When Adventure was publishing three times a month the third issue of the month usually was dated February 28. Since only one leap year fell within that period, this 1924 issue is the only Adventure to carry a Feb. 29 cover date. Robert Robinson contributes a fierce Yellow Peril cover though, as usual in this period, it probably doesn't illustrate one of the stories inside. The highlight for regular Adventure readers would be the latest exploit of Hashknife Hartley, W. C. Tuttle's most enduring cowboy detective. Another star writer, Arthur D. Howden-Smith, was taking a break from Swain the Viking and in the middle of a serial, Porto Bello Gold -- a prequel to Treasure Island and this the Black Sails of its day, but with the still-necessary permission of the Robert Louis Stevenson estate. William Byron Mowery, a specialist in Northwestern stories, and Gordon MacCreagh, who usually wrote African tales, have stories in this issue, while Bill Adams, who regularly contributed a "Slants on Life" column to the magazine, throws in a fiction story as well. The thrice-monthly period probably saw Adventure at its peak, so here's a salute to a typical issue on its 92nd -- or is it 23rd? -- birthday.
This is a great cover; this is also one of the issues I don't own. Since I can't talk about the stories, I'm going to talk about the authors :-) :
ReplyDeleteLiverpool to Vancouver · Bill Adams · ss
Slants on Life: Dives and Lazarus · Bill Adams · ar
Bill Adams, a great author of sea stories, and reflections on the sailor's life.
The Lord of St. Lo · H. C. Bailey · ss
The creator of famous detective Reggie Fortune shows up here.
On the Stage Road · Charles E. Barnes · ss
Charles E. Barnes was a man of many parts - traveller, writer, journalist, astronomer, theater impresario, and publisher. This was written when he was 62 years old.
Gipsy Law · George O. Gatlin · ar
The Fish-Nets of Quoipa-Moiru · Gordon MacCreagh · ss
The original Indiana Jones?.
The Treasure of Boo-Hoo · Frederick Moore · ss
The Cabin Window · William Byron Mowery · ss
The man who taught Mary Higgins Clark writing, and I mean that literally.
The Snow Trail · F. St. Mars · ss
Likely an animal story. Not one of my favorites.
Porto Bello Gold [Part 3 of 5; Ormerod family] · Arthur D. Howden Smith · sl
Howden Smith was a writer of good historical fiction.
Hashknife and Fantom Riders [Hashknife Hartley] · W. C. Tuttle · ss
Cowboy detective stories from a real-life cowboy
I'm with Sai about F. St. Mars. He wrote many stories starring various animals, none of which I've enjoyed.
ReplyDeleteBut my notes in my copy show that I've read six stories during the period 1974 to 2001. My favorite being the Bill Adams novelette. It's titled "Liverpool to Vancouver" and is 20 pages long. I gave it my highest rating and said:
"Autobiographical account of Bill Adams first sea voyage as an apprentice sailor. Fine picture of the rough life on board ship, the lousy food, hard work, and the magic of the sea."