The seven missionaries

by H. C. McNeile

The seven missionaries seemed very decent fellows, even if they did fail somewhat signally to add to the general gaiety

THE SEVEN MISSIONARIES

By Major H. C. McNeile

Illustrations by G. W. Gage

Jim Maitland Encounters Modern Pirates Aboard the “Andaman”

It never really got much beyond the rumor stage--Captain James Kelly of the S. S. Andaman saw to that. It wouldn’t have done him any good, or his line, and since England was troubled with railway strikes and war scares at Agadir, things which happened on the other side of the globe were apt to be crowded out of the newspapers.

But he couldn’t stop the rumors, and “Our Special Correspondent” in Colombo made out quite a fair story for his paper at home. It didn’t appear; seemingly the editor thought the poor devil had taken to drink and was raving. In fact, all that did appear in the papers were two short and apparently disconnected notices. The first ran somewhat as follows, and was found under the Shipping Intelligence:

“The S. S. Andaman arrived yesterday at Colombo. She remained to carry out repairs to her wireless, and will leave tomorrow for Plymouth.”

And the second appeared some two or three months after: