adventure- 第4部分

He　sent　for　a　boss…boy　and　ordered　a　grave　to　be　dug；　also　some　of　the　packing…cases　to　be　knocked　together　into　a　coffin。　　The　blacks　did　not　get　coffins。　　They　were　buried　as　they　died；　being　carted　on　a　sheet　of　galvanized　iron；　in　their　nakedness；　from　the　hospital　to　the　hole　in　the　ground。　　Having　given　the　orders；　Sheldon　lay　back　in　his　chair　with　closed　eyes。

〃It's　ben　fair　hell；　sir；〃　Captain　Oleson　began；　then　broke　off　to　help　himself　to　more　whisky。　　〃It's　ben　fair　hell；　Mr。　Sheldon；　I　tell　you。　　Contrary　winds　and　calms。　　We've　ben　driftin'　all　about　the　shop　for　ten　days。　　There's　ten　thousand　sharks　following　us　for　the　tucker　we've　ben　throwin'　over　to　them。　　They　was　snappin'　at　the　oars　when　we　started　to　come　ashore。　　I　wisht　to　God　a　nor'wester'd　come　along　an'　blow　the　Solomons　clean　to　hell。〃

〃We　got　it　from　the　waterwater　from　Owga　creek。　　Filled　my　casks　with　it。　　How　was　we　to　know？　　I've　filled　there　before　an'　it　was　all　right。　　We　had　sixty　recruits…full　up；　and　my　crew　of　fifteen。　We've　ben　buryin'　them　day　an'　night。　　The　beggars　won't　live；　damn　them！　　They　die　out　of　spite。　　Only　three　of　my　crew　left　on　its　legs。　　Five　more　down。　　Seven　dead。　　Oh；　hell！　　What's　the　good　of　talkin'？〃

〃How　many　recruits　left？〃　Sheldon　asked。

〃Lost　half。　　Thirty　left。　　Twenty　down；　and　ten　tottering　around。〃

Sheldon　sighed。

〃That　means　another　addition　to　the　hospital。　　We've　got　to　get　them　ashore　somehow。Viaburi！　　Hey；　you；　Viaburi；　ring　big　fella　bell　strong　fella　too　much。〃

The　hands；　called　in　from　the　fields　at　that　unwonted　hour；　were　split　into　detachments。　　Some　were　sent　into　the　woods　to　cut　timber　for　house…beams；　others　to　cutting　cane…grass　for　thatching；　and　forty　of　them　lifted　a　whale…boat　above　their　heads　and　carried　it　down　to　the　sea。　　Sheldon　had　gritted　his　teeth；　pulled　his　collapsing　soul　together；　and　taken　Berande　plantation　into　his　fist　once　more。

〃Have　you　seen　the　barometer？〃　Captain　Oleson　asked；　pausing　at　the　bottom　of　the　steps　on　his　way　to　oversee　the　disembarkation　of　the　sick。

〃No；〃　Sheldon　answered。　　〃Is　it　down？〃

〃It's　going　down。〃

〃Then　you'd　better　sleep　aboard　to…night；〃　was　Sheldon's　judgment。　〃Never　mind　the　funeral。　　I'll　see　to　poor　Hughie。〃

〃A　nigger　was　kicking　the　bucket　when　I　dropped　anchor。〃

The　captain　made　the　statement　as　a　simple　fact；　but　obviously　waited　for　a　suggestion。　　The　other　felt　a　sudden　wave　of　irritation　rush　through　him。

〃Dump　him　over；〃　he　cried。　　〃Great　God；　man！　don't　you　think　I've　got　enough　graves　ashore？〃

〃I　just　wanted　to　know；　that　was　all；〃　the　captain　answered；　in　no　wise　offended。

Sheldon　regretted　his　childishness。

〃Oh；　Captain　Oleson；〃　he　called。　　〃If　you　can　see　your　way　to　it；　come　ashore　to…morrow　and　lend　me　a　hand。　　If　you　can't；　send　the　mate。〃

〃Right　O。　　I'll　come　myself。　　Mr。　Johnson's　dead；　sir。　　I　forgot　to　tell　youthree　days　ago。〃

