, 1923-08-01
A XIV
Clearly!
opynsht BY Robert n. McBnds 4 %.

clsaryi
Dinner was owe n Jude had run
up on deck. Suddenly her voice came
down through h open skylight.
Below there! Cleary's coming !"
Satan jumped from his place like a
man shot. Next momen he was on
deck. Jude pointed and handed him
the binoculars she had been using.
THAT'S them !" said Satan, after a
long look. "Cuss the swabsl"
He handed the glasses to Ratcliffe.
Away to the north two sails cut the
sea-line. With the aid of the glasses
two vessels leaped into view-a top
sail schooner and a similar vessel of
fore-and-aft rig. Even with the
glasses he could lot have been sure
that these were the Natchez and the
Juan like a pair of evil dogs hunting
In company; but Satan was sure, so
was Jude.
They're coming dead for the cay"
said Jude. Satan said nothing.
He had been filling his pipe when
the hail came; he lit 1t now. walked
to the s%tarboard rail to be alone. and
stood with his eyes fixed on the
Haliotis.
The position was as bad as could
be. First Of all, these rufians would
he sure to make him BAH up even more
than he had had out of them sec-
ondly. they would have the laugh at
him and post him as a mug all over
Havana; thirdly. they would give him
away about the Haliotis. II they dis
covered how he had %plundered her.
Having smoked for a moment in ST.
lence, he turned to his companions.
1t was a boast Of Satan's that he
had never lost a SPAR, a fact partly
due to luck, partly to his foreseeing
eye; like a good general, he had
plans for all eventualitIes.
They won't he in the lagoon for
q couple Of hours" said he. with this
wind and all. Come on aboard the
old tub"
What are you going to dor asked
Jude. "Sink her at her mooringsY'
mo time; besides, they'd see her
on the lagoon fiuor. It's up anchor
and let her drift on the sands"
whats the good of that?"
Ohs Loio. Dpn I nlunu JuDDCIin .
I've got my plan. Into the dinghy
with you'll !"
They rowed over to the aliotis.
The one thing that Satan had moi
coveted was, mercifully. the winch;
1t was Of the type Of the West Coun-
try winch, and not a spot on Pap's
patent, at least in Satan's eyes.
They set to. got the anchor In, Sc
cured 1t. n rowed back to the Sarah.
Then they watched the Haliotis drift.
The tide was going out. She was
close to the eastern afm of the spit, and
that arm had a bend in 1t toward the
narrowing entry.
Satan reckoned she would take the
sand a hundred yards or so from the
entry. and he reckoned right.
But they had nJ time to watch her.
The deck of the Sarah was numbered
with stun that had to be slowed out
Of sight. II took an hour before ev-
Aerything was shipshape and snug. and
In, their sails big bellied with the
wind. beating up for the entrance.
They anne through. the Juan lead
Ing. the Natchez some two cable
lengths behind then. with canvas
t%hrashing and the gulls yelling round
them, they dropped their anchors, the
Juan to s%tarboard Of the Sarah and
the Natchez farther up the lagoon.
Radcliffe had expected demonstra-
lions of hostility: there were none.
They could see Sellers directing the
fellows forward. and they could make
out Cleary on the deck Of the Natchez.
Then they saw Sellers drop below,
and through the binoculars they could
see Cleary MS though he were only a
few yards off-he was smoking and
giving orders 10 the hands. Then he
came and spat over the rail and sto,Ai
cooking toward the Sarah with his
eyes shaded; having finished this in
Jpection, he too dropped below.
I'D a sight sooner they'd shook
heir fists at u.s." said Satan. "They
Know they've got us. sure"
Then Sellers reappeared on the
deck. and the Juan dropped n boat.
Here he Is" said Jude. ''and
whether he's got us or whether he
hasn't. he amt coming aboard this
ship!
She ran forward and fetched the
mop from the hole where II was
slowed.
Let up" said Satan. II don't want
no nghtin': ] told you. I've got n plan
don't want no mops In IT,"
He amt coming aboard" said
Jude.
As the boat Of the Juan came along
Side, Sellers. In the sternsheets, raised
MS hand In n Iordly fashion and
slightly. m beffted a superior taking
notice Of In inferior.
"Hullo. Satan |" cried Sellers rs the
bow orr hooked on.
"Hullo. yourselfi" replied satan.
What you dom down here away 7"