rs.undertheandes-第48部分

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！


　Over　this　framework　we　stretched　the　large　piece　of　hide　so　that　the　ends　met　on　top；　near　the　middle。　The　bottom　was　thus　absolutely　watertight。　We　folded　the　corners　in　and　caught　them　up　with　strips　over　the　top。　Then；　with　longer　strips；　we　fastened　up　the　sides；　passing　the　strips　back　and　forth　across　the　top；　from　side　to　side；　having　first　similarly　secured　the　two　ends。　As　a　final　precaution；　we　passed　broader　strips　around　both　top　and　bottom；　lashing　them　together　in　the　center　of　the　top。　And　there　was　our　raft；　twelve　feet　square；　over　a　foot　deep；　water…tight　as　a　town　drunkard；　and　weighing　not　more　than　a　hundred　pounds。　It　has　taken　me　two　minutes　to　tell　it；　it　took　us　two　weeks　to　do　it。
　But　we　discovered　immediately　that　the　four　beams　on　the　sides　and　ends　were　not　enough；　for　Desiree's　weight　alone　caused　the　skin　to　sag　clear　through　in　the　center；　though　we　had　stretched　it　as　tightly　as　possible。　We　were　forced　to　unlash　all　the　strips　running　from　side　to　side　and　insert　supports；　made　of　smaller　bones；　across　the　middle　each　way。　These　we　reinforced　on　their　ends　with　the　thickest　hide　we　could　find；　that　they　might　not　puncture　the　bottom。　After　that　it　was　fairly　firm；　though　its　sea…worthiness　was　not　improved；　it　was　much　easier　to　navigate　than　it　would　have　been　before。
　For　oars　we　took　the　lower　ends　of　the　backbones　of　the　two　smaller　fish　and　covered　them　with　hide。　They　were　about　five　feet　long　and　quite　heavy；　but　we　intended　to　use　them　more　for　the　purpose　of　steering　than　for　propulsion。　The　current　of　the　stream　would　attend　to　that　for　us。
　Near　the　center　of　the　raft　we　arranged　a　pile　of　the　skins　of　the　water…pigs　for　Desiree；　a　seat　by　no　means　unfortable。　The　strips　which　ran　back　and　forth　across　the　top　afforded　a　hold　as　security　against　the　tossing　of　the　craft；　but　for　her　feet　we　arranged　two　other　strips　to　pass　over　her　ankles　what　time　she　rested。　This　was　an　extreme　precaution；　for　we　did　not　expect　the　journey　to　be　a　long　one。
　Finally　we　loaded　on　our　provisions…about　thirty　pounds　of　the　meat　of　the　fish　and　water…pigs；　wrapping　it　securely　in　two　or　three　of　the　skins　and　strapping　them　firmly　to　the　top。
　〃And　now；〃　said　I；　testing　the　strips　on　the　corners　for　the　last　time；　〃all　we　need　is　a　name　for　her　and　a　bottle　of　wine。〃
　〃And　a　homeward…bound　pennant；〃　put　in　Harry。
　〃The　name　is　easy　enough；〃　said　Desiree。　〃I　hereby　christen　her　Clarte　du　Soleil。〃
　〃Which　means？〃　asked　Harry；　whose　French　came　only　in　spots。
　〃Sunshine；〃　I　told　him。　〃Presumably　after　the　glorious　King　of　the　Incas；　who　calls　himself　the　Child　of　the　Sun。　But　it's　a　good　name。　May　Heaven　grant　that　it　takes　us　there！〃
　〃I　think　we　ought　to　take　more　grub；〃　said　Harry…an　observation　which　he　had　made　not　less　than　fifty　times　in　the　preceding　fifty　minutes。　He　received　no　support　and　grumbled　to　himself　something　about　the　horrible　waste　of　leaving　so　much　behind。
　Why　it　was　I　don't　know；　but　we　were　fully　persuaded　that　we　were　about　to　say　good…by　forever　to　this　underground　world　and　its　dangers。　Somehow；　we　had　coaxed　ourselves　into　the　belief　that　success　was　certain；　it　was　as　though　we　had　seen　the　sunlight　streaming　in　from　the　farther　end　of　the　arched　tunnel　into　which　the　stream　disappeared。　There　was　an　assurance　about　the　words　of　each　that　strengthened　this　feeling　in　the　others；　and　hope　had　shut　out　all　thought　of　failure　as　we　prepared　to　launch　our　craft。
　It　took　us　some　time　to　get　it　to　the　edge　of　the　water；　though　it　was　close　by；　for　we　handled　it　with　extreme　care；　that　it　might　not　be　torn　on　the　rocks。　Altogether；　with　the　provisions；　it　weighed　close　to　one　hundred　and　fifty　pounds。
　We　were　by　no　means　sure　that　the　thing　would　carry　us；　and　when　once　we　had　reached　the　water　we　forgot　caution　in　our　haste　to　try　it。　We　held　it　at　the　edge　while　Desiree　arranged　herself　on　the　pile　of　skins。　The　spears　lay　across　at　her　feet；　strapped　down　for　security。
　Harry　stepped　across　to　the　farther　edge　of　the　raft。
