the cruise of the jasper b.-第42章

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

entrance　of　a　subterranean　passage　yawned　before　him。



He　stared　in　astonishment。　　The　three　detectives　were　pointing　at

the　tunnel　with　plump　forefingers　and　bland；　triumphant　smiles。



〃Nothing　is　impossible；　my　dear　Cleggett；〃　said　Barnstable。　　〃The

tunnel　HAD　to　be　there！〃



〃It　explains　everything；〃　said　Cleggett。　　〃But　a　tunnel　into　MY

ship！〃



And；　in　truth；　for　a　moment　he　felt　disappointed　in　the　Jasper　B。



A　tunnel　is　all　very　well　leading　from　the　basement　of　a　house；

or　extending　backward　from　a　cave；　but　Cleggett　felt　that　it　was

scarcely　a　dignified　sort　of　arrangement；　nautically　speaking；

for　a　ship　to　have　leading　from　its　hold。



It　seemed；　somehow；　to　stamp　the　Jasper　B。　indelibly　as　a　thing

of　the　land　rather　than　as　the　gallant　creature　of　piping　winds

and　following　seas。　　Could　the　Jasper　B。；　a　bone　in　her　teeth　and

her　tackle　humming；　ever　again　sail　through　Cleggett's　dreams？　

For　a　moment；　if　the　worst　must　be　known；　he　was　almost　disgusted

with　the　Jasper　B。；　considered　as　a　ship。　　For　a　moment　he　was

willing　to　believe　that　Cap'n　Abernethy　was　nothing　but　a　Long

Island　truck　farmer；　and　NOT　of　a　seafaring　family　at　all。　　For　a

moment　he　felt　himself　to　be　a　copyreader　again　on　the　New　York

Enterprise。



But　only　for　a　moment！　　The　star　of　romance；　clouded　temporarily

by　fact；　rose　serene　and　bright　again　in　the　wide　heaven　of　the

unusual　spirit；　the　barber's　basin　gleamed　once　more　the　helmet

of　Mambrino。　　Cleggett　began　to　see　the　matter　in　its　proper

light。



〃A　tunnel！〃　he　cried；　brightening；　and　looking　at　it　with　his

legs　spread　a　little　wide　and　his　hands　on　his　hips。　　〃A　tunnel！　

Eh；　by　gad！　　Who　could　have　prophesied　a　tunnel？　　Barnstable；

never　tell　me　again　there　is　no　romance　in　real　life！　　I　tell

you；　Barnstable；　she's　a　good　old　ship；　the　Jasper　B。！　　I　don't

suppose　there　was　ever　another　schooner　in　the　world　with　a

secret　passageway　leading　out　of　her　hold！〃



〃She　IS　a　remarkable　vessel；〃　agreed　Wilton　Barnstable　gravely。　

〃But；　come；　we　are　wasting　time！　　The　other　end　of　this　passage

is　at　Morris's；　that　is　plain。　　Loge　Black　has　only　a　few

minutes'　start　of　us。　　Therefore；　to　Morris's！〃





CHAPTER　XXVI



A　DOG　DIES　GAME



Clambering　out　of　the　hold；　the　three　detectives　and　Cleggett

briefly　made　their　followers　acquainted　with　the　extraordinary

turn　of　events。　　The　Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop；　Miss　Pringle's　Jefferson；

