The St. Charles herald., 1922-04-22
CHAPTER Xl-Continued.

-1Z-
"He's some fox" said Lund. "Miss
Peggy, you better superintend the
tleatricals. It's got to be done right.
Rainey, not to interrupt you, what do
you know about enteric feyerT
Nothing"
"Well, it's the same as typhoid.
There'll he a surgeon aboard that gun
boat. You got to bluff him. Say little
an look wise as an owl. Don't let
him mix in with yore patient"
"My patient?"
"Tamada He's got enteric fever. II
there's time he'll give you all the DOPE"
'But don't see how that"
'You will see when you see Tamada,"
Lund grinned. "How about them
logs? Can you fix 'em?"
81 think so."
"Then hop to 1t. I'm goin' to wise up
the men and arrange reception COM
mittee Don't forgit yore names Carl
sen. an mines Simms."
Rainey wrote rapidly in his log,
erasing, eliminating pages without
trace, Initiating the shippers phrasing.
Fortunately Simms had made scant
entries at first and, later on, as the
drug held him. none at all. Carlson
had kept no record that he could find.
The girl had gone forward to aid with
Tamada's plan which Lund had
evidently accepted.
Before he had quite finished he
heard the tramp of men on deck and
the blast of steam whistle. He ended
his task and went up to see the gun
boat, gray and menacing, It's brasses
glistening, men on her decks at their
tasks, oblivious of the schooner, and
officers on her bridge watching the
progress Of launch toward the foe.
It made landing smartly. and
lieutenant. diminutive but highly.
.effective in appearance. led six men
toward the Karluk. He wore sword
and revolver; the men carried carbines.
Their disciplined rank and smartness,
the waiting launch, the gunboat In the
ofing, were ominous with the sugges-
tion of power, the will to administer
II. The officer In command carried his
chin at an arrogant tilt. Lund had
rigged a gangway and stood at the
head Of 1t, salutlng the lieutenant as
the latter snappily answered the greet
ing.
Rainey found the girl and put a
hurried question.
"What about Tamada? Where is he?
What's the planT"
She turned to him with eyes that
danced with excitement.
"He's in the galley. Doctor Carlsen.
But he isn't Tamada any more. He's
Jim Cuffee, nigger cook, sick with
enteric fever. not to be disturbed
Rainey stared. It was clever de-
vice. If Tamada could carry it out, and
he bear his own part In the masquer-
ade. The willingness Of Tamada to
risk the disguise was assurance Of his
fidelity
"Lund should have told me-" he said.
"rve got to change his name on the
papers. It won't take minute
though; he doesn't appear in the log"
The Japanese officer wasted no time
on deck. For precaution, Rainey made
bis alteration in the shippers cabin,
1eaving< the log there on the built-in
desk.
ssThis is Lieutenant Ito. Doctor
ssarlsen," said Lund. "You want to see
our papers. Lieutenant"
my orders are to examine the
schooner" said Ito, In English even
more perfect than Tamada's. His
1sce was otiicially severe, though his
slant eyes shifted constantly toward
the girl. Evidently she was an IN
expected feature Of the visit.
'sT1l get the papers first" said Lund.
'IDoctor, you an Peggy entertain the
lieutenant" Rainey set out some
whisky, which the Japanese refused,
some cigars that he passed over with
q motion Of his hand. He sat down
stiniy and ran through the papers.
sWe're pelagic. you know" said
Land. I'VE amt trespassin' on pur-
pose. Didn't even know You owned
the island"
sIt is on our charts" said Ito crisp
y, an II that settled the right Of do
minion. "How did you come here at
allr
I'VE was brought" said Lund. .Got
frose in north G. Wrangell. Gale set
M west as we come out o. the strait.
We're bound for C0rwin. Nothin'
contraband. All reg'lar. Six hunters.
two damaged In the gale. though the
DOCS fixed 'em up. Twelve seamen,
.ane boy, an Z niger cook who's pois-
ened himself with his own cOokin'.
Docs bringin' him round. too. though
- don't deserve It. Want to make
yore inspcction1 We're In no hurry
= ut away until the Ice meIts. Take
yors time"
The little. dapper Omcer with his
lesn, hish-cheeked face. and his shoe
nrush haIr. got mp and bowed. with .
- alanes u Peggy SimmA