Adventure, January 20, 1922 — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

Tides of Hate and leaned over to one side in the least possible degree, but enough to bring Davies up from below as fully aware of the situa- tion as if it had occurred in daylight with himself in command. “Cast the lead, Goliath,’ he said quietly. “We’re aground.” HE AGAIN mounted to the main- truck, noticing as he went that the pumps had stopped. To the north he looked first. There was no flash of sail now. Ahead and to the south he detected no white flash of foam, but instead there lay an expanse of shallows that ran on and on and across, seemingly a vast acreage of sand and mudflats, until a darker loom ahead revealed the high mainland. Astern, to which direction he last turned, he caught the occasional gleam of surf, where lay the rocky outposts of the shallows. Goliath accosted him as he regained the deck, lead-line in hand. “Tree fadom aft, cap’n; not more’n fadom an’ a half under de bowsprit.”’ ‘“‘And tide should be falling.” “Tt is, sar. Eben now, sence we teched, she’s listin’ furder.” “All right,” snapped Davies, around the sky for weather signs. All seemed clear and promising of fine weather; the sea scarcely breathed, the breeze was the gentlest whisper, the arming in the lead showed fine sand and tiny shells, the least harmful bottom other than mud the ship could have struck upon. And as for security from prying ships, no mariner would peril his ship by venturing there if he had a voice in the matter. For the rest, nothing could be done toward getting the ship off until the tide began to rise; and the men were badly in need of sleep. “Come, bullies,’ he shouted cheerily. ‘Here we are, and here we'll stay for twelve hours or so anyhow. Get me out an anchor from bow and stern, and all hands may wallow in sleep for two full watches. If the tide only proves to be of proper range, who knows but we may find and stop the leak here on the bar? Then we'll fool the king’s ship like jolly lads loving a jape. ‘“Huzza, now! Out boats, Kestral! Go- liath, swing me out the great bower anchor and overhaul full scope o’ cable.” With fresh vim the pirates toiled at tasks ten times as hard as pumping, urged on by promise of real rest at last. Davies himself as glancing ™~. 35 took a jollyboat and sounded all around the ship, finding speedily that the shallows were almost flat except at one point off the starboard bow. Here the tide had already uncovered a little knob of pebbly sand. and the rapidity of the tide’s fall indicated the possibility of a considerable range in the depth-of water. “We'll carry out an anchor ae side, too, bullies,” he shouted, pulling back to the ship. Kestral and Goliath together had sunk two anchors well spread on the deeper side, and the windlasses creaked as the cables came taut. A deep growl went up again at the prospect of more work. Davies stopped it with soft words. ‘“°Vast heaving on those cables, my bold lads,” he~cried, ‘I'll drive ye no more. It’s to save ye toil I’m seeking. We’ll lay out a hook on top of a knob I’ve found, and carry the hawser into the maintop. “Do you, Goliath, bridle up those cables x have aboard, and carry ’em also aloft, eading both ends down through leading blocks, one to the midship capstan, t’other to the for’ard windlass. But heave the ship upright, and she stays so while the water leaves her. ‘Then jolly seamen as ye are ye’ll see half our work’s done for us, for mayhap the leak is to be gotten at without heaving her down. If so be we must heave her down, then, me, ain’t we able to careen her to either side, as we need? Come, lads, another half-hour’s brisk work and [Pll ask no more 0’ ye.” At length, when the tide had fallen below the bends of the ship, the weary pirates slept, while the tireless captain and the giant negro paddled around the hull in the jollyboat seeking for the great leak. When an oar, used pole fashion, found the sand at half oar-depth, the sound of rush- ing water brought them toward the lar- board bow in haste. Water poured from a yawning gap in the hull where a plank butt had parted from the fastenings entirely at one end. “There! Pumping herself, the old girl is!” laughed the captain happily. “Now to hammock, Goliath. The lads must rouse out earlier than they expect, but Ill lose no more time now we have our work in sight.” “Ah specs dey’ll growl mighty hard, cap’n,” grinned the giant black, his crossed COmicloooks (C@