the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第33章
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and curiosity。
Cleggett had no idea that there would be an attack before nightfall； and
at two o'clock in the afternoon he awakened all the members of his crew
who were still sleeping； ordered them into bathing suits； a supply of which
he had been thoughtful enough to have the young doctor bring out along
with the nurses； and piped them into the canal。 The water was cold； but
they came out refreshed and invigorated by the plunge and feeling fit for
any struggle that might be ahead of them。 This maneuver on the part of
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Cleggett and his marines and infantrymen seemed still more to excite the
curiosity and contribute to the bewilderment of Loge and his ruffians。
After the general bath and a substantial lunch； Cleggett called all
hands aft and addressed them。
〃Ladies and loyal followers and co…workers；〃 he said。 〃We have
passed some nights and days of peril。 And there are； I doubt not； still
parlous times ahead of the Jasper B。 before our ship sets sail for the China
Seas。 But what is sweeter than pleasure snatched from the very presence
of danger？ Courage and gayety should go hand in hand！ It is a
beautiful May afternoon； we have a goodly deck beneath our feet； and；
briefly； who is for a dance？〃
A huzza showed the popularity of the suggestion。 Washington
Artillery Lamb； the janitor and butler of the Annabel Lee； possessed an
accordion on which he was an earnest and artistic performer。 Miss
Pringle's Jefferson had with him a harmonica； or mouth organ； which he at
once produced。 Jefferson was endowed with the peculiar gift of
manipulating this little musical instrument solely with his lips； moving it
back and forth and round about as he played； without touching it with his
hands； and this left his hands free to pat the time。 The negro orchestra
perched itself on the top of the cabin； and in a moment Lady Agatha； the
five nurses； Cleggett； the three detectives； Dr。 Farnsworth； and Captain
Abernethy were tangoing on the deck。 And this to the still further
perplexity of Logan Black。 As the dance started Cleggett saw that person；
almost distracted by his inability to comprehend the mental processes of
the commander of the Jasper B。； rise to his feet in an automobile that had
stopped a couple of hundred yards away； and beat with both hands upon
his temples； gnashing his long yellow teeth the while。
The Rev。 Simeon Calthrop turned sadly away from the vessel； and；
with a sigh； went and sat in the trench； where he was soon joined by Elmer。
The disgraced preacher and the reformed convict had struck up a fast
friendship。 They sat with their backs towards the Jasper B。； and Cleggett
supposed from their attitude that they were sternly condemnatory of the
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frivolity and festivity on board ship。
Cleggett； after the first dance； sought them out。
〃I hope；〃 he said to the Rev。 Mr。 Calthrop； not unkindly； 〃that you
don't disapprove of us。〃
〃It isn't that； Mr。 Cleggett；〃 said the ship's chaplain； with sorrow in his
eloquent brown eyes； 〃it isn't that at all。 In fact； I had a tango class in the
basement of my church； every Thursday evening…when I had a church。〃
〃Then what is it？〃
〃Alas！〃 sighed the young preacher。 〃I do not trust myself！ Women；
as I have told you； Mr。 Cleggett； are apt to become fascinated with me。 I
cannot help it。 It is in such gay scenes as this that the danger lies； Mr。
Cleggett。 As an honorable man； I feel that I am bound to withdraw
myself and my fatal influence。〃
〃You are too subtletoo subtle for moral health；〃 said Cleggett。
〃But I will not attempt to influence you。 Elmer； are you also afraid of
inspiring a hopeless passion？〃
〃Mister Cleggett；〃 said Elmer gloomily and huskily； out of one corner
of his mouth； 〃I ain't takin' a chance。 D' youse get me？ Not a chancet。
Oncet youse reformed； Mr。 Cleggett； youse can't be too careful。〃
Cleggett returned to the vessel。 Miss Pringle the elder was leaving it。
Miss Henrietta Pringle was following。 Cleggett gathered that the niece
left reluctantly； and under the coercion of the aunt。
Miss Pringle the elder was about to join the Rev。 Mr。 Calthrop in the
trench。 Morality； as well as misery； loves company。 But Mr。 Calthrop
saw the Misses Pringle coming。 He swiftly rose； passed them by with his
face averted； and went aboard the Annabel Lee。 It was evident that he
believed that his fatal gift of fascination had attracted these ladies towards
