The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 1 — page 127: 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. » 137 scheming out anything half so handy. You engineers are very clever people, there is no denying that, and can even give an old salt like myself a wrinkle now and then, as I have learned from today. But now, to say a word or two about the future. You tell me that this is your last cargo, and that on your - next trip you propose to transfer all hands to this bit of anislet that lies away inland there somewhere. Now, let me ask you, have you had any craft of any description prowling about in the neighborhood lately ?”’ “We have not sighted a sail of any description since we saw the /lying Cloud’ s canvas sink below yonder horizon,’’ answered Grant, pointing to the eastward. | ‘So much the better,’”’ said the skipper; ‘‘and I am right glad to hear it. ‘These waters, as you may perhaps know, are not often traversed by the craft of civilized nations ; indeed, so far as I can make out, we are quite out of all the regular ship tracks. But Manners and I have been alarmed on two or three occasions on our own island yonder by the appearance of proas—a class of craft which, I may tell you, are usually manned by Malays, or sav- _ ages of a somewhat similar race and character ; and if any such should come prying about here they will certainly beat up our quarters and give us no end of trouble. Indeed, to speak the whole truth, my dear fellow, I would as soon be in the hands of a crew of mutineers as in theirs. So, if you will listen to my advice, our first job should be the building of a house large enough to accommodate all hands; and, if possible, it should be so fortified as * to enable us to hold out with some chance of success against such an attack as those fellows would be likely to make in the event of their looking in here.”’ CHAPTER XXII.—A New ALARM. THE captain’s warning was news indeed, the gravity and importance of which it would be difficult to overestimate. Grant already knew something of the Malays by reputation; and he was aware that Captain Blake was | speaking no more than the truth when he asserted that the party would be certainly no worse off in the hands of the mutineers than they would be in those of a horde of Malay pirates, whose calling only fosters their natural propensity for rapine and bloodshed. 3 He had heard one or two perfectly hideous stories of atrocities committed by those wretches when unfortunate ship’s crews had fallen into their hands. And he shuddered, and his blood ran €old as his vivid imagination pictured the women and children of the party in the hands and at the mercy of such a band, In this, as in every other case of difficulty or danger; the safety and welfare of the women and children would naturally be the first consideration ; and Grant’s first mental question was how would they be affected by these tidings. It was true, he reflected, that the proas might zof visit the island; but, as it was evident that they were cruising in the neighborhood, it would be the height of folly to rely npon chance in such a matter. And he forthwith began to turn over in his mind what would be the best steps to take in the emergency. 3 Gomicbooks =) a 3