the cruise of the jasper b.-第13章

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bunk　in　the　forecastle。　　The　box　of　Reginald　Maltravers　stood　on

one　end；　leaning　against　the　port　side　of　the　cabin；　and　dripped

steadily。　　Elmer；　wrapped　in　blankets；　lay　on　the　deck　near　the

box　of　Reginald　Maltravers；　looking　even　more　dejected　in　slumber

than　when　his　eyes　were　open。　　Teddy；　the　Pomeranian；　was

snuggled　against　Elmer's　feet；　but；　as　if　a　prey　to　frightful

nightmares；　the　little　dog　twitched　and　whined　in　　his　sleep　from

time　to　time。　　These　were　the　apparent　facts；　and　these　facts

were　set　to　a　melancholy　tune　by　the　long…drawn；　dismal　snores　of

Cap'n　Abernethy；　which　rose　and　fell；　and　rose　and　fell；　and　rose

again　like　the　sad　and　wailing　song　of　some　strange　bird　bereft

of　a　beloved　mate。　　They　were　the　music　for；　and　the　commentary

on；　what　Cleggett　beheld；　Cap'n　Abernethy　seemed　to　be　saying；

with　these　snores：　　〃If　you　was　to　ask　me；　I'd　say　it　ain't　a

cheerful　ship　this　mornin'；　Mr。　Cleggett；　it　ain't　a　cheerful

ship。〃



But　Cleggett's　nature　was　too　lively　and　vigorous　to　remain

clouded　for　long。　　By　the　time　the　red　disk　of　the　sun　had　crept

above　the　eastern　horizon　he　had　shaken　off　his　fit　of　the　blues。



The　sun　looked　large　and　bland　and　friendly；　and；　somehow；　the

partisan　of　integrity　and　honor。　　He　drew　strength　from　it。　

Cleggett；　like　all　poetic　souls；　was　responsive　to　these　familiar

recurrent　phenomena　of　nature。



The　sun　did　him　another　office。　　It　showed　him　a　peculiar　tableau

vivant　on　the　eastern　bank　of　the　canal；　near　the　house　boat

Annabel　Lee。　　This　consisted　of　three　men；　two　of　them　naked

except　for　bathing　trunks　of　the　most　abbreviated　sort；　running

swiftly　and　earnestly　up　and　down　the　edge　of　the　canal。　　He　saw

with　astonishment　that　the　two　men　in　bathing　suits　were

handcuffed　together；　the　left　wrist　of　one　to　the　right　wrist　of

the　other。　　A　rope　was　tied　to　the　handcuffs；　and　the　other　end

of　it　was　held　by　the　third　man；　who　was　dressed　in　ordinary

tweeds。　　The　third　man　had　a　magazine　rifle　over　one　shoulder。　

He　followed　about　twenty　feet　behind　the　two　men　in　bathing　suits

and　drove　them。



Cleggett　perceived　that　the　man　who　was　doing　the　driving　was　the

same　who　had　watched　the　Jasper　B。　so　persistently　the　day　before

from　the　deck　of　the　Annabel　Lee。　　He　was　middle…sized；　and

inclined　to　be　stout；　and　yet　he　followed　his　strange　team　with

no　apparent　effort。　　Cleggett　saw　through　the　glass　that　he　had　a

rather　heavy　black　mustache；　and　was　again　struck　by　something

vaguely　familiar　about　him。　　The　two　men　in　bathing　suits　were

slender　and　undersized；　they　did　not　look　at　all　like　athletes；

and　although　they　moved　as　fast　as　they　could　it　was　apparent

that　they　got　no　pleasure　out　of　it。　　They　ran　with　their　heads

hanging　down；　and　it　seemed　to　Cleggett　that　they　were　quarreling

as　they　ran；　for　occasionally　one　of　them　would　give　a　vicious

jerk　to　the　handcuffs　that　would　almost　upset　the　other；　and　that

must　have　hurt　the　wrists　of　both　of　them。



As　Cleggett　watched；　the　driver　pulled　them　up　short；　and　waved

them　towards　the　canal。　　They　stopped；　and　it　was　apparent　that

they　were　balking　and　expostulating。　　But　the　driver　was

inexorable。　He　went　near　to　them　and　threatened　their　bare　backs

with　the　slack　of　the　rope。　　Gingerly　and　shiveringly　they

stepped　into　the　cold　water；　while　the　driver　stood　on　the　bank。　

The　water　was　up　to　their　waists　and　he　had　to　threaten　them

again　with　his　rope　before　they　would　duck　their　heads　under。



When　he　allowed　them　on　shore　again　they　needed　no　urging；　it　was

