Adventure Magazine Cover — page 138: what you’re looking at

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

| B-mbo. The Grand Cham “To the Grand Sham!” Michael emptied the cup. sé IT WAS late that night when he re- a2) turned, but the jester was sitting up, wrapped in his tattered mantle, sol- emnly eying the diminishing candle on the table. He looked up fearfully when Michael pushed in the door, for Bembo had enter- tained grave apprehensions as to the recep- tion of his slightly intoxicated master—for such he considered Michael—by the mem- bers of the council. To his surprize Michael’s step was regular and his glance steady. “?Tis done, Bembo,” he smiled. ‘Ru- dolfo being luckily absent, Contarini passed readily upon the merits of our claim. We sail the day after the morrow.” Michael flung himself into his chair and clapped Bembo on the knee. “°Twas not wine that stirred my brain, Knowing Clavijo, I had a grave cear that he would lead his expedition any- where but to the ferra incognita. Knowing Rudolfo, I am assured that the venture will verily seek spoil. And since our worthy friends would fain despoil the Cham, why, you and I must go with them. Because, forsooth, the Cham is of all men the man I most desire to clap eyes upon.” Taking some gold coins from a new pouch at his girdle, he bade Bembo settle their score at the Sign of the Sturgeon on the morrow. The pouch itself he detached and handed to Bembo, who was scratching his head, deeply puzzled by his master’s speech. “What is that, master?” “For you. I drew an advance upon my pay. We part when the ship sails. This voyage is not for you, Bembo.” The jester pushed the money away and the corners of his lips drew down. ‘‘Wherefore, master? Am I not your man?” But Michael, glancing at the low parti- tion that separated their room from the other chambers of the inn, shook his head thoughtfully. “T have good reason for bidding you stay here. This voyage is not like other voy- ages.” Bembo pricked up his ears and protested, but Michael would say no more. Long after the sea-captain had retired to his cloak and bed of boards, the jester remained awake, watching the candle-flam emoodily and glancing from time to time angrily at the purse. He was hurt and his curiosity was stirred —two strong emotions with the hunchback. As the candle spluttered and subsided into grease, Bembo reached out a claw-like hand and pouched the money. In the annals of the Maritime Council, in the pages devoted to the voyages into éerra imcognita, it is recorded that of Messer Clavijo and his company only one man re- turned to Venice. Vil THE CASTLE WITHOUT DOORS ee in choosing the Nauplia, had selected the most Comfortable means of travel to be had in those days. The pilgrim -galliot was broad of beam and fitted with extra cabins in the stern castle. A dozen great sweeps aided the lateen sail. The sides of the vessel were high, and sloped well inboard—affording good protection against the waves. The pilgrim galleys were designed to pro- vide some ease for passengers. Live fowls were carried. The master of the ship could not remain at any given port for purposes of trade more than three days. He was also obliged to put in at any port they might fancy. Clavijo, Mocenigo and Rudolfo had all quartered themselves aft; Soranzi had made shift with sleeping-space below decks. But . Bearn, who had discovered for himself the unattractiveness of quarters under the deck where the passengers camped all over each other, appropriated space for his mantle and bundle on the main deck under the over- hang of the bow. He was somewhat surprized to see that the ship’s captain was hugging the shore, keeping a course well within sight of land. “Coasting” it was called in those days. Since this was the popular route, favored by the passengers, it was more lable to at- © tack by Moslem pirates than the more di- rect course out into the A‘gean. Pirate galleys frequented the sea lanes to the East, off Greece, and Michael had observed at a glance that the Nauplia was poorly equipped for defense. Moreover he wondered that Clavijo was not afraid of encountering thieves. The Spaniard had been entrusted with a treasure of some COPMIEOOOKS, 137 (©)