adventure-第30部分

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〃Christian　Young　has　never　had　any　experience　with　large　boats。　Besides；　we　can't　afford　to　pay　him　what　he's　clearing　on　the　Minerva。　　Sparrowhawk　is　a　good　manto　take　orders。　　He　has　no　initiative。　　He's　an　able　sailor；　but　he　can't　command。　　I　tell　you　I　was　nervous　all　the　time　he　had　charge　of　the　Flibberty　at　Poonga…Poonga　when　I　had　to　stay　by　the　Martha。〃

And　so　it　had　gone。　　No　name　proposed　was　satisfactory；　and；　moreover；　Sheldon　had　been　surprised　by　the　accuracy　of　her　judgments。　　A　dozen　times　she　almost　drove　him　to　the　statement　that　from　the　showing　she　made　of　Solomon　Islands　sailors；　she　was　the　only　person　fitted　to　command　the　Martha。　　But　each　time　he　restrained　himself；　while　her　pride　prevented　her　from　making　the　suggestion。

〃Good　whale…boat　sailors　do　not　necessarily　make　good　schooner…　handlers；〃　she　replied　to　one　of　his　arguments。　　〃Besides；　the　captain　of　a　boat　like　the　Martha　must　have　a　large　mind；　see　things　in　a　large　way；　he　must　have　capacity　and　enterprise。〃

〃But　with　your　Tahitians　on　board〃　Sheldon　had　begun　another　argument。

〃There　won't　be　any　Tahitians　on　board；〃　she　had　returned　promptly。　〃My　men　stay　with　me。　　I　never　know　when　I　may　need　them。　　When　I　sail；　they　sail；　when　I　remain　ashore；　they　remain　ashore。　　I'll　find　plenty　for　them　to　do　right　here　on　the　plantation。　　You've　seen　them　clearing　bush；　each　of　them　worth　half　a　dozen　of　your　cannibals。〃

So　it　was　that　Joan　stood　beside　Sheldon　and　sighed　as　she　watched　the　Martha　beating　out　to　sea；　old　Kinross；　brought　over　from　Savo；　in　command。

〃Kinross　is　an　old　fossil；〃　she　said；　with　a　touch　of　bitterness　in　her　voice。　　〃Oh；　he'll　never　wreck　her　through　rashness；　rest　assured　of　that；　but　he's　timid　to　childishness；　and　timid　skippers　lose　just　as　many　vessels　as　rash　ones。　　Some　day；　Kinross　will　lose　the　Martha　because　there'll　be　only　one　chance　and　he'll　be　afraid　to　take　it。　　I　know　his　sort。　　Afraid　to　take　advantage　of　a　proper　breeze　of　wind　that　will　fetch　him　in　in　twenty　hours；　he'll　get　caught　out　in　the　calm　that　follows　and　spend　a　whole　week　in　getting　in。　　The　Martha　will　make　money　with　him；　there's　no　doubt　of　it；　but　she　won't　make　near　the　money　that　she　would　under　a　competent　master。〃

She　paused；　and　with　heightened　colour　and　sparkling　eyes　gazed　seaward　at　the　schooner。

〃My！　but　she　is　a　witch！　　Look　at　her　eating　up　the　water；　and　there's　no　wind　to　speak　of。　　She's　not　got　ordinary　white　metal　either。　　It's　man…of…war　copper；　every　inch　of　it。　　I　had　them　polish　it　with　cocoanut　husks　when　she　was　careened　at　Poonga…　Poonga。　　She　was　a　seal…hunter　before　this　gold　expedition　got　her。　And　seal…hunters　had　to　sail。　　They've　run　away　from　second　class　Russian　cruisers　more　than　once　up　there　off　Siberia。

〃Honestly；　if　I'd　dreamed　of　the　chance　waiting　for　me　at　Guvutu　when　I　bought　her　for　less　than　three　hundred　dollars；　I'd　never　have　gone　partners　with　you。　　And　in　that　case　I'd　be　sailing　her　right　now。

