the cruise of the jasper b.-第14章

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Jasper　B。　？　　An　interest　so　hostile　to　her　present　owner　and　his

men？



〃If　you　was　to　ask　me　what　it　means；〃　said　Captain　Abernethy；　who

had　taken　the　book　and　was　fingering　it；　〃I'd　say　it　means　young

Jones　here　has　fell　into　bad　company。　　That　don't　explain　how　he

sneaked　into　the　hold　of　the　Jasper　B。；　nor　what　for。　　But　he

orter　have　a　doctor。〃



〃He　shall　have　a　physician；〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃In　fact；　the　Jasper

B。　needs　a　ship's　doctor。〃



〃It　looks　to　me；〃　said　Captain　Abernethy；　〃as　if　she　did。　　And　if

you　was　to　go　further；　Mr。　Cleggett；　and　say　that　it　looks　as　if

she　was　liable　to　need　a　couple　o'　trained　nurses；　too；　I'd　say

to　you　that　if　they's　goin'　to　be　many　o'　these　kind　o'　goin's…on

aboard　of　her　she　DOES　need　a　couple　of　trained　nurses。〃



〃Captain；〃　said　Cleggett；　〃you　are　a　humane　man　let　me　shake

your　hand。　　You　have　voiced　my　very　thought！〃



Long　ago　Cleggett　had　resolved　that　if　Chance　or　Providence

should　ever　gratify　his　secret　wish　to　participate　in　stirring

adventures；　he　would　see　to　it　that　all　his　wounded　enemies；　no

matter　how　many　there　might　be　of　them；　received　adequate　medical

attention。　　He　had　often　been　shocked　at　the　callousness　with

which　so　many　of　the　heroes　of　romance　dash　blithely　into　the

next　adventurethough　those　whom　they　have　seriously　injured

lie　on　all　sides　of　them　as　thick　as　autumn　leaveswith　only　the

most　perfunctory　consideration　of　these　victims；　sometimes；

indeed；　with　no　thought　of　them　at　all。



〃Something　tells　me；〃　said　Cleggett　seriously；　〃that　this

intrusion　of　armed　men　is　only　a　prelude。　　I　have　little　doubt　of

the　hostility　of　Morris's；　I　am　sure　that　the　men　who　hid　in　the　

hold　are　spies　from　Morris's。　　I　do　not　yet　know　the　motive　for

this　hostility。　　But　the　Jasper　B。　is　in　the　midst　of　dangers　and

mysteries。　　There　is　before　us　an　affair　of　some　magnitude。　　Ere

the　Jasper　B。　sets　sail　for　the　China　Seas；　there　may　be　many

wounds。〃



And　then　he　began　to　outline　a　plan　that　had　flashed；　full

formed；　into　his　mind。　　It　was　to　rent；　or　purchase；　the

buildings　at　Parker's　Beach；　and　fit　them　up　as　a　field　hospital；

with　three　or　four　nurses　in　charge。　　Lady　Agatha；　who　had　been

listening　intently；　interrupted。



〃Butthe　China　Seas；〃　　she　said。　　〃Did　I　understand　you　to　say

that　you　intend　to　set　sail　for　the　China　Seas？〃



〃That　is　the　ultimate　destination　of　the　Jasper　B。〃　said

Cleggett。



〃I　have　heardit　seems　to　me　that　I　have　heardthat　it's　a

very　dangerous　place；〃　ventured　Lady　Agatha。　　〃Pirates；　you　know；

and　all　that　sort　of　thing。〃



〃Pirates；〃　said　Cleggett；　〃abound。〃



〃Well；　then；〃　persisted　Lady　Agatha；　〃you　are　going　out　to　fight

them？〃



〃I　should　not　be　surprised；〃　said　Cleggett；　folding　his　arms；　and

standing　with　his　feet　spread　just　a　trifle　wider　than　usual；　〃if

the　Jasper　B。　had　a　brush　or　two　with　them。　　A　brush　or　two！〃



Lady　Agatha　regarded　him　speculatively。　　But　admiringly；　too。



〃But　those　nurses〃　she　said。　　〃If　you're　going　to　the　China

Seas　you　can't　very　well　take　Parker's　Beach　along。〃



〃I　was　coming　to　that；〃　said　Cleggett；　bowing。　〃I　contemplate　a

hospital　shipa　vessel　supplied　with　nurses　and　lint　and

medicines；　that　will　accompany　the　Jasper　B。；　and　fly　the　Red

Cross　flag。〃



〃But　they　are　frightful　people；　really；　those　Chinese　pirates；

you　know；〃　said　Lady　Agatha。　〃Do　you　think　they'll　quite

appreciate　a　hospital　ship？〃



〃It　is　my　duty；〃　said　Cleggett；　simply。　　〃Whether　they　appreciate

it　or　not；　a　hospital　ship　they　shall　have。　　This　is　the

twentieth　century。　　And　although　the　great　spirits　of　other　days

had　much　to　commend　them；　it　is　not　to　be　denied　that　they　knew

little　of　our　modern　humanitarianism。　　It　has　remained　for　the

twentieth　century　to　develop　that。　　And　one　owes　a　duty　to　one's

epoch　as　well　as　to　one's　individuality。〃



