PART IV The Stockade(第4页)
pooroldfellow,hehadnotutteredonewordofsurprise,plaint,fear,orevenacquiescencefromtheverybeginningofourtroublestillnow,whenwehadlaidhimdowninthelog-housetodie.hehadlainlikeatrojanbehindhismattressinthegallery;hehadfollowedeveryordersilently,edly,andwell;hewastheoldestofourpartybyascoreofyears;andnow,sullen,old,serviceableservant,itwashethatwastodie.
thesquiredroppeddownbesidehinhiskneesandkissedhishand,cryinglikeachild.
"beigoing,doctor?"heasked.
"tom,myman,"saidi,"youregoinghome."
"iwishihadhadalickatthemwiththegunfirst,"hereplied.
"tom,"saidthesquire,"sayyouforgiveme,wontyou?"
"wouldthatberespectfullike,frommetoyou,squire?"wastheanswer."howsoever,sobeit,amen!"
afteralittlewhileofsilence,hesaidhethoughtsomebodymightreadaprayer."itsthecustom,sir,"headdedapologetically.andnotlongafter,withoutanotherword,hepassedaway.
inthemeantimethecaptain,whomihadobservedtobewonderfullyswollenaboutthechestandpockets,hadturnedoutagreatmanyvariousstores—thebritishcolours,abible,acoilofstoutishrope,pen,ink,thelog-book,o.hehadfoundalongishfir-treelyingfelledandtrimmedintheenclosure,andwiththehelpofhunterhehadsetitupatthecornerofthelog-housewherethetrunkscrossedandmadeanangle.then,climbingontheroof,hehadwithhisownhandbentandrunupthecolours.
thisseemedmightilytorelievehihere-enteredthelog-houseandsetaboutcounupthestoresasifnothingelseexisted.buthehadaneyeontomspassageforallthat,andassoonasallwasover,cameforwardwithanotherflagandreverentlyspreaditonthebody.
"dontyoutakeon,sir,"hesaid,shakingthesquireshand."allswellwithhim;nofearforahandthatsbeenshotdowninhisdutytocaptainandowner.itmayntbegooddivinity,butitsafact."
thenhepulledmeaside.
"dr.livesey,"hesaid,"inhowmanyweeksdoyouandsquireexpecttheconsort?"
itoldhimitwasaquestionnotofweeksbutofnths,thatifwewerenotbackbytheendofaugustblandlywastosendtofindus,butneithersoonernorlater."youcancalculateforyourself,"isaid.
"why,yes,"returnedthecaptain,scratchinghishead;"andmakingalargeallowance,sir,forallthegiftsofprovidence,ishouldsaywewereprettyclosehauled."
"howdoyoumean?"iasked.
"itsapity,sir,welostthatsecondload.thatswhatimean,"repliedthecaptain."asforpowderandshot,welldo.buttherationsareshort,veryshort—soshort,dr.livesey,thatwereperhapsaswellwithoutthatextrauth."
andhepointedtothedeadbod玉ndertheflag.
justthen,witharoarandawhistle,around-shotpassedhighabovetheroofofthelog-houseandp露mpedfarbeyondusinthewood.
"oho!"saidthecaptain."blazeaway!youvelittleenoughpowderalready,mylads."
atthesecondtrial,theaimwasbetter,andtheballdescendedinsidethestockade,scatteringacloudofsandbutdoingnofurtherdamage.
"captain,"saidthesquire,"thehouseisquiteinvisiblefromtheship.itmustbetheflagtheyareaimingat.woulditnotbewisertotakeitin?"
"strikemycolours!"criedthecaptain."no,sir,noti";andassoonashehadsaidthewords,ithinkweallagreedwithhiforitwasnotonlyapieceofstout,seamanly,goodfeeling;itwasgoodpolicybesidesandshowedourenemiesthatwedespisedtheircannonade.
allthroughtheeveningtheykeptt混deringaway.ballafterballflewoverorfellshortorkickedupthesandintheenclosure,buttheyhadtofiresohighthattheshotfelldeadandburieditselfinthesoftsand.wehadnoricochettofear,andthoughonepoppedinthroughtheroofofthelog-houseandoutagainthroughthefloor,wesoongotusedtothatsortofhorse-playandmindeditnorethancricket.
"thereisonegoodthingaboutallthis,"observedthecaptain;"thewoodinfrontofusislikelyclear.theebbhasmadeagoodwhile;ourstoresshouldbeuncovered.vo露nteerstogoandbringinpork."
grayandhunterwerethefirsttoeforward.wellarmed,theystoleoutofthestockade,butitprovedauselessmission.themutineerswerebolderthanwefanciedortheyputretrustinisraelsgunnery.forfourorfiveofthemwerebusycarryingoffourstoresandwadingoutwiththemtooneofthegigsthatlaycloseby,pullinganoarorsotoholdhersteadyagainstthecurrent.silverwasinthesternsheetsinmand;andeverymanofthemwasnowprovidedwithamusketfromsomesecretmagazineoftheirown.
thecaptainsatdowntohislog,andhereisthebeginningoftheentry:
alexandersllett,master;davidlivesey,shipsdoctor;abrahamgray,carpentersmate;johntrelawney,owner;johnhunterandrichardjoyce,ownersservants,landsmen—beingallthatisleftfaithfuloftheshipspany—withstoresfortendaysatshortrations,cameashorethisdayandflewbritishcoloursonthelog-houseintreasureisland.thomasredruth,ownersservant,landsman,shotbythemutineers;jameshawkins,cabin-boy—
andatthesametime,iwaswonderingoverpoor激mhawkinsfate.
ahailonthelandside.