Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 25, 1924 — page 168: what you’re looking at

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

158 ** An’ remember, no monkey business, un-~ less ye wanna git treated awful rough.” The likelihood that murder or at least mayhem would be the immediate con- sequences of any attempt at “ monkey busi- ness,” did not need to be impressed on Rufus. Every aspect of this Hercules was eloquent with such assurances. And Rufus found the horns of the dilem- ma had been nicely sharpened to receive him. The idea of smuggling any one aboard such a small vessel undetected was insane. Even though he was successful in getting him aboard, he would not remain undis- covered long And when he was discovered! Rufus simply hated to think of it. He visualized the mate’s ire, and the skipper’s wrath. Ugh! He wondered if he could get his sentence commuted to life. For a moment there popped into his mind a picture of the carpenter, laughing long euffaws. It was raucous, even boisterous. The object of his amusement was a person in irons and behind bars, and that person was none other than himself. There was still another horrible hazard. If something went wrong who would Holt blame, and who would receive the awful penalty of displeasing him. Terrible! Rufus did not seek solace in the flowing bowl. He was now in so much trouble even that was useless. He did exactly as Holt told him, and even made a sickly attempt to seem willing when Holt arranged to meet him again for the purpose of reconnaissance, ere boarding the vessel. Among the things Rufus would have loved at that moment would have been to fade into thin air, to flee somewhere, any- where, leaving all behind. If he only had that motorcycle—aye, but an aeroplane or a Zeppelin was what he needed now. For practical purposes all was well on the Osiris. The skipper was pleased that he had been able to get away from Usine- Boule without delay, and fair wind and weather promised a fast passage to New York. | Even Mr. Blair seemed better natured than he had been in months. He actually smiled at times. One morning as he sat in his room he acted more strangely than ever. He was . that voice. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, singing! His wheezy tenor was lifted ap- proximately to the strains of “ Darling Nel- lie Gray.” The skipper in the cabin heard faint echoes of it and smiled. The mate was happy, there was peace on the ship. He felt good. 7 Even Rufus Woggle seemed strangely content in those days for a man who had been logged a month’s pay. True he was not boisterously happy, but his misery seemed to have waned. The skipper had noticed, however, that at times a wild look of apprehension would show itself in his eyes. The fact that Rufus had succeeded in get- ting Holt on board without detection, was one that caused him to congratulate him- self on his run of luck. But the cook knew that Fate has a way of letting down on her favorites at the most embarrassing mo- ments, and he was in far from anything like a peaceable state of mind. He was simply biding his time; for he had the feeling that something was going to happen. He only hoped he would come out of it alive. Mr. Blair in his room, continued to sing: * Darling Nellie Gray.” He opened his mouth wide as he repeated the refrain, and the sirenlike notes came louder and more penetrating. He cocked his feet up on the table, half closed his eyes, and began with renewed enthusiasm his assault of that tune. He did not see the bulky giant who with a curse, climbed out of the lazarette, and cast bloodthirsty eyes in the direction of His gorilla-like countenance was accentuated by a snarling, teeth-show- ing grimace that had murder limned in every line of it. He didn’t stop to replace the hatch cover, but paused in the passageway to relocate the direction whence that voice was com- ing. And as Mr. Blair hit one of the high notes, Holt winced, gritted his teeth and started for the door of the mate’s room. The composer of the music had intended one note to be held a full measure. Mr. Blair had intended to hold it, but in the mid- dle of it his voice suddenly became par- alyzed and the tone ended in a wheeze. His eyes opened upon the person who had just opened his door, and the sight was one that man seldom sees outside of a delirium. EORICLOOOKS ae _ ee -_— (E@)