the cruise of the jasper b.-第5章

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it　looked　very　like　espionage。　　It　had　struck　Cleggett　that

Morris's　seemed　at　all　times　to　have　more　than　its　share　of

idlers　and　hangers…on；　men　who　appeared　to　make　the　place　their

headquarters　and　were　not　to　be　confused　with　the　occasional

off…season　parties　from　the　city。



On　Sunday　morning　Cleggett　was　awakened　by　Captain　Abernethy；　who

announced：



〃Strange　craft　lookin'　us　over　mighty　close；　sir。〃



〃A　strange　craft？　　Where　is　she？〃　Cleggett　was　instantly　alert。



〃She's　a　house　boat；　if　you　was　to　ask　me；〃　said　the　brown　old

manin　a　new　brown　suit　and　with　his　whiskers　newly　trimmed　he

gave　the　impression　of　having　been　overhauled　and　freshly

painted。



〃Where　is　she？〃　repeated　Cleggett；　beginning　to　get　into　his

clothes。



〃She　must　'a'　sneaked　up　an'　anchored　mighty　early　this　mornin'；〃

pursued　Cap'n　Abernethy；　true　to　his　conversational　principles。



〃Is　she　in　the　bay　or　in　the　canal？〃



〃She　looks　like　a　mighty　toney　kind　o'　vessel；〃　said　Cap'n

Abernethy。　　〃If　I　was　to　make　a　guess　I'd　say　she　was　one　of　them

craft　that　sails　herself　along　when　she　wants　to　with　one　of

these　newfangled　gasoline　engines。〃



〃She　wasn't　towed　here　then？〃　Cleggett　gave　up　the　attempt　to

learn　from　the　Captain　just　where　the　house　boat　was。



〃She　lies　in　the　canal；〃　said　the　Cap'n。　　Having　established　the

point　that　he　could　not　be　FORCED　to　tell　where　she　lay；　he

volunteered　the　information　as　a　personal　favor　from　one

gentleman　to　another。　　〃She　lies　ahead　of　us　in　the　canal；　a

p'int　or　so　off　our　port　bow；　I　should　say。　And　if　you　was　to　ask

me　I'd　say　she　wasn't　layin'　there　for　any　good　purpose。〃



〃What　do　you　think　she's　up　to？　　What　makes　you　suspicious　of

her？〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

〃No；　sir；　she　wasn't　towed　in；〃　said　Cap'n　Abernethy；　〃or　I'd　'a'

