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〃Boob；〃 he said quietly； 〃boob is the word。 Look above you。〃
A sharp metallic click overhead gave point to Loge's words。 Looking
up； Cleggett saw that a trap…door had opened in the ceiling； and through
the aperture Pierre； who had left the room some moments before with the
bartender； was pointing a revolver； which he had just cocked； at Cleggett's
head。 He sighted along the barrel with an eager； anticipatory smile upon
his face； Pierre would； no doubt； have preferred to see a man boiled in oil
rather than merely shot； but shooting was something； and Pierre evidently
intended to get all the delight possible out of the situation。
Cleggett's own pistol was within an inch of Loge's stomach。
〃I was willing to pay you real money；〃 said Loge； 〃for the sake of
peace。 But you're a damned fool if you think you can throw me down
and then walk straight out of here to headquarters。〃 Then he added；
showing his yellow teeth： 〃You WOULD bring pistols into the
conversation； you know。 That was YOUR idea。 And now you're in a
devil of a fix。〃
The man certainly had an iron nerve； he spoke as calmly as if
Cleggett's weapon were not in existence； there was nothing but the
pressure of a finger wanting to send both him and Cleggett to eternity。
Yet he jested； he laid his strong and devilish will across Cleggett's
mentality； it was a duel in which the two minds met and tried each other
like swords； the first break in intention； and one or the other was a dead
man。 Cleggett felt the weight of that powerful and evil soul upon his
own almost as if it were a physical thing。
〃You are not altogether safe yourself；〃 said Cleggett grimly； with his
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
eyes fixed on Pierre's and his pistol touching Loge's waistband。 〃If
Pierre so much as winks an eyeif you move a hair's breadthI'll put a
stream of bullets through YOU。 Understand？〃
How long this singular psychological combat might have lasted before
a nerve quivered somewhere and brought the denouement of a double
death； there is no telling。 For accident （or fate） intervened to pluck these
antagonists back into life and rob the gloating Pierre of the happiness of
seeing two men perish without danger to himself。 Something of uncertain
shape； but of a blue color； loomed vaguely behind Pierre's head； loomed
and suddenly descended to the accompaniment of a piercing shriek。
Pierre's pistol went off； but he had evidently been stricken between the
shoulders； the ball went wild； and the pistol itself dropped from his hand；
another cartridge exploding as it hit the floor。 The next instant Pierre
tumbled headlong through the hole； landing upon Loge； who； not braced
for the shock； went down himself。
As the two men struggled to rise a strange figure precipitated itself
from the room above； feet first； and hit both of them； knocking them down
again。 It was a tall man； thin and lank； clad only in a suit of silk pajamas of
the color known as baby blue； he was barefoot； and Cleggett； with that
lucid grasp of detail which comes to men oftener in nightmares than in
real life； noticed that he had a bunion at the large joint of his right great
toe。
If the man was startling； he was no less startled himself。 Leaping
from the struggling forms of Pierre and Loge； who defeated each other's
frantic efforts to rise； he was across the barroom in three wild bounds；
shrieking shrilly as he leaped； he bolted through the west door and cleared
the verandah at a jump。
Loge； gaining his feet； was after the man in blue in an instant；
evidently thinking no more of Cleggett than if the latter had been in
Madagascar。 And as for Cleggett； although he might have shot down
Loge a dozen times over； he was so astonished at what he saw that the
thought never entered his head。 He had； in fact； forgotten that he held a
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
pistol in his hand。 Pierre scrambled to his feet and followed Loge。
Cleggett； running after them； saw the man in the blue pajamas
sprinting along the sandy margin of the bay。 But Loge； his hat gone； his
coat tails level in the wind behind him； and his large patent leather shoes
flashing in the morning sunlight； was overhauling him with long and
powerful strides。 Cleggett saw the quarry throw a startled glance over
his shoulder； he was no match for the terrible Loge in speed； and he must
have realized it with despair； for he turned sharply at right angles and
rushed into the sea。 Loge unhesitatingly plunged after him； and had
caught him by the shoulder and whirled him about before he had reached a
swimming depth。 They clinched； in water mid…thigh deep； and then
Cleggett saw Loge plant his fist； with scientific precision and awful force；
upon the point of the other's jaw。 The man in the blue pajamas collapsed；
he would have dropped into the water； but Loge caught him as he fell；
threw his body across a shoulder with little apparent effort； and trotted
back into the house with him。
Cleggett had left his sword cane in the barroom； but he judged it
would be just as well to allow it to remain there for the present。 He
turned and walked meditatively across the sands towards the Jasper B。
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
CHAPTER XII
THE SECOND OBLONG BOX
When Cleggett returned to the ship he found Captain Abernethy in
conversation with a young man of deprecating manner whom the Captain
introduced as the Rev。 Simeon Calthrop。
〃I been tellin' him；〃 said the Cap'n； pitching his voice shrilly above the
din the workmen made； and not giving the Rev。 Mr。 Calthrop an
opportunity to speak for himself； 〃I been tellin' him it may be a long time
before the Jasper B。 gets to the Holy Land。〃
〃Do you want to go to Palestine？〃 asked Cleggett of Mr。 Calthrop； who
stood with downcast eyes and fingers that worked nervously at the lapels
of his rusty black coat。
〃I've knowed him sence he was a boy。 He's in disgrace； Simeon
Calthrop is；〃 shrieked the Captain； preventing the preacher from
answering Cleggett's question； and scorning to answer it directly himself。
〃Been kicked out of his church fur kissin' a married woman； and can't get
another one。〃 （The Cap'n meant another church。）
The preacher merely raised his eyes； which were large and brown and
slightly protuberant； and murmured with a kind of brave humility：
〃It is true。〃
〃But why do you want to go to Palestine？〃 said Cleggett。
〃She sung in the choir and she had three children；〃 screamed Cap'n
Abernethy； 〃and she limped some。 Folks say she had a cork foot。 Hey；
Simeon； DID she have a cork foot？〃
Mr。 Calthrop flushed painfully； but he forced himself courageously to
answer。 〃Mr。 Abernethy； I do not know；〃 he said humbly； and with the
look of a stricken animal in his big brown eyes。
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He was a handsome young fellow of about thirtyor he would have
been handsome； Cleggett thought； had he not been so emaciated。 His
hair was dark and brown and inclined to curl； his forehead was high and
white and broad； and his fingers were long and white and slender； his nose
was well modeled； but his lips were a trifle too full。 Although he
belonged to one of the eva