the cruise of the jasper b.-第6章

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patronized　the　place。　　But　most　of　the　patronage　at　all　seasons

seemed　to　consist　of　automobile　parties　from　the　city；　people

apparently　drawn　from　all　classes；　or　eluding　definite

classification　entirely。　　In　the　bleakest　season　there　was　always

a　little　stir　of　dubious　activity　about　Morris's。　　In　the　summer

it　impressed　you　with　its　look　of　cheapness。　　In　the　winter；

squatted　by　the　cold　water　amidst　its　huddle　of　unpainted

outhouses；　at　the　end　of　a　stretch　of　desolate　beach；　the　fancy

gave　Morris's　a　touch　of　the　sinister。



Cleggett　was　anxious　to　get　the　Jasper　B。　into　seaworthy

condition　as　soon　as　possible。　　It　occurred　to　him　that　the

employment　of　expert　advice　should　be　his　first　step；　and　early

the　next　morning　he　hired　Captain　Abernethy。　　That　descendant　of

a　seafaring　family；　though　he　felt　it　incumbent　upon　him　to　offer

objections　that　had　to　be　overcome　with　a　great　show　of　respect；

was　really　overjoyed　at　the　commission。　　He　left　his　own　cottage

a　mile　or　so　away　and　took　up　his　abode　in　the　forecastle　at

once。　　By　nine　o'clock　that　morning　Cleggett　had　a　force　of

workmen　renovating　both　cabin　and　forecastle；　putting　the　cook's

galley　into　working　order；　and　cleansing　the　decks　of　soil　and

sand。　　That　night　Cleggett　spent　on　the　vessel；　with　Captain

Abernethy。



By　Saturday　of　the　same　weekCleggett　had　bought　the　vessel　on

Wednesdayhe　was　able　to　take　up　his　abode　in　the　cabin　with　his

books　and　arms　about　him。　　To　his　library　he　had　added　a　treatise

on　navigation。　　And；　reflecting　that　his　firearms　were　worthless；

considered　as　modern　weapons；　he　also　purchased　a　score　of　。44

caliber　Colt's　revolvers　and　automatic　pistols　of　the　latest

pattern；　and　a　dozen　magazine　rifles。



He　brought　on　board　at　the　same　time；　for　cook　and　cabin　boy；　a

Japanese　lad；　who　said　he　was　a　sailor；　and　who　called　himself

Yoshahira　Kuroki；　and　a　Greek；　George　Stefanopolous。




The　latter　was　a　handsome；　rather　burly　fellow　of　about　thirty；　a

man　with　a　kindling　eye　and　a　habit　of　boasting　of　his　ancestors。



Among　them；　he　declared；　was　Leonidas；　the　hero　of　Thermopylae。　

George　admitted　he　was　not　a　sailor；　but　professed　a　willingness

to　learn；　and　looked　so　capable；　as　he　squared　his　bulky

shoulders　and　twisted　his　fine　black　mustache；　that　Cleggett

engaged　him；　taking　him　immediately　from　the　dairy　lunch　room　in

which　he　had　been　employed。　　George's　idea　was　to　work　his　way

back　to　Greece；　he　said；　on　the　Jasper　B。　　If　she　did　not　sail

for　Greece　for　some　time；　George　was　willing　to　wait；　he　was

patient；　sometime；　no　doubt；　she　would　touch　the　shores　of

Greece。



The　hold　of　the　Jasper　B。　Cleggett　and　Captain　Abernethy　found　to

be　in　a　chaotic　state。　　Casks；　barrels；　empty　bottles　by　the

hundred；　ruins　of　benches；　tables；　chairs；　old　nondescript　pieces

of　planking；　broken　crates　and　boxes；　were　flung　together　there

in　moldering　confusion。　　It　was　evident　that　after　the　scheme　of

using　the　Jasper　B。's　hulk　as　one　of　the　attractions　of　a

pleasure　resort　had　failed；　all　the　debris　of　the　failure　had

simply　been　thrown　pell…mell　into　the　hold。　　Cleggett　and　Captain

Abernethy　decided　that　the　vessel；　which　was　stepped　for　two

masts；　should　be　rigged　as　a　schooner。　　The　Captain　was　soon　busy

securing　estimates　on　the　amount　of　work　that　would　have　to　be

done；　and　the　cost　of　it。　　The　pile　of　rubbish　in　the　hold；　which

filled　it　to　such　an　extent　that　Cleggett　gave　up　the　attempt　to

examine　it；　was　to　be　removed　by　the　same　contractor　who　put　in

the　sticks。



All　the　activity　on　board　and　about　the　Jasper　B。　had　not　gone　on

without　attracting　the　attention　of　Morris's。　　Cleggett　noticed

that　there　was　usually　someone　in　the　neighborhood　of　that

dubious　resort　cocking　an　eye　in　the　direction　of　the　vessel。

Indeed；　the　interest　became　so　pronounced；　and　seemed　of　a

quality　so　different　from　ordinary　frank　rustic　curiosity；　that

