Adventure Magazine Cover — page 28: what you’re looking at

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

26 been given me and the order was to conduct John Paul safe into Kherson. He looked me over and smiled cova then said— “Edwards?” By signs I tried to make clear that the lieutenant was slightly wounded and in the hands of the outlaws. He seemed to under- stand, and thought for a while until there was a great pounding of hoofs and a dozen Cossack lads came up, reining in on top of us and staring at the admiral who looked them over with interest. Eh, I was glad to see them. The sight of severa] kites hovering over the tall grass where Strelsky had disappeared did not displease me, either. He was something like a vulture himself. V On land a coward can show you his heels, but on a ship even Satan himself can not run away. COWH MY BROTHERS, have you ever CN called to you a borzo1, a wolfhound, keeping one hand behind your back the while? If the dog does not know you, he will not come. Not until he sees that the hand behind your back does not hold a stick. Men are greater fools than dogs. They will go forward even when they see the stick that is going to beat their brains out. So it was with John Paul and so it was with me. For days after the duel I lay on my back in a hut of my village, while my head mend- ed, the American having gone on to Kherson with my mates. Soon they came straggling back, very angry, some drunk and others bloody. Most of them did not return at all, having been impressed by the Russians, John Paul knowing nothing of it. They talked with me, and other fellows came who had served in the fleet, bringing with them a Tatar hakim from over the border who brewed herbs that made a new manofme. ‘The Russian surgeons are good for nothing but to cut off limbs, and of what use to a man is a leg that has been cut off? ‘The men who returned from Kherson said that John Paul had been given a banquet by the field marshal in command of the army, but did not appear content. He had asked after old Ivak, which gratified me. My Cossacks said in the taverns of Kherson it was rumored that the admiral would never hoist his flag on the big ship-of-war that was Adventure called the flagship. This vessel was com- manded by a Greek, Alexiano, who held the rank of brigadier. Alexiano, they said, was a loud talker and a quiet doer. He held great feasts and many served him, lording it up and down the mouth of the Dnieper and carrying off whatever merchandise struck their fancy. So the Cossacks had formed patrols, to check the raids of the seamen under Alexi- ano, and the Greek hung some of our boys for taking up arms against the Empress as he said. The Turks, seeing the plundering and the lack of order in the fleet, were growing both covetous and bold. They had moved up the gulf to within two cannon shot of our fleet, which was unfit for battle. And rumors in the taverns said that John Paul meant to go out to the Vladimir, the flag- ship, and take command the next day, Alexiano notwithstanding. The Greek would not kiss him on both cheeks you may be sure, because the com- ing of the American would mean the end of the secret pillaging and piracy of the men under Alexiano, in which pillaging he shared. My Cossacks said that John Paul had insisted on the punishment of the pirates who had attacked us, but no guard ship had gone up the Dnieper and no news of Edwards had come down. “My children,” I boasted, “when this American hoists his flag on the Vladimir he will make Alexiano pull at a rope, and the whole fleet will be whipped into shape. He is well fitted to command.” “Impossible, Uncle Ivak!” they said, several at once. “How, impossible?”’ ‘“‘Because the man at the head of the fleet has sworn that he will not yield place to the American.”’ “Do you mean Alexiano, the pirate?” “Not at all, Uncle. We mean the present commander, who is a Prussian prince and a very high officer.” _ I pricked up my ears as they explained how the Empress had appointed one of her favorites, the Prince of Nassau-Siegen to command, not two years ago. Alexiano served only as chief of the Vladimir, but had charge of the fleet during the winter, while Nassau-Siegen was in Petersburg. “Tell me,” I demanded, ‘‘has this prince- ling a pock-marked face and full lips and eyes like a fish?” MICLOOOK C© in