The Argosy — page 65: what you’re looking at

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

va . THE VOYAGE OF THE PULO WAY. 257 The reply was whispered cautious]y—so cautiously that I could not catch it. Then, fearing] might be hearing that which concerned me not, I coughed loudly and descended forthwith. The saloon was only a small one, about the size of the deckhouse above, and contained a long, narrow table with benches on each side. At the head of this table, his back to me, sata man; on the bench to the right of him sat another. As I burst in upon them they sprang quickly to their feet, while the smaller man—he who sat at the head of the table—hastily crumpled up a newspaper cutting and slipped it into his pocket. Seeing the evident annoyance my sudden entry had caused, I began to apologize. ‘“I beg your pardon, but can you tell me if Captain Macshiel is on board ?’’ ‘Tam Captain Macshiel,’’ replied the smaller man, in a dry, rasping voice, his eyes passing over me a quick, searching glance. ‘‘T have a-letter for you, sir.’’ He held out his hand and took the agent’s note, which, after a moment or two of irresolution and a furtive glance at his companion, he began to read. While he did so I stole a look round the saloon, and another at him and his companion. The saloon was plain enough, there being no room for super- fluities aboard this boat. A rack with curved grooves for glasses swung above the table, and in those grooves half a dozen colored wine glasses were ranged resplendent. On each side of the table were the cabins of the captain and his chief officers. There were no fittings or external decorations. All was economic and useful. The two men were more interesting. Captain Macshiel was a narrow chested individual, with a cadaverous, sun dried face, and a sharp, thin nose that bent curiously at the tip. He hada pale blue eye of surprising penetra- tion, and a rather ragged fringe of black hair, which, sprouting out of his neck, hedged his chin in a somewhat singular fashion. His companion was altogether different, being vast of stature, but somewhat clumsy, like a big man who has grown fat through laziness. ‘There was little modesty in this person’s demeanor, for he fairly stared me out of countenance. Nor was I at all complimented by this attention, for the man’s face was extremely un- prepossessing. Indeed, his heavy brows, thick, flat nose, and coarse mouth made him almost repulsive. I could imagine the thick, square jaw beneath his thick black beard ; and I thought that much wisdom was displayed by him in showing as little as possible of his forbidding physiognomy. 3 The captain carefully folded the letter and laid it on the table before him. Then he looked tp and down and round about, like a timid girl who dare not even glance into \the ardent eyes of the young man by her side. Next he coughed affectedly, then trifled with the tip of his nose. ‘‘Qur agent informs me that you require a passage, Mr.—Mr.’’—refer- ring to the letter—‘‘ Mr. Ravensford?’’ ‘Yes, sir, that’s so.’’ ‘The Pulo Way is hardly a passenger boat.’’ ‘*So they tell me ; but there will be no other going for a week, and I must reach Manila with all dispatch.”’ (B) comicbook (E()