adventure(冒险)-第26章
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the inherent stubbornness of his nature and his dislike to give over an
attempted task。
But now it was different。 Berande meant everything。 It must
succeednot merely because Joan was a partner in it； but because he
wanted to make that partnership permanently binding。 Three more years
and the plantation would be a splendid…paying investment。 They could
then take yearly trips to Australia； and oftener； and an occasional run
home to Englandor Hawaii； would come as a matter of course。
He spent his evenings poring over accounts； or making endless
calculations based on cheaper freights for copra and on the possible
maximum and minimum market prices for that staple of commerce。 His
days were spent out on the plantation。 He undertook more clearing of
bush； and clearing and planting went on； under his personal supervision； at
a faster pace than ever before。 He experimented with premiums for extra
work performed by the black boys； and yearned continually for more of
them to put to work。 Not until Joan could return on the schooner would
this be possible； for the professional recruiters were all under long
contracts to the Fulcrum Brothers； Morgan and Raff； and the Fires； Philp
Company； while the Flibberty…Gibbet was wholly occupied in running
about among his widely scattered trading stations； which extended from
the coast of New Georgia in one direction to Ulava and Sikiana in the
other。 Blacks he must have； and； if Joan were fortunate in getting a
schooner； three months at least must elapse before the first recruits could
be landed on Berande。
A week after the Upolu's departure； the Malakula dropped anchor and
her skipper came ashore for a game of billiards and to gossip until the land
breeze sprang up。 Besides； as he told his super…cargo； he simply had to
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come ashore； not merely to deliver the large package of seeds with full
instructions for planting from Joan； but to shock Sheldon with the little
surprise born of information he was bringing with him。
Captain Auckland played the billiards first； and it was not until he was
comfortably seated in a steamer…chair； his second whisky securely in his
hand； that he let off his bomb。
〃A great piece； that Miss Lackland of yours；〃 he chuckled。 〃Claims
to be a part…owner of Berande。 Says she's your partner。 Is that
straight？〃
Sheldon nodded coldly。
〃You don't say？ That is a surprise！ Well； she hasn't convinced
Guvutu or Tulagi of it。 They're pretty used to irregular things over there；
butha！ ha！… 〃 he stopped to have his laugh out and to mop his bald head
with a trade handkerchief。 〃But that partnership yarn of hers was too big
to swallow； though it gave them the excuse for a few more drinks。〃
〃There is nothing irregular about it。 It is an ordinary business
transaction。〃 Sheldon strove to act as though such transactions were
quite the commonplace thing on plantations in the Solomons。 〃She
invested something like fifteen hundred pounds in Berande〃
〃So she said。〃
〃And she has gone to Sydney on business for the plantation。〃
〃Oh； no； she hasn't。〃
〃I beg pardon？〃 Sheldon queried。
〃I said she hasn't； that's all。〃
〃But didn't the Upolu sail？ I could have sworn I saw her smoke last
Tuesday afternoon； late； as she passed Savo。〃
〃The Upolu sailed all right。〃 Captain Auckland sipped his whisky
with provoking slowness。 〃Only Miss Lackland wasn't a passenger。〃
〃Then where is she？〃
〃At Guvutu； last I saw of her。 She was going to Sydney to buy a
schooner； wasn't she？〃
〃Yes； yes。〃
〃That's what she said。 Well； she's bought one； though I wouldn't give
her ten shillings for it if a nor'wester blows up； and it's about time we had
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one。 This has been too long a spell of good weather to last。〃
〃If you came here to excite my curiosity； old man；〃 Sheldon said；
〃you've certainly succeeded。 Now go ahead and tell me in a
straightforward way what has happened。 What schooner？ Where is it？
How did she happen to buy it？〃
〃First； the schooner Martha；〃 the skipper answered； checking his
replies off on his fingers。 〃Second； the Martha is on the outside reef at
Poonga…Poonga； looted clean of everything portable； and ready to go to
pieces with the first bit of lively sea。 And third； Miss Lackland bought
her at auction。 She was knocked down to her for fifty…five quid by the