evident；　to　make　them　hit　up　a　good　rate　of　speed；　and　back　and

forth　along　the　bank　they　sprinted。　　But　the　cold　bath　had　not

improved　their　temper；　for　suddenly　one　of　them　leaped　and　kicked

sidewise　at　the　other；　with　the　result　that　both　toppled　to　the

ground。　　The　stout　man　was　upon　them　in　an　instant；　hazing　them

with　the　rope　end。　　He　drove　them；　still　lashing　out　at　each

other　with　their　bare　feet；　into　the　water　again；　and　after　a

more　prolonged　ducking　whipped　them；　at　a　plunging　gallop；　upon

the　Annabel　Lee；　where　they　disappeared　from　Cleggett's　view。



While　Cleggett　was　still　wondering　what　significance　could

underlie　this　unusual　form　of　matutinal　exercise；　Dr。　Farnsworth

came　out　of　the　forecastle　and　beckoned　to　him。　　The　young　Doctor

had　a　red　Vandyck　beard　sedulously　cultivated　in　the　belief　that

it　would　make　him　look　older　and　inspire　the　confidence　of

patients；　and　a　shock　of　dark　red　hair　which　he　rumpled

vigorously　when　he　was　thinking。　　He　was　rumpling　it　now。



〃Who's　'Loge'？〃　he　demanded。



〃Loge？〃　repeated　Cleggett。



〃You　don't　know　anyone　named　'Loge；'　or　Logan？〃



〃No。　Why？〃



〃Whoever　he　is；　'Loge'　is　very　much　on　the　mind　of　our　young

friend　in　there；〃　said　Farnsworth；　with　a　movement　of　his　head

towards　the　forecastle。　　〃And　I　wouldn't　be　surprised；　to　judge

from　the　boy's　delirium；　if　'Loge'　had　something　to　do　with　all

the　hell　that's　been　raised　around　your　ship。　　Come　in　and　listen

to　this　fellow。〃



Miss　Medley；　the　nurse；　was　sitting　beside　the　wounded　youth's

bunk；　endeavoring　to　soothe　and　restrain　him。　　The　young

anarchist；　whose　eyes　were　bright　with　fever；　was　talking　rapidly

in　a　weak　but　high…pitched　singsong　voice。



〃He's　off　on　the　poems　again；〃　said　the　Doctor；　after　listening　a

moment。　　〃But　wait；　he'll　get　back　to　Loge。　　It's　been　one　or　the

other　for　an　hour　now。〃



〃I　spit　upon　your　flag；〃　shrilled　Giuseppe　Jones；　feebly

declamatory。　　〃'I　spitI　spitbut；　as　I　spit；　I　weep。'〃　　He

paused　for　a　moment；　and　then　began　at　the　beginning　and　repeated

all　of　the　lines　which　Cleggett　had　read　from　the　little　book。　

One　gathered　that　it　was　Giuseppe's　favorite　poem。



〃'I　spit　upon　the　whole　damned　thing！'〃　he　shrilled；　and　then

with　a　sad　shake　of　his　head：　〃But；　as　I　spit；　I　weep！〃



If　the　poem　was　Giuseppe's　favorite　poem；　this　was　evidently　his

favorite　line；　for　he　said　it　over　and　over　again〃'But；　as　I

spit；　I　weep'〃in　a　breathless　babble　that　was　very　wearing　on

the　nerves。



But　suddenly　he　interrupted　himself；　the　poems　seemed　to　pass

from　his　mind。　　〃Loge！〃　he　said；　raising　himself　on　his　elbow　and

staring；　with　a　frown　not　at；　but　through；　Cleggett：　　〃Loganit

isn't　square！〃



There　was　suffering　and　perplexity　in　his　gaze；　he　was　evidently

living　over　again　some　painful　scene。



〃I'm　a　revolutionist；　Loge；　not　a　crook！　　I　won't　do　it；　Loge！〃



Watching　him；　it　was　impossible　not　to　understand　that　the

struggle；　which　his　delirium　made　real　and　present　again；　had

stamped　itself　into　the　texture　of　his　spirit。　　〃You　shouldn't

ask　it；　Loge；〃　he　said。　　The　crisis　of　the　conflict　which　he　was　

living　over　passed　presently；　and　he　murmured；　with　contracted

brows；　and　as　if　talking　to　himself：　〃Is　Loge　a　crook？　　A　crook？〃



But　after　a　moment　of　this　he　returned　again　to　a　rapid

repetition　of　the　phrase：　　〃I'm　a　revolutionist；　not　a　crook…not

a　crooknot　a　crooka　revolutionist；　not　a　crook；　Loge；　not　a

crook〃　　Once　he　varied　it；　crying　with　a　quick；　hot　scorn：　

〃I'll　cut　their　throats　and　be　damned　to　them；　but　don't　ask　me

to　steal。〃　　And　then　he　was　off　again　to　declaiming　his　poetry：　