heard　a　tug　towin'　her。　Comin'　of　a　seafarin'　fambly　I'm　a　light

sleeper　by　nature。〃



Cleggett　finished　dressing　and　went　on　deck。　Sure　enough；　towards

the　south　end　of　the　canal；　three　or　four　hundred　yards　south　of

the　Jasper　B。；　and　about　the　same　distance　east　of　Morris's；　was

anchored　a　house　boat。　　She　was　painted　a　slaty　gray　color。　　As

Cleggett　looked　at　her　a　man　stepped　up　on　the　deck；　and；　putting

a　binocular　glass　to　his　eye；　began　to　study　the　Jasper　B。　　After

a　few　minutes　of　steady　scrutiny　this　person　turned　his　attention

to　Morris's。



Looking　towards　Morris's　himself　Cleggett　saw　a　man　standing　on

the　east　verandah　of　that　resort　intently　scanning　the　house　boat

through　a　glass。　Cleggett　went　into　the　cabin　and　got　his　own

glass。



Presently　the　man　on　Morris's　verandah　and　the　man　of　the　house

boat　ceased　to　scrutinize　each　other　and　both　turned　their

glasses　upon　the　Jasper　B。　　But　the　moment　they　perceived　that

Cleggett　was　provided　with　a　glass　each　turned　hastily　and

entered；　the　one　Morris's　place；　and　the　other　the　cabin　of　the

house　boat。　　But　Cleggett　had　already　recognized　the　man　at

Morris's　as　the　stoop…shouldered　man　of　tall　stature　and　fanciful

dress　who　had　tried　to　stare　him　down　some　days　before。



As　for　the　man　on　the　house　boat　（which；　as　Cleggett　had　made

out；　was　named　the　Annabel　Lee）；　there　was　something　vaguely

familiar　about　his　general　appearance　which　puzzled　and

tantalized　our　hero。



As　the　morning　wore　on　Cleggett　became　certain　that　the　Jasper　B。

was　closely　watched　by　both　the　Annabel　Lee　and　Morris's；

although　the　watchers　avoided　showing　themselves　plainly。　　A

slightly　agitated　blind　at　a　second　story　window　over　the

verandah　showed　him　where　the　tall　man　or　one　of　his　associates

gazed　out　from　Morris's；　and　from　a　porthole　of　the　Annabel　Lee

he　could　see　a　glass　thrust　forth　from　time　to　time。　　It　was

evident　to　him　that　the　Annabel　Lee　and　Morris's　were　suspicious

of　each　other；　and　that　both　suspected　the　Jasper　B。　　But　of　what

did　they　suspect　Cleggett？　　What　intention　did　they　impute　to

him？　　He　could　only　wonder。



Through　the　entire　morning　he　was　conscious　of　the　continuance　of

this　watch。　　He　thought　it　ceased　about　luncheon　time；　but　at　two

in　the　afternoon　he　was　certain　that；　if　so；　it　had　been　resumed。



Cleggett；　innocent　and　honorable；　began　to　get　impatient　of　this

persistent　scrutiny。　　And　in　spite　of　his　courage　a　vague

uneasiness　began　to　possess　him。　　Towards　the　end　of　the

afternoon　he　called　his　little　company　aft　and　spoke　to　them。



〃My　men；〃　he　said；　〃I　do　not　like　the　attitude　of　our　neighbors。　

To　put　it　briefly；　there　may　be　squalls　ahead　of　the　Jasper　B。　

This　is　a　wild　and　desolate　coast；　comparatively　speaking。　

Strange　things　have　happened　to　innocent　people　before　this　along

the　shores　of　Long　Island。　　It　is　well　to　be　prepared。　　I　intend

to　serve　out　to　each　of　you　two　hundred　cartridges　and　a　。44

caliber　Colt's。　In　case　of　an　attempt　to　board；　you　may　find

these　cutlasses　handy。



〃Cap'n　Abernethy；　in　all　nautical　matters　you　will　still　be　in

command　of　the　ship；　but　in　case　of　a　military　demonstration；　all

of　you　will　look　to　me　for　leadership。　　You　may　go　now　and　rig　up

a　jury　mast　and　bend　the　American　colors　to　the　peakand　in　case

of　blows；　may　God　defend　the　right！　　I　know　I　do　not　need　to

exhort　you　to　do　your　duty！〃



As　Cleggett　spoke　the　spirit　which　animated　him　seemed　to

communicate　itself　to　his　listeners。　Their　eyes　kindled　and　the

keen　joy　that　gallant　men　always　feel　in　the　anticipation　of

conflict　flushed　their　faces。



〃I　am　a　son　of　Leonidas；〃　said　George　Stefanopolous；　proudly。　

And　he　secreted　not　merely　one；　but　two；　of　Cleggett's　daggers

about　his　body；　in　addition　to　the　revolver　given　him。　　As　George

had　already　possessed　a　dagger　or　two　and　an　automatic　pistol；　it

was　now　almost　impossible　for　him　to　lay　his　hand　casually　on　any

part　of　his　person　without　its　coming　into　contact　with　a　deadly

weapon　ready　for　instant　use。　　Cap'n　Abernethy　picked　up　a

cutlass；　〃hefted〃　it　thoughtfully；　rolled　his　sleeve　back　upon　a

lean　and　sinewy　old　arm　that　was　tanned　until　it　looked　like　a

piece　of　weathered　oak；　spat　upon　his　hand　and　whirled　the　weapon

till　it　whistled　in　the　air。　　〃I　come　of　a　seafarin'　fambly；〃

said　the　Cap'n；　sententiously。



As　for　Kuroki；　he　said　nothing。　　He　was　not　given　to　speech　at

any　time。　　But　he　picked　up　a　Malay　kris　and　ran　his　thumb　along

