Argosy All-Story Weekly — "Sea Marauders" — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

7 . 478 “TI got the old dogy that time, all right,” Newt observed complacently, pulling in his protesting captive like a fish at the end of a line. ‘‘ Didn’t do him any good to dodge, either. I aim to make this lariat talk, ’fore I’m through.” He slackened the noose, and the little bull calf withdrew a few paces, shaking its head disgustedly. Newt bent over to arrange the coils of rope for another cast, temporarily ignoring his playfellow. “Look out, Newt! Behind you!” Peggy gasped, between amusement and consternation. She spoke too late. Biff! The calf’s stocky little head made violent connections with the rear of Master Newt, and with a grunt the youthful top rider measured his full length on the ground, | Having achieved this small success the calf prudently beat a strategic re- treat before reprisals could be in order, disappearing around the corner of a near-by shed. ; Newt regained an upright position with a vast show of dignity, glancing suspiciously at his sister to see if she might be laughing. Peggy’s face was suitably grave, though smiles lurked at the corners of her mouth, and the dimple was unusually conspicuous. “Dawgoned shorthorn!” the boy muttered darkly. “ Sneaking up on a fellow when he ain’t looking. Pll learn him!’ ‘“‘Dinner’s on the table,’ Peggy sug- gested, “‘ You'd better postpone the lesson till later.” “ All right, sis. Guess I’m ready to clamp the nosebag on.” She looked him over critically. “ Beat the dust out of your clothes and wash up before coming in the house.” “ Shucks, Peg! starved.” “ A cowboy wouldn’t go to a meal with his face and hands like yours,” she said cuttingly. ‘“‘ Honest, Newt, you're a sight!’ I’m blame near “Of course he would. Why, on the ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. round-up they might not be water enough for a rider to scrub himself off. He’d go to chow any old way.” “Well, you’re not on a round-up, and there’s plenty of water.” “ Aw, gee, Peg! Have a heart, can’t you!” Newt mourned, having a typical boy’s distaste for soap and water. But none the less he obeyed orders, and presently passed inspection with flying colors. Together they sat down at the kitchen table. It was easy to see that they were brother and sister. = ON’T forget your table man- ners,’ Peggy said as Newt wolfishly attacked the food. “ There’s plenty of time. You haven’t got to catch the caboose at the rear of a stock train.” " “Gee, a fellow can’t be expected to eat like a girl!’ he mumbled, mouth full of miscellaneous plunder. “ Chuck time ain’t supposed to be a tea party.” Yet in deference to her suggestion Newt curbed his efforts somewhat. He might grumble and protest, chaf- ing under the restraining influence of his sister, but at heart Newt fairly idol- ized her. She was a girl, to be sure, but that was no fault of Peggy’s, and as a girl he rated her high. She had been a mother to him ever since Newt could remember, and, for the past four years, a father as well. “ Say, Peg,” he spoke up engagingly after the first pangs of hunger had been allayed, “ how about slipping me a fist- ful of .45’s? J ain’t shot that six-gun for days and days. First thing we know I'll be plumb forgetting how.” “Maybe. But I don’t think there are many left. J nearly emptied the box for you last time. Remember ?” ‘Ought to buy some more,” he re- marked in a _ matter-of-fact tone, “next time we go to town. <A cow ranch shouldn’t ought to run short of "5 39 “ Pistol shells cost a lot of money, _ Newt,” she reminded him, “and they disappear awfully fast.” 3