The Argosy, Vol. 84 No. 1 — page 173: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXI. A TRUCE, AVILLE had been laboring for some S hours when the idea occurred to him and he threw down his burden of stone and sand with an exultant whoop. For the short time that remained to noon he busily occupied himself; but not in constructing the ship. Then, at the midday meal, instead of lowering Foularde’s share as usual, he called up the engineer, much to that in- dividual’s surprise, and bade him seat himself on an improvised bench at the opposite side of the table. “My worthy colleague,” began Saville cheerily, “you will be pleased-to hear that I have evolved a plan whereby we can labor together, if not precisely in brotherly love and sympathy, at any rate without mutual distrust.” Foularde stared at the speaker. “I do not understand, monsieur.’” . “ Listen. During the past hour I have removed every particle of food from this place, save what we have now on the table. It reposes, carefully packed in tins, in a not too remote part of the island, where you could not possibly find it did you search for a week of Sundays. Now observe my ingenuity! “ You are not the only clever man on this island, my worthy Foularde. Should Bel Sonal you be foolish enough to drop a spanner accidentally on my skull or in any other way make yourself objectionable at my expense, it will mean a particularly pain- ful death for yourself, for without me you will starve—do you follow me?” The engineer shrugged his shoulders. “ Perfectly, monsieur, but may I be allowed to observe zat zere was no neces- sitee for zis. I would have play ze game, as you English say.” “ Perhaps so, but you must admit that ‘this plan of mine will prevent misunder- standing. I am as necessary to you as you are to me now and we shall get on much quicker. glad of it. This jiggery-pokery business was getting on my nerves and I might have shot you out of mere hysteria. Monsieur Foularde, we will drink to suc- cess. Henceforth we labor side by side. Fellow-toiler, I salute you!” Foularde’s teeth gleamed, and he raised his glass. “To success,” he said gravely. “ Ah,” returned Saville. “Now, I wonder what the deuce you mean by that! However, we will to the boat. When we have disjointed her we will turn to the navvying part of the business. I shall have no fear of your braining me with a lump of rock now. [I can’t think how it was I didn’t strike the notion earlier. Of course I shall have to bottle This story began in the August Argosy. 163 Gomichoo To be candid, I am very (E@)