Sheldon　watched　the　Jessie's　captain　go　down　the　path；　with　waving　arms　and　loud　curses　calling　upon　God　to　sink　the　Solomons。　　Next；　Sheldon　noted　the　Jessie　rolling　lazily　on　the　glassy　swell；　and　beyond；　in　the　north…west；　high　over　Florida　Island；　an　alpine　chain　of　dark…massed　clouds。　　Then　he　turned　to　his　partner；　calling　for　boys　to　carry　him　into　the　house。　　But　Hughie　Drummond　had　reached　the　end。　　His　breathing　was　imperceptible。　　By　mere　touch；　Sheldon　could　ascertain　that　the　dying　man's　temperature　was　going　down。　　It　must　have　been　going　down　when　the　thermometer　registered　one　hundred　and　seven。　　He　had　burned　out。　　Sheldon　knelt　beside　him；　the　house…boys　grouped　around；　their　white　singlets　and　loin…cloths　peculiarly　at　variance　with　their　dark　skins　and　savage　countenances；　their　huge　ear…plugs　and　carved　and　glistening　nose…rings。　　Sheldon　tottered　to　his　feet　at　last；　and　half…fell　into　the　steamer…chair。　　Oppressive　as　the　heat　had　been；　it　was　now　even　more　oppressive。　　It　was　difficult　to　breathe。　　He　panted　for　air。　　The　faces　and　naked　arms　of　the　house…boys　were　beaded　with　sweat。

〃Marster；〃　one　of　them　ventured；　〃big　fella　wind　he　come；　strong　fella　too　much。〃

Sheldon　nodded　his　head　but　did　not　look。　　Much　as　he　had　loved　Hughie　Drummond；　his　death；　and　the　funeral　it　entailed；　seemed　an　intolerable　burden　to　add　to　what　he　was　already　sinking　under。　　He　had　a　feelingnay；　it　was　a　certitudethat　all　he　had　to　do　was　to　shut　his　eyes　and　let　go；　and　that　he　would　die；　sink　into　immensity　of　rest。　　He　knew　it；　it　was　very　simple。　　All　he　had　to　do　was　close　his　eyes　and　let　go；　for　he　had　reached　the　stage　where　he　lived　by　will　alone。　　His　weary　body　seemed　torn　by　the　oncoming　pangs　of　dissolution。　　He　was　a　fool　to　hang　on。　　He　had　died　a　score　of　deaths　already；　and　what　was　the　use　of　prolonging　it　to　two…score　deaths　before　he　really　died。　　Not　only　was　he　not　afraid　to　die；　but　he　desired　to　die。　　His　weary　flesh　and　weary　spirit　desired　it；　and　why　should　the　flame　of　him　not　go　utterly　out？

But　his　mind　that　could　will　life　or　death；　still　pulsed　on。　　He　saw　the　two　whale…boats　land　on　the　beach；　and　the　sick；　on　stretchers　or　pick…a…back；　groaning　and　wailing；　go　by　in　lugubrious　procession。　　He　saw　the　wind　making　on　the　clouded　horizon；　and　thought　of　the　sick　in　the　hospital。　　Here　was　something　waiting　his　hand　to　be　done；　and　it　was　not　in　his　nature　to　lie　down　and　sleep；　or　die；　when　any　task　remained　undone。

The　boss…boys　were　called　and　given　their　orders　to　rope　down　the　hospital　with　its　two　additions。　　He　remembered　the　spare　anchor…　chain；　new　and　black…painted；　that　hung　under　the　house　suspended　from　the　floor…beams；　and　ordered　it　to　be　used　on　the　hospital　as　well。　　Other　boys　brought　the　coffin；　a　grotesque　patchwork　of　packing…cases；　and　under　his　directions　they　laid　Hughie　Drummond　in　it。　　Half　a　dozen　boys　carried　it　down　the　beach；　while　he　rode　on　the　back　of　another；　his　arms　around　the　black's　neck；　one　hand　clutching　a　prayer…book。

While　he　read　the　service；　the　blacks　gazed　apprehensively　at　the　dark　line　on　the　water；　above　which　rolled　and　tumbled　the　racing　clouds。　　The　first　breath　of　the　wind；　faint　and　silken；　tonic　with　life；　fanned　through　his　dry…baked　body　as　he　finished　reading。　Then　came　the　second　breath　of　the　wind；　an　angry　gust；　as　the　shovels　worked　rapidly；　filling　in　the　sand。　　So　heavy　was　the　gust　that　Sheldon；　still　on　his　feet；　seized　hold　of　his　man…horse　to　escape　being　blown　away。　　The　Jessie　was　blotted　out；　and　a　strange　ominous　sound　arose　as　multitudinous　wavelets　struck　foaming　on　the　beach。　　It　was　like　the　bubbling　of　some　colossal　cauldron。　　From　all　about　could　be　heard　the　dull　thudding　of　falling　cocoanuts。　The　tall；　delicate…trunked　trees　twisted　and　snapped　about　like　whip…lashes。　　The　air　seemed　filled　with　their　flying　leaves；　any　one　of　which；　stem…on　could　brain　a　man。　　Then　came　the　rain；　a　deluge；　a　straight；　horizontal　sheet　that　poured　along　like　a　river；　defying　gravitation。　　The　black；　with　Sheldon　mounted　on　him；　plunged　ahead　into　the　thick　of　it；　stooping　far　forward　and　low　to　the　ground　to　avoid　being　toppled　over　backward。

