登陆注册
4612400000044

第44章

When we're tryin' for a record, we'll let you know."To the Western man (though this would not please either city)Chicago and Boston are cheek by jowl, and some railroads encourage the delusion. The Limited whirled the "Constance" into Buffalo and the arms of the New York Central and Hudson River (illustrious magnates with white whiskers and gold charms on their watch-chains boarded her here to talk a little business to Cheyne), who slid her gracefully into Albany, where the Boston and Albany completed the run from tide-water to tide- water-total time, eighty-seven hours and thirty-five minutes, or three days, fifteen hours and one half. Harvey was waiting for them.

Alter violent emotion most people and all boys demand food.

They feasted the returned prodigal behind drawn curtains, cut off in their great happiness, while the trains roared in and out around them. Harvey ate, drank, and enlarged on his adventures all in one breath, and when he had a hand free his mother fondled it. His voice was thickened with living in the open, salt air; his palms were rough and hard, his wrists dotted with marks of gurrysores;and a fine full flavour of codfish hung round rubber boots and blue jersey.

The father, well used to judging men, looked at him keenly. He did not know what enduring harm the boy might have taken. Indeed, he caught himself thinking that he knew very little whatever of his son; but he distinctly remembered an unsatisfied, dough-faced youth who took delight in "calling down the old man," and reducing his mother to tears-such a person as adds to the gaiety of public rooms and hotel piazzas, where the ingenuous young of the wealthy play with or revile the bell-boys. But this well set-up fisher-youth did not wriggle, looked at him with eyes steady, clear, and unflinching, and spoke in a tone distinctly, even startlingly, respectful. There was that in his voice, too, which seemed to promise that the change might be permanent, and that the new Harvey had come to stay.

"Some one's been coercing him," thought Cheyne. "Now Constance would never have allowed that. Don't see as Europe could have done it any better.""But why didn't you tell this man, Troop, who you were?" the mother repeated, when Harvey had expanded his story at least twice.

"Disko Troop, dear. The best man that ever walked a deck. I don't care who the next is.""Why didn't you tell him to put you ashore? You know Papa would have made it up to him ten times over.""I know it; but he thought I was crazy. I'm afraid I called him a thief because I couldn't find the bills in my pocket.""A sailor found them by the flagstaff that-that night," sobbed Mrs.

Cheyne.

"That explains it, then. I don't blame Troop any. I just said Iwouldn't work-on a Banker, too--and of course he hit me on the nose, and oh! I bled like a stuck hog.""My poor darling! They must have abused you horribly.""Dunno quite. Well, after that, I saw a light."Cheyne slapped his leg and chuckled. This was going to be a boy after his own hungry heart. He had never seen precisely that twinkle in Harvey's eye before.

"And the old man gave me ten and a half a month; he's paid me half now; and I took hold with Dan and pitched right in. I can't do a man's work yet. But I can handle a dory 'most as well as Dan, and I don't get rattled in a fog-much; and I can take my trick in light winds-that's steering, dear-and I can 'most bait up a trawl, and I know my ropes, of course; and I can pitch fish till the cows come home, and I'm great on old Josephus, and I'll show you how I can clear coffee with a piece of fish-skin, and-I think I'll have another cup, please. Say, you've no notion what a heap of work there is in ten and a half a month!""I began with eight and a half, my son," said Cheyne.

'That so? You never told me, sir."

"You never asked, Harve. I'll tell you about it some day, if you care to listen. Try a stuffed olive.""Troop says the most interesting thing in the world is to find out how the next man gets his vittles. It's great to have a trimmed-up meal again. We were well fed, though. But mug on the Banks. Disko fed us first-class.

He's a great man.And Dan-that's his son-Dan's my partner. And there's Uncle Salters and his manures, an' he reads Josephus. He's sure I'm crazy yet. And there's poor little Penn, and he is crazy.

You mustn't talk to him about Johnstown, because-And, oh, you must know Tom Platt and Long Jack and Manuel.

