Adventure Magazine Cover, March 20, 1925 — page 21: what you’re looking at

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

The Snow Driver 2 freckled, sunburned cheeks, still lean from convalescence. Thorne was no more than eighteen, the king sixteen. Yet in the poise of the head, in the quick gray eyes of the squire-at- arms was manifest the surge of life and health. “Your thoughts run to grave matters, good youth,” Edward said at once. “You are charged to keep your post and weapon. Nay, lay it aside, at my bidding.” Thorne bowed and placed his firelock against the pavilion wall. Then, advancing to the couch, he put an arm under Edward’s knees and shoulders and lifted him easily. The slight form of the sick boy in its black velvet cassock seemed no weightier than straw. At the entrance the king urged him to go forward a few paces so that he could look up and down the river. “Look, Dudley,” Edward cried, “the Spaniard overtops Sir Hugh’s ship.” “But yonder craft from Seville,” the noble pointed out, ‘‘is a galleon fashioned for war. The ships that bear the colors of your majesty were built for the merchant adventures.” “Then, Dudley,” cried the boy, “they were stanchly built of seasoned and honest oak.” “True. In the time of your majesty’s illustrious grandsire and good King Harry, your father—whom may God save and assoil—no three ships could be got to- gether, but one would be Venetian and one Dutch.”’ He turned to wave back angrily the throng of soldiery and attendants that had presumed to draw near the pavilion, hoping for a word or a look from the sick boy who was beloved by kitchen knave and noble of the realm alike. Strict orders had been issued by Stratford and those who had the care of the king’s person that no one should approach within arrow flight. For this reason the picked guards had _ been stationed. ry passing ships wistfully. Here were “eas men faring from the known seas into the unknown. Here were ships built and furnished and manned in England, going forth to discover a new route to the In- dies, to bring to England some part of the trade with Cathay and the new world that BUT Edward’s eyes were on the had swelled the power of Spain and Port- ugal.* He watched the burly shipmen in their blue tabards, laboring at the oars of the boats that were towing the vessels. When they became aware of the king they roared out a cheer and pulled the harder. Others climbed up the shrouds to stare and wave a greeting, and a tall man on the poop of the last ship doffed his cap and bowed low. “Now, by St. Martin,” exclaimed Edward, “T should know that graybeard.” “Sire, your eyes are as keen as your memory is unfailing,” responded Stratford after a moment’s hesitation. ‘That ven- erable ship’s captain is the notable navigant and cosmographer——”’ “Sebastian Cabot, the Venetian. I know him well, Dudley. And my memory of which you prate tells me his age is fourfold my own. Yet is he strong and hale enough to 9) The boy’s lips quivered and were silent. Thorne the armiger turned his head to gaze at a falcon hovering over the rushes on the far bank of the river, so that he might not behold his sovereign’s distress. “Sire?” The duke bent closer, and pursed his thin lips. “Master Cabot or Cabota,” he added, “fs indeed past his prime. ’Tis a mere courtesy that he stands on yonder deck. For-by he is governor of the Mystery and Company of Merchants - Adventurers, for the discovery of places and dominions un- known, he sails with the ships as far as the haven of Orfordnesse on the Suffolk coast. There Cabot leaves them. He is too aged to attempt the voyage into the Ice Sea. Ha, Sirrah Squire, bear your royal burden into the pavilion from which you should never have advanced. He is ailing!” Edward was coughing, flecks of blood showing on his pallid lips. His eyes closed and he lay voiceless a moment on the couch. When he spoke it was in so low a whisper that nobleman and armiger both bent lower to catch the words—Thorne ex- pecting that the king might have some command for him. “Nay, Dudley. Of what avail to guard the body when life—itself is leaving me?” *De Gama, Albuquerque, Cortez and Magellan were opening up the gold and spice routes for rival princes. In this dawn of the age of discovery it was still believed that America lay near to Cathay. Cathay (China) had not ae reached, and was thought to be the heart of the ndies. VOO