Adventure Magazine Cover — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

P | Tupahn the Thunderstorm perhaps a dozen Indians—savage-looking redskins whose tribe I could not guess. Later I heard that they had been brought by the traders from the north side of the Ama- zon, and that they were even more fierce than they looked. In all, the boats must have held a hundred men. At length they were gone on their useless journey. Then the girl spoke out. “Before we proceed, Captain Mack, I’ think we had better reach an understanding. Why have you not told me before that I am yor wite?”’ She tried to look very severe. “Why—uh—er—just a figure of speech,” Senhor Tom stammered. “It doesn’t mean anything.” “No? married by the chief, were we not? And now you have publicly acknowledged me as your wife before many witnesses. Are you in the habit of marrying girls and then tell- . ing them it means nothing? That is a dan- gerous game!” His mouth fell open. at her. Then he turned on me. “You, Lourenco! You told her!” “Woof, woof!”’ she mocked him. ‘Don’t bark so loud, captain! You’re not scaring any one this time. We know you're just a big fraud. Now that your sin has found you out, as the story-books say, what are you going to do about it?” “Well, what are you going to do about it?” he dared her. “T am going to give you one choice, sir— to fight or run. If you wish to flee into your jungle and hide there for the rest of your life, Pll set you ashore now. If not, then you must marry me again as soon as we can find a clergyman, and then come home to the States with me and fight it out as to who is to be boss. Now which is it—run or fight?” “Say! Da you mean that?” “Mean it?” she smiled. ‘You poor silly, are you still blind?” She gave him one a look. Then he sprang up. “You little devil!’ he breathed: in for it now!”’ Their canoe did not quite upset, but it came near it. Not that she struggled—no, indeed. ~ It was his swift stride and sudden swoop at her that set the dugout to rolling. But it soon grew steady again, for after his arms swept around her they stood very still. We two slipped our own boat silently He stared blankly “Vou’re Perhaps it does, sir. We were 47 away, and they never saw us go. The whole band of fighting traders and Indians might have come back and surrounded them, and I doubt if they would have known it. They were blind and deaf to all the world—yes, and dumb too; for how can one talk whose lips are pressed tight against others? Below the next bend we caught overhang- ing branches and waited. And Pedro said, “At last we have found a use for that money we found in the foul nest of Black Hawk.” “Howe” I seed “As a wedding gift, of course. To keep it will bring us no luck. It was wrung by the Hawk from his victims through murder and robbery and terror, and it did him no good. It was looted by us from the camp of the tyrant we destroyed, and it will do us no good either. But now, as a pledge of friend- ship to those who are starting together on a new trail, it will carry with it only good will and fond remembrance. “Viciado is cleaned. The big river- steamers will call there again. These two will sail away. Before they sail, let us wrap this money carefully, so that they will not know what it is, and give it- to them as a small token of our regard, not to be opened until they reach North America. Then we shall go back, empty-handed but light- hearted, to the Javary, where we have plenty of money earned by honest work.” ‘So it shall be,” I agreed heartily. I grinned and added: “But which of them shall we-give it tor. Who is the boss?” “There is no boss,” he laughed. ‘‘We shall give it to Senhor Tom because we have known him longer, but there will be no bossing between those two. He has found at last the partner who will meet him half way in all things and will never quit. Here they come, paddling as if they did not know what they were about. Let us go.” But before we moved I called— “Well, comrade, have you reached that understanding?” “Sure have!’’ boomed Senhor Tom. “Senhora Mack promises that if she can’t keep me contented in the States she’ll send me back to the jungle. I’m giving her a wide-open chance to make good. This is my first attempt at marriage, but Pll try any- thing once. If it doesn’t work, you’ll see me turn up at your coronel’s place some day. Keep an eye out for me.” But, senhores, he has never come back. al - comichboo cS Then . com