the cruise of the jasper b.-第15部分
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！
〃God！his wounds！〃 cried the Doctor； starting forward。 As
Farnsworth had feared； they had broken open and were bleeding
again。 〃It's a ticklish thing；〃 said Farnsworth； rumpling his
hair。 〃If I give him enough sedative to keep him quiet his heart
may stop any time。 If I don't； he'll thrash himself to pieces in
his delirium before the day's over。〃
But Cleggett scarcely heeded the Doctor。 The reference to
〃Loge's〃 skull had flashed a sudden light into his mind。
Whatever else 〃Loge〃 was； Cleggett had little doubt that 〃Loge〃
was the tall man with the stoop shoulders and the odd； skull…
shaped scarfpin； for whom he had conceived at first sight such a
tingling hatredthe same fellow who had so ruthlessly manhandled
the flaxen…haired Heinrich on the roof of the verandah the day
before。
CHAPTER X
IN THE ENEMY'S CAMP
At seven o'clock that morning five big…bodied automobile trucks
rolled up in a thundering procession。 As they hove in sight on
the starboard quarter and dropped anchor near the Jasper B。；
Cleggett recalled that this was the day which Cap'n Abernethy had
set for getting the sticks and sails into the vessel。 In the
hurry and excitement of recent events aboard the ship he had
almost forgotten it。
A score of men scrambled from the trucks and began to haul out of
them all the essentials of a shipyard。 Wheel； rudder； masts；
spars； bowsprit； quantities of rope and cable followedin fact；
every conceivable thing necessary to convert the Jasper B。 from a
hulk into a properly rigged schooner。 Cleggett； with a pith and
brevity characteristic of the man； had given his order in one
sentence。
〃Make arrangements to get the sails and masts into her in one
day；〃 he had told Captain Abernethy。
It was in the same large and simple spirit that a Russian Czar
once laid a ruler across the map of his empire and； drawing a
straight line from Moscow to Petersburg； commanded his engineers：
〃Build me a railroad to run like that。〃 Genius has winged
conceptions； it sees things as a completed whole from the first；
it is only mediocrity which permits itself to be lost in details。
Cleggett was like the Romanoffs in his ability to go straight to
the point； but he had none of the Romanoff cruelty。
Captain Abernethy had made his arrangements accordingly。 If it
pleased Cleggett to have a small manufacturing plant brought to
the Jasper B。 instead of having the Jasper B。 towed to a
shipyard； it was Abernethy's business as his chief executive
officer to see that this was done。 The Captain had let the
contract to an enterprising and businesslike fellow； Watkins by
name； who had at once looked the vessel over； taken the necessary
measurements； and named a good round sum for the job。 With
several times the usual number of skilled workmen employed at
double the usual rate of pay； he guaranteed to do in ten hours
what might ordinarily have taken a week。
Under the leadership of this capable Watkins； the workmen rushed
at the vessel with the dash and vim of a gang of circus employees
engaged in putting up a big tent and making ready for a show。 To
a casual observer it might have seemed a scene of confusion。 But
in reality the work jumped forward with order and precision； for
the position of every bolt； chain； nail； cord； piece of iron and
bit of wood had been calculated beforehand to a nicety； there was
not a wasted movement of saw； adze； or hammer。 The Jasper B。； in
short； had been measured accurately for a suit of clothes； the
clothes had been made； they were now merely being put on。
Refreshed by the first sound sleep she had been able to obtain
for several nights； Lady Agatha joined Cleggett at an
eight…o'clock breakfast。 It was the first of May； and warm and
bright； in a simple morning dress of pink linen Lady Agatha
stirred in Cleggett a vague recollection of one of Tennyson's
earlier poems。 The exact phrases eluded him； perhaps； indeed； it
was the underlying sentiment of nearly ALL of Tennyson's earlier
poems of which she reminded himthose lyrics which are at once
so romantic and so irreproachable morally。
〃We must give you Americans credit for imagination at any rate；〃
she said smilingly； making her Pomeranian sit up on his hind legs
and beg for a morsel of crisp bacon。 〃I awake in a boatyard
after having gone to sleep in a dismantled barge。〃
〃Barge！〃 The word 〃barge〃 struck Cleggett unexpectedly； he was
not aware that he had given a start and frowned。
〃Mercy！〃 exclaimed Lady Agatha； 〃how the dear man glares！ What
should I call it？ Scow？〃
〃Scow？〃 said Cleggett。 He had scarcely recovered from the word
〃barge〃； it is not to be denied that 〃scow〃 jarred upon him even
more than 〃barge〃 had done。
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Lady Agatha； 〃but what IS the Jasper
B。； Mr。 Cleggett？〃
