Adventure Magazine Cover — page 18: what you’re looking at

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

I2 him, swift to anger, resolute He learned that to manage his men he had but to watch them and at the first sign of insub- ordination let loose such a burst of fury that it would effectually smother any show of resentment they might make. And, for all the fire of his rages, he exhibited such a cold, callous spirit that the crew began to look upon him as something unhuman. Once he turned on Horton when the latter disagreed with him and reached for his pistol, though knowing the mate for a man not to be lightly crossed, Horton’s hand shot out more swiftly than his own, struck at his wrist as a snake would strike, gripped the bones crushingly, bruising the flesh, forcing Avary to his knees in sheer anguish while Horton bent his face down, his eyes boring deep into the captain’s very soul. “The next time [’ll not seek to argue with you,” said the mate. “I do this for my own good, not your benefit. If I could use a sextant I’d slit you like a herring. The next time I’ll ram your pistol down your throat and pull trigger. The men may fear you and your fancy shooting—but put it out of your mind that I do. You're noth- ing but a walking bottle. Dutch courage! Let the wine leak out of you and you’re only half a man. “?Twill serve you for a while and then leave you in the lurch to make your hand shake worse than fear ever did. “Tis but the matter of time and you’ll be a pricked bladder.” That passage drained Avary of any feel- ings toward Horton, except those of hate and a desire to get even in some other manner than matching physical prowess. It left Horton scornful. But the partnership held. Avary was not man enough to do away with the mate, and the latter, figuring that the ‘wine was a spur that Avary needed in the present undertaking—which was his own— caring not a rap where Avary might fetch up later when liquor dominated him—as Horton was sure it would—was satisfied with conditions that made the skipper show a better front to the crew and muster some sort of courage, if it was only pot-valor. Avary’s brains for plot and stratagem, for compass-course and general navigation, he still respected. They made their southing, the ship prov- ing herself a sweet-lined, gracious, willing vessel. A friendly breeze helped them to drift through the dreaded doldrums, past Adventure the dreaded Bight of Benin and along the malarial coast where slaves rotted in the swamps awaiting sale and transportation. They started to transform The Duke, taking off the carven stern-board, erasing the lettering on her tows. The carpenter made a rude job of changing her figurehead, chiseling off the curling wig and three- _ cornered hat that the original artist had given to the bust, painting the face black and touching up the rest of the carving in crude colors. For the present they did not rename her, lacking inspiration. They sighted an occasional sail or two, but avoided a meeting without trouble. There were no prizes to be expected on the western coast, and they had no desire to be recognized for word to be relayed back as to their route. It was probable that one ship at least had started after them, but their speed precluded overhauling. Yet the king’s arm was long, and pirates had been hauled back from Madagascar before this. Horton, remembering his former capaci- ties as gunner, kept the crew to battery practise. There were fourteen guns to a broadside; a Long Tom in bows and stern for fore and aft chasers. Long-range elevation, trajectory and windage he knew nothing of scientifically; his skill, as that of The Duke’s gunner, was born of natural aptitude and experience. A pirate’s connonading aside from the chasers was generally short-range work. It would be sufficient if the guns were served properly and the pointers taught to see that muzzles were sufficiently depressed. The target would usually be close enough to see the register of hits. Horton and the gunner would attend to the chasers. So the mate drilled the crew hard until powdermen, shot-handlers, swabbers and ropemen worked with rapid precision. Cutlas practise and pike-drill he taught them; and by the time they caught up with a demi-gale that swept them on the Cape and helped them round it the crew made up a fighting force the more dangerous because they were aware of their own efficiency and eager to test it. 4 FOR a week the ship logged two hundred sea-miles between dawn and dawn, crowding sail, handling the extra canvas Avary devised as well as they manned the guns. The work kept them from malingering. Twice a day the CORMICLOO© S (E@