the cruise of the jasper b[1].(杰斯帕·b·之游)-第14节
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accidental。 These two men were； in some respects； not dissimilar；
although Bonaparte lacked Cleggett's breeding。
When Cleggett regained consciousness he was on deck； George；
Kuroki and Cap'n Abernethy stood about him in a little semicircle of
anxiety； Lady Agatha was applying a cold compress to the bump upon his
head。 （He made nothing of his other scratches。） As for Elmer； who had
not stirred from his seat on the oblong box； he moodily regarded； not
Cleggett； but a slight young fellow with long black hair； who lay
motionless upon the deck。
Cleggett struggled to his feet。 〃Is he dead？〃 he asked； pointing to the
figure of his recent assailant。 Cap'n Abernethy； for the first time since
Cleggett had known him； gave a direct answer to a question。
〃Mighty nigh it；〃 he said； staring down at the young man。 Then he
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added： 〃Kind o' innocent lookin' young fellow； at that。〃
〃But the other one？ Was he killed？〃 asked Cleggett。
〃The other？〃 George inquired。 〃But there was no other。 When we
got down there you and this boy〃 And George described the struggle
that had taken place after Cleggett had lost consciousness。 The whole
affair； as far as it concerned Cleggett； had been a matter of seconds rather
than minutes； it was begun and over like a hundred yard dash on the cinder
track。 When George and Kuroki and Cap'n Abernethy had tumbled into
the hold they had been afraid to shoot for fear of hitting Cleggett； they had
reached him； guided by his voice； just as he went down under his
assailant's pistol。 They had not subdued the youth until he had suffered
severely from George's dagger。 Later they learned that one of Cleggett's
bullets had also found him。 Cleggett listened to the end； and then he
said：
〃But there WERE two men in the hold。 And one of them； dead or
wounded； must still be down there。 Carry this fellow into the
forecastlewe'll look at him later。 Then bring some lanterns。 We are
going down into that hold again。〃
With their pistols in their right hands and lanterns in their left they
descended； Cleggett first。 It was not impossible that the other intruder
might be lying； wounded； but revived enough by now to work a pistol；
behind one of the rubbish heaps。
But no shots greeted them。 The hold of the Jasper B。 was not divided
into compartments of any sort。 If it had ever had them； they had been
torn away。 Below deck； except for the rubbish heap and the steps for the
masts； she was empty as a soup tureen。 The pile of debris was the
highest toward the waist of the vessel。 There it formed a treacherous hill
of junk； this hill sloped downward towards the bow and towards the stern；
in both the fore and after parts； under the forecastle and the cabin； there
were comparatively clear spaces。
The four men forced their way back towards the stern and then came
slowly forward in a line that extended across the vessel； exploring with
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
their lanterns every inch of the precarious footing； and overturning and
looking behind； under； and into every box； cask； or jumble of planking that
might possibly offer a place of concealment。 They found no one。 And；
until they reached a clearer place； well forward； on the starboard side of
the ship； they found no trace of anyone。
Cleggett； who was examining this place； suddenly uttered an
exclamation which brought the others to him。 He pointed to stains of
blood upon the planking； near these stains were marks left by boots which
had been gaumed with a yellowish clay。 A revolver lay on the floor。
Cleggett examined it and found that only one cartridge had been exploded。
The stains of blood and the stains of yellow clay made an easily followed
trail for some yards to a point about halfway between the bow and stern on
the starboard side。
There； in the waist of the vessel； they ceased； ceased abruptly；
mysteriously。 Cleggett； not content； made his men go over the place
again； even more thoroughly than before。 But there was no one there； dead
or wounded； unless he had succeeded in contracting himself to the
dimensions of a rat。
〃There is nothing；〃 said Cleggett； standing by the ladder that led up to
the deck。 〃Nothing；〃 echoed George； and then as if with one impulse；
and moved by the same eerie thought； these four men suddenly raised their
lanterns head…high and gazed at one another。
A startled look spread from face to face。 But no one spoke。 There
was no need to。 All recognized that they were in the presence of an
apparent impossibility。 Yet this seemingly impossible thing was the fact。
There had been two men in the hold of the Jasper B。 They had entered as
mysteriously and silently as disembodied spirits might have done。 One of
them； wounded； had made his exit in the same baffling way。 Where？
How？
Cleggett broke the silence。
〃Let us go to the forecastle and have a look at that fellow；〃 he said； and
led the way。
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No one lagged as they left the hold。 These were all brave men； but
there are times when the invisible； the incomprehensible； will send a
momentary chill to the heart of the most intrepid。
Cleggett found Lady Agatha； her own troubles for the time forgotten；
in the forecastle。 She had lighted a lamp and was bending over the
wounded man； whose coat and waistcoat she had removed。 His clothing
was a sop of blood。 They cut his shirt and undershirt from him。 Kuroki
brought water and the medicine chest and surgical outfit with which
Cleggett had provided the Jasper B。 They examined his wounds； Lady
Agatha； with a fine seriousness and a deft touch which claimed Cleggett's
admiration； washing them herself and proceeding to stop the flow of
blood。
〃Oh； I am not an altogether useless person；〃 she said； with a
momentary smile； as she saw the look in Cleggett's face。 And Cleggett
remembered with shame that he had not thanked her for her ministrations
to himself。
A pistol bullet had gone quite through the young man's shoulder。
There was a deep cut on his head； and there were half a dozen other stab
wounds on his body。 George had evidently worked with great rapidity in
the hold。
In the inside breast pocket of his coat he had carried a thin and narrow
little book。 There was a dagger thrust clear through it； if the book had
not been there this terrible blow delivered by the son of Leonidas must
inevitably have penetrated the lung。
Cleggett opened the book。 It was entitled 〃Songs of Liberty； by
Giuseppe Jones。〃 The verse was written in the manner of Walt Whitman。
A glance at one of the sprawling poems showed Cleggett that in sentiment
it was of the most violent and incendiary character。 〃Why； he is an
anarchist！〃 said Cleggett in surprise。
〃Oh； really！〃 Lady Agatha looked up from her work of mercy and
spoke with animation； and then gazed upon the youth's face again with a
new interest。 〃An anarchist！ How interesting！ I have ALWAYS
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
wanted to meet an anarchist。〃
〃Poor boy； he don't look like nothin' bad；〃 said Cap'n Abernethy； who
seemed to have taken a fancy to Giuseppe Jones。
〃Listen；〃 said Cleggett； and read：
