An orderly had just stepped up to Ned and given the above message. Ned hastened aft at once. Such orders were to be obeyed in a hurry. As he went along the decks he wondered what the import of the summons might be.
“I’ll bet it is something to do with that police business,” he thought to himself uneasily as he quickened his steps.
The captain was seated at his desk writing, when Ned entered and stood bareheaded and upright, respectfully waiting till the captain addressed him. At last Commander Dunham looked up from his desk.
“Well, you got them all, I hear, Strong.”
“Yes, sir.”
[88]
“Excellent work. Any trouble?”
“Nothing to speak of, sir.”
The captain smiled.
“You hardly do yourself justice, Strong. A wireless2 from the shore has just been placed in my hands highly commending your work. Incidentally, there was a reward of three hundred dollars for the capture of that tea smuggler3 you trapped on the roof.”
“Three hundred dollars, sir!”
Ned could hardly believe his ears.
“Well hardly, sir.”
“Sit down now and tell me all about your adventures ashore4, Strong. I am interested in knowing the details of such a meritorious5 performance as yours has been.”
Ned, with a very red face, seated himself at his superior’s orders and launched into his story.[89] He mentioned himself as little as he could, but it was impossible for the captain not to read between the lines of Ned’s plain, unembroidered story and recognize him for the plucky6, gritty young tar7 that he was.
“Officer of the deck reports a police launch approaching, sir.”
Poor Ned! His heart began to beat thick and fast. He hardly dared to look up. Suppose that some charge should be made against him, how could he face the captain who had just been complimenting him so highly? His embarrassment9 was not lessened10 by his knowledge that he actually had no reason to fear anything.
“Report to me when they make fast,” ordered the captain. “Now go on, Strong. You had hidden behind a barrel, I think you were saying.”
Ned went on with his narrative11, but he related it haltingly. His mind was on the police launch and what its possible mission might be.
[90]
The orderly came back.
“The launch has made fast, sir. The British Consul12 and the Chief of Police of San Francisco are on board. They wish to see you.”
“Show them in. You may remain, Strong.”
Ned got to his feet and took up a standing13 position in a corner of the cabin. In a few minutes the orderly returned with the Chief of Police, a fat, pompous-looking man with a large, straw-colored moustache and goatee, and the British Consul, a tall, sun-burned man with a kindly14 countenance15 and affable manner.
After the preliminaries of introduction were over, the Chief of Police plumped out the question that Ned had been dreading16 to hear.
“You have a man named Strong on board this ship?” he asked.
“Yes, Gunner’s-Mate Strong,” was the rejoinder. “In fact, he is here now.”
The captain waved a hand toward Ned, who swallowed hard and prepared to take calmly[91] whatever was to come. What game was this? The British Consul, quite forgetting his official dignity, crossed the cabin in two jumps and seized Ned’s hand and began wringing17 it as if it had been a pump handle.
“Let me thank you, although no words can express my gratitude18,” he exclaimed, “for the noble act you performed in the Park when you saved my daughter from almost certain death on a runaway19 horse.”
“Eh? What’s this?” exclaimed Captain Dunham.
“Simply, sir, that you have in your crew one of the most modest heroes I ever heard of,” cried the consul enthusiastically. “He rescued my daughter when her horse ran away with her and would almost certainly have dashed her to death had it not been for this lad’s bravery. I want to express my admiration20 for the nation that can produce such fine types of young manhood.”
“I—I—just grabbed the horse, that’s all, sir,”[92] replied Ned. “You see on the farm I’d been used to horses and so it was really no trick at all. I hope the young lady is recovered?”
“Yes, and I have here a letter from her asking you and your companion who assisted you in your brave deed to come to dinner with us to-morrow night. I also wish to express in some more solid manner the full burden of my gratitude.”
“Thank you very much, sir,” replied Ned, “but the fleet sails to-morrow at noon and all shore leave will be stopped to-morrow.”
“Too bad! Too bad!” exclaimed the consul. “My daughter was so anxious to thank you personally for your bravery. Had it not been for the fact that your cap was picked up on the drive, we should never even have known who it was that performed such a brave deed.”
“How was that?” inquired Captain Dunham, very much interested.
“Why, right after the horse had been stopped, the two young men hurried away. But Mr.[93] Strong’s cap was picked up by a policeman on the drive, and the fact that his name was inside it made it easy to trace him,” said the Chief of Police. “And, incidentally, I also want to shake this young man’s hand. His marooning21 of that gang of rascals22 on the roof of the ‘Fair Wind’ was the cleverest bit of work I’ve heard of in many a long day. They are all in for long terms in jail, too.”
“What about the reward, Chief?” asked the captain.
“That, of course, is a Federal matter, as the smuggling23 charges are not under our jurisdiction24. And now, if I may, I would like to take this young man’s deposition25, inasmuch as the fleet is to sail to-morrow.”
“Very well. There need be no delay,” said the captain.
“Is that so? Well, in that case, Strong, I will[94] give you shore leave till midnight. You have earned it.”
“Thank you, sir,” rejoined Ned, his cup of joy brimful, “and—and, sir, may——”
“May Taylor, your inseparable, accompany you? Yes, by all means. This will give you lads an opportunity to accept the kind invitation of Mr. Bretherton to dinner. Now be off, my lad, and you can go ashore in the Chief’s launch. The steamer will be at the landing at midnight. Don’t fail to be there.”
“Oh, no, sir!”
Ned saluted27 and hastened to get ready for his shore trip. What a wonderful day it had been, he thought, as he looked about for Herc to impart the news to him!
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收听单词发音
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1
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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2
wireless
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| adj.无线的；n.无线电 | |
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3
smuggler
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| n.走私者 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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meritorious
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| adj.值得赞赏的 | |
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plucky
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| adj.勇敢的 | |
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tar
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| n.柏油，焦油；vt.涂或浇柏油/焦油于 | |
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8
narration
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| n.讲述，叙述；故事；记叙体 | |
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embarrassment
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| n.尴尬；使人为难的人(事物)；障碍；窘迫 | |
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lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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narrative
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| n.叙述，故事；adj.叙事的，故事体的 | |
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consul
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| n.领事；执政官 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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kindly
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| adj.和蔼的，温和的，爽快的；adv.温和地，亲切地 | |
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countenance
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| n.脸色，面容；面部表情；vt.支持，赞同 | |
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dreading
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| v.害怕，恐惧，担心( dread的现在分词 ) | |
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wringing
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| 淋湿的，湿透的 | |
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gratitude
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| adj.感激，感谢 | |
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runaway
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| n.逃走的人，逃亡，亡命者；adj.逃亡的，逃走的 | |
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admiration
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| n.钦佩，赞美，羡慕 | |
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marooning
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| vt.把…放逐到孤岛（maroon的现在分词形式） | |
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rascals
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| 流氓( rascal的名词复数 )； 无赖； （开玩笑说法）淘气的人（尤指小孩）； 恶作剧的人 | |
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23
smuggling
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| n.走私 | |
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jurisdiction
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| n.司法权，审判权，管辖权，控制权 | |
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deposition
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| n.免职，罢官；作证；沉淀；沉淀物 | |
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26
notary
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| n.公证人，公证员 | |
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saluted
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的过去式和过去分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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