〃'He's　sleeping　out　and　far　to…night；'〃　Sheldon　quoted；　as　he　thought　of　the　dead　man　in　the　sand　and　the　rainwater　trickling　down　upon　the　cold　clay。

So　they　fought　their　way　back　up　the　beach。　　The　other　blacks　caught　hold　of　the　man…horse　and　pulled　and　tugged。　　There　were　among　them　those　whose　fondest　desire　was　to　drag　the　rider　in　the　sand　and　spring　upon　him　and　mash　him　into　repulsive　nothingness。　But　the　automatic　pistol　in　his　belt　with　its　rattling；　quick…　dealing　death；　and　the　automatic；　death…defying　spirit　in　the　man　himself；　made　them　refrain　and　buckle　down　to　the　task　of　hauling　him　to　safety　through　the　storm。

Wet　through　and　exhausted；　he　was　nevertheless　surprised　at　the　ease　with　which　he　got　into　a　change　of　clothing。　　Though　he　was　fearfully　weak；　he　found　himself　actually　feeling　better。　　The　disease　had　spent　itself；　and　the　mend　had　begun。

〃Now　if　I　don't　get　the　fever；〃　he　said　aloud；　and　at　the　same　moment　resolved　to　go　to　taking　quinine　as　soon　as　he　was　strong　enough　to　dare。

He　crawled　out　on　the　veranda。　　The　rain　had　ceased；　but　the　wind；　which　had　dwindled　to　a　half…gale；　was　increasing。　　A　big　sea　had　sprung　up；　and　the　mile…long　breakers；　curling　up　to　the　over…fall　two　hundred　yards　from　shore；　were　crashing　on　the　beach。　　The　Jessie　was　plunging　madly　to　two　anchors；　and　every　second　or　third　sea　broke　clear　over　her　bow。　　Two　flags　were　stiffly　undulating　from　the　halyards　like　squares　of　flexible　sheet…iron。　　One　was　blue；　the　other　red。　　He　knew　their　meaning　in　the　Berande　private　code〃What　are　your　instructions？　　Shall　I　attempt　to　land　boat？〃　Tacked　on　the　wall；　between　the　signal　locker　and　the　billiard　rules；　was　the　code　itself；　by　which　he　verified　the　signal　before　making　answer。　　On　the　flagstaff　gaff　a　boy　hoisted　a　white　flag　over　a　red；　which　stood　for〃Run　to　Neal　Island　for　shelter。〃

That　Captain　Oleson　had　been　expecting　this　signal　was　apparent　by　the　celerity　with　which　the　shackles　were　knocked　out　of　both　anchor…chains。　　He　slipped　his　anchors；　leaving　them　buoyed　to　be　picked　up　in　better　weather。　　The　Jessie　swung　off　under　her　full　staysail；　then　the　foresail；　double…reefed；　was　run　up。　　She　was　away　like　a　racehorse；　clearing　Balesuna　Shoal　with　half　a　cable…　length　to　spare。　　Just　before　she　rounded　the　point　she　was　swallowed　up　in　a　terrific　squall　that　far　out…blew　the　first。

All　that　night；　while　squall　after　squall　smote　Berande；　uprooting　trees；　overthrowing　copra…sheds；　and　rocking　the　house　on　its　tall　piles；　Sheldon　slept。　　He　was　unaware　of　the　commotion。　　He　never　wakened。　　Nor　did　he　change　his　position　or　dream。　　He　awoke；　a　new　man。　　Furthermore；　he　was　hungry。　　It　was　over　a　week　since　food　had　passed　his　lips。　　He　drank　a　glass　of　condensed　cream；　thinned　with　water；　and　by　ten　o'clock　he　dared　to　take　a　cup　of　beef…tea。　He　was　cheered；　also；　by　the　situation　in　the　hospital。　　Despite　the　storm　there　had　been　but　one　death；　and　there　was　only　one　fresh　case；　while　half　a　dozen　boys　crawled　weakly　away　to　the　barracks。　　He　wondered　if　it　was　the　wind　that　was　blowing　the　disease　away　and　cleansing