it　looked　very　like　espionage。　　It　had　struck　Cleggett　that

Morris's　seemed　at　all　times　to　have　more　than　its　share　of

idlers　and　hangers…on；　men　who　appeared　to　make　the　place　their

headquarters　and　were　not　to　be　confused　with　the　occasional

off…season　parties　from　the　city。



On　Sunday　morning　Cleggett　was　awakened　by　Captain　Abernethy；　who

announced：



〃Strange　craft　lookin'　us　over　mighty　close；　sir。〃



〃A　strange　craft？　　Where　is　she？〃　Cleggett　was　instantly　alert。



〃She's　a　house　boat；　if　you　was　to　ask　me；〃　said　the　brown　old

manin　a　new　brown　suit　and　with　his　whiskers　newly　trimmed　he

gave　the　impression　of　having　been　overhauled　and　freshly

painted。



〃Where　is　she？〃　repeated　Cleggett；　beginning　to　get　into　his

clothes。



〃She　must　'a'　sneaked　up　an'　anchored　mighty　early　this　mornin'；〃

pursued　Cap'n　Abernethy；　true　to　his　conversational　principles。



〃Is　she　in　the　bay　or　in　the　canal？〃



〃She　looks　like　a　mighty　toney　kind　o'　vessel；〃　said　Cap'n

Abernethy。　　〃If　I　was　to　make　a　guess　I'd　say　she　was　one　of　them

craft　that　sails　herself　along　when　she　wants　to　with　one　of

these　newfangled　gasoline　engines。〃



〃She　wasn't　towed　here　then？〃　Cleggett　gave　up　the　attempt　to

learn　from　the　Captain　just　where　the　house　boat　was。



〃She　lies　in　the　canal；〃　said　the　Cap'n。　　Having　established　the

point　that　he　could　not　be　FORCED　to　tell　where　she　lay；　he

volunteered　the　information　as　a　personal　favor　from　one

gentleman　to　another。　　〃She　lies　ahead　of　us　in　the　canal；　a

p'int　or　so　off　our　port　bow；　I　should　say。　And　if　you　was　to　ask

me　I'd　say　she　wasn't　layin'　there　for　any　good　purpose。〃



〃What　do　you　think　she's　up　to？　　What　makes　you　suspicious　of

her？〃

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

〃No；　sir；　she　wasn't　towed　in；〃　said　Cap'n　Abernethy；　〃or　I'd　'a'

heard　a　tug　towin'　her。　Comin'　of　a　seafarin'　fambly　I'm　a　light

sleeper　by　nature。〃



Cleggett　finished　dressing　and　went　on　deck。　Sure　enough；　towards

the　south　end　of　the　canal；　three　or　four　hundred　yards　south　of

the　Jasper　B。；　and　about　the　same　distance　east　of　Morris's；　was

anchored　a　house　boat。　　She　was　painted　a　slaty　gray　color。　　As

Cleggett　looked　at　her　a　man　stepped　up　on　the　deck；　and；　putting

a　binocular　glass　to　his　eye；　began　to　study　the　Jasper　B。　　After

a　few　minutes　of　steady　scrutiny　this　person　turned　his　attention

to　Morris's。



Looking　towards　Morris's　himself　Cleggett　saw　a　man　standing　on

the　east　verandah　of　that　resort　intently　scanning　the　house　boat

through　a　glass。　Cleggett　went　into　the　cabin　and　got　his　own

glass。



Presently　the　man　on　Morris's　verandah　and　the　man　of　the　house

boat　ceased　to　scrutinize　each　other　and　both　turned　their

glasses　upon　the　Jasper　B。　　But　the　moment　they　perceived　that

Cleggett　was　provided　with　a　glass　each　turned　hastily　and

entered；　the　one　Morris's　place；　and　the　other　the　cabin　of　the

house　boat。　　But　Cleggett　had　already　recognized　the　man　at

Morris's　as　the　stoop…shouldered　man　of　tall　stature　and　fanciful

dress　who　had　tried　to　stare　him　down　some　days　before。



As　for　the　man　on　the　house　boat　（which；　as　Cleggett　had　made

out；　was　named　the　Annabel　Lee）；　there　was　something　vaguely

familiar　about　his　general　appearance　which　puzzled　and

tantalized　our　hero。



As　the　morning　wore　on　Cleggett　became　certain　that　the　Jasper　B。

was　closely　watched　by　both　the　Annabel　Lee　and　Morris's；

although　the　watchers　avoided　showing　themselves　plainly。　　A

slightly　agitated　blind　at　a　second　story　window　over　the

verandah　showed　him　where　the　tall　man　or　one　of　his　associates

gazed　out　from　Morris's；　and　from　a　porthole　of　the　Annabel　Lee

he　could　see　a　glass　thrust　forth　from　time　to　time。　　It　was

evident　to　him　that　the　Annabel　Lee　and　Morris's　were　suspicious

of　each　other；　and　that　both　suspected　the　Jasper　B。　　But　of　what

did　they　suspect　Cleggett？　　What　intention　did　they　impute　to

him？　　He　could　only　wonder。



Through　t