hemingway, ernest - islands in the stream-第95章
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¨I read it in a book； Tommy。 Iˇm educated。 Iˇm educated far beyond my years。〃
¨Youˇre a good old son of a bitch；〃 Thomas Hudson told him。 ¨Now get the hell down and do what I told you。〃
¨Yes sir。 Tommy； when we finish this cruise will you let me buy one of the sea paintings out at the joint？〃
¨Donˇt shit me。〃
¨Iˇm not doing that。 Maybe the hell you donˇt understand all the time。〃
¨That could be。 Maybe all my life。〃
¨Tommy； I kid a lot。 But you chased pretty。〃
¨Weˇll see tomorrow。 Tell Henry to bring a drink up。 But I donˇt want any。〃
¨No； Tommy。 All we have tonight is a simple fight and I donˇt think weˇll have it。〃
¨All right；〃 said Thomas Hudson。 ¨Send it up。 And get down off this fucking bridge and get to work。〃
XX
HENRY PASSED THE TWO DRINKS UP and swung up himself after them。 He stood beside Thomas Hudson and leaned forward to look at the shadow of the far keys。 There was a thin moon in the first quarter of the sky to the westward。
¨Hereˇs to your good health； Tom；〃 Henry said。 ¨I didnˇt look at the moon over my left shoulder。〃
¨Sheˇs not new。 She was new last night。〃
¨Of course。 And we didnˇt see her for the squall。〃
¨Thatˇs right。 Howˇs everything below？〃
¨Excellent； Tom。 Everybodyˇs working and cheerful。〃
¨How are Willie and Ara？〃
¨They drank a little rum； Tom； and it made them very cheerful。 But theyˇre not drinking now。〃
¨No。 They wouldnˇt。〃
¨I look forward to this very much；〃 Henry said。 ¨So does Willie。〃
¨I donˇt。 But itˇs what we are here to do。 You see； we want prisoners； Henry。〃
¨I know。〃
¨Because they made that mistake on the massacre key they donˇt want to be taken prisoner。〃
¨I think thatˇs putting it mildly；〃 Henry said。 ¨Do you think they will try to jump us tonight？〃
¨No。 But we have to be alerted in case they do。〃
¨We will be。 But what do you really think they are going to do； Tom？〃
¨I canˇt figure it； Henry。 If they are really desperate they will try for the ship。 If they have a radio operator left； he could fix our radio up and they could go across to Anguilas and just call a taxi and wait for it to take them home。 They have every reason to try for the ship。 Somebody could always have talked around Havana and they might know what we are。〃
¨Who would talk？〃
¨Never speak ill of the deads；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨But Iˇm afraid he might have when he was drinking。〃
¨Willie is sure he did。〃
¨Does he know anything？〃
¨No。 Heˇs just sure。〃
¨Itˇs a possibility。 But they could also just try to make the mainland and make their way overland to Havana and get a Spanish ship out。 Or an Argentine ship。 But they donˇt want to be picked up on account of the massacre business。 So I think theyˇll try something desperate。〃
¨I hope so。〃
¨If we can set it up；〃 Thomas Hudson said。
But nothing happened all night long except the movement of the stars and the steady blowing of the east wind and the sucking of the currents past the ship。 There was much phosphorescence in the water from the weed that the big tides and the sea made by the wind had torn up from the bottom； and it floated in and out and in again like cold strips and patches of white； unhealthy fire in the water。
The wind dropped a little before dawn and when it was light Thomas Hudson lay down and slept on the deck； lying en his belly with his face against a corner of the canvas。 Antonio covered him and his weapon with a piece of canvas but Thomas Hudson was asleep and did not feel it。
Antonio took over the watch and when the tide was high so they swung free； he woke Thomas Hudson。 They got the anchors in and started in with the dinghy going ahead and sounding and staking any dubious points。 The water on this flood tide was clean and clear by now and the piloting was difficult but not as it had been the day before。 They had staked a branch of a tree in the channel where they had grounded the day before and Thomas Hudson looked back and saw its green leaves moving in the current。