and　Washington　Artillery　Lamb　were　detailed　to　guard　the　Jasper

B。　end　of　the　tunnel。　　The　others；　seizing　their　rifles；　raced

across　the　sands　towards　Morris's。



In　a　few　moments　the　place　was　invested；　with　riflemen　on　every

side　except　the　south；　which　fronted　on　the　bay。　　The

steel…jacketed　bullets　from　the　high…power　guns　tore　through　and

through　the　flimsy　walls。　　Nevertheless　the　defenders　replied

pluckily；　and　the　siege　might　have　dragged　on　for　hours　had　it

not　been　for　the　courage　and　resource　of　Kuroki。　　Gaining　the

stable；　Kuroki　found　an　old　pushcart　there。　　He　piled　three　bales

of　hay　upon　it；　and　then　set　fire　to　the　hay。　　Pushing　the　cart

before　him；　and　crouching　behind　the　bales　to　protect　himself

from　revolver　shots；　he　worked　his　way　to　the　east　verandah　of

the　building　and　left　the　hay　blazing　against　the　planks。　　Then

he　ran　as　if　the　devil　were　after　him；　and　was　almost　out　of

pistol　shot　before　he　got　a　bullet　in　the　calf　of　his　leg。



The　blaze　caught　the　wood　and　spread。　　In　two　minutes　the　east

verandah　was　in　flames。　　Loge　and　his　men　attempted　to　pour　water

on　the　blaze　from　above。　　But　Cleggett's　party　directed　so　hot　a

fire　upon　the　windows　that　the　defenders　were　forced　to　retire。



The　main　building　caught。　　The　road　house　was　old；　and　was　of

very　light　construction；　the　fire　spread　with　rapidity。　　Loge　was

in　a　trap。



But　that　evil　and　indomitable　spirit　refused　to　yield。　　Even　when

his　remaining　ruffians　came　out　and　gave　themselves　up　Loge　still

fought　on　alone　in　a　sullen　fury　of　despair。



Reckless　of　bullets；　he　leaned　from　an　open　window；　a　figure　not

without　its　grandeur　against　the　background　of　smoke　and　flame；

and　shouted　a　savage　and　obscene　insult　at　Cleggett。



〃Give　yourself　up；〃　cried　Wilton　Barnstable。



〃Damn　it；　man；　anything's　better　than　roasting　to　death！〃



Loge　raised　his　hand　and　sped　a　last　bullet　at　the　detective；

grazing　Barnstable's　temple。



〃Come　in　and　get　me！〃　he　shouted。



Barnstable　fired；　just　as　a　whirl　of　smoke　blew　in　front　of　Loge。



Cleggett　thought　the　outlaw　staggered；　but　he　was　not　certain。



A　moment　later　a　portion　of　the　roof　fell；　then　the　east　wall

crashed　in。　　Morris's　was　a　blazing　ruin。



〃He　has　perished　in　the　flames；〃　said　Wilton　Barnstable。　　〃So

ends　Logan　Black！〃



〃More　like　he's　blowed　his　head　off；〃　said　Cap'n　Abernethy。　　〃If

you　was　to　ask　me；　that's　what　I'd　do。〃



〃He　has　done　neither！〃　cried　Cleggett。　　〃He　has　taken　to　the

tunnel。　　That　man　will　fight　to　the　last　breath。〃



And　without　waiting　to　see　whether　the　others　followed　him　or　not

Cleggett　set　off　at　top　speed　for　the　Jasper　B。　



With　a　dagger　between　his　teeth；　his　pistol　in　its　holster；　and

his　electric；　watchman's　lantern　in　his　pocket　he　entered　the

tunnel　and　crawled　forward　on　his　hands　and　knees。　　If　Loge　were

in　there　indeed　he　had　the　fire　at　one　end　and　Cleggett　at　the

other。　　But　even　at　that；　escape　was　possible；　for　all　Cleggett

knew。　　What　ramifications　this　peculiar　passageway　might　have　he

could　not　guess。



The　place　was　narrow；　and　in　spots　so　low　that　it　was　necessary

for　a　man　to　crouch　almost　to　the　ground。　　Cleggett；　because　he

did　not　wish　to　reveal　his　presence；　did　not　flash　his　lantern；

there　were　stretches　where　he　might　have　stood　almost　erect　and

made　quicker　progress；　if　he　had　found　them　with　the　light。　　The

earth　beneath　him　was　beaten　hard　and　smooth。



Cleggett　thought　possibly　that　the　tunnel　had　originally　led　from

Morris's　basement　to　the　smuggler's　cave　which　Wilton　Barnstable

had　spoken　of；　and　that　it　had　been　extended　later　to　the　ship。　

He　learned　afterwards　that　this　was　true　from　the　men　who　had

surrendered。　　The　Jasper　B。　had　been　abandoned　for　so　long；　and

was　so　completely　abandoned　except　for　the　visits　of　Cap'n

Abernethy；　who　fished　from　it　now　and　then；　that　Loge　had

conceived　the　idea　of　making　it　the　back…door；　so　to　speak；　of

Morris's。　　In　the　event　of　a　raid　upon　Morris's　his　〃get…away〃

through　the　hulk　was　provided　for。　　He　had　intended　buying　the

ship　himself；　but　Cleggett　had　forestalled　him。



From　the　prisoners　Cleggett　also　learned　later　that　two　men　had

been　concerned　in　the　explosion　which　had　broken　the　big　rocks　on

the　plain。　　One　of　them　had　won　the　Claiborne　signet　ring　at

poker　after　Reginald　Maltravers　had　been　stripped　of　his

valuables；　and　had　worn　it。　　They　had　been　dispatched　with　a　bomb

each；　which　they　were　to　introduce　into　the　hold　of　the　Jasper

B。；　retiring　through　the　tunnel　after　they　had　started　the

clockwork　mechanism　going。　　It　was　known　that　one　of　them　owed

the　other　money；　they　had　been　quarreling　about　it　as　they

entered　the　tunnel　from　the　cellar　of　Morris's。　　It　was

conjectured　that　the　quarrel　had　progressed　and　that　the　debtor

had　endeavored；　by　the　light　of　his　pocket　lantern　in　the　tunnel；

to　palm　off　a　counterfeit　bill　in　settlement　of　the　debt。　　This

may　have　led　to　a　blow；　or　more　likely　only　to　an　argument　during

which　a　bomb　was　dropped　and　exploded；　followed　quickly　by　the

other　explosion。　　Dead　hand；　counterfeit　bill　and　ring　were　flung

whimsically　to　the　surface　of　the　earth　together；　and　the　leaning

rocks　had　been　astonishingly　broken　from　beneath　through　this

trivial　quarrel。　　Had　it　not　been　for　this　squabble　the　Jasper　B。

and　all　on　board　must　have　been　destroyed。　　Verily；　the　minds　of

wicked　men　co