adventure-第2章

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　was　a　most　necessary　precaution；　for　the　blacks　were　in　a　funk；　and　a　whale…boat　left　lying　on　the　beach　in　the　evening　meant　a　loss　of　twenty　blacks　by　morning。　　Since　the　blacks　were　worth　thirty　dollars　apiece；　or　less；　according　to　how　much　of　their　time　had　been　worked　out；　Berande　plantation　could　ill　afford　the　loss。　　Besides；　whale…boats　were　not　cheap　in　the　Solomons；　and；　also；　the　deaths　were　daily　reducing　the　working　capital。　　Seven　blacks　had　fled　into　the　bush　the　week　before；　and　four　had　dragged　themselves　back；　helpless　from　fever；　with　the　report　that　two　more　had　been　killed　and　kai…kai'd　｛1｝　by　the　hospitable　bushmen。　　The　seventh　man　was　still　at　large；　and　was　said　to　be　working　along　the　coast　on　the　lookout　to　steal　a　canoe　and　get　away　to　his　own　island。

Viaburi　brought　two　lighted　lanterns　to　the　white　man　for　inspection。　　He　glanced　at　them　and　saw　that　they　were　burning　brightly　with　clear；　broad　flames；　and　nodded　his　head。　　One　was　hoisted　up　to　the　gaff　of　the　flagstaff；　and　the　other　was　placed　on　the　wide　veranda。　　They　were　the　leading　lights　to　the　Berande　anchorage；　and　every　night　in　the　year　they　were　so　inspected　and　hung　out。

He　rolled　back　on　his　couch　with　a　sigh　of　relief。　　The　day's　work　was　done。　　A　rifle　lay　on　the　couch　beside　him。　　His　revolver　was　within　reach　of　his　hand。　　An　hour　passed；　during　which　he　did　not　move。　　He　lay　in　a　state　of　half…slumber；　half…coma。　　He　became　suddenly　alert。　　A　creak　on　the　back　veranda　was　the　cause。　　The　room　was　L…shaped；　the　corner　in　which　stood　his　couch　was　dim；　but　the　hanging　lamp　in　the　main　part　of　the　room；　over　the　billiard　table　and　just　around　the　corner；　so　that　it　did　not　shine　on　him；　was　burning　brightly。　　Likewise　the　verandas　were　well　lighted。　　He　waited　without　movement。　　The　creaks　were　repeated；　and　he　knew　several　men　lurked　outside。

〃What　name？〃　he　cried　sharply。

The　house；　raised　a　dozen　feet　above　the　ground；　shook　on　its　pile　foundations　to　the　rush　of　retreating　footsteps。

〃They're　getting　bold；〃　he　muttered。　　〃Something　will　have　to　be　done。〃

The　full　moon　rose　over　Malaita　and　shone　down　on　Berande。　　Nothing　stirred　in　the　windless　air。　　From　the　hospital　still　proceeded　the　moaning　of　the　sick。　　In　the　grass…thatched　barracks　nearly　two　hundred　woolly…headed　man…eaters　slept　off　the　weariness　of　the　day's　toil；　though　several　lifted　their　heads　to　listen　to　the　curses　of　one　who　cursed　the　white　man　who　never　slept。　　On　the　four　verandas　of　the　house　the　lanterns　burned。　　Inside；　between　rifle　and　revolver；　the　man　himself　moaned　and　tossed　in　intervals　of　troubled　sleep。



CHAPTER　IISOMETHING　IS　DONE



In　the　morning　David　Sheldon　decided　that　he　was　worse。　　That　he　was　appreciably　weaker　there　was　no　doubt；　and　there　were　other　symptoms　that　were　unfavourable。　　He　began　his　rounds　looking　for　trouble。　　He　wanted　trouble。　　In　full　health；　the　strained　situation　would　have　been　serious　enough；　but　as　it　was；　himself　growing　helpless；　something　had　to　be　done。　　The　blacks　were　getting　more　sullen　and　defiant；　and　the　appearance　of　the　men　the　previous　night　on　his　verandaone　of　the　gravest　of　offences　on　Berandewas　ominous。　　Sooner　or　later　they　would　get　him；　if　he　did　not　get　them　first；　if　he　did　not　once　again　sear　on　their　dark　souls　the　flaming　mastery　of　the　white　man。

