the cruise of the jasper b.-第26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！



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；　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　Flatbush；〃　said　Miss

Pringle；　primly　presenting　her　prim　relation。　　〃She　has　just

arrived〃



〃With　the　plum　preserves！〃　cried　Lady　Agatha。



〃With　the　plum　preserves；〃　confirmed　Miss　Genevieve　Pringle。



And　Captain　Abernethy　and　George　the　Greek　bore　into　the　cabin　a

third　oblong　box；　exactly　similar　in　appearance　to　the　box　of

Reginald　Maltravers　and　the　box　which　contained　the　evidence

against　Logan　Black；　and　set　it　on　the　floor。



The　three　detectives　stood　and　looked　at　the　three　boxes　with　an

air　of　great　satisfaction。



〃With　this　addition　to　our　oblong　boxes；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable；

〃their　number　is　now　complete。　　Miss　Henrietta　Pringle；　we　will

listen　to　your　story。〃



There　was　little　to　tell；　and　Miss　Henrietta　Pringle　told　it　in　a

breath。　　Having　received　no　acknowledgment　of　the　receipt　of　the

plum　preserves　from　her　aunt；　an　unusual　oversight　on　her　aunt's

part；　she　had　journeyed　to　Newark　with　a　vague　fear　that　there

might　be　something　wrong。



〃Arrived　in　Newark；〃　she　said；　〃I　learned　that　my　aunt；　with　her

two　white　horses　and　her　family　carriage　driven　by　Jefferson；　the

negro　coachmen；　had　suddenly　left　Newark；　without　giving　any

explanation　to　anyone；　or　making　her　destination　known。



〃The　proceeding　was　very　strange；　it　was　very　unlike　my　aunt；　and

I　was　frightened。　　Everyone　who　had　seen　her　start　testified　that

she　was　laboring　under　a　great　nervous　strain　of　some　sort。



〃I　called　at　the　freight　depot　and　got　the　box　of　plum　preserves

which　I　had　shipped　to　her。　　To　tell　the　truth；　I　feared　for　her

reason。　　I　thought　that　if　I　could　find　her；　and　could　show　her

the　familiar　plum　preserves；　which　she　loved　so　well；　they　would

be　of　material　assistance　in　influencing　her　to　return　to　her

home。　　So；　setting　out　to　search　for　her　in　my　Ford　auto；　I　took

the　box　of　plum　preserves　with　me。



〃I　soon　got　upon　her　trail。　　The　negro　coachman；　the　family

carriage　and　the　white　horses　had　excited　remark　everywhere。　

Briefly；　I　traced　her　here；　and　am　happy　to　discover　that　my

worst　fears　with　regard　to　her　have　proved　false。〃



〃Henrietta；〃　said　her　aunt；　reproachfully；　〃your　fears　do　you

very　little　credit；　or　me　either。〃



〃Aunt　Genevieve；〃　said　the　niece；　〃pray；　do　not　rebuke　me。〃



〃I　was　certain；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable；　complacently；　〃that　it

