Chums No. 785, Vol. XVI — page 12: what you’re looking at

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

LP — Tee se eee ee 132 et square with.” Didn't he plug me just as i had old Sammy the cook nailed? Ain't my eye black and bhie and green and yaller? Ain’t it? And who did it? Mr. Dan Daniels Esquire.” , “Ah! What came to Jowles? Didn't the little spy shoot him? We'd have had the ship the gold, and all, if old Jowles was with us still. Ain't we to pay off that score? Leave him with the others to freeze? Not much. a him and roast him. That’s what I votes or. ae Me, too,” Dan heard'the yoice of Bill cry. “See him stop us getting the grog! He's as full of frills as_a new-joined kid, he is. Don’t I know ‘em? Didn't I lose my rating in the navy through one of ’em. And he’s the same class. I’m there for roastin’ him.” “It’s no catch trying it to-night,” a new voice chimed in. “There's time enough to- morrow. ‘the boat's hid all right. They don’t know we've got it. We'll finish tho spree to- night; there's rum enough. ‘To-morrow we'll put the stores aboard the boat, yank the spy out, make things square with him, and then clear off.” “That's the game, boys. What's the use of talking now? Pass a drink round, Bill; you're nearest the grog.” ; “The floes may have split by the morning,” another cried. “ Besides, there won’t be any fire left. I'd like to sit him on that there barrel and watch him sizzle. That’s how I feel. ‘Think of the whole cask of rum he wasted!” _ “ More’n Bird himself dare do,” a surly voice snarled. “Bird! He's no class. Jowles had him set —said he'd put him in gaol when we got back to port, Bird and Marshall, both of them.” “What for, Jim?” “Stealing the chart we were sailing by. Jowles said it was the only chart in the wide world showing where the treasure was hid. Marshall’s partner bought it, the chap Bird and Marshall robbed. Oh, Bird ain't no class, I can tell you.” “But how about the stowaway? Why not fetch him now? ‘That's what I want to know. Who's coming?” Dan heard the man get on to his feet and stagger about. Ife had as much difficulty in standing steady as he had in speaking; he was one of those who had not spared the rum. “Tt’s time enough to-morrow,” another voice answered. “Sit down and have a drink. Tip us a song, someone. Let’s be merry while we may. “That's it. Sit down, Bill. We ain’t com- ing.” “Oh, you ain’t, ain't you? Well, look ’ere, my bully boys, if you ain't coming Pm going off on my own. See!” “Sit down, you fool, can’t you?” grily. Pull him over,” said another; and from the noise of the seufiling Dan realised that the warlike Bill was being forcibly persuaded to resume his seat. When the noise subsided, there was a call for more rum, and in the succeeding proceed- ings the men were evidently too pleasantly oceupied to give any more thoughts to the roasting of their enemy. a man cried, CHAPTER XIV. Adrift and A'ore. WAN waited until he was sure they were too busy j drinking to say more than | would be of use to him. Then he silently erept hack to the shelter of the hummocks. He had learned much. So the boat had been saved, and was in the # possession of these scoun- drels, who were bent on ] using it for their own | escape, while Bird, Smailes, Sammy, and Marshall were to be left to their fate on the As to the threats that had been used ice. ‘ad i against himself, Dan was scornfully con tempttous. te smiled grimly as there recurred to his — Fee eer e $ CHUMS. mind the old adage, “Listeners never hear good of themselves.” THis experience was cet- tainly no exception to the rule. On one thing he was yery clear: if it came to a fight he would take good care never to fall alive into the hands of the villains he had heard clamour- ing for his death. P ut there were other matters he had to think about, other discoveries he wanted to make. Where was the boat? It must be hidden somewhere near. If he could only find it and get it away! He was certain if was not hidden amongst the ridges he had passed over as he crawled from the place where he had first obtained a glimpse of the camp. He would explore those on the other side. He crept from one to the other without séeing a sign of it. When, by the glare of the fire, he judged he was directly opposite the shelter, he climbed to the top of the ridge in front of him. The men were shouting out the chorus of a sailor’s chanty as he peered over the top. They were all recklessly revelling in the rum they had taken from the other camp. Bill, very unsteady on his Jegs, staggered out from the crowd. A shout of laughter grected him. A barrel with the top smashed in lay near the men. Bill blundered against it, and sent it rolling. There was a yell from the men, and several tried to get on to their feet, but before they could do so the barrel had rolled right into the mass of flames. It was the second barrel of lard. In a moment it was alight, and huge flames shot up into the air as the lard boiled and blazed. The glare lit up the place until if was as bright as day. Dan, forgetful that he might be seen, leaned forward to watch the blaze. A howl of rage from the men warned him too late. Already they were rushing towards the hummock on which he had climbed. Realising