Argosy All-Story Weekly, Vol. 123, No. 3 — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

340 “A minute ago,” he chattered, “ I’d have given £5000 for a rope’s end made fast to that. Well, we’re here. Let’s get away out of sight. The navy can see through the dark, and you can bet it’s looking.” His lordship hiccupped sea water. “ Life’s a great game,” said he between spasms. ‘Come along, and we'll steal a Soay sheep and devour it raw for supper. They look a bit like. fallow deer, the sheep here, and eat like leather. I know because I once tried. “ Also let’s get out of this wind. I can find a bit of an old cave-dwelling that will be nice and warm, and full of fleas, to wel- come us. .By gad, two minutes ago I thought it would be shrimps and not nice homey fleas that would be feeding on me. ‘¢ Teddy, my man, let this experience be a waming to you. Always carry your baccy and matches in a water-tight box. It is sad to think: how many fine men (like ourselves) have been led to smokelessness by neglecting that simple precaution.” Now, if this was a moral tale, which it is not, being merely history, I should have to wind up with Right triumphant, and show the British navy hanging Teach to the modern equivalent of a yard- -arm, which is probably a davit. Unfortunately, however, the navy now ‘drops out. Wrong, which I suppose is typi- 'fied by Edward Teach, triumphed. But the chance which got him off was such a ‘very outside one that it is not likely to be t repeated. Skipper George Hubberhome, of the steam trawler Mary Crookeacre, put out from Fleetwood intending to fish Rockall Bank. He started short of provisions, as ‘he was hard-up, and proposed to live on ‘fried halibut, which he detested. A misty sky and a westerly gale set him- {to eastward of his course, and he picked up St. Kilda as a landfall instead of the white hump of Rockall. Thereafter, being a dalesman and loathing a fish diet, his mouth watered after mutton, and when the trawl was down, and the Mary Crookacre was chugging along after her appointed busi- ness, he got her boat overside and set off in her, with two cousins for crew. “not see the man who had spoken. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. I gather they had an ugly time bouncing up and down beside the seaweed-faced rock before they managed to heave the bight of a@ rope over the iron peg on Soay which helps intending immigrants -to land. It was George Hubberhome who scraped ashore. enough to push off the boat before she got stove in, and wait for him in decent deep water. The time was night, but George was a dalesman born, and a sheep user by up- bringing. He used his nose, and he used his eyes, and he used his wits on this un- known Soay, and within thirty minutes he had pulled down an animal, and cut its throat with an artistic butcher’s touch. And: “‘ Good God,” said George Hubber- home, “ why don’t they import a Wensley- dale pup and breed a sheep here worth calling a sheep? This thing looks like a greyhound, and I will bet eats as such. Hullo, who the hell are you? I tell you I intended to pay for it.” — “ Naughty, naughty!” said Lord Rais- ghyll, “ John Willie, too, who has always been my favorite, this last twenty years.” “‘ Hullo, you,”,said the butcher, but did Teach elbowed his friend into the background. -Teach always was vain. “ Ah,” said the latest invader, ‘* seems to me I know your portrait from ~a photo that’s been put in all the picture papers recently.. Anyway, you’re not a St. Kil- dian. You’re not hairy enough, for one thing, and too wet, for another. The St. Kilda men never wash.” *©T’m Admiral Teach.” “ Captain Teach? Are you, now, mis- The two cousins were pleased - ter? Well, being a reading man between | trips, I’ve heard a Jot about you. And I recognized you from your picture.” “I’m afraid that’s unavoidable. Well, my man, I want a service of you. I wish you to put me aboard that trawler. I’ve something to say to the skipper.” “The skipper’s here now talking to you, mister. So spit it out.” ‘““T’ve my: own ship waiting for me at a point I will tell you about when we get on board. I wish you to shove me across to her. You will get £5000 for your services.” riginal fromaG ALI 6)(0)©) S SHaCO© OHIO ST ATE UNIVERSITY