hard cash-第54章

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As　soon　as　the　poor　child's　shrieks　subsided　into　sobs；　the　disciplinarian　gave　him　Explanation　for　Ointment：　〃I　can't　have　the　Company's　stores　expended　this　way。〃

The　force　of　discipline　could　no　farther　go　than　to　flog　zeal　for　falling　overboard：　so；　to　avoid　anticlimax　in　that　port；　Robarts　weighed　anchor　at　daybreak；　and　there　was　a　southwesterly　breeze　waiting　for　this　favourite　of　fortune；　and　carried　him　past　the　Azores。　Off　Ushant　it　was　westerly；　and　veered　to　the　nor'…west　just　before　they　sighted　the　Land's　End：　never　was　such　a　charming　passage　from　the　Cape。　The　sailor　who　had　the　luck　to　sight　Old　England　first　nailed　his　starboard　shoe　to　the　mainmast　for　contributions；　and　all　hearts　beat　joyfullynone　more　than　David　Dodd's。　His　eye　devoured　the　beloved　shore：　he　hugged　the　treasure　his　own　ill　luck　had　jeopardisedbut　Robarts　had　sailed　it　safe　into　British　watersand　forgave　the　man　his　ill　manners　for　his　good　luck。

Robarts　steered　in　for　the　Lizard；　but；　when　abreast　the　Point；　kept　well　out　again；　and　opened　the　Channel　and　looked　out　for　a　pilot

One　was　soon　seen　working　out　towards　him；　and　the　_Agra_　brought　to。　The　pilot　descended　from　his　lugger　into　his　little　boat；　rowed　alongside；　and　came　on　deck；　a　rough；　tanned　sailor；　clad　in　flushing；　and　in　build　and　manner　might　have　passed　for　Robarts'　twin　brother。

〃Now　then；　you；　sir；　what　will　you　take　this　ship　up　to　the　Downs　for？〃

〃Thirty　pounds。〃

Roberts　told　him　roughly　he　would　not　get　thirty　pounds　out　of'　_him。_

〃Thyse　and　no　higher；　my　Bo；〃　answered　the　pilot　sturdily：　he　had　been　splicing　the　main　brace；　and　would　have　answered　an　admiral。

Robarts　swore　at　him　lustily：　Pilot　discharged　a　volley　in　return　with　admirable　promptitude。　Robarts　retorted；　the　other　rough　customer　rejoined；　and　soon　all　Billingsgate　thundered　on　the　_Agra's_　quarter…deck。　Finding；　to　his　infinite　disgust；　his　visitor　as　great　a　blackguard　as　himself；　and　not　to　be　outsworn；　Robarts　ordered　him　to　quit　the　ship　on　pain　of　being　man…handled　over　the　side。

〃Oh；　that's　it；　is　it？〃　growled　the　other：　〃here's　fill　and　be　off　then。〃　He　prudently　bottled　the　rest　of　his　rage　till　he　got　safe　into　his　boat；　then　shook　his　fist　at　the　_Agra_；　and　cursed　her　captain　sky…high。　〃You　see　the　fair　wind；　but　you　don't　see　the　Channel　fret　a…coming；　ye　greedy　gander。　Downs！　You'll　never　see　them：　you　have　saved　your　　money；　and　lost　your　　ship；　ye　　lubber。〃

Robarts　hurled　back　a　sugar…plum　or　two　of　the　same　and　then　ordered　Bayliss　to　clap　on　all　sail；　and　keep　a　mid…channel　course　through　the　night。

At　four　bells　in　the　middle　watch；　Sharpe；　in　charge　of　the　ship；　tapped　at　Robarts'　door。　〃Blowing　hard；　sir；　and　the　weather　getting　thickish。〃

〃Wind　fair　still？〃

〃Yes；　sir。〃

〃Then　call　me　if　it　blows　any　harder；〃　grunted　Robarts。

In　two　hours　more；　tap；　tap；　came　Bayliss；　in　charge。　〃If　we　don't　take　sail　in；　they'll　take　themselves　out。〃

〃Furl　to…gallen'sels；　and　call　me　if　it　gets　any　worse。〃

In　another　hour　Bayliss　was　at　him　again。　〃Blowing　a　gale；　sir；　and　a　Channel　fog　on。〃

〃Reef　taupsles；　and　call　me　if　it　gets　any　worse。〃

At　daybreak　Dodd　was　on　deck；　and　found　the　ship　flying　through　a　fog　so　thick　that　her　forecastle　was　quite　invisible　from　the　poop；　and　even　her　foremast　loomed　indistinct　and　looked　distant。　〃You'll　be　foul　of　something　or　other；　Sharpe；〃　said　he。

〃What　is　that　to　you？〃　inquired　a　loud　rough　voice　behind　him。　〃I　don't　allow　passengers　to　handle　my　ship。〃

〃Then　do　pray　handle　her　yourself；　captain！　Is　this　weather　to　go　tearing　happy…go…lucky　up　the　Channel？〃

〃I　mean　to　sail　her　without　your　advice；　sir；　and；　being　a　seaman；　I　shall　get　all　I　can　out　of　a　fair　wind。〃

〃That　is　right　Captain　Robarts；　if　you　had　but　the　British　Channel　all　to　yourself。〃

〃Perhaps　you　will　leave　me　my　deck　all　to　myself。〃

〃I　should　be　delighted：　but　my　anxiety　will　not　let　me。〃　With　this　Dodd　retired　a　few　steps；　and　kept　a　keen　look…out。


