the riverman- 第49部分

thing　is　hazardous　and　it's　Mr。　Orde's　tug。　　It's　for　him　to　say　

whether　he　wants　to　risk　her。〃



〃Good　Lord；　man；　what's　the　tug　in　a　case　like　this！〃　cried　Orde；　

who　was　standing　near。　　Carroll　looked　at　him　proudly；　but　she　did　

not　attempt　to　make　her　presence　known。



〃I　thought　so；〃　replied　Captain　Marsh。　　〃So　it's　settled。　　I'll　take　

her　out；　if　I　can　get　a　crew。　　Harvey；　step　up　here！〃



The　engineer　slowly　hoisted　his　long　figure　through　the　breast…high　

doorway；　dragged　his　legs　under　him；　then　with　extraordinary　agility　

swung　to　the　pier；　his　teeth　shining　like　ivory　in　his　black　face。



〃Yas；　suh！〃　said　he。



〃Harvey；〃　said　Captain　Marsh　briskly；　〃we'reing　back　and　up；　shot　with　terrific　

impact　against　the　house　and　beyond。　　For　an　instant　the　little　

craft　seemed　buried；　but　almost　immediately　the　gleam　of　her　black　

hull　showed　her　plunging　forward　dauntlessly。



〃That's　nothin'！〃　said　the　tug　captain　who　had　first　spoken。　　〃Wait　

'til　she　gets　outside！〃　　The　watchers　streamed　down　from　the　pier　

for　a　better　view。　　Carroll　and　Miss　Heinzman　followed。　　They　saw　

the　staunch　little　craft　drive　into　three　big　seas；　each　of　which　

appeared　to　bury　her　completely；　save　for　her　upper　works。　　She　

managed；　however；　to　keep　her　headway。



〃She　can　stand　that；　all　right；〃　said　one　of　the　life…saving　crew　

who　had　been　watching　her　critically。　　〃The　trouble　will　come　when　

she　drops　down　to　the　vessels。〃



In　spite　of　the　heavy　smashing　of　head…on　seas　the　SPRITE　held　her　

course　straight　out。



〃Where's　she　going；　anyway？〃　marvelled　little　Mr。　Smith；　the　

stationer。　　〃She's　away　beyond　the　wrecks　already。〃



〃Probably　Marsh　has　found　the　seas　heavier　than　he　thought　and　is　

afraid　to　turn　her　broadside；〃　guessed　his　companion。



〃Afraid；　hell！〃　snorted　a　riverman　who　overheard。



Nevertheless　the　SPRITE　was　now　so　distant　that　the　loom　of　the　

great　seas　on　the　horizon　swallowed　her　from　view；　save　when　she　

rose　on　the　crest　of　some　mighty　billow。



〃Well；　what　is　he　doing　'way　out　there　then？〃　challenged　Mr。　Smith's　

friend　with　some　asperity。



〃Do'no；〃　replied　　going　to　try　to　get　a　

line　aboard　those　vessels　out　there。　　It's　dangerous。　　You　don't　

have　to　go　if　you　don't　want　to。　　Will　you　go？〃



Harvey　removed　his　cap　and　scratched　his　wool。　　The　grin　faded　from　

his　good…natured　countenance。



〃You…all　goin'；　suh？〃　he　asked。



〃Of　course。〃



〃I　reckon　I'll　done　haif　to　go；　too；〃　said　Harvey　simply。　　Without　

further　word　he　swung　lightly　back　to　the　uneasy　craft　below　him；　

and　began　to　toss　the　slabs　from　the　deck　into　the　hold。



〃I　want　a　man　with　me　at　the　wheel；　two　to　handle　the　lines；　and　one　

to　fire　for　Harvey；〃　said　Captain　Marsh　to　the　crowd　in　general。



〃That's　our　job；〃　announced　the　life…saving　captain。



〃Well；　come　on　then。　　No　use　in　delay；〃　said　Captain　Marsh。



The　four　men　from　the　life…saving　service　dropped　aboard。　　The　five　

then　went　over　the　tug　from　stem　to　stern；　tossing　aside　all　

movables；　and　lashing　tight　all　essentials。　　From　the　pilot…house　

Captain　Marsh　distributed　life　preservers。　　Harvey　declined　his。



〃Whaf…for　I　want　dat？〃　he　inquired。　　〃Lots　of　good　he　gwine　do　me　

down　here！〃



Then　all　hatches　were　battened　down。　　Captain　Marsh　reached　up　to　

