the cruise of the jasper b.-第38节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



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　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；