He　returned　to　the　house　disappointed。　　No　opportunity　had　presented　itself　of　making　an　example　of　insolence　or　insubordinationsuch　as　had　occurred　on　every　other　day　since　the　sickness　smote　Berande。　　The　fact　that　none　had　offended　was　in　itself　suspicious。　　They　were　growing　crafty。　　He　regretted　that　he　had　not　waited　the　night　before　until　the　prowlers　had　entered。　Then　he　might　have　shot　one　or　two　and　given　the　rest　a　new　lesson；　writ　in　red；　for　them　to　con。　　It　was　one　man　against　two　hundred；　and　he　was　horribly　afraid　of　his　sickness　overpowering　him　and　leaving　him　at　their　mercy。　　He　saw　visions　of　the　blacks　taking　charge　of　the　plantation；　looting　the　store；　burning　the　buildings；　and　escaping　to　Malaita。　　Also；　one　gruesome　vision　he　caught　of　his　own　head；　sun…dried　and　smoke…cured；　ornamenting　the　canoe　house　of　a　cannibal　village。　　Either　the　Jessie　would　have　to　arrive；　or　he　would　have　to　do　something。

The　bell　had　hardly　rung；　sending　the　labourers　into　the　fields；　when　Sheldon　had　a　visitor。　　He　had　had　the　couch　taken　out　on　the　veranda；　and　he　was　lying　on　it　when　the　canoes　paddled　in　and　hauled　out　on　the　beach。　　Forty　men；　armed　with　spears；　bows　and　arrows；　and　war…clubs；　gathered　outside　the　gate　of　the　compound；　but　only　one　entered。　　They　knew　the　law　of　Berande；　as　every　native　knew　the　law　of　every　white　man's　compound　in　all　the　thousand　miles　of　the　far…flung　Solomons。　　The　one　man　who　came　up　the　path；　Sheldon　recognized　as　Seelee；　the　chief　of　Balesuna　village。　　The　savage　did　not　mount　the　steps；　but　stood　beneath　and　talked　to　the　white　lord　above。

Seelee　was　more　intelligent　than　the　average　of　his　kind；　but　his　intelligence　only　emphasized　the　lowness　of　that　kind。　　His　eyes；　close　together　and　small；　advertised　cruelty　and　craftiness。　　A　gee…string　and　a　cartridge…belt　were　all　the　clothes　he　wore。　　The　carved　pearl…shell　ornament　that　hung　from　nose　to　chin　and　impeded　speech　was　purely　ornamental；　as　were　the　holes　in　his　ears　mere　utilities　for　carrying　pipe　and　tobacco。　　His　broken…fanged　teeth　were　stained　black　by　betel…nut；　the　juice　of　which　he　spat　upon　the　ground。

As　he　talked　or　listened；　he　made　grimaces　like　a　monkey。　　He　said　yes　by　dropping　his　eyelids　and　thrusting　his　chin　forward。　　He　spoke　with　childish　arrogance　strangely　at　variance　with　the　subservient　position　he　occupied　beneath　the　veranda。　　He；　with　his　many　followers；　was　lord　and　master　of　Balesuna　village。　　But　the　white　man；　without　followers；　was　lord　and　master　of　Berandeay；　and　on　occasion；　single…handed；　had　made　himself　lord　and　master　of　Balesuna　village　as　well。　　Seelee　did　not　like　to　remember　that　episode。　　It　had　occurred　in　the　course　of　learning　the　nature　of　white　men　and　of　learning　to　abominate　them。　　He　had　once　been　guilty　of　sheltering　three　runaways　from　Berande。　　They　had　given　him　all　they　possessed　in　return　for　the　shelter　and　for　promised　aid　in　getting　away　to　Malaita。　　This　had　given　him　a　glimpse　of　a　profitable　future；　in　which　his　village　would　serve　as　the　one　depot　on　the　underground　railway　between　Berande　and　Malaita。

Unfortunately；　he　was　ignorant　of　the　ways　of　white　men。　　This　particular　white　man　educated　him　by　arriving　at　his　grass　house　in　the　gray　of　dawn。　　In　the　first　moment　he　had　felt　amused。　　He　was　so　perfectly　safe　in　the　midst　of　his　village。　　But　the　next　moment；　and　before　he　could　cry　out；　a　pair　of　handcuffs　on　the　white　man's　knuckles　had　landed　on　his　mouth；　knocking　the　cry　of　alarm　back　down　his　throat。　　Also；　the　white　man's　other　fist　had　caught　him　under　the　ear　and　left　him　without　further　interest　in　what　was　happening。　　When　he　came　to；　he　found　himself　in　the　white　man's　whale…boat　on　the　way　to　Berande。　　At　Berande　he　had　been　treated　as　one　of　no　consequence；　with　handcuffs　on　hands　and　feet；　to　say　nothing　of　chains。　　When　his　tribe　had　returned　the　three　runaways；　he　was　given　his　freedom。　　And　finally；　the　terrible　white　man　had　fined　him　and　Balesuna　village　ten　thousand　cocoanuts。　　After　that　he　had　sheltered　no　more　runaway　Malaita　men。　　Instead；　he　had　gone　into　the　business　of　catching　them。　　It　was　safer。　　Besides；　he　was　paid　one　case　of　tobacco　per　head。　　But　if　he　ever　got　a　chance　at　that　white　man；　if　he　ever　caught　him　sick　or　stood　at　his　back　when　he　stumbled　and　fell　on　a　bush…　trailwell；　there　would　be　a　head　that　would　fetch　a　price　in　Malaita。

