Adventure Magazine, December 10, 1924 — page 188: what you’re looking at

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

166 The latter sprang to the rack and, pass- ing a bottle to Wade, covered the mission- ary while Wade drained the bottle. Then Doxey drank. “Might I ask what your intentions are with us and the schooner?” asked Jessup. - “Remains to be seen; dependent on how you perform. If there’s any show of fight from afterguard or crew, we'll kill the lot of you.” “For piracy,” suggested Jessup, ‘‘it seems to me that a missionary schooner offers mighty poor pickings.” ‘“‘We’ll be satisfied,’”’ said Wade. ‘We have little of value on board. In fact, we carry on our work of salvation among the natives with barely enough in- come to cover our simplest needs. Most of the time I am in dire poverty.”’ ‘“‘We’re not out for loot,” said Wade. “Then put away your weapons,” said Jessup. “TI’ll inform the mate that you two gentlemen are to be our guests to the next port. From what you said yesterday, I presume that’s all you want.” “We'll pick our own port,”’ said Wade. “Tf you don’t make trouble for us, we'll drop you ashore on some island off the steamer track and where traders never go, leave you with supplies and shelter, and as many of the crew as we can spare. We'll slip away for some port, skip this schooner and leave word of where you are for the coast-guard people.” “T gather that the real purpose behind all this is to escape the authorities; that you are wanted for some crime in the past.” “You’ve guessed it, Parson. You wouldn’t take us, so we had to take you. Make no mistake about it; we’re not afraid to kill. What we’re wanted for is serious enough so that one killing more or less means nothing to us.” “Dear me!”’ said Jessup sadly. “It is a pity to see white men acting like savages. I am convinced that there is nothing to be done; I am content to let you have your own way. But I pray you refrain from ' bloodshed.” “‘We’re first-class refrainers, Parson. Glad vou know how things stand with us, and I’ve a suspicion that you already know one of us. Maybe you know us both, eh?” He leaned forward over his revolver and peered into Jessup’s face. “No, I don’t know either of you,’ said the missionary. ‘Why do you think I do?” Adventure “You were suspicious yesterday in the hut; looked me over pretty close while you prayed.” “Ah, yes. True; I saw that you were shamming sickness, and sought to divine your purpose. I felt sure your partner was lying when he came to the village for me. And, now, of course, it’s apparent that you are not the common seamen you pretended to be.” “Why didn’t you come back for us and take us along in the schooner?” “In the first place I have strict orders from the authorities not to pick up beach- combers, or any other white men, off these islands that I visit in my work.” “That’s not your only reason for not wanting us aboard.” “True. I was, to put it frankly, afraid of you both. And when I returned to the native village I inquired from certain of the natives. They admitted that you had been on Andrus longer than you had represented to me; also, that you always hid away from any vessel that came into the bay, and especially avoided a coast-guard cutter if she put in.” “Then you knew we were wanted by the police.” ‘What other conclusion could I arrive at? It was none of my affair. I am not performing police duties with this vessel.” “All right,” said Wade. ‘No hard feel- ings, Parson. But let’s get down to cases. The mate’s on watch; probably listening tous. If he starts anything, you’ll be dead before it’s finished. Now then, hand over the key to the rifle-rack, all your keys.”’ Jessup fumbled through his pockets and brought out a bunch of keys which he hand- ed over. “The little brass one fits fhe padlocks on the gun-rack,”’ he explained. Doxey came forward. At a warning gesture from Wade, he remained standing in the center of the cabin. They listened for a couple of minutes. They heard nothing but the snoring of the schooner through the water, the creak of her rigging under wind pressure, the wash of the seas along her counter and the creaking of the vessel’s woodwork when she heeled gently. “Now,” said Wade to Jessup, “step into the companionway and stop on the first step. Call the mate below. Let him come down to you, and then tell him what’s COMmiclhoo © =