Adventure Magazine Cover — page 109: what you’re looking at

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

The Sea-Hawk ake And he laughed lightly as if to diomiss be ss reached the head of that gangway four negroes were staggering down it under the load of a huge palmetto bale that was slung from staves yoked to their shoulders. On the poop stood Sakr-el-Bahr with Othmani, Ali, Jasper-Reis, and some other _ Officers. Up and down the gangway paced Larocque and Vigitello, two renegade boat- swains, one French and the other Italian, who had sailed with him on every voyage for the past two years. Larocque was. - superintending the loading of the vessel, bawling his orders for the bestowal of pro- visions here, of water yonder, and of powder ~ about the mainmast. Vigitello was making a final inspection of the slaves at the oars. As the palmetto pannier was brought aboard, Larocque shouted to the negroes to set it down by the mainmast. But here Sakr-el-Bahr interfered, bidding them, in- stead, to bring it up to the stern and place it in the poop-house. Asad had dismounted, and siped with Marzak at his side at the head of the gang- way when the youth finally begged his father himself to take command of this expedition, allowing him to come as his lieitenant and so learn the ways of the sea. _ Asad looked at him curiously, but an- swered nothing. He went aboard, Marzak and the others following him. It was at this moment that Sakr-el-Bahr first became aware of the Basha’s presence, and he came instantly forward to do the honors of his® galley. If there was a sudden uneasiness in his heart his face was calm and his glance as arrogant and steady as ever. ““May the peace of Allah overshadow thee and thy house, O mighty Asad,’’ was his greeting. “We are on the point of casting off, and r shall sail the more securely for thy blessing.” - Asad considered him with eyes of wonder. So much effrontery, so much ease after their last scene together seemed to the Basha a thing incredible, unless, indeed, it were ac- ie i by a conscience ‘entirely at oe has been proposed to me that I shall do more than bless this expedition—that I shall commdnd it,” he answered, watching Sakr-el-Bahr closely. He observed the sudden flicker of the corsair’s eyes, the only outward sign of his inward dismay. “Command it?” echoed Sakr-el-Bahr. ‘**Twas proposed to thee?” that suggestion. That laugh was a tactical error.” It “spurred Asad. He advanced slowly along the vessel’s waist-deck to the mainmast— for she was rigged with main and foremasts. There he halted again to look into thefaceof = Sakr-el-Bahr who stepped along beside him. “Why didst thou laugh?” he questioned = shortly. “Why? At the folly of such a proposal, fe said Sakr-el-Bahr in haste, too much in. haste to seek a diplomatic answer. ae Darker grew the Basha’s frown. “Folly?” quoth he. folly?” , Sakr-el-Bahr made haste to cover his mistake. . “Tn the suggestion that such poor quarry — as waits us should be worthy thine endeavor, © should warrant the Lion of the Faith to Thou,” he scorn, “thou, the unsheathe. his mighty claws. continued with ringing inspirer of a hundred glorious fights in which whole fleets have been engaged, to take the seas upon so trivial an errand—one galeasse to swoop upon a single galley of Spain! It were unworthy thy great name, beneath the dignity of thy valor!” and by a gesture he contemptuously dismissed the subject. But Asad continued to ponder him with cold eyes, his face inscrutable. he said. “A change, my lord?” “But yesterday in the market-place thy- self didst urge me to join this expedition and to command it,” Asad reminded him, speaking with deliberate emphasis. “Thy- self invoked the-memory of the days that are gone, when simitar in hand we charged side by- side aboard the infidel, and thou didst beseech me to engage again beside * a= thee.” And now——”’ 38 He spread his hands, anger gathered in his eyes. — ae “Whence this change?” he demanded _ sternly. % Sakr-el-Bahr hesitated, caught in his own ae toils. He looked away from Asad a mo- ment; he had a glimpse of the handsome flushed face of Marzak at his father’s elbow, — =: SS of Biskaine, Tsamanni, and the others all staring at him in amazement, and even of some grimy sunburned faces from the rowers’ bench on his left that were looking RS on se dull curiosity. pe “Wherein lies the ‘“‘Why, here’s a change since A Te : S Comicbooks.com —