The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 1 — page 125: what you’re looking at

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

THE MUTINY ON THE FLYING CLOUD. 125 Their first idea had been that, instead of discharging on the beach, it would be better to convey the goods direct from the wreck round to the islet. ‘The loss of time which this would involve seemed to them sé serious that, rather than incur it and the risk which might possibly result therefrom, they had decided to put up with the inconvenience and the extra labor of an additional handling of all their goods. The rea! value of the raft and the wisdom which had suggested her con- struction now became apparent, for she made two, and sometimes three, trips a day between the west bay and Grant Island, as they had named their islet home, with loads averaging about ten tons on each trip. The day at length arrived when this part of their task drew so near its completion that they expected to finish the transfer before evening ; and on this particular day they experienced a most agreeable surprise. As the raft, with Grant and Nicholls on board, was running down with its last load, Nicholls caught sight of what he took to be a tiny sail in the offing to the northward, to which he drew Grant’s attention. : The latter, who usually carried his telescope with him, at once brought the instrument to bear upon the object, and found that Nicholls was right ; and it was indeed a sail. The craft, a very small one, was some four miles to leeward when first descried, and notwithstanding the loss of time which such a step would involve, the engineer promptly bore up to examine it. As the two craft closed with each other, it was seen that the small sail was heading in for the island, and a few minutes later she was made out to be an outrigger canoe with two persons on board. Her construction was of so primitive a character that Grant naturally ex- pected to find that the persons on board her were natives, who had possibly been blown off the land, and, failing to make their own island again, had perhaps been wandering aimlessly about the ocean for many days. What was his surprise, then, when he observed one of the individuals rise in the canoe and lift something to his shoulder, the movement being followed by a flash, a little puff of smoke, and the faint report of a gun. Keeping his glass fixed upon the canoe, Grant next-.observed that the individual who had fired the gun was gesticulating violently, the gesticula- tions being such as to convey the idea of rejoicing. A few minutes later the raft was so close to the canoe that the engineer, almost doubting the evidence of his senses, was able to identify the two per- sous in the latter as none other than Captain Blake and young Manners. At the proper moment the raft was rounded to, the canoe shot alongside, and Captain Blake, closely followed by young Manners with the canoe’s painter in his hand, sprang upon the raft and gave Grant a hearty hand grasp. ‘“My dear fellow!’’ he exclaimed, ‘Show ave you? And you, too, Nicholls, my lad-—I did not expect to see you here! How are you my good fellow? Well, Mr. Grant,’’ he continued, ‘‘ this is the happiest day I have known since the mutiny. Jam heartily glad to meet you once more, sir, and to see you looking so well. And how’’—with a slight show of hesitation— ‘“how are the rest of your party ?’’ (E(0) (E(@) micboo ESS