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on his part； attempted to fight his way to Cleggett； they shouted insults at
each other across the press of battle。 But in affairs of this sort a man
must give his attention to the person directly in front of him； otherwise he
is lost。 As Cleggett cut and thrust and parried； a sudden seizure overtook
him； he moved as if in a dream； he had the eerie feeling that he had done
all this before； sometime； perhaps in a previous existence； and would do it
again。 The clangor of the meeting swords； the inarticulate shouts and
curses； the dance of struggling men across the deck； the whirling
confusion of the whole fantastic scene beneath the quiet skies； struck upon
his consciousness with that strange phantasmagoric quality which makes
the hurrying unreality of dreams so much more vivid and more real than
anything in waking life。
In the center of Cleggett's line stood the three detectives shoulder to
shoulder。 Their three swords rose and fell as one。 They cut and lunged
and guarded with a machine…like regularity； advancing； giving ground；
advancing again； with a rhythmic unanimity which was baffling to their
opponents。
On either flank of the detectives fought one of the gigantic negroes。
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Washington Artillery Lamb； almost at once； had broken his cutlass； and
now he raged in the waist of the Jasper B。 with a long iron bar in his hand。
Miss Pringle's Jefferson； with his high cockaded hat still firmly fixed upon
his head； laid about him with a heavy cavalry saber； in his excitement he
still held his harmonica in his mouth and blew blasts upon it as he fought。
The Rev。 Simeon Calthrop； in a loud agitated voice； sang hymns as he
swung his cutlass。 And； among the legs of the combatants； leapt and
snapped Teddy the Pomeranian； biting friend and foe indiscriminately
upon the ankles。
But gradually the weight of superior numbers began to tell。
Farnsworth staggered from the fight with a face covered with blood which
blinded him。 Cap'n Abernethy likewise was bleeding from a wound in
the head； George the Greek and Watson Bard were hurt； but both fought
on。 The crew of the Jasper B。 and their allies of the Annabel Lee were
being slowly forced back towards the cabin； when there came a sudden
and decisive turn in the fortunes of the fight。
Cleggett； straining to meet Loge； who hung sword to sword with
Wilton Barnstable； saw Giuseppe Jones； deserted by his nurses； tumbling
feebly over the bow of the Jasper B。 in the rear of Loge's line。
Barelegged； a red blanket fastened about his throat with a big brass safety
pin； a thermometer in one hand and a medicine bottle in the other； he
tottered； crazily and weakly between Loge and Barnstable； chanting a vers
libre poem in a shrill； insane voice。
Loge； who had extended himself in a vigorous lunge； was struck by
the weight of the young anarchist's body at the crook of the knees； and
came down on the deck at full length； his machete flying from his hand as
he fell。
Cleggett was upon the criminal in an instant； his hand at the outlaw's
throat。 They grappled and rolled upon the deck。 But in another second
Wilton Barnstable and Barton Ward； coming to Cleggett's assistance； had
snapped irons upon the president of the crime trust； hand and foot。
His overthrow was the signal of his men's defeat。 As he went down
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
they hesitated and wavered。 The two great negroes； taking advantage of
this hesitation； burst among them with mighty blows and strange Afro…
American oaths； Castor and Pollux in bronze。 With a shout of 〃Banzai！〃
Kuroki rushed forward with his kris； the other defenders added weight and
fury to the rally。 Before the irons were on the wrists of Loge his men
were routed。 They leaped the rail and made off for their fleet of taxicabs；
flinging away their weapons as they ran。
Loge writhed and twisted and lashed the deck with his legs and body
for a moment； striving even against the bands of steel that bit into his
wrists and ankles。 And then he lay still with his face against the planks
as if in a vast and overwhelming bitterness of despair。
It had been Cleggett's earlier thought to take the man alive； if possible；
and turn him over to the authorities。 But now that Loge was taken he
burned with the wish for personal combat with him。 He desired to be the
agent of society； and put an end to Logan Black himself。
Cleggett； as he gazed at the fellow lying prone upon the deck； could
not repress a murmur of dissatisfaction。
〃We never fought it out；〃 he said。
Whether Loge heard him or not； the same thought was evidently
running is his mind。 He lifted his head。 A slow； malignant grin that
showed his yellow canine teeth lifted his upper lip。 He fixed his eyes on
Cleggett with a cold deadliness of hatred and said：
〃You are lucky。〃
Outwardly Cleggett remained calm； but inwardly he was shaken with
an intensity of passion that matched Loge's own。
〃Lucky？〃 he said quietly。 〃That is as may be。 And if； as I infer； you
desire a settlement of a more personal nature than the law recognizes； it is
still not too late to accommodate you。〃
〃Desire！〃 cried Loge； with a movement of his manacled hands。 〃I
would go to Hell happy if I sent you ahead of me！〃
〃Very well；〃 said Cleggett。 〃Since you have challenged me I will
fight you。 I will do you that honor。〃
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Loge was about to answer when Wilton Barnstable broke in：
〃Mr。 Cleggett；〃 he said； 〃I scarcely understand you。 Are you
consenting to fight this man？〃
〃Certainly；〃 said Cleggett。 〃He has challenged me。〃
〃A duel？〃 said Wilton Barnstable in astonishment。
〃A duel。〃
〃But that is impossible。 His life is forfeit to the law。 I hope； before
the year is out； to send him to the electric chair。 Under the circumstances；
a duel is an absurdity。〃
〃An absurdity？〃 Cleggett； with his hands on his hips； and a little
dancing light in his eyes； faced the great detective squarely。 〃You permit
yourself very peculiar expressions； Mr。 Barnstable！〃
〃I beg your pardon；〃 said Wilton Barnstable。 〃I withdraw 'absurdity。'
But you must see yourself； Mr。 Cleggett； that a duel is useless； if nothing
else。 The man is our prisoner。 He belongs to the law。〃
Loge had struggled to a sitting posture； his back against the port
bulwark； and was listening with an odd look on his face。
〃The law？〃 said Cleggett。 〃I suppose； in one sense； that is true。 But
the matter has its personal element as well。〃
〃I must insist；〃 said Wilton Barnstable； 〃that Logan Black is my
prisoner。〃
Cleggett was silent a moment。 Then he said firmly： 〃Mr。
Barnstable； it is painful to me to have to remind you of it； but your attitude
forces me to an equal directness。 The fact that Logan Black is now a
captive is due to his efforts to recover certain evidence which may be used
against him。 This evidence I discovered and defended； and this evidence
I now hold in my possession。〃
Wilton Barnstable was about to retort； perhaps heatedly； but Cleggett；
generous even while determined to have his own way； hastened to add：
〃Do not think； Mr。 Barnstable； that I minimize your work； or your
assistancebut； after all； what am I demanding that is unreasonable？ If
Logan Black dies by my hand； are not the ends of justice served as well as
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