the cruise of the jasper b.-第4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！



if　to　say　something。　　But　nothing　came　of　itnot　just　then；　at

least。　　When　the　last　signature　had　been　written；　and　Clegget's

check　had　been　folded　by　Mr。　Goldberg's　plump；　bejeweled　fingers

and　put　into　Mr。　Goldberg's　pocketbook；　Mr。　Goldberg　remarked：



〃You　say　you　can't　use　the　ship？〃



〃No；　the　land。　　I'm　surprised　to　find　that　the　land　goes　with　the

ship。〃



〃Why；　it　doesn't；〃　said　Mr。　Goldberg。　　〃It's　the　ship　that　goes

with　the　land。　　She　was　on　the　land　when　I　bought　the　plot；　and　I

just　left　her　there。　　Nobody's　paid　any　attention　to　her　for

years。〃



The　words　〃on　the　land〃　grated　on　Cleggett。



〃You　mean　on　the　water；　don't　you？〃



〃In　the　mud；　then；〃　suggested　Mr。　Goldberg。



〃But　she'll　sail　all　right；〃　said　Cleggett。



〃I　suppose　if　she　was　decorated　up　with　sails　and　things　she'd

sail。　　Figuring　on　sailing　her　anywhere　in　particular？〃



〃Subtly　irritated；　Cleggett　answered：　〃Oh；　no；　no！　Not　anywhere

in　particular！〃



〃Going　to　live　on　her　this　summer？Outdoor　sleeping　room；　and

all　that？〃



〃I'm　thinking　of　it。〃



〃You　could　turn　her　into　a　house　boat　easy　enough。　　I　had　a

friend　who　turned　an　old　barge　like　that　into　a　house　boat　and

had　a　lot　of　fun　with　her。〃



〃Barge？〃　　Cleggett　rose　and　buttoned　his　coat；　the　conversation

was　somehow　growing　more　and　more　distasteful　to　him。　　〃You

wouldn't　call　the　Jasper　B。　a　BARGE；　would　you？〃　



〃Well；　you　wouldn't　call　her　a　YACHT；　would　you？〃　said　Mr。

Goldberg。



〃Perhaps　not；〃　admitted　Cleggett；　〃perhaps　not。　She's　more　like　a

bark　than　a　yacht。〃



〃A　bark？　　I　dunno。　　Always　thought　a　bark　was　bigger。　　A　scow's

more　her　size；　ain't　it？〃



〃Scow？〃　　Cleggett　frowned。　　The　Jasper　B。　a　scow！　　〃You　mean　a

schooner；　don't　you？〃



〃Schooner？〃　　Mr。　Goldberg　grinned　good…naturedly　at　his　departing

customer。　　〃A　kind　of　a　schooner…scow；　huh？〃



〃No；　sir；　a　schooner！〃　said　Cleggett；　reddening；　and　turning　in

the　doorway。　　〃Understand　me；　Mr。　Goldberg；　a　schooner；　sir！　　A

schooner！〃



And　standing　with　a　frown　on　his　face　until　every　vestige　of　the

smile　had　died　from　Mr。　Goldberg's　lips；　Cleggett　repeated　once

more：　　〃A　schooner；　Mr。　Goldberg！〃



〃Yes；　sirthere's　no　doubt　of　ita　schooner；　Mr。　Cleggett；〃

said　Mr。　Goldberg；　turning　pale　and　backing　away　from　the　door。



The　ordinary　man　inspects　a　house　or　a　horse　first　and　buys　it；

or　fails　to　buy　it；　afterward；　but　genius　scorns　conventions；

Cleggett　was　not　an　ordinary　man；　he　often　moved　straight　towards

his　object　by　inspiration；　great　poets　and　great　adventurers

share　this　faculty；　Cleggett　paid　for　the　Jasper　B。　first　and

went　back　to　inspect　his　purchase　later。



The　vessel　lay　about　two　miles　from　the　center　of　Fairport。　　He

could　get　within　half　a　mile　of　it　by　trolley。　　Nevertheless；

when　he　reached　the　Jasper　B。　again　after　leaving　Mr。　Goldberg　it

was　getting　along　towards　dusk。



He　first　entered　the　cabin。　　It　was　of　a　good　size　and　divided

into　several　compartments。　　But　it　was　in　a　state　of　dilapidation

and　littered　with　a　jumble　of　odds　and　ends　which　looked　like　the

ruins　of　a　barroom。　　As　he　turned　to　ascend　to　the　deck　again；

after　possibly　five　minutes；　intending　to　take　a　look　at　the

