Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 5, 1928 — page 91: what you’re looking at

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

RED The skipper favored them with a cunning smile. “T tell ye, lads. It’s the hardest thing in the world to get crews for these barges. Seamen won’t sail on ‘em, and landsmen won’t go to sea anyway. ‘Just as soon as we tied up in Brook- lyn the whole crew deserted, all eight of them, and I put in a call for a new crew with a shipping agent over in New York. We got our men last night. You two fellers was very drunk; so we had to chuck ye in the lazaret.”’ “Confound you, you know better than that,’”’ exclaimed Lester furiously. The skipper chuckled. “ That’s my story, and I'll stick to it. You see, we don’t need seamen on these barges, just deck swabbers. Any kind of bums will do, and bums are about the only kind we can get.” “You shanghai your crews?” de- manded Colter. “That’s a harsh word. What | want to tell yer is this: If you turn to and do your work I’ll let you go ashore at Galveston and no questions asked. If you make trouble you go into the brig you just came out of.” * How long will it take us to get to Galveston?” Lester asked. “ Mebbe three weeks, lucky.” “Three weeks!” exclaimed Colter. “It’s astonishing the yarns these deck hands tell,” mocked the skipper. “I just don’t believe anything; that’s the way I am. How do I know who you are. You ain’t got any money.” “ What do you call what you have pouched ?”’ Les demanded. “Vou ain’t got any money, and you never had any. You're a couple of bums, and if you don’t work you don’t eat. I kind of like you boys, though; so I won’t work you hard.” " He tapped his pocket with satisfac- tion. “ There ain’t no use you telling tales to the other deckhands. Every one of them will have a story of his own. A 6A if were HOT. 657 pack of lies. Want to go out on deck? It’s a lovely morning. Nice fresh breeze.” Chipmunk laughed. ‘“ You’re all right, skipper,” he declared. “I love a good rogue. In view of all the money, we haven’t got, suppose you go easy, onus. Just give us our grub and forget to make us swab the decks? Come on, You can afford to be a good fellow.” The captain tapped his pocket again, “Depends on how you behave,” he in- formed them. “I can be a good feller or a tough egg. Go on out on deck and come back here for yer breakfast in half an hour.” Les might have made a rough an- swer, but Chipmunk twitched his coat sleeve. “Shut up and come on,” he whis- pered. “* Want to go back into your hole?” They stepped out on deck, and a strong blast of wind struck them in the face. They breathed delightedly and deep. The sea was a deep blue dot- ted with white foam, the sky overhead was clear and cerulean. The land was a thin brown line upon the horizon at their right. They stood upon a narrow deck not more than twenty-five feet long. The surrounding deck was like a turtle’s back, crossed from stem to stern by a narrow footbridge at each side of the barge, and at the bow was another deckhouse upon which several men were standing. A hundred yards ahead was another barge, ahead of her another, and in front a powerful ocean tug from whose funnel black smoke was pouring. She must have been a quarter of a mile from the spot on which they stood. Sometimes they could see the steel, cable which connected them to the barge ahead as it grew taut and glit- tered in the sunlight, and sometimes it sank into the sea. The barge moved steadily, slackened speed, then the line tightened, there was a slight jerk, and she drove onward more rapidly. DOOKS (EOL MUCE GO)