Darker grew the water underfoot as the light from above was diffused6 to the greater depths. Dennis had gone down from the quarter-deck of the Pelican7; this, according to the soundings, would bring him to the sea-floor at the after end of the front half of the wreck8. He could thus see whether the contents of the Simpson's main-hold, aft of which she had broken in two, lay piled upon the sea-floor between the two sections of the wreck. If so, the work of salvage9 would be greatly hastened. Pontifex, in the meantime, was exploring the bows and fore10 hatch of the wreck.
Down went Tom Dennis into the depths, in a seemingly interminable descent. Suddenly a huge shadowy black mass seemed rushing at him from below, and swift terror sent his heart throbbing11; for he felt very helpless. Then he remembered—the wreck, of course! The regular "click-click" of the pumps, sounding down through his air-valves, reassured12 and heartened him. An instant later he stood upon the bottom.
He wondered that there was very little growth or algae13 to obstruct14 him, until he realized that what little algae he could see were bending far over in the grip of a fairly strong sub-surface current, which, combined with the intense coldness of the water, had a discouraging effect upon marine15 growths. The bottom was not smooth, however, being extremely rocky and uneven16.
The Simpson had apparently17 broken just abaft18 the engine-room, and the fore half lay with her sloping deck toward the shore. Dennis had come to the bottom close to her keel, and he was no long time in discovering that spilled over the sea bottom lay almost enough cargo19 to fill up the Pelican.
Having brought a line ready prepared, Dennis got the bight around a packing-case plastered with barnacles. As he was drawing it taut20, came a jerk upon his lifeline—the signal that his agreed "stint21" was up. Having no wish to be crippled or laid on the sick list, Dennis responded, and at once was hauled off the bottom.
His ascent22 was very slow, and of necessity; for a quick jerk up from the depths would ruin any man alive. The progression had to be gradual and halting.
On the way up, it occurred to him for the first time that he was literally23 in the hands of his enemies!
The moment he was in the morning sunlight again, Tom Dennis forgot his uneasiness and laughed at the terror which had seized upon him in the depths. It was absurd.
He did not go down again that morning, however.
Dennis was nearly clear of his diving-suit before the Skipper's copper24 helmet broke the water amidships. Pontifex reported that the bow plates of the wreck were torn out, and he had lined two cases; these were brought in, together with that which Dennis had secured, and were at once smashed open. The two cases from the fore hold proved to contain ammunition25; that from the main hold, two excellently packed machine-guns.
This was enough for Pontifex, who at once conjectured26 that the main and after holds of the Simpson had contained the bulk of the machine-guns, the most valuable part of her cargo. Corny at once broke out a kedge, lowered it to the stern of his boat and hung it there by a stop to the ring, then started off to the stern of the Simpson. Once laid among the rocks in the shallower water there, the crew tramped around the capstan while Bo's'n Joe lifted "Windy weather! Stormy weather!" into a resounding27 chorus.
At last it was done. The Pelican, all reconnaissance over, lay snugly28 ensconced between the two sections of the John Simpson. The off watch went below, curiosity appeased29 by the barnacled unromantic packing-cases; and Captain Pontifex fell to hard work, going down again almost at once.
Dennis took charge of the after pumps, while the Missus herself took the wheel of those in the waist. The Kanakas, only prevented from diving naked by the depth and the icy coldness of the water, were eager to try the diving-suits. As each man went down in turn, he carried four lines, making them fast to as many cases. Thus, despite the brief diving spells, in no long time the cases began to come aboard as fast as they could be handled.
When the watch knocked off at eight bells, noon, Dennis was amazed by the number of cases which had come aboard. He was dead tired, also; the constant strain of watching the pump gauges30 and keeping the air at exactly the right pressure was no light one, and at odd moments he had tailed on to the lines with the other men.
"I see you're no greenhorn," commented Pontifex at dinner, with a sharp glance at the hands of Dennis. "Where'd you learn to keep your thumb clear while hauling a line?"
"Oh, I've knocked around ships a little," Dennis laughed. "Are you going to stay in this position?"
"Yes. If the Japs come, we're fixed31 to keep 'em off both ends of the wreck. Well, think you can go down again this afternoon?"
Dennis nodded. "Sure! I'm supposed to have a bad heart, but I haven't noticed it."
As it chanced, however, he did not go down again that day, for during Mr. Leman's watch the after airhose developed a leak which had to be fixed, and the second apparatus32 was consequently out of business until the following morning. Pontifex, who took the first dog-watch, kept the one suit hard at work, and all aboard were well satisfied with results.
