Adventure Magazine Cover — page 113: what you’re looking at

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

The Sea-Hawk Sakr-el-Bahr, he made his way abaft, and flung himself down under the awning, beside his father. Asad sat there in a moody abstraction, already regretting that he should have lent an ear to Fenzileh to the extent of coming upon this voyage, and assured by now that at least there was no cause. to mistrust Sakr-el-Bahr. Marzak came to revive that drooping mistrust. But the moment was ill-chosen, and at the first words he uttered on the subject he was growled into silence by his sire. “Thou dost but voice thine own alice ® Asad rebuked him. “And I am proven a fool in that I have permitted the malice of others to urge me in this matter. No more, I say.” Thereupon Marzak fell silent and sulking, his eyes ever following Sakr-el-Bahr, who had descended the three steps from the © poop to the gangway and was pacing slowly down between the rowers’ benches. The corsair was supremely ill at ease, as a man must be who has something to con- ceal, and who begins to fear that he may have been betrayed. Yet who was there could have betrayed him? But three men aboard that vessel:knew his secret—Ali, his lieutenant, Jasper, and the Italian Vigitello. And Sakr-el-Bahr would have staked all: his possessions that neither Ali nor Vigitello would have betrayed him, whilst he was fairly confident that in his own interests Jasper also must have kept faith. Yet Marzak’s allusion to that palmetto bale had filled him with an uneasiness that sent him now in quest of his Italian boatswain whom he trusted above all others. “Vigitello,” said he, ‘‘is it possible that I have been betrayed to the Basha?” Vigitello looked up sharply at the ques- tion, then smiled with confidence. They were standing alone by the bulwarks on the - waist-deck. “Touching what we carry. yonder?” quoth he, his glance shifting to the bale. ‘“Im- possible. If Asad had knowledge he would have betrayed it before we left Algiers, or else he would never have sailed without -a stouter bodyguard of his own.” “What need of bodyguard for him?”’’ re- turned Sakr-el-Bahr. “If it should come to grips between us—as well it may if what -I suspect be true—there is no doubt as to the side upon which the corsairs would range themselves.” “Ts there not?” quoth Vigitello, a smile ‘slave who sat shackled there. PE ire Ae SI AEE RCT BO OCR ET ag oS Se = IS ete rca FE Des 3 = — _ a e e ” oe og fF a i 4 Pare neeaine upon his swarthy face. “Be not so sure. These men have most of them followed thee into a score of fights. the Basha, their natural leader.” “Maybe. 3 to Asad-ed-Din, the exalted of Allah. Did it come to a choice between us their faith would urge them to stand beside him in spite of any past bonds that may have existed between them and me.” “Yet there were some who murmured when thou wert superseded in the command of this expedition,” Vigitello informed him, “T doubt not that many would be influenced by their faith, but many would stand by thee, against ‘the Grand Sultan himself. “And do not forget,” he added, instinctively lowering his voice, “that many of us are renegadoes like myself and thee, who would — never know a moment’s doubt if it came to a choice of sides. in another tone, “there is no such danger here.” “And so do I, in all faith,” replied Sakr- el-Bahr with fervor. “Yet I am uneasy, and I must know where I stand if the worst takes place. Go thou amongst the men, Vigitello, and probe their real feelings, gage their humor and endeavor to ascertain upon what numbers I may count if I have to declare war upon Asad or if he declares it upon me. Be cautious.” Vigitello closed one of his black eyes portentously. “Depend upon it,” he said, ‘“‘I’ll bring you word anon.’ On that they parted, Vigitello to make his - way to the prow and there engage in his investigations, Sakr-el-Bahr slowly to re- trace his steps to the poop. But at the first bench abaft the'gangway he paused, and looked down at the dejected, white-fleshed He smiled cruelly, his own anxieties forgotten in the savor of vengeance. “So you have tasted the whip already,” he said in English. “But that is nothing to what is yet tocome. You are in luck that there is a wind today. It will not always be so. Soon shall you learn what it was that I endured by your contriving.”’ Lionel looked up,at him with haggard, blood-injected eyes. He wanted to curse his brother, yet was he too overwhelmed by the sense of the fitness of this punish- ment. “For myself I care nothing,” he replied. To them thou art But their allegiance belongs — But I hope,” he ended ~ EORMICLOOOL<