〃I　spit；　but；　as　I　spit；　I　weep！〃



But　as　Cleggett　and　the　Doctor　listened　to　him　the　youth's

ravings　suddenly　took　a　new　form。　　He　ceased　to　babble；　terror

expanded　the　pupils　of　his　eyes　and　he　pointed　at　vacancy　with　a

shaking　finger。　　〃Stop　it！〃　he　cried　in　a　croaking　whisper。　〃Stop

it！　　It's　his　skullit's　Loge's　skull　come　alive。　　Stop　it；　I

say；　it's　come　alive　and　getting　bigger。〃　　With　a　violent　effort

he　raised　himself　before　the　nurse　could　prevent　him；　shrinking

back　from　the　horrid　hallucination　which　pressed　towards　him；　and

then　fell　prone　and　senseless　on　the　bunk。



〃God！his　wounds！〃　cried　the　Doctor；　starting　forward。　　As

Farnsworth　had　feared；　they　had　broken　open　and　were　bleeding

again。　　〃It's　a　ticklish　thing；〃　said　Farnsworth；　rumpling　his

hair。　〃If　I　give　him　enough　sedative　to　keep　him　quiet　his　heart

may　stop　any　time。　　If　I　don't；　he'll　thrash　himself　to　pieces　in

his　delirium　before　the　day's　over。〃



But　Cleggett　scarcely　heeded　the　Doctor。　　The　reference　to

〃Loge's〃　skull　had　flashed　a　sudden　light　into　his　mind。　

Whatever　else　〃Loge〃　was；　Cleggett　had　little　doubt　that　〃Loge〃

was　the　tall　man　with　the　stoop　shoulders　and　the　odd；　skull…

shaped　scarfpin；　for　whom　he　had　conceived　at　first　sight　such　a

tingling　hatredthe　same　fellow　who　had　so　ruthlessly　manhandled

the　flaxen…haired　Heinrich　on　the　roof　of　the　verandah　the　day

before。





CHAPTER　X



IN　THE　ENEMY'S　CAMP



At　seven　o'clock　that　morning　five　big…bodied　automobile　trucks

rolled　up　in　a　thundering　procession。　　As　they　hove　in　sight　on

the　starboard　quarter　and　dropped　anchor　near　the　Jasper　B。；

Cleggett　recalled　that　this　was　the　day　which　Cap'n　Abernethy　had

set　for　getting　the　sticks　and　sails　into　the　vessel。　　In　the

hurry　and　excitement　of　recent　events　aboard　the　ship　he　had

almost　forgotten　it。



A　score　of　men　scrambled　from　the　trucks　and　began　to　haul　out　of

them　all　the　essentials　of　a　shipyard。　　Wheel；　rudder；　masts；

spars；　bowsprit；　quantities　of　rope　and　cable　followedin　fact；

every　conceivable　thing　necessary　to　convert　the　Jasper　B。　from　a

hulk　into　a　properly　rigged　schooner。　　Cleggett；　with　a　pith　and

brevity　characteristic　of　the　man；　had　given　his　order　in　one

sentence。



〃Make　arrangements　to　get　the　sails　and　masts　into　her　in　one

day；〃　he　had　told　Captain　Abernethy。



It　was　in　the　same　large　and　simple　spirit　that　a　Russian　Czar

once　laid　a　ruler　across　the　map　of　his　empire　and；　drawing　a

straight　line　from　Moscow　to　Petersburg；　commanded　his　engineers：

〃Build　me　a　railroad　to　run　like　that。〃　　Genius　has　winged

conceptions；　it　sees　things　as　a　completed　whole　from　the　first；

it　is　only　mediocrity　which　permits　itself　to　be　lost　in　details。



Cleggett　was　like　the　Romanoffs　in　his　ability　to　go　straight　to

the　point；　but　he　had　none　of　the　Romanoff　cruelty。



Captain　Abernethy　had　made　his　arrangements　accordingly。　　If　it

pleased　Cleggett　to　have　a　small　manufacturing　plant　brought　to

the　Jasper　B。　instead　of　having　the　Jasper　B。　towed　to　a

shipyard；　it　was　Abernethy's　business　as　his　chief　executive

officer　to　see　that　this　was　done。　　The　Captain　had　let　the

contract　to　an　enterprising　and　businesslike　fellow；　Watkins　by

name；　who　had　at　once　looked　the　vessel　over；　taken　the　necessary

measurements；　and　named　a　good　round　sum　for　the　job。　　With

several　times　the　usual　number　of　skilled　workmen　employed　at

double　the　usual　rate　of　pay；　he　guaranteed　to　do　in　ten　hours

what　might　ordinarily　have　taken　a　week。



Under　the　leadership　of　this　capable　Watkins；　the　workmen　rushed

at　the　vessel　with　the　dash　and　vim　of　a　gang　of　circ