Wild Norene by Johnston McCulley Read online

  him to the mast and proceed with their

  Jack Connor left the bridge and went to the

  work.

  cabin to throw himself in a bunk and try to

  It was peculiar instructions, but the

  sleep, for he felt he would get no sleep that

  men did not question. They knew Captain

  night.

  Bill had peculiar ways.

  He realized within a few minutes that

  As far as the mate was concerned,

  Captain Adams was forcing the Amingo to

  they knew there was bad blood between

  her greatest speed. The attempt to dodge

  him and the captain. They had missed

  the gunboat had begun.

  nothing during the voyage; they had

  Had he been on deck, watching, he

  witnessed clashes between Norene and the

  would have seen a peculiar thing, for mate, and between Captain Bill and Captain Bill called the members of the Connor.

  crew to him on the bridge, one by one, and

  One other instruction they received,

  to them imparted certain information. too: if the gunboat overhauled the Amingo These men, for the greater part, had sailed

  and her officers asked questions, the men

  with Adams for some time, had played

  were to swear that whatever Captain Bill

  parts in his evasions of the law, and were

  said was the truth. They understood that—

  ready to do his bidding.

  many of them had sworn to lies before for

  Others, newer on the Amingo, could

  Captain Bill.

  be trusted by the skipper, since they had

  The

  Amingo began to gain on the

  been vouched for by tried and trusted men.

  gunboat. The latter did not realize it until

  Only one man failed to get the summons to

  night began falling and she attempted to

  the bridge and a message from the captain;

  creep nearer, as she had done on previous

  he was Morgan, Jack Connor’s friend.

  nights. She found she could not; the

  Morgan’s guarded inquiries as to

  Amingo held her distance.

  what was up were met by sneers from the

  Then the gunboat put forth her

  others, and one man told him to his face to

  greatest speed, Garza, her commander,

  attend to his own business. Morgan asked

  realizing that the clash was near at hand. At

  no more questions, but decided to mention

  any time after dark he knew, the Amingo

  the matter to Connor when next he saw the

  might turn toward the shore and soon get

  mate.

  within Mexican waters.

  Guerrero was on the bridge during

  Night came. Captain Bill still paced

  these conversations and heard them all. the bridge. Hatches were opened and huge One by one, the men were informed that

  packing cases were put on deck—cases

  Wild Norene

  35

  supposed to contain mining machinery; and

  “But he’s never looked at me

  they might have, as far as their weight was

  twice—with any interest,” she said. “He—

  concerned.

  he feels sorry for me, I suppose. I have a

  The men worked swiftly, silently,

  share in his sympathy and perhaps his pity,

  like men used to such labor. Senor but not in his love.”

  Guerrero was among them, more nervous

  Norene thought it best to change the

  than ever, continually rubbing his hands

  subject.

  together, his eyes sparkling with

  “Do you suppose you’ll ever meet

  excitement. It was pitch-dark, and the the other—Riney?” she asked. “What are lights of the pursuing gunboat could not be

  you going to do if you meet him?”

  seen.

  “I don’t know,” Sally answered.

  An hour or two passed, and the

  “I’ve had thoughts of revenge for years, but

  nose of the Amingo was turned toward the

  I never decided how I’d take it. I’ve

  distant Mexican shore.

  thought I’d find a way when I found him.

  In the cabin below Jack Connor We never know what we’ll do, do we, slept. In an adjoining cabin Wild Norene

  when we meet the person we’ve hated for

  lay in a berth, her tempest of tears at an

  years?”

  end, and Sally Wood sat beside her,

  “He may be on Garza’s boat,”

  bathing the girl’s swollen face and telling

  suggested Norene.

  her of Jack Connor.

  “In that case I hope I’ll not meet

  “I heard it all—that night,” she was

  him just now, for that would mean danger

  saying. “I’ve known Jack Connor for some

  for you and your uncle.”

  time. He never looks at a woman. And I

  Norene got up from the berth and

  knew by the way he acted that night that he

  walked across to the port-hole, to stare out

  never would look at a woman unless that

  at the blackness of the night.

  woman was you. I could read him like a

  Her uncle! There’d be another

  book. You should have seen him hurl the

  scene with him, she knew. And she was

  men away and prohibit them mentioning

  firm in her decision to leave the Amingo as the girl he had met on Commercial Street,

  soon as the vessel was in a United States

  even though they did not say your name.

  port again. She had meant it when she said

  “He didn’t know your name then. If

  she would not sail with her uncle again

  he had he’d never have spoken of Wild

  until he turned honest.