〃But；〃　repeated　Lady　Agatha；　with　a　meditative　frown；　〃they　are

really　FRIGHTFUL　people！〃



〃There　is　good　in　all　men；〃　said　Cleggett；　〃even　in　those　whom

the　stern　necessities　of　idealism　sentence　to　death。　　And　I　have

no　doubt　that　many　a　Chinese　pirate　would；　under　other

circumstances；　have　developed　into　a　very　contented　and　useful

laundry…man。〃



Lady　Agatha　studied　him　intently　for　a　moment。　〃Mr。　Cleggett；〃

she　said；　〃if　you　will　permit　me　to　say　so；　a　great　suffragist

leader　was　lost　when　fate　made　you　a　man。〃



〃Thank　you；〃　said　Cleggett；　bowing　again。



He　dispatched　Georgea　person　of　address　as　well　as　a　fighter　in

whom　the　blood　of　ancient　Greece　ran　quick　and　strongon　a

humanitarian　mission。　　George　was　to　walk　a　mile　to　the　trolley

line；　go　to　Fairport；　hire　a　taxicab；　and　make　all　possible　speed

into　Manhattan。　　There　he　was　to　　communicate　with　a　young

physician　of　Cleggett's　acquaintance；　Dr。　Harry　Farnsworth。



Dr。　Farnsworth；　as　Cleggett　knew；　was　just　out　of　medical　school。　

He　had　his　degree；　but　no　patients。　　But　he　was　bold　and　ready。　

He　was；　in　short；　just　the　lad　to　welcome　with　enthusiasm　such　a

chance　for　active　service　as　the　cruise　of　the　Jasper　B。　promised

to　afford。



It　was　something　of　a　risk　to　weaken　his　little　party　by　sending

George　away　for　several　hours。　But　Cleggett　did　not　hesitate。　　He

was　not　the　man　to　allow　considerations　of　personal　safety　to

outweigh　his　devotion　to　an　ideal。



〃And　now；〃　said　Cleggett；　turning　to　Lady　Agatha；　who　had

hearkened　to　his　orders　to　George　with　a　bright　smile　of

approval；　〃we　will　dine；　and　I　will　hear　the　rest　of　your　story；

which　was　so　rudely　interrupted。　　It　is　possible　that　together　we

may　be　able　to　find　some　solution　of　your　problem。〃



〃Dine！〃　exclaimed　Lady　Agatha；　eagerly。　　〃Yes；　let　us　dine！　　It

may　sound　incredible　to　you；　Mr。　Cleggett；　that　the　daughter　of

an　English　peer　and　the　widow　of　a　baronet　should　confess　that；

except　for　your　tea；　she　has　scarcely　eaten　for　twenty…four

hoursbut　it　is　so！〃



Then　she　said；　sadly；　with　a　sign　and　sidelong　glance　at　the　box

of　Reginald　Maltravers　which　stood　near　the　cabin　companionway

dripping　coldly：　　〃Until　now；　Mr。　Cleggettuntil　your　aid　had

given　me　fresh　hope　and　strengthI　had；　indeed；　very　little

appetite。〃



Cleggett　followed　her　gaze；　and　it　must　be　admitted　that　he

himself　experienced　a　momentary　sense　of　depression　at　the　sight

of　the　box　of　Reginald　Maltravers。　　It　looked　so　damp；　it　looked

so　chill；　it　looked　so　starkly　and　patiently　and　malevolently

watchful　of　himself　and　Lady　Agatha。　　In　a　flash　his　lively　fancy

furnished　him　with　a　picture　of　the　box　of　Reginald　Maltravers

suddenly　springing　upright　and　hopping　towards　him　on　one　end

with　a　series　of　stiff　jumps　that　would　send　drops　of　moisture

flying　from　the　cracks　and　seams　and　make　the　ice　inside　of　it

clink　and　tinkle。　　And　the　mournful　Elmer；　now　drowsing　callously

over　his　charge；　was　not　an　invitation　to　be　blithe。　　If　Cleggett

himself　were　so　affected　（he　mused）　what　must　be　the　effect　of

the　box　of　Reginald　Maltravers　upon　sensibilities　as　fine　and

delicate　as　those　of　a　woman　like　Lady　Agatha　Fairhaven？



〃Could　Iif　I　might〃　Lady　Agatha　hesitated；　with　a　glance

towards　the　cabin。　　Cleggett　instantly　divined　her　thought；　for

brief　as　was　their　acquaintance；　there　was　an　almost　psychic

accord　between　his　mind　and　hers；　and　he　felt　himself　already

answering　to　her　unspoken　wish　as　a　ship　to　its　rudder。



〃The　cabin　is　at　your　service；〃　said　Cleggett；　for　he　understood

that　she　wished　to　dress　for　dinner。　　He　conducted　her；　with　a

touch　of　formality；　to　his　own　room　in　the　cabin；　which　he　put　at

her　disposal；　ordering　her　steamer　trunks　to　be　placed　in　it。　

Then；　taking　with　him　some　necessaries　of　his　own；　he　withdrew　to

the　forecastle　to　make　a　careful　toilet。



It　might　not　have　occurred　to　another　man　to　dress　for　dinner；

but　Cleggett's　character　was　an　unusual　blend　of　delicacy　and

strength；　he　perceived　subtly　that　Lady