Adventure, August 1917 — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

Contraband Matrimony one bally thing that makes me jolly well worth while. Haw—haw—haw! I say, you know, Miss McNish, that’s rather good, what? If I do say it myself, rather good. The fact of the matter is, Captain—Captain —oh, yes, Captain McHoneybee—I’ve been out in these submarine-catchers, and the governor fixed it so I could take a course in the machine-gunners school at Bisley. They tell me I’m a cracking fine shot with a Lewis gun.” Miss McNish had been tapping on the desk with 4 pencil during this oration. But she hastened to add— “It’s quite true, Captain McConaughy, Mr. Tibbotts is a first-rate gunner. Lord Claragh thought you might take him along as machine-gun officer, as the Saucy Mona has two guns—I think you said?” She appealed to Lord Claragh. “Quite so,” he said. “But I haven’t used what I think is my strongest argument of persuasion, captain. I particularly want you to accept this task, because I should like to have my son see active service of this character under your tutelage.” McConaughy shook his head. ‘““Ye’ll do me the justice to believe I wouldna accept o’ an underrtakin’ as important as this out o’ vanity,” he said. *‘For the rest, ye must leave me to talk it overr wi’ Miss McNish.” _ “Then you won’t giveme an answer now?” Lord Claragh’s bristling eyebrows drew down in a gesture of savage impatience. “No,” stated McConaughy calmly. Lord Claragh started to say something, then shrugged his shoulders and laughed. “Youre in the right of it, Captain McConaughy,” he admitted, ‘‘although it is not to my taste to await an answer. When may I hear from you?” “Before evening.” “Very good.” Lord Claragh turned to Miss McNish. ‘My dear Tabitha, you should go a little easy on yourself. The Red Funnel Line must be earning dividends every bit as large as the Claragh Line, so you have nothing of that kind to fret your- self unduly over. You're carrying too heavy a load, my dear, too heavy a load. As your dear father’s friend, I can’t stand by and see it, without a word of advice.” ‘“‘And yet you are taking my best captain away from me,” she objected with sudden bitterness. Lord Claragh looked uneasy. 85 “Only temporarily, my dear, and you agreed it’s what we call ‘doing our bit’.”’ “Doing Captains McConaughy’s bit, you mean. Ah, well, don’t mind me.” “And shall you be in Liverpool next week?” pressed Lord Claragh, as he picked up his stick and gloves. “Then you'll dine with us, of course. Herbert is looking forward to it, aren’t you, lad?” The Hon. Herbert ceased munching the handle of his stick, stifled a yawn and agreed: “Quite right, governor, quite right.” Lord Claragh gave McConaughy a hand- shake in passing toward the door. ‘“You’re a man after my own heart, Captain,” he repeated. ‘‘I’d like to hear the story of that salvage coup some time. It reminds me of my young days.” The Hon. Herbert likewise ventured a handclasp, but winced at McConaughy’s bear grip. “Ah—ah—charmed to have met you, Captain—Captain—ah—McHoneybee. I shall look forward to this—ah—voyage with you. Rather different from a chug-chug up the Mersey, what? Good, that. Haw— haw—haw. If I do say it myself, rather good, eh, Miss McNish?” =| McCONAUGHY stared after-him E| indumb amazement. The Picadilly “nut was as strange to him as a monkey on a stick. He had known many odd characters, but nothing like this. The idea of going to sea with such a person simply appalled him. He seriously doubted the young man’s sanity. In fact, so worried had he been on this point that he had passed over without resentment the mistake in his name and the irritating drawl and lady-like punctiliousness of accent. “Well?” said Miss McNish, breaking in on his silence. , McConaughy came to himself with a start. “Hecht,” he said, “I was wonderrin’ was the young man sane.”’ She repressed a smile. “I’m afraid he is, Captain.”’ Something in the way she spoke drew his attention. ““Ye’ll ha’ worrries on your mind, as the lorrd said,” he exclaimed. “Nothing worth mentioning. But tell me. Shall you accept Lord Claragh’s proposition?” CoMmiclsoo CO 5}