the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第11章
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with the assurance； and offering the information to Cleggett out of the side
of his mouth which had not been involved in his question to Lady Agatha；
〃goes by th' monakers of Dopey Eddie and Izzy the Cat。〃
〃Picturesque；〃 murmured Cleggett。
〃Picturewhat？ Picture not'in！〃 said Elmer； huskily。 〃The bulls got
not'in' on them boys。 Them guys never been mugged。 Them guys is too
foxy t' get mugged。〃
〃I infer that you weren't always so foxy；〃 said Cleggett； eyeing him
curiously。
The remark seemed to touch a sensitive spot。 Elmer flushed and
shuffled from one foot to the other； hanging his head as if in
embarrassment。 Finally he said； earnestly：
〃I wasn't no boob； Mr。 Cleggett。 It was a snitch got ME settled。 I
was a good cracksman； honest I was。 But I never had no luck。〃
〃I intended no reflection on your professional ability；〃 said Cleggett；
politely。
〃Oh； that's all right； Mr。 Cleggett；〃 said Elmer； forgivingly。
〃Nobody's feelin's is hoited。 And any friend of th' little dame here is a
friend o' mine。〃 The diminutive； on Elmer's lips； was intended as a
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compliment； Lady Agatha was not a small woman。
〃Elmer；〃 said Lady Agatha； 〃tell Mr。 Cleggett how the mistake
occurred。〃
Oratory was evidently not Elmer's strongest point。 But he braced
himself for the effort and began：
〃When th' skoit here says she wants the big boob punched I says to
m'self； foist of all： 'Is it right or is it wrong？' Oncet youse got that
reform high sign put onto youse； youse can't be too careful。 Do youse
get me？ So when th' skoit here puts it up to me I thinks foist off： 'Is it
right or is it wrong？' See？ So I thinks it over and I says to m'self th' big
boob's been pullin' rough stuff on th' little dame here。 Do youse get me？
So I says to m'self； the big boob ought to get a wallop on the nut。 See？
What th' big gink needs is someone to bounce a brick off his bean； f'r th'
dame here's a square little dame。 Do youse get me？ So I says to the
little dame： 'I'm wit' youse； see？ W'at th' big gink needs is a mont' in th'
hospital。' An' the little dame here says he's not to be croaked； but〃
But at that instant Teddy； the Pomeranian； sprang towards the
uncovered hatchway that gave into the hold； barking violently。 Lady
Agatha； who could see into the opening； arose with a scream。
Cleggett； leaping towards the hatchway； was just in time to see two
men jump backward from the bottom of the ladder into the murk of the
hold。 They had been listening。 Drawing his pistol； and calling to the
crew of the Jasper B。 to follow him； Cleggett plunged recklessly
downward and into the darkness。
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CHAPTER VII
FIRST BLOOD FOR CLEGGETT
As his feet struck the top of the rubbish heap in the hold of the vessel；
Cleggett stumbled and staggered forward。 But he did not let go of his
revolver。
Perhaps he would not have fallen； but the Pomeranian； which had
leaped into the hold after him； yelping like a terrier at a rat hunt； ran
between his legs and tripped him。
〃Damn the dog！〃 cried Cleggett； going down。
But the fall probably saved his life； for as he spoke two pistol shots
rang out simultaneously from the forward part of the hold。 The bullets
passed over his head。 Raising himself on his elbow； Cleggett fired
rapidly three times； aiming at the place where a spurt of flame had come
from。
A cry answered him； and he knew that at least one of his bullets had
taken effect。 He rose to his feet and plunged forward； firing again； and at
the same instant another bullet grazed his temple。
The next few seconds were a wild confusion of yelping dog； shouts；
curses； shots that roared like the explosion of big guns in that pent…up and
restricted place； stinking powder； and streaks of fire that laced themselves
across the darkness。 But only a single pistol replied to Cleggett's now
and he was confident that one of the men was out of the fight。
But the other man； blindly or with intention； was stumbling nearer as
he fired。 A bullet creased Cleggett's shoulder； it was fired so close to him
that he felt the heat of the exploding powder； and in the sudden glow of
light he got a swift and vivid glimpse of a white face framed in long black
hair； and of flashing white teeth beneath a lifted lip that twitched。 The