the danger of meeting, single- handed, the men, not one of whom was sober, and all of whom were infuriated against him, Dan turned to slide down the hummock. But he was not to escape so easily. Whether the heat of the blazing lard had affected the icc; or whether it was the result of the ordinary movements of the floe, he did not know, but as he turned on the summit to descend, the ice trembled beneath his feet. There was a rattle of sharp reports, and the or of the hummock split into fragments, which rolled, carrying Dan with them, down towards the camp. Falling with the speed of a _ toboganing sledge, he dashed down straight for the fire. Fortunately the ice was sufficiently rough at the foot of the hummock to check his speed; otherwise he must have gone into the fierce blaze. It was well for him that he had fallen as he had. All the men had rushed away to capture him. He could hear them shouting and stumbling among the rough broken ice of the hummocks. ‘There was not a moment to lose. The cases of stores had been built into a sort of roofless hut, inside of which blankets and other coverings lay in a pile. Dan saw the two revolvers lying where they had been thrown, ‘The heat from the fire was intense, but he made a dash to recover them. As he stooped to pick them up a yell from the hum- mocks told him he was diseovered. He glanced back. The head and shoulders of a man appeared above the ice ridge, and soon the others were rushing towards him, With a revolver in each hand, Dan made a dash to escape. Then someone shouted that the camp was on fire, The heat from the blazing lard had set some of the cases alight. The men turned aside and attacked the flames. Dan fled for shelter behind some broken ice. Crouching behind a mass which concealed him from the men, while yet allowing him to watch them, he awaited developments. Searcely twenty yards in front of him lay the pile of stores. Fanned by the breeze, the flames from the burning lard licked on to the wood of the casks and cases. Already flames were leaping up and showing over the top of the heap. . The men, disorganised and muddled, rushed what I object to!” forward to the rescue. Without of a controling mind, they bla another’s way. One man, dragged it out. Immediately more which were resting on it ¢ down, flinging the man back. opening thus eaused, the flames danced. : ‘ Other men rushed up, tripped fallen comrade, and Jay sin ing other, A free fight immediately ensue them, until the imereasin heat 4 further away. But it did not by end the fight. ; At the other end of the pile a had happened, with the difference that t fell inwards, fell right into the firefror the men had tried to drag them. fight broke out. Everyone med else, Maddened by the sight of all and blankets being destroyed before the men attacked one another reasoning passion, while the fire, left greedily consumed all that was inf Amongst the men Dan recognised set upon him, and all went down tog From out of the tangle of arms and le staggered to his feet. Terror was on anic in his eyes. With an nartie e ran forward, straight for the spot Dan was hiding. ri The others, seeing him run, dashed shouting and cursing. The first to ¢ him sent him flying on his face. As he on the ice, others fell over him, d there was a confused heap of men figh struggling, shouting, and swearing with few feet of Dan. To remain where he meant discovery and capture in a mon so. Springing up from behind the block of 7 Dan ran for his life. Some of the men who were not in t saw him. “The spy! The gold-braider!” thi “He fired the camp! Catch him a him!” Fleet of foot, quick at dodging, wind and limb, and with all his se him, Dan rapidly drew away from the shouting mob behind him. With only # flection of the glare on the ice as a gui tried to work round so as to get in the: of his own camp. He reckoned Smailes, and Sammy would be kee: look out for him, and would hear him i shouted. * When he had gone a considerable and had worked his way round to thought was the right side of the mut camp, he stopped to listen. There y a faint suspicion of red showing over | It seemed much farther away than he expee to see it. Surely his camp must be bets him and that glare. Putting his hand to his mouth he long call. aon —— echoed and re-echoed all u um, but no answering ery came to him. Ag and again he called: ps and again he liste for the answer that never came. me“ The night had grown very dark. He e barely make out the form of ice blocks away. The last trace of the red glo vanished, Suddenly a great plunging splash 2 through the still ae The ie b shook. Then the sound of water rip to him. m _ Creeping cautiously in the direction it came, he saw, dimly, the grey loom ice cease, Beyond there was an expal unbroken gloom. ee The truth flashed wpon him. , The part of the floe he was on had away from the main body. He was ad alone, without food or shelter, in the of the trackless ocean. : (To be continued ; commented in Nea. Mr. Cannine: “What? Afraid of my ¢ again? Tut, tut! The close weather ups him a little, but there’s really no danger. — ought to know him by his bark!”? ~ isiting Youth: “I do; but to want me to know him by his ny Rhee GAMICTH Yeye) VWittit. hy — ee ee , >