the cruise of the jasper b.-第20章

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



to　take　in　sail　than　to　crack　on；　but；　always　the　original；　he

decided　in　this　case　to　reverse　the　common　custom。　　Ashore　or　at

sea；　he　never　permitted　himself　to　be　the　slave　of

conventionalities。　　The　Jasper　B。　had　lain　so　long　in　one　spot

that　it　would　undoubtedly　take　more　than　a　capful　of　wind　to　move

her。　Cleggett　did　not　know　when　he　would　get　such　a　strong　wind

again；　coming　from　the　right　direction；　and　determined　to　make

the　most　of　this　one　while　he　had　it。　　Genius　partly　consists　in

the　acuteness　which　grasps　opportunities。



From　the　struggles　of　Cap'n　Abernethy　and　the　crew　with　the

canvas；　which　he　saw　none　too　clearly　through　the　increasing　dusk

from　his　post　at　the　wheel；　Cleggett　judged　that　the　wind　was

indeed　strong　enough　for　his　purpose。　　Yards；　sheets　and　sails

seemed　to　be　acting　in　the　most　singular　manner。　　He　could　not

remember　reading　of　any　parallel　case　in　the　treatises　on

navigation　which　he　had　perused。　　Every　now　and　then　the　Cap'n　or

one　of　the　crew　would　be　jerked　clean　off　his　feet　by　some　quick

and　unexpected　motion　of　a　sail　and　flung　into　the　water。　　When

this　occurred　the　person　who　had　been　ducked　crawled　out　on　the

bank　of　the　canal　again　and　went　on　board　by　way　of　the

gangplank；　returning　stubbornly　to　his　task。



The　booms　in　particular　were　possessed　of　a　restless　and　unstable

spirit。　　They　made　sudden　swoops；　sweeps；　and　dashes　in　all

directions。　　Sometimes　as　many　as　three　of　the　crew　of　the　Jasper

B。　would　be　knocked　to　the　deck　or　into　the　water　by　a　boom　at

the　same　time。　　But　Cleggett　noted　with　satisfaction　that　they

were　plucky；　they　stuck　valiantly　to　the　job。　　A　doubt　assailed

Cleggett　as　to　the　competence　of　Cap'n　Abernethy；　but　he　was

loyal　and　fought　it　down。



Finally　Cap'n　Abernethy　hit　upon　a　novel　and　ingenious　idea。　　He

tied　stout　lines　to　the　ends　of　the　booms。　　The　other　ends　of

these　ropes　he　ran　through　the　eyes　of　a　couple　of　spare　anchors。

Taking　the　anchors　ashore；　he　made　them　fast　to　the　wooden

platform　which　was　alongside　the　Jasper　B。　　Then　he　took　up　the

slack　in　the　lines；　pulling　them　taut　and　fastening　them　tightly。



Thus　the　booms　were　held　fast　and　stiff　in　position；　and　the　crew

could　get　the　canvas　spread　without　being　endangered　by　their

strange　and　unaccountable　actions。



This　brilliant　idea　of　anchoring　the　booms　to　the　land　would　not

have　been　practicable　had　it　not　been　for　a　whimsical　cessation

of　the　wind；　a　lull　such　as　incident　to　the　coming　of　spring

storms　in　these　latitudes。　　While　the　wind　was　in　abeyance　the

men　got　the　sails　spread。　　Then　the　Captain　untied　the　lines；

brought　the　spare　anchors　on　board；　knocked　the　gangplank　loose

with　a　few　blows　of　his　ax；　and　waited　for　the　wind　to　resume。



When　the　wind　did　blow　again　it　came　in　a　gust　which　was

accompanied　by　a　twinkle　of　lightening　over　the　whole　sky　and

grumble　of　thunder。　　A　whirl　of　dust　and　fine　gravel　enveloped

