Adventure Magazine Cover — page 104: what you’re looking at

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

102 it was something more to be overhauled by Wailscher. Pelew said loudly, scornfully: “Take ’er, how? With these swabs here? They wouldn’t fight a crippled cat! An’ what o’ treaser? What d’you know of treaser, heh?” “By the grave of my father, his father, and their fathers, I promise to you treasure if you—” with a sweeping glance and a slight gesture he took in all on the deck about him—‘‘fight and take that ship!” It was about as forceful an oath as a Chinese could take, but excepting Heddon, none thought much of it as an oath, and Heddon thought more of the Chinese’s dar- ing proposal than of the sacred invocation. Most of the men about the deck felt the word “treasure” had a sound of mockery. They had long before talked themselves into the conclusion that, after all, they had been fools to think Heddon knew as much as they had thought about treasure. If so, would he have burdened himself with Vioux’s freaks as passengers? They could think so much more clearly in the gray wet dawn than they had been able to think with their elbows on Grogan’s bar, or in the fore- castle, spilling gin down their throats and spending wealth not yet gained. Old Tom and Old Bill, with much the faithfulness of two old dogs—and old sea- dogs they were—moved over closer to Hed- don, whose lucky recklessness had often thrilled them, and they looked from him to the bark and back again. They knew much about Will Heddon, knew there were some things he would do, some he wouldn’t; could name many he would balk at, but not always guess just what would make him balk, what wouldn’t. He seemed to sense their silent question- ing, and as if in answer, said: “Tf we had a chance, I’d try it. where’s the chance?”’ Pelew shouted out what the men were muttering among themselves: “Take ’er?P How? What with? We're lucky to be took off! It’s piracy to try it. Try it an’ get licked—we would get hung. Me, I’m willin’ for one to doit. But how? They won’t let us get on board with arms, an’ they’ll be armed.” T’eeay Layeen said— “But if you do not try you will go to prison.” “Somepin in that,” said Pelew, less loud- But Gordon Young ly than usual. “Will you fellers fight?’ The men protested. They were wet, hungry, licked, and the glamor of treasure had been lost; also whatever liking they may have had for Pelew. Some one men- tioned ‘‘piracy” and he caught up the word, yelling at them: “Piracy! You’re up for it now! This here ship—you’ve wrecked ’er, tryin’ to seize ’er. What more you do won’t make it worse! An’ me, I’ll be Crown witness ’gainst you. You see ’f I don’t!” “T’ll not risk it!’ cne answered. “‘Nor me!”’ said another. “B’lieve a Chink!’’ said some one. “Aw, how to do it? Tell me that!” in- quired one fellow, not with the hope of learning how, but to make it clear there was no hope of carrying through so wild a plan. Pelew cursed them; then, with sudden savagery: “Tf you won’t fight, pump ship! I told ye long ago, an’ here yer loafin’! She’s heavy now an’ rollin’ deep! To the pumps—”’ He hit the nearest man, struck at another, whipped out his knife and with upraised hand drove them to the pump; swore he would turn Crown witness and have them hanged; said: ‘“‘We’re sinkin’ an’ I hope she goes down before you’re taken off! You leave ’er last, so pump —— you!” V EDDON was studying the bark H through the glass. He lowered the glass and looked behind him at the Chinese and started to say some- thing; then, as if he hardly believed himself what he was about to say, again raised the glass and frowned through it with a kind of puzzlement. “Try it, Tom,” he said, handing over the glass. “I can’t believe what I see. Or rather what I don’t see! I make out Wal- scher, but the Porpoise is not by him. And there’s no more than her crew on the deck. She didn’t come out after us!’ “What’s that you say, mister?” asked Pelew. “They didn’t come out after us. But coming out, they’ve found us. Some men have luck, and the Fates seem a fool over Walscher!”’ ‘You mean— Then by ——,, we'll capture her!”’? And Pelew, with that brazen rascality COMICOOOKS Cc (©