Argosy All-Story Weekly, October 25, 1924 — page 93: what you’re looking at

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

BUCCANEER BLOOD. “He’s fumblin’ for his tobaccy,” an- other voice put in. The captain burst out in a suppressed bellow—all the more terrifying because he could not give it the usual volume. “So that’s the way the crawlin’, shiverin’ ¢ock- roach is goin’ to gum us, is it? Here we stand up the whole bayou without a light— all but gettin’ horsed into hell itself—and now he wants to light his stinkin’ pipe!” ‘‘ Don’t bash me again, capting! I begs yer! My jaw’s broke. Don’t kick me! No—not that Don’t kick me! I’ve learned me lesson, s*help me! If you'll only for- give me. I'll stay aboard. I'll keep watch —anything you arsks of me. I'll do it wiv- vout a whimper!” Cameron could hear the muttering oaths of the captain, enraged but satisfied; he could hear the chuckles of the other two men. Then came the inevitable but guard- ed sounds of their putting off: the dinghy bumping easily alongside of the lugger; the men shoving off; the sound of the oars dip- ping in water; the lapping at the prow; the dull rhythmic turn of the muffled oarlocks. The dense mangrove thicket screened all further sound as if a curtain had come down upon the first act of a drama. The last thing Cameron remembered hearing was the muttering voice of the captain as he cast back a string of foul epithets to the man on the lugger. The oarlocks were si- lent—even.though Cameron could still feel their rhythm in the air. Whispering to Tim Holloway to follow him, Cameron left the mangrove thicket, crawling again through the reef grass and then back along the sand spit toward their sloop. — CHAPTER XV. DORSET RECEIVES A VISITOR. EFORE reaching the sloop Cameron led the way through the reef grass to the water’s edge. They found them- selves on a little mud beach out of earshot of the man on the lugger. But from that point they could see the lugger at its anchorage, lying silent and black like a huge bird asleep on the water. 83 ‘From here to that lugger is a short, — easy swim,” Cameron said. “Swim, sir? -Did you say swim? They’s ‘gators about, sir!” the boy exclaimed. “I myself am going to swim to that lugger.”’ “It would be safer to sail up there, sir. We could make it in two tacks, and then swarm aboard—like they did in the old days.” “We're unarmed. left there could pot us at will. is the safest way—” “ But the ’gators, sir—” “Do you realize what I’m doing this for, mon petit?” ‘““T do, sir. That lady—the one in white —the one which you kissed her hand.” “Yes, for her. And there are two old people—her grandmother and the dodder- ing old servant. What sort of a fight do you think they could put up against these ruffians? If I had arms I wouldn’t have let them off their lugger without tacking up there in our sloop and engaging them as To swim you doubtless would like best—in a sea As it is I’m going aboard, have a _ fight. go with that man with the cockney voice, get his firearms and what ammunition we can find; then for the chateau.” “1m with you, sir.” ‘Not yet. Are you ready for my or- ders?” “ Aye, aye, sir.’ “Go aboard the a wes wait.” ‘““ Me—go back, sir?” the boy asked dole- fully. “You said something about the alliga- tors.” “ But think what we’re fightin’ for, skip- per!” the boy rejoined fervently. “Am I afraid of ‘gators? I’! say, Hell no!” ‘Nevertheless, the sloop must be manned,” Cameron returned. ‘‘ One man’s enough for this job. Two would rock it. You go aboard. Wait until you hear my whistle. If in ten minutes you do not hear my whistle there is one course for you to take, which I will lay down for you now, and which you will obey.” “1T’m your cabin-boy, skipper. Can’t dis- obey no orders from you—not if you bids me keelhaul meself under me own sloop!” CONMICOOOLKS: The fellow they’ve — (E(0)