Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 146 No. 4 — page 97: what you’re looking at

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

whi . he continued to send. The risk of ith from the shock of the radiated volt- age was too great. Also there was the psy- chological fear of the layman for electricity. He decided, however, not to stop, just to Pees, on sending until the first of the two possibilities should come to pass. Ah, Er- nest Montague de Beauprix, you would find your disciple no oil can when it came to the final test! Charles Lester Pendery, commonly known as “Peanut,” electrician second class, U. S. Navy, radio operator on watch on the destroyer, the U. S.S. Western State, idly copied down on the pad lying before him on the operating desk, “ CQ-CQ-CQ- “Here’s a ham sending out a ton of *CQs’,” he snorted to Muggins, another operator sitting near him—‘‘ CQ” being the international conventional signal stand- ing for “general inquiry call,” commonly used when the sender desires any or all sta- tions who hear him, to copy. *CQ-CQ-CQ-CQ-SOS-SOS-SOS—” _ “On, boy!” Peanut became tensely effi- cient. “It’s an ‘SOS’”!” “SOS-SOS-SOS! Any ship—preferably any navy ship come to our help at full Speed approximate position at noon yester- ay was thirty nine forty six north one sev- enty sixteen west?”—the use of the question Mark signifies a repeat—“ thirty nine forty six north one seventy sixteen west course two seventy true speed nine? Course two _ Seventy true speed nine S S China Queen? $8 China Queen mutiny on board and about _ to be attacked by Chinese ship Yung Swei? _ Yung Swei cause of mutiny and attack kid- Raped jane found in hold China Queen ha ne maeay MacTavern? Mary MacTavern A aa series of ae i Eyre AS... ”—‘AS” is the signal to wait : : . -AS.. . They have discovered na ex set smashed by man with scar + Tied are breaking i in ports . DIRTY WEATHER. amy one would risk doing that 1 6 W course 35 0 tine ausedla Ea 9 46 N long—” Silence. “Cause of mutiny and attack kidnapéd jane found in hold of China Queen ”— Sparks continued sending, his eyes roving continuously from one port to another. Everything was still safe—‘ Name Mary MacTavern? Mary MacTavern daughter ” —some one rattled the knob of the door of the shack, then pounded on it. It had come at last. It was almost a relief. He contin- ued, evenly—“ of Clinton MacTavern? Cln—” <A face, a puzzled face, peered in at him through cupped hands pressed against a porthole; a face that changed its expression from bewilderment to amaze- ment, to alarm— er ee PX. Sey It was impossible to concentrate with that face staring at him. He could fix his mind upon no definite thing to send. Ernest M. de B. wasn’t of the slightest help in the world. The face disappeared. “. A S . . . They have discovered me I am in radio shack of Yung Swei . . China Queen set smashed by man with scar who—” The face reappeared for an in- stant. A fine ax crashed against the glass of the port. Sparks shifted his left hand to the transmitting key and picked up the re- volver in his right. ‘‘ They are breaking in ports—” A second blow from the ax splin- tered the glass. If he fired his revolver the sound of the shot would bring the whole crew about his ears. This he’ did not want—yet. He was possessed with the fixed idea that he must keep on sending, that there was something that had been omitted, or something to be added to the message. “.. . . Glass smashed in . . . "his sending became irregular—*. . . . Hurry help . pie He covered the enraged face peering at him with his revolver. The face instantly ducked—“ . . Latitude 3 9 4 6 N longi- tude 1 7 0 1.6 W course 2 7 © true sf 9 latitude 3 9 4 6 N long—” | The glass from another port behind him was shattered. He wheeled about, and fired the revolver, blindly. _ i. Simultaneously wath, ie. shot, drowning aS it out completely, civeliics Books.com _ 7