the cruise of the jasper b.-第4章

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was　getting　along　towards　dusk。



He　first　entered　the　cabin。　　It　was　of　a　good　size　and　divided

into　several　compartments。　　But　it　was　in　a　state　of　dilapidation

and　littered　with　a　jumble　of　odds　and　ends　which　looked　like　the

ruins　of　a　barroom。　　As　he　turned　to　ascend　to　the　deck　again；

after　possibly　five　minutes；　intending　to　take　a　look　at　the

forecastle　next；　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　motor。



Looking　out　of　the　cabin　he　saw　a　taxicab　approaching　the　boat

from　the　direction　of　Fairport。　It　was　a　large　machine；　but　it

was　overloaded　with　seven　or　eight　men。　　It　stopped　within　twenty

yards　of　the　vessel；　and　two　men　got　out；　one　of　them　evidently　a

person　who　imposed　some　sort　of　leadership　on　the　rest　of　the

party。　　This　was　a　tall　fellow；　with　a　slouching　gait　and　round

shoulders。　　And　yet；　to　judge　from　his　movements；　he　was　both

quick　and　powerful。　　The　other　was　a　short；　stout　man　with　a

commonplace；　broad　red　face　and　flaxen　hair。　　The　two　stood　for　a

moment　in　colloquy　in　the　road　that　led　from　Fairport　proper　to

the　bayside；　passing　near　the　Jasper　B。；　and　Cleggett　heard　the

shorter　of　the　two　men　say：



〃I'm　sure　I　saw　somebody　aboard　of　her。〃



〃How　long　ago；　Heinrich？〃　asked　the　tall　man。



〃An　hour　or　so；〃　said　Heinrich。



〃It　was　old　man　Abernethy；　he's　harmless；〃　said　the　tall　fellow。　

〃He's　the　only　person　that's　been　aboard　her　in　years。〃



〃There　was　someone　else；〃　persisted　Heinrich。　〃Someone　who　was

talking　to　Abernethy。〃



The　tall　man　mumbled　something　about　having　been　a　fool　not　to

buy　her　before　this；　Cleggett　did　not　catch　all　of　the　remark。　

Then　the　tall　fellow　said：



〃We'll　go　aboard；　Heinrich；　and　take　a　look　around。〃



With　that　they　advanced　towards　the　vessel。　Cleggett　stepped　on

deck　from　the　cabin　companionway；　and　both　men　stopped　short　at

the　sight　of　him；　Heinrich　obviously　a　trifle　confused；　but　the

other　one　in　no　wise　abashed。　　He　made　no　attempt；　this　tall

fellow；　to　give　the　situation　a　casual　turn。　　What　he　did　was　to

stand　and　stare　at　Cleggett；　candidly；　and　with　more　than　a　touch

of　insolence；　as　if　trying　to　beat　down　Cleggett's　gaze。



Cleggett；　staring　in　his　turn；　perceived　that　the　tall　man；

ungainly　as　he　was；　affected　a　bizarre　individualism　in　the

matter　of　dress。　　His　clothing　cried　out；　rather　than　suggested；

that　it　was　expensive。　　His　feet　were　cased　in　button　shoes　with

fancy　tops；　his　waistcoat；　cut　in　the　extreme　of　style；　revealed

that　little　strip　of　white　which　falsely　advertises　a　second

waistcoat　beneath；　but　in　his　case　the　strip　was　too　broad。　

There　were　diamonds　on　the　fingers　of　both　powerful　hands。　But

the　thing　that　grated　particularly　upon　Cleggett　was　the

character　of　the　man's　scarfpin。　　It　was　by　far　the　largest

ornament　of　the　sort　that　Cleggett　had　ever　seen；　he　was　near

enough　to　the　fellow　to　make　out　that　it　had　been　carved　from　a

piece　of　solid　ivory　in　the　likeness　of　a　skull。　In　the　eyeholes

of　the　skull　two　opals　flamed　with　an　evil　levin。　　The　man

suggested　to　Cleggett；　at　first　glance；　a　bartender　who　had　come

into　money；　or　a　drayman　who　had　been　promoted　to　an　important

office　in　a　labor　union　and　was　spending　the　most　of　a

considerable　salary　on　his　person。　　And　yet　his　face；　more

closely　observed；　somehow　gave　the　lie　to　his　clothes；　for　it　was

not　lacking　in　the　signs　of　intelligence。　　In　spite　of　his　taste；

or　rather　lack　of　taste；　there　was　no　hint　of　weakness　in　his

physiognomy。　　His　features　were　harsh；　bold；　predatory；　a

