Adventure Magazine Cover — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

Yellow Tyeasure “T’ll thank you both later,’”’ he said, in the clipped, businesslike voice he used in his official capacity. He turned over the pages and dipped his pen in the ink. From below, we could hear the buzzing of the crew, roused by the sound of the shots. A knock fell on the door; and from outside came the agitated voice of Sylvia Parsons, asking her father if he was all right. “Meanwhile,” said O’Day, “I must log you both for violent treatment of a sea- man.” ( > ~ » 2 ws y* THE Yang-tze pilot came aboard the next morning; for it was still dark—about four A.M., when we came to hie off Tsung-ming Island, and, the captain being on the bridge, and I sta- tioned on the forward-deck keeping an eye on a crew now obviously dangerous, it was not until we were tied up at the Nanking dock that I was summoned to the captain’s room to have the formal log-book charge read over to me. And when I reached the room, it was empty, though the log-book, lying on the desk with a wet pen in the bight of its pages, testified that O’Day had only stepped out for a moment. I sat down, prepared to wait, and through the port giving on the bridge I suddenly heard the voices of Sylvia Parsons and Burns, the second officer. “Tf you’re not going up-country till next week,” he was saying, “‘surely we shall see each other again. A good deal can happen in a week, you, know, dear.”’ “Too much,” she replied, in a frightened voice. “I’m afraid of it, Harry. What did it mean, last night?” “Pooh!” he said, laughing. ‘Your mys- terious signals, you mean? Some Chink playing with a lantern. They’re like chil- dren.” “Harry,” she said, earnestly, “I was on the boat-deck watching for a long time. I was wide-awake, too—that’s why I was there so late. AndI tell you that some one was in the bows signalling as we lay off that island this morning. I would have told Mr. Fraser, but that I dared not go to the bridge after—after what happened.” “Well, signaling can’t hurt us,” he said, probably drawing her to him. “I do that myself sometimes.”’ And at that moment, O’Day walked in, ? 13 followed by a white man who was dressed in the usual fashion of Americans in the East, who chewed a cigar, and who suddenly, at the sight of my rank-badges, seemed to take a great interest In me. “‘Where’s Burns?” asked O’Day. ‘*Just outside the port there,” I answered. ‘Mr. Burns!’’ shouted O’Day, forgetting the formalities. He was evidently much perturbed. “TIcan’t understand,” he added to the man in the linen suit, ‘‘just how you became aware of this business at all.” ‘“‘Not necessary that you should,” said the man, easily. ‘“‘But I don’t mind in- forming you that you have had a pilot on board, and that he’s been over the side more than half an hour.”’ Burns entered. ‘“‘This is very irregular,’ growled O’Day, fingering the pages of the log-book unde- cidedly. ‘‘I should report 2 “You will allow me to know my own busi- ness,” said the stranger coldly, turning on the captain, and then on us, a pair of narrow black eyes startling in the intensity of their gaze. ‘‘You gentlemen, I believe, are the second and third officers of this ship. A Chinese seaman was killed, aboard, last night.” He turned back the lapel of his coat and displayed a badge. ‘“‘As an officer of the American Consu- late,” he said, “I arrest you both on a charge of wilful murder.” III Whin SLOW as old O’Day was when eivia! confronted with emergencies not connected with navigation, the ugly sound of these words jarred him into further protest. “Why,” he began, “‘the Chink had a knife in his hand ” The stranger broke in. “You needn’t tell it to me,” he said, ‘I’m not a judge and jury. Maybe this is only a formality and maybe it’s irregular, but I’ve been sent here for these two men and I’m going to take them back with me. You can either comply or resist. It makes no differ- ence to me.” “Tt’s all right as far as I’m concerned,” said Burns. O’Day looked at me, and saw that I agreed. It evidently relieved him. ‘“‘But I’m coming over myself as soon as I COIN Clooolkks (© inn