Argosy All-Story Weekly, November 12, 1927 — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

WHEN THE S-12 WENT DOWN. “ Just a touch, second,” he says. ‘‘ Thank you. I'll be all right.” Will he? I wants to know of myself. Chlorine’s tricky. I ease him along aft to where the men are bunched. They’re shovin’ around, and mumblin’. The kid’s whimperin’ again and somebody’s callin’ for a special ration 0’ mercy. ‘“ After water-tight door’s jammed, sir,” the lieutenant reports. The fear in his tone jerks the captain stiff. “Steady, men! We're not going out like rats in a trap if we can help it. Ham- mers. All you can grab. Everybody at the door, hard-all.” First cox’un brings up the hammers, and we grab for ’em. ‘“ Heavy-on,” the lieutenant urges us, and we heavy-on. The clips give. “ Swinging in, sir,” the first cox’un give us news. The captain reminds us: “In you go, one by one. Lively-all.” He’s swayin’ again, and I’m just in time to get him under the arms. I pretty well have him into the after compartment when he stops me, callin’ up the lieutenant. “ Have engine chief disconnect for flood- ing. I'll want the air, too. This door is sprung. We.can’t trust it. I’m going to—” He doesn’t finish, because he’s gasping. I get him in now, and the lieutenant orders the door closed and clips knocked home. When the captain gets his breath he asks the lieutenant to count up. When he finds ship’s company all present he’s easy. “Good! Glad it got none of them, but we can’t wait too long. All’s clear in here now, but it may strain through at any min- ute. I don’t like that door.” At that we all has a speculatin’ look at each other, and most 0’ the faces we see in the torchlights ain’t so pretty, what with the twitchin’ around their mouths and the kind 0’ givin’ up in their eyes. Chlorine’s got a low down way about it. Sidious, they calls it, which means when you know you got it, why, it’s just that much too late. But we're still, even the kid and the able- bodied who was puttin’ in his bid ahead 565 o’ time for mercy. We thinks the captain won't leave it go at that, and he don’t. “Must get out of here, men,” he says, pretty strong, fightin’ hard to conquer the touch he has. “ There’s but one way. Engine room hatch. agrees, I’ll flood the engine room up to our shoulders, equalize pressure with the air, and open the hatch. There'll be a bubble go up to surface, and if we look sharp we'll all be in it. We'll be stunned, perhaps, but it’s a fighting chance. Gas won’t give us any.” He stops to let it sink in, I suppose. Some able-bodied says: ‘“‘ If we only knew about Sandy.” “T{ think he got through,” the captain says. ‘‘ Somebody is trying to reach us with Morse. The key won’t take it, but I’m certain I made out, ‘ Abled-Bodied Sea- man.’ I have hopes there’s a boat near.” “That settles it,’ somebody pipes. “Good old Sandy!” Another says: “ Bet Ye got a whale stuck atween his legs and got took ashore.” The first cox’un speaks up: “ Give commands, sir.” “ Right-o! It ‘ll be over in a minute. On life-saving jackets. Get the men under the hatch, cox’un, and hold ’em still. Keep them reminded we’re just going up to meet Bolton.” The whimperin’ kid’s hand is tremblin’, and the captain sees him makin’ a hard shift with his jacket, ‘“ Here, my lad,” he calls, and he helps the kid fix himself. ‘ Steady now, boy. Think of the story you’ll have to tell your mother. - Must tell her to come see me some time at Base. Left arm here, m’lad. Cross. Now the other. Tighter. That’s the ticket. Service proud of chaps like you. Don’t worry, Vil be coming along right behind you.” ‘Your jacket, sir,” I says, holdin’ it to him. “ Thank you, second. Keep your eye on that youngster. Don’t let him go off the deep end while the water’s coming in. Must keep steady-all.” I don’t like somethin’ in the way the captain ’s actin’. “May I ask special favor, sir?” I: says, when I’ve got his jacket all secure. If ship’s company — (E(@) Eomichooks