Adventure Magazine, Mid-September 1917 — page 175: what you’re looking at

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

On the Account were freely offered on Spanish Jack and there were no takers. Knives were the weapons set aside for settling such affairs as providing the best spectacle and the longest fight and all knew the half-breed’s especial skill. Spanish Jack was a cheat and a bully but the other was one who held as little in com- mon with them as oil with water, and the ship, now that he had shown them the pas- sage, would be the happier without him. Only Hampton, the one-eyed, stood beside him. “Look ye, lad,’ said Hampton. ‘’Ware the sun. He will work you to it. Watch his shadow. Or he will dazzle you with his blade. ’Tis an old trick of his. He cheated me out of eleven guineas the other night. Ihave no love for him. If ye win, belike it will make ye more popular. Ye should spruce up, man. ‘That face of yours is a spoil-sport. ’Tis a gay life we aim to lead. “Let me see your knife. Take mine. It has a grip of sharkskin and the blade is long. He can shift to either hand or throw straight to an inch of his mark. He'll try to gut ye or slash the tendons of your wrist. Crouch and thrust. Don’t slash—it shortens your reach. : ‘Takeoff your shirt, ye are to fight naked in your drawers. ’Tis the rule. The bul- lies like to watch the red score on the naked flesh. Soak your headkerchief, the sun will else addle your brains—and wrap your fore- arm in your sash. That yellow mongrel has arms like a squid but yours are full as long. I mind me when [ sailed with Kidd Bs Bane, sitting with his officers upon a turf- crowned knoll, gave the word. The two advanced, crossing their blades at arms’ length, right foot advanced to right foot. Todd’s lean, brown body sloped from square shoulders to narrow hips, his ribs showing clean above his muscle-ridged stomach. He was confident of the issue. A plan had come into his head. His cause was righteous and he felt that Spanish Jack was not to be the one to defeat it. That the duel was forced upon him he felt sure but he meant to use the enmity that lay back of it to his own ends. The Spaniard was fat in comparison but he seemed made of gutta percha as he thrust swiftly and bounded back, his eyes glitter- ing as he saw the scarlet line break out 173 across Todd’s shoulder. He circled, puma- footed, backing toward the sun. ‘Todd saw his shadow swinging longer toward him. The sunglare caught his eyes and he leaped to one side, drawing his belly inward to avoid the sweeping lunge and clutching for the other’s knife-hand with his left. In the second they were locked, swaying. Spanish Jack saw the turtler’s eyes glaring at him, malignant, assured. He suddenly dropped to his knees, pulling Todd forward, downward, with all his strength while the eager circle yelled. Taken unawares, Todd lunged over the breed’s shoulder, pitching heavily to the sand but whirling like a cat to regain his feet. Spanish Jack spun round on his but- tocks, slashing as he came, and once more scoring. ‘The point caught Todd on his hip with a squeak and the blood spurted as the blade glanced off. Spanish Jack rose ef- fortless to his feet and flung a handful of - fine sand, rushing in as Todd lowered his head to avoid the grit. | ONCE more they came to hand- x0 grips. Todd put forth all his strength, grinding the small bones of the pirate’s wrist until the sweat of agony started from Spanish Jack’s eyes and he tore free. The firm sand was printed with their foot-marks as they swerved and feinted, the perspiration already streaming down them, their breath coming short and hard while the pirates leaned forward word- less and motionless from their vantage-seats and a gull screamed overhead. Todd watched the eyes of his man. He caught a telegraphed lunge to the stomach on his own curving blade, thankful for the sickle shape of the blade and the pebbly grip of the shagreen handle. It was not the first time he had fought with knives though never before in deliberate duel, and his co- ordinating eye and wrist time after time successfully parried the blows in mid-air. He was better winded than the sleek pirate whose indulged paunch showed signs of dis- tress. And he was watchful for more tricks. One came at last. They had grappled and Spanish Jack swung a savage side-kick at his ankle that almost overcame Todd’s balance. He stumbled forward, throwing up the pirate’s forearm with a jarring swing of his own crossed right and countered with an overhand buffet that caught the breed a blow on the side of the head and sent him Comiclasoo CO