Argosy All-Story Weekly, May 17, 1924 — page 126: what you’re looking at

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

276 the Britisher kept forging ahead, with the intention of passing them. Forbes, catching the purpose of Captain Ferguson, bore up athwart his hawse, de- termined at all costs to prevent his rival from working in and getting the first pilot. After another hour’s delay both vessels were boarded by pilots. The moments of greatest strain had come. Captain Forbes from the wheel reminded his jacks that twenty thousand pounds was hanging in the balance, and with it the supremacy of the Yankee clipper. As if to mock his words, the winds, which had been strong, began to moderate, and Wanderer began to forge ahead, passing close by the Yankee flyer, with the same cheers with which they had greeted them on their last meeting far down in the Indian Ocean. But this time there came back no answering cheer from Valkyrie. Off Deal, the Wanderer was still leading. But here, just when things look blackest, it was Valkyrie’s turn to crow, for the best tug coming out far behind the Ness, sent her tow-line aboard the nearest, which hap- pened to be Valkyrie. Wanderer had to put up with a poor tug, which was waiting in the Downs. Meanwhile, another of the racers was close upon the heels of these continual rivals. Whilst the first two ships were racing, neck and neck, along the English Coast, MacDuff with the Challenge had been tearing up the French side of the channel. Passing through the Downs al- most at the same time, the Challenge joined the other two in the last frantic spurt for London River. ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. At nine P.M. Valkyrie, leading the fleet, arrived outside the East India Dock Gates and was greeted by the superintendent. ‘““ Welcome, Captain Forbes. Well done, sir! You're the first ship of this season in from China.” Twenty minutes later the Wanderer reached London Dock, and at eleven-thirty the Challenge just managed to scrape into the West India Dock, as the gates were being closed. Surely this was a race for the ages. Leaving the Min River on the same tide, after a race of sixteen thousand miles, Valkyrie, Wanderer, and Challenge had docked in London River, on the same tide! All three clippers were commanded by Scots, Forbes, Ferguson, and MacDuff! As the Valkyrie came into her berth at the East India Dock, with the awful strain over, Richard Dunbar was conscious of a a still greater strain, as he scanned the faces waiting on the dock. In that wild, shouting mob, there was only one face that he longed to see. Was she there? He hardly dared to voice the wish, but from his heart there came one cry. While he was yet hoping against hope, Richard in ecstasy caught sight of Mary Williston, waiting at the pier head. In spite of himself, tears of joy welled up into his eyes. Of course she was there for him. During the time they were making Valkyrie fast he could hardly hold himself ° At length, with the But to his post of duty. moorings secure, he leaped ashore. Mary had vanished. TO BE CONCLUDED NEXT WEEK u Lv} Lv] BERTILLONED You have broken my heart, But I do not regret, For you loved me a while— Ah, I cannot forget! I will treasure the scraps Of the poor broken thing, For your finger prints from them Can never take wing. Margaret G. Hays. COMMICLOoOoks (C@