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“thing that Dates says to
f
* and his father decided to s
APPY DAYS
By J. G. BRADLEY,
CHAPTER I.
TME PLOT ON THE BRIG.
“Hello!” That you, Walt? iVhat are you
doing up here this time pf night?”
“Star gazing, Alex. Star gazing and
thinking.”
rop it. Take my advice and drop it.
Get back to earth or rather to the deck of
this rotten old pris, Sea Eagle, just as soon
as ever you ¢
“Hello! You. have got something on your
mind, too, Alex. I can see it in your eyes
and hear it in the tone of your voice.”
core bet I have, boy. I've made a dis-
ery.”
coranything to do with Mr. Dates?” -
“T suspect very strongly that it has every-
thing to do with Mr. Dates, Walter, since it
has nothing to do with you and me and we
two are the only other passengers on this
rotten old tub.”
You
don’t mean it, What’s in the
wind?”
“Itush! Here comes Dates now. Captain
Branscomb is as drunk as an owl an
asleep in the cabin with his head on the
table; it’s my belief that Mr. Handy, the
mate, don’t know enough of navigation to
steer a washtub across a horse pond; every-
him goes and—but
wait till his nibs gets out of hearing. The
time has come when we must act; if we
don’t we shall find ourselves in the soup.”
“Otherwise in the Atlantic Ocean, a thou-
sand miles land, ” said Walter, hol-
lowly, and then he began to whistle and
pretended to point at something in the
water, talking in a loud voice to his com-
panion as the man Dates approache¢
Picture to yourself a tall, thin, ‘sallow
man with tight curling black hair and a
deep olive complexion, which suggested col-
ored blood, dressed in the most comfortable
fashion for a sea voyage, walking across the
deck of the Sea Eagle with cat-like tread.
This was Mr. Septimus Dates, who came
aboard the brig at Gravesend.
The moment Walter Bray set eyes upon
him he took an intense dislike to the man
and he had found no reason to change his
opinion since.
Walter was the son of a prominent New
York physician and a student in Columbia
College.
He had studied hard and now,
nineteenth year, his health bad failed him
oy ona
sea voyage in the pope ca bringing back,
the old color to his cheek:
In the middle of July Walter had sailed
for Hamburg and after a hurried four of
western Europe he was now returning by
sailing vessel, in accordance with the fa-
ther's instructions.
It is not easy in these days to procure
such a passage from London to New York,
is disappointment was great
n he discovered that the brig was old
and unseaworthy, as indeed he might have
guesset
This discovery was not made until the
frst day out and his attention was called
to it by Alex McLean, a young man about
his own age, whose home was in Halifax,
Nova Scotia.
Alex was also in pursuit of health and
had taken passage on the Sea Eagle for pre-
cisely the same reason as
Naturally the boys became fast friends, as
the only other passenger was Mr,
who claimed to be ee Zieh Creole planter
from Kingston, Jamai
Alex called him “that ‘higger” behind his
back, but there was something so sly and
sneaking about the man's whole manner
and yet such a fierce, treacherous look. in
his little beady black eyes that it is alto-
gether doubtful if he would have dared to
say as much to his le
As for the other occupants of the brig,
there was Captain Branscomb, who, since
the Sea Eagle Tet Gravesend, had scarcely
drawn a sober breath; Mr, Handy, the mate,
men.
but by no means least, there was
Maud Branscomb, the eaptain’s daughter, a
charming girl of seventeen or thereabouts.
aud’s presence on the brig was the one
bright spot in what otherwise would have
been social desolation, so to speak.
s always on deck, laughing, chat-
ting with the sailors, entering into any
yet for all that the poor girl was terribly
worried about her father, as any one could
see.
And she had the best of reason.
n anscom's condition was as
ie was entirely unable
d to his duties the greater part of
the time and Mr. Handy, the mate, was a
most incompetent man
To Mr, Dates Maud was always civil but
distant. It was a great trial to have to sit
with the man at the table, as his habits of
e,
Maud turned it all off so lightly that no
1,000 Miles from hand.
the numbers 278 and 284,
scribed on page 16.
“Happy Days”
To the 100 Readers who send us the greatest num-
ber of these Coupons cut from “Happy Days,” between
each a SOLID GOLD FILLED WATCH as de-.
Do not send us any Coupons until we notify you
in No. 284 of “Happy Days.”
—————— - . '
Full Directions are printed on Page 16. |
Gift Cou pon
inclusive, we will send to
nea,
“JIAPPY DAYS”
WATCH COUPON
Sendaus 5 of these Coupona cut
from any numbers of “ILAPpy
DAYS; ”? with 75 cents in money
or postage stamps, and we st
send you the watch by retun
registered mail,
open trouble had arisen as yet, although in
o instances Walter came very near shy-
ing a plate at Mr. Dates across the table. It
was hard to hear the fellow’s sneers and
covert insults, even for the sake of peace.