forecastle　next；　he　heard　the　sound　of　a　motor。



Looking　out　of　the　cabin　he　saw　a　taxicab　approaching　the　boat

from　the　direction　of　Fairport。　It　was　a　large　machine；　but　it

was　overloaded　with　seven　or　eight　men。　　It　stopped　within　twenty

yards　of　the　vessel；　and　two　men　got　out；　one　of　them　evidently　a

person　who　imposed　some　sort　of　leadership　on　the　rest　of　the

party。　　This　was　a　tall　fellow；　with　a　slouching　gait　and　round

shoulders。　　And　yet；　to　judge　from　his　movements；　he　was　both

quick　and　powerful。　　The　other　was　a　short；　stout　man　with　a

commonplace；　broad　red　face　and　flaxen　hair。　　The　two　stood　for　a

moment　in　colloquy　in　the　road　that　led　from　Fairport　proper　to

the　bayside；　passing　near　the　Jasper　B。；　and　Cleggett　heard　the

shorter　of　the　two　men　say：



〃I'm　sure　I　saw　somebody　aboard　of　her。〃



〃How　long　ago；　Heinrich？〃　asked　the　tall　man。



〃An　hour　or　so；〃　said　Heinrich。



〃It　was　old　man　Abernethy；　he's　harmless；〃　said　the　tall　fellow。　

〃He's　the　only　person　that's　been　aboard　her　in　years。〃



〃There　was　someone　else；〃　persisted　Heinrich。　〃Someone　who　was

talking　to　Abernethy。〃



The　tall　man　mumbled　something　about　having　been　a　fool　not　to

buy　her　before　this；　Cleggett　did　not　catch　all　of　the　remark。　

Then　the　tall　fellow　said：



〃We'll　go　aboard；　Heinrich；　and　take　a　look　around。〃



With　that　they　advanced　towards　the　vessel。　Cleggett　stepped　on

deck　from　the　cabin　companionway；　and　both　men　stopped　short　at

the　sight　of　him；　Heinrich　obviously　a　trifle　confused；　but　the

other　one　in　no　wise　abashed。　　He　made　no　attempt；　this　tall

fellow；　to　give　the　situation　a　casual　turn。　　What　he　did　was　to

stand　and　stare　at　Cleggett；　candidly；　and　with　more　than　a　touch

of　insolence；　as　if　trying　to　beat　down　Cleggett's　gaze。



Cleggett；　staring　in　his　turn；　perceived　that　the　tall　man；

ungainly　as　he　was；　affected　a　bizarre　individualism　in　the

matter　of　dress。　　His　clothing　cried　out；　rather　than　suggested；

that　it　was　expensive。　　His　feet　were　cased　in　button　shoes　with

fancy　tops；　his　waistcoat；　cut　in　the　extreme　of　style；　revealed

that　little　strip　of　white　which　falsely　advertises　a　second

waistcoat　beneath；　but　in　his　case　the　strip　was　too　broad。　

There　were　diamonds　on　the　fingers　of　both　powerful　hands。　But

the　thing　that　grated　particularly　upon　Cleggett　was　the

character　of　the　man's　scarfpin。　　It　was　by　far　the　largest

ornament　of　the　sort　that　Cleggett　had　ever　seen；　he　was　near

enough　to　the　fellow　to　make　out　that　it　had　been　carved　from　a

piece　of　solid　ivory　in　the　likeness　of　a　skull。　In　the　eyeholes

of　the　skull　two　opals　flamed　with　an　evil　levin。　　The　man

suggested　to　Cleggett；　at　first　glance；　a　bartender　who　had　come

into　money；　or　a　drayman　who　had　been　promoted　to　an　important

office　in　a　labor　union　and　was　spending　the　most　of　a

considerable　salary　on　his　person。　　And　yet　his　face；　more

closely　observed；　somehow　gave　the　lie　to　his　clothes；　for　it　was

not　lacking　in　the　signs　of　intelligence。　　In　spite　of　his　taste；

or　rather　lack　of　taste；　there　was　no　hint　of　weakness　in　his

physiognomy。　　His　features　were　harsh；　bold；　predatory；　a

slightly　yellowish　tinge　about　the　temples　and　cheek　bones；

suggestive　of　the　ivory　ornament；　proclaimed　a　bilious

temperament。



