Cheer Boys Cheer: The Boys' Journal, No. 62 — page 3: what you’re looking at

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

oe a Special Long Opening Instalmeut of this Powerful New Serial. WY, SS SS fh) bint YJ} Ys j Y//J// / An Enthralling New Story-Drama of the South Seas. By Horace Phillips. CHAPTER I. The Last of the Blackbirders, Me Captain Chance took a ¥ brown jar of spirits from the locker in his cabin, and poured a liberal measure into his glass. He drank the fiery %€ stuff almost neat, with the %* * SF ae M2 EK 7K Where thesudden squall lines the sea with foam, S And bones of dead men whiten on the shore, +« Navy people scouting round, And ner a whisper comes to tell of Home, 5 And lonely hearts feel doomed for evermore! + SORIE RENE eee peieei. sink me, soul an all! But there it is; the bottom was knocked out of this here trade long ago, what with the and the Queensland Govern- ment flyer than ever, and the niggers, too, curse ‘em ! There’s few of us at the game t 1 i = Comted 2 node and ty JERSE HEE bbbbbibbickiieibie ppcteg fem of us at the game tomed to solitude and the bottle, and then filled upagain. A shambling step sounded outside the cabin door, which was suddenly pushed open wide enough to admit the enormous head and hulking shoulders of a man with flaming red hair. “All the fresh water in one o’ the casks has run away in the night,” announced the new-comer gruffly. “Had we better send the boat ashore again afore we sail? There must have been a leak.” The captain of the schooner Lone Star turned, glass in hand, and looked sourly at his mate. “O° course there was a leak!’’ he blazed up, banging down the empty tumbler. ‘‘ Didn’t I see it myself, and tell Bantry to take it in hand? Where is the swab? What’s he aboard this hooker for if it ain’t to do as he's told? I'll have him aft, I will—him and the other lazy skunk, Holroyd, as he calls himself. Ay; and esquire, if you please!’’ He let out a choice oath. “‘A pair, they are—a lubberly pair o° beachcombers, and more fool me for ever signing of ’em on.” The red-headed Hawkins—a man of few words always—said nothing to this, but glanced at the brown jar. Captain Chance put a second glass alongside his own, and his mate promptly came right into the cabin, shut the door, and leaned his broad back against a bulkhead, regardless of the cockroaches which swarmed upon the woodwork. “We might have the leak cake he said, ‘and get a fresh “Not me,” said the skipper, bend- ing to shoot a glance through the porthole. ‘“There’s been too much picnicking for the men on _ this blamed island. We’re going to get the wind at last; and as for the water—be durned to the lot of ’em. They’ll have to go short, same as the Kanakas in the hold.’ Hawkins nodded, took his glass, lifted it out of habit to the captain, and drank slowly. “There was two of the Kanakas dead this morning,” he said, sucking his tongue. “Ay, and you didn’t need to talk about it,’ came the irritable re- joinder, “A lively lot this time, the last.” He smiled grimly. ‘‘ Here lies the last of the Black- birders! Nice sort of thing to have put upon your tombstone, eh?” “If you’re lucky enough to get one,” added Hawkins, with the same ghastly humour. The captain nodded. * You may say that, for the luck’s dead out this voyage, and we’ll be lucky if we hit the mainland once again. I believe the devil and all came aboard with them two scally- wags. Where are they now, Hawkins? —the carpenter chap, as the Cockney calls himself. Carpenter, by glory ! And Holroyd, what’s he doing?” “T had some of the Kanakas up from the hold for a bit o’ exercise,” said Hawkins. ‘“‘ Hqlroyd’s watch- ing them.” “Do him good,’ chuckled the skipper. ‘Him with his lahdy- dahdy airs, and his nose stuck so high. Ah, I’ve seen him. This hooker ain’t good enough for him, and he don’t like the cargo. But it’s not for him to pick and choose, I guess, and only let him come any of his airs with me! Tll——? Oo EOmMmIcbooks.ce EOMIG ONONKO)| RSG G0)