Adventure, January 20, 1922 — page 144: what you’re looking at

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

142 The skipper smiled. “T saw Mosquito just before you saw me and put me on that grating. Mosquito was one of the last men to attempt to jump clear into the sea from the almost vertical deck. He made a fine jump—man alive, but that was a jump—but he struck some floating object when he hit the water and it put him out of commission. 7 “Tt looked bad for him at the time though it proved nothing serious, but Mosquito saw all the blood and thought he was going to die. I was the first man to him and he told me everything—that he was on watch in the port ammunition passage-way, holding a little private target practise, and that it was a shot from his gun that struck Mr. Whiting. He told me that he fired that shot just as he was opening the water-tight door. He did not notice that the door at the other end of the compartment was also opening when he fired the shot—you see, the noise from the door he was opening drowned the noise of the other opening door. Evidently the bullet glanced, hitting Mr. Whiting.: “Mosquito kept on going because he did not know that Whiting had been hit. Then when he found that we had put the thing on you he decided to wait a bit longer and see how things turned out before giving himself up. [saw him going back aboard the sinking ship and ordered him back, but he kept on going. Of course, I didn’t know what he was goiiig for. So that clears you, Snappy.” Snappy smiled, but he was not convinced. ““Yes,.it clears me of that—but not of the target practise in the passage-ways,” he said doubtfully. Adventure “No,” the skipper replied seriously. ‘“You should certainly be reprimanded for that. But you won’t be for it was only a thought- less act, and I’d be a queerly constituted person if I allowed you to be punished for that after saving my life. I owe you a good bit for that, boy—so that lets you out clear.” For a time Snappy did not speak. In- stead his thoughtful eyes sought the horizon. “Captain,” he said finally, “the only thing that worries me is to think of Mos- quito doing time’ for the thing I’ve been cleared of—you know, after what he did for me.” The captain’s deep blue eyes twinkled kindly—understandingly. “Never mind that, Snappy. Mosquito won’t be required to do time either—not this time. Weknow now that it was not an intentional shooting. Mr. Whiting was not hurt seriously and is coming along fine, and I can’t overlook the fact that if Mosquito hadn’t saved you that you wouldn’t have been on hand to save me.” Snappy was so happy that he sat upright, unmindful of the sharp pains through the head that it caused him. “Thank you, sir,’ he said earnestly. ol hd | Se “Don’t thank me, boy,” the skipper cut in heartily. ‘I’m the man that should do the thanking and more—and I will. I’ve just ordered Mosquito’s rate raised in re- cognition of his heroism, and I don’t mean that you should be slighted. So from now on, coxswain, you’re a boatswain’s mate. Now you'll have a chance to do your practising with a boatswain’s call instead of with a revolver.” GO DOOLK = a (C@