Adventure Magazine Cover — page 24: what you’re looking at

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

18 tent, which would shelter them from the village. He noticed two woolly heads peep- ing out of the bell tent as he walked. As he turned and threw the revolver on to the bed Dorkin wheeled about like a cat, rushed and planted one blow behind the ear. This treacherous attack maddened Dorsay. He sprang around, and, seizing the man by’ the waist, lifted him bodily and threw him. “Now, you swine, come on!” Although Dorkin undoubtedly knew how to fight, the contortion of his face reassured Dorsay. This time Dorkin did not rush. He held off for a second or two to recover his breath; but could not, after his kind, avoid wasting more in language. But the hesita- tion showed that he had at last realized that he was up against no tenderfoot. Dorsay was taller, but his adversary was stockily built and could give him a stone in weight. Dorkin came prancing up with lowered head and his two fists slightly moving, more like a wrestler than a boxer. Dorsay leaped, and, using his slightly longer reach, got within Dorkin’s guard and smashed him on the nose. Dorkin replied with a nasty kidney punch followed by a whirlwind of body blows, leaped away, and, when Dorsay followed up, clinched. By an effort Dorsay raised him off his-feet again, but failed to throw him. But as he came down he managed to get Dorkin’s head into chancery and smashed the face cruelly, intent upon punishing him. Dorkin retorted with short drives at his kidneys, which made him gasp. As he re- leased him and succeeded in getting clear, Dorkin, covered with blood and _ spitting teeth, rushed, desperately flailing blows re- gardless of what further punishment he took. In the first onslaught Dorsay had re- ceived some telling blows on face, head and body, and fought for a chance to put Dor- kin out again, knowing well that the man would kill him if he got the chance. For a few seconds Dorkin’s attack was so furious that Dorsay began to doubt how long he couldshold him off. Then suddenly Dorkin broke away. Dorsay saw that he was groggy. “If you’ve had enough—” he began, dropping his hands. “PH kill you, you ——,” spluttered Dor- kin, and rushed. Dorsay had just time to get home with his Jeft, and Dorkin dropped and lay still. Adventure THEN Dorsay became aware that around him, forming a large ring, was a crowd of squatting natives, who had watched with curious eyes this strange form of a white man’s fight. Dor- say signaled to the boy who was still wearing the stolen jacket. to help carry his master. As Dorsay filled the wash-basin the na- tives crowded around the door, eager not to miss one action. With the cold water on his face the Australian came to and peered through one eye. “Struth,” he spluttered through his bloody mouth, “‘yer licked me, then?” “T did,” said Dorsay shortly. “You ain’t no new chum,” Dorkin went on, ‘for you’ve licked an ex-welterw’ight of Haustralia. A fair knockaht too, me ef it warn’t’.” “Say,” said Dorsay anxiously, “‘you’re not wanting any more, are you?” The bloody mouth contorted, apparently inagrin. “Crikey, not for me, mite.” He extended his hand. ‘Yew done me fair.” Dorsay took the hand, and his heart warmed toward him thinking— “Maybe he is a crook, but he’s a darned good sport enough to take a licking.” VI AFTER that episode Dorkin ap- pees! peared to have decided to be reason- a! able. He called for his servant, and with a grin returned to Dorsay the stolen coat as the delayed meal was brought in. “All’s fair in love and war, y’know,”’ he said sheepishly, and to Dorsay’s surprize produced the thousand rupees from his own wallet. ‘‘’Ope yer ain’t looking fer a come- back, are-yer?”’ “We'll cut that out,” retorted Dorsay, “and anyway now you’re kind enough to return me my own property, perhaps you'll sell me some goods?” “Dunno as I mightn’t,” admitted Dorkin. “Ere, Pil tell ver wot Pll do. Yew can ‘ave enough for grub and trade-goods and I'll get the bloomin’ chief ter tike yer back on the trile ter see if yer can’t pick up the dotty little doctor. ’Ow’ll that W’ite, I call it.” Dorsay reflected. What to do without an interpreter he did not know. ~The sug- gestion seemed good, for with the protec- tion of the chief’s people he might discover = GCORMIGIOOKS suit? (E@)