Argosy All-Story Weekly, April 4, 1925 — page 32: what you’re looking at

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

822 rotten story? Wants you to depend solely on him, doesn’t he? And of course, if he means to carry out this piracy against Mabong, he’d fetch me along and mix me up in it—or get me killed.” Wray half turned away, avoiding Lans- dell’s look. ‘“ It—it seems silly to stop here,” he said, ‘and turn back. Further- more, speaking of danger, I was thinking of that when I let Barker sign on so many boatmen. Everybody says there are pirates in these larger rivers. They hold up people right along.” Lansdell was not to be budged from his stand. “I’m a lot more worried about this gang you’ve let Barker hire for you,” he declared, ‘‘ than I am about an attack from river thieves.” A voice sang out from across the clear- ing—Barker’s voice: ‘‘ Hallo-o-o-0-o! All ready for Moeara Koll!” Marcia had a small bag in her hands. Her uncie reached for it. “ All right, my dear,” he said, with the air of one who is about to set out. ‘‘ The men have taken everything else. Shall we go?” She turned to Lansdell without speak- ing. He tried to smile down at her. “ I hope I'm as wild in my conjectures as your uncle thinks I am,” he said half jocularly. Her brows were puckered gravely. “ It’s a difficult position, isn’t it?” she returned. “Tf we grant that Barker has a plan against that rajah, then we've got to admit that he’s willing to see us get into serious trouble—perhaps lose our lives. To use us for a looting junket—well, it ’d be mon- strous!”’ “ Afoeara Koli!” It was the call again. “Come along,” urged Wray gently, and held out a hand to the girl. “ If Mr. Lans- dell feels so concerned about the trip, he can stay here. But all this talk is quite absurd—”’ As they moved to leave the room Lans- dell followed. “I haven’t the slightest in- tention of staying behind,” he declared. “But J do ask you, Mr. Wray, to keep your eyes open, and let’s tell each other if we see anything that we don’t like.” Wray was going down the steps now, swaggering a bit under the rows of black ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. eyes that were waiting before the hut for a last look at the visitors. ‘I’m afraid there won’t be anything you'll like on this trip,” he retorted. Lansdell made no reply. ‘ Marcia,” he said, “you know I’m not nervous about myself. And under ordinary circumstances a trip up this stream as far as there’s water to paddle through wouldn't give me the slightest concern.” They were walking in a line toward the praus now, behind them the attending populace. “ But I’m not sat- ished as things are. Why not change your mind—you can do it—and tell Barker that we won’t move on to-day. Stay here, you see, until we can talk this thing over a bit. There’s no mush, is there? Time, I mean, isn’t a consideration? If something’s wrong—” Barker met them, his face glowing with anger. But he was careful to conceal all signs of it in his voice. ‘‘ The men work best in the early morning,” he reminded the others. ‘‘ Lansdell, vou go in prau Number Six. There’s an umbrella there if vou like one.” ‘ Thanks.” Hetdoon came running up, balanced on his head the large tin box containing Lans- dell’s luggage and professional kit. The box was added to the pile in one of the forward praus, then Barker was off, his paddlers singing. Wray went down to see Marcia into her covered cabin. He disdained to mention the subject that was uppermost in the minds of those three who had not yet started. “ Enjoy this fine morning,” he told her gayly. | Lansdell was beside him, waiting for a last word. As if indifferent to any confi- dences that the two young people might have when he was out of hearing, he re- turned to his own prau, climbed into it amid a babble of greetings, and shoved oft. “Tt hope I’m all wrong,” said Lansdell. “Tf I’m not, here—” He broke off. Behind her, bare feet plant- ed wide apart, and a cigarette in his teeth, was Kwong Wing, seemingly all ears for what was being said. Until he knew what were the real relations existing between Bar- ker and this Chinese, Lansdell knew that it Conn GIOok