Thus matters had drifted along for many
lays and now, on this particular starry
night, the Sea Eagle was supposed to be
in mid-ocean, about a thousand miles from
the coast of Newfoundlan
fight and more especially so since Mr. Dates
had been more than usually insistent that
day in forcing his attentions upon Maud.
e creole now passed the boys without
speaking. He not even look directly at
them, although both were absolutely cer-
tain that his eyes were really upon them.
ie Walked astern and entered into con-
versation with Mr. Handy, who pad charge
is our time, Walt,” whispered
oh, I tell you I’ve made a big. dis-
At ae : think so—I don’t know
what yo ”
“Ayeat is it wna asked Walter,
eep a fellow in suspen:
“This brig is not going to New York at
all, if you will believe me. . The intention is
to scuttle it and abandon us all at sea.”
“What! What! ow you know?
W hat makes you say so?
can prove it. There are twenty auger
holes bored in.the hold and stopped up
with plugs at the present moment. If you
don’t .believe me, come and see for your-
“Don’t
“How ¢an we get there? The hatchway
on the main deck is. fastened down with a
padlo ck
“Sure, but suppose your uncle happens to
have a key which will fit that same padlock,
what then?”
“Have you
“You bet.
“Wher e did you
“found it in Mr. Spates! stateroom. He
happened to leave the door open for a min-
ute this evening and I slipped in.”
“Oh, Alex! Would you play the spy?”
“By Jove, it’s time. some one undertook
to play the spy as far as that man is con-
rned. Yes, Walt, I’ve done it once and
vi do it again if necessary. I tell you one
an’t be mealy-mouthed in a case like this.
There isn’t the least doubt that somebody
means to scuttle the Sea Eagle and I be-
lieve Septimus Dates to be the
ere is another side to the question that I
van’t altogether. understand.” .
“What's that’
“Why, tnatena of only ballast in the hold
there,is the greatest lot of general ship’s
stores and provisions that you ever saw,
beside spare sails, hawsers and other ship’s
fitting tools and all sorts of things like that.
It looks just as though after the Sea Eagle
was scuttled the intention was to fit out a
new ship. an’t understand it at all.”
“Can J see?” asked Walter.
“Sure! Why not? You know I’ve got a
little dark lantern that I use with my
camera.: I used it to prowl about the hold
with this time, watching my chance while
Dates was drinking in the cabin with Cap-
tain eee e'd better wait till he
turns in, thou,
‘No, no! ey go now,” replied Walter.
“He'll stay there talking to Handy | for a!
hour ue always does very night.’
if he catches us,
wait we I’ te gO all ‘right if you say 80."
“I do. Com
Alex led the way down to the main deck,
eemed deserted here and the boy, pro-
ducing the padlock key, was just about to
put it to use when both he and Walter were
startled by hearing footstens coming down
the companion ja .
one ming,” breathed Walter.
“Drop down behind these water casks, Alex.
Quick, q i
They were “just in time.
Alex shut off the dark lantern and the
boys, crouching behind the water casks, had
the pleasure in a minute of seeing Mr. Sep-
timus Dates and fee mate come sneaking
down from the d
~~
They halted at the hatch, Dates produc-
ing a dark lantern of his
“I can’t imagine what has become of my
key, Handy,” he remarked. “I mu: ust have
dropped it somewhere. Let’s have yours.””
“All right, boss. Here it is,” replied the
mate. Hope to goodness neither of them
dudes finds yours, though. It would be a
bad job if they happened_to get onto our
little scheme,”
“A bad job for them,” replied the creole:
showing his teeth with an evil smile. “Still
I don’t know that it makes much difference.
They would only go to Davy Jones’ a little
sooner than we intend them to, that’s all.”
“Ha! Ha!” laughed Mr. Handy, “That's
so, too, They little imagine that by to-
morrow night perhaps the Sea Eagle will
be at the bottom of the.Atlantic. I only
hope that drunken old pig in the cabin
don’t manage to escape.”
“Since you and I and the men wit have
the boats how can he escape? But not
looking for unnecessary trouble. es a a big
scheme, Handy. It will make——”
was ail the boys, heard as they
crouched there behind the barrels.
The trap was open now and Mr. Handy
had already disappeared through it.
Dates followed, his voice dying away as
he descended the ladder into the
“ eayens! What does all this
“We’ un aglese
the bateb on them. We'll lock them
rang out from behind the barrels,
but “suddenly stopped and drew back, for
there, standing by a coiled spare hawser, be-
which she had been hiding, was Maud,
staring at the open hatchway with ber
pretty face as pale as death.-
CHAPTER Il. '
oveRnOARD, TX MID-OCEAN,
“Maud!” gasped
“Oh, Maud! Wit brought you here?”
breathed Walter, springing up from behind
the barrels at the same time,
Maud Branscomb showed what sort of
stuff she was made of then.
“Hush!” she whispered, ‘Putting her fin-
ger foe pes ‘Think of mi 2 of m
poor father. gee flgse that atch,
Don’t close the hat: boys.