would　develop　that　Miss　Genevieve　Pringle　was　herself　being

pursued。　　I　was　confident　of　it；　Cleggett。　　And　now　that　I　have

cleared　up　for　you　the　mystery　of　Logan　Black；　the　mystery　of　the

box　of　Reginald　Maltravers；　and　the　mystery　of　the　box　of　plum

preserves；　there　only　remains　the　capture　of　Logan　Black　to　hold

me　in　this　part　of　the　country　and　to　keep　you　from　your　voyage

to　the　China　Seas。〃



〃We　must　get　together；〃　said　Cleggett；　〃on　a　plan　of　campaign。　

Logan　Black　will　certainly　attack　again。　　He　has　only　been　beaten

off　temporarily。　　In　the　meanwhile；　it　is　almost　breakfast　time。〃



And；　indeed；　the　lights　in　the　cabin　were　suddenly　growing　pale。　

The　sun　was　rising。　　Its　beams；　shining　through　the　cabin

skylight；　fell　upon　the　three　great　detectives；　each　one　of　whom；

with　an　air　of　ineffable　satisfaction；　was　gloatingbut　gloating

urbanely　and　with　dignityover　an　oblong　box。





CHAPTER　XXII



DANCING　ON　THE　DECK



It　was　decided；　at　a　conference　of　Lady　Agatha；　Cleggett；　and　the

three　detectives；　at　the　breakfast　table；　to　throw　up　a　line　of

entrenchments　along　the　bank　of　the　canal　commanding　the　approach

to　the　Jasper　B。　and　the　Annabel　Lee。　No　one　felt　the　least　doubt

that　Logan　Black　would　renew　the　attack　sooner　or　later；　unless

the　two　vessels　made　off。



〃And；〃　said　Cleggett；　〃I　shall　not　leave　until　the　Jasper　B。　has

been　rigged　as　a　schooner　again。　　Anything　else　would　have　the

appearance　of　a　retreat。　　Nor　will　I　be　hurried。　　I　am　on　my　own

property；　and　I　purpose　to　defend　it　at　whatever　cost。〃



He　set　his　jaws　firmly　as　he　declared　this　intention；　and　Lady

Agatha's　eyes　dwelt　upon　him　in　admiration。



〃The　Annabel　Lee　could　tow　you　away；　you　know；〃　demurred　Wilton

Barnstable。



〃When　the　Jasper　B。　moves；〃　said　Cleggett；　with　finality；　〃it

will　be　under　her　own　power。〃



Accordingly；　work　was　begun　at　once　on　the　entrenchments。　

Everyone　on　board　the　Jasper　B。　was　sadly　in　need　of　sleep；　but

Cleggett　felt　that　the　earthworks　could　not　wait。　　He　divided　his

force　into　two　shifts。　　Cleggett；　the　three　detectives；　Jefferson

the　genial　coachman；　and　Washington　Artillery　Lamb；　the　janitor

and　butler　of　the　house　boat　Annabel　Lee；　a　negro　as　large　and

black　as　Jefferson　himself；　took　a　two…hour　trick　with　the　spades

and　then　lay　down　and　slept　while　Abernethy；　Kuroki；　Elmer；

Calthrop；　George　the　Greek；　and　Farnsworth　dug　for　an　equal

length　of　time。　　The　two　prisoners　captured　by　Barnstable　the

night　before；　one　of　whom　was　the　smirking　and　sinister　Pierre；

were　compelled　to　dig　all　the　time。　　Even　Teddy；　Lady　Agatha's

little　Pomeranian；　dug。　　The　ladies　of　the　party　slept　throughout

the　morning。



During　the　forenoon　Cleggett　dispatched　Dr。　Farnsworth　to　the

city　in　Miss　Henrietta　Pringle's　Ford　car；　and　he　returned　about

one　o'clock　with　four　more　trained　nurses。　　They　were　installed

on　board　the　houseboat　Annabel　Lee；　instead　of　at　Parker's　Beach

as　Cleggett　had　originally　intended；　and　the　Red　Cross　flag　was

hoisted　over　that　vessel。　　Cleggett　felt　confident　that　the　next

battle　would　be　sanguinary　in　character；　and；　true　to　his

humanitarian　ideals；　was　resolved　to　be　fully　prepared　this　time

to　care　for　as　many　people　as　he　might　disable。　　Giuseppe　Jones；

who　was　quieter　now；　although　at　times　still　irrationally

babbling　incendiary　vers　libre　poems；　was　removed　to　the　Annabel

Lee；　where　Miss　Medley；　quite　worn　out；　turned　him　over　to　a

fresh　nurse。



By　the　time　the　reinforcement　of　nurses　had　arrived　the

earthworks　of　the　good　ship　Jasper　B。　were　completed；　and；　after

a　double　portion　of　stiff　grog　all　around；　Cleggett　ordered　all

hands　to　lie　down　on　the　deck　for　an　hour's　comfortable　nap。　He

stood　watch　himself。　　Cleggett　had　not　slept　much　during　the　past

forty…eight　hours；　but　he　was　a　man　of　iron。　　Like　King　Henry

Fifth　of　England；　Cleggett　found　a　certain　pleasure　in　watching

while　his　troops　slumbered。　　Cleggett　and　this　lively　　monarch

had　other　points　in　common；　although　Cleggett；　even　in　his　youth；

would　never　have　associated　with　a　character　so　habitually

dissolute　as　Sir　John　Falstaff。



The　construction　of　the　trench　was　not　without　its　effect　upon

the　gang　of　villains　at　Morris's。　　About　nine　in　the　morning

Cleggett　noticed　that　he　was　under　observation　from　the　roof　of

the　east　verandah　of　the　road　house。　　Loge　and　two　of　his

ruffianly　lieutenants　were　scrutinizing　the　Cleggett　flotilla　and

fortifications　through　their　binoculars。　Cleggett；　through　his

own　glass；　returned　the　compliment。



The　three　men　were　conducting　an　animated　discussion。　　From　their

gestures　they　seemed　to　be　completely　nonplussed　by　the

entrenchments。　Watching　their　pantomime　closely；　Cleggett

gathered　that　Loge　was　endeavoring