The Argosy, Volume XLIV — page 197: what you’re looking at

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

THE ARGOSY. JANUARY, Vol. XLIV. 1904. No. 2. THE CRUISE OF THE HANDICAP BY SEWARD W. HOPKINS. The strange series of adventures precipitated by an Indian Ocean quest for ‘* kaybees.” (Complete in This Issue. ) CHAPTER I. A CURIOUS BIRD. W* were sitting in our hotel at Syd- ney, playing a quiet game of cards. Bobby Ross was having all the luck, Dick Foster was growling, and I was beginning to weary of it. ‘“‘Let’s be getting on,” said Foster. “It won’t take Balfe more than a week to get up steam. We’ve been here three days, and what has it amounted to?” “ Where are we going to stop next?” asked Bobby. “ Hongkong? ” “Any old place suits me that the Siren can reach,” I said. “ But I think we ought to see some of the places be- tween this and Hongkong.” “T have a peculiar sentiment for Hongkong, which leads me to a wild desire to go there,” remarked Ross. “Once I knew a girl whose father's grandfather sold tea in Hongkong.” “Is she there?” asked Foster. ““'No, she’s married and lives in New York.” “Your sentiment isn’t far fetched at all. I think, Bayne, we should deny our- selves a great deal to satisfy a craving like that.” “T agree with you,’ I answered, laughing. “ The only trouble is that if we begin satisfying all the sentimental cravings of Ross we shall eventually land in some prison. Ross’ sentimental- ity is phenomenal.” 1a ‘There was an interrupting knock on our door, and I got up to admit the vis- itor. “A gentleman to see you, bov, handing me a card. I ‘read the name, “ Professor Koonar Balden.” Behind the boy stood an eld- erly man whom I should ’most any- where have taken at once for a freak. He was old, his hair was extremely Jong, and his gaze was wandering, like that of a man absorbed in thought and grown old in study. His clothing was good, but it hung on him as if put out on a post to be aired. “Pardon me,” he said. “ Am I ad- dressing the owner of the yacht Siren, now in the harbor?” “Come in, professor,” I replied. “I am not the owner of the yacht. Mv name is Archibald Bayne. My compan- ions, Mr. Ross and Mr. Foster, joined with me in chartering the yacht for a cruise around the world.” “So? I was given to understand that such was the purpose of whocver man- aged the vacht. Please excuse me. I have a—a bird.” The professor turned and disap- peared. “ Now, what the deuce is up?” asked Ross. “What did he say? He has a bird ? ” “That, as I understood him, was the idea the gentleman wished to convey,” I answered. ’ said a GOI OOoO SS (COL