“You have heard aie demanded Walter,
in the same low tone. “You know that Mr.
Handy is a treacherous scoundrel? You
know what Mr. Dates proposes to do?”
“L only know what have overheard
ay replied the gin, “tat T know that. if
ou lock them in
my father’s fai
still I “Tove him and I would save him We
ave got all night to work it. rely,
Walter, it would be a piece of folly to lose
the hatch, and bring things to a hea
‘Hus: whispered Alex. “They re come
ing back.”
wes bright light suddenly shot up through
- ‘Alex’ ‘and Maud started bac!
"enyes; the look down into t he boa Walter
es, they are there,” he wn -
ing out his hand. “Keep b enspere, noe
Perhaps I can hear. what they
For a moment Walter listened
“No; they are whispering,” bet aa ee
low voice. “It is no use. We
get out of the way while there is. naa
They hurried on deck. Maud
she stepped from the companionwa ee as
h If svalter had not thrown his arm ‘around
fallen: caught her she would surely have
“Sit down here on this camp stool,”
ina
a better
pered Walter; “welll take it ea wns
nt and you will feel better.” yh mo
Maud, wen did y
“T suppose,” ‘said Alex, in his practi
Scotch way, “that means your father is:
the plot. Well, it can’t be helped. Yoy 24
as well face the situation.
the whole ship’s crew.
comes to worse. There will bea
you in it, Maud, if you choose to Occupy f:
I speak plain, for that's my’ Nature, |
should have spoken anyhow even if~hug
Here they come!”
Mr, Handy walked forward, Dates tt 4
eiagrette and carelessly a proached th
ttle eee, at the Sea Eagle's
Miss Maud, you are on ‘ek Inte
he aa “The moon makes it almost 3
bright as ‘day. Charming night, is |t aot
Suppose you and I take a turn up and ¢ox:
bla fy
Maud made no answer; she did not ei}
remove her eyes frorn the water to look 2!
the creole. :
Mr. Dates did not seem to be in the tex:
disturbed at the slight.
In spite of the ominous silonce of the tn:
boys, whose eyes were right on ‘hi
moved nearer to Maud, and, laying b
hand on her shoulder, said:
aval Come, Vve got son:
off thai at “aay!” flashed Wat]
springing forward and striking the ereoir
arm a stinging
“Sacret Diablel
would, woul
A long, aiitvoring dagger flashed Sn tt
moonlight directly over Walter's heart
Maud sprang up screaming, but the dv:
ger was all over then, for Alex, quick q
lightning, struck the knife from the he
of the creole and sent it ringing to the de’
“Sacre prea” shouted Dates, aimlcg 4
blow at Walte:
“Take that, you yellow- faced scoundrel}
retorted Walte:
Dates got one between fue eyes and me
ured his length on the d
- This settled it.
Mr. Handy aud two sailors came bur
& up.
By the time they were {upon the set
Dates had regained his fee!
Iie seemed anxious to smooth matte
‘hissed Dates. “Yi
i
=}
over.
“No, no! There’s nothing the matte
he said, in answer to the mate's {i
“I slipped and fell—that’s all, Good pigh
young gentlemen, Good night, Miss Mav
We shall meet again to-morrow. Oh, <4
to-morrow, Hla! Ha! Ha!”
Whereupon Mr
-beared into the
Walter and Alex.
“We won't talik any more to- night” ah
whispered. “We are safe until to-morm’
sapede, Borning my father will be as»
is he ev, . to
then, pe ey e is T will appeal
With this Maud retired to her staterw
leaving the boys to turn into theirs, whic
they immediately
But th ere ™
that nig!
did they a sine “tot talk much lest they sho
be ove
e"If we could only capture those t
coundrels and put th ng I believe
vould d talk the p em in iro
» Wa
~ Bat W Valter favored the boat plan, for!
Saw no chance of winning oyer the cre
the best of Mr. Dates an
. d the
As Soon as it was daylight Alex “pent
PiValter
of then
had
he waited L removed their cl
a ‘ou first begin to suspect
“—~ pe suspected it from the
were out,” replied the girl,
facé with her hands for a mom
first day we i
covering her
ment and then
looking or aepward. “Oh, boy:
me any m 8, don’t ask !
his tenet vehind only long enough to ¥*4
Was a beautiful morning, but a sty
It w:
Westerly wind was blowing and as the br]
full
Walter looked a:
rind ff
| spled him standing at the rail well alt, I
bes
Septimus Dates dis] "5"
Maud quickly tollowed him, escort I
vas no ‘sleep for either of thry =
well imagined, 19°
crew over,” Alex kept &
“You know my father is a sea capls!{
ven if they were fortunate enough toa"
soon followed him, for neithy”
thes, By
Ay
sail she eut through tM:
‘or Alex and 50m.»
yay inp
we
waa
a wel
He nas ¢
bu tox,
wend an
W dtchin;
kiads
t you know the result“ a 14,