him in spite of himself。 Elmer and the Misses Pringle sat gloomily on a
clean plank in the trench while the dance went gayly on。
〃If you was to ask me；〃 said Captain Abernethy； pausing winded from
the tango； strong old man that he was； 〃I'd give it as my opinion that them
that gits their enjoyment in an oncheerful way don't git nigh as much of it
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as them that gits it in a cheerful way。 Mrs。 Lady Agatha； ma'am； if you
kin fox…trot as well as you kin tango I'll never have another word to say
agin female suffragettes。〃
But as Cap'n Abernethy spoke the grin froze upon his face。
〃My God！ Look there！〃 he shrilled； pointing a long finger towards
the plain。 Simultaneously the Misses Pringle； shrieking wildly； leaped
from the trench towards the ship and Elmer fired a pistol shot。
Cleggett beheld five taxicabs； filled with Loge's assassins； charging
towards the vessel at the rate of thirty miles an hour。
〃To arms！ To arms！〃 shouted the commander of the Jasper B。
But the enemy； with Logan Black in the lead； had already reached the
trenches。 They flung themselves to the ground and swept over the trench
towards the bulwarks； twenty strong； with flashing machetes。 So
confident had Cleggett been that Loge would not dare to attack in broad
daylight that he had scarcely even considered the possibility。 It was the
one fault of his military and naval career。
〃Cutlasses； men； and at them！〃 he cried。
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CHAPTER XXIII
CUTLASSES
There was no thought of guns or pistols。 There was no time to aim or
fire。 Loge's rush had lodged him on the deck。 Roaring like a wild
animal； he carried the fight to the defenders。 He meant to make a finish
of it this time； and with the edged and bitter steel。
As the women scurried into the cabin the two lines met； with a ringing
clash of blades； on the deck of the Jasper B。； and the sparks flew from the
stricken metal。 Cleggett strove to engage Loge hand to hand； and Loge；
on his part； attempted to fight his way to Cleggett； they shouted insults at
each other across the press of battle。 But in affairs of this sort a man
must give his attention to the person directly in front of him； otherwise he
is lost。 As Cleggett cut and thrust and parried； a sudden seizure overtook
him； he moved as if in a dream； he had the eerie feeling that he had done
all this before； sometime； perhaps in a previous existence； and would do it
again。 The clangor of the meeting swords； the inarticulate shouts and
curses； the dance of struggling men across the deck； the whirling
confusion of the whole fantastic scene beneath the quiet skies； struck upon
his consciousness with that strange phantasmagoric quality which makes
the hurrying unreality of dreams so much more vivid and more real than
anything in waking life。
In the center of Cleggett's line stood the three detectives shoulder to
shoulder。 Their three swords rose and fell as one。 They cut and lunged
and guarded with a machine…like regularity； advancing； giving ground；
advancing again； with a rhythmic unanimity which was baffling to their
opponents。
On either flank of the detectives fought one of the gigantic negroes。
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Washington Artillery Lamb； almost at once； had broken his cutlass； and
now he raged in the waist of the Jasper B。 with a long iron bar in his hand。
Miss Pringle's Jefferson； with his high cockaded hat still firmly fixed upon
his head； laid about him with a heavy cavalry saber； in his excitement he
still held his harmonica in his mouth and blew blasts upon it as he fought。
The Rev。 Simeon Calthrop； in a loud agitated voice； sang hymns as he
swung his cutlass。 And； among the legs of the combatants； leapt and
snapped Teddy the Pomeranian； biting friend and foe indiscriminately
upon the ankles。
But gradually the weight of superior numbers began to tell。
Farnsworth staggered from the fight with a face covered with blood which
blinded him。 Cap'n Abernethy likewise was bleeding from a wound in
the head； George the Greek and Watson Bard were hurt； but both fought
on。 The crew of the Jasper B。 and their allies of the Annabel Lee were
being slowly forced back towards the cabin； when there came a sudden
and decisive turn in the fortunes of the fight。
Cleggett； straining to meet Loge； who hung sword to sword with
Wilton Barnstable； saw Giuseppe Jones； deserted by his nurses； tumbling
feebly over the bow of the Jasper B。 in the rear of Loge's line。
Barelegged； a red blanket fastened about his throat with a big brass safety
