Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 25, 1924 — page 87: what you’re looking at

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

KAKAUA THE UNCONQUERED. his island. The Quai Marshal Rocham- beau, of which La Besse had written fre- quently in his reports, appeared to have suffered considerably from the rapid rav- age of the tropical climate. At one end it had slumped down into the water, and this disclosed that practically all the planking was missing except a string of boards laid loosely as a sort of footpath. The beach behind and around the quai was unkempt and untidy, and on the quai itself, just where they must land, was a filthy looking bundle of rags. As they neared the quai the governor general’s mansion seemed also considerably shot to pieces, as if Kakaua had, perhaps, trained a field gun now and then with not imperfect aim. It appeared to be in a bad- ly decayed condition, the roof of the ve- randa leaning to one side, and remaining where it was only because it rested against a palm tree. At the other end of what might have been a plaza, had it not been overgrown with rank vegetation, was the group of warehouses, walled and roofed with corru- gated iron which was now gnawed into rusty edged holes. Between the warehouses and the mansion of the governor general, and among the trees at the far side of the plaza, were native huts, mere poles covered with palm leaves, and in and near them the most indolent South Sea Islanders to be im- agined were sitting or standing lazily, watching the appreach of the flotilla. As the boats neared the quai, some of these men and women yawned, stretched and strolled lazily toward the waterside. The proa ran itself on the beach, and the foremost of the ship’s boats drew up along the decayed steps of the Quai Marshal Ro- chambeau and Duperron clambered out and offered Paradou a helping hand. “It may be desirable to exercise a por- tion of care in ascending the steps,” he sug- gested, and preceded Paradou, testing each step carefully before he put his weight on it. At the top he stopped and scowled at the bundle of soiled rags. “Name of ten thousand cats!” he cried angrily. ‘“ What do you mean, you heap of flesh of a pig, getting in my way like this? Out of my way!” 77 The bundle of rags raised a fat puffy head and held out a fat lemon-colored hand. “Cigarette!” a whining voice pleaded. “ Cigarette!” “Nonsense of the devil!” shouted Du- perron. “TI should think you do not get a cigarette! You had your cigarette to- day, you sun-stewed bunch of worthless- ness. Move!” He put his foot against the massy hu- man pile and pushed it. ‘‘ Cigarette! One cigarette!’’ whined the fat voice. ‘“* Ah, you worthless accumulation of dog meat!” cried Duperron. ‘‘ You have been at the brandy again! Have you not been told a thousand times not to drink the brandy? Up! Move! Quick, now!” “ Cigarette!” pleaded the husky voice. *“ T'll give you a cigarette, you! I'll give you a cigarette with the end of my foot!” exclaimed Duperron, and he pushed the suppliant again, using his heel. The unwieldy mass swayed, attempted to rise, toppled and fell through the flooring of the Quai Marshal Rochambeau into the water below. As Paradou gained the planking and followed Duperron, the water-soaked native splashed after them, whining ‘“ Cigarette! Cigarette!” as he reached upward toward their feet. “Thousand thunders!” cried Duperron, wiping his brow. ‘‘I do get so angry at that worthless hound! If he was not‘the only cook on the island whose concoctions are fit to eat I would have drowned him long ago!” ‘“‘ Whose cook is he?” asked Paradou. “He is your cook,” answered Duperron. “But he is repulsive,” said Paradou. “To a degree he is repulsive. And he be- comes intoxicated.” “‘ Nevertheless, he is a good cook,” in- sisted Duperron. ‘ And a good cook is a difficult article to obtain.” The end of the quai was now reached, and Duperron removed his hat and made an oration te the assembled populace. Of this Paradou could not. understand one word, but the words seemed to give general satisfaction. The natives grinned and ut- tered gentle grunts. COnmmicloool< (C@