the riverman-第50部分

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

controlled　by　men；　but　a　sentient　creature　struggling　gallantly　on　

her　own　volition。



Far　out　in　the　lake　against　the　tumbling　horizon　she　saw　heave　up　

for　a　second　the　shoulder　of　a　mighty　wave。　　And　instinctively　she　

perceived　this　wave　as　a　deadly　enemy　of　the　little　tug；　and　saw　it　

bending　all　its　great　energies　to　hurrying　in　on　time　to　catch　the　

victim　before　it　could　escape。　　To　this　wave　she　gave　all　her　

attention；　watching　for　it　after　it　had　sunk　momentarily　below　its　

fellows；　recognising　it　instantly　as　it　rose　again。　　The　spasms　of　

dismay　and　relief　among　the　crowd　about　her　she　did　not　share　at　

all。　　The　crises　they　indicated　did　not　exist　for　her。　　Until　the　

wave　came　in；　Carroll　knew；　the　SPRITE；　no　matter　how　battered　and　

tossed；　would　be　safe。　　Her　whole　being　was　concentrated　in　a　

continually　shifting　calculation　of　the　respective　distances　between　

the　tug　and　the　piers；　the　tug　and　the　relentlessly　advancing　wave。



〃Oh；　go！〃　she　exhorted　the　SPRITE　under　her　breath。



Then　the　crowd；　too；　caught　with　its　slower　perceptions　the　import　

of　the　wave。　　Carroll　felt　the　electric　thrill　of　apprehension　

shiver　through　it。　　Huge　and　towering；　green　and　flecked　with　foam　

the　wave　came　on　now　calmly　and　deliberately　as　though　sure。　　The　

SPRITE　was　off　the　end　of　the　pier　when　the　wave　lifted　her；　just　in　

the　position　her　enemy　would　have　selected　to　crush　her　life　out　

against　the　cribs。　　Slowly　the　tug　rose　against　its　shoulder；　was　

lifted　onward；　poised；　and　then　with　a　swift　forward　thrust　the　wave　

broke；　smothering　the　pier　and　lighthouse　beneath　tons　of　water。



A　low；　agonised　wail　broke　from　the　crowd。　　And　thenand　thenover　

beyond　the　pier　down　which　the　wave；　broken　and　spent　but　formidable　

still；　was　ripping　its　way；　they　saw　gliding　a　battered　black　stack　

from　which　still　poured　defiantly　clouds　of　gray　smoke。



For　ten　seconds　the　spectators　could　not　believe　their　eyes。　　They　

had　distinctly　seen　the　SPRITE　caught　between　a　resistless　wall　of　

water　and　the　pier；　where　she　should　have　been　crushed　like　the　

proverbial　egg…shell。　　Yet　there　she　wasor　her　ghost。



Then　a　great　cheer　rose　up　against　the　wind。　　The　crowd　went　crazy。　　

Mere　acquaintances　hugged　each　other　and　danced　around　and　around　

through　the　heavy　sands。　　Several　women　had　hysterics。　　The　riverman　

next　to　Mr。　Duncan　opened　his　mouth　and　swore　so　picturesquely　that；　

as　he　afterward　told　his　chum；　〃I　must've　been　plumb　inspired　for　

the　occasion。〃　　Yet　it　never　entered　Mr。　Duncan's　ministerial　headCAIRTjess　a

little　ne'vous。　　All　I　

had　to　do　was　to　feed　her　slabs　and　l　

