Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 35: what you’re looking at

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

“How much water do you suppose we will have to work in?” Fitz began. “I am asking under the supposition that our friend the spy doesn’t get us first.” “Probably not more than ten fathoms; thirty-five fathoms is about the limit for a human being. The sea pressure is about one hundred pounds to the square inch at that depth. It takes a good strong man to go thirty-five fathoms down. If imagine the reason that the former salvage com- panies did not find a wreck was because it slid off on to a shelf, or disappeared alto- gether in water too deep for diving.” “And you think you can find it?” “Yes, I think so; Pll rig a drag of a wire cable. This, you know, Fitz, is all in case we overtake the Mary. She is a fast schooner, with a clean pair of heels. Still, if the wind backs on her we won’t be long overhauling her. That gasoline kicker of hers doesn’t add more than five knots to a sailing speed. Let’s hope she gets a head wind before morning.” Fitz seconded the motion fervently. He had vistas of Bill Dunn with a new-found wealth. Fitz did not know how he was going to make Dunn accept all the money accruing from the Moon Glow’s cargo. The pulsing throb of the triple expan- sion engines, and the occasional clang of shovel on steel deck plates came through the ventilators, entertaining Dunn after Fitz had disappeared below. He was dilly-dal- lying with an alluring thought. For the first time in his life he wished that they might be wrecked on a tropical island. The possibilities were unlimited. Here was a girl, a delightful lack of eligible suitors, and an indulgent brother. In his mind’s eye he saw himself slaying a bloodthirsty leop- ard, and laying its carcass before her with a gesture of nonchalance. He even rehearsed the necessary pooh-pooh with which to si- lence her grateful appreciation. He visioned night attacks of savage peoples, with him- self as the only available lattice work for clinging vines to drape themselves to. Joy Ling interrupted his thoughts with the announcement that dinner was served. It promised to be a peaceful affair, until Murphy burst into the cabin, his face white with rage. FATHOMS DOWN. 20 “They're at it again!” he yelled. “ They’ve been foolin’ around the safety valve this time. They broke the lock on the thing, and set the adjusting head to four hundred pounds pressure! They plugged the gauges with waste so’s it wouldn’t show the right pressure.” Fitz looked at Dunn, his face bespeaking his worry. “ Enough to blow the boilers to Kingdom Come,” he admitted. “It’s a dirty, scurvy trick,” Murphy bawled, pounding emphasis with his wrench. “It’s enough to wreck us so’s we'll never get started again, Oh, the villain! Me poor boilers; they was ready to hop out of their rockers. Bad cess to the divvil!” The Irishman was raging mad. When Murphy had gone, Fitz shook his head. “ What will the fiend do next? We’ve got to stop him, Bill. We simply must find that man. Twice we’ve foiled him. The third time we may not be so lucky. We'll have to start another search and keep it up until we are successful.” Dinner remained neglected. They turned over plan after plan. At last they decided that each would take charge of a search party, and each start from one end of the ship. Fitz called the crew to quarters im- mediately, and organized the search. He started aft and Bill Dunn took the forward end of the vessel. Ah Jung was doing a little detective work of his own. He stood for a moment after the two parties had gone, leisurely rubbing his shaven head. Then he went: below, and hid himself away in the center of the ship. This position developing into nothing, he ~ drew out the keys to the storeroom doors and entered with much fuss and noise. He Switched on the lights and shook a flour barrel lustily, whistling the while. He se- lected a can of tomatoes, and turned off the light, reducing the storeroom to darkness. He jumped tc the door, opened it, and then slammed it shut, remaining poised on his toes zuside, hardly daring to breathe. As his eyes became accustomed to the gloom, he noticed a faint patch of light on the deck; above it, he saw the opening of a ventilator leading out on the upper deck. Mysteriously enough, the patch sud- Gomichdookssco