Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 17, 1924 — page 124: what you’re looking at

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

274 Yankee flyer fought it out tack for tack, without the slightest gain to either. Some- times one, Sometimes the other, would steal a berth to weather, only to find the rival there again on the next shifting. The two vessels traveled half the length of the China coast in company, until one evening found them becalmed off the west coast of Borneo. Both ships stood in to get the land breeze, until at eight p.m. they were so close up on top of the land, that the Britisher went about, and stood out to sea again. But Captain Forbes, the sly fox, putting out his lights, held on, and with his lead going, crept nearer and nearer to the shore. In the thick blackness, the voice of the man in the chains had a weird disturbing sound, as he reported ever shoaling water. “ Sixteen!” “Fifteen!” “ Twelve!” cc Ten! ? Pugsley, always there with caution, could not stand the pace at which they were rushing into what seemed to be an inky grave. Forbes did not even deign to answer him. He was listening only to the long, timing cry of the leadsman. At midnight there came a startled shout. “ Nine!” Almost instantaneously they felt the first puff of the land breeze. Forbes had found what he had been seeking for. Over the thrumming of the gear his voice rang out. “ Ready about!” . Like maniacs, the crew leaped to obey. The next three casts of the lead gave: ce Six! ? “ Five!” “ Four!” Forbes was obliged to keep off a bit, but all the time the breeze was freshening, and as he stood away on his course he was re- warded for his daring by a last glimpse of the Wanderer’s port light, as she lay be- calmed in the offing. The fading of that light, after such endless striving, brought a lusty cheer from Valkyrie’s crew. On the twenty-fifth day out Pulo Glass was reached, and on that afternoon a large ship was sighted close to the Island of Banca, and inside the coral reef. Captain Forbes studied her for nearly ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. an hour through his spy-glass. Finally he inquired: “What do you make her to be, Mr. Dunbar?” : “T don’t know, sir. What do you think?” ““T surmise it’s the Dorothea.” Forbes at once made a desperate decision to follow her inside the reef, in spite of the great risk involved. With the rumor pass- ing among the crew, that one of Guthrie’s darlings was ahead, the excitement was feverish. Pugsley, as usual, was there to start a debating society. Forbes answered: ‘“‘ We’re playing for mighty stakes, and we’re taking mighty chances.” The danger lay in the fact that the reef had to be crossed by a narrow channel through which a foul current was running very strongly. Having once made the decision to risk everything upon this stroke, Forbes him- self took the wheel. In the moonlight, the drawn face of Pugsley gaped with terror, as he watched the tide swooping over the fatal reef. Not a word was spoken aboard Valkyrie. Every man held his breath, and waited, while the great clipper swept on toward what appeared certain doom. The passage was so narrow that half way through they suddenly touched the reef on both bilges! Pugsley let out a shriek of alarm, and the crew started for the boats. However, there was plenty of water under her keel, and she scraped through. By midnight, she was up alongside the ship ahead, which proved to be the Dorothea. Her captain hailed Forbes and asked him if he intended beating through Macclesfield Strait that night. Forbes replied, “ Sure thing! Why would I wait?” The Dorothea of course had to do the same, which rash move unfortunately led to her destruction. Macclesfield Strait, which lies between Banca and Pulo Leat, was one of the favorite short cuts used by racing skippers. Forbes knew the passage well. All that night the wind blew fiercely from the southwest, and both skippers hardened their hearts for a thrash to windward, under COmiCMoOokKks (C@