adventure-第2部分

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oss　the　twelve…mile　channel；　lay　Florida　Island；　and；　farther　to　the　right；　dim　in　the　distance；　he　could　make　out　portions　of　Malaitathe　savage　island；　the　abode　of　murder；　and　robbery；　and　man…eatingthe　place　from　which　his　own　two　hundred　plantation　hands　had　been　recruited。　　Between　him　and　the　beach　was　the　cane…grass　fence　of　the　compound。　　The　gate　was　ajar；　and　he　sent　the　house…boy　to　close　it。　　Within　the　fence　grew　a　number　of　lofty　cocoanut　palms。　　On　either　side　the　path　that　led　to　the　gate　stood　two　tall　flagstaffs。　　They　were　reared　on　artificial　mounds　of　earth　that　were　ten　feet　high。　　The　base　of　each　staff　was　surrounded　by　short　posts；　painted　white　and　connected　by　heavy　chains。　　The　staffs　themselves　were　like　ships'　masts；　with　topmasts　spliced　on　in　true　nautical　fashion；　with　shrouds；　ratlines；　gaffs；　and　flag…halyards。　　From　the　gaff　of　one；　two　gay　flags　hung　limply；　one　a　checkerboard　of　blue　and　white　squares；　the　other　a　white　pennant　centred　with　a　red　disc。　　It　was　the　international　code　signal　of　distress。

On　the　far　corner　of　the　compound　fence　a　hawk　brooded。　　The　man　watched　it；　and　knew　that　it　was　sick。　　He　wondered　idly　if　it　felt　as　bad　as　he　felt；　and　was　feebly　amused　at　the　thought　of　kinship　that　somehow　penetrated　his　fancy。　　He　roused　himself　to　order　the　great　bell　to　be　rung　as　a　signal　for　the　plantation　hands　to　cease　work　and　go　to　their　barracks。　　Then　he　mounted　his　man…horse　and　made　the　last　round　of　the　day。

In　the　hospital　were　two　new　cases。　　To　these　he　gave　castor…oil。　He　congratulated　himself。　　It　had　been　an　easy　day。　　Only　three　had　died。　　He　inspected　the　copra…drying　that　had　been　going　on；　and　went　through　the　barracks　to　see　if　there　were　any　sick　lying　hidden　and　defying　his　rule　of　segregation。　　Returned　to　the　house；　he　received　the　reports　of　the　boss…boys　and　gave　instructions　for　next　day's　work。　　The　boat's　crew　boss　also　he　had　in；　to　give　assurance；　as　was　the　custom　nightly；　that　the　whale…boats　were　hauled　up　and　padlocked。　　This　was　a　most　necessary　precaution；　for　the　blacks　were　in　a　funk；　and　a　whale…boat　left　lying　on　the　beach　in　the　evening　meant　a　loss　of　twenty　blacks　by　morning。　　Since　the　blacks　were　worth　thirty　dollars　apiece；　or　less；　according　to　how　much　of　their　time　had　been　worked　out；　Berande　plantation　could　ill　afford　the　loss。　　Besides；　whale…boats　were　not　cheap　in　the　Solomons；　and；　also；　the　deaths　were　daily　reducing　the　working　capital。　　Seven　blacks　had　fled　into　the　bush　the　week　before；　and　four　had　dragged　themselves　back；　helpless　from　fever；　with　the　report　that　two　more　had　been　killed　and　kai…kai'd　｛1｝　by　the　hospitable　bushmen。　　The　seventh　man　was　still　at　large；　and　was　said　to　be　working　along　the　coast　on　the　lookout　to　steal　a　canoe　and　get　away　to　his　own　island。

Viaburi　brought　two　lighted　lanterns　to　the　white　man　for　inspection。　　He　glanced　at　them　and　saw　that　they　were　burning　brightly　with　clear；　broad　flames；　and　nodded　his　head。　　One　was　hoisted　up　to　the　gaff　of　the　flagstaff；　and　the　other　was　placed　on　the　wide　veranda。　　They　were　the　leading　lights　to　the　Berande　anchorage；　and　every　night　in　the　year　they　were　so　inspected　and　hung　out。

