Argosy, Vol. 85, No. 3 — page 62: what you’re looking at

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

404 THE impressed themselves on his brain once more. ‘No, sefior, but it shall be done, and well, and—” “What are you doing here, anyway?” Hemmett broke in. “I thought you’d gone with Girton?” “Tt was by his order that I remained behind, sefor,” Alvarez smiled, and Hemmett wondered vaguely at the smile! It was an unearthly sort of expresion, pallid, wide-eyed; it suggested that Al- varez was seeing visions! ‘‘ And _ we, Senor Hemmett, will go, I think, to his assistance now!”’ 6¢ Eh?” “JT am not sure. I think the Senor Girton calls for help. The wind is against them now, but as it rose there were wild cries, sefior, and much—” “All right!” said Mr. Hemmett. “We'll get over there in a hurry, then. Get your men together.” “T go, senor!” “and the Alvarez smile © grew more peculiar with every second! “And these—dogs and traitors, even to the crew of El Fuego—we shall bind fast, that they may remain! And Polito, senor, and the boy of the wireless, we shall take them with us, and three of the fire-room force as well, for I know them, and they are less traitors than fools!” Edward Hemmett stared after him as he flitted away. He had known Alvarez for many years as a person of vivid en- thusiasms and tremendous initiative, once an idea had gripped him—yet he had never seen Alvarez carry on just like that before. It was queer, but meditating upon it was not nearly so pleasant as watching Alvarez’s men truss up William Jones and the unspeakable Canita and the snarling members of El Fuego’s crew, and Hemmett turned his attention in that direction. It was solid fact that he could not remember a single detail of the attack, but he had certainly done a thorough job on William Jones! He remembered that Carmen’s face and the boy’s had floated ARGOSY. before him just as his fingers touched the corrupter of Guanama, and that was all. And it had‘evidently been quite enough, and to save himself Hemmett could feel no twinge of conscience. He smiled grimly and faced Alvarez, just speeding into sight again. ‘And now to go, senor!” the younger man cried. ‘It is to hasten, I think, and all are ready. El Fuego’s tender will hold ‘us easily.” He led the way to the side and over it, and Hemmett followed briskly enough, his mind turning to El Fuego and what might be happening aboard her. A ~human stream came after them, filling the little boat, and the Pavoroso for a time was free to drift as she pleased. Ever and anon, as he worked over the engine, Alvarez glanced back at him, smiling almost contentedly. Hemmett watched him and sighed; once in a while your excitable Guanaman goes - stark, staring mad under too -much emotional strain. Then his gaze wandered to the scared wireless man, to the fat young Polito, who smoked another cigarette and gazed philosophically and _ contentedly ahead. Polito, by the way, should have been left in charge, and—_ “We are here, and safely!” Alvarez announced. And there was doubtless a genuine fight waiting for them! Mr. Hemmett, giving over observation of his companions, swung up to the deck and felt them swarming after him. Mr. Hemmett came face to face with his old friend Stephen Girton and three ladies—and one of them flew to Mr. Hemmett’s arms with a scream of joy, and for a little he cated nothing about the impending battle nor did he even note its absence until: ‘Get the women into the tender, Ned! Heaven knows I sympathize, but you two can’t stand there and spoon all night. This tub’s not going to float another ten minutes!” “You say, sehor—” Alvarez gasped. “We're sinking, and that tender ’ll DOOK C©