The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1924-09-05
FIVE Jumps OF
SUGAR
BY ALBERT W. ToLMAN

X
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
TT WAS raining that tropic noon on
the northern horizon up toward Min
doro, as if misty fingers were sponging
the color from the fringe OF the copper
sky. The five castaways In the
typhoon-battered dinghy looked at the
bronze splotch thirstily, picturing
heaven beyond those low clouds hover
ing vigorously and benignantly over
the unseen land where men had food
to eat and water to drink and trees to
shade them from the sun.
All Sing, the Malay steward, was
busy with turned back in the bow /;
the four whites gave him no heed.
Soon he faced them, small sack in
his hand, his black eyes glittering
snakily under his low yellow forehead.
1T is better that one should die than
FIVE Meat and drink are ours, If we
will. In my country we gamble with
Jumps of sugar, that man winning or
losing on whose lump fly shall first
alight. 1t is a fair game, even though
used by dogs like myself, unworthy to
lick up the crumbs from white mems
tables"
His thin lips sneered venomouSly.
His eyes shot glances of baleful fire.
From the sack he shook into his fiat
palm five sugar cubes, the last of their
dwindled rations.
Let us play this game, each stalk
ing his life on the lump he chooses.
Allah will send fly, and the man
on whose piece it first sets foot shall
yield his body as food for the rest"
The whites shrank from him in dis
gust and horror, but the tempting
Malay voice purred on:
ut is free and fair; no man shares,
unless he risks; no man risks unless
he wishes to share. dis risk is one
to four; his chances of sharing are
four to one"
Dead silence brooded over the boat.
The brains of the men were boiling in
their skulls, their threats were
parched, their blood was thick. For
days no food or drink had passed
their lips They stared DULY out
across the pale blue sea. Behind the
dinghy trailed patient black fin,
waiting, waiting.
All Sings eyes cleaned furtively, as
he watched them bordering. With a
swift gesture he plucked a cube from
his open palm.
~ will take the first"
He extended his lean hand to the
others, his voice vibrant and master
full.
Choose"
Cracked lips growing assent, they
chose mechanically with averted faces.
All Sings steady fingers placed his
lump on the thwart, and each white
followed with him with tremulous
hand, knowing that he might be seal
ing his own death warrant They they
waited, intently, hungrily, jealousy,
fearfully, fiercely, feeling their lives
shrink to the compass Of the brittle
cubes they watched.
Out Of nowhere appeared a fly, and
alighted on the gunwale. Its wings
were FURNISHED, its body bottle green,
its eyes like points of fire. To one Of
the five it was the angel of death, sent
by Allah or the devil.
Abruptly it sprang into the air, and
hung above the thwart with tanning
wings No one breathed. For a mo-
ment it lowered over the stewards
lump, and his yellow face blanched
ashen. Then it darted down upon the
captains.
The others turned sickly, but the
Malay, uttering cry of savage joy,
drew his needle-pointed knife. and
with teeth barred crouched for the
spring on his chief Suddenly the
mate regained his voice.
"Seize that mani" croaked he; and
a sailor wrapped his gaunt arms about
All Sing, and held him, struggling and
furious.
The mate picked up the stewards
lump; on the thwart beneath lay
dark moist spot. He smelIed the cube,
then turned in wrath on the writhing
Malay.
This lump has been soaked in
kerosene. No fly would alight on 1t,
even if he were starving"
With cries of rage the others threw
themselves on the traitor. But he flung
them off, menacing with his keen
blade, and went headlong overheard.
The black fin astern slid up alongside
and disappeared in a furry of foam,
leaving a slowly spreading stain of
blood.
The four, breathing hard, questioned
one another with their eyes, The mate
answered for all:
"No; Wen die like white men,"
He flung the Jumps into the sea.
The hours dragged by, silent, hot and
leaden, each bringing nearer insensi-
bility and death.
1t was raining again at sunset up
toward Mindoro, but the men In the
dinghy did not heed it. A short, fat
steamer, throwing black smoke, was