The Argosy, August 1914 — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

NOBODY LOVES A LOSER. piece by piece until he was convinced that all was. intact. ‘This unforeseen result puzzled him greatly. Jf the object was not to wreak injury on the physical equip- ment of the Hooper gang, what could it have been? Surely these Barratry Islanders did not think to frighten Captain Zed’s men away by harmless shots fired in the dark and rough horse-play? They must know them better than that. By the time he got back to Captain Zed’s dock there was a light in the ganghouse kitchen, showing that old Jim Tarkis was up and around. Morn- ing and another working day were at hand. ‘Taking counsel with himself, Jack made up his mind. Captain Zed was worried enough already. It would not help matters any to tell of the night’s adventure. Instead of doing that, he would lay the affair before Herb Mann, leaving it with him whether to spread the news or not. Half an hour later he joined the rest of the gang at the breakfast- table. Nobody asked any questions. Anse Burdick was busy prying into the secrets of Harley Whaley’s philander- ings, and the remainder divided their attention between this matutinal fixture and the products of Jim Tarkis’s skill. The captain was taking breakfast with his men this morning. It was the season of the vernal equinox, and the fishing was at its height. Everybody was in a hurry to be off to the traps. They started, therefore, a little earlier than customary. Arrived at the power-boat, all climbed aboard, made fast the dories’ painters, and the captain and his number one man turned their attention to the engine. The car- buretor was primed, and Herb turned the wheel over. A fraction of a second later he had a racing engine shrieking for his at- tention. He jumped to the battery switch and threw it off. “What in tarnal creation’s th’ mat- ter?” yelled Captain Zed. “ Here, 39 Charlie—Anse—throw over a kedge. We've dropped the buoy. What's hap- pened now? ” “ Acts like she’d lost her propeller, cap’n,” replied Herb Mann in his cool, deliberate way. “ That’s it sure as you're born. She wouldn’t race like that for any other reason.” “Lost her propeller?” the captain repeated. “She was all right when we put her up yest’day.”’ “Tm afraid she’s done it just th’ same,” Herb repeated. “ Let’s take a look.”’ Charlie Hinkley had forestalled the idea by pulling a dory alongside and jumping into it. He drew a wet arm out of the water and made his report. “She’s gone cleaner ’n a smelt. Pin an’ all.’’ “Who was on patrol last night?” the captain demanded. “T was,” said Jack Garrett. “Well, what did you see?. Anybody around? ‘This pappeneds since we come in yest’day.” ‘“ Somebody fired a gun ats me“from up the beach yonder,” “Jack explained. “When I ran up there I was tripped, tied up, and thrown into the shanty.” This astonishing statement fell like a thunderclap on the ears of his fel- lows. It was so much beyond any- thing. they could have expected that for a moment all hands, even including Captain Zed, were dumfounded. The old man recovered first to inquire in an awed voice: “You were shot at an’ tied up, and didn’t say nothing about it- at break- | fast ‘time? Why?” “ T was going to tell Herb Mann just as soon as I had a chance alone,” Jack replied. “I didn’t want to bother you with it until there was something. really to..te])."" Captain Zed appeired more dazed by this statement than by the first. He flushed red with anger as he shot his questions at Jack. “ Sufferin’ mackerel, why didn’t you want to bother me about it? Whose outfit is this, anyway? If you were - COMICIOOKS (CO)