Adventure Magazine, March 1916 — page 23: what you’re looking at

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

The Secret of Caprice near by to regather their forces and make a fresh attack. “Lord!” he exclaimed in admiration. “Did you see that boat go? Forty miles an hour,. I'll bet.” He turned and found Conway standing beside him with outstretched hand. “Thanks, old man,” said Phil feelingly. “You were just in time. By gad! This does make things look serious!” “What was it?” asked Ward. “What happened? Tell me about it. What does it mean?” “One question at a time, please,’’ Con- way protested. “T’ll tell you first what I think it means. We’ve both been half right and half wrong about this whole thing. It’s quite as serious as we thought it was.’ “About Caprice, you mean?” “Yes; and about poor old Otto Blaydon. Caprice was scuttled, sure as you’re born, and Blaydon either killed or kidnaped for ransom. And this desperate gang are just about ready to murder both of us because we’ve found them out.” CHAPTER V WARD CHANGES ‘HIS MIND WAR stood staring at his friend in the bright light of the moon. Conway’s expression showed no signs of the excite- ment that might have been expected in a man who had just been so violently at- tacked. He appeared, rather, to be puz- zling over the reasons that had led to the appearance of this gang at this isolated camp along the lonely shore. Phil Conway was a man who had never known physical cowardice. In spite of his having been brought up with every luxury at his command, his very tendency to be bored by everything had driven him to seek excitement in every possible field; and, this had resulted in much out-of-door life which had hardened his muscles and his endurance to an extent not usual with men of his class. Therefore he was able to dis- miss from his mind all thoughts of the per- sonal danger that might have resulted from such an encounter as he had just had and to concentrate his thoughts immediately upon its bearing on the larger proves that they faced. “Tell me what happened,” aia Ward. “How did they get here in that thundering 2I boat without being heard by either of us?” “They came poling her up the shore,” Phil explained. “TI was sitting comfortably out there on the afterdeck enjoying a cigar- ette and my unpleasant thoughts, when I suddenly became conscious of the ripple of the water, different from the wash of the inlet on the shore. I looked up and saw this boat, with a man standing in the stern sheets, poling her along.” “Sneaking up on you?” “No; apparently not. They came on in openly and, when they were near, one of the men stood up and called, ‘Hey, there! Any- body aboard that yacht?’ I got up and went over to the railing and answered them. “« ‘What’s the matter?’ I asked. *< ‘T’d like to borrow some tools, if I can,’ the man said. ‘There’s something wrong with this gear; it’s so hot we can’t touch it.’ “‘ ‘Wants taking up a bit, I fancy,’ I said. ‘That’s easy enough with a monkey-wrench. Come aboard. There’s probably one in the engine-room here.’ ”’ Ward nodded at the significance of the dialogue. “Played you just right for their purpose, didn’t they?” he asked. “Oh, most beautifully,’ Phil agreed pleas- antly. ‘‘Hoaxed me properly from the very beginning. Still, you must admit, there was no reason why I should have been suspicious of them.” “No; that’s true,” Ward admitted. ‘Go “‘They poled the ahead.” “Well,” Phil resumed. boat up the beach and came aboard. By Jove!—” with sudden recollection —‘it’s funny you didn’t hear our voices. We called quite loudly to each other.” “T’m afraid I dozed off a few minutes in the tent,” Ward explained. “Oh, that’s it. Well, as I say, they came aboard—three of them. They made no at- tempt whatever to conceal themselves— acted in the most natural manner imagin- able—just went below with me and looked all around when I turned up the lights.” “‘Ah, yes,” said Ward. ‘Wanted to see that you were alone, eh?” “Undoubtedly. And they saw most beau- tifully, too. They found the wrench, and then, as we were about to come up on deck, one of them said, ‘This has been a damned fine yacht, hasn’t it? There’s room for quite a crew for’ard. Got good panies aft, too, I guess, hasn’t she?’ ibook com co Ua Ny NRE ap alae ECE DA MPR Oy Rd, OME TR MITE PURINE age £ “ — : = 4 “3 g : <4 a aye" batt