to　reprove　the　blasphemy。　　Orde　jumped　down　from　his　half…buried　log　

and　clapped　his　hat　on　his　head。　　Newmark　did　not　alter　his　attitude　

nor　his　expression。



The　SPRITE　was　safe。　　For　the　few　moments　before　she　glided　the　

length　of　the　long　pier　to　stiller　water　this　fact　sufficed。



〃I　wonder　if　she　got　the　line　aboard；〃　speculated　the　tug…boat　

captain　at　last。



The　crowd　surged　over　to　the　piers　again。　　Below　them　rose　and　fell　

the　SPRITE。　　All　the　fancy　scroll…work　of　her　upper　works；　the　

cornice　of　her　deck　house；　the　light　rigging　of　her　cabin　had　

disappeared；　leaving　raw　and　splintered　wood　to　mark　their　

attachments。　　The　tall　smokestack　was　bent　awry；　but　its　supports　

had　held；　which　was　fortunate　since　otherwise　the　fires　would　have　

been　drowned　out。　　At　the　moment；　Captain　Marsh　was　bending　over　

examining　a　bad　break　in　the　overhangthe　only　material　damage　the　

tug　had　sustained。



At　sight　of　him　the　crowd　set　up　a　yell。　　He　paid　no　attention。　　One　

of　the　life…saving　men　tossed　a　mooring　line　ashore。　　It　was　seized　

by　a　dozen　men。　　Then　for　the　first　time　somebody　noticed　that　

although　the　tug　had　come　to　a　standstill；　her　screw　was　still　

turning　slowly　over　and　over；　holding　her　against　the　erratic　strong　

jerking　of　a　slender　rope　that　ran　through　her　stern　chocks　and　into　

the　water。



〃He　got　it　aboard！〃　yelled　the　man；　pointing。



Another　cheer　broke　out。　　The　life…saving　crew　leaped　to　the　deck。　　

They　were　immediately　followed　by　a　crowd　of　enthusiasts　eager　to　

congratulate　and　question。　　But　Captain　Marsh　would　have　none　of　

them。



〃Get　off　my　tug！〃　he　shouted。　　〃Do　you　want　to　swamp　her？　　What　do　

you　suppose　we　put　that　line　aboard　for？　　Fun？　　Get　busy　and　use　it！　　

Rescue　that　crew　now！〃



Abashed；　the　enthusiasts　scrambled　back。　　The　life…saving　crew　took　

charge。　　It　was　necessary　to　pass　the　line　around　the　end　of　the　

pier　and　back　to　the　beach。　　This　was　a　dangerous　job；　and　one　

requiring　considerable　power　and　ingenuity；　for　the　strain　on　the　

line　imposed　by　the　waters　was　terrific；　and　the　breaking　seas　

rendered　work　on　the　piers　extremely　hazardous。　　However；　the　life…

saving　captain　took　charge　confidently　enough。　　His　crew　began　to　

struggle　out　the　pier；　while　volunteers；　under　his　personal　

direction；　manipulated　the　reel。



A　number　of　the　curious　lingered　about　the　SPRITE。　　Marsh　and　Orde　

were　in　consultation　over　the　smashed　stern；　and　did　not　look　as　

though　they　cared　to　be　disturbed。　　Harvey　leaned　out　his　little　

square　door。



〃Don'　know　nuffin　'bout　it；〃　said　he；　〃'ceptin'　she　done　rolled　'way　

over　'bout　foh　times。　　Yass　she　did；　suh！　　I　know。　　I　felt　her　doin'　