That night, by the light of a huge flare33 set atop the try-works, the cargo was stowed. Shears34 had to be run up over the hatchways to handle the heavy cases, and the deck was not washed down until just before the morning watch. When Dennis came on deck at 4 a.m. the ship was incased in so heavy a fog that the lookout35 was withdrawn36 from the island.
"Dis fog, maybe she keep up a week," grumbled37 Corny, overhauling38 the diving lines. "If de Jap sheep come, den1 look out!"
The stern of the wreck, which had been hidden at high tide, was again being uncovered. So thick was the fog that Dennis doubted the possibility of diving, but his doubts were soon set at rest. Corny and the skipper, each carrying lines, made a descent, and Corny returned with word that it was a "cinch".
Pontifex was still down, and Dennis was preparing to get into the suit as Corny vacated it, when of a sudden the voice of the Missus bit out from the waist.
"Keep quiet, all hands! Listen!"
Astonished, Dennis obeyed. Corny, beside him, stood with hand cupped to ear, slowly shaking his head. Nothing was to be heard, The fog was impenetrable.
"No telling. But nobody don't fool her—ah! Listen, queek!"
Dennis heard it then—an indistinct and muffled40 vibration41, too slight to be called a noise, which was felt rather than heard. It came again and again, an irregular sound.
"It's de sail," said Corny. "De sail flap-flap in de wind—and dere's somet'ing else goin', too——"
"A boat's engine!" exclaimed Dennis softly.
"Yeou, Corny!" The Missus gave swift command aft. "Call all hands aft an' tell Mr. Leman to fetch the rifles. Lively yeou!"
Meantime, she was bringing Pontifex aboard, manifestly against his will, as the signal-line testified. Dennis kicked out of the rubber suit, getting clear just as Bo's'n Joe came up the companion way. A moment later both Leman and Corny appeared, each with an armload of rifles interspersed42 with shot-guns.
"Strike me blind!" exclaimed Ericksen, pausing beside Dennis, and listening intently. "If it ain't them Japs—a schooner43, likely, beatin' up for the island under power, and all hands too lazy to take in sail! Aye, that's them."
"But it may be someone else," said Dennis. "A fisherman, perhaps."
Bo's'n Joe gave him a look of pitying scorn from his uptwisted eye. "You wait an' see!"
Rifles were served out to all aboard, Dennis among the rest, and by the time Captain Pontifex was up and out of his suit, the ship was ready for defence. Pontifex heard the news without comment; a rifle under his arm, he dispatched Corny to the crosstrees to keep watch from there, and ordered Mr. Leman to stand by with a megaphone.
"Growin' closer, sir," volunteered Ericksen. "Takin' soundings, she is."
The skipper nodded. The fog-muffled thrum of an engine was now distinctly perceptible, while the slatting of sails told that the approaching craft was not far off. The fog was thick and steady without a breath of wind to thin it out.
"All right, Mr. Leman," said Pontifex suddenly. "Let 'em have it."
Instantly the stentorian44 tones of Mr. Leman, intensified45 a thousandfold by the megaphone, blared out upon the fog.
"Stand off or ye'll run us down, ye lubbers! Keep away!"
From the mist came a shrill46 thin yell of surprise, followed by an excited jabbering47 of many tongues. Clearly the visitors were of foreign origin. Then a shrill voice lifted in English amid sudden silence as the thrumming motor ceased its noise.
"'Ello! Oo are you?"
"Very good, Bo's'n Joe," said the skipper calmly. "She'll be in the centre of the fairway, most likely—about two points abaft our beam."
Ericksen lifted to his shoulder the shotgun with which he had armed himself, and two smashing reports blasted into the fog as he fired both barrels. A shrill clamour of voices made answer, followed by instantaneous and blanket-like silence. Then came a single sullen48 plunge2, as of some heavy object striking the water.
"Ah!" remarked Pontifex, staring into into the fog as though he could see through it. "Very good, Bo's'n—you reached 'em. They've anchored, and they'll lie doggo until the fog lifts. They know we'll waste no bullets if we can't see them."
"Reached them?" repeated Dennis. "You don't mean that Ericksen tried to hit them?"
"My dear Mr. Dennis, that's exactly what he did. And some yellow beggar caught the pellets in his hide—in other words, got the hint! They'll try no games until they can see what they're up against."
"But where are they?" demanded Dennis, giving up any expostulation.
"About six fathoms52 away, I should say—not more than fifty feet, certainly." The skipper glanced at Mr. Leman, who nodded confirmation53. "They might be less than that, and we couldn't see them, nor they us. After the fog lifts—well, then there'll be fun!"
"They'll fight?"
