Adventure Magazine Cover — page 72: what you’re looking at

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

66 surely wouldn’t have blazed away, with machine guns and all, at two cars and a man on horseback unless some one had passed the word along that Feisul was in full view. So Grim and I abandoned our car, driver and all, and jumped into Jeremy’s place. It wasn’t more than two hundred yards to the top of a gentle rise, over which we disap- appeared from view; and just as we bumped over it I wrenched out the white table-cloth in which René’s chicken and stuff was wrapped and waved it violently. Then, Lord! What a sight. Below us, sheltered between two flanking hillocks, was about a division of Feisul’s Arab infan- try, packing up sulkily, preparing to follow the retreat. It was a safe bet the French didn’t know they were there, and I dare say the same thought occurred to every one of us the same instant. Mabel thought of it. I know I did. But Jeremy voiced it first, heeling his horse up beside us. ‘““What do you say, Jim? I bet you I can rally that gang. Shall I lead ’em and lick out of the Algies?”’ But Grim shook his head. “You might, but the game is to pull the plug properly. Get this lot on the run. The less fighting, the less risk of drasticism when the French get to Damascus. Chase em off home!” So Jeremy did it; and that, I believe, ac- counts for a story that got in the news- papers about Feisul trying to spring a sur- prize on the French at the last minute. Some French officers in armored cars came over the brow of the hill in pursuit of us— three cars, three officers, three machine- ‘guns, and about a dozen men. One car quit on the hill-top, so I suppose it broke down, but its occupants must have seen Jeremy careering up and down the line encouraging those sulky Arabs to get a move on, and I suppose they told tales afterward to a news- paper correspondent at the base. Anyhow, the two pursuing armored cars _ didn’t dare come near enough to be danger-~ ous until we had followed the retreating Arab regiments for about a mile, and the Algerians appeared over the hill-top, com- ing very slowly. A long-range rifle-fire commenced, the Arabs returning it scrap- pily as they retreated; and we made believe there were other regiments to be shepherded, steering a northward course downhill toward broken ground that couldn’t have suited Adventure our purpose better. By the way those armored cars came after us, keeping their distance, 1t was clear enough that they sus- pected an ambush. So we had a clear start and Jed them a dance in and out among boulders and the branches of a watercourse, Jeremy gallop- ing ahead to spy a course out. Whenever they came in view we acted a little piece for them, making René wave the white cloth while I protected him and held off Mabel and Grim, who went through the motions of trying to brain me with pistol butts. Two or three times they opened fire, more by way of forcing a surrender, I think, than with any intention of hitting us; they wanted to take Feisul alive. It was like a game of fox and geese, and with Jeremy scouting ahead we could have kept them dodging us for hours if we hadn’t run out of gas. Then we abandoned the car and took refuge in a cave that stank as if it had been a tomb for generations. The French drew up their cars fifty yards away with machine guns covering the cave mouth; and after we were sure they weren’t going to squirt a stream of lead at us, I went out with the table-cloth to negotiate terms. I didn’t want to go, but Grim seemed to think they’d understand my French. Of course, there wasn’t anything really to argue about, but I played for time, be- cause every minute was of value to the real Feisul, speeding on his way to British terri- tory. The French officer who did the talk- ing for his side—a little squat, pale, pug- faced fellow, who gave the impression of having risen from the ranks without learn- ing polite manners on the way, agreed to accept our surrender and spare our lives for the time being; and by that time the smell in the cave had nearly overcome our party, so they all marched out. And Lord!! That French captain was spite- ful when he discovered that Jeremy wasn’t Feisul after all. He swore like a wet cat, accused Mabel of being a spy, took away our basket of provisions, and I think would have shot Jeremy out of hand if Jeremy hadn’t started clowning and made the other Frenchmen laugh. Laughter and murder no more mix than oil and water. He did what he called a harem dance for them, misusing his stomach outrageously, and the incongruity of that by a descendant of the Prophet took all the COMICOOokKS Cc C©@