Adventure Magazine Cover, April 1916 — page 56: what you’re looking at

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

54 “But that,’ said she in considerable sur- prise, “is such an adventure as is no longer countenanced by His Majesty, so that I am in vast perplexity at finding you thus upon one of His Majesty’s ships of war. Assured- ly we can not be at war now with Spain.” “Nay,” interrupted Captain Collier, with a sidelong glance at her boyish costume and the tangled mop of golden hair tumbling from beneath her cap, ‘‘we are always at war with Spain below the tropic.” “But I am told that Governor Modyford, at Jamaica, hath orders to prevent privae teering in the Indies,” she persisted. “Had orders,”’ corrected Captain Collier. “They have been modified. Od’s fish! A neat jest, hey Morgan. Ha — ha — ha! Didst hear that—Modyford’s orders modi- fied. By my soul! ’Tis good enough to tell to the King, himself. Have you no sense of humor, Morgan?” “Only a fair one, Collier,” replied Mor- gan drily. ‘But what he hath said is true enough,” he added, turning to Nancy. “I can not myself keep track of His Majesty’s weathercock politics, now interfering with our business in these seas, and again coun- tenancing our private warfare against Spain; nor do I concern myself much with them, for it has been England’s policy since Drake’s time to give sugar pills to the Span- ish Ambassador at London while winking at what goes on in this part of the world. So I never know whether a treaty is in force or no, and so have dismissed the subject from my mind. ‘Three months ago, at Spain’s complaint, they were all for hanging at Port Royal some of the best men who have ever fought with me against the Pa- pists. And now for some mysterious reason all this hath been changed, and Collier is to go with me to Maracaibo, clandestinely, but nathless he is to go.” “T do not pretend to know all that goes on in His Majesty’s cabinet,” said Captain Collier. “Adventuring against the Span- iard was vigorously put down for a time. But now it seems the Spanish Ambassador at London hath been hoodwinked again, and things are to be as before—until His Majesty is browbeaten once more by the Spanish crown. I myself have lately brought new orders to Jamaica, and this expedition has been secretly fitted out there by the Governor’s orders. When we have dealt this blow to the Spanish power in the Americas, you will find a market for your Adventure spoils at London Bridge, an’ you wish it.” “You inform me on a point I was much in ignorance on,” replied Nancy. “Join us,” said Captain Morgan, “an’ your exploit will be winked at. We have absolution in advance. The Captain here hath a pocketful of pardons in blank for such as may need the boon. But join us in the roundhouse and we will talk more at large.” They were at the cabin door now. But before they entered, Nancy nodded toward Yellow Eyes who still sat upon his coil of rope. “How came you by the dumb man?” she asked. “Why, as to that, how did you know he was dumb? One of my sloops that arrived this morning at daybreak picked the fellow up in an open boat, and all but dead from thirst. Do you know ought of him?” “Faith!” cried Barney, who had been ach- ing for a chance to enter the conversation, and until then had seen no opening. ‘He stowed himself in the forward hold, and we cut him adrift—that is, Nancy did, and so we didn’t know what had happened to him —and here he is.”’ ‘‘Stowed himself in the forward hold, and you cut him adrift!” repeated Captain Mor- gan, a twinkle in his eye. “I see you know something of the fellow, although the ex- planation of the lad is not over clear.” ‘“‘Ay, we know him,” said Barney, his freckled face aglow with delight to be talk- ing thus with the great Captain Morgan. ‘““‘Why, ’twas he who betrayed us at the Gov- ernor’s castle, and gave the alarm when we escaped from the fort on the hill.” Captain Morgan’s face grew black as a thunder-cloud at this. ‘‘A traitor, then!” he cried. short shrift to such.’’ He called an order to his quartermaster. “Throw this rogue below,” he ordered roughly. ‘“‘Nay, have pity on him, sir, I beg of you,” said Nancy, laying her hand upon the Captain’s arm, “for though he hath been the source of all my misery, my heart swells for him—he is so wretched with his great affliction I can not bear the thought of his suffering. Spare him for my sake, for it was I who cast him adrift in the long- boat, so that he would have perished but for the accident of his discovery, and that would have been a sin upon my head.” “We give CoOMmichoooks (©