the pursuit of the house-boat-第6章

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have　been　found　had　he　not　crossed　my　path。〃

Hawkshaw　gazed　mournfully　off　into　space；　and　Le　Coq　muttered　profane　words　under　his　breath。

〃We're　not　in　the　same　class　with　this　fellow；　Hawkshaw；〃　said　Le　Coq。　　〃You　could　tap　your　forehead　knowingly　eight　hours　a　day　through　all　eternity　with　a　sledge…hammer　without　loosening　an　idea　like　that。〃

〃Nevertheless　I'll　confound　him　yet；〃　growled　the　jealous　detective。　〃I　shall　myself　go　to　London；　and；　disguised　as　Captain　Kidd；　will　lead　this　visionary　on　until　he　comes　there　to　arrest　me；　and　when　these　club　members　discover　that　it　is　Hawkshaw　and　not　Kidd　he　has　run　to　earth；　we'll　have　a　great　laugh　on　Sherlock　Holmes。〃

〃I　am　anxious　to　hear　how　you　solved　the　bond…robbery　mystery；〃　said　Socrates；　wrapping　his　toga　closely　about　him　and　settling　back　against　one　of　the　spiles　of　the　wharf。

〃So　are　we　all；〃　said　Sir　Walter。　　〃But　meantime　the　House…boat　is　getting　farther　away。〃

〃Not　unless　she's　sailing　backwards；〃　sneered　Noah；　who　was　still　nursing　his　resentment　against　Sir　Christopher　Wren　for　his　reflections　upon　the　speed　of　the　Ark

〃What's　the　hurry？〃　asked　Socrates。　　〃I　believe　in　making　haste　slowly；　and　on　the　admission　of　our　two　eminent　naval　architects；　Sir　Christopher　and　Noah；　neither　of　their　vessels　can　travel　more　than　a　mile　a　week；　and　if　we　charter　the　Flying　Dutchman　to　go　in　pursuit　of　her　we　can　catch　her　before　she　gets　out　of　the　Styx　into　the　Atlantic。〃

〃Jonah　might　lend　us　his　whale；　if　the　beast　is　in　commission；〃　suggested　Munchausen；　dryly。　　〃I　for　one　would　rather　take　a　state…　room　in　Jonah's　whale　than　go　aboard　the　Flying　Dutchman　again。　　I　made　one　trip　on　the　Dutchman；　and　she's　worse　than　a　dory　for　comfort；　furtherI　don't　see　what　good　it　would　do　us　to　charter　a　boat　that　can't　land　oftener　than　once　in　seven　years；　and　spends　most　of　her　time　trying　to　double　the　Cape　of　Good　Hope。〃

〃My　whale　is　in　commission；〃　said　Jonah；　with　dignity。　　〃But　Baron　Munchausen　need　not　consider　the　question　of　taking　a　state…room　aboard　of　her。　　She　doesn't　carry　second…class　passengers。　　And　if　I　took　any　stock　in　the　idea　of　a　trip　on　the　Flying　Dutchman　amounting　to　a　seven　years'　exile；　I　would　cheerfully　pay　the　Baron's　expenses　for　a　round　trip。〃

〃We　are　losing　time；　gentlemen；〃　suggested　Sherlock　Holmes。　　〃This　is　a　moment；　I　think；　when　you　should　lay　aside　personal　differences　and　personal　preferences　for　immediate　action。　　I　have　examined　the　wake　of　the　House…boat；　and　I　judge　from　the　condition　of　what；　for　want　of　a　better　term；　I　may　call　the　suds；　when　she　left　us　the　House…　boat　was　making　ten　knots　a　day。　　Almost　any　craft　we　can　find　suitably　manned　ought　to　be　able　to　do　better　than　that；　and　if　you　could　summon　Charon　and　ascertain　what　boats　he　has　at　hand；　it　would　be　for　the　good　of　all　concerned。〃

〃That's　a　good　plan；〃　said　Johnson。　　〃Boswell；　see　if　you　can　find　Charon。〃

〃I　am　here　already；　sir；〃　returned　the　ferryman；　rising。　　〃Most　of　my　boats　have　gone　into　winter　quarters；　your　Honor。　　The　Mayflower　went　into　dry　dock　last　week　to　be　calked　up；　the　Pinta　and　the　Santa　Maria　are　slow　and　cranky；　the　Monitor　and　the　Merrimac　I　haven't　really　had　time　to　patch　up；　and　the　Valkyrie　is　two　months　overdue。　I　cannot　make　up　my　mind　whether　she　is　lost　or　kept　back　by　excursion　steamers。　　Hence　I　really　don't　know　what　I　can　lend　you。　Any　of　these　boat　I　have　named　you　could　have　had　for　nothing；　but　my　others　are　actively　employed；　and　I　couldn't　let　them　go　without　a　serious　interference　with　my　business。〃

The　old　man　blinked　sorrowfully　across　the　waters　at　the　opposite　shore。　　It　was　quite　evident　that　he　realized　what　a　dreadful　expense　the　club　was　about　to　be　put　to；　and　while　of　course　there　would　be　profit　in　it　for　him；　he　was　sincerely　sorry　for　them。

〃I　repeat；〃　he　added；　〃those　boats　you　could　have　had　for　nothing；　but　the　others　I'd　have　to　charge　you　for；　though　of　course　I'll　give　you　a　discount。〃

And　he　blinked　again；　as　he　meditated　upon　whether　that　discount　should　be　an　eighth　or　one…quarter　of　one　per　cent。

