The spectator., 1922-02-24


 srudse. l ain't afraid of their kniin' me, not while the slippers sick. They need me to navigate"
 This might he good chance for me to handle seXtant;" suggested Rainey casually.
 Lund shook his head, smiling, but his eyes hard.
 Not yet, matey," he said Not that l don't trust you, but sor me to he the only one, jest now, is q sort of life insurance that suits me to carry. They might figser if you was able to navigate, that they c'ud put the screws on you to carry 'em through, with me out of the WAY. l don't say they could, hut they might make it hard fer you, an you ain't got quite the same stake in this l have
 Here was cold logic, but Rainey saw the force of it. Hansen came up early to split the watch and put their Sched- ule right again. and Lund went below with Rainey. Luud ordered Tamada tp bring bottle and glasses. and they sat down at the table. Rainey needed the kick of drink, and took one.
 As Lund Was raising his glass with Il toast of Heres to luck" the skip per's door opened and the girl ap- peared. She looked like a ghost. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes stared at them without seeming recog milton. But she spoke, in a flat, tone less voice.
 My father is dead T." she fal- tered. swayed and seemed to swoon as she sank toward the floor. Raney darted forward, but Lund was quicker and swooped her up ill his arms as if she had been a feather. took her to the table, set her in d chair, dabbled napkin in some water and applied it to her brows.
 "Chafe der wrists," he ordered Rainey. Undo that top button of her blouse. That's enough; she ain't got on corsets. Shell come through. Plumb worn out. That's all."
 He handled her, deftly as nurse would q child. Rainey chafed the slen- der wrists and beat her palms, and soon she opened her eyes and sighed. Then she pulled away from Lund, bending over her. and got to her feet.
 "I must go to my father" she said. He is dead.'
 They followed her into the cabin and Lund bent over the buns
 Looks like It." he whispered to Rainey. Then he tore open the skip per's vest and shirt and laid his head on his chest. The girl made faint motion as if to stop him, but did not hinder him. She was at the end of her own strength from wearineSs and wor- ry. Lund suddenly raised his head.
 There's tiutter," he announced. He ain't gone yit. Get Tamada an some brandy"
 With the dose there came signs of revival. a low moan from the skipper. The girl flew to his side. Tamada, standing by with the bottle, stepped forward. handed the brandy to Rainey, and rolled up the lid of an eye, look ing closely at the pupil.
 "I study medicine at Tokyo" he said.
 "Why didn't ye say so before|' de handed Lund. II did not occur to any of them to doubt Tamada'S word. There was an air of professional assurance and an efficiency about him that car ried weight What can you do for him? There's Il medicine chest in Carlsen's room"
 ' "I was hired to cook" said Tamada quietly "I should not have been per init to interfere. It Is not my business if a white man makes fool of him self. Now we want morphine and hy- podermic syringe"
 Tamada rolled up the captains sleeve. The flesh, shrunken. pallid, was closely spotted with dot-like scars that showed livid, as if the cap tain had been suffering from some strange rash.
 Lund whistled softly. Rainey, too, knew what it meant. The skipper had been veritahle slave to the drug. Carlsen had administered 1t, pre- scribed it, used 1t as means to bring Simms under his suhjection.
 HUN IT VI " HhHifN' lAt ARNR at oncef" Lund asked the Japanese in low voice.
 "Fifteen grains, l think. Maybe more. Too Uuch Always too much drug in his veias. Much worse than opium for man.
 "Carlsen's work" growled Lund. Increased the stuff on him till he couldn't do without it. Made him a slave to dope an Carlsen his boss. He deserved kiliin jest for that the skunk"
 Rainey frantically searched through the medicine chest and, finding only five tablets marked Morphine l gr. in n bottle, sought elsewhere in vain. And he could find no needle. But he rar across some automatic cartridges and put them in his pockets before he hurried back.
 This Is not enough" said Tamada.