it。〃



〃No；〃　he　answered　a　query。　　〃I　wasn't　what　you…all　would　call　

scairt；　that　is；　not　really　Sisten　foh　my　bell。　　You　see；　

Cap'n　Ma'sh；　he　was　in　cha'ge。〃



〃No；　sir；〃　Captain　Marsh　was　saying　emphatically　to　his　employer。　　

〃I　can't　figure　it　out　except　on　one　thing。　　You　see　it's　stove　from　

UNDERNEATH。　　A　sea　would　have　smashed　it　from　above。〃



〃Perhaps　you　grounded　in　between　seas　out　there；〃　suggested　Orde。



Marsh　smiled　grimly。



〃I　reckon　I'd　have　known　it；〃　said　he。　　〃No；　sir！　　It　sounds　wild；　

but　it's　the　only　possible　guess。　　That　last　sea　must've　lifted　us　

bodily　right　over　the　corner　of　the　pier。〃



〃Wellmaybe；〃　assented　Orde　doubtfully。



〃Sure　thing；〃　repeated　Marsh　with　conviction。



〃Well；　you'd　better　not　tell　'em　so　unless　you　want　to　rank　in　with　

Old　Man　Ananias；〃　ended　Orde。　　〃It　was　a　good　job。　　Pretty　dusty　out　

there；　wasn't　it？〃



〃Pretty　dusty；〃　grinned　Marsh。



They　turned　away　together　and　were　at　once　pounced　on　by　Leopold　

Lincoln　Bunn；　the　local　reporter；　a　callow　youth　aflame　with　the　

chance　for　a　big　story　of　more　than　local　interest。



〃Oh；　Captain　Marsh！〃　he　cried。　　〃How　did　you　get　around　the　pier？　　

It　looked　as　though　the　wave　had　you　caught。〃



Orde　glanced　at　his　companion　in　curiosity。



〃On　roller　skates；〃　replied　Marsh。



Leopold　tittered　nervously。



〃Could　you　tell　me　how　you　felt　when　you　were　out　there　in　the　worst　

of　it？〃　he　inquired。



〃Oh；　hell！〃　said　Marsh　grumpily；　stalking　away。



〃Don't　interview　for　a　cent；　does　he？〃　grinned　Orde。



〃Oh；　Mr。　Orde！　　Perhaps　you〃



〃Don't　you　think　we'd　better　lend　a　hand　below？〃　suggested　Orde；　

pointing　to　the　beach。



The　wild　and　picturesque　work　of　rescue　was　under　way。　　The　line　had　

been　successfully　brought　to　the　left　of　the　lighthouse。　　To　it　had　

been　attached　the　rope；　and　to　that　the　heavy　cable。　　These　the　crew　

of　the　schooner　had　dragged　out　and　made　fast　to　a　mast。　　The　shore　

end　passed　over　a　tall　scissors。　　When　the　cable　was　tightened　the　

breeches　buoy　was　put　into　commission；　and　before　long　the　first　

member　of　the　crew　was　hauled　ashore；　plunging　in　and　out　of　the　

waves　as　the　rope　tightened　or　slackened。　　He　was　a　flaxen…haired　

Norwegian；　who　stamped　his　feet；　shook　his　body　and　grinned　

comically　at　those　about　him。　　He　accepted　with　equanimity　a　dozen　

drinks　of　whisky　thrust　at　him　from　all　sides；　swigged　a　mug　of　the　

coffee　a　few　practical　women　were　making　over　an　open　fire；　and　

opposed　to　Leopold　Lincoln　Bunn's　frantic　efforts　a　stolid　and　

baffling　density。　　Of　none　of　these　attentions　did　he　seem　to　stand　

in　especial　need。



The　crew　and　its　volunteers　worked　quickly。　　When　the　last　man　had　

come　ashore；　the　captain　of　the　life…saving　service　entered　the　

breeches　buoy　and　caused　himself　to　be　hauled　through　the　smother　to　

the　wreck。　　After　an　interval；　a　signal　jerked　back。　　The　buoy　was　

pulled　in　empty　and　the　surf　car　substituted。　　In　it　were　piled　

various　utensils　of　equipment。　　One　man　went　with　it；　and　several　

more　on　its　next　trip；　until　nearly　the　whole　crew　were　aboard　the　

wreck。



Carroll　and　Mina　stayed　until　dusk　and　after；　watching　the　long　

heavy　labour　of　rescue。　　Lines　had　to　be　rocketed　from　the　schooner　

to　the　other　vessels。　　Then　by　their　means　cable　communication　had　

to　be　established　with　the　shore。　　After　this　it　was　really　a　matter　

of　routine　to　run　the　crew　to　the　beach；　though　cruel；　hard　work；　

and　dangerous。　　The　wrecks　were　continually　swept　by　the　great　seas；　

and　at　any　moment　the　tortured　fabrics　might　give　way；　might　

dissolve　completely　in　the　elements　that　so　battered　them。　　The　

women　making　the　hot　coffee　found　their　services　becoming　valuable。　　

Big　fires　of　driftwood　were　ignited。　　They　were　useful　for　light　as　

well　as　warmth。



By　their　illumination　finally　Orde　discovered　the　two　girls　

standing；　and　paused　long　enough　in　his　own　heavy　labour　of　

assistance　to　draw　Carroll　one　side。



〃You'd　better　go　home　now；　sweetheart；〃　said　he。　　〃Bobby'll　be　

waiting　for　you；　and　the　girls　may　be　here　in　the　crowd　somewhere。　　

There'll　be　nobody　to　take　care　of　him。〃



〃I　suppose　so；〃　she　assented。　　〃But　hasn't　it　been　exciting？　　Whose　

vessels　were　they；　do　you　know？〃



Orde　glanced　at　her　strangely。



〃They　were　ours；〃　said　he。



She　looked　up　at　him；　catching　quickly　the　wrinkles　of　his　brow　and　

the　harassed　anxiety　in　his