The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1936-12-09
CHAPTER III

CHAPTER III
The gray tramp steamer material
lied through the haze. The sun
penciled its ugly hosting gear and
single funnel with silver. Black
smoke be.ched against the sky.
Despite this evidence that every
ounce Of available steam was being
utilized by those aboard, Mundy
doubted if the vessel was shouting
along at more than seven knots.
This was twice as fast as man
could walk, but it was less than the
maximum speed of the coastwise
steamer that Jean Strebor had
hijacked from Singapore.
There doesn't seem to be much
Of any one aboard her." Steeger
muttered.
They're probably keeping them
hid In an attempt to catch these
fellows mapping" Mundy said
tensely. That boats headed
straight for us, and it isn't on any
pleasure cruise. We're due for
kA6At ~ Jul CllBllCo uOLl obdII
pretty soon, or I'll miss my guess"
The deck vibrated beneath his
feet. A rumble of motors was heard
from below. Then there was quiet
again. Mundy shook his head.
The tramp plowed closer. Mundy
heard a clatter of glass; The muz-
zle of a machine gun had been
Shoved through window of the
lounge. The few passengers on the
steamers deck were being herded
into the dining saloon. An armed
Chinese showed at Mundy, Steeger
and Gregory, jabbering excitedly
IN o thin falsetto voice.
The engines quivered again. This
time they throbbed to a higher and
higher intensity. The clank of
boiler doors and the scrape of coal
ShovelS sounded through the sky
lights. The deck plates oscillated.
Escape
a Jet of white plumed from the
tramps funnel valve and melted
into the fog. The shrill whistle re-
sounded again and again across the
widening stretch of water. Signal
flags were hauled up, all to no avail.
Men crowded to the rails of the
tramp. A single shot, probably from
some too impetuous minion, whang-
ed forth.
Mundy saw girl appear on an
upper deck of the tramp that was
being left further and further
astern. Blonde hair and white
coat made her distinct for the mo-
Tnent. She was waving what looked
like q handkerchief. Mundy stared,
then lifted hand.
Chinese pirates, not to be baked
this time, forced Mundy, AL Steeger
and Royce Gregory toward the
dining saloon.
whats the matter, Chief" Stee-
ger asked with concern. Have you
seen a ghost?"
Strange, that looks like the
blonde who disappeared the same
time as my money did in Shanghai;
the blonde, felt sure would look
me up again, for severa reasons"
"Deborah?"
Deborah Allison?" Gregory
muttered half to himself.
You know the young lady, Greg
gory?"
II. er, met some one of that name
somewhere, guess"
Mundy stared at him, but could
not catch the others eyes"
You must be some traveller"
Mundy said slowly.
Another Plot
FTfxun -
tables in the dining saloon. They
were old acquaintance, and they
had Just met again after indeter-
inmate months. They were talking
intently in low voices.
I'm still married, right enough"
one said. She might have been
good looking once. Now she was
lusterless and inclined to over
weight. Yet the spark. had not en-
tirely burned out of he reyes. pete |
is FIRST mate aboard this ScoW. He
got left back there In Shanghai. / |
didn't see you come aboard, Sue"
The others lips drew from her
flashing white teeth in an express
sion Of Wry humor. Her hair was
hennaed, and she was small boned |
She was young in an ageless sort
of way.
II would have to pick this tub to f!
stowaway on"
Are you crazy to get away from
this this part Of the world too? |
the FIRST woman breathed intently.
well, I was pretty anxious to |
get out of Shanghai. AS for the
Orient?" Sue shrugged Living
Back in Chicago or New York would |
be pretty tame after this. l came
over here with dance band in the |
first place. you know. Only I stayed
on, dancing and singing in clubs |
from Peiping to Singapore; for good
money, too. Where else can one
live like Princess for twenty-f five
or thirty gold dollars a week."
"You must have been in some
trouble 20 have wanted to get away |
from Shanghai so bad" The others |
eyes focused sharply. Il heard you |
were q secret agent for Japan a |
while bacE"
Sue shrugged again.
II suppose this life isn't so bad |
# you can give in to it," the first |
woman said Her face lined. "But |
] cantl It's getting Pete and me.
] can see 1t. ! can't let It get us.
We've got to break away while
there's time. And we've got to have
Q good-sized stake TO do 1t with"
I'D be glad 70 lend you some |
money, Maybe" She jerked her
head IN the direction ofg Shanghai.
"only left everything back there"
II know where we can get plenty |
& money" Mabe said slowly
Another Plot
sue took a cigarette out Of her