Adventure Magazine Cover — page 96: what you’re looking at

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

852 where he stood steadying himself by one of the leather chairs. “‘T hev to report to you, sir, that this morning at the first change 0’ watch, Cap’n Cramer was swep’ overboard and lost,”’ he said. ‘‘Cap’n Cramer hed hed the grave- yard watch, ’n’ I was to relieve him. Cap’n Cramer come down the ladder from the bridge, hangin’ on fur dear life. Them waves was goin’ past like fire-engines ’n’ landin’ on our deck like a dump o’ bricks each time. I got up on the bridge, fightin’ all the way, ’n’ then a sea come, Dif, bang! I was thrown agin the railing o’ the bridge. Down below me there warn’t no deck, jes’ a sluice o’ green foam, ’n’ the yacht goin’ on down ’n’ down. W’en she come up agin, sir, Cap’n Cramer he was gone.” Mr. Lee shuddered and moved again in his chair. His eyes were fixed upon his nervously clasped hands. Berwind, know- ing his patient’s aversion to the contempla- tion of death, took the story beyond that point. “Who was on deck besides yourself, Mr. Healy?” “First quartermaster, Svenson, at the wheel, sir. Forward watch had jest gone aloft’ to the crow’s-nest. Stern watch saved himself by gittin’ jammed agin the rail.” ‘“‘Did any of those men see the accident? ”’ “No, sir.” “Well, well, what then?” asked Mr. Lee, his voice at the breaking point of nervous- ness. ‘‘Could any attempt at rescue be made?” The Captain’s long sheeplike face was turned to his employer with a tolerant superiority. ‘‘What could be done, sir? We hed no boats left ’n’ couldn’t ’a’ launched one if we hed. ’N’ a man hed as much chance as a kitten to swim in sech a sea.” _ There was no denying the saneness of that. Yet Berwind continued to look at the man in silence. The story was straight enough. It was the accident likely of all others to have happened under such condi- tions. Why should he, Berwind, a man trained to deal with exact and undeniable truths, in the face of this plausible, most probable tale, be assailed with the convic- tion that the man was lying? Why should he feel sure, against all testimony and likeli- hood, that Cramer’s life had been forfeited through the treachery, active or passive, of this man? Adventure | Me MR. LEE moved again in his chair peat, and looked up. ‘‘We must attend (—— to his family, Berwind, when we return. Make a note of a pension for the wife, will you, Berwind?”’ Berwind brightened, as he did invariably when his patient showed himself to this ad- vantage, thoughtful of others, generous and courteous. “I will indeed attend to it with pleasure,’”’ he said. After Captain Healy had left them, Mr. Lee turned almost fiercely upon the Doctor. He had taken out his watch and now snapped the lid open and shut as he spoke. “T tell you, Berwind, I am getting sick of this!” he said fiercely. “What is the use of cruising along this coast trying to get ourselves killed? I think it’s high time we went back to New York, don’t you? I’m sick of this!”’ he repeated fretfully. Dr. Berwind regarded his patient almost wistfully. “I am sorry to hear you say that, Mr. Lee. You know when I asked you if you would be willing to cruise up this way, I told you about the wonderful air—more ozone to the square inch than you can find anywhere else. And you offered to help me by giving it a fair trial.” ‘A pig in’a poke, Berwind! How did I know it was going to be like this? We are hoodooed with ill luck, that’s what we are!” Berwind laughed shortly. ‘Perhaps it would be better to throw that silver bell overboard. It may be our Jonah.” He knew by the very snap of the watchcase that another nervous change was on the way. Nor did he have long to wait for it. Mr. Lee suddenly sat up, clearing his throat. ‘I say, Berwind, it wants half an hour to the time for my medicine,” he said hurriedly, ‘‘but I am not feeling quite my- self to-day. This business about Cramer has upset me. I wish you would get it for me now.” Dr. Berwind took a deep breath. He turned at the first word, one steadying hand against the wall, regarding his patient fix- edly. But now his eyes were on the toes of his boots, and one hand was rammed stiffly down into his pocket. ‘‘I am sorry, Mr. Lee,” he said painfully; ‘I can not agree to do that as your physician.” “The half-hour makes no difference!” said the other, in a voice that had begun to shake. “‘I mean, to you! I promise not to ask again.” Berwind shook his head slowly. A look ConniclooolkksS .corn