the night-born-第18部分

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aviation；　had　learned　that　to　go　up　it　was　sometimes　necessary

first　to　go　down。　The　air　had　refused　to　hold　him。　Instead　of

struggling　futilely　and　perilously　against　this　lack　of

sustension；　he　yielded　to　it。　With　steady　head　and　hand；　he

depressed　the　forward　horizontal　rudderjust　recklessly　enough

and　not　a　fraction　moreand　the　monoplane　dived　head　foremost

and　sharply　down　the　void。　It　was　falling　with　the　keenness　of

a　knife…blade。　Every　instant　the　speed　accelerated　frightfully。

Thus　he　accumulated　the　momentum　that　would　save　him。　But　few

instants　were　required；　when；　abruptly　shifting　the　double

horizontal　rudders　forward　and　astern；　he　shot　upward　on　the

tense　and　straining　plane　and　out　of　the　pit。



At　an　altitude　of　five　hundred　feet；　the　pigeon　drove　on　over

the　town　of　Berkeley　and　lifted　its　flight　to　the　Contra　Costa

hills。　Young　Winn　noted　the　campus　and　buildings　of　the

University　of　Californiahis　universityas　he　rose　after　the

pigeon。



Once　more；　on　these　Contra　Costa　hills；　he　early　came　to　grief。

The　pigeon　was　now　flying　low；　and　where　a　grove　of　eucalyptus

presented　a　solid　front　to　the　wind；　the　bird　was　suddenly　sent

fluttering　wildly　upward　for　a　distance　of　a　hundred　feet。　Winn

knew　what　it　meant。　It　had　been　caught　in　an　air…surf　that　beat

upward　hundreds　of　feet　where　the　fresh　west　wind　smote　the

upstanding　wall　of　the　grove。　He　reefed　hastily　to　the

uttermost；　and　at　the　same　time　depressed　the　angle　of　his

flight　to　meet　that　upward　surge。　Nevertheless；　the　monoplane

was　tossed　fully　three　hundred　feet　before　the　danger　was　left

astern。



Two　or　more　ranges　of　hills　the　pigeon　crossed；　and　then　Winn

saw　it　dropping　down　to　a　landing　where　a　small　cabin　stood　in

a　hillside　clearing。　He　blessed　that　clearing。　Not　only　was　it

good　for　alighting；　but；　on　account　of　the　steepness　of　the

slope；　it　was　just　the　thing　for　rising　again　into　the　air。



A　man；　reading　a　newspaper；　had　just　started　up　at　the　sight　of

the　returning　pigeon；　when　be　heard　the　burr　of　Winn's　engine

and　saw　the　huge　monoplane；　with　all　surfaces　set；　drop　down

upon　him；　stop　suddenly　on　an　air…cushion　manufactured　on　the

spur　of　the　moment　by　a　shift　of　the　horizontal　rudders；　glide

a　few　yards；　strike　ground；　and　come　to　rest　not　a　score　of

feet　away　from　him。　But　when　he　saw　a　young　man；　calmly　sitting

in　the　machine　and　leveling　a　pistol　at　him；　the　man　turned　to

run。　Before　he　could　make　the　comer　of　the　cabin；　a　bullet

through　the　leg　brought　him　down　in　a　sprawling　fall。　



〃What　do　you　want！〃　he　demanded　sullenly；　as　the　other　stood

over　him。



〃I　want　to　take　you　for　a　ride　in　my　new　machine；〃　Winn

answered。　〃Believe　me；　she　is　a　loo…loo。〃



The　man　did　not　argue　long；　for　this　strange　visitor　had　most

convincing　ways。　Under　Winn's　instructions；　covered　all　the

time　by　the　pistol；　the　man　improvised　a　tourniquet　and　applied

