Adventure, November 1915 — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

58 the inconstant weather, though thelatter showed signs of mending as the day wore on to afternoon. They could not expect, how- ever, to reach the island at best before sun- down, and, by the time the treasure was aboard, the Lez Lehua would more than likely have established a blockade. Addams sat, planning strategy against possible strategy, praying for a breeze, while the rest practised with the firearms. At one o’clock the northeast trades evidently decided upon an attempt at mastery. The wind came charging over the watery hills, mustering the plumy crests beneath them. Once more sheets tautened and can vas bel- lied, and a creamy wake showed swift pro- gress. “‘Here’s where we start to sail!”’ cried Ad- dams with infectious enthusiasm. The fore- sail was winged out to port, the mainsail to starboard. Jib and flying jib ballooned ahead with the forestaysail set as a spinnaker. The canvas was soaked down and all hands went aft as the schooner, light- breasted as a swan, surged onward. In half an hour the Lez Lehua was invisible, lost below the horizon. Addams took the wheel, bending every energy to avoid lost motion. There were no sheets to tend with the fast-following, urgent breeze, and the little complement of seven—Peggy, the two white men, the Arab and the three Chinese—gathered aboutthe © wheel in silence, watching the full-bellied sails and listening to the hiss of the foam beneath the counter with mutual delight. At eight bells Addams sent Selim, as the lightest, up to the main-spreaders. For fif- teen minutes he perched there, scanning the horizon ahead for a sign of land, behind for a possible reappearance of the Let Lehua. Suddenly he gave a hail, pointing beyond the starboard bow. Addams, relinquishing the wheel to Foo Chin, ran forward with the deck-glasses, followed by Jim and Peggy. Ahead, low on the skyline, showed a tiny blue dot. Addams handed the glasses to Peggy. “It’s the island,” he said. ‘“‘We ought to make it by sundown. We must. We’ve got to get inside that reef by nightfall. ‘They’ ll _ hesitate to risk it after dark. If we’ve any luck with tides we'll have all night to work in.” “And find them waiting for us when we come out, like the big boy around the corner,’ suggested Winton. Adventure “That depends on circumstances we’ll have to wait for,” said Addams. “But I’ve been taking a leaf from Tuan Yuck’s book of tactics and we'll find a way to handle that possibility. The important thing is to get into that lagoon.”’ ama 6THE land began to take shape be- fore them. The sun had dropped among masses of clouds, sulfur- colored, enormous, against which the lift of the main crater showed in dull purple, with the promontory running to the cape, and beyond, the thimble-shaped islet, sil- houetted against the yellow sky. The line of the reef showed snarlingly, and soon the thunder of its breakers sounded a warning. “The opening’s this side!’ shouted Ad- dams. ‘“Take the wheel, Foo Chin, I’m going to the foretop to con in. Don’t move a spoke till I tell you. Jim, you'll watch your jibs with Selim. Get in the foresheet now, all hands. Then stand by the main. Ah Sing, get forward there with the anchor!” He volleyed his commands, then sprang to the foremast and climbed rapidly, holding to the halyards, using the rings as aladder. “Get in your sheets there!”’ he shouted, poised in the jaws of the gaff. “In with them! Stand by to go about. We’ll make it on the port tack. Lively there! Now then, Foo Chin, hard alee!” The schooner spun on her keel and sped, skirting the thundering reef. Peggy looked up at the dominant figure, comparing him with the unsuccessful law- yer of less than a fortnight ago, and thrilled at the evidence of forceful manhood. Great flocks of birds, disturbed by the ad- vent of the schooner, wheeled dark against the sulfur sky, protesting’ at the rape of their privacy. As the schooner came under the lee of the main crater the wind failed. “Ready about!’ shouted Addams. “There she opens, straight ahead! Let her fall off a bit, Foo Chin. That’s good. Steady she goes. Now—up with her. Bring her up, man! We’re through! Down Jibs, Jim. Over with that anchor, Ah Sing!” He came to the deck, hand over hand, and snapped his orders. "Main and fore sail came down to be furled, the headsails were snugged, a second anchor dropped astern— for, though they were partially protected by the cape, the reef opening was in the weather side—and the Wavecrest swung to CORNICLOOKS (A) =)