The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 3 — page 39: 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, 423 -“ Keep away from here, you villains !’’ he heard Mr. Sessions say. ‘‘ I’m going to shoot.’’ ‘Don’t do it!’’ cried Thorne quickly. ‘‘’The captain’s got control of the deck again. Come out.’’ . Sessions and Pepper at once appeared, both fully armed. ’Tonio was- building another fire under the boiler of the engine, a wave which had boarded the brig having put the first out. ‘You villains keep forward of the mast there,’’ Captain Latimer com- manded, addressing the cowed crew. ‘‘ Don’t one of you come aft unless you’re told. Jessop, you and Shields remain at the wheel.’’ Thorne dashed below, and after arming himself in his stateroom, went forward to the galley. He found Sydney on guard with a big ‘‘ bull dog ”’ revolver and a loaded cane. She was pale, but calm. ‘“Ts father hurt ?’’ were her first words. ‘‘ Not at all,’” Thorne assured her. ‘‘ He has control of the deck again. He feared soniething had happened to you.’’ | ‘No, no,’’ she said hastily. ‘‘Iam all right. But I am worried for Mr. Monckton. He went into the hold saying that he thought he could reach you in the forecastle by climbing over the cargo. Have you seen him? ’”’ ‘“He is safe,’’ replied Thorne shortly. ‘‘ You had better go to your cabin now, I think, Miss Latimer. It is simply an armistice between the crew and the officers. ‘Trouble may break out again at any moment.’’ ‘You forget that 7am an officer, also,’’ she said coldly. She threw open the galley door and stepped out upon the deck. Thorne followed her. ‘The worst of the tempest seemed to have passed, but the wind still blew strongly from the south. Aloft the rigging of the brig was a mass of broken and twisted cables. Half the lighter spars had been blown away, and the top of the foremast was broken short off. The Naida labored fearfully in the waves, which were beginning to run very high. It needed little sea lore to assure Thorne that the craft was in a very bad way indeed. The sailors, all but Jessop and his chum, Tom Shields, had disappeared. 3 ‘“Where is Mr. Monckton, father?’’ asked Sydney, the instant she reached his side. ‘‘T don’t know,’’ returned the captain. © ‘‘ He was ‘in the forecastle the last I saw of him. Has he come out, Mr. Thorne? ”’ ‘“ He’s still with his friends,’’ responded Thorne pointedly. ‘“What do you mean?’’ demanded Sydney wrathfully. ‘‘ Has he been left to the mercy of those men ?”’ : ‘“TIl go forward and see what’s the matter with him,’’-volunteered Mr. ~ Pepper. : : Thorne and the captain looked at each other, but said nothing. Kre this ’Tonio had got up steam in the engine and now, with Mr. Ses- sions’ assistance, coupled on the pumps. Immediately a full stream of muddy water began to spit into the scuppers and run out of the hawse holes. Mr. Pepper made his way forward and peered in at the forecastle sky- light, from which the slide had been drawn back again. The lamp burned COMMICOOQOKS,€© 5} a