Part 3 (1/2)

Rainey would rather have taken it from any one else, but the whiff of burning tobacco, as Carlsen lit up, gave him an irresistible craving for a smoke. Besides, it wouldn't do for the doctor to know he mistrusted him. If he was to be a part of the s.h.i.+p's life, there was small sense in acting pettishly. He took the cigarette, accepted the light, and inhaled gratefully.

”What's the question?” asked Carlsen.

”You weren't on the last trip. You weren't in on the original deal. But I find you doing all the talking, making me offers. You drugged me on your own impulse. Where's the skipper? How does he stand in this matter?

Why didn't he come to see me? What is your rating aboard?”

”You're asking a good deal for an outsider, it seems to me, Rainey. I came to you partly as your doctor. But I speak for the captain and the crew. Don't worry about that.”

”And Lund?” Rainey could not resist the shot. He had gathered that the doctor resented Lund.

Carlsen's eyes narrowed.

”Lund will be taken care of,” he said, and, for the life of him, Rainey could not judge the statement for threat or friendly promise. ”As for my status, I expect to be Captain Simms' son-in-law as soon as the trip is over.”

”All right,” said Rainey. Carlsen's announcement surprised him. Somehow he could not place the girl as the doctor's fiancee. ”I suppose the captain may mention this matter,” he queried, ”to cement it?”

”He may,” replied Carlsen enigmatically. ”Feel like getting up?”

Rainey rose and bathed face and hands. Carlsen left the cabin. The main room was empty when Rainey entered, but there was a place set at the table. Through the skylight he noted, as he glanced at the telltale compa.s.s in the ceiling, that the sun was low toward the west.

The main cabin was well appointed in hardwood, with red cus.h.i.+ons on the transoms and a creeping plant or so hanging here and there. A canary chirped up and broke into rolling song. It was all homy, innocuous. Yet he had been drugged at the same table not so long before. And now he was pledged a share of ungathered gold. It was a far cry back to his desk in the _Times_ office.

A j.a.panese entered, st.u.r.dy, of white-clad figure, deft, polite, incurious. He had brought in some ham and eggs, strong coffee, sliced canned peaches, bread and b.u.t.ter. He served as Rainey ate heartily, feeling his old self coming back with the food, especially with the coffee.

”Thanks, Tamada,” he said as he pushed aside his plate at last.

”Everything arright, sir?” purred the j.a.panese.

Rainey nodded. The ”sir” was rea.s.suring. He was accepted as a somebody aboard the _Karluk_. Tamada cleared away swiftly, and Rainey felt for his own cigarettes. He hesitated a little to smoke in the cabin, thinking of the girl, wondering whether she was on deck, where he intended to go. Some one was snoring in a stateroom off the cabin, and he fancied by its volume it was Lund.

It was a divided s.h.i.+p's company, after all. For he knew that Lund, handicapped with his blindness, would live perpetually suspicious of Simms. And the doctor was against Lund. Rainey's own position was a paradox.

He started for the companionway, and a slight sound made him turn, to face the girl. She looked at him casually as Rainey, to his annoyance, flushed.

”Good afternoon,” said Rainey. ”Are you going on deck?”

It was not a clever opening, but she seemed to rob him of wit, to an extent. He had yet to know how she stood concerning his presence aboard.

Did she countenance the forcible kidnapping of him as a possible tattler? Or--?

”My father tells me you have decided to go with us,” she said, pleasantly enough, but none too cordially, Rainey thought.

”Doctor Carlsen helped me to my decision.”

She did not seem to regard this as a thrust, but stood lightly swaying to the pitch of the vessel, regarding him with grave eyes of appraisal.

”You have not been well,” she said. ”I hope you are better. Have you eaten?”

Rainey began to think that she was ignorant of the facts. And he made up his mind to ignore them. There was nothing to be gained by telling her things against her father--much less against her fiancee, the doctor.

”Thank you, I have,” he said. ”I was going to look up Mr. Lund.”