Adventure, January 20, 1922 — page 39: what you’re looking at

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

Tides of Hate “The lazy swine!’ swore Davies, stamp- -ing aft in disgust. ‘“‘Let ‘em mutiny. "Twill give me cause to treat ’em as I want to at this minute. Keep you a lookout, and let me know when yonder boat draws close.” Davies paced the poop for a while, fast recovering his own level poise, for he had seen Nell on the high gallery beneath the big stern lantern, and wanted her to see none of his unwonted agitation. She knew nothing, any more than the rest, of the sleepless hours of the night which he had passed struggling with the problem of that war-ship to the north, which might appear out of the distance at any hour and catch him and his ship helpless and doomed. When he felt master of himself, he walked right aft and called to Nell. He received no answer, and called louder. He was answered now from high above his head, and looking aloft saw Nell perched on the mizzentop. “Ed Davies, that boat carries Steve Carr!’ she cried. HAD a bomb dropped from the skies Mee among the pirate crew they could have béen no more astonished or bewil- dered. From Davies down to the half-witted galley-boy every man sprang to the-star- board rail to peer under shading hands at the boat now speeding shipward within a furlong. It drew into earshot, and the captain hailed peremptorily. “No nigher wi’ that boat! and shout out for yourself.” “I’m Steve Carr, cappen. Your crew know me if you don’t. I want to join ye, Cap’n Davies, and maybe I ha’ some news of a king’s ship that'll make me welcome if ye let me aboard.” Carr stood shakily in the boat, and those of the pirate crew who knew him best saw a change in the man which could come only from dire extremity. His eyes were sunken, and his face was wan and pale, while thirst was written in every crinkle of his dry lips. Kestral stared at his erstwhile superior officer, and grinned with open gratifica- tion. Carr’s sunken eyes glinted as he de- tected that solitary smirk of pleasure among the scores of commiserating glances be- stowed upon him. It seemed to arouse in him some devil of memory, some dark spirit of resolve. “T’m starving, cappen,” he called out. Douse sail 37 “Five days wiout drink, and a’most wi’out meat, and the sun shines hot along shore.” “Come aboard,” Davies replied shortly, and Gohath hove a line for the boat to draw alongside. Steve Carr drew a long breath as if relieved of a terrific weight, then swarmed up the tall ship’s side laboriously. A sea- man met him at the rail with a brimming hookpot of well-watered rum, and he drank it at a draft before moving from’ the spot. Then, turning to walk aft where Davies awaited him, he caught sight of Nell Clark, and his lean body straightened and his stride lengthened as if he wanted most to show well in her sight. “Cockin’ a chest won’t fetch ye a smile from her, Steve,” sneered Kestral, shoving forward beside Carr. ‘“Nell’s a officer’s wench if she’s anybody’s—and I’m the officer now.” Far back in Steve Carr’s memory was the election of Kestral to command of a sloop, while he, erstwhile chief lieutenant of John Cook, was destined to betrayal. He glared at the sneering face beside him, with the long, half-healed scar left lately by Nell’s knife; and hunger, bodily weakness, sun- scorched skin and everything passed like a cloud and red fury possessed him. Like a beast, soundless, he flung himself at Kestral, and before a hand could stir to stop him sunk his fingers deep into Kestral’s neck. ‘Avast that!” roared Davies, running to the poop rail. “Part ’em, Goliath! me, but z “Dat ain’t easy, cappen,” growled the negro, dodging around the combatants, seeking a hold to pry them apart. Kestral was groping for a knife; his face _ was darkening with strangulation. “Then shoot Kestral. Jl hear Carr’s news if if costs me a mate, by Satan!” Davies started toward the snarling fight- ers; but Goliath was equal to the task once he saw an opening.e Wrenching the knife from Kestral’s ever weakening grasp, he forced his own huge body between the men, placed a great hand on each laboring chest, and heaved them apart, Kestral to stumble away muttering over the words that had vaguely come to his seething brain from Davies, Carr to approach the poop on tottering legs and deliver up his news. Raising his head, half afraid of the meeting, he thrilled with pleasurable COniCclbooks (C@