Argosy All-Story Weekly — page 40: what you’re looking at

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

30 ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. would have time to put over the divers for a trip of inspection. Dunn found the dory’s small anchor and they anchored the buoy over the spot. They tested it to make sure that the swift current that came up the coast of Brazil did not displace it, and then headed for the Olympia, a mile dis- tant. Fitz’s wildly waving arm told Flor- ence of the success of the search long before they reached the side of the yacht. “ Bill is now a recognized member of the idle rich,” Fitz told his sister. ‘““ The ivory king, ladies and gentlemen!” They laughed at Fitz’s sally, and after they had retired to the stern she wondered just what would happen to wild Bill Dunn when he coupled his new-found fortune with his apron-string will power. The com- bination did not appeal to her. It offered too many gutters, this shining road; too many pitfalls to trap his unwary feet. They spent the greater part of the eve- ning sitting out under the awning on the quarter-deck, dreaming of the future. Florence reveled in the romance of it, Fitz wondered how he was going to dispose of the share that he knew Dunn would insist upon him taking. Profuse explanations that he was already neck deep in coupon clipping would avail him nothing. Ah Jung had crept up to be near Cap’n Bill; he crouched in the shadow on the op- posite side of the deck, silent, content. Joy Ling was a fool, a fool thrice born of a fool. His own Cap’n Bill had said so. Damn! Who could question now? The shining path of light cast by the tropical moon across the water added to the beauty of the scene. Forward, sounded the tinkle of a mandolin, mingled with the stolid plunk-plank of a banjo, and the clear tenor voice of one of the crew humming and singing alternately. “ The sort of a night,” Fitz said dream- ily, “ that a fellow thinks of a girl, a canoe, and music, isn’t it?” The question was di- rected at no one in particular, and no one answered it. Possibly because both Flor- ence and Dunn flushed guiltily. At dawn next day Dunn went forward - to direct the moving of the ship closer to the reef, while Fitz took the bridge. The anchor came up with much hissing and the Olympia forged ahead slowly. A latge mo- tor sailer was being rigged for service. The air-pump had been placed in it with all the gear, suits, air-lines, signal-ropes, and life- lines. The boat was used while the vessel -was in port for carrying stores. It was fifty feet in length with a ten foot beam, and would afford the divers a steady platform to work from. Over her stern had been lashed a section of the ladder for the divers to lower themselves clear before letting go and sinking to the bottom. A rifle with cartridges, the 32-40 that Fitz had spoken of, a first-aid chest, and a lunch were put in last. The rifle was intended for roving sharks, should one of them approach. The Olympia moved so cautiously under Dunn’s coaching from the bow that it was well past breakfast time before they ar- rived at a safe point and let go the anchor again. The glint of the sun on the floating gas- oline can winked a welcome to Dunn as he made his way aft. He glanced over the side and noted that the brilliant morning sun, coupled with the clear water, would make working below the surface easier. Breakfast over, Florence appeared attired in a cast-off suit of Fitz’s old clothes. A pair of high-topped boots and an old felt hat completed her appearance. “Where,” asked Fitz with brotherly sar- casm, “‘ where does my beloved sister think she’s going? Women haven’t any business in that boat; I’m going down after Bill and Jung come up, and i don’t want any wom- en around if I have a mind to say what I think of diving. I warn you, you'll have to stick your fingers in your ears.” “Mr. Dunn invited me to go along,” she answered spiritedly. “‘ Besides, I don’t need a brother to tell me what I shall and shall not do.” Dunn appeared rather taken back at that. He had not invited her, although he had hoped fervently that she would be of the party. He rather liked to have her near him. Hight men of the yacht’s crew, Dunn, Fitz, Ah Jung and the girl, with Murphy to act as engineer and general mechanic, completed the boat’s crew. The motor- sailer had been fitted with several small oO CORNIG LOOKS: CO nn)