeded　in　swinging　himself　to　the　summit　of　the

cliff。　　Here　he　stood　in　full　relief　against　the　sky；　when　the　red…

cap　cocked　his　pistol　and　fired。　　The　ball　whistled　by　Sam's　head。

With　the　lucky　thought　of　a　man　in　an　emergency；　he　uttered　a　yell；

fell　to　the　ground；　and　detached　at　the　same　time　a　fragment　of　the

rock；　which　tumbled　with　a　loud　splash　into　the　river。



〃I've　done　his　business；〃　said　the　red…cap　to　one　or　two　of　his

comrades　as　they　arrived　panting。　　〃He'll　tell　no　tales；　except　to

the　fishes　in　the　river。〃



His　pursuers　now　turned　to　meet　their　companions。　　Sam；　sliding

silently　down　the　surface　of　the　rock；　let　himself　quietly　into　his

skiff；　cast　loose　the　fastening；　and　abandoned　himself　to　the　rapid

current；　which　in　that　place　runs　like　a　mill　stream；　and　soon

swept　him　off　from　the　neighborhood。　　It　was　not；　however；　until　he

had　drifted　a　great　distance　that　he　ventured　to　ply　his　oars；　when

he　made　his　skiff　dart　like　an　arrow　through　the　strait　of　Hell

Gate；　never　heeding　the　danger　of　Pot；　Frying　Pan；　nor　Hog's　Back

itself；　nor　did　he　feel　himself　thoroughly　secure　until　safely

nestled　in　bed　in　the　cockloft　of　the　ancient　farmhouse　of　the

Suydams。





Here　the　worthy　Peechy　Prauw　paused　to　take　breath；　and　to　take　a

sip　of　the　gossip　tankard　that　stood　at　his　elbow。　　His　auditors

remained　with　open　mouths　and　outstretched　necks；　gaping　like　a

nest　of　swallows　for　an　additional　mouthful。



〃And　is　that　all？〃　exclaimed　the　half…pay　officer。



〃That's　all　that　belongs　to　the　story；〃　said　Peechy　Prauw。



〃And　did　Sam　never　find　out　what　was　buried　by　the　red…caps？〃　said

Wolfert　eagerly；　whose　mind　was　haunted　by　nothing　but　ingots　and

doubloons。



〃Not　that　I　know　of；〃　said　Peechy；　〃he　had　no　time　to　spare　from

his　work；　and；　to　tell　the　truth；　he　did　not　like　to　run　the　risk

of　another　race　among　the　rocks。　　Besides；　how　should　he　recollect

the　spot　where　the　grave　had　been　digged？　everything　would　look　so

different　by　daylight。　　And　then；　where　was　the　use　of　looking　for

a　dead　body　when　there　was　no　chance　of　hanging　the　murderers？〃



〃Aye；　but　are　you　sure　it　was　a　dead　body　they　buried？〃　said

Wolfert。



〃To　be　sure；〃　cried　Peechy　Prauw　exultingly。　　〃Does　it　not　haunt　in

the　neighborhood　to　this　very　day？〃



〃Haunts！〃　exclaimed　several　of　the　party；　opening　their　eyes　still

wider；　and　edging　their　chairs　still　closer。



〃Aye；　haunts；〃　repeated　Peechy；　〃have　none　of　you　heard　of　Father

Red…cap；　who　haunts　the　old　burned　farmhouse　in　the　woods；　on　the

border　of　the　Sound；　near　Hell　Gate？〃



〃Oh；　to　be　sure；　I've　heard　tell　of　something　of　the　kind；　but　then

I　took　it　for　some　old　wives'　fable。〃



〃Old　wives'　fable　or　not；〃　said　Peechy　Prauw；　〃that　farmhouse

stands　hard　by　the　very　spot。　　It's　been　unoccupied　time　out　of

mind；　and　stands　in　a　lonely　part　of　the　coast；　but　those　who　fish

in　the　neighborhood　have　often　heard　strange　noises　there；　and

lights　have　been　seen　about　the　wood　at　night；　and　an　old　fellow　in

a　red　cap　has　been　seen　at　the　windows　more　than　once；　which　people

take　to　be　the　ghost　of　the　body　buried　there。　　Once　upon　a　time

three　soldiers　took　shelter　in　the　building　for　the　night；　and

rummaged　it　from　top　to　bottom；　when　they　found　old　Father　Red…cap

astride　of　a　cider　barrel　in　the　cellar；　with　a　jug　in　one　hand　and

a　goblet　in　the　other。　　He　offered　them　a　drink　out　of　his　goblet；

but　just　as　one　of　the　soldiers　was　putting　it　to　his　mouthwhew！…

…a　flash　of　fire　blazed　through　the　cellar；　blinded　every　mother's

son　of　them　for　several　minutes；　and　when　they　recovered　their

eyesight；　jug；　goblet；　and　Red…cap　had　vanished；　and　nothing　but

the　empty　cider　barrel　remained。〃



Here　the　half…pay　officer；　who　was　growing　very　muzzy　and　sleepy；

and　nodding　over　his　liquor；　with　half…extinguished　eye；　suddenly

gleamed　up　like　an　expiring　rush…light。



〃That's　all　fudge！〃　said　he；　as　Peechy　finished　his　last　story。