Thomas Hudson looked ahead and followed the dinghy closely as she worked out the channel。 They passed a long green key that had looked like a small round key when they had been head on to it。 Then ahead in what looked like an unbroken but indented line of mangrove keys Gil； who had the glasses； said； ¨Stake； Tom。 Dead ahead of the dinghy against the mangroves。〃
¨Check；〃 Thomas Hudson said。 ¨Is it the canal？〃
¨It looks to be but I canˇt see the opening。〃
¨It is very narrow on the chart。 We will just about brush the mangroves on each side。〃
Then he remembered something。 How could I be so stupid？ he thought。 But we had better go on now； anyway； and out through the channel。 Then I can send them back。 He had forgotten to tell Willie and Ara to detrap the hulk of the turtle boat。 That is a hell of a thing to leave around if some poor fisherman comes onto it。 Well； they can go back and detrap it。
The dinghy was signalling him now to keep hard over to the right of the three tiny spots of key and close against the mangroves。 Then； as if to make sure he understood； they wheeled and came up。 ¨The channelˇs right in along the mangroves；〃 Willie shouted。 ¨Leave the stake on your left。 Weˇre going ahead through。 As long as you donˇt hear from us keep on steaming。 Itˇs just a deep creek。〃
¨We forgot to detrap that turtle boat。〃
¨I know；〃 Willie shouted。 ¨Weˇll go back after。〃 Ara grinned and spun the dinghy around and they went on ahead； Willie signalling that it was OK。 They turned left and right and went out of sight into the green。
Thomas Hudson steered in their wake。 There was plenty of water although no such water showed on the chart。 This old channel must have been scoured out by a hurricane； he thought。 Many things have happened since the U。S。S。 Nokomis had boats sounding in here。
Then he saw there were no birds rising from the mangroves as the dinghy went into the narrow brush river of the channel。
While he steered he spoke into the tubes to Henry in the forward cockpit； ¨We may get jumped in this channel。 Have your 。50ˇs ready to fire from either bow and abeam。 Keep behind the shield and watch for the flashes and pour it onto them。〃
¨Yes； Tom。〃
To Antonio he said； ¨We may get jumped here。 Keep well down and if we are fired on； aim below the flashes and pour it on。 Keep way down。〃
¨Gil；〃 he said。 ¨Put your glasses away。 Take two frags and straighten the pins and put them there in the rack by my right hand。 Straighten two pins on those extinguishers and then put your glasses away。 Theyˇll probably hit us from both sides。 Thatˇs how they ought to。〃
¨Tell me when to throw； Tom。〃
¨Throw when you see the flashes。 But loft it plenty because it has to fall through brush。〃
There were no birds at all and since the tide was high he knew that the birds had to be in the mangroves。 The ship was entering the narrow river now and Thomas Hudson； bareheaded and barefooted and only wearing a pair of khaki shorts； felt as naked as a man can feel。
¨You lie down； Gil；〃 he said。 ¨Iˇll tell you when to get up and throw。〃
Gil lay on the floor with the two fire extinguishers that were loaded with dynamite and a booster charge and were fired by the detonating assembly of a regulation frag； with its charger hacksawed off at the juncture of the fuse and a dynamite cap fitted and crimped on。
Thomas Hudson looked at him once and saw how he was sweating。 Then he looked at the mangroves on either side。
I could still try to back her out； he thought。 But I donˇt believe I could； the way the tide is flowing。
He looked ahead at the green banks。 The water was brown again now and the mangrove leaves were as shiny as though they were varnished。 He looked to see where any had been cut or disturbed。 But he saw nothing but the green leaves； the dark branches； and the roots that were exposed with the suction of the ship。 There were a few crabs that showed when their holes under the mangrove roots were exposed。
They went on and the channel narrowed but he could see it opening wider ahead。 Maybe I just had the jitters； h
