Adventure Magazine Cover — page 108: what you’re looking at

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

98 Stone Age and noways appropriate for horseless carriages. Anyway, they got to the cabin and stopped. The feller who is doing the driving is one of them cadaverous-looking little persons, long on glasses and short on chin. Some- body has sold him a suit of clothes which must ’a’ been ordered for a African explorer, even to one of them front-and-back-porch hats. The other person in the seat is Tippecanoe Seeley. “Howdy,” says I, and the feller nods. “Is this ‘Hackamore’ Harper or Ike Har- per?” asks Tip, peering at me. I’ve knowed Tip for ten years; so I don’t laugh. “I’m Ike,” says I. “By the “whiskers on the waumpus, I knowed I was right!” he squeaks. “I knowed I’d get the right Harper. Can’t fool old Tippecanoe—y’betcha.”’ I congratulated Tip on his ability, which was all right and proper, even if Hackamore had been dead four years. “Hackamore, ” says Tip, sor—uh “meet Profes- ‘Doctor Aloysius Van Fleet,’”’ says the. lion-hunter. = “T can’t use you,” says I. things alone now.”’ ‘‘We comes out to see you about some- thing,” says Tip, ‘‘didn’t we, reverend?”’ ‘‘Reverend,”’ snaps the other. “Ain’t I told you plenty of times that I’m the pro- fessor?” “T thought you said ‘Doctor’,” says I. The little fellow lifts his hat and feels of his bald head: “Well, maybe I did. Sure I did.” Then he turns to Tip. ‘You know as well as I do that I’m not a doctor. I am a— What were we talking about anyway?” “My ——!” says I. “Two of a kind! What did you want of me?” Tip and Aloysius looks at each other for a moment and then they look at me. ‘What was it?’’ asks Aloysius. know, don’t you?” ——!’’ grunts Tip. “I didn’t hire out to keep track of your wants. I hired out to—to— What in - did you hire me for anyway?” Aloysius turns and stares Tip in the face. “You mean to say you don’t know what I hired you for?” “Nope,” says Tip, puzzled-like. your” = ‘At your service.” “I’m running » 9) “You Adventure Aloysius puckers up his eyebrows and seems to try to remember, but finally shakes his head. “My gosh, that’s some gun you got!” says L ‘What kind of a weapon do you call it?” “Oh that,” says Aloysius. “I ‘forget, but I know it’s a five-passenger. I must have bent the steering-gear in the rocks.” “Well,” says I, “you better get out and rest your mind a while.” They climbs out. Tip picks a rope and walks around to the front of the machine and then stops and rubs his nose. “You don’t need to tie it, Tip,” says I, and he nods. “T forgot that I’d already took the team to the stable.” THEY sets down on the steps of the cabin and admires the view. Pretty soon Tip sniffs and cranes his neck. “Whatcha cooking in— That’s it! That’s it, judge! We wanted to hire him to cook!” . “Ah,” grins Aloysius. ‘You surely can remember things. I congratulate you on a wonderful memory. Mister—er—what’s the name?” “Harper,” says I. “Ah, yes—Harper. We—er—wish to hire you to act as our guide.” “That’s it!” yelps Tip, slapping himself on theknee. ‘“That’sit, professor. I knew I was hired for something, and that’s it. I’m to guide you.’ Aloysius stares at Tip for a moment and then nods: “YT believe you are nght. I wish I had your ability to remember little details. Yes, you're the guide.” “Guide and a cook, eh?” says I. you going?” “Exactly,” agrees Aloysius, turning to Tip. ‘Where are we going?” “Did you speak of any certain place?” asks Tip, foolish-like. “Why certainly, I did,” says Aloysius, peevish-like. ‘‘I certainly did.” “Oh,” says Tip. “TI see how it happened. You was standing on my left when you said it, and I can’t hear very well in my left ear. Tell me again.” Aloysius considers it for a while and then clears his throat.’ ‘“‘Ahem-m-m-m! Seems to me that I had some place in mind at the time, but I “Where CoMmicbook (©