　〃Ready！〃　he　called；　and　I　shoved　off；　wading　behind。　When　the　water　was　up　to　my　knees　I　climbed　aboard　and　picked　up　my　oar。
　〃By　all　the　nine　gods；　look　at　her！〃　cried　Harry　in　huge　delight。　〃She　takes　about　three　inches！　Man；　she'd　carry　an　army！〃
　〃Allons！〃　cried　Desiree；　with　gay　laughter。　〃C'est　Perfection！〃
　〃Couldn't　be　better；〃　I　agreed；　〃but　watch　yourself；　Hal。
　When　we　get　into　the　current　things　are　going　to　begin　to　happen。
　If　it　weren't　for　the　beastly　darkness　'twould　be　easy　enough。　As　it　is；　one　little　rock　the　size　of　your　head　could　send　us　to　the　bottom。〃
　We　were　still　near　the　bank；　working　our　way　out　slowly。
　Harry　and　I　had　to　maintain　positions　equidistant　from　the　center　in　order　to　keep　the　raft　balanced；　hence　I　had　to　push　her　out　alone。
　Considering　her　bulk；　she　answered　to　the　oar　very　well。
　Another　five　minutes　and　we　were　near　the　middle　of　the　stream。　At　that　point　there　was　but　little　current　and　we　drifted　slowly。　Harry　went　to　the　bow；　while　I　took　up　a　position　on　the　stern…if　I　may　use　such　terms　for　such　a　craft…directly　behind　Desiree。　We　figured　that　we　were　then　about　a　mile　from　the　Point　where　the　stream　left　the　cavern。
　Gradually；　as　the　stream　narrowed；　the　strength　of　the　current　increased。　Still　it　was　smooth；　and　the　raft　sailed　along　without　a　tremor。　Once　or　twice；　caught　by　some　trick　of　the　current；　she　turned　half　round；　poking　her　nose　ahead；　but　she　soon　righted　herself。
　The　water　began　to　curl　up　on　the　sides　as　we　were　carried　more　and　more　swiftly　onward；　with　a　low　murmur　that　was　music　to　us。　The　stream　became　so　narrow　that　we　could　see　the　bank　on　either　side；　though　dimly；　and　I　knew　we　were　approaching　the　exit。
　I　called　to　Harry：　〃Keep　her　off　to　the　right　as　we　make　the　turn！〃　and　he　answered：　〃Aye；　aye；　sir！〃　with　a　wave　of　the　hand。
　This；　at　least；　was　action　with　a　purpose。
　Another　minute　and　we　saw　the　arch　directly　ahead　of　us；　round　a　bend　in　the　stream。　The　strength　of　the　current　carried　us　toward　the　off　bank；　but　we　plied　our　oars　desperately　and　well；　and　managed　to　keep　fairly　well　in　to　the　end　of　the　curve。
　We　missed　the　wall　of　the　tunnel…black；　grim　rock　that　would　have　dashed　out　our　brains…by　about　ten　feet；　and　were　swept　forward　under　the　arch；　on　our　way…so　we　thought…to　the　land　of　sunshine。
　
　Chapter　XX。
　AN　INCA　SPEAR。
　
　Here　I　might　most　appropriately　insert　a　paragraph　on　the　vanity　of　human　wishes　and　endeavor。　But　events；　they　say；　speak　for　themselves；　and　still；　for　my　own　part；　I　prefer　the　philosopher　to　the　historian。　Mental　digestion　is　a　wearisome　task；　you　are　wele　to　it。
　To　the　story。　As　I　have　said；　we　missed　the　wall　of　the　tunnel　by　a　scant　ten　feet；　and　we　kept　on　missing　it。　Once　under　the　arch；　our　raft　developed　a　most　stubborn　inclination　to　bump　up　against　the　rocky　banks　instead　of　staying　properly　in　the　middle　of　the　current；　as　it　should。
　First　to　one　side；　then　to　the　other；　it　swung；　while　Harry　and　I　kept　it　off　with　our　oars；　often　missing　a　collision　by　inches。　But　at　least　the　banks　were　smooth　and　level；　and　as　long　as　the　stream　itself　remained　clear　of　obstruction　there　was　but　little　real　danger。
　The　current　was　not　nearly　so　swift　as　I　had　expected　it　would　be。　In　the　semidarkness　it　was　difficult　to　calculate　our　rate　of　speed；　but　I　judged　that　we　were　moving　at　about　six　or　seven　miles　an　hour。
　We　had　gone　perhaps　three　miles　when　we　came　to　a　sharp　bend　in　the　stream；　to　the　left；　almost　at　a　right　angle。　Harry；　at　the　bow；　was　supposed　to　be　on　the　lookout；　but　he　failed　to　see　it　until　we　were　already　caught　in　its　whirl。
　Then　he　gave　a　cry　of　alarm；　and　together　we　swung　the　raft　to　the　left；　avoiding　the　right　bank　of　the　curve　by　less　than　a　foot。
　Once　safely　past；　I　sent　Harry　to　the　stern　and　took　the　bow　myself；　which　brought　down　upon　him　a　deal　of　keen　banter　from　Desiree。
　There　the　tunnel　widened；　and　the　raft　began　to　glide　easily　onward；　without　any　of　its　sudden　dashes　to　right　or　left。　I　rested　on　my　oar；　gazing　intently　ahead；　at　the　best　I　could　make　out　the　walls　a　hundred　yards　ahead；　and　but　dimly。　All　was