Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 19, 1924 — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

we — . ‘4. ‘4 t Wot 488 Typhoon, leading the China fleet, went down in the English Channel.” ‘‘ She was almost there?” “Ves, she sank right in sight of the lights of home.”’ “ Killick, and rum,” Forbes groaned. “No, sir, it was not rum. The Typhoon was rammed in fog, off the Bill of Portland. Killick went down with his ship, a crack racing skipper, doing his duty to the end. “Poor old Killick put up the race of his life, and went out like a man. Had it not been for the tragedy in the channel, with the advantage of the terrific start which she made to Anjer, the Typhoon would have beaten the China fleet to Lon- don dock by over a week.” Captain Samuels stopped short. The agony written on the shipowner’s face caused him to pour a drink as a restorative. ‘““E never dreamed, Forbes, old man, that this loss would cut you up so badly.” “Ah, it’s not this alone. I’m ruined. What now will become of the Valkyrie?” CHAPTER V. WRANGLES—AND A TEMPEST. BRONZED, lanky fellow in blue overalls came. into. Gus Thomson’s barber shop on Main Street. A half dozen customers were ahead of him, but he took his place in the barber’s chair before them all, which precedence was quite correct in Newburyport, since the lanky fellow was a master shipwright. His breast pocket was purposely cut shallow so that a protruding rule might publish his pro- fession to all the world. When it came to pride, the only thing to compare with a New England shipwright was a barnyard rooster. ~“ Well, John Cameron, how are you to- day?” inquired the barber with becoming deference. ‘“ Not so good.” ‘““ How’s that?” “Why, Captain Forbes lost control of the Valkyrie. He got bust in the China race, and had to mortgage his interests, and now, worse luck, he’s been bought out by N. L, & G. Gertridge, of Boston.” ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. The barber cocked a knowing eye. “ N. L. & G. Gertridge—No Loss and Great Gain Gertridge. I know ’em well.” “ It’s a disgrace, them critters getting in on the MacKay yards “Captain Forbes and Donald MacKay used to get along like brothers. Whatever MacKay wanted, Forbes paid for, but with Gertridge it’s wrangle and row from morn- ing till night. It’s enough to make the chief go crazy. A damn shame, too, him the greatest shipbuilder in the world, tied hand and foot by a miserable old skinflint. I’ve seen some awful times up in the model room, with Gertridge standing over the blue- print of.the Valkyrie, and fighting it out by the hour. “You know MacKay’s a bit of a heretic among designers. Gertridge listens to the lunkheads who build ships by the mile and saw ’em off by the yard. They say that the Valkyrie is too sharp; that MacKay has increased her length too far in comparison to- her breadth and depth. Gertridge is always coming down here with some new worry.” “Well, don’t you think yourself that the Valkyrie is a bit of a freak?” inquired the barber. eS : ‘ She’s the sharpest ship that was ever laid upon the ways. But don’t you fret, old Donald MacKay knows what he’s doing. The other day they came to a deadlock over the masting scheme. With the chiefs wrangling, it passed on to the men till everybody was dissatisfied. When MacKay was almost in despair Captain Forbes came up to superintend the yards. With the sight of Forbes everything started up again with a jump. ‘The day he arrived here there was a lot o’ rowing and jawing going on, when a feller came through the crowd looking about as sweet as a hyena. There was a lot o’ drunks, and one o’ ’em bumps into him. Next thing, his cane was whizzing over his shoulders, cracking everybody right and left. ‘‘ Jim Blackburn got the side of his head split open, and was picking up a rock to brain him, when some one yells: “* Look out! That’s Bully Forbes!’ “Say, mister, in another minute Forbes Eomichooks (S@)