slightly　yellowish　tinge　about　the　temples　and　cheek　bones；

suggestive　of　the　ivory　ornament；　proclaimed　a　bilious

temperament。



Cleggett；　both　puzzled　and　nettled　by　the　man's　persistent　gaze；

advanced　towards　him　across　the　deck　of　the　Jasper　B。　and　down

the　gangplank；　hand　on　hip；　and　called　out　sharply：



〃Well；　my　friend；　you　will　know　me　the　next　time　you　see　me！〃



The　tall　man　turned　without　a　word　and　walked　back　to　the

taxicab；　the　occupants　of　which　had　watched　this　singular　duel　of

looks　in　silence。　　In　the　act　of　getting　into　the　machine　he　face

about　again　and　said；　with　a　lift　of　the　lip　that　showed　two

long；　protruding　canine　teeth　of　an　almost　saffron　hue：



〃I　WILL　know　you　again。〃



He　spoke　with　a　kind　of　cold　hostility　that　gave　his　words　all

the　effect　of　a　threat。　　Cleggett　felt　the　blood　leap　faster

through　his　veins；　he　tingled　with　a　fierce；　illogical　desire　to

strike　the　fellow　on　the　mouth；　his　soul　stirred　with　a

premonition　of　conflict；　and　the　desire　for　it。　　And　yet；　on　the

surface　of　things　at　least；　the　man　had　been　nothing　more　than

rude；　as　Cleggett　watched　the　machine　make　off　towards　an

isolated　road　house　on　the　bayside　he　wondered　at　the　quick

intensity　of　his　own　antipathy。　　Unconsciously　he　flexed　his

wrist　in　his　characteristic　gesture。　　Scarcely　knowing　that　he

spoke；　he　murmured：



〃That　man　gets　on　my　nerves。〃



That　man　was　destined　to　do　something　more　than　get　on　Cleggett's

nerves　before　the　adventures　of　the　Jasper　B。　were　ended。





CHAPTER　IV



A　BAD　MAN　TO　CROSS



The　isolated　road　house　on　the　bay　was　a　nondescript；　jumbled；

dilapidated…looking　assemblage　of　structures；　rather　than　one

house。　　It　was　known　simply　as　Morris's。　　It　stood　a　few　hundred

yards　west　of　the　end　of　the　canal　which　opened　into　the　bay　and

was　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　Jasper　B。　



The　canal　itself　was　broad；　straight；　low…banked；　and　about

three…quarters　of　a　mile　in　length。　　The　town　had　thrown　out　a

few　ranks　of　cottages　in　the　direction　of　the　canal。　　But　these

were　all　summer　bungalows；　occupied　only　from　June　until　the

middle　of　September。　　The　solider　and　more　permanent　part　of

Fairport　was　well　withdrawn　from　the　sandy；　sedgy　stretches　that

bordered　on　tidewater。



At　the　north　and　inland　terminus　of　the　quiet　strip　of　water　in

which　the　Jasper　B。　reposed　was　a　collection　of　buildings

including　bathhouses；　a　boathouse；　and　a　sort　of　shed　where　〃soft

drinks〃　and　sea　food　were　served　during　the　bathing　season。　　This

place　was　known　as　Parker's　Beach　and　was　open　only　during　the

summer。



Morris's　was　of　quite　a　different　character　from　Parker's　Beach。　

One　could　bathe　at　Morris's；　but　the　beach　near　by　was　not

particularly　good。　　One　could　hire　boats　there　and　buy　bait　for　a

fishing　trip。　　In　one　of　its　phases　it　made　some　pretensions　to

being　a　summer　hotel。　　It　had　an　extensive　barroom。　　There　was　a

dancing　floor；　none　too　smooth。　There　were　long　verandahs　on

three　sides。　　That　on　the　south　side　was　built　on　piles'　people

ate　and　drank　there　in　the　summer；　beneath　it　the　water　swished

and　gurgled　when　the　tide　was　in。



The　townspeople　of　Fairport；　or　the　more　respectable　ones；　kept

away　from　Morris's；　summer　and　winter。　　Summer　transients；

inhabitants　of　the　bungalows　during　the　bathing　season；

patronized　the　place。　　But　most　of　the　patronage　at　all　seasons

seemed　to　consist　of　automobile　parties　from　the　city；　people

apparently　drawn　from　all　classes；　or　eluding　definite

classification　entirely。　　In　the　bleakest　season　there　was　always

a　little　stir　of　dubious　activity　about　Morris's。　　In　the　summer

