the cruise of the jasper b.-第8节

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that　he　was　making　a　new　acquaintance　as　renewing　one　that　had

been　broken　off　suddenly　at　some　distant　date。　　Cleggett；　like

the　true…hearted　gentleman　and　born　romanticist　that　he　was；

resolved　to　serve　her　without　question　until　such　time　as　she

chose　to　make　known　to　him　her　motives　for　her　actions。



〃Do　you　know；〃　she　said；　softly　and　gravely　to　Cleggett　as　George

and　Elmer　deposited　the　oblong　box　upon　a　spot　which　she

indicated　near　the　cabin；　〃I　have　met　very　few　men　in　my　life　who

are　capable　of　what　you　are　doing？〃



〃I？〃　said　Cleggett；　surprised。　　〃I　have　done　nothing。〃



〃You　have　found　a　woman　in　a　strange　positionan　unusual

position；　indeed！and　you　have　helped　her　without　persecuting

her　with　questions。〃



〃It　is　nothing；〃　murmured　Cleggett。



〃Would　you　think　me　too　impulsive；〃　she　said；　with　a　rare　smile；

〃if　I　told　you　that　you　are　the　sort　of　man　whom　women　are　ready

to　trust　implicitly　almost　at　first　sight？〃



Cleggett　did　not　permit　himself　to　speak　for　fear　that　the　thrill

which　her　words　imparted　to　him　would　carry　him　too　far。　　He

bowed。



〃But　I　think　you　mentioned　tea？〃　she　said。　　〃Did　I　hear　you　say

it　was　orange　pekoe；　or　did　I　dream　that？　　And　couldn't　we　have

it　on　deck？〃



While　Kuroki　was　bringing　a　table　and　chairs　on　deck　and　busying

himself　about　that　preparation　of　tea；　Cleggett　watched　Elmer；

the　squat　young　man；　with　a　growing　curiosity。　　George　and　Cap'n

Abernethy　were　also　watching　Elmer　from　a　discreet　distance。　

Even　Kuroki；　silent；　swift；　and　well…trained　Kuroki；　could　not

but　steal　occasional　glances　at　Elmer。　　Had　Cleggett　been　of　a

less　lofty　and　controlled　spirit　he　would　certainly　have　asked

questions。



For　Elmer；　having　uncovered　the　zinc　can　and　taken　from　it　a

hammer　and　a　large　tin　funnel；　proceeded　to　break　the　big　chunk

of　ice　which　Kuroki　had　brought　him；　into　half　a　dozen　smaller

pieces。　　These　smaller　lumps；　with　the　exception　of　two；　he　put

into　the　zinc　bucket；　wrapped　around　with　pieces　of　coffee

sacking。　　Then　he　put　the　cover　on　the　bucket　to　exclude　the　air。



The　zinc　bucket　was　thus　a　portable　refrigerator；　or　rather；　ice

house。



Taking　one　of　the　lumps　of　ice　which　he　had　left　out　of　the　zinc

bucket　for　immediate　use；　Elmer　carefully　and　methodically　broke

it　into　still　smaller　piecespieces　about　the　size　of　an　English

walnut；　but　irregular　in　shape。　　Then　he　inserted　the　tin　funnel

into　a　small　hole　in　the　uppermost　surface　of　the　unpainted；

oblong　box　and　dropped　in　twenty　or　more　of　the　little　pieces　of

ice。　　When　a　piece　proved　to　be　too　big　to　go　through　the　funnel

Elmer　broke　it　again。



Cleggett　noticed　that　there　were　five　of　these　small　holes　in　the

box；　and　that　Elmer　was　slowly　working　his　way　down　the　length　of

it　from　hole　to　hole；　sitting　astride　of　it　the　while。



From　the　way　in　which　he　worked；　and　the　care　with　which　he

