The Argosy, Vol. XXIV No. 2 — page 176: what you’re looking at

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

368 THE MUTINY ON THE FLYING CLOUD. present either the rising or the setting sun, probably the former, the upright stroke being perhaps intended to indicate the first sunrise, or that of the next morning ; at all events, so Henderson interpreted it. The second sketch rudely but unmistakably represented the fort, with the exception that, in order to make his meaning perfectly clear, the artist was obliged to add a door. Out of this door several white men were walking, with guns in their hands, which the leading figures were either delivering up, or had already delivered up, to a body of Malays. A second group of whites and Malays was shown to the right of the sketch, the Malays being represented as handing over to the unarmed whites two prisoners with ropes round their necks and their hands tied behind them. One of the prisoners was an adult, whilst the other was much smaller ; and there could be no doubt whatever that they were intended to indicate Grant and .Percy. The third and last sketch was also a representation of the fort, but in this case it was drawn without a door. Looking over the parapet were a number of white men with guns in their hands, which they were pointing at a party of Malays on the ground below, who in turn were pointing guns at the whites ; while to the right of this picture was drawn another group, a most sinister one, for it represented Grant and Percy bound to two trees and sur- rounded by a pile of—presumable—branches to which other Malays were in the act of applying a blazing torch ! Henderson and Manners studied this saben most attentively for some time, and they at length agreed that only one meaning could possibly be in- tended to be conveyed by it—namely, that if the fort and all it contained, in- cluding weapons, were surrendered by sunrise, or sunset—but most probably the former—next day, Grant and Percy would be delivered up by their captors ; but if not, then the fort would be attacked, and the two captives burnt alive | ‘’ Why, this is horrible !’’ exclaimed Henderson, as he finally folded up the document and carefully placed it in his pocket. ‘‘We cannot possibly make the unconditional surrender which they demand. It would simply be placing the entire party, Grant and his child included, at the mercy of a pack of treacherous, bloodthirsty scoundrels, who would probably slaughter us all in cold blood as soon as we had delivered up our weapons. On the other hand, it is equally out of the question that we should abandon those two poor souls to the frightful fate with which they are threatened. What is to be done, Manners ?”’ ° ‘‘ Let us go up on the parapet and talk the matter over with Nicholls, sir,’’ was the reply. ‘‘ He isa quiet, inoffensive fellow, but thoroughly to be de- pended upon in a fight, and he is pretty long headed too ; perhaps he may be able to help you out with a suggestion. At all events, sir, you may depend upon it that neither Mr. Grant nor little Percy—poor little chap !—shall be burnt, alive or dead, whilst I can strike a blow to prevent it.’’ ‘‘Come, then,’’ said Henderson, ‘‘let us go and hear what Nicholls has to say upon the matter.’’ : But Nicholls seemed completely to lose in horror the long headedness with Comichbooks 3