Adventure, January 20, 1922 — page 29: what you’re looking at

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

Tides of Hate wavered in their turn; and, once wavering, there was no recovery for them; for, before their officers could re-form them to start on a deck-sweeping attack, like a pale ghost out of the brightening night appeared the sloop of John Cook. He had crept up to the scene of battle not knowing who or what the combatants were, but cunningly aware that where there was a fight afoot his advent must sway the decision. And he needed such a ship as that one which lay so dark and silent just off the quarter of the ship where the fight was in progress. “Sheer off, John Cook!” screamed Nell, hanging by a backstay and leaning out in her excitement until she all but fell between the vessels. “Away with ye and lend a hand to Davies. He has a fleet indeed for ye, ye laggard, unless ye’re laggard still.” To do the Dons justice, it must be re- lated that they did not absolutely surrender until a hundred and fifty fresh men followed John Cook up their vessel’s tall sides and took them in the rear. Then indeed defeat was certain; and the tall old Spaniard who so stoutly had defended his command proved that he was under no misappre- hension concerning his conquerors by his reply to Davies’ demand that he surrender. “Senor pirate, you take my sword from my dead body,” he said with quiet dignity; and suited action to words by placing the point of his weapon against his breast and falling upon it. “Tt’s a brave old man!” sneered Cook, kicking the body contemptuously. Then he made bold to assume command, taking it as his right. “Not so fast, captain, not so fast,’’ Davies remonstrated quietly. “Ye’re our com- mander, that’s true, but ’tis my own merry lads and Nell Clark who gained ye the ships, and ’tis myself will finish the business of securing them.’’. ‘““Aye, as ye secured my wench,” blustered Cook, fiercely turning upon Davies, who laughed in his face. “There’s more than the question of command between us, and twill be settled now.” “Nothing will be settled except the pick- ing up of the two craft yet absent, until there’s blue water under us. As for the wench, since ye flouted her yourself, and would ha’ left her on Aves, why, I ha’ taken her——” 27 “Who are ye driveling about, Davies?” Cook snarled. “Who else but Nell Clark?” “Ye said ye had my wench aboard ye.” ‘“‘Aye, Mistress Nell. T’other chit is safe aboard o’ yonder cruiser that hove in sight, I hope, along o’ her father. This is no cruise ‘for weepy females.” “Treacherous dog!” cried Cook; and, whipping out a pistol, he aimed it at the other’s head. Davies coolly gripped the weapon, twisted it away and tossed it overboard. | “Are ye mad?” he grated savagely. ‘Here ye are, in possession o’ two fine ships, one a real fighting ship, and ye must peril all out o’ childish spleen! I’ll meet ye, John Cook, man to man, just as soon as we win clear o’ these close waters, but if ye ha’ no patience, or threaten me again until I tell ye I’m yer man, Ill see somebody else takes share for ye in the cruise, for me if I let ye rob me o’ the fruits o’ this night’s sport.” “°?Tis mutiny, and so ye’ll answer for it,” growled Cook with ill grace. “But go on and do as ye will, and we’ll tally the reckon- ing in good season.”’ “That’s sensible,” laughed Davies care- lessly. ‘First then empty the sloop o’ your gear and stores. Tl show ye Pm no mutinous dog by letting ye take this fine frigate. ll take the merchantman. So do ye take out all your men, and into the sloop then we'll put the Spaniards and set *em on their way to the islands. “Ha’ ye seen aught o’ the lugger or the other sloopp I make a shrewd guess the small sloop came not far with ye, John.” “She put back before we covered a league,” growled Cook. “We saw the other but six hours back, and they should be in sight from this tall ship’s truck.” of Cook’s rovers winging swiftly ar eastward, and a floundering lugger, and a dismasted and dismantled sloop, mere specks far astern. Just lost to sight beyond the horizon to the northward a larger black sloop sped with all the aids of desperate DAWN revealed two stout ships full - seamanship to carry her-teeming freight of the Spanish cruiser’s company into a friend- ly port before stores and water failed. At noon, on the deck of the Cadzz, which Davies had discovered was the name of the merchantman that had run him down, the COMmicCMOoolks (E@)