Boy's Cinema (1930-31)

22 inv life,"' he said feebly. "I\Ty name's Nick. ' Peai-ly ' Nick they call me." " You lo.st nie the race !" snarled Pink. "Get out of :ny sight!" "But, bofp, wait a minute!" cried Nick. "I've got something for you." The young captain turned on his heel, ^houted for MiCarthy, and went off. "' You've done a good thing to-day," remarked Square Deal. "I wouldn't worry !" "Of course you wouldn't—you're too fat!" snorted Pink. "I've lost my money, my girl, and now my boat. All my own darned fault, too. And you tell, me not to worry ! I've sure got some- thing to worry al)0\it, ain't I?" "I reckon not." said McCarthy slowly. "It'll all come out okay in the end." ( Pearly Nick's Qratitude. PlXIv and lii^ mate walked up to see Schultz. and behind them, some way otT, shambled the luikempt (iguro of I'early Nick. Schultz was in liis office when lii.'; rival came in. "You'll have to !)ay my crew," Siiid Pink. "I ain't got a dollar left." "I'll do that." replied Schultz, "and I'll put the boat up for auction to- morrow morning." Pink did not hear the last words. He was staring across the ofTicc at a pretty, dark girl who sat behind a desk in the corner. "Daisy's my cashier now. Didn't you know ? And I'll say siie's the goods, too." remarked Schultz. "Smart girl you are, Daisy," cried Pink scornfully. "You've picked a man with real estate." Daisy flushed and turned away, while Pink went on talking to Schultz. "Nice little thing, and I regret losing her. Only thing you've woti from me that I do regret. Well, I'll send my crew up. See to that. McCarthy." He went out of the ofTicc without look- ing again at Daisy, and Pearly at once waylaid him. "Say, boss," iie began, "you just listen " Pink angrily brushed him aside, and set off quickly for his own house, but he had hardly arrived there before rapid footsteps sounded liehind him. "I'm sorry you've been so \mlucky," said Daisy's voice as he turned. "Y'ou don't need to be," was the care- less reply. "It's my own fault." "Don't S|ieak iti that horrid way !" cried the girl. " \Ve needn't hate each other after being such friends." " Wc were getting bored—or you were tired of my wicked ways," sneered Pink. "So why try to drag it on?" , "I won't!" exclaimed Daisy fiercely. " I hate you now I" She ran off in great anger, and hardly had slio gone when Pearly Nick limped ni> and this time he could not be shaken off. "Boss, you look!" he cried. "See this! I'm givin' it to you!" He put a large pearl into Pink's hand. The young sailor glanced at it, and then took Nick into the house. "Where'd you get this?" he asked suspiciously". "You think I stole it? You're wrong, boss. T didn't. T can take yon where you'll get more." Nick took some more pearls from his pocket and gave them to Pink just^as McCarthy entered. Pink i)assed the pearls to hi.s mate, who examined them. "I'll say they're the goods," ex- claimed McCarthy. "WTiere did he get 'em?" "Boss, I've gotta plan," said Nick. "You take t.he pearls and buy your boat back. Then I'll take you to the September 6th, 1931. BOY'S CINEMA Solomon Islands to find more. Talce a big crew—natives are cannibals. They —they killed my friends, an'—an' " Nick's voice grew weaker and weaker. He swaj'ed, and suddenly collapsed in a heap. Pink and McCarthy lifted him on to a bed and gave him a drink. He recovered somewhat after a while, and began feebly to tell of the exact position of tlie pearl island. "I must look after him now," said Pink. "He's very sick, sure. Find someone to nurse him, Square, while I sell these pearls." "Okay, skipper," replied the mat*, going out. He returned presently with a native woman who had agreed to take care of Nick, and then Pink went off to the store. "How much for these?" he asked the Cliinese storekeeper. The man took a glass and examined the pearls carefully. "One thousand dollars," he said at length. Pink knew that the pearls were worth at least fifteen hundred dollars, but he coidd no*^^ screw more than twelve hundred out of the Chinaman, and finally he went away with that amount fairly satisfied. In the morning the General Grant was put up to auction, and to the sur- prise of the whole company the boat was knocked down to Phillip Barker, who went off at once to prepare for the trip to the Solomon Islands. "Wliere did Barker get the cash?" exclaimed the astonished Schultz to his right-hand man, one Rudy. "He told me he hadn't a dollar left." "Can't sav, unless he stole it," said Rudy. "No, he ain't