Adventure Magazine Cover, June 20, 1925 — page 153: what you’re looking at

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

Skippers off Georges was obliterated from the hapless vessel’s bleached bows. The derelict was the worst kind of menace to navigation, for it was floating directly in the eastbound transat- lantic shipping route. The revenue cutter Massasoit was to the northward with the swordfishing fleet. It should~be reported to her. “How about salvagin’ her, Skipper?” asked Bill Alden, who had come up on deck at the mastheader’ s outcry. “Looks like a good bit o’ lumber she’s got in her.” “We will not!’ replied the skipper, watching the derelict while the Pelamon left it astern. ‘‘We’re. headed for Boston now, an’ the sooner we git there, the better —for me,” he added significantly. “For you?” exploded Bill. “Lord sakes —it looks like it’d be better for all of us— with Ira Thomas aimin’ to run us down!” Captain Dan was half disposed to ques- tion Bill on Mel’s relations with Captain Ira. Bill was an honest, reliable fellow—at least he appeared to be. That was the of it—Mel and his whole crew appeared to be honest enough. But “She’s comin—the Comber! Hard over there, Skipper!” Starh’ardl At Shiny’s excited warning Captain Dan twisted the wheel hard a-starboard and peered into the fog to port. Out of the thickness loomed that menacing prow again. The trawler’s engines thrummed and steam hissed, the apparition bearing straight to- ward the schooner’s quarter. This time the skipper had no alternative but to cut a circle to starboard, depending on the ability of the smaller vessel to be brought about faster than the cumbersome steam craft. No doubt the trawler could travel faster inarace. But Captain Dan’s plan was to run before the Comber, then execute a quick turn, and scurry out of the steam craft’s path, as he had so often dodged out of the course of oncoming ocean liners. So the Pelamon raced ahead of the pur- suing Comber as a small bird wildly attempts to outfly a hungry hawk. Closer loomed the menacing prow. The trawler was gain- ing. The engine of the schooner, wide open as it was, could not outdistance the greater power of the steam craft. Captain Dan gauged the diminishing dis- tance between them. Now was the time. Abruptly he swung the wheel, intently watching the dead-ahead course of the Comber astern as he did so. 135 Another hand grasped the wheel. tain Dan whirled, facing Mel. “Skipper —don’t do it! panted the striker, his hands tightening on the spokes of the helm. ‘Keep on ahead—they can t catch us! Steer for the 7 your soul!’ screamed the skipper, relinquishing his hold on the wheel and striking at Mel in his insane fury. ‘‘You’ve overplayed your game, you Bluenose ———! You’ve “The worst enemy you’ve got is chasin’ you, Skipper!” shot back Mel, wrenching the wheel and holding the Pelamon on a straight course. ‘‘Let me take the wheel! I’m in command o’ this schooner. It ain’t mutiny. You made me skipper after the hurricane—an’ I’ve got the crew to back up my evidence!”’ Captain Dan, disregarding the Comber, which was fairly swooping down on the schooner, looked at Mel with open-mouthed amazement. Too well he realized his folly’ in putting Mel virtually in command dur- ing his unguarded moments of great en- thusiasm for the man who had appeared to be his benefactor. Mel was right. It was not mutiny. Mel had received com- mand from him. Ike Crowe would sub= stantiate it. But law or no law, Captain Dan was not going to see his schooner blotted out of existence before his very eyes, and with him aboard her. He let go of the wheel and tore into Mel with both fists flying. But although he battered Mel’s face with blows that would have stunned any ordi- nary man, the striker hung on to the wheel, and twisted it slowly to port, putting what little wind there was on the schooner’s quarter. The crew, who had come down from their precarious perches aloft in case. the Pelamon were run down, pounced upon the fiery skipper, and he sprawled on deck under them. They were not obeying Dan. They obeyed Mel, whom Dan had previous- ly put in command. “Let him up!’ shouted Mel. “But see that he keeps quiet. An’ some 0’ you keep a lookout for that derelic’. I think I’ve got its position about right, but I ain’t sure.” Captain Dan was hauled to his feet, Bill Alden and Pierre gripping his shoulders and holding his tense arms. He looked astern. To his surprise the Comber had lost distance. The wake of the Pelamon Cap- COMIGDIOOKSEEO