Adventure Magazine Cover — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

The Land “Sure,” I replied. ‘“Can’t you let us in?” We heard a bolt creak and he whispered— “Quick!” We rose and slipped inside. We were in a garden thickly screened with trees and shrubs. “By , | am glad to see youl” ex- claimed Doc Seeger, and he looked it. “But, ssh! Don’t talk too loud. Come here; I daren’t take you in the house.” He led the way into the shrubbery, and we crouched under a bush. ‘‘Where’s that enterprising nigger of yours?” demanded Billy. “T don’t quite trust him,” said the doc. “But he loves the needle, so I gave him a shot of morphia to keep him quiet.” “But,” said I, ‘“‘where are the others? Hardwicke and the men? Have you seen Véron?” ‘“‘Haven’t seen Véron nor Hardwicke, but I was kept with the other fellows until we arrived here. Then they brought me to the sultan. Seems rather a decent sort. He assured me that you fellows were all right and that if I’d treat him he’d make us all rich. He’s suffering from scorbutic troubles. Gave me this house here and my own boy, but he’s got too darned cheeky. “But, man, the country’s lousy with gold! Where have you got your piace?” “Our what?” queried Billy. ‘‘Your house. He told me that you were his guests and that he had put you up in another wing of the palace.” “Didn’t you think it kind of queer,” said I, “that you were never ailowed to see us?” “Yes, I did, but he spun a long yarn about trouble with his fanatical people and said that for a week it was better to keep us apart. But where’s Lord Fieldmorre?”’ We told him briefly what had happened. He whistled softly. “My , 1f ’'d known that, I’d have given him a shot that would have kept him quiet, the swine!” “That wouldn’t have been any darn good,” retorted Billy, ‘‘for there’s another crazy guy,” and he told him about Sabah. “Well, I’m !? exploded Seeger. ‘I shouldn’t have suspected him. ‘Thought he was absolutely devoted to Lord Field- morre. Everybody seems going off their heads. But what about Véron?”’ We related the little we knew about him, and he couldn’t throw any light on the of Ophir 125 problem. He didn’t even know where the other men were located, for he had been led to the Gandhi at night and had straight- way been taken to his new quarters in the palace. “T thought the whole thing ruddy funny,” he remarked. “But he seemed a decent sort and I thought the best thing I could do was to submit and see what was going to happen.” “Sure,” I assented. ‘‘Wouldn’t have got you anywhere if you had kicked. Anyway he wouldn’t have crucified you—at least not until he caught another white doctor. Got any guns?” “Ves,” said he. ‘“‘That’s funny, too. They took away all the other fellows’ arms but let me keep my Mauser pistol. In fact, I felt rather rotten because they made a fuss of me all along the road—as a doctor, you know.” “Sure,” said Billy; ‘‘that was that swine Sabah’s doing. There’s a big show to- night,” he continued, and told the doc our suspicions. ‘‘And, see here, guess you’d better get that gun and come along with us unless you’d rather stop here. You’re free to do as you like, doc, for the expedi- tion’s busted all right.”’ “Of course [ll come along with you, you chaps—unless you think I’d do better by sticking a needle into that Levantine rat.” “Too late,” said Billy. “But, look here, Seeger, we want you to understand that you’ve got a chance to save yourself. Ours is pretty rocky as far as we can see. But we feel it’s up to us to try to help Field- morre and the boys from a filthy death, although the chances are that we all go under together. That’s about all there is to it. “What Véron’s up to I can’t get. Of course he may be working or trying to work with us once he gets in touch. He may be in touch with the boys and maybe he ain’t. Anyway that’s about all there is to it. Isn’t that right, Phil?” “Sure,” said I. “Good !’ exclaimed the doc. “There isn’t any question. You fellows don’t think a white man’s going to sit here and see you chaps hacked to pieces without inquiring why? I'll get my pistol now. And— But what exactly is the planP”’ I described for his benefit the snake out- fit and the pleasant things the Gandhi had C@ DOOK S (©