Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

116 braided jacket. “I lak yo’ coat. Shame, now, a man don’t own it what c’n ’preciate i, Turn ’roun’ heah, niggah. Hot damn! Jes’ what I al’ays wanted.” He took off his red cap and flashed it temptingly in the sun. “ Might ’range a swop—that is, effin you was to boot me a-plenty.” His hand stole cautiously to his trouser pocket and he drew forth a pair of dice. He rattled them energetically and raised his eyebrows wtih a questioning stare. The captain of the port smiled broadly. ‘‘ Uh-huh! I sees you done receive yo’ proppah education!” Sassafras winked ex- travagantly. “I ’vites you fo’wa’d to mah pussonal qua’tahs. Mebby you wins mah bonnet. Mebby you don’t—can’t nevah tell!” When the skipper and Mr. Forbes de- scended to the main deck they were con- fronted by the captain of the port who was sitting on the edge of a hatch with his chin in his hands, a picture of utter desolation. “Why, Wamba ”—the agent paused to challenge with mock earnestness—“ where’s your coat? My word, what will become of the dignity of your office!” The withered little black man almost wept. He pointed aft where the resplendent Sassafras was strutting for the admiration of a laughing crew. The Eton jacket fitted the seaman snugly and the gold braid glis- tened in the sun. The master scowled. ‘ Go bring him here to me!” he ordered. The white men again became absorbed in the intricacies of their problem of load- ing. They did not notice that Sassafras had reluctantly returned the coat to its rightful owner and stood behind them meek- ly awaiting the censure that he knew was due. “The peculiar feature of the situation,” Mr. Forbes went on, “ is that the women are behind it.” “The women?” Captain Elknur stared. The agent laughed dryly. “ We draw our work boys from the tribes of the interior. We bargain with the chiefs—” | “Ves I know,*but you say the women?” ‘Ah, that’s the crux of it! You see, these boys wouldn’t work, not even for their chiefs, unless they had some inspira- ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. tion. They can hunt and fish and there’s fruit for the picking. But they must have wives and the wise old dads sell off their daughters to the highest bidders, “That all worked very smoothly, but we've had a run of tribal wars that has killed off the men. The result is a bumper crop, a national surplus, you might say, of marriageable women. And they don’t relish the prospect of prolonged maiden- hood any more than their fair-skinned sis- ters across the sea. But the gluttonous old fathers with a corner on the marriage mar- ket won’t cut their prices. “So, aye gad, the women struck! No definite organization, you understand, but there are hundreds of them that have slipped away from home. They’re flooding the ports. Even here in this God-forgotten cranny, we’re swarmed with women. “The men won’t work. Why should they? They can have their wives for the asking and let the world go hang!”’ There was an unexpected interruption. “?*Scuse me, Mistuh Cap’n, suh, buttin’ in on you gent’men’s conversashum lak I ain’t been trained no bettah. I been stand- in’ heah listenin’ at you-all talkin’. Co’se, now, you knows all “bout runnin’ steam- boats an’ sichlike, but if them thah is regu- lation niggahs—Mistuh Cap’n, suh, I done hatch me out a sho’ nuf idea!” The master’s frown was followed by a chuckle. ‘Tf that’s the case, Sassafras, I think Mr. Forbes will manage to excuse you. But be quick about it. What is it you have to say?” Til. SASSAFRAS scratched his chin and ran a clumsy finger around his collar. ‘ You sez the wimmin’s ’sponsible fo’ this heah tur- bulation?” He edged up closer. “ Mistuh Cap’n, suh, I al’ays has had turruble win- nin’ ways wid wimmin—howsomevah, that ain’t "zackly mah argumentation, le’me— le’me sortah ’splain.” _A low-toned consultation followed. The white men were skeptical, but yielded. “T can’t see that it’s going to do any harm,” Captain Elknur reasoned. ‘“ But, Sassafras, I hold to my point, if logs aren’t swinging aboard to-morrow, I sail!” CoOmmicoookSse©