The Argosy, Vol. 76, No. 3 — page 141: what you’re looking at

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

THE THING THAT WAS C/ASAR’S. The volley from her decks had been fired from the vantage - point of the offing just beyond the point from which place the little squad of marimes gathered on the forecastle got a clear view of the beach and of the fore- shore. Oakes voiced his thanksgiving when he saw the steamer drop a boat. A moment later some twenty men had landed with an officer upon the strip of sandy beach that had been occupied by his opponents a little while before. CHAPTER X. THE sight of the red tunics of the marines and the white-legginged offi- cer who leaped out knee-deep in the surf, too impatient to wait for the beaching of the boat, sent the red blood tingling anew through their veins. A little while before the two white men had had the gravest fears for what the night should bring, for they had known that night would be the really crucial period for them, when the ready rifles would have been ren- dered useless by the darkness. Now, however, all their fears were dispelled like the morning fogs at sea when the sun sucks up the mists. Standing upon no ceremony, Oakes and Hemingway fairly dragged Mar- jorie from her place of safety among the rocks and ran to the water’s edge. A lieutenant of marines—Royal Ma- rine Light Infantry—was standing by the bows of the boat, knee-deep in the surf, hastening the landing of his men. He stumbled ashore as the three came down the slope. “My word,” he said, holding out his hand to Oakes. ‘‘ That was a nar- row squeak, old man. Who are they?” é “ God knows! Wreckers or pirates, it’s all one on this coast. We were on the Futami Maru bound for Hong- Kong—” “ Yes, I know. We picked up her 611 longboat yesterday. We figured that if there were any other survivors they might have landed here. Those darned Chinese river pirates infest the whole coast from Kow Loon to Fung Chow. It’s a good thing for you that we happened to be within reach—”’ Oakes introduced him to Heming- way and Marjorie, and the youngster gazed with unmistakable admiration at her as Oakes with a most apparent air of proprietorship helped her into the boat. Kow Lung, evidently curious as to the effect of the rifle-fire of the two white men, wandered slowly up to the beached sampan and bent over it in careful examination while the young lieutenant listened eagerly to Hem- ingway’s succinct account of the fight. “So you see it was just a ques; tion of how long we could stand ’em off. Of course, we would have changed our position after nightfall— good Lord! Look at Kow Lung!” It was time. Kow Lung was flat upon his back on the upper. beach and a burly Chinese pirate, who had sprung suddenly into life from the wreck of the sampan, was stabbing viciously at him with a seven -inch knife. Even as they gazed, paralyzed by the surprise and suddenness of the at- tack, the blow went home and they saw, as the man tore off at full speed up the beach, the slim figure of the boy turn over twice in his agony, quiver, and lie still, the long knife still in. the body. A corporal dropped upon his knee and sent a vengeful bullet after the fleeing man. It caught him ere he reached the shelter of the rocks and dropped him. The three men ran hastily to Kow Lung. ““As dead as Julius Cesar,’ said the officer of marines, dropping the nerveless hand. Oakes said nothing. He remem- bered the faithful service, the uncom- ¢plaining endurance, and the indomi- COMicdoo S CO@