the cruise of the jasper b.-第36章

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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　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