The Argosy, Vol. 76, No. 3 — page 97: what you’re looking at

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

THE THING THAT WAS CAESAR’S, “Sure thing. He may indeed,” commented Oakes, with the happy grin that endeared him to all with whom he came in contact. “ I’ve known lots of ’em that were. But he’s got to live, hasn’t he? And as long as he does the work that we pay him to do, what do we care about his ldve affairs? Give him a chance, Fred.” And big Fred Burton, growling good-naturedly behind his desk, said presently : ‘Oh, well, Jimmy, have it your own way. It’s your own funeral, after all. When do you sail?” ‘To-morrow, Saturday. Tl take the American Maru out of Hong- Kong. From there—I have wired to arrange it—I’ll take passage on the At- lanta herself. You know she is signed on to carry our coolies from Swatow to Chenampho.”’ Burton nodded. A\jll the details of this contract had been left to Oakes. So it happened that the outward- bound American Maru bore on its northward trip one James Oakes, C.E.., builder of bridges, and his cabin-mate, Geoffrey Hemingway, gentleman ad- venturer, tramp royal. Burton waved a leisurely good-by to them from the dock-head, and then turned away to his office upon the E's- colta. CHAPTER II. “‘ SouprER’s weather — there and back again,” accompanied them on that trip to Hong-Kong, where the Atlanta picked them up, and where the master, Innes, a burly sailorman of the true North Sea type, gave them rough but cordial greeting. The owners of the Atlanta had con- tracted with Burton and Holmes to secure for them the laborers that they would need in Korea for the railroad work that they had undertaken that was to begin as soon as Oakes should reach Chenampho. Afraid to rely. upon the local supply 567 of native Koreans, who are only too often under the control of the nearest head-man and who are allowed to labor just as long as that head-man gets his stipulated amount of “ cumshaw,” or sraft, Oakes had decided that with the consent of the imperial Japanese gov- ernment he would import his coolies from Swatow, and Innes had taken the matter up with the zeal that charac- terized his every act. “Fight hundred of ’em, Mr. Oakes. The comprador wrote me that we can get ’em on board in two hours after we make port. We'll sail to-night.” So they dropped Hong-Kong and the Peak behind them and headed southwest across a summer sea with the heave and swing of the China Sea pulsing the great iron hull as the At- lanta sagged steadily south, only to head north again when she should have her cargo. The Swatow Roads are broad and shallow, and the little Atlanta lay quietly at anchor bowing. to her own reflection in a nest of silver ripples of her own making when Captain Innes came to Oakes as he sat in his long chair by the port canvas dodger of the bridge. | “The American consul has come out to see you, Mr. Oakes. He’s in my cabin now—” Oakes rose quickly, and as he passed up the companionway to the bridge itself he was aware of a tall figure, heavily coated, that stood in the shad- ow of the ladder. He entered the cabin, and Innes, in- tent on hospitality, took glasses and decanter from the racks while the waiting consul explained his errand. “T’m Locke, the American consul accredited to Swatow, Mr. Oakes. I understand that the Atlanta is under charter to you for her northward run. [ have spoken to Captain Innes about this matter, and he has referred me to you. ““T am very anxious to get passage north to Taku for Miss Downs. She is a cousin of my wife, and is on her COMicdoo S CO@