the red cross girl(红十字姑娘)-第22章
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〃Yes；〃 he shouted； 〃this is the sort of place any one would pick out to
wait for a train！〃
In front of David's nose he shook a fist as large as a catcher's glove。
〃Don't you lie to ME！〃 he bullied。 〃Do you know who I am？ Do you know
WHO you're up against？ I'm〃
The barkeeper person interrupted。
〃Never mind who you are；〃 he said。 〃We know that。 Find out who HE
is。〃
David turned appealingly to the barkeeper。
〃Do you suppose I'd come here on purpose？〃 he protested。 〃I'm a
travelling man〃
〃You won't travel any to…night；〃 mocked the red…haired one。 〃You've
seen what you came to see； and all you want now is to get to a Western
Union wire。 Well； you don't do it。 You don't leave here to…night！〃
As though he thought he had been neglected； the little man in riding…
boots pushed forward importantly。
〃Tie him to a tree！〃 he suggested。
〃Better take him on board；〃 said the barkeeper； 〃and send him back by
the pilot。 When we're once at sea； he can't hurt us any。〃
〃What makes you think I want to hurt you？〃 demanded David。 〃Who
do you think I am？〃
〃We know who you are；〃 shouted the fiery…headed one。 〃You're a
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blanketty…blank spy！ You're a government spy or a Spanish spy； and
whichever you are you don't get away to…night！〃
David had not the faintest idea what the man meant； but he knew his
self…respect was being ill…treated； and his self…respect rebelled。
〃You have made a very serious mistake；〃 he said； 〃and whether you
like it or not； I AM leaving here to…night； and YOU can go to the devil！〃
Turning his back David started with great dignity to walk away。 It was
a short walk。 Something hit him below the ear and he found himself
curling up comfortably on the ties。 He had a strong desire to sleep； but was
conscious that a bed on a railroad track； on account of trains wanting to
pass； was unsafe。 This doubt did not long disturb him。 His head rolled
against the steel rail； his limbs relaxed。 From a great distance； and in a
strange sing…song he heard the voice of the barkeeper saying； 〃Nineten
and OUT！〃
When David came to his senses his head was resting on a coil of rope。
In his ears was the steady throb of an engine； and in his eyes the glare of a
lantern。 The lantern was held by a pleasant…faced youth in a golf cap who
was smiling sympathetically。 David rose on his elbow and gazed wildly
about him。 He was in the bow of the ocean…going tug； and he saw that
from where he lay in the bow to her stern her decks were packed with men。
She was steaming swiftly down a broad river。 On either side the gray light
that comes before the dawn showed low banks studded with stunted
palmettos。 Close ahead David heard the roar of the surf。
〃Sorry to disturb you；〃 said the youth in the golf cap； 〃but we drop the
pilot in a few minutes and you're going with him。〃
David moved his aching head gingerly； and was conscious of a bump
as large as a tennis ball behind his right ear。
〃What happened to me？〃 he demanded。
〃You were sort of kidnapped； I guess；〃 laughed the young man。 〃It was
a raw deal； but they couldn't take any chances。 The pilot will land you at
Okra Point。 You can hire a rig there to take you to the railroad。〃
〃But why？〃 demanded David indignantly。 〃Why was I kidnapped？
What had I done？ Who were those men who〃
From the pilot…house there was a sharp jangle of bells to the engine…
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room； and the speed of the tug slackened。
〃Come on；〃 commanded the young man briskly。 〃The pilot's going
ashore。 Here's your grip； here's your hat。 The ladder's on the port side。
Look where you're stepping。 We can't show any lights； and it's dark as〃
But； even as he spoke； like a flash of powder； as swiftly as one throws
an electric switch； as blindingly as a train leaps from the tunnel into the
glaring sun； the darkness vanished and the tug was swept by the fierce；
blatant radiance of a search…light。
It was met by shrieks from two hundred throats； by screams； oaths；
prayers； by the sharp jangling of bells； by the blind rush of many men
scurrying like rats for a hole to hide in； by the ringing orders of one man。
Above the tumult this one voice rose like the warning strokes of a fire…
gong； and looking up to the pilot…house from whence the voice came；
David saw the barkeeper still in his shirt…sleeves and with his derby hat
pushed back behind his ears； with one hand clutching the telegraph to the
engine…room； with the other holding the spoke of the wheel。
David felt the tug； like a hunter taking a fence； rise in a great leap。 Her
bow sank and rose； tossing the water from her in black； oily waves； the
smoke poured from her funnel； from below her engines sobbed and
