Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 4 — page 124: what you’re looking at

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

594 “Why don’t she larn the other one to talk, then?” There was a guffaw. It was Darrance who had put the question. ‘ He’s out of her own blood, too. Own grandson, ain’t he?” ce Yes.”’ “Then that’s easy. Her and Eastrup has got all the brains, so brother Freddy’s head is full of soup.” There was a general laugh—not mirthful, but raucous with an undercurrent of hostil- ity. For a moment silence followed. _ “ Had eight hundred o’ pollack down b’ the wharf t’other mornin’, Eastrup did,” broke out Starling suddenly. ‘‘I didn’t see as nobody else— How many you shipped this week, Mr. Darrance?” The big fellow scowled and made no answer. Starling slipped off the fence and faced a group of three or four. ‘What I want to know is, how he—”’ ‘““ Here he comes,” averred a man from the doorstep. ‘‘ Him and his dog behind. You c’n ask him, if you want to. Me, I don’t haul no fish, but ef I was dependin’ on it fer my wants, damned ef I’d let a pair o’ - loons lug off my dinner from b’neath my nose. Some o’ you boys that’s goin’ broke—”’ ‘“‘ Hedge-hogs, both of ’em,” snapped an- other. ‘‘Orter run ’em out. You do it, Jakey. Go ahead. Go’s far as—” Starling urged the big fellow forward with his ‘hand on his shoulder. . “Tell him—” he whispefed. ‘“ We'll back ye—”’ Growling, Darrance threw him off. “Tl tell him! Don’t I know? He’s yanked a ton sence I’ve smelled a fin. I'll hev an answer fr’m his hide or I'll drag it off!” | ‘ Hands in his pockets, he hitched up his breeches and sidled into the road. Eastrup was drawing near, gaging his gait by the shuffling figure at his heels. Dar- rance swaggered in front, blocking his path. “Hello, Eastrup,” he greeted. Mock friendliness was in his tone, but the light of his eyes was evil. ‘‘ How’s haulin’?”’ ‘““ Haven’t set a net to-day, Jake,” count- ered the other, meeting his eve mildly. “ How’s yours?” THE ARGOSY. “Hell!” The big fellow’s snarling laugh was echoed from the fence. ‘‘ Mine! Not me ner nobody has saw nothing but greasers fer half a month. Youre haulin’ a ton a week. Don’tlie. Iknow. We all know.” He shuffled a stride closer. ‘‘ Come on! How do ye get ’em? Where do ye set? Huccome none of us sees ye goin’ ner comin’ back, mornin’ er night?” As the bully went on talking his rage fanned itself hotter. His tone had. become threatening, and his great red face had worked itself down closer and closer to Fastrup’s. - “ Gawd’s life, we’re sick of it, we are! This ketchin’ of fish where there ain’t none, and without no nets. We wants to know—” Eastrup interrupted him. _ “ You’ve got no call to brace me up like this, Jake,” he remonstrated mildly. “You’ve got your own ways of fishin’ and I’ve got mine. Your luck may be bad now, but it will turn. Inside of a week, perhaps, you'll get ’em all, and I nothing.” Darrance looked around and grinned sig- nificantly at the crowd, which guffawed understandingly. West Cove was known widely for its fights—bitter, bruising mills, in which blood spurted, faces hammered out of human likeness, and quarter neither asked nor given. No beating could have been more utterly to the stomach of the assem- bled gang than the one which Darrance was about to give to Eastrup. _ “ That’s what we mean,” he broke in. “You don’t seem to understand very well, Eastrup. We're a-goin’ to hev it changed, but not next week. To-night. To-morrer we expects to pull as big a load as you. Bigger, maybe. No reason why. All easy. Half a dozen words—”’ Eastrup started. | ‘If what you’re trying to say is that you want me to tell you—” - “Why, now ye guessed it, didn’t ye?” exclaimed the big man, with labored irony. _“ But fer a book-learned feller ye was devil- ish slow. I'd hev thought—” ‘““T won't,” finished Eastrup quietly. ‘You chaps are too lazy and stupid to do any thinking for yourselves. You fish the same way all year around, and then if some- one else gets ahead of you— mM (C(O) NOOK