The spectator., 1922-03-14

| Dawn came before they were aware of it. a sudden rush of light that dyed the ice in every hue of red and orange that tipped the frozen coast with bursts of ruby flame that hared like beacons and gilded the crests of the long swells, tinging all their world with 8 wild, unnatural glory.
 Lund, striding the deck. his red beard iced with his breath, suddenly stopped and stared into the east. There. in the very eye of the dawn. was trail of smoke, like a plume against the flaming, three-quarters cir cle of the rising sun
 Lunds face. on which the bruises were fast fading. changed purple black with rage. He whirled upon | Sandy, gaping near, and ordered him to fetch his binoculars. Through them he stared long at the smoke. Then he turned to the girl and Raney
 Come down inter the cabin" he said. We'll need all our wits. That's 1 a patrol boat. Japanese, for a million! None other this far west. An it's d-d funny if should come up right at this minnit We've made the trip on schedule time. an here they show. But we'll let that slide. We've got to think fast. They'll board us They'll overhaul us lookln' for seal pelts. At least hope so.
 We've got none. Our hunters an our rifles an shotgunsll prove our claim to be pelagic sealers. We got to trust they believe us. If there is a hide aboard or club, or sign of a dead seal on the beaches they'll nail us. They may ennyway. just on suspi cion.
 Its lucky we didn't start muSsin l up that beach. But they'll go over everything. l know 'em. They claim to own the seas hereabouts. an they're cockier than ever, since the war Rainey, you got to git busy on the log If wore father didn't keep it up, Miss Peggy, so much the better If he has, you got to fake 1t someways, Rainey.
 I'm Simms. get me until we're clear of 'em. An you, Rainey, are Doc Carlsen. Nothin' must show in the log about enny deaths"
 But why?" asked the girl "Why do we have to masquerade if we haven't touched the seals?"
 Lund parked at her:
 l "I gave you credit for sharper wits" he said We've got to have every thing so reg'lar they can't find an eN- cuse for haulin' us in an settin' fire to the schooner. They'd do it in | jiffy. We got to show 'em our clear anee papers. an we've got to tally up all down the line. Rainey aint on the ships bookS-Carlsen is. Lund ain't but Simms is. I'm Simms. An you" he stopped to grin at her-'youre my daughter I'll dissolve the rela- tionship after a while, I'll promise you that. An I'll drill the men They know what's ahead of 'em If the Japs git suspicious.
 That ain't the worst of il They may know what we're after If they do we're gonerS. Ever occur to you. Rainey that Tamada, who is deep one. may have tipped off the whole thing to his consul while the schooner was at San Francisco? He was along the last trip. He'd know the approxi- mate position. Might have got the right figgerS out O the log him havin' the run of the cabin A cable would do the rest He'll git his whack out of 1t. with the oreer of the Golden Chrysanthemum or some jig arig 10 boot an git even with the way he feels to'ard our outfit for'ard that aint bin none too sweet to him"
 The suggestion held a foundation of conviction for Rainey. He had thought of the consul He had always Sensed depths in TamadaS reserve. It looked plausible Lund rose
 "ru fix Tamada" he said But the girl stopped him.
 You don't know that's true. Ia mada has been wonderful--to me What dc you intend to do with him?"
 "Tll make up my mind between here and the galley" said Lund grimly. This is my third time of tackling this island. an no Jap Is goin to stand be- tween me an the gold this trip. Why, even If he ain't blown on us, he'll give the whole thing away. If he didn't want to they'd make him come through if they laid their eyes on him. They've got more tricks than Chinese man. darin t0 make man talk. Stands to reason he'll tell 'em. If he can talk when they git here" he added om- inously, standing halfway between the table and the door of the corridor his hand opening and closing sugges- lively. "The crew'd settle his hash If l didn't. They aint fools. They know what's ahead of 'em in Japan You. Rainey, git busy with that log. That gunhoatll have boat alongside this foe inside of ninety minnits."
 But Peggy Simms was between him and the door.
 You shan't do it." she said, her eyes hard aS fiintS If Ipnd'S ware lika