Bill Bolton-Flying Midshipman

His prisoner was unarmed and too far away to offer an assault before he could snatch up his gun again. He did not fear Bill physically. But many people misjudged that slender body with

ne hundred and sixty pounds of bone and muscle struck him just above the knees and he crashed over backward beneath a perfect tackle. The unexpected jar and shock half-stunned him and befo

t. The corridor was empty. He closed and bolted the door and a

the young man's head was a floppy broadbrimmed hat of straw. He carried a rifle. The owner of these articles lay on the floor behind the window, quite oblivious. When he came to again, he would find his wris

to his features, he ran down the broad wooden steps and out to the r

nd him, and a man he had not seen before ran down the steps. Ju

et yer chow,"

e refused to obey this suggestion. Moreover, he was th

the new hands on the y

ght," admi

s feeds us swell here. Has to, with this gang to look after. Men get easy discontented in a

n worse,"

teps with him. "It's a hot walk along that shell road, and I'll

om deserted, and passing through a doorway to the right, the two ent

the lad to a vacant seat just below. A pitcher of what proved to be lemonade was within Bill's reach. He filled and emptied his glass three times before he began to fee

good, the way you tackle yer dinner,

in," Bill grinned back. He knew that his identity might be discovere

informed him. "Y' got to feed 'em right to keep 'em contented. The boss is liber

wn the table raised his voice above the clatter

w in here on a plane this morning, Tom?"

s bumpin' into when they hit Shell Island. You guys won't have to take so

eneral. The men appar

ey now?" inqu

y was up to the big house and Martinengo looked 'em o

eeze a bunch o' kal

hat would blow the gaff. He's shippin' them up to th

at home," observed a voice far down the table. "That gang's got influenc

he Martinengo boys; and his friends will think he's dead. Went down with his son in the blow last nigh

Martinengo wouldn't get me to stick 'roun

i. Y' got a lot to learn, and the first thing is that the boss don't ask-he or

t know when they's well off," he remarked gen

e last bit of his food and poured

somethin'. I need you later and I'll fix it up with him. You go into the bunk room and turn

ke for the harbor, take his amphibian or one of the others moored in the little bay and fly away. Now he realized that he must conform to circumstances as he found them. Nobody knew that h

ing. Screened windows opened on to verandas on three sides. The room looked like a hospital ward, with its long rows of cots. At the head of each bed was a wooden chest with a padlock for the owner's belongings. A single sheet and a blanket were folded

own. Except for the sound of breathing and the buzzing of a bluebottle against a window screen, the place was absolutely quiet. It was hot,

bell and sat up on his cot. The hands of the clock on the

standing at the foot of the bed. "Make it snappy, now," he continued. "Take yer gun an' wait fer me on the front porch. I'

or having fallen asleep, and now that he had the chance, he meant to take it. Tom, when he came out, would not find him on the veranda. Bill made up h

lounge room, and was running lightly down

' for? Didn't yer hear Tom tell yer to sti

ling. Behind him ten or a dozen men were lounging in various indolent attit

isobey orders, 'specially Tom's. He's a soft-speakin' guy, Tom is-but I seen him shoot three guys in the last three w

intment and chagrin

lf asleep, Zeppi. I didn't

er nuthin' at all. Just remember that when yer told the porch, don

m from the doorway. "Oh, it's you, Z

an automatic revolver from a holster un

above his head. "I was just tellin' the kid here that he s

near drillin' you. I'm always a bit rough after a sleep-must watch myself. We're los

the white road at a smart pace. He felt much as a man might who is being led to execution. His on

ill's usually optimistic spirits fell. Tony was found pouring over a

s from the pages. Then his chair came dow

wid you, Tom?" he cried. "

houtin' about, Tony?" gr

Bill rested his gun against

ng about," he said.