第38章 UNDER THE DECK AWNINGS(3)

She shuddered, looked overside at the water, and made a moue.

"'Not for the world would I venture where a shark might be,'

she said, and shuddered again.'They are horrible! Horrible!'

"The boys came up on the promenade deck, clustering close to the rail and worshiping Miss Caruthers who had flung them such a wealth of backsheesh.The performance being over, Captain Bentley motioned to them to clear out.But she stopped him.

"'One moment, please, Captain.I have always understood that the natives are not afraid of sharks.'

"She beckoned the boy of the swan dive nearer to her, and signed to him to dive over again.He shook his head, and along with all his crew behind him laughed as if it were a good joke.

"'Shark,' he volunteered, pointing to the water.

"'No,' she said.'There is no shark.'

"But he nodded his head positively, and the boys behind him nodded with equal positiveness.

"'No, no, no,' she cried.And then to us, 'Who'll lend me a half-crown and a sovereign!'

"Immediately the half dozen of us were presenting her with crowns and sovereigns, and she accepted the two coins from young Ardmore.

"She held up the half-crown for the boys to see.But there was no eager rush to the rail preparatory to leaping.They stood there grinning sheepishly.She offered the coin to each one individually, and each, as his turn came, rubbed his foot against his calf, shook his head, and grinned.Then she tossed the half-crown overboard.With wistful, regretful faces they watched its silver flight through the air, but not one moved to follow it.

"'Don't do it with the sovereign,' Dennitson said to her in a low voice.

"She took no notice, but held up the gold coin before the eyes of the boy of the swan dive.

"'Don't,' said Captain Bentley.'I wouldn't throw a sick cat overside with a shark around.'

"But she laughed, bent on her purpose, and continued to dazzle the boy.

"'Don't tempt him,' Dennitson urged.'It is a fortune to him, and he might go over after it.'

"'Wouldn't YOU?' she flared at him.'If I threw it?'

This last more softly.

Dennitson shook his head.

"'Your price is high,' she said.'For how many sovereigns would you go?'

"'There are not enough coined to get me overside,' was his answer.

"She debated a moment, the boy forgotten in her tilt with Dennitson.

"'For me?' she said very softly.

"'To save your life--yes.But not otherwise.'

"She turned back to the boy.Again she held the coin before his eyes, dazzling him with the vastness of its value.Then she made as to toss it out, and, involuntarily, he made a half-movement toward the rail, but was checked by sharp cries of reproof from his companions.There was anger in their voices as well.

"'I know it is only fooling,' Dennitson said.'Carry it as far as you like, but for heaven's sake don't throw it.'

"Whether it was that strange wilfulness of hers, or whether she doubted the boy could be persuaded, there is no telling.It was unexpected to all of us.Out from the shade of the awning the coin flashed golden in the blaze of sunshine and fell toward the sea in a glittering arch.Before a hand could stay him, the boy was over the rail and curving beautifully downward after the coin.Both were in the air at the same time.It was a pretty sight.The sovereign cut the water sharply, and at the very spot, almost at the same instant, with scarcely a splash, the boy entered.

"From the quicker-eyed black boys watching, came an exclamation.We were all at the railing.Don't tell me it is necessary for a shark to turn on its back.That one did not.In the clear water, from the height we were above it, we saw everything.The shark was a big brute, and with one drive he cut the boy squarely in half.

"There was a murmur or something from among us--who made it Idid not know; it might have been I.And then there was silence.

Miss Caruthers was the first to speak.Her face was deathly white.

"'I never dreamed,' she said, and laughed a short, hysterical laugh.

All her pride was at work to give her control.She turned weakly toward Dennitson, and then, on from one to another of us.In her eyes was a terrible sickness, and her lips were trembling.We were brutes--oh, I know it, now that I look back upon it.But we did nothing.

"'Mr.Dennitson,' she said, 'Tom, won't you take me below!'

"He never changed the direction of his gaze, which was the bleakest I have ever seen in a man's face, nor did he move an eyelid.He took a cigarette from his case and lighted it.

Captain Bentley made a nasty sound in his throat and spat overboard.That was all; that and the silence.

"She turned away and started to walk firmly down the deck.

Twenty feet away, she swayed and thrust a hand against the wall to save herself.And so she went on, supporting herself against the cabins and walking very slowly."Treloar ceased.He turned his head and favored the little man with a look of cold inquiry.

"Well," he said finally."Classify her."

The little man gulped and swallowed.

"I have nothing to say," he said."I have nothing whatever to say."