Adventure, February 20, 1922 — page 64: what you’re looking at

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

4 ey ¥ “ia. Pe ‘ex .eyce Ws i CAI FIN — Pap my — rs Mri _of this cruise, Goat. in the boat to chew on but each other.” than a minute. 62 . Adventure “There! Look at it!’ snapped Grave- yard, holding out the watch. _““Well—there ain’t any use in chewin’ a guy’s head off, is there?” retorted Goat. “There might be before we get to the end There’s nothing else “And that lets you out, chief, ’cause > you’ re too ugly to give even me an appetite.” It was Graveyard’s open and undisputed boast that he was the ugliest man on the west coast. ‘You're safe yourself, Goat, for some time to come,” he returned. “I wouldn’t go in very deep betting on you at a beauty show.” Before Goat could twist his face into a grin something happened that drew forth ‘his favorite exclamation. “Sizzlin’ cats!’ he cried as the boat sud- denly lurched over until she was dipping water. Hanging on to the port gunwale was a giant sea-lion. The animal made no sound —just seemed satisfied to hang on and blink into their faces. But while he hung on the _ port gunwale was submerged. Only Graveyard’s presence of mind saved the boat from filling and swamping in less He stooped, picked up the end of the broken oar, straightened up and brought it down with all he had on the ani- _mal’s head. The sea-lion uttered a deep grunt of pain and let go of the gunwale. Then, growling and snarling, he commenced swimming around the boat, keeping just beyond reach of the half-oar Graveyard brandished. “Come on, Goat!” cried Graveyard. “These fellows always travel in company! Get that good oar in your mit!” No sooner had he said it than another pointed nose stuck out of the fog. This one tried to come aboard over the bow. Goat jabbed him full in the face with the blade of the unbroken oar. As the animal let go he gave the boat.a shove which, combined with the force of Goat’s thrust, sent it ahead with a run, stern foremost. With an abruptness that sent them both sprawling over the thwarts the boat bumped into something with a thud. With the thud came a growl of pain. A sea-lion emits a noise akin to that of an old pig, but deeper, more sustained, and many times as loud. Immediately a chorus - of growls went up and began to close in about them. And before they could realize a oe ve Fe oe ee ee a what they had bumped into the water around them became a tumbling mass of swirling foam and flying spray. They had drifted into.a pack of sea-lions. These animals, though they spend most of their time ashore, sometimes ranging inland extensively, often sally forth to great dis- tances from land. Although a stray one or two will occasionally be met with at sea they are gregarious and usually travel in large numbers. From out of the fog on all sides of them came the huddled mass of rounded heads and pointed noses and glistening bodies. Snarling. and growling, they closed in around the little skiff until the noise about the two men became a howling, ear-splitting roar. Again the beat lay over until it was dip- ping water, as a huge bulk hung on to the side; but immediately two fin-like paws laid hold of the other side and balanced her back to even keel. Soon other paws laid hold of the gunwales until it seemed that the boat must inevitably be pulled under. “Come on, Goat!” yelled Graveyard. Clout ’em off. Soak ’em on the fingers—like this— and on the snoots!”’ And while he shouted Graveyard laid about him, smashing the fin-like paws as they lay hold of the gunwales, and snoots as they came within range of his club. But for every animal he beat off there were three jostling and fighting for the place left vacant. They fought like two madmen: Grave-' yard swinging about him, smashing paws and snouts; Goat using the unbroken oar spear-fashion, jabbing it into open jaws, gouging eyes; until the bedlam of yelps and snarls and growls that went up about them must have been audible for miles. Graveyard Wilton had that happy fac- ulty of being able to think ina pinch. Des- pite the suddenness with which they had found themselves embroiled in that turmoil of noise and splash, he did not lose his head. | While Goat jabbed out at random with his unwieldy full-length oar, Graveyard dis- | tributed his swings with method. He swung on whichever side was deeper in the water— the side bearing the greater weight. Thus, though the boat was tossed and rocked about giddily by the scrambling, splashing horde, by Graveyard’s carefully placed swings a balance was maintained that kept the gunwales above water. ComIeboo EEEO —- ' 4 “vt, ah er Ty . eh Paes Se ON ee