Adventure Magazine Cover — page 43: what you’re looking at

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

The Cook with thoughtful gray eyes and unobtrusive manner—Filson, who went as mate with Gedge and managed somehow to get on with him in spite of the captain’s irascibility. Filson was a New Englander who had learned his seamanship in fishing-fleets on the Newfoundland Banks. ‘“‘Put me on a thick steak, and see that you have it well done but not burned, black boy,” growled Gedge as he straddled the disk of a seat before the counter. And he added sharply, “‘If you burn it I’ll throw it through your hide.” With this he pushed back his cap and re- vealed thick black hair shot with gray— hair worn overlong and inclined to curl. He grinned insolently at Pete, as if behind the violence of his words there was a pleas- ant personality and he meant no offense. Nevertheless, under his leering grin plenty of men knew there was hidden a ruthless cruelty. Pete gave a slight nod and turned toward the cutting-table for a steak, picking up a big knife. Filson sat down beside the skipper and quietly told the cook to fry some eggs in butter with a slice of ham. “Don’t cut the bone out of that meat!” warned Captain Gedge as he watched Black Pete trim the steak. ‘I eat mine bones and all, black feller!”’ “Yes,” said Pete, without looking up. He spoke half in assent to what the cap- tain had said, and half-questioningly, as if he rather doubted what Gedge had said about eating bones. He threw the steak on the hot pan, and while it sizzled he broke the eggs into another pan for Filson. ‘‘When I give you an order I want a proper answer,’ roared Gedge. ‘I don’t stand for any nigger ‘yessing’ me that way! You put a ‘sir’ on when you speak to me! My name is Gedge, and I’m white! Un- derstand!” Pete was busy with the eggs, and did not answer at once. Gedge reached for a bottle of catchup and flung it at the cook. Pete’s wary eye saw the flying bottle in time and dodged; but it struck the zinc wall above the stove, and the red contents spattered the cook’s white shirt and apron, his napkin- cap and his face. The fragments of the bottle landed in among clean cups and plates on a shelf over the stove. Pete turned and looked at Gedge, and for a fraction of a second there was a flicker of 35 his evelashes which revealed a deep anger. But his light-brown features were perfectly immobile. “Yes, sir, cap’en,” he said, and then reached for a napkin and wiped the catchup from his face. “All right, then, you’ve learned that little lesson,’”’ growled Gedge and turned to Filson to speak of matters which concerned business. Sinker Joe came out from the back room, mild surprize on his swarthy face. He gave Pete an inquiring look, let his eyes rove for an instant over the wreckage on the shelf, and then grinned at Gedge. “Oh, that’s nothing,” said Gedge to the Greek. ‘I had to show your nigger man- ners. I'll pay for the damage—I always pay for my fun.” “Tt’ll be a dollar,’ said Sinker Joe blandly as he put his elbows down on the counter. “I think mebbe you was sail away from us today, Captain Gedge.”’ “No,” said Gedge. ‘‘We didn’t sail, but we'll git away in the morning if things work out right.” He fished a silver dollar from his pocket and slammed it down on the counter. “For where you sail to thees time?” asked Sinker Joe as he picked up the dollar. ‘“‘Tangeru,”’ said Gedge. ‘A copra- planter out there has bought the schooner Seeker. Dm to take her out there and deliver her— Here, you!’ cried the cap- tain as he saw that Black Pete was not attending to the steak, but was listening to the conversation. ‘“‘Watch that steak of mine! I'll do the talking here—and the listening, too! Look sharp, or I'll hit you the next time I heave something at you!” Pete turned to his cooking, but he was on the alert when Gedge went on with his talk to the Greek. “T need a cook,” said Gedge. ‘Had one, but he jumped ship on me the last minute. But for that I’d been outside before this fog, him! And he had an advance, too. We’re going up to the Dutchman’s to see if we can ship a cook now.” Pete spoke without turning from the stove. “Vll go cook for you, cap’en,” he said quietly. “What’s that?’ demanded Gedge in astonishment. Go NOG S C@