The Argosy — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

THE VOYAGE OF THE PULO WAY. 283 at each other, their rogues’ faces lined with anxiety. That they were totally unprepared for such a turn of affairs was obvious ; indeed, their disappoint- ment was strongly marked. One wrong move would have set fire to their smoldering irritation, and I had no wish to come in closer contact with Mr. Gupp just then. Thinking that I had done creditably under the circumstances, I wished them good night, and with an air of splendid composure went to my room. But I knew that I had precipitated matters, and that henceforth I might ex- pect an open enmity. Surprise and unexpected opposition had given me the victory, or, rather, I had repulsed the enemy, not vanquished him. He would come on again, this time prepared for any contingency. Well, it was a business not at all to my liking, and one I had never expected to enter ; but having entered it, and started so well, I gained a little consolation from the thought that I had given my enemy some cause to respect me. CHAPTER VII.—PIRACY ON THE HIGH SEAS. I WILL not pretend that I slept well that night. Indeed, for quite two hours after turning in I scarcely attempted to close my eyes, and when I did I saw things which made me hastily open them again. A dozen times I thought I heard some one twisting the handle of my door, and quite as often my imagination enabled me to see the white, swollen face of Gupp flattened against the port. In fact, so many alarms did I pass through, that when I. awoke and saw the sun shining I was surprised to find myself alive. Breakfast, of which I took but sparingly, was spread for me as usual. But I had little inclination to eat. I was more anxious to get up on deck and have a look round. There was no one about the after part of the vessel, so, lighting my pipe, I leaned against the rail and watched the land, which did not seem to be more than two or three miles off. Indeed, I wondered much at our position, for according to the drift of the current we should long since have been out of sight. I thought of the Portugee and his engines; also of my dreams. But presently there was great commotion forward. ‘The captain and the mate sprang to the starboard corner of the bridge, their glasses to their eyes. A moment or two of expectancy followed, and then I heard the mate cry out at the top of his great, gruff voice : “Forward there! All hands forward !”’ . Then the bo’sun blew his whistle, there was a rushing to and fro, and half a dozen men sprang upon the fo’c’sle. Gupp followed, swearing and giving directions, and I saw the men cover the gun with a great square of canvas, the ends of which were fastened carefully to the deck. ‘Then, much to my surprise, I heard the clank of the engines, and for about half a minute we forged steadily ahead. Then there was silence again, as the ship gradu- ally slowed down and stopped. Needless to say, I understood my dreams at last. During this little maneuver the captain had hardly lowered his glasses, Eomichook (<(0)