第 37 节
作者:白寒      更新:2021-04-30 16:59      字数:9322
  you?   Not   going   to   touch   a   rope?   Then;   by   thunder;   you   white…livered
  beachcomber;   a   rope   will   touch   you   till   you're   flayed。   Get   this   in   your
  coconut。 You'll walk chalk; you lazy son of a sea cook; or I'll haze you till
  you    wish    you'd    never   been    born。〃   He    punctuated     his   remarks    with
  vigorous kicks。 〃Bully Green runs this tub; strike me dead if he don't。 Now
  you hump for'ard and clap a hand to them sheets。 Walk; you shanghaied
  Dutchman!〃
  The sailor crawled away; completely cowed。 For one day he had had
  more than enough。 The captain watched him for a moment; his great jaw
  thrust grimly out。 Then; as on a pivot; he whirled toward Jeff。
  〃Come here; you! Step lively; Sport!〃
  Farnum   wondered   whether   he   was   about   to   undergo   an   experience
  similar to that of the sailor。 〃Do you want to know what kind of a ship this
  is?〃
  〃No; sir。 I'm perfectly satisfied about that;〃 smiled his victim。
  〃Got no opinions you want to hand out free; son?〃
  〃Think I'll keep them bottled。〃
  〃Say 'sir;' Sport!〃
  〃Yes; sir;〃 answered Farnum; his quiet eyes steady and unafraid。
  〃When I give an order you expect to jump?〃
  〃Jump isn't the word。〃
  〃Sir!〃    thundered     Green;    and    〃Sir〃   the  newspaper      man     corrected
  himself。
  〃Got no story to spiel about being shanghaied; son?〃
  〃Would it do any good; sir?〃
  〃Not unless you're aching to get what that son of a Dutchman got。 See
  here; sport! You walk the chalk line; and Bully Green and you'll get along
  fine。 I'm a lamb; I am; when I'm not riled。 But get gayand you'll have a
  hectic   time。   I'll   rough   you   till   you're   shark…food。   Get   that   through   your
  teeth?〃
  〃Yes; sir。〃
  〃Now you trot down to the fo'c'sle and dive into them slops you find
  there。 You got just three minutes to do the dress…suit act。〃
  Jeff; as he passed below; could hear the great bull voice roaring orders
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  to the men。 〃Set y'r topsails! Jam 'er down hard; Johnnie Dago! Stand by;
  you lubbers! 。 。 。 Now then; easy does it 。 。 。 easy!〃
  Within   the   allotted   three   minutes   Farnum   had   climbed   into   the   foul
  oilskin coat and tarry breeches he found below and was ready for orders。
  〃Clap on to that windlass;  sport! No loafing here。  。 。 。 Hump   y'rself。
  D'ye hear me? Hump?〃
  Jeff   threw    his  one   hundred     and   fifty   pounds    of  bone    and   muscle
  against the crank of the windlass。 Some   men   would have fought first   as
  long as they could stand and see。 Others would have begged; argued; or
  threatened。 But Jeff had schooled himself to master impulses of rage。 He
  knew when to fight and when to   yield。 Nor did he give way sullenly  or
  passionately。 It was an outrage highhanded tyrannybut at the worst it
  was   a   magnificent   adventure。  As   he   flung   his   weight   into   the   crank   he
  smiled。
  PART 2
  Before the trade winds the _Nancy Hanks_ foamed along day after day;
  all sails set; making excellent time。 But for his anxiety as to the effect his
  disappearance   would   have   upon   the   political   situation;   Jeff   would   have
  enjoyed immensely the wild rough life aboard the schooner。 But he could
  not   conceal   from   himself   the   interpretation   of   his   absence   the   machine
  agents would scatter broadcast。 He foresaw a reaction against his bill and
  its probable defeat。
  The   issue   was   on   the   knees   of   chance。   The   fact   that   could   not   be
  obliterated   was   that   he   had   been     wiped   from   the   slate   until   after  the
  legislature would adjourn。 For every hour was carrying him farther from
  the scene of action。
  His    only   hope    was   that   the  _Nancy      Hanks_     might    put   in  at  the
  Hawaiian   Islands;   from   which   place   he   might   get   a   chance   to   write;   or;
  better   still;   to   cable   the   reason   of   his   absence。   Captain   Green   himself
  wiped out this expectation。 He jocosely intimated to Farnum one afternoon
