Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 4 — page 27: what you’re looking at

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

McMASTERS’ FOLLY. of saiimg vessels between the sland sta- They pieked their skippers with the same cave as they used in choosing wives or se- lecting tutors for their sons.: Donald & Donated, located at Valparaiso, cabled, at three shillings a word, to hand Micky Mc- Masters the Borneo’s “ ticket.” Their or- ders: to him, also. by cable, were to: drive the Borneo to Longtowrm and there take on cargo. MeMasters. dropped’ anchor at Long- town, and took a turn about the quarter- deck before gomg ashore to see the ship’s The mate had left the poop and was standmg below the seamen who sprawled along the foet-repes on the Borneo’s spars aac gathered in the sails. The mate’s name was: Landyard. He was a tall Yankee. ‘See that they’re snug!” snapped Micky McMasters when he paused at the quarter- deck rail and looked sharply aleft. ‘“ We ’ave a fortnight to spend in this ’arbor.” Red Lamé@yard spat to leeward and roared an order to a green hand who hay over the crossjack yard. ‘A little louder,” suggested Mc Masters dryly. ‘‘ Some o’ th’ scum we signed on at Torres Strait are a bit “ard o’ ’earing!” The mate went aloft and the skipper turned and looked at the corrugated won skeds and pearl-thatched roofs of Lomg- town. He square-set an unshavern jaw. He thrust a pair of broken fists inte the side pockets: of hig tattered: pea-jacket. ‘The one bright spot on the beach was. the Union fack fluttering from a palm-stem flag-pole. Back of the flag lay a broodme jungle and a misty coast range. “ Spooky-loeking place,” suggested the Yankee mate when: he rowed the little cock- ney skipper ashore im the ship’s dingey. Micky McMasters had sailed or steamed ships into half the ports of the world. Hz. ore ambition was to. gather enough English peunds to maintam his wife and children iw comfort at Great Grimsby—which is on the River Humber., ' “She’s a bit spooky,” he admitted. “Fhese beach towns look all nght from th’ deck ©’ a ship, but they’re only fit fer th’ ’eathen, arfter all.” S33 Micky sprang from the dinghy when it touched. the shingled beach, bade Red Landyard seek his own pleasures, and started m search of the siceping agents end the British Censul. The agents were Scotch. They passed,a square-face of gin, scpreezed limes, and. promised Mickey to begin loading the cargo at sundown. The comsul was mildly interested in Micky’s papers. ‘First trip out, eh?” he said passing the papers back. ‘ Well, er, look areand. Fhere’s nothing much to do here in Long- town. Why not try a jaunt im th’ jungle? I’m going mland to-merrow. Bring your nrate along.” Micky and Red Landyard accepted the consu’s mvitation. They straddted islamed ponies and made a rough passage to 2 plan- tatton owned by a French settler. Com- ing back, through no fault of the consul, the two after guards ef the Borneo gut lost, without a compass. to shaw their bear- Red Landyard straightened his long legs, allowed the pony to walk from under him, and squinted first at the sky and then at @ misty mauntain. He turned and painted a steady finger through jungle trees. ‘“ Th’ beach is over there, Micky,” he said. Micky McMasters brushed a fly from hrs cheek, urged his pony, and started im the direction indicated by the Yankee. He came charging mto an open place—a grass- Clustered clearimg where loomed the thatched roof of a decaying shed. Red Landyard drew up by the cock- ney’s side. ‘ley stared at the shed. “A bloomin’ temple,” whispered the captain. Inspection revealed that Micky was partly right. The interior of the shed was. given over to a row of weather-beaten idols befoze which lay wreaths of week-oled flowers placed there by native girls. Micky inspected the idols. He tried ta decipher the names carved am the base of each. One resembled a Biliken, another an island ape. All were hideous, and rudely constructed. “ Blym good place to keep away from,” comunented Micky when he remeunted his pony. ‘EF said th’ bleomin’ island was spooky!” Original fro Mae G rT = iva — \ 4 GC THE OHIO STATE UM Sonn >) NOOK CO