The evening world., 1914-05-07
N VELVETS WELCOME ID

Not a bit Of 1t! Capture the old
hulk and sell her." said his some
what amazing chief.
Just walk out and capture her
like that?" inquired the Snake.
There's nothing to II. Is there--no
crew, no officers. nobody to obJect7"
1T can be DONE" said Pollard. and
I'll tell you how. Look out there. The
fog's so thick you can hardly see your
hand before your face. We couldn't
work ii on a clear day. but we can
work 1t to-day. There are three Of
US, and IL we're not used to fighting
by this time we never will be. Well
take them one by one!"
Bind them and gag them. Bill.
They're armed. l suppose; we can dis
arm them, one by one, and every
time we catch a pistol and put man
out OF the running we're that much
further ahead. Then. IL II comes down
to the scratch and the old scoundrcl
tries to shoot US up, well simply duck
behind something and give him all
that's coming to him." Pollard con-
cluded viciously. And don't sit there
and grin like that! II isn't impos-
bic. IL isn't even hard. tell you. We
know how to shut mans mouth In
two seconds--Lord! we've done 1t
times enough! And there are always
crooks enough In any port to buy this
wreck for what she's worth and paint
her over"
"i'ye pinched lots OF things" said
tho guiding mind; but l never yet
pinched a steamboat. Come along"
And once we've got her--how do
we get to land?" the Brute asked
curiously. ,,,.. =,
most hypnotically.
give me you two ana just tnree
,Ife-sizcd revolvers." he said, and
with Capt. Velvet once overpoard. u
I can't make IA handful OF men work
his stcamcr to land-if ! can't hold
,hom afterward till we sell her ana
make n gctaway--rm going back to
the city and give myself up.
Now. OF the two men before MN
tho snake owned by far the more i'm
oyinative mind. He II was who FOL
lowed most sympathetically the IN
triratc workings OF the master brain:
not infrequently In the past ne hau
suggested details OF his own. daring
beyond credence-success perhaps.
more through their very daring than
for any other reason.
RYAN. on the other hand. had never
attomptcd TO follow the dizzier hights:
for him the mere fact OF success had
hcen amply sufficient. Indeed. he had
almost learned 10 stife private mis-
givlngs OF his own; yet now, az the
snakes face lighted up, he was sorely
tempted to rise In wrath and sever
his connection with tho band forever.
"Robby." the Snake was saying.
"can we put 1t overT
Three OF us can
SAY, don't say there mightn't be
ono chance In million OF uoihH
tt the Brute began desperately.
Better than that. BILL" Pollard
said quietly. ITS about even money,
with the odds just a little bit against
us IL anything" He smiled suddenly
and in a fashion that brought red 70
the Brute's cheek. But you don't
want to try II. Bill; your nerves.
gone. Tho Captain handed you one.
and you'll never forget II II you live
to he n thousand"
The Spanish Brute rose slowly.
TO tell you the truth. I'd forgot
ten that one. what with all this
other" he said. (which way do We
go?"
Wen find out in a second Got
your blackjack"
Somebody took It,"
"My cannon, too" said the Snake.
they didn't cut Off our hands. Come
on: I'll pick the first man. Take
blanket: we'll want that for gags.
Ready"
He staggered less markedly as no
walked from their Krimy little state
ROOM he cast about. first toward the
forward stairway. and then to the
after-part OF the saloon. lie steadied
himself and hurried to door at the
farther end. and when he had opened
II fog puifed down at him and he
beckoned.
Nv. don't want to collide with him
nrst." said Pollard. as he set foot on
the old wooden stairs.
out on the shining deck he paused,
peering about in fog even thicker
than at their last view. He chuckled
at the sight OF II; and then. as they
reached his side. he stilled tho chuc-
kle suddenly. Along the dock tho
heavy tramp OF boots was approach
ing.
cuffs and stretched his 1.-the hands:
the first victim was within ten sec
Onds OF disaster! Two or three yards
ahead a rusty. thick funnel lowered
into the murk. They stepped behind
It. tense and ready. and tho tramp
Of the unsuspecting ono came nearer
and nearer
And then out ~ tho fog doomed n
really startling yellow shape. Quito
as they had expected, II was that of n
man In oilskins: yet II was neither the
oIlskins nor the hard-featured brown
face which held them chained.
Rather was II the gentleman's anat-
omy. which began at the deck and
kept on upward for something Ike
seven feet. and which longitudinaliy
was built In full proportion, The
strangers hands, swinging, were like
"A pair OF case hardened hams and
mot that ono, Robby!" tho Brute
whispered hastily. Not that guy"
Tho master mind edged further
around the funnel and drew them
after him.
II wasn't going 10 tackle that one.
Bill," he said. as the figure vanished
again in the fog unlnjured "Where
In blazes did he ever get such
man."
They failed to answer. Overhead
tho whistle blared out again. When II
had ceased they we're several yards
further aft. not Of course because they
had jumped. but because their general
plan included travel in that direction
and now tha flY uus family tinuad