Adventure, November 1915 — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

fe | / & ea eee AM aati A Le rid Aral 7. - oi ball tee at SSA Oyen a. ' r rN, ' 8 trie Me 4 . t Aw? 7% nde “a cue be { i LA Y bi NCI SF Pant hg, DRL PURO ep OA 70 Adventure : other end of the crevice Henley sprang, mounting a cinder slope in uneven leaps, the . ash rattling down behind him, one foot drag- ging, holding him with its fatal handicap. Foo Chin bounded in pursuit as Henley toiled upward to the rim, wheeling every few steps to fire at the giant Chinaman who, disdainful of his own automatic, climbed, knife in hand, gaining at every stride. Half way to the top of the bowl Henley turned like a cornered rat with a squeal of terror, firing his last shot point-blank at the Chinaman, who, unchecked, closed with his man. It was over in a.second. Henley twined desperately about the giant, who tore him free and literally dragged him by the collar of his coat and shirt at the full length of one powerful arm. Foo Chin’s knife flashed once and came back for the second thrust, dull with crimson, ripping through the soft parts of Henley’s body. The wretch dropped in a slack huddle, like a half-filled sack of sawdust, as the Chinaman released his hold, wiped his knife on the dead man’s clothes and came striding up the slope toward Addams and Ah Sing, his moonlike face bland with content. He spoke rapidly to Ah Sing without any show of excitement. “He speak he want know about Loo Chow,” translated the latter. “He ask, suppose you take along Loo Chow to Hono- lulu?” “Of course,” answered Addams, respect- ing the Oriental idea of burial. “You tell him Loo Chow’s share goes to his family. We've got to hurry up if we expect to get away with any of it. Keep below the ridge, both of you.” They raced back along the slope at top speed, until they reached the place where they must descend from the ridge to the beach. Their appearance against the sky- line was greeted by a scattering volley from the Lei Lehua that continued as they climbed down the face of the cliff and ran to the small boat; but the range was too great for any precision on the part of Tuan Yuck and any of his marksmen. THEY reached the deck of the W avecrest in safety, leaving the boat to trail. Winton had the entire armory on deck, and Selim was opening up cartridges. The broken-nosed renegade stood apart by the rail. | “Did Foo Chin get Henley, Archer?” asked Winton. Addams nodded. ~ “Break out the anchor, there,” he or- dered. “Get in that side ladder. There should be enough wind for steerageway, with the ebb to take us out. Where’s Peggy?” “T made her go below. We thought every shot they were going to get you and I figured they might try a spare bullet or so at us, so I made her watch you through a port-hole. Here’s a bit of breeze, thank Heaven!” The Wavecrest’s stem hissed as the im- pulse of the wind urged the trim yacht toward the entrance. The Lei Lehua out- side, slowly skirting the reef, and the Wave- crest inside the calm lagoon, were prac- tically equi-distant from the channel en- trance, which was about half a- mile from either of them. “T think we'll make it,” said Addams. “Tf they can keep us inside, our chances are pretty slim. Once outside, we can beat them drifting or sailing. They’ll do their - best to shoot us down, of course, but there are two sides to that game. We'll keep under cover all we can and try and make every shot count.” The tide drew the yacht steadily toward the channel, Addams at the wheel. The Lei Lehua seemed practically becalmed. ““A good blind breaker will set them nicely on the reef if they’re not careful,” said Addams. “I don’t see why they don’t start trying to pick us off.” “They have,” said Winton, as a stray bullet flipped through the luff of the main- sail, high up to the gaff. “Get below the rail, all of you!” cried . Addams. ‘Show as little as you can. Don’t fire unless there’s something to shoot at.”’ He stood by the wheel, exposed to the bullets that began to whip by them through the masts, the slant the yacht was making for the reef in a measure protecting him. Suddenly his face grew sterner as his gaze fell on Peggy at the head of the companion- way. “Get below!” he said harshly. “Y’m not exposed here,” she protested. “T can sit at the top of the ladder and re- load. You’re in the open.” “They can shoot right through that scut- tle,” he said. ‘‘Get below.” CORDIC IOOLKS (F@