the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第31章
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was expressed in every line of her figure。
〃H'm；〃 mused the detective； flushing slightly； and Watson Bard and
Barton Ward also colored a little； and looked hacked。 They glanced
furtively at Lady Agatha； to see if she too might be offended。
〃Proceed； Mr。 Barnstable；〃 she said a little impatiently。 〃Bunions
don't bother me； either mentally or physically。 I am familiar with the
idea of bunions。 There are many bunions in the Claiborne family。〃
〃On his bunion foot； crippling him；〃 resumed the detective； reassured。
〃The storm came up； and still the gunmen fled； and still Reginald
Maltravers pursued。 I suppose； since you saw them on the west side of
the canal； Mr。 Cleggett； that they had run around the north end of it。
Probably； while you and Logan Black were fighting； they were running up
and down in the neighborhood； in the storm； intent only upon their own
feud。〃
〃They certainly seemed exhausted when I saw them；〃 said Cleggett；
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
〃all three of them。 But if you will permit me to say so； the astuteness
with which you are reconstructing this case compels my admiration。〃
Wilton Barnstable bowed； and Barton Ward and Watson Bard slightly
inclined their heads。
〃Your skill；〃 said Lady Agatha； 〃is equal to that of Sherlock Holmes。〃
At the name of Sherlock Holmes a shade passed over the face of
Wilton Barnstable。 He slightly compressed his lips； and his eyebrows
went up a fraction of an inch。 This shade was reflected on the faces of
Barton Ward and Watson Bard。 There was a moment of silence； but
presently Wilton Barnstable continued； repressing a sigh：
〃I thought at first； Mr。 Cleggett； that you were an ally of Logan Black's；
just as you believed me to be his ally； and as he believed you and me to be
working together。 It may interest you to know that smuggling has been
one of his side lines。 There is； somewhere hereabouts； a cave in which
smuggled goods are stored。 These coasts have a sinister history； Mr。
Cleggett。 It is possible that your canal boatI beg your pardon； your
schooner； Mr。 Cleggettplayed some part in their smuggling operations。
At any rate it is evident that Logan Black transferred to the hold of this
vessel the incriminating evidence against him； contained in that oblong
box； when he learned that my agents were watching Morris's。 The Jasper
B。 has been lying in her present position for a long time。 In the event that
a sudden get…away from Morris's became necessary； it was an advantage to
Logan Black to be able to leave without being hampered with this matter。
No one； for many years； had paid any attention to the Jasper B。； with the
exception of the old truck farmer； Abernethy； who used sometimes to fish
from her deck； and〃
〃Truck farmer！〃 cried Cleggett。 〃Abernethy？〃
〃Truck farmer；〃 repeated Wilton Barnstable。
〃Is not Abernethy an old sea captain？〃 asked Cleggett。
〃Why； no； I believe not；〃 said Barnstable。 〃At least I never heard so。
He is well known as a small truck gardener in this neighborhood。 It is
true that he comes of a seafaring familyindeed； it is his boast。 But； in a
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
community where nearly everyone knows a little about boats； I believe
that Abernethy is remarkable for an indisposition to venture far from
shore。〃
〃I can scarcely believe it；〃 breathed Cleggett。
〃He does not understand boats；〃 said Barnstable。 〃That is the reason； I
take it； why he has always fished in the canal from the deck of the Jasper
B。 〃
〃Abernethy is a gallant man；〃 said Cleggett； rather sternly。 〃And
even although he may have had little actual seafaring experience； the
instinct is in him！ The inherited love of a nautical life has been latent in
him all along。 And at the first opportunity it has come out。 He has
shown his mettle aboard the Jasper B。 〃
〃I do not doubt it； if you insist upon it；〃 said Wilton Barnstable；
politely。 And from revolving his thumbs benignly towards himself he
began to revolve them urbanely from himself。 The reversal was imitated
at once by Barton Ward； but Watson Bard was slower in putting this new
coup into execution。
〃The resemblance between the two oblong boxes evidently fooled
Logan Black；〃 continued Barnstable； 〃and his men stole the wrong one。
but he knows by this time that his plan to get the box has failed。〃
〃He knows it？〃 said Cleggett。
〃From the bank of the canal he witnessed our capture of the box； and
of the two men who were making off with it。 After you had beaten off