Cleggett；　both　puzzled　and　nettled　by　the　man's　persistent　gaze；

advanced　towards　him　across　the　deck　of　the　Jasper　B。　and　down

the　gangplank；　hand　on　hip；　and　called　out　sharply：



〃Well；　my　friend；　you　will　know　me　the　next　time　you　see　me！〃



The　tall　man　turned　without　a　word　and　walked　back　to　the

taxicab；　the　occupants　of　which　had　watched　this　singular　duel　of

looks　in　silence。　　In　the　act　of　getting　into　the　machine　he　face

about　again　and　said；　with　a　lift　of　the　lip　that　showed　two

long；　protruding　canine　teeth　of　an　almost　saffron　hue：



〃I　WILL　know　you　again。〃



He　spoke　with　a　kind　of　cold　hostility　that　gave　his　words　all

the　effect　of　a　threat。　　Cleggett　felt　the　blood　leap　faster

through　his　veins；　he　tingled　with　a　fierce；　illogical　desire　to

strike　the　fellow　on　the　mouth；　his　soul　stirred　with　a

premonition　of　conflict；　and　the　desire　for　it。　　And　yet；　on　the

surface　of　things　at　least；　the　man　had　been　nothing　more　than

rude；　as　Cleggett　watched　the　machine　make　off　towards　an

isolated　road　house　on　the　bayside　he　wondered　at　the　quick

intensity　of　his　own　antipathy。　　Unconsciously　he　flexed　his

wrist　in　his　characteristic　gesture。　　Scarcely　knowing　that　he

spoke；　he　murmured：



〃That　man　gets　on　my　nerves。〃



That　man　was　destined　to　do　something　more　than　get　on　Cleggett's

nerves　before　the　adventures　of　the　Jasper　B。　were　ended。





CHAPTER　IV



A　BAD　MAN　TO　CROSS



The　isolated　road　house　on　the　bay　was　a　nondescript；　jumbled；

dilapidated…looking　assemblage　of　structures；　rather　than　one

house。　　It　was　known　simply　as　Morris's。　　It　stood　a　few　hundred

yards　west　of　the　end　of　the　canal　which　opened　into　the　bay　and

was　about　a　quarter　of　a　mile　from　the　Jasper　B。　



The　canal　itself　was　broad；　straight；　low…banked；　and　about

three…quarters　of　a　mile　in　length。　　The　town　had　thrown　out　a

few　ranks　of　cottages　in　the　direction　of　the　canal。　　But　these

were　all　summer　bungalows；　occupied　only　from　June　until　the

middle　of　September。　　The　solider　and　more　permanent　part　of

Fairport　was　well　withdrawn　from　the　sandy；　sedgy　stretches　that

bordered　on　tidewater。



At　the　north　and　inland　terminus　of　the　quiet　strip　of　water　in

which　the　Jasper　B。　reposed　was　a　collection　of　buildings

including　bathhouses；　a　boathouse；　and　a　sort　of　shed　where　〃soft

drinks〃　and　sea　food　were　served　during　the　bathing　season。　　This

place　was　known　as　Parker's　Beach　and　was　open　only　during　the

summer。



Morris's　was　of　quite　a　different　character　from　Parker's　Beach。　

One　could　bathe　at　Morris's；　but　the　beach　near　by　was　not

particularly　good。　　One　could　hire　boats　there　and　buy　bait　for　a

fishing　trip。　　In　one　of　its　phases　it　made　some　pretensions　to

being　a　summer　hotel。　　It　had　an　extensive　barroom。　　There　was　a

dancing　floor；　none　too　smooth。　There　were　long　verandahs　on

three　sides。　　That　on　the　south　side　was　built　on　piles'　people

ate　and　drank　there　in　the　summer；　beneath　it　the　water　swished

and　gurgled　when　the　tide　was　in。



The　townspeople　of　Fairport；　or　the　more　respectable　ones；　kept

away　from　Morris's；　summer　and　winter。　　Summer　transients；

inhabitants　of　the　bungalows　during　the　bathing　season；

patronized　the　place。　　But　most　of　the　patronage　at　all　seasons

seemed　to　consist　of　automobile　parties　from　the　city；　people