earlderrbiggers.thehousewithoutakey-第9章

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　She　shook　her　head。　〃I'm　a　million　years　old；〃　she　protested。　〃The　boys　don't　stick　so　close　any　more。　They　like　'em　younger。　However；　I'll　keep　my　eye　on　him。　My　good　eye。　Well；　Roger；　run　over　some　time。〃　And　she　moved　away。
　〃A　grand　soul；〃　said　Roger；　smiling　after　her。　〃You'll　like　her。　Old　missionary　family；　and　her　word's　law　over　there。〃
　〃Who's　this　Jennison？〃　asked　John　Quincy。
　〃Him？〃　Roger　glanced　over　to　where　Mr。　Jennison　stood；　the　center　of　an　admiring　feminine　group。　〃Oh；　he's　Dan's　lawyer。　One　of　the　leading　citizens　of　Honolulu；　I　believe。　John　J。　Adonis　himself；　isn't　he？〃　An　officer　appeared；　herding　the　reluctant　throng　toward　the　gangplank。　〃I'll　have　to　leave　you；　John　Quincy。　A　pleasant　journey。　When　you　e　through　on　your　way　home；　give　me　a　few　more　days　to　try　to　convince　you　on　my　San　Francisco　offer。〃
　John　Quincy　laughed。　〃You've　been　mighty　kind。〃
　〃Not　at　all。〃　Roger　shook　his　hand　warmly。　〃Take　care　of　yourself　over　there。　Hawaii's　a　little　too　much　like　Heaven　to　be　altogether　safe。　So　long；　my　boy；　so　long。〃
　He　moved　away。　John　Quincy　saw　him　kiss　Barbara　affectionately　and　with　her　friends　join　the　slow　procession　ashore。
　The　young　man　from　Boston　stepped　to　the　rail。　Several　hundred　voices　were　calling　admonitions；　promises；　farewells。　With　that　holiday　spirit　so　alien　to　John　Quincy's　experience；　those　ashore　were　throwing　confetti。　The　streamers　grew　in　number；　making　a　tangle　of　color；　a　last　frail　bond　with　the　land。　The　gangplank　was　taken　up；　clumsily　the　President　Tyler　began　to　draw　away　from　the　pier。　On　the　topmost　deck　a　band　was　playing　…　Aloha…oe；　the　sweetest；　most　melancholy　song　of　good…by　ever　written。　John　Quincy　was　amazed　to　feel　a　lump　rising　in　his　throat。
　The　frail；　gay…colored　bond　was　breaking　now。　A　thin　veined　hand　at　John　Quincy's　side　waved　a　handkerchief。　He　turned　to　find　Mrs。　Maynard。　There　were　tears　on　her　cheeks。
　〃Silly　old　woman；〃　she　said。　〃Sailed　away　from　this　town　a　hundred　and　twenty…eight　times。　Actual　count　…　I　keep　a　diary。　Cried　every　time。　What　about？　I　don't　know。〃
　The　ship　was　well　out　in　the　harbor　now。　Barbara　came　along；　Jennison　trailing　her。　The　girl's　eyes　were　wet。
　〃An　emotional　lot；　we　Islanders；〃　said　the　old　lady。　She　put　her　arm　about　the　girl's　slim　waist。　〃Here's　another　one　of　'em。　Living　way　off　the　way　we　do；　any　good…by　at　all　…　it　saddens　us。〃　She　and　Barbara　moved　on　down　the　deck。
　Jennison　stopped。　His　eyes　were　quite　dry。　〃First　trip　out？〃　he　inquired。
　〃Oh；　yes；〃　replied　John　Quincy。
　〃Hope　you'll　like　us；〃　Jennison　said。　〃Not　Massachusetts；　of　course；　but　we'll　do　our　best　to　make　you　feel　at　home。　It's　a　way　we　have　with　strangers。〃
　〃I'm　sure　I　shall　have　a　bully　time；〃　John　Quincy　remarked。　But　he　felt　somewhat　depressed。　Three　thousand　miles　from　Beacon　Street　…　and　moving　on！　He　waved　to　some　one　he　fancied　might　be　Roger　on　the　dock；　and　went　to　find　his　stateroom。
　He　learned　that　he　was　to　share　his　cabin　with　two　missionaries。　One　was　a　tall；　gloomy　old　man　with　a　lemon…colored　face　…　an　honored　veteran　of　the　foreign　field　named　Upton。　The　other　was　a　ruddy…cheeked　boy　whose　martyrdom　was　still　before　him。　John　Quincy　suggested　drawing　lots　for　a　choice　of　berths；　but　even　this　mild　form　of　gambling　appeared　distasteful　to　those　emissaries　of　the　church。
　〃You　boys　take　the　berths；〃　said　Upton。　〃Leave　me　the　couch。　I　don't　sleep　well　anyhow。〃　His　tone　was　that　of　one　who　prefers　to　suffer。
　John　Quincy　politely　objected。　After　further　discussion　it　was　settled　that　he　was　to　have　the　upper　berth；　the　old　man　the　lower；　and　the　boy　the　couch。　The　Reverend　Mr。　Upton　seemed　disappointed。　He　had　played　the　role　of　martyr　so　long　he　resented　seeing　any　one　else　in　the　part。
　The　Pacific　was　behaving　in　a　most　unfriendly　manner；　tossing　the　great　ship　about　as　though　it　were　a　piece　of　driftwood。　John　Quincy　decided　to　dispense　with　lunch；　and　spent　the　afternoon　reading　in　his　berth。　By　evening　he　felt　better；　and　under　the　watchful　and　somewhat　disapproving　eyes　of　the　missionaries；　arrayed　himself　carefully　for　dinner。
