the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第12章
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looking behind； under； and into every box； cask； or jumble of planking that
might possibly offer a place of concealment。 They found no one。 And；
until they reached a clearer place； well forward； on the starboard side of
the ship； they found no trace of anyone。
Cleggett； who was examining this place； suddenly uttered an
exclamation which brought the others to him。 He pointed to stains of
blood upon the planking； near these stains were marks left by boots which
had been gaumed with a yellowish clay。 A revolver lay on the floor。
Cleggett examined it and found that only one cartridge had been exploded。
The stains of blood and the stains of yellow clay made an easily followed
trail for some yards to a point about halfway between the bow and stern on
the starboard side。
There； in the waist of the vessel； they ceased； ceased abruptly；
mysteriously。 Cleggett； not content； made his men go over the place
again； even more thoroughly than before。 But there was no one there； dead
or wounded； unless he had succeeded in contracting himself to the
dimensions of a rat。
〃There is nothing；〃 said Cleggett； standing by the ladder that led up to
the deck。 〃Nothing；〃 echoed George； and then as if with one impulse；
and moved by the same eerie thought； these four men suddenly raised their
lanterns head…high and gazed at one another。
A startled look spread from face to face。 But no one spoke。 There
was no need to。 All recognized that they were in the presence of an
apparent impossibility。 Yet this seemingly impossible thing was the fact。
There had been two men in the hold of the Jasper B。 They had entered as
mysteriously and silently as disembodied spirits might have done。 One of
them； wounded； had made his exit in the same baffling way。 Where？
How？
Cleggett broke the silence。
〃Let us go to the forecastle and have a look at that fellow；〃 he said； and
led the way。
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
No one lagged as they left the hold。 These were all brave men； but
there are times when the invisible； the incomprehensible； will send a
momentary chill to the heart of the most intrepid。
Cleggett found Lady Agatha； her own troubles for the time forgotten；
in the forecastle。 She had lighted a lamp and was bending over the
wounded man； whose coat and waistcoat she had removed。 His clothing
was a sop of blood。 They cut his shirt and undershirt from him。 Kuroki
brought water and the medicine chest and surgical outfit with which
Cleggett had provided the Jasper B。 They examined his wounds； Lady
Agatha； with a fine seriousness and a deft touch which claimed Cleggett's
admiration； washing them herself and proceeding to stop the flow of
blood。
〃Oh； I am not an altogether useless person；〃 she said； with a
momentary smile； as she saw the look in Cleggett's face。 And Cleggett
remembered with shame that he had not thanked her for her ministrations
to himself。
A pistol bullet had gone quite through the young man's shoulder。
There was a deep cut on his head； and there were half a dozen other stab
wounds on his body。 George had evidently worked with great rapidity in
the hold。
In the inside breast pocket of his coat he had carried a thin and narrow
little book。 There was a dagger thrust clear through it； if the book had
not been there this terrible blow delivered by the son of Leonidas must
inevitably have penetrated the lung。
Cleggett opened the book。 It was entitled 〃Songs of Liberty； by
Giuseppe Jones。〃 The verse was written in the manner of Walt Whitman。
A glance at one of the sprawling poems showed Cleggett that in sentiment
it was of the most violent and incendiary character。 〃Why； he is an
anarchist！〃 said Cleggett in surprise。
〃Oh； really！〃 Lady Agatha looked up from her work of mercy and
spoke with animation； and then gazed upon the youth's face again with a
new interest。 〃An anarchist！ How interesting！ I have ALWAYS
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
wanted to meet an anarchist。〃
〃Poor boy； he don't look like nothin' bad；〃 said Cap'n Abernethy； who
seemed to have taken a fancy to Giuseppe Jones。
〃Listen；〃 said Cleggett； and read：
〃As for your flag； I spit upon your flag！ I spit upon your
organized society anywhere and everywhere； I spit upon your
churches； I spit upon your capitalistic institutions；
I spit upon your laws； I spit upon the whole damned thing！
