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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 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。
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 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：
〃As for your flag； I spit upon your flag！
I spit upon your organized society anywhere and everywhere；
I spit upon your churches；
I spit upon your capitalistic institutions；
I spit upon your laws；
I spit upon the whole damned thing！
But； as I spit； I weep！ I weep！〃
〃How silly！〃 said Lady Agatha。 〃What does it mean？〃
〃It means〃 began Cleggett； and then stopped。 The book of
revolutionary verse； taken in conjunction with the red flag that
had been displayed and then withdrawn； made him wonder if
Morris's were the headquarters of some band of anarchists。
But； if so； why should this band show such an interest in the
Jasper B。 ？ An interest so hostile to her present owner and his
men？
〃If you was to ask me what it means；〃 said Captain Abernethy； who
had taken the book and was fingering it； 〃I'd say it means young
Jones here has fell into bad company。 That don't explain how he
sneaked into the hold of the Jasper B。； nor what for。 But he
orter have a doctor。〃
〃He shall have a physician；〃 said Cleggett。 〃In fact； the Jasper
B。 needs a ship's doctor。〃
〃It looks to me；〃 said Captain Abernethy； 〃as if she did。 And if
you was to go further； Mr。 Cleggett； and say that it looks as if
she was liable to need a couple o' trained nurses； too； I'd say
to you that if they's goin' to be many o' these kind o' goin's…on
aboard of her she DOES need a couple of trained nurses。〃
〃Captain；〃 said Cleggett； 〃you are a humane man let me shake
your hand。 You have voiced my very thought！〃
Long ago Cleggett had resolved that if Chance or Providence
should ever gratify his secret wish to participate in stirring
adventures； he would see to it that all his wounded enemie