Adventure Magazine Cover, November 10, 1924 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

The Casual’s Return The other man went back to his diary in disgust. ‘“‘Where was you brought up?” he in- quired. ‘“‘’Course salt water won’t make no lather.” Jake looked at Eadie for confirmation or denial. “Can’t prove it by me,” said Eadie. “T don’t know.” “Well, how in —— will I shave?” asked Jake helplessly. “T guess you'll have to grow a beard,” grinned the-sergeant. “Well, I’m ——,” muttered Jake. “TI hope this water will wash what soap I got on off. Then I’ll dump that water and crown the flatfoot that give me that basin. He knew soap.” “V’ll see you on deck,” said Eadie. want to show you something.” He caught Jake’s eye and let one eyelid flicker, at the same time making a slight sign for silence, nodding toward the man in the lower bunk. Jake gave an _ under- standing grimace and went off with the basin in one hand and his blouse over his ved § arm. EADIE went up to the deck and stood near a pile of life rafts. Every taken up, and the hatches were com- pletely ringed by soldiers who had their backs against the coaming. The air was quite chill and the sunshine was very wel- come. More sat on the pile of rafts and dangled their feet. The ladders were full of-men in olive drab, who had to stand up and swing over the deck to allow people to pass up and down. AA solid line hung over the bulwarks. “Talk about. your subway rush hours,” thought Eadie. ‘How is it going to seem to go all the way to France standing up, without even a strap to hold to?” Jake came bursting through the star- board door and looked wildly around until he saw Eadie. Eadie went down to him hurriedly, and again motioning for silence, led the way back into the alleyway and along its dim aisle. He peered around the corner of the side passage, to be sure the library or whatever it was, was not open. Then he motioned for Jake to come up be- side him. Jake came, anticipation burst- ing from him. Eadie took the other’s hand well that water wouldn’t melt © available bit of deck space was — 21 and ducking around the corner, fitted the key to the stateroom lock and opened the door. He swung the door gently shut, found the switch and turned it on. A glow of light revealed the warm stateroom in all its comfort and luxury. Eadie looked at Jake to register wonder and approval, but Jake’s eyes were fixed earnestly upon Eadie and his hurrying tongue moistened his lips. “What is it?” whispered Jake hoarsely. “Yuh gotta pint?” “No,” said Eadie disgustedly. “I haven’t got any pint, you big skull, “Look at this swell stateroom I found.” “Ugh,” grunted Jake, “if yuh get caught in here they’ll hang yuh.” He looked about him with obvious dis- appointment, but this gradually disap- peared as the full effect of the mattressed bunks, the warmth and the brightness of the lights was borne upon him. When he discovered the washstand in the corner he grinned. “T bet there’s fresh water there,’ he exclaimed, and went over to explore the cabinet beneath the stand. “Yep,” he cried triumphantly, “a big pitcher full. It ought to last us all the way to France if we use it right.” He straightened up and surveyed the stateroom again. “How'd yuh find this place?” he in- quired. Eadie explained and pointed out that since it had not been slept in by any one except himself, and because there was no baggage under the bunks, it must be an extra room, and that nothing stood in the way of its being annexed by the two of them. “They can’t do any more than kick us out if they catch us,” concluded Eadie. Jake idly scuffed at the floor with his shoe. ‘‘We can’t shoot no crap here,” he de- cided, ‘‘the floor slants too much.” “Well I’ll be condemned!” cried Eadie. ‘(When you go to heaven I bet you'll kick because the gold streets are hard on the feet.” ; “That’s a —— of a swear. you got,” answered Jake. ‘“‘I’ll be condemned.’ What’d you do, sign the pledge or some- thing?” “No,” said Eadie, “but I was brought up in a Scotch househgld, you bet your life, Comicbook © 5}