by shore and sedge(沙滩和苔草旁)-第26章
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superintending the work of two Chinamen； betrayed not only no surprise
at the appearance of the young people； but not the remotest recognition of
their own bewilderment at his occupation。
〃Kalkilatin'；〃 he remarked casually to his daughter； 〃you'd rather look
arter your fixin's； Rosey； I've left 'em till the last。 P'r'aps yer and Mr。
Renshaw wouldn't mind sittin' down on that locker until I've strapped this
yer box。〃
〃But what does it all mean； father？〃 said Rosey； taking the old man by
the lapels of his sea…jacket； and slightly emphasizing her question。 〃What
in the name of goodness are you doing？〃
〃Breakin' camp； Rosey dear； breakin' camp； jist ez we uster；〃 replied
Nott with cheerful philosophy。 〃Kinder like old times； ain't it？ Lord；
Rosey；〃 he continued； stopping and following up the reminiscence； with
the end of the rope in his hand as if it were a clue； 〃don't ye mind that day
we started outer Livermore Pass； and seed the hull o' the Californy coast
stretchin' yonder eh？ But don't ye be skeered； Rosey dear；〃 he added
quickly； as if in recognition of the alarm expressed in her face。 〃I ain't
turning ye outer house and home； I've jist hired that 'ere Madrono Cottage
from the Peters ontil we kin look round。〃
〃But you're not leaving the ship； father；〃 continued Rosey； impetuously。
〃You haven't sold it to that man Sleight？〃
Mr。 Nott rose and carefully closed the cabin door。 Then drawing a
large wallet from his pocket； he said； 〃It's sing'lar ye should hev got the
name right the first pop； ain't it； Rosey？ but it's Sleight； sure enough； all
the time。 This yer check；〃 he added； producing a paper from the depths of
the wallet； 〃this yer check for 25；000 dollars is wot he paid for it only two
hours ago。〃
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〃But；〃 said Renshaw； springing to his feet furiously； 〃you're duped；
swindledbetrayed！〃
〃Young man；〃 said Nott； throwing a certain dignity into his habitual
gesture of placing his hands on Renshaw's shoulders； 〃I bought this yer
ship five years ago jist ez she stood for 8；000 dollars。 Kalkilatin' wot she
cost me in repairs and taxes； and wot she brought me in since then；
accordin' to my figgerin'； I don't call a clear profit of 15；000 dollars much
of a swindle。〃
〃Tell him all；〃 said Rosey； quickly； more alarmed at Renshaw's
despairing face than at the news itself。 〃Tell him everything； DickMr。
Renshaw； it may not be too late。〃
In a voice half choked with passionate indignation Renshaw hurriedly
repeated the story of the hidden treasure； and the plot to rescue it；
prompted frequently by Rosey's tenacious memory and assisted by Rosey's
deft and tactful explanations。 But to their surprise the imperturbable
countenance of Abner Nott never altered； a slight moisture of kindly
paternal tolerance of their extravagance glistened in his little eyes； but
nothing more。
〃Ef there was a part o' this ship； a plank or a bolt ez I don't know； ez I
hevn't touched with my own hand； and looked into with my own eyes； thar
might be suthin' in that story。 I don't let on to be a sailor like YOU； but ez I
know the ship ez a boy knows his first hoss； as a woman knows her first
babby； I reckon thar ain't no treasure yer； onless it was brought into the
Pontiac last night by them chaps。〃
〃But are you mad！ Sleight would not pay three times the value of the
ship to…day if he were not positive！ And that positive knowledge was
gained last night by the villain who broke into the Pontiacno doubt the
Lascar。〃
〃Surely；〃 said Nott； meditatively。 〃The Lascar！ There's suthin' in that。
That Lascar I fastened down in the hold last night unbeknownst to you； Mr。
Renshaw； and let him out again this morning ekally unbeknownst。〃
〃And you let him carry his information to Sleightwithout a word！〃
said Renshaw； with a sickening sense of Nott's utter fatuity。
〃I sent him back with a message to the man he kem from；〃 said Nott；
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winking both his eyes at Renshaw； significantly； and making signs behind