the　edge　of　it　critically　like　a　man　to　whom　such　a　weapon　is　not

altogether　unfamiliar。　　A　pleased　smile　stole　over　his　face；　he

handled　the　wicked　knife　almost　affectionately；　he　put　it　down

with　a　little　loving　pat。



〃Brave　boys；〃　murmured　Cleggett；　as　he　watched　them。　　He　smiled；

but　at　the　same　time　something　like　a　tear　blurred　his　eloquent

and　magnetic　eye　for　a　moment。　　〃Brave　boys；〃　he　murmured；　〃we

were　made　for　each　other！〃



The　display　of　the　American　flag　by　the　Jasper　B。　had　an　effect

that　could　not　have　been　foreseen。



Almost　immediately　the　Annabel　Lee　herself　flung　an　exactly

similar　American　flag　to　the　breeze。　But　a　strange　thing　happened

at　Morris's。　　An　American　flag　was　first　hung　from　an　upper

window　over　the　east　verandah。　　Then；　after　a　moment；　it　was

withdrawn。　　Then　a　red　flag　was　put　out。　　But　almost　immediately

Cleggett　saw　a　man　rip　the　red　flag　from　its　fastenings　and　fling

it　to　the　ground。



Cleggett；　resorting　to　his　glass；　perceived　that　it　was　the　tall

man　with　the　stoop　shoulders　and　incongruous　clothing　who　had

torn　down　the　red　flag。　　He　was　now　in　violent　altercation　with

the　man　who　had　hung　it　outthe　fellow　whom　he　had　called

Heinrich　some　days　before。



As　Cleggett　watched；　the　two　men　came　to　blows；　then　they

clinched　and　struggled；　swaying　back　and　forth　within　the　open

window；　like　a　moving　picture　in　a　frame。　　Suddenly　the　tall

fellow　seemed　to　get　the　upper　hand；　exerting　all　his　strength；

he　bent　the　other　backward　over　the　window　sill。　　The　two

contending　figures　writhed　desperately　a　moment　and　then　the　tall

man　shifted　one　powerful；　sinewy　hand　to　Heinrich's　throat。



The　binoculars　brought　the　thing　so　near　to　Cleggett　that　it

seemed　as　if　he　could　touch　the　contorted　faces；　he　could　see　the

tall　man's　neck　muscles　work　as　if　that　person　were　panting；　he

could　see　the　signs　of　suffocation　in　Heinrich's　countenance。　

The　fact　that　he　saw　so　plainly　and　yet　could　hear　no　sound　of

the　struggle　somehow　added　to　its　horror。



All　at　once　the　tall　man　put　his　knee　upon　the　other's　chest；　and

flung　his　weight　upon　Heinrich　with　a　vehement　spring。　　Then　he

tumbled　Heinrich　out　of　the　window　onto　the　roof　of　the　verandah。



He　stepped　out　of　the　window　himself；　picked　Heinrich　up　with　an

ease　that　testified　to　his　immense　strength；　and　flung　him　over

the　edge　of　the　verandah　onto　the　ground。　　A　few　moments　later　a

couple　of　men　ran　out　from　Morris's；　busied　themselves　about

reviving　the　fellow；　and　helped　him　into　the　house。　　If　Heinrich

was　not　badly　injured；　certainly　all　the　fight　had　been　taken　out

of　him　for　one　day。



With　Heinrich　thus　disposed　of；　the　tall　man　turned　composedly　to

the　task　of　putting　out　the　American　flag　again。　　Through　the

glass　Cleggett　perceived　that　his　face　was　twisted　by　a　peculiar

smile；　a　smile　of　joyous　malevolence。



〃A　bad　man　to　cross；　that　tall　man；〃　said　Cleggett；　musingly。　

And　indeed；　his　violence　with　Heinrich　had　seemed　out　of　all

proportion　to　the　apparent　grounds　of　the　quarrel；　for　it　was

evident　to　Cleggett　that　Heinrich　and　the　tall　man　had　differed

merely　about　the　policy　of　displaying　the　red　flag。　　〃A　man

determined　to　have　his　way；〃　mused　Cleggett。　　〃If　he　and　I　should

meet〃　Cleggett　did　not　finish　the　sentence　in　words；　but

his　hand　closed　over　the　butt　of　his　revolver。



His　musing　was　interrupted　by　the　noise　of　an　approaching

automobile。　　Turning；　he　saw　a　vehicle；　the　rather　long　body　of

which　was　covered　so　that　it　resembled　a　merchant's　delivery

wagon；　coming　along　the　road　from　Fairport。



It　stopped　opposite　the　Jasper　B。；　and　from　the　seat　beside　the

driver　leaped　lightly　the　most　beautiful　woman　Cleggett　had　ever

seen；　and　walked　hesitatingly　but　gracefully　towards　him。



She　was　agitated。　　She　was；　in　fact；　sobbing；　and　a　Pomeranian

dog　which　she　carried　in　her　arms　was　whimpering　excitedly　as　if

in　sympathy　with　its　mistress。　　Cleggett；　soul　of　chivalry　that

he　was；　born　cavalier　of　beauty　in　distress；　removed　his　hat　and

advanced　to　meet　her。



CHAPTER　V



BEAUTY　IN　DISTRESS



〃Can　you　tell　me　where　I　can　get　some　ice？　Can　you　sell　me　some

ice？〃　cried　the　lady　excitedly；　when　she　was　still　some　yards

distant　from　Cleggett。



〃Ice？〃　　The　request　was　so　unusual　that　Cleggett　was　not　certain

that　he　had　understood。



〃Yes；　ice！　　Ice！〃　　There　was　no　mistaking　the　genuine　character

of　her　eagerness；　if　she　had　been　begging　for　her　life　she　could

not