Adventure Magazine Cover — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

16 without a vestige of expression on his fea- tures, “indeed thy hands are large (gener- ous) but such is not sweet in the eyes of the people who would commune each with his neighbor, saying, ‘Is it then that whites are also gods and slaves?’ ” “Orl right, old top,” retorted Dorkin, “have iteyer own w’y. If yer knew as much abart whites as I dew yew wouldn’t fink they wus gawds!” “What does he say?” interrupted Dorsay. “Is nibs ses ’e’ll send back some men and do wot yer want, but ’e wants a price.”’ “Oh, that doesn’t matter,’ said Dorsay relievedly, ‘as long as he finds out what’s happened to Macnamara. Say, there’s another thing. In the fight I lost my hel- met, as you see, but these fellows found one of our donkeys which had my kit. “See the fellow with my safety-razor stuck in his ear? He’s wearing my terai _ hat. He can keep the razor. Guess [ll have to grow a beard anyway.” Dorkin burst into a guffaw and told the chief that he wished to go to his camp and teach the white slave what he had to do. “That’s orl right, chummie,” he said to Dorsay; “’e’ll send it along ter me ter- night——”’ Vax RATHER annoyed at having to (=) walk with the coat over his head, Dorsay followed Dorkin through the village and to his camp, which was pitched just outside. He suspected, of course, that the blood-stained message had brought Dorkin on the same quest as the doctor and himself. Well, thought Dorsay, he had a perfect right to do so. He hadn’t been bound to secrecy. “Tt was my own fault for having shown it to him.” Yet it was annoying, although in his recent plight it didn’t seem to matter if there were forty others chasing after the same will-o’-the-wisp. “By the way,” he remarked as _ they approached the camp outside the village, ‘“where’s your partner, Simpson?” “Oh, ’im?” replied Dorkin with a note of contempt. ‘’E’s still ’auling lumber. ’E ain’t no sport, ’e ain’t.” * As Dorsay was wondering what might be Dorkin’s definition of a “‘sport”’ he continued: “R’s a regular ‘new chum,’ that’s wot ’e is. I been at the gime too long ter monkey rahnd wiv the like 0’ ’ Adventure ge Suppose,’ ’ said Dorsay a bit stiffly, ‘“‘you’ve come after the same thing as we have—although you said it wasn’t worth the game when I showed you the message?” “Wot d’yew fink! I want ter tawk to yer abaht that. Come in and sit dahn, will yer?”’ They had reached his camp, consisting of a green tent and an old military bell tent for his men. As they sat in camp chairs Dorkin remarked suddenly— “Yew ain’t got any guns, ’ave yer?” “No,” replied Dorsay mendaciously, pull- ing his coat over the bulge of the revolver beneath his shirt. “Why?” “Nuffin. J fort p’raps yer wanted one.” He shouted to one of his men to bring food, lighted a cigar, and turned to Dorsay. “y s’y, mister, ‘wot d’yew reckon to do?” “Wait until these people here bring news as to whether the doctor is still alive or not.” Ag if ’e ain’tr”’ “T don’t know,” said Dorsay slowly. “Go back, I guess, and organize another expedition—to rescue the doctor if he was captured, and to avenge him if he’s killed.”’ “Ow yer going ter do that?” “Why, surely— “As I said, you'll surely give me credit enough in goods to get back.” ‘‘Ain’t yer got no brass?” “Well, I haven’t on me,” admitted Dor- say. ‘Naturally I carried some with me; but some son-of-a-gun stole my coat with - the cash ’way back at Yananga’s.”’ “Go on!’ said Dorkin, and grinned. “‘When do yer want ter go?” ‘““As soon as these people bring whatever information they can find. How long do you reckon that ought to be?” “Ow, Ill ’ave an answer fer yer in four d’ys. ’Ave yer still got that bit o’ bloody rag on yer?” “Why, ves,’ said Dorsay, touching the chain about his neck. “Gaw lumme!” ejaculated Dorkin. “TI never fort o’ that! Is’y, let me’ avea look.’’. Dorsay detached the chain and unrolled the message. Dorkin snatched and opened. At that moment one of the village natives approached with a basket of food for sale. Dorkin instantly closed his fist over the rag and swore at him, telling him to go to the other tent where his men were. “Don’t do ter let these swine see too much,” he added to Dorsay, who was wondering at the outburst. ‘See ’ere,” he continued. “Yew’re going after the COMMICLOOoKS (F@)