"More or less—they'll try some deviltry on us first. Lay out some harpoons56 and shoulder-guns, Mr. Leman; we'll have a few tonite bombs ready. Corny, bring in those cases that I lined before I came up. We'll get back to work directly."
Dennis saw no good in making protests. There was no law here save that of the strongest, and Pontifex was dead right in carrying the fight to the enemy, aggression57 being nine points of fighting law. Besides, Pontifex was manifestly enjoying the prospect58, and just at present Dennis was playing a waiting game and had no desire to bring about any crisis.
There being no time for more workman-like methods, an anvil59 and a cold-chisel were brought aft, with half a dozen harpoons, and two of the hands were set to work cutting through the iron harpoon55 hafts, just behind the spear-points. Now, modern whaling is carried out almost exactly as the New Bedford whalers did it a century ago, except for a small brass60 cylinder61 fastened to the haft of the harpoon. In this cylinder is carried a tonite bomb. Whether the harpoon be flung by hand or be fired from a shoulder-gun, it carries the bomb into the whale—and that ends the whale.
The points off the six harpoons, Mr. Leman made ready a couple of shoulder-guns and loaded the cylinders62 of the harpoons with bombs. As he observed, they might or they might not do much damage, but they would make a big noise when they hit; and with this intent the weapons were laid aside to be used in case of any aggressiveness on the part of the enemy. For the present, at least, the Japs seemed to be maintaining a careful silence.
"Well, Mr. Dennis," said Pontifex at length, "I'm going to resume my interrupted job; I guess I can lay a few more lines before quitting. Who's going down on your lines?"
"Why, I will—if you think it's safe," returned Dennis. "You're not going to knock off work, then?"
"On account of that yellow scum? I should say not!" exclaimed Pontifex. "Mr. Leman will do any fighting that's necessary while I'm down; and the Missus will see to it that nothing fouls63 our lines. But send someone else if you don't like the idea."
"Oh, it suits me," answered Dennis, knocking out his pipe. "I dare say there's no great risk, but it would feel sweet if the ship left us prowling on the bottom, eh?"
Having learned from Corny that the bottom was pretty dark, but by no means unsuited to working, Dennis called the steward65. Although the little Cockney was a viperous66 criminal ashore67, he was a faithful soul at sea, and Dennis had learned that he entertained a strong feeling of responsibility while watching the pumps.
"Hi, steward!" he called. "Come and give me a hand with this suit—and bring a couple of Kanakas to run these pumps, too. Corny's busy with the lines."
"Comin' sir," said the steward's voice, and the Cockney appeared a moment later.
Meantime, in the waist, Captain Pontifex was engaged in talk with the cook, while the Missus listened.
"Now's the time, Dumont," said Pontifex, fondling his curled mustache. "Work right along aft until you get on his line, savvy68?"
"Mais oui!" returned Frenchy, his black eyes glittering. "But me, I like not this diable of a fog! It will be dark under the water."
"So much the better." And Pontifex smiled his cruel smile. "So much the better! He thinks I'm going down. Let the steward attend to his pumps—and we'll blame the steward for what happens. In this murky69 water he'll not see you coming down there—you can get on top of him and cut his lines and be off in a shot. Are you ready or not?"
"Yes!" exclaimed Frenchy, reaching for the diving-suit.
"And watch out for the tide," cautioned the skipper. "It's ebbing70 strong and you might lose your bearings if you don't look sharp."
Frenchy grinned, and unstrapped his sheath-knife.
