Part 27 (1/2)
”We was brought,” said Lund. ”Got froze in north o' Wrangell. Gale set us west as we come out o' the Strait. We're bound for Corwin. Nothin'
contraband. All reg'lar. Six hunters, two damaged in the gale, though the doc's fixed 'em up. Twelve seamen, one boy, an' a n.i.g.g.e.r cook who's pizened himself with his own cookin'. Doc's bringin' him round, too, though he don't deserve it. Want to make yore inspection? We're in no hurry to git away until the ice melts. Take yore time.”
The little, dapper officer with his keen, high-cheeked face, and his shoe-brush hair, got up and bowed, with a side glance at Peggy Simms.
”It is not usual for young ladies to be so far north.” His endeavor at gallantry was obvious.
”I am with my father,” said the girl, looking at Rainey, enjoying the situation.
”Where I go she goes,” said Lund. And looked in turn at her with relish in his double suggestion. He, too, was playing the game, gambling, believing in his luck, reckless, now he had set the board.
They pa.s.sed through the corridor. Lund opened up the strong-room, and then the galley. It was orderly, and there was a moaning figure in Tamada's bunk, a tossing figure with a head bound in a red bandanna above the black face and neck that showed above the blankets. The eyes were closed. The black hands, showing lighter palms, plucked at the coverings.
”Delirious,” said Lund. ”Serves him right. He's a rotten cook.”
”Have you all the medicines you need?” asked Ito. ”I can send our surgeon.”
”I can manage,” returned Rainey, _alias_ Carlsen. ”It's enteric. I've reduced the fever.”
They pa.s.sed on through the hunters' quarters. The girl fell behind with Rainey.
”A good make-up and a good actor,” she whispered. ”I helped him to be sure he covered everything that would show. It was my idea about the bandanna. Just what a sick negro might wear, and it hid his straight hair.”
The lieutenant appeared fairly satisfied, but requested that Lund go on board his s.h.i.+p. He stayed there until sundown, returning in hilarious mood.
”We've slipped it over on 'em this time,” he said. ”I left 'em aswim with _sake_, an' bubblin' over with polite regrets. But they'll be back in three weeks, they said, if the ice is open. An', if the luck holds, we'll be out of it. I don't want them searchin' the s.h.i.+p ag'in.” He slapped Tamada on the back as he came to serve supper after Sandy had laid the table.
”A reg'lar vodeville skit,” he exclaimed. ”You're some actor, Tamada!
But why didn't you say the island was down on their charts? They've even got a name for it. Hiyama.”
”It means hot mountain,” said Tamada. ”The government names many islands.”
”You can bet yore life they do,” said Lund. ”They're smart, but they overlooked that beach an' they've given us three weeks to cash in.”
Lund himself had imbibed enough of the _sake_ to make him loose of tongue, added to his elation at the success he had achieved. The gunboat was gone on its patrol, and he had a free hand. He half filled a gla.s.s with whisky. ”Here's to luck,” he cried. And spilled a part of the liquor on the floor before he set the gla.s.s to his lips.
”Here's to you, Doc,” he added. ”An' to Peggy!” He rolled eyes that were a trifle bloodshot at the girl.
”Our relations have gone back as usual, Mr. Lund,” she said quietly.
Lund glared at her half truculently.
”I'm agreeable,” he said. ”As a daughter, I disown you from now on, Miss Peggy. Here's to ye, jest the same!”
CHAPTER XVII
MY MATE
From the day following the arrival and departure of the j.a.panese gunboat, they attacked the little U-shaped beach that lay between two b.u.t.tresses of the volcano and sloped sharply down to the sea. Twenty-one men, a lad and a woman, they went at the despoiling of it with a sort of obsession, led, rather than driven, by Lund, who worked among the rest of them like a Hercules.