The Argosy — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

264 THE ARGOSY. breeches ; though instead of being barefooted he wore a pair of huge sea = boots which came right up to his knees. On his head was a soft, peaked cap, under which he had curled his pigtail. ‘' Hallo!” said I, ‘‘ what are you doing here ??’?’ He shook his head and grinned, though he knew as well as I that he had no right aft. ‘* Nothin’, cap’n.’’ —“* IT suppose you know you’re not allowed here ?”’ ‘No sabbee, cap’n.’’ I pointed forward. ‘“ You sabbee forward.”’ ‘““ No sabbee folward, cap’n,’’ said the fellow. ‘’ You sabbee this?’’ and I pointed to the toe of my boot. His brows contracted, and his upper lip came down. ‘© Sabbee.’’ “Then if you don’t want to feel the weight of it—clear,’’ Here I ought to confess that I am nota very formidable féllow to look at, though in justice to myself, I must admit that my appearance rather belies me. But in this case it-was moral rather than physical force which was necessary. It is, one might say, chiefly by moral force that the white man holds sway over his darker and less fortunate brother ; though I don’t deny that it is absolutely necessary physically to drub that unfortunate brother first. It was on moral superiority I chiefly depended in my projected attack yet the way the fellow’s hands went up as I approached bespoke an indiffer- ence to moral persuasion which was quite revolting. Still, if I may say so without boasting, I have a very deceptive appearance ; and, firmly believing : in the inferiority of the yellow man, I would undoubtedly have kicked him had not the second mate at that moment stepped in between us. ‘‘ What’s the matter here ?”’ cried he. The chow smiled. I turned to explain. — ‘TI fear this fellow is loafing about for no good purpose,’’ Hayling laid his great hand on the Chinaman’s shoulder and swung him round, his face pointing forward. ‘“That’s your quarter of the ship,’’ he said—‘‘ get.’ © With that he caught the Celestial a kick that made the great fellow hop. ‘Curse you !’’ howled the Chinaman, in the plainest Hnglish I ever heard in my life, and with an agility wonderful in such a big man, he swung round and sprang at the second mate. But Hayling was as quick as he. He stepped back smartly, and like lightning his hands went up. The China- man paused, stared venomously at the Australian, then turned about and slunk away forward. : Hayling’s face, which in an instant had grown as hard as iron, relaxed immediately, and he turned to me with a smile. “A nice customer! I wonder where he came from o4 ‘“ It seems absurd to say so, but I could swear he came from below..”’ ‘“ From the’ saloon ?’’ he asked incredulously. ‘“From the saloon.’’ | i | comicbooks.com ~