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at him as though he feared he were in the clutch of a madman。 Wrenching
himself free； the youth pointed at the pilot…house。 Above it on a blue board
in letters of gold…leaf a foot high was the name of the tug。 As David read it
his breath left him； a finger of ice passed slowly down his spine。 The name
he read was The Three Friends。
〃THE THREE FRIENDS！〃 shrieked David。 〃She's a filibuster！ She's a
pirate！ Where're we going？
〃To Cuba！〃
David emitted a howl of anguish； rage； and protest。
〃What for？〃 he shrieked。
The young man regarded him coldly。
〃To pick bananas；〃 he said。
〃I won't go to Cuba；〃 shouted David。 〃I've got to work！ I'm paid to sell
machinery。 I demand to be put ashore。 I'll lose my job if I'm not put ashore。
I'll sue you！ I'll have the law〃
David found himself suddenly upon his knees。 His first thought was
that the ship had struck a rock； and then that she was bumping herself over
a succession of coral reefs。 She dipped； dived； reared； and plunged。 Like a
hooked fish； she flung herself in the air； quivering from bow to stern。 No
longer was David of a mind to sue the filibusters if they did not put him
ashore。 If only they had put him ashore； in gratitude he would have
crawled on his knees。 What followed was of no interest to David； nor to
many of the filibusters； nor to any of the Cuban patriots。 Their groans of
self…pity； their prayers and curses in eloquent Spanish； rose high above the
crash of broken crockery and the pounding of the waves。 Even when the
search…light gave way to a brilliant sunlight the circumstance was
unobserved by David。 Nor was he concerned in the tidings brought
forward by the youth in the golf cap； who raced the slippery decks and
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vaulted the prostrate forms as sure…footedly as a hurdler on a cinder track。
To David； in whom he seemed to think he had found a congenial spirit； he
shouted Joyfully； 〃She's fired two blanks at us！〃 he cried； 〃now she's firing
cannon…balls！〃
〃Thank God；〃 whispered David； 〃perhaps she'll sink us！〃
But The Three Friends showed her heels to the revenue cutter； and so
far as David knew hours passed into days and days into weeks。 It was like
those nightmares in which in a minute one is whirled through centuries of
fear and torment。 Sometimes； regardless of nausea； of his aching head； of
the hard deck； of the waves that splashed and smothered him； David fell
into broken slumber。 Sometimes he woke to a dull consciousness of his
position。 At such moments he added to his misery by speculating upon the
other misfortunes that might have befallen him on shore。 Emily； he
decided； had given him up for lost and marriedprobably a navy officer in
command of a battle…ship。 Burdett and Sons had cast him off forever。
Possibly his disappearance had caused them to suspect him； even now
they might be regarding him as a defaulter； as a fugitive from justice。 His
accounts； no doubt； were being carefully overhauled。 In actual time； two
days and two nights had passed； to David it seemed many ages。
On the third day he crawled to the stern； where there seemed less
motion； and finding a boat's cushion threw it in the lee scupper and fell
upon it。 From time to time the youth in the golf cap had brought him food
and drink； and he now appeared from the cook's galley bearing a bowl of
smoking soup。
David considered it a doubtful attention。
But he said； 〃You're very kind。 How did a fellow like you come to mix
up with these pirates？〃
The youth laughed good…naturedly。
〃They're not pirates； they're patriots；〃 he said； 〃and I'm not mixed up
with them。 My name is Henry Carr and I'm a guest of Jimmy Doyle； the
captain。〃
〃The barkeeper with the derby hat？〃 said David。
〃He's not a barkeeper； he's a teetotaler；〃 Carr corrected； 〃and he's the
greatest filibuster alive。 He knows these waters as you know Broadway；
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THE RED CROSS GIRL
and he's the salt of the earth。 I did him a favor once； sort of mouse…
helping…the…lion idea。 Just through dumb luck I found out about this
expedition。 The government agents in New York found out I'd found out
and sent for me to tell。 But I didn't； and I didn't write the story either。
Doyle heard about that。 So； he asked me to come as his guest； and he's
promised that after he's landed the expedition and the arms I can write as
much about it as I darn please。〃
〃Then you're a reporter？〃 said David。
〃I'm what we call a cub reporter；〃 laughed Carr。 〃You see； I've always
dreamed of being a war correspondent。 The men in the office say I dream
too much。 They're always guying me about it。 But； haven't you noticed； it's
the ones who dream who find their dreams come true。 Now this isn't real
war； but it's a near war； and when the real thing breaks loose； I can tell the
managing editor I served as a war correspondent in the Cuban…Spanish
campaign。 And he may give me a real job！〃
〃And you LIKE this？〃 groaned David。
〃I wouldn't； if I were as sick as you are；〃 said Carr； 〃but I've a stomach
like a Harlem goat。〃 He stooped and lowered his voice。 〃Now； here are
two fake filibusters；〃 he whispered。 〃The men you read about in the
newspapers。 If a man's a REAL filibuster； nobody knows it！〃
Coming toward them was the tall man who had knocked David out；
and the little one who had wanted to tie him to a tree。
〃All they ask；〃 whispered Carr； 〃is money and advertisement。 If they
knew I was a reporter； they'd eat out of my hand。 The tall man calls
himself Lighthouse Harry。 He once kept a light…house on the Florida coast；
and that's as near to the sea as he ever got。 The other one is a dare…devil
calling himself Colonel Beamish。 He says he's an English officer； and a
soldier of fortune； and that he's been in eighteen battles。 Jimmy says he's
never been near enough to a battle to see the red…cross flags on the base
hospital。 But they've fooled these Cubans。 The Junta thinks they're great
fighters； and it's sent them down here to work the machine guns。 But I'm
afraid the only fighting they will do will be in the sporting columns； and
not in the ring。〃
A half dozen sea…sick Cubans were carrying a he