the cruise of the jasper b.-第7章

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did　they　suspect　Cleggett？　　What　intention　did　they　impute　to

him？　　He　could　only　wonder。



Through　the　entire　morning　he　was　conscious　of　the　continuance　of

this　watch。　　He　thought　it　ceased　about　luncheon　time；　but　at　two

in　the　afternoon　he　was　certain　that；　if　so；　it　had　been　resumed。



Cleggett；　innocent　and　honorable；　began　to　get　impatient　of　this

persistent　scrutiny。　　And　in　spite　of　his　courage　a　vague

uneasiness　began　to　possess　him。　　Towards　the　end　of　the

afternoon　he　called　his　little　company　aft　and　spoke　to　them。



〃My　men；〃　he　said；　〃I　do　not　like　the　attitude　of　our　neighbors。　

To　put　it　briefly；　there　may　be　squalls　ahead　of　the　Jasper　B。　

This　is　a　wild　and　desolate　coast；　comparatively　speaking。　

Strange　things　have　happened　to　innocent　people　before　this　along

the　shores　of　Long　Island。　　It　is　well　to　be　prepared。　　I　intend

to　serve　out　to　each　of　you　two　hundred　cartridges　and　a　。44

caliber　Colt's。　In　case　of　an　attempt　to　board；　you　may　find

these　cutlasses　handy。



〃Cap'n　Abernethy；　in　all　nautical　matters　you　will　still　be　in

command　of　the　ship；　but　in　case　of　a　military　demonstration；　all

of　you　will　look　to　me　for　leadership。　　You　may　go　now　and　rig　up

a　jury　mast　and　bend　the　American　colors　to　the　peakand　in　case

of　blows；　may　God　defend　the　right！　　I　know　I　do　not　need　to

exhort　you　to　do　your　duty！〃



As　Cleggett　spoke　the　spirit　which　animated　him　seemed　to

communicate　itself　to　his　listeners。　Their　eyes　kindled　and　the

keen　joy　that　gallant　men　always　feel　in　the　anticipation　of

conflict　flushed　their　faces。



〃I　am　a　son　of　Leonidas；〃　said　George　Stefanopolous；　proudly。　

And　he　secreted　not　merely　one；　but　two；　of　Cleggett's　daggers

about　his　body；　in　addition　to　the　revolver　given　him。　　As　George

had　already　possessed　a　dagger　or　two　and　an　automatic　pistol；　it

was　now　almost　impossible　for　him　to　lay　his　hand　casually　on　any

part　of　his　person　without　its　coming　into　contact　with　a　deadly

weapon　ready　for　instant　use。　　Cap'n　Abernethy　picked　up　a

cutlass；　〃hefted〃　it　thoughtfully；　rolled　his　sleeve　back　upon　a

lean　and　sinewy　old　arm　that　was　tanned　until　it　looked　like　a

piece　of　weathered　oak；　spat　upon　his　hand　and　whirled　the　weapon

till　it　whistled　in　the　air。　　〃I　come　of　a　seafarin'　fambly；〃

said　the　Cap'n；　sententiously。



As　for　Kuroki；　he　said　nothing。　　He　was　not　given　to　speech　at

any　time。　　But　he　picked　up　a　Malay　kris　and　ran　his　thumb　along

the　edge　of　it　critically　like　a　man　to　whom　such　a　weapon　is　not

altogether　unfamiliar。　　A　pleased　smile　stole　over　his　face；　he

handled　the　wicked　knife　almost　affectionately；　he　put　it　down

with　a　little　loving　pat。



〃Brave　boys；〃　murmured　Cleggett；　as　he　watched　them。　　He　smiled；

but　at　the　same　time　something　like　a　tear　blurred　his　eloquent

and　magnetic　eye　for　a　moment。　　〃Brave　boys；〃　he　murmured；　〃we

were　made　for　each　other！〃



The　display　of　the　American　flag　by　the　Jasper　B。　had　an　effect

that　could　not　have　been　foreseen。



Almost　immediately　the　Annabel　Lee　herself　flung　an　exactly

similar　American　flag　to　the　breeze。　But　a　strange　thing　happened

at　Morris's。　　An　American　flag　was　first　hung　from　an　upper

window　over　the　east　verandah。　　Then；　after　a　moment；　it　was

withdrawn。　　Then　a　red　flag　was　put　out。　　But　almost　immediately

Cleggett　saw　a　man　rip　the　red　flag　from　its　fastenings　and　fling

it　to　the　ground。



Cleggett；　resorting　to　his　glass；　perceived　that　it　was　the　tall

man　with　the　stoop　shoulders　and　incongruous　clothing　who　had

torn　down　the　red　flag。　　He　was　now　in　violent　altercation　with

the　man　who　had　hung　it　outthe　fellow　whom　he　had　called

Heinrich　some　days　before。



As　Cleggett　watched；　the　two　men　came　to　blows；　then　they

clinched　and　struggled；　swaying　back　and　forth　within　the　open

window；　like　a　moving　picture　in　a　frame。　　Suddenly　the　tall

fellow　seemed　to　get　the　upper　hand；　exerting　all　his　strength；