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
face was almost within touching distance； as it vanished Cleggett heard
the sharp； whistling intake of the fellow's breathand then a click that told
him the other's last cartridge was gone。 Cleggett clubbed his pistol and
leaped forward； striking at the place where the gleaming teeth had been。
His blow missed； he spun around with the force of it。 As he steadied
himself to shoot again he heard a rush behind him and knew that his men
had come to his assistance。
〃Collar him！〃 he cried。 〃Don't shoot； or〃
But he did not finish that sentence。 A thousand lights danced before
his eyes； Niagara roared in his ears for an instant； and he knew no more。
His adversary had laid him out with the butt of a pistol。
Cleggett was not that inconsiderable sort of a man who is killed in any
trivial skirmish： There was a moment at the bridge of Arcole when
Napoleon； wounded and flung into a ditch； appeared to be lost。 But when
Nature； often so stupid； really does take stock and become aware that she
has created an eagle she does not permit that eagle to be killed before its
wings are fledged。 Napoleon was picked out of the ditch。 Cleggett was
only stunned。
Both were saved for larger triumphs。 The association of names is not
accidental。 These two men were； in some respects； not dissimilar；
although Bonaparte lacked Cleggett's breeding。
When Cleggett regained consciousness he was on deck； George；
Kuroki and Cap'n Abernethy stood about him in a little semicircle of
anxiety； Lady Agatha was applying a cold compress to the bump upon his
head。 （He made nothing of his other scratches。） As for Elmer； who had
not stirred from his seat on the oblong box； he moodily regarded； not
Cleggett； but a slight young fellow with long black hair； who lay
motionless upon the deck。
Cleggett struggled to his feet。 〃Is he dead？〃 he asked； pointing to the
figure of his recent assailant。 Cap'n Abernethy； for the first time since
Cleggett had known him； gave a direct answer to a question。
〃Mighty nigh it；〃 he said； staring down at the young man。 Then he
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added： 〃Kind o' innocent lookin' young fellow； at that。〃
〃But the other one？ Was he killed？〃 asked Cleggett。
〃The other？〃 George inquired。 〃But there was no other。 When we
got down there you and this boy〃 And George described the struggle
that had taken place after Cleggett had lost consciousness。 The whole
affair； as far as it concerned Cleggett； had been a matter of seconds rather
than minutes； it was begun and over like a hundred yard dash on the cinder
track。 When George and Kuroki and Cap'n Abernethy had tumbled into
the hold they had been afraid to shoot for fear of hitting Cleggett； they had
reached him； guided by his voice； just as he went down under his
assailant's pistol。 They had not subdued the youth until he had suffered
severely from George's dagger。 Later they learned that one of Cleggett's
bullets had also found him。 Cleggett listened to the end； and then he
said：
〃But there WERE two men in the hold。 And one of them； dead or
wounded； must still be down there。 Carry this fellow into the
forecastlewe'll look at him later。 Then bring some lanterns。 We are
going down into that hold again。〃
With their pistols in their right hands and lanterns in their left they
descended； Cleggett first。 It was not impossible that the other intruder
might be lying； wounded； but revived enough by now to work a pistol；
behind one of the rubbish heaps。
But no shots greeted them。 The hold of the Jasper B。 was not divided
into compartments of any sort。 If it had ever had them； they had been
torn away。 Below deck； except for the rubbish heap and the steps for the
masts； she was empty as a soup tureen。 The pile of debris was the
highest toward the waist of the vessel。 There it formed a treacherous hill
of junk； this hill sloped downward towards the bow and towards the stern；
in both the fore and after parts； under the forecastle and the cabin； there
were comparatively clear spaces。
The four men forced their way back towards the stern and then came
slowly forward in a line that extended across the vessel； exploring with
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
their lanterns every inch of the precarious footing； and overturning and
looking behind； under； and into every box； cask； or jumble of planking that
might possibly offer a place of