　His　name　being　Winterslip；　he　had　been　invited　to　sit　at　the　captain's　table。　He　found　Madame　Maynard；　serene　and　twinkling；　at　the　captain's　right；　Barbara　at　his　left；　and　Jennison　at　Barbara's　side。　It　appeared　that　oddly　enough　there　was　an　aristocracy　of　the　Islands；　and　John　Quincy；　while　he　thought　it　quaint　there　should　be　such　distinctions　in　an　outpost　like　Hawaii；　took　his　proper　place　as　a　matter　of　course。
　Mrs。　Maynard　chatted　brightly　of　her　many　trips　over　this　route。　Suddenly　she　turned　to　Barbara。　〃How　does　it　happen；　my　dear；〃　she　asked；　〃that　you're　not　on　the　college　boat？〃
　〃All　booked　up；〃　Barbara　explained。
　〃Nonsense；〃　said　the　frank　old　lady。　〃You　could　have　got　on。　But　then〃　…　she　looked　meaningly　toward　Jennison　…　〃I　presume　this　ship　was　not　without　its　attractions。〃
　The　girl　flushed　slightly　and　made　no　reply。
　〃What；〃　John　Quincy　inquired；　〃is　the　college　boat？〃
　〃So　many　children　from　Hawaii　at　school　on　the　mainland；〃　the　old　lady　explained；　〃that　every　June　around　this　time　they　practically　fill　a　ship。　We　call　it　the　college　boat。　This　year　it's　the　Matsonia。　She　left　San　Francisco　to…day　at　noon。〃
　〃I've　got　a　lot　of　friends　aboard　her；〃　Barbara　said。　〃I　do　wish　we　could　beat　her　in。　Captain；　what　are　the　chances？〃
　〃Well；　that　depends；〃　replied　the　captain　cautiously。
　〃She　isn't　due　until　Tuesday　morning；〃　Barbara　persisted。　〃Wouldn't　it　be　a　lark　if　you　could　land　us　the　night　before？　As　a　favor　to　me；　Captain。〃
　〃When　you　look　at　me　like　that；〃　smiled　the　officer；　〃I　can　only　say　that　I'll　make　a　supreme　effort。　I'm　just　as　eager　as　you　to　make　port　on　Monday　…　it　would　mean　I　could　get　off　to　the　Orient　that　much　sooner。〃
　〃Then　it's　settled；〃　Barbara　beamed。
　〃It's　settled　that　we'll　try；〃　he　said。　〃Of　course；　if　I　speed　up　there's　always　the　chance　I　may　arrive　off　Honolulu　after　sundown；　and　be　pelled　to　lay　by　until　morning。　That　would　be　torture　for　you。〃
　〃I'll　risk　it；〃　Barbara　smiled。　〃Wouldn't　dear　old　dad　be　pleased　if　I　should　burst　upon　his　vision　Monday　evening？〃
　〃My　dear　girl；〃　the　captain　said　gallantly；　〃any　man　would　be　pleased　to　have　you　burst　upon　his　vision　any　time。〃
　There　was；　John　Quincy　reflected；　much　in　what　the　captain　said。　Up　to　that　moment　there　had　been　little　of　the　romantic　in　his　relations　with　girls；　he　was　accustomed　to　look　upon　them　merely　as　tennis　or　golf　opponents　or　a　fourth　at　bridge。　Barbara　would　demand　a　different　classification。　There　was　an　enticing　gleam　in　her　blue　eyes；　a　hint　of　the　eternal　feminine　in　everything　she　did　or　said；　and　John　Quincy　was　no　wooden　man。　He　was　glad　that　when　he　left　the　dinner　table；　she　acpanied　him。
　They　went　on　deck　and　stood　by　the　rail。　Night　had　fallen；　there　was　no　moon；　and　it　seemed　to　John　Quincy　that　the　Pacific　was　the　blackest；　angriest　ocean　he　had　ever　seen。　He　stood　gazing　at　it　gloomily。
　〃Homesick；　John　Quincy？〃　Barbara　asked。　One　of　his　hands　was　resting　on　the　rail。　She　laid　her　own　upon　it。
　He　nodded。　〃It's　a　funny　thing。　I've　been　abroad　a　lot；　but　I　never　felt　like　this。　When　the　ship　left　port　this　morning；　I　nearly　wept。〃
　〃It's　not　so　very　funny；〃　she　said　gently。　〃This　is　an　alien　world　you're　entering　now。　Not　Boston；　John　Quincy；　nor　any　other　old；　civilized　place。　Not　the　kind　of　place　where　the　mind　rules。　Out　here　it's　the　heart　that　charts　our　course。　People　you're　fond　of　do　the　wildest；　most　unreasonable　things；　simply　because　their　minds　are　sleeping　and　their　hearts　are　beating　fast。　Just　…　just　remember；　please；　John　Quincy。〃
　There　was　an　odd　note　of　wistfulness　in　her　voice。　Suddenly　at　their　side　appeared　the　white…clad　figure　of　Harry　Jennison。
　〃ing　for　a　stroll；　Barbara？〃　he　inquired。
　For　a　moment　she　did　not　reply。　Then　she　nodded。　〃Yes；〃　she　said。　And　called　over　her　shoulder　as　she　went：　〃Cheer　up；　John　Quincy。〃
　He　watched　her　go；　reluctantly。　She　might　have　stayed　to　assuage　his　loneliness。　But　there　she　walked　along　the　dim　deck；　close　to　Jennison's　side。
　After　a　time；　he　sought　the　smoking…room。　It　was　deserted；　but　on　one　of　the　tabl