his assault upon the ship； he turned his attention to the canal； to see if the
men whom he had assigned to the job of creeping over the stern of the
Jasper B。 had by any chance succeeded in purloining the box。 He was
alone； but he attempted to come to the assistance of his two followers even
as we made them prisoners。 In fact； we exchanged shots。〃
The great detective made little of the danger he had encountered。
Indeed； his smile became one of amusement as he removed his coat；
rolled up his shirt sleeves； and exhibited a bandaged wound in the fleshy
part of his arm。
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
〃It is only a slight wound；〃 he said； beaming on it as if wounds were
quite delightful affairs； 〃and scarcely inconveniences me。〃
Barton Ward and Watson Bard； with their sleeves rolled up； were also
smiling placidly and indulgently at bandages about their left arms。
Whether there were real wounds beneath their bandages also； Cleggett
could not determine。 The bandage of Barton Ward was slightly stained
with red； but the bandage of Watson Bard was quite white。 All three
replaced their coats at the same time； and Wilton Barnstable went on：
〃Our course of procedure is plain； Mr。 Cleggett。 We have the evidence
against Logan Black。 We must have the man himself。 I depend upon
you to cooperate with me。 I think；〃 he said； beaming at Barton Ward and
Watson Bard with an air of modest triumph； 〃that the case of Logan Black
is going to prove one of my really GREAT cases。
〃There is only one point which I have not yet made clear to you； I
believeand that is how Logan Black's men were able to enter and leave
the hold of your vessel so mysteriously。 But I am shaping up my theory
about that！ I am shaping it up！〃
〃Would it be indescreet to inquire just what your theory is？〃 asked
Cleggett。
And Lady Agatha murmured：
〃For my part； I can make nothing of it； and I should be glad to hear
your theory。〃
〃It would；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； soberly； 〃it would be premature； if
I told you my theory at the present moment。 You must pardon mebut it
WOULD。 In my line of businessand I insist； Mr。 Cleggett； that I am a
plain business man； nothing moreI find it absolutely necessary not to
communicate all my information to the layman until the case is quite
perfect in all its points。 But do not get the notion； Mr。 Cleggett； that I
underestimate the part that you have taken in the case of Logan Black。
You have helped me； Mr。 Cleggett。 When I have my secretary prepare
the case of Logan Black for magazine and newspaper publication I shall
have your name mentioned as that of a person who has helped me。 Yes；
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
you have helped me。〃
As he spoke he picked from a reading table a magazine； on the cover
of which appeared his own portraitor rather； the portrait of the popular
conception of Wilton Barnstableand began to make motions about it with
his finger。 He appeared to be marking off the space beside the portrait
into an arrangement of letters and spaces。 His lips moved as he did so；
he murmured： 〃The Case of Logan Blackthe Case of Logan Black！〃
He seemed to see； with the eye of a typographical expert； the legend
printed there。 Barton Ward and Watson Bard； slightly flushed and a little
excited in spite of themselves； seemed also to see it there。
It might have occurred to a person more critical than Cleggett that it
was he himself who had furnished nearly all the real evidence upon which
Wilton Barnstable was constructing this Case of Logan Black。 But
Cleggett looked for the gold in men； not the dross； the great qualities of
Wilton Barnstable appealed to his imagination； the best in Cleggett
responded to the best in Wilton Barnstable； if the detective possessed a
certain amount of vanity； Cleggett preferred to overlook it。
〃Decidedly；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； laying down the magazine； and
looking at Cleggett kindly and serenely； 〃I shall see to it that your name is
mentioned in connection with the Case of Logan Black。〃 And Barton
Ward and Watson Bard also bent upon him their bland and friendly regard。
Cleggett was about to thank them； but at that moment there was a
commotion of some sort on deck。
Two female voices； one of which they all recognized as that of Miss
Genevieve Pringle； were mingling in a babble of greeting； expostulation；
interjection； and explanation； and presently Miss Pringle entered the cabin；
followed by a younger lady who； except for her youth； looked much like
her。
〃My niece； Miss Henrietta Pringle； of
