Argosy, Vol. 118, No. 2 — page 118: what you’re looking at

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

268 while the schooner was at San Francisco? He was along the last trip. He’d know the approximate position. Might have got the right figgers out o’ the log, him havin’ the run of the cabin. A cable would do the rest. He’d git his whack out of it, with the order of the Golden Chrysanthemum or some jig-arig to boot, an’ git even with the way he feels to’ard our outfit for’ard, that _ain’t bin none. too sweet to him.” The suggestion held a foundation of conviction for Rainey. He had always sensed depths in Tamada’s reserve, he re-. membered bits of his talk, the ‘“ certain circumstances ” that he had mentioned. It looked plausible. Lund rose. “TH fix Tamada,” he said. But the girl stopped him. “You don’t know that’s true. Tamada has been wonderful—to me. What do you intend to do with him?” “Y’ll make up my mind between here and the galley,” said Lund grimly. “ This is my third time of tackling this island, an’ no Jap is goin’ to stand between me an’ the gold, this trip. Why, even if he ain’t blown on us, he'll give the whole thing away. If he didn’t want to they’d make him come through if they laid their eyes on him. They’ve got more tricks than a Chinese mandarin to make a man talk. Stands to reason he’ll tell ’em. If he can talk when they git here,” he added omi- nously, standing half-way between the table and the door to the corridor, his hands opening and closing suggestively. “ The crew ’d settle his hash if I didn’t. They ain’t fools. They know what’s ahead of ‘em in Japan. You, Rainey, git busy with that log. That gunboat ‘ll have a boat alongside this flee inside of ninety minnits.” But Peggy Simms was between him and the door. “You sha’n’t do it,” she said, her eyes hard as flints, if Lund’s were like steel. ‘You don’t know what he was to me when —when dad was buried. Call him in and let him talk for himself or—or /’U/ tell the Japanese myself what we have come for!” Lund stood staring gt her, his face hard, his beard thrust out like a bush with the jut of his jaw. Still she faced him, resolute, barely up to his shoulder, slim, defiant. THE ARGOSY. ‘TI believe you would,” he said at last. ‘ An’ I’d hate to fix you the way I would Tamada. But, mind you, if I don’t git a defmite promise out of him that rings true, I'll have to stow him somewheres, where they won’t find him. An’ that won’t be on beard ship.” | The girl’s face softened. ‘You said you played fair,’ she said with a sigh of relief. She stepped to the door, opened it, and called for Tamada. The Japanese appeared almost instantly. Lund closed the door behind him and locked it. ‘You know there’s a patrol comin’ up, Tamada?” he asked. “ A Jap patrol?” ce Yes.” ‘““'What do you intend tellin’ ’em if they come on board?” ‘Nothing, if I can help it. I think I can. I am not friendly with Japanese goy- ernment. It would be bad for me if they find me. One time I belong Progressive Party in Japan. I make much talk. Too much. The government say I- am too progressive.”’ Rainey imagined he caught a glint of humor in Tamada’s eyes as he made his chipped syllables. ‘So, I leave my country. Suppose I go on steamer I think that government they stop me. I think even in California they may make trouble, if they find me. So I go in sampan. Sometimes Japanese cross to California in sampan.” “That’s right,” said Rainey. \ ‘“‘ He had handled more than one story of Japanese crews landing on some desolate portion of the coast to avoid immigration laws and steamer fares. Generally they were rounded up after their perilous, daring crossing of the Pacific. Tamada’s story held the ele- ments of truth. Even Lund nodded in re- served affirmation. ‘ Also I ship on Karluk as cook because of perhaps trouble if some one know me in San Francisco. I think much better if they do not seeme. I have aplan. Also I want my share of gold. Suppose that gunboat find me, find out about gold, they will not give me reward. You do not know Japan- ese. They will put me in prison. It will be suggest to me, because I am of daimio CONIC NOC) (C “eS (©)