Adventure, November 1915 — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

Cy ae 7 Adventure “No. How long will it take you to out- fite’? Addams asked as he arose. “A week?” said Winton sarcastically. “T’ll be ready as soon as you are,” she re- torted. ‘When, Archer? You're the leader of the exposition.” “T’ll look up the steamer connections and let you know,’ Addams answered. ‘‘No use in marking time in San Francisco, but you can both start in packing. I’m off! Pll draw the remnants of my bank account and report here this afternoon. How about you, Fellowes? I’m glad you’re coming. I didn’t like the idea of leaving you behind.” “T’ll be ready to start an hour after any time you say so, sir,” replied Fellowes. “Good! Clean up what you want from your room. You’ll stay here again tonight, and till we leave. That all right, Peggy? Good! Jim, go easy on the wardrobe— we'll travel light and fast.” “Chap’s got to look decent on the steam- er,’’ protested Winton. “One steamer-trunk,” said Addams. “This isn’t a pleasure trip. Peggy, you can have two. Look up your Summer things and get whatever you want for that climate. What’s missing we'll get in Honolulu. Will you look out for Selim? TI’ll see you all later. I’ll secure reservations clear through, as soon as I get schedules.” “Hold on a minute, Archer,” said Jim. “One word about finance, old chap. It’s understood that Peggy and I stand our whack of the expense. Otherwise it’s off. That right, Peggy?” “Surely,” .she said. ‘Together we sink _ or swim, gallant Captain.” She touched her bright hair in a gay salute. “All right,” said Addams, “that’s agreed upon.” “Got the watch, Archer?” asked Jim. “That’s something I want to talk about,” said Addams. ‘‘Fellowes could carry a watch like that without suspicion. But it’s a bulky thing to pack and a dangerous thing to lose. Also, it’s palpably an out-of- date thing to be packing around. It sug- gests in itself it may have been preserved for some special reason. It has served its purpose. “T propose to have the figures tooled out and put them down somewhere else more practical and less likely to be discovered. So, if you don’t object, Fellowes, we’ll do that. This chap Henley may be sharper than*his father. It’s foolish taking un- necessary risks. Ill plan out a way we can all carry a copy of the figures without fear of their being found out. And we might as well destroy the map. It’s of no practical value.” “I’m agreeable,” said Fellowes. “I kind of hate to lose the watch altogether, though it ain’t much on time any more. It was the figgers in it that made me nervous. So I'll pack it again after you’ve fixed it. The map’s better burned anyway.” “Better do it now,” said Addams. “I’ve got them both in a money-belt next tomy - skin. Wait for me in the studio.”’ He went into the room always reserved for him at the studio, and came quickly out again with the watch and map. The latter he handed to Peggy. “Burn it up while I fix the watch, will your” he asked. The girl lighted a match and set fire to one corner of the little chart, dropping it when well ablaze on to a brass plate used as an ash tray, where the stout paper slug- gishly resolved intself into ashes, the lines showing out from the chart the word “‘Ka- pukalipelipe’”’ plain until the girl crumpled the wrinkled heap, and one clue to the treasure vanished as she brushed the rem- nants into the fireplace. Meantime, Addams had dampened the stamp on a used and opened envelope he took from his pocket. ‘This He allowed to soak until he was able to peel it off and care- fully dry it. “Give me your India ink, Jim,” he said. “The waterproof kind. Thanks.” He sat down at a small table, putting the screen between him and the window. He copied the figures from the watch-lid on to the back of the stamp, comparing them carefully. 165’ 40" W 12’ 20” N ‘‘Now the mucilage, Jim.” He lightly regummed the stamp and re- placed it exactly in its former position on the envelope, padding it with a blotter till it was firm. “Now for the watch,”’ he said, and, with the blade of his knife, erased the telltale figures from the lid. He handed the watch to Fellowes and put the letter back into his breast pocket. EOPNICLOOOKS <