the red one- 第25部分

you　know；　short　fuse；　with　the　end　split　so　as　to　hold　the　head　of

a　safety　match。　　That's　where　I　mended　my　predecessors'　methods。

Not　using　the　match…head；　they'd　too…long　fuses。　　Therefore；　when

they　spotted　a　school　of　mullet；　and　lighted　the　fuse；　they　had　to

hold　the　dynamite　till　the　fuse　burned　short　before　they　threw　it。

If　they　threw　it　too　soon；　it　wouldn't　go　off　the　instant　it　hit

the　water；　while　the　splash　of　it　would　frighten　the　mullet　away。

Funny　stuff　dynamite。　　At　any　rate；　I　still　maintain　mine　was　the

safer　method。



〃I　picked　up　a　school　of　mullet　before　I'd　been　rowing　five

minutes。　　Fine　big　fat　ones　they　were；　and　I　could　smell　them　over

the　fire。　　When　I　stood　up；　fire…stick　in　one　hand；　dynamite　stick

in　the　other；　my　knees　were　knocking　together。　　Maybe　it　was　the

gin；　or　the　anxiousness；　or　the　weakness　and　the　hunger；　and　maybe

it　was　the　result　of　all　of　them；　but　at　any　rate　I　was　all　of　a

shake。　　Twice　I　failed　to　touch　the　fire…stick　to　the　dynamite。

Then　I　did；　heard　the　match…head　splutter；　and　let　her　go。



〃Now　I　don't　know　what　happened　to　the　others；　but　I　know　what　I

did。　　I　got　turned　about。　　Did　you　ever　stem　a　strawberry　and　throw

the　strawberry　away　and　pop　the　stem　into　your　mouth？　　That's　what

I　did。　　I　threw　the　fire…stick　into　the　water　after　the　mullet　and

held　on　to　the　dynamite。　　And　my　arm　went　off　with　the　stick　when

it　went　off。　。　。　。　〃



Slim　investigated　the　tomato…can　for　water　to　mix　himself　a　drink；

but　found　it　empty。　　He　stood　up。



〃Heigh　ho；〃　he　yawned；　and　started　down　the　path　to　the　river。



In　several　minutes　he　was　back。　　He　mixed　the　due　quantity　of　river

slush　with　the　alcohol；　took　a　long；　solitary　drink；　and　stared

with　bitter　moodiness　into　the　fire。



〃Yes；　but　。　。　。　〃　Fatty　suggested。　　〃What　happened　then？〃



〃Oh；〃　sad　Slim。　　〃Then　the　princess　married　me；　of　course。〃



〃But　you　were　the　only　person　left；　and　there　wasn't　any　princess　。

。　。　〃　　Whiskers　cried　out　abruptly；　and　then　let　his　voice　trail

away　to　embarrassed　silence。



Slim　stared　unblinkingly　into　the　fire。



Percival　Delaney　and　Chauncey　Delarouse　looked　at　each　other。

Quietly；　in　solemn　silence；　each　with　his　one　arm　aided　the　one　arm

of　the　other　in　rolling　and　tying　his　bundle。　　And　in　silence；

bundles　slung　on　shoulders；　they　went　away　out　of　the　circle　of

firelight。　　Not　until　they　reached　the　top　of　the　railroad

embankment　did　they　speak。



〃No　gentleman　would　have　done　it；〃　said　Whiskers。



〃No　gentleman　would　have　done　it；〃　Fatty　agreed。











Glen　Ellen；　California；

SEPTEMBER　26；　1916。











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