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had thought it a little odd in the first place when he had been directed to a
real estate agent as the owner of the craft。 But as he knew very little
about business； and nothing at all about ships； he assumed that perhaps it
was quite the usual thing for real estate dealers to buy and sell ships
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
abutting on the coast of Long Island。
〃I had only intended to buy the vessel；〃 said Cleggett。 〃I don't know
that I'll be able to use the land。〃
Mr。 Goldberg looked at Cleggett with a slight start； as if he were not
sure that he had heard aright； and opened his mouth as if to say something。
But nothing came of itnot just then； at least。 When the last signature
had been written； and Clegget's check had been folded by Mr。 Goldberg's
plump； bejeweled fingers and put into Mr。 Goldberg's pocketbook； Mr。
Goldberg remarked：
〃You say you can't use the ship？〃
〃No； the land。 I'm surprised to find that the land goes with the ship。〃
〃Why； it doesn't；〃 said Mr。 Goldberg。 〃It's the ship that goes with the
land。 She was on the land when I bought the plot； and I just left her there。
Nobody's paid any attention to her for years。〃
The words 〃on the land〃 grated on Cleggett。
〃You mean on the water； don't you？〃
〃In the mud； then；〃 suggested Mr。 Goldberg。
〃But she'll sail all right；〃 said Cleggett。
〃I suppose if she was decorated up with sails and things she'd sail。
Figuring on sailing her anywhere in particular？〃
〃Subtly irritated； Cleggett answered： 〃Oh； no； no！ Not anywhere in
particular！〃
〃Going to live on her this summer？Outdoor sleeping room； and all
that？〃
〃I'm thinking of it。〃
〃You could turn her into a house boat easy enough。 I had a friend
who turned an old barge like that into a house boat and had a lot of fun
with her。〃
〃Barge？〃 Cleggett rose and buttoned his coat； the conversation was
somehow growing more and more distasteful to him。 〃You wouldn't call
the Jasper B。 a BARGE； would you？〃
〃Well； you wouldn't call her a YACHT； would you？〃 said Mr。
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
Goldberg。
〃Perhaps not；〃 admitted Cleggett； 〃perhaps not。 She's more like a bark
than a yacht。〃
〃A bark？ I dunno。 Always thought a bark was bigger。 A scow's
more her size； ain't it？〃
〃Scow？〃 Cleggett frowned。 The Jasper B。 a scow！ 〃You mean a
schooner； don't you？〃
〃Schooner？〃 Mr。 Goldberg grinned good…naturedly at his departing
customer。 〃A kind of a schooner…scow； huh？〃
〃No； sir； a schooner！〃 said Cleggett； reddening； and turning in the
doorway。 〃Understand me； Mr。 Goldberg； a schooner； sir！ A schooner！〃
And standing with a frown on his face until every vestige of the smile
had died from Mr。 Goldberg's lips； Cleggett repeated once more： 〃A
schooner； Mr。 Goldberg！〃
〃Yes； sirthere's no doubt of ita schooner； Mr。 Cleggett；〃 said Mr。
Goldberg； turning pale and backing away from the door。
The ordinary man inspects a house or a horse first and buys it； or fails
to buy it； afterward； but genius scorns conventions； Cleggett was not an
ordinary man； he often moved straight towards his object by inspiration；
great poets and great adventurers share this faculty； Cleggett paid for the
Jasper B。 first and went back to inspect his purchase later。
The vessel lay about two miles from the center of Fairport。 He could
get within half a mile of it by trolley。 Nevertheless； when he reached the
Jasper B。 again after leaving Mr。 Goldberg it was getting along towards
dusk。
He first entered the cabin。 It was of a good size and divided into
several compartments。 But it was in a state of dilapidation and littered
with a jumble of odds and ends which looked like the ruins of a barroom。
As he turned to ascend to the deck again； after possibly five minutes；
intending to take a look at the forecastle next； he heard the sound of a
motor。
Looking out of the cabin he saw a taxicab approaching the boat from
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
the direction of Fairport。 It was a large machine； but it was overloaded
with seven or eight men。 It stopped within twenty yards of the vessel；
and two men got out； one of them evidently a person who imposed some
sort of leadership on the rest of the party。 This was a tall fellow； with a
slouching gait and round shoulders。 And yet； to judge from his
movements； he was both quick and powerful。 The other was a short；
stout man with a commonplace； broad red face and flaxen hair。 The two
stood for a moment in colloquy in the road that led from Fairport proper to
the bayside； passing near the Jasper B。； and Cleggett heard the shorter of
the two men say：
〃I'm sure I saw somebody aboard of her。〃
〃How long ago； Heinrich？〃 asked the tall man。
〃An hour or so；〃 said Heinrich。
〃It was old man Abernethy； he's harmless；〃 said the tall fellow。 〃He's
the only person that's been aboard her in years。〃
〃There was someone else；〃 persisted Heinrich。 〃Someone who was
talking to Abernethy。〃
The tall man mumbled something about having been a fool not to buy
her before this； Cleggett did not catch all of the remark。 Then the tall
fellow said：
〃We'll go aboard； Heinrich； and take a look around。〃
With that they advanced towards the vessel。 Cleggett stepped on deck
from the cabin companionway； and both men stopped short at the sight of
him； Heinrich obviously a trifle confused； but the other one in no wise
abashed。 He made no attempt； this tall fellow； to give the situation a
casual turn。 What he did was to stand and stare at Cleggett； candidly； and
with more than a touch of insolence； as if trying to beat down Cleggett's
gaze。
Cleggett； staring in his turn； perceived that the tall man； ungainly as he
was； affected a bizarre individualism in the matter of dress。 His clothing
cried out； rather than suggested； that it was expensive。 His feet were
cased in button shoes with fancy tops； his waistcoat； cut in the extreme of
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THE CRUISE OF THE JASPER B。
style； revealed that little strip of white which falsely advertises a second
waistcoat beneath； but in his case the strip was too broad。 There were
diamonds on the fingers of both powerful hands。 But the thing that grated
particularly upon Cleggett was the character of the man's scarfpin。 It was
by far the largest ornament of the sort that Cleggett had ever seen； he was
near enough to the fellow to make out that it had been carved from a piece
of solid ivory in the likeness of a skull。 In the eyeholes of the skull two
opals flamed with an evil levin。 The man suggested to Cleggett； at first
glance； a bartender who had come into money； or a drayman who had been
promoted to an important office in a labor union and was spending the
most of a considerable salary on his person。 And yet his face； more
closely observed； somehow gave the lie to his clothes； for it was not
lacking in the signs of intelligence。 In spite of his taste； or rather lack of
taste； there was no hint of weakness in his physiognomy。 His features
were harsh； bold； predatory； a slightly yellowish tinge about the temples
and cheek bones； suggestive of the ivory ornament； proclaimed a bilious
temperament。
Cleggett； both puzzled and nettled by the man's persistent gaze；
advanced towards him across the deck of the Jasper B。 and down the
gangplank； hand on hip； and called out sharply：
〃We