Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 7, 1925 — page 95: what you’re looking at

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

THE the huskiest of the sailors with us little enough time to put his shoulder against. the _ panels with short, heavy lunges. They 3 not effective and Captain Wickstrom = dited matters. by smashing his heavily shod foot against the woodwork. On the third smash the door gave and flung inwards. In our panicky nervousness we all of us crushed into the cabin after Captain Wick- icah Thrumm: had turned out the lights as elk as having bolted the door, and it took a second or two for some a to find the switch and press it- The cabin was in ‘indescribable confu- sion. The table had been overturned, and 3 it seemed as if a whirlwind had picked up — and misplaced everything movable. My nephew lay at length upon the floor, with an ugly welt rising on his: forehead. But Micak Thru am had succeeded again in making good his escape, fer outside of our immediate circle, the cab held no stranger. In the confusion and oe secomes of darkness before the milling bodies hi << an eel. But he could — not have gotten very far, and I felt hot with rage at the injury done my nephew. — “After him!” 7 J shouted, and seeing young Wyeth and Vallance, both of whom were flanking me, made an advance = the door. _ “ Stop!” commanded Caplats Wickstrom. “ Chasings are fmished. We haff done chas- ‘ings enough.” “But he has just gone!” I insisted. “We are bound to catch him this time.” “Nefer!” said the captain. deffil and can go imto air like this! You men will go back to your posts. [F will haff no more scamperings about this vessel. And you gentlemen, and Miss Alice,” he said to the rest of us, “F suggest you go back to your cabins and stay on your guards, “Your nephew, ” he turned to me, “iss already recovering from the blow on the head. You will haff no trouble in bringing — him around. At any moment some ship- may. haff sighted | our tockets and be bear- ing down upon us now. JI shall transfer every 0 one but the crew to her as soon as she NEXT VICTIM. pressed, he ee ee oad thrower our ie «Fe iss a2 565 comes alongside. Then I know you: ac be ‘safe.”’ ne slight ekance there had been of catching Micah Thrumm had evaporated, I felt, by then, “ Whatever you: think best,”’- Now I go to the bridge.” che cabin cleared: with murr qUrS, curious glances, and not a little confusion. Alice, Billings, and I remained. I had managed. to assist my nephew to the bed. He was partially recmvered, ewe still consider- ably shaken and dazed. Slice aS a, call compress with a towel and applied it to the swelling on his fore- head. His eyes opened widely and he ‘looked from one to the other of us. “Where are the rest?” he asked. | “Gone to their cabins,” F told him. “They were here, hough, weren’t they?” <3 Ves. I <1 thought I heard a jumble of voices just as I was: coming to.” I could not see what ‘Eflerence i i See, nor why he should have asked the question. He swung his. feet over the side of the bed and sat up. He reviewed the litter of his effects. “ Damn, » = said softly. them with Ls St The remark, as. had been Ais previous ones, remained an enigma. “ Hes taken = Alice * he said, “ take your father back to your eabin and keep hing there.” “But you,” said Alice, “you're hurt.” “ Please do as. I say. At once. You want to help him. You want to save his life. Then do as I tell you.” — | There was sufficient conviction in my nephew’s voice to command obedience either with or against reason. ‘They started for the door and I started to follow. “Not you,” he said to: me. ¥ closed the door after Alice and Bil- lings and turned toward my nephew. 3 “Now then,” he said, You must do exactly as I tell you, and Mi- _cah Thrumm will be ours in half an hour.” “You know where he is?” Jo,” he answered to my confusion. us But = know who he is—which is wach more to the point.” TO BE CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK — = listen to me, ~ cS Eomicboo (E(@)