he　bent　the　other　backward　over　the　window　sill。　　The　two

contending　figures　writhed　desperately　a　moment　and　then　the　tall

man　shifted　one　powerful；　sinewy　hand　to　Heinrich's　throat。



The　binoculars　brought　the　thing　so　near　to　Cleggett　that　it

seemed　as　if　he　could　touch　the　contorted　faces；　he　could　see　the

tall　man's　neck　muscles　work　as　if　that　person　were　panting；　he

could　see　the　signs　of　suffocation　in　Heinrich's　countenance。　

The　fact　that　he　saw　so　plainly　and　yet　could　hear　no　sound　of

the　struggle　somehow　added　to　its　horror。



All　at　once　the　tall　man　put　his　knee　upon　the　other's　chest；　and

flung　his　weight　upon　Heinrich　with　a　vehement　spring。　　Then　he

tumbled　Heinrich　out　of　the　window　onto　the　roof　of　the　verandah。



He　stepped　out　of　the　window　himself；　picked　Heinrich　up　with　an

ease　that　testified　to　his　immense　strength；　and　flung　him　over

the　edge　of　the　verandah　onto　the　ground。　　A　few　moments　later　a

couple　of　men　ran　out　from　Morris's；　busied　themselves　about

reviving　the　fellow；　and　helped　him　into　the　house。　　If　Heinrich

was　not　badly　injured；　certainly　all　the　fight　had　been　taken　out

of　him　for　one　day。



With　Heinrich　thus　disposed　of；　the　tall　man　turned　composedly　to

the　task　of　putting　out　the　American　flag　again。　　Through　the

glass　Cleggett　perceived　that　his　face　was　twisted　by　a　peculiar

smile；　a　smile　of　joyous　malevolence。



〃A　bad　man　to　cross；　that　tall　man；〃　said　Cleggett；　musingly。　

And　indeed；　his　violence　with　Heinrich　had　seemed　out　of　all

proportion　to　the　apparent　grounds　of　the　quarrel；　for　it　was

evident　to　Cleggett　that　Heinrich　and　the　tall　man　had　differed

merely　about　the　policy　of　displaying　the　red　flag。　　〃A　man

determined　to　have　his　way；〃　mused　Cleggett。　　〃If　he　and　I　should

meet〃　Cleggett　did　not　finish　the　sentence　in　words；　but

his　hand　closed　over　the　butt　of　his　revolver。



His　musing　was　interrupted　by　the　noise　of　an　approaching

automobile。　　Turning；　he　saw　a　vehicle；　the　rather　long　body　of

which　was　covered　so　that　it　resembled　a　merchant's　delivery

wagon；　coming　along　the　road　from　Fairport。



It　stopped　opposite　the　Jasper　B。；　and　from　the　seat　beside　the

driver　leaped　lightly　the　most　beautiful　woman　Cleggett　had　ever

seen；　and　walked　hesitatingly　but　gracefully　towards　him。



She　was　agitated。　　She　was；　in　fact；　sobbing；　and　a　Pomeranian

dog　which　she　carried　in　her　arms　was　whimpering　excitedly　as　if

in　sympathy　with　its　mistress。　　Cleggett；　soul　of　chivalry　that

he　was；　born　cavalier　of　beauty　in　distress；　removed　his　hat　and

advanced　to　meet　her。



CHAPTER　V



BEAUTY　IN　DISTRESS



〃Can　you　tell　me　where　I　can　get　some　ice？　Can　you　sell　me　some

ice？〃　cried　the　lady　excitedly；　when　she　was　still　some　yards

distant　from　Cleggett。



〃Ice？〃　　The　request　was　so　unusual　that　Cleggett　was　not　certain

that　he　had　understood。



〃Yes；　ice！　　Ice！〃　　There　was　no　mistaking　the　genuine　character

of　her　eagerness；　if　she　had　been　begging　for　her　life　she　could

not　have　been　more　in　earnest。　　〃Don't　tell　me　that　you　have　none

on　your　boat。　　Don't　tell　me　that！　　Don't　tell　me　that！〃



And　suddenly；　like　a　woman　who　has　borne　all　that　she　can　bear；

she　burst　undisguisedly　into　a　paroxysm　of　weeping。　　Cleggett；

stirred　by　her　beauty　and　her　trouble；　stepped　nearer　to　her；　for

she　swayed　with　her　emotion　as　if　she　were　about　to　fall。　

Impulsively　she　put　a　hand　on　his　arm；　and　the　Pomeranian；

dropped　unceremoniously　to　the　ground；　sprang　at　Cleggett

snarling　and　snapping　as　if　sure　he　were　the　author　of　the　lady's

misfortunes。



〃You　will　think　I　am　mad；〃　said　the　lady；　endeavoring　to　control

her　tears；　〃but　I　MUST　have　ice。　　Don't　tell　me　that　you　have　no

ice！〃



〃My　dear　lady；〃　said　Cleggett；　unconsciously　clasping；　in　his

anxiety　to　reassure　her；　the　hand　that　she　had　laid　upon　his　arm；

〃I　have　iceyou　shall　have　all　the　ice　you　want！〃



〃Oh；〃　she　murmured；　leaning　towards　him；　〃you　cannot　know〃