He　rolled　back　on　his　couch　with　a　sigh　of　relief。　　The　day's　work　was　done。　　A　rifle　lay　on　the　couch　beside　him。　　His　revolver　was　within　reach　of　his　hand。　　An　hour　passed；　during　which　he　did　not　move。　　He　lay　in　a　state　of　half…slumber；　half…coma。　　He　became　suddenly　alert。　　A　creak　on　the　back　veranda　was　the　cause。　　The　room　was　L…shaped；　the　corner　in　which　stood　his　couch　was　dim；　but　the　hanging　lamp　in　the　main　part　of　the　room；　over　the　billiard　table　and　just　around　the　corner；　so　that　it　did　not　shine　on　him；　was　burning　brightly。　　Likewise　the　verandas　were　well　lighted。　　He　waited　without　movement。　　The　creaks　were　repeated；　and　he　knew　several　men　lurked　outside。

〃What　name？〃　he　cried　sharply。

The　house；　raised　a　dozen　feet　above　the　ground；　shook　on　its　pile　foundations　to　the　rush　of　retreating　footsteps。

〃They're　getting　bold；〃　he　muttered。　　〃Something　will　have　to　be　done。〃

The　full　moon　rose　over　Malaita　and　shone　down　on　Berande。　　Nothing　stirred　in　the　windless　air。　　From　the　hospital　still　proceeded　the　moaning　of　the　sick。　　In　the　grass…thatched　barracks　nearly　two　hundred　woolly…headed　man…eaters　slept　off　the　weariness　of　the　day's　toil；　though　several　lifted　their　heads　to　listen　to　the　curses　of　one　who　cursed　the　white　man　who　never　slept。　　On　the　four　verandas　of　the　house　the　lanterns　burned。　　Inside；　between　rifle　and　revolver；　the　man　himself　moaned　and　tossed　in　intervals　of　troubled　sleep。



CHAPTER　IISOMETHING　IS　DONE



In　the　morning　David　Sheldon　decided　that　he　was　worse。　　That　he　was　appreciably　weaker　there　was　no　doubt；　and　there　were　other　symptoms　that　were　unfavourable。　　He　began　his　rounds　looking　for　trouble。　　He　wanted　trouble。　　In　full　health；　the　strained　situation　would　have　been　serious　enough；　but　as　it　was；　himself　growing　helpless；　something　had　to　be　done。　　The　blacks　were　getting　more　sullen　and　defiant；　and　the　appearance　of　the　men　the　previous　night　on　his　verandaone　of　the　gravest　of　offences　on　Berandewas　ominous。　　Sooner　or　later　they　would　get　him；　if　he　did　not　get　them　first；　if　he　did　not　once　again　sear　on　their　dark　souls　the　flaming　mastery　of　the　white　man。

He　returned　to　the　house　disappointed。　　No　opportunity　had　presented　itself　of　making　an　example　of　insolence　or　insubordinationsuch　as　had　occurred　on　every　other　day　since　the　sickness　smote　Berande。　　The　fact　that　none　had　offended　was　in　itself　suspicious。　　They　were　growing　crafty。　　He　regretted　that　he　had　not　waited　the　night　before　until　the　prowlers　had　entered。　Then　he　might　have　shot　one　or　two　and　given　the　rest　a　new　lesson；　writ　in　red；　for　them　to　con。　　It　was　one　man　against　two　hundred；　and　he　was　horribly　afraid　of　his　sickness　overpowering　him　and　leaving　him　at　their　mercy。　　He　saw　visions　of　the　blacks　taking　charge　of　the　plantation；　looting　the　store；　burning　the　buildings；　and　escaping　to　Malaita。　　Also；　one　gruesome　vision　he　caught　of　his　own　head；　sun…dried　and　smoke…cured；　ornamenting　the　canoe　house　of　a　cannibal　village。　　Either　the　Jessie　would　have　to　arrive；　or　he　would　have　to　do　something。