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收听单词发音
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1
den
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| n.兽穴；秘密地方；安静的小房间，私室 | |
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plunge
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| v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲 | |
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plunged
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| v.颠簸( plunge的过去式和过去分词 )；暴跌；骤降；突降 | |
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translucence
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| n.半透明 | |
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shimmering
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| v.闪闪发光，发微光( shimmer的现在分词 ) | |
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diffused
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| 散布的，普及的，扩散的 | |
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pelican
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| n.鹈鹕，伽蓝鸟 | |
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wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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salvage
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| v.救助，营救，援救；n.救助，营救 | |
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fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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throbbing
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| a. 跳动的,悸动的 | |
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reassured
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| adj.使消除疑虑的；使放心的v.再保证，恢复信心( reassure的过去式和过去分词) | |
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algae
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| n.水藻，海藻 | |
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obstruct
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| v.阻隔，阻塞(道路、通道等)；n.阻碍物，障碍物 | |
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marine
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| adj.海的；海生的；航海的；海事的；n.水兵 | |
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uneven
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| adj.不平坦的，不规则的，不均匀的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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abaft
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| prep.在…之后；adv.在船尾，向船尾 | |
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cargo
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| n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物 | |
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taut
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| adj.拉紧的，绷紧的，紧张的 | |
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stint
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| v.节省，限制，停止；n.舍不得化，节约，限制；连续不断的一段时间从事某件事 | |
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ascent
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| n.(声望或地位)提高；上升，升高；登高 | |
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literally
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| adv.照字面意义，逐字地；确实 | |
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copper
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| n.铜；铜币；铜器；adj.铜(制)的；(紫)铜色的 | |
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ammunition
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| n.军火，弹药 | |
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conjectured
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| 推测，猜测，猜想( conjecture的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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resounding
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| adj. 响亮的 | |
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snugly
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| adv.紧贴地；贴身地；暖和舒适地；安适地 | |
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appeased
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| 安抚，抚慰( appease的过去式和过去分词 )； 绥靖（满足另一国的要求以避免战争） | |
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gauges
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| n.规格( gauge的名词复数 )；厚度；宽度；标准尺寸v.（用仪器）测量( gauge的第三人称单数 )；估计；计量；划分 | |
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fixed
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| adj.固定的，不变的，准备好的；(计算机)固定的 | |
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apparatus
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| n.装置，器械；器具，设备 | |
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flare
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| v.闪耀，闪烁；n.潮红；突发 | |
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shears
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| n.大剪刀 | |
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lookout
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| n.注意，前途，瞭望台 | |
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withdrawn
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| vt.收回；使退出；vi.撤退，退出 | |
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grumbled
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| 抱怨( grumble的过去式和过去分词 )； 发牢骚； 咕哝； 发哼声 | |
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38
overhauling
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| n.大修；拆修；卸修；翻修v.彻底检查( overhaul的现在分词 )；大修；赶上；超越 | |
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39
cape
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| n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风 | |
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muffled
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| adj.（声音）被隔的；听不太清的；（衣服）裹严的；蒙住的v.压抑，捂住( muffle的过去式和过去分词 )；用厚厚的衣帽包着（自己） | |
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41
vibration
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| n.颤动，振动；摆动 | |
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42
interspersed
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| adj.[医]散开的；点缀的v.intersperse的过去式和过去分词 | |
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schooner
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| n.纵帆船 | |
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stentorian
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| adj.大声的，响亮的 | |
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45
intensified
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| v.（使）增强， （使）加剧( intensify的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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shrill
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| adj.尖声的；刺耳的；v尖叫 | |
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jabbering
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| v.急切而含混不清地说( jabber的现在分词 )；急促兴奋地说话；结结巴巴 | |
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48
sullen
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| adj.愠怒的，闷闷不乐的，(天气等)阴沉的 | |
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49
guffawed
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| v.大笑，狂笑( guffaw的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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50
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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51
diabolical
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| adj.恶魔似的，凶暴的 | |
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52
fathoms
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| 英寻( fathom的名词复数 ) | |
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53
confirmation
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| n.证实，确认，批准 | |
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54
caressed
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| 爱抚或抚摸…( caress的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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55
harpoon
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| n.鱼叉；vt.用鱼叉叉，用鱼叉捕获 | |
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56
harpoons
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| n.鱼镖，鱼叉( harpoon的名词复数 )v.鱼镖，鱼叉( harpoon的第三人称单数 ) | |
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57
aggression
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| n.进攻，侵略，侵犯，侵害 | |
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prospect
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| n.前景，前途；景色，视野 | |
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59
anvil
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| n.铁钻 | |
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brass
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| n.黄铜；黄铜器，铜管乐器 | |
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cylinder
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| n.圆筒，柱(面)，汽缸 | |
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cylinders
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| n.圆筒( cylinder的名词复数 )；圆柱；汽缸；（尤指用作容器的）圆筒状物 | |
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63
fouls
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| n.煤层尖灭；恶劣的( foul的名词复数 )；邪恶的；难闻的；下流的v.使污秽( foul的第三人称单数 )；弄脏；击球出界；（通常用废物）弄脏 | |
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64
grunted
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| （猪等）作呼噜声( grunt的过去式和过去分词 )； （指人）发出类似的哼声； 咕哝着说 | |
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65
steward
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| n.乘务员，服务员；看管人；膳食管理员 | |
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66
viperous
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| adj.有毒的，阴险的 | |
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ashore
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| adv.在(向)岸上，上岸 | |
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savvy
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| v.知道，了解；n.理解能力，机智，悟性；adj.有见识的，懂实际知识的，通情达理的 | |
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69
murky
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| adj.黑暗的，朦胧的；adv.阴暗地，混浊地；n.阴暗；昏暗 | |
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70
ebbing
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| （指潮水）退( ebb的现在分词 )； 落； 减少； 衰落 | |
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