〃The　Flying　Dutchman；〃　he　pursued；　〃ain't　no　good　for　your　purposes。　She's　too　fast。　　She's　built　to　fly　by；　not　to　stop。　　You'd　catch　up　with　the　House…boat　in　a　minute　with　her；　but　you'd　go　right　on　and　disappear　like　a　visionary；　and　as　for　the　Ark；　she'd　never　dowith　all　respect　to　Mr。　Noah。　　She's　just　about　as　suitable　as　any　other　waterlogged　cattle…steamer'd　be；　and　no　morefirst…rate　for　elephants　and　kangaroos；　but　no　good　for　cruiser…work；　and　so　slow　she　wouldn't　make　a　ripple　high　enough　to　drown　a　gnat　going　at　the　top　of　her　speed。　　Furthermore；　she's　got　a　great　big　hole　in　her　bottom；　where　she　was　stove　in　by　running　afoul　ofMount　Arrus…root；　I　believe　it　was　called　when　Captain　Noah　went　cruising　with　that　menagerie　of　his。〃

〃That's　an　unmitigated　falsehood！〃　cried　Noah；　angrily。　　〃This　man　talks　like　a　professional　amateur　yachtsman。　　He　has　no　regard　for　facts；　but　simply　goes　ahead　and　makes　statements　with　an　utter　disregard　of　the　truth。　　The　Ark　was　not　stove　in。　　We　beached　her　very　successfully。　　I　say　this　in　defence　of　my　seamanship；　which　was　top…notch　for　my　day。〃

〃Couldn't　sail　six　weeks　without　fouling　a　mountain…peak！〃　sneered　Wren；　perceiving　a　chance　to　get　even。

〃The　hole's　there；　just　the　same；〃　said　Charon。　　〃Maybe　she　was　a　centreboard；　sad　that's　where　you　kept　the　board。〃

〃The　hole　is　there　because　it　was　worn　there　by　one　of　the　elephants；〃　retorted　Noah。　　〃You　get　a　beast　like　the　elephant　shuffling　one　of　his　fore…feet　up　and　down；　up　and　down；　a　plank　for　twenty…four　hours　a　day　for　forty　days　in　one　of　your　boats；　and　see　where　your　boat　would　be。〃

〃Thanks；〃　said　Charon；　calmly。　　〃But　the　elephants　don't　patronize　my　line。　　All　the　elephants　I've　ever　seen　in　Hades　waded　over；　except　Jumbo；　and　he　reached　his　trunk　across；　fastened　on　to　a　tree　limb　with　it；　and　swung　himself　over。　　However；　the　Ark　isn't　at　all　what　you　want；　unless　you　are　going　to　man　her　with　a　lot　of　centaurs。　　If　that's　your　intention；　I'd　charter　her；　the　accommodations　are　just　the　thing　for　a　crew　of　that　kind。〃

〃Well；　what　do　you　suggest？〃　asked　Raleigh；　somewhat　impatiently。　〃You've　told　us　what　we　can't　do。　　Now　tell　us　what　we　can　do。〃

〃I'd　stay　right　here；〃　said　Charon；　〃and　let　the　ladies　rescue　themselves。　　That's　what　I'd　do。　　I've　had　the　honor　of　bringing　'em　over　here；　and　I　think　I　know　'em　pretty　well。　　I've　watched　'em　close；　and　it's　my　private　opinion　that　before　many　days　you'll　see　your　club…house　sailing　back　here；　with　Queen　Elizabeth　at　the　hellum；　and　the　other　ladies　on　the　for'ard　deck　knittin'　and　crochetin'；　and　tearin'　each　other　to　pieces　in　a　conversational　way；　as　happy　as　if　there　never　had　been　any　Captain　Kidd　and　his　pirate　crew。〃

〃That　suggestion　is　impossible；〃　said　Blackstone；　rising。　　〃Whether　the　relief　expedition　amounts　to　anything　or　not；　it's　good　to　be　set　going。　　The　ladies　would　never　forgive　us　if　we　sat　here　inactive；　even　if　they　were　capable　of　rescuing　themselves。　　It　is　an　accepted　principle　of　law　that　this　climate　hath　no　fury　like　a　woman　left　to　herself；　and　we've　got　enough　professional　furies　hereabouts　without　our　aiding　in　augmenting　the　ranks。　　We　must　have　a　boat。〃

〃It'll　cost　you　a　thousand　dollars　a　week；〃　said　Charon。

〃I'll　subscribe　fifty；〃　cried　Hamlet。

〃I'll　consult　my　secretary；〃　said　Solomon；　〃and　find　out　how　many　of　my　wives　have　been　abducted；　and　I'll　pay　ten　dollars　apiece　for　their　recovery。〃

〃That's　liberal；〃　said　Hawkshaw。　　〃There　are　sixty…three　of　'em　on　board；　together　with　eighty　of　his　fiancees。　　What's　the　quotation　on　fiancees；　King　Solomon？〃

〃Nothing；〃　said　Solomon。　　〃They're　not　mine　yet；　and　it's　their　father's　business　to　get　'em　back。　　Not　mine。〃

Other　subscriptions　came　pouring　in；　and　it　was　not　long　before　everybody　save　Shylock　had　put　his　name　down　for　something。　　This　some　one　of　the　more　quick…witted　of　the　spirits　soon　observed；　and；　with　reckless　disregard　of　the　feelings　of　the　Merchant　of　Venice；　began　to　call；　〃Shylock！　　Shylock！　　How　much？〃

The　Merchant　tried　to　leave　the　pier；　but　his　path　was　blocked。