shake　the　hand　which　Orde；　stooping；　offered　him。



〃I'll　try　to　bring　her　back　all　right；　sir；〃　said　he。



〃To　hell　with　the　tug！〃　cried　Orde；　impatient　at　this　insistence　on　

the　mere　property　aspect。　　〃Bring　yourself　back。〃



Captain　Marsh　deliberately　lit　another　cigar　and　entered　the　pilot…

house　with　the　other　men。



〃Cast　off！〃　he　cried；　and　the　silent　crowd　heard　clearly　the　single　

sharp　bell　ringing　for　attention；　and　then　the　〃jangler〃　that　called　

for　full　speed　ahead。　　Awed；　they　watched　the　tiny　sturdy　craft　move　

out　into　the　stream　and　point　to　the　fury　of　the　open　lake。



〃Brave　chaps！　　Brave　chaps！〃　said　Dr。　McMullen　to　Carroll　as　they　

turned　away。　　The　physician　drew　his　tall　slender　figure　to　its　

height。　　〃Brave　chaps；　every　one　of　them。　　But；　do　you　know；　to　my　

mind；　the　bravest　of　them　all　are　that　niggerand　his　fireman

nailed　down　in　the　hold　where　they　can't　see　nor　know　what's　going　

on；　and　ifif〃　the　good　doctor　blew　his　nose　vigorously　five　or　

six　times〃　well；　it's　just　like　a　rat　in　a　hole。〃　　He　shook　his　

head　vigorously　and　looked　out　to　sea。　　〃I　read　last　evening；　sir；〃　

said　he　to　Bradford；　〃in　a　blasted　fool　medical　journal　I　take；　that　

the　race　is　degenerating。　　Good　God！〃



The　tug　had　rounded　the　end　of　the　pier。　　The　first　of　her　thousand　

enemies；　sweeping　in　from　the　open；　had　struck　her　fair。　　A　great　

sheet　of　white　water；　slantthe　riverman；　〃but　whatever　it　is；　it's　all　right　

as　long　as　Buck　Marsh　is　at　the　wheel。〃



〃There；　she's　turned　now；〃　Mr。　Smith　interposed。



Beneath　the　trail　of　black　smoke　she　had　shifted　direction。　　And　

then　with　startling　swiftness　the　SPRITE　darted　out　of　the　horizon　

into　full　view。　　For　the　first　time　the　spectators　realised　the　size　

and　weight　of　the　seas。　　Not　even　the　sullen　pounding　to　pieces　of　

the　vessels　on　the　bar　had　so　impressed　them　as　the　sight　of　the　tug　

coasting　with　railroad　speed　down　the　rush　of　a　comber　like　a　

child's　toy…boat　in　the　surf。　　One　moment　the　whole　of　her　deck　was　

visible　as　she　was　borne　with　the　wave；　the　next　her　bow　alone　

showed　high　as　the　back　suction　caught　her　and　dragged　her　from　the　

crest　into　the　hollow。　　A　sea　rose　behind。　　Nothing　of　the　tug　was　

to　be　seen。　　It　seemed　that　no　power　or　skill　could　prevent　her　

feeling　overwhelmed。　　Yet　somehow　always　she　staggered　out　of　the　

gulf　until　she　caught　the　force　of　the　billow　and　was　again　cast　

forward　like　a　chip。



Maybe　they　ain't　catchin'　p'ticular　hell　at　that　wheel　to　hold　her　

from　yawing！〃　muttered　the　tug　captain　to　his　neighbour；　who　

happened　to　be　Mr。　Duncan；　the　minister。



Almost　before　Carroll　had　time　to　see　that　the　little　craft　was　

coming　in；　she　had　arrived　at　the　outer　line　of　breakers。　　Here　the　

combers；　dragged　by　the　bar　underneath；　crested；　curled　over；　and　

fell　with　a　roar；　just　as　in　milder　weather　the　surf　breaks　on　the　

beach。　　When　the　SPRITE　rushed　at　this　outer　line　of　white…water；　a　

woman　in　the　crowd　screamed。



But　at　the　edge　of　destruction　the　SPRITE　came　to　a　shuddering　stop。　　

Her　powerful　propellers　had　been　set　to　the　reverse。　　They　could　not　

hold　her　against　the　forward　fling　of　the　water；　but　what　she　lost　

thus　she　regained　on　the　seaward　slopes　of　the　waves　and　in　their　

