The Argosy, Vol. 82 No. 4 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

A SECRET OF-THE BRONX. down the length and weight, place the figures in an envelope, and seal it.”’ And he did so, while they watched. Two launches were lowered. Tom got into one with a man to run it. Fanning went in the other. ‘Keep away from each other,” said Bat- terson. ‘Just fish. Ill pick you up.” The yacht went on. “Damn his black heart!”’ Fanning looked in amazement at the sailor who was running his launch. The words were like an explosion. “What’s that?” Fanning asked. “Tl tell you what’s that, sir. man anything against you?” ‘He has not shown it, why do you ask?”’ “Well, he hates me. I—well, no matter about that. But you see where the yacht is, and you see the other launch is a good distance away. The tank of this launch was filled, and has been emptied, and she’s leaking. Looks like a put up job to me.” The wind was freshening, and a choppy sea now began to toss the helpless launch about like a cork. Fanning recognized the gravity of the situation, but did not believe Batterson had planned it. “Tt has only just begun to leak,” he said. “What happened?”’ “Well, the sea-cock has been tampered with in some way so that it lasted long enough for the yacht to get away.” “Oh, fudge. Let’s get to work and stop the leak. Batterson had nothing to do with this.” “T say he did.” “Well, while we’re quarreling about it, the boat may be sinking. I don’t see any water. I think you’ve gone crazy.” “Oh, you do! T’ll show you!” Before Fanning could suspect his inten- tion the fellow sprang at him with a wrench. Had this been Tom instead of 2 man whose muscles had been made like iron by hard work, that would have been the end of him. Fanning grappled, and for ten minutes fought furiously for his life. At the end of that time his assailant lay un- conscious in the bottom of the boat. Fanning, though sore and bruised, and almost breathless, was unhurt. He ex- amined the motor. He examined the tank. -It was full of gasoline. “Another maniac to deal with,” he re- flected, and went on fishing, disregarding ' the unconscious man on the bottom boards. He caught nothing, and finally gave it up. Has that 585 He lighted a cigar, and with the wrench still in his hand sat calmly smoking and waiting for the yacht to pick him up. CHAPTER V. ASTOUNDING INFORMATION. [X CIDENTALLY Fanning read the note over again. - He had started the motor and was steering toward Tom’s launch, which he could barely see. The man in the bottom of the boat stirred, moaned, and became still again. But Fanning kept the wrench close at hand. His thoughts were busy. Was this man really a maniac, or had he been ordered to attack. and make away with him? If so he had gone about the business in the crudest and most bungling manner possible. Why not a pistol shot? Still, a pistol shot would possibly reach Tom’s ears. Sound carries far on the water. Why not a knife then? A body found floating, stabbed, leads to a charge of murder. But the body could be weighted and sunk. | The man was assuredly a maniac. He had begun the attack by assailing Batter- son himself. Why the necessity of the lie about the gasoline? Also that concerning the sea-cock? The boat was not leaking. If Batterson had any desire to kill him he could ac- complish it without killing another man and losing a costly yacht tender. He read the note again. He knew it by heart, but it fascinated him. He had be- come obsessed by the thing. He would study each word, the shape of each letter, and try to inform himself whether it was natural handwriting or dis- guised. He became aware suddenly that the ten- der must be very fast. He was getting nearer Tom’s launch so rapidly that no or- dinary boat could accomplish it. Then he discovered that Tom was coming toward him. They were soon within hailing dis- tance. “What luck?” called Fanning. ‘Not a blamed thing. I gave up in dis- gust. You?” “Same thing. I don’t believe there’s a fish within a hundred miles.” ‘‘Where’s your man?” ‘Down here asleep. He attacked me COMMICOOOKS (©