The Argosy, Vol. 75, No. 4 — page 149: what you’re looking at

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

SAILING WITH he will take for one of us. He may hail the guard, but my hope is that, in his surprise, he will run to the window, believing that one of us has escaped and that the other is following. If he does that he is ours.” Oakes’s teeth shut with a snap. “| have but one wish. To get my fingers on their windpipes. Listen! ” We heard the lingering footsteps of a sentry draw down the corridor, a hand fumbled at the door, and the great lock groaned as the wards of the key caught the bars and the door pushed open. We shrank back flat against the wall behind us. For a moment there was silence as the eyes of the sentry accus- tomed themselves to the dusk. Then he saw the figure in the win- dow, and with a “ Porvida! Santos!” he sprang forward and laid hand upon the effigy. Instantly I threw my weight upon the door, slamming it into -place, snatched the key from the lock, and fastened it upon the inside. Oakes sprang upon the Spaniard with a growl of joy. . He never had any chance from the first. Taken half by surprise, he was helpless before he realized that Oakes had seized the miseracordia, the long dagger that was habitually carried by Spanish soldiers, and hurled the man back upon the stone floor. I promptly sprang upon him and held him while my companion quickly cut his leather coat into strips, with two of which he tied the hands of the Span- iard behind his back. I was relieved. I had thought to see the miseracordia find a sheath in the breast of the sentry. ‘““ Because,” said Oakes, addressing the man, while I hurried into my clothes—“:because thy errand here has always been to bring us food, and be- cause thou hast not abused us I give thee thy life for this time. See to it that our paths do not cross again. How imany men are there in the main guard- room?” MORGAN, 851 The man was silent. ‘I gave thee thy life,” said Oakes sharply; “but if thou wilt sot talk, then a cord about thy temples and a stick to turn it—” ‘Senor! Senor! I will speak!” ‘“ [ thought you would,” said Oakes erimly. ‘‘ Now, then, how many men are there in the guard-room? ” “Four, sefior. The rest have gone to the posada for their supper.” ‘Is the portcullis raised?” “Si, sevor. And the draw-bridge down and will be until sunset, perhaps a half-hour yet—” ‘Come on, then, Upholme! Lock the door and take the key, if no better weapon offers.” It was a foot long and was made of heavy iron. “Out into the open,” he said. ‘Seize what arms we can and then make for the sea—”’ “Wait a bit! There are many boats and they can easily retake us. I speak for the hills and the darkness of the night—” “And then north,’ said Oakes; “and if they take us, then back to back and fight it out like English mariners. Mind you follow close in my wake! Come on!” Wait a bit,” I said. room door!” “Aye. A’ good suggestion.” He hastily cut a long thong from the leather coat and jerked it into a loop. ‘**T will lock the door on them right handily,” he said. “ Come on!” And we crept stealthily down the passage. It was long and dark and damp, and smelled most evilly. My heart was in iny throat during those three minutes that we spent in the passage, and then —why it was, I could never under- stand—all doubts were settled, and | was entirely at my ease as I followed in the footsteps of my friend. _ At the turn in the corridor we paused. Through the narrow arch ahead we could see plainly out through the far door which stood open before us under the portcullis, which “The guard- Gomichbooks ——e ~~" —— (E)