hollows。　　Thus　she　hovered　on　the　edge　of　the　breakers；　awaiting　her　

chance。



As　long　as　the　seas　rolled　in　steadily；　and　nothing　broke；　she　was　

safe。　　But　if　one　of　the　waves　should　happen　to　crest　and　break；　as　

many　of　them　did；　the　weight　of　water　catching　the　tug　on　her　flat；　

broad　stern　deck　would　indubitably　bury　her。　　The　situation　was　

awful　in　its　extreme　simplicity。　　Would　Captain　Marsh　see　his　

opportunity　before　the　law　of　chances　would　bring　along　the　wave　

that　would　overwhelm　him？



A　realisation　of　the　crisis　came　to　the　crowd　on　the　beach。　　At　once　

the　terrible　strain　of　suspense　tugged　at　their　souls。　　Each　

conducted　himself　according　to　his　nature。　　The　hardy　men　of　the　

river　and　the　woods　set　their　teeth　until　the　cheek　muscles　turned　

white；　and　blasphemed　softly　and　steadily。　　Two　or　three　of　the　

townsmen　walked　up　and　down　the　space　of　a　dozen　feet。　　One；　the　

woman　who　had　screamed；　prayed　aloud　in　short　hysterical　sentences。



〃O　God！　　Save　them；　O　Lord！　O　Lord！〃



Orde　stood　on　top　of　a　half…buried　log；　his　hat　in　his　hand；　his　

entire　being　concentrated　on　the　manoeuvre　being　executed。　　Only　

Newmark　apparently　remained　as　calm　as　ever；　leaning　against　an　

upright　timber；　his　arms　folded；　and　an　unlighted　cigar　as　usual　

between　his　lips。



Methodically　every　few　moments　he　removed　his　eyeglasses　and　wiped　

the　lenses　free　of　spray。



Suddenly；　without　warning；　occurred　one　of　those　inexplicable　lulls　

that　interpose　often　amid　the　wildest　uproars。　　For　the　briefest　

instant　other　sounds　than　the　roar　of　the　wind　and　surf　were　

permitted　the　multitude　on　the　beach。　　They　heard　the　grinding　of　

timbers　from　the　stricken　ships；　and　the　draining　away　of　waters。　　

And　distinctly　they　heard　the　faint；　far　tinkle　of　the　jangler　

calling　again　for　〃full　speed　ahead。〃



Between　two　waves　the　SPRITE　darted　forward　directly　for　the　nearest　

of　the　wrecks。　　Straight　as　an　arrow's　flight　she　held　until　from　

the　crowd　went　up　a　groan。



〃She'll　collide！〃　some　one　put　it　into　words。



But　at　the　latest　moment　the　tug　swerved；　raced　past；　and　turned　on　

a　long　diagonal　across　the　end　of　the　bar　toward　the　piers。



Captain　Marsh　had　chosen　his　moment　with　exactitude。　　To　the　utmost　

he　had　taken　advantage　of　the　brief　lull　of　jumbled　seas　after　the　

〃three　largest　waves〃　had　swept　by。　　Yet　in　shallow　water　and　with　

the　strong　inshore　set；　even　that　lull　was　all　too　short。　　The　

SPRITE　was　staggered　by　the　buffets　of　the　smaller　breakers；　her　

speed　was　checked；　her　stern　was　dragged　around。　　For　an　instant　it　

seemed　that　the　back　suction　would　hold　her　in　its　grip。　　She　tore　

herself　from　the　grasp　of　the　current。　　Enveloped　in　a　blinding　hail　

of　spray　she　struggled　desperately　to　extricate　herself　from　the　

maelstrom　in　which　she　was　involved　before　the　resumption　of　the　

larger　seas　should　roll　her　over　and　over　to　destruction。



Already　these　larger　seas　were　racing　in　from　the　open。　　To　Carroll；　

watching　breathless　and　wide…eyed　in　that　strange　passive　and　

receptive　state　peculiar　to　imaginative　natures；　they　seemed　alive。　　

And　the　SPRITE；　too；　appeared　to　be；　not　a　fabric　and　a　mechanism　

controlled　by　men；　but　a　sentient　creature　struggling　gallantly　on