The　justice　of　her　contention　came　abruptly　home　to　Sheldon。　　What　she　had　done　she　would　have　done　just　the　same　if　she　had　not　been　his　partner。　　And　in　the　saving　of　the　Martha　he　had　played　no　part。　　Single…handed；　unadvised；　in　the　teeth　of　the　laughter　of　Guvutu　and　of　the　competition　of　men　like　Morgan　and　Raff；　she　had　gone　into　the　adventure　and　brought　it　through　to　success。

〃You　make　me　feel　like　a　big　man　who　has　robbed　a　small　child　of　a　lolly；〃　he　said　with　sudden　contrition。

〃And　the　small　child　is　crying　for　it。〃　　She　looked　at　him；　and　he　noted　that　her　lip　was　slightly　trembling　and　that　her　eyes　were　moist。　　It　was　the　boy　all　over；　he　thought；　the　boy　crying　for　the　wee　bit　boat　with　which　to　play。　　And　yet　it　was　a　woman；　too。　What　a　maze　of　contradiction　she　was！　　And　he　wondered；　had　she　been　all　woman　and　no　boy；　if　he　would　have　loved　her　in　just　the　same　way。　　Then　it　rushed　in　upon　his　consciousness　that　he　really　loved　her　for　what　she　was；　for　all　the　boy　in　her　and　all　the　rest　of　herfor　the　total　of　her　that　would　have　been　a　different　total　in　direct　proportion　to　any　differing　of　the　parts　of　her。

〃But　the　small　child　won't　cry　any　more　for　it；〃　she　was　saying。　〃This　is　the　last　sob。　　Some　day；　if　Kinross　doesn't　lose　her；　you'll　turn　her　over　to　your　partner；　I　know。　　And　I　won't　nag　you　any　more。　　Only　I　do　hope　you　know　how　I　feel。　　It　isn't　as　if　I'd　merely　bought　the　Martha；　or　merely　built　her。　　I　saved　her。　　I　took　her　off　the　reef。　　I　saved　her　from　the　grave　of　the　sea　when　fifty…five　pounds　was　considered　a　big　risk。　　She　is　mine；　peculiarly　mine。　　Without　me　she　wouldn't　exist。　　That　big　nor'wester　would　have　finished　her　the　first　three　hours　it　blew。　And　then　I've　sailed　her；　too；　and　she　is　a　witch；　a　perfect　witch。　Why；　do　you　know；　she'll　steer　by　the　wind　with　half　a　spoke；　give　and　take。　　And　going　about！　　Well；　you　don't　have　to　baby　her；　starting　head…sheets；　flattening　mainsail；　and　gentling　her　with　the　wheel。　　Put　your　wheel　down；　and　around　she　comes；　like　a　colt　with　the　bit　in　its　teeth。　　And　you　can　back　her　like　a　steamer。　　I　did　it　at　Langa…Langa；　between　that　shoal　patch　and　the　shore…reef。　It　was　wonderful。

〃But　you　don't　love　boats　like　I　do；　and　I　know　you　think　I'm　making　a　fool　of　myself。　　But　some　day　I'm　going　to　sail　the　Martha　again。　　I　know　it。　　I　know　it。〃

In　reply；　and　quite　without　premeditation；　his　hand　went　out　to　hers；　covering　it　as　it　lay　on　the　railing。　　But　he　knew；　beyond　the　shadow　of　a　doubt；　that　it　was　the　boy　that　returned　the　pressure　he　gave；　the　boy　sorrowing　over　the　lost　toy。　　The　thought　chilled　him。　　Never　had　he　been　actually　nearer　to　her；　and　never　had　she　been　more　convincingly　remote。　　She　was　certainly　not　acutely　aware　that　his　hand　was　touching　hers。　　In　her　grief　at　the　departure　of　the　Martha　it　was；　to　her；　anybody's　handat　the　best；　a　friend's　hand。

He　withdrew　his　hand　and　walked　perturbedly　away。

〃Why　hasn't　he　got　that　big　fisherman's　staysail　on　her？〃　she　demanded　irritably。　　〃It　would　make　the　old　girl　just　walk　along　in　this　breeze。　　I　know　the　sort　old　Kinross　is。　　He's　the　skipper　that　lies　three　days　under　double…reefed　topsails　waiting　for　a　gale　that　doesn't　come。　　Safe？　　Oh；　yes；　he's　safedangerously　safe。〃

