Across to Singapore
1
Among the unsung deeds
of history there are none
more noble than Joel
Shore's heroic fight in the
great mutiny of August
14th, 1857.
2
"Stand back! Unhand
that woman .... or my
trusty pistol will bark
your doom!"
3
"Swim for your life, Priscilla!
Better a watery grave than
life in the clutches of these
blackguards!"
4
"That was the best mutiny
we've had this week,
wasn't it?"
5
"My brother Mark will be
sailin' home any day ....
and I'll be mighty glad to
see him again."
6
"I reckon I've grown big
and strong enough to
sail with Mark on his
next trip."
7
"It's Brother Mark's ship ....
the Nathan Ross!"
8
"Look, Noah! Our baby
brother's outgrown his
rattles and bibs at last."
9
"Priscilla! What a pretty
young woman you've
growed up to be!"
10
"Father .... I'm set on
shippin' with Brother
Mark on his next
voyage."
11
"I ain't shippin' no infants
till they've shown me they
know how to fight!"
12
"Marse Crowninshield's
here .... and his daughter,
Missy Priscilla."
13
"To the prettiest and the
nicest gal I've seen in
more'n two years."
14
"Mark's gettin' a bit too
sweet. Feed him some
of this vinegar."
15
"Any more of your capsizin'
glassware .... and off to bed
for you!"
16
"Not too rough, Father.
I'd hate to see the lad
made uncomfortable."
17
"Splendid wine .... 'ceptin'
it's a bit too sweet."
18
"Here's a trick to practice.
Maybe 'twill keep you out
of mischief awhile."
19
"I guess I'll stow this
baby in his crib."
20
"Now, youngster! Unfurl
your shirt tail .... and
into your bunk!"
21
"I'll be back in a jiffy ....
and you'd better be
sleepin'."
22
"I'm mighty lucky, Priscilla ...
gettin' chance to drink to
you without anybody
lookin' on."
23
"Folks always predicted
that when I fell in love
I'd fall terrible sudden
and awful hard .... and
I'm doin' it!"
24
"Looks like my Priscilla
and your Mark are goin'
to make our wishes
come true at last."
25
"Here's to her! The Heaven
it's been findin' her .... and
the Hell it'd be to lose her!"
26
"Go on .... ask him! Don't
stand there blushin' like
a port light!"
27
"Mr. Crowninshield, how 'bout
me marryin' your daughter ....
after my next trip?"
28
"We'll have it announced
in church tomorrow and
surprise everybody .... even
Priscilla!"
29
"I tell you what! Long as
Mark hid your clothes ....
why not wear a suit of
his?"
30
Mark's "sudden outburst
of love" was the cause
for a private brotherly
celebration later that
night.
31
"We specialize in any size
riots, fights or wars!
No five or ten or a thousand men,
Are as good as us three Shores!"
32
"If you no want two big
black eyes,
And punches on the nose-a;
Never make the sailors mad
From the good ship SANTA ROSA."
33
"It begins to look like a
very pleasant evening."
34
"My best Sunday uniform!
I'll ruin you for this!"
35
"If you try to ruin me ....
I'll ruin your uniform!"
36
"He's-a no sailor! He's-a
de nurse-girl!"
37
"You licked Dog-nose Danny,
the toughest sailor afloat!
You've earned right to sail
with me now."
38
"No five or ten or a thousand men,
Are as good as us four Shores!"
39
There is always a Sunday
morning after a Saturday
night.
40
"Dear friends, I have a
lovely surprise to gladden
your hearts .... one and all."
41
"Will Captain Mark Shore
please step forward?"
42
"And next .... will our
beloved sister, Priscilla
Crowninshield, come
forward?"
43
"Our esteemed parishioner,
Joshua Crowninshield,
requests me to announce
the betrothal of his
daughter, Priscilla, to
Captain Mark Shore."
44
The next morning the
NATHAN ROSS made
ready to sail again for
the Far East.
45
"It's going to be terribly
lonesome without you,
Joel."
46
"I'll think of you lots of
times too, Priscilla."
47
"Mark's waitin' to say
good-bye to you,
Priscilla."
48
"Joel .... I don't want
to marry Mark."
49
South through
tropic seas --
50
Every day, every hour the
haunting memory of Priscilla
refusing his kisses .... and
the constant struggle to
forget her.
51
OFF CAPE HORN --
The cradle of winds...
the grave of ships.
52
"Noah needs you on deck,
Mark! We're fightin' a
snortin' gale!"
53
"Let 'er blow! Storms at
sea ain't nothin'! They
always stop!"
54
"It's storms in the heart
that never stop .... like
Priscilla's stirred up in
mine!"
55
"You're wrong about
Priscilla, Mark. There's
nobody in her eyes
but you."
56
"Nobody but me? Then
why did she draw 'way
from me? Why didn't
she kiss me good-bye?"
57
"It's lovin' somebody else
that's makin' her hate me!
Somebody else! Some day
I'll meet him!"
58
"You're wrong about
Priscilla! She don't love
anybody but you."
59
"Come on, Mark! There's
a mad sea and a crazy
gale challengin' us Shores
to fight!"
60
"Challengin' us Shores, eh?
Wantin' fight, are you?
Come on then .... howl and
roar your damndest!"
61
"Order two men aloft to
smother that topsail!"
