Part 23 (1/2)

And when the big Hawaiian's hand clamped on, von Liegnitz' hand stopped almost dead.

Mellon was screaming. ”You ----!” He ran out a string of unprintable and almost un-understandable words. ”I'll kill you! I'll do it yet! _You stay away from Leda Crannon!_”

”Calm down, Doc!” snapped Mike the Angel. ”What the h.e.l.l's the matter with you, anyway?”

Von Liegnitz was still straining, trying to get away from Keku to take another swipe at the medic, but the huge Hawaiian held him easily. The navigator had lapsed into his native German, and most of it was unintelligible, except for an occasional reference to various improbable combinations of animal life.

But Mellon was paying no attention. ”You! I'll kill you! Lecher!

Dirty-minded, filthy....”

He went on.

Suddenly, unexpectedly, he smashed his heel down on Mike's toe. At least, he tried to; he'd have done it if the toe had been there when his heel came down. But Mike moved it just two inches and avoided the blow.

At the same time, though, Mellon twisted, and Mike's forced s.h.i.+ft of position lessened his leverage on the man's shoulders and arms. Mellon almost got away. One hand grabbed the wrench from von Liegnitz, whose grip had been weakened by the paralyzing pressure of Keku's fingers.

Mike had no choice but to slam a hard left into the man's solar plexus.

Mellon collapsed like an unoccupied overcoat.

By this time, von Liegnitz had quieted down. ”Let go, Keku,” he said.

”I'm all right.” He looked down at the motionless figure on the deck.

”What the h.e.l.l do you suppose was eating him?” he asked quietly.

”How's your shoulder?” Mike asked.

”Hurts like the devil, but I don't think it's busted. But why did he do it?” he repeated.

”Sounds to me,” said Keku dryly, ”that he was nutty jealous of you. He didn't like the times you took Leda Crannon to the base movies while we were at Chilblains.”

Jakob von Liegnitz continued to look down at the smaller man in wonder.

”_Lieber Gott_” he said finally. ”I only took her out a couple of times.

I knew he liked her, but--” He stopped. ”The guy must be off his bearings.”

”I smelled liquor on his breath,” said Mike. ”Let's get him down to his stateroom and lock him in until he sobers up. I'll have to report this to the captain. Can you carry him, Keku?”

Keku nodded and reached down. He put his hands under Mellon's armpits, lifted him to his feet, and threw him over his shoulder.

”Good,” said Mike the Angel. ”I'll walk behind you and clop him one if he wakes up and gets wise.”

Vaneski was standing to one side, his face pale, his expression blank.

Mike said: ”Jake, you and Vaneski go up and make the report to the captain. Tell him we'll be up as soon as we've taken care of Mellon.”

”Right,” said von Liegnitz, ma.s.saging his bruised shoulder.

”Okay, Keku,” said Mike, ”forward march.”