third…assistant…resident…commissioner。 I ought to know。 I bid fifty myself；
for Morgan and Raff。 My word； weren't they hot！ I told them to go to
the devil； and that it was their fault for limiting me to fifty quid when they
thought the chance to salve the Martha was worth more。 You see； they
weren't expecting competition。 Fulcrum Brothers had no representative
present； neither had Fires； Philp Company； and the only man to be afraid
of was Nielsen's agent； Squires； and him they got drunk and sound asleep
over in Guvutu。
〃'Twenty；' says I； for my bid。 'Twenty…five；' says the little girl。
'Thirty；' says I。 'Forty；' says she。 'Fifty；' says I。 'Fifty…five；' says she。
And there I was stuck。 'Hold on；' says I； 'wait till I see my owners。' 'No；
you don't；' says she。 'It's customary；' says I。 'Not anywhere in the
world；' says she。 'Then it's courtesy in the Solomons；' says I。
〃And d'ye know； on my faith I think Burnett'd have done it； only she
pipes up； sweet and pert as you please： 'Mr。 Auctioneer； will you kindly
proceed with the sale in the customary manner？ I've other business to
attend to； and I can't afford to wait all night on men who don't know their
own minds。' And then she smiles at Burnett； as wellyou know； one of
those fetching smiles； and damme if Burnett doesn't begin singing out：
'Goin'； goin'； goin'last bidgoin'； goin' for fifty…five sovereignsgoin'；
goin'； goneto you； Misserwhat name； please？'
〃'Joan Lackland；' says she； with a smile to me； and that's how she
bought the Martha。〃
Sheldon experienced a sudden thrill。 The Martha！a finer schooner
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than the Malakula； and； for that matter； the finest in the Solomons。 She
was just the thing for recruits； and she was right on the spot。 Then he
realized that for such a craft to sell at auction for fifty…five pounds meant
that there was small chance for saving her。
〃But how did it happen？〃 he asked。 〃Weren't they rather quick in
selling the Martha？〃
〃Had to。 You know the reef at Poonga…Poonga。 She's not worth
tuppence on it if any kind of a sea kicks up； and it's ripe for a nor'wester
any moment now。 The crowd abandoned her completely。 Didn't even
dream of auctioning her。 Morgan and Raff persuaded them to put her up。
They're a co…operative crowd； you know； an organized business
corporation； fore and aft； all hands and the cook。 They held a meeting
and voted to sell。〃
〃But why didn't they stand by and try to save her？〃
〃Stand by！ You know Malaita。 And you know Poonga…Poonga。
That's where they cut off the Scottish Chiefs and killed all hands。 There
was nothing to do but take to the boats。 The Martha missed stays going
in； and inside five minutes she was on the reef and in possession。 The
niggers swarmed over her； and they just threw the crew into the boats。 I
talked with some of the men。 They swear there were two hundred war
canoes around her inside half an hour； and five thousand bushmen on the
beach。 Said you couldn't see Malaita for the smoke of the signal fires。
Anyway； they cleared out for Tulagi。〃
〃But why didn't they fight？〃 Sheldon asked。
〃It was funny they didn't； but they got separated。 You see； two… thirds
of them were in the boats； without weapons； running anchors and never
dreaming the natives would attack。 They found out their mistake too late。
The natives had charge。 That's the trouble of new chums on the coast。
It would never have happened with you or me or any old…timer。〃
〃But what is Miss Lackland intending to do？〃 Captain Auckland
grinned。
〃She's going to try to get the Martha off； I should say。 Or else why
did she pay fifty…five quid for her？ And if she fails； she'll try to get her
money back by saving the gearspars； you know； and patent steering…gear；
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and winches； and such things。 At least that's what I'd do if I was in her
place。 When I sailed； the little girl had chartered the Emily'I'm going
recruiting；' says Munsterhe's the skipper and owner now。 'And how
much will you net on the cruise？' asks she。 'Oh； fifty quid；' says he。
'Good；' says she； 'you bring your Emily along with me and you'll get
seventy…five。' You know that big ship's anchor and chain piled up behind
the coal…sheds？ She was just buying that when I left。 She's certainly a
hustler； that little girl of yours。〃
〃She is my partner；〃 Sheldon corrected。
〃Well； she's a good one； that's all； and a cool one。 My word
