the cruise of the jasper b.-第27章

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entrenchments。　Watching　their　pantomime　closely；　Cleggett

gathered　that　Loge　was　endeavoring　to　enforce　some　point　of　view

with　regard　to　the　Jasper　B。　upon　his　two　followers。　　Finally

Loge；　making　a　gesture　towards　Cleggett　with　one　hand；　tapped

himself　several　times　on　the　forehead　with　the　other；　his　lips

moving　rapidly　the　while。　　The　two　other　men　shrugged　their

shoulders　and　nodded；　as　if　in　agreement　with　Loge。　　The

insulting　significance　of　the　gesture　was　only　too　apparent。　　As

plainly　as　if　he　had　heard　the　accompanying　words　Cleggett

understood　that　Loge；　out　of　the　depths　of　his　perplexity；　had

said　that　he　（Cleggett）　was　mentally　erratic。



〃Ah；　you　think　so；　do　you？〃　said　Cleggett　aloud；　laying　down　his

glass　and　seizing　a　rifle。　　〃Well；　just　to　let　you　know　that　I

have　a　certain　opinion　of　you；　also；　my　friend　Loge〃　　And　he

sent　a　bullet　over　the　heads　of　the　three　men。　　They　hastily

ducked　into　the　house。　　Cleggett　might　have　picked　Loge　off；　but

he　disdained　to　do　so。　　It　was　his　purpose　to　take　the　man　alive；

if　possible。



But　the　rifle　shot　did　not　end　the　espionage。　　All　day　scouting

parties　in　taxicabs　kept　appearing　on　the　sandy　plain　to

reconnoiter　the　fleet　and　fortress。　　They　circled；　they　swooped；

they　dashed；　they　zigzagged　here　and　there；　but　always　at　a　high

rate　of　speed；　and　always　at　a　prudent　distance　from　the　canal。　

Beyond　sending　an　occasional　rifle　ball　whistling　towards　the

wheels　of　the　cabs；　or　over　the　heads　of　the　occupants；　to　remind

them　to　keep　their　distance；　Cleggett　paid　but　little　attention

to　these　parties。　　If　Loge　thought　him　demented；　if　he　had　his

enemy　guessing；　so　much　the　better。　　The　eccentric　movements　of

these　cabs　was　a　circumstance　which　in　itself　testified　to　Loge's

bewilderment　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　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　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　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。





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。　　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　pin；　a　thermometer　in　one　hand　and　a

medicine　bottle　in　the　o