Ching Ching's Novelettes No. 1: Snapson of the 'Snake' — page 6: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

( 6 ) been licked into shape long ago, and they did not see why Will should not be in his turn served the same way. “Up! up!” cried Snapson, “I'll have you go aloft by day and night too, or [’ll know the reason why. Now, smart.” Will braced himself up, drew himself into the ratlines, and slowly began the ascent. All on deck watched him closely, Snapson particularly so. The boy went up slowly, the way being new to him, but he kept a tight ip, on the rope, and did not look down. So he went about two-thirds of the height of the mast, and then Snapson called on him to stop. “That will do,” ‘he said, ‘you can come down now.” Will came back with the slow hesitating step of inexperience, and alighted on the deck, looking very pale. “ You see you've got to do it,” will never make a sailor.” ‘Tt’s the night work he’s got his mind on,” said Dopper to Grip. And it will be at night when the job’s done, ” Grip replied. said Snapson, ‘‘ both day and night, or you CHAPTER IIT WILL DEFIES SNAPSON TO DO HIS WORST-—-HE APPEALS TO DOPPER AND GRIP THEN TO THE MEN, AND FINDS NO FRIENDS. ‘RA LLL turned to Snapson with a strange look in his eyes that rather J 4 puzzled Dopper, and saul— ‘“T suppose you mean to kal me} Why not do it now? You have the weapon ready for use.’ Ho pointed to the jacket pocket of Snapson, which was bulky with the revolver he kept there. Snapson laughed in a cold hard way. “Not such a fool as to doanything that way !” he said. “Tt would be more manly,” exclaimed Will. ‘But what's put it into your head that I mean to make an end of you?” demanded Snapson. Will smiled in a quiet way. You ought to know whether I am right or wrong,” he said. ‘ My life has not lately been so happy that I need fear death.” It was a strange remark to come froma boy, little more than a child, and it seemed to strike the listeners around, They looked at each other as if surprised, but there were no signs of real sympathy for the truly lonely boy. Snapson looked keenly around at the men who were near, as if to read what their thoughts on the matter might be. COIN @ lpOOKKS GO