Adventure Magazine Cover — page 42: what you’re looking at

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

Red Saunders’ Protégé - When the grizzled old grumbler finished his growl Saunders again gave him the schooner’s course, added a hint about cur- rents and turned to go to his supper, paus- ing to add as he half-drew the companion- slide: “Give the lad a chance, Tod. He’s either the most grateful little cuss I’ve met, or the best actor. If what he says is right there’s a haul to be made in Lifou that’ll put us all on Easy Street for life.” “Queer Street, you mean!” grunted the mate, and turnedaft, at once to become the alert, seamanly watch officer and to forget all about Timor, Parchelly, and Queer or Easy Streets until his watch was done. _ brid appeared sincere in his affec- ™ — tion for Saunders. Tomba, the Fiji steward, found plenty of time on his hands because Parchelly assumed charge of Saun- ders’ body-service, and seemed ready to fight for the privilege too. Yet there were times when Red Saunders harbored a faint doubt about his new valet; a suspicion that after all old Tod Carter might have weighed the little yellow man up correctly. Parchelly was certainly a strange mixture of sobbing, whimpering, fighting frenzy and cringing cowardice. Had the skipper not witnessed how he could fight for his skin, he would have kicked him over the side in sheer disgust when the Jap cook beat the oakum out of him with a skillet without drawing any retaliation. Then again there was Tomba. Frizzy- haired Tomba was no weakling; there was no room for such in the Black Pearl; but ina matter of trifling concern touching on the cleaning of the skipper’s cabin Parchelly gave the old Fijian a fright which ever after forestalled interference from that source. All things considered, it was a caution which ruled Saunders at last, when he dropped anchor in a jungle-fringed creek five miles outside Lifou town and prepared to go ashore to look over the prospect for trade. He took his case of pearls out of the strong-box and secured them in his inside pocket in full view of Parchelly. He grinned when he detected in the little yellow man’s eyes a glint of intense interest; and hée chuckled happily as he entered his cabin again, ostensibly to get some shells for his gun, and replaced the gems in their proper hiding-place. CERTAINLY the little Timor hy- 4 “That’s drawing a red herring over the trail,” he muttered. ‘‘Perhaps the boy’s all right. Jf he is, there’s no harm done. If he’s wrong, he won’t bother this chest while he thinks I have the things on me. So that’s that.” At the gangway he paused a minute be- fore stepping into his boat, and surveyed the blue mountains beyond the tangled jungle. No sign of human habitation appeared; neither could he discern anything which hinted at a trail leading townward or back into the forest. Yet Parchelly had indi- cated this spot as the best from which to interview Sadrash, the head man—sultan he called himself—of all that portion of Portu- guese Timor outside the town itself. It was advisable to anchor out of sight of Lifou. The. Portuguese authorities had found it cheaper, and less bother, to leave native affairs in Sadrash’s hands; but they had no suspicion to what extent the old rascal actually saved them work and worry in matters closely concerning revenue. So it was out of the question to deal with him direct from Lifou. Saunders finally nodded his head to Carter. “Tl go look-see, Tod. Keep your eyes skinned, and don’t let any natives come on board unless they show good credentials from the old Pooh-Bah himself. Keep an eye on your friend Parchelly, too,” he smiled, lowering his tone. Parchelly was hovering near with an ex- pression on his face which might have been agitation, doubt or impatience. ‘“‘He’s home now, you know, and it’s now or never he’ll prove whether you or I have him sized up right. If I’m not back by sun- down clap a strong guard at the rails and bring half a dozen boys to see what I’ve tumbled into. But Ill be back, I expect. “Another thing. Watch your ground tackle. Keep all clear in case it’s a quick hop out.” The skipper sent his boat back to the schooner as soon as he stepped ashore, and straightway plunged into the gloomy jungle at the only spot which seemed to offer ingress. At first the path was all but non-existent; but just as the forest grew black with shadow and appeared to thicken to impene- trability he emerged into a wide glade in the midst of scattered, rotting tree-trunks, and a track of wagon-width opened before him. To all appearances the jungle might have been devoid of human life, though teeming Eomichbooks:co