The Argosy, August 1914 — page 73: what you’re looking at

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

NOBODY LOVES A LOSER. A voice sounded in his ear—‘ Fol- low your interference, Jack.” The owner of the voice charged the near- est of his would-be interceptors. He hurled him out of the path with a toss of his brawny shoulder. Sticking close to that friendly back, Jack saw the second one meet a like fate, and a second later he was behind the enemy’s goal posts, and the game was won. The memory, long as it takes in the telling, flashing across his mental field with the rapidity of light, seemed a direct message. Interference was the watchword. ‘These were Hooper fish; should he lie inertly by and see the catch taken “by another, or lost alto- gether? He gave a tug at the rudder rope, bringing the boat up another point. One of the Simcoxes, diverting his eyes from the scene ahead, caught a glimmering of Jack’s intention. He drew the notice of his mates. The boats were close enough to- seether now for an exchange of con- versation in ordinary tones. Buck Potter’s rough bellow to “ sheer off” was unnecessarily loud. Jack held his peace. Every nerve -and fiber was alert to the possibilities of the occasion. What he should do must depend on the chance of the mo- ment, but the keynote was interference in some form. The thought of per- sonal consequences was as remote as the farthest star. ‘Sheer off or I'll break your head!” Potter shouted again. Jack saw him seize a long, heavy oar and hold it like a lance. This was different from the football field in various aspects. It was life as distinct from sport. And the stake was gold. Should he try ramming the other beat amidships? Or was it better merely to head her off? Five minutes would make all the difference in the world to his fellows. But how to win that five minutes did not occur to him until the boats were dangerously close together. It came 63 then in a flash of inspiration. The vital spot of the enemy was the seine, which was piled in the dory on the work boat’s port quarter. He gave another tug at his rudder rope and headed straight for the other. Seeing him coming, they yelled in uni- son. As his bow crashed into the small boat, Buck Potter drove at him with his twelve-foot oar. It caught Jack in the pit of the stom- ach, and for an instant he thought it had gone clear through him. He fell backward, striking the: spinning fty- wheel, and was brought to his senses by sitting on the hot exhaust pipe. His bow ground along the dory, smacked into the other work boat, and grated its way along the side. The Simcoxes were a raging, cursing crew. Buck Potter, recovering his poise, rushed forward and drove again with his oar. . This time Jack caught it with his hands and pulled sharply. Thrown off his balance, Potter splashed over the side. He still clung to the oar. Jack, in no mood to play the life-saver, left him to be rescued by his mates. He was sick and faint from the blow in his stomach. Severe nausea seized him, and he observed with con- cern that some blood came up. But it was impossible to give way now. He could think of patching himself up after he had helped his gang to land their catch if they made one. He pulled himself together with a tremen- dous effort and headed in their wake. CHAPTER XVI. EAVESDROPPING, “Tt” hull Simcox crowd is out for . your scalp, Jack,” said Anse Burdick cheerfully. “ They say if it hadn’t ha’ been for you they’d have made that mackerel haul ’stead of us. Buck Potter says he’d have the law on you only ’twould be too easy.” “That'll be all right, Anse, if he will wait till I get on my feet again,” EGOMIGIOOKS (C@