the cruise of the jasper b.-第41章

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thus　made　every　set…to　in　the　fencing　room　a　veritable　mortal

combat　to　him。　　Therefore；　this　was　not　his　first　duel；　he　had

fought　hundreds　of　them。　　And　he　fought　always　on　a　settled　plan；

adapting　it；　of　course；　to　the　idiosyncrasies　of　his　adversary。　

It　was　his　custom　to　vary　the　system　of　his　attack　frequently　in

the　most　disconcerting　manner；　at　the　same　time　steadily

increasing　the　pace　at　which　he　fought。　　And　when　Loge　began　to

give　ground　and　breathe　a　little　harder；　Cleggett；　far　from

taking　advantage　of　his　opponent's　growing　distress　to　rest

himself；　as　a　less　distinguished　swordsman　might　have　done；

redoubled　the　vigor　of　his　assault。　　Cleggett　knew　that　sooner　or

later　a　winded　man　makes　a　fault。　　The　lungs　labor　and　fail　to

give　the　blood　all　the　oxygen　it　needs。　　The　circulation　suffers。

Nerves　and　muscles　are　no　longer　the　perfect　servants　of　the

brain；　for　a　fraction　of　a　second　the　sword　deviates　from　the

proper　line。



It　was　for　this　that　Cleggett　waited；　pressing　Loge　closer　and

closer；　alert　for　the　instant　when　Loge　would　fence　wide；　waxing

as　the　other　waned；　menacing　eyes；　throat；　and　heart　with　a　point

that　leaped　and　dazzled；　and　at　the　same　time　inclosing　himself

within　a　rampart　of　steel　which　Loge　found　it　more　and　more

hopeless　to　attempt　to　penetrate。　It　was　as　if　Cleggett's　blade

were　an　extension　of　his　will；　he　and　his　sword　were　not　two

things；　but　one。　　The　metal　in　his　hand　was　no　longer　merely　a

whip　of　steel；　it　was　a　thing　that　lived　with　his　own　life。　　His

pulse　beat　in　it。　　It　was　a　part　of　him。　　His　nervous　force

permeated　it　and　animated　it；　it　was　his　thought　turned　to

tempered　metal；　and　it　was　with　the　rapidity；　directness　and

subtlety　of　thought　that　his　sword　responded　to　his　mind。



〃Come！〃　said　Cleggett；　as　Loge　broke　ground；　scarcely　aware　that

he　spoke　aloud。　　〃At　this　rate　we　shall　be　at　home　thrusts　soon！〃



Loge　must　have　thought　so　too；　a　shade　passed　over　his　face；　his

upper　lip　lifted　haggardly。　　Perhaps　even　that　iron　nature　was

beginning　to　feel　at　last　something　of　the　dull　sickness　which　is

the　fear　of　death。　　He　retreated　continually；　and　Cleggett　was

smitten　with　the　fancy　to　force　him　backward　and　nail　him；　with　a

final　thrust；　to　the　stump　of　the　foremast；　which　had　been　broken

off　some　eight　feet　above　the　deck。



But　Loge；　gathering　his　power；　made　a　brilliant　and　desperate

rally；　twice　he　grazed　Cleggett；　whose　blade　was　too　closely

engaged；　and　then　suddenly　broke　ground　again。　　This　time

Cleggett　perceived　that　he　had　been　retreating　in　accordance　with

a　preconceived　program。　　He　was　certain　the　man　contemplated　a

trick；　perhaps　some　foul　stroke。



He　rushed　forward　with　a　terrible　thrust。　　Loge；　whose　last

maneuver　had　taken　him　within　a　yard　of　the　hatchway　opening　into

the　hold；　grasped　Cleggett's　blade　in　his　left　hand；　and　at　the

same　instant　flung　his　own　sword；　hilt　first；　full　in　Cleggett's

face。　　As　Cleggett；　struck　in　the　mouth　with　the　pommel；

staggered　back；　Loge　plunged　feet　foremost　into　the　hold。　　It　was

too　unexpected；　and　too　quickly　done；　for　a　shot　from　Barnstable

or　any　of　Cleggett's　men。



Cleggett；　with　the　blood　streaming　from　his　mouth；　recovered

himself　and　leaped　through　the　aperture　in　the　deck。　　He　landed

upon　his　feet　with　a　jar；　and；　shortening　his　sword　in　his　hand；

stared　about　him　in　the　gloom。



He　saw　no　one。



An　instant　later　Wilton　Barnstable　and　Cap'n　Abernethy　were

beside　him。



〃Gone！〃　said　Cleggett　simply。



Barnstable　drew　from　his　pocket　a　small　electric　lantern　and

swept　the　beam　in　a　circle　about　the　hold。　　Again　and　again　he

raked　the　darkness　until　the　finger　of　light　had　rested　upon

every　foot　of　the　interior。



But　Loge　had　vanished　as　completely　as　a　snowflake　that　falls

into　a　tub　of　water。





CHAPTER　XXV



THE　SECRET　OF　THE　VESSEL'S　HOLD



〃Idiot　that　I　am；〃　cried　Cleggett；　〃not　to　have　covered　that

hole！〃　　His　chagrin　was　touching　to　behold。



〃There；　there；　Cleggett；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable　kindly；　〃do　not

