Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 7, 1928 — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

48 came the red-coated militia, and the hand of Jack Butts fell on Basil’s shoulder. “‘ Stand aside, lad,” he adjured the boy. “ You have started a brawl they can finish.” He jerked a thumb toward the rapidly advancing soldiers. “ We'll have ship and guns too, and swing ’em to their own yardarms.”’ Basil shook off his detaining hand. ‘To deliver the pirates to the soldiers was no part of his given word. He might and did resent this driving of English seamen to load cannon which it were treason to sell to pirate ene- mies of England, but he would not betray these buccaneers, even now. Nor would he shirk full responsibil- ity of his own adventure, although it led to a stain on his own name and a sentence of outlawry passed on him for all time. Whirling, he faced the handful of soldiers, and the rapier play of light from his sword flashed anew as he made that barrier of shining steel on the entrance of the narrow quay. They could not shoot at the pirates without killing him and,the Albatross’s men who stood behind Basil, protecting the escaping pirates with their bodies. The captain in charge cried to Basil: “Stand aside, Trelawney! We've come to rescue you and end these villains. Can you not see we are friends?” * Alack, no. My mind’s a vast con- fusion. Stand back, Hugh Went- more, nor offer harm to these my jolly comrades. Aboard, men of Le Diable Noir, and I’ll follow. “Quickly. For ’tis dry work mak- ing this shield of light to save you, and less a covering for me than lace on a lady’s cheek. Who fights and runs away ’—he drew breath and went on — lives to fight, another day. Aboard with you, lads. Gefondo and Gordo- the-Butt, on board!” The Cornishmen and soldiers stood agape to see him hold them at bay, ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY, protecting the retreat of the pirates. Tense moments ticked on as bucca- neers swarmed aboard and the head sails of Le Diable Noir, hoisted for emergency, were sheeted home. ‘Then came a shout as the barkentine’s bow swung off the quay. It warned Basil that he had not a moment to spare. Turning, he slapped his sword in the sheath and darted across the quay, leaping over the sea widening between ship and wharf. He caught a dangling line and hung spinning like a spider on its filament, then clambered aboard, hand over hand, to the rail over which he swung a leg and sat astride. There he swept off his hat, and its long plume fluttered in the wind as he bowed mockingly to the men on shore. “ Adieu, my friends—’ His voice lifted an old tune to words of his own improvising: ‘“ Adieu, my friends, farewell to you, My heart is sad, but ever true. God send your hearts, your thought _ outruns | Which weighs Trelawney and his guns.” They caught the words, but their dull wits did not understand that Basil Trelawney was pleading for that jus- tice which circumstance would blacken, pleading for understanding of his in- tention; all but Jack Butts, mate of the sunken Albatross. He saw pirates crouching behind Basil, shielded by the boy from the shots of the militia whose guns were at their shoulders waiting the word to fire. Butts also saw the curve of Basil’s young lips, a smile broken by trembling he could not control, as his heart was torn by the fate again striking so viciously at him. He was leaying un- der a black cloud, dishonored. He had protected pirates against the king’s men and joined their ship with- in sight of the rescue party. But Jack Butts understood, He shot from the crowd on the quay, palms folded to- gether as he darted forward and dived into the sea. 2B A Gomichboo (E)