The Argosy — page 89: what you’re looking at

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

x £7 — x « ae ~ =e iF me a ta itor -<, THE VOYAGE OF THE PULO WAY. 281 of my life, and I settled down to play with these men, feeling as I had uever felt before. At first the game, which was loo, went smoothly enough, the captain and the mate, between whom I sat, chatting affably all the time, and plying me with whisky. Gupp and the Portugee did little but drink and smoke, and watch the captain furtively, as if for a sign. I saw it plainly, and I knew that presently either Gupp or the engineer, whom they called Luiz, would introduce a little variety. But in the mean time Macshiel concentrated his whole attention on me, broaching many subjects which I had a special reason for avoiding. Indeed, had I not been the possessor of sundry scruples which had clung to me from childhood, I would have been more eager to hear of the fortune which the skipper declared was mine for the asking. I knew that fortune, and guessed the way he intended to acquire it; but I played the dullard with exasperating politeness. ' By degrees the game grew noisier, and I, who had been drinking rather freely, caught the infection. I cannot speak with certainty, but I believe the excitement had as much to do with my elation as the whisky. Any way, between the two, my nervousness wore off, and I chatted and laughed as though I were one of them. But though I did not pay as much attention to the game as, in the nature of things, I ought, I still had a sort of vague idea that Gupp and the Portugee were doing a little hanky panky on their own account. ‘This idea presently became a certainty, and when Juiz led the king of clubs, the very card I held in my hand, which the mate had just dealt me, I tossed it over to the Portugee, saying : | “Perhaps you'd like a pair of them, my man.”’ With that I rose from the table. The fellow also rose, and glaring furiously at me, he cried, in his hollow, throaty, Portuguese way : ‘“What do you mean by that, you dog ?’’ Ina moment I saw the drift of things—saw how this climax had been systematically led up to. But my own boldness amazed me. ‘‘I mean,”’ said IJ, ‘‘ that you’re a rogue, and I refuse to play with you.”’ ‘“Rogue! You call me rogue, you ee 1?’ he screamed. ‘‘I kill you, by heaven! I kill you!’’ He raved and howled like a madman, and I wondered much why he did not fly at me. | ‘“ Come, come,’’ said Macshiel ; ‘‘this is a serious charge, Mr. Ravens- ford. I think you had better apologize before it goes any further.’’ ‘“ That man is a cheat, and I refuse to apologize.’’ ‘‘ But Luiz is very excitable,’’ he whispered confidentially, and yet with a meaning which I guessed. ‘‘ He may hurt you.’’ 7 Ort im.” ~ Vat you say?’ shrieked the fellow, his horrid black eyes working con- vulsively, his face livid with rage. ‘““Isay that you’re a confounded scoundrel, and for two pins I'd kick you out of the saloon,’’ (S@) Pee ya Sas gee o> ee * Eomicbooks