the　Jasper　B。　　For　a　moment　it　was　like　a　sandstorm。　　A　few　large

drops　of　water　fell。　　The　gust　was　violent；　the　sails　filled　with

it　and　struggled　like　kites　to　be　free；　here　and　there　a　strand

of　rope　snapped；　the　masts　bent　and　creaked；　the　booms　jumped　and

swung　round　like　live　things；　the　whole　ship　from　bowsprit　to

rudder　shook　and　trembled　with　the　assault。



Cleggett；　watchful　at　the　wheel；　prepared　to　turn　her　nose　away

from　the　bank；　but　he　was　astonished　to　perceive　that　in　spite　of

her　quaking　and　shivering　the　Jasper　B。　did　not　move　one　inch

forward　from　her　position。　　He　was　prepared　for　a　certain

stability　on　the　part　of　the　Jasper　B。；　but　not　for　quite　so　much

of　it。



With　the　next　gust　the　storm　was　on　them　in　earnest。　　This　blast

came　with　zigzag　flashes　of　lightning　that　showed　the　heavens

riotous　with　battalions　of　charging　clouds；　it　came　with

deafening　thunder　and　a　torrential　discharge　of　rain。　　One　would

have　thought　the　power　of　the　wind　sufficient　to　set　a　steel

battleship　scudding　before　it　like　a　wooden　shoe。　　And　yet　the

extraordinary　Jasper　B。；　although　she　shrieked　and　groaned　and

seemed　to　stagger　with　the　force　of　the　blow；　did　not　move　either

forward　or　sidewise。



She　flinched；　but　she　stood　her　ground。



Second　by　second　the　storm　increased　in　fury；　in　a　moment　it　was

no　longer　merely　a　storm；　it　was　a　tempest。　　Cleggett；　alarmed

for　the　safety　of　his　masts；　now　ordered　his　men　to　take　in　sail。



But　even　as　he　gave　the　order　he　realized　that　it　could　no　longer

be　done。　　A　cloudburst；　a　hurricane；　an　electrical　bombardment；

struck　the　Jasper　B。　all　at　once。　　One　could　not　hear　one's　own

voice。　　In　the　glare　of　the　lightning　Cleggett　saw　the　rigging

tossing　in　an　indescribable　confusion　of　canvas；　spars；　and

ropes。　　Both　masts　and　the　bowsprit　snapped　at　almost　the　same

instant。　　The　whole　chaotic　mass　was　lifted；　it　writhed　in　the

air　a　moment；　and　then　it　came　crashing　down；　partly　on　the　deck

and　partly　in　the　seething　waters　of　the　canal；　where　it　lay　and

whipped　ship　and　water　with　lashing　tentacles　of　wreckage。



But　still　the　unusual　Jasper　B。　had　not　moved　from　her　position。



Cleggett's　men　had　had　warning　enough　to　save　themselves。　　They

gathered　around　him　to　wait　for　orders。　　More　than　one　of　them

cast　anxious　glances　towards　the　land。　　Shouting　to　them　to

attack　the　debris　with　axes；　and　setting　the　example　himself；

Cleggett　soon　saw　the　deck　clear　again；　and　the　Jasper　B。；　to　all

intents；　the　same　hulk　she　had　been　when　he　bought　her。　　But　such

was　the　fury　of　the　tempest　that　even　with　the　big　kites　gone　the

Jasper　B。　continued　to　shake　and　quiver　where　she　lay。　　Speech

was　almost　impossible　on　deck；　but　Cap'n　Abernethy　signed　to

Cleggett　that　he　had　something　important　to　say　to　him。



The　whole　company　adjourned　to　the　cabin；　and　there；　shouting　to

make　himself　heard；　the　Cap'n　cried　out：



〃Her　timbers　have　been　strained　something　terrible；　Mr。　Cleggett。



She　ain't　what　I　would　call　safe　and　seaworthy　any　more。　　The'

