Adventure Magazine Cover — page 158: what you’re looking at

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

2 “Zz : 152 Adventure a sickly grin. “But why’s he feeding usifhe rock and gap and shadow. Almost as if -means harm?” worn by some huge tide of oil the walls were The craftily smiling Kafr seemed to bare and smooth andeven. Round the vast divine their thoughts. bubble for a thousand yards and never pas- “The white men will rest long,” he said sage or cranny with space enough to hide quite placidly. a human form. “How do you know, madoda? How do Unhappily the men crept back to the few you know, man?” smoldering sparks and kicked them up “Because Malan has said so, M’Lungu.” together. Thoughtfully the two whites “But why—what for?”’ looked into each other’s eyes as if for The smiling Kaffir rose to his feet. inspiration. “For one moon the white men will stay “We've got to try that passageway again, _ here,” he told them frankly. “The white Bertie. I thought perhaps these Kaffirs chiefs with the wagons gave them to Malan may have taken the passageway out simply to keep for one moon. At the end of one because it was easiest, but it seems that it moon the white men will be free.” is absolutely the only way. There must be And the Kaffir laughed unpleasantly. some means of crossing that awful gap. “Can’t you get us out?” the graybeard Must be some far side to it.” asked unhopingly. “If my brother will The graybeard’s voice was hopeless, bit show us the passage out we will make him yet he appeared to hope. a rich man. Many sheep and oxen.” “T don’t know, Frank. There may be a The Kaffir motioned to the men with far side to get to—if we fly.” him to collect the pot and spoons; then with “Well, they came in and they’ve gone an assagai flung the fire apart. Stolidly he out. We've got to find just how.” shook his head. | But never a hole was there in either wall, ~ “TRkonat I will not!” nor nook or break or crack. Never a place _ “So, that’s the idea, eh?” the graybeard to hide a man or even a little dog. queried as the fire slowly died down. ‘Got “And there’s your end, and there’s your Malan to promise to keep us here till their cliff,” Bertie explained, as they came to a work’s done and they’re safely sailing home stop and stared into the vacant distance. again. You can take my word for it, Bertie, ‘And we’re just as wise as ever.” Tombs has something mighty particular on. Flat on his stomach the graybeard lay his hands this trip.” and strained to see below him. With “Playing his last stake, eh?” minute care he felt\the rock below and on “Playing it, and somehow we’ve got to each side, then painfully forced his eyes to beat him. We’ ve got to reduce that one pierce the blackness on beyond. With moon to a day.” a stiffness that was not all age he rose and “And that means getting out, Frank, and | turned his face. getting out means finding how. Let’s ‘Malan was right,” he said dispassionate- start.” | ly. ‘‘We’re safe. Safe for one whole long “No. Wait a minute.” the graybeard moon.” counseled. ‘“Let’s let those beggars get Shakily Bertie raised a hand and stroked out of the way a bit first. They’re not his forehead. taking any chances of being followed. “And then?” he asked suspiciously. That’s why they move so confidently.” ‘You mean they'll leave men straggling (Zee SLOWLY the long day passed— behind to stop any one who tries to creep KO) a day in a pit of blackness. The along with them.”’ : ‘supply of dry wood was small and “That’s what our own Kaffirs must ap- to saveit they lay in darkness. Night came, pear to think, Bertie. Or else they’re far and with it hunger renewed. Gradually one too terrified to try to trace those fellows in by one the Kaffirs breathed more regularly. the dark. Anyhow we may as well get Slept to forget their emptiness. ready.” “Tt’s all that there is todo, Frank,” With arms full of torches the Kaffirsmade Bertie murmured drowsily. “If we’ve got the circuit of the widespreading hole. Mi- to stay here for a month we may as well - nutely the white men examined each foot of — sleep most part of it.” the walls of the tremendous dome. Each ~— “It’s about‘the best thing, Bertie. ‘Sleep, Eomicbooks.com