暗黑小说

PART IV The Stockade（第2页）

stillnoreply。

"gray，"resumedmr。sllett，alittlelouder，"iamleavingthisship，andiorderyoutofollowyourcaptain。iknowyouareagoodmanatbottom，andidaresaynotoneofthelotofyousasbadashemakesout。ihavemywatchhereinmyhand;igiveyouthirtysecondstojoinmein。"

therewasapause。

"e，myfinefellow，"continuedthecaptain;"donthangsolonginstays。imriskingmylifeandthelivesofthesegoodgentlemeneverysecond。"

therewasasuddenscuffle，asoundofblows，andoutburstabrahamgraywithaknifecutonthesideofthecheek，andcamerunningtothecaptainlikeadogtothewhistle。

"imwithyou，sir，"saidhe。

andthenextmentheandthecaptainhaddroppedaboardofus，andwehadshovedoffandgivenway。

wewereclearoutoftheship，butnotyetashoreinourstockade。

chapter17narrativecontinuedbythedoctor:thejolly-boatslasttrip

hisfifthtripwasquitedifferentfromanyoftheothers。inthefirstplace，thelittlegallipotofaboatthatwewereinwasgravelyoverloaded。fivegrownmen，andthreeofthem—trelawney，redruth，andthecaptain—oversixfeethigh，wasalreadyrethanshewasmeanttocarry。addtothatthepowder，pork，andbread-bags。thegunwalewaslippingastern。severaltimesweshippedalittlewater，andmybreechesandthetailsofmycoatwereallsoakingwetbeforewehadgonea混dredyards。

thecaptainmadeustrimtheboat，andwegothertoliealittlereevenly。allthesame，wewereafraidtobreathe。

inthesecondplace，theebbwasnowmaking—astrongripplingcurrentrunningwestwardthroughthebasin，andthensouthardandseawarddownthestraitsbywhichwehadenteredintherning。eventherippleswereadangertoouroverloadedcraft，buttheworstofitwasthatweweresweptoutofourtruecourseandawayfrourproperlanding-placebehindthepoint。ifweletthecurrenthaveitswayweshouldeashorebesidethegigs，wherethepiratesmightappearatanyment。

"icannotkeepherheadforthestockade，sir，"saiditothecaptain。iwassteering，whileheandredruth，twofreshmen，wereattheoars。"thetidekeepswashingherdown。couldyoupullalittlestronger?"

"notwithoutswampingtheboat，"saidhe。"youmustbearup，sir，ifyouplease—bearupuntilyouseeyouregaining。"

itriedandfoundbyexperimentthatthetidekeptsweepinguswestwarduntilihadlaidherheaddueeast，orjustaboutrightanglestothewayweoughttogo。

"wellnevergetashoreatthisrate，"saidi。

"ifitstheonlycoursethatwecanlie，sir，wemustevenlieit，"returnedthecaptain。"wemustkeepupstreayousee，sir，"hewenton，"ifoncewedroppedtoleewardofthelanding-place，itshardtosaywhereweshouldgetashore，besidesthechanceofbeingboardedbythegigs;whereas，thewaywegothecurrentmustslacken，andthenwecandodgebackalongtheshore。"

"thecurrentslessaready，sir，"saidthemangray，whowassitinthefore-sheets;"youcaneaseheroffabit。"

"thankyou，myman，"saidi，quiteasifnothinghadhappened，forwehadallquietlymadeupourmindstotreathimlikeoneofourselves。

suddenlythecaptainspokeupagain，andithoughthisvoicewasalittlechanged。

"thegun!"saidhe。

"ihavethoughtofthat，"saidi，forimadesurehewasthinkingofabombardmentofthefort。"theycouldnevergetthegunashore，andiftheydid，theycouldneverhaulitthroughthewoods。"

"lookastern，doctor，"repliedthecaptain。

wehadentirelyforgottenthelongnine;andthere，toourhorror，werethefiveroguesbusyabouther，getoffherjacket，astheycalledthestouttarpaulincoverunderwhichshesailed。notonlythat，butitflashedintomymindatthesamementthattheround-shotandthepowderforthegunhadbeenleftbehind，andastrokewithanaxewouldputitallintothepossessionoftheevilonesabroad。

"israelwasflintsgunner，"saidgrayhoarsely。

atanyrisk，weputtheboatsheaddirectforthelanding-place。bythistimewehadgotsofaroutoftherunofthecurrentthatwekeptsteeragewayevenatournecessarilygentlerateofrowing，andicouldkeephersteadyforthegoal。buttheworstofitwasthatwiththecourseinowheldweturnedourbroadsideinsteadofoursterntothehispaniolaandofferedatargetlikeabarndoor。

icouldhearaswellasseethatbrandy-facedrascalisraelhandsp露mpingdownaround-shotonthedeck。

"whosthebestshot?"askedthecaptain。

"mr。trelawney，outandaway，"saidi。

"mr。trelawney，willyoupleasepickmeoffoneofthesemen，sir?hands，ifpossible，"saidthecaptain。

trelawneywasascoolassteel。helookedtotheprimingofhisgun。