reproach　yourself　too　bitterly。〃



〃But　to　let　him　escape　when　I　had　him〃　Cleggett　finished　the

sentence　with　a　groan。



But　Wilton　Barnstable　was　thinking。



〃Please　have　some　lights　brought　down　here　if　you　will；　Captain；〃

he　said　to　Abernethy；　〃and　ask　Mr。　Bard　and　Mr。　Ward　to　come。〃



In　a　few　minutes　the　interior　of　the　hold　was　illuminated　with

lanterns；　it　was　as　bright　as　day。　But　the　detectives　did　not

proceed　at　once　to　a　minute　examination　of　the　hold　as　Cleggett

had　supposed　they　would。



Instead；　they　stood　in　the　waist　of　the　vessel　and　thought。



Visibly　they　thought。　　Wilton　Barnstable　thought。



Barton　Ward　thought。　　Watson　Bard　thought。　　　They　thought　in

silence。　　Cleggett　could　almost　feel　these　three　master　brains

pulsating　in　unison；　working　in　rhythmic　accord；　there　in　the

silence；　the　sense　of　this　intense　cerebral　effort　became　almost

oppressive。　。　。　。



Finally　Wilton　Barnstable　began　to　stroke　his　mustache；　and　a

pleased　smile　stole　over　his　plump　and　benign　visage。　　Barton

Ward　also　began　to　stroke　his　mustache　and　smile。　　But　it　was

twenty　seconds　more　before　Watson　Bard's　corrugated　brow　relaxed

and　his　eyes　twinkled　with　the　idea　that　had　come　so　much　more

readily　to　the　other　two。



〃Cleggett；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable；　〃you　have　heard　of　the

deductive　method　as　applied　to　the　work　of　the　detective？〃



〃I　have；〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃I　have　read　Poe's　detective　tales　and

Doyle's　Sherlock　Holmes　stories。〃



〃Ah！　　Sherlock　Holmes！〃　　The　three　detectives　looked　at　each

other　with　glances　in　which　were　mingled　both　bitterness　and

amusement；　the　look　seemed　to　dispose　of　Sherlock　Holmes。　　Once

again　Cleggett　had　a　fleeting　thought　that　Wilton　Barnstable

might　possibly　be　a　vain　man。



〃Sherlock　Holmes；〃　said　Barnstable；　〃never　existed。　　His

marvelous　feats　are　not　possible　in　real　life；　Cleggett。　　But　the

deductive　method　which　he　pretended　to　usemind　you；　I　say

PRETENDED；　Cleggett！is；　nevertheless；　sound。〃



And　then　the　three　detectives　gave　Cleggett　an　example　of　the

phenomenal　cleverness。



〃Mr。　Ward；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable；　〃Logan　Black　entered　this

hold。〃



〃He　did；〃　said　Barton　Ward。



〃He　is　not　here　now；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable。



〃He　is　not；〃　said　Watson　Bard。



〃Therefore　he　has　escaped；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable。



〃But　how？〃　said　Barton　Ward。



〃Only　a　ghost　or　an　insect　could　leave　this　hold　otherwise　than

by　the　hatchway；　to　all　appearances；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable。



〃Logan　Black　is　not　a　ghost；〃　said　Barton　Ward　firmly。



〃Logan　Black　is　not　an　insect；〃　said　Watson　Bard　with　conviction。



〃Then；〃　said　Barnstable；　〃that　eliminates　the　supernatural　and

thethe〃



〃The　entomological？〃　suggested　Cleggett。



The　three　detectives　stared　at　him　fixedly　for　a　moment；　as　if

surprised　at　the　interruption。　　But　if　they　were　miffed　they　were

too　dignified　to　do　more　than　hint　it。　　Barnstable　continued：



〃There　is　no　such　thing　as　magic。〃



〃There　is　not；〃　said　Ward。



〃The　fourth　dimension　does　not　exist；〃　said　Bard。



〃Therefore　Logan　Black's　exit；〃　said　Barnstable；　〃was　in

accordance　with　well…known　physical　laws。　We　are　forced　to　the

conclusion　that　he　made　his　escape　through　a　secret　passageway。〃



〃A　tunnel；〃　said　Barton　Ward。



〃With　a　concealed　door　opening　into　the　hold；〃　said　Watson　Bard。



〃A　ship　with　a　secret　tunnel！〃　cried　Cleggett。　〃Who　ever　heard　of

the　like？　　Why；　the　thing　is〃



But　he　broke　off。　　He　had　been　leaning　against　the　starboard　side

of　the　hold。　　Even　as　he　spoke　he　felt　the　wall　behind　him

moving。　　He　turned。　A　door　was　opening。　　It　was　built　into　the

side　of　the　Jasper　B。　and　the　joints　were　cleverly　concealed。　　He

had　inadvertently　found；　with　his　elbow；　the　nailhead　which　was

in　reality　the　push　button　that　released　the　spring。　　The　bla