adventure-第32章

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〃What　could　Burnett　do？　　He　passed　the　whole　hundred　and　fifty；　though　the　Emily　was　only　licensed　for　forty；　and　the　Flibberty…　Gibbet　for　thirty…five。〃

〃But　I　don't　understand；〃　Sheldon　said。

〃This　is　the　way　she　worked　it。　　When　the　Martha　was　floated；　we　had　to　beach　her　right　away　at　the　head　of　the　bay；　and　whilst　repairs　were　going　on；　a　new　rudder　being　made；　sails　bent；　gear　recovered　from　the　niggers；　and　so　forth；　Miss　Lackland　borrows　Sparrowhawk　to　run　the　Flibberty　along　with　Curtis；　lends　me　Brahms　to　take　Sparrowhawk's　place；　and　starts　both　craft　off　recruiting。　My　word；　the　niggers　came　easy。　　It　was　virgin　ground。　　Since　the　Scottish　Chiefs；　no　recruiter　had　ever　even　tried　to　work　the　coast；　and　we'd　already　put　the　fear　of　God　into　the　niggers'　hearts　till　the　whole　coast　was　quiet　as　lambs。　　When　we　filled　up；　we　came　back　to　see　how　the　Martha　was　progressing。〃

〃And　thinking　we　was　going　home　with　our　recruits；〃　Sparrowhawk　slipped　in。　　〃Lord　lumme；　that　Miss　Lackland　ain't　never　satisfied。　'I'll　take　'em　on　the　Martha；'　says　she；　'and　you　can　go　back　and　fill　up　again。'〃

〃But　I　told　her　it　couldn't　be　done；〃　Munster　went　on。　　〃I　told　her　the　Martha　hadn't　a　license　for　recruiting。　　'Oh；'　she　said；　'it　can't　be　done；　eh？'　and　she　stood　and　thought　a　few　minutes。〃

〃And　I'd　seen　her　think　before；〃　cried　Sparrowhawk；　〃and　I　knew　at　wunst　that　the　thing　was　as　good　as　done。〃

Munster　lighted　his　cigarette　and　resumed。

〃'You　see　that　spit；'　she　says　to　me；　'with　the　little　ripple　breaking　around　it？　　There's　a　current　sets　right　across　it　and　on　it。　　And　you　see　them　bafflin'　little　cat's…paws？　　It's　good　weather　and　a　falling　tide。　　You　just　start　to　beat　out；　the　two　of　you；　and　all　you　have　to　do　is　miss　stays　in　the　same　baffling　puff　and　the　current　will　set　you　nicely　aground。'〃

〃'That　little　wash　of　sea　won't　more　than　start　a　sheet　or　two　of　copper；'　says　she；　when　Munster　kicked；〃　Sparrowhawk　explained。　〃Oh；　she's　no　green　un；　that　girl。〃

〃'Then　I'll　rescue　your　recruits　and　sail　awaysimple；　ain't　it？'　says　she；〃　Munster　continued。　　〃'You　hang　up　one　tide；'　says　she；　'the　next　is　the　big　high　water。　　Then　you　kedge　off　and　go　after　more　recruits。　　There's　no　law　against　recruiting　when　you're　empty。'　　'But　there　is　against　starving　'em；'　I　said；　'you　know　yourself　there　ain't　any　kai…kai　to　speak　of　aboard　of　us；　and　there　ain't　a　crumb　on　the　Martha。'〃

〃We'd　all　been　pretty　well　on　native　kai…kai；　as　it　was；〃　said　Sparrowhawk。

〃'Don't　let　the　kai…kai　worry　you；　Captain　Munster；'　says　she；　'if　I　can　find　grub　for　eighty…four　mouths　on　the　Martha；　the　two　of　you　can　do　as　much　by　your　two　vessels。　　Now　go　ahead　and　get　aground　before　a　steady　breeze　comes　up　and　spoils　the　manoeuvre。　I'll　send　my　boats　the　moment　you　strike。　　And　now；　good…day；　gentlemen。'〃

〃And　we　went　and　did　it；〃　Sparrowhawk　said　solemnly；　and　then　emitted　a　series　of　chuckling　noises。　　〃We　laid　over；　starboard　tack；　and　I　pinched　the　Emily　against　the　spit。　　'Go　about；'　Captain　Munster　yells　at　me；　'go　about；　or　you'll　have　me　aground！'　He　yelled　other　things；　much　worse。　　But　I　didn't　mind。　　I　missed　stays；　pretty　as　you　please；　and　the　Flibberty　drifted　down　on　him　and　fouled　him；　and　we　went　ashore　together　in　as　nice　a　mess　as　you　ever　want　to　see。　　Miss　Lackland　transferred　the　recruits；　and　the　trick　was　done。〃

〃But　where　was　she　during　the　nor'wester？〃　Sheldon　asked。

〃At　Langa…Langa。　　Ran　up　there　as　it　was　coming　on；　and　laid　there　the　whole　week　and　traded　for　grub　with　the　niggers。　　When　we　got　to　Tulagi；　there　she　was　waiting　for　us　and　scrapping　with　Burnett。　I　tell　you；　Mr。　Sheldon；　she's　a　wonder；　that　girl；　a　perfect　wonder。〃

Munster　refilled　his　glass；　and　while　Sheldon　glanced　across　at　Joan's　house；　anxious　for　her　coming；　Sparrowhawk　took　up　the　tale。

〃Gritty！　　She's　the　grittiest　thing；　man　or　woman；　that　ever　blew　into　the　Solomons。　　You　should　have　seen　Poonga…Poonga　the　morning　we　arrivedSniders　popping　on　the　beach　and　in　the　mangroves；　war…　drums　booming　in　the　bush；　and　signal…smokes　raising　everywhere。　'It's　all　up；'　says　Captain　Munster。〃

