Adventure Magazine Cover — page 141: what you’re looking at

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

140 Adventure wiry, gray-black hair as if seeing him for the first time. “Moreover,” went on Michael tranquilly, “signort, you will note that my right arm hangs useless. It was broken by those same servants of the sultan. Perhaps this is why I have no longer any love for fighting when there is no need % “But surely, Master Bearn,’ smiled Calvijo ironically, “there was need to repel these pirates, who would have made short matter of us otherwise.” 9) MICHAEL laughed. The attack by the small galley had had in it more bark than bite, and once it was clear to their enemies that the pilgrim ship was not to be surprized, the Turks and Greeks seemed to lose heart. Such an affair bore little resemblance to the grim struggles Michael Bearn had shared in, along the frontier of the Orient. “You laugh, signor?” Rudolfo’s voice was heavy with insult. “Perhaps you would relish another scourging?”’ The dark blood flooded into the young Breton’s face. Around the three a circle of Rudolfo’s men and sailors had gathered, scenting a quarrel. The gleam of torches lighted the scene. He wondered if the ’ others had expected the condottiere to chal- lenge him. Rudolfo was not the man to be forced into a fight that he had not anticipated before- hand. And then Michael heard an exclama- tion from one of the seamen. A strange whirring filled the air. Shrill squawking resounded on all sides. One of the torches was knocked to the deck by a fluttering, animated ball that leaped and bounded among the men. The deck of the Nauplia in a moment was full of poultry. Hens, roosters, ducks and guinea fowl dashed about underfoot and overhead. “Ten thousand devils!’ Rudolfo struck viciously at a fat pullet that collided with his face. The spectators, the tensity of the quarrel broken in a flash, started running about, clutching at the flying meat. It was each man for himself and the best - dinner to the quickest. The torches were soon darting into every quarter of the deck, leaving Michael in semi-darkness. Clavijo was leading the angry Rudolfo away. A grotesque figure rose from the deck at ™~ Michael’s elbow—a misshapen, stained and grimacing form clad in striped raiment. “Master,” cried Bembo, ‘“‘the field is mine. My light cavalry, released by a pur- loined key from their storage prison, have scattered our foes. Come, good master, let us make good our retreat!” In the shadows of the bow Michael sat down on his bundle and laughed, more than a little provoked. “A fair night, cousin mine,” chattered the jester, taking this as a good omens “Give me thanks for carrying you bodily away from the demons o’ the sea. Black Rudolfo would ha’ cast you overside as easily as I could suck an egg. Marry—the sight of eggs turns my belly for Idived upon them, hidden in the hold with the fowls for three days and two nights. Then, not an hour since I was awakened by a shouting as of the foul fiend, whereupon the roosters crowed, thinking it was day. Master, a soldier crawled into my castle, in the dark and I thought the pirates held the ship and I was to be ripped open without the ser- vices of aconfessor. Pompa mortis! Oh, the trappings of death!” Bembo shivered and looked around anx- iously at the tranquil moonlit sea. “But, forsooth, the big soldier thrust his thatch through the window of the hold and bawled to the other vessel to stand off, that the plan had been changed, and it was use- less to attack the galliot. A brave lad, thought I, to bid the pirates mend their ways and be gone. Verily he was a potent bully, for the miscreants gave back and left us in peace. So I—being sorely athirst from fear and hen’s feathers and bad eggs— I climbed to the roof o’ this house and saw Rudolfo about to spit you, whereupon I ran back for my winged allies.” ‘‘Was the man you saw in armor?” ‘Armor, quoth ’a, verily so. When his face was i’ the window I saw a steel cap as big as a bucket. Master, chide me not for com- ing. Nay, no voyage that was ever brewed could make me leave the good man who shared his wine and meat wi’ me; nor would my curiosity leave me in peace until I learned wherein this voyage differed from other voyages, as you said,” Michael arranged his pack for a pillow and laid his sword close to his left hand. The jester blinked at him from shrewd little eyes, the great head turned to one side, like a dog’s, questioningly. O GOmIGdoo <Sis (6) = oe ')