Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 66: what you’re looking at

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

a ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. was” all and bony. Deep-set, watery the Barbary Coast; a tough, drunken lot of yes blinked uncertainly from behind dock rats. The fo’c’s’le—an_evil-smelling bushy eyebrows. A_ small mouth hole in the deck—was dark and shadowy ed de wnward at the corners. The nose and smelled of oilskins and salt horse. An uccession of lumps and ridges—resem- oil lamp that swung back and forth to the ‘deformed and overripe tomato. The rolling of the ship cast grotesque shadows— of rotruded, bringing into prominence painted additional evil on faces that were sandy beard. perfect. ‘Two English cockneys had drawn ms ol Harbor gaskets on an A. B., eh?” off by themselves; their clay pipes glowed He referred to the insignia on Danny’s col- in the darkness—smoldered—darkened— “Come out on deck, bucko, and turn with the steady puffing of resignation. >—and get a wiggle on or I'll bust every The inevitable sea lawyer had the floor me in your neck.” and was saying: “‘ And he cussed and clout- Danny, without answering, left the fo’- ed, beat and kicked until I got tired of it le and began to secure the ship for heavy and so 1 went for him, and did you swabs eathe —coiling down lines and lashing the help me? Pfthaa!—sailors? A bunch of ear about the decks that might get adrift yaller-bellied Chesapeake Bay oyster the storm. pirates!” w-eyed Norwegian, slow in obeying = And so it went—but soon the voice sank r of the mate, was promptly knocked low, blended unintelligibly with the heaves west, and the curse: “ You block- and creakings of the ship. The listening Scowegian, when I say ‘chop-chop’ circle narrowed—drew in upon itself, leaned ean ‘ chop-chop 1” was thrown in for ever closer to the central figure, who whis- ( od measure. The Norwegian brought up pered on and on and in whose voice there gainst a huge block and lay there like a had crept a note that was sinister. stunned ox, his shipmates eying him from a distance. One, a Breton, slid cautiously ver to souse him with sea water. When ti e mate put his fist. back in the pocket of SrrapILy the Riding Scud bore south- his coat there were two senseless forms in westward. Two weeks after sailing, Gallop- he waterway. in’ Dan Brannigan had not lessened his ~ Forward and aft the mate raged, finding abuse, beating at the slightest provocation, fault, kicking the slow for being stupid and sending them aloft with a curse and a kick, — peati ng the quick for being “ wise.’ He and double irons for those who resented. was cowing his crew by using the tactics his Then one night the sea lawyer again held father had taught him: To lick every man the floor mn the fo’c’s'le. It had been a ‘1 the crew every day in the week.” Only day of bitter torment. He had slacked the snce had he failed in his slogan, a shang- wrong brace, and the mate had beaten and ed prizefighter had beaten him unmerci- cursed until Captain Mason had interfered ly to a: pulp. The pulp, however, had with the delicate warning that murder, un- gained its solidity and the night of the fortunately, he could not tolerate. Then eati ¢ the ship’s log had spoken of one he had sent the sea lawyer forward to bathe smes Watkins, A. B., lost overboard.” his injuries. ill s 2m ». =a _s » oe - Z rt 22 I. « | And I tell you right here,” the voice half sobbed, “that Ll get square with him if it takes me all my life, I tell recognized the mate as “ Gallopin’ annigan,” the hardest mate on the ast; hated, feared, a slave-driver 7 school. He had been imived, you L'il—” . own overboard, and yet had al-* The restless circle tightened—drew in d again upon itself, again Jeaned closer to the central figure, who whispered on and watch below came around /on a mse on in muted harmony with the sullen noises ‘eorr: ae = —. « - > , f a bunk and sat there Jing of the crew. Four of the ship. men, the rest, T ble from It happened ina rush, ae ; eA i ba ee P - ae we wy es (ol Rig See ae ee es comicbooks.com