The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 173: 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. 365 What, he asked himself, could have been the motive of the Malays in making prisoners of those two? Was it not likely that their object was plunder, and the extortion of aransom? And, if so, he was resolved that anything in reason which might be demanded—anything, in short, which should leave the party with the means of defending themselves and providing for their ultimate safety—should be granted. Let the wretches but be per- suaded to give up their prisoners unharmed, and to leave the island, and he would not haggle about the price to be paid. The trio were anxiously discussing together this hopeful view of the mat- ter when watchful Manners, who had stationed himself at the loophole for the purpose of maintaining a ceaseless lookout, suddenly raised his hand warn- - ingly, and then pointed in the direction of the pathway leading to the creek. Springing to their feet, his companions at once stationed themselves in positions which gave them a view of the spot indicated, and, looking intently, they presently detected in the deepest shadow of the bush two or three other shadows, which they speedily identified as human fignres, the more readily from the fact that a stray moonbeam occasionally fell upon and glinted from their naked weapons. The two or three were qnickly joined by others, who emerged silently from the pathway through the bush until the watchers were able to count a dozen in all. ‘* Now, sir, what do you say? Shall we open fire upon them, you and I, with Mr. Grant’s repeaters, and Nicholls with his rifle? We could bowl over at least half of them before they could get away,’’ whispered Manners. ‘‘No, no, not for the world,’’ was the answer. ‘‘ Let us watch them and see if we can get an inkling of what their intentions may be. They at least cannot get at ws here, and any precipitate action on our part may only make matters worse for poor Grant. Our policy is to keep them in the dark as long as possible as to the number of their opponents.’ The Malays having gained—unperceived, they doubtless hoped—the cover afforded by the deep shadow of a dense clump of bush, some two hundred yards distant from the fort, were now clustered closely together therein, ap- parently engaged upon a close inspection of the curious building before them, and probably comparing notes thereon. They evidently seemed quite unable to arrive at any satisfactory conclu- sion with respect to it; and the fact that everything was perfectly dark, Pe ane eee Og ~ aS wa. < = $s 2 silent and motionless about the fort—all the shutters in the exterior walls | having been carefully closed-—seemed to have excited misgiving rather than confidence in their breasts, for a figure would now and then detach itself from the rest and, on hands and knees, advance cautiously a little way through the long grass into the open, as though to gain a nearer view of the building, and then somewhat precipitately retire again, as though the courage of the adventurer were not equal to the task which he had undertaken. At length these tactics ceased, and the party, seeming to have finally made up their minds to be at least doing something, began, still clinging te- naciously to the deepest shadow, to move quietly along in a direction which would eventually lead to their discovery of the shipyard. 7 CONIC OoOKS.cO }