it　impressed　you　with　its　look　of　cheapness。　　In　the　winter；

squatted　by　the　cold　water　amidst　its　huddle　of　unpainted

outhouses；　at　the　end　of　a　stretch　of　desolate　beach；　the　fancy

gave　Morris's　a　touch　of　the　sinister。



Cleggett　was　anxious　to　get　the　Jasper　B。　into　seaworthy

condition　as　soon　as　possible。　　It　occurred　to　him　that　the

employment　of　expert　advice　should　be　his　first　step；　and　early

the　next　morning　he　hired　Captain　Abernethy。　　That　descendant　of

a　seafaring　family；　though　he　felt　it　incumbent　upon　him　to　offer

objections　that　had　to　be　overcome　with　a　great　show　of　respect；

was　really　overjoyed　at　the　commission。　　He　left　his　own　cottage

a　mile　or　so　away　and　took　up　his　abode　in　the　forecastle　at

once。　　By　nine　o'clock　that　morning　Cleggett　had　a　force　of

workmen　renovating　both　cabin　and　forecastle；　putting　the　cook's

galley　into　working　order；　and　cleansing　the　decks　of　soil　and

sand。　　That　night　Cleggett　spent　on　the　vessel；　with　Captain

Abernethy。



By　Saturday　of　the　same　weekCleggett　had　bought　the　vessel　on

Wednesdayhe　was　able　to　take　up　his　abode　in　the　cabin　with　his

books　and　arms　about　him。　　To　his　library　he　had　added　a　treatise

on　navigation。　　And；　reflecting　that　his　firearms　were　worthless；

considered　as　modern　weapons；　he　also　purchased　a　score　of　。44

caliber　Colt's　revolvers　and　automatic　pistols　of　the　latest

pattern；　and　a　dozen　magazine　rifles。



He　brought　on　board　at　the　same　time；　for　cook　and　cabin　boy；　a

Japanese　lad；　who　said　he　was　a　sailor；　and　who　called　himself

Yoshahira　Kuroki；　and　a　Greek；　George　Stefanopolous。




The　latter　was　a　handsome；　rather　burly　fellow　of　about　thirty；　a

man　with　a　kindling　eye　and　a　habit　of　boasting　of　his　ancestors。



Among　them；　he　declared；　was　Leonidas；　the　hero　of　Thermopylae。　

George　admitted　he　was　not　a　sailor；　but　professed　a　willingness

to　learn；　and　looked　so　capable；　as　he　squared　his　bulky

shoulders　and　twisted　his　fine　black　mustache；　that　Cleggett

engaged　him；　taking　him　immediately　from　the　dairy　lunch　room　in

which　he　had　been　employed。　　George's　idea　was　to　work　his　way

back　to　Greece；　he　said；　on　the　Jasper　B。　　If　she　did　not　sail

for　Greece　for　some　time；　George　was　willing　to　wait；　he　was

patient；　sometime；　no　doubt；　she　would　touch　the　shores　of

Greece。



The　hold　of　the　Jasper　B。　Cleggett　and　Captain　Abernethy　found　to

be　in　a　chaotic　state。　　Casks；　barrels；　empty　bottles　by　the

hundred；　ruins　of　benches；　tables；　chairs；　old　nondescript　pieces

of　planking；　broken　crates　and　boxes；　were　flung　together　there

in　moldering　confusion。　　It　was　evident　that　after　the　scheme　of

using　the　Jasper　B。's　hulk　as　one　of　the　attractions　of　a

pleasure　resort　had　failed；　all　the　debris　of　the　failure　had

simply　been　thrown　pell…mell　into　the　hold。　　Cleggett　and　Captain

Abernethy　decided　that　the　vessel；　which　was　stepped　for　two

masts；　should　be　rigged　as　a　schooner。　　The　Captain　was　soon　busy

securing　estimates　on　the　amount　of　work　that　would　have　to　be

done；　and　the　cost　of　it。　　The　pile　of　rubbish　in　the　hold；　which

filled　it　to　such　an　extent　that　Cleggett　gave　up　the　attempt　to

examine　it；　was　to　be　removed　by　the　same　contractor　who　put　in

the　sticks。



All　the　activity　on　board　and　about　the　Jasper　B。　had　not　gone　on

without　attracting　the　attention　of　Morris's。　　Cleggett　noticed

that　there　was　usually　someone　in　the　neighborhood　of　that

dubious　resort　cocking　an　eye　in　the　direction　of　the　vessel。

Indeed；　the　interest　became　so　pronounced；　and　seemed　of　a

quality　so　different　from　ordinary　frank　rustic　curiosity；　that

it　looked　very　like　espionage。　　It　had　struck　Cleggett　that

Morris'