Adventure Magazine, Mid-September 1917 — page 177: what you’re looking at

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

On the But we'll take him yet. We have the speed and range of him. Next time——”’ A man came aft with the news of a small shallop heading up for the corvette. “‘A Carib likely,’”’ commented the captain. ‘‘We’ll have him aboard if he comes near us. Perchance he may know the key to this front-door of Bane’s. We'll stand as we are, Hardy, as long as the boat comes to us. No use in showing our topsails unless we have to. We were too close in last night.” An hour later Todd stood before the captain and told his tale. ‘‘How am I to know whether this it not a trap,” asked the king’s officer sternly. “Ye say ye piloted them in. Ye may be a renegade.” “It is a trap,” said Todd, ‘‘but it is not set for you. My God, man, do ye not be- lieve me? Yerun norisk more than ye did the last time.” His eyes blazed with fierce exultation, his lean face lit with the prospect of revenge. “That is true,” said Sawtrell. ‘And ye have good cause for getting even. It is bad that ye know not for certain where he went to careen but we will cruise the line between the Exumas and the eastern horn of the Jumentos. If he sailed northeast he will cross us. Nights, we’ll range closer in. Mayhap we’ll catch her within range. If not we'll try your advice. And, if we turn the trick ye can name any fair and fit reward.” ‘“‘Loan me shears and a razor. Give me a cutlas and pistols and appoint me with the boarding party. I have a fancy to be present in person when the account is paid.” =| ON THE morning of the thirteenth 2 day Bane came on deck at a few minutes before eight bells. A cres- cent moon held the morning star in its em- brace. The sea was motionless save for the hardly perceptible heave of the ground- swell, lifting the unruffled expanse in sound- less sighs. A slight mist, which would vanish with the sun, dimmed the moon and all the stars, gradually lifting from the water, its lower edge even with the rail of the brigantine. The canvas hung limp, the Venture rolled slightly, without steerage way. Bane cursed the calm that held him adrift ten miles from the entrance to the channel. He was anxious to get back to the islet, IF Account 175 finish up his stockade and magazine and be off upon the Bank once more for plunder. He did not fear the corvette. With a clean bottom the Venture sailed like a witch. The king’s men would long since have sick- ened of waiting and concluded that he had slipped through to the south. Perhaps they had gone in search of him. Through the mist came the sound of a ship’s bell, smartly tapped and answered, eight ringing strokes from the fog. Scarry- Dick came up as Bane started at the sound. ‘“‘There’s something waiting for us, Den- ton. If only this cursed fog would lift. Some distance off, though it’s hard to guess with the mist. Get me my spyglass, will yer” Slowly the filmy curtain rose, the space between it and the sea clear as crystal. Bane stooped to the rail and leveled his glass, sweeping the northwestern horizon where the stars were begining to flicker. He turned to the quartermaster with a low exclamation. “It’s that —— corvette. Take the glass man. Look, there where the Big Bear swings to the sea. Nowfora breeze. The sun will be up in a few minutes. We are well inshore. If the wind’s easterly we’ll have the weather of him and we’ll play him the same trick over again. I’ve no fancy to get within range of those guns of his.”’ A quadrant of the sun suddenly appeared above the low line of Long Island. The mist seemed to dissolve and sop up the stars as it disappeared. Suddenly it was day. The corvette Juno stood up sharply less than two miles away. The wind had come from the eye of the sun, the placid sea was ruffled with flaws that picked up the level rays with flashes of orange and crimson. Bane volleyed his orders and extra canvas rose smartly to the tapering spars. The Venture began to glide smooth and fast through the water. The corvette, top- sails mounted, came about and stood on an inshore tack ona parallel course with the brigantine, beyond gun range and to lee- ward. “‘We can almost make the channel on this slant,” said Bane. ‘‘———her, if we could run the corvette ashore we’d pick her clean of those guns. We'll run in, finish our work and get through to the south. As long as she stays in these waters our sport is spoiled. She sticks like a limpet. ’Tis a good breeze. Watch us walk, the beauty.”’ COMmiclsoo CO