〃Well；　I　don't　vouch　for　the　truth　of　it　myself；〃　said　Peechy

Prauw；　〃though　all　the　world　knows　that　there's　something　strange

about　that　house　and　grounds；　but　as　to　the　story　of　Mud　Sam；　I

believe　it　just　as　well　as　if　it　had　happened　to　myself。〃





The　deep　interest　taken　in　this　conversation　by　the　company　had

made　them　unconscious　of　the　uproar　abroad　among　the　elements；　when

suddenly　they　were　electrified　by　a　tremendous　clap　of　thunder。　　A

lumbering　crash　followed　instantaneously；　shaking　the　building　to

its　very　foundation。　　All　started　from　their　seats；　imagining　it

the　shock　of　an　earthquake；　or　that　old　Father　Red…cap　was　coming

among　them　in　all　his　terrors。　　They　listened　for　a　moment；　but

only　heard　the　rain　pelting　against　the　windows　and　the　wind

howling　among　the　trees。　　The　explosion　was　soon　explained　by　the

apparition　of　an　old　negro's　bald　head　thrust　in　at　the　door；　his

white　goggle　eyes　contrasting　with　his　jetty　poll；　which　was　wet

with　rain；　and　shone　like　a　bottle。　　In　a　jargon　but　half

intelligible　he　announced　that　the　kitchen　chimney　had　been　struck

with　lightning。



A　sullen　pause　of　the　storm；　which　now　rose　and　sank　in　gusts；

produced　a　momentary　stillness。　　In　this　interval　the　report　of　a

musket　was　heard；　and　a　long　shout；　almost　like　a　yell；　resounded

from　the　shores。　　Everyone　crowded　to　the　window；　another　musket

shot　was　heard；　and　another　long　shout；　mingled　wildly　with　a

rising　blast　of　wind。　　It　seemed　as　if　the　cry　came　up　from　the

bosom　of　the　waters；　for　though　incessant　flashes　of　lightning

spread　a　light　about　the　shore；　no　one　was　to　be　seen。



Suddenly　the　window　of　the　room　overhead　was　opened；　and　a　loud

halloo　uttered　by　the　mysterious　stranger。　　Several　hailings　passed

from　one　party　to　the　other；　but　in　a　language　which　none　of　the

company　in　the　barroom　could　understand；　and　presently　they　heard

the　window　closed；　and　a　great　noise　overhead；　as　if　all　the

furniture　were　pulled　and　hauled　about　the　room。　　The　negro　servant

was　summoned；　and　shortly　afterwards　was　seen　assisting　the　veteran

to　lug　the　ponderous　sea　chest　downstairs。



The　landlord　was　in　amazement。　　〃What；　you　are　not　going　on　the

water　in　such　a　storm？〃



〃Storm！〃　said　the　other　scornfully；　〃do　you　call　such　a　sputter　of

weather　a　storm？〃



〃You'll　get　drenched　to　the　skin；　you'll　catch　your　death！〃　said

Peechy　Prauw　affectionately。



〃Thunder　and　lightning！〃　exclaimed　the　veteran；　〃don't　preach　about

weather　to　a　man　that　has　cruised　in　whirlwinds　and　tornadoes。〃



The　obsequious　Peechy　was　again　struck　dumb。　　The　voice　from　the

water　was　heard　once　more　in　a　tone　of　impatience；　the　bystanders

stared　with　redoubled　awe　at　this　man　of　storms；　who　seemed　to　have

come　up　out　of　the　deep；　and　to　be　summoned　back　to　it　again。　　As；

with　the　assistance　of　the　negro；　he　slowly　bore　his　ponderous　sea

chest　toward　the　shore；　they　eyed　it　with　a　superstitious　feeling；

half　doubting　whether　he　were　not　really　about　to　embark　upon　it

and　launch　forth　upon　the　wild　waves。　　They　followed　him　at　a

distance　with　a　lantern。



〃Dowse＇1＇　the　light！〃　roared　the　hoarse　voice　from　the　water。　　〃No

one　wants　light　here！〃





＇1＇　Extinguish。





〃Thunder　and　lightning！〃　exclaimed　the　veteran；　turning　short　upon

them；　〃back　to　the　house　with　you！〃



Wolfert　and　his　companions　shrank　back　in　dismay。　　Still　their

curiosity　would　not　allow　them　entirely　to　withdraw。　　A　long　sheet

of　lightning　now　flickered　across　the　waves；　and　discovered　a　boat；

filled　with　men；　just　under　a　rocky　point；　rising　and　sinking　with

the　heaving　surges；　and　swashing　the　waters　at　every　heave。　　It　was

with　difficulty　held　to　the　rocks　by　a　boat　hook；　for　the　current

rushed　furiously　round　the　point。　　The　veteran　hoisted　one　end　of

the　lumbering　sea　chest　on　the　gunwale　of　the　boat；　and　seized　the

handle　at　the　other　end　to　lift　it　in；　when　the　motion　propelled

the　boat　from　the　shore；　the　chest　slipped　off　from　the　gunwale；

and；　sinki