The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 3 — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

492 THE ARGOSY. dash ; four dots ; one dot; dot, dash, dot ; and one dot ; all of which, when put in telegraphic code form, would appear thus : This turned into English would read, ‘‘ Who is there ?’’ I puzzled a while to remember my alphabet, and then I slowly rapped ont the question, ‘‘ Who are you? ”’ | I put my ear down low to the floor and waited anxiously, though the blood surged to my brain, and every pulse of my body was athrob. Slowly came the reply in somewhat uncertain rappings : ») This being translated gave the word ‘‘ Hayling. I sprang to my feet, and in my excitement seized Miss Waltham some- what roughly by the wrists. **He’s alive !’’ I cried. ‘‘ He's alive!”’’ Her face was full of wonder, her eyes burning with excitement ; but she managed to gasp out, ‘‘ Who is alive ?’”’ ‘* Hayling !’’ ‘“Hayling ! How do you know?”’ ‘“ He has just sent me a telegram.’’ The wonder deepened in her great eyes, but she said nothing; though I believe she thought for the moment that I had gone mad. I quickly explained the apparently unexplainable, telling her how Hay- ling and I had once discussed this very science of telegraphy. ‘Then dropping on my knees again, he and I carried on the following conversation in a more or less imperfect manner : Ravensford: ‘‘ Are you well ?’”’ Hayling: ‘“‘ Starving.”’ Ravensford : ‘‘ Who did it ?”’ Hayling : ‘‘ Gupp and the mate.’’ Ravensford : ‘‘ Does the captain know ?”’ Hayling: ‘* Yes.’’ Ravensford: ‘‘ Whereabouts are you?”’ Hayling: ‘‘I cannot see; but I imagine somewhere near the bulkhead of the storeroom.’’ Ravensford: ‘‘ How can we best help you?”’ Hayling: ‘‘ By breaking into the storeroom and forcing the bulkhead.”’ Ravensford: ‘‘ Courage. We will do our best.’’ Hayling: ‘‘ All right.” After all,*words are but a poor medium for the transcription of human ~ emotions, though some people use them marvelously well. How ill these few bald phrases represent the intensity of feeling or imagination which was nine, the maddening anxiety which was hers, or the hope which was his! I was conscious that the girl was standing well within the cabin; but until I turned round to look at her I was totally unaware of the presence of Captain Macshiel. Yet there he stood lounging in the doorway, an amused and curious smile on his dry, quizzing face. I rose hastily, forgetful of the fact that I had been caught napping. The smile deepened round his eyes. COMIC NOOL<S (GC)