【汤姆·格洛刚】（美）FrancisHopkinsonS

TomGrogan1TomGroganbyF.HopkinsonSmithTomGrogan2IBABCOCK'SDISCOVERYSomethingworriedBabcock.Onecouldseethatfromtheimpatientgesturewithwhichheturnedawayfromtheferrywindowonlearninghehadhalfanhourtowait.Hepacedtheslipwithhandsdeepinhispockets,hisheadonhischest.Everynowandthenhestopped,snappedopenhiswatchandshutitagainquickly,asiftohurrythelaggingminutes.ForthefirsttimeinyearsTomGrogan,whohadalwaysunloadedhisboats,hadfailedhim.Ascowloadedwithstoneforthesea-wallthatBabcockwasbuildingfortheLighthouseDepartmenthadlainthreedaysatthegovernmentdockwithoutabuckethavingbeenswungacrossherdecks.Hisforemanhadjustreportedthattherewasnotenoughmaterialtolasttheconcrete-mixerstwohours.IfGrogandidnotbeginworkatonce,thediversmustcomeup.HeretoforetoturnovertoGrogantheunloadingofmaterialforanysubmarineworkhadbeenlikefeedinggristtoamill--somanytonsofconcretestoneloadedonthescowsbythestonecrushingcompanyhadmeantthatexactamountdeliveredbyGroganonBabcock'smixing-platformstwenty-fourhoursafterarrival,readyforthediversbelow.ThiswasthewayGroganhadworked,andhehadrequirednowatching.Babcock'simpatiencedidnotceaseevenwhenhetookhisseatontheupperdeckoftheferry-boatandcaughtthewelcomesoundofthepaddlessweepingbacktothelandingatSt.George.Hethoughtofhismenstandingidle,andoftheheavypenaltieswhichwouldbeinflictedbytheGovernmentifthewintercaughthimbeforethesectionofwallwascomplete.Itwasnowaytoserveaman,hekeptrepeatingtohimself,leavinghisgangsidle,nowwhenthegoodweathermightsoonbeoverandafullday'sworkcouldneverbecountedupon.EarlierintheseasonGrogan'sdelaywouldnothavebeensoserious.Butonenortheasterasyethadstruckthework.Thishadcarriedawaysomeoftheupperplanking--thefalseworkofthecoffer-dam;butthishadbeenrepairedinafewhourswithoutdelayorseriousdamage.TomGrogan3AfterthattheIndiansummerhadsetin--soft,dreamydayswhenthewindsdozedbythehour,thewavesnibbledalongtheshores,andtheswellingbreastoftheoceanroseandfellasifingentleslumber.Butwouldthisgoodweatherlast?Babcockrosehurriedly,asthisanxietyagaintookpossessionofhim,andleanedoverthedeck-rail,scanningthesky.Hedidnotlikethedriftofthelowcloudsofftothewest;southeastersbeganthatway.Itlookedasthoughthewindmightchange.Somemenwouldnothaveworriedoverthesepossibilities.Babcockdid.Hewasthatkindofman.Whentheboattouchedtheshore,hesprangoverthechains,andhurriedthroughtheferry-slip.Keepaneyeout,sir,thebridge-tendercalledafterhim,--hehadbeendirectinghimtoGrogan'shouse,--perhapsTommaybeontheroad.ThenitsuddenlyoccurredtoBabcockthat,sofarashecouldremember,hehadneverseenMr.ThomasGrogan,hisstevedore.HeknewGrogan'sname,ofcourse,andwouldhaverecognizedhissignatureaffixedtothelittlecrampednoteswithwhichhisorderswerealwaysacknowledged,butthemanhimselfmighthavepassedunnoticedwithinthreefeetofhim.Thisisnotunusualwheretheworkofacontractorliesinscatteredplaces,andhemustoftendependonstrangersintheseverallocalities.AshehurriedovertheroadherecalledthefaceofGrogan'sforeman,abigblondSwede,andthatofGrogan'sdaughter,aslenderfair-hairedgirl,whooncecametotheofficeforherfather'spay;butalleffortsatrevivingthelineamentsofGroganfailed.Withthisfactclearinhismind,hefeltatingeofdisappointment.Itwouldhaverelievedhistempertounloadaportionofitupontheoffendingstevedore.Nothingcoolsaman'swrathsoquicklyasnotknowingthesizeoftheheadheintendstohit.Asheapproachednearenoughtothesea-walltodistinguishtheswingingboomsandthepuffsofwhitesteamfromthehoisting-engines,hesawthatthemainderrickwasatworkloweringthebucketsofmixedconcretetothedivers.Instantlyhisspiritsrose.ThedelayonhisTomGrogan4contractmightnotbesoserious.Perhaps,afterall,Groganhadstartedwork.WhenhereachedthetemporarywoodenfencebuiltbytheGovernment,shuttingofftheviewofthedepotyard,withitscoal-docksandmachine-shops,andnearedthesmalldoorcutthroughitsplanking,avoicerangoutclearandstrongabovethedinofthemixers:--Holdon,yewall-eyedmacaroni!Doyewantthatfallcut?Turnthatsnatch-block,Cully,andtightenupthewatch-tackle.Here,cap'n;lendahand.Livelynow,lively,beforeIstraightenoutthehullgangofye!Thevoicehadaringofunquestionedauthority.Itwasnotquarrelsomeorabusiveorbullying--onlyearnestandforceful.Easeawayonthatguy!Easeaway,Itellye!itcontinued,risinginintensity.So--allgone!Now,haulout,Cully,andletthatotherteambackup.Babcockpushedopenthedoorinthefenceandsteppedin.Aloadedscowlayclosebesidethestring-pieceofthegovernmentwharf.Alongsideitsforwardhatchwasriggedaderrickwithaswinginggaff.Thefallledthroughasnatch-blockintheplankingofthedock,andoperatedanironbucketthatwashoistedbyabiggrayhorsedrivenbyaboy.Agangofmenwerefillingthesebuckets,andanumberofteamsbeingloadedwiththeirdumpedcontents.Thecaptainofthescowwasonthedock,holdingtheguy.Atthefootofthederrick,withintenfeetofBabcock,stoodawomanperhapsthirty-fiveyearsofage,withlarge,cleargrayeyes,madeallthemoreluminousbythedeep,richcolorofhersunburntskin.Herteethweresnow-white,andherlightbrownhairwasneatlypartedoverawideforehead.Sheworealongulsterhalfconcealingherwell-rounded,muscularfigure,andablacksilkhoodrolledbackfromherface,thestringsfallingoverherbroadshoulders,revealingaredsilkscarfloosely