adventure-第20章

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　along　with　the　cartridge…belt　and　the　long…barrelled　revolver。　He　suddenly　discovered　an　immense　affection　for　those　fripperies　of　hers　at　which　he　had　secretly　laughed　when　first　he　saw　them。　　He　became　aware　of　the　sentimental　direction　in　which　his　fancy　was　leading　him；　and　felt　inclined　to　laugh。　　But　he　did　not　laugh。　The　next　moment　he　was　busy　visioning　the　hat；　and　belt；　and　revolver。　　Undoubtedly　this　was　love；　he　thought；　and　he　felt　a　tiny　glow　of　pride　in　him　in　that　the　Solomons　had　not　succeeded　in　killing　all　his　sentiment。

An　hour　later；　Christian　Young　stood　up；　knocked　out　his　pipe；　and　prepared　to　go　aboard　and　get　under　way。

〃She's　all　right；〃　he　said；　apropos　of　nothing　spoken；　and　yet　distinctly　relevant　to　what　was　in　each　of　their　minds。　　〃She's　got　a　good　boat's…crew；　and　she's　a　sailor　herself。　　Good…night；　Mr。　Sheldon。　　Anything　I　can　do　for　you　down　Marau…way？〃　　He　turned　and　pointed　to　a　widening　space　of　starry　sky。　　〃It's　going　to　be　a　fine　night　after　all。　　With　this　favouring　bit　of　breeze　she　has　sail　on　already；　and　she'll　make　Guvutu　by　daylight。　　Good…night。〃

〃I　guess　I'll　turn　in；　old　man；〃　Tudor　said；　rising　and　placing　his　glass　on　the　table。　　〃I'll　start　the　first　thing　in　the　morning。　It's　been　disgraceful　the　way　I've　been　hanging　on　here。　　Good…　night。〃

Sheldon；　sitting　on　alone；　wondered　if　the　other　man　would　have　decided　to　pull　out　in　the　morning　had　Joan　not　sailed　away。　　Well；　there　was　one　bit　of　consolation　in　it：　　Joan　had　certainly　lingered　at　Berande　for　no　man；　not　even　Tudor。　　〃I　start　in　an　hour〃her　words　rang　in　his　brain；　and　under　his　eyelids　he　could　see　her　as　she　stood　up　and　uttered　them。　　He　smiled。　　The　instant　she　heard　the　news　she　had　made　up　her　mind　to　go。　　It　was　not　very　flattering　to　man；　but　what　could　any　man　count　in　her　eyes　when　a　schooner　waiting　to　be　bought　in　Sydney　was　in　the　wind？　　What　a　creature！　　What　a　creature！


Berande　was　a　lonely　place　to　Sheldon　in　the　days　that　followed。　In　the　morning　after　Joan's　departure；　he　had　seen　Tudor's　expedition　off　on　its　way　up　the　Balesuna；　in　the　late　afternoon；　through　his　telescope；　he　had　seen　the　smoke　of　the　Upolu　that　was　bearing　Joan　away　to　Sydney；　and　in　the　evening　he　sat　down　to　dinner　in　solitary　state；　devoting　more　of　his　time　to　looking　at　her　empty　chair　than　to　his　food。　　He　never　came　out　on　the　veranda　without　glancing　first　of　all　at　her　grass　house　in　the　corner　of　the　compound；　and　one　evening；　idly　knocking　the　balls　about　on　the　billiard　table；　he　came　to　himself　to　find　himself　standing　staring　at　the　nail　upon　which　from　the　first　she　had　hung　her　Stetson　hat　and　her　revolver…belt。

Why　should　he　care　for　her？　he　demanded　of　himself　angrily。　　She　was　certainly　the　last　woman　in　the　world　he　would　have　thought　of　choosing　for　himself。　　Never　had　he　encountered　one　who　had　so　thoroughly　irritated　him；　rasped　his　feelings；　smashed　his　conventions；　and　violated　nearly　every　attribute　of　what　had　been　his　ideal　of　woman。　　Had　he　been　too　long　away　from　the　world？　　Had　he　forgotten　what　the　race　of　women　was　like？　　Was　it　merely　a　case　of　propinquity？　　And　she　wasn't　really　a　woman。　　She　was　a　masquerader。　　Under　all　her　seeming　of　woman；　she　was　a　boy；　playing　a　boy's　pranks；　diving　for　fish　amongst　sharks；　sporting　a　revolver；　longing　for　adventure；　and；　what　was　more；　going　out　in　search　of　it　in　her　whale…boat；　along　with　her　savage　islanders　and　her　bag　of　sovereigns。　　But　he　loved　herthat　was　the　point　of　it　all；　and　he　did　not　try　to　evade　it。　　He　was　not　sorry　that　it　was　so。　　He　loved　herthat　was　the　overwhelming；　astounding　fact。

Once　again　he　discovered　a　big　enthusiasm　for　Berande。　　All　the　bubble…illusions　concerning　the　life　of　the　tropical　planter　had　been　pricked　by　the　stern　facts　of　the　Solomons。　　Following　the　death　of　Hughie；　he　had　resolved　to　muddle　along　somehow　with　the　plantation；　but　this　resolve　had　not　been　based　upon　desire。　Instead；　it　was　based　upon　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　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　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　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　s