CLEGGETT STANDS BY HIS SHIP
Cleggett did not fear (or rather, expect, since there was very little that Cleggett feared) an attack until well after nightfall.Nevertheless, he began to prepare for it at once.He called the entire ship's company aft, with the exception of Miss Medley, who was on duty with Giuseppe Jones."My friends--for I hope we stand in the relation of friends as well as that of commander and crew--I have every reason to expect that the enemy will make a demonstration in force sometime during the night," he said."We have opposed to us the leader of a dangerous and powerful criminal organization.He is, in fact, the president of a crime trust.He will stop at nothing to compass the destruction of the Jasper B.and all on board her.My quarrel with him has become, in a sense, personal.I have no right to ask you to share my risk unless you choose to do so voluntarily.
Therefore, if there is anyone of you who wishes to leave the Jasper B., let him do it now."Cleggett paused.But not a man moved.On the contrary, a little murmur of something like reproach ran around the semicircle.The ship's company looked in each other's eyes; they stood shifting their feet uneasily.
Finally Cap'n Abernethy spoke, clearing his throat with a prefatory hem:
"If you was to ask me, Mr.Cleggett," said the Captain, with less than his usual circumlocution, "I'd say the boys here ain't flattered by what you've just said.The boys here DOES consider themselves friends ofyours, and if you was anxious to hear my opinion of it I'd say you've hurt their feelin's by your way of putting it.Speakin' for myself, Mr.Cleggett, as the nautical commander of this here ship to the military commander, I don't mind owning up that MY feelin's is hurt.""Aye, aye, sir," said George the Greek, addressing the nautical commander, and the word went from lip to lip.
"Aye, aye, sir," said Dr.Farnsworth, "the Captain speaks for us all."And the Reverend Mr.Calthrop remarked with a sigh: "You may have cause to doubt my circumspection, Mr.Cleggett, but you have no cause to doubt my courage."Cleggett was not the sort of man who is ashamed to acknowledge an error."Friends," he cried impulsively, "forgive me! I should have known better than to phrase my remarks as I did.I would not have hurt your feelings for worlds.I know you are devoted to me.I call for volunteers for the perilous adventure which is before us!"The ship's company stepped forward as one man.As if by magic the atmosphere cleared.
"Now," said Cleggett, smiling back on the enthusiastic faces before him, but inexpressibly touched by the fineness of his crew's devotion, "to get to the point.There are seven of us, but there are at least a dozen of them.We have, however, the advantage in position, for we can find cover on the ship, whereas they must attack from the open.More than that, we will have the advantage in arms; here is a magazine rifle for each of you, while they, if I am not mistaken, will attack with pistols.We must keep them at a distance, if possible.If they should attempt to rush us we will meet them with cutlasses and sabers.""Mr.Cleggett," said Lady Agatha, rising when he had finished, and speaking with animation, "will you permit me to make a suggestion?"She went on, without waiting for an answer: "It is this: Choose your own ground for this battle! The Jasper B.is now a full-rigged schooner.Very well, then, sail her! At the moment you are attacked, weigh anchor, fight your way to the mouth of the canal, take up a positionin the bay in front of Morris's within easy rifle range and out of pistol shot, and compel the place to surrender on your own terms!"As the brilliance of this plan flashed upon her hearers, applause ran around the room, and Kuroki, who spoke seldom, cried in admiration:
"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 anchors--for 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.