conserved　every　smallest　particle　of　ice；　Elmer's　motto　seemed　to

be：　　〃Haste　not；　waste　not。〃　　But　he　did　not　appear　to　derive　any

great　satisfaction　from　his　task；　let　alone　joy。　In　fact；　Elmer

seemed　to　be　a　joyless　individual；　one　who　habitually　looked

forward　to　the　worst。　On　his　broad　face；　of　the　complexion

described　in　police　reports　as　〃pasty；〃　melancholy　sat　enthroned。

His　nose　was　flat　and　broad；　and　flat　and　broad　were　his　cheek

bones；　too。　　His　hair　was　cut　very　short　everywhere　except　in

front；　in　front　it　hung　down　to　his　eyebrows　in　a　straggling

black　fringe　or　〃bang。〃　　Not　that　the　fringe　would　have　covered

the　average　person's　forehead；　this　〃bang〃　was　not　long；　but　the

truth　is　that　Elmer's　forehead　was　lower　than　the　average

person's　and　therefore　easily　covered。　　He　had　what　is　known　in

certain　circles　as　a　cauliflower；　or　chrysanthemum；　ear。



But　melancholy　as　he　looked；　Elmer　had　evidently　had　his　moments

of　struggle　against　dejection。　One　of　these　moments　had　been　when

he　bought　the　clothes　he　was　wearing。　　His　hat　had　a　bright；　red

and　black　band　around　it；　his　tweed　suit　was　of　a　startling　light

gray；　marked　off　into　checks　with　stripes　of　green；　his　waistcoat

was　of　lavender；　and　his　hose　were　likewise　of　lavender；　but　red

predominated　in　both　his　shirt　and　his　necktie。　His　collar　was

too　high　for　his　short　neck；　and　seemed　to　cause　him　discomfort。　

But　this　attempt　at　gayety　of　dress　was　of　no　avail；　one　felt　at

once　that　it　was　a　surface　thing　and　had　no　connection　with

Elmer's　soul；　it　stood　out　in　front　of　the　background　of　his

sorrowful　personality；　accentuating　the　gloom；　as　a　blossom　may

grow　upon　a　bleak　rock。　　As　Elmer　carefully　dropped　ice；　piece　by

piece；　into　the　oblong　box；　progressing　slowly　from　hole　to　hole；

Cleggett　thought　he　had　never　seen　a　more　depressed　young　man。



Captain　Abernethy　approached　Cleggett。　　There　was　hesitation　in

the　brown　old　man's　feet；　there　was　doubt　upon　his　wrinkled　brow；

but　there　was　the　consciousness　of　duty　in　the　poise　of　his

shoulders；　there　was　determination　in　his　eyes。



The　blonde　lady　laughed　softly　as　the　sailing…master　of　the

Jasper　B。　saluted　the　owner　　of　the　vessel。



〃He　is　going　to　tell　you；〃　she　said　to　Cleggett；　including　the

Captain　himself　in　her　flashing　look　and　her　remark；　〃he　is　going

to　tell　you　that　you　really　should　get　rid　of　me　and　my　boxes　at

onceI　can　see　it　in　his　face！〃



Captain　Abernethy　stopped　short　at　this；　and　stared。　　It　was

precisely　what　he　HAD　planned　to　say　after　drawing　Cleggett

discreetly　aside。　　But　　it　is　rather　startling　to　have　one's

thoughts　read　in　this　manner。



He　frowned　at　the　lady。　　She　smiled　at　him。　The　smile　seemed　to

say　to　the　Cap'n：　　〃You　ridiculous　old　dear；　you！　　You　KNOW

that's　what　you　were　going　to　advise；　so　why　deny　it？　　I've　found

you　out；　but　we　both　might　just　as　well　be　good…humored　about　it；

mightn't　we？〃



〃Ma'am；〃　said　the　Cap'n；　evidently　struggling　between　a　suddenly

