The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 171: 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. 363 I wanted to stop again we heard somebody running after us, and I thought it was Mr. Graut, but it wasn’t; it was one of the ugly men out of the ship; and he had a long knife in his hand. So we ran faster, and then Percy fell down; but I ran on, and the ugly man caught Percy, and—oh mamma!’ Here the poor-little creature’s eyes filled with tears, and the frightened look returned to them. ‘‘ Was it a dream, or did it really happen ?”’ ‘It really happened, dear,’’ answered Henderson, who made it a point of never deceiving his child about anything; ‘‘it really happened; but never mind; you are with us now, you know, and quite safe, so lie down and try to go to sleep. And do not trouble about Percy; we will have him and his papa both safe back with us tomorrow morning, please God! What a horrible experience for the poor child—and what dreadful news about those two !” he murmured to his wife, as Lucille sank back and closed her eyes again under the influence of the soothing draft he had administered. ‘“ Fancy that poor little fellow Percy in the hands of those fiends. Hark! is not that Manners’ voice hailing outside? Stay here with Lucille and hold her hand it will soothe her, and I will go and lower the ladder.’’ With that Henderson hurried away. CHAPTER XXXI.—AN Anxious Niqaut. ARRIVED at the head of the staircase, Henderson approached the parapet, and, leaning over, peered down into the gathering darkness. "Is that you, Manners?’’ he asked, seeing a couple of figures standing close underneath him. | ‘' Ay, ay, sir; here we are,’’ answered Manners for himself and his com- panion. ‘‘ Will you kindly lower the ladder, please, doctor ?’’ The ladder was lowered, and in another moment Nicholls made his appear- ance above the parapet, closely followed by Manners, who immediately hauled - up the ladder after him. — ‘' Well,”” questioned Henderson impatiently, seeing that neither of the men evinced a disposition to speak ; ‘‘ well, what is the news ?”’ ‘‘'The worst, sir, the very worst,’? answered. Manners, with unusual emotion. ‘‘They’ve got both Mr. Grant and little Percy ; and, would you believe it, sir? The fiends have actually been ill treating the poor little fel- low, just for the sake, seemingly, of tormenting his father.’’ Henderson groaned aloud in his bitterness of spirit on hearing this. “It’s awful, isn’t it, sir?’’ continued Manners, grinding his teeth with rage. ‘‘ NicBOlls here wanted to open fire upon them, there and then, and | board in the ‘moke—dash in among them in the midst of the confusion, sir, and see if we couldn’t cut the two of them adrift and bring them off with us. There’s nothing would have suited me better, for it made fairly mad to see the brutes strike that poor little innocent child, and he and his father lashed to a couple of trees; but it wouldn’t do—it wouldn't do, sir ; there were too many of them for us. I counted twenty seven of them, all told, after the second party had come ashore from the proa. We couldn’t have done any good. And, beside, there were you and the ladies to be thought of. So, after we Comiclsoolks