Montana oil and mining journal., 1937-11-27

nobody paid him any attention. And
when RawSon growled: Not q sign Of
the boat, not even a floating water
cask A pretty punk seaman aren't
you Gatrie?" they all turned snarling
on him
an jenkins, the big greaser, toe"
Devilin spat venomously. "All because
OF your bully-driving.
They stood glaring at Gatrie with
bitter and hostile faces. Gray dawn
was now on them and showed them
every reason TO hate him This was
no enchanted coral strand. but a huge.
low whale-back Of foul mud, over which
the unSeemly mangroves sprawled.
backed further off by a tangle Of even
ugly jungle.
Foul brown water slid by like thick
soup and there was nothing TO raise
human hope in sight. A mile away was
clutter OF glistening mud banks, then
another mangroye tslet, with more
showing further on IN the dank air.
Beyond even those there was a hint
Of low. swampy land, backed by more
mangroves and a thicker jungle. A thin
and beastly rain was falling.
Hes landed us on hens delight"
someone said sourly I knew he was
just big mouth with nothing in him.
Looks as If we've struck the delta
Of some big river" Gatrie muttered
70 reimpresS them with his Seamans
capacity. That's the Brazilian main
land over there, and safety"
And the nearest town-or village Is
where?" Rawson asked pointedly, but
Gatrie shifted uneasily. He did not
know exactly where the Brazilian cur
rent had dumped them, but he feared
and the cub steward put his fear into
words.
This is a practically empty stretch
OF swamp coast, isn't IT,"
You bet, that's all he could find,
Devilin leered. An anyhow, I'm not
rlsking joining Brooker in a shark s
belly by trying a swim to land. Per-
haps as you chucked the boat away
youu be the hero" Gatrie shivered as
he remembered Brokers scream, and I
they saw 1t and Rawson sneered: Well, (
there's nothing 70 be gained by depend |
ing on him Come on, we'd better /
get busy finding out how the land lies, /
yes, and in getting up some sort Of !
shelter for the ladies.
He smiled at Carol as he said that. l
and she and all OF them moved off (
With him, leaving Gatrie alone. He had
simply ceased to count with them. II
was not only that the loss of the boat
had destroyed his authority; the mere
'act that solid earth and not a kick
ng boat was under his feet had given
2awSon back his self assurance. He
)ecame at once the natural leader he
lad always been in social and sporting
ife. He took complete charge, sending
ome Of them off TO explore the islet
nd to find food, water and firewood,
7hile he set others TO build the shelters.
He said II without argument or ef-
ort, like a man who had inherited the
instinct through generations accus-
0med TO command And there was no
ligtaking his power or mastery. Even
he great Lyman B. Troys attempt 10
old himself aloof was swept aside by
calm order to tack himself on the
ub steward and the other weaklings
the foraginG party.
With the tougher elements Rawson
as even more effective He didn't even
ave to throw his weight. Sensing re-
ellion in Gatries eyes as the mate
atched Carol Milton laughing with
i'm, he gave Devilin command of the
lelter building squad. He knew that
evilin's animus would do the trick
ad it did Devilins snarl Of relish as
2 ordered Gatrie to get busy brought
le sailor whipping around in fury
evilin merely grinned wolfishly and
lowed Gatrie the knobby- -headed man
.ove root he carried as q club. when
le seaman, not desiring TO be beaten
, before Carol, turned and went to
ork. He knew his moment was fin
he'd. Rawson was master.
Rawson knew 1t, too. Quietly and
Ithout fuss he adopted the role Of a