  Norene as he did a short time later.”

  The

  Amingo was steaming toward

  “I know—I know,” Norene said. the coast without lights. On the bridge

  “He wasn’t speaking of me; he was Captain Bill Adams searched the horizon speaking of the girl he thought I must be.”

  with his night-glass, trying to locate the

  “And he—he loves you, I am sure,”

  gunboat, wondering whether she had gone

  said Sally Wood.

  on south, past the place where the Amingo

  She looked away as she said it, and there

  had turned her nose toward the shore.

  was an expression of pain in her face.

  And then from a masthead Captain

  “I know he is clean and honest,”

  Bill caused two red lights to be displayed

  she went on.

  for an instant, then extinguished, then

  “You must be in love with him displayed again. Guerrero stood beside yourself,” Norene muttered.

  him, and they watched in the direction of

  Sally hesitated before she answered.

  the coast.

  All-Story Cavalier Weekly

  36

  Another hour passed, the lights case was being let down.

  winking their signal now and then, and

  He searched the sea, but did not see

  finally the answer came—two green lights

  the lights of any craft; nothing to indicate

  that blinked ahead in the darkness.

  the presence of the gunboat.

  Captain Bill rang for half speed, and for a

  “What are you doing
here?” he

  few minutes there was an exchange of demanded of the men near the boat.

  signals between the vessel and the shore.

  “Cap’n’s orders, sir.”

  “I want the gunboat to come up just

  “Just what are the cap’n’s orders?”

  after the cargo is landed and you are safe,

  he demanded.

  ashore,” Captain Bill told Guerrero.

  The man did not answer, but turned

  “It is a risky business, senor.”

  to grasp a line. Connor gripped him by the

  “We’ll carry it off, all right. You

  shoulder and whirled him around.

  remember your instructions.”

  “Answer me, you scum, and be

  “Everything shall be done as you

  civil about it!” he roared.

  wish, senor.”

  By way of reply the man struck; the

  “We’ll go below in a moment, blow grazed Connor’s shoulder.

  then.”

  “You would, would you? You’d

  The red lights had disappeared from

  strike an officer, would you?”

  the masthead; on the distant shore one

  As he spoke one fist shot out and

  green light blinked as a signal and a guide.

  the sailor struck the deck like a dead man.

  The

  Amingo crept nearer and But Connor found others upon him. They nearer, then stopped, and the anchor was let

  grasped his arms, tried to trip him, rained

  go.

  blows upon his head and face and breast.

  Captain Adams and Guerrero

  Morgan sprang across the deck to

  descended to the deck. A few whispered

  the mate’s assistance. In an instant he, too,

  orders, to the men and a boat went over the

  had been conquered.

  side, and the crew began letting down the

  Both were carried to a mast, and

  first heavy packing-case.

  lashings appeared as if by magic. Kicking,

  The stopping of the vessel had trying to strike, struggling to be free did not awakened Connor, and he left his cabin, to

  avail. The crew left their work at the boat

  meet Captain Adams and Guerrero at the

  to help.

  head of the companionway.

  A moment—and Connor and

  “You’d better stay in the cabin,” the

  Morgan were lashed securely to the mast,

  captain told him with a grin. “But you can

  so that they could move neither hand nor

  go on deck if you wish.”

  foot.

  “I beg your pardon, sir. Is the deck

  “Cap’n’s orders,” grinned one of

  to be left without an officer?”

  the men as they started back across the

  “Go on deck, by all means, if you

  deck.

  think an officer necessary,” the captain

  “You’ll suffer for this, you dogs!”

  retorted, grinning again, then walked to his

  Connor cried.

  cabin, with Guerrero following close

  They gave him no reply; they

  behind him.

  hurried back to the boat and began

  Connor sprang to the deck and lowering away another packing-case. They looked about him. He saw that a boat had

  worked by only one dim light that was

  been lowered, and that a heavy packing-

  shielded so there would be no reflection in

  Wild Norene

  37

  the distance of the open sea. They talked in

  an idea we’ll see the captain presently, and

  whispers.