Sheldon　retraced　his　steps。

〃Never　mind；〃　he　said。　　〃You　can　go　sailing　on　the　Martha　any　time　you　pleaserecruiting　on　Malaita　if　you　want　to。〃

It　was　a　great　concession　he　was　making；　and　he　felt　that　he　did　it　against　his　better　judgment。　　Her　reception　of　it　was　a　surprise　to　him。

〃With　old　Kinross　in　command？〃　she　queried。　　〃No；　thank　you。　　He'd　drive　me　to　suicide。　　I　couldn't　stand　his　handling　of　her。　　It　would　give　me　nervous　prostration。　　I'll　never　step　on　the　Martha　again；　unless　it　is　to　take　charge　of　her。　　I'm　a　sailor；　like　my　father；　and　he　could　never　bear　to　see　a　vessel　mishandled。　　Did　you　see　the　way　Kinross　got　under　way？　　It　was　disgraceful。　　And　the　noise　he　made　about　it！　　Old　Noah　did　better　with　the　Ark。〃

〃But　we　manage　to　get　somewhere　just　the　same；〃　he　smiled。

〃So　did　Noah。〃

〃That　was　the　main　thing。〃

〃For　an　antediluvian。〃

She　took　another　lingering　look　at　the　Martha；　then　turned　to　Sheldon。

〃You　are　a　slovenly　lot　down　here　when　it　comes　to　boatsmost　of　you　are；　any　way。　　Christian　Young　is　all　right　though；　Munster　has　a　slap…dash　style　about　him；　and　they　do　say　old　Nielsen　was　a　crackerjack。　　But　with　the　rest　I've　seen；　there's　no　dash；　no　go；　no　cleverness；　no　real　sailor's　pride。　　It's　all　hum…drum；　and　podgy；　and　slow…going；　any　going　so　long　as　you　get　there　heaven　knows　when。　　But　some　day　I'll　show　you　how　the　Martha　should　be　handled。　　I'll　break　out　anchor　and　get　under　way　in　a　speed　and　style　that　will　make　your　head　hum；　and　I'll　bring　her　alongside　the　wharf　at　Guvutu　without　dropping　anchor　and　running　a　line。〃

She　came　to　a　breathless　pause；　and　then　broke　into　laughter；　directed；　he　could　see；　against　herself。

〃Old　Kinross　is　setting　that　fisherman's　staysail；〃　he　remarked　quietly。

〃No！〃　she　cried　incredulously；　swiftly　looking；　then　running　for　the　telescope。

She　regarded　the　manoeuvre　steadily　through　the　glass；　and　Sheldon；　watching　her　face；　could　see　that　the　skipper　was　not　making　a　success　of　it。

She　finally　lowered　the　glass　with　a　groan。

〃He's　made　a　mess　of　it；〃　she　said；　〃and　now　he's　trying　it　over　again。　　And　a　man　like　that　is　put　in　charge　of　a　fairy　like　the　Martha！　　Well；　it's　a　good　argument　against　marriage；　that's　all。　No；　I　won't　look　any　more。　　Come　on　in　and　play　a　steady；　conservative　game　of　billiards　with　me。　　And　after　that　I'm　going　to　saddle　up　and　go　after　pigeons。　　Will　you　come　along？〃

An　hour　later；　just　as　they　were　riding　out　of　the　compound；　Joan　turned　in　the　saddle　for　a　last　look　at　the　Martha；　a　distant　speck　well　over　toward　the　Florida　coast。

〃Won't　Tudor　be　surprised　when　he　finds　we　own　the　Martha？〃　she　laughed。　　〃Think　of　it！　　If　he　doesn't　strike　pay…dirt　he'll　have　to　buy　a　steamer…passage　to　get　away　from　the　Solomons。〃

Still　laughing　gaily；　she　rode　through　the　gate。　　But　suddenly　her　laughter　broke　flatly　and　she　reined　in　the　mare。　　Sheldon　glanced　at　her　sharply；　and　noted　her　f