Adventure Magazine Cover, April 3, 1918 — page 168: what you’re looking at

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

166 ship comes from Manila, richly laden, and goes to another Spanish city called Aca- pulco. The Spaniards in Manila have many such vessels; but their king, fearing lest they grow too rich, lets them send only one a year. Five years ago a tempest drove one of those Spanish ships into your port of Urado.”’ Kurushima nodded, his despair forgotten in eager attention. “She tarried for a week,” he affirmed, “filling her water-casks and waiting for the wind to moderate, for it was a very great storm.”’ | “This year’s ship,’ said Hideyoshi, tapping his finger-tips together to em- phasize his words, “will come to Urado, whether there is a storm or not.” Kurushima was too polite to look in- credulous; but the dictator sensed his doubts and thought it best to dispel them. “There are many Japanese in Manila, and they tell me much,” Hideyoshi ex- plained graciously. “One of them, a Chris- - tian named Ichio, sails with this year’s ship. Her course from Manila lies through many islands, where the Christian priests and their converts wait for her coming and row out to her, bearing gifts of fresh meat and fruit. To certain ones of these converts on the nearer islands I have already sent orders which they will repeat to Ichio when the ship arrives. ‘“‘Now Ichio is keeper of the water-casks aboard her. Off the coast of Tosa he will report, quite truthfully, to his captain that the casks are leaky and nearly empty, and he will praise the spring that flows under the wisterias above your beach. The ship’s captain will have no choice but to put into Urado, if he would keep his crew from perishing of thirst. “Then you must get possession of the ship. If possible, do so without violence; for I do not wish to begin another war till this one is finished. If you give the Spaniards a fair opportunity, they may give up without a struggle. The Spaniards in Manila are few and fear us greatly; they are merchants, loving gain and hating to fight. Probably you can bribe the captain to sell the ship; Ichio has been told to study his weaknesses and report them to you. ‘“‘Remember, if it comes to fighting, that the ship is to be captured, so far as possible, Adventure without injury. Her crew are of no im- portance, except the sailing-master and the gunners. These you will try to take alive. “The hulls of these Manila ships are of teak, thick enough to withstand stone or iron shot from the heaviest cannon in all Japan or Korea. That is why I wish for one to fight the tortoise-boat. If you succeed, you shall take the great ship into battle for the conquest of China. Never- theless, stout as she is, I forbid you to use either cannon or fire-arrows when you capture her, lest mischance occur.” “We of Tosa despise such cowards’ tools,” Kurushima answered scornfully. ‘The brave man knows no weapon but the sword.” | With a smile that beautified his wrinkled face, Hideyoshi reached within the folds of his kimono, and handed to Kurushima the Daimio’s own beloved blade. At the familiar feel of the sharkskin grip, tears burst from Kurushima’s eyes, and a great flood of health and strength poured through his fever-wasted veins. “Even the Sea-God failed to wrest it from your grasp,”’ said the dictator. ‘‘May you die with it in your hand!” “WHAT manner of man, then, is this captain of yours?” demanded Kurushima crisply. Through a loophole in the wall of his castle he could see the great Manila galleon San Gregorio riding at anchor in Urado Bay. The flaming banner of Spain flew from her lofty poop, and beneath it sparkled the blue gleam of Western armor. Ichio, the mask-faced secret agent of Hideyoshi, looked at the fighting eye and panther-like body of the Daimio—now fully recovered from the effects of his fever—and replied— “Oh Lord of Tosa, he is even such a man as yourself!’ ‘What, Christian dog!” cried the angry Daimio, his eyes flashing terribly. ‘Do you compare this barbarian, this sea- merchant, with one of the honorable class of Samurai?” “Forgive my heedless tongue, most mighty lord!’ wailed Ichio, his forehead scraping the matting and the back of his neck tickling with apprehension. “TI mean that he is no merchant, but a warrior— a caballero, which is to say, a Samurai of Gomichdooks (C@)