The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 1 — page 174: what you’re looking at

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

exe THE BUNKEL MYSTERY. ‘“ Do you want your neck stretched?’’ demanded the other. ‘Stop the cave up, and fill the hole with rocks; then nobody’d never find ’em.”’ | ; : ‘‘ We will do all that if it is necessary,’’ added Poddy. Then Tom wanted one of the revolvers: and the chief gave it to him after he had shown his need of it. : CHAPTER XXVIII.—TuHE DESPERATION OF THE PRISONERS. It was Tom Sawder’s idea that he might be put into a tight place if the prisoners were allowed to roam about the island at their own pleasure. They might catch him alone, and perhaps both of them together might get the upper hand of him. ‘They could tie him to a tree, and then fall upon Poddy when he was asleep, or not on his guard. This was the argument that induced the chief to surrender one of the revolvers to his reckless companion. Phin and Dolph were appalled at what they heard. Even the gentlemanly villain proposed to ‘‘ knock them on the head ’’ when he was done with them. ‘Tom might fire at them at any time, and he was disposed to do so. The hoodlum regarded the prisoners as a decided impediment. He was in as great a hurry to get away from the island as the sons of the magnates. His imagination was fired with visions of reckless dissipation in the great city, where his pockets would be filled with money. As soon as the younger reprobate had obtained the revolver, he alluded to a division of the ‘‘swag,’’ as he called it, for he had made some progress in the rogue’s vocabulary under the tuition of Poddy. The prisoners on the island did not feel so much interest in.this matter, and Poddy evidently did not relish the topic, and was not willing to discuss it. He promised to make a fair division of the money, and this satisfied Tom for the time. Not another word was to be heard, and very likely Poddy had gone to sleep. Phin raised his head from the trying position in which he had placed it, and moved away from the chimney of the cave, as they afterwards called the opening. ‘They continued to crawl until they had put ten rods between themselves and the grotto. Phin had taken the lead in these last movements, and Dolph followed him without making any objection. Phin rose to his feet, and made a careful survey of the ground about him. He could see no holes in the rocks near him. The surface was very irregu- lar, and the firs and savins were thick. No cavities which could possibly contain a listener were to be seen in the vicinity. Both of them were sure that no one could hear them. It afterwards proved that they were mistaken. ‘' We have nothing to hope for in the future,’’ said Phin, as he looked Dolph in the face ; and both of them had a lugubrious aspect. ‘“If Tom Sawder has his way, we are not long for this world,’’ replied Dolph. ‘‘ He has a revolver now, and he would use it on the slightest pre- tense.’’ Eomichook (S)