Adventure, July 1, 1928 — page 150: what you’re looking at

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

144 seemed to consider the advisability of jumping overboard. From the lady there came a shriek, not loud, but half sup- pressed and tremulous, which, however, suggested the utmost dismay. “Mon Dieul” she cried. Le diable! Oh, que faire?” At that the Chinese turned to run for it; and as he did so, John Eade flew at him like a dog, and caught him by the throat. “Liu Tang! CHAPTER II THE HELL-BOAT ADE soon found out that he had taken on more than he had bar- gained for. Though the Chinese was not as tall as himself, and nothing like so heavy, he was a strong man and slippery as an eel; and during the brief struggle he did his best to get at a naked knife he carried at his waist belt. It was by no means an unfortunate thing for the American that Madame Scala’s ery of alarm had the effect of bringing the little Portuguese captain down from the bridge like a terrier after a rat. Eade had put down the hurricane- lamp, and this gave Quental all the light he needed. While passing down the deck, the captain had armed himself with a belaying pin, and with this he dealt the Chinese a blow on the head that knocked him completely out, and very nearly killed him. Eade was glad enough to extricate him- self with no greater damage done than a crumpled shirt; for Quental, wild with excitement, and shouting at the top of his voice in his own language, had laid about him right and left, and it was more by good luck than good management that he had not floored Eade as well. The American got to his feet, shook himself like a wet dog and then stared at madame. She stood in a tense attitude, her hands clasped in front of her, her face— even in that dim light—looking whiter CHARLES GILSON than ever. He could see that she was trembling, as if it were only with the greatest effort that she was able to con- trol herself. “And so you know this man?” he asked. She seemed not to have heard the ques- tion, until she gave a little start and slowly turned to Eade. “T might have know it,” she said, as if speaking to herself. “Liu Tang was certain to have followed me. But how did he come on board?” “Must have climbed on deck last night,” said the other. ‘‘He has been hiding in that boat for nearly twenty- four hours, under the tarpaulin.” : “TJ don’t mean that,” she answered. “I can not think how he got to Singapore in time.” “Then you know where he came from?” Eade exclaimed. “Helas!” she sighed. to my cost.” The Chinaman lay upon the deck, stiff and straight as a corpse. And there was a look upon his face that put the wind up John Eade, who had no wish to figure in the Malay newspa- pers as a witness at a trial for man- slaughter. He went down upon his knees and placed an ear to the unconscious man’s heart. “He’s alive, all right,” said he, with a sigh of relief. “But if he hasn’t got con- cussion, the fellow must have a skull like a flatiron. What do you propose to do with him now?” It was to Quental that he spoke— Quental, who was leaning right forward with his elbows on his knees, staring into the immobile, waxen countenance of the Chinese. The expression of the little Portuguese was extraordinary: he looked half frightened and half jubilant, and he was panting like a man who has run a race, his mouth wide open. He still held the belaying pin in his right hand, and seemed to be ready, even eager, to use it © again, should his unfortunate victim move so much as an inch. “TI know that— comicloooks.com