Adventure Magazine Cover — page 97: what you’re looking at

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

“We've some luck anyhow, Jack! There’ll be wind enough for our hurry.” Once aboard the ship, after fighting through the rain and bluster of that storm-swept night, the men were turned to. Even Abdul was forced to the capstan, though Heddon had to knock him out first. After a tense half-hour the schooner was put over the bar, in pursuit of the Chinese ship, thought to carry Po-Shu. Vioux and Madame questioned Will Heddon about his knowledge of treasure. He told them: “See here, if I knew of treasure would I bang and bat about in these islands, stealing shell an’ doing a tramp’s odd jobs, when with little more than the glint of gold one could live at ease in, say Parise You’re all fools over that treasure yarn. If there’d been a smell of treasure I’d have dug for it long ago.” Then a sudden uproar broke out on the deck above; the stowaways were out! A fierce fight took place for possession of the Dragon, ending with Heddon and his crew in charge of a wrecked schooner; topmast, foresail and jib in a jumble on deck. Pelew, ringleader of the beach gang, walked aft to Will Heddon and said: “Nothin’ left to fight for, mister, but a dismasted tub as won’t sail.”’ “You'll all get to the pumps,” said Heddon. “With the boats smashed we'll keep afloat as long as possible.” Madame’s great snake, Baal-Phelgor, had the en- tire crew in terror. Heddon held his distance with the rest but ordered it kept alive for his own ends. The following morning dawn came with a murky glow, filtering through the rain. Walscher’s Jack- Girl was expected to show up and carry them back to Lianfo and prison, but the first thing sighted was a long-boat. Pelew, in the shrouds with bi- noculars, suddenly shouted: “Look! By ——, they’re Chinks! Looks like we had a new lot of pumpers comin’ aboard!” As they drew near, a tall finely built Chinese was December 8, 1926. seen in the stern—steering and sculling. The boat pulled alongside and Madame, at the rail, screamed: ““Po-Shu! Inthe boat there. You will see!’’ Denasso was putting in a plea for the protection of the slave-girl from Vioux and Madame when his gaze was drawn shoreward. The Jack-Girl was bearing out from Lianfo. Heddon quickly laid plans for his followers, say- ing to Old Bill: “You and Tom can’t face prison. You must turn witness against me, understand?” “Me? Meand Tom! Turn agin ye, Will ’Eddon? Not to save yer worthless soul from ——, we wouldn’t!”’ And the lazy young Raeburn was just as indig- nant. With a frown Heddon turned to watch the Chi- nese coming aboard. Po-Shu was handed over the side and ran to him, sheltering from Madame’s wrath at his side. Will called to the tall Chinese: “You savvy me talkee? This nu-ken. What for you stealum her?” With but a slight accent the answer came: “To me was given a ship and men if I would take her from a house. It was the ship, not this woman, that I wanted. The ship sank—’” : Denasso drew Raeburn to one side and whispered: “That Chink—Po-Shu just told me—T’eeay Layeen!’’ Raeburn, astonished at this new development, re- joined Heddon with the hope of warning him. ‘They were planning to capture the Jack-Girl, and Heddon proposed that they turn the snake on Walscher. Soon the Jack-Girl :hailed them and sent her boat to take them off. The snake, securely boxed, went with Madame. The next boat-load carried Heddon, who, in the ensuing fight, was chiefly concerned with keeping Pelew from killing any one. As it turned ' out the snake was not loosed, as Madame protested so strongly as to lose her wig in the tussle. She ran to hide her shame in a cabin, dodging the struggling men. DOOLK C©