Adventure Magazine Cover — page 83: what you’re looking at

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

“Midnight”? Johnson “AML right, chief. then do your worst.” Johnson turned and gave an order to the seaman who had taken over the wheel. The steamer headed shoreward. Two minutes later she slid on to a mud- bank, stopping on a level keel with her bow less than two hundred yards from the edge of the smooth, sandy peninsula beach. And at that moment began the roar of escaping steam. The chief was blowing the boilers, in fear the steamer might take a sudden plunge toward the bottom of the shallow bay; the kiss of icy water on hot boilers would cause them to explode. Johnson grinned at the sound. ‘“‘The chief needn’t worry. We’re sunk now, but she’s sitting so sweet that if she wasn’t eight or ten feet lower in the water you wouldn’t know she was resting on the mud. We’re safe, and I’m going to turn in.”’ “Bunk in with me,” invited Lindstrom. “Holy sea-trout! Look at my hand. I’m shaking like the engines on the old Elk River. Come and have a drink?” “Not on your life!’ swore Johnson, - With a vigor that seemed suddenly to have stripped off its infirmities he contin- ued: “T’ve taken my last drink. In time, I'll prove that to Madison. Then all I'll have to prove is that I was not responsible for the disasters to the Westland. I believe I’ve figured out why she got wrecked—twice.”’ At that moment the wheel-house door opened to admit the purser, who immediate- ly collapsed on to a locker seat, his face haggard with a yellow-green tinge. But he was game. “Thunder!”’ he exploded weakly. “I’ve gone to sea for twelve years and I never knew what real seasickness was like until I took the thirty-third degree in crossing the bar tonight. About the passengers, captain—there’s twenty or more of the starboard staterooms that are in no condi- tion to be occupied. All flooded out—doors smashed in. “Mr. Madison insisted upon remaining in hisroom. He hasn’t a dry stitch of clothing to put on. He wants to borrow some from you.” At that, Lindstrom laughed. His em- ployer must have forgotten or forgiven the scene on the bridge, and its sudden termina- tion. . “Take anything necessary out of my Wait three minutes, ri | room,” he answered. “And have the stew- ards put up the passengers as best they can.’ The purser arose and staggered out of the room. “Let’s get some sleep,” son. ‘There’s nothing to do till daylight.” “Not a thing,” agreed Lindstrom. ‘Ex- cept to get out of these wet duds. Let’s go.” he came a knock on the door of Lind- strom’s cabin. Lindstrom awoke and replied— “Come in!” Madison entered. Crossing the room, he held out his hand to Johnson. “Captain Johnson, I want to thank you for last night’s work. You were right in re- moving the passengers from their rooms. I had a demonstration of just how right you were. “And to Captain Lindstrom I owe an apology. He forced me off the bridge, and I believe I had it coming.” Both mariners grinned at each other, as if to say— “By golly, he’s human after all.” And there was added respect in their way of grasping Madison’s hand. “To get down to business,’’ resumed Madison. “I’ve wirelessed the Westland, which left San Francisco late yesterday. She’s to put in here on her way north and pick up the Charlotte’s passengers. She’ll arrive somewhere around three o’clock. The gale blew out before daylight, and the bar will have calmed down enough by the time the Westland gets here.” “The Westland!’ exclaimed Johnson. ‘And she'll try to cross the bar between three and four this afternoon? Mr. Madi- son, as sure as she tries it she'll get wrecked in the same manner that she twice came to grief when I was in command. Don’t let Captain Ingells bring her in until after six o’clock.”’ “Why EARLY the following morning six o’clock?”’ returned Madison. -“Tt’ll be dark then. I want to transfer the passengers by daylight.” “T said six o’clock because the tide turns at five-thirty. She can’t come in on an ebb tide.” “Nonsense!” snorted the other. “If the bar is smooth enough, Captain Ingells will , come right into the bay.” With that Madison left the room. GComuicsvook suggested John- C©@