62
"Stay fast side o' me,
youngster! I don't
intend lettin' that old
sea sweep you over-
board!"
63
"NOAH!"
64
"The sea's hungry .... and
she'd rather have two
than one!"
65
"I calc'late you'll make a
good first mate, Joel ....
but it's goin' to be awful
lonesome without Noah."
66
"Goin' to make Joel first
mate over me, is he ....
same as he put Noah
ahead of me!"
67
"I'm goin' to get this
ship for myself!"
68
When we go ashore in
Singapore .... I'll see that
Cap'n Mark is got out
of my way!
69
SINGAPORE.
70
"You're too young to go
ashore in this place!"
71
"Kinda recognize beauty
when you lay eyes on
it, don't you?"
72
"It'll take more than one
knife to get your gal
'way from him. You'll
need a gang ... savvy?"
73
"Mark, you mustn't do
this! You've got to
remember Priscilla!"
74
"Why should I remember
Priscilla? She'll be happier
if I forget her! She don't
love me!"
75
"Priscilla! Priscilla! She's
to be thanked for what
I'm makin' out of myself!"
76
"I'll throttle you if you
ever speak her name to
me again! Understand?"
77
"Fetch this youngster
back aboard ship!"
78
"Big sailor man stabbed!
Many men throw him in
water!"
79
The home port of the
Nathan Ross had again
begun to watch east-
ward for sight of Cap'n
Mark's ship.
80
"See if you can make
out that craft comin'
to the harbor."
81
"It's the Nathan Ross ....
and she's flyin' her flag
at half mast!"
82
"Last month my son,
Matthew, went down
with The Sea Robin ...
and now this bids
more bad news."
83
"Noah was lost at sea,
Mr. Shore .... and Cap'n
Mark was killed in
Singapore."
84
"And where's Joel ....
the youngster?"
85
"We had to bring him
back in irons."
86
"He deserted Cap'n Mark
durin' the fight he got
killed in! He quit his
own brother!"
87
"I'll hear what the lad's
got to say .... over in
my office."
88
"Now, young man ....
what have you got
to say for yourself?"
89
"I guess his silence is
proof enough of his
guilt."
90
"A son of mine ....
a rank coward!"
91
"He lies, Father!
He lies!"
92
"Priscilla .... you don't believe
the lie Finch told about me,
do you?"
93
"Mark isn't dead! I'm sure
he isn't! He's down there
eatin' his heart out because
of you!"
94
"But, Priscilla .... wouldn't
you be happy if Mark
were found alive?"
95
"You're betrothed to
him, Priscilla!"
96
"You're the only one
who can get him
back from there!"
97
"I don't want him to
come back! I don't
love him!"
98
"You made him love you ....
and now you're not goin'
to quit him when he needs
you!"
99
"I'm sailin' back to Singapore
tonight .... and you're goin'
along!"
100
"We're sailin' for Singapore!
I'm master now!"
101
"I've brought along a few
friends .... in case you don't
like what I say."
102
"These men are goin' to
see us safely to Singapore
and back!"
103
Six months in Singapore
has made Mark a
drink-crazed, half-mad,
gibbering derelict.
104
"No five or ten or
a thousand men,
Are as good as any Shore!"
105
"Stop! Stop! For six
months all I hear is
the same crazy song!"
106
"Aloft there! Reef her
down! Lively with it ....
or I'll slit your gizzards!"
107
"I'm goin' to stand my
regular evenin' lookout
for my ship."
108
"It's my ship comin'
back for me!"
109
"I'm goin' to find Mark
and bring him here
to you!"
110
"Joel, don't you see?
If you find Mark it
means I must keep
my betrothal to him."
111
"It will mean that every
one else must be put
out of my heart."
112
"You're pledged to be
Mark's wife!"
113
"But it's you that's in
my heart, Joel! It's you
I love!"
114
"No! You belong to
Mark!"
115
"We can't let him get
ashore! If he finds
Cap'n Mark it's jail
for us!"
116
"You're goin' to take me
to where you last saw
my brother!"
117
"See! Priscilla has come
for you, Mark!"
118
"You ... came ... for ... me?"
119
"I know why you came!
And I know why you
hate me! It's him ....
Joel!"
120
"What kind of woman are
you .... pledged to me and
lovin' my own brother!"
121
"I'll brain both of you
love-thievin' hypocrites!"
122
"Put him in irons!"
123
"Soon as you've come
to your senses, I'll give
the ship over to you!"
124
"And when you do, I'll
feed you to the sharks!"
125
"You're no brother of
mine .... you ship-thievin',
woman stealin' swine!"
126
"Mark! I tell you that
Priscilla came along
only to find you!"
127
"Tell my brother the
truth!"
128
"The truth is .... he quit
you in Singapore hopin'
you'd get killed, so he
could have Priscilla."
129
"Kill him, Finch! Rip out
his lyin' tongue!"
130
"Let him up! Give the
lad a fightin' chance!"
131
"My brother! It's my
brother! My kind
you're killin'!"
132
"God help you if I get
loose!"
133
"You're both where I want
you at last! Now, this
ship's mine .... and the
woman, too!"
134
"Open your eyes, youngster!
Talk to me!"
135
"Forgive me, Joel ....
I didn't mean it!"
136
"Taste the iron, you
crummy lubbers!"
137
"Be good to Priscilla ....
and be happy with
her, Joel."
The End
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