The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 164: what you’re looking at

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

160 session. The verdict was that Yarrow was impossible. Mr. Van Noonck, with his million, was the man.. So Yarrow saw Van Noonck strolling with Nell, and Nell saw Yarrow discon- solately sailing the Hypatia. Yet Yarrow held on, hoping that something would happen to given him a chance to confer with Nell. It was the twenty-fourth of Decem- ber. Fortunately it was a clear, balmy day. Yarrow had about determined to go, but lingered still with that bull-dog, hang-on spirit that had been a charac- teristic of him since birth. He thought he would take a sail in the Hypatia. “?Pears lak a fine day, sah,” re- marked Mr. Kloom, as he brought out the necessary tackle. “’Pears lak them would have a fine sail.” “ Yes, anybody that goes out. Who is going?” “ Yoh fren’s. Mars’r Thohpe an’ he lady, an’ lill miss an’ de fun’ral man.” “Are they? What in?” “In de Surf, sah.” The Surf was a larger and better boat than the Hypatia, but for some reason did not appeal to Yarrow. Probably it was because the boat was too large to be sailed by himself, and he never wanted a boatman. Yarrow looked off across the expanse of water. There was just a good sailing breeze. “Say, Kloom, what’s the name of that island off there—to the south- east?” “Yoh mean dat sandy key? Dat’s Rat Island.” “ Any rats on 1t?” “ Ain’t never been none, sah, since I knowed.” “That must be the reason it is called Rat Island. Say, Kloom, ever see as much as that?” Sammy Kloom’s eyes opened wide, and then watered. Yarrow had taken a roll of bills from his pocket, and Kloom could see a brand new silver certificate for twenty dollars on the outside. “Golly! You is rich!” “ Kloom, watch me!” With cold exactness Yarrow proceed- ed to count out five twenties. C. OUgle THE ARGOSY. Mr. Kloom seemed to shrivel up. His lips worked convulsively. Aside from the value in his boats, this was more money than Mr. Kloom could call on at any one time. And most of his boats, like the Hypatia, were beyond selling. “Vse watchin’ all raight, but—whar I come in?” “Listen. You say they are going sailing to-day. It’s a fine day, with every indication of a fine night. Now, there’s a hundred dollars. If you do just what I want done you'll get that hundred.” “1 cain’t kill nobody, sah! ” Kloom said it with regret. “J don’t want you to kill anybody. I want you to go to Rat Island, and— you know the water around there is shallow—when you get near, I want you to kick the sea plug out of the Surf.” ‘ Goshermighty ! ” “Understand? You are not to say anything about this. But as you reach the island kick loose the plug, and then make the island for safety.” “Huh! Dat’s a fine ting, but what we gwine do? Ain’t no boat passes Rat Island fur foh days!” “Vl take care of that. You watch out for me and the Hypatia.” Mr. Kloom seemed to have a rush of understanding to the head. He doubled up, and as his face and body became con- vulsed with all sorts of contortions his loud roar of merriment startled Mr. Thorpe and his party, just emerging from the shadow of some giant ferns on the old fort road. “Tm going up to the hotel. Don’t forget—don’t send any one else with the party, and don’t fail to kick out that sea plug.” “Dat ar sea plug’s gwine come out, I reckon,” said Mr. Kloom. In Mr. Thorpe’s party all was gaicty except in Nell’s bewitching face. She pouted. Mr. Van Noonck was calm and severe, and good and useless as usual. Mr. Thorpe, believing his troubles were over, thought of retiring and buy-. ing a place in Florida where he could have yachting and fishing and hunting the year round. Mrs. Thorpe, who sel- dom lost a trick, saw Yarrow moving off, and frowned as she tried to figure COMRRIC LOO COL