Adventure, November 1915 — page 53: what you’re looking at

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

The Gold Lust Winton, clad in oilskins, followed by Selim and the Orientals came on deck. Two reefs were set in mainsail and foresail, and the first swung up and swayed taut. The jib was set, and five minutes later forestay- sail and foresail, as the schooner clawed her way out channel in the face of the wind, past the lighthouse, past the clanging bell-buoy, out to sea. MH THE hollows in the insheeted can- vas clutched like fingers at the gale —=— as the waves slammed at the bow of the Wavecrest, forcing her passage outwards. Addams was at the wheel. “Turn in, Jim,” he said, his face wet with spray, gleaming in the moonlight and the glow of the binnacle lamp. A surge of foam rose at the bows and smothered the decks and his spirit, spurning the call of the tired body, leapt exultant to the fight. “Get a few hours’ sleep.” “T’ve got to watch the staysail sheets,” said Winton, his hands cupped to his mouth. “We can’t risk missing stays in a blow like this.” “Good man, Jim!” Addams shouted as Winton went forward, clinging to the rail. The best of his friend was coming out at the call of need and he warmed to him. It was a ticklish job getting sea-room off that lee shore with the least loss of time and travel. Every knot might count in the stern chase after the Lei Lehua. The gusts shrilled through the rigging, and wind and wave pounded at the stanch hull of the schooner with the sound of a furious artil- lery fire. The lee they were making was hard to determine. Diamond Head had to be cleared and, after that, the islands of Mo- lokai, Lauai, and Kahoolawe, lying in a southeasterly line, had to be given a wide berth. The kona gale swept in furiously from the southwest. The seas, what he glimpsed of them from the spume that swept over the starboard side, were a tumble of gray-green mountains and valleys. Win- ton was right. There must be no question of missing stays. Addams put his strength to the wheel, setting his course south-southeast, handling the ready schooner on three spokes, save when he felt by seaman’s instinct that a tack was necessary and spun the circle with a stentorian shout of, ‘Hard a-lee!” He would have liked to grip hands—had he one 51 to spare—with the designer of the sturdy oak-ribbed, sweet-lined boat as she an- swered to her helm, then stayed for a mo- ment, not hesitating, but eager to take the seas on each new course, laying over till the foam seethed through her scuppers, fighting, buoyant, dominant. It was a long time since Addams had faced the elements, a deck beneath him, wet sails shining to the moon, spray crashing on his oilskins, the gale singing through the rigging; and in the sheer joy of it all, fatigue, the treasure, Tuan Yuck and Henley, even Peggy, were for the time forgotten. At two in the morning, the moon totally obscured by the storm, Jim fought his way aft. “T’m not much good as a steersman in this weather, Archer,’”’ he shouted into Ad- dams’s ear. ‘But you can’t keep this up much longer. Ah Sing says Foo Chin is a top-notch man. Let him spell you.” Addams, his eyelids feeling as if they were fixed beyond the power of closing, his fingers turned to rigid hooks, called back: “Send him aft! Vl try him!” The Oriental came back, his bulk swaying easily to the pitching of the schooner. “Make it sou’east-by-south and keep her steady!’ Addams shouted, and the giant, nodding his comprehension, took over the wheel, peering into the compass-box. Addams watched him ‘for a few minutes, then joined Winton by the weather-rail. “He'll do,” he said. ‘We'll both turn in till dawn. Where’s Selim?” The Arab stood by the foremast shrouds, holding to them. Addams reached him. “Call us at daybreak,” he said, and with Winton, the gale sweeping them like a broom, went swiftly aft, reached the shelter of the companionway and staggered on leaden legs to the cabin. There they threw themselves on the tran- som. cushions, ; “We've a clear course till morning, Jim,” said Addams. ‘“The men are all right—they slept on the way up.” | A snore was his only answer. An instant later he lost himself in the deep sleep of ex- haustion. ; SELIM awakened them. Gray light filtered through the skylight. The seas were pounding at the bows. The Arab stood poised to the slant of the cabin floor, two half-filled mugs of steaming Fj bf 0/0 pat aes hn PMR aY \Gpo 1 II ee an a\T? COnnieoooks