the cruise of the jasper b.-第43章

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

wicked　men　compass　their　own　downfall；　and　retribution　can

sometimes　be　an　artist。



But　Cleggett；　as　he　crawled　forward　through　the　darkness　and　the

damp；　thought　little　of　these　things　that　had　so　mystified　him　at

the　time。　　He　was　alert　for　what　the　immediate　future　might　hold；

not　doubting　that　Loge　had　retreated　to　the　tunnel。　　He　had　too

strong　a　sense　of　the　man's　powerful　and　iniquitous　personality

to　suppose　that　Loge　would　kill　himself　while　one　chance

remained；　however　remote；　of　injuring　his　enemies。　　Loge　was　the

kind　of　dog　that　dies　biting。



Suddenly；　after　pressing　forward　for　several　minutes；　he　ran

against　an　obstruction。　　The　tunnel　seemed　to　come　to　an　end。　　He

did　not　dare　show　his　light。　　But　he　felt　with　his　hands。　　It　was

rock　that　blocked　his　way。　　Cleggett　understood　that　this　barrier

was　the　result　of　the　explosion。　　Groping　and　exploring　with　his

hands；　he　found　that　the　passage　turned　sharply　to　the　left。　　It

was　more　narrow　and　curving；　for　the　distance　of　a　few　yards；　and

the　earth　beneath　was　fresher。　　When　the　tunnel　had　been　blocked

by　the　explosion；　Loge　and　his　men　had　burrowed　around　the

obstruction。



Cleggett　judged　that　he　must　be　at　about　the　middle　of　the

tunnel。　　He　felt　the　more　solid　earth　beneath　his　hands　again；

and　knew　that　he　had　passed　the　rock。　　The　passage　now　descended

deeper　into　the　ground；　slanting　steeply　downward。　　This　incline

was　twenty　feet　in　length；　then　the　floor　became　horizontal　again

on　the　lower　level。　　At　the　same　time　the　passage　widened。　

Cleggett　stretched　one　arm　out；　then　the　other；　he　could　not

touch　the　wall　on　either　hand。　　He　stood　erect　and　held　his　hand

up；　the　roof　was　six　inches　above　his　head。　　He　was　in　a　room　of

some　sort。　　Wishing；　if　possible；　to　learn　the　extent　of　this

subterranean　chamber；　which　he　did　not　doubt　had　at　one　time　been

used　as　a　cave　and　storehouse　of　smugglers；　Cleggett　began　to

sidle　around　walls；　feeling　his　way　with　his　hands。



He　dislodged　a　pebble。　　It　rolled　to　the　ground　with　what　was

really　a　slight　sound。



But　to　Cleggett；　who　had　been　getting　more　and　more　excited；　it

was　loud　as　an　avalanche。　　He　stopped　and　held　his　breath；　he

fancied　that　he　had　heard　another　noise　besides　the　one　which　his

pebble　made。　　But　he　could　not　be　sure。



The　sensation　that　he　was　not　alone　suddenly　gripped　him　with

overwhelming　force。　　His　heart　began　to　beat　more　quickly；　the

blood　drummed　in　his　ears。　　Nevertheless；　he　kept　his　head。　　He

took　his　pocket　lantern　in　his　left　hand；　and　his　pistol　in　his

right；　and　leaned　with　his　back　against　the　wall。　　He　listened。　

He　heard　nothing。



But　the　eerie　feeling　that　he　was　watched　grew　upon　him。　

Presently　he　fancied　that　the　darkness　began　to　vibrate；　as　if　an

electrical　current　of　some　sort　were　being　passed　through　it；　and

it　might　forthwith　burst　into　light。　　Cleggett；　as　we　know；　was

not　easily　frightened。　　But　now　he　was　possessed　of　a　strange

feeling；　akin　to　terror；　but　which　was　at　the　same　time　not　any

terror　of　physical　injury。　　He　did　not　fear　Loge；　in　dark　or

daylight　he　was　ready　to　grapple　with　him　and　fight　it　out；

nevertheless　he　feared。　　That　he　could　not　say　what　he　feared

only　increased　his　fear。



Children　say　they　are　〃afraid　of　the　dark。〃　　It　is　not　the　dark

which　they　are　afraid　of。　　It　is　the　bodiless　presences　which

they　imagine　in　the　dark。　　It　was　so　with　Cleggett　now。　　He　was

not　daunted　by　anything　that　could　strike　a　blow。　　But　the　sense　

of　a　personality　began　to　encompass　him。　　It　pressed　in　upon　him；

played　upon　him；　embraced　him；　his　flesh　tingled　as　if　he　were

being　brushed；　he　felt　his　hair　stir。　　One　recognizes　a　flower　by

its　odor。　　So　a　soul　flings　off；　in　some　inexplicable　way；　the

sense　of　itself。　　This　force　that　laid　itself　upon　Cleggett　and

flowed　around　him　had　an　individuality　without　a　body。　　Not

