Bar-20 Days

and lower its head to gore him and just as the sharp horns touched his skin, he awakened. Slowly opening his bloodshot eyes he squinted about him, sick, weak, racking with pain where he

pened? Was there a salty odor in the air, or was he still dreaming? Painfully raising himself on one elbow he looked around and caught sight of a man in the bunk across. It was Johnny Nelson! Then, bit by bit, the whole thing came to him a

y crossed the moving floor, and shook him. "Reckon he's in a stampede, too!" he growled. "They

he looked around in con

idiot of a blamed good pa

che an' my head's splitting

beautifully, with a fervor and polish which left nothing to be desired

e lot worse, to listen to you," Johnny remarked. "Gee, you

his dream had been a stern reality, he straightway loosed his vocabulary and earned a draw. "We

" asked Hopalo

Oh,

that comes down that ladder to get me out." He looked around, interested in life once more, and his trained eye grasped the strategic worth of their position. "Only one at a time, an

ng part. We'll starve, an' we ain't got no water. I can drin

but mebby we can f

ed, smiling faintly in his misery. "Let's get bus

st the pair of us to death," Hopalong retorted, eyeing the rear wal

Why, water; an'

er is on the

-sh! I hear somebody

long hurriedly whispered. "Be asleep-i

red across the small patch of sunlight on the floor of the foreca

the forecastle-the

es and in very impolite language. He listened for a moment, and having very good ears

from the owner of the aforesaid nose, a jolt full of enthusiasm and purpose. Beautiful and dazzling flashes of fire filled the air and just then something landed

his companion's busy fingers. "Tie him good, Johnny; he's the o

on the bump under the victim's coat. His darting hand brought into sig

the clicking sweet music to his ears. "Plumb full, too! I never reckoned I'd

he groaned, gazing at the floor with strong disgust. "I don't reckon I've ever been so blamed sick in all my-"

dden pity took possession of him as his pall

exclaimed, for Johnny's protesting wail was finished outside the port. Then a light

changed his mind about it; I'll get 'em up for him," and feet came into view. When halfway down the ladder the second mate turned his head and looked

his trick, not you. Got it, Kid? There's the rope-that's right. Nobody'd think you sick to see you work. Well, that's

r grit, pointed to the rea

against it, but it was firm despite its squeaking protest. Then he examined it foot by foot and found a large knot,

ere's a light from a hole in the roof, an' I could see bo

uld raise blazes for a while," suggested Johnny. "Anyhow, mebby they

ition, pulled. The board, splitting and cracking under the attack, finally broke from its fastenings with a sharp report, and Hopalo

evil are you doing so long?" and after a very short wait other feet came into sigh

" but Johnny's knee thudded into his chest and ended the sentence

mate. "You make any more yaps like that an' I'll wing you for keeps with yore own gun!" he snapped. "We'r

t on the deck and shouting for the crew to join him. He filled the air with

think clearly he realized that it was certain death for any one to attempt going down the ladder, and that his must be a waiting game. He glanced at his crew, thirteen good men, all armed with windlass bars and belaying p

and finally, losing his footing at a critical moment, tumbled down upon a box marked "Cotton." There was a splintering crash and

anxiously. His eyes suddenly opened their widest and he stared in surpr

igured that Johnny had sense enough to call for help if he needed it, and put that possibility out of his mind. "Naw, this ain't no gunboat-the Government don't steal men; it enlists 'em. But

sire to turn a handspring, he slipped one of the six-shooters in his empty holster and patted it lovingly. "Old friend, I'm shore glad to see you, all right. You've been used, but that don't make no difference." Searching further, he opened a full box of machetes, a

med, suddenly understanding. "Jumping Jerusalem!-a filibustering expedition bound for Cuba, or one of them wildcat republics down south! Oh, ho, my

head through the opening in the partition and grinned. "Heard you shoot, Kid; I reckoned you might n

uns, and he eagerly took one of each kind, a faint smile wreathing his lips. "

nt about their various duties as if they were accustomed to have shanghaied men act this way. They sympa

rt I'm dommed glad av it, Yensen. I hope they bate the old man at his own game. 'T is a shame in these days for honest men

aft, and dropped his calking iron in his asto

pe yore pagan mouth shut! If ye take a hand agin 'em I'll swab

t wit dat fallar

while at his thigh swung a Colt. He watched the two seamen closely and caught sight of Hogan's twinkl

up and he announced his presence without loss of time. "Throw

started forward, his rage acting galvanically. But he stopped quickly enough whe

k are you doin

ed, and his companion popped up through the hatch like a jack-in-the-box. "Good boy, Johnny. Tie this coyote foreman like you did the others," he ordered. While Johnny obeyed, Hopalong looked ar

e,

was talking to? Can you find

can that, if

tain. "Take that gun away from him, d'ye hear!" he yelled at the crew. "I'm captain of

am is looking for filibusters-this here gun is 'cotton,'" he said, grinning. He turned

is ship-" began th

fierce anger at the thought of the indignities and injuries he and his companion had suffered swept over him and prompted a one-minute speech which left no doubt as to what he would do if his dema

h a final oath of rage he gave in. "'Bout ship, Hogan; nor' by nor'west," he growled, a

No funny business, or we'll clean up t

e plain. Ye're Irish, by the way av ye, and 't is back to town ye go, sor!" He turned

en grounded on the sandy beach. Four of them arose and leaped out into the mild surf and dragged the boat as high up on the

to the sand and to cut the ropes which bound him. "Do ye want the

s to Johnny and turning to face the captain, who was looking into

arily advancing upon the man whom he held to be responsible for the miseries of the past twenty-four hours. "You didn't give

or of youth to oppose to the captain's experience and his infuriated but well-timed rushes. The seamen, for the honor of their calling and perhaps with a mind to the future, cheered on the captain and danced up and down in their delight and excitement. They had a

ry, ready as a cat to strike with all his weight if the other gave an opening. It ought to have worked-it had worked before-but Hopalong was there to win, and without the momentary hesitation of the suspicious fighter he followed the retreat and his hard hand flashed in over the captain's guard a fraction of

as a purty blow, an' 't was a gr-rand foight ye put up, sor! A gr-rand foight, but any more av that is murder! 'T is an Irishman

lied between swollen lips, "Yo're rig

er pleasure, I'll be after saying good-bye to ye, sor; an' to ye, too," he said, shaking hands with both punches. "Fer a sick la-ad ye're a wonder, ye are that," he smile

in any kind of trouble that I can help you out of, come up to the Bar-20 an' you won't have to ask twice. Good luck!" A

d there was some hours to wait for Red, his restlessness sent him roaming about the country, not so much "seeking what he might devour" as hoping something mi