At　noon　a　lusty　voice　cried　〃Land　on　the　weather　beam！〃

All　eyes　were　turned　that　way　and　saw　nothing。

Land　in　sight　was　reported　to　Captain　Robarts。

Now　that　worthy　was　in　reality　getting　secretly　anxious：　so　he　ran　on　deck　crying；　〃Who　saw　it？〃

〃Captain　Dodd；　sir。〃

〃Ugh！　Nobody　else？〃

Dodd　came　forward；　and；　with　a　respectful　air；　told　him　that；　being　on　the　look…out；　he　had　seen　the　coast　of　the　Isle　of　Wight　in　a　momentary　lift　of　the　haze。

〃Isle　of　Fiddlestick！〃　was　the　polite　reply；　〃Isle　of　Wight　is　eighty　miles　astern　by　now。〃

Dodd　answered　firmly　that　he　was　well　acquainted　with　every　outline　in　the　Channel；　and　that　the　land　he　had　seen　was　St。　Katherine's　Point

Robarts　deigned　no　reply；　but　had　the　log　heaved：　it　showed　the　vessel　to　be　running　twelve　knots　an　hour。　He　then　went　to　his　cabin　and　consulted　his　chart；　and；　having　worked　his　problem；　came　hastily　on　deck；　and　went　from　rashness　to　wonderful　caution。　〃Turn　the　hands　out；　and　heave　the　ship　to！〃

The　manoeuvre　was　executed　gradually　and　ably；　and　scarce　a　bucketful　of　water　shipped。　〃Furl　taupsles　and　set　the　main　trysail！　There；　Mr。　Dodd；　so　much　for　you　and　your　Isle　of　Wight。　The　land　you　saw　was　Dungeness；　and　_you_　would　have　run　on　into　the　North　Sea；　I'll　be　bound。〃

When　a　man；　habitually　calm；　turns　anxious；　he　becomes　more　irritable；　and　the　mixture　of　timidity　and　rashness　he　saw　in　Robarts　made　Dodd　very　anxious。

He　replied　angrily；　〃At　all　events；　I　should　not　make　a　foul　wind　out　of　a　fair　one　by　heaving　to；　and　if　I　did；　I　would　heave　to　on　the　right　tack。〃

At　this　sudden　facerone；　too；　from　a　patient　manRobarts　staggered　a　moment。　He　recovered；　and　with　an　oath　ordered　Dodd　to　go　below；　or　he　would　have　him　chucked　into　the　hold。

〃Come；　don't　be　an　ass；　Robarts；〃　said　Dodd　contemptuously。

Then；　lowering　his　voice　to　a　whisper；　〃Don't　you　know　the　men　only　want　such　an　order　as　that　to　chuck　you　into　the　sea？〃

Robarts　trembled。　〃Oh；　if　you　mean　to　head　a　mutiny〃

〃Heaven　forbid；　sir！　But　I　won't　leave　the　deck　in　dirty　weather　like　this　till　the　captain　knows　where　he　is。〃

Towards　sunset　it　got　clearer；　and　they　drifted　past　a　revenue　cutter；　who　was　lying　to　with　her　head　to　the　northward。　She　hoisted　no　end　of　signals；　but　they　understood　none　of　them；　and　her　captain　gesticulated　wildly　on　her　deck。

〃What　is　that　Fantoccio　dancing　at？〃　inquired　Captain　Robarts　brutally。

〃To　see　a　first…class　ship　drift　to　leeward　in　a　narrow　sea　with　a　fair　wind；〃　said　Dodd　bitterly。

At　night　it　blew　hard；　and　the　sea　ran　high　and　irregular。　The　ship　began　to　be　uneasy；　and　Robarts　very　properly　ordered　the　top…gallant　and　royal　yards　to　be　sent　down　on　deck。　Dodd　would　have　had　them　down　twelve　hours　ago。　The　mate　gave　the　order：　no　one　moved。　The　mate　went　forward　angry。　He　came　back　pale。　The　men　refused　to　go　aloft：　they　would　not　risk　their　lives　for　Captain　Robarts。

The　officers　all　assembled　and　went　forward：　they　promised　and　threatened；　but　all　in　vain。　The　crew　stood　sullen　together；　as　if　to　back　one　another；　and　put　forward　a　spokesman　to　say　that　〃there　was　not　one　of　them　the　captain　hadn't　started；　and　stopped　his　grog　a　dozen　times：　he　had　made　the　ship　hell　to　them；　and　now　her　masts　and　yards　and　hull　might　go　there　along　with　her　skipper；　for　them。〃

Robarts　received　this　tidings　in　sullen　silence。　〃Don't　tell　that　Dodd；　whatever　you　do；〃　said　he。　〃They　will　come　round　now　they　have　had　their　growl：　they　are　too　near　home　to　shy　away　their　pay。〃

Robarts　had　not　sufficient　insight　into　character　to　know　that　Dodd　would　instantly　have　sided　with　him　against　a　mutiny。

But　at　this　juncture　the　ex…captain　of　the　_Agra_　was　down　in　the　cabin　with　his　fellow…passengers；　preparing　a　general　remonstrance：　he　had　a　chart　before　him；　and　a　pair　of　compasses　in　his　hand。

〃St。　Katherine's　Point　lay　about　eight　miles　to　windward　at　noon；　and　we　have　been　drifting　south　and　east　this　twelve　hours；　through　lying　to　on　the　starboard　tack；　and　besides；　the　ship　has　been　conned　as　slovenly　as　she　is　sailed。　I've　seen　her　allowed　to　break　off　a　dozen　times；　and　gather　more　leeway。　Ah！　here　is　Captain　Robarts。　Captain；　you　saw　t