Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

Every Tuesday was a seaman named Rogers, and at the time when Harry had fallen foul of Bull Black on the voyage to Africa he had been on the sick-list, and tliere- fore unable to play any part in the free fight that had ensued. Had he been Ht he would have joined forces with tliose who had been loyal to Harry Drake. Su.spectirig this, but not certain of it, Bull had kept him on chiefly because he was a skilful caipenter and a useful man to have aboard. Descending from the bridge and walk- ing for'ard after some conversation wi^h the helmsman in the wheel-house, Btu! Black came upon Rogers and a new hand known as Dennis. The two sea- men were stooping over a hatch thai they had just lifted, and Bull fired a gruff question at them. "Hey, what's goin' on here?" he de- manded. It was the man Dennis who answered him. "Goin' below to get some ropo," lie said, and with that Bull's eyes glittered ominously. "Say 'sir' when you're talkin' to your captain, you scum '." he snarled, and took the back of his hand across the sailor's face. Dennis recoiled, and as Bull Black moved on he made as if to stride after him angrily. But Rogers hold him back. "Wait a minute," he said. "You'll have the chanco to get even with him yet." "Get even with him!" Dennis echoed bitterly. "I'll got even with hitn. I'll take that .kind o' trcatniont from no man !" Rogers urged him down into the hold, and then descended the ladder after him. When he stepped to the floor bosido Dennis he saw that the latter was looking round on several piles of cases that bore the inscription "Dynamite." "What kind of a cruise is this I signed up for?" Dermis growled. "Both skipper an' cargo arc high-explosive!" "This is a death-ship, matey, ' Rogers answered ominously, "with the devil in command. Say, never mind that ropo. I just wanted to open up that hatch an' show you something." Ho moved towards the cases of explosive and gave a low call. Instantly five heads rose into view from behind the deadly cargo—the heads of Harry Drake and the shipmates who had BOY'S CINEMA remained loyal to him through thick and thin. "Here's one of the new men. cajjtain," Rogers told Harry. "Name of IDennis, sir." "Good!" said Harry. "Listen, Dennis: Rogers snuiggled us alx>ard. In a couple of hours from now I'll be in command of this ship. Which side are you on 1" Dennis had recovered in some measure from his bewilderment. "I don't know who ye are," he mad€ answer, " but I'm on any side that's agin Bull Black." Harry procoded to lot him fairly into the .secret, and hail soon explained all. "Rogers, get Miss Adams down here for a moment if possible," he added. "And don't forget, Dennis will talk to any of the new men he fools ho can trust, and will give the signal two hours from now. One blast on this whistle." A silver object changed hands, and Harry and his comrades ducking out of sight again, Rogers and Doimis made their way up on to the deck. They paused by the hatch for a moment to consider which men should be approached. Dennis himself was able to vouch for two friends who had signed on with him, and Rogers suggested a likely third who might be spoken to inmu'diately before the signal was due to be given, so that in the event of the fellow rofusjng he would have no time to raise an alarm. Rogers and Dennis now parted, rtogors to seek out Bonnie, and Dennis to pass on the word of Harry Drake's project. Shortly afterwards Dennis might have been soon near the bow with a sailor known as Floyd, and he had made tho situation plain to the other man, when he noticed Bull Black approaching him with an ominous scowl. He at once changed the subject, and spoke in an audible tone. "As I was sayin', Jim," he told Floyd, "I've seen some sharks, but " "Oh, ' as you were sayin',' hidi ?" Bull rapped out, bearing down on him. "Well, if you've got anything to say, say it out loud. Xo more whisperin' aboard this ship, or I'll feid yidi to the sharks ! Get aft there, and, Floyd, don't let nic catch yuh talkin' to this guy Dennis again." The two sailors moved awav 23 separately, and Bull kept liis lowering gaze fixed on Dennis. He decided that it might be advisable to watch the fellow. The Whistle. ABOUT the time that Bull Black wa? breaking in on the conver-satioti between Dennis and Floyd, Arlono Chandos made her way to Beii Arnold's state-room. ■' I want to talk to you, Ben," .she said. "You've got Drake out of the way. Now what about getting rid of Bonnie Adams ?" "Listen, Arlone." Arnold retorted with some impatience. "I'd like you a lot better if you'd mind your own busi- ness." The girl coloured hotly at his curt words. "Don't you talk that way to me, Ben Arnold!" she snapped. "You told mo you were in love with me, and if I thought you were sweet on Bonnie Adams I'd start something that mightn't be to your liking." "Who said I was sweet on Bonnie Adams?' Arnold demanded. "I'll handle her, but in my own time. And I'm not standing any interference frcnj you !" He paused, for Bull Black had opened the door. The nowly-|)romoted captain looked at Arnold and the girl sourly, for he had entered in time to hear (he tail-end of his accomplice's angry cut- burst. "Arnold," he stated, "you've no (imo to raise any shindy over womenfolk. There's trouble brewin' on this ship." "Trouble?" Arnold reiterated. "What do you mean?" "Whisperin' among tlu> mou wo signed up at Twamballa,' Bull an- nounced. "Keep your weather eye peeled, and, if anything starts, use your gim and shoot straight. This crow of ours is a rum bunch." Arnold pursed his lips. "I thought you knew sailors," he ground out, "but it looks to me as if you've picked a lot of cut-throats." "Well, what do you expect for a cruise like this?"' Bidl growled. "A lot of naval college cadets? Listen, Arnold, I've been watching a guy named Dennis. I <lon't know what his game is, but he's up to something, and we've got to stand bv for action." Harry and his men advanced along the deck and then came to a halt r 'Jiit)], Ht.3).