Part 9 (1/2)
”That,” answered Calamity shortly, pointing to the _Hawk's_ guns.
”This is outrageous, and I shall----”
”Your papers, Captain,” interrupted Calamity peremptorily.
There was something in his voice which made the _Ann's_ skipper realise that argument was not only useless, but probably dangerous as well. He shrugged his shoulders and led the way to his cabin, where he invited Calamity to sit down. Then he unlocked a drawer and took from it a metal deed-box which he placed on the table.
”Where the devil are the keys?” he muttered, and, stooping over the box, began to fumble in his pockets.
Suddenly stepping back, he raised his head, and, as he did so, gave a sharp exclamation of mingled rage and fear. He was staring right into the barrel of a nasty-looking automatic pistol which Calamity was pointing directly at him.
”I've seen that game played before,” said Calamity with a quiet smile.
”Hand me your pistol; b.u.t.t first, please.”
And the discomfited skipper of the _Ann_ reluctantly handed over a fully loaded revolver, which he had been in the act of drawing from his pocket when he chanced to look down the barrel of the automatic pistol.
”Thanks,” said Calamity as he took it. ”Now for those papers, if you'll be so kind.”
Without a word, the other unlocked the box and handed over a bundle of doc.u.ments. Calamity glanced over them hastily and then smiled.
”Your other papers, Captain,” he said.
”Other papers! What other papers d'you mean? They're all there.”
”I think not. If you wish to avoid trouble, you will fetch out your alternative papers at once. You didn't hoist the German ensign without having something to justify it.”
”I swear that----”
”Don't,” broke in Calamity. ”I can do all the swearing I want for myself.”
”But I can't give you what I haven't got!”
Calamity leant across the table till his face almost touched the other's.
”The papers,” he said in a low, menacing voice. ”Understand me?”
The other did, apparently, for, with a muttered curse, he unlocked one of the table drawers and took therefrom a second bundle of doc.u.ments.
”Take them and be d.a.m.ned to you,” he said, flinging them on the table.
Calamity picked up the papers, and, as he glanced at them there was a look of grim satisfaction on his face.
”Will you be good enough to explain to me, Captain Noel, how it is that you happen to have two different sets of papers?” he inquired. ”The first state that the _Ann_ is a British s.h.i.+p, owned by Masters and Ready of Sunderland, and that she has cleared for Hongkong from Rio. The second batch declare her to be a German vessel, cleared for Bangkok from Bremen. They give the owner as----”
He stopped abruptly as he glanced again at the paper he was holding. A look of incredulous astonishment appeared on his face, but it was almost immediately succeeded by one of the keenest satisfaction.
”----Isaac Solomon of Singapore,” he concluded.
The other made no answer, and for a moment or two Calamity regarded him thoughtfully.
”It's a clever trick and how you managed to obtain these two sets of papers I don't pretend to guess,” he went on. ”It may interest you, however, to know that the esteemed Mr. Isaac Solomon is a dear--one might almost say, expensive--friend of mine, and no doubt he will let me into the secret later on. What is your cargo, Captain?”