Adventure Magazine Cover — page 129: what you’re looking at

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

unperceived, and even should the splash of their oars reach the galleon beyond the headland, yet by the time she had weighed anchor and started in pursuit they would be well away straining every ounce of muscle. at the oars, whilst the breeze—a heavy factor in his considerations—was become so feeble that they could laugh at pursuit by a vessel that depended upon wind alone. The only danger, then, was the danger of the galleon’s cannon, and that danger was none so great as from experience Sakr-el- Bahr well knew. Thus was he reluctantly forced to the conclusion that in the main the wiser policy was to support Asad, and since he was full confident of the obedience of the men he consoled himself with the reflection that a moral victory might be in store for him out of which some surer profit might presently be made. In answer, then, to those who still called upon him, he leaped down the companion and strode along the gangway to the waist- deck to take his stand at the Basha’s side. Asad watched his approach with angry mis-. givings; it was with him a foregone con-- clusion that, things being as they were, Sakr- el-Bahr would be ranged against him to obtain complete control of these mutineers and to cull the fullest advantage from the situation. Softly and slowly he unsheathed his simitar, and Sakr-el-Bahr seeing this out of the corner of his eye, yet affected not to see, but stood forward to address the men. “How now?” he thundered wrathfully. “What shall this mean? Are ye all deaf that ye have not heard the commands of your Basha, the exalted of Allah, that ye dare raise your mutinous voices and say what is your will?” Sudden and utter silence followed that exhortation. Asad listened in relieved amazement; Rosamund caught her breath in sheer dismay. What could he mean, then? Had he but fooled and duped her? Were his intentions toward her the very opposite to his pro- testations? She leaned upon the poop-rail straining to catch every syllable of that _ speech of his in the Lingua franca, hoping almost that her indifferent knowledge of it had led-her into error on the score of what he had said. She saw him turn with a gesture of angry command upon Larocque, who stood there by the bulwarks, waiting. » = etn The Sea-Hawk “Back to thy post up yonder, and keep watch upon that vessel’s movements, re- = porting them to us. We stir not hence — until such be our lord Asad’s good pleasure. Away with thee!” | Larocque without a murmur threw a leg. See over the bulwarks and dropped to the oars, . whence he clambered ashore as he had been bidden. And not a Single voice was raised in protest. . : Sakr-el-Bahr’s dark glance swept the ranks of the corsairs crowding the forecastle. “‘Because this pet of the harem,” he said,. immensely daring, indicating Marzak by a contemptuous gesture, “‘bleats of danger into the ears of men, are yealltogrowtimid _ and foolish as a herd of sheep? By Allah! ~ What are ye? Are ye the fearless sea- hawks that have flown with me, and struck where the talons of ty grappling-hooks — were flung, or are ye but scavenging crows?” He was answered by an old rover whom fear had rendered greatly daring. “We are trapped here as Dragut was trapped at Jerba.” —_. 3 “Thou liest,”’ he answered. “Dragut was not trapped, for Dragut found a way out. And against. Dragut there was the whole > navy of-Genoa, whilst against us there is but one single galleon. By the Koran if she shows fight, have we no teeth? Will it be the first galleon whose decks we have overrun? But if ye prefer a coward’s coun- sel, ye sons of shame, consider that once we take the open sea our discovery will be assured, and Larocque hath told you that she carries twenty guns. I tell you thatif we are to be attacked by her, best be attacked at close quarters, and I tell you that if we lie close and snug in here it is long =a odds that we shall never be attacked at all. Ss = That she has no inkling of our presence is ES proven since she has cast anchor round the headland. And consider that if we fly from: iS a danger that doth not exist, and in our. | flight are so fortunate as not to render real-. ° = 239 that danger and to court it, weabandona rich argosy that shall bring profit tous all). “a “But I waste my breath in argument,” he ended abruptly. “Youhaveheardthecom- mands of your lord, Asad-ed-Din, and that = should be argument enough. No more of — Se : this, then.” 1. Without so much as waiting to see them | a disperse from the rail and return to. their’ lounging attitudes about the forecastle, he turned to Asad. IGbooks (E@)