quivered； and like a hound freed from a leash she raced for the open sea。
But swiftly as she fled； as a thief is held in the circle of a policeman's
bull's…eye； the shaft of light followed and exposed her and held her in its
grip。 The youth in the golf cap was clutching David by the arm。 With his
free hand he pointed down the shaft of light。 So great was the tumult that
to be heard he brought his lips close to David's ear。
〃That's the revenue cutter！〃 he shouted。 〃She's been laying for us for
three weeks； and now；〃 he shrieked exultingly； 〃the old man's going to
give her a race for it。〃
From excitement； from cold； from alarm； David's nerves were getting
beyond his control。
〃But how；〃 he demanded； 〃how do I get ashore？〃
〃You don't！〃
〃When he drops the pilot； don't I〃
〃How can he drop the pilot？〃 yelled the youth。 〃The pilot's got to stick
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by the boat。 So have you。〃
David clutched the young man and swung him so that they stood face
to face。
〃Stick by what boat？〃 yelled David。 〃Who are these men？ Who are
you？ What boat is this？〃
In the glare of the search…light David saw the eyes of the youth staring
at him as though he feared he were in the clutch of a madman。 Wrenching
himself free； the youth pointed at the pilot…house。 Above it on a blue board
in letters of gold…leaf a foot high was the name of the tug。 As David read it
his breath left him； a finger of ice passed slowly down his spine。 The name
he read was The Three Friends。
〃THE THREE FRIENDS！〃 shrieked David。 〃She's a filibuster！ She's a
pirate！ Where're we going？
〃To Cuba！〃
David emitted a howl of anguish； rage； and protest。
〃What for？〃 he shrieked。
The young man regarded him coldly。
〃To pick bananas；〃 he said。
〃I won't go to Cuba；〃 shouted David。 〃I've got to work！ I'm paid to sell
machinery。 I demand to be put ashore。 I'll lose my job if I'm not put ashore。
I'll sue you！ I'll have the law〃
David found himself suddenly upon his knees。 His first thought was
that the ship had struck a rock； and then that she was bumping herself over
a succession of coral reefs。 She dipped； dived； reared； and plunged。 Like a
hooked fish； she flung herself in the air； quivering from bow to stern。 No
longer was David of a mind to sue the filibusters if they did not put him
ashore。 If only they had put him ashore； in gratitude he would have
crawled on his knees。 What followed was of no interest to David； nor to
many of the filibusters； nor to any of the Cuban patriots。 Their groans of
self…pity； their prayers and curses in eloquent Spanish； rose high above the
crash of broken crockery and the pounding of the waves。 Even when the
search…light gave way to a brilliant sunlight the circumstance was
unobserved by David。 Nor was he concerned in the tidings brought
forward by the youth in the golf cap； who raced the slippery decks and
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vaulted the prostrate forms as sure…footedly as a hurdler on a cinder track。
To David； in whom he seemed to think he had found a congenial spirit； he
shouted Joyfully； 〃She's fired two blanks at us！〃 he cried； 〃now she's firing
cannon…balls！〃
〃Thank God；〃 whispered David； 〃perhaps she'll sink us！〃
But The Three Friends showed her heels to the revenue cutter； and so
far as David knew hours passed into days and days into weeks。 It was like
those nightmares in which in a minute one is whirled through centuries of
fear and torment。 Sometimes； regardless of nausea； of his aching head； of
the hard deck； of the waves that splashed and smothered him； David fell
into broken slumber。 Sometimes he woke to a dull consciousness of his
position。 At such moments he added to his misery by speculating upon the
other misfortunes that might have befallen him on shore。 Emily； he
decided； had given him up for lost and marriedprobably a navy officer in
command of a battle…ship。 Burdett and Sons had cast him off forever。
Possibly his disappearance had caused them to suspect him； even now
they might be regarding him as a defaulter； as a fugitive from justice。 His
accounts； no doubt； were being carefully overhauled。 In actual time； two
days and two nights had passed； to David it seemed many ages。
On the third day he crawled to the stern； where there seemed less
motion； and finding a boat's cushion threw it in the lee scupper and fell
upon it。 From time to time the youth in the golf cap had brought him food
and drink； and he now appeared from the cook's galley bearing a bowl of
smoking soup。
David considered it a doubtful attention。
But he said； 〃You're very kind。 How did a fellow like you come to mix
up with these pirates？〃
The youth laughed good…naturedly。
〃They're not pirates； they're patriots；〃 he said； 〃and I'm n