Sheldon　was　pleased　with　what　Seelee　told　him。　　The　seventh　man　of　the　last　batch　of　runaways　had　been　caught　and　was　even　then　at　the　gate。　　He　was　brought　in；　heavy…featured　and　defiant；　his　arms　bound　with　cocoanut　sennit；　the　dry　blood　still　on　his　body　from　the　struggle　with　his　captors。

〃Me　savvee　you　good　fella；　Seelee；〃　Sheldon　said；　as　the　chief　gulped　down　a　quarter…tumbler　of　raw　trade…gin。　　〃Fella　boy　belong　me　you　catch　short　time　little　bit。　　This　fella　boy　strong　fella　too　much。　　I　give　you　fella　one　case　tobaccomy　word；　one　case　tobacco。　　Then；　you　good　fella　along　me；　I　give　you　three　fathom　calico；　one　fella　knife　big　fella　too　much。〃

The　tobacco　and　trade　goods　were　brought　from　the　store…room　by　two　house…boys　and　turned　over　to　the　chief　of　Balesuna　village；　who　accepted　the　additional　reward　with　a　non…committal　grunt　and　went　away　down　the　path　to　his　canoes。　　Under　Sheldon's　directions　the　house…boys　handcuffed　the　prisoner；　by　hands　and　feet；　around　one　of　the　pile　supports　of　the　house。　　At　eleven　o'clock；　when　the　labourers　came　in　from　the　field；　Sheldon　had　them　assembled　in　the　compound　before　the　veranda。　　Every　able　man　was　there；　including　those　who　were　helping　about　the　hospital。　　Even　the　women　and　the　several　pickaninnies　of　the　plantation　were　lined　up　with　the　rest；　two　deepa　horde　of　naked　savages　a　trifle　under　two　hundred　strong。　　In　addition　to　their　ornaments　of　bead　and　shell　and　bone；　their　pierced　ears　and　nostrils　were　burdened　with　safety…pins；　wire　nails；　metal　hair…pins；　rusty　iron　handles　of　cooking　utensils；　and　the　patent　keys　for　opening　corned　beef　tins。　　Some　wore　penknives　clasped　on　their　kinky　locks　for　safety。　　On　the　chest　of　one　a　china　door…knob　was　suspended；　on　the　chest　of　another　the　brass　wheel　of　an　alarm　clock。

Facing　them；　clinging　to　the　railing　of　the　veranda　for　support；　stood　the　sick　white　man。　　Any　one　of　them　could　have　knocked　him　over　with　the　blow　of　a　little　finger。　　Despite　his　firearms；　the　gang　could　have　rushed　him　and　delivered　that　blow；　when　his　head　and　the　plantation　would　have　been　theirs。　　Hatred　and　murder　and　lust　for　revenge　they　possessed　to　overflowing。　　But　one　thing　they　lacked；　the　thing　that　he　possessed；　the　flame　of　mastery　that　would　not　quench；　that　burned　fiercely　as　ever　in　the　disease…　wasted　body；　and　that　was　ever　ready　to　flare　forth　and　scorch　and　singe　them　with　its　ire。

〃Narada！　　Billy！〃　Sheldon　called　sharply。

Two　men　slunk　unwillingly　forward　and　waited。

Sheldon　gave　the　keys　of　the　handcuffs　to　a　house…boy；　who　went　under　the　house　and　loosed　the　prisoner。

〃You　fella　Narada；　you　fella　Billy；　take　um　this　fella　boy　along　tree　and　make　fast；　hands　high　up；〃　was　Sheldon's　command。

While　this　was　being　done；　slowly；　amidst　mutterings　and　restlessness　on　the　part　of　the　onlookers；　one　of　the　house…boys　fetched　a　heavy…handled；　heavy…lashed　whip。　　Sheldon　began　a　speech。

〃This　fella　Arunga；　me　cross　along　him　too　much。　　I　no　steal　this　fella　Arunga。　　I　no　gammon。　　I　say；　'All　right；　you　come　along　me　Berande；　work　three　fella　year。'　　He　say；　'All　right；　me　come　along　you　work　three　fella　year。'　　He　come。　　He　catch　plenty　good　fella　kai…kai；　｛2｝　plenty　good　fella　money。　　What　name　he　run　away？　　Me　too　much　cross　along　him。　　I　knock　what　name　outa　him　fella。　　I　pay　Seelee；　big　fella　master　along　Balesuna；　one　case　tobacco　catch　that　fella　Arunga。　　All　right。　　Arunga　pay　that　fella　case　tobacco。　Six　pounds　that　fella　Arunga　pay。　　Al