  that he had no intention of calling the Islands。
  〃When   we   get   through   this   six   months'   cruise   you'll   be   a   first…   rate
  sailorman; son; and you'll get a sailorman's wages;〃 he added genially。
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  The shanghaied man met his eye squarely。 〃I think I could arrange to
  draw     on  Verden     for  a  thousand    dollars   if  you   would    drop   me   at  the
  Islands。〃
  〃Not for twenty thousand。 You're going to stay with us till we get to
  the Solomon Islands; and don't you forget it。〃
  Bully Green had taken rather a fancy to this amiable young man who
  had taken so sensible a view of the little misadventure that had befallen
  him; but of course business was business。 He had been paid to keep him
  out of the way and he intended to fulfil the contract。
  〃Here I'm educatin' you; makin' an able…bodied seaman out of you; son。
  You had ought to be grateful;〃 he grinned。
  〃Oh; I am;〃 Jeff agreed with a twinkle。
  But   Captain   Green   had   reckoned   without   the   weather。   The   _Nancy
  Hanks_ drifted into three days of calm and sultry heat。 At the end of the
  third day she began to rock gently beneath a murky sky。
  〃Dirty weather;〃 predicted the mate; the same who had assisted at the
  shanghaing。 〃When you see a satin sea turn indigo and that peculiar shade
  in the sky you want to look out for squalls;〃 he explained to Jeff。
  It   came   on   them   in   a   rush。   The   sun   went   out   of   a   black   sky   like   a
  blown     candle    and   the  sea   began    to  whip   itself  to  a  froth。  The   wind
  quickened;   boomed   to   a   roar;   and   sent   the   schooner   heeling   to   a   squall
  across   the   leaden   waters。   The   open   sea   closed   in   on   them。   Before   they
  could get in sail and make secure the sheets ripped with a scream; braces
  parted and the topmasts snapped off。 The _Nancy_ went pitching forward
  into the yawning deeps with drunken plunges from  which it seemed she
  would never emerge。 Great combing seas toppled down and pounded the
  decks;   while   the   sailors   clung   to   stays   or   whatever   would   give   them   a
  hold。
  The squall lasted scarce an hour; but it left the schooner dismantled。
  Her  sheets   were   in   ribbons;   her   topmasts   and  bowsprit   gone。 There   was
  nothing for it but a crippled beat toward the Islands。
  Four days later she made an offing in the harbor at Honolulu just as a
  liner was nosing her way out。
  Bully Green ranged up beside Farnum and cast a speculative eye   on
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  him。
  〃Sport; I had ought to iron you and keep you in the fo'c'sle until we
  leave here。 It's the only square thing to do。〃
  Jeff's gaze was on the advancing steamer。 She was scarce two hundred
  yards away now and he could plainly read the name painted on her side。
  She was the _Bellingham_ of Verden。
  〃I don't see the necessity; sir;〃 he answered。
  〃I reckon you do; son。 Samuel Green stands by his word to a finish。
  Now I've promised to keep you safe; and you can bet your last dollar I'm
  a…going to do it。〃
  His prisoner turned from the rail against which he was leaning to the
  captain。 Pinpoints of light were gleaming in the big eyes。
  〃How much safer do you want me than this?〃
  Green expectorated at a chip in the water and shifted his quid。 〃You've
  got brains; son。 No telling what you might try to do。 But see here。 You're
  no   drunken   beachcomber。   I   know   a   gentleman   when   I   see   one。   Gimme
  your word you'll not try to skip out or send a message back to the States
  and I'll go easy on you。 I'm so dashed kindhearted; I am; that〃
  Jeff leaped to the rail; stood poised an instant; and dived into the blue
  Pacific。
  〃Well;   I'll   be   〃   Bully   Green   interrupted   himself   to   roar   an   order   to
  lower a boat。
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  CHAPTER 16
  A young man left his father's house to see the world。 Everywhere he
  found   busy  human   beings。   Cities   were   rising   toward   the  skies;   seas   and
  plains were being lined with traffic; school; mill and offi