don't　seem　to　be　any　danger　of　her　sailin'　off；　but　that's　no

sign　she　can't　be　blowed　over　onto　her　beam　ends　and　sunk　with

all　on　board。　　If　you　was　to　ask　me；　Mr。　Cleggett；　I'd　say　the

time　had　come　to　leave　the　Jasper　B。　〃



The　anxiety　depicted　on　the　faces　of　the　little　circle　about　him

might　have　communicated　itself　to　a　less　intrepid　nature。　　The

old　Cap'n　himself　was　no　coward。　　Indeed；　in　owning　to　his　alarm

he　had　really　done　a　brave　thing；　since　few　have　the　moral

courage　to　proclaim　themselves　afraid。　　But　Cleggett　was　a　man　of

iron。　　Although　the　tempest　smote　the　hulk　with　blow　after　blow；

although　both　earth　and　water　seemed　to　lie　prostrate　and

trampled　beneath　its　unappeasable　fury；　Cleggett　had　no　thought

of　yielding。



Unconsciously　he　drew　himself　up。　　It　seemed　to　his　crew　that　he

actually　gained　in　girth　and　height。　The　soul；　in　certain　great

moments；　seems　to　have　power　to　expand　the　body　and　inform　it

with　the　quality　of　immortality；　Ajax；　in　his　magnificent　gesture

of　defiance；　is　all　spirit。　　Cleggett；　with　his　hand　on　his　hip；

uttered　these　words；　not　without　their　sublimity：



〃Whether　the　Jasper　B。　sinks　or　swims；　her　commander　will　share

her　fate。　　I　stay　by　my　ship！〃





CHAPTER　XV



NIGHT；　TEMPEST；　LOVE　AND　BATTLE



And；　indeed；　if　Cleggett　had　been　of　a　mind　to　abandon　the

vessel；　he　could　scarcely　have　done　so　now。　　For　his　words　were

no　more　than　uttered　when　the　sharp　racket　of　a　volley　of　pistol

shots　ripped　its　way　through　the　low…pitched　roaring　of　the　wind。



Loge　had　chosen　the　height　of　the　storm　to　mask　his　approach。　　He

attacked　with　the　tempest。



Without　a　word　Cleggett　put　out　the　light　in　the　cabin。　　His　men

grasped　their　weapons　and　followed　him　to　the　deck。　　A　flash　of

lightning　showed　him；　through　the　driving　rain；　the　enemy　rushing　

towards　the　Jasper　B。；　pistol　in　hand。　　They　were　scarcely　sixty

yards　away；　and　were　firing　as　they　came。　　Loge；　a　revolver　in

one　hand；　and　Cleggett's　own　sword　cane　in　the　other；　was　leading

the　rush。　Besides　their　firearms；　each　of　Loge's　men　carried　a

wicked…looking　machete。



〃Fire！〃　shouted　Cleggett。　　〃Let　them　have　it；　men！〃　　And　the

rifles　blazed　from　the　deck　of　the　Jasper　B。　in　a　crashing

volley。　　Instantly　the　world　was　dark　again；　it　was　impossible　to

determine　whether　the　fire　of　the　Jasper　B。　had　taken　effect。



〃To　the　starboard　bulwark；〃　cried　Cleggett；　〃and　give　them　hell

with　the　next　lightning　flash！〃



It　came　as　he　spoke；　with　its　vivid　glare　showing　to　Cleggett　the

enemy　magnified　to　a　portentous　bigness　against　a　background　of

chaotic　night。　　Two　or　three　of　them　stood；　leaning　keenly

forward；　several　of　the　others　had　dropped　to　one　knee；　the　rifle

discharge　had　checked　the　rush；　and　they　also　were　waiting　for

the　lightning。　　Cleggett　and　his　men　threw　a　second　volley　at

this　wavering　silhouette　of　astonishment。



A　cartridge　jammed　in　the　mechanism　of　Cleggett's　gun。　　With　an

oath　he　flung　the　weapon　to　the　deck。　　A　hand　thrust　another　one

into　his　grasp；　and　Lady　Agatha's　voice　said　in　his　ear；　〃Take

this　oneit's　loaded。〃



〃My　God；〃　said　Cleggett；　〃I　thought　you　were　in　the　cabin！〃



〃Not　I！〃　she　cried；　〃I'm　loading！〃



Just　then　the　lightning　came　again　and　showed　her　to　him　plainly。　

Drenched；　bare…armed；　bareheaded；　her　hair　down　and　rolling

backward　in　a　rich　wet　mass；　she　knelt　on　the　deck　behind　the

bulwark。　　Her　eyes　blazed　with　excitement；　and　there　was　a　smile

upon　her　lips。　　Beside　her　was　the　zinc　bucket　half　full　of

cartridges。　　George　tossed　a　rifle　to　her。　　She　flung　him　back　a

loaded　one；　and　began　methodically　to　fill　the　empty　one　with

cartridges。



〃Agatha；〃　shouted　Cleggett；　catching　her　by　the　wrist；　〃go　to　the

cabin　at　onceyou　will　get　yourself　killed！〃



〃I'll　do　nothing　of　the　sort！〃　she　shouted。



〃I　love　you！〃　cried　Cleggett；　beside　himself　with　fear　for　her；

and　scarcely　knowing　what　his　words　were。　　〃Do　you　hearI　love

you；　and　I　won't　have　you　killed！〃



A　bullet　ripped　its　way　through　the　bulwark；　perforated　the　zinc

bucket；　struck　the　gun　which　Lady　Agatha　was　loading　and　knocked

it　from　her　hands。



〃Go　to　the　cabin　yourself！〃　she　shouted　in　Cleggett's　ear。　　〃As

for　me；　I　like　it！〃



〃I　tell　you；〃　shouted　Cleggett；　〃I　won't　have　you　hereI　won't

have　you　killed！〃



He　rose　to　his　feet；　and　attempted　to　draw　her　out　of　danger。　

She　rose　likewise　and　struggled　with　him　in　the　dark。　　She

wrenched　herself　free；　and　in　doing　so　flung　him　back　against　the

rail；　it　lightened　again；　and　she　screamed。　　Cleggett　turned；　and

with　the　next　flash　saw　that　one　of　the　enemy；　his　face　bloody

from　the　graze　of　a　bullet　across　his　forehead；　and　evidently

crazed　with　excitement　of　fight　and　storm；　was　leaping　towards

the　rail　of　the　vessel。



Cleggett　stooped　to　pick　up　a　gun