The　bell　had　hardly　rung；　sending　the　labourers　into　the　fields；　when　Sheldon　had　a　visitor。　　He　had　had　the　couch　taken　out　on　the　veranda；　and　he　was　lying　on　it　when　the　canoes　paddled　in　and　hauled　out　on　the　beach。　　Forty　men；　armed　with　spears；　bows　and　arrows；　and　war…clubs；　gathered　outside　the　gate　of　the　compound；　but　only　one　entered。　　They　knew　the　law　of　Berande；　as　every　native　knew　the　law　of　every　white　man's　compound　in　all　the　thousand　miles　of　the　far…flung　Solomons。　　The　one　man　who　came　up　the　path；　Sheldon　recognized　as　Seelee；　the　chief　of　Balesuna　village。　　The　savage　did　not　mount　the　steps；　but　stood　beneath　and　talked　to　the　white　lord　above。

Seelee　was　more　intelligent　than　the　average　of　his　kind；　but　his　intelligence　only　emphasized　the　lowness　of　that　kind。　　His　eyes；　close　together　and　small；　advertised　cruelty　and　craftiness。　　A　gee…string　and　a　cartridge…belt　were　all　the　clothes　he　wore。　　The　carved　pearl…shell　ornament　that　hung　from　nose　to　chin　and　impeded　speech　was　purely　ornamental；　as　were　the　holes　in　his　ears　mere　utilities　for　carrying　pipe　and　tobacco。　　His　broken…fanged　teeth　were　stained　black　by　betel…nut；　the　juice　of　which　he　spat　upon　the　ground。

As　he　talked　or　listened；　he　made　grimaces　like　a　monkey。　　He　said　yes　by　dropping　his　eyelids　and　thrusting　his　chin　forward。　　He　spoke　with　childish　arrogance　strangely　at　variance　with　the　subservient　position　he　occupied　beneath　the　veranda。　　He；　with　his　many　followers；　was　lord　and　master　of　Balesuna　village。　　But　the　white　man；　without　followers；　was　lord　and　master　of　Berandeay；　and　on　occasion；　single…handed；　had　made　himself　lord　and　master　of　Balesuna　village　as　well。　　Seelee　did　not　like　to　remember　that　episode。　　It　had　occurred　in　the　course　of　learning　the　nature　of　white　men　and　of　learning　to　abominate　them。　　He　had　once　been　guilty　of　sheltering　three　runaways　from　Berande。　　They　had　given　him　all　they　possessed　in　return　for　the　shelter　and　for　promised　aid　in　getting　away　to　Malaita。　　This　had　given　him　a　glimpse　of　a　profitable　future；　in　which　his　village　would　serve　as　the　one　depot　on　the　underground　railway　between　Berande　and　Malaita。

Unfortunately；　he　was　ignorant　of　the　ways　of　white　men。　　This　particular　white　man　educated　him　by　arriving　at　his　grass　house　in　the　gray　of　dawn。　　In　the　first　moment　he　had　felt　amused。　　He　was　so　perfectly　safe　in　the　midst　of　his　village。　　But　the　next　moment；　and　before　he　could　cry　out；　a　pair　of　handcuffs　on　the　white　man's　knuckles　had　landed　on　his　mouth；　knocking　the　cry　of　alarm　back　down　his　throat。　　Also；　the　white　man's　other　fist　had　caught　him　under　the　ear　and　left　him　without　further　interest　in　what　was　happening。　　When　he　came　to；　he　found　himself　in　the　white　man's　whale…boat　on　the　way　to　Berande。　　At　Berande　he　had　been　treated　as　one　of　no　consequence；　with　handcuffs　on　hands　and　feet；　to　say　nothing　of　cha