through　his　senses；　but　psychically；　he　recognized　it；　it　was　the

hateful　and　sinister　individuality　of　Loge。



With　choking　throat　and　dry　lips　Cleggett　stood　and　suffered

beneath　the　smothering　presence　of　this　terror　while　the　slow

seconds　mounted　to　an　intolerable　minute；　then　there　burst　from

him　an　uncontrollable　shout。



〃Loge！〃　he　roared；　and　the　cavern　rang。



And　with　the　word　he　pressed　the　button　of　his　electric　pocket

lamp　and　shot　a　beam　of　light　straight　in　front　of　him。　　It　fell

upon　the　yellowish　brow　and　the　wide；　unwinking　eyes　of　Loge。　

The　eyes　stared　straight　at　Cleggett's　own　from　across　the　cave；

thirty　feet　away。　　Loge's　teeth　were　bared　in　his　malevolent

grimace；　he　head　was　bent　forward；　he　sat　upon　a　rock。　　Cleggett；

unable　to　withdraw　his　eyes；　waited　for　Loge's　first　movement。　

The　man　made　no　sign。　　Cleggett　slowly　raised　his　pistol。　。　。　。



But　he　did　not　fire。　　The　open；　staring　eyes；　unchanging　at　the

menace　of　the　lifted　pistol；　told　the　story。　　Loge　was　dead。　

Cleggett　crossed　over　and　examined　him。　　Clutched　on　his　knees

was　a　bomb。　　He　had　been　wounded　by　Barnstable's　last　shot；　but

he　had　crawled　through　the　tunnel　with　a　bomb　for　a　final　attempt

on　the　Jasper　B。　　His　strength　had　failed；　he　had　rested　upon　the

rock　and　bled　to　death。



As　for　his　last　thought；　Cleggett　had　felt　it。　Loge　had　died

hating　and　lusting　for　his　blood。





CHAPTER　XXVII



CLEGGETT　ACCOMMODATES　THE　KING



There　was　a　wedding　next　day　on　the　deck　of　the　Jasper　B。　　The

Rev。　Simeon　Calthrop　performed　the　ceremony；　and　Wilton

Barnstable　insisted　upon　lending　his　vessel　for　a　bridal　cruise。　

Washington　Artillery　Lamb；　engineer；　janitor；　cook　and　butler　of

the　Annabel　Lee；　went　with　the　vessel。



As　for　the　Jasper　B。；　although　his　wife　urged　him　to　keep　the

ship　for　the　sake　of　old　associations；　Cleggett　had　the　hole　in

its　side　built　in　and　gave　it　to　the　Rev。　Simeon　Calthrop　for　a

gospel　ship。　　George　the　Greek；　who　married　Miss　Medley；　shipped

with　the　preacher　in　his　cruise　around　the　world；　and　he　and　his

wife　eventually　reached　Greece；　as　he　had　originally　intended。　

Elmer　went　with　the　Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop　to　assist　him　in　his

missionary　work。



But　it　was　some　time　before　the　Jasper　B。　sailed。　　Besides　the

hole　which　was　the　entrance　to　the　tunnel　it　was　discovered　that

the　vessel　rested　on　a　brick　foundation。　　The　man　who　had　used

her　for　a　saloon　and　dancing　platform　in　years　past　had　dug　away

part　of　the　bank　of　the　canal　to　fit　the　curve　of　her　starboard

side　and　had　then　jammed　her　tight　into　the　land。　　Even　then　she

would　move　a　trifle　at　times；　so　he　had　built　a　dam　around　her；

pumped　the　water　out　of　the　inclosed　space；　jacked　the　hulk　up；

built　the　brick　foundation；　and　let　her　down　solidly　on　it　again。



With　the　dam　removed　the　water　covered　this　masonry　work；　and　she

looked　quite　like　a　real　ship。　　Mr。　Goldberg　had　known　about　this

foundation；　but　he　had　forgotten　it；　he　explained　to　Cleggett。



The　Rev。　Mr。　Calthrop　fitted　her　out　as　a　floating　chapel　and

filled　her　with　Bibles　printed　in　all　languages；　which　he

distributes　in　many　lands。　　When　his　fatal　attractiveness　for

women　threatens　to　involve　him　in　trouble　he　hastily　puts　to　sea。　

He　has　never　become　a　really　accomplished　sailor；　and　the　Jasper

B。　is　something　of　a　menace　to　navigation　in　the　ports　and

harbors　of　the　world。　　The　suggestion　has　frequently　been　made

that　she　should　be　set　ashore　permanently　and　put　on　wheels。　　But

she　has　her　features。　　She　is；　possibly；　the　only　ship　extant

with　a　memorial　skylight　to　her　cabin。　　Cleggett　wished　her　to

carry　some　sort　of　memorial　to　the　faithful　Teddy；　the　Pomeranian

dog；　who　perished　of　a　stray　shot　in　the　fight　at　Morris's。　　And

as　a　memorial　window　did　not　seem　feasible　a　　compromise　was　made

on　the　memorial　skylight。　The　glass　is　by　Tiffany。



Dopey　Eddie　and　Izzy　the　Cat；　still　followed　by　Reginald

Maltravers；　made　t