Argosy, Vol. 120, No. 1 — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

2 | THE BUTT OF NEPTUNE’S JEST. And, though he was more angry at than afraid of Panama Liz for the present, espe- cially in view of the way Miss Hope had taken the woman’s actions this evening, Panama Liz might become an additional menace to his standing in the girl’s eyes, even supposing for an instant that he could navigate the shoals the captain was going to create in the course of any love affair. All told, Dan, comfortable without, in a real bed for the first time in more than half a year, and within better fed than in much longer than that, spent a more restless night than any of those he had passed in the squalor of the wretched shack on the beach. There is at least one consolation to the man at the bottom of the depths of hu- man despair or degradation—a consolation one must forego to rise at all. At the bottom one does not need to worry over the peril of falling into anything worse. Dan paid well for his step back up the first rung to- ward decent human living. Mogning .found him neither rested nor cheered. He hgdn’t been able to make up his mind to leave the ship or to stay aboard her, or to decide which action made him more wretched to think about it. .He was in humor to get angry over trifles and to jump the traces entirely at any real provo- cation. And Captain Hope’s ship was no place for that sort of humor—in any one but the skipper himself. Early as he had risen because the bed had grown intolerable to his restlessness, it appeared that others had nsen earlier. A lumbersome sailing lighter was plodding from shore with two but slightly smaller ones in tow, as Dan looked about the waist deck for the steward to give him an early cup of coffee.° An almost unconscious curiosity caused him to peer through the port passage of the ‘after deck-house, merely to note which of the hatches might be making ready for the coming load. He had glanced forward as he came from his door and seen that the forward hatches were battened shut. Now he saw, with astonishment that quite aroused him, that the same was true of the two after hatches, and that nobody was doing anything to open them. He for- got all about his coffee. This was a situa- = 59 tion that demanded instant attention. He had not intended to assume any command in any way until he had been signed on the roll; but, if this were a duty awaiting his action on it, he would waste no time on mere ceremony. Loading delays are pre- clous waste to a ship, hardly less expensive than the delays she may experience through storm or accident at sea. : “Is Mr. Edwards anywhere about?” he asked the boy who appeared at this junc- ture. ‘“‘ Here I am,’ came in the second mate’s thin, but rather guttural voice. Dan turned to see the second mate emerging from the saloon door, the toothpick in. his mouth in- .dicative of a finished breakfast. “Why,” Dan asked, with due caution not to appear to assume any dictation over the other’s field of action—‘ I haven’t had any orders of any sort yet. I was wonder- ing whether you knew what I’m expected to do with this load.” “ Just about what I was wondering with regard to you, sir,” said the second mate in reply. “ Damn’ if I know which hatch it’s to go in. I’d have taken the chance it would be all right with you, and got it opened, if I’d known.” \ Dan did not take even the time to ex- claim his surprise. ‘Ill see the captain,” he announced, heading toward the star- board passage. It was a pleasanter thing to announce than to contemplate. From Dan’s last sight of Captain Hope, the prospects were not for any mahifestations of joy on the skipper’s part at being awakened. But —it had to be done. ““ Ex—excuse me—sir!”? Dan whirled to face the boy, plucking at his sleeve, quite obviously more terrified at the possible re- ception his action might meet than Dan felt as to the reception ahead for himself. “ 'Well—what is it?” he demanded im- patiently. ‘‘ The captain’s orders are he’s not to be ‘disturbed for nothink at all,” hurriedly re- sponded the vouthful steward. = Well—but—” Dan was talking to him- self. He would hardly ask advice of a cabin-boy. “ But that’s what he said, sir,” pleaded the boy. DOO GOmMG CO