The Argosy, August 1914 — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

NOBODY LOVES A LOSER. “T’ve lost my man,” Jack replied. “Buck Potter. We went over to- gether.” * Cn, — -Lordt = Herb “ Potter can’t swim.” A boding chill struck at Jack’s heart. He had not desired to be the cause of any man’s death. “ Quick—see if there’s a lantern,” he called. ‘“‘ There must be one.” He was unable to understand why, if Buck had sunk he had failed to rise again. There was no time, however, to reason that out, or even to wait for the lighting of the lantern which doubtless reposed somewhere in the Simcox dory, unless it had been broken in the melée. . Arching himself porpoisewise, he dove, thanking his stars for the happy accident by reason of which he was wearing light canvas shoes instead of the’ sea-boots which usually went with boat expeditions. _ . He swam with his eyes open into the blackness of the pit. The absolute hopelessness of the undertaking stimu- lated him to the exercise of unsuspect- ed powers. He had not known before how good a swimmer he was. Even so, there was not a chance in a million of his being able to render assistance to the vanished man. Men- tal images flickered through his brain, like moving pictures on a screen. He wondered how deep the water was; he wondered why Potter had not come to the surface at least once. His outreaching fingers closed on something—a linen thread. The reali- zation came with a lightning-flash that he and his antagonist had fallen inside the pound net. Even before his brain had registered this shred of information, his other hand came in contact with an uwun- yielding bulk. It was a man’s body. He slipped an. arm around it and tried to rise. The supply of breath he had carried under was nearly exhaust- ed. His chest strained to the bursting- point and bright lights danced across his retina. exclaimed. 79 The body budged a little, then stuck. The explanation of Buck Pot- ter’s failure to come to the surface was at hand. He had become ensnarled in the pound he had plotted to rob. Keeping himself under by holding to the apparently lifeless giant’s clothing with one hand, Jack felt for his clasp- knife, opened it with his teeth, and began sawing away at the net. It was blind work now—no time to feel for the trap which had caught and held the thief. And if he released his hold, Jack knew he would be unable to get down there again in time. Suddenly he felt himself rising. Both were rising. ‘Together, his fin- gers still entwined in Potter’s clothing, they popped to the surface like corks released from submerged bottles. He drew a long breath, which stung with the venom of hot needles, and, tread- ing water, held his enemy’s head out of the sea. Herb Mann’s voice calling came as from vast distances. To his great sur- prise, Jack saw the light of a lantern. It was his first intimation that he had been under long enough for them to put it in commission. “Here, Herb,” he answered faintly. Herb and Littlejohn, working with the single aim of saving life, relieved him of his burden. While Jack clung to the rail, they lifted Buck Potter’s still inanimate form into the skiff, after which they performed a similar service for his rescuer. “ By gorry, Jack! By .gorry!” Herb kept exclaiming under his breath, as first aid to the apparently drowned was administered to the giant. Jack understood. Herb was little given to the employment of even the mildest expletives. For him the two words constituted eloquence. Meantime the battle had _ been fought and won on the other boats, Barratry Island’s greatest naval en- gagement. Victory for the Hoopers had been a foregone conclusion, for to superior strength had been added the elements of surprise and a just cause. CORMMICLOOKS (C@