his daughter's back。
Rosey； conscious of her lover's irritation； and more eager to soothe his
impatience than from any faith in her suggestion； interfered。 〃Why not
examine the place where he was concealed？ he may have left some traces
of his search。〃
The two men looked at each other。 〃Seem' ez I've turned the Pontiac
over to Sleight jist ez it stands； I don't know ez it's 'xactly on the square；〃
said Nott doubtfully。
〃You've a right to know at least WHAT you deliver to him；〃
interrupted Renshaw brusquely： 〃Bring a lantern。〃
Followed by Rosey； Renshaw and Nott hurriedly sought the lower
deck and the open hatch of the forehold。 The two men leaped down first
with the lantern； and then assisted Rosey to descend。 Renshaw took a step
forward and uttered a cry。
The rays of the lantern fell on the ship's side。 The Lascar had； during
his forced seclusion； put back the boxes of treasure and replaced the
planking； yet not so carefully but that the quick eye of Renshaw had
discovered it。 The next moment he had stripped away the planking again；
and the hurriedly…restored box which the Lascar had found fell to the deck；
scattering part of its ringing contents。 Rosey turned pale； Renshaw's eyes
flashed fire； only Abner Nott remained quiet and impassive。
〃Are you satisfied you have been duped？〃 said Renshaw passionately。
To their surprise Mr。 Nott stooped down； and picking up one of the
coins handed it gravely to Renshaw。 〃Would ye mind heftin' that 'ere coin
in your handfeelin' it； bitin' it； scrapin' it with a knife； and kinder seein'
how it compares with other coins？〃
〃What do you mean？〃 said Renshaw。
〃I mean that that yer cointhat ALL the coins in this yer box； that all
the coins in them other boxesand ther's forty on 'emis all and every one
of 'em counterfeits！〃
The piece dropped unconsciously from Renshaw's hand； and striking
another that lay on the deck gave out a dull； suspicious ring。
〃They waz counterfeits got up by them Dutch supercargo sharps for
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dealin' with the Injins and cannibals and South Sea heathens ez bows
down to wood and stone。 If satisfied them ez well ez them buttons ye puts
in missionary boxes； I reckon； and 'cepting ez freight； don't cost nothin'。 I
found 'em tucked in the ribs o' the old Pontiac when I bought her； and I
nailed 'em up in thar lest they should fall into dishonest hands。 It's a lucky
thing； Mr。 Renshaw； that they comes into the honest fingers of a square
man like Sleightain't it？〃
He turned his small； guileless eyes upon Renshaw with such child… like
simplicity that it checked the hysterical laugh that was rising to the young
man's lips。
〃But did any one know of this but yourself？〃
〃I reckon not。 I once suspicioned that old cap'en Bowers； who was
always foolin' round the hold yer； must hev noticed the bulge in the casin'；
but when he took to axin' questions I axed othersye know my style；
Rosey？ Come。〃
He led the way grimly back to the cabin； the young people following；
but turning suddenly at the companionway he observed Renshaw's arm
around the waist of his daughter。 He said nothing until they had reached
the cabin； when he closed the door softly； and looking at them both gently；
said with infinite cunning
〃Ef it isn't too late； Rosey； ye kin tell this young man ez how I forgive
him for havin' diskivered THE TREASURE of the Pontiac。〃
。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
It was nearly eighteen months afterwards that Mr。 Nott one morning
entered the room of his son…in…law at Madrono Cottage。 Drawing him
aside； he said with his old air of mystery； 〃Now ez Rosey's ailin' and don't
seem to be so eager to diskiver what's become of Mr。 Ferrers； I don't mind
tellin' ye that over a year ago I heard he died suddenly in Sacramento。
Thar was suthin' in the paper about his bein' a lunatic and claimin' to be a
relation to somebody on the Pontiac； but likes ez not it's only the way
those newspaper fellows got hold of the story of his wantin' to marry
Rosey。〃
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