〃Yes；　that's　what　I　said；〃　declared　that　mariner。

〃Of　course　it　was　all　up。　　You　could　see　it　with　half　an　eye　and　hear　it　with　one　ear。〃

〃'Up　your　granny；'　she　says　to　him；〃　Sparrowhawk　went　on。　　〃'Why；　we　haven't　arrived　yet；　much　less　got　started。　　Wait　till　the　anchor's　down　before　you　get　afraid。'〃

〃That's　what　she　said　to　me；〃　Munster　proclaimed。　　〃And　of　course　it　made　me　mad　so　that　I　didn't　care　what　happened。　　We　tried　to　send　a　boat　ashore　for　a　pow…wow；　but　it　was　fired　upon。　　And　every　once　and　a　while　some　nigger'd　take　a　long　shot　at　us　out　of　the　mangroves。〃

〃They　was　only　a　quarter　of　a　mile　off；〃　Sparrowhawk　explained；　〃and　it　was　damned　nasty。　　'Don't　shoot　unless　they　try　to　board；'　was　Miss　Lackland's　orders；　but　the　dirty　niggers　wouldn't　board。　They　just　lay　off　in　the　bush　and　plugged　away。　　That　night　we　held　a　council　of　war　in　the　Flibberty's　cabin。　　'What　we　want；'　says　Miss　Lackland；　'is　a　hostage。'〃

〃'That's　what　they　do　in　books；'　I　said；　thinking　to　laugh　her　away　from　her　folly；〃　Munster　interrupted。　　〃'True；'　says　she；　'and　have　you　never　seen　the　books　come　true？'　　I　shook　my　head。　　'Then　you're　not　too　old　to　learn；'　says　she。　　'I'll　tell　you　one　thing　right　now；'　says　I；　'and　that　is　I'll　be　blowed　if　you　catch　me　ashore　in　the　night…time　stealing　niggers　in　a　place　like　this。'〃

〃You　didn't　say　blowed；〃　Sparrowhawk　corrected。　　〃You　said　you'd　be　damned。〃

〃That's　what　I　did；　and　I　meant　it；　too。〃

〃'Nobody　asked　you　to　go　ashore；'　says　she；　quick　as　lightning；〃　Sparrowhawk　grinned。　　〃And　she　said　more。　　She　said；　'And　if　I　catch　you　going　ashore　without　orders　there'll　be　trouble　understand；　Captain　Munster？'〃

〃Who　in　hell's　telling　this；　you　or　me？〃　the　skipper　demanded　wrathfully。

〃Well；　she　did；　didn't　she？〃　insisted　the　mate。

〃Yes；　she　did；　if　you　want　to　make　so　sure　of　it。　　And　while　you're　about　it；　you　might　as　well　repeat　what　she　said　to　you　when　you　said　you　wouldn't　recruit　on　the　Poonga…Poonga　coast　for　twice　your　screw。〃

Sparrowhawk's　sun…reddened　face　flamed　redder；　though　he　tried　to　pass　the　situation　off　by　divers　laughings　and　chucklings　and　face…　twistings。

〃Go　on；　go　on；〃　Sheldon　urged；　and　Munster　resumed　the　narrative。

〃'What　we　need；'　says　she；　'is　the　strong　hand。　　It's　the　only　way　to　handle　them；　and　we've　got　to　take　hold　firm　right　at　the　beginning。　　I'm　going　ashore　to…night　to　fetch　Kina…Kina　himself　on　board；　and　I'm　not　asking　who's　game　to　go　for　I've　got　every　man's　work　arranged　with　me　for　him。　　I'm　taking　my　sailors　with　me；　and　one　white　man。'　　'Of　course；　I'm　that　white　man；'　I　said；　for　by　that　time　I　was　mad　enough　to　go　to　hell　and　back　again。　　'Of　course　you're　not；'　says　she。　　'You'll　have　charge　of　the　covering　boat。　　Curtis　stands　by　the　landing　boat。　　Fowler　goes　with　me。　Brahms　takes　charge　of　the　Flibberty；　and　Sparrowhawk　of　the　Emily。　And　we　start　at　one　o'clock。'

〃My　word；　it　was　a　tough　job　lying　there　in　the　covering　boat。　　I　never　thought　doing　nothing　could　be　such　hard　work。　　We　stopped　about　fifty　fathoms　off；　and　watched　the　other　boat　go　in。　　It　was　so　dark　under　the　mangroves　we　couldn't　see　a　thing　of　it。　　D'ye　know　that　little；　monkey…looking　nigger；　Sheldon；　on　the　Flibberty…　…the　cook；　I　mean？　　Well；　he　was　cabin…boy　twenty　years　ago　on　the　Scottish　Chiefs；　and　after　she　was　cut　off　he　was　a　slave　there　at　Poonga…Poonga。　　And　Miss　Lackland　had　discovered　the　fact。　　So　he　was　the　guide。　　She　gave　him　half　a　case　of　tobacco　for　that　night's　work〃

〃And　scared　him　fit　to　die　before　she　could　get　him　to　come　along；〃　Sparrowhawk　observed。

〃Well；　I　never　saw　anything　so　black　as　the　mangroves。　　I　stared　at　them　till　my　eyes　were　ready　to　burst。　　And　then　I'd　look　at　the　stars；　and　listen　to　the　surf　sighing　along　the　reef。　　And　there　was　a　dog　that　barked。　　Remember　that　dog；　Sparrowhawk？　　The　brute　nearly　gave　me　heart…failure　when　he　first　began。　　After　a　while　he　stoppedwasn't　barking　at　the　landing　party　at　all；　and　then　the　silence　was　harder　than　ever；　and　the　mangroves　grew　b