Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 2 — page 109: what you’re looking at

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

Author of “ Isle of Drums,” “‘ The Butterfly Orchid,”’ etc. CHAPTER XIV. PEGGY SIMMS, " AUGHT with the goods!” said Lund. ‘Two tries at mutiny in one day, my lads. You want to git it into your boneheads that I’m runnin’ this ship from now on. I can sail it without ye and, by God, Ill set the bunch of ye ashore same’s you figgered on doin’ with me if you don’t sit up an’ take notice! The rifles an’ guns ’—he glanced at the orderly display of weapons in racks on the wall—* are too vallyble to chuck over, but here go the shells, ev’ry last one of them. So that nips that little plan, Deming.” He turned back the slip to display the contents. “Open a port, Rainey, an’ heave the lot out.” Rainey did so while the hunters gazed_on in silent chagrin. ‘“ There’s one thing more,” said Lund, grinning at them. “If enny of you saw a man hurtin’ a dog, you’d probably fetch him a wallop. But you don’t think enny- thing of scarin’ the life out of a half-baked kid an’ markin’ up his hide like a patchwork quilt. Thet kid’s stayin’ aft after this. One of -you monkey with him, an’ you'll do jest what he’s bin doin’, wish you was dead an -overboard,” He turned on his heel and walked to the door, Rainey following. ‘“ Burial of the skipper at dawn,” said Lund. “ All hands on deck, clean an’ neat- ly dressed to stand by. An’ see yore be- havior fits the occasion. Deming, you'll turn out, too. No malingerin’.”’ It was plain that the news of the captain’s death was known to fhem. They showed no surprise: Rainey was sure that Tamada had not mentioned it. It had leaked out through the grape-vine telegraphy of all ships. Doubtless, he thought, the after- cabin and its doings were always being spied upon. “Will you take the service ter-morrer?” Lund asked Rainy when they weré back in the cabin. ‘“ Bein’ as yore an eddicated chap?” | | ‘“Why—I don’t know it. Is there a prayer-book aboard? I thought the skipper always presided.” ‘“T’m only deputy-skipper w’en it comes down to that,” said Lund. ‘It ain’t my ship... I’m jest runnin’ it under contract with my late partner. The ship belongs to the gal. As to a prayer-book, there ain’t sech an article aboard to my knowledge. But I’d like to have it go off shipshape. For Simms’s sake as well as the gal’s. I reckon he used his best jedgment ’bout put- tin’ back after me on the floe. I might have done thé same thing myself.” Rainey doubted that statement, and set it down to Lund’s generosity. Many of his late words and actions had displayed a latent depth of feeling that he had never credited Lund with possessing. He could rot help believing that, in some way, the girl had brought them to the surface. This story began in The Argosy for February 7. . 259 Gomicboo (E)