Adventure, January 20, 1922 — page 49: what you’re looking at

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

Tides of Hate head to a volley of chilly spray that pat- tered into the close-reefed main-course like small shot. “T must tell ye yet again,” he said pa- tiently. “Tis a guess, but-well ye know the guess is right, that the fleet we sighted from masthead when the bulldog was trying to corner us was the ships 0’ Swan and Cook. They were too far to windward, and we too handy in a trap, for the cruiser to do aught but stick to us. } ‘We broke clear, by luck, daring, and darkness, when our chances looked no better | than if the rope was fitted to our necks fine and handy. Only the tar-barrel blaze dyin’ at the moment, instead o’ livin’ ten minutes more, lent us the respite that won us free o’ the reefs and his guns. “There’s not a bit o’ doubt that when mornin’ broke and he saw he’d lost us, the bulldog stood after them other ships, and unless they scattered to fool him they’ll ha’ lost no time to th’ south’ard. If he caught up wi’ one or more o’ their slower ships lre’ll ha’ been stayed long enough for the others to win clear. And neither Swan nor Cook are of a kidney to stand by com- rades when there’s division 0’ loot ahead. “So whichever way the dice rolled for ‘em, be sure they are not far astern of us unless they put in on the coast for meat and water.” “Ve preach like a blasted padrel’’ swore Steve irritably. “I’m in th’ dark yet. Ha’n’t we to put in for food and water too? What do we gain then? What cana starvin’ crew do anyhow?” “Never been through Magellan’s Straits, ha’ ye, Steve?” smiled Davies, still patient. He shivered as a bitter blast screamed across the deck, bringing ‘great flakes of snow that hung to the clothes like feathers. ‘“T never made the passage myself either; but I ha’ spoken wi’ them that have, and this I know: Let me enter the Straits ahead o’ Swan’s ships, and Ill sail into the Pacific wi’ start of ’em, and full provisioned, too! ‘“‘Now, bid the lads take courage. A day or two at most, and they shal! eat green herbs and red meat, and stretch their pegs on dry land for a spell.”’ Carr passed among the men, cheering them, though he felt small cheer himself. The Cadiz streamed freezing water from forecastle to stern lanterns; her heavy sails, close-reefed or furled, dripped icy drops that were gradually forming into glittering 47 icicles. The ’tweendecks, the men’s living- quarters, were one long, dark, stinking dungeon, walled and ceiled with moisture; the cooking-galley swashed knee deep in filthy slush that had long since extinguished the fires. “Give us meat!” the men howled as Steve Carr descended among them. .“‘Give us meat, Steve Carr. Can men live and work ship in such fiend’s weather wi’out food?” “Ye get no more meat today, lads,” growled Steve without heat and without enthusiasm. ‘Ye broached the last cask this forenoon. If ye eat all today, tomorrow ye starve in good earnest.” “Then give us of the cabin stores! Ain’t we all ekal? Be you and Davies and the big nigger and the wench lackin’ grub to stretch yer bellies then?” “‘What’s Davies beatin’ about here for?” demanded another. ‘“W1’ this wind we can run to th’ norrad and gain warmth o’ sun and fresh meat in plenty.’ : “Davies eats no more than you scum 0’ the seas, nor do IJ, nor the wench, nor the nigger neither,” retorted Steve. ‘We get ekal rations wi’ all o’ ye out 0’ yon cask 0’ stinkin’ beef. ‘As for reasons, why, me lads, go ask ’em of Ed Davies hisself, if ye ha’ not had enough o’ such askings. Only this do I know: We stand-in for the Virgins, and tis but over the horizon now. Ed Davies sent me to tell ye ther’s meat and green food, water and a stretch ashore, for all o’ ye once Wwe win into the Straits. : “Pull yer belts tighter and keep meat against tomorrow, lads. Ye’ll see the land in mornin’ light, but ye may be hungry enow afore ye kill meat for all that. Ye ha’ lashin’s 0’ good rum, or if ye like wine better the hold’s full o’ such sweet trash. “T ha’ no more to say but this: When ye feel like askin’ Ed. Davies why he does such and such, why, he has a pleasant way o’ showin’ men his strength, that’s -all. Patience, bold lads, and be —— to ye.” IN THE noisome gloom of the ’tween decks the crew muttered sul- lenly. The reeking atmosphere was doubly stifling with the fumes of tobacco and the pungent tang of raw rum. Overhead the seas thundered on the deck, making the hollow interior resound likea vast drum keeping rhythm to the shrieking song » COmMiclboooks (C@