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！
one of the crew would be jerked clean off his feet by some quick
and unexpected motion of a sail and flung into the water。 When
this occurred the person who had been ducked crawled out on the
bank of the canal again and went on board by way of the
gangplank； returning stubbornly to his task。
The booms in particular were possessed of a restless and unstable
spirit。 They made sudden swoops； sweeps； and dashes in all
directions。 Sometimes as many as three of the crew of the Jasper
B。 would be knocked to the deck or into the water by a boom at
the same time。 But Cleggett noted with satisfaction that they
were plucky； they stuck valiantly to the job。 A doubt assailed
Cleggett as to the competence of Cap'n Abernethy； but he was
loyal and fought it down。
Finally Cap'n Abernethy hit upon a novel and ingenious idea。 He
tied stout lines to the ends of the booms。 The other ends of
these ropes he ran through the eyes of a couple of spare anchors。
Taking the anchors ashore； he made them fast to the wooden
platform which was alongside the Jasper B。 Then he took up the
slack in the lines； pulling them taut and fastening them tightly。
Thus the booms were held fast and stiff in position； and the crew
could get the canvas spread without being endangered by their
strange and unaccountable actions。
This brilliant idea of anchoring the booms to the land would not
have been practicable had it not been for a whimsical cessation
of the wind； a lull such as incident to the coming of spring
storms in these latitudes。 While the wind was in abeyance the
men got the sails spread。 Then the Captain untied the lines；
brought the spare anchors on board； knocked the gangplank loose
with a few blows of his ax； and waited for the wind to resume。
When the wind did blow again it came in a gust which was
accompanied by a twinkle of lightening over the whole sky and
grumble of thunder。 A whirl of dust and fine gravel enveloped
the Jasper B。 For a moment it was like a sandstorm。 A few large
drops of water fell。 The gust was violent； the sails filled with
it and struggled like kites to be free； here and there a strand
of rope snapped； the masts bent and creaked； the booms jumped and
swung round like live things； the whole ship from bowsprit to
rudder shook and trembled with the assault。
Cleggett； watchful at the wheel； prepared to turn her nose away
from the bank； but he was astonished to perceive that in spite of
her quaking and shivering the Jasper B。 did not move one inch
forward from her position。 He was prepared for a certain
stability on the part of the Jasper B。； but not for quite so much
of it。
With the next gust the storm was on them in earnest。 This blast
came with zigzag flashes of lightning that showed the heavens
riotous with battalions of charging clouds； it came with
deafening thunder and a torrential discharge of rain。 One would
have thought the power of the wind sufficient to set a steel
battleship scudding before it like a wooden shoe。 And yet the
extraordinary Jasper B。； although she shrieked and groaned and
seemed to stagger with the force of the blow； did not move either
forward or sidewise。
She flinched； but she stood her ground。
Second by second the storm increased in fury； in a moment it was
no longer merely a storm； it was a tempest。 Cleggett； alarmed
for the safety of his masts； now ordered his men to take in sail。
But even as he gave the order he realized that it could no longer
be done。 A cloudburst； a hurricane； an electrical bombardment；
struck the Jasper B。 all at once。 One could not hear one's own
voice。 In the glare of the lightning Cleggett saw the rigging
tossing in an indescribable confusion of canvas； spars； and
ropes。 Both masts and the bowsprit snapped at almost the same
instant。 The whole chaotic mass was lifted； it writhed in the
air a moment； and then it came crashing down； partly on the deck
and partly in the seething waters of the canal； where it lay and
whipped ship and water with lashing tentacles of wreckage。
But still the unusual Jasper B。 had not moved from her position。
Cleggett's men had had warning enough to save themselves。 They
gathered around him to wait for orders。 More than one of them
cast anxious glances towards the land。 Shouting to them to
attack the debris with axes； and setting the example himself；
Cleggett soon saw the deck clear again； and the Jasper B。； to all
intents； the same hulk she had been when he bought her。 But such
was the fury of the tempest that even with the big kites gone the
Jasper B。 continued to shake and quiver where she lay。 Speech
was almost impossible on deck； but Cap'n Abernethy signed to
Cleggett that he had something important to say to him。
The whole company adjourned to the cabin； and there； shouting to
make himself heard； the Cap'n cried out：
〃Her timbers have been strained something terrible； Mr。 Cleggett。
She ain't what I would call safe and seaworthy any more。 The'
don't seem to be any danger of her sailin' off； but that's no
sign she can't be blowed over onto her beam ends and sunk with
all on board。 If you was to ask me； Mr。 Cleggett； I'd say the
time had come to leave the Jasper B。 〃
The anxiety depicted on the faces of the little circle about him
might have communicated itself to a less intrepid nature。 The
old Cap'n himself was no coward。 Indeed； in owning to his alarm
he had really done a brave thing； since few have the moral
courage to proclaim themselves afraid。 But Cleggett was a man of
iron。 Although the tempest smote the hulk with blow after blow；
although both earth and water seemed to lie prostrate and
trampled beneath its unappeasable fury； Cleggett had no thought
of yielding。
Unconsciously he drew himself up。 It seemed to his crew that he
actually gained in girth and height。 The soul； in certain great
moments； seems to have power to expand the body and inform it
with the quality of immortality； Ajax； in his magnificent gesture
of defiance； is all spirit。 Cleggett； with his hand on his hip；
uttered these words； not without their sublimity：
〃Whether the Jasper B。 sinks or swims； her commander will share
her fate。 I stay by my ship！〃
CHAPTER XV
NIGHT； TEMPEST； LOVE AND BATTLE
And； indeed； if Cleggett had been of a mind to abandon the
vessel； he could scarcely have done so now。 For his words were
no more than uttered when the sharp racket of a volley of pistol
shots ripped its way through the low…pitched roaring of the wind。
Loge had chosen the height of the storm to mask his approach。 He
attacked with the tempest。
Without a word Cleggett put out the light in the cabin。 His men
grasped their weapons and followed him to the deck。 A flash of
lightning showed him； through the driving rain； the enemy rushing
towards the Jasper B。； pistol in hand。 They were scarcely sixty
yards away； and were fi