born　desire　to　quit　frowning　and　a　sense　that　he　had　a　perfect

right　to　frown　as　much　as　he　wished；　〃Ma'am；　if　you　was　to　ask

me；　I'd　say　ridin'　on　steamships　and　ridin'　on　sailin'　vessels　is

two　different　matters　entirely。〃



〃Cap'n　Abernethy；〃　said　Cleggett；　attempting　to　indicate　that　his

sailing　master's　advice　was　not　absolutely　required；　〃if　you　have

something　to　say　to　me；　perhaps　later　will　do　just　as　well。〃



〃As　fur　as　the　Jasper　B。　is　concerned；〃　said　the　　Cap'n；　ignoring

Cleggett's　remark；　and　still　addressing　the　lady；　〃I　dunno　as　you

could　call　her　EITHER　a　sailin'　vessel；　OR　a　steamship；　as　at

present　constituted。〃



〃You　want　to　get　me　off　your　boat　at　once；〃　said　the　lady。　　〃You

know　you　do。〃　　And　her　manner　added：　　〃CAN'T　you　act　like　a　good…

natured　old　dear？　　You　really　are　one；　you　know！〃



The　Cap'n　became　embarrassed。　　He　began　to　fuss　with　his　necktie；

as　if　tying　it　tighter　would　assist　him　to　hold　on　to　his　frown。　

He　felt　the　frown　slipping；　but　it　was　a　point　of　honor　with　him

to　retain　it。



〃She　WILL　be　a　sailin'　vessel　when　she　gets　her　sticks　into　her；〃

said　the　Cap'n；　fumbling　with　his　neckwear。



〃Let　me　fix　that　for　you；〃　said　the　lady。　　And　before　the　Cap'n

could　protest　she　was　arranging　his　tie　for　him。　　〃You　old　sea

captains！〃　she　said；　untying　the　scarf　and　making　the　ends

even。　〃As　if　anyone　could　possibly　be　afraid　to　sail　in　anything

one　of　YOU　had　charge　of！〃　　She　gave　the　necktie　a　little　final

pat。　　〃There；　now！〃



The　Captain's　frown　was　gone　past　replacement。　　But　he　still　felt

that　he　owed　something　to　himself。



〃If　you　was　to　ask　me；〃　he　said；　turning　to　Cleggett；　〃whether

what　I'd　got　to　say　to　you　would　do　later；　or　whether　it　wouldn't

do　later；　I'd　answer　you　it　would；　or　it　wouldn't；　all　accordin'

to　whether　you　wanted　to　hear　it　now；　or　whether　you　wanted　to

hear　it　later。　　And　as　far　as　SAILIN'　her　is　concerned；　Mr。

Cleggett；　I'll　SAIL　her；　whether　you　turn　her　into　a　battleship

or　into　one　of　these　here　yachts。　　I　come　of　a　seafarin'　fambly。〃



And　then　he　said　to　the　lady；　indicating　the　tie　and　bobbing　his

head　forward　with　a　prim　little　bow：　　〃Thank　ye；　ma'am。〃



〃Isn't　he　a　duck！〃　said　the　lady；　following　him　with　her　eyes；　as

he　went　behind　the　cabin。　　There　the　Cap'n　chewed；　smoked；　and

fished；　earnestly　and　simultaneously；　for　ten　minutes。



Indeed；　the　blonde　lady；　from　the　moment　when　Elmer　began　to　put

ice　into　the　box；　seemed　to　have　regained　her　spirits。　　The

little　dog；　which　was　an　indicator　of　her　moods；　had　likewise

lost　its　nervousness。　　When　Kuroki　had　tea　ready；　the　dog　lay

down　at　his　mistress'　feet；　beside　the　table。



〃Dear　little　Teddy；〃　said　the　lady；　patting　the　animal　upon　the

head。



〃Teddy？〃　said　Cleggett。



〃I　have　named　him；〃　she　said；　〃after　a　great　American。　　To　my

mind；　the　greatestTheodore　Roosevelt。　　His　championship　of　the

cause　of　votes　for　women　at　a　time　when　mere　politicians　were

afraid　to　commit　themselves　is　enoug