it　to　his　wounded　leg。　Winn　helped　him　to　a　seat　in　the

machine；　then　went　to　the　pigeon…loft　and　took　possession　of

the　bird　with　the　ribbon　still　fast　to　its　leg。



A　very　tractable　prisoner；　the　man　proved。　Once　up　in　the　air；

he　sat　close；　in　an　ecstasy　of　fear。　An　adept　at　winged

blackmail；　he　had　no　aptitude　for　wings　himself；　and　when　he

gazed　down　at　the　flying　land　and　water　far　beneath　him；　he　did

not　feel　moved　to　attack　his　captor；　now　defenseless；　both

hands　occupied　with　flight。　



Instead；　the　only　way　the　man　felt　moved　was　to　sit　closer。



　。　。　。　。　。　。



Peter　Winn；　Senior；　scanning　the　heavens　with　powerful　glasses；

saw　the　monoplane　leap　into　view　and　grow　large　over　the　rugged

backbone　of　Angel　Island。　Several　minutes　later　he　cried　out　to

the　waiting　detectives　that　the　machine　carried　a　passenger。

Dropping　swiftly　and　piling　up　an　abrupt　air…cushion；　the

monoplane　landed。



〃That　reefing　device　is　a　winner！〃　young　Winn　cried；　as　he

climbed　out。　〃Did　you　see　me　at　the　start？　I　almost　ran　over

the　pigeon。　Going　some；　dad！　Going　some！　What　did　I　tell　you？

Going　some！〃



〃But　who　is　that　with　you？〃　his　father　demanded。



The　young　man　looked　back　at　his　prisoner　and　remembered。



〃Why；　that's　the　pigeon…fancier；〃　he　said。　〃I　guess　the

officers　can　take　care　of　him。〃



Peter　Winn　gripped　his　son's　hand　in　grim　silence；　and　fondled

the　pigeon　which　his　son　had　passed　to　him。　Again　he　fondled

the　pretty　creature。　Then　he　spoke。



〃Exhibit　A；　for　the　People；〃　he　said。







BUNCHES　OF　KNUCKLES



ARRANGEMENTS　quite　extensive　had　been　made　for　the　celebration

of　Christmas　on　the　yacht　Samoset。　Not　having　been　in　any

civilized　port　for　months；　the　stock　of　provisions　boasted　few

delicacies；　yet　Minnie　Duncan　had　managed　to　devise　real　feasts

for　cabin　and　forecastle。



〃Listen；　Boyd；　she　told　her　husband。　〃Here　are　the　menus。　For

the　cabin；　raw　bonita　native　style；　turtle　soup；　omelette　a　la

Samoset〃



〃What　the　dickens？〃　Boyd　Duncan　interrupted。



〃Well；　if　you　must　know；　I　found　a　tin　of　mushrooms　and　a

package　of　egg…powder　which　had　fallen　down　behind　the　locker；

and　there　are　other　things　as　well　that　will　go　into　it。　But

don't　interrupt。　Boiled　yam；　fried　taro；　alligator　pear

saladthere；　you've　got　me　all　mixed；　Then　I　found　a　last

delectable　half…pound　of　dried　squid。　There　will　be　baked　beans

Mexican；　if　I　can　hammer　it　into　Toyama's　head；　also；　baked

papaia　with　Marquesan　honey；　and；　lastly；　a　wonderful　pie　the

secret　of　which　Toyama　refuses　to　divulge。〃



〃I　wonder　if　it　is　possible　to　concoct　a　punch　or　a　cocktail

out　of　trade　rum？〃　Duncan　muttered　gloomily。



〃Oh！　I　forgot！　Come　with　me。〃



His　wife　caught　his　hand　and　led　him　through　the　small

connecting　door　to　her　tiny　stateroom。　Still　holding　his　hand；

she　fished　in　the　depths　of　a　hat…locker　and　brought　forth　a

pint　bottle　of　champagne。



〃The　dinner　is　complete！〃　he　cried。　



〃Wait。〃



