10-Story Detective Magazine Cover — page 16: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

4——__—__—_—___——10-STORY DETECTIVE canvas rip beneath the sharp blade of a knife. A man’s voice reached him. It was Packer’s. “That Marine was lying,” he grumbled. ‘We've all but carved the sails apart. There's nothing concealed here. We tried reefing "em and nothing happened either. I say let’s go below and rip the cabins apart. Garrick may have been just giving Cunningham a vague tip to cenfuse any- one else who happened to get the mes- sage. That confession and list of names may be hidden anywhere on the boat.” “I’m staying on deck,” Padge’s voice answered. “I don’t think the Marine lied, but I wish we still had him on ice, He made me sweat plenty in the dark back at the pool hall. I’d like to make him pay for that. I was never so doggone scared. Figured maybe he had a knife and would stick me like he done those Japs.” *“Won’t you ever stop being afraid of a knife?” Packer said irritably. “Guns don’t seare you half as much. Hey, Monk, come below with me. If Pudge wants to stay up there and search, it’s okay. He might find something. We'll tear the downstairs apart.” Packer and a hefty man headed toward the companionway. McKay hurriedly darted into the first cabin, closed the door and stood behind it. If they entered, he might be able to get clear before they turned around or knew of his presence. It would be better, he realized, if he thad a safer spot to hide, There was a locker affixed to the bulkhead, a spacious steel one. He yanked it open, and nearly let out a yell. There was someone occupy- ing it. All he could see were two eyes peering from beneath crudely -applied gauze tape wound around the whole head to serve as a gag and an ear muffler. The man’s hands and legs were cruelly tied, and he’d been stuffed into the locker, Mckay closed the door quickly, crossed the cabin, and saw a letter opener on a Small navigating desk. He picked it up. Near the cabin door, he wondered why they hadn’t arrived yet. He put his ear against the parels. Packer was hissing something. McKay suddenly realized where he’d made a serious blunder, Drip- ping wet, he’d probably left.a neat trail. Au Packer and his men had to do was stay in the corridor and wait for him to come out. McKay shivered violently. He — aie ieee ins weds which took the place of the usual porthole. It was much too small to squirm through. He found the lower part of the tiny window open and peered out. About ten feet forward was another and similar window. That would lead into the cabin ~ farthest down the corridor. McKay seized a fishing rod in one cor- ner of the cabin. It was equipped with a good-sized sinker. He thrust it out of the window, allowed the sinker to drop to- ward the water for a distance of ten or eleven feet. Then he managed to get one arm and shoulder out the window. If Packer ever barged in now, the battle would be short and not very sweet. McKay began swinging the line with its sinker until it was forming a fairly large arc. He yanked the line, The sinker hit the hull, missing the window of the next cabin by a couple of inches. The sinker made quite a thud. He heard ex- cited whispers in the corridor. He tried again. This time he succeeded in landing the sinker a glancing blow against the glass. It shattered, making enough noise to really draw attention. Feet scampered along the corridor. McKay darted for the door, took his life in his hands when he opened it, and looked into the corridor. THe cabin in which-he’d broken the window was illumi- nated. McKay made a running dive for the companionway: ladder, swarmed up it, and saw Pudge coming his way fast. McKay lowered his head and kept on go- ing. He hit Pudge and they both went down. Before the crook could moye, Mc- Kay had the point of the letter opener pressed against his back. “One squirm,” he hissed, “and T’ll drive this trench knife wight through your — heart. It makes an awful mess.” UDGE shuddered violently and let go # of the gun he still held. McKay made him get up, hurried him oyer to the rail, and tossed him over into deep water. Pudge floundered around. McKay kicked the gun-into the water, too, gave a run- jump and cleared the rail just as Packer and the third crook came on deck, Guns blasted and bullets whizzed close. Then McKay was falling through space. He came up, took a quiek breath, and dived again. The water was filled with tiny geysers caused by hot steel. He — a a ne ame. eee water. a enor ee. Se ct