Adventure, January 20, 1922 — page 22: what you’re looking at

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

20 “Then Dil make the cast for them. Come with me.’ “Ye can do without me, captain. Here are plenty o’ good men yet, standing by with your stores. I have yet to get my ration of beef from Steve Carr. My own gear, too, is yet on shore. Take others.” Sy boat-crew-and rowed off to the two vessels named, which might easily be distinguished by the uproar rising from them. The captain leaped on board the boatswain’s craft and placed his _ boat’s crew, armed to the teeth, at the rail. “Belay this hubbub, ye snarling hounds!” he roared. “Here, cap’n!”’ The boatswain stepped forward. ‘“‘Now do you step over to the other side, my bully, and call over the men ye want 0’ this’ unruly pack.” The boatswain obeyed, and there were a score or more left. “Into my boat, you!” cried Cook, and at the pistol muzzle the surly ruffans filed over the rail. “Take ’em over to the small sloop now! Come back for me, and we’ll settle with the carpenter’s pack the same way.” Amid curses from the boat and huzzas from the crew chosen, the boat made the round and came back. Then Cook repeated the procedure with the other manned sloop, and the smallest craft of all was left with a crew big enough for a vessel twice her tonnage, but lacking a captain. “Choose ye a captain among ye! I'll send the rest o’ the bullies on board with yer beef,’ the commander shouted, and returned to the beach, where a small mob of subdued, muttering. pirates clustered about a heap of fresh-killed beef, waiting guidance. now that neither Ortega nor Blink could command them. And Steve Carr’s elation had died with the dwindling of his beef heap. He saw Davies moving to and fro among the huts, giving orders and looking more of the commander than even John Cook. And as for himself, here he was still, playing butcher for the fleet, with never a word spoken yet regarding his own post in the venture. He waited until the last boatload of red meat put off, and accosted Cook as that busy chief started toward his own hut to complete his arrangements for departure. COOK grumblingly took his own Adventure 7, “Well” snarled the captain; and his eyes and voice told Steve Carr that he was doomed to play victim to some cunning plot. NN by refraction on the horizon. High == on the crest of the headland a tall pile of boat timbers and ship wreckage was beginning to show a red crown through a curtain of smoke. A lookout in the head of a lofty palm was taking a last scrutiny of the sea before descending to report all clear for the flotilla’s sailing. “Well, Steve Carr?’”’ Cook snarled again, hand on pistol, face thrust forward menac- ingly. “My orders, captain; I ask ye why I, alone o’ your officers, am left 1 the dark at this late hour. I remind ye of our arti- cles, John Cook. If disratin’ me’s in your mind, I. warn ye it’s a matter for all hands.” Carr -showed little fear of the chief. Vill THE westering sun sat flattened Rather, now he faced the issue, there was ‘ truculence in his attitude, and Cook knew there was no time to waste. That vanishing sun, the growing fire on the headland which would make of Aves a beacon to be seen for forty miles and surely attract attention should a prowling cruiser chance to see it, warned him that it was high time to embark since the die was cast for the venture. He had little relish for a fight on hand with Steve Carr, for the man had plenty of followers in the band, and it was not simply a matter of quieting Steve. Cook could be cajoling as well as threatening; and he used cajolery now. “So that’s all, hey, Steve?” he smiled, changing his expression as if vastly relieved. He thrust back his pistol, and took Carr’s reluctant hand. “Why, Steve lad, I thought ye meant mutiny! Orders? O’ course. Disratin’ ye? Why should IP? Ain’t ye my old shipmate and crony? I have sent Davies to the white sloop, y’ see, and ye’re still my right- hand man, Steve. Did ye doubt it? “T gave ye work that called for dispatch because I knew ye, Steve. Now there’s one more bit o’ business for ye while I embark these plaguy women and the pris- oners, see? Go into them woods, Steve, and see if ye can call forth Doggett and Rando, the surly dogs. I ain’t the man to leave ’em alone here, to starve or be picked’ COMMICOOOKS (C@