But； as I spit； I weep！ I weep！〃
〃How silly！〃 said Lady Agatha。 〃What does it mean？〃
〃It means〃 began Cleggett； and then stopped。 The book of
revolutionary verse； taken in conjunction with the red flag that had been
displayed and then withdrawn； made him wonder if Morris's were the
headquarters of some band of anarchists。
But； if so； why should this band show such an interest in the Jasper B。 ？
An interest so hostile to her present owner and his men？
〃If you was to ask me what it means；〃 said Captain Abernethy； who
had taken the book and was fingering it； 〃I'd say it means young Jones
here has fell into bad company。 That don't explain how he sneaked into
the hold of the Jasper B。； nor what for。 But he orter have a doctor。〃
〃He shall have a physician；〃 said Cleggett。 〃In fact； the Jasper B。
needs a ship's doctor。〃
〃It looks to me；〃 said Captain Abernethy； 〃as if she did。 And if you
was to go further； Mr。 Cleggett； and say that it looks as if she was liable to
need a couple o' trained nurses； too； I'd say to you that if they's goin' to be
many o' these kind o' goin's…on aboard of her she DOES need a couple of
trained nurses。〃
〃Captain；〃 said Cleggett； 〃you are a humane man let me shake your
hand。 You have voiced my very thought！〃
Long ago Cleggett had resolved that if Chance or Providence should
ever gratify his secret wish to participate in stirring adventures； he would
see to it that all his wounded enemies； no matter how many there might be
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
of them； received adequate medical attention。 He had often been
shocked at the callousness with which so many of the heroes of romance
dash blithely into the next adventurethough those whom they have
seriously injured lie on all sides of them as thick as autumn leaveswith
only the most perfunctory consideration of these victims； sometimes；
indeed； with no thought of them at all。
〃Something tells me；〃 said Cleggett seriously； 〃that this intrusion of
armed men is only a prelude。 I have little doubt of the hostility of
Morris's； I am sure that the men who hid in the hold are spies from
Morris's。 I do not yet know the motive for this hostility。 But the Jasper
B。 is in the midst of dangers and mysteries。 There is before us an affair
of some magnitude。 Ere the Jasper B。 sets sail for the China Seas； there
may be many wounds。〃
And then he began to outline a plan that had flashed； full formed； into
his mind。 It was to rent； or purchase； the buildings at Parker's Beach； and
fit them up as a field hospital； with three or four nurses in charge。 Lady
Agatha； who had been listening intently； interrupted。
〃Butthe China Seas；〃 she said。 〃Did I understand you to say that
you intend to set sail for the China Seas？〃
〃That is the ultimate destination of the Jasper B。〃 said Cleggett。
〃I have heardit seems to me that I have heardthat it's a very
dangerous place；〃 ventured Lady Agatha。 〃Pirates； you know； and all that
sort of thing。〃
〃Pirates；〃 said Cleggett； 〃abound。〃
〃Well； then；〃 persisted Lady Agatha； 〃you are going out to fight
them？〃
〃I should not be surprised；〃 said Cleggett； folding his arms； and
standing with his feet spread just a trifle wider than usual； 〃if the Jasper B。
had a brush or two with them。 A brush or two！〃
Lady Agatha regarded him speculatively。 But admiringly； too。
〃But those nurses〃 she said。 〃If you're going to the China Seas
you can't very well take Parker's Beach along。〃
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
〃I was coming to that；〃 said Cleggett； bowing。 〃I contemplate a
hospital shipa vessel supplied with nurses and lint and medicines； that
will accompany the Jasper B。； and fly the Red Cross flag。〃
〃But they are frightful people； really； those Chinese pirates； you
know；〃 said Lady Agatha。 〃Do you think they'll quite appreciate a hospital
ship？〃
〃It is my duty；〃 said Cleggett； simply。 〃Whether they appreciate it or
not； a hospital ship they shall have。 This is the twentieth century。 And
although the great spirits of other days had much to commend them； it is
not to be denied that they knew little of our modern humanitarianism。 It
has remained for the twentieth century to develop that。 And one owes a
duty to one's epoch as well as to one's individuality。〃
〃But；〃 repeated Lady Agatha； with a meditative frown； 〃they are really
FRIGHTFUL people！〃
〃There is good in all men；〃 said Cleggett； 〃even in those whom the
stern necessities of idealism sentence to death。 And I have