〃The Jasper B。 is a schooner；〃 said Cleggett。 He tried to say it
casually； but he was conscious as he spoke that there was a trace
of hurt surprise in his voice。 The most generous and chivalrous
soul alive； Cleggett would have gone to the stake for Lady
Agatha； and yet so unaccountable is that vain thing； the human
soul （especially at breakfast time）； that he felt angry at her
for misunderstanding the Jasper B。
〃You aren't going to be horrid about it； are you？〃 she said。
〃Because； you know； I never said I knew anything about ships。〃
She picked up the little dog and stood it on the table； making
the animal extend its paws as if pleading。 〃Help me to beg Mr。
Cleggett's pardon；〃 she said； 〃he's going to be cross with us
about his old boat。〃
If Lady Agatha had been just an inch taller or just a few pounds
heavier the playful mood itself would have jarred upon the
fastidious Cleggett； indeed； as she was； if she had been just a
thought more playful； it would have jarred。 But Lady Agatha； it
has been remarked before； never went too far in any direction。
Even as she smiled and held out the dog's paws Cleggett was aware
of something in her eyes that was certainly not a tear； but was
just as certainly a film of moisture that might be a tear in
another minute。 Then Cleggett cursed himself inwardly for a
bruteit rushed over him how difficult to Lady Agatha her
position on board the Jasper B。 must seem。 She must regard
herself as practically a pensioner on his bounty。 And he had
been churl enough to show a spark of temperand that； too； after
she had repeatedly expressed her gratitude to him。
〃I am deeply sorry； Lady Agatha；〃 he began； blushing painfully；
〃if〃
〃Silly！〃 She interrupted him by reaching across the table and
laying a forgiving hand upon his arm。 〃Don't be so stiff and
formal。 Eat your egg before it gets cold and don't say another
work。 Of course I know you're not REALLY going to be cross。〃
And she attacked her breakfast； giving him such a look that he
forthwith forgave himself and forgot that he had had anything to
forgive in her。
〃There's going to be a frightful racket around here today；〃 he
said presently。 〃Maybe you'd like to get away from it for a
while。 How'd you like to go for a row？〃
〃I'd love it！〃 she said。
〃George will be glad to take you； I'm sure。〃
〃George？ And you？〃 He thought he detected a note of
disappointment in her voice； he had not thought to disappoint
her； but when he found her disappointed he got a certain thrill
out of it。
〃I am going over to Morris's this morning；〃 he said。
〃To Morris's？ Alone？〃
〃Why； yes。〃
〃Butbut isn't it dangerous？〃
Cleggett smiled and shrugged his shoulders。
〃Promise me that you will not go over there alone；〃 she demanded。
〃I am sorry。 I cannot。〃
〃But it is rashit is mad！〃
〃There is no real danger。〃
〃Then I am going with you。〃
〃I think that would hardly be advisable。〃
〃I'm going with you；〃 she repeated； rising with determination。
〃But you're not；〃 said Cleggett。 〃I couldn't think of allowing
it。〃
〃Then there IS danger；〃 she said。
He tried to evade the point。 〃I shouldn't have mentioned it；〃 he
murmured。
She ran into the stateroom and was back in an instant with her
hat； which she pinned on as she spoke。
〃I'm ready to start；〃 she said。
〃But you're not going。〃
〃After what you've done for me I insist upon my right to share
whatever danger there may be。〃 She spoke heatedly。
In her heat and impulsiveness and generous bravery Cleggett
thought her adorable； although he began to get really angry with
her； too。 At the same time he was aware that her gratitude to
him was such that she was on fire to give him some positive and
early proof of it。 It had not so much as occurred to her to
enjoy immunity on account of her sex； it had not entered her
mind； apparently； that her sex was an obstacle in the way of
participating in whatever dangerous enterprise he had planned。
She was； in fact； behaving like a chivalric but obstinate boy；
she had not been a militant suffragette for nothing。 And yet；
somehow； this attitude only served to enhance her essential
femininity。 Nevertheless； Cleggett was inflexible。
〃You would scarcely forbid me to go to Morris's today； or
anywhere else I may choose；〃 she said hotly； with a spot of red
on either cheek bone； and a dangerous dilatation of her eyes。
〃That is exactly what I intend to do；〃 said Cleggett； with an
intensity equal to her own； 〃FORBID you。〃
〃You are curiously presumptuous；〃 she said。
It was a real quarrel before they were done with it； will opposed
to naked will。 And oddly enough Cleggett found his admiration
grow as his determination to gain his point increased。 For she
fought fair； disdaining the facile weapon of tears； and when she
yielded she did it suddenly and merrily。
〃You've the temper of a sultan； Mr。 Cleggett；〃 she said with a
laugh； which was her sig
