Adventure Magazine Cover, June 18, 1921 — page 44: what you’re looking at

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

34 thumb. and second finger. last the Spaniard spoke. ‘Are you a doctor?” ‘“‘Among other things,”’ answer. Mr. Blood continued his study of the patient’s pulse. “A trifle intermittent,” dropped the wrist. Don Diego struggled up into a sitting position on the red-velvet couch. ‘“‘Who the are you?” he asked. ‘And what the are you doing in my clothes and aboard my ship?” The level, black eyebrows went up. “You are still delirious, I fear. This is not your ship. This,is my ship, and these are my clothes.” “Your ship?” quoth the other, aghast; and, still more aghast, he added: “Your clothes? -But— Then He stared, his eyes wild. Then he looked round the cabin once again, scrutinizing each familiar object. ‘‘Am I mad?” he asked at last. this ship is the Cinco Llagas?”’ Ene Cinco Lagas it is.” ‘Then The Spaniard broke off. His glance grew still more troubled. “‘Valga me Dios!” he cried out like a man in anguish. ‘Will you tell me also that you are Don Diego Valdez?” “Oh, no; my name is Blood—Captain Peter Blood. ‘This ship, like this handsome suit of clothes, is mine by right of conquest. Just as you, Don Diego, are my prisoner.”’ tion, yet it soothed Don Diego, being = so much less startling than the things he was beginning to imagine. ‘“‘But—are you not Spanish, then?” “You flatter my Castilian accent. I have the honor to be Irish. You were thinking that a miracle had happened. So it has— a miracle wrought by my genius, which is _ considerable.”’ And very succinctly now Captain Blood elucidated the mystery. Last night what time the two hundred and fifty Spaniards commanded by Don Diego were making merry in conquered Bridgetown Mr. Blood and some thirty forgotten plantation slaves —rebels convict all, who had been out with Monmouth in the West Country and as a consequence suffered transportation—had And then at was the cryptic said he, tefl “Surely STARTLING as was the explana- Adventure quietly slipped “aboard the Cinco Llagas, overpowered the slight contingent which was guarding her with characteristic Span- ish carelessness, and so possessed them- selves of the ship. ‘When you came aboard this morning with the ransom of a hundred thousand pieces of eight we tapped you over the head to keep you quiet. After that we hauled the treasure-chests aboard, and then pro- ceeded to sink by gunfire the boats contain- ing your marauding followers. That much successfully accomplished, and having no desire to return into slavery, we put to sea.” The Spaniard’s countenance had gone red and white by turns during that brief narration. He had put a hand to the back of his head, and there discovered, in con- firmation of the story, a lump as large as a pigeon’s egg. ‘And my son? What of my son?” he cried out. ‘He was with the gunner left on guard aboard.” ‘Your son is safe; he and the gunner and his crew—ten of them in all—are snugly in irons under hatches.” Don Diego sank back on the couch, his glittering, dark eyes fixed upon the tawny face of Captain Blood, and silently com- posed himself. After all, he had the stoicism proper to his desperate trade. With the utmost composure he in- quired— ‘And now, Sezor Capitén?” ‘“‘And now,” said Captain Blood, “being a humane man, I am sorry to find that ye’re not dead from the tap we gave you. For it means that you'll be put to the trouble of dying all over again.” “Is that necessary?” asked Don Diego without apparent perturbation. Captain Blood’s light-blue eyes approved his bearing. ‘Ask yourself,’ said he. ‘“‘Tell me, as an experienced and bloody pirate, what in my place should you do yourself?” ‘‘Ah, bué there is a difference.” Don Diego sat up to argue the matter. “It les in the fact that you boast your- self a humane man.”’ Captain Blood perched himself on the edge of the long oak table. “But I am not a fool,” said he, not allow a natural Irish sentimentality to stand in the way of my doing what is neces- sary and proper. You and your ten sur- viving scoundrels are a menace on this COmMicloo “and ll | oN ) CO