Argosy, Vol. 147, No. 1 — page 67: what you’re looking at

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

: THE PEDESTAL Danny had been giving the murmurings ‘put the scantiest of attention. During the weeks he had numbed himself to his situa- Eventually they would make port—he blind hatred, were. He sensed thet would leave—perhaps exact a modicum of impregnability to reason. eee vengeance—perhaps just forget. . Don't,” he con quietly, 2 Such things were understandable, fated soothingly, “ be a lot of old women. 9 patches in the quilt of a man’s existence— it out. Look sense in the face. Do. « Danny Whalen!” the voice reached out, think you can take the ship from her of and distinct from the murk, from the with a couple of guns—some Sil” fumbled hush of the whisperings. He “ Knives!” The sea lawyer's VOICE & turned a puzzled eye toward the sea lawyer, bled to a shriek. “ You think we're Toc who said: “ We need *—again the voice Danny Whalen—we ain’t—ain't? We sank low—‘ a leader.” weapons—we ve busted through » he alter: There was no mistaking the import of it. bulkhead and into the storeroom— “Danny Whalen,” the voice rushed on ain't nothing we don’t need that ait with a hiss more sibilant than the waters in the chain locker. ned everyth ing past outside, * you had a mate’s We're set—set, I tell you—all bu ‘the: né ticket. Why the hell don’t you join us? gatin’. aa You're the only one here that can navigate “ The bosun can do dead reckoning: aship. Ain't you got the guts?” The voice for what we need, for the course we neec rushed faster. ‘“ You’ve stood aside and set—to,” he Jeered knowingly, cunning!) said nothing, and now, by God!”—the the others, “to get to the pla voice cracked sharply an e, insane note—‘ you'll join us of we e you to the fishes. Take it or leave it—your we'll get you—alive, if you do our in’, and if you won't °—the words | choice—here and now.” wor The faces of the circle were pivoted to- with the precision of a steel hammer Stt ward him—tense—strained with the look against sron—* we'll get you dead?” of fear mingled with the strengthening des- Another patch was shaping i peration. The murk ine D4 0 9 Ae “ re a7 3 a > 7 ? 1.458 d pitched to ahigh, got t get to, we need more. We 1] feed you, Danny Whalen, and by the livin’ ¢ cleamed—flashed Sense nodded to the overwhelmin TU strangely here and there with glints shot numbers—numbers wel o a de | off from steel—there were knives, guns— power of unity by the searing fir eS 0 “Yes, Danny Whalen, we'll slit your tiple and unconquerable hates. ne ¢ throat if you don’t, and if you squeal, may weaving through the shado | m iT ky | God have pity on your soul!” increased by one. a They waited. The timbers creaked, id, MP groaned and sighed in their endless conflict ae with the restless sea. ‘The lamp swayed THERE came @ night when the I on through calm, unworried arcs. The faces Scud, a pawn for the uncertain wind were still—motionless. Sometimes an eye- off. The careless helmsman di re ws . lash flicked. wretched, dreary figure at the wheel. Danny slid a careless Teg over the edge mate, standing at the taff-rail talkin of the bunk and stretched lazily, as upright the skippet_in low tomes, caw th as the narrow confines would permit. When lose way. With a bound he snate net he spoke his voice sounded curiously weary laying pin from the fife-rail ; nd mn —the batiled voice of intelligence trying to drowsing helmsman a blow rt | make itself comprehensible to the minds of The man crumpled without : i e f “M oy) “ Blundering fool—1'll € ach \ Lee none A he stated evenly, “is punish- at the wheel!” the mate bello AL mele. death.” Then he added, as a sop, the senseless form again anc _ comicbooks.com Paes