that sort," replied Schultz thoughtfully. "Say, he's got that fellow Nick at his house," remarked Bill, another of Schultz's men. "Pearly they call him." "You've got it. Bill." cried Schultz excitedly. "Nick gave him some pearls, sure. Wiere's Barker now?" "Down on the boat," answered Rudy. "Well, I'm going to see this guy- Nick," said Schultz. "I'll maybe get something out of him." Schultz went off at once to Pink's house. Brushing aside the remon- strances of the nurse, ho came to the bed where Nick lay and looked down at the wasted form of the rescued man. Nick opened his eyes, saw someone standing by the bedside and began to babble delirously, thinking that Pink had returned. "Boss, I'll tell yau. Solomon Islands." "Where?" asked Schultz eagerly, leaning over the bed. "Go to Bougainville, then sou'west— small islands," muttered Nick, trying to sit up. "Bougainville. That's one of the biggest of the Solomons. Well, go on, Nick." "Stop, Nick!" cried a voice, as Pink came in. "What are you doing here, Schultz? Get out of my house!" "I'm taking him with me." said Schultz coolly. "I've got an order from the mayor to remove him. He ain't being looked after propej-ly here." "That's a lie!" cried Pink. "You want to get him to tell you something, that's all." "Well, an' if I do ?" sneered Schultz. "Who'll stop me?" "Something even you can't fight has stopped you." said Pink slowly, looking at Nick, who had fallen back on the bed and lay still. "Your spying's finished. The poor fellow's dead!" Every Tuesday The Stowaway. DAISY came back from Pink's house to the oflBce feeling very angry and yet unhappy, for in spite ■61 her fierce words to him she still loved the young sailor in her heart. Harcjly had she sat down before Schultz came in. "Well, Daisy," he said, "where have you been ?" ' ■ ■ "That's nothing to do with you," re- plied the girl sliarply. "Soon will be," retorted Schultz angrily. "We're going to be married, and don't you forget it." "I don't want to be married," cried the girl. "Now see here, Dai.sj-, I ain't going to be made a monkey of!" snarled Schultz. "And I'll tell you I've de- cided we're getting married next week." "I won't marry you!" exclaimed Daisy. "I'll run away first!" .'. "Don't run away," laughed the trader. "There ain't a place to run to, and you know it." He went out, and Daisy spent many miserable hours imtil she happened to overhear Rudy and Bill talking after the auction. "Pink's ready to sail, I hear," si^id Rudy. "Wonder where he's going." "Schultz knows, maybe. I don't." re- plied Bill. "But Pink's off to-niglit, sure." Daisy suddenly saw a way out of -the hateful prospect of mariage with Schultz. That evening she slipped down to the quay and managed to steal on board the General Grant, unseen by the crew. Only a loafer on the bank saw her, and he took little notice. It was not his business, he thought. Presently Pink gave orders to cast off, but even as his men got to the ropes Schultz came on to the quay, followed by several of his gang.. "I know all about that pearl expedi- tion. Barker," he said, "and I've de- clared myself in." "That's mighty good of you," re- torted Pink, stepping on to the quay and confronting his enemy. .^... "Sure!" sneered the trader. "We can be friends or enemies—it's up to you." "Then we'll be enemies!" said Pink shortly. ..... Schultz did not reply in words. Ho sent a sharp jab to Pink's chin, a jab that nearly toppled him back into the water. The young captain countered with a right to the jaw, and in another second a fierce battle was raging. « Schultz put up a good fight for a few minutes, but a stiff uppercut took most of the courage out of him. He sprang back, seizing a knife which hung at his belt, while his men sprang forward to assist liim. " Stand back there, you skunks!" roared Square Deal promptly, raising his g;m. The men drew back, and Schiiltz tried to finish the fight by an attempt to slab his opponent in the chest with ills knife. Pink caught liis arm just in time, twisted his wrist so that he was forced tr. drop the weapon, and then with a mighty heave he hurled tlie rascally trader over the edge of the quay into the sea. ' ."Cast off there!" yelled Pink, jutnfl- ing on board. The ropes were cast off, and a couple of minutes lat«r the General Grant wa«t sailing away. She passed out of ,the opening in the reef just as Schultz wa» haliled back to land, furious with wrath and disap|)ointnient. "Why didn't you plug him, Rudy?"- he shouted angrily. i