Manuel saved my life. I'm sorry he's a Portuguee. He can't talk much, but he's an everlasting musk ian. He found me struck adrift and drifting, and hauied me in.""I wonder your nervous system isn't completely wrecked," said Mrs. Cheyne.

"What for, Mama? I worked like a horse and I ate like a hog and Islept like a dead man."

That was too much for Mrs. Cheyne, who began to think of her visions of a corpse rocking on the salty seas. She went to her stateroom, and Harvey curled up beside his father, explaining his indebteeiness.

"You can depend upon me to do everything I can for the crowd, Harve. They seem to be good men on your showing.""Best in the Fleet, sir. Ask at Gloucester," said Harvey. "But Disko believes still he's cured me of being crazy. Dan's the only one I've let on to about you, and our private cars and all the rest of it, and I'm not quite sure Dan believes. I want to paralyze 'em to-morrow.

Say, can't they run the 'Constance' over to Gloucester? Mama don't look fit to be moved, anyway, and we're bound to finish cleaning out by tomorrow. Wouverman takes our fish. You see, we're the first off the Banks this season, and it's four twenty-five a quintal.

We held out till he paid it. They want it quick.""You mean you'll have to work to-morrow, then?""I told Troop I would. I'm on the scales. I've brought the tallies with me." He looked at the greasy notebook with an air of importance that made his father choke. "There isn't but three-no-two ninety-four or five quintal more by my reckoning.""Hire a substitute," suggested Cheyne, to see what Harvey would say.

同类推荐
  • 梅花草堂笔谈

    梅花草堂笔谈

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • The Nature of the Judicial Process

    The Nature of the Judicial Process

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 太虚集录

    太虚集录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 丹溪手镜

    丹溪手镜

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 台湾通纪

    台湾通纪

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 九转金丹秘诀

    九转金丹秘诀

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 如果这样,会怎样

    如果这样,会怎样

    为什么许多我们曾经认为天经地义的事情,在这个大变革的时代,变得那么脆弱?在规则混乱和失序的时代,如何让我们的大脑跟上未来的趋势?你听说过一种心理叫“旁观他人之痛苦”吗?比如我们总是很轻松地认为AV女优赚钱容易,很轻率地对医生歇斯底里,很轻佻地把记者称作“妓者”,试问依据是什么?你以为你以为的就是你以为的吗?这些只是本书所要讲述内容的冰山一角。许骥认为真理是常识,常识却不一定是真理。绝大多数的常识都是感觉。所谓文明社会,是在常识的基础上,大家进一步建立起共识。许骥开腔不走火,用温和、客观、中立的态度告诉我们:世界不是我们表面看见的那样!每一个敢于和别人不一样的人,都有一颗强悍的大脑!
  • 第一香笔记

    第一香笔记

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 万劫之花语

    万劫之花语

    金色的曼陀罗,那是一对恋人的分离,花与落叶永不相见,花开叶落,叶落花开,生生世世永不相见、
  • 重生之贵女为后

    重生之贵女为后

    欧阳墨柒努力了一辈子,到头来却落得一场空,老天念她可怜,许她重活一世。欧阳墨柒发誓一定要将所有负她的人,一个个的送入地狱。可谁知在这个过程中,前世的那个少年郎竟一步步的帮她,让她动心。他帮她,她助他,这时间最好的爱情便是,我和你有共同的愿望。
  • 战帝系列(十)

    战帝系列(十)

    千岛盟之祸已非一日,而且有如顽疾,一日不根除,便痛痒一日,今日之事,只能算是旧疾复发,算不得新病,自然不必为之太过伤神。而有千岛盟这一对头,至少可以让坐忘城暂时不起叛逆之心,这样,冥皇就有时间对坐忘城施以釜底抽薪之计了……
  • 随身空间之农妇大小姐

