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〃The Honorable Miss Englishman have hit her head on the nail！ Let
there be some naval warfares！〃
〃You are right；〃 cried Cleggett； catching fire with the idea； 〃a hundred
times right！ And why wait to be attacked？ Let us carry the war to the
enemy's coast。 Crack all sail upon her！Up with the anchors！ We will
show these gentry that the blood of Drake； Nelson； and Old Dave Farragut
still runs red in the veins of their countrymen！〃
〃Banzai！〃 cried Kuroki。 〃Also Honorable Admiral Togo's veins！〃
A good breeze had sprung up out of the northwest while the
conference in the cabin was in progress。
Cleggett was relieved that it was not from the south。 There is not
much room to maneuver a schooner in a canal； and a breeze from the
south might have sailed the Jasper B。 backwards towards Parker's Beach；
which would undoubtedly have given the enemy the idea that Cleggett
was retreating。 The Jasper B。's bow was pointed south； and Cleggett was
naturally anxious that she should sail south。
At the outset a slight difficulty presented itself with regard to the
anchorsfor although； as has been explained before； the Jasper B。 was a
remarkably stable vessel； Cleggett had had the new anchors furnished by
the contractor let down。 Having the anchors down seemed； somehow； to
make things more shipshape。 It appeared that no one of the adventurers
was acquainted with an anchor song； and Cleggett； and； indeed； all on
board； felt that these anchors should be hoisted to the accompaniment of
some rousing chantey。 Lady Agatha was especially insistent on the point。
While they stood about the capstan debating the matter the Reverend
Simeon Calthrop hesitatingly offered a suggestion which showed that；
while he was a novice as far as the nautical life was concerned； he was
also a person of resource。
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
〃How many of those present；〃 inquired the young preacher； 〃know
'Onward Christian Soldiers'？〃
All were acquainted with the hymn； the pastor grasped a capstan bar
and struck up the song in an agreeable tenor voice； they put their backs
into the work and their hearts into the song； and the anchors of the Jasper
B。 came out of mud to the stirring notes of 〃Onward Christian Soldiers；
marching as to war！〃
While they were so engaged the breeze strengthened perceptibly。
Looking towards the west； Cleggett perceived the sun sinking below the
horizon。 A long； blue； low…lying bank of clouds seemed to engulf it； for
a moment the top of this cloud was shot through with a golden color； then
a mass of quicker moving； nearer vapors from the north seemed to leap
suddenly nearer still； to extend itself at a bound over almost a third of the
sky； in a breath the day was gone； a storm threatened。
The rising wind made the task of getting the canvas on the poles
extraordinarily difficult。 Cleggett was well aware that the usual method
of procedure； in the presence of a storm； is rather to take in sail than to
crack on； but； always the original； he decided in this case to reverse the
common custom。 Ashore or at sea； he never permitted himself to be the
slave of conventionalities。 The Jasper B。 had lain so long in one spot that
it would undoubtedly take more than a capful of wind to move her。
Cleggett did not know when he would get such a strong wind again；
coming from the right direction； and determined to make the most of this
one while he had it。 Genius partly consists in the acuteness which grasps
opportunities。
From the struggles of Cap'n Abernethy and the crew with the canvas；
which he saw none too clearly through the increasing dusk from his post at
the wheel； Cleggett judged that the wind was indeed strong enough for his
purpose。 Yards； sheets and sails seemed to be acting in the most singular
manner。 He could not remember reading of any parallel case in the
treatises on navigation which he had perused。 Every now and then the
Cap'n or one of the crew would be jerked clean off his feet by some quick
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
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；
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
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 b