Adventure Magazine Cover — page 120: what you’re looking at

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

114 “All right, you talk to the wind-gods a while. Coax ’em on board. I’m going in for another look at Bill.” ‘“‘Last few days he’s sufferin’ bad, Will.” “He’s dying. An’ on a crazy hell-ship with nothing but salts and arnica in the medicine chest. To with such a mess as we’ve made of it! And Hellward bound we are! Noneed of awind to hurrya man on the Devil’s lee shore.” {I D BILL was gaunt and weak; his eyes had settled deep in their sock- ets, glowing with a sullen feverish- ness, and at times he muttered vaguely, out of his head. Heddon had done everything he knew, working with gentle patience and cheerfulness, but being nothing of a doctor he did not know what to do. There was a bad smell from the wounds, discoloration, pus. The room was hot even with the punkah. Bill had dread of lying in the dark, so a lantern was kept burning. Now when Heddon entered the old fel- low did not move, but lay wide-eyed, with a blank stare overhead. He asked for water. Heddon poured water, warm tasteless stuff with a strong odor, and mixed with it a few spoonfuls of wine, and lifted his head; but after one or two swallows, Old Bill turned his face away, dropped back on the pillow and lay quiet. ‘“There’ll be wind soon, Bill. Caught a glimmer of lightning to eastward.” Bill did not answer. He lay as if he had not heard. His roving eyes glanced feverishly past Heddon. His bare thick arms were shrunken; muscles that had taken their great strength from the tough cordage they had handled were now withered, and the chest that had breasted the flap of gale-blown canvas in the dark- ness of all the seas, was flattened now and moved with quick, gasping, shallow breathing. Heddon turned the lantern wick up and down, adjusting it; and, hearing a step, faced about. It was Tom. ‘“‘How is he, Will?” ‘Fine! He’s coming along fine!” Heddon lied with a pretense at heartiness, but his sidelong look and frown told the truth. Old Bill cleared his throat, then in a GORDON YOUNG vague empty voice, with eyes fixed over- head, spoke— “Ow big is God?” Tom glanced helplessly at Heddon, stared helplessly at Old Bill. “So big is ’E that in ’Is palm all the oceans is like a drop ’r two o’ water in your ’and or mine. It’s in the Bible so.” “Aye,” said Heddon. ‘But quiet, Bill.” ‘“‘An’ a ship to sea is nothin’ but a speck. With all the oceans in the ’ollow of ’Is ’and, ’ow big’s a ship before ’Is eyes? ’E carn’t see us. An’ ’E stands so igh the stars is spangles on ’Is robe—’ow can ’E ’ear?”’ Old Bill stirred, lifting a shrunken arm, and stared at his hand, trying to imagine that his palm was God’s and that all the oceans lay there. The hand dropped heavily. Old Bill sighed without hope. ‘“°E carn’t see us. ’E carn’t ’ear us. *E don’t care.” Heddon’s tongue fumbled with unspoken words; nothing seemed suitable, so he put his hand on Old Bill’s forehead, hot with fever as if from a brain on fire. “*Eavenr” said Old Bill, questioningly; then shook his head slightly, denying his right to Heaven. “TI been a ’ypocrite an’ talked foolish, I been a Pharersee. I been—” “You’ve got your hands bone-deep with calluses from honest work to show—and that means Heaven!’’ “Ts that in Scripture?” Bill asked with quick eagerness, hopeful. ‘“‘Aye!”’ said Heddon. Old Bill, with slow effort, lifted both hands and peered at them. For a moment he fingered the hard palms, warty with callouses, then his hands dropped wearily. Under the pressure of his hand upon the forehead, Heddon felt the old fellow shake his head, denying still his right to Heaven for he had been a hypocrite, talked vainly of holy things, stood before his fellows as one reproachfully righteous, prayed loudly as do the, Pharisees. {il T WAS a little after eight bells that morning when Tom went forward and awakened Pelew. One _ touch, and Pelew was on his feet, fully awake, startled, ready for a fight; then seeing he had been called merely to take the watch, he COmiclboo SH C© 5}