The Argosy, Vol. XXV, No. 3 — page 98: what you’re looking at

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

482 THE ARGOSY. ostensibly the commander, had lost something of his power since he had openly taken to evil ways. This was quickly seen in the changed manner of the junior officers, and the way they hung about the afterdeck—not to mention an occasional excursion aft on the part of the more presumptuous of the men. More particularly was this noticeable in the behavior of the man Gupp. This fellow was an excellent specimen of the bully order ; a big, browbeating, burly rascal, whom one could well imagine being discharged from the navy for misdemeanor of a very serious character. Well, as he had taken a leading part in the attack on the Chung Tong, he was not the sort of man to give ground once his villainy had been carried to a successful issue. Of late I had frequently heard him lay down the law to Captain Macshiel,; and being the bigger bully, he had carried things with a recklessness and a disdain of consequences not likely to engender love. He knew that Macshiel had given himself away, and he had not finesse enough to hide that knowledge. The result was that Jack soon becamie as good as his master; and if Mr. Gupp felt inclined to take his ease on the quarter deck, he accordingly took it. In fact, I was rapidly coming to the conclusion that the real master of the vessel was no less a person than the ex guniier. ‘ It was therefore with a feeling of uneasiness that I beheld him succumb- ing to the witcheries of the girl; for I feared the wooing of Mr. Gupp would be attended with ill results. Still I must admit that he seemed to hold a different opinion, for he wooed like one inordinately vain or brutally callous. He seized every opportunity to obtrude his disagreeable presence on the girl, and even went so far as to caution me out of whatever affection I might be secretly nourishing. The man undoubtedly regarded himself as her savior, which belief had enough of truth in it to make him earnest. If her heart did not exactly melt with gratitude at the thought, his merits must, at least, have softened it. He was a brute, but a brute with a following at his back, and though my inclination sounded a war note, my better sense prevailed. After all, it was just as easy for him to fall in love as it was for me ; and who was I that I should resent his subjection to the gentle passion? Perhaps I thought ‘‘sentle passion’’ not quite the right phrase ; perhaps, also, his presumption irritated me a little. It all happened on the day after Hayling’s formal introduction. I was be- low at the time, though I heard ail about it after. -Hayling, who was keeping - his watch, saw Gupp come up from below and immediately seat himself be- ide the girl on one of the seats aft. A few words passed ; but when she tried to rise the gunner held her down. A sharp scuffle followed; she got clear, and bounded forward. After her he came, and caught her about mid- ships. ‘Then his arms went round her, and despite her struggles he drew her close to him. Hayling waited no longer than to make sure the girl resented this famil- iarity. Quick as thought he darted from the bridge, and, like the kangaroo of his native land, he bounded aft. Before Mr. Gupp realized what was happening, he received a blow on the side of the head which brought him Eomichbooks.co