The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 19: what you’re looking at

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

A SECRET OF THE SOUTH PACIFIC. 403 ‘‘ Sent with us to keep him from becoming a common drunk, I suppose ?”’ he thought bitterly. ‘‘ He’s a zzce specimen to sail with decent people.’ But Thorne was a gentleman, and he could not poison the minds of Cap- tain Latimer and his daughter against Monckton, and when Sydney mentioned that they were to have the company of another passenger on the voyage, he kept silence. He was tempted to run on to Boston and see Mr. Undercliff. But there was hardly time for that. That very evening the crew came aboard, and the brig was made ready to pull out into the stream at daybreak. Monckton had not arrived, although his luggage had come, and Thorne de- voutly hoped that he would not show up in time. As he sat writing in his cabin after supper, there came a sudden rap on the door. He opened it, and found Captain Latimer and a short, swarthy looking sailor standing without. ‘“ A word with you, sir,’’ said the captain. ‘‘ A dozen if you wish, captain,’’ replied Thorne,throwing his door wide open. The captain motioned the sailor into the room, entered himself, and shut the door. ope ‘ D’ye see his here fellow, Mr. Thorne ?’’ demanded the commander of the Naida. 3 Thorne nodded. “Well, sir, you may call it luck, or call it Providence, whichever you like, sir. But there stands the man you’d give a good deal to see, I reckon.”’ ‘‘ What do you mean ?’’ cried Thorne, starting up. ‘It’s the fellow I was telling you of—the one who boarded the brig at Aukland last winter. He’s the man who was brought to Aukland by your father.” : ‘Glorious !_ Where did he come from ?’’ ‘“He was sent down by the shipping agent,” replied Captain Latimer, taking out a cigar. ‘‘ Plain Providence, I call it. Sit down, Jessop, an’ tell Mr. Thorne your story.’’ | The sailor sat down awkwardly. He was a wiry looking little man, with small gold rings in his ears and a network of tattooing on the back of his hands.. His age might have been fifty ; his nationality doubtful. He had sailed in ships of all countries and could understand quarter deck commands and abuse in half a dozen languages. ‘‘ Let me hear your story,’’ said Thorne encouragingly. “‘ Speak up, Jessop,’’ said the captain, and the man began. ‘‘ Well, sir, I shipped on the coal laden Anna Pixley, from Sydney to Frisco = ‘‘ Belay that,’’ interrupted Latimer. ‘‘I give him the pints of your shipwreck, an’ that don’t interest him. Let’s hear about your getting on the island, and what followed.’’ i Jessop gave a hitch to his trousers and went on: ‘‘I'don’t like to talk about it, gentlemen—it weren’t a pleasant ’sperience,’’ he said. ‘‘ The raft me an’ my mates built couldn’t hold together nohow in that gale. We didn’t have time to make a strong float. Why, sir, when we 5} GOmMIicbooks7co