She　fished　again；　and　was　rewarded　with　a　silver…mounted　whisky

flask。　She　held　it　to　the　light　of　a　port…hole；　and　the　liquor

showed　a　quarter　of　the　distance　from　the　bottom。



〃I've　been　saving　it　for　weeks；〃　she　explained。　〃And　there's

enough　for　you　and　Captain　Dettmar。〃



〃Two　mighty　small　drinks；〃　Duncan　complained。



〃There　would　have　been　more；　but　I　gave　a　drink　to　Lorenzo　when

he　was　sick。〃



Duncan　growled；　〃Might　have　given　him　rum；〃　facetiously。



〃The　nasty　stuff！　For　a　sick　man？　Don't　be　greedy；　Boyd。　And

I'm　glad　there　isn't　any　more；　for　Captain　Dettmar's　sake。

Drinking　always　makes　him　irritable。　And　now　for　the　men's

dinner。　Soda　crackers；　sweet　cakes；　candy〃



〃Substantial；　I　must　say。〃



〃Do　hush。　Rice；　and　curry；　yam；　taro；　bonita；　of　course；　a　big

cake　Toyama　is　making；　young　pig〃



〃Oh；　I　say；〃　he　protested。



〃It　is　all　right；　Boyd。　We'll　be　in　Attu…Attu　in　three　days。

Besides；　it's　my　pig。　That　old　chief　what…ever…his…name

distinctly　presented　it　to　me。　You　saw　him　yourself。　And　then

two　tins　of　bullamacow。　That's　their　dinner。　And　now　about　the

presents。　Shall　we　wait　until　tomorrow；　or　give　them　this

evening？〃



〃Christmas　Eve；　by　all　means；〃　was　the　man's　judgment。　〃We'll

call　all　hands　at　eight　bells；　I'll　give　them　a　tot　of　rum　all

around；　and　then　you　give　the　presents。　Come　on　up　on　deck。

It's　stifling　down　here。　I　hope　Lorenzo　has　better　luck　with

the　dynamo；　without　the　fans　there　won't　be　much　sleeping

to…night　if　we're　driven　below。〃



They　passed　through　the　small　main…cabin；　climbed　a　steep

companion　ladder；　and　emerged　on　deck。　The　sun　was　setting；　and

the　promise　was　for　a　clear　tropic　night。　The　Samoset；　with

fore…　and　main…sail　winged　out　on　either　side；　was　slipping　a

lazy　four…knots　through　the　smooth　sea。　Through　the　engine…room

skylight　came　a　sound　of　hammering。　They　strolled　aft　to　where

Captain　Dettmar；　one　foot　on　the　rail；　was　oiling　the　gear　of

the　patent　log。　At　the　wheel　stood　a　tall　South　Sea　Islander；

clad　in　white　undershirt　and　scarlet　hip…cloth。



Boyd　Duncan　was　an　original。　At　least　that　was　the　belief　of

his　friends。　Of　comfortable　fortune；　with　no　need　to　do

anything　but　take　his　comfort；　he　elected　to　travel　about　the

world　in　outlandish　and　most　uncomfortable　ways。　Incidentally；

he　had　ideas　about　coral…reefs；　disagreed　profoundly　with

Darwin　on　that　subject；　had　voiced　his　opinion　in　several

monographs　and　one　book；　and　was　now　back　at　his　hobby；

cruising　the　South　Seas　in　a　tiny；　thirty…ton　yacht　and

studying　reef…formations。



His　wife；　Minnie　Duncan；　was　also　declared　an　original；

inasmuch　as　she　joyfully　shared　his　vagabond　wanderings。　Among

other　things；　in　the　six　exciting　years　of　their　marriage　she

had　climbed　Chimborazo　with　him；　made　a　three…thousand…mile

winter　journey　with　dogs　and　sleds　in　Alaska；　ridden　a　horse

from　Canada　to　Mexico；　cruised　the　Mediterranean　in　a　ten…ton

yawl；　and　canoed　from　Germany　to　the　Black