  I’ve an idea that he’s playing some sort of a

  Connor and Morgan struggled at game.”

  their bonds, but the sailors had done their

  Then there was silence for a time,

  work well and escape was impossible.

  save for the creaking of the lines and the

  “They’re

  landin’ th’ contraband,” scraping of the cases as they were lowered Morgan whispered.

  against the side, and low oaths of men who

  “Yes.”

  smashed fingers or cut hands, and the soft-

  “Do you suppose it was cap’n’s spoken orders of Senor Guerrero.

  orders?”

  From the dark behind them after a

  “Yes.”

  time came a whisper:

  “But he hasn’t come back on deck;

  “Don’t speak! Don’t attract their

  there ain’t anybody to boss the men.”

  attention!”

  “They don’t need a boss,” snorted

  Connor felt his bonds give and

  Connor. “They’ve got their orders, and knew a knife had slashed them. Another they’ve done this work before.”

  slash of a knife, and he was free. Morgan,

  Then he saw Guerrero, who had

  too, was being favored, and without

  come slowly across the deck and was making noise they turned slowly and standing before them.

  peered around the mast at their deliverer.

  “We are sending the playthings to

  It was Wild Norene!

  the ragged, ignorant fools,” Guerrero said.

  “And you, my friend, will soon be one of

  those men who tell no tales.”

  CHAPTER VIII.

  He turned and walked toward the

  Caught!

  men working at the packing-cases.

  “Lively, men!” he called. “You’ll

  be remembered with something extra THERE had been a peculiar scene enacted apiece if we come out all right.”

  in the captain’s cabin. Entering it with

  “Aye, aye, sir! “ replied the men in

  Senor Guerrero, Captain Bill Adams had

  chorus.

  closed the door behind them, locked it, and

  “Easy with that case, there! Those

  draped a towel over a crack in it, through

  lines need more grease; they are making a

  which the light filtered.

  devil of a noise!”

  “Well?” the captain asked then,

  “Cap’n’s orders,” muttered Connor

  smiling.

  to Morgan. “You notice, don’t you, who’s

  They sat down at the table opposite

  commanding the ship?”

  each other.

  “But where’s th’ cap’n?” Morgan

  “You think there’s no danger?”

  demanded. “Why isn’t he on deck? I’d

  Guerrero asked.

  think he’d want to boss this job himself,

  “None for you, senor; the cargo will

  with a gunboat liable to poke her nose at us

  be put ashore and you will go with it.

  out of th’ dark any minute. You don’t Everything seems to be in proper order. As suppose Guerrero has done for th’ cap’n,

  for the cargo itself—you shipped it from

  do you? You don’t suppose th’ men have

  Portland to the lumber-camp in boxes

  mutinied and turned to Guerrero?”

  labeled machinery, and we picked it up as

  “I do not,” replied Connor. “I have

  we dropped down the Columbia to Astoria.

  All-Story Cavalier Weekly

  38

  “As far as I know, I am carrying for

  captain securely, except that one hand was

  you certain machinery. If you desire to

  left free, and in it Captain Bill held a

  have it landed at this spot on the coast, well

  revolver, so that when he was pla
ced in the

  and good—you know your own business.”

  bunk he could cover any one who entered

  The captain grinned and puffed at

  the cabin. The captain was chuckling at the

  his cigar. Senor Guerrero, grinning also,

  look of amazement on Guerrero’s face as

  arose and turned his back, lifted up his

  the senor finished the task.

  vest, parted his shirt, and so reached the

  “Now go on deck, senor,” he

  opening of a money-belt he wore next his

  directed, “and see that all your cargo is

  skin. From this he took folded bills.

  landed properly. After the last load send the

  He turned to the captain again and

  men back to the schooner, and we’ll

  counted out a certain sum. The captain

  consider that we’ve said farewell. If you

  counted the bills in his turn.

  need me again you know how to find me.”

  “Correct,” he said. “One moment,

  “Si, senor! Adios! ”

  please.”

  “Adios! ”

  Behind a panel in the wall of the

  Guerrero unlocked the door and

  cabin the captain had a strong safe. He

  went out, to close it after him as the captain

  opened this now, put the money in it, and

  had directed, and hurry back to the deck.

  twirled the combination knob again.

  Norene, with Sally Wood in the