    随身空间之农妇大小姐

    她原是现代豪门千金,魂附粉嫩小弃婴,身怀随身空间,器仙贴身守护,利用空间摆脱养父母困境。空间内含良田千亩,池塘万顷,灵果灵药秘籍无数…为报恩嫁入大齐第五世家,奈何相公身体羸弱,家里虎狼成群,幸得女主唯美周旋,修理姨娘,杖毙恶狼,且看聪明女主如何玩死小人,如何觅得真爱!
  • 不良赐婚

    不良赐婚

    穿越穿出恶夫一个,吃喝嫖赌抽,坑蒙拐骗偷。咱还不能埋怨,为啥,这可是皇上赐的婚,闻以蓝郁闷,天下的皇帝都有一颗媒婆的心啊。父亲一心向恶,贪得无厌,扰乱朝纲,惹得世人恶骂,成为太师嫡女的她本想低调做人,奈何处处惹人注目。大婚之日,没等来新郎,却等来了野汉子,光天化日之下让人抢自己的新娘,自己却在一旁领着众人看戏,笑得发抽。想离婚?问皇上答不答应。想出走?先给爷找了暖床的小妾再说。想寻死?行,反正你死了财产都归爷。世界上最可怕的事是有一个不良老公,另附送极品亲戚一打。老四媳妇啊,家里花销不够,你能不能先给垫下。弟妹啊,听说你爹在买卖官位,能不能给嫂子我弟弟弄个空缺,什么?你爹不做这个,骗谁呢,不愿帮忙就直说,装什么清高。四少奶奶,你的耳环好漂亮,借我戴几天啊。不在沉默中暴发,就在沉默中暴发!她本想低调为人,处处惹让,换一世安乐,然退让迁就换届不到任何该有的尊重,以牙还牙,以眼还眼,以暴治暴才是良策,看我如何在悄无声息中驯服恶夫,一手当家。这是一个忠臣与妄臣的联姻,这是一个有志女青年与一个纨绔子弟的结合,不良的组合,不良的婚姻,然,真是如此吗?精彩片断:晴天霹雳,他的媳妇竟跟别的,别的女人亲嘴了,李承浩混身僵硬,抖着手指向她:“。。。”,说不出话来。“让开。”“你你你.你不守妇道。”“没功夫跟你胡扯,人命关天,闪一边去。”闻以蓝道。一旁的公子哥们笑道:“嫂子好生厉害,亲两下就能救人,四少赶紧让让。”“再说,小爷撕了你们的嘴。”他一声怒吼,捏起袖角冲上前,朝她嘴上胡天海地的擦拭。第七十次爬床失败。“蓝儿,咱们都心意相通了,怎么还踢我下床。”“说,你今天天都干什么呢!”“.没,什么都没干。”“那个香香是怎么回事?”“冤枉啊,是她找上我的,我马上让人赶她走了。那现在可以,嘿嘿!”“不行。”“怎么又不行?”“取经还九九八十一难呢。”碰,李承浩倒地不起。简介无能,内容更精彩
  • 我们的价值观:高中年级读本

    我们的价值观:高中年级读本

    一个国家的强盛,离不开精神的支撑;一个民族的进步,离不开文明的滋养;一个公民的成长,离不开价值的引导。走在复兴之路上的中华民族,不仅要在经济建设上奋起直追,更要在精神文化上焕发出自己的精气神。 人生需要信仰驱动,发展需要价值导航。党的十八大顺应世情民意,从国家、社会和公民三个层面,用24个字提炼出现阶段全国人民价值观“最大公约数”的社会主义核心价值观,这就是国家层面的“富强、民主、文明、和谐”,社会层面的“自由、平等、公正、法治”,公民层面的“爱国、敬业、诚信、友善”。
  • 被这次快穿坑惨了

    被这次快穿坑惨了

    林晴天以为她死了,没想到她又醒了过来,本以为是重生,没想到还穿越了?那自带的系统简直就是个摆设!看着围过来的人,林晴天浑身紧绷,果然还是得靠自己。