Ching Ching's Novelettes No. 1: Snapson of the 'Snake' — page 8: what you’re looking at

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

( 8 ) “ Are you a man?” asked Will, “and will you look on at the foul work that is going on without interfering ?” “ We've nothing to do with that,” replied Dopper. ‘*T was sent on board this ship to be inurdered,” continued Will, “I mxow it as wellas if I had been an car witness to the arrangements made between my uncle and Captain Snapson. Will you not do something to protect me?” “Tam not such a fool as to interfere with the captain of a ship,” replied Dopper. ‘“‘ You, then, will be my friend ?” said Will, turning with an appealing look to Grip. A grin was the preliminary reply. ‘You are a funky sort of cub, my lad,” he said ; “in course, if the cap’n set about murdering you and you call us to stop him, naterally enough we'll do it. Won’t we, Dopper ?” ‘If we don't, who will ?” returned Dopper, evasively. Will looked from one to the other with anger and contempt in his eyes. “ You are a pair of curs,” he said. © Hallo!” cried Dopper, savagely, “you stow that, or I'll give you a thrashing.” “ Curs—curs, I say,” repeated Will emphatically, “and you lay a finger on me if you dare. You've got orders not to do it, you miserable dogs.” ‘Orders or no orders,” said Dopper, with eyes that gleamed savagely, “ 1’ll vive you a twisting. Catch hold of him, Grip.” But Will stepped back and snatched up a belaying-pin that happened to be lying on the deck. “Touch me if you dare,” he said, ‘‘and I will half-kill you.” There was something almost ridiculous in this threat, coming from one so slight as Will, and addressed to a burly ruffian like Dopper, but for all that neither of the ruffians laughed. The right spirit was in the movement, and the boy meant what he said. His defence might be weak, but he looked as if he would fight while he could, and the bullies shirked an encounter with him. They hung back, and an ordinary seaman, one of a group of five standing hard by, had the temerity to laugh. Dopper singled him out, and went for him instantly. The man put his hands up to guard himself, but Dopper was a bit of a pugilist, and he succeeded in striking the man full in the face, The blow was a heavy one, and the man went down. “You stow your grinning,” said Dopper, “ until you are in your hammock. Who are you to go a snigvering at your officers ?”’ “You are a pretty othcer,” replied the man. “I’m blowed if I’d have you as a figgerhead to a collier.” Dopper kicked him as he lay with great brutality, and there was a slight stir among the other men, But